Newsletter                   Newsletter Archive for downloading
January 2025

Dear Friends,

Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him. 4 And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him. 5 And the apostles said unto the Lord, Increase our faith. 6 And the Lord said, If ye had faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye might say unto this sycamine tree, Be thou plucked up by the root, and be thou planted in the sea; and it should obey you. 7 But which of you, having a servant plowing or feeding cattle, will say unto him by and by, when he is come from the field, Go and sit down to meat? 8 And will not rather say unto him, Make ready wherewith I may sup, and gird thyself, and serve me, till I have eaten and drunken; and afterward thou shalt eat and drink? 9 Doth he thank that servant because he did the things that were commanded him? I trow not. 10 So likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants: we have done that which was our duty to do. (Luke 17:3-10 KJV)

How many times? Jesus says every time. Every time a person sins and repents they are to be forgiven. Isn’t that a little much? No wonder the disciples told Jesus to give them more faith. They couldn’t understand how they would ever be able to fulfill what He said so they asked for more faith. However, as Jesus indicated, they didn’t need more faith; they simply needed to be obedient servants and do what they were told. They had all the faith they would ever need; they only needed to be obedient. So is the wideness of God’s grace. He doesn’t explain it, He simply gives it. It seems impossible doesn’t it? Doesn’t God get tired of forgiving us after a while? Obviously not, God would not and could not invoke upon us what He wouldn’t do Himself. God showed us the depth of His forgiveness and grace on Calvary’s cross. There the Son of God bleeding on the cross forgave us, not just once but once forever (Hebrews 10:12). The disciples couldn’t fulfill Jesus expectation given their circumstance at the time Jesus uttered these words but after His death, resurrection, ascension and sending of the Holy Spirit they not only understood; they did it. They forgave a world that treated them horribly, even at times imitating their Lord in forgiving the very people who were putting them to death. Those who had experienced so great a grace dispensed the same. The disciples received so much grace from God in covering their own sins that it became second nature to do the same for others; a new nature, the nature born of God; an eternal nature from a new birth in Jesus Christ. In this way we begin the new year, the same way we ended the last; forgiven. How sweet the sound, not just once but forgiven forever. So let us begin this year forgiven and forgiving, that grace would be the watchword of the kingdom and we would be found obedient servants For Jesus’ sake.

It is of the LORD'S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. 23 They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness. (Lamentations 3:22-23 KJV)

Happy and Blessed New Year,
Jay Weidner

DONATIONS RECEIVED...

In memory of Rudolph & Sylvia Keskitalo
From Michael & Susan Keskitalo

In memory of Einar Fiskari
From Michael & Susan Keskitalo

In memory of Aurora Grace Mixon
From Dale & Carolyn Questad

In memory of Don Kilpela
From Pastor Ernest Bylkas III, Joy & family

In memory of Kathleen Forsman
From Pastor Ernest Bylkas III, Joy & family

In memory of Ernest Bylkas Jr.
From Pastor Ernest Bylkas III, Joy & family

In memory of Ross, Kent & Kris Wolfe
From Fayth Wolfe

In memory of Donald Bielinksi
From Pamela Bielinski

In memory of Ivan & Iris Seppala
From Dale & Carolyn Questad


THANKS TO YOU, the matching funds program was a huge success.

We are pleased to report that donations received reached $25,000 and will now be matched by a generous donor. May God bless your generosity and continued support!


THRIVENT FINANCIAL
CHOICE DOLLARS PROGRAM IN 2024

THANK YOU to those who made contributions through Thrivent Financial Choice Dollars Program. The seminary received $1,935 in the calendar year 2024. For more information about Choice Dollars, visit http://www.Thrivent.com/thriventchoice or call 800-847-4836 or contact your local Thrivent Financial representative.


2025 SPIRNG CLASS SCHEDULE LINK
https://ilseminary.org/classchedule.htm
ATTENTION: SUPPORTERS
THERE ARE OTHER WAYS TO SUPPORT THE SEMINARY.


CHOICE DOLLARS DETAILS: Eligible clients with membership can recommend where Thrivent distributes some of its charitable grant funds. These recommendations are shared by directing Choice Dollars to enrolled nonprofit organizations, including churches.

Eligibility requirements: To be eligible to direct Choice Dollars as part of Thrivent Choice®, you must be a client with benefit membership. Individual eligibility is also based on at least one of the following:
• Having $750 or more in annual billed premiums of qualifying life and health insurance products.
• Having $20,000 or more in contract value of qualifying life insurance and annuity products.
Eligibility is determined monthly and reevaluated on an annual basis.
Minimum and maximum Choice Dollars designations: Eligible clients will be designated a minimum of 25 Choice Dollars and a maximum of 5,000 Choice Dollars per eligibility period (Jan. 1 to Dec. 31).
Choice Dollars expiration date: Choice Dollars designated during the calendar year can be directed until March 31 of the following year.

For more information about Choice Dollars, visit http://www.Thrivent.com/thriventchoice or call 800-847-4836 or contact your local Thrivent Financial representative.

THRIVENT CHARITABLE IMPACT & INVESTINGTM

The Inter-Lutheran Seminary has established an Endowment Fund through Thrivent Charitable Impact & InvestingTM (formerly InFaith Community Foundation). All earnings of the endowment will be used for the seminary’s needs thereby ensuring the continued existence of this funding source. This is the preferred method used by many non-profit entities, especially ongoing religiously focused organizations such as seminaries. To learn more about this organization, go to www.thriventcharitable.com.

We would love to grow our endowment into a major source of ongoing seminary support. Although the seminary still needs the financial ongoing regular contributions of our supporters, please consider the endowment fund for your planned giving needs. For more additional information, please contact Kirk Otto, Jr. at (715) 821-8574 or Cheryl Hendrickson at
(906) 482-3337.

ANOTHER OPTION FOR GIVING – PayPal
Online giving is as easy as clicking the DONATE button on our website: https://ilseminary.org. Simply go to the How to Contribute tab and tap the yellow DONATE button to begin. There are options for credit and debit card donations and even the option to help the seminary cover the PayPal processing fee. (Note we are charged 1.99% + $.49/transaction fee). As always, we are thankful for your continued support!


**PLEASE NOTE**

If you are receiving this newsletter in error or would prefer to be taken off the mailing list, please complete the form below and mail to: P.O. Box 449, Hancock, MI 49930.
Or call 906-482-3337 or email: cilseminary@ilseminary.com. Thank you!

Date:_________________

Name:_______________________________________________________

Address:_____________________________________________________


I wish to be removed from the Inter-Lutheran Seminary’s mailing list.
 

Inter-Lutheran Theological Seminary
James Weidner, President
P.O. Box 449
Hancock, MI 49930

administrator@ilseminary.org
Phone: 906-482-3337
FAX: 906-482-0694