When Cullman was celebrating its 150th birthday, we were asked to participate in the celebration. In thinking about the best way to honor our heritage, I thought, “Why not conduct a worship service according to the structure and language of our forefathers?” Then my brain went wild with questions. “Are we going to worship just for a ‘show’ or ‘an experience?’ That’s not the point of worship.” “Will there be anyone who can understand?” “What’s the point?” As we have been privileged to continue this tradition, it is important that we understand that what we do does serve a purpose and isn’t just for show.
To “tradition” something is to hand it over. For those in the Church, that is how the Confession of the faith has reached our ears. This faith was handed from Abraham to Isaac to Jacob and to generations after that. The major difficulties that begin in the Old Testament primarily happen because the Confession wasn’t passed along. In other words, the people wanted to do “their own thing.”
For example, despite being in Egypt at the end of Genesis, God’s people were in a good place. They were shepherding many flocks and herds in the lush pastures of Goshen and living peaceably in the land. How do they go from that to being enslaved for 400 years? The Scriptures tell us. “Now there arose a new king over Egypt, who did not know Joseph” (Exodus 1:8). That’s a significant part of recent history that was forgotten, and because it was not “traditioned” (handed over), God’s people were enslaved out of fear that they would join with Egypt’s enemies and make war against them (Exodus 1:10).
The same thing also happened in the book of Judges. After the conquest of the land failed just after the days of Joshua, it is written, “And there arose another generation after them who did not know the LORD or the work that he had done for Israel” (Judges 2:10). How could they forget such magnificent and miraculous history? It’s one thing for an Egyptian Pharaoh to not know of a Hebrew prisoner who rose to second in command over all of Egypt. It’s another when God’s own people know nothing of the plagues, the Red Sea, the wilderness, or that the land they had inherited had been promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. They were literally living the promises of God fulfilled, and they knew nothing of it all because a generation arose who had not been handed over the history.
With all of the discord we see and experience today, how much of it exists because proper teaching wasn’t handed over to the next generation? Today, we see the scriptural reality that existed later in Judges, “In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes” (Judges 17:6). Because God’s people had forsaken God as king, they were left to their own devices. Chaos, war, plague, and death ensued. Sound familiar?
If I could step down from the pulpit, I will say that this is why it is important for us to remember and to reflect on who we are and where we came from as Cullmanites not only socially but especially religiously. We have an opportunity to do that “religiously” on Sept. 30, at 6 p.m. at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church. Partnering with the City of Cullman in kicking off Oktoberfest, we will lead “Gottesdienst” (Divine Service) in the German language as the founders of our city would have known it. (Our founder was Lutheran, after all!) We hope that all of you, regardless of denominational affiliation (or no affiliation at all), will come join us in this tradition. English text will be provided to follow along.
If you have any questions about the service or about our Lutheran heritage, please contact Reverend Bussman at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church 256-734-3575.
The Rev. John M. Bussman
Senior Pastor
St. Paul’s Lutheran Church
