First let me say to you, Happy Canada Day. This is a particularly joyous time of the year for me and my family as we are dual citizens and we get to celebrate Canada’s Independence Day on July 1 and the United States on July 4.

It is a time of celebration for certain, but from the accounts of both countries that went to war side by side to give us the freedom and peace we have this day, we must never forget the price paid was very high.

And the price paid for our eternal freedom and peace on the cross of Christ was the highest price ever paid for people that didn’t deserve it. So today we talk about peace. The question is, is peace nothing more than a word that means “not war?”

If peace is the word that we use to mean the opposite of war, then my friends in Christ, this world has never experienced peace since we have been at war in some, way, shape, or form since the day Cain rose up against his brother Abel and killed him. That was the real beginning of World War I and it hasn’t stopped since.

Oh, there have been very brief periods of time when the nations were settled and not killing each other, but rest assured, somewhere in the world, war reigned, through genocide, senseless murder, social conflict, tribal clashes, and closest to home, conflict with family, friends, acquaintances at war with each other.

We like to think our country is forever free and at peace because there isn’t much going on in the confines of the walls of this country that would lead one to believe there is war going on.

But though the evidence of peace is alluring and appealing to, and even embraced by, many who believe we have achieved it, the reality is the United States is at war at home and abroad and the very freedom our ancestors fought for is in jeopardy.

At home, senseless shootings, upheaval amongst and between different ethnic groups, a huge political divide, an immigration nightmare, a split this country hasn’t seen the likes of since the Civil War. And where are our troops? Stationed abroad and in harm’s way to do everything they can to try to maintain peace in an area that has never known peace.

The root cause of all this turmoil is the fact we have drifted away from what our founding fathers established as the foundation for a free country that is at peace with itself and the world.

Let’s start with Psalm 33:12 saying, “Blessed is the nation (like the USA) whose God is the Lord, the people He chose for his inheritance.” Patrick Henry states, "It cannot be emphasized too strongly or too often that this great nation was founded not by religionists but by Christians, not on religion but on the gospel of Jesus Christ."

Do we still believe that?

How about John Adams who stated, "Our constitution was made for a moral and religious people ... it is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.”

Moral and religious people – are we that?

And lastly George Washington’s Farewell Address to Nation, "Do not let anyone claim tribute of American patriotism if they even attempt to remove Christianity from politics." And we have done just that, plus our schools, plus the workplace, plus our homes, plus, plus, plus, you name it, we’ve done it. To many, maybe even most, God is no longer our Lord.

Alexis de Tocqueville, a famous French political philosopher, visited our nation more than 100 years ago to uncover the secret of our greatness. He traveled from town to town, talking with people, asking questions, examining every facet of our society.

Returning to France, he wrote these amazing words, "I sought for America’s greatness. I found it not in her fields & forests. I found it not in her mines & factories. I found it not in her Congress & great tribunals.

"It was only when I entered her churches & heard her pulpits thundering against sin & preaching righteousness that I discovered the secret of her greatness."

Then he added, "America is great because America is good. If America ever ceases to be good, America will cease to be great."

Are we still the good nation he referred to? Let’s talk more about that Sunday.

I invite the good people of Lake County to join us at First Lutheran Church for our “blended music” Holy Communion service on July 1.

Bible study specific to the immigration situation we are in is at 9:30 a.m., worship at 11 a.m., followed by a hot lunch for all after worship.

Everyone is welcome so please join us Sunday and come as you are.

Chris DelCol is pastor of First Lutheran Church in Lucerne, Calif. The church is located at 3863 Country Club Drive, telephone 707-274-5572. Email Pastor Chris at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Don’t you just hate it when someone falls asleep on you?

You are talking to someone who on the surface appears to be intently listening and the next thing you know their eyes begin to twitch a bit and before you know it, they close and the deep snoring sound begins to emanate from them.

As a pastor, I know all about how that feels. Oh, for sure, people always spin it to make me feel better: “Your sermons are so restful”; “My eyes are closed because I am thinking”; “I hear better when I am not looking at you”; “I find I am distracted if I don’t close my eyes.” And those are only my wife’s excuses.

Then there are the honest ones, who say, “love coming to church – best sleep I get all week!”

Folks, it is one thing to sleep in church, it is a whole other thing to be asleep at the wheel, and whether you take that literally or figuratively they have the same result.

In Mark 4:35-41, we see just that occurring. Jesus asleep at the wheel. Can you blame Him? He has been travelling here, there, and everywhere and is downright tired. That is typically the reason people fall asleep at the wheel.

Of course, a huge storm comes up and the next thing you know the crew is freaking out! We’re going to die! The world is coming to an end and the one person who can help us through this is sleeping. They can’t believe He would be so “out of it” that He wouldn’t know there is a storm taking place and all their lives are at risk.

Of course, this is Jesus at the helm and the others in the boat with Him have no reason to sweat it! But, they are freaking out … they had little faith.

And that’s where we are today, isn’t it? We lack the intensity of faith to be able to trust the Lord that He will see us through. We forget that Jesus is NEVER asleep at the wheel. He can’t be … He is perfect, we are not and so when it appears He is not there to care for us in times of trouble, the reality is, He is not only there, but He is carrying us through. Instead we are like the disciples … where are you Jesus when I need you the most?

Our lives are filled with challenges and we have only one way out when the reality of life hits us full bore … and that way out is the man on the cross who forgave us then and now, for everyone of US falling asleep at the wheel … not serving as we should, for accusing when we shouldn’t, for sinning when we know we are.

The Lord is alive and well and wide-awake right here in Lake County … ready, willing, and able to help our community prosper once again.

Let’s begin right here in Lucerne as we plan a work day to try to make First Lutheran Church look like God actually lives there. We are going to do a church cleanup on Saturday, June 30, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., and whatever help you can provide would be most appreciated.

Each Sunday we have Bible study at 9:30 a.m., worship at 11 a.m., with a hot lunch following service.

Please join us every Sunday to hear God’s word, have a time of study and eat! It’s Hawaiian shirt summer so if you have one, please wear it.

Chris DelCol is pastor of First Lutheran Church in Lucerne, Calif. The church is located at 3863 Country Club Drive, telephone 707-274-5572. Email Pastor Chris at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

A little boy was asked to define Father’s Day and he said, “It’s just like Mother’s Day, only you don’t spend as much on presents.”

Bruce Howell writes, a good father is one of the most unsung, unpraised, unnoticed and unappreciated heroes in all humanity.

Needless to say, I agree with that statement as I look each day at the fathers of this world, and especially those in this community who, for the most part, do everything they can do to do their best for the sake of their family.

That’s great, but we have a problem here with dads right here in the good ol’ USA … 35 percent of the kids in the US live in homes with no father. Can you believe that?

Look to these facts from a study done by, “The Fatherless Generation”:

– 63 percent of youth suicides are from fatherless homes.
– 90 percent of all homeless and runaway children are from fatherless homes.
– 85 percent of all children who show behavior disorders come from fatherless homes.
– 80 percent of rapists with anger problems come from fatherless homes.
– 71 percent of all high school dropouts come from fatherless homes.
– Fatherless children are twice as likely to drop out of school.
– Children with fathers who are involved are 40 percent less likely to repeat a grade in school.
– Children with fathers who are involved are 70 percent less likely to drop out of school.
– Children with fathers who are involved are more likely to get As in school.
– Children with fathers who are involved are more likely to enjoy school and engage in extracurricular activities.
– 75 percent of all adolescent patients in chemical abuse centers come from fatherless homes – 10 times the average.
– Over 90 percent of kids who do not have their father attend church with them will not go to church after they leave home no matter how often the mother takes them to church!

It is difficult for a child to communicate his or her belief in the one true God if they don’t see it coming first from their parents, especially the father.

How can we expect our children to learn about Jesus if they don’t attend worship because there is some sports event that takes priority?

How can we expect our children to adopt a healthy prayer life when we can’t even thank God for the bounty He provides for something as simple as the food on our table?

How can we expect our children to speak up about their salvation through faith in Christ?

So where is the good news in all this?

It would appear that our sin in life, our lack of ability to spread the good news by speaking out about it, is severely lacking at times. How do we find a sense of fulfillment, happiness and joy in this predicament?

The answer is knowing this, from Romans 3, “But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law … the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: for ALL have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.”

Thus, the task of the father in today’s society is exactly what it has been throughout history, to communicate the good news of Jesus Christ to a world that is drowning in sin as people search for happiness through false gods … money, power, prestige, self-glory, materialism and so on.

Our task as fathers, as Christians, is to seek the glory of God by sharing the joy of salvation with those who are lost in this community and in need of hearing of the hope and redemption offered through faith in Jesus Christ.

Please join us this Sunday at First Lutheran Church in Lucerne to hear more about fathers on this Father’s Day, 2018.

Bible Study starts at 9:30 a.m., worship at 11 a.m., with lunch immediately following worship and our monthly Food Cupboard from 1 to 2 p.m.

All are welcome so come as you are and spend a few hours with us to hear the Good News of Jesus Christ.

Chris DelCol is pastor of First Lutheran Church in Lucerne, Calif. The church is located at 3863 Country Club Drive, telephone 707-274-5572.

Do you realize that all sins can be forgiven, no matter how serious? Except, of course, for one.

You can do any of the following and with a repentant soul ask God to forgive and He will: Hate, lie, deceive, gossip, adultery, steal, murder, even worship false idols.

How about being part of a group of likeminded people plotting against others who don’t agree?

Family against family, husband against wife, wife against husband, friends against friends, us against them!

Even everyone against God! All forgivable!

Unfortunately, there is at least one instruction given to us by Jesus that is not followed as it should and it is to forgive as you are forgiven. But there is one sin that cannot be forgiven and that is to sin against the Holy Spirit as seen in Mark 3:29, “but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness but is guilty of an eternal sin.”

The LCMS position on this is, “Placing a target on the Holy Spirit and deliberately slandering Him implies that the person who commits this offense knows exactly what he is doing. The sin, therefore, manifests a heart hardened in impenitent opposition to the Third Person of the Holy Trinity. Every effort on the part of the Holy Spirit to bring or restore such a person to faith in Christ is rejected, repulsed and repudiated.”

Does that mean we can we go around sinning to our hearts content, especially when it involves the willful destruction of another human being, and as long as we avoid degrading the Holy Spirit we expect God to forgive us?

Now isn’t that an interesting question for us to ask ourselves? Isn’t that just a challenge and a half as we think about all the times we have sinned against others in the past or have been the brunt of someone else’s sin and have not seen fit to forgive them?

We live in a world that is desperate need of knowing the forgiveness that God provides for all sin (Holy Spirit excepted).

In Lake County, we deal too often with the sin of judging others instead of helping others. We must never forget that we are all equal in God’s eyes and that whatever we do to help those in need is ultimately what we do to Jesus.

Matt 25:40, And the King will answer them, “Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.” If we help others, we help the kingdom with a heart for servanthood. That said, if we judge others, we judge God and the work of the Holy Spirit within us. We will talk more about the forgiveness of sin at worship at First Lutheran Church of Lucerne on Sunday, June 10.

Please join us for a contemporary worship service at 11 a.m. Bible study starts at 9:30 a.m., and lunch follows worship. All are welcome so come as you are!

Chris DelCol is pastor of First Lutheran Church in Lucerne, Calif. The church is located at 3863 Country Club Drive, telephone 707-274-5572.

Brittle bones could shatter your life.

Every year, more Americans are diagnosed with osteoporosis, a disease that causes bones to weaken and become more likely to break. You may not know that you have this “silent” disease until your bones are so weak that a sudden strain, bump, or fall causes your wrist to break or your hip to fracture.

Medicare can help you prevent or detect osteoporosis at an early stage, when treatment works best.

Talk to your doctor about getting a bone mass measurement. If you’re at risk, Medicare Part B covers this test once every 24 months (more often if medically necessary) when your doctor or other qualified provider orders it.

A bone mass measurement test helps to see whether you have osteoporosis or should be concerned about your bones. Some people call this test a bone mineral density (BMD) test.

A BMD test uses a special machine to measure the amount of bone mineral you have in a certain area of bone. Bone density testing can be done on different bones of your body, including your hip, spine, forearm (between the wrist and elbow), wrist, finger or heel.

A BMD test is safe and painless, and it provides important information about your bone health. Your healthcare provider uses this information to make recommendations to help you protect your bones.

If you are diagnosed with osteoporosis, your healthcare provider may order laboratory and other tests. These tests can help your healthcare provider find out if you have another medical condition causing bone loss.

Who's eligible for the bone test? All qualified people with Part B who are at risk for osteoporosis and meet one or more of these conditions:

– A woman whose doctor determines that she is both estrogen deficient and at risk for osteoporosis;
– A person whose X-rays show possible osteoporosis, osteopenia, or vertebral fractures;
– A person taking prednisone or steroid-type drugs or is planning to begin this treatment;
– A person who has been diagnosed with primary hyperparathyroidism;
– A person who is being monitored to see if their osteoporosis drug therapy is working.

You pay nothing for a bone density test if your doctor or other qualified health care provider accepts Medicare payment rates for his or her services and agrees not to bill you for anything other than the Medicare deductible or coinsurance.

Osteoporosis and the broken bones it can cause are not part of normal aging. And there’s a lot you can do to protect your bones throughout your life.

You’re never too young or too old to improve the health of your bones. Osteoporosis prevention should begin in childhood. But it shouldn’t stop there. Whatever your age, the habits you adopt now can affect your bone health for the rest of your life. Now is the time to take action.

What can you do to protect your bones?

Get enough calcium and vitamin D and eat a well-balanced diet.

Engage in regular exercise.

Eat foods that are good for bone health, such as fruits and vegetables.

Avoid smoking and limit alcohol to 2-3 drinks per day.

Medicare defines medically necessary services and supplies as those needed to diagnose or treat an illness, injury, condition, disease, or its symptoms and that meet accepted standards of medical care.

Your doctor or other health care provider may recommend you get services more often than Medicare covers. Or they may recommend services that Medicare doesn’t cover. If this happens, you may have to pay some or all of the costs.

Ask questions so you understand why your doctor is recommending certain services and whether Medicare will pay for them.

The short video below shows more about how Medicare can help you protect your bones.

Greg Dill is Medicare’s regional administrator for Arizona, California, Nevada, Hawaii and the Pacific Territories. You can always get answers to your Medicare questions by calling 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227).

Remember the Sabbath God said, a day of rest, and Jesus reminds us of this in the Gospel of Mark 2:23-28.

You may conclude it means someone telling you to get your rest this way: "I want to you to get up out of bed early on Sunday morning. I want you to go to church. While you are there, stand up, sit down, stand up, sit down, stand up, sit down … that’s how Lutherans get their exercise!”

Doesn't sound like our idea of R&R, does it? And yet, the Lord commands us to remember the Sabbath day, worship and all; and He calls the Sabbath day a day of rest, worship and all.

Is worship about rest? Is the Sabbath day? Are we relaxed and rested when we leave church on Sunday morning? What is this third commandment about, anyway?

That commandment is, "Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy." "Observe" it. On the seventh day, the last day of the week, the Israelites were to cease from their labors: no farming, no milling, no weaving, no work, period!

It wasn't just a rule for adults: it was for the children, for the servants, for all. The Sabbath was to be a day of rest and a day of worship. It is the Lord’s Day, not our day!

Why did God command them to rest like this? Some today say that this was God preventing his people from burnout; he was forcing them to put down their tools and do something else once a week, like praise God for the blessings He bestowed upon them. He was simply making sure that they didn't wear out their minds and bodies by overworking all the time.

He was building family time into the week by making sure that his people had one day a week to be together and focus on the King or Kings.

You can see, then, why the Sabbath would be the day for worship; as they remembered all that God had done, was doing, and would do, it was only appropriate to hear those promises in his saving Word, and to sing his praises.

The most obvious problem we have in society today is skipping worship, replacing it with something else on Sunday morning: an extra hour's sleep, more time at the office, a football game, kids’ soccer practice.

Whenever we replace the Sabbath day with something else that we deem more restful or more important, we are no longer treasuring it as we should. We are saying, "God is coming to church today with his Word and sacraments for me, but I have better things to do."

These other things are great temptations, because they can leave us feeling more refreshed in mind and body; they can trick us into believing that they did more for us than church would have. But those activities can't forgive sins, they can't give us rest for our souls.

In our towns here in Lake County, many are unchurched and need the rest that only the peace of God which surpasses all human understanding can bring.

That can come from not only attending church, but also supporting the church with your time, talents and treasures.

And that extends to your neighbor as well. Love for God, love for neighbor, all working together to let the hassles of life take a back seat for a change.

Join us at First Lutheran Church on Sunday, June 3rd to experience the rest that only worship, Word, Sacrament, fellowship and a hot lunch can bring.

Bible study begins at 9:30 a.m., worship at 11 a.m., Sunday School at 11:15 a.m. and lunch immediately following the service.

Chris DelCol is pastor of First Lutheran Church in Lucerne, Calif. The church is located at 3863 Country Club Drive, telephone 707-274-5572.