What a blessing it was to be able to gather together with our brothers and sisters in Christ at Zion Lutheran Church in Waldenburg yesterday to celebrate the Feast of the Ascension of Our Lord. In addition to being fed by Christ with His holy Word and blessed Sacrament in a wonderful Divine Service, we had the privilege of enjoying some hearty conversation and great food provided by the saints of Zion. God be praised!
We rejoice that God continues to enlarge His family! At the Great Vigil of Easter this past Saturday, All Saints’ Parish had the privilege of witnessing and participating in the new birth through water and the Word of Baby Edith, Iris, and Will in the Sacrament of Holy Baptism. God promises in His Word that through the washing of Holy Baptism, He joins us to the death and resurrection of Jesus (Rom. 6), causes us to be born again (John 3), saves us and causes us to become regenerate through the gift of the Holy Spirit (Titus 3), and cleanses us of all our sin (Eph. 5). We celebrate that these three children of God have received such precious and eternal gifts!
Baptism now saves you…through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
1 Peter 3:21
We also got to hear the public confession of Iris, Will, Brian, Megan, and Ethan and witness their confirmation in the holy catholic faith of their baptism. Jesus said, “Whoever confesses Me before men, I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven. But whoever denies Me before men, I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven.” These five were glad to boldly confess their faith and hope in Christ and in the gifts of forgiveness and life He gives through His holy Word and blessed Sacraments. Alleluia! Christ is risen!
Almighty God, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who brought these your servants to new birth by water and the Holy Spirit, freeing them from sin: send upon them O Lord, the Holy Spirit, the Paraclete; give them the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and fortitude, the spirit of knowledge and piety; fill them with the spirit of the fear of the Lord. Through Christ our Lord.
Prayer of Confirmation
by Jared Risner
From a very early age, I couldn’t reconcile Sunday church services with what I read in Scripture. How could what we were participating in look so different from what I saw taught in the New Testament?
I was raised in church with Christian parents and good intentions, and for that I’m thankful. But something always felt missing.
As I got older, I began devouring the Bible, theological books, and the sermons of popular online pastors. I joined mission trips, served my community, and searched for Christ in all the ways I’d been taught to. Still, something inside me said, “This isn’t it.” I wondered if I was the only one who felt this way.
Early in my marriage, I began to feel the cracks in my evangelical experience become more like chasms. Worship felt like work, like it was centered more on my experience than God’s truth. Sermons often sounded like TED Talks, and Sunday services felt more like concerts. The liturgy of the early church was nowhere to be found.
Where were the creeds? The confessions? The connection to those taught by the Apostles—who were taught by Christ Himself?
I craved something deeper. Something older. Something rooted.
Like many others who leave contemporary evangelicalism, I assumed there were really only two options for historic Christianity: Roman Catholicism or Eastern Orthodoxy. After all, they had ancient liturgies, beautiful churches, and a clear connection to the early church.
But as I dug deeper, I ran into roadblocks.
I wasn’t comfortable with some of the teachings and practices—doctrines that seemed to go beyond Scripture, the idea of praying to saints, or placing tradition on par with the Word of God. And yet I couldn’t go back to the shallow end, either. I needed something more.
That’s when I discovered something I didn’t even know existed:
Confessional Lutheranism.
At All Saints Lutheran Church in Jonesboro, I found the Church that still confesses the ancient creeds, celebrates the historic liturgy, and centers everything around the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I found the Church that:
• Preaches salvation by grace through faith—not works.
• Confesses the inerrancy of Scripture—not the shifting opinions of culture.
• Celebrates the Lord’s Supper as a true means of grace—not just a memorial.
• Prays ancient prayers, sings Psalms, and follows the liturgical calendar—not just trendy sermon series.
• Baptizes, catechizes, and actually believes what the Church has always taught.
In other words, it’s both ancient and evangelical in the best sense of the word. It’s the Church of the Reformation—deeply rooted in the early church, yet boldly centered on Christ and His Word.
If you’ve grown weary of church-as-performance…
If you’re hungry for reverence, structure, and theological clarity…
If you’re curious about the Church that still kneels, chants, and teaches from Scripture without compromise…
If you thought your only options were Roman Catholicism or Orthodoxy, but can’t imagine compromising the truths of the Word of God…
You’re not alone.
You may not have known it existed—but it does. And it’s here in Jonesboro.
📍 All Saints Lutheran Church
1812 Rains Street, Jonesboro, AR
🕙 Divine Service at 9:30 AM
☕ Coffee, fellowship, and Bible study after the service
At All Saints, we welcome seekers, wanderers, and those who love Jesus but are longing for more. You’re not alone in your search—and we’d love to walk with you.
All Saints Lutheran Church and School 