Saints Be Praised

One thing about following a Church calendar -- sometimes it's hard to keep up with all those minor festivals and commemorations. But these two individuals are good for us all to know, and thank God for.

If you have ever enjoyed reading or listening to New Testament texts from the King James Version of the Bible, you can thank William Tyndale ,
who translated all the New Testament and part of the Old Testament into English -- a very dangerous thing to do at the start of the Reformation. Tyndale was passionate about making the Scriptures available in the vernacular of the people. When Tyndale was forbidden from working in England, he left the country under an assumed name and traveled to Germany and the Low Countries, where he met Martin Luther and other Reformers and began translating and printing pocket-sized editions of English-language Bibles, to be smuggled back into England. Because of a friend's indiscretion, Tyndale was discovered, accused of heresy, strangled and burned outside of Brussels in 1536. Subsequently, Tyndale's translation was incorporated almost word for word into the Authorized Version. Tyndale is remembered by the Church on October 6.

October 7 is the commemoration day of Henry Melchior Muhlenberg , sometimes called the Father of American Lutheranism, a German pastor from Halle sent to help lead scattered, pastorless and sometimes fractious Lutheran congregations in America, starting in colonial Philadelphia. Muhlenberg soon found himself traveling the new country extensively by horseback, ship and even canoe, working tirelessly not only to pastor extant Lutheran congregations but also found new ones. He helped Lutheran faith communities clearly define themselves in a culture where they were a religious minority, and sought to set a tone in the American Lutheran community of "practical, active Christianity"; he created common liturgies and a common service book; he helped congregations used to operating under the Old Country state-church model learn to govern themselves in ways more appropriate to their new circumstances; he strove for connection and cooperation between Lutheran congregations. Muhlenberg also became the patriarch of a famous family that included noted clergy, scientists and a decorated Revolutionary War hero.

Gracious Lord, in every age you have sent women and men who have given their lives for the message of your love. Inspire us with the memory of martyrs for the Gospel like your servant William, whose faithfulness led him in the way of the cross, and give us courage to bear full witness with our lives to your Son's victory over sin and death. We also praise you for your servant Henry, to whom you gave gifts to make the good news known. Raise up, we pray, in every place, heralds and evangelists of your Reign, so that the world may know the immeasurable riches of our Savior, Jesus Christ our Lord, in whose name we pray. Amen.

William Tyndale 


Old Trappe Church in Pennsylvania, founded by Henry Melchior Muhlenberg -- the oldest continuously used Lutheran church building in the U.S.