Lord of Glory Church / About the Pastor

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Thomas Alan Osterndorf was born in Milwaukee, WI on May 4, 1965. He was brought into our Lord's family through baptism that summer and was confirmed in 1978 at St. Matthew Lutheran Church in Columbia Heights, MN. Osterndorf means "Easter Village" and today his family continues the celebration of what Christ has done through His Easter victory.

Pastor Tom earned his degree in Meteorology from the University of Wisconsin in 1987 and worked in meteorology briefly before beginning a career in business management. God has brought many blessings to Tom's life, especially those of family. Tom met his wife Beth in 1988 and they were married in 1990. Tom and Beth were blessed with their sons, Luke, Matthias and Josiah in 1996.

God blessed Tom with his first call to service as Associate Pastor at Church of the Savior, Bedford, MA. in 2005. Pastor Tom, Beth, Luke, Matthias and Josiah are excited to begin their lives among Christ's people at Lord of Glory and thank you for your prayers and support leading up to this special day.

You can contact the Pastor by calling 847-548-5673 or by email pastortom@lordofglory.org

May 08

The Party Line

I was listening to a commentator a few days ago talk about how ‘land lines’, what I call the telephone in my house, are going out of style. This man was sure we’d all be wireless in a few years, and no one would have a telephone attached to a wall of their house anymore. I don’t know what you think about that, although there are some in the LoG family who are living that life now. Will that help people stay in touch?
When people first started using the telephone, all the calls came to a central office where they would be routed to their final destination. These central office people were connected to all the news in the area as it passed by them. In neighborhoods phone calls weren’t individual either. There were ‘party lines’ where a number of houses would be connected on one circuit. If you picked up the phone to dial the office, you might just get your neighbors call instead!
Even though that sounds like ancient history, it was really only 50 years or so ago. Hard to believe that we’ve gone so far in separating and isolating our conversations and information. At my son Luke’s track meet last night I talked to man who said he was working for the CIO (chief information officer)of his company. His job was to create plans to stop the flow of information, to prevent unwanted intrusions into the companies computers from the internet – our modern day party line.
The party line – what used to be a central place for calls to pass through, for information to be given out. The local church used to be one of those party lines. It seems like it’s harder for people to remember the days when the church was the first call after a birth, an accident, a hospitalization or some other important event. But unlike the telephone company operators, we’re still here, because God is still here proclaiming his good news that he is a part of our everyday. Jeremiah 29:11 says “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for wholeness and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” I want to encourage you to keep your church family at LoG, and the church office, informed when God’s plans create a need in your life. We live in the hope that salvation brings, and it’s nice along the way to share our times of joy, and struggle, with others who care. May God bless your walk, and your talk, as we seek his will for our lives.

Under the shadow of His cross,

Pastor Tom

April 2008

A visit from the church

It’s called the Lutheran Bed and Breakfast listing. Well, as a kind of kidding reference anyway. Each year the administrative headquarters of our church has a publication of all the pastors, teachers and other church workers printed up. It’s actually called the “Lutheran Annual” but in it you’ll find a bunch of names of people who God has called into full time ministry. We like to joke that if you’re traveling and need a place to stay, just call up the nearest name to where you are and ask for a room. Chances are pretty good you’ll at least get a church floor somewhere to sleep on. After all, it’s a tradition that goes all the way back to ancient times. When travelers needed a place to stay – they’d be able to enter a town and simply ask for a place.

Jesus sent out his disciples two by two and told them to go into the towns in the area and ask for a place to stay (Luke 10:5-6) “Whatever house you enter, first say, 'Peace be to this house!' 6 And if a son of peace is there, your peace will rest upon him. But if not, it will return to you.” In return for their stay, the disciples would work and spread the good news to those in the town that God’s kingdom was at hand, and that Jesus was the Messiah. One good turn deserves another.

On the first Easter Jesus found two people walking home from Jerusalem. These two were from Emmaus, a little town near Jerusalem and they offered Jesus a place to stay after he walked to their home – (Luke 24:28-29) “So they drew near to the village to which they were going. He acted as if he were going farther, but they urged him strongly, saying, ‘Stay with us, for it is toward evening and the day is now far spent.’" So he went in to stay with them, and since one good turn deserves another he blessed their meal and opened their eyes to the reality of the resurrection.

People today continue to need the reality of Jesus coming into their homes. We’re all part of this spreading of the good news that Jesus is the savior of the world, and has come to give people forgiveness and eternal life. Through the coming months we’re going to talk more about how we get an invitation to people’s homes to tell the story. Do we worship in their backyard? Is there a call from the pastor that someone could use? Could young families use a connection to each other in fellowship? Can we repay the favor of their time with the good work of telling them “He is Risen, He is Risen indeed!” There’s a visit from the church that can lead to their names being written in a greater book – the Book of Life that lists all of God’s redeemed people.

Under the shadow of His cross,

Pastor Tom

March 2008

Hold Tight

In the movie Titanic there’s a moment where our hero and heroine are on deck and watch as the ship crashes into the iceberg that will eventually kill the ship and over 1000 people. At the time it doesn’t seem that bad though. A grinding noise, a large but manageable chunk of ice on deck and a shudder as the ship connects. But in that moment the ship is doomed, even while many of the passengers aboard are unaware of the extent of the damage.

It’s rarely the moment of impact that sends us downward in our lives of faith. We often simply put a cover over the hurts, and hide the damage that lies below the surface. Words that have been spoken in a moment that can’t be taken back poke a hole in our relationship. Acting out, without considering the impact it will have on the lives of our family, our friends, our church can leave a deep wound in the life of God’s people. Straying just that much off the course God has called us to can lead to feeling like we’re abandoned, afloat in a way that means our only hope is rescue.

For Christ’s body – there is a way to safety. God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God (2 Corinthians 5:18b-20). Through faith, Christ’s death brings us safely on board his love, his grace and his peace. Christians mourn what our sins did to require Jesus death this month, and celebrate that His grace and power overcome the reality of death on Easter.

We are called to continue this ministry of Jesus Christ in our lives. It’s a hard calling, letting go of past hurts. Being reconciled – I liked an explanation of it as a ‘reunion’. As Christ gives us a new union with Him, so He sends us out to re-union with each other. It’s hard work, but so necessary in a world that sees separation as normal, necessary and acceptable. Easter is the time when we look around the rows of chairs and ask, “Is there anyone I need to be reconciled to?” Old familiar faces, separated from us, and yet through Christ we are called to reunite with one another, starting from “I’m sorry” to “I forgive you” to seeking God’s love together. Be reconciled to God this month – and be an ambassador of that love to the ones who you see every Sunday, or maybe just that once a year Sunday, when we celebrate the God who died and rose for us, the Lord of Glory.

Under the shadow of His cross,

Pastor Tom