UPLIFTING CHRIST THROUGH AUTUMN

For Michael Wuchter, the gospel is in the details. From the story of the pilgrims who over-invited to that first Thanksgiving Day to the sugar content in grapes at the harvest, Wuchter probes the parables and sayings of Jesus to find every possible piece of good news in them. A wordsmith for the Word made Flesh, Michael has left us a treasure of thoughtful and insightful sermons that read as well as they preach.John D. MorrisPastor, Prince of Peace Lutheran ChurchDublin, OhioUplifting Christ Through Autumn gathers together 12 imaginative sermons from a remarkably gifted parish pastor and campus minister, covering a variety of important occasions, such as:* World Communion Day* Stewardship Sunday* Homecoming/Fall Festival* Reformation Sunday* All Saints Day* Holy Cross Day* ThanksgivingHowever, the ecumenically oriented expressions of Christian faith, hope, and love in these messages make them relevant for any time of the year. Plus, Wuchter’s keen eye for the telling detail, exemplified by his observation that 'the refrigerator is the household religious shrine that reveals the ethical heartbeat and spiritual faith of a family,' means they’re readable and appealing for everyone.Michael Wuchter’s painting with words, his weaving of poetry into the art of the sermon, is what makes these words worth reading. These sermons seem to sing from resurrection life beyond death, and focus our eyes, ears, and hearts on the living, breathing, poetic, and art-filled Gospel. Read. See. Hear. Imagine. These sermons will allow you to touch the holy.Canon Howard AndersonPresident and WardenCathedral College of Washington National CathedralMichael Wuchter’s sermons are a mending together of Word and world, allowing divine love to flow into the unpredictability of real life. I highly recommend this book for pastors, parishioners, and students alike.Edwin EhlersFormer PresidentNew Jersey Synod, Evangelical Lutheran Church in AmericaAccenting themes such as sainthood, death, angels, reformation, thanksgiving, and unity, These sermons are marked by sound biblical-historical scholarship and are linked to the challenges of our present-day life. The Word is powerfully proclaimed in every sermon.Daniel F. MartensenEcumenical Research Fellow, Washington (D.C.) Theological ConsortiumFormer Director, Dept. of Ecumenical Affairs, ELCAMichael D. Wuchter was the senior pastor of First Lutheran Church in Duluth, Minnesota, when he suddenly passed away in 2000 while traveling to Namibia. In addition to parish ministry, Wuchter also served for 18 years as university pastor at Wittenberg University in Springfield, Ohio. 3