Pastor Matt Harrison, President of the Lutheran Church, Missouri Senate, is the author of the

Issues, etc. book of the month for June. Take courage encouraging words for discouraging times.

This new resource reminds discouraged Christians of the one thing right in the world,

the person who alone has overcome the world. Find out more about take courage at issuesetc.org

or by calling Concordia Publishing House 1-800-325-3040. Take courage by Pastor Matt Harrison,

the Issues, etc. book of the month.

The Lutheran public radio choir with the hymn God loved the world so that he gave.

We're looking forward to Sunday morning and we'll be in the gospel of Matthew,

the ninth and tenth chapters where Jesus looks out all over the crowds and he has compassion

on them because they're like sheep without shepherd. Well, he is that shepherd.

Welcome back to Issues, etc. coming to you live from the studios of Lutheran public radio in

Collinsville, Illinois. I'm Todd Wilkin. Thanks for tuning us in. We'll be looking forward to Sunday

morning, the third Sunday after Pentecost, according to the three-year electionary. Pastor Sean

Denzer joins us. He's director of worship for the Lutheran Church, Missouri Senate. Sean,

welcome back. It's great to be back, Todd. The gospel reading for this coming Sunday,

according to the three-year electionaries, often tied into an anxiety that we in the Lutheran

Church, Missouri Senate struggle with from time to time. That is with the increased

retirements and deaths of pastors at the end of their careers. We're looking at a shortage of

pastors in the near future. What do you thoughts? As with most things, the advice from St. Peter

is pretty good. Don't be surprised as if this were something strange coming on us,

especially when our Lord has said in advance to expect it. So it's true. We know the particular

demographic challenges that we have, maybe a declining church, maybe in a church where

...