My deep apologies for falling behind on emailing and phoning you…I owe a good dozen parishioners return contacts.

Upon returning from St. Louis (and the joyous occasion of our daughter-in-law’s graduation from St. Louis University with a Masters in Bio-Medical Engineering, with a 4.0 GPA to boot, and attending Vicar Espinosa’s (my son’s) vicarage congregation for worship, and then having a great visit with my 14-year old son David who is attending a Christian Academy in Piedmont, MO), I got back just in time to develop a significant problem.

During the Bible Study last Wednesday night, I noticed my speech being affected. On Thursday I was diagnosed with Bell’s Palsy and the left side of my face is suffering from a paralysis from what is assumed is a viral infection which impacted a facial nerve from my left ear. The good news is that a CT scan was negative for a stroke.

I am now taking an anti-viral med, prednisone, and putting drops in my left eye. In addition, I received acupuncture today as I am being as proactive as possible to address this. I will also be taking additional B-12. For now, it is also important that I rest and will do my very best to stay put next week.

For the record, the Lord has blessed me so as to rely more heavily on His grace and to be reminded that none of us even lift our fingers apart from His merciful enabling. I am grateful that I am here to go into tomorrow for an extremely important day in the life of our congregation.

ABOUT tomorrow:

Tomorrow is our second official youth confirmation since the restart of our congregation on April 10th, 2011 (the first class was Christina Espinosa, my daughter, on December 25th, 2011). This class will see confirmed:

1. Grace Brashears

2. Kate Panichi

3. Esbeydi Espinosa

4. Gunnar Ashmon

This will be an extremely special service in the life of our congregation and I am extraordinarily proud of the confession of faith that each of these will be making. Please join us in receiving the Word and Sacrament of our Lord Jesus Christ on this Holy Trinity Sunday!

Also, just a word on the terrible catastrophe occurring in Moore, OK this past week. One of our members — Ann Ashmon — has parents who live in Moore. The huge tornado missed her parents by one block. In the meantime, they are among the citizens of Moore who need our prayers and resources. I am announcing here and tomorrow that we will conduct a special collection/offering to forward to our LC-MS Human Care and Disaster Relief going directly to help the people of Moore, OK. This collection will be conducted not tomorrow, but the following Sunday, June 2nd.

May the Lord bless us as we continue to abide in Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, and rejoice in His everlasting love for us. I am so glad that I am permitted to serve this wonderful congregation in the office of the holy ministry.

As for the main focus on Trinity Sunday…we are so blessed that our Great God has revealed Himself as the Holy Trinity! But too often this revelation is treated as stale doctrine. The truth of the matter is that to know the Lord as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit is to also understand how to live! Tomorrow, I will be sharing this short outline with our confirmands and with all of God’s people:

“Our Baptized Lives To The Father, In The Son, and By The Holy Spirit”

Rev. Dr. Alfonso O. Espinosa

1. Live TO the Father (think Lord’s Prayer).
2. Live IN the Son (think “I’m Forgiven!”).
3. Live BY the Holy Spirit (think Word and Sacrament).

In Your Service and To God’s Glory,

Pastor