Principal's Note - 04/25/2023
At the risk of everyone finding out what a nerd I am, I'm going to tell you something about myself: My favorite genre of literature is non-fiction military history. If you stop in my office, you will see a bookshelf that has several excellent Christian titles, a good number of useful educational volumes, a handful of fantastic books regarding the Green Bay Packers, and two full shelves about World War II. I find all aspects of World War II both fascinating and horrifying at the same time; I could read about it all day, every day.
Some of the statistics from World War II are staggering. The United States lost just over 400,000 military personnel to the war, breaking the hearts of at least that many people over again who were spouses, parents, children, or siblings of those casualties. However, our country's losses were nothing compared to those of the countries in the top three of the war casualty list. Those countries' numbers, in military casualties only (not counting civilians), are as follows:
- Soviet Union - 8.8-10.7 million
- Germany - 5.5 million
- China - 3-4 million
Focusing just on the Soviet Union, can you imagine a country suddenly having 10,000,000 fewer people? To put that in perspective, that is more than the entire population of other countries that fought in WWII, countries like Sweden, Norway, Greece, and Denmark. Maybe another, more recent comparison, could be made to the COVID-19 pandemic. According to current statistics, which we know vary wildly depending on where you look, just under 7 million people died COVID-19-related deaths since 2020...in the entire world of just under 8 billion people. When the Soviet Union lost 10 million soldiers from 1939-1945, the world's population was just under 2.3 billion. Like I said, staggering statistics.
Why bring this up, besides the fact that I enjoy talking about World War II? Because, members of the Emanuel family, we are currently at war, and, as the Soviet Union found out, there is strength in numbers. This is why you hear leaders at Emanuel repeat, again and again, the importance of regular church attendance. It's why we so desperately want to see your families, even with wiggly children and exhausted parent faces, every time we gather together around God's Word. What we teach your children here at Emanuel Lutheran School about their Savior is the same message your families get at Emanuel Lutheran Church, and it is not ever going to be popular out in the world. Satan, sinful society, and, most dangerously, our own personal sinful natures will never stop trying to drag us and our children away from Christ. We MUST follow the earnest pleading of the writer to the Hebrews: "And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching" (Hebrews 10:24-25).
The casualty totals from World War II are staggering to comprehend. Soviet commanders continued to throw wave after wave of conscripted civilians at their enemies because they realized that there was strength in numbers. As we fight our everyday spiritual battles alongside our children, may we take every opportunity to gather together in God's saving Word, where we find rest and comfort amid chaos.
If you ever want to learn more about what Emanuel teaches regarding Christ and our free salvation, I would be happy to schedule a time for that or put you in touch with one of our pastors. I pray you have a blessed rest of your week, and that your family takes the time to refit and rearm over the weekend!
In Christ,
Bill Fuerstenau, Principal