Pastor Modr, St. Andrew's Lutheran Church, Smithtown, NY

The Rev. F. Robert Modr has served as pastor of St. Andrew’s Lutheran Church,
Smithtown, New York since August of 2002. He also serves on the Metropolitan
New York Synod Worship Committee and is Dean of the Peconic Conference.
Previously he has been pastor of Lutheran Congregations in Chicago, Illinois;
Paterson, New Jersey; Manchester, New Hampshire; Warwick, Rhode Island;
and Oxford Massachusetts.

Ordained into the Holy Ministry in June of 1972, Pastor Modr received his
Bachelor of Arts Degree from Queens College of the City University of New York
in 1968, a Masters of Divinity Degree from Concordia Theological Seminary,
Springfield Illinois in 1972 and a Doctor of Ministry Degree from the Graduate
Theological Foundation, Notre Dame Indiana in 1988.

He was born and raised in Flushing, New York. He is the father of Sarah
Bruinsma who currently resides in Denver Colorado.

to schedule an appointment
with
Pastor Modr
kindly call the call the church office
at #631-265-2288.
For Urgent Pastoral Care
call
#631-682-0797

February
Message
from Pastor Modr

“…and the greatest of these is love.” 1 Corinthians 13:13

Dear Members of St. Andrew’s,

We are a nation that loves holidays. Barely have Christmas displays been
removed from stores before Valentine’s Day came to the fore. Yes it is that
time of the year, and “love is in the air.”

Though St. Valentine has achieved great popularity in the present age, in reality
little is known about him, or might we say they! Several martyrs are known by
this name and no one really is sure which on relates to the present holiday. In
any case, beyond the cards, flowers, candy, romance and the like, each year
this day does give us time to pause to consider “love,” and that is a good thing.

In our present age the word “love” is bandied about frequently. “Love” is what
we need we are told and many people will do anything to get it. The problem is
that love can quickly descend into selfish gratification. When that happens, as it
often does, unhappiness follows, relationships fail, and families suffer.

That is why I encourage you to take some time on Valentine’s Day to look at
love from God’s perspective. For God love is always more ready to give than to
receive. Love is personified in Jesus Christ who comes into the world to show
love at its best as he takes up the cross not for his own well-being but for the
salvation of the world. Again and again he calls to his followers to take up their
cross and live for others. Now that may not be the kind of love we had pictured;
and it is certainly not the kind of love that comes naturally to most. Still it is a
gift of God that when recognized and used becomes so much more than just a
“good feeling.” It leads to a joy that begins now and is brought to fulfillment in
the Kingdom unfolding.

So amidst the flowers, cards, candy, and romance I encourage you to think
about that love from God that endures, not just a day, or a season or even a
lifetime. A life centered on that kind of love will lead to fulfillment and joy
beyond imagining.

Happy Valentine’s Day!

In Christ,

F. Robert Modr,
Pastor