FW: What Church Will We Be?

Strongly, yet gently said…

 

Feed: Pastoral Meanderings
Posted on: Tuesday, September 07, 2010 7:51 PM
Author: Pastor Peters
Subject: What Church Will We Be?

 

The tension over what church we will be is not an academic one.  It is the battle for the heart and soul of Lutheranism.  It is played out in Seminary classrooms, in Sanctuaries across the Synod, in catechism classrooms, in choir rehearsal rooms, and in Pastor's Offices.  The other day I read something which made me sad.  It seems that the battle is not only being waged but lost in some of those places. Concordia, Seward, is looking to sell the pipe organ in their chapel rather than repair it and return it to its former glory.  Concordia, Bronxville, has dropped the church music program entirely.  Concordia, Austin, uses a praise band almost exclusively in the campus worship life.  And now Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, seems to have joined the bandwagon for praise bands. According to an email from a friend, the September 3 campus news included an announcement seeking people who play instruments for a chapel band, aka praise band.  Streamers as banners are a matter of aesthetics -- personally I think they are kind of 1970s cool but, well, we can agree to disagree.  Apparently streamers are not enough, now Dean of Chapel Burreson seems to be taking this a step further -- past aesthetics and toward a diversity I do not welcome.  I guess there is a difference between Ft. Wayne and St. Louis -- but not the one people have been thinking about for some years. The whole point of the church music at a Seminary campus is to model the best of Lutheran liturgical and confessional identity.  I am sorry, but singing "Shine, Jesus Shine" or "I Just Want to Worship" is not the best of Lutheran liturgical and confessional identity.  If anything, it is a capitulation to those who think that the music and hymnody of worship does not need to reflect the confessional identity and doctrinal stance of a church.  It may well be that some District Presidents and some parishes complain that their Seminary candidates do not seem to know enough about contemporary Christian music.  It may well be that some Seminarians hide their affection CCM until they are set free from the constraints of Seminary to do as they please in the parish.  It may well be that this is a debate within the LCMS.  I know all the reasons why an occasional praise band might not be so far out for a Seminary but they are all wrong in my book.  Nothing justifies choosing the expedient over the orthodox Lutheran identity within the worship setting.  Seminaries should not be training Pastors for the average parish but to lead parishes to a higher level of Lutheran identity and practice on Sunday morning.  I am sad for this choice and for the choices of other LCMS schools who have reshaped their programs and chapel life for the broad path of diversity instead of being incubators for all that Lutheran worship can and should be... So don't expect my check for the joint seminary fund this year... it will go to Ft. Wayne exclusively...

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FW: Presbyterians: We are one

A positive development to productively resolve the worship "wars"?

 

Consider the details for yourself…

 

Feed: PrayTellBlog
Posted on: Tuesday, September 07, 2010 9:37 AM
Author: Editor
Subject: Presbyterians: We are one

 

A Florida megachurch has ended musical style-segregated worship. Hats off to Coral Ridge Presbyterian! "The church should be breaking down walls, not erecting them. God intends the church to be demonstrating what community looks like when God's reconciling power is at work. … [A]ccording to the Bible, the church is an all-age community. … The only way to musically communicate God's timeless activity in the life of the church is to blend the best of the past with the best of the present. … The gospel revolution at Coral Ridge continues!"

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FW: Sharing the Peace

Pax…

 

Feed: Pastoral Meanderings
Posted on: Monday, September 06, 2010 8:06 PM
Author: Pastor Peters
Subject: Sharing the Peace

 

It is not uncommon for some folks to complain about the sharing of the peace.  It is especially the case for those who complain about the "new" services and bemoan the loss of The Lutheran Hymnal.  I have personally introduced the sharing of the peace in two congregations which had a history of conflict and neither were fond of the idea of sharing the peace -- perhaps most of all because they knew what this ritual actually meant.  I am somewhat sympathetic of those who feel like certain placements of this exchange of peace disrupt the flow of the liturgy and distract from what is happening but this is easily rectified. I learned from my friend and mentor the Rev. Charles Evanson to place the exchange of peace following the absolution prior to the actual start of the liturgy.  In reality, I prefer this placement not only for aesthetic reasons but also for theological ones.  I understand why it is placed prior to the offering (given the words of our Lord in Luke's Gospel about leaving your gift at the altar and going to make peace with your brother first).  I can understand why it is placed following the Pax Domini since both are about people (although I do not equate the peace of the Lord spoken while lifting up the chalice and host with the handshaking and hugging we associate with the sharing of the peace).  In both places the flow of the liturgy does seem to be disrupted by the practical aspects of standing up and moving around for the sharing of the peace. For this reason I prefer the placement immediately after the absolution.  It fits.  We have just received absolution from the Father through Jesus Christ and now we have the opportunity to share what God has given us in Christ with those around us, signaling that we are not merely people of vertical relationships but horizontal ones as well.  So, following the absolution I say "May He who began this good work within us bring it to completion on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ."  To which the people responds, "Amen." and I continue, "The Peace of the Lord be with you." and they respond, "And also with you."  Then we share the sign of peace one with another, connecting our absolution from God to our relationships together as His people.  That completed, we are now free to begin the Divine Service.  The preparation is over.  The liturgy may begin unimpeded by the sins which built a wall between us and God and between each of us on earth. As the organist intones the Introit, Kyrie, and Hymn of Prace (the extended entrance rite), we complete our sharing of the peace and move naturally to the beginning rite of the Divine Service.  It just fits.  So much more natural than at the end of the prayers or the Pax Domini of the Eucharistic Liturgy.  Think about it... I really do not know why to move it to another place. It is natural and less obtrusive to folks than stuck there at the end of the prayers or as the last versicle and response prior to receiving the Lord's Supper. And I found fewer folks complaining about this ritual since it connects so well to the confession and absolution.  So it is an easy introduction to the Divine Service and much easier for folks to understand... what do YOU think?

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FW: Life Together -- The Church and The Psalms

From Al Collver…

 

Feed: The ABC3s of Miscellany
Posted on: Monday, September 06, 2010 10:07 AM
Author: ABC3+
Subject: Life Together -- The Church and The Psalms

 

This weekend, I have been reading Life Together and Prayerbook of the Bible (Dietrich Bonhoeffer Works, Vol. 5) originally published by Dietrich Bonhoeffer in 1939 as a way to get a handle on koinōnía. The Greek word koinōnía usually is translated as "fellowship" in English or Gemeinschaft in German. Dr. Norman Nagel used to say in his lectures on church fellowship, "The Gemeinde (the congregation) got schaft-ed." The words church and fellowship can be slippery or etherial unless it is grounded in Christ ("wherever Jesus Christ is, there is the Catholic Church," Ignatius, Epistle to the Smyrnaeans, Chapter 8.) Each age brings certain doctrinal issues to the forefront. One issue confronted by Bonhoeffer, Sasse, Elert, et al. was the doctrine of the church. Under Nazism, the church in Germany appeared to be on the verge of vanishing. The Prussian Union provided the seedbed for the creation of Nazi Germany. Pockets of resistance sprouted -- some more or less Lutheran. Karl Barth's dialectical theology influenced both Bonhoeffer and Sasse -- Bonhoeffer more and Sasse less. Both read Luther. For a time, Bonhoeffer and Sasse partnered (were co-authors) of the Bethel Confession. Karl Barth felt the Bethel Confession was too Lutheran and not Protestant enough. In the editing process, Bonhoeffer and Sasse parted company, with Bonhoeffer becoming closer to Karl Barth. Bonhoeffer accused Sasse of having a "confessional formalism," while Sasse accused Bonhoeffer of being a "fanatic." It is important to recognize the circumstances that prompted these writings. Overall, Life Together and Prayerbook of the Bible (Dietrich Bonhoeffer Works, Vol. 5) is a edifying book, but there are places where Sasse's accusation that Bonhoeffer is a "fanatic" is evidenced. Bonhoeffer writes in Life Together, "The Christ in their own hearts is weaker than the Christ in the word of other Christians. Their own hearts are uncertain; those of their bothers and sisters are sure. At the same time, this also clarifies that the goal of all Christian community is to encounter one another as bringers of the message of salvation." In this passage, Bonhoeffer mixes truth and error in a "fanatical" way (as stated by Sasse). It is true that "Christ in their own hearts is weaker" than Christ given in the Word of God. It also is true the "message of salvation" is delivered through the means of the church -- preaching, etc. Where Bonhoeffer errs is in his connection of the Gospel comes extra nos (outside of ourselves) as found in the community of believers. Once again I reminded of Dr. Norman Nagel stating, "The church is a pretty wobbly foundation on which to build salvation." Statements like this and others are what led Sasse to call Bonhoeffer a fanatic. Life Together cannot be read uncritically. On the positive side of "community," in an age questioning the need for residential seminary education due to cost, practicality, family, etc. and the promotion of alternative routes and distance education (of which as an exception is needed so long as the exception does not become the norm), Bonhoeffer has some insight. "Before their ordination young seminarians receive the gift of a common life with their brothers for a certain length of time." Bonhoeffer gets it here. I suppose unless you have experienced a "seminary community" in study, you will not be able to value it or see it as necessary to the formation process. The community formed at a residential seminary program certainly contributes to future harmony within a church body. Bonhoeffer also hits the mark when he says, "Christian community means community through Jesus Christ and in Jesus Christ. There is no Christian community that is more than this, and none that is less than this... We belong to one another only through and in Jesus Christ." This is a variation on the Ignatius quotation given above, "Where Christ is, there is the church."  Bonhoeffer goes on to speak how some who enter the Christian community have an idealistic view of how Christians live together. When evil manifests itself in the community or the rapturous dreamlike euphoria of the community comes to an end -- Bonhoeffer believes these moments are gifts of God for the community, not necessary for its existence but little gifts -- some become disillusioned with the community. He says that these "blissful experiences and exalted moods" by God's grace do not last long so we can learn genuine Christian community. Then he notes, "For God is not a God of emotionalism, but the God of truth." It seems that Bonhoeffer himself recognized some of his comments could lead to "fanaticism."  The greatest impact this book had on me as a young seminarian was Bonhoeffer's connecting the Psalms to Jesus. He writes, "The Psalter is the prayer book of Jesus Christ in the truest sense of the word. He prayed the Psalter, and now it has become his prayer for all time." Jesus prays the Psalms. Luther had this notion but it did not come clear for me until I read Bonhoeffer in my 2nd year of seminary. Bonhoeffer actually deals with the Psalms as the prayer of Christ in more detail in The Prayerbook of the Bible (a book I never learned about at seminary). Bonhoeffer goes on to suggest the congregation is the mouthpiece through which Jesus prays the Psalms. He writes, "Jesus Christ prays the Psalter in his congregation. His congregation prays too, and even the individual prays." The imprecatory Psalms frequently are a challenge for Christians today. How do you pray Psalm 58? "The wicked are estranged from the womb ... O God, break the teeth in their mouths... Let them be like the snail that dissolves into slime ... The righteous will rejoice when he sees the vengeance; he will bathe his feet in the blood of the wicked. Mankind will say, 'Surely there is a reward for the righteous; surely there is a God who judges on earth.'"  Bonhoeffer seems to have difficulty applying this to the Nazis. But he does offer a way that these are prayed today. "This prayer belongs not to the individual member, but to the whole body of Christ. All the things of which the Psalter speaks, which individuals can never fully comprehend and call their own, live only in the whole Christ. That is why the prayer of the Psalms belongs in the community in a special way. Even if a verse or a psalm is not my own prayer, it is nevertheless the prayer of another member of the community; and it is quite certainly the prayer of the truly human Jesus Christ and his body on earth." Bonhoeffer has a good insight in that Christ continues to pray the Psalms through his church. He sees the church, the communion of saints, praying the Psalms together. While you might not be able to pray Psalm 59 because your circumstances are not such, someone else in the body of Christ is under such circumstances. When you pray Psalm 59, you then pray it not for yourself, but Christ prays using you as his mouth piece for someone else. Bonhoeffer certainly captures a portrait great cloud of witnesses where the church on heaven and earth prays. While Bonhoeffer does not deny that a Christian can pray an imprecatory Psalm, he cautions against it as we are "sinners and associate evil thoughts with the prayer of vengeance." True enough. Part of praying boldly is to pray these Words of Christ -- this is something we do not do often enough. Overall, Bonhoeffer's insights on the Psalter being the Prayer of Christ is helpful. This particular edition is a translation of the critical edition of Bonhoeffer's works from the German. Coming from Augsburg Fortress Publishing house, the translation is annoying for its use of the NRSV and gender neutral language -- I seriously doubt "gender neutral" considerations were on Bonhoeffer's mind in Nazi Germany. Some thoughts on Life Together on Labor Day.

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FW: Sasse on Prayer and Repentance

From the blog of the new LCMS President…

 

Feed: Mercy Journeys with Pastor Harrison
Posted on: Sunday, September 05, 2010 7:57 PM
Author: Rev. Matt Harrison
Subject: Sasse on Prayer and Repentance

 

The great danger of the church of all ages is that she preaches repentance to the world and at the same time becomes a castaway, because she forgets that all true repentance must begin at the house of God, with the repentance of the church. Here too there is no difference between the Catholic Churches which from principle do not repent and the evangelical churches whcih do not repent in practice. We are so accustomed to seeing church politics hold primacy in the church that we erroneously expect that a change in church politics must bring forth a new day in history.   But if we have such expectations, then we should learn from church history that up to now every new day in the Church of Christ has begun with a movement of repentance. Christianity itself once entered world history as a mighty movement of repentance. It was as a movement of repentance that in antiquity it conquered the ancient world and then in modern times (the so-called "Great Contrition") the people of our day. And when at Constantine's time the masses began to stream into the church for more or less external reasons, the cloisters became the centers of repentance. Every new epoch in the Middle Ages began with a movement of repentance, and the Reformation with Luther's first thesis and the saving message of the justification of the sinner through faith alone, is the greatest example in the history of the church for this truth.   At that time people didn't yet believe that the world could be renewed by world conferences. We believe that by conferences and organizations, by pronouncements and radio speeches we can spare ourselves the bitter way of sorrows of contrition and repentance,—until God's mighty hand one day will also crush those means and teach us that the church lives by the Means of Grace, by nothing else, and that her life is expressed solely and only in this that she becomes a praying church again, as she was in the days of the apostles. Then it was said of her: "And they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in the prayers" (Acts 2:42). "And fear came upon every soul" is said of this praying congregation.   Fear has not come upon one single soul because of Amsterdam, Bethel, and Leipzig, because of the Ecumenical Council of Churches, the EKiD and the VELKD, and not because of the college of cardinals either. For only the praying church which moves heaven and earth with her prayer, even when outwardly she has to go down in defeat in the process, could and might effect truly world-shaking changes in this century. The praying church, which we do not want to confound with the church of liturgical scholars, is a power which shakes the social and political world of our century, because in her and in her alone He is present unto whom all power in heaven and earth is given. The life of the Lutheran Church in this century depends on whether she again will become a praying church in the sense of Luther and of the Lutheran Reformation.   Hermann Sasse, Letters to Lutheran Pastors V, Ecclesia Orans.

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FW: Kliefoth (1810-1895) on "Sacramental and Sacrificial"

On Kliefoth…

 

Feed: Mercy Journeys with Pastor Harrison
Posted on: Sunday, September 05, 2010 7:45 AM
Author: Rev. Matt Harrison
Subject: Kliefoth (1810-1895) on "Sacramental and Sacrificial"

 

More than any other Lutheran liturgical scholar of the nineteenth century Kliefoth expounded and popularized the liturgical distinction between the sacramental and sacrificial moments in the divine service. This distinction that had first been enunciated by Melanchthon in the Apology (xxiv, 69-77) was developed by Kliefoth and used as a key to the divine-human interaction of the liturgy in Lutheran terms. In the sacramental side of the divine service the Triune God acted on the congregation and gave out his gifts to those who assembled in his presence; in the sacrificial side of the divine service the congregation responded to God's giving of himself and his gifts by presenting its offerings to him. It brought its Spirit-produced, God-pleasing sacrifices to God the Father in prayer and praise, confession and thanksgiving, the giving of gifts and self-giving love for the people of God. The two sides belong together. They coexist in the liturgy. Yet the sacrificial reaction depends on the sacramental action and is empowered by it. The proper balance between these two is upset by the Roman Catholic Church with its teaching on the Mass as a propitiatory sacrifice as well as by the Reformed churches with their teaching on the Lord's Supper as an Eucharistic offering. He also warns against two common misunderstandings of this distinction in Lutheran circles. On the one hand, even though the sacramental function of the divine service may be distinguished from its sacrificial function, they cannot ever be separated. They often occur simultaneously, like the preaching of the word and the faithful hearing of it, for, as Melanchthon had already noted (Ap xxiv, 75), the same ritual act can have more than one purpose. On the other hand, the sacramental function of the service is not performed exclusively by the pastor, nor is the sacrificial function performed only by the congregation. Thus the members of the congregation act sacramentally when they proclaim God's word to each other communally in sacred song. Likewise the pastor acts sacrificially when he leads the congregation in prayer. Even though Kliefoth argued passionately for the priority of God's giving in the divine service, much of his work was, in fact, devoted to the promotion of God-pleasing sacrifices in the main service as well as in all the minor services. John Kleinig, "The Liturgical Heritage of Theodor Kliefoth." In J. Bart Day and others (eds), Lord Jesus Christ, Will You Not Stay. Essays in Honor of Ronald Feuerhahn on the Occasion of his Sixty-Fifth Birthday. The Feuerhahn Festschrift Committee: Houston, 2002, 105-120.

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FW: The Hurtfulness of Not Preaching Christ

 

 

Feed: Dead Theologians
Posted on: Saturday, September 04, 2010 7:00 AM
Author: Jared Nelson
Subject: The Hurtfulness of Not Preaching Christ

 

The Hurtfulness of Not Preaching Christ, and Distinguishing Duly Between Law and Gospel a Poem by Ralph Erkine Hell cares not how crude holiness be preach'd, If sinner's match with Christ be never reach'd; Knowing their holiness is but a sham, Who ne'er are marry'd to the holy Lamb. Let words have never such a pious shew, And blaze aloft in rude professor's view, With sacred aromatics richly spic'd, If they but drown in silence glorious Christ; Or, if he may some vacant room supply, Make him a subject only by the by; They mar true holiness with tickling chat, To breed a bastard Pharisaic brat. They wofully the gospel message-broke, Make fearful havock of their Master's flock; Yet please themselves and the blind multitude, By whom the gospel's little understood. Rude souls, perhaps, imagine little odds Between the legal and the gospel roads: But vainly men attempt to blend the two; They differ more than Christ and Moses do. Moses, evangelizing in a shade, By types the news of light approaching spread; But from the law of works, by him proclaim'd, No ray of gospel-grace or mercy gleam'd. By nature's light the law to all is known, But lightsome news of gospel-grace to none. The doing cov'nant now, in part or whole, Is strong to damn, but weak to save a soul. It hurts, and cannot help, but as it tends Through mercy to subserve some gospel-ends. Law-thunder roughly to the gospel tames, The gospel mildly to the law reclaims. The fiery law, as 'tis a covenant, Schools men to see the gospel-aid they want; Then gospel-aid does sweetly them incline Back to the law, as 'tis a rule divine. Heaven's healing work is oft commenc'd with wounds, Terror begins what loving-kindness crowns. Preachers may therefore press the fiery law, To strike the Christless men with dreadful awe. Law-threats which for his sins to hell depress. Yea, damn him for his rotten righteousness; That while he views the law exceeding broad, He fain may wed the righteousness of God. But, ah! to press the law-works as terms of life, was ne'er the way to court the Lamb a wife. To urge conditions in the legal frame, Is to renew the vain old cov'nant game. The law is good, when lawfully 'tis used, But most destructive, when it is abused. They set not duties in the proper sphere, Who duly law and gospel don't sever; But under many chains let sinners lie, As tributaries, or to DO or DIE. Nor make the law a squaring rule of life, But in the gospel-throat a bloody knife.

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FW: Since When Are Praise Bands ‘Contextual’ at CSL?

Good questions…

 

Feed: Necessary Roughness
Posted on: Saturday, September 04, 2010 8:46 AM
Author: Dan
Subject: Since When Are Praise Bands 'Contextual' at CSL?

 

The Gottesdienst blog relays a solicitation for players and a sound board operator for a "chapel band" that will perform at the Chapel of Saints Timothy and Titus on the campus of Concordia Seminary, St. Louis. The announcement reads as follows: Contextual Worship/Chapel Bands If you are gifted in the ways of music or can run a sound board, come audition to be a part of a chapel band. Come sign up for an audition time at the Information fair on Friday (9/3) or Tuesday (9/7). Or email XXXXX@csl.edu [a student address - +HRC] if you are unable to be at the info fair. Email me with any questions. Thanks. What is the context of a seminary? Praise bands are generally touted as a tool to attract people to worship.  A necessity to be attracted to worship isn't even in our theology. We worship because God has commanded us to and also to receive the gifts that God has promised us in Word and Sacrament. If seminarians and professors need to be attracted to worship, something is dreadfully wrong. It is simply incorrect to use a label of 'contextual' and to imply that other types of worship are not contextual. All worship has context. The issues at hand are, "Which contexts are you applying?" and "What are you confessing with those contexts?"

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Resources Received

DeMarce, Virginia. 1635: The Tangled Web. Riverdale, NY: Baen, 2009. 355 Pages. Paper. $16.00. http://www.baen.com/ (N) 

Wilson, Martha. Edited by Laura Storm. Latin Primer Book 2. Moscow, ID: Canon Press, 2010. 223 Pages. Paper. $22.00. http://www.canonpress.com/ (LHP)

Wilson, Martha. Edited by Laura Storm. Latin Primer Book 2 Teacher's Edition. Moscow, ID: Canon Press, 2010. 407 Pages. Paper. $28.00. http://www.canonpress.com/ (LHP)

Oberdeck, John. Eutychus Youth: Applied Theology for Youth Ministry/Reaching Youth on the Ledge. St. Louis: Concordia, 2010. 270 Pages. Paper. $19.99. http://www.cph.org/ (LHP)

FW: What Is Baptism?

More from Lutheranism 101, forthcoming from CPH…

 

Feed: Lutheranism 101
Posted on: Friday, September 03, 2010 8:54 AM
Author: ScotK
Subject: What Is Baptism?

 

Simply put, Baptism is the application of water to a person in the name of the Holy Trinity—the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Plain water is truly used in this Sacrament, but it is not plain water alone. Our Lord Jesus Christ, following His death and resurrection and just before His ascension, gave the Church the gift of Holy Baptism: "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age" (Matthew 28:19-20 So it is that the water of Holy Baptism is used according to Jesus' command and combined with the name of God and all that name stands for. This God-given reality changes everything about this particular application of water. What Does Baptism Do? In his Small Catechism, Martin Luther provided a concise explanation for us: It works forgiveness of sins, rescues from death and the devil, and gives eternal salvation to all who believe this, as the words and promises of God declare. (SC, Baptism, Second Part) To learn more about what Lutherans believe and teach about Holy Baptism, check out the book Lutheranism 101.

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FW: Lutheranism 101

FYI…

 

Feed: Blog My Soul
Posted on: Friday, September 03, 2010 3:35 PM
Author: ScotK
Subject: Lutheranism 101

 

Lutheranism 101 is designed to give you a quick, usable, and comprehensive overview of Lutheran faith and practice.

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FW: Dreams...

From Pr. Weedon…

 

Feed: Weedon's Blog
Posted on: Tuesday, August 31, 2010 10:29 AM
Author: William Weedon
Subject: Dreams...

 

Today, August 31, marks the last day of President Kieschnick's service as President of the Lutheran Church--Missouri Synod.  Tomorrow, we can drop the "elect" from President-Elect Harrison's title as he officially becomes simply the President of the LCMS.  And what will the future bring?  God alone knows. Here are some of my dreams, though, for my beloved Synod: A more merciful Church - greater involvement in alleviating human suffering and bringing the love of Christ to bear in tangible ways in our local communities and throughout the world. A more evangelical Church - no, not in THAT sense; in the true sense.  A Church where the Gospel rings out with its unquenchable joy and shapes all we say and do, and where the Gospel (not the Law!) moves our mission work. A more liturgical Church - learning to live responsibly within our liturgical heritage in the way Krauth:  "possessing liturgical life without liturgical bondage."  A Church where the full and rich heritage of Lutheran hymnody rings out full-throated from our congregations.   A more prayerful Church - where the Daily Office, the Litany and such come into their own and shape our parishes as places of prayer.  If "my Father's house shall be called a house of prayer for all people" let us return our parishes from being fund-raising organizations to being prayer-raising communities.   A more giving Church - where we recover a lively sense of sacrifice, of sharing earthly goods from the charity that the Gospel has planted in our hearts.   A more gentle Church - where the 8th commandment is truly honored in our practice, above all in learning to explain our neighbor's actions in the kindest way and where we remember the wise words of the Apology that harmony in the Church cannot last unless pastors and churches mutually overlook many things.   A more peaceful Church - where the hope of the future that will surely be ours at our Lord's Appearing removes all hastiness and fear and gives us a calm and measured ability to evaluate the challenges before us.   A more educated Church - where a deep and abiding love for the Word of God leads to full Bible classes and devout reading of the Word in our homes. It is said that over time, a parish takes on the characteristics of her pastor.  The above I find to be characteristics of our new President.  I hope that in time, the Synod will become like him in that way.   http://feeds.feedburner.com/WeedonsBlog

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FW: What kind are you?

From Pr. Brown…

 

Feed: Confessional Gadfly
Posted on: Tuesday, August 31, 2010 4:21 PM
Author: Rev. Eric J Brown
Subject: What kind are you?

 

What kind of Lutheran are you? You see, almost like ethnicities in the US, we add a label to word "Lutheran" here in the US. Some of this comes from the different synods -- are you A Missouri Lutheran or an ELCA one, or a Wisconsin? Are you evangelical or confessional? Are you liturgical or are you contemporary? Are you pietistic or rationalist or something else? These terms are important - they tell what we are. They inform. They provide little snap shots of who we are. What word modifies the type of Lutheran you are - what word describes what you are amongst all those various folks holding to the Lutheran banner? I have one that I think works well. I am a Sacramental Lutheran. Seriously - a lot of those other titles have bits of baggage and the like. So what drives me - what thing strikes me. Well, I could say "Confessional" - but I don't have the edge for some of those circles. I'm liturgical, but I'm not super fancy. I'm evangelical, in the old sense, but no one knows what that means. But Sacramental - that hits it. I am a Lutheran who is sacramentally focused - let's be focused on Baptism, the Supper, and (dare I say) the public proclamation of the Word and see and delight in all that Christ has done for us. Everything else, if this focus is right, will come out in the wash. With increased baptismal and sacramental focus we will fight off works righteousness, tom-foolery in worship, and Pietism. When we are focused on Christ, we will not become legalists trying to make ourselves perfect nor will we fall to antinomianism. This is a good way to be. I am a Sacramental Lutheran. And we aren't this enough. A Roman Catholic friend of mine, hearing me talk, said to me, "I didn't know you Lutherans were so Sacramental." Let's fix this and see where we go.

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FW: A Case for the Voice Alone

An interesting Roman perspective…

 

Feed: The Chant Café
Posted on: Wednesday, September 01, 2010 9:21 AM
Author: Jeffrey Tucker
Subject: A Case for the Voice Alone

 

Quite often people send me queries about what instruments are permitted and what instruments are forbidden at Mass. This is the way the message begins but then there is often a followup, usually concerning a specific (sad) situation that has come up in a parish or seminary setting. The organ is neglected as the piano is brought front and center. Or a new guitar player is permitted to do his thing during Mass. These are often cries of desperation, stemming from an intuition that something is going wrong and surely there must be some rules governing this situation, something to cite to say no. It is not always about trying to push music in a more traditional direction. In one case this past year, a leader of a praise team found herself annoyed that a bongoist insisted on joining the group but she didn't want him. She hoped for some legislation that would disallow bongos but permit extended soloing on praise music with piano accompaniment. I could cite no such legislation. The situation just isn't that simple. It isn't just a matter of placing all instruments in the category of "permitted" or "forbidden." Church legislation is pretty clear that the organ is favored, occupying an exalted place among liturgical instruments. But current legislation does not ban other instruments. Most anything is permitted as a technical matter, but the problem with this focus is that it hones in on the letter rather than the spirit. I won't comment on the possibilities for the bongos - I seriously doubt that there are any - but I can imagine situations in which the guitar would actually be an improvement on the piano. Now, to be sure, I'm devoted to the piano as a solo instrument. But it is a percussion instrument, with hammers that hit keys, and this sound alone cuts against the style of sacred music which is always toward a constant upward elevation, as modeled by the style of plainsong. Our cultural associations with the piano range from dramatic symphonic settings to lounge environments; liturgy is not really part of that association. While the guitar might have an improved sound over the piano, it too has cultural associations that do not make it a natural partner with the liturgical sound. There is a strong case for the organ but my own preference is to use it as a solo instrument. This is when its voice is most beautiful and expressive. It is a waste of a great instrument, and a competent musician's talents, to turn the organ into nothing but a instrument to accompany voices, whether the chant or congregational singing. I'm completely unconvinced by the cliche that the organ helps people in the pews sing better; I've experienced the opposite too many times. Here is what I do not understand about all of these discussions: why is it that people so rarely consider that the human voice alone is the proper and ideal liturgical instrument? I really think that people have a fear of singing without instruments. They believe that it cannot be done without some external thing to give them the notes, rhythm, and groove. This is the first and greatest mistake that takes place within all these discussions of what instruments are permitted at Mass. One thousand years of Christian song took place without instruments, so far as anyone can tell, and the organ itself had to earn for itself the right and opportunity to be heard alongside that primary instrument of the human voice. We need more of that: voices alone. Only the human voice can bring together those two necessary things at once: the text and the notes. Too often it is not even considered an option.

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FW: 1,000,000 Copies of Lutheran Service Book Sold: Hymnal In Every Home Campaign Launched

More on the "Hymnal in Every Home" Campaign…

 

Feed: Cyberbrethren Lutheran Blog Feed
Posted on: Wednesday, September 01, 2010 11:28 AM
Author: Paul T. McCain
Subject: 1,000,000 Copies of Lutheran Service Book Sold: Hymnal In Every Home Campaign Launched

 

I am thrilled to announce today that Concordia Publishing House has sold ONE MILLION COPIES of Lutheran Service Book. One. Million. Copies. That's 1 with six zeros after it. And, we could not have made this up even if we tried, the pastor who purchased the one millionth copy, Pastor Gary Benedix, purchased it for a confirmation student. He is "retired" and serving a very small congregation in….ready for it?…Jackpot, Nevada. I'm not making this up. You can read all about it, and read about the Hymnal in Every Home campaign which we launched today to celebrate the 1,000,000th copy of Lutheran Service Book sold. From today until the end of the year, we are selling the pew edition of Lutheran Service Book for only $20 and the gift edition, for only $30. A mailing will be going out to all LCMS congregations making it easy for them promote this effort and give their members a chance to order copies of the hymnal for their homes, and request custom imprinting on the cover, etc. Here is the Hymnal in Every Home website for more information. Check out the videos below. Your humble blogger is on one of them, but don't let that stop you from watching them.

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Enclosures:

4w0-3W_Dvtk (1 KB) http://www.youtube.com/v/4w0-3W_Dvtk?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0

 

FW: Adding Insult to Injury; or, “And also with….”

On liturgical language…

 

Feed: PrayTellBlog
Posted on: Thursday, September 02, 2010 5:27 PM
Author: Cody C. Unterseher
Subject: Adding Insult to Injury; or, "And also with…."

 

A friend of mine reports today that while passing by a well-known Episcopal congregation that shall remain nameless, in a major U.S. city that also shall remain nameless, she saw a large sign in front of the church that read thus: In small but legible black letters: "The Lord be with you." In large red capitals: "AND ALSO WITH YOU." In blue print below: "We STILL say it. The Episcopal Church welcomes you." I asked for a photo, but as my friend was passing through, she was unable to get back to the church to take one. Sigh. Now, frankly, I think this is in rather poor taste. As an Episcopal priest, I think there are infinitely better ways of going about pastoral care for disaffected members of other churches. The Episcopal Church has prided itself on not engaging in proselytism. This seems to be adding insult to injury for those Roman Catholics who are only vaguely aware of the changes forthcoming in the new translation, as well as those more informed for whom changes to the congregational responses in the dialogues are a major sticking point. As a liturgiologist, I have a number of concerns about the new translation, and can level my fair share of critiques about the same. But this campaign seems rather disingenuous, because we Episcopalians also still say, "And with thy spirit," having never abandoned that response in our Rite I liturgy. I'm glad Episcopalians are recognizing that we have a stake in the liturgical reforms of our neighboring Christians… I just wish we knew better how to express it!

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FW: Too Much Change

I think seasonal use is best…

 

Feed: Pastoral Meanderings
Posted on: Friday, September 03, 2010 6:37 AM
Author: Pastor Peters
Subject: Too Much Change

 

I have been listening over the years to the diversity of choices available in our Lutheran congregations -- and not only those with some form of contemporary worship.  It seems that we grow weary of too much the same and seem intent upon forcing some change or diversity if for no other reason than change itself. I have written before of the tyranny of personal preference that would divide a congregation when multiple worship services are also different liturgical choices (or even non-liturgical ones).  It is not a good thing to have all out contemporary worship at 11, some form of blended service and music at 9:30 and stock hymnal at 8 am.  In reality there are not merely three services choices but three different congregations.  Unlike the congregation divided by simple worship times, these congregations would not and could not worship with each other since they do not know each other's song or liturgy.  Except perhaps for Christmas, the typical congregation that offers such a variety of worship formats has knowingly or unknowingly developed different congregations unable to join in each other's song and unwilling to learn the liturgy of the other. But there is another diversity which I am also not so sure is healthy.  That is when congregations use one setting of the Divine Service on one Sunday of the month, a different one the second Sunday, a different one on the third Sunday, and another one on the fourth Sunday.  Certainly LSB affords such a choice and diversity since there are five settings of the Divine Service but what is possible is not always beneficial. I do think it is important for a congregation to learn more than one setting of LSB.  In my own parish we know them all but we use DS 1-3 most of all.  However, we do not change from week to week.  We tend to hold on to one setting for an extended period -- several seasons of the Church Year or six months or more -- before changing.  We generally use one setting for all the Sundays in ordinary time and another setting for the festival Sundays.  During our anniversary year we did change a bit more often so that we used DS 3 once a month or so throughout the fiftieth year celebration.  That was rather unique for us, however. Using a setting for an extended period allows the congregation to become accustomed to that setting so that it is not so new that it must be slavishly following from the hymnal or bulletin.  That is a good thing.  Too much change is possible but, I do not believe, beneficial.  So I would encourage those who change more frequently to reconsider.  A couple of settings per year is enough and some consistency within change is beneficial to all, I believe. So now you know what I think and you are free to disagree or pull me apart for my opinion....

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FW: CPH-How to Read & Apply the Bible

An update on a special offer…

 

From: Rosemary Parkinson [mailto:Rosemary.Parkinson@cph.org]
Sent: Friday, September 03, 2010 10:28 AM
To: revpaulcain@gmail.com
Subject: CPH-How to Read & Apply the Bible

 

 

Greetings:

 

Law and Gospel: How to Read and Apply the Bible

Time is running out!  Offer expires on 10/01/2010

Purchase 5 or more copies for only $19.99 each ($29.99 retail value)

53-1166LQS

 

Law and Gospel: How to Read and Apply the Bible offers a fresh translation of C.F.W. Walther’s classic lectures. It provides comprehensive notes and other helps to bring to life the power and excitement of God’s Word for you. This new unabridged edition restores Walther's witty, staccato fire, including text omitted in prior English versions. Read Walther's lectures like no one has since he originally spoke them.  

 

Need an order form for the church bulletin? Visit

 

http://www.cph.org/pdf/Helps/531166.pdf

 

Not sure if this is for you? Hear a radio interview from KFUO:

 

http://www.cph.org/pdf/Helps/531166_KFUO-author-interview.mp3

 

Want to see what it’s all about? Look at:

 

http://www.cph.org/pdf/531166.pdf

 

See some of Walther’s original lecture preparation notes at:

 

http://www.cph.org/images/topics/pdf/walther/lecture-notes.pdf

 

Don’t forget to visit www.cph.org to place an order.

 

Save ten dollars a book! Order 5 or more copies by October 1, 2010 and receive the discounted price of $19.99.

 

Hurry, this offer will not last long!

 

 

FW: A Lutheran Critique of “The Purpose Driven Life”

A review to consider…

 

Feed: Cyberbrethren Lutheran Blog Feed
Posted on: Monday, August 30, 2010 4:13 AM
Author: Paul T. McCain
Subject: A Lutheran Critique of "The Purpose Driven Life"

 

This is the best, and most thorough-going critique of Rick Warren's Purpose Drive Life I've read, to date, from anyone. In light of the fact of how any number of Lutheran congregations picked up and ran with the "Purpose Driven" craze, in spite of it being quite thoroughly contrary to the Scriptures and the Lutheran Confessions, it is important that this kind of critique be as thoroughly promulgated as possible (I don't get to use that word 'promulgated' too much, try saying it out loud, it's fun!). Here's the paper: WarrenCritique NOTE: Click the link once, then click on it again, in the next window, and allow time for the PDF file to download to your computer.

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Fwd: CPH Sells Millionth Hymnal

One million copies of Lutheran Service Book have sold!
Eighty percent of LCMS congregations have adopted LSB!

Please note the special pricing below...

NEWS RELEASE
Concordia Publishing House
3558 South Jefferson Ave.
St. Louis, Missouri 63118-3968
CONTACT: Emily Barlean, Corporate Communications
Phone: 314.268.1294
e-mail: emily.barlean@cph.org

For Immediate Release

Concordia Publishing House Sells One Millionth Hymnal
Concordia Publishing House Aims to Put a Hymnal into the Hands of Every Lutheran

Twitter Pitch:
Rev. Gary Benedix of Jackpot, Nevada hits the jackpot & purchases
@concordiapub's one millionth hymnal. Learn more:
http://pitch.pe/84490

One millionth hymnal sale kicks off @concordiapub's Hymnal in Every
Home campaign. Learn more here: http://pitch.pe/84490

Summary:
One million copies of the Lutheran Service Book have been sold to
congregations around the country—now Concordia Publishing House aims
to put a hymnal into the hands of every Lutheran with the Hymnal in
Every Home campaign lasting from Sept 1 through the end of the year.

Saint Louis, MO—When you hear about a publishing company selling over
a million copies in record time, you almost expect the book to have
Harry Potter or Twilight in its title. However, Concordia Publishing
House (CPH) is proud to announce that this time that is not the case.
In fact, after just four years, Lutheran Service Book (LSB) has sold
one million copies.

"People need a way to give voice to their faith. There are three core
books that can do that: the Bible, the hymnal, and the catechism,"
said Rev. Paul McCain, Concordia's publisher. "The hymnal is the book
that helps put our faith in a form that we can easily remember. That
is a powerful influence in a Christian's life."

In fact, it is so powerful an influence, that even before its release,
the hymnal saw great success. Its first print run of 250,000 copies
sold out in preorders, and over the next four years, around 80% of the
churches in The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod adopted LSB.

"We are absolutely thrilled to celebrate the overwhelming reception
that Lutheran Service Book has had in our churches," said President
and CEO, Dr. Bruce G. Kintz. "At CPH, it is our mission to serve the
church by providing resources for today's ministry, and the hymnal's
success shows us that our mission is being fulfilled."

Although the majority of the first million hymnals went to churches
across the country, last month Pastor Gary Benedix made an uncommon
purchase and bought a single hymnal. His church, Hope Lutheran in
Jackpot, Nevada, was not a part of that 80%. When Pastor Benedix
ordered LSB on the Web, he hoped to use it for two things: first, to
use as a launching pad for introducing the hymnal to his congregation,
and second, as a gift for his one and only confirmation student.

What came next was a bit more unexpected.

"I got a phone call from Dr. Kintz, and he told me that I had
purchased the millionth hymnal," said Pastor Benedix. "I was confused;
I thought they were calling everyone to tell them the news, but he
explained that I had actually, physically purchased the millionth
hymnal. I couldn't believe it!"

This retired pastor from Jackpot, Nevada, had indeed hit the jackpot.
He had purchased one very special copy of Lutheran Service Book for
his tiny church, whose attendance ranged from four to 25 on any given
week.

With such a small attendance, the church had not been able to adopt
LSB when it was released; but Pastor Benedix was not about to let that
stand in his way.

"The liturgical aspect of worship is so important to me," he said.
"The beauty of the service, especially in LSB, adds depth and
spirituality to each person that uses it."

In fact, Pastor Benedix was so interested in getting LSB for his
congregation that he hoped they would each purchase their own copies
to use during worship and at home. As a surprise and special gift to
Pastor Benedix, his congregation did not have to be without LSB for
long. Because he purchased the millionth hymnal, CPH gave his
congregation 30 hymnals as a way of saying thank you.

"We are so excited to get started with Lutheran Service Book and to
continue this liturgical tradition with Word and Sacrament in
Jackpot," Pastor Benedix said.

Even though Pastor Benedix's congregation can now use LSB at church,
their pastor is still excited to utilize the hymnal outside of
worship. Not only does he plan to start a few small Bible studies, but
he also plans on using that one special hymnal to teach his only
confirmation student, McKenzie Heileman.

"I'll expect her to use it at home to read through the devotional
services, the responsive prayer, and the chief parts," said Pastor
Benedix. "It's difficult to get kids to memorize, but her memory work
will be the prayers in the hymnal, which are marvelous."

Pastor Benedix's expectation for McKenzie to use the hymnal at home
aligns perfectly with Concordia Publishing House's hopes for the
hymnal's future, according to Peter Reske, managing editor of music
and worship resources.

"If you only use the hymnal on Sunday, you will miss all the little
things in there that are so important," Reske said. "Many things often
go overlooked."

In order to help members of the LCMS realize what they have been
overlooking over the last four years, CPH has introduced the Hymnal in
Every Home campaign, that Pastor McCain hopes will show people just
how the hymnal can be used at home.

"It gives great continuity between Sunday morning and home life,
because it is basically your one-stop-shop. There are suggested daily
Bible readings, hymns, prayers, psalms, and more," he said. "Why only
worship the Lord on Sunday? His word is our sustenance. Can you
survive by eating only one day a week? Probably. But God's buffet is
open 24/7 and he invites us to enjoy richly."

And so, as a way to promote the purchase of hymnals for every home,
CPH has lowered their prices significantly—offering the Pew Editionfor
only $20 and theGift Editionfor $30.

"From the beginning this has been your hymnal," said Reske, "and we
want to make sure you have every opportunity to get your hands on it."

To order or find out more about the Hymnal in Every Home campaign,
visit cph.org/hymnal where you can find hymnal tips, videos, and more.

Resource Links:

Social Media Release: http://pitch.pe/84490

Concordia Publishing House: http://www.cph.org

Lutheran Service Book: http://lsb.cph.org

Hymnal in Every Home Campaign: http://www.cph.org/hymnal

Concordia Publishing House is a not-for-profit publishing company and
the publisher of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. The company
offers more than 8,000 products for use in Christian congregations,
schools, and homes. Visit CPH on the Web at http://www.cph.org.

Media Resources:

Watch a special promotional video about the millionth hymnal sale and
the Hymnal in Every Home campaign. http://bit.ly/cSajhE

Listen to a podcast interview with Pastor Gary Benedix discussing the
Lutheran Service Book, his background, and what it was like to be the
purchaser of the millionth hymnal. http://bit.ly/aoBBES

Watch a video with Dr. Bruce G. Kintz, CEO of CPH, announcing to
Pastor Gary Benedix that he had purchased the millionth hymnal. Plus,
hear Bruce give Gary good news about a special gift from CPH.
http://bit.ly/bD4ftP

View this or previous releases or download via Word or PDF on Scribd.
# # #

News Facts:

CPH has more than 8,000 products that can be used by families and
individuals, Christian schools and congregations. Here is an overview
of all we have to offer. Can't find what you are looking for? Contact
us, and let our world class Customer Service representatives lend a
hand at 1-800-325-3040.

Tags:

Concordia Publishing House, CPH, LSB, Lutheran Service Book, millionth
sold, Hymnal in Every Home, Pastor Gary Benedix, Dr. Bruce G. Kintz,
hymnal, successful book, Paul McCain, Peter Reske, catechism, Bible,
sale, liturgy, gift, announcement

If you would rather not receive future communications from Concordia
Publishing House, let us know by clicking here.
Concordia Publishing House, 3558 S. Jefferson Ave., St. Louis, MO
63123 United States

--
Rev. Paul J Cain

FW: Why I’m A Book of Concord Fanatic (Free Pamphlet!)

I'm not sure who this fellow is, but you should check out the blue links below…

 

Feed: Cyberbrethren Lutheran Blog Feed
Posted on: Saturday, August 28, 2010 7:56 AM
Author: Paul T. McCain
Subject: Why I'm A Book of Concord Fanatic (Free Pamphlet!)

 

"A fanatic is a person who won't change his mind, and can't change the subject." – Winston Churchill Yes, that's pretty much me when I get going on the Book of Concord, which is often. I have to begin this post with an apology, to my friend, Myrtle, a dear sister in Christ who sent this to me, longer ago than I care to admit. She has been very patient waiting for me to share this resource with you. But, finally, here you go. Pastor Fisk's great video on the Book of Concord reminded me of my forgetfullness. Please do check out her fine work at assembling a nice little pamphlet on whyt he Book of Concord is so great. It is nice to see I'm not the only one who is nuts for the Book of Concord. There are a lot of us BOC Fanatics out there. Why? OK, to repeat: Well, watch Rev. Fisk's video and read Myrtle's great little pamphlet. You can get it here. Told you I can't change the subject!

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