Unassociated Press
Staff Writer
ST. LOUIS- In a continued effort to keep the "Ablaze!" movement at the forefront of the collective consciousness of the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod, the synod Board of Higher Education (BHE) today announced an exciting partnership between the Concordia University System schools and the synod.
The ten Concordias - as well as the two seminaries - have all agreed to change their respective nicknames to names more befitting the fire-inspired "Ablaze!" movement and its sister capital campaign, "Fan Into Flame." The new school names will be as follows:
- St. Paul Pyros
- Ann Arbor Arsonists
- Wisconsin Critical Eventers
- "Great" Chicago Fire
- Selma Heartburn
- Portland "Thy Word is a Light to My" Trailblazers
- Seward Prairie Fire
- Irvine Igniters
- Bronxville Flamers
- Austin Ablaziacs!
- Ft. Wayne Pentecostals
- St. Louis Fire and Brimstone
A press release from an Ablaze! official released earlier today states the following: "We could not be more pleased with the effort shown by our institutions of higher learning to lead the way in reaching 100 million people with the good news about Jesus. We can think of no better form of evangelism than a group of athletic teams with fire-themed nicknames, mascots, and logos."
Early estimates are that with the combined exposure of the multiple athletic teams of the multiple schools spread all around the country - including nearby major urban areas - upwards of 35 million people will be reached for Jesus through this effort alone. Talks are ongoing between the LCMS and the CUS schools about changing their respective fight songs to the Albaze! theme hymn, which would fit better with the new nicknames.
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Monday, January 21, 2008
Congregation Declares itself in a State of Absolution against Synod
TILLAMOOK, OR- The voters of Our Savvy Savior Lutheran Church in Tillamook, Oregon voted Sunday afternoon to declare themselves in statu absolutionis against the Missouri Synod. Pastor James Aufdentisch explained, “A state of absolution is the opposite of a state of confession. Where some congregations might be up in arms about some of the things going on in the Synod, we’re not. In fact, we’re going to absolve the Synod of anything she might do. That’s a state of absolution.”
While the move is unprecedented, many conclude that it’s not altogether unexpected. Aufdentisch has been a strong proponent of absolving sins since coming to Our Savvy Savior from Topeka a few years ago.
While calls to the Synod’s International Center went unreturned late Sunday evening, The Theological Organ got to speak to a guy who comes in a few evenings a month to empty wastebaskets. While electing to remain anonymous, the source said there’s a palpable fear among Synod’s leadership. “There have been some e-mails in the trash that mentioned it. Frankly, if you ask me, it don’t make a lick of sense. Why would they ubsolve [sic] things that most folks don’t think are sins?”
Some of the voters from Our Savvy Savior seemed uncertain about the congregation’s future with the Synod. Longtime-member Dorothy Rogers said, “As long as things stay the same, we’ll stay here absolving the Synod. But if things change and there are no more sins to absolve, we may have to break fellowship and look for a Synod in need of some absolution.”
While the move is unprecedented, many conclude that it’s not altogether unexpected. Aufdentisch has been a strong proponent of absolving sins since coming to Our Savvy Savior from Topeka a few years ago.
While calls to the Synod’s International Center went unreturned late Sunday evening, The Theological Organ got to speak to a guy who comes in a few evenings a month to empty wastebaskets. While electing to remain anonymous, the source said there’s a palpable fear among Synod’s leadership. “There have been some e-mails in the trash that mentioned it. Frankly, if you ask me, it don’t make a lick of sense. Why would they ubsolve [sic] things that most folks don’t think are sins?”
Some of the voters from Our Savvy Savior seemed uncertain about the congregation’s future with the Synod. Longtime-member Dorothy Rogers said, “As long as things stay the same, we’ll stay here absolving the Synod. But if things change and there are no more sins to absolve, we may have to break fellowship and look for a Synod in need of some absolution.”
Thursday, January 17, 2008
JesusFirst to Face Doctrinal Scrutiny over Name
ST. LOUIS- In a move destined to draw fire from supporters of JesusFirst, the Synod’s Council of Presidents on Wednesday voted to ask the Commission of Theology and Church Relations to examine the theology of placing Jesus first.
Those who voted in favor of the review expressed concern that placing Jesus first may violate what many see as standard Trinitarian theology. “Jesus is the incarnation of the Second Person of the Holy Trinity. To call Him the First seems to confuse the matter,” said a member of the COP who elected to remain anonymous.
“If it’s true that JesusFirst emphasizes the primacy of Jesus to the exclusion of the other two persons of the Trinity, this seems to be some kind of Swedenborgianism. If they want to be correct, maybe they should call themselves ‘Jesus Second.' And for crying out loud, the spacebar is the big, unmarked one at the bottom of the keyboard. Use it. ”
Calls to the JesusFirst office were not immediately returned.
Those who voted in favor of the review expressed concern that placing Jesus first may violate what many see as standard Trinitarian theology. “Jesus is the incarnation of the Second Person of the Holy Trinity. To call Him the First seems to confuse the matter,” said a member of the COP who elected to remain anonymous.
“If it’s true that JesusFirst emphasizes the primacy of Jesus to the exclusion of the other two persons of the Trinity, this seems to be some kind of Swedenborgianism. If they want to be correct, maybe they should call themselves ‘Jesus Second.' And for crying out loud, the spacebar is the big, unmarked one at the bottom of the keyboard. Use it. ”
Calls to the JesusFirst office were not immediately returned.
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
301 Congregations Pledge to Plant Convents
By Hans Wurst
ST LOUIS- 301 Missouri Synod congregations have completed orientation to become Ablaze! "Convent Congregations," pledging to start up to four "daughter" convents each over the next decade. The goal for the end of 2007 was to have 100o congregations on board, taking seriously Christ's Great Convent Mission to preach and baptize within the walls of a convent.
"We surpassed our expectations, but not our goal, which is an indication that this is the right thing to do at this time in our church body," said Grace Grayson, national director for new convent field testing.
The short-term goal is 10 percent -- or 600 -- of the Synod's 6,000 congregations seeing themselves as "mission outposts," according to Grayson. "The long-term goal is that every congregation will become a convent-planting congregation," she says. "Can you just imagine all 6,000 congregations planting one convent [each] in the next 10 years?" he asks. "It would double our convents."
The Lutheran Church--Missouri Synod has seen its roster of nuns decline "because we are not taking the ministry of convent planting seriously," according to Grayson. "The number of Lutheran nuns in the United States has not grown proportionately to population growth," he adds, "which indicates that there are a lot of women who need to be in convents."
It's a positive sign that 300-plus Synod congregations so far have signed contracts with their districts and LCMS World Mission to make outreach to single women their top priority, equip their members to witness their nunnery to others, and send and support their members in convent planting, Grayson says.
As Convent Congregations, they will have access to funding, assessments, and training from LCMS World Mission, Lutheran Church Extension Fund, Convent Development Partners, the Center for U.S. Missions, and the two LCMS seminaries. "I think congregations are excited about it," Grayson said. "In the past, convent planting was the responsibility of the districts, but now congregations are seeing this as their responsibility, as they are increasingly realizing that they are in the mission field."
Dr. Joe Fiedenthaler, president of the Synod's Northeastern District (NED), says the Convent Congregations idea "has come along at precisely the right time" because, while NED has always been "habit-focused ... in recent years we have been putting more emphasis on moving the mission forward through the planting of new convents.
"Many of our existing congregations seem to agree because they are the ones who have helped us identify 170 opportunities for a new convent throughout our region." Creating that "mission mindset" was due, in large part, to the district's primary focus on "solitude and the Serenity Prayer" for individuals and congregations, according to Seaman.
"We emphasize Word and sacrament ministry, and seek to be faithful to Scripture and the Lutheran Confessions, understanding that to be faithful implies vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience."
ST LOUIS- 301 Missouri Synod congregations have completed orientation to become Ablaze! "Convent Congregations," pledging to start up to four "daughter" convents each over the next decade. The goal for the end of 2007 was to have 100o congregations on board, taking seriously Christ's Great Convent Mission to preach and baptize within the walls of a convent.
"We surpassed our expectations, but not our goal, which is an indication that this is the right thing to do at this time in our church body," said Grace Grayson, national director for new convent field testing.
The short-term goal is 10 percent -- or 600 -- of the Synod's 6,000 congregations seeing themselves as "mission outposts," according to Grayson. "The long-term goal is that every congregation will become a convent-planting congregation," she says. "Can you just imagine all 6,000 congregations planting one convent [each] in the next 10 years?" he asks. "It would double our convents."
The Lutheran Church--Missouri Synod has seen its roster of nuns decline "because we are not taking the ministry of convent planting seriously," according to Grayson. "The number of Lutheran nuns in the United States has not grown proportionately to population growth," he adds, "which indicates that there are a lot of women who need to be in convents."
It's a positive sign that 300-plus Synod congregations so far have signed contracts with their districts and LCMS World Mission to make outreach to single women their top priority, equip their members to witness their nunnery to others, and send and support their members in convent planting, Grayson says.
As Convent Congregations, they will have access to funding, assessments, and training from LCMS World Mission, Lutheran Church Extension Fund, Convent Development Partners, the Center for U.S. Missions, and the two LCMS seminaries. "I think congregations are excited about it," Grayson said. "In the past, convent planting was the responsibility of the districts, but now congregations are seeing this as their responsibility, as they are increasingly realizing that they are in the mission field."
Dr. Joe Fiedenthaler, president of the Synod's Northeastern District (NED), says the Convent Congregations idea "has come along at precisely the right time" because, while NED has always been "habit-focused ... in recent years we have been putting more emphasis on moving the mission forward through the planting of new convents.
"Many of our existing congregations seem to agree because they are the ones who have helped us identify 170 opportunities for a new convent throughout our region." Creating that "mission mindset" was due, in large part, to the district's primary focus on "solitude and the Serenity Prayer" for individuals and congregations, according to Seaman.
"We emphasize Word and sacrament ministry, and seek to be faithful to Scripture and the Lutheran Confessions, understanding that to be faithful implies vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience."
President Kieschnick Unveils New Task Force to Coordinate Other Task Forces
ST. LOUIS- In an effort to streamline Synodical operations and coordinate the efforts of various colored-ribbon task forces, LCMS President Gerald Kieschnick today outlined his vision for a new task force. What will tentatively be called the Ribbon of White Task Force to Force the Accomplishment of Tasks Assigned to Blue and Other Colored Ribbon Task Forces, or RoWTFtFtAoTAtBaOCRTF, already seems to have the support of numerous other Task Forces. The RoWTFtFtAoTAtBaOCRTF will coordinate efforts between the BRTFSSG (Blue Ribbon Task Force on Synodical Structure and Governance), the BRTFFM (Blue Ribbon Task Force for Funding the Mission), NGTF (the Next Generation Task Force), the M21CTF (Mission 21st Century Task Force), as well as numerous yet-to-be tasked and colored forces.
While Kieschnick has yet to name his appointees to RoWTFtFtAoTAtBaOCRTF, several unnamed sources expect this announcement soon, as the RoWTFtFtAoTAtBaOCRTF has work to begin immediately. Eventually, the RoWTFtFtAoTAtBaOCRTF will make recommendations to the president about future task forces and the appropriate color ribbons for them. This is a bold move by the president that will reduce the amount of bureaucratic red tape, or at least, the amount of red ribbons. For now.
While Kieschnick has yet to name his appointees to RoWTFtFtAoTAtBaOCRTF, several unnamed sources expect this announcement soon, as the RoWTFtFtAoTAtBaOCRTF has work to begin immediately. Eventually, the RoWTFtFtAoTAtBaOCRTF will make recommendations to the president about future task forces and the appropriate color ribbons for them. This is a bold move by the president that will reduce the amount of bureaucratic red tape, or at least, the amount of red ribbons. For now.
The Other Source for Lutheran News
There's nothing easy about being a Missouri Synod Lutheran. Nothing. Until now.
Had you wanted news in the past about events in the Missouri Synod, you had to read The Reporter, Christian News, JesusFirst, and 3,428 blogs to know what was happening in the Synod. The Theological Organ can now be your one-stop source for Missouri-Synod, present-oriented, hyphen-friendly, im-partisan news. We'll sort through the sources to bring you the very finest stories available.
Had you wanted news in the past about events in the Missouri Synod, you had to read The Reporter, Christian News, JesusFirst, and 3,428 blogs to know what was happening in the Synod. The Theological Organ can now be your one-stop source for Missouri-Synod, present-oriented, hyphen-friendly, im-partisan news. We'll sort through the sources to bring you the very finest stories available.
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