CORE Voice Newsletter, Issue 3, May 2020
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In This Issue...
- What did Jesus provide his disciples when they were in quarantine?
- The ELCA is in danger of neglecting the one thing that only the Church can do.
- What do our youth need to know about the internet in their search for truth?
- Going forward, what can we expect to be different in our congregational lives?
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All In!
Lutheran CORE Executive Director
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Thinking through the well-known account in John 20 of Jesus’ appearing to His disciples on Easter Sunday evening, when Thomas was not with them, and then a week later, when Thomas was with them, I find the early disciples going through very similar steps.
John starts out by telling us that on Easter Sunday evening “the doors of the house where the disciples had met were locked for fear of the Jews.” (verse 19) Like we have been, so the disciples were under strict self-quarantine. They were inside, not because of a virus, but because of their fear of the Jewish leaders who might do to them what they had done to Jesus. And the doors were not only shut, they were locked.
What did Jesus give to them to help them move from step one to step two? Six things, and Jesus wants to and can give the same six things to us.
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Ministry in the Pandemic Era
Director, Congregations in Transition for Lutheran CORE
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As I sit here, under Oregon’s version of quarantine, I have been reflecting on the extraordinary challenges facing American society in general, but also local churches in particular. Even with the uncertainties of how the current pandemic will be playing out over the next six to eighteen months, there are a few predictions I think we can make with a relatively high degree of confidence.
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An Appeal to Youth: Take Yourself--and Jesus--Seriously
Asst. Dean, NE Mission District, NALC, & former member of the board of Lutheran CORE
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“Well, I
do
watch a lot of YouTube videos.” The twenty-something young man sitting in my office said it to me with an air of pride — even conceit.
I was happy to answer his questions,
but
it had become apparent after two hours of doing so that he was not genuinely seeking answers; for when I gave them or offered resources that might help him think through a question, he immediately moved on to ask a different question, seeming to hope that this would be the one that forced me to affirm without reservation the ideas he had gleaned from that modern day Oracle of Delphi, Google. He didn’t come seeking wisdom or even new data; he came seeking a reason to
not
change the very points of view that were giving birth to the misery that had prompted him to call me in the first place.
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Reflections on the Augsburg Confession, Part 4
Member of Lutheran CORE
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Is the Church called to strive for justice and peace? Yes. It does so through the various vocations that its members have. The problem arises when the ELCA believes that it is the primary work of the Church to do this for its members. More and more, it seems that the ELCA believes the work of justice and peace must be done by synod and churchwide office and assemblies, and through congregations led by their pastors. In effect the church has attempted to usurp the offices and callings of its members, by presuming to speak for them and by using their contributions to fund that effort.
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Bethesda: All People Are Wonderfully Made
Director of Ministry Partnerships of Bethesda
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The world of disability is deficit based. Even the word means “without ability.” But we as Christians have our value in being a child of God. That is our foundation. We all have gifts and talents and experiences to bring that enrich the whole. Sometimes it takes work to see beyond the differences. It takes work. But it is critical work to show the world God’s love by being Jesus’ hands and feet.
In 1 Peter 4:10 we read: “Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.” There are no qualifiers in this verse. It says
each
of you. Every one. Everyone is and has gifts to bring to the whole.
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Enfleshed Word /
Verbo Encarnado--2020
Encuentro
Member of Lutheran CORE and Encuentro Convener
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Note: Due to the pandemic, the event may be presented virtually.
The Annual Inter-Lutheran
Encuentro (Encounter) for Hispanic Latino ministries, co-sponsored by Lutheran CORE, is planned for the weekend of October 17-18, 2020 (schedule to be announced). Church leaders serving in bilingual contexts and those considering entry into Hispanic-Latino ministry will find the Encuentro to be especially beneficial.
This year's theme: "The Enfleshed Word ...
El Verbo Encarnado
," will explore and celebrate the Advent - Christmas - Epiphany worship cycle. Accents will be placed on Advent traditions including December saints days,
Las Posadas
, Feast of the Epiphany /
Tres Reyes
, liturgies & hymns for the seasons.
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In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Lutheran CORE started two new Facebook groups. One is called
CORE Viral Connections (for the sick and/or anxious and for those caring for them) and the other is called
Worship in a Time of Pestilence (for online worship services).
You can find these new groups by clicking on them above or by searching for their names in the Search area of the blue Facebook menubar. Once you find them, please request to join.
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Twenty-five years ago the American Lutheran Publicity Bureau (ALPB) published
For All the Saints (FATS),
a four-volume prayer book that always seems new and is still in demand today. Each individual volume can be purchased for $38 plus shipping or the entire set can be purchased for $140 (shipping included).
To keep up with demand, the
ALPB
has reprinted FATS in 2020 with a few minor changes.
For more information, click
here and to read Donna Roche's article on these books click
here.
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Thank You for Your Generous Response
Lutheran CORE Executive Director
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Thank you for your generous response to our appeal for $15,000 so that we will be able to sponsor one week of NEXUS for high schoolers at Grand View University in Des Moines, Iowa. As of April 30, 2020, $8,081 has been given towards our goal of $15,000. We are 54% of the way there!
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© 2020 Lutheran Coalition for Renewal
PO Box 1741 Wausau, WI 54402-1741
1-888-810-4180
Lutheran CORE's mission:
- A Network for Confessing Lutherans
- A Voice for Biblical Truth
Our purpose can be summed up in two words–
Network
and
Voice
. As
Network
for confessing Lutherans, we support and connect Lutheran individuals and congregations who seek to live in accord with Biblical and confessional teachings and practices. As a
Prophetic Voice
, we advocate for Biblical authority and confessional fidelity among churches of the Lutheran community.
We support local gatherings and communicate Biblical truth through our newsletter, mailings, and various forms of social media.
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