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LCMS Convention hymn of thought

As the 64th Regular Convention of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod really got underway today, I think it fitting that certain things be kept at the forefront of the minds of the delegates.  I’ll post a hymn each day or so during the Convention which I think focuses our attention on what is at the heart of the Convention – the Gospel.

Church of God, Elect and Glorious (LSB #646)

Church of God, elect and glorious,
Holy nation, chosen race;
Called as God’s own special people,
Royal priests and heirs of grace:
Know the purpose of your calling,
Show to all His mighty deeds;
Tell of love that knows no limits,
Grace that meets all human needs.

God has called you out of darkness
Into His most marv’lous light;
Brought His truth to life within you,
Turned your blindness into sight.
Let your light so shine around you
That God’s name is glorified
And all find fresh hope and purpose
In Christ Jesus crucified.

Once you were an alien people,
Strangers to God’s heart of love;
But He brought you home in mercy,
Citizens of heav’n above.
Let His love flow out to others,
Let them feel a Father’s care;
That they too may know His welcome
And His countless blessings share.

Church of God, elect and holy,
Be the people He intends;
Strong in faith and swift to answer
Each command your Master sends:
Royal priests, fulfill your calling
Through your sacrifice and prayer;
Give your lives in joyful service—
Sing His praise, His love declare.

I particularly like the words from stanza two, “Let your light so shine around/That God’s name is glorified.”  This is my fervent prayer of the Convention – that God’s name is glorified.  That means that all persons there respect one another and that all actions made by the Synod in Convention are in lines with the Holy Scriptures and the Lutheran Confessions.  If said actions are made this way, then God’s name will indeed be glorified.

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Thoughts from history for the 2010 LCMS Convention

As we as The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod prepare for our 2010 Convention, I think it is wise to remember words from J.A.O. Preus, the 9th president of The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod.  These words come from his presidential report to the delegates of the 1977 Convention.

As a church we have been known and are still known as people who are vitally concerned that the Word of God be preached in its truth and purity, that the entire program be based upon God’s holy, inspired, inerrant, and powerful Word.  The Word brings the church into being, and the Word is truly our rule and norm for faith and life in all the activities that we carry on.  We cannot yield one jot or tittle of God’s holy Word.  And the Word is the means for carrying out our mission.  It is all we have.  It is all we need.

We have emerged from a serious doctrinal controversy, in which we are probably the only Christian church in America and probably the only Lutheran Church in the world which seriously and earnestly confronted the issues raised by modern historical-critical methods of Biblical interpretation and honestly and forthrightly dealt with them…

The strength of our beloved Synod has always been a unique blend of concern for a pure doctrine which has brought about our strong confessional stance, coupled with the overwhelming desire to carry out the Great Commission. 1

1) Quoted from A Seminary in Crisis by Paul A. Zimmerman, available from Concordia Publishing House.

HT: Issues, Etc – Web Extra: Profiles in Presidential Leadership in the LC-MS

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Early birthday present

Wesley’s grandmother (my mom) got him this for his birthday.  We decided to let him have it now since he’ll be gone for 2 weeks and gone on his birthday.

Welcome to McDonald’s.  Can I take your order please?

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Hot days at the city pool

Today was a hot one in Gillette.  88 was the temp.  That’s nothing compared to 95 the next two days.  Gwen and I took Wesley to the city pool this morning.  At first, he was very cautious about getting in the little walking pool.  After walking around in there for a bit, we moved over to the wading pool/big pool.  Now we’re having fun!  After splashing around in there for a while (and falling face forward a couple of times), Wesley decided to go back to the walking pool and go down the water slide.  After a couple of times doing that, he was a pro and probably did that another 100 times or so.  Pics after the jump.

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As of First Importance

That was the title of the sermon that my pastor and mentor, Rev. David Shadday, preached on the occassion of my ordination into the Office of Holy Ministry 5 years ago.  The text for the sermon was based on 1 Corinthians 15:1-11.  There, before family and friends, I made a vow:

  • Do you believe the canonical books of the Old and New Testaments to be the inspired Word of God and the only infallible rule of faith and practice?
    I do.
  • Do you accept the three Ecumenical Creeds, namely the Apostles’, the Nicene, and the Athanasian Creeds, as faithful testimonies to the truth of the Holy Scriptures, and do you reject all the errors which they condemn?
    I do.
  • Do you believe that the Unaltered Augsburg Confession is a true exposition of the Word of God and a correct exhibition of the doctrine of the Evangelical Lutheran Church; that the Apology of the Augsburg Confession, the Small and Large Catechisms of Martin Luther, the Smalcald Articles, the Treatise on the Authority and Primacy of the Pope, and the Formula of Concord – as these are contained in the Book of Concord – are also in agreement with this one scriptural faith?
    I do.
  • Do you solemnly promise that you will perform the duties of your office in accordance with these Confessions, or Symbols, and that all your teaching and your administration of the sacraments will be in conformity with the Holy Scriptures and with the aforementioned Symbols?
    I do.
  • Will you faithfully instruct both young and old in the chief articles of Christian doctrine; will you forgive the sins of those who repent, and will you promise never to divulge the sins confessed to you; will you minister faithfully to the sick and dying; will you demonstrate to the Church a constant and ready ministry, admonishing the people to a lively confidence in Christ and holy living?
    I will with the help of God.
  • Finally, will you adorn the office of the public ministry with a holy life?
    I will, the Lord helping me through the power and grace of his Holy Spirit.

Needless to say, these are very weighty vows that I made.  They were not made lightly, nor are they something to be casually agreed upon.  That day, when that stole was placed around me, everything changed.  Things became more important.  To say that the stole added weight around my neck is an understatement. 

Five years later, looking at my ministry, can I say that I have been the perfect pastor?  As much as I would like to say yes, it would be a lie.  There have been times where instead of excercising my pastoral authority, I have feared man rather than God.  There have been times where I have exercized my pastoral authority to a point where I have made the weak in faith stumble.  Throughout my ministry, I have done what I thought was the right thing to do, only to find that it was the wrong thing.  I pray that God (and my sheep which I have offended over the years) would be gracious and merciful to me, a sinner, and that through the work of the Holy Spirit, I may continue to a faithful pastor which God has called me to be.

Laying on of hands
Laying on of hands

Clergy 
Gathered clergy

Me and Pr. Shadday 
Me and Pr. David Shadday

Me and Pr. Dietrich
Me and Pr. Joel Dietrich (classmate and fellow brother in Christ)

Me and my parents 
+Frank Tucher+, Me, Kim Tucher

Me and Gwen
Me and my lovely wife Gwen

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Latest Wesley antics

Yesterday was a hot day and we had Wesley in his baby pool after I got home from work.  He played in there for quite a while, then ran around the back yard in his swim trunks without a shirt.  This isn’t unusual after he gets out of the pool.  We grilled up some hamburgers and corn on the cob (who knew that Walmart had good corn on the cob?).  Wesley was in his highchair outside eating dinner.  These are pics of how good dinner was for him.

On his face: baked beans; on his chest: Mac & Cheese

Crusty Mac & Cheese on chest

BONUS VIDEO

I was commenting to Gwen how sexy Wesley looked.  I asked him if he was sexy and this was the result.

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Law & Gospel 2.0

I received an email about a new work that Concordia Publishing House was working on.  This book was a required read during my seminary days (and it should be a yearly read for pastors regardless).  This translation was done in 1986 reproduced from the German edition of 1897.  Now CPH has come out with a new edition geared toward both pastors and laity.  I received it earlier this week and have been able to take the plastic off of it, but nothing more.  I’m looking forward to reading it soon.

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DOXOLOGY: The Gathering Review

The Gathering Review

April 25 – 28, 2010

On Sunday, April 25, I began my journey to Allenspark, CO for the first of three parts for DOXOLOGY, The Gathering.  This part of the program was held at the St. Malo Catholic Retreat Center, as will be the second part.  Due to MapQuest “forgetting” to tell me to make one all-important turn, I found myself driving 90 minutes out of the way and getting lost.  Fortunately, I found a Walmart and after purchasing a GPS, made my way to the retreat center just in time for dinner, having missed the welcome and event preview session.

There were 25 men from various congregations in The LC-MS and a few from the WELS.  Some pastors gathered have been in the ministry for a few short years, while some have been in the ministry for 20+ years and everything in between.

During the time of The Gathering, we met for worship three times a day at the Chapel on the Rock (Morning Office, Afternoon Office, Evening Office), an integral aspect to DOXOLOGY and the spiritual life of the pastor.  Sunday evening consisted of a single module or session.  Monday and Tuesday consisted of 5 modules each and Wednesday consisted of 2 modules and a section for closing comments and preparations for the second part of the program, The Encore.  Each module lasted anywhere from 75 minutes to 120 minutes, with a 30 minute break between sessions.  In order to minimize the amount of time DOXOLOGY has the pastor away from the parish, it was necessary to maximize the information taught.  Therefore, a day began at 7:00 am and ended around 8:45 pm.

The following modules were conducted during The Gathering:

  • Word, Sacrament and Psychotherapy
  • Shepherding Souls: The Classic Model for the Care of Souls
  • A Noble Task: A Christ-centered Paradigm for Pastoral Self-Care
  • Pastoral Ethics and Spiritual Care Challenges
  • The Silent Epidemic: Compassion Fatigue
  • Authority vs. Power: The Pastoral Pitfall
  • What Pastors Need to Know About EQ (Emotional Intelligence)
  • Out of the Depth: Sadness, Despair, and Recovery
  • Depressions, Dysfunction, and Despair: Clinical Realities & Treatment
  • Lead Us Not in Temptation:
    Sexual Misconduct
  • Deliver Us from Evil:
    A Christ-Centered Strategy

The best way to summarize the information received is very similar to drinking from a fire hydrant.  The information came at you very fast and was very information-packed.  During this time, we met in both the large-group setting and also in smaller group settings to look at real-life casuistry issues and to discuss how we would provide pastoral care in such instances.

The objectives completed during The Gathering included:

  • Immersion in a worshipping community at the heart of the program’s experience through the praying of the Daily Office.
  • Affirmation of pastoral vocation, reflection and refreshment for ongoing pastoral work by exploring the essential habits and practice of the classic care of souls and the application of Christian counseling concepts.
  • Enhancement of personal skills through didactic and discussion models to sharpen professional competencies essential to the art of counsel and care.
  • Cultivation of essential tools and strategies for responding to the burgeoning (growing) personal needs of today’s parishioners.
  • Formation of working peer groups of pastors to address matters of congregational casuistry from the perspective of shepherd of souls.
  • Creation of ongoing mentoring and coaching relationships between participants and consulting theologians and/or psychologists.
  • Provision for facilitated conversations among pastor participants for interpersonal support and encouragement (the mutual conversation and consolation of the brethren).
  • Renewal of personal pastoral habits in prayer, meditation and ongoing pastoral growth.
  • Optional personal consultation, help and healing for pastors’ emotional and/or spiritual concerns (care of psyche and care of soul).

Overall, The Gathering proved to be very informative and covered a lot of information within a short amount of time.  At The Encore, (June 18-20), I will be bringing with me a layperson from the congregation to take part in DOXOLOGY as well.  During The Encore, there will be 12 modules, 4 for both pastors and laity, 4 for pastors only and 4 for laity only.

The third and final part of DOXOLOGY, The Reunion, will take place August 27-29 at the St. Benedict Center in Schuyler, Nebraska.  For The Reunion, the pastor’s wives are invited.  Wives in attendance network with other women who share the unique blessings and challenges of living out their marriages in the context of parsonage life.  This event allows clergy to hear presentations on pastoral work from some of the finest theologians and practitioners in the area of spiritual care and will allow for a fast-paced and intensive review of their training in the earlier portions of the program.  Dr. John W. Kleinig, renowned Australian scholar and pastoral theologian, will serve as the featured presenter for the 2010 Reunion.