FW: The high holy day of Mother’s Day

Consider…

 

Feed: GetReligion
Posted on: Sunday, May 13, 2012 11:58 AM
Author: Mollie
Subject: The high holy day of Mother's Day

 

One of the things that unites readers and reporters is that we are writing or reading news because we're curious about the world around us. USA Today runs a story about something quite common — the celebration of Mother's Day — and yet I found it interesting because it satiates some of that curiosity I have about Mother's Day. I don't really celebrate Mother's Day. I keep in contact with and show appreciation for my mother throughout the year. And my own children and husband could not be more appreciative of me, so the day just doesn't do much for me. It's also not a part of the Lutheran liturgical calendar and so we're more likely to talk motherhood on those days associated with Mary, Jesus' mother, than we are on Mother's Day. We are likely to get a mention of the day in the prayers, it's just not going to derail the appointed readings for the day. This story in USA Today is about people who and congregations that celebrate Mother's Day. Written by Godbeat pro Cathy Lynn Grossman, here's the lede: Hold the chocolate and flowers. Hold the brunch reservations. What mom may really want for Mother's Day is for the whole gang to go to church first. A new survey of 1,000 Protestant pastors finds Mother's Day ranks right after Easter and Christmas in peak church attendance. Father's Day, however, is near the bottom of the poll although both holidays were founded as church events more than a century ago. There may be something to this. Not two minutes before I read this article, a friend of mine reported on Facebook, "Sometimes my six year-old wild child is sweet and so very insightful. I just overheard him whisper to his brother, 'I have the perfect Mothers Day gift for mom. Let's be on time for Mass tomorrow!'" In the article, we get more specifics about how high of a holy day Mother's Day is for many American Protestants, with fully 59 percent ranking it as one of the top-three days for attendance throughout the year. Grossman compares how Mother's Day and Father's Day are celebrated and some of the reasons why Mother's Day may win out: Family dynamics make a difference, too. Dads may be church-averse, but moms have clout on certain days. "Christmas, Easter and Mother's Day have become the three days of male holy obligation when their wives and mothers are able to guilt them into the pews," says David Murrow, author of Why Men Hate Going to Church. This peaks like a candy kiss on Mother's Day when "pastors tend to gush over women in their sermons," Murrow says. "But on Father's day, men get a 'straighten up' lecture: 'Dad, get right with God, reconcile with your kids,' etc. You would never hear any suggestion on Mother's Day that women could improve on their relationships," Murrow says. I love these quotes but this in no way matches anything like you might hear at any Lutheran church I've attended. Another pastor backs up Murrow's claim. We learn that smaller churches with attendance of fewer than 40 people are particularly fond of Mother's Day. We get some nice color, including this bit about Nashville's First Wesleyan: Pastor David Gould, 42, says it's an inner-city congregation, "where the mothers and grandmothers are the fixture of the community. Our numbers jump up with folks who will come with their moms to honor them this Sunday, even if they go to a different, bigger church other Sundays. "Most people say their spiritual life and foundation comes from their mother," Gould says. Pastor Geoffrey Mitchell, 36, is counting on those motivations. He's picked this Mother's Day for the debut worship service for a new Disciples of Christ congregation, Big Life Community Church in Oswego, Ill. His reasons are both pragmatic and spiritual. It's the ideal day for attracting the husbands and the 20-something kids of moms in their 50s, the two demographics with the lowest church attendance, Mitchell says. Fascinating! Mitchell goes on to say his sermon theme will begin with his own mother and her Christian faith. Again, I don't want to sound like that New York Times anthropologist, but this is all very different from the way sermons are done in my tradition. The article says that Mitchell's approach "echoes the original honoree of the first official Mother's Day: Anna Reeves Jarvis, who devoted herself to improving the health of women and families in the 1850s." She overcame many obstacles in her zeal to do good works, including the Civil War itself. We get a nice history of Mother's Day and how it was first marked on May 10, 1908 at a Methodist church. It became a political cause and exploded nationwide. Jarvis' daughter had hoped it would be a day for prayer and personal time with mothers, not a commercial holiday. She fought that commercialization for years. There are some interesting stories about her efforts and how they failed. In 1909, a woman launched Father's Day in honor of her devoted dad, and by 1924 it became a nationwide cause as well. The article includes a sidebar with information about how much more Americans spend on their mothers than on their fathers. And on what they buy. I was surprised to find out that, according to the cited research, only half celebrate the holiday with gifts for their mothers. I would have suspected it to be much higher. Anyway, the article is full of information of interest to the USA Today audience. And this isn't a criticism so much as just a random thought, but for many of my friends and acquaintances Mother's Day is a day of sadness. Whether it's because they had bad mothers or they themselves weren't great mothers, because they're infertile or lost a child to miscarriage, because they've never had the opportunity to get married and have children, or because their own children aren't as appreciative as they wish, this day can be rough for many women. One of the things I have seen done at Lutheran congregations, and I'm sure this is done elsewhere as well, is handing out flowers to the mothers or to the women of the congregation. It can be difficult for those women who are suffering with infertility or other pains associated with motherhood. I would love to know if congregations are sensitive to this problem and what they do to mitigate that pain for the women in their congregation. In other treatment of Mother's Day, I thought this "Got News" type piece that ran in the Los Angeles Times about forced sterilization and eugenics programs was brutal and beautifully done. At the other end of the spectrum was this Washington Post "news" item about the "cult" of motherhood in Mexico. I'm not sure if the smarmy piece is more offensive to Mexicans or Americans but it was just surprisingly negative and shallow for a piece on motherhood. But very heavy on stereotypes, if you're into that. Let us know if you see any good stories that incorporate religion and motherhood. (Mary and Jesus statue photo via Shutterstock)

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FW: Ihr Christen, nun schwinget empor

Cantemus…

 

Feed: HYMNOGLYPT
Posted on: Sunday, May 13, 2012 9:54 PM
Author: Matt Carver (Matthaeus Glyptes)
Subject: Ihr Christen, nun schwinget empor

 

Here is my translation of an old Ascension hymn (or song, lit., "Himmelfahrt-Liedlin") for by Lutheran pastor Bonifacius Stölzlin (1603–1677). Not much distinguishes it from other Ascension lyrics other than the interesting rhythm and pattern. The text comes from Fischer, et al., Das deutsche evang. Kirchenlied des 17. Jahrh.s, vol. 3 (p. 270). I have yet to find a suitable tune for it. If you know of one, please post a link or description of the source. O CHRISTIANS! your voice lift on high To heav'n, where the choirs gladly cry, Your strains with the angels be blending, For Christ is gone up with great cheer, And a shout, into heaven ascending So sing and rejoice, far and near, O Christians, your voice lift on high To heav'n where the choirs gladly cry. 2. This day is Christ lifted on high, Where angels in choir make reply, For He hath His foes all defeated, And led them all captive away, In triumph the Victor is greeted, And gives us His gifts on this day So, Christians, your voice lift on high, To heav'n where the choirs gladly cry. 3. Your hearts and your minds lift on high, Where Christ, far beyond clouded sky, Builds mansions that ye shall inherit, And at the right hand, He, the Lord, Now leads us and guides by His Spirit, Defending us all by His Word: Therefore, where the choirs gladly cry, He will lift you also on high. Translation © Matthew Carver, 2012. GERMAN 1. Ihr Christen, nun schwinget empor Die Stimmen mit frölichem Chor, frolocket mit Englischen Scharen, Weil Christus mit frölichem Schall, mit Jauchzen gen Himmel gefahren. Drum singet und freuet euch all und schwinget die Stimmen empor, Ihr Christen, mit frölichem Chor. 2. Heut Christus sich schwinget empor, entgegen dem Englischen Schor, dieweil er die Feinde geschlagen, gefangen sie alle geführt und offentlich schaue getragen uns aber mit Gaben geziert. Drum schwinget die Stimmen empor, Ihr Christen, mit frölichem Chor. 3. Schwingt eure Gedanken empor, durchdringet durchs himmlische Tor, da Christus die Wohnung bereitet, zur rechten des Höchsten sitzt, mit seinem Geist führet und leitet, bei seinem Wort mächtig uns schützt: so wird er zum himmlischen Chor euch endlich auch schwingen empor.

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FW: Luke's Theology of Worship -- according to Kleinig!

More Kleinig…

 

Feed: Pastoral Meanderings
Posted on: Sunday, May 13, 2012 5:00 AM
Author: noreply@blogger.com (Pastor Peters)
Subject: Luke's Theology of Worship -- according to Kleinig!

 

Commenting upon the post-Easter appearances of the Risen Lord in Luke's Gospel, John Kleinig suggests that it is not a mere accident that Luke records that seeing Jesus they did not see (recognize Him) and then not seeing Jesus they saw (recognized Him).  He describes this as part of Luke's theology of worship.  Luke points us to the mystery of the crucified and risen Lord who is revealed no longer with the eyes but where He reveals Himself -- in the means of grace!  Jesus preaches Himself to us from the Scriptures and through the Scriptures and He makes Himself known to us in the breaking of the bread (the Eucharist). The heart of the mystery is seeing Jesus where He intends to be seen.  Obviously faith is required and those without faith see neither Jesus nor the means of grace. Surely this mystery is not incidental to Luke or to the early Church but essential.  Christ will only be known where Christ reveals Himself and Christ reveals Himself  where He has placed His promise and where He sends forth His Spirit (the Word and Sacraments).  Worship is not where we speak about the mystery but where the mystery is enacted.  Kleinig suggests that in the classroom you can talk about preaching but it is a bit like talking about food without actually eating.  It is in the worship life of the baptized community that the Word is enacted, that is, where Jesus preaches Himself to us.  In the same way, in a systematics class or even a worship class, you may talk about the Lord's Supper but it is in the worship life of the baptized community that the Meal is enacted, that is, where Jesus conveys Himself to us in bread that is His body and the wine that is His blood.  Thus, Kleinig says, in the classroom we stay here on earth but in worship we enter the heavenly domain.  In contrast to those churches the speak of the absent God who must be pointed to in heaven (though the Spirit is here), Lutherans speak of the God who is fully present with His Church through the means of grace, the vehicles of His promise through God works and acts here and now. It is exciting to hear him speak in this immediate way because we have fallen victim to the real absence understanding of the Lord.  Ask anyone in church on Sunday morning where God is and the hand instinctively points to the sky when it should be pointing to the Word and the Sacraments.  This is not worship in theory but the practice of the presence of God (to borrow Brother Lawrence's catchy title).  We encounter the living Lord exactly where He has promised to be and we meet Him there as the active God who delivers what He has promised to the people of His promise. You may want to listen for yourself....  It is about an hour but worth every minute.  What is most amazing is that these words are not some academic lecture but the practical words through which Kleinig, as Dean of Chapel, introduces worship as the center of the seminary life together and worship as a fundamental part of the formation of a Pastor.  These words are too good to left to the particular setting in which Kleinig first spoke them and they deserve wider exposure throughout our Lutheran communion.

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FW: Great Stuff — How Obama became Pro-Gay Marriage

Hoppe…

 

Feed: Steadfast Lutherans
Posted on: Saturday, May 12, 2012 2:14 PM
Author: Norm Fisher
Subject: Great Stuff — How Obama became Pro-Gay Marriage

 

Another Great Stuff post on Pastor Philip Hoppe's blog, Meditations of the Heart:   Listen to his own words: "I have to tell you that over the course of several years as I have talked to friends and family and neighbors, when I think about members of my own staff who are in incredibly committed monogamous relationships, same-sex relationships, who are raising kids together; when I think about those soldiers or airmen or marines or sailors who are out there fighting on my behalf and yet feel constrained, even now that 'don't ask, don't tell' is gone, because they are not able to commit themselves in a marriage, at a certain point I've just concluded that for me personally it is important for me to go ahead and affirm that I think same sex couples should be able to get married," Obama told Roberts in an interview to appear on ABC's "Good Morning America" Thursday. Obama become Pro-Gay marriage relationally. He knew people who were gay and wanted no longer to offend those people by denying them the rights other couples have. He did not come to this position through biological reflection. No one discovered a hereunto unknown gene which shows that people are born genetically gay. Every male and female born today are still born with private parts that suggest the only biologically compatible relationship is that between man and woman. It remains the only relationship which can propagate the species. Nothing has changed there. He did not come to this position after re-examining the Scriptures Christianity holds as sacred. For again, those scriptures still testify from the first book to the last that marriage and sexuality are given only to men and women. Those wish to argue otherwise are required to come to the scriptures with a Jeffersonian love for excising troublesome parts of the Book at their own discretion. He did not come to this position historically or sociologically. The research all shows that homosexuality is not a practice that prospers societies. Obama become Pro-Gay marriage relationally. And he is not alone. I would suggest that everyone who does not come to this position by virtue of personally embracing homosexuality as their own sexual identity comes to this position relationally. They know someone who claims homosexuality as their identity and cannot bear to stand in opposition to them. And I do not wish to minimize this struggle for a moment. It is a dark and torturous place for anyone to be. I have experienced it personally though not as closely as many of you may have. But the fact that it is hard to stand in opposition to those we love does not make it okay to not do so. Matthew 10:37-39 Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. If you have not felt the heat of this crucible yet, you surely will. You will know someone and love someone who will choose homosexuality as their way of life. You will desire to keep both them and your beliefs close. When it happens, do not melt away. Do the truly loving thing, stand firm, and speak the truth in love. Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching. Persist in this, for by so doing you may save both yourself and them. And yet be prepared for the opposite also. For if that person does not turn after much loving counsel, the intensity of the heat will grow. Eventually it may dissolve the connection between you and them. And while that is never the intention, it is far more important that you remain connected to Christ. You must remain relationally connected to Christ. It is your life.

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FW: Intonations vs. Preludes: Introducing Hymns

Magness…

 

Feed: Fine Tuning
Posted on: Saturday, May 12, 2012 11:04 AM
Author: Phillip Magness
Subject: Intonations vs. Preludes: Introducing Hymns

 

This post is not just for the organist - but for the pastors and worship committees who work together with them in planning the Divine Service.   As you may have noticed, we're moving toward more bite-sized "helpful hints" posts here at Fine Tuning.  We hope the ideas we are sharing will be "solutions" for you in your parish. The title gets right to the issue: Do we want to introduce a hymn with a hymn prelude or intone the hymn with a simple introduction?  This question often comes up with worship planners, especially when length of service is discussed.  Too often the service suffers because the decision is made to go either one way or the other.   In other words, some organists are told to play simple, short intonations for all hymns so that worship length can be cut down or organists are given free reign and then many of us musicians decide that every hymn needs 3-4 minutes of our music to set it up - potentially adding about 10 minutes to a service. While each liturgy needs to be considered in its own context, there are some simple guidelines we'd like to offer that will help you incorporate meaningful organ repertoire into the hymnody of the service while avoiding adding tedious delays to the liturgy: 1 -  If the people are standing, it is usually best to play an intonation.  If the congregation is getting ready for a procession after announcements or Confession/Absolution, a short prelude or longer intonation can work very well, as the people will need more time to get their hymnal & bulletin prepared and are in a preparatory mood themselves, but the general rule prevails.   Folks don't want to stand for 3 minutes before they get a chance to sing. 2 -  If the people are participating in a communal or ritual action, such as receiving the Lord's Supper, then an organ prelude doesn't add time to the service.   However, care must be taken not to play repertoire too far afield from the tempo and tone of the tune being introduced, lest the assembly not understand that the next hymn is being introduced.   More varied repertoire can be used in place of a hymn stanza if so noted in the bulletin.  This maintains clarity and also can add special meaning, as a "hymn prelude" is employed to "paint the text" of a particular stanza by matching the composition with the most appropriate words.  This practice also aids worshippers in finding their place in the hymn upon returning from the Lord's Supper.   (i.e.  if the organ is playing "stanza 4", then one knows stanza 5 is next.  This can be particularly helpful to people coming back to their pews in parishes where the singing during communion is not strong enough for one to readily ascertain which stanza is being sung.) 3 - The Hymn of the Day is the chief hymn of each Divine Service and thus deserves the highest level of musical attention.   This hymn amplifies the readings for the day and is directly connected to the sermon.  The people are seated for this hymn - a position for meditation - and so are prepared for listening.   Along with the practice of assigning stanzas to choirs or soloists, using instrumentalists or handbells to accent or adorn various stanzas, the organ has its best opportunity here to help the assembly interpret the text.   While certainly a four-minute prelude is not called for each week, this is the best time for the organ to make use of the art of music in service of the Gospel.   Preservice music is heard by some, but people are gathering and often talking.   Voluntaries are appreciated by more, but the plate is being passed and folks are often distracted by their kids during this "break in the action" between the Service of the Word and the Liturgy of the Lord's Supper.   And though we love our toccatas, only a handful stick around to hear the postlude.   So the Hymn of the Day remains as the organist's best opportunity to inspire and encourage the congregation.   Finally, keep in mind the purpose of the introduction.  The hymn introduction - whether a prelude or intonation - should clearly announce the tune, establish the key, set the tempo, and be in the character of the text to be sung. There are many compositions of wonderful hymn-based music than can and should be played in the service but are not the best choices for hymn introductions.   They can better be used as preservice music, text-painting stanzas for solo organ, voluntaries (music during the receiving of tithes and offerings), or postludes.   What is played before the congregation sings, however, should above all else always prepare them to sing. And the more your congregation sings the hymns, the more they will appreciate the organ playing based upon these hymns throughout the service!  ;)

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FW: The Evangelical Lutheran Church — Understanding Purpose

Poppe…

 

Feed: Steadfast Lutherans
Posted on: Saturday, May 12, 2012 9:06 AM
Author: Pastor Clint Poppe
Subject: The Evangelical Lutheran Church — Understanding Purpose

 

The word "purpose" has become quite a money-making industry. Ever since Rick Warren's blockbuster book The Purpose Driven Life: What On Earth Am I Here For? hit the shelves in the fall of 2002, the landscape of American Christianity has been driven by purpose.  Videos, music, workbooks, study guides, evangelism programs and more all promise to help you find your purpose. Not only can your life be purpose driven, but also your church, youth group, community, recovery, small group, and even chiropractic care (Eagle, Idaho-check it out!). This new fad is not really new; just a modern twist on an age old question, "Why am I here?" The question is very real, and answers vary greatly. People genuinely want to know their purpose in life and until the question is satisfactorily answered there is nothing but doubt and worry and quilt and uncertainty. Lutherans have a distinct and unique way to answer questions about purpose, but the answer doesn't inspire million dollar marketing campaigns and at times leaves people wanting more. It is, however, Scriptural and Christ centered and "cross-driven." A few years ago a young women asked to meet with me.  She said she was having a "spiritual crisis" and wanted to talk to a Lutheran pastor.  Having grown up Lutheran, she had spent the last 10 years or so in various Evangelical churches. She had a serious decision to make that involved work and location and family and a boy friend, in short, "should she stay or should she go." She told me she had visited with several pastors and still had no answer.  She laid out her situation in great detail and asked me what God wanted her to do, which choice would God bless. In obvious distress, this young woman was at a crossroad in her life and had a difficult decision to make. She wanted me, or rather God through me, to tell her what to do. I shared with her Psalm 55:22 and reminded her that she was righteous, not because of her works or decisions or choices, but because the Righteous One, Jesus Christ, lived and died and rose for her. He delivered the deliverance to her in the waters of Holy Baptism and put His name on her there. Then I went to Galatians 2:20. Crucified with Christ in her baptism she now lives her life by faith in Christ. I asked her if either choice was sinful or harmful in any way.  She said no. I then smiled and said she was free, free to choose knowing that God would be with her and bless her no matter what she decided. I was not prepared for her response. "Is that really what Lutherans believe, that I am free?"  I nodded and took her to several other passages in Galatians and John and assured her that in her situation she truly was free.  "But I don't want to be free; I want God to tell me what to do. I want my decision to glorify God!" It was then that I realized I was speaking a foreign language to her. Ten years of Reformed and Evangelical theology had made its mark. I remembered the answer to the first question in the Westminster Catechism; the purpose of man is to glorify God, which is not all that different from the way Thomas Aquinas answered the purpose question in his Summa Thelogica (first part of Part Two) where glorifying God results in true happiness. I have always been amazed by the number of Lutheran churches that have embraced the "Purpose Driven" methodology. It's hard work to be consistently Lutheran in doctrine and practice in light of the newest fads and gimmicks.  The fads and gimmicks seem to work, at least when the measuring marks are dollars and seats.  A brother LCMS pastor once asked me, in light of our discussion on being "purpose" driven, "So how would you answer someone who wants to know the purpose of man?"  "The purpose of man" I said, "is to receive the gifts of God."  The look on his face was exactly the same as the young woman in my office.

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FW: Kleinig on Sasse on Preaching the Gospel

And not just "about" the Gospel…

 

Feed: Mercy Journeys with Pastor Harrison
Posted on: Friday, May 11, 2012 4:46 PM
Author: Rev. Matt Harrison
Subject: Kleinig on Sasse on Preaching the Gospel

 

At a conference for pastors in Australia a paper was given on preaching. The discussion which followed focused on whether it was always necessary to preach both law and gospel in every sermon. A seminary professor declared, rather vehemently, that he always preached about the gospel in every sermon. At this Sasse got up, shuffled to the microphone and stunned the audience by saying:   'Never in all my life have I preached about the gospel in any sermon. And I will never preach about the gospel as long as I live. I have always and will always proclaim the gospel'.   That for me sums up Sasse's understanding of the gospel. The gospel was, for him, always an enactment, a performative utterance. And so, even though he often taught as he preached, he always spoke in such a way that Christ spoke through him to grant forgiveness and all his gifts to the faithful.   John Kleinig, "Sasse on Worship"

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