In the March issue of our newsletter, CORE Voice, we included information about the ministries of two of the pastors who were going to be presenters at the Rekindle Your First Love event. Another one of the persons who was going to be a presenter, NALC pastor Wendy Berthelsen, heads up a non-profit Christian teaching ministry called Call Inc., which mobilizes ordinary people “called” by Christ Jesus our Lord to “incorporate His call” into all of life, 24/7: home, family, church gathering and “glocal” (local to global). Wendy writes:
We offer seminars and resources that are
available on our website: http://www.callinc.org. We take seriously that the Biblical
Greek word for church (ekklesia) literally means “called out
ones.” We believe “called out ones” gives both the definition
and purpose of church: “Ones” … ordinary people “called”
by Christ Jesus our Lord, to go “out,” transforming the world in
Jesus’ name, with His Gospel and in the power of the Holy Spirit. Therefore,
actively teaching about living God’s call and helping people to recognize and
discern the Holy Spirit’s call and gifts is crucial to being the church.
Coaches for Congregations in Transition
written by Cathy Ammlung | May 14, 2019
by Cathy Ammlung, Secretary of the board of Lutheran CORE
The view from the front of the chapel in the Desert Retreat Center, where the training event was held, looks out on the beauty of Arizona’s Sonoran desert.
In early April we had a training event in Arizona for the Congregations in Transition ministry initiative. We now have eight (mostly retired) Lutheran pastors who are ready to serve as coaches for congregations that are between pastors. Another option is for the coach to begin working with a congregation even before the pastor has retired or resigned to take another call. If you would like to know more about how one of these coaches could be of help to your congregation, please contact Don Brandt at pastordonbrandt@gmail.com or Dennis Nelson at dennisdnelsonaz@yahoo.com.
Fear of Pastoral Vacancies
For most of my 29 years as an ordained pastor, I have served small congregations and/or congregations that had a pastoral vacancy. Even in healthy parishes with little conflict, they consistently had two major concerns. One was the fear that there might be a protracted (and possibly unsuccessful) search for a new pastor. The second was that, rather like a tire with a slow leak, the life of the congregation was going to “go flat.” Energy, commitment, contributions, and attendance would diminish. Especially in small, isolated parishes that could not obtain a full (or significantly part-time) interim pastor, maintaining the worship life, fellowship, pastoral care, and outreach of the congregation seemed like a nearly insurmountable task for the lay leadership.
Team Your Congregation with a Coach
The Congregations in Transition initiative, developed by Pastor Don Brandt and Lutheran CORE, addresses these concerns by teaming an experienced, usually retired pastoral “coach” with such a congregation. The coach helps the laity (through a Leadership Team) to confidently and competently navigate the challenges of a pastoral vacancy, to maintain the critical tasks of ministry and mission, and to thereby pave the way for a call committee to focus on its unique tasks with less distraction and stress.
Tap into God-given Gifts
The workshop I attended as a “coach in training” was challenging, packed with useful insights and information, and very helpful. I like the way it calls for coaches to develop personal relationships with a small “Leadership Team” in order to tap into their God-given gifts for leadership, decision making, spiritual growth, and Christian care for their congregation and its members. Rather than feeling helplessly adrift, the laity are empowered to be the Church, the Body of Christ, beloved of Christ and lavishly endowed by the Holy Spirit with every good gift needed to care for one another and to weather what often seems like a “time in the wilderness.”
One Small Discipleship Step
Cohort of Coaches Trained in April 2019
One thing I’ve learned over the years is that congregations can sometimes feel so desperate to call a pastor, any pastor, that they rush through the call process and sometimes make a bad decision. And if the process drags out, they become so discouraged that they simply drift – and some members just leave, often permanently. An experienced coach helps them understand that they really can see – and take – one small, necessary “discipleship step” after another; and each small step can strengthen their faith, prayer life, discipleship, fellowship, stewardship, and outreach. They can discern what they need to do to care for one another, proclaim the Word of God, and reach out with Jesus’ love to their neighbor. And they can redeem that in-between, interim time, to prayerfully consider what gifts a new pastor would best have to continue their growth in faith toward God, fervent love toward one another, and loving witness and outreach to their neighbors.
I hope that many Lutheran congregations will benefit from such coaching relationships and experience interims as precious seasons of growth in faithfulness, trust, and obedience to their Savior and Good Shepherd!
The Uncle Charlie Program @ St. Timothy
written by Keith Forni | May 14, 2019
by Keith Forni, member of the board of Lutheran CORE
This program, for adults with special needs and sponsored by St. Timothy Lutheran Church, has been serving Chicago’s Hermosa neighborhood for nearly 30 years. Meeting monthly since 1990, the Uncle Charlie program serves an average of 50 residents from eight group homes on the northwest side of Chicago. Participants gather for Bingo, arts and crafts, Bible lessons, worship and lunch.
Here Uncle Charlie Program members lead music during morning devotions. Pastor Keith Forni notes that “their joy is so powerfully expressed.” Favorite choir songs are “This Little Light of Mine” and “Jesus Loves Me.” St. Timothy is an ELCA congregation affiliated with Lutheran CORE.
Uncle Charlie Program participants await lunch at St. Timothy Lutheran Church, Chicago, during a recent Saturday monthly gathering.
Paul Diaz, a mission partner volunteer from First and Santa Cruz Lutheran Church- ELCA, Joliet IL, displays the May 2019 theme at the Uncle Charlie Program, St. Timothy Lutheran Church, Chicago.
Lutheran CORE wants to lift up the ministries of other orthodox ELCA congregations that are faithfully living out the Gospel and serving our Lord. Please contact us at lcorewebmail@gmail.com.
Pithy Responses to CORE’s April Letter to the Director
I am continually blessed and encouraged by the very positive and uplifting responses which I receive to my letters from the director, articles in our newsletter, CORE Voice, and other written communications. It is good to know that people read our materials and appreciate, value, and support our work. The responses I received to my most recent (the April) letter from the director were no exception.
One NALC pastor wrote, “There have been times when I have wondered why CORE staff and adherents remain in ELCA, but after reading this letter, I am thankful that you are still there. If you were to leave, it would please them because they wouldn’t have to deal with your wisdom any more. . . . I know your presence will probably not make a difference over the long run, you are fighting a strong and wily opponent, Old Scratch himself, but I admire your courage and your willingness to take on a formidable task. Blessings to you on your work, your passion, and your hope that there may be a ray of sanity somewhere in this mess.”
And then, to clearly show what we are up against and how we got into the mess we are in, a former ELCA synod mission director wrote the following [emphasis added] –
“Shortly after being called to that position I attended staff orientation at the ELCA headquarters with other new Mission Directors. We were told unequivocally that we were to start new congregations for gay and lesbian groups but to refrain from traditional church starts as there would be little if any financial support for traditional church groups. I was told directly by the then ELCA mission director it was the unspoken policy of the ELCA to NOT start traditional New churches or to provide any support for Rural Congregations because the money was to be directed to gay and lesbian church starts. . . .
“During one of my visits to the ELCA headquarters, the national mission director took me into a closet that held the congregations responses to the first sexuality study of the ELCA. She said, and I quote, ‘we are going to ram this s____ down their (congregations) throat.’. . .
“I and many faithful pastors suffered mightily at the hands of the ELCA. In fact nearly every faithful pastor I knew as Assistant to the Bishop suffers or has suffered as a result of ELCA pressure on their ministry to conform. In the ELCA almost anything is tolerated except not accepting their lgbt policy.” Thank you to both of these pastors for letting me quote them in this article. We give thanks for the support of all of our friends, and we pray for and want to encourage and help all who are enduring pressure to accept and conform to non-Biblical positions, practices, and priorities.
Devotion for Tuesday, May 14, 2019
written by Jeffray Greene | May 14, 2019
“I hate those who are double-minded, but I love Your law. You are my hiding place and my shield; I wait for Your word. Depart from me, evildoers, that I may observe the commandments of my God.” (Psalm 119:113-115)
Are you discriminating about those who influence you? Is it not wisdom to stay away from those who do what is harmful and would have you do the same? You say you love the law of the Lord, but live among and are influenced by those who are double-minded. Be conformed to the word of the Lord and know from the inside out His goodness, mercy, kindness, living according to His Word always.
Lord, there are those around me who would lead me astray. Yet, You call for me to love my neighbor. Help me to discern how to walk that I walk the balance that is needed in this life. Grant that with wisdom I would see through circumstances to hold fast to what is right and true. May I be guided by Your Spirit to be both patient and kind, discerning, but loving You and others always.
Lord Jesus, You walked among us and You know the struggles of daily life. As I abide in You, teach me the right way to walk and live that I would hold fast to the truth. Lead me in being compassionate and forbearing that I would not be swayed by those whose minds are not on the will of the Father. Guide me this day, my Savior, that I would walk humbly with You and learn. Amen.
“The wicked have laid a snare for me, yet I have not gone astray from Your precepts. I have inherited Your testimonies forever, for they are the joy of my heart. I have inclined my heart to perform Your statutes forever, even to the end.” (Psalm 119:110-112)
What the Lord has given is for all. Anyone may walk in the ways of the Lord and there are many who are doing what is right and are unaware that it is the law of the Lord. Goodness is known by all, but the one who is wise will embrace goodness and walk in the Lord’s way. Let the statutes of the Lord be in your heart and upon your lips. Know goodness by practicing what is good.
Lord, I know certain things, but there are other things that I do not know. Guide my heart, O Lord, that I would focus upon the good and leave behind all that is evil. You know where I am and what I need. I need Your salvation and the guidance of Your Spirit. Lead me away from those places and practices where I am not in harmony with Your will that I may learn from You the goodness of life.
Lord Jesus, You have come that I may have life abundantly in You. Lead me out of those places where I am still in rebellion. Guide me into the goodness of the Father’s mercy to the place where I obey as You have obeyed. Teach me, O Lord, and help me to learn that I may grow in wisdom and understanding. You are my salvation and in Your everlasting arms I find rest. Lead me this day. Amen.
Devotion for Sunday, May 12, 2019
written by Jeffray Greene | May 14, 2019
“O accept the freewill offerings of my mouth, O Lord, and teach me Your
ordinances. My life is continually in my
hand, yet I do not forget Your law.”
(Psalm 119:108-109)
How do you speak? Are the words you speak those which are
pleasing in the sight of the Lord. Are
they blessings or curses? Come into the presence
of the Lord and let your mouth and mind be guarded by the precepts of the
Lord. Know that your life is
continuously in the presence of the Lord.
He who made you knows you better than you know yourself. He knows the plans He has for you.
Lord, guide me ever deeper into the mystery of the faith. Lead me step by step in the way I need to go.
Guide my thoughts and mouth to think and
speak that which will always be acceptable to freely speak. Lead me, O Lord, in the way I need to go that
I would go the way You have established for eternity. Let me learn how to be one who praises with
my mouth day and night that I may be in Your presence always.
Lord Jesus, You have come to establish the way of everlasting life. Lead me this day, Lord Jesus, that I would now and forever abide in the goodness of Your grace and mercy. Teach me through meditation to ponder on all that I do that I would forever hold fast to the goodness You have come to bring. Lead me, Lord, in the way of salvation that I may forever abide in You and You in me. Amen.
“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. I have sworn and I will confirm it, that I
will keep Your righteous ordinances. I
am exceedingly afflicted; revive me, O Lord, according to Your word.” (Psalm 119:105-107)
What is it that brings light to
the path you walk upon? Is it the things
of the world? Or is it what the Lord has
to say? We are guided by that which we
follow. In the darkness of this world we
need light to illuminate the path before us.
The Word of the Lord does light the path for our feet so we would walk in the way of the Lord. Come into the light and know the way of
eternal life.
Lord, You are the light that shines in the darkness. We are people who are walking all too often
in the darkness. Illumine my footsteps
that I would walk in the light of Your revelation and know the path that You
have set before me. Guide me according
to Your Word that I would now and always walk in Your ways. Help me through the dark places to see Your
light always shining.
Lord Jesus, You are the light that shines in the darkness. You are the light that illuminates all. Bring me into the light of Your countenance that I would reflect Your light that others may see and come to You. Help me this day to see clearly as You shine Your light around me and through me that I would walk in the way that is pleasing to the Father. May I be a child of the light this day. Amen.
“How sweet are Your words to my taste!
Yes, sweeter than honey to my mouth!
From Your precepts I get understanding; therefore I hate every false
way.” (Psalm 119:103-104)
What is sweet in your
mouth? Is it the profanity of this world
or the Word of the Lord. We do have a
fondness for that which pleases us. Come
to the Word and learn its intricacies.
Know that the Lord of all creation has given us a gift finer than the
finest of all that this world could ever come up with. In the word of the Lord is found hope and an
eternal future. Come, taste and see.
Lord, You know that I am titillated by the things of this world. I am forever reading and consuming the things
the world produces, but barely have time to spend with You or in Your
Word. Guide me, O Lord, to have a refined
taste that knows that Your Word is a great and rich heritage. Refine my tastes Lord that I may know what is
good and what is harmful. Lead me in the
right way.
Lord Jesus, Your Words are soothing to the weary soul. Make my burden light and my yoke easy. Help me set my thoughts and actions on the better and finer things. Lead me in the way I need to go this day that I would meditate upon Your Word and know more fully the truth You have revealed. Reach into my heart and take away what is false that it may be filled with Your truth. Amen.
“I understand more than the aged, because I have observed Your
precepts. I have restrained my feet from
every evil way, that I may keep Your word.
I have not turned aside from Your ordinances, for You Yourself have
taught me.” (Psalm 119:100-101)
Wisdom does not come through
aging, but with intentionality. Do not
mistake being older with necessarily being wiser. Yes, there is wisdom that comes in growing
older, but real wisdom comes through effort.
Only when directed by the Director of all will you find the true hope
which is always yours through Him. Do
not turn aside from the ordinances of the Lord.
Lord, You know the struggle in my heart, for all around me and within
me are the obstacles that get in the way.
Lead me, O Lord, in the way of righteousness that I may now and always
hold fast to the truth of Your commands.
They are good boundaries to protect and promote the goodness of
life. Bring me to the place where I know
this in the new heart You give me through grace.
Lord Jesus, You know what I need. You have come that I may have life and have it abundantly. Guide me into ever deeper understanding of all that this means. May I now and always walk ever closer with You as You lead, that I would come to the place where I love You and my neighbor as You teach me to love them. Guide me this day, Lord Jesus, that I would learn what You will teach me. Amen.
Here Uncle Charlie Program members lead music during morning devotions. Pastor Keith Forni notes that “their joy is so powerfully expressed.” Favorite choir songs are “This Little Light of Mine” and “Jesus Loves Me.” St. Timothy is an ELCA congregation affiliated with Lutheran CORE.
