Something to really get excited about

I've not written yet about the Lutheran CORE gathering because I didn't want to scoop myself. Yes, I have a full report in the November issue of Forum Letter, which is shortly going to press. Those who subscribe to the e-mail edition will probably receive it in a week or so. Those of us who prefer to have the hard copy delivered by the Snail (note: that refers to the USPS as an institution; Don the Postman is a fine letter carrier, as one ought to expect from a faithful Christian) will need to wait -- unless the good editors decide to post it as a special on ALPB Online. Alas, it seems no one else has written about it either, so I guess I'll try writing something from a different perspective. Watch here for a report of an encouraging gathering.

Meanwhile...
50 years ago today, the Soviet Union launched Sputnik into orbit. For a couple of really cool retrospectives, check this video snip from the Jet Propulsion Laboratory or this report from the New York Times. Oh, check out The Space Review this week, too. All these will help give you an inkling of why I have a web page entitled I Want to Go! I shouldn't be playing in Peoria; I should be walking on the Moon!

How hugely disappointing that 38 years after first landing on the Moon, NASA can barely get a manned ship into orbit. If someone had told me when I was 12 that I'd be in my 60s by the time we were building the first American Moon base, I would have laughed and laughed at such a crazy idea. Yet, here we are, hoping the Space Shuttles will last long enough so that we are earth bound for only a few years before the latest NASA plan begins to bear fruit. ("Dear Ann Landers, if we can put a man on the Moon, how come we can't put a man on the Moon?") Fortunately, there are private companies like XCOR and Virgin Galactic private-sector initiatives like the X PRIZE. But, my, how short-sighted this nation has been...

Choir solution

Zion hasn't had a choir for most of the 15 years I've served her. This is tempting.

Update Sept. 1, 2008: Naturally, with the auction long gone, the link no longer works. So, while missing some of the formatting:




Anglican Choral Tradition (SATB) (Bristol Based)

Venerable Anglican scarlet-robed choral tradition (SATB), of St Stephen's Church, Centre of Bristol. Good condition.

Reason for sale: The choir have (with extreme sadness) decided that even though they would have liked to have assisted with the future plans for the church, they essentially have no place in the new worship arrangements that will soon be imposed, and that little opportunity for negotiation now exists.

Over the past few years the choir have sung in guest appearances at: Notre Dame de Paris, Wells Cathedral, Buckfast Abbey, Bristol Cathedral, and St Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin, and produced well reviewed concerts.

Example Repertoire: Works by composers like:

Arcadelt
Allegri
Ayleward
Attwood
Bach
Briggs
Bruckner
Bull
Byrd
Darke
Gabrieli
Gibbons
Lassus
Marsh
Mozart
Palestrina
Praetorious
Rose
Rutter
Stanford
Sumsion
Tallis
Taverner
Tye
Viadana
de Victoria
Vierne
Weelkes
(and many more....)

Is it that obvious?

Coming home this afternoon from the Lutheran CORE gathering (of which I'll say more later), I stopped off to visit one of the Chicagoland's Catholic / Christian supply stores. They've been sending their catalog to Zion for years and I figured this was a good chance to check out another such store (we have a fine Catholic / Christian supply store here in Peoria, too) to see what they had. I was traveling mufti (contrary to popular opinion, I both own and wear "normal" clothing), attired just as I am in the photo here, with black trousers and dark-brown Top-Siders.

And so, standing in an aisle looking at some books, the proprietess walks by and asks, "You finding everything fine, Father?"

"Gee," I responded, "you could tell that easily, eh?" (Maybe it was the black trousers.)

Anyway, had a very nice conversation with her, she made sure I made a visit to the second level to see the vestments and other ecclesial goods, and the third floor (not usually opened on Saturdays) for the gallery.

Naturally, I came home with a few more books. And copy of the Rublev icon of the Holy Trinity.

But there is good news...

In our home while growing up, on the davenport lamp table by the front door we kept, during the baseball season, bobbleheads of the Dodgers and Angels. And, as taught by Grandpa Hutchinson, when the team won a game the doll looked out, while when they lost, the doll turned away in shame.

Well, in my youth we saw the back of the Angel more often than not. But, even though they lost this evening, the Angel faces you now for -- the Los Angeles Angels have won their third American League Western Division pennant in four years.

And that's something to celebrate!

Oh. How about this World Series: the Angels and the Cubs???

The Other Episcopal Bishops' Meeting

At this moment, Google News shows the following headlines about the meeting of The Episcopal Church's House of Bishop's that just concluded in New Orleans -- a meeting which included the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr. Rowan Williams, and the HOB's response to the Anglican Primates:

Episcopals give ground on gay bishops says the Chicago Tribune, whose article begins, "Yielding to international pressure and trying to avert a schism in the worldwide Anglican Communion, Episcopal bishops on Tuesday pledged restraint in approving another openly gay bishop who is in a relationship."

The New York Times headlines, Episcopal Bishops Reject Anglican Church’s Orders. "Bishops of the Episcopal Church on Tuesday rejected demands by leaders of the worldwide Anglican Communion to roll back the church’s liberal stance on homosexuality, increasing the possibility of fracture within the communion and the Episcopal Church itself," reads the first paragraph.

And, Episcopal leaders act to avert a schism headlines the Boston Globe article. "The Episcopal bishops of the United States, attempting to head off a schism over gay rights and biblical interpretation, yesterday promised to "exercise restraint" by not approving more gay bishops and not authorizing a formal ritual for blessing same-sex couples," the Globe begins. The second sentence, though, is telling: "The statement is expected to have little practical impact in the United States."

Details, of course, are all over the Anglican blogosphere: two sources I've been reading are TitusOneNine and Stand Firm.

But even as the House of Bishops was concluding A Response to Questions and Concerns Raised by our Anglican Communion Partners, the Bishops associated with Anglican Common Cause are holding their first-ever Bishops' Council under the leadership of Bishop Robert Duncan of the Diocese of Pittsburgh. I presume that our two local Episcopal Bishops, Keith Ackerman (Quincy) and Peter Beckwith (Springfield), both of whom we at Zion pray for regularly, are among the attendees here.

Bishop Duncan has opened the Council with the following address (tip of the biretta--well, as soon as I finally get one--to Kendall Harmon at TitusOneNine):

A HISTORIC CONCLAVE

"Together in Mission : Restoring Confidence in an American Episcopate"
Welcome to Pittsburgh ! Welcome to the Common Cause Partnership Council of Bishops! Welcome to three days of worship, fellowship, teaching, sharing and incredibly hard work.

Welcome Bishops, Bishops-elect, Bishops-designate, Wives, Presenters, Intercessors, Staff, Friends. Welcome to Dr. George Hunter of Asbury Seminary, our keynote speaker tonight, and welcome to Prof. Justyn Terry of Trinity School for Ministry, our Scripture expositer for the next three mornings.

During the early hours of yesterday, the Lord reminded me of the word "conclave." Bishop's meetings are sometimes "with the key withheld," the literal meaning of the Latin root. Bishops gathering in conclave cannot come out until they have a successful result. While there will be no one "locking us in," the whole Anglican world is expecting something great of us in this meeting. They are expecting some "key" to unlock a more hopeful future. Let us not fail them, or our God.

RE-STRUCTURING RELATIONSHIPS

Most of our work here is behind closed doors. This is an intentional decision on the part of the seven lead bishops who did the planning: Bishops Ackerman, Grundorf, Harvey, Minns, Murphy, Riches and myself. We need to speak the truth to one another. We need to do some hard thinking and hard talking. The future of Anglicanism in North America is at stake.

On Trinity Sunday in 2004, the leaders of the first six (now ten) Partners wrote to the Archbishop of Canterbury "signifying our commitment to make common cause for the gospel of Jesus Christ and common cause for a united, missionary and orthodox Anglicanism in North America."

The Primates of the Global South, writing from Kigali exactly one year ago, stated that the time had come for a "separate ecclesiastical structure in the United States [ North America ]." What we come together to do is to see whether we can so re-order the relationships among us that the way might be opened for such a structure to emerge.

Our shortcoming is not "right Faith." Our shortcoming is "right Order" and "right mission."

- Can we agree to interchangeability of those in holy orders?

- Will we work actively together at the local level?

- Will we consult with one another as we seek to plant congregations?

- Can we agree to mutual review of candidates for bishop before consecrations?

- Will we share ministry initiatives or needlessly duplicate efforts?

- Can we agree about appropriate ratios of bishops to congregations, attendance and membership?

- Would each one of us be willing to give up episcopal function for the good of the whole, were that in the best interests of all?

- Could each one of us become a missionary bishop over a growing Church?

Our theme for this Council of Bishops is "Together in Mission : Restoring Confidence in an American Episcopate." The whole world is watching. After speaking the truth to each other, we will need to speak the truth about what we have done - or not done - to the world.

Anglicanism appears to be failing in the West. We cannot answer for how others have failed, or are failing, but we must surely answer for what we do - or do not do - here in this place, in this conclave, wherein we hold the key.

WELCOME

Again the warmest of welcomes, for the most important of tasks. Almost upon us is Global Anglicanism's September 30th deadline for bishops in America to make response about "walking together" or "walking apart." It is to walking together that we are called, is it not? I am confident in the company gathered here and, above all, in the Lord who has called us. We are here to make common cause for the gospel of Jesus Christ, and here to make common cause for a biblical, missionary and united Anglicanism in North America . We have our work cut out for us, we whose highest calling is as servants of the servants of God, and God's servants all across the land very much have their eyes set upon us and upon this place for these days. May God's help be ours in abundance.

The election of Gene Robinson as Bishop of New Hampshire has indeed tossed everything in the air, and now it looks like some of what was tossed is finally fallen to the ground. And with the ELCA being in communion with The Episcopal Church, and the relationship we have here with Bishops Ackerman and Beckwith, I can't help but wonder how all this is going to impact the nature of that "walking together."

Let our prayers rise as incense...

Lutheran CORE Press Release

News Release
September 24, 2007
Lutheran Coalition for Reform

For immediate release
contact: Pastor W. Stevens Shipman, Lock Haven, Pennsylvania
prsteveshipman@gmail.com

More than 200 members of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America plan to gather in Lindenhurst, Illinois, on Friday, September 28, to reflect on their concerns regarding actions taken at the recent churchwide assembly of the ELCA and to plan for the next such assembly in 2009.

The meeting, at St. Mark Lutheran Church, will begin with a Bible study by Dr. James Nestingen, professor emeritus at Luther Seminary in St. Paul, Minnesota, followed by a presentation by Dr. Robert Benne, director of the Center for Religion and Society, Roanoke College in Virginia. Both will address the theme, "'This Church' and God's Church." Pastor Paull Spring, retired bishop of the Northwestern Pennsylvania Synod and chair of the Lutheran Coalition for Reform (Lutheran CORE), will speak to issues facing the ELCA. During the afternoon, attendees will meet in regional groups to plan and organize "grass roots" efforts to uplift their hopes and goals for the ELCA.

Lutheran CORE called the meeting even before the churchwide assembly in August to advocate more effectively for the authority of the Word of God in the ELCA, which it believes is in danger of being marginalized by directions the denomination is taking. Specifically, CORE uplifts the authority of the Bible by insisting on the priority of the revealed Name of God as "Father, Son, and Holy Spirit" and upholding the doctrine of marriage as the union of one man and one woman for life. The group also will work to raise up leadership across the ELCA who share these goals.

While the Chicago assembly of the ELCA declined to change the policies of the denomination forbidding pastors to be in same-sex sexual relationships, it did urge "restraint" in discipline of such persons until a 2009 report from a task force is received. The ELCA also recently issued a new worship book which provides for other names for God than "Father, Son, and Holy Spirit," and it is preparing resources for reading the Bible which, based on some preliminary indications, causes concern among Lutheran CORE members for possibly eroding the authority of the Bible.

The Lutheran CORE traces its roots to meetings in the early 1990s when pastors and theologians began to express concerns over the theological directions of the denomination, formed in 1988 by a merger of three predecessor bodies. An ad hoc group called Solid Rock Lutherans worked to uphold the standards of the ELCA regarding homosexuality at a churchwide assembly in Orlando in 2005. Lutheran CORE was formed in 2005 to continue these efforts to reform the ELCA.

Lutheran CORE is an independent group which intends to be a coalition of individuals, congregations, and reform groups within the ELCA. Members are committed to remain within the ELCA at this time and work for reform of the church body. It is led by a steering committee of ten persons elected by members who gather for its annual meetings.

note: spelling of Paull is correct.

# # #

Why Attend the Lutheran CORE Gathering?

For reminders of how important this is to me, see this blog entry and this one for the story of this photo.

On Friday, September 28, Lutheran CORE is holding a gathering, 'This Church' and God's Church, at St. Mark Lutheran Church in Lindenhurst, Illinois, on the north side of metro Chicago. From 10 am to 4 pm CORE will review what happened at this Churchwide Assembly and plan for the next two years' Synod and Churchwide Assemblies. Dr. James A. Nestingen, Dr. Robert Benne, and retired Bishop Paull Spring will speak. And ELCA Lutherans, clergy and lay, from across the land will be there because they want to have the ELCA we were promised 20-25 years ago, not the one we're getting. Here's the brochure.

CORE has just sent out this message:

If you are planning to attend the Lutheran CORE gathering in Lindenhurst, Ill., or know someone who is, it is important that you register by Sept 21. In addition to making sure we have enough lunches ordered for everyone, we will have a working lunch during which people from within regions can meet each other and start networking. You'll miss that valuable time if you have to run out for lunch because you didn't pre-register for the gathering.

The registration information is at:
http://www.commonconfession.net/PDFs/COREgathering.pdf

Please mail your check to the WordAlone office in New Brighton, Minn. or call (toll free: 888-551-7254 or 651-633-6004) by Sept 21 to register.

I'll be there and hope you are able to be there, too. I also know that there will be several folks from the Champaign-Urbana area traveling together, so if you are near there on the way to Chicago, contact me and I'll put you in contact with those folks.

Lutheran CORE is a reform movement within the ELCA which intends to serve as an effective coalition of individuals, congregations, and reform groups. It's four emphases are:

1. To uphold the authority of the Bible as the primary source an dnorm of faith and practice, in conformity with the Lutheran Confessions and the Constitution of the ELCA.

2. To insist upon the priority of the revealed Name of God as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit in worship and educational materials produced by and for the ELCA.

3. To uphold the doctrine of marriage of one man and one woman for life, as maintained by the Chruch throughout the centuries.

4. To encourage and recruit leaders in congregations, synods, and theurchwide organization, including bishops, who will commit themselves to these goals.