The Lutheran Review

eLearning and Parenting

The LCMS eLearning portal offers a large selection of parenting podcasts and classes.  Most of the topics are covered by Dr. Mary Manz Simon.

Review: eLearning Parenting Podcasts

One Item Listed

By Sarah D.

Ehow.com offers some tips on how to observe Ash Wednesday. What I find, well, interesting is in the box labeled "Things You'll Need", is just one item: A Bible. 

Happy Birthday

Froeliche Geburtstag

On this Shrove Tuesday evening I should be writing about Ash Wednesday and the imposition of ashes.

Instead, I’m writing “Happy birthday” to my daughter. Thanks for getting me involved in a whole new venture.

Dad

Polycarp

By Rev. Ronald Jansen

I noticed a website today that allows a person to receive a certificate of ordination for $9.95. What a deal. However, if I had spent only the $9.95 instead of nine years getting a certificate of ordination, then I would never have heard of one Polycarp.

Polycarp is a link back to the apostolic age. He reportedly knew John, Jesus disciple. He was martyred in 155 at the age of 86.

As bishop of Smyrna (a large commercial city that is located at the end of a gulf off the Aegean Sea) he wrote a letter to the church in Philippi, where Paul started a congregation on the western side of the Aegean. His letter addressed the conduct of the people and the leaders in the church.

“Let us, then hold steadfastly and unceasingly to our Hope and the Pledge of our righteousness, that is, Christ Jesus,’ who bore our sins in his own body on the tree, who committed no sin, neither was guilt found on his lips;’ but for our sakes he endured everything that we might live in him.”

He was arrested after a member his household betrayed him. He was then paraded through the city on a donkey. As he entered the arena a voice spoke from heaven, “Be strong, Polycarp, and play the man.” His executioners tried to persuade him to save his life by renouncing Christ. In response he said, “Eighty-six years I have served him, and he never did me wrong. How can I blaspheme my King who saved me?”

He was tied to a stake. As they were about to light the fire to burn him, He prayed, “I bless you because you have deemed me worthy of this day and hour to take my part in the number of the martyrs, in the cup of your Christ, for the resurrection to eternal life.”

His death is testimony to the cost of renouncing temptation.

"One Sure Hope" - Video

Rev. Matthew Harrison gave a moving speech at the Southern Illinois District, held this past weekend.  Here is a link to Rev. Harrison's blog and the video. 

Review Here: One Sure Hope Video

ELCA and Gay-clergy Policy

ELCA Task Force and gay-clergy policy.  Read the Chicago Tribune article here.  The article states near the end the decision made in August by the ELCA could have a rippling effect across Lutheran churches.

Farewell to Alleluias

By Rev. Ronald Jansen

In preparation for the season of lent, we bid farewell to the alleluias at St. Paul’s, Otto Mo.

The hymn “Alleluia, Song of Gladness” (LSB 417) well expresses, in stanza three, the reason for retiring the Alleluias during Lent.

Alleluia, cannot always

Be our song while here below;

Alleluia, our transgressions

Make us for a while forgo;

For the solemn time is coming

When our tears for sin must flow.

That hymn dates from at least the 11^th century. Thus we know that the omission of the Alleluias for lent is of long standing practice.

A tragic story that comes out of a church in North Africa in the fifth century reports that a member of an invading band of Vandals entered the church during worship, drew his bow, and shot an arrow into the throat of the cantor at the very time he was singing the alleluias.

I chose to retire the Alleluias in a less dramatic fashion. Following the suggestion in Creative Communications, the Sunday school students made Alleluia posters. I also found a song in Lift Up Your Hearts P. 53 (CPH 1988) by Ted Wuerfful titled, Saints of God, the faithful Band. The hymn has plenty of alleluias and is set to the tune of the Easter hymn Christ the Lord Is risen Today; Alleluia. (LSB 463) The students gathered in front of the church and on the last stanza we recessed out led by the crucifix and an Alleluia banner.

I think the plan is to bring the posters back in at the start of the Easter Sunrise service. By Easter we will yearn to once raise our praise to God and sing This is the feast of victory for our God. Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia.

First Pastors

By Rev. Ronald Jansen

Yesterday was the day to remember first pastors. For many of us in the LCMS Lutheran history in the Americas begins in 1838-39 when the Saxon immigrants landed in New Orleans and came up river to St. Louis and Perry County.

However, the first Lutheran pastor in the New World was Rasmus Jensen who came as a ship’s chaplain. In 1619, King Christian IV of Norway and Denmark sent two ships and 64 men to search for the Northwest Passage to India. They made it as far as the western shore of Hudson Bay. Locked in by ice, they spent the winter, and were ravaged by scurvy. The ship’s captain Jens Munk noted in his log that pastor Jensen celebrated Christmas. On January 23^rd, already ill, he gave his last sermon. In the evening of February 20 Rasmus Jensen died. Only four seamen were strong enough to sit up and hear the captain read a homily for Good Friday

The next Lutheran pastors in the New world were Magister Rhodius who was preaching in the West Indies in 1656. Kjeld Jensen Slagelse was pastor on St. Thomas in the Virgin Island from 1665 until 1672.

Reorus Torkillus arrived in Delaware, originally a Swedish colony, in 1639. John Campius worked with the Delaware Indians from 1643. He translated Luther’s Small Catechism. The first Lutheran pastor ordained in the Americas was Justus Falckner, in 1703.

Most gracious God, we thank you for your servants Rasmus Jensen and all other ministers who have accompanied Christians traveling to distant, desolate, or perilous places, seeking to minister to those they accompanied and to those they met, sharing their hardships in the name of him who humbled himself to share ours, your Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen.

New Orleans. Is it Safe?

By Sarah D. 

The question of safety has come up about the 2010 National LCMS Youth Gathering. 

Read the answer here. 

I have not been to New Orleans since 2000 (before the flood).  I did not feel particularly safe there even then.  I would have great trepdiation sending my teenager.  Just being honest. 

Sedalia Pastor Story

I found a neat article on a LC-MS Concordia Seminary trained pastor, who was a former police officer for 21 years, on the Sedalia-Democrat online newspaper.  Manny Rodriguez made a deal with God, but learned something about making deals with God.

To read more: Sedalia-Democrat