Herbert Brokering
I learned through the Wheat Ridge foundation website that Herb Brokering had died in November. Readers of LCMS persuasion may not be acquainted with him. He spent his life and ministry in the ALC (later part of the ELCA). He was a creative gift of God to the Church. I first came into contact with him at a Reformation/Renaissance festival the churches in Albert Lea, MN sponsored in the early 1970’s. He, along with Roland Bainton, was the featured guests.
In 1974, CPH published one of his writings entitled, “I” Openers” a book of 80 parables. One of my favorites follows.
Once there was a family in charge of preparing Holy Communion. They had it gift wrapped. Everyone could hardly wait while it was being opened. When they saw the bread and wine inside the box, they could hardly wait to eat it. It was Easter Sunday. It was the best Christmas they had ever had on Easter.
Born in rural Nebraska, he used his experiences of winter in Nebraska when he wrote a book of 40 mediations and prayers for Advent and Christmas. They were based on Christina Rossetti’s poem, In the Bleak Midwinter. It was published by Augsburg in 2008. In one of his meditations, Brokering wrote in part,
He is coming soon, that is what was said all through the centuries of prophets, priests and kings. He is ready, he is coming soon. Stay hopeful… In the Holy Communion liturgy we say all this as we come forward to eat and drink: “He has come, Christ is here, Christ will come again.”
Among several past Advent devotional booklets available online at Wheat Ridge, is one from 1998 by Herb Brokering. The devotions look at the events surrounding Jesus’ birth from the perspective of Mary.
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