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The Electronic Conventicle

"Gracevine" Newsletter Article January 2023

1/3/2023

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From the "Gracevine" Newsletter Article for Grace Lutheran Church in Thornville, Ohio, January 2023.

Sunday School


Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it. - Proverbs 22:6 ESV

There are among pastors differences of approach when it comes to newsletter articles for church. Some view them as opportunities to promote events in the congregation. Some view them as opportunities to teach people about the Christian faith. Though I tend toward the latter view, I suppose there is nothing wrong with some promotion mixed in with education. Such is the case with this month, as we kick off a new calendar year.

Many of us remember Sunday school growing up. I certainly do. Over the last century and a half, it was rare to find a “mainline” Protestant congregation without a Sunday school program. Congregational Sunday schools were similar across the board. We remember the Sunday school songs, the Bible lessons, and singing in front of the congregation. To this day, many Sunday school songs still surface in my head from time to time!

Sunday school might seem like it has been around forever, but it is actually a fairly recent phenomenon among Christian churches. We are familiar with Sunday school as we know it: a time usually before worship or in between worship services where children in the congregation gather to learn. But its beginning was much different.

Sunday schools first began in eighteenth century England. Though not the first, the chief promoter of English Sunday schools was an Anglican layperson named Robert Raikes (A.D. 1735-1811). Raikes was from the city of Gloucester and was concerned about the welfare of children in the slums of English cities. Such children often performed hard labor in factories during the week. Sunday was their only day off.

Raikes gathered the children on Sunday for what was an all-day educational program. Remember that for most of these children, this was the only formal education they received. Raikes and his assistants taught the children literacy in order to read the Bible. They were also taught from a catechism of the Church of England. Children were expected to dress neatly, and they were instructed in basic manners. Though there was some controversy attached to the practice, these types of Sunday schools became popular throughout England. No doubt the lives of many children were transformed through Sunday school. It was an important part of social reform in English society.

In those days, Sunday school was an outreach to disadvantaged children. Over time, however, the concept of a time of learning on Sunday became incorporated into regular congregational life and was adopted by churches of various denominational families: Baptists, Methodists, Lutherans, Presbyterians, and others. What became the International Sunday School Movement was a pan-denominational Christian organization devoted to Christian education. In fact, we have a remnant of this movement in our sanctuary. The symbol of this International Sunday School Movement was the so-called “Christian flag” that stands at the front of many congregations (including our own), opposite the American flag.

Sunday school has been a part of the fabric of American congregational life for many generations. But it has also not been without some controversy. In some congregations, children were dismissed from worship itself to attend Sunday school while their parents remained in the sanctuary. Many believe that it was this practice that led to such children distancing themselves from church as adults. Not being involved in worship itself growing up, such children never developed the habit of worship attendance. In other places, Sunday school was viewed as a replacement for church, which was never the intention. Some people have also been concerned about the lack of doctrinally specific educational materials for Sunday school, which means that Lutherans and Presbyterians might be using lesson plans designed by Baptists, and so forth.

What shall we say to all this? Some people think that the traditional Sunday school is a concept that needs to fade away in favor of a new model of cross-generational learning. And practically, it is getting more challenging to find people willing and able to teach Sunday school. But I am not convinced that Sunday school is something that should disappear. When understood properly and implemented in a way that does not take away from the worship of the congregation, I believe it can be a good thing and an opportunity for children to learn more about God’s love through Jesus.

Thankfully, we do have some people in our congregation willing to help with Sunday school, what we here call “Adventures in Faith,” though we definitely can use more. Perhaps it is something that you have done in the past. Perhaps you have not done it and are unsure if you would be good at it. Whatever your situation, please consider giving it a try. It can be not only a blessing for the children, but for yourself as well.

And even more so, I encourage attendance at Sunday school for our children. It is important that children are in worship. But children can also benefit from the experience of Sunday school as a supplement to that. In this coming year, let’s try to fill those Sunday school rooms on the third floor! Sunday school at Grace Lutheran now begins at 9:30 (different than what the church sign says, which is 9:15).

As we begin a new calendar year, I want to say thank you to all who teach with Adventures in Faith/Sunday school and to those who serve in this congregation in any other way. Working together, we accomplish much for the kingdom of God.
 
Pr. Tom Jacobson  
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"Gracevine" Newsletter Article December 2022

11/30/2022

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From the "Gracevine" Newsletter Article for Grace Lutheran Church in Thornville, Ohio, December 2022

Prepare the Royal Highway; The King of Kings Is Near!


Behold, your king is coming to you; righteous and having salvation is he… - Zechariah 9:9 ESV

I look forward to the season of Advent every year. This whole “holiday season,” but especially these four Sundays that precede Christmas are a special time. As much as I love Christmas hymns, I also love the Advent hymn tradition in Lutheran churches. A special feeling comes over me when I hear the Swedish Lutheran hymn quoted above: “Prepare the royal highway; the King of kings is near!” That hymn is only one among the many treasures of Advent.

In the history of the Western Christian Church, which eventually produced the Roman Catholic, Lutheran, and other Protestant traditions, the season of Advent was actually the last of the seasons of the church calendar to be established, perhaps in the 800s A.D. In our time, we take the season of Advent for granted, but we should be aware that different groups of Christians in our history have attached different significance to these four Sundays leading up to Christmas.

I didn’t think much about Advent until I lived in Germany for a year in 2004 and 2005. In my Lutheran church growing up, as well as in my college and seminary years, the season of Advent was often spoken of as a gloomy time of “preparation” for Christmas. The thought was that to appreciate Christmas in the right way, we needed to engage in spiritual practices of “waiting” and “anticipation.” As a Lutheran, there was always something about this human-centered focus that didn’t sit well with me. But for the longest time I just accepted it.

When Advent began in December of 2004 during my sojourn in Germany, things began to make more sense after an initial shock. That first Sunday of Advent was filled with joyful sounds and joyful hymns. People greeted each other on the street with “Happy first of Advent!” The tune of a familiar Easter hymn for us (“Thine Is the Glory”) is the tune used for a popular Advent hymn based on the verse from Zechariah 9 I shared above: Tochter Zion, freue dich! (“Daughter of Zion, rejoice!”). I remember on that day hearing a brass choir play that tune from the church tower in Leipzig. It definitely raised my eyebrows! But the biggest difference I noticed was in the readings from the Bible in worship. That Sunday, the pastor read and preached about Jesus riding into Jerusalem on a donkey, the same reading used for Palm Sunday. This was not at all what I expected, and my experience in church that morning was like being in a different universe than my American Advent experience. I began to explore the history behind Advent, and what I discovered was strangely liberating for me.

From around the time of the Emperor Charlemagne in the eighth century A.D., Western Christians began using a one-year lectionary (cycle of Bible readings) for Sundays. For Advent, the first Sunday was about Jesus riding into Jerusalem. The second Sunday was about Jesus’ second coming in the future. The third and fourth Sundays were about the preaching of John the Baptist/Baptizer. Even in the time of the Lutheran Reformation, Lutheran preachers kept using this one-year lectionary, while emphasizing different things about these readings than their Roman Catholic counterparts. This tradition remained among American Lutherans until the 1960s.

When the Roman Catholic Church began its internal reforms with the Second Vatican Council in the 1960s, many things began to change, and many Protestants, including Lutherans, adopted aspects of this reform as a way of promoting greater Christian unity. One of these things was the move away from a one-year lectionary and the adoption of a three-year lectionary. This three-year lectionary commonly used in our churches (in slightly different forms) did away with the older tradition of Advent, and it has, in my opinion at least, contributed to a move toward Advent as a gloomy and penitential season rather than a joyful one.

What I learned from my German experience and subsequent research is that among Lutherans, the season of Advent was meant as a time of joy and hope in the promise of God in Jesus Christ. But over the last 50 or so years as Lutherans have used the three-year lectionary, the distinctive way that Lutherans looked at the season of Advent has been lost. Instead of a joyful time of proclamation of God’s promises, Advent has become a time of almost gloomy contemplation, with congregations each week of the season singing dirge-like renditions of “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel,” as though Christ has not yet come and as if that coming were in question. (That hymn, for the record, can be powerful if understood and used in the right way).

There is room in our Lutheran churches for some freedom in practice, but I want to work toward reclaiming a Lutheran focus of Advent this season. The word “Advent” simply means “arrival” in Latin. To make a long story short, Lutheran preachers used the various Bible readings on the Sundays in Advent to highlight the three different ways that Jesus Christ arrives in our world: 

The first Sunday, the gospel reading was the triumphal entry (same as Palm Sunday), where Jesus arrives in Jerusalem for the last week of his life by riding on a colt. Lutheran preachers focused on how Jesus Christ arrived in Jerusalem to give his life, and this gave them opportunity to preach about how the Son of God arrives for us in the flesh, the incarnation, the first arrival, the first coming into our world.

The second Sunday, the gospel reading focused on Jesus Christ’s promised coming in the future, his future arrival. As we confess in our creeds on Sunday morning, Lutheran preachers proclaimed that Christ will “come again to judge the living and the dead.” For believers in Christ, this is a comforting message of promise, not something to fear.

The third and fourth Sundays focused on John the Baptist/Baptizer. John the Baptist went before Jesus to proclaim him as “the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.” Lutheran preachers focused on how John preached correctly. He was viewed as the prototypical Lutheran preacher, as he pointed to Christ as the good news. And because of this, Lutheran preachers focused on these Sundays on how Jesus Christ arrives in our world today as his message is preached.

Three different “advents.” This season is a joyful time of receiving the good news of Jesus Christ. It is not meant to be a gloomy time of contemplation or anticipation. The Scripture readings we will use this Advent season are my own modification of the three-year lectionary, meant to restore the older themes of Advent. And while I would not want to turn each Sunday of Advent into a Christmas hymn sing, if there are certain Christmas hymns that can assist us in hearing about these different “advents” in the weeks before Christmas, I say we have the freedom to sing them joyfully! I do not want to overshadow Advent hymns, but if we do not sing any Christmas hymns in the weeks before Christmas, then people have little opportunity to enjoy those treasures.
Let’s reclaim Lutheran Advent and receive the good news of Jesus Christ this season!
​

​Pr. Tom Jacobson
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About Candles and Wreaths

11/30/2022

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An email devotion sent to members of Grace Lutheran Church in Thornville, Ohio on November 23, 2022

If you go into most any Lutheran, Catholic, Anglican, or other “mainline” Protestant church in North America in the month of December, you will notice an interesting furnishing in the sanctuary. This eye-catching decoration consists of four large candles attached to a wooden or metal circle, often adorned with holiday greenery. This is known as an Advent wreath. 


Traditions surrounding Advent wreaths are many and varied. Different churches use them differently in the four weeks of Advent leading to Christmas, but most often churches will light one candle on the first Sunday, two on the second, three on the third, and four on the last. Often, there is a candle in the middle that is lit on Christmas Eve, symbolizing the birth of Christ. And you will also notice that often one of the candles is pink or rose in color. This comes from a tradition that holds the third Sunday of Advent as “Gaudete Sunday,” meaning “rejoice.” As the season of Advent developed in the Middle Ages, it was common to view it as a somber time of penitence before the festival of Christmas. At times, Christians would fast during this time, as in the season of Lent, and so the third Sunday of Advent, which was called “Gaudete,” was meant as a short break in the fast.


If you do an internet search about the Advent wreath, its origin, and its significance, you will be bombarded with all kinds of conflicting information. People talk about its “ancient origins” and what each candle is supposed to represent. One model says that the candles are supposed to represent “hope,” “love,” “joy,” and “peace.” Another model claims that the candles represent “prophecy,” “Bethlehem,” “shepherds,” and “angels.” Yet another model says that the four candles represent the four hundred years between the time of the Prophet Malachi (the last book of the Old Testament) and the birth of Jesus Christ. This just scratches the surface of the various meanings people have attached to this sanctuary decoration.


What’s the real story behind the Advent wreath? While it is possible that wreaths with candles were used as decorations in pre-Christian civilizations in Europe and possibly during the Middle Ages, the Advent wreath in modern usage began as a children’s ministry tool in an orphanage in the northern German city of Hamburg. Johann Hinrich Wichern (1808-1881) was a Lutheran pastor and leader in the German “Inner Mission” movement, which sought to unite the various social ministries around the country. In his time, especially in the wake of the Napoleonic Wars, Wichern recognized the importance of Christian works of mercy, especially the need to care for displaced children.


At his orphanage, Wichern led the children in a daily devotion. He constructed such a wreath as a way for the children to count the days until Christmas. Four large white candles stood for the four Sundays before Christmas, and smaller red candles in between them represented individual days. Northern German winters are even longer, darker, and colder than in Ohio, and the candlelight provided him with a way to talk about Jesus’ coming as “the light of the world” (John 8:12). As he explained to the children, the circular shape of the wreath showed that God’s love has no beginning or end.


From that time, the Advent wreath gradually found its way into Lutheran homes in Germany. For many years, it remained primarily a home devotional decoration. In the early to mid-twentieth century, it found its way into some church sanctuaries. Christians of other types adopted it as well, and today churches that do not have an Advent wreath are rare exceptions. Though we might think they are ancient and have been around forever, Advent wreaths are in fact only ancient going back to the 1830s! Don’t misunderstand me. I have nothing against using Advent wreaths. They are a nice addition to this season, and I would miss the wreath if it were absent from our sanctuary. Lutherans have always recognized the importance of some freedom in our local practices, but it is important to remember that there is no single, standard meaning behind the four candles.  


​If the candles on the Advent wreath don’t stand for anything in particular, is there a purpose behind continuing to use the decoration? I believe there is, and knowing about the history of the wreath can help us with that. Wichern used his wreath as a way of helping his orphanage children know that they are valued and not forgotten, especially in this time of year. We often hear of this season as “merry and bright,” but for many it is not. But the joy of Advent lies in the knowledge that our Lord Jesus Christ has come into our world and continues to come with his healing and forgiving power. As we light the candles, we remember that we and the rest of the world are not forgotten by God, who in Jesus Christ has come to us, promises to come again, and graciously comes to us even now through the preaching of his good news and his sacraments. And as the candles are situated in a circle, we know that this good news has no end, but endures forever.


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"Gracevine" Newsletter Article November 2022

10/26/2022

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From the "Gracevine" Newsletter Article for Grace Lutheran Church in Thornville, Ohio, November 2022.

Thanksgiving


And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. - Colossians 3:17 ESV

Thanksgiving was never my favorite holiday as a child. I remember sitting in my living room one November in my early elementary years. I knew we were going to have a family gathering that weekend, but I didn’t quite understand why. Unlike Christmas, I knew I wasn’t getting any presents that weekend, and other than getting a couple days off from school, some turkey, and some pie, I felt there wasn’t much about which to get excited.

Thanksgiving as a national holiday has had a long an interesting history in our country. Though there have been days of Thanksgiving declared at different times in our history, the annual observance of Thanksgiving in November goes back to the Civil War. We have President Abraham Lincoln to thank for our current practice of the Thanksgiving holiday, which has become a part of the fabric of our national life.

As the secular part of our society becomes all the more vocal, I often wonder how Thanksgiving as a holiday will fare in years to come. After all, how can one be thankful if there is nothing, no God, to which to direct our thanks? Of course, get togethers among family and friends are a good thing for anyone at any time of the year, but that was not the original point of Thanksgiving.

Though not a specifically Christian holiday, the Thanksgiving holiday called for by Abraham Lincoln was meant to unify people in the dark days of the Civil War by directing them to give thanks “and praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens.” His proclamation was general enough to include people of various religious traditions: different types of Christians, Jews, and others. His hope was that all people, however they expressed their faith, would take time to acknowledge their daily bread as coming from a transcendent source. This “civil religion” has been a part of our country for a long time, and even that is now beginning to dissipate. The spiritual element of Thanksgiving is easy to overlook. The fact that it is a national holiday leads many to view a Thanksgiving meal as an obligation to perform rather than a gift to receive with thanksgiving. I am guilty of this as much as anyone.

Perhaps we shouldn’t be surprised at this. We often hear of the call to “be more thankful!” But from a Lutheran point of view, we have the theological truth that thanksgiving does not come naturally to us. It is contrary to our sinful human nature. Being thankful means that we acknowledge God as the source of all things. If we did that all the time, then there would be no problem. We would not be sinners, and we would not need Jesus to be our Savior!

As Christians, we are a work in progress. As humans with a sinful nature, we are not capable of pure thanksgiving. But in the Bible, God continues to prod people to thanksgiving, directing them to Himself, the wellspring of life. Still, the burdens of life cloud our view. How much easier it is to dwell on the negative! We need constant reminders of what God has done for us. This is why it is important to engage in frequent and regular worship. This is why Scripture reading, devotional life, and prayer are so important. One thing that can help is keeping a prayer and thanksgiving journal. Each day, make note of the blessings you have received. And then think of how you can be a blessing to others.

We will also be resurrecting a tradition this November. The pastors in our community have agreed to hold a community Thanksgiving service the evening before Thanksgiving. That Wednesday, we will gather for this worship service at Grace Lutheran at 7:00 PM. This year, the new pastor at Thornville United Methodist Church, Victoria Burgoon, will preach, with the rest of us filling different roles. As you prepare for the following day, join us here at Grace that evening in giving thanks!

As far as Thanksgiving memories go, ten years ago, my wife Theresa was still in her first year serving Grace Lutheran Church in Menno, South Dakota. I was still working on my doctorate and at the time did not have a congregational call of my own. I remember being thankful for having landed in that place earlier that year. I wanted to contribute to the congregation somehow, so I sang a solo for their evening Thanksgiving service. I’ve talked before about my love of the hymns of the Swedish Lutheran hymn writer Lina Sandell (“Children of the Heavenly Father,” “Day by Day,” and “Thy Holy Wings”). One of her lesser-known hymns is titled, “O Jesus, Let My Eyes Be Opened” (Swedish: O Jesu öppna du mitt öga). I shared this song that night in 2012 and felt it was appropriate for a Lutheran understanding of Thanksgiving, asking that God would continue to open our eyes to His blessings: our life, our daily bread, and especially our salvation. Though you can’t hear the tune on the printed page, I invite you to meditate on these words:

O Jesus, let my eyes be opened, so I can see what I've been given, that I've a Father in the highest whose Father's heart would give my heaven, whose Father's heart would give me heaven.
I have a brother high in heaven at God's right hand, who cares for me, he sends his grace, so overflowing as wide as God's eternity, as wide as God's eternity.

I have a solace for my sorrow, a comforter and help for good, I have eternal life forever, eternal peace in Jesus' blood, eternal peace in Jesus' blood.

I have a life, yes life abundant, the richest grace, yes, it is true, I have a crown of life more glorious, a heritage that's always new, a heritage that's always new.

O Jesus, come make clear my vision so I can see your glory shine, and never lose your great salvation all you have given to make it mine, all you have given to make it mine.

​Carolina Sandell-Berg (1832-1903); trans. Gracia Grindal (1943-)
 
 
Pr. Tom Jacobson
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"Gracevine" Newsletter Article October 2022

9/26/2022

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From the "Gracevine" newsletter for Grace Lutheran Church in Thornville, Ohio, October 2022.

Reboot

Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love.
– Joel 2:13 ESV

One thing I like to do when teaching confirmation or otherwise interacting with today’s youth is joke about the archaic technology to which I had access when I was their age. I think they find it amusing, but at the very least, it makes me smile to talk about what life was like before smartphones and even cell phones, when we only had access to four television channels, when social media and streaming services were yet in the distant future, when we had to use paper maps and take trips without GPS navigation systems, and when we had to use rotary dial telephones attached to the wall. A few years ago, I asked a confirmation student if she remembered life before the internet, and she said “no,” but that she remembered having to use “dial up” internet. I remember when “dial up” internet was a new thing and a real treat to have in the house. These conversations make me feel rather old!

Technology has come a long way in even the last fifteen to twenty years. There are many examples that can be cited, but one noticeable difference between then and now is computer technology. When I was in college, we still relied on external floppy disks to save our files. If the power went out or if the computer crashed for some reason, I could only hope that I had saved the file on my disk. The sinking feeling upon realizing that the file was lost is hard to describe.

Sometimes computers crash and reboot, and most often without warning. Today’s computers mostly save documents automatically and “restore” any unsaved documents, which is a welcome development for anyone who uses technology. In addition, “cloud” technology greatly reduces the likelihood of losing files.
As I think about the life of churches today, the old danger of a sudden reboot or computer crash comes to mind. Without being saved, those files and the ideas they contain can be lost. This is an image we as a church should bear in mind in this “post-COVID” era.

I remember reading an article shortly after COVID-19 came on the scene in March of 2020. It predicted that as many as twenty percent of churches in North America would not survive the pandemic due to the lockdowns, the difficulty of getting people to return to church after the crisis abated, and overall loss of participation and financial giving. I do not know if the twenty percent number was accurate; perhaps it is too early to say. But it is obvious that COVID has had an impact on a lot of things in our society, including our churches.

For churches, maybe the best way to think about COVID is as a computer crash or reboot from days gone by. With this disruption, a reboot is required. What will be lost, and what will remain when the power comes back on? What files were lost that need to be reconstructed? I remember as a college freshman that I had one day written a history essay that for some reason failed to save on my floppy disk. I was forced to remember what I had written as best I could, and in the end, I was able to reconstruct the content. Though it took some hard work, I handed in the essay and was able to pass the course.

COVID has changed and disrupted a lot of things, but I believe we are now at a point where we need to reboot and reconstruct files that might have been lost in congregational life. This is not easy. It requires commitment and dedication on the part of many people. Perhaps some files have been permanently “lost” in the crash and subsequent reboot. Not everything is meant to last forever. What I have also learned from computer crashes and reboots is that it can be an opportunity for new ideas. When I had to reconstruct my lost history essay after the computer crash described above, I discovered that I was able to incorporate some ideas I had previously forgotten to write about.

As Martin Luther describes in his Small Catechism, when we pray “Thy kingdom come” in the Lord’s Prayer, we are confident that God’s kingdom will indeed come, but we pray in that petition that it will also come among us. The Church of Jesus Christ will go on; God will accomplish His purpose. We pray in this post COVID era that we here at Grace Lutheran will be included in that kingdom.

God’s promises are sure. At the same time, God uses us to bring about His kingdom. Please look for ways that you can be a part of the reboot in this place. It is encouraging to see interest in things both new and old. For example, the Men of Grace are resuming their activity. The Women of the NALC organization will begin meeting again this month. We will be starting a new men’s breakfast meeting as well. KFC will begin again as well. We still need to restart the KFROGS group, and of course we can always use more Sunday School/Adventures in Faith teachers! Above all, commit yourselves to being nourished by the gifts of Jesus Christ in worship.

We are fortunate to have a God of new beginnings, who has a track record of rebooting His people after their crashes. The prophet Joel speaks: Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love.
 
Pr. Tom Jacobson
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"Gracevine" Newsletter Article September 2022

8/30/2022

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From the "Gracevine" newsletter article for Grace Lutheran Church in Thornville, Ohio, September 2022.

Marketplace


So Paul, standing in the midst of the Areopagus, said: “Men of Athens, I perceive that in every way you are very religious…”
- Acts 17:22 ESV

In our time and part of the world, we don’t have much experience with traditional marketplaces, where people show up in the town square to sell their goods or hawk their wares. About the closest thing we have to marketplaces are shopping malls, where people can find stores devoted to particular items, but even these are becoming a thing of the past in light of the convenience of online shopping. But the market lives on. Instead of disappearing, the marketplace has shifted platforms.

Whatever form it takes, the concept of a marketplace is helpful for thinking about religion in America. From the beginning, the “non-establishment clause” in the First Amendment of the US Constitution turned religion into a marketplace. In our country, there would be no established state church, as in the Church of England. Yet the Founding Fathers recognized the important role that religion plays in society, and so while the First Amendment prohibited Congress from establishing a particular religion, they also made sure to prohibit Congress from making laws “prohibiting the free exercise [of religion].”

This free market economy of religion in America is what has made our country religiously vital, which stands in contrast to many European countries with a history of state sponsored churches. Though we often hear of the increasing secularization of our country, the United States actually remains a very religious country, having contributed to the proliferation of religions, church denominations, and sects, many of which have been shipped abroad. Think, for example, of Mormons and Jehovah’s Witnesses, both of which have origins in our land.
The idea of a religious marketplace is not new. In the earliest days of the Christian faith, the Apostle Paul commented during his visit to the Greek city of Athens how religious the people of that city were, devoted to various gods. Noticing there was a monument to “An Unknown God,” he used that opportunity to introduce people to faith in Jesus Christ.

What would Paul say if he were among us today? He might comment on the secularization of our society, but he might also make comments like at his speech at the Athenian Areopagus, described in the New Testament book of Acts. All around us are signs of the religiosity of our country, with churches and sects of various types on street corners and along highways. All these groups are looking for their market share.

Where do we stand in the American religious marketplace? By “we” I mean churches of our type. Unfortunately, the numerical trend is not in our favor. What has often been called “mainline” Protestantism, which includes groups like Methodists, Presbyterians, Lutherans, and others, has been in decline for some time. As of 1960, there were roughly 8 million Lutherans of all kinds in the United States. Today, there are roughly 7 million, and the population of the country has doubled in that time. “Mainline” Protestants not keeping pace with population growth is due to many factors, one of which is simply lower birthrates.

In a competitive religious market, it’s easy for churches to get nervous and to wonder how to remain vital and relevant. I have felt that pressure in the past. This is an issue that has been on my mind over the years, and that is the reason I am addressing it in this article. A fairly recent phenomenon around our country is what I and others often call the “box church,” so named because these churches often inhabit spaces of vacated “box stores,” such as Walmart, Target, and the like. Such “box churches” are most often labeled as “non-denominational” and often employ contemporary Christian praise music in their worship. For churches of a more traditional type, “box churches” provide market competition. In years gone by, denominational loyalty was much stronger than today. People who had been members of “mainline” churches automatically gravitated to other “mainline” churches if they relocated. Now, they join a church, if they bother joining one at all, for local and relational reasons. No doubt there are many decent and committed people who attend these “box churches,” but their perspectives on theology and worship are usually quite different than ours.  

What does our congregation of Grace Lutheran have to offer people in this religious marketplace? A lot, I think. We have many gifted and active members, and we engage in important service in our community. We have many friendly and welcoming people. But when it comes to worship, compared to the glitz that can be found in some “box churches,” it is easy for those of us of more traditional churches to feel inadequate, irrelevant, and behind the times.
It is important to remember that no church can be everything to everyone. Most likely, we will never be a church focused on “contemporary worship” trends. Such things do appeal to certain people in the religious marketplace. But there is a place in the market for more traditional styles of “doing church,” which are quieter, more meditative, more focused on ritual, more focused on teaching, and less focused on emotionalism. We would do well to continue to focus on doing well what it is that we do. There are indeed people to whom our “style” speaks. When I was a teenager, many adults assumed that because I was younger, I must have disliked my church’s traditional style. They were surprised when I told them that I actually liked it! I know that I was not alone in my preference. Inundated with modern pop music throughout the week, many people look for church to provide them with a different kind of experience, a change of pace.   

I am convinced that our congregation indeed has much to offer, and not just in terms of the good and committed people involved in the life of this church. Through our creeds, confessional writings, liturgy, and hymns, we stand on an ancient tradition that has endured for centuries. We continue to encounter God’s gospel (good news of Jesus). We do not reject everything that is new, but we also do not forget from where it is we have come. Our view of worship, which speaks of God serving us in Jesus Christ through His Word and sacraments, roots our lives in God’s grace. That is an important voice in today’s marketplace, however small it might be. Let us not be embarrassed or feel inadequate about our tradition, but embrace it proudly as our words and lives bear witness to the grace of Jesus Christ, who welcomes us sinners to his table and calls us as disciples to live repentant lives in response to his gifts!

​Pr. Tom Jacobson   
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Brief Description of Sizeable Lutheran Church Bodies in the United States

8/15/2022

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Note: This list includes Lutheran church organizations considered “sizeable,” meaning that they have more than a handful of congregations. There are a number of smaller groups in existence. Those described here are listed in descending order of size according to number of congregations. Though these brief sketches are admittedly superficial, I have attempted here to provide fair and accurate descriptions of the history and distinguishing characteristics of each group. Though no value judgments should be inferred from my descriptions, I must provide the disclaimer that I am a member of the North American Lutheran Church (NALC) and Lutheran Congregations in Mission for Christ (LCMC). The numbers of congregations and members for each group are estimates and are based on information available as of June of 2022.

Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA)

ca. 8,500 congregations
ca. 3.2 million members
Headquarters: Chicago, Illinois

The ELCA began in 1988 from a merger of the Lutheran Church in America (LCA), the American Lutheran Church (TALC) and the much smaller Association of Evangelical Lutheran Churches (AELC). The LCA was a product of mergers that united older German immigrant congregations with a large Swedish Lutheran body, with smaller numbers of Finnish, Danish, Icelandic, and Slovak congregations included as well. TALC was a product of mergers that united later German immigrant congregations with a larger Norwegian Lutheran body and a much smaller Danish group. The LCA and TALC were joined in the 1988 merger by the AELC, a small group that had broken away from the Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod in 1976. At the outset, the ELCA had roughly 5.2 million members and 11 thousand congregations. Controversies in the ELCA over the years led to the departure of many members and congregations and the formation of Lutheran Congregations in Mission for Christ (LCMC) in 2001 and the North American Lutheran Church (NALC) in 2010. Like its predecessor bodies did as of 1970, the ELCA permits the ordination of women, has focused on ecumenical cooperation with like-minded Protestant church bodies, and is often described as “liberal” in its understanding of faith and social values.    

Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod (LCMS)

ca. 6,100 congregations
ca. 2.1 million members
Headquarters: St. Louis, Missouri

The roots of the LCMS, often known simply as the “Missouri Synod,” are in the Saxon German immigration of the early nineteenth century, which settled in Perry County, Missouri. Organized officially in 1847, they have had a continuous history since their founding, avoiding mergers with other groups. The LCMS did, however, join a cooperative federation of like-minded Lutherans known as the Synodical Conference in 1872, which dissolved in the early 1960s. Over time, two smaller groups of Slovak and Finnish Lutherans were absorbed into the LCMS. Those who founded the LCMS expressed concern for maintaining a distinct Lutheran witness in the face of pressure to conform to non-Lutheran perspectives. They permit only the ordination of men, and though there is some diversity among the LCMS in practice, they are generally considered conservative in their doctrine, requiring what they regard as complete doctrinal agreement for “altar and pulpit fellowship,” meaning the exchange of pastors and the sharing of Holy Communion. They regard themselves as strongly rooted in the “inerrancy” of the Bible and in the theology of the Lutheran Confessional Writings.

Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod (WELS)

ca. 1,200 congregations
ca. 375 thousand members
Headquarters: Milwaukee, Wisconsin

The roots of the WELS are also in the German immigration of the early nineteenth century, with special strength in the state of Wisconsin. Originally founded in 1850, the Michigan and Minnesota Synods joined with the Wisconsin Synod in 1892. With the LCMS, it was a member of the Synodical Conference, founded in 1872. The WELS eventually broke fellowship with the LCMS over certain points of doctrine and is generally considered more conservative than the LCMS, requiring complete doctrinal agreement not only for the sharing of pastors and Holy Communion, but also for joint prayer with other Christians. The WELS also prohibits the suffrage of women in congregational decisions. The WELS is currently in fellowship with the Evangelical Lutheran Synod (ELS; see below).

Lutheran Congregations in Mission for Christ (LCMC)

ca. 800 congregations (in the USA)
ca. 300 thousand members
Note: LCMC also has international congregations in many different countries. Including these congregations, there are over 900 congregations in total. Additionally, over one hundred congregations of LCMC are dually affiliated with the North American Lutheran Church (NALC; see below)
Headquarters: Canton, Michigan

LCMC was founded in 2001 by 25 congregations from the ELCA. In 1999, the ELCA adopted an ecumenical agreement with the Episcopal Church USA, which required the ELCA to conform to the ordination standards of the Anglican Communion for the interchange of clergy. Within the ELCA, a group called the Word Alone Network opposed this move, viewing it as a violation of the Lutheran Confessional Writings. Some members of the Word Alone Network formed LCMC as an alternative organization. From the beginning, LCMC has understood itself as “post-denominational” and an “association” of congregations rather than a traditional denomination. As an association, LCMC generally does not make pronouncements on behalf of its member congregations. It did, however, produce an “admonition,” stating that marriage is between a man and a woman. Comprised mostly of small, rural congregations and large “megachurches,” LCMC is more socially and theologically conservative than the ELCA, though differs in character from the LCMS. It permits the ordination of women and contains a strong “strain” of “evangelical renewal,” which is focused on “contemporary style” worship practices. LCMC grew gradually since its founding, but much of its membership was added after the ELCA in 2009 changed its policy concerning pastors in same-sex relationships. LCMC has also started many mission congregations.

North American Lutheran Church (NALC)

ca. 460 congregations
ca. 150 thousand members
Headquarters: Dallas, Texas

The NALC was formed in 2010 by congregations dissatisfied with some positions taken by the ELCA and its general atmosphere. The ELCA’s decision in 2009 to change its policy concerning pastors in same-sex relationships, but more significantly underlying issues of biblical and theological authority, was the impetus for the creation of the NALC. Unlike those who founded LCMC nearly ten years earlier, however, the NALC was conceived as a more traditionally structured denomination rather than an association of congregations. In general, though not absolutely, NALC congregations exhibit more liturgical formality than is found in LCMC. However, over a hundred congregations of the NALC have dual affiliation with LCMC, and the two organizations together occupy more “centrist” ground in the American Lutheran field today. The NALC exists as a more theologically and socially conservative expression of the ecumenical Lutheran tradition than is found in the ELCA and is committed to its understanding of biblical, creedal, and confessional faithfulness. The NALC permits the ordination of women. Though not officially in fellowship with the LCMS, it has a history of positive conversations with the LCMS over issues of common interest.

Association of Free Lutheran Congregations (AFLC)

ca. 270 congregations
ca. 43 thousand members
Headquarters: Plymouth, Minnesota

The roots of the AFLC are in the complicated history of Norwegian-American Lutheranism. In 1890, a merger of three Norwegian-American Lutheran groups produced the United Norwegian Lutheran Church (UNLC). In the interest of compromise between the two largest of the merging groups, the UNLC decided that Augsburg Seminary in Minneapolis, Minnesota (from “The Conference”) would be the seminary of the new organization and St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota (from “The Anti-Missourian Brotherhood”) would be the college of the new organization. This was unsatisfactory to many who came from “The Conference,” who desired a unified college and seminary program, and in 1897 they broke from the UNLC to form “The Lutheran Free Church” (LFC). The LFC existed independently for many years, but eventually took part in the merger negotiations to form The American Lutheran Church (TALC) in 1960. When the LFC finally succeeded in mustering enough votes to merge into TALC in 1963, around 20 percent of its congregations refused to join the merger, and they formed the AFLC as an alternative. Before the formation of LCMC and the NALC, the AFLC was for many years the fourth largest Lutheran group in the United States. Today, they value their heritage in the Scandinavian Lutheran revival tradition, tend toward liturgical simplicity in worship, and are theologically and socially conservative. They do not permit the ordination of women.    

Evangelical Lutheran Synod (ELS)

ca. 130 congregations
ca. 19 thousand members
Headquarters: Mankato, Minnesota

The ELS also has its roots in the Norwegian-American Lutheran tradition. Leading up to 1917, three Norwegian-American Lutheran bodies began merger negotiations the led to the formation of the “Norwegian Lutheran Church of America” (NLCA) that year. In 1918, a small group of pastors and elements of various congregations from one of the merging bodies called the “Norwegian Synod” rejected the theological compromise on the issue of predestination or “election,” which made the merger possible. This group was often known as the “Little Norwegians” to distinguish it from the much larger NLCA. Now known as the ELS, this group considers itself to be the genuine continuation of the “Norwegian Synod” and is in fellowship with the WELS, sharing its general outlook while also carrying forward its own Norwegian heritage.

Church of the Lutheran Brethren of America (CLBA)

ca. 120 congregations
ca. 24 thousand members
Headquarters: Fergus Falls, Minnesota

Yet another group with roots in the Norwegian-American Lutheran tradition, the CLBA was formed in the year 1900 by congregations that came mostly from the United Norwegian Lutheran Church (UNLC). They were concerned about the existence of nominal membership and sought to maintain “pure” congregations through the implementation of church discipline. With roots in the Norwegian Haugean tradition, they have remained a small though active group, placing emphasis on foreign mission. Theologically and socially conservative, the CLBA also emphasizes liturgical informality.

Church of the Lutheran Confession (CLC)

ca. 80 congregations
ca. 9 thousand members (not including international membership)
Headquarters: Eau Claire, Wisconsin

The CLC was founded in 1960 by congregations primarily from the WELS. Those who formed the CLC felt that the WELS and ELS did not follow Scriptural principles in severing ties with the LCMS over what they considered violation of rules of church fellowship on the part of the LCMS. The CLC strives to uphold the principles of the Synodical Conference, which was founded in 1872, placing emphasis on biblical “inerrancy,” Scripture as the basis of doctrine, and the Lutheran Confessional Writings as an accurate presentation of what Scripture teaches. It operates a high school, college, and seminary in Eau Claire, Wisconsin.

American Association of Lutheran Churches (AALC)

ca. 65 congregations
ca. 16 thousand members
Headquarters: Fort Wayne, Indiana
Prior to the formation of the ELCA in 1988, a group of around a hundred congregations, mostly from The American Lutheran Church (TALC), declined to join the new organization over concerns of biblical and theological faithfulness. Known as the AALC, this group has remained small throughout its existence and currently shares a fellowship arrangement with the LCMS. They seek to carry forward what they understand as the more conservative element of TALC and share most of the perspectives of the LCMS.
 
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What Does the ELCA Social Statement on Abortion Really Say?

8/13/2022

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By Rev. Dr. Thomas E. Jacobson

Note: This article appeared in the July 2022 issue of the CORE Voice Newsletter of the Lutheran CORE (Coalition for Renewal) organization in response to statements from the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America's presiding bishop Elizabeth Eaton regarding the US Supreme Court's Dobb's decision, which overturned the earlier Roe v. Wade decision of 1973.


It is now old news that the issue of abortion in the United States, which has long simmered on medium heat in our national discourse, has recently boiled over. Because of the Supreme Court’s recent decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health, which overturned Roe (1973) and Casey (1992), individual states now possess increased ability to restrict abortion, including banning the practice outright. Though this is a significant victory for those who consider themselves prolife, the issue of the legality of abortion now simply shifts to a more local level. Even so, many abortion rights advocates are outraged, which has prompted commentary and statements from many, including church leadership.   

It had been over twenty years since I first read the ELCA social statement on abortion when I was recently asked to do so again. The first case was for a class as a college sophomore. The second, the result of which is this reflection, was in response to ELCA Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton’s references to this statement in response to shifting abortion policy in the United States. My reaction after both readings of this statement was the same: Though far from what I would consider a perfect document, the 1991 social statement on abortion is much more life-affirming than one might expect. The development of this statement involved input from people of different viewpoints who listened to each other and worked hard to produce a document that, while not satisfying everyone, incorporated various concerns in a balanced manner.

Nevertheless, it is widely acknowledged that the ELCA statement on abortion, one of the earliest such social statements considered and adopted,[1] has not been without controversy in the history of the ELCA and has been subject to controversial “interpretation.” The question of how or whether to harmonize the content of this statement with the health plan coverage provided by the ELCA Board of Pensions (now called Portico) was one issue that early on created for some a lack of trust in the leadership of the ELCA. Among these is Russell Saltzman, former ELCA pastor and now member of the Roman Catholic Church, who offered the following comments in 2010 in the wake of the ELCA’s policy change concerning pastors in same-sex relationships:

My real disaffection with the ELCA didn’t start with sex. It began in earnest over the ELCA abortion statement and the subsequent decision by the national council to treat elective abortion for pastors and dependents as a reimbursable medical expense under the church health plan. From the abortion statement, the church said to value my baptism as an infant regards my conception by step-siblings as a morally justifiable reason for terminating the pregnancy that became me at the baptismal font. From the schedule of benefits by the health plan, had my birth-parents in any way been covered under the ELCA health plan, my church would have paid to do it.[2]

Comments such as these, the recent Supreme Court decision, and Bishop Eaton’s communications invite us to explore more fully what the 1991 social statement on abortion really says in its fullness. In fairness, documents such as this touch on a variety of issues and make several assertions. Nevertheless, one must ask whether Bishop Eaton’s comments about the statement accurately reflect the spirit of the document.

Reviewing Bishop Eaton’s Communications


On May 30, 2019, Bishop Eaton issued a communication in response to various attempts by states “to restrict access to legal abortion,”[3] in which she invited her readers to revisit the ELCA social statement on abortion. In the first incarnation of this message, she stated that “this church seeks to travel a moderating path by supporting abortion as a last resort for pregnancies that are unsafe or a result of rape or incest.”[4] This is a fairly accurate summary of what the ELCA statement says. Not long after this communication went public, however, she issued a revised statement, nearly identical, but which omitted the words “for pregnancies that are unsafe or a result of rape or incest.”

In response to the leaked draft of Dobbs in May of 2022, she issued further comments about abortion, including many references to the 1991 social statement. She claimed that the content of the draft opinion “contradicts the church’s teaching” and that the 1991 statement affirms that “abortion must be legal, regulated and accessible.”[5]
Finally, after the actual opinion, which does not differ significantly from the draft, was released in June of 2022, Bishop Eaton emphasized again that the ELCA’s position is that “the practice (of abortion) should be legal” in spite of “deep concern” over the number of induced abortions.[6] Further, she expressed her concern that “Overturning Roe v. Wade and placing decisions about abortion regulation at the state level encumbers and endangers the lives of all persons who need to make decisions about unexpected pregnancies.”[7]

What the Statement Says


How does one effectively summarize the content of a ten-page statement, especially one that seeks a nuanced approach to a difficult moral issue? This is a challenging task, to be sure, and Bishop Eaton does communicate some truth in the parts of the statement that she cites. In her communications, she quotes liberally from the 1991 social statement. Yet there are many things in this statement that she overlooks and in at least one case even misrepresents.

Before addressing the issue of the legality of abortion, it is important to note this statement’s expression of the value of unborn life: “Human life in all phases of its development is God-given and, therefore, has intrinsic value, worth, and dignity. Guided by God’s Law, which orders and preserves life, human beings are called to respect and care for the life that God gives.”[8] It goes on to state that “We mourn the loss of life (through abortion) that God has created” and that “The strong Christian presumption is to preserve and protect life. Abortion ought to be an option only of last resort.”[9] As a consequence of this commitment to preserve and protect life, the statement declares that the ELCA “in most circumstances, encourages women with unintended pregnancies to continue the pregnancy.”[10]

The social statement on abortion does speak of certain situations where it can be “morally responsible” for a woman to obtain an abortion, such as in cases of rape, incest, or extreme fetal abnormality.[11] Even so, however, the ELCA “opposes ending intrauterine life when a fetus is developed enough to live outside a uterus with the aid of reasonable and necessary technology.”[12]

While the social statement seeks to balance the importance of the life of an unborn child and the life of the woman bearing that child, it clearly states that “government has a legitimate role in regulating abortion.”[13] In fact, it states that the ELCA opposes “the total lack of regulation of abortion.”[14] To be sure, it also opposes “legislation that would outlaw abortion in all circumstances” and laws that “deny access to safe and affordable services for morally justifiable abortions.”[15]

This all leads, however, to a concluding paragraph about the regulation of abortion, which reads as follows:

"The position of this church is that, in cases where the life of the mother is threatened, where pregnancy results from rape or incest, or where the embryo or fetus has lethal abnormalities incompatible with life, abortion prior to viability should not be prohibited by law or by lack of public funding of abortions for low income women. On the other hand, this church supports legislation that prohibits abortions that are performed after the fetus is determined to be viable, except when the mother’s life is threatened or when lethal abnormalities indicate the prospective newborn will die very soon.

Beyond these situations, this church neither supports nor opposes laws prohibiting abortion."
[16]

I suspect that many would be surprised to know that the ELCA social statement on abortion directly opposes abortion after viability and even supports legislation that prohibits abortion after viability, only considering abortion “morally responsible” in the difficult circumstances above. Bishop Eaton’s assertion that abortion must be “legal, regulated and accessible” can only be responsibly read to apply to these difficult circumstances of saving the life of the mother, rape, incest, and embryonic or fetal abnormalities incompatible with life. Similarly, if the Dobbs opinion “contradicts the church’s teaching” as she claims, it would only do so if individual states enact laws that prohibit abortion in these difficult circumstances.

Getting to the Root of the Matter


As mentioned, the 1991 social statement touches on many other important issues involved in the abortion debate, such as supporting pregnant women in their needs, encouraging adoption and foster care, the use of contraceptives, and encouraging congregations to be places of hospitality for women facing difficult circumstances. But the foundational issue for our society in its discussion of abortion is the very thing that leads to the perceived need for abortion: sexual intercourse and its appropriate context.

It might also surprise readers of the statement to learn that the ELCA states the following: “Marriage is the appropriate context for sexual intercourse. This continues to be the position of this church.”[17] Moreover, it affirms that congregations and church schools should emphasize values such as “abstinence from sexual intercourse outside marriage” and that “young men and young women be taught to exercise their sexuality responsibly.”[18]

Clearly, the authors of the 1991 ELCA social statement on abortion recognized the challenges posed by a society that had by then begun to face the shockwaves created by the sexual revolution. The over three decades since 1991 have seen even further movement away from the vision that marriage is the appropriate context for sexual intercourse. Sex is most often portrayed in entertainment media as an inevitable part of taking a relationship to another level and most always as purely a part of adult fulfillment and pleasure, detached from concern for procreation. Any life created by these sexual encounters is viewed as an inconvenience and unfortunate consequence.

I encourage ELCA leadership to study this social statement on abortion and to take seriously what it actually says. I also encourage other Lutherans to do so. There are some aspects of this statement with which I and others disagree, but there are many things in this statement worthy of our consideration and affirmation. Significantly, if our society is to address the crisis of abortion, we must not only address the desire for abortion as it arises. We must address the underlying issue and lift up the call of God for sex to be used responsibly, between a man and a woman who are married and committed to nurturing life created by that loving union. Regardless of what Lutheran church bodies we are members, the ELCA social statement on abortion can be an encouragement to us in lifting up that important vision.    

[1] According to the social statement itself, “…adopted by a more than two-thirds majority vote at the second biennial Churchwide Assembly of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, meeting in Orlando, Florida, August 28-September 4, 1991.”
[2] Russell E. Saltzman, “From the ELCA to the NALC,” First Things, https://www.firstthings.com/blogs/firstthoughts/2010/12/from-the-elca-to-the-nalc, Accessed 7/2/2022.
[3] Elizabeth Eaton, open letter, May 30, 2019.
[4] Ibid.
[5] Elizabeth Eaton, open letter, May 17, 2022.
[6] Elizabeth Eaton, open letter, June 24, 2022.
[7] Ibid.
[8] Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, “A Social Statement on Abortion,” 1991, p. 2-3.
[9] Ibid., p. 3-4.
[10] Ibid., p. 6.
[11] Ibid., p. 7.
[12] Ibid.
[13] Ibid., p. 9.
[14] Ibid.
[15] Ibid.
[16] Ibid., p. 10. Emphasis added.
[17] Ibid., p. 4.
[18] Ibid., p. 5.
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"Gracevine" Newsletter Article August 2022

8/11/2022

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For the "Gracevine" newsletter for Grace Lutheran Church in Thornville, Ohio, August 2022.

Judgment


Then shall the trees of the forest sing for joy before the Lord, for he comes to judge the earth.
– 1 Chronicles 16:33 ESV (Monthly Watchword for August)

When I was younger, I used to laugh at the idea that lesser life forms could praise God. I would hear people say that chirping crickets and birds were really lifting their voices to the Creator of the universe, and I would proceed to roll my eyes. The idea seemed preposterous.

Then I began to read the Bible, and I discovered that the Bible talks often about all parts of creation being in relationship with God. Indeed, there are many places in the Bible that do speak of animal and plant life, not to mention other parts of creation, even inanimate objects, praising God. Such things do not possess the level of consciousness that humans do, but their presence in creation and their “voices” are the result and a reminder of God’s creative activity.

One such verse is this month’s Watchword, from 1 Chronicles 16:33. 1 Chronicles is one of those Old Testament books most often neglected. 1 and 2 Chronicles tell the story recounted in the books of 1 and 2 Samuel and 1 and 2 Kings, but from a different point of view.

Of all parts of 1 Chronicles, chapter 16 is probably the most famous. It recounts King David bringing the Ark of the Covenant, containing the tablets of the Ten Commandments, into the city of Jerusalem. At that time, the Temple had not yet been constructed, so the Ark was placed in a tent. And David breaks forth into song, of which 16:33 is a part.

This verse is confusing to us, and not just because it speaks of trees singing for joy. We understand that the point of David’s song is that all creation is called to give thanks to God because of His faithfulness to His promises. What is really confusing is the reason behind the joy of the trees: [F]or [God] comes to judge the earth.
How can anyone be joyful about judgment? The answer to that question requires us to rethink the whole issue of judgment.

We typically hear of “judgment” in a negative sense. We are warned against “being judgmental,” and the thought of judgment from God can be terrifying. Judgment conjures images of destruction, as in “sulfur and fire” from God on the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah because of their wickedness (Genesis 18).  

But judgment is a much bigger concept. The Hebrew word shaphat, translated as “judgment,” is not only about retribution. It is about setting things right, making decisions, and settling disputes.

We might not always like judgment, especially when judgment gets in the way of what we want at the moment. But how blessed we are to live in a world with judgment, with order! Judgment is necessary for us to live in true freedom and peace.

How much more are we blessed to have a God who cares about judgment, who seeks to make things right in creation, and who includes us in that! We believe both that God is a God of judgment and that God has a friendly heart toward us. By faith, we hold on to God’s good news that in Jesus Christ, the Son of God, God has given His judgment. It is the judgment that though we are sinners, Christ is a great Savior. For we who trust in God’s grace, we need not fear judgment from God. We can receive it with joy.

There are many things for which we can and should be joyful. We are blessed to have daily bread from God in many forms. We are blessed by our true friends and neighbors in this community and elsewhere. We are blessed by the gift of this congregation and our ability to be a part of it. As we are in these waning days of summer and the trees begin to change their color, we rejoice with the trees that God has come and is coming to judge the earth!
 
Pr. Tom Jacobson   
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"Gracevine" Newsletter Article July 2022

8/11/2022

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From the "Gracevine" newsletter for Grace Lutheran Church in Thornville, Ohio, July 2022.

Thirsty!

My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.
– Psalm 42:2 ESV (Monthly Watchword for July)

Summer has never been my favorite season. I don’t do well in the heat, and my skin burns easily from the power of the sun. I much prefer the cool of autumn and the cold of winter. Growing up in Minnesota, known for its cold weather, I felt at home there. But we had our share of hot days as well.

This July, I remember this time of year in 2007. I was a new pastor, not even a full year into my first year of ministry. Starting in September of 2006, that first year of my first call in northern Minnesota was intense. Doing everything for the first time, “learning the ropes,” and encountering lots of challenges was exhausting. That first year alone, I conducted seventeen funeral services, a heavy burden for a brand-new pastor to bear. I was also under stress because I knew my life would be changing soon; I planned on asking Theresa to marry me later that summer. With all this stress in varying forms, there were moments in that year when I was filled with doubt and wondered if I was cut out for the role of pastor. I needed to be renewed before entering my second year.

With my time off that summer, I connected with an old college friend. He and I wanted to spend some time in the wilderness. In the Bible, the wilderness represents both challenge and renewal. For a brief time of wilderness wandering, there is no better place in Minnesota than the North Shore of Lake Superior, what is jokingly called “the Scandinavian Riviera.” With its rocky shores, waterfalls, lighthouses, and many beautiful state parks, it is a popular vacation destination.

One of the hidden treasures of the North Shore of Lake Superior is a hiking trail that goes from the harbor city of Duluth, Minnesota all the way to the Canadian border. Similar to the ruggedness of the Appalachian Trail, the Superior Hiking Trail takes a few weeks for an experienced hiker to complete. My friend and I knew we couldn’t hike the whole trail, but we planned for a multi-day adventure on this trail, taking in the beauty of nature. But we soon faced a difficult reality.

That summer in Minnesota was hot and dry. Along this trail, one must obtain drinking water from various beaver ponds and creeks, treating it with iodine tablets or filters. It was so dry that summer that many of the water sources had disappeared. One day, with our water bottles empty, we searched in vain for a water source. We began to be concerned. On a wilderness trail with no water in the heat, it would not take long for dehydration to set in.

For our own safety, we had no choice but to cut our hike short. Our map indicated that the trail intersected with a county highway that led into the town of Silver Bay, Minnesota. Trudging along the trail and in need of water, I remembered the words of Psalm 42:2: “My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.” We reached the highway, a sign of civilization in the wilderness, and we followed it into town. At the first gas station we passed, we quickly bought and consumed some Gatorade with thankful hearts!

This experience was meaningful for me. I came to see that the previous year was one small part of the trail of life, which happened to be especially challenging. But it was not the end. Though there were moments of dryness, God was not finished with me, and he provided me with what I needed. Having some time away gave me a new perspective, and I saw God at work in my life. I found the strength to carry on.

“My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.” The Psalmist long ago had a similar experience, though he does not go into detail about it. If you read the entire Psalm 42, he recounts many challenges he faced from adversaries. In it all, he remembered God’s faithfulness and longed to experience joy in the presence of God once again. He walked a difficult trail in the dry season, and he longed for his thirst to be quenched.

There are moments when our thirst is obvious. But dehydration can easily set in unknowingly. This is why it is so dangerous. We must always remember our need for God to keep us hydrated with the spiritual water that leads to eternal life, even in this summer season. In John chapter four, Jesus reminds a woman at a well of her need to drink from a different kind of well, and those words call out to us in our time: “The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life” (John 4:14).

Quench your thirst with the Word of God and the gifts of God in church this summer and always, and have a blessed rest of this summer season!
 
​Pr. Tom Jacobson  
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    Thomas E. Jacobson

    I am a Lutheran pastor, church historian, husband, and father, not necessarily in order of importance. I completed my Ph.D. in the spring of 2018, focusing on Norwegian-American Lutheran history. 

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