Thursday, March 20, 2008

Take Issue With the Issues Cancellation

Let's not let this matter die out, as I'm sure the LCMS is desperately hoping it will. This could be make or break for the confessional wing of Lutheranism. The things the LCMS has been introducing, such as Ablaze and the Church Growth Movement, are the very things I was trying to escape when I joined the Lutheran church and I'm sure that's the case for many people. Below is some helpful information provided by Aaron Nemoyer.

Update at 12 noon. I have just received a reply from David Strand. He offered no explanation as requested and so I have informed him that I am withdrawing all financial support to the LCMS and requesting from my own church that they use my donations strictly for their own purposes without sending any of it to the LCMS district or headquarters. It is my understanding that this can be done. If enough people do this it will have an impact.
Here is all sorts of contact information to tell people what you think about this, let them know how important Issues, Etc. was to us, and ask why the show was cancelled:

Rev. David L. Strand
Executive Director
Board for Communication
(314) 996-1200
(314) 822-0000
david.strand@lcms.org

Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod
1333 S. Kirkwood Road
St. Louis, MO 63122-7295
(888) 843-5267
(314) 965-9000
FAX: (314) 996-1016
infocenter@lcms.org

KFUO Radio Station
(314) 725-0099
(314) 725-3030‎
(314) 721-2969

Rev. Dr. Gerald Kieschnick
Synod President
(314) 996-1402
(314) 842-7110
president@lcms.org

LC-MS Board of Directors
(314) 996-1350


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Meanwhile, an online petition has been started up about Issues, Etc. being ended. Here's the link:
http://www.petitiononline.com/Issues/petition.html

For anyone who comes across this and has Facebook, the most discussion it seems is going on at the "Bring back Issues ETC!!!" Facebook group.
http://facebook.com/group.php?gid=11679316089


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Finally, financial help for the Schwarz and Wilken families can be sent to the following address. Just put in the memo line that it’s for the “Schwarz/Wilken Fund”. The Schwarzes especially need the help as Jeff Schwarz's wife Beth has been recently diagnosed with small fiber neuropathy and they need to go to Mayo Clinic to try figuring out what can be done.

"Schwarz/Wilken Fund"
Saint Paul Lutheran Church
P.O. Box 247
Hamel, IL 62046

All help and all prayers are appreciated.


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I will be continuing to post information and resources relating to the cancellation of Issues, Etc. and firing of Rev. Wilken and Mr. Schwarz. So, if you could please help me draw people to the resource of my blog, I would really appreciate it.
http://latinkid.blogspot.com/2008/03/pulled-from-air-issues-etc.html

God bless,
--Aaron Nemoyer

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posted by Bob Hunter @ Thursday, March 20, 2008 3 comments

Monday, March 26, 2007

World's Lutherans Debate Homosexuality


From the Christian Post this sad story:

While facing debates over ethical issues, including homosexuality, Lutherans from around the world were encouraged to stay in communion around their common
faith.

At the Lutheran World Federation's 60th anniversary service on Sunday, Church of Sweden Archbishop Anders Wejryd told hundreds of attendants that the different practices of the churches on several matters should not threaten the communion of Lutheran churches, according to an LWF press release.

...Although Jesus had shed light on Scriptures it was up to the members of the communion to interpret them, based on the hermeneutical principles and “looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfector of our faith," he added.

...The archbishop’s comments come in the midst of an eight-day meeting of the LWF Council (the group's main governing body) where Lutheran churches were encouraged by LWF’s general secretary, the Rev. Dr. Ishmael Noko, to discuss issues of marriage, family and sexuality among other topics.

Church representatives from Africa were vocal in their opposition to same-sex “marriage.”


"If God had wanted people from the same sex to have relationships he would have created Adam and Adam, not Adam and Eve," said Satou Marthe, a woman delegate from Cameroon, according to Ecumenical News International.

The European Lutheran churches called for a "profound theological study on marriage, family and biblical hermeneutics," according to LWF. And the North American conference said there is a need to "identify social, political, cultural and interfaith factors” that shape perspectives on these issues.

The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America had issued a three-part series of studies on human sexuality in recent years out of a mandate by the 2001 Churchwide Assembly. Responses from congregants around the country are expected to help shape ELCA's statement on human sexuality, including such issues as same-sex marriage and the consecration of homosexuals.

...The Lutheran World Federation does not have a stand on the issue of homosexuality yet.

The Church of Sweden – the largest Lutheran church in the world – had announced last week that marriage should be reserved for heterosexual couples but that the church would give blessings to same-sex couples in committed, faithful relationships, according to Ecumenical News International.

In my opinion any Lutheran church that even thinks the matter of homosexuality is a matter of debate has no business calling itself Lutheran.

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posted by Bob Hunter @ Monday, March 26, 2007 0 comments