Messages

16

Your Turn / Re: The Aging LCMS Pastors & Laity

« on: May 07, 2023, 11:50:49 AM »

 In the 1970's and 1980's I enjoyed the monthly fellowship
on a Friday night of two adjacent circuits. There were 14
parishes in urban and suburban settings. We had a round
robin rotation at each pastor's home.  This included our
wives and we gathered for visiting and refreshments.

It was great to develop a esprit de corps among us and get
to know one another in an informal manner.  These relaxed
situations enabled everyone to be themselves without any
facade. We would have a annual Christmas party at a good
restaurant.  There were also welcome and farewell dinners
at top notch restaurants in the area to solidify our fellowship
as pastors entered the circuit or took a call to a new parish.

17

Your Turn / Re: The Aging LCMS Pastors & Laity

« on: May 03, 2023, 05:45:48 PM »

Thanks Jim, for the update.   It would be great to have those lst Year
classes number 100 in the near future. The pastoral ministry needs to
be a recruitment priority for our LCMS parishes and districts.

18

Your Turn / Re: The Aging LCMS Pastors & Laity

« on: May 03, 2023, 03:39:40 PM »

Concordia Seminary, St. Louis issued 43 calls to seminary candidates.
31 had a Masters of Divinity degree and 12 took an alternate route.

Concordia Seminary, Ft Wayne issued 31 calls to seminary candidates.
30 had a Masters of Divinity degree and 1 took an alternate route.

Bottom Line: 74 pastoral candidates received calls

Concordia Seminary St. Louis assigned 42 seminarians to a vicarage.
Concordia Seminary Ft. Wayne assigned 37 seminarians to a vicarage

19

Your Turn / Re: The Aging LCMS Pastors & Laity

« on: May 03, 2023, 02:37:40 PM »

If you look at the trends in the LCMS for pastoral candidates
from our 2 seminaries, then you realize that second career
pastors will raise the median age of parish pastors.

The old tradition of most seminary candidates with 4 years of
college followed immediately by 4 years of seminary training
is over.  Most of those men were 25 or 26 years old when they
accepted their first call as a seminary candidate.

20

Your Turn / The Aging LCMS Pastors & Laity

« on: May 03, 2023, 01:21:14 PM »

According to a September 2022 analysis by LCMS Rosters & Statistics:

57% of our pastors are over the age of 55 and only 23% are under 
the age of 45.

According to Pew Research Center in a 2016 analysis of LCMS
membership:

The median age of our adult members was 56.   30% of our
membership was older than 65.  58% was older than 50.

These statistics were in the May 2023 issue of The Lutheran Witness

21

Your Turn / Re: Global Methodist Church Is 1 Year Old

« on: May 02, 2023, 12:22:13 PM »

The Global Methodist Church is basically a life raft for those
congregations looking to leave the United Methodist Church.
This is primarily at the present time an issue for parishes
in the United States.  The deadline to leave in peace is Dec.
31, 2023.  The LCMS has about 6,000 congregations and the
Global Methodist Church has about 2,000 congregations for
a point of comparison in size.

22

Your Turn / Global Methodist Church Is 1 Year Old

« on: May 01, 2023, 06:05:10 PM »

The Global Methodist Church started up on May 1, 2022.
It now has about 2,000 congregations and 2,450 clergy.

This new church body came into existence after the
United Methodist Church approved ordination of gay
clergy and gay marriage.  In 2019 the United Methodist
approved a plan for parishes to leave their denomination.
That plan expires December 31, 2023.

23

Your Turn / Re: Homeschooling

« on: May 01, 2023, 12:27:59 PM »

To follow up on the comment of Pastor Fienen about public
school teachers being members of our congregations;

In my suburban parish we had 11 members who were
public high school teachers and 11 more members who
were public elementary school teachers.  Of these 22
teachers there were 14 women and 8 were men.

I might add that all of them were very active in our parish.
They served on various elected boards and the church
council. 

24

Your Turn / Re: What a Wonderful, Blessed Day!

« on: April 30, 2023, 04:03:53 PM »

Buckeye Deaconess......My flashback to "pinning" is when a young
woman receives a male college student's fraternity pin.  It symbolizes
the couple is going steady or plan to become engaged and then married.

However, your deaconess version is now part of my worldview. Thanks
for your service and dedication to the deaconess program.  Buckeye
Deaconess, you are a beacon of hope on this forum.

 

25

Your Turn / Re: Meanwhile, back at the Supreme Court

« on: April 30, 2023, 01:04:12 PM »

In the Old Testament, Joseph was tempted by Potiphar's
wife to have sexual relations with her.  Joseph said to her:
"How then can I do this great wickedness and sin against
God?"

Yes, adultery is great wickedness.  Yes, adultery is a sin
against God.  God intended that marriage between a man
and a woman was the only proper relationship for  sexual
relations.

26

Your Turn / Re: Concordia University Texas

« on: April 27, 2023, 06:41:40 PM »

The Central Illinois District of the LCMS has 4 campus ministries
at the 4 state universities located within the district.

They each have a full-time campus pastor with chapel on campus
with a regular congregation.  They all have a student center.

University of Illinois.....University Lutheran Church In Champaign
Illinois State University...Wittenberg Lutheran Church in Normal
Eastern Illinois University....Immanuel Lutheran Church in Charleston
Western Illinois University...Immanuel Lutheran Church in Macomb

27

Your Turn / Re: Concordia University Texas

« on: April 26, 2023, 10:42:23 AM »

Grand Canyon University has Dr. Paul Raabe listed as an instructor
in their College of Theology Faculty.  He was formerly a professor
at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis until his retirement. At GCU he
teaches courses on the Old Testament and Biblical Interpretation.
Dr. Paul Raabe is an excellent theologian and Old Testament scholar.

28

Your Turn / Re: Concordia University Texas

« on: April 26, 2023, 10:09:44 AM »

Grand Canyon University's Head Basketball Coach for the men's
team is Bryce Drew.  He is a 1998 graduate of Valparaiso University.
Grand Canyon hired Bryce in 2020 and they are a Division 1 team
in the Western Athletic Conference. He has already taken this team
to the NCAA Basketball Tournament.

29

Your Turn / Re: Lutheran Levity

« on: April 23, 2023, 02:32:50 PM »

The following recipe was found in a cookbook published by the
Women's Guild in a rural Lutheran parish in Nebraska.

ELEPHANT STEW...........submitted by Gertie Grim

1 elephant of medium size
2 rabbits, salt & pepper, lots of brown gravy

Cut elephant into small bite size pieces.  This will take about 2
months.  Reserve the trunk to store the pieces in.  Add enough
brown gravy for seasoning.  Cook over kerosene fire for about
4 weeks.at 450 degrees.

This will serve approximately 3,500 people.  If more are expected
the 2 rabbits  may be added if necessary.  Be careful, as most people
do not like to find hare in their stew.

30

Your Turn / Re: The Age Factor

« on: April 20, 2023, 10:59:27 AM »

The HEALTH factor is perhaps the most crucial issue as one
hits age 65.  Pastors need to be honest with themselves and
examine their personal health issues. The parish needs to
have a pastor who is physically and mentally healthy.

There is no shame if a pastor retires at age 65 due to health
concerns. Some pastors are in excellent health at age 65 and
may desire to continue in the pastoral ministry.  May the Lord
bless their efforts to serve Him with vigorous energy.