It has been said here before by several people. If an organization, however “charitable,” happens to be active in a “pro-choice“ or gay affirming way, LCMS should be shaking dust off its collective sandals. The LCMS has Some voices asking it to withdraw from LIRS, not over immigration policy, but just because ELCA is part of it.
And I don’t think the pooches trained as comfort dogs are catechized into the LCMS.
A small documentary on NBC Left Field about LCC Comfort Dogs after the Las Vegas shooting. Mentions their response to the Pulse shooting. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RVJMieuervo&t=119s
It has been said here before by several people. If an organization, however “charitable,” happens to be active in a “pro-choice“ or gay affirming way, LCMS should be shaking dust off its collective sandals. The LCMS has Some voices asking it to withdraw from LIRS, not over immigration policy, but just because ELCA is part of it.
And I don’t think the pooches trained as comfort dogs are catechized into the LCMS.
Oh, well, if they're in any way associated with the LCMS they can't be up to any good.
Overstatement again, Pastor Fienen, feeding your need to be a “victim.”
But if you are baptizing and catechizing and confirming dogs, I guess it’s OK to use them in any situation. But if they’re just working for you, doesn’t that give them more flexibility? They wouldn’t be violating any closed kibble policies.
Charles, you snark and sneer, you mock in your disdain, you doubt that we can reach beyond our own narrowness. You complain bitterly when you think that your beloved ELCA is misrepresented or disrespected, but feel free to do so to others. After all, when you do it it is whimsy, can't we take a joke? When others disparage efforts by the ELCA, that is a serious affront to all that is decent. It needs to be discipled and banned.
What good can pooches trained as comfort dogs do? Perhaps if they were cats to be petted? Obviously, in your universal knowledge and wisdom you perhaps overlooked that comfort dogs are not sent in alone but come leashed to handlers who also are trained. Look at the NBC Left Field clip linked above and you might see how the handlers can use the dog as a means to make connection to the suffering and bring Jesus' love and comfort to people. But of course we make sure that the people are fully on board with our marrow, nit picking theology before we would talk to them!
How quick you are to judge us, how little you really know us.
Lutheran Church Charities, who support, train, and manage the comfort dogs is an LCMS affiliated agency, an LCMS RSO (Recognized Service Organization). I challenge you to listen to a description of the work of LCC Comfort Dogs after the gay bar Pulse in Orlando, Florida was targeted by a mass shooter in 2016 and still scorn their effectiveness as a Gospel outreach tool.
The Rev. William (Billy) A. Brath was at the time an LCMS pastor in Orlando, Florida. He currently serves the church as the Vice-President of Ministry Support - East Region for the Lutheran Church Extension Fund (LCEF). He was one of the presenters at the 2019 LCMS Michigan District All Pastors' Conference talking about ministry to the LGBTQ community. The following link is for his preview presentation for the breakout session that he hosted.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rh3tLA6uxJoI heartily recommend watching the whole thing but the section about the response to the Pulse shooting begins at about 15 minutes into his presentation. For those who scoff at the possibility of an LCMS affiliated ministry utilizing dogs being an effective outreach of the Jesus' love, please consider Pr. Brath's presentation.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cgM_6ejcUW8&t=9s is the link for his entire presentation. Much thoughtful material for ministry with LGBTQ from a Missouri Synod pastor.
