Bolland farewell to LCMS

[peter_speckhard]

https://anolw.wordpress.com/2022/08/28/farewell-missouri/?fbclid=IwAR3Xxi9-CbJ3Fx3jsZn8apQrTorNU3xb2-QNau53PSFk0uVuRaNo_H8g1rE

[Donald_Kirchner]

Oh my!

[Rev. Edward Engelbrecht]

May our gracious Lord grant days of rest and favor now and forever more.

[Dave Benke]

Of course, I came to know Dick quite well at a certain time in my life.  As one of the twenty-one accusers in my case, he got to attend the initial hearing meeting.  The weird thing was that of all the folks at that gathering, Dick was the one who came up to me outside at a break and said, "You know, I think we can wrestle this to the ground.  We're on the way."  We walked back into the meeting and the chair shut the meeting down right then.  The sound of a cookie crumbling.

Later of course positions hardened and Dick, as a founder of the ACELC, found himself less than lionized.  And he did, not by the way, a lot of work for that branch of ultra-confessionalism.  A lot.

Dick writes this of the young ultra-confessionals:   I love your zeal for all things Lutheran and traditional, but you need to check your egos at the church door. What I have observed is a dismissive arrogance from some of you, not all, that is an embarrassment to the office you hold. Some have conducted themselves as though there have never been “real” Lutherans in our Synod prior to your arrival. Those who came before you are often treated like men who have nothing to offer you when we could have served as a valuable resource for you. I have seen some of you disrespect the voters of your congregations changing fundamental practices of the congregation without ever doing the hard work of patiently teaching your people why such changes are good, right, and salutary and without even giving a thought about seeking the permission of your congregation’s voters for your proposals thereby making these changes as a congregation rather than as just the pastor desiring it. 

What I sense there is disrespect for Dick.  Which is all too frequent in the days when the Leviticus 19:32 is disobeyed.    32 “‘Stand up in the presence of the aged, show respect for the elderly and revere your God. I am the Lord.  I always took this as a prophecy on getting a seat on the subway when you're old. 

I wish him well, and have prayed often for him and his family.

Dave Benke

[pastorg1@aol.com]

Prayers ascending.

[Dan Fienen]

I am always sorry to see someone leave the Missouri Synod, especially when it is because they no longer can agree with what the Missouri Synod is and does. May the Lord keep him in His hands as he prepares to transfer to the Church Triumphant.


I myself am nearing a half century of ordained ministry, and if you count my direct involvement with Mother MO from when I first attended CLJC, Ann Arbor, Michigan, I've been involved with Missouri for more than a half century. Missouri is not the Una Sancta, The Church, established by Christ as His Body on earth, but rather a human organization, managed by fallible humans to assist God's people in their earthly pilgrimage. It has never been what I would understand to be a perfect expression of the One Holy and Apostolic Church on Earth, but then my own understanding of what that would be is no doubt flawed. It's like the perfect hymnal, if it would please me in all things it likely would completely please no one else. Living in and with Mother MO has been at time delightful and at times frustrating. There are many things that Missouri does well and many flaws. Missouri is made up of disparate people and congregations. Like a family, we have sibling rivalries, family squabbles, and emotional cutoffs. There is no fight like a family fight, but a church comes close. On the whole, however, I have not known a better place for me to minister or a better fellowship to be a part of. I do not agree with or like a number of my fellow Missouri Pilgrims and am disliked by a number in return. I have participated in a small way in a number of Missouri controversies. I am not leaving.


I regret that Pr. Bollard has found it necessary to publicly disassociate with Missouri. I understand his criticisms and while I do not agree with all his complaints have some sympathy for his position. I honor the courage of his convictions and honor his honesty in standing on them. I am reminded of Paul's farewell in 2 Timothy 4:6-8. In the end it is to Christ that we are committed and in Him we have our home. The Lord keep brother Richard in this time of leave taking, winding up his pilgrimage among us, as he warns against what he sees as dangers besetting his spiritual home for these many years, and advice for we who will continue in this veil of tears, and prepares himself for his own eternal homecoming.

[Dave Benke]

That's a great post, Dan, and I don't know what you know, but as far as I read, Dick is still in good health, right?  Farewell to Missouri is not the final farewell.

Also, the perfect hymnal.  What a concept.   Taken by stage of life, the perfect hymnal for the first quarter century of my life was TLH. 
Somewhere at the seminary there were additions, mainly folk songs and the like, and those were actually published by CPH.  Then LBW, which I still think was the best overall hymnal.  Then LW, not a contender.  Then ELW, from which we use stuff but - different. 
Then in the age of urban work, my local favorite - This Far By Faith.  Yes!  And then LSB, which is very good.

In the last six months, I've regressed to the invitation to confession from TLH:
Beloved in the Lord, let us draw near with a true heart and confess our sins unto God our Father, beseeching Him in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ to grant us forgiveness. 
Almighty God, merciful Father,.....

That's just aces all the way, and leads into the best group confession intro all-time:
I, a poor miserable sinner, confess unto Thee all my sins and iniquities, with which I have offended Thee and justly deserved Thy temporal and eternal punishment.  But..........

This is of course a thread of its own.

Dave Benke

[Jim Butler]

He's "leaving" the LCMS because he's dying. As he puts it, "So, I must bid my time with The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod farewell. I am not leaving for another Synod. ...I am leaving for the Church Triumphant. My doctors have told me that my cancer is not curable and that, after a time of travail, I will draw my last earthly breath."

[Tom Eckstein]

He's "leaving" the LCMS because he's dying. As he puts it, "So, I must bid my time with The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod farewell. I am not leaving for another Synod. ...I am leaving for the Church Triumphant. My doctors have told me that my cancer is not curable and that, after a time of travail, I will draw my last earthly breath."

Jim, you are correct.  As I read his letter he is NOT leaving the LCMS for another church body.  He's "leaving the LCMS" in that he will soon be LEAVING THIS WORLD.  Of course, if one does not read his entire letter carefully one could draw the erroneous conclusion that he's joining another church body.  But, as you pointed out, that's NOT the case!

[peter_speckhard]

He's "leaving" the LCMS because he's dying. As he puts it, "So, I must bid my time with The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod farewell. I am not leaving for another Synod. ...I am leaving for the Church Triumphant. My doctors have told me that my cancer is not curable and that, after a time of travail, I will draw my last earthly breath."

Jim, you are correct.  As I read his letter he is NOT leaving the LCMS for another church body.  He's "leaving the LCMS" in that he will soon be LEAVING THIS WORLD.  Of course, if one does not read his entire letter carefully one could draw the erroneous conclusion that he's joining another church body.  But, as you pointed out, that's NOT the case!

I think he wrote it in order to keep people's attention as though he were leaving the LCMS for another body so that they wouldn't be distracted from his points by the news of his terminal illness.

[J. Thomas Shelley]

This fine "farewell discourse" conveys many of the thoughts expressed in the 11th Eothinon Doxosticon sung this past Sunday at the close of the Praises in the Orthros of the Orthodox Church:

When You showed yourself to Your Disciples,
O Savior, after the Resurrection,
in return for his love,
You gave Simon the feeding of the sheep and asked him to take care to tend them.
That is why You said:
"If you love me, Peter, tend my lambs, tend my sheep."
Then, he at once displayed his affection and inquired about the other Disciple.
By their entreaties, O Christ,
protect Your flock from wolves that would injure it.

[Rev. Edward Engelbrecht]

What I sense there is disrespect for Dick.  Which is all too frequent in the days when the Leviticus 19:32 is disobeyed.

32 “‘Stand up in the presence of the aged, show respect for the elderly and revere your God. I am the Lord.

I always took this as a prophecy on getting a seat on the subway when you're old. 

Dave Benke

I'm guessing you know this but in case others don't get your sense of humor, the person standing is taking the position of a servant (like the waiter standing at your table, awaiting your order. Or, I suppose if you're in New York, giving up your seat on the subway).

[Dave Benke]

What I sense there is disrespect for Dick.  Which is all too frequent in the days when the Leviticus 19:32 is disobeyed.

32 “‘Stand up in the presence of the aged, show respect for the elderly and revere your God. I am the Lord.

I always took this as a prophecy on getting a seat on the subway when you're old. 

Dave Benke

I'm guessing you know this but in case others don't get your sense of humor, the person standing is taking the position of a servant (like the waiter standing at your table, awaiting your order. Or, I suppose if you're in New York, giving up your seat on the subway).

Absolutely.
Very sorry to hear about Dick Bolland's cancer.  We'll pray for him and his family at St. Peter's.

Dave Benke

[David Garner]

I’m sorry to hear this. God grant him a Christian ending to his life, painless, blameless, peaceful, and a good defense before the dread judgment seat of Christ. We will keep him and his loved ones in our prayers.