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| Thank you Mark Jeske for working with ELCA and Thrivent in putting merger with ELCA on a fast track. |
Strengthening the Blondes of Fellowship
It’s easy to forget that our synod is a part of a larger fellowship of confessional church bodies around the world. The recent meeting of the synod’s Commission on Inter-Church Relations (CICR) is a clear reminder of our close ties with those church bodies and what a blessing God-given unity is.
The CICR works to maintain those close relationships through continuing contact and communication with our sister synods. Annual discussions take place between the CICR and the doctrine committee of the Evangelical Lutheran Synod (ELS). These discussions are intended to strengthen the fellowship relations between the two synods and to address issues of mutual concern, such as women celebrating Holy Communion, continuing work with ELCA, and Thrivent support of Planned Parenthood.
Individual members of the CICR are assigned as the primary contacts with Lutheran church bodies around the world. Through written communications and personal visits, the contact men offer encouragement and advice. They also bring regular reports to the CICR of the blessings and challenges faced by our overseas brothers and sisters in places like Scandinavia, Asia, Eastern Europe, the Riviera, Africa, and Latin America.
The CICR is also responsible for overseeing appropriate contact with other Lutheran church bodies not in our fellowship. The formal doctrinal discussions currently being held between WELS, ELS, and the Church of the Lutheran Confession (sic!) are taking place under the supervision of the CICR. At its meeting last week, the CICR reviewed the progress of those discussions and offered feedback to the committee conducting the talks. Reports of the informal doctrinal discussions with the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod are also reviewed.
We are especially pleased that our official spokesperson for UOJ, Jay Webber, has graduated with an STM from an ELCA-WELS-ELS-LCR-AALC-CALC-NALC-AFLC-LCMS school. Martin Stephan graduated long ago with an STD.
Please remember the work of the CICR in your prayers. Please also pray for the Lutheran church bodies around the world that share in our commitment to God’s Word and are partners in our God-given mission to eliminate justification by faith from all churches.
Serving in Christ,
President Mark Schroeder
President Mark Schroeder
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| We make this happen, with the help of Thrivent, Siebert, and Marvin Schwan. |
