Breaking News - Photo of Woman Teaching Children and Adults - At Walters' Historic Trinity Church in St. Louis. AND Distributing Holy Communion

I posted this story about the revolution at Walthers' church,
Historic Trinity in St. Louis, earlier today.

SpenerQuest observation:

"Those two photos and their captions were deleted from the "Highlights from Historic Trinity, St. Louis’ Holy Week Activities" pictorial of the Missouri District." 

"DCE Andrea Roettger presented an amazing children's sermon at Historic Trinity, St. Louis, this Easter. She combined magic and a bit of simple science to demonstrate how Jesus' sacrifice on the cross on Good Friday purged the stained water of our sinful lives with his blood."
(GJ - Magic and science? Why not use the Word of God to teach?)

"First Communion on Palm Sunday at Historic Trinity, St. Louis, brought to the altar young confirmands along with their parents and mentors who took part in the confirmation class preparation leading to this occasion. Vacancy pastor Rev. Steve Albers and DCE Andrea Roettger distribute the elements to the youth communing for the first time."

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GJ - Note that the photos and captions (quoted above) appeared on the website first and then were taken down. Isn't that amazing?

Amazing. Isn't this amazing?
Distributing communion in street clothes - amazing.

LCMS Boasts Then Hides Woman Preaching and Distributing Holy Communion - Walthers' Church! - Historic Trinity Lutheran in St. Louis! WELS Already Had a Woman Leading from the Pulpit

This photo was snipped from the link,
but the photo and link were changed quickly.

1. "First Communion on Palm Sunday at Historic Trinity, St. Louis, brought to the altar young confirmands along with their parents and mentors who took part in the confirmation class preparation leading to this occasion. Vacancy pastor Rev. Steve Albers and DCE Andrea Roettger distribute the elements to the youth communing for the first time."

2. "DCE Andrea Roettger presented an amazing children's sermon at Historic Trinity, St. Louis, this Easter. She combined magic and a bit of simple science to demonstrate how Jesus' sacrifice on the cross on Good Friday purged the stained water of our sinful lives with his blood."
(GJ - Magic and science? Why not use the Word of God to teach?)

This is the complete banner photo
from Trinity Soulard, started by Walther's brother,
taken over by CFW.
Hence - Walthers' Church, plural possessive.

WELS had a woman leading part of the program from the pulpit. John Brug advocated women pastors long ago in their hideous journal, but Brug said WELS was not ready yet for it. Step by step, they are preparing.

WELS District Pope Steinbrenner has a female staffer who already promoted
her work as "administering the Means of Grace" at the late, lamented
Coffee Grounds and Couch Church - St. Andrews.
Strange how an abusive sect can allow a pastoral pedophilia 
while pretending to be modern and promoting women's ordination.

Rev. Kristen: "I say this with a full and complete understanding (and appreciation!) of the fact that the actual work is done by the Holy Spirit through the means of grace – but it is a great privilege and a great joy to be an instrument in ‘administering God’s grace’ in the form of worship gatherings."

Rev Kristen was going to lead a session for MLC's "Evangelism Day" which is an annual Church and Change extravaganza, its list now kept secret from me. I published this and that was changed. 

http://ichabodthegloryhasdeparted.blogspot.com/2011/03/st-andrew-lutheran-latte-church.html

What could go wrong? ROTFL!
The WELS magazine promoted this disgrace,
which failed in spite of the help of Stroh.

John Brug and Mark Schroeder Put Women in the Pulpit - Official Women's Ordination Is Not Far Away. Naturally the Sausage Factory Hails This Achievement

In 2010, Immanuel called Wendi to the new part-time position of Worship Coordinator. Her duties include the visual presentations for each worship service, music and worship planning and wedding coordinator. In July 2013, Wendi was called to be our full-time worship coordinator.

Pastor Joel Heckendorf
Coordinating Pastor

Pastor John Qualmann
Spiritual Growth Pastor Pastor David Scharf
Resident Missionary Julius BuelowVicar

Comments

Stephanie Wetzel smile emoticon

1 · 6 hrs

Brian Wrobel Go cuz Wendi Guenterberg! Great to see some female representation sharing your knowledge with us pastor types!

2 · 6 hrs

Marlis Kremer So proud of you Wendi!

2 hrs

Joanna Chartrand This is excellent!

55 mins

Kati Guenterberg This is a wonderful picture of you mom. Lol.

http://www.immluth.org/site/leadership.asp?sec_id=2125

Our Staff

Please select from the list below: Pastor Joel Heckendorf Coordinating Pastor Pastor John Qualmann Spiritual Growth Pastor Pastor David Scharf Resident Missionary Julius Buelow Vicar Sam Smith Congregational President Richard Huebner School Principal Wendi Guenterberg Worship Coordinator and Wedding Coordinator Melody Graf Office Manager Kris Groell Office Assistant

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Cell Groups

Who may participate in the Growth Groups? Whoever wants to. Growth Groups are intended for all the adults of Immanuel to get connected to fellow Christians. While we want everyone to benefit from this, people will participate only on a volunteer basis. What happens at a Growth Group meeting? The members of the group spend time socializing and getting to know each other over snacks and refreshments. The comfortable setting fosters building friendships. They also discuss the previous week’s sermon using interactive discussion questions written by one of the pastors. How big will the groups be? Growth Groups will generally be from 7 to 12 people, depending on how many couples or singles are in the group. What about children? The members of each group may decide for themselves if they want to bring their children along to the meetings or to make their own arrangements for baby-sitting. Teens will have the option of participating. How long and how often will the groups meet? We suggest that the Growth Groups will meet every week for a 7-9 week session. There will be three sessions:  September – Thanksgiving, January – March, and Easter – Memorial Day weekend. The meetings will last about an hour, although it’s totally up to the group members to decide. Who will lead the groups? Each group will need at least two people to serve as leaders, who have demonstrated spiritual maturity and have expressed a willingness to be a leader. Training for leadership will be given by the Spiritual Growth Pastor. Who will host the groups? Each group will need between two and four hosts to take turns hosting the meetings. Where will the groups meet? Each group will meet where and when they choose. Groups will be encouraged to meet in members’ homes, at a local restaurant, or other comfortable surroundings. Church facilities (Emmaus Library, Cana Lounge, Chapel, Office Complex Meeting Room) will also be available for meetings. Can I switch groups? Absolutely! At the end of each session, members are free to join a different group; or even better start one themselves!

Yes, the National Council of Churches Lives

The United Church of Christ - bellwether for the Lutherans - has been shrinking and losing the PR race for decades.

So has the National Council of Churches. There were some major efforts to unite all Protestant groups in the 19th century. One result was the Federal Council of Churches, renamed the NCC when the FCC got too Marxist and too loud about it. Of course, renaming the group solved that problem.


An ELCA pastor has been named to an NCC post, proving they have some cash left in their faltering budget. Her name is Ann Tiemeyer, graduate of Yale Divinity. The ELCA news blog is a good way to keep up with their news.

ELCA's HerChurch - Coming to a Church Near You

Be warned. This is the most obnoxious church website around.

HerChurch, Ebeneezer Lutheran, San Francisco

One advisor, according to another report, is Elizabeth Schussler-Fiorenza, my New Testament professor at Notre Dame, now at Harvard.

This is where such things as the WELS feminist creed and hymnal are going.

Hymn Questions and Liturgy Matters

Arthur asked about the proper characteristics of a hymn. Unfortunately, I do not have time for another project.

People are fond of knocking The Lutheran Hymnal. Have they created a better, more confessional one since then?

ELS? - Plenty of ELCA material. Funny, the old ELS hymnal did not need ELCA.

WELS? - Tiefel said, "I have the title, so I will do it my way." Just what WELS needed, a Church Growth ecumenist in charge of worship. WELS pastors had a chance to show some spine, even passively, by not buying it. They went for Charismatic Worship almost 100%. By the way, hymnal projects rake in the dough for the synod. The cost of printing a huge run is slightly more than the cost of paper.

LCMS? - They have made several attempts. 1 - Buying the LBW. 2. Editing the B out and selling LW. 3. The new one.

ELCA? - The ELCA is following mainline trends. Ecumenical worship was not a big enough thrill, so they began worship services (with guidelines) among various pagan religions. The Muslims and Hindus are too tame, so the cutting edge factions have adopted old pagan, earth-mother, fertility rites from the pagans. Yes, ELCA will have publicized Wiccan services in a matter of time. American Indian rites are similar. The LA archdiocese already used them to dedicate their new cathedral.

So Missouri, WELS, and the ELS will continue to follow ELCA a few years later, as they always have, posturing about how they are not as bad as ELCA.

ELCA Giving Up

ELCA Assembly Receives Report on Financial Status of the Church
07-CWA-018-AL


CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The 2007 Churchwide Assembly of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) received reports Aug. 8 on the financial status of the denomination and of the Mission Investment Fund of the ELCA.

The churchwide assembly, the chief legislative authority of the ELCA, is meeting here Aug. 6-11 at Navy Pier's Festival Hall. About 2,000 people are participating, including 1,071 ELCA voting members. The theme for the biennial assembly is "Living in God's Amazing Grace: Thanks be to God!"

"Over the past two and a half years, we have seen quite favorable financial results, including increasing operating income, increasing world hunger income and unprecedented giving to disaster response," said Christina Jackson-Skelton, ELCA treasurer.

In 2006 mission support -- unrestricted income from congregations through the 65 synods of the ELCA to the churchwide organization -- increased for the first time since 2001. Jackson-Skelton cautioned that "the level of increases is not yet sufficient to maintain the real value of our grants and other supports."

In contrast, she also highlighted generous giving to the ELCA World Hunger Appeal and Lutheran Disaster Response, noting that fiscal year 2006 saw "the largest single-year increase in World Hunger receipts since 1999" and that between fiscal years 2005 and 2006, an unprecedented $46.2 million was received for disaster response. Of the money received for disaster response, $31.8 million was designated for response to the Gulf Coast hurricanes, she said.

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GJ - The treasurer is not related to Mrs. Ichabod, who does not hyphenate her name.

As always, the facts are fudged. No one fudges faster than ELCA. Income has always been less than the ALC and LCA budgets combined, before merger. Adjusting for inflation, ELCA income has gone down steadily since 1987.

The LCMS and WELS have been following ELCA's doctrinal lead, budget manipulations, and disastrous results for decades. WELS probably has the least amount of cash and credit to get by. All three have embraced Fuller Seminary and Romanism to some degree. ELCA and Missouri seem to be most likely to produce more Roman Catholic priests. WELS is closer to Baptist and Pentecostal worship and practice. The clergy learn this stuff in their seminaries.

Which denomination will ordain women next? Missouri is loudly promoting the move. WELS is quietly instigating the same measures.

I Predicted This Years Ago

The ELS and WELS have decided it is naughty for women to commune women "in certain circumstances."

I get the impression that some WELS women were acting out what Professor Brug endorsed about 15 years ago. He stated in their journal that there is nothing in the Bible against women being ordained. WELS was not ready for it...yet.

WELS and the ELS are very good at finding exceptions and subsequently making those exceptions normative.

If someone knows more about this, please post a comment.