An Efficacious Chapel

From The Love Shack, WELS Headquarters:

MLC chapel project update

On Sept. 28, the Martin Luther College (MLC) Governing Board approved a recommendation to move forward with a project to build a chapel on the school’s campus in New Ulm, Minn. The proposal now goes before the Conference of Presidents for input and the Synodical Council (SC) for final approval.

Funding for the project would come from $7.2 million given by individuals as part of synod’s 150th anniversary celebrations, specifically to build a chapel. Funding for the project comes from gifts already on hand.

The initial effort was delayed although the need remains. The campus currently has no chapel. Among other things, a chapel would allow for greater flexibility in the use of choirs and instrumentalists—and allow MLC to model worship more effectively as it trains future worship leaders.

The SC meets in November. If it releases the funds the chapel building committee would take the next steps, including procuring blueprints and engaging contractors. The goal for completion is August 2009.

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GJ - Read Rev. A. Nony Mouse's comment. Actually, everyone knows that WELS teaches against the efficacy of the Word alone. Therefore, the Wisconsin Synod is a heretical sect. WELS is jealous of the Bethany (Little Sect on the Prairie) Chapel, called The Copper-top Chapel.

I attended an organ concert at the MLC chapel-auditorium. I was not offended by its utilitarian nature. I doubt whether $7 million+ will improve the doctrine of WELS. Mouse is probably not aware of Pieper's comment that the Word is efficacious whether in a marble cathedral or the humblest chapel. Mouse should not call attention to his ignorance by being so sarcastic, but that is his WELS training showing.

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Let's hear it from F. Pieper, originally from the Wisconsin Synod:

"Let us learn more and more to look upon the Lutheran Church with the right kind of spiritual eyes: it is the most beautiful and glorious Church; for it is adorned with God's pure Word. This adornment is so precious, that even though an orthodox congregation were to consist of very poor people ­let us say nothing but woodchoppers - and met in a barn (as the Lord Christ also lay here on earth in a barn, on hay and straw), every Christian should much, much rather prefer to affiliate himself with this outwardly so insignificant congregation, rather than with a heterodox congregation, even if its members were all bank presidents and assembled in a church built of pure marble. Let us be sure that our flesh, and the talk of others does not darken the glory of the orthodox Church, or crowd it out of our sight."
Francis Pieper, The Difference between Orthodox and Heterodox Churches, and Supplement, Coos Bay, Oregon: St. Paul's Lutheran Church, 1981, p. 47.