For All the Saints, Who From Their Labors Rest - One Year Ago

Gary Meyer

Gary went to be with his Lord and Savior on September 17th, 2014 at his home with his family by his side.

Gary was born June 1st, 1933 in Burbank, California. He attended Harvard Military Academy in Sherman Oaks, California. After graduating, he attended Arizona State University before joining the Air Force Cadet training program and graduated as a Lieutenant. He flew refueling aircraft for six years. He achieved the rank of Captain and then joined the California and Washington Air National Guard. He began his career with United Airlines in 1964. He retired after thirty years as a Captain on Boeing 747's.

Gary enjoyed hunting, fishing and camping with his wife and three sons. He was a member of the Retired United Pilots Association. Gary was preceded in death by his father, James B. Meyer and his mother Alice Viola Howland Meyer.

Change and Die Conference - Brought To You by the Jeske-Patterson Mob - And the Church Shrinkers in WELS, ELS, and Missouri

 #ChangeOrDie2015

Change or Die 2015

Thursday, October 8, 2015

11:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. (approximate)

#ChangeOrDie2015

Country Springs Hotel
2810 Golf Road, Pewaukee, WI  53072
262-547-0201

(If you would like to reserve a room, please call the number above.  A block of rooms has been reserved for this conference for $109/night. The block rate expires on September 7, 2015.  The Siebert Lutheran Foundation is not responsible for hotel mini-bar charges or movies.)

Our Change or Die! Conference provides an opportunity for Lutheran ministry leaders to network and learn from each other.  The Conference is a safe place for assembling people from across the Lutheran tribes and building relationships across denominations. 

This year, the Conference focus is on Money, Millennials & Ministry Leadership.  Our speakers are:

Brenda Moore, CFRE, Brenda Moore & Associates, LLC, Carver, MN

Erin Morris, ELCA Diaconal Minister of Faith Engagement, St. Andrew’s Lutheran Church, Mahtomedi, MN

Rev. Tom Pfotenhauer, LCMS, Woodbury Lutheran Church, Woodbury, MN

Tim Schwan, Thrivent, soblessed, llc, Appleton, WI. Ask me about funding Planned Parenthood. 

Rev. Daniel Thews, LCMS, Faith Lutheran Church, Appleton, WI

Rozella White, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, Chicago, IL. Ask me about our ELCA health plan paying for abortions for any reason.

Rev. Steve Witte, WELS, President, Asian Lutheran Mini-Seminary, Hong Kong

• We respectfully ask that you limit participation from your organization to an appropriate number.
• The Conference charges include free lunch and dinner. 
• Please plan to attend the entire Conference if you register, as costs are incurred for both meals for all registrants.
• If plans change and you cannot attend, please email your cancellation to Diane Dalhoediane@siebertfoundation.org.
• Registration is on a first-come, first-serve basis.

The Martin Luther College Cross-Dressers will entertain the audience
with their interpretation of "Born This Way."

Registration is limited, so sign up early!

Our Planning Committee consists of:

Rev. Lisa Bates-Froiland, ELCA, Redeemer Lutheran Church, Milwaukee
Rev. Jim Bickel, ELCA, Outreach for Hope, Greater Milwaukee Synod
Deborah Engel, Siebert Lutheran Foundation
Rev. Mike Ernst, Retired, LCMS, Hales Corners Lutheran Church
Rev. Paul G. Hill, ELCA, Lake Wapogasset Lutheran Bible Camps, Inc.
Rev. Mark Jeske, Time of Grace Ministry, Thrivent Ministry,  Church and Change Ministry
Bill Meier, WELS Kingdom Workers
Rev. Mark Schulz, LCMS, Trinity Lutheran Church, Lisle, IL
Brenda Skelton, ELCA, Siebert Lutheran Foundation

If you cannot attend, but would like to be added to our mailing list for future Change or Die conferences and other events, please click here.

Videos of the 2014 Change or Die Conference can be viewed HERE.

Tolja - Intrepid Lutherans Linked with Pornography, Yellow Journalism - WELS DP in 2013.Have Mark Jeske and His Abortion Loving Insurance Company Ever Been Named?

Prexy Peter would probably call the Galatians commentary "Yellow Journalism" -
if he has even read it. I doubt it.
He has probably been through Fuller/Trinity Divinity/Willow Creek brainwashing.

The Prexy Press

Peter J. Naumann     home   605-845-7242

620 W 9^th Street    cellular  952-807-3424

Mobridge, SD  57601-1622  PJNaumann@gmail.com

                                                                                                               

Epiphany - 2013

As you have noticed, we haven’t  been sending many updates between conferences.  That is for several reasons.  The two biggest are: Pastor Schroeder’s Together letter which summarizes very well just about everything that I would report from any meetings that we have in Milwaukee.  There isn’t much that follows that you haven’t already seen in this week’s issue.  The other big reason is that the Call reports are readily available on the synod’s Connect little corner of the world.  The reports are also linked to Together.  So, why duplicate? 

But this time we should send an extra  note of thanks.  You heard from Pastor Schroeder that CMO came in very strong this year.  You can see that on the other files attached.  Thank you all very much for your efforts and thank your generous members as well.  This together with other good financial news has enabled extra funds for much needed repair work at the schools and to authorize a couple more home mission starts. (May one of them be Williston, ND!)  Our district was first in performance again, as it has often been in recent years, and we jumped up a couple levels to fourth in per / communicant CMO.  (Maybe we’ll make it to $100 / communicant yet.)  Seriously, thank the people and then more so thank our gracious God who has given us ample supply and moved our hearts to use a goodly portion for his work.  May many teachers and ministers be well trained and many souls reached and strengthened through their work. 

Thank You, Lord Jesus

Call Report  1/15/2013

Pastor Vacancy  (vacant since) [call #]   

                Morning Star, Carstairs, AB [2] Dustin Blumer called 

                Jon Hein to the Commission on Congregational Consulting - WELS [1 - halftime] (1/7/13)

Teacher Vacancies 

                Saint Martin, Watertown, SD Gr 3f (6/30/12)  [ ]

                Bethel, Sioux Falls (10/28/12)  [3] calling 1/27/13 

                Saint Paul, Rapid City, Gr 5-6 (6/30/12) [3] calling 1/27/13   

                Great Plains LHS, Wttn, SD, principal  (6/30/12) [2] calling  1/19/13   

                Great Plains LHS, dean of students (1/2/13) [1] calling  1/19/13   

Holding Calls away  

                Ben Schmeling to Beaver Dam, WI

                Ben Schmeling to Clinton Township, Michigan

                Gerhardt Juergens to Cambridge, MN

Call Accepted 

                Bethel, Sioux Falls, SD, Ben Tomczak

                Mike Schultz - hymnal director

                Great Plains LHS, Watertown, SD President, Dave Maertz

Calls Declined  

                Tim Berg to Morning Star, Carstairs, AB

                Steve Bremer to GPLHS, principal

                Rebecca Kramer  to Bethel, Sioux Falls, SD

                Richard Muchka declined to Rapid City

Synod Pastor Vacancies  About 40 regular pastors are needed as 1/7/2013.  There will be 37 graduates in May. 

SAB Sale and Move     The committee continues to work on selling one or both of our properties.  There is one firm offer on the Mayfair Road site, and perhaps another coming. 

Every Member Visit (EMV)     You have the materials and the plan for this.  Hopefully, some have used it or plan to soon.  We pray every congregation participates in some manner.  We plan to use it at Glenham & Mobridge in February. 

Various Conference of Presidents Business last Week

John Braun from NPH     gave us updates on three things.  First, the plans for the 500^th anniversary of the Reformation in 2017.  A new catechism is planned in connection with the anniversary.   The other event coming in 2015 is the 100^th anniversary of the Forward in Christ magazine and it’s predecessor  The Northwestern Lutheran. 

Continuing Education for Called Workers     We had a fair amount of discussion on this topic.  Others had questions about the need for it and the expense of the new pastor mentoring program.  Questions, concerns, and suggestions will be taken to the whole committee and to Richard Gurgel. 

Intrepid Lutherans     I don’t read this yellow publication or any others of its ilk.  There are better things to do and to read.  The main concerns were about its promoting the false justification views of one of the principals and infractions of the Eighth Commandment. One said that, sadly, such muckraking tabloids will always exist.  As I’ve told many graduates to the district, I would hope we could find far better materials to read and ways to spend our time. 

 

Pornography     There continues to be great concern for the many people - members and clergy alike - who have fallen prey to this material and sin.  As we know, internet pornography is a special temptation.  If one believes the figures that are given, many, many people are involved. May it not be true of us.  Concerning the whole subject of 6^th Commandment sin it is good to remember Prov 6:32-33 and 1 Cor 6:18 among others.  It would be best for anyone taken by such activity to seek help, beginning with prayer to God, through repentance and faith.  Spend more time in the Word.  Then think about, “Whatever is true, noble, right, pure …” (Phil 4:8).  And, be assured, there are brothers, sisters, and professionals ready to help. 

WELS Convention  Please note the proper date, here and below: July 29^th to August 1^st.  This will be a day shorter.  The convention will convene Monday morning and the opening service will be that evening.  Adjournment and the closing service is planned for Thursday. 

If your congregation is a delegate or alternate, please identify firm delegates soon. 

District Constitutions     Two memorials are coming from the COP to the convention.  One would make district councils optional.  The other would allow districts to eliminate the legislation committees. 

Youth Discipleship     Because of the good turnout last summer CYD is planning to hold these rallies every other year. 

WELS Debt Elimination     Our indebtedness should be under $9,000,000 by convention.  Together with the Jubilee offering and regular payments, we have made good progress on eliminating this debt.  When it is fully paid, there will be $1,600,000 more annually for other forms of ministry.  The suggestion was made that we have a debt retirement drive in 2015 to pay it off completely.  Stay tuned. 

Names, Names, Names     If you have someone in the military, be sure to let Milwaukee know. If you know of people moving to western North Dakota, contact Jake Hannemann for Williston; Jordan Ertl for Minot; and Ryan Wolff for Dickinson.   Services are being held in each town.  We hope to send a request to the general board for a new mission exploratory effort in at least Williston this winter, it not one or both of the other locations. 

Statistics & CMO Pledges     Please be sure to submit all this to the synod via Connect as soon as you are able.   Thanks! 

Walking Together Video     Did you all see this short (4:15 min) presentation of what our synod is and does.  It is in the “toolbox” of last fall’s WELS Connection DVD.  It is a very interesting, short overview of the synod’s work.  Use it where and when appropriate, perhaps especially in annual meetings as 2013 CMO pledges are set. 

(You can find the video on the synod’s site: WELS.net  > Connect Resources (bottom left of page) > Resources (on right side) > Walking Together > Walking Together video (under the pic, in the links.)

Calendar

January 22-23, 2013             Rocky Mountain Conference, Missoula  

February 5, 2013             Western Conference at Morristown

2/13/2013                         Ash Wednesday

3/31/2013                         The Resurrection of Our Lord

4/9-11/2013                         Spring Pastor Conference, Rapid City

5/18/2013                         MLC graduation and assignments

5/23/2013                         WLS assignments

7/29-8/1/2013                         WELS Biennial convention at New Ulm

9/24-25/2013                         Western Conference at Gillette

10/2-3/2013                         D-M/NE Teacher’s Conference (in Colorado)

Thanks for all you do

May the Lord abundantly bless you, yours, and your ministries!

***

GJ - Prexy Peter fails to mention that one motivation for the Intrepids was to provide a counter-lobby to back Mark Schroeder.

Under Steve Spencer, it has always been a Mark Schroeder shop, but apparently people took the original statements seriously and began to think on their own.

This has a great advantage for Schroeder and the DPs. Now that the flowers have bloomed, they can cut them off, as Mao used to say.

They can also denounce them as trouble-makers and scare anyone else from thinking and studying the Word without expressed, written permission.

They want to play justification by faith as one person's opinion, which is what I heard about everyone else who has ever objected to the absurdity of UOJ. 

The Great Depression in Higher Education Started Five Years Ago

Many decades ago I predicted university education costs would soar because government loans were inflating the price of school. Like medicine, the individual cost was not a big problem because most of it was covered in some way. Universal health insurance either drives the price up or cuts down services - or both.

As experts are noticing at last, college have no incentive to cut costs when the difference will be made up in readily available student loans.

The Lutheran seminaries have followed the same path, leading to incredible costs for useless degrees. If an art history degree is useless, what value is an MDiv from a synod that delights in getting rid on young pastors? The wives put their husbands through seminary (another subsidy for the synods) and usually work outside the home in the parish. The synods put less and less money into their own schools while sprucing them up.

Every college has to look like a country club and every Lutheran seminary has to have bigger dorm rooms, a deluxe chapel, and big offices for the professors. How did they exist before? - we wonder.

Colleges, universities, and for-profit higher education corporations are closing down. In ELCA, Chicago, Berkeley, Southern, and Luther have had their crises. All four have partnerships with other schools. The seminaries merge with their colleges to reduce costs and sell off extra property. Overlooking the ocean with a handful of students? The dollar signs dance in their eyes. Sell! Sell!

Berkeley and Southern have already rejoiced in their new collegial relationships. Luther fired their president for running the largest seminary into a sea of red ink. My old seminary in Canada sent a letter asking for money to bail them out of their pension shortage.

The ELS and CLC (sic) must ask themselves why they have an entire school set up to teach one or two graduates per year for sects that are shrinking faster than Hillary's nomination chances.

Likewise, WELS must wonder how much longer they have to prop up Martin Luther College, where the students are known chiefly for drinking, cross-dressing, coming out of the closet, and spending their extra money on gambling.

In the years to come, many expensive but lesser known schools will close, because parents are not going to spend $50,000 a year (gross, far cheaper with loans and some grants) for an unknown school. There are hundreds of them, bereft of their old ethnic alumni support, short on endowment funds, long on fixed costs, racing to be as spiffy as Olde Squeffingham College down the road.

Scholarships are aimed at enticing first-year students, making it far more expensive to stay for all four years. Money is also apportioned to appeal to the affluent. Poor people do not load up the annual fund appeal with gifts.

Similarly, Martin Luther College is not far from Bethany Lutheran College and One Room Seminary. If Schone drives out students from MLC, they drop into BLC. If they want the urban experience, they have Wisconsin Lutheran College in Milwaukee and Concordia University in Mequon (far more scenic).

We will see a collapse of overbuilt colleges and universities that expanded for the Boomer generation. The Boomers packed into those schools and came back for more education, but the same schools used loans to build up the physical while bankrupting their students, who are still stuck with the loans.

Beware of offending students who text throughout the class.
The school sees them as walking bags of money.

Get Used to Matthew 5:11 If You Question Holy Mother Synod

I know as much as others about two different groups of people who left WELS. Universal salvation - without faith - was one issue. Any denomination so completely bankrupt in doctrine will  naturally bear many more bitter fruits of apostasy.

2 Thessalonians 2:10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.

11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:

12 That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

Evil, false-teaching wolves are not going to appreciate being corrected, and they react with lupine rage when their ovine food supply is threatened. Like all mainline leaders - WELS is thorougly mainline - they know how quickly the landslide can move downward and take everything with it.

The response from false sons within the pale is to trash the people who object to...false sons within the pale. In the past, synods had the advantage of communicating easily with the loyal troops. Human nature is so perverse that congregational members will trust the officials they do not know over the pastors who have visited them at home and in the hospital, buried their loved ones, and administered the Means of Grace. The District Pope or Circuit Pope picks up the phone and works on scattering and slaying the flock. They obtained their positions by serving their Father Below.

But now, blogs can reach the general audience and quote chapter and verse about what is going on. The Internet age is great for obtaining verbatim evidence with graphics from the sources. Court records are on the Net, and the Church Growth fanatics seem to have a disproportionate share of court records - appearance bonds for DUI, convictions, and so forth.

The Eighth Beatitude is the least appealing blessing:

1. when men shall revile you
2. and persecute you
3. and say all manner of evil against you falsely.

Matthew 5:11 explains bearing the cross, and the words themselves invite rejection. We all want to be praised and thanked and honored. Trusting the Word instead of princes is like changing a light bulb when reaching up from a wobbly kick. Far too many are willing to give the chair a kick and dare others to climb on that chair again.

WELS has a well-earned reputation for nastiness, a by-product of their Pietism and utter disregard for the truth. Going back to Protes'tant days, WELS has always treated dissent with "Shut up while we tell you off about all your sins." That scene, from over 80 years ago, is repeated every time someone dares to have an issue with WELS apostasy. 

The next step is official shunning and the synodical whispering campaign. ELCA, Missouri, and the Little Sect on the Prairie do the same, but they are a bit smoother in execution. WELS seems to have a Biggest Liar contest going on, a hallmark of their GA hazing abuse training. Lying in WELS means - This is our position and do not forget it.

This is where people falter. They get involved in "You should have done this or that." But the real issue is opposition to the Word of God. When the apostates are threatened, all the weapons in their thuggish arsenal are employed:

• Charm - so they can get information and spread it in their own words.
• Backstabbing - so they can separate friends who might support each other.
• Bribes - so they can silence opposition.
• Threats - so they can scare people into silence.
• Slander - so they can make everyone afraid of opposing their agenda.

WELS is so corrupt that the leaders will laugh about the multiple adulteries of their Church Growth pals and yet run around with the shocking reveal that "Pastor X has criticized our beloved synod!" This style is not exactly wrong for WELS, because the net result is retaining the cult slaves while repelling the dissenters for good. 

Now that I have painted an ugly picture about synodical ugliness, I have to add - it is a blessing, just as Jesus teaches us. Bearing the cross means being set free from the lies and false doctrine of Holy Mother Synod. Those who left ELCA in droves found they were better off without the useless battles. 

I had fun with WELS emissaries sending their ugly messages to this blog. I copied them into the main body of the post so they would be preserved forever, or at least for a few more years. Most of them were anonymous, for some reason. 

The Fox Valley WELS Drinking Society started up various blogs and erased them - more fun. Mark Schroeder's buddy on the Synodical Council even sent messages via the pastor's ELCA minister friend. But now, the only ugliness comes from their Chief Nasty, Joel Lillo. I thought the new DP and old SP finally silenced him, because he makes WELS look so stupid. But Lillo has to offer his wisdom and wrote again.

Alas, poor WELS - the positive comments and information is still coming in, from a wide variety of sources.

Attention - We Have a New Word for Pietistic Cell Groups - Grow Groups

The lopsided smile is dominant in the Jeske-Patterson Crime Family.

Grow Groups are groups of 12-16 people that meet together weekly during the semester. The fall semester starts in October and ends the week of November 29th. Here are the four groups this semester. If you are not sure, just choose "unsure" here.

• Meadows-Sillan at Randy & Gloria Sillans- Wednesdays at 7:00pm in the Meadows area-study based on that week's sermon.

• Meadows-Schmidt at Eric & Kristen Schmidts- Wednesdays at 7:00pm in the Meadows area-study based on that weeks sermon (last semester met at Witts)

• Parker-Whatley at Steve & Cindy Whatleys- Wednesdays at 7:00pm in the Parker area-sermon based study.

• Bible Basics at Pastor & Aimee's house (3252 Willowrun Drive) Tentatively meets every Tuesday or Thursday.  If you are interested, talk to pastor. This is the class all new members take before joining Eternal Rock.

Eternal Rock, WELS, Colorado

JARED OLDENBURG, PASTOR
Jared Oldenburg (Pastor) I grew up in Appleton, Wisconsin where I attended Fox Valley Lutheran High School and met Aimee. (Yes, we started dating in 1991 when we were 14 and 15 years old!) Aimee went to the University of Wisconsin Lacrosse (BA in Psychology). I attended Martin Luther College and Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary graduating both with honors. We have worked with congregations in urban and suburban Milwaukee, WI; Santa Maria, California; and Thornton, Colorado (vicar/intern).

After graduation I was assigned to start a church in Maple Valley, Washington (near Seattle). With God's guidance and direction Light of Life grew from 3 people to to a flourishing preschool and congregation of 150. I love spending time with my family skiing, cycling, orange Tic-Tacs (is there any other flavor?), and working to present the message of Jesus in clearer and clearer ways.

We live in Castle Rock with our three kids (Isabella 14, Paytra 12 and Owen 8. We are so excited to be in Colorado again and especially excited to be part of the thriving, family-oriented community of Castle Rock. We can't wait to see what the Lord has in store as we share the message of Jesus.

So many lop-sided smiles.

Luvs, Luvs, Luvs, the New NIV - Dah Best One for UOJ

NOT ALL BIBLES ARE THE SAME

I wish I could just recommend a single Bible and that would be the end of the post. However, that would be a bit simplistic. Different Bibles have different uses. (You can skip to the bottom to get my recommendations.)

PARAPHRASE VS. TRANSLATION

Before we go any further,  I should note that not all versions of the Bibles are not the same. Maybe you have noticed this already. Bibles basically break down into two categories: translations and paraphrases. Translations are versions of the Bible that seek to give the reader the closest version to the original Greek and Hebrew text. Examples include:

• King James Version (KJV) this is the one with the thee’s and thou’s.
• New International Version (NIV) this is the most popular translation in the USA and the one we read in church most of the time.
• English Standard Version (ESV) this is good translation, but the wording feels strange at times to me.

The Second category includes paraphrases. Obviously, to have a version of the Bible called a “paraphrase” does not sound very good. However, the point of the paraphrase is to help the reader understand what the Bible means by conveying the idea of the text rather than a word-for-word rendering. Basically, this means an individual is doing some of the interpretation of the text for you.  This is good and bad. The good is that it is often easier to understand. The bad is that you could be missing something from the original.

For example, I am sure you recognize this line from Shakespeare,”O Romeo, Romeo! wherefore art thou Romeo?” A paraphrase may instead say something like, “Where are you, Romeo?”  Both phrases mean basically the same thing, but one is more understandable.  I have both paraphrases and translations in my Bible collection. The two most popular paraphrases include:

• The Message-this is popular and makes the Bible sound like contemporary writing. I enjoy reading a passage or two from the message (especially the Epistle letters like 1 Corinthians), but I prefer not to read it in larger chunks.
• The New Living Translation-(NLT) This version is closer to a translation and makes reading the Bible a little easier.

 RECOMMENDATIONS according to how you will may use them

• Mobile-AcroBible NIV-I know there are free versions, but I like the AcroBible because I don’t need a WiFi/Data connection to read. You can find a link to the various device versions here. 
• General Reading and Study-NIV 2011 or NIV 1984 Study Bible with notes by CPH. The choice of which NIV Bible you chose comes down to preference.  I have Bibles that range in size from pocket size to a few different study Bibles.
• Audio Bible–Inspired By…The Bible Experience. This version has a variety of performers. It is hardly perfect, but it is pretty easy to listen to and uses the Today’s NIV version.  The link is to the New Testament.  Generally, I have trouble staying focused to just the audio.  I prefer to listen and follow along in the Bible.
  

Virtue Online - Obama Invites Robinson To Meet Pope Francis, SJ

Bishop Robinson and his second wife are now splitsville.

Episcopal Bishop Gene Robinson invited by President Obama to meet Pope
Other invitees include transgendered and LGBT leaders. No orthodox Anglicans invited
COMMENTARY
By David W. Virtue DD

ELCA works closely with the Episcopalians;
LCMS and WELS work closely with ELCA.

www.virtueonline.org

September 16, 2015

CRUX carries an AP story reporting that President Obama has invited a whole range of religious leaders to the White House to meet Pope Francis when he comes next week. Among them is former New Hampshire Episcopal Bishop Gene Robinson, the first openly gay bishop in The Episcopal Church.

Robinson, you will recall, divorced his wife Boo, so he could marry his boyfriend Mark Andrew. Before "marrying" Mark Andrew, he and his wife went to the church where they were married and made up a ceremony in which they "released" one another from their vows. Then Robinson (who also struggles with alcoholism) "married" his boyfriend Mark and later divorced him too. It has been a rocky, public road for the bishop that no amount of public humiliation seems to have caused him to reflect on his behavior. Robinson, currently a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress, has attended a number of religious events with the Obama administration, providing a prayer at President Obama's inauguration in 2009 and taking part in the 2014 National Prayer Breakfast. His hubris knows no end.

At the last General Convention in Salt Lake City, following the passage of gay marriage in the Church, he was heard to cry in the House of Bishops, "It is finished!" seeing himself, once again, the martyr being sacrificed on the phallic cross of his desires and of his own making. He has achieved what no bishop (not even the Borgia popes succeeded in doing) has done -- denying the creed and still holding onto his job and pension.
Robinson's consecration to Bishop of New Hampshire in 2003 was the cause of the single biggest exodus from The Episcopal Church since it was organized after the American Revolution, when it separated from The Church of England.

Over the next decade following his ordination, more than 200,000 practicing Episcopalians left the Episcopal Church, fleeing to safer spiritual climes like the Anglican Church in North America, the Roman Catholic Church, The Ordinariate, the Lutheran Church, and a number of other smaller orthodox denominations. It has been the worst flight in TEC's history with zero chance of recovery. There are less than 700,000 Episcopalians worshipping in some 6700 churches weekly, with two thirds of them made up of women over 60. Nearly half of all these churches have neither a full time rector nor a part time non-stipendiary priest.

Other invitees include a pro-abortion nun, and at least two openly gay Catholic activists who will be among the thousands greeting Pope Francis, thanks to decisions by the Obama administration.

LifeSiteNews has confirmed that Mateo Williamson, a biological woman who identifies as a man, and former co-chairman of the Transgender Caucus for Dignity USA, received an invitation to the White House when Pope Francis visits next week. Williamson declined to speak with LifeSiteNews about the invitation, instead commending invitation organizer Vivian Taylor.

Taylor is the executive director of the national LGBT advocacy arm of the Episcopal Church and a biological male.
Rev. Stephanie Spellers, an Episcopal theologian wasn't able to register for the event in time, but told CNS News she "did get the invite." Spellers is the author of "Radical Welcome: Embracing God, the Other, and theSpirit of Transformation."

Dissident Catholic nun, Sister Simone Campbell, executive director of the social justice group NETWORK and pro-abortion leader of "Nuns on the Bus," will also attend. Campbell is widely credited with undermining the abortion concerns of U.S. bishops when the Affordable Care Act was being debated five-and-a-half years ago.
An investigation of Campbell's organization, started by Pope Benedict XVI, ended earlier this year with few repercussions for the organization.

Perhaps most famously, gay Catholic blogger Aaron Ledesma -- who claims that Pope Francis drew him back to the Church earlier this year -- will be in the large crowd on White House grounds. Ledesma, 23, writes a blog called "The Gay Catholic."

Other confirmed attenders at the White House reception are the Rev. Joel Hunter, an evangelical megachurch pastor from Florida who is a confidant of Obama on spiritual matters; the Rev. Leith Anderson, president of the National Association of Evangelicals, which represents about 40 conservative Christian denominations; and the Rev. Samuel Rodriguez, president of the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference, a major US Latino evangelical group that, along with the US Roman Catholic bishops, has pressed lawmakers for immigration reform.
There will be thousands at this "audience" with Pope Francis. It's doubtful that Gene Robinson will be in the line up to meet Pope Francis personally, but I wouldn't be at all surprised to see him maneuvered into place for a photo with the Pope, which the mainstream media will then publish with the caption, "Pope Francis and Gay Bishop: Who Am I to Judge?" writes Catholic convert Dwight Longenecker.

Robinson has been a one man wrecking crew that got away with it because conservatives in The Episcopal Church kept drawing lines in the sand in the hope that the Episcopal Church would see reason, come to its senses and its leaders repent of their ways. It never happened.

FOOTNOTE. I have received press credentials to report on the Pope when he comes to Philadelphia -- as far as I know, the only Anglican journalist to obtain credentials. I will report first on the Synod on the Family, followed by the Pope's visit. I will file stories daily. You can see them at www.virtueonline.org
END

Myth and Revolution

I used to teach a class on myth, a term that can have different meanings for various people. A fairly neutral definition would be "a compelling idea that shapes the thoughts and actions of large groups, whether it is true or not."

I found a high school production of Les Miserables, which I prefer in many ways over the bombastic movie production. This Victor Hugo novel was one of my first big reads, many years ago, probably in high school. I found a used book store where I could buy classics for very little. They are still in business in Davenport, Iowa - The Source.

But there is a vast difference between the modern treatment and the novel. In the original, the future son-in-law Marius Pontmercy is tricked onto the barricades, looking for Valjean's daughter. There he almost dies from a wound, but is carried to safety through the sewers of Paris.

In the movie, the same man is now one of the revolutionary leaders, who is willing to set aside his romance to kick some royalists around. He even shows up after the carnage and bawls about his friends and what they died for. True, there is some debate about the meaning of violence, but the overall effect of the movie is to extol revolution and praise its martyrs. The ending makes revolution jolly good fun because the entire cast, living and dead, sings "One More Day." Yes, revolution is just around the corner but it will not be as pleasantly tuneful as the movie.

This graphic is from Dr. Lito Cruz, math and logic expert, Lutheran pastor.

The myth of evolution has displaced the doctrine of Creation. Everything is 455 millions years old or developed 300 million years ago, and so forth. I keep thinking, "But I read the original."

In our limo I carry Zion on the Mississippi, a carefully researched early history of the Missouri Synod. The person who bought it said of the gift to the younger generation in a signed inscription, "We are from the Buenger and Stellhorn families."

Stellhorn was a key figure in The Error of Modern Missouri. Ludwig Fuerbringer wrote favorably about him as a respected leader and teacher. Did everyone agree about Stephan and Walther's UOJ? Certainly not, but Missouri began kicking out those who dissented, losing the Lenski family in the split caused by Walther's false doctrine.

And to make everything look nice for the innocent - and those unlikely to read more than Christian News - the Missouri Synod has erased its early history as a sex cult following a bishop with syphilis. Everything about the early years is recast into the myth of  Walther as the savior of Lutheranism in America, not the truth about Walther and the clergy leaders backing Stephan 100% until they found an excuse to threaten his life, rob him of everything (rescuing them from insolvency), and kidnap him at the point of a gun to Illinois.

The myth is cast in stone and the myth-keepers guard it with ever-vigilant eyes, like the Watchers at the gates of Mordor.

• If someone questions UOJ, "you have criticized Walther, Pieper, the Brief Confession, and our Beloved synod."
• If someone teaches justification by faith, "you have criticized Walther, Pieper, the Brief Confession, and our Beloved synod."
• If someone mentions the strange conflicts between the historical record and the Missouri Synod version, "you have criticized Walther, Pieper, the Brief Confession, and our Beloved synod."

The Missouri Synod began as an abusive, controlling, and deviant cult,
perpetuated by the fake discovery of Stephan's adultery
and the convenient theft of all his gold, land, books, and personal possessions.
Walther led the mob that instigated so many felonies,
not exactly the Biblical remedy for adultery.

For Icha-Peekers - "150 years ... and they still don't have it right?" Education in WELS

The quotation in the title is from a former WELS member.

150 years of training for ministry

2015/09/15/in Together

Luther Preparatory School (LPS), Watertown, Wis., is one of our synod’s two prep schools dedicated to training and encouraging young people for the public ministry. This fall the school will conclude a year-long celebration of its 150^th anniversary. Luther Prep is the oldest Lutheran high school in the country, tracing its history to the synod’s first efforts to train its own pastors just as the Civil War was ending. 

GJ - Schroeder claims WELS has always been orthodoxy Lutheran but it never was. The sect began as a union group with a hearty mixture of ministers who were both nominal Lutherans and convicted Reformed - just like today, only the convictions are decidedly more serious, the iron bars more confining for their cell groups.

The celebration will culminate with a festival worship service at the campus on November 15.

Rendering of the LPS chapel renovations.

As part of its anniversary celebration, Luther Prep has begun a renovation of its chapel. For 60 years the chapel has played a central role on the LPS campus. It is the place where the Luther Prep family gathers for worship twice each day. These frequent worship opportunities emphasize the importance of the preaching of the Word, the continuing spiritual nourishment of LPS students and faculty, and the use of God-given talents in worship. The chapel is also the scene of a vigorous program of organ instruction, enabling Luther Prep to train more organists for WELS congregations than any other high school.

One major part of the chapel renovation will be the refurbishment of the chapel organ, now more than 50 years old and badly in need of repair. Worship is central to LPS campus life, and the organ is an integral part of that worship. The organ has already been removed from the chapel and will be installed in the remodeled chapel sanctuary by the start of next school year. The project is being funded through the special gifts received in connection with the anniversary.

GJ - Wake up, donors. WELS is training their UOJ zombies to tear out pipe organs and replace them with rock bands of limited talents. 

The LPS anniversary theme proclaims that this school is all about “Lives Prepared for Service.” We join the LPS family in thanking God for a century and a half of his grace and pray for his continued blessings on LPS as it trains and encourages young people for the public ministry in our synod.

Serving in Christ,
President Mark Schroeder

Look for a three-part series focusing on the 150 years of ministerial education on the Watertown campus, starting in the September issue of Forward in Christ:

• The Hazing
• The Sodomized Sprinter Statue
• The Underage Alcohol Abuse