SP Mark Schroeder - The Original Version, Before Editing

No one fakes sincerity better than this
Mark Jeske enabler and protector.

Conference of Presidents holds its fall meeting

2017/10/17/in Together

The Conference of Presidents (COP) met Oct. 10-13 at the Center for Mission and Ministry, Waukesha, Wis., for its regular fall meeting. Included in the sober discussions and decisions:

• The COP noted with thanks to God that Congregation Mission Offerings are up a miniscule 1.6% over last year ($231,000). As congregations begin planning for next year, a video communication from each district president will encourage and threaten congregations in that process.
• Last year the COP determined that pastors teaching at Lutheran high schools and prep schools fall under the same calling guidelines that restrict the calling of teachers (Nov. 1 through the first week of June, with two calls possible during that time). The COP clarified this policy by determining that pastors serving in primarily administrative roles (presidents/principals, deans, etc.) at the schools can be called and fired at any time.
• The COP extended divine calls to Rev. Jerry Ewings to serve as a Christian Thrivent annuities counselor and to Rev. Mark Gabb to serve as the director of the Commission on Evangelism  Church Growth.
• The COP appointed Rev. Doug Tomhave to serve as the chairman of the Commission on Evangelism Church Growth.
• Earlier this year the COP established a standing committee to work with WELS parasitical organizations. This committee is in the process of determining its specific role and establishing the procedures it will follow. The purpose of the committee is to foster good communication and cooperation between the synod and WELS parasitical organizations. The committee reported that it had begun its work and will continue to develop its goals, gimmicks, and policies.
• The COP concurred with the request of Northwestern Publishing House to conduct a review of the Evangelical Heritage Version (EHV) as soon as the complete translation is available. This review will be similar to reviews of the New International Version, the Message, the English Standard Version, and the Christian Standard Bible, which have already been done. The KJV is too precise a translation and influenced by Luther's own work, so we have disfellowshipped it.
• The COP continues to monitor closely the pastoral vacancy rate and how the calling process can best serve the needs of congregations, synod relatives, and workers in a time of a shortage of pastors.
• The COP discussed the light workload of district presidents who serve in the large districts. The COP asked the synod president to investigate various options to provide needed assistance to get them to teach the synod more effectively.
• The COP discussed how the certification process for teachers can be improved and, if possible, streamlined. The COP asked Martin Luther College to review certification requirements for all teachers and to bring its proposals to the January meeting of the COP. Some day they may have an adequate teaching staff for $20,000 a year room, board, and tuition price.
• The COP will ask the Synodical Council to establish an ad hoc committee to study future options for the WELS Pension Plan. No change in the plan is anticipated in the near future, but the COP agreed that such a study would be beneficial for future decisions. The COP denial is not a confirmation.
• The COP is encouraging all congregations to designate one Sunday in November as a Mission and Ministry Sunday to encourage greater awareness of, and support for, the work we avoid together as a synod. In the future, congregations will be encouraged to plan a Mission and Ministry Sunday for October.
• The COP asked for the appointment of a special committee to discuss possible alternative models for congregational constitutions, legalistic traditions, shunnings, excommunications, and bylaws.
• The COP approved a request from Martin Luther College (MLC) for permission to conduct an appeal for MLC’s Congregational Partner Grant Program (CPGP). The CPGP gives congregations the opportunity to provide direct financial support for students at MLC preparing for the public ministry of WELS. The students cannot afford an over-priced, low quality college, so they need your help.

Serving in Christ,
President Mark Schroeder

 MLC graduate

Greek Lesson - John 20 - The Resurrection of Christ

ΚΑΤΑ ΙΩΑΝΝΗΝ 201550 Stephanus New Testament (TR1550)

Parser 

20 τη δε μια των σαββατων, μαρια η μαγδαληνη ερχεται - πρωι σκοτιας ετι ουσης - εις το μνημειον και βλεπει τον λιθον ηρμενον εκ του μνημειου

2 τρεχει ουν και ερχεται προς σιμωνα πετρον και προς τον αλλον μαθητην ον εφιλει ο ιησους και λεγει αυτοις ηραν τον κυριον εκ του μνημειου και ουκ οιδαμεν που εθηκαν αυτον

The disciple Jesus loved - John.

3 εξηλθεν ουν ο πετρος και ο αλλος μαθητης και ηρχοντο εις το μνημειον

4 ετρεχον δε οι δυο ομου και ο αλλος μαθητης προεδραμεν ταχιον του πετρου και ηλθεν πρωτος εις το μνημειον

Vivid enough? ετρεχον imperfect      προεδραμεν aorist. Same base verb.

5 και παρακυψας βλεπει κειμενα τα οθονια (linen) ου μεντοι εισηλθεν

ου μεντοι - not yet

6 ερχεται ουν σιμων πετρος ακολουθων αυτω και εισηλθεν εις το μνημειον και θεωρει τα οθονια κειμενα

τα οθονια Linen bands wrapped around the body, lying there undisturbed.

7 και το σουδαριον ο ην επι της κεφαλης αυτου ου μετα των οθονιων κειμενον αλλα χωρις εντετυλιγμενον εις ενα τοπον

το σουδαριον - napkin, headcloth, sweatcloth wrapped or  folded - shows that this physical sign is an orderly witness - Lenski

8 τοτε ουν εισηλθεν και ο αλλος μαθητης ο ελθων πρωτος εις το μνημειον και ειδεν και επιστευσεν

The Gospel writer saw the empty tomb and believed - in other words - began to grasp the gravity and the joy of this moment.

9 ουδεπω γαρ ηδεισαν την γραφην οτι δει αυτον εκ νεκρων αναστηναι

10 απηλθον ουν παλιν προς εαυτους οι μαθηται

--

11 μαρια δε ειστηκει προς το μνημειον κλαιουσα εξω; ως ουν εκλαιεν παρεκυψεν εις το μνημειον

12 και θεωρει δυο αγγελους εν λευκοις καθεζομενους ενα προς τη κεφαλη και ενα προς τοις ποσιν οπου εκειτο το σωμα του ιησου

ποσιν πούς, ποδός,  podiatrist

13 και λεγουσιν αυτη εκεινοι γυναι τι κλαιεις λεγει αυτοις οτι ηραν τον κυριον μου και ουκ οιδα που εθηκαν αυτον

14 και ταυτα ειπουσα εστραφη εις τα οπισω και θεωρει τον ιησουν εστωτα και ουκ ηδει οτι ο ιησους εστιν

15 λεγει αυτη ο ιησους γυναι - τι κλαιεις τινα ζητεις. εκεινη δοκουσα οτι ο κηπουρος εστιν λεγει αυτω κυριε ει συ εβαστασας αυτον ειπε μοι που αυτον εθηκας καγω αυτον αρω

16 λεγει αυτη ο ιησους μαρια στραφεισα εκεινη λεγει αυτω ραββουνι ο λεγεται διδασκαλε

17 λεγει αυτη ο ιησους μη μου απτου. ουπω γαρ αναβεβηκα προς τον πατερα μου, πορευου δε προς τους αδελφους μου και ειπε αυτοις αναβαινω προς τον πατερα μου και πατερα υμων και θεον μου και θεον υμων

18 ερχεται μαρια η μαγδαληνη απαγγελλουσα τοις μαθηταις οτι εωρακεν τον κυριον και ταυτα ειπεν αυτη

--

The Incredulity of Thomas
by Caravaggio.

19 ουσης ουν οψιας τη ημερα εκεινη τη μια των σαββατων και των θυρων κεκλεισμενων οπου ησαν οι μαθηται συνηγμενοι δια τον φοβον των ιουδαιων ηλθεν ο ιησους και εστη εις το μεσον και λεγει αυτοις ειρηνη υμιν

20 και τουτο ειπων εδειξεν αυτοις τας χειρας και την πλευραν αυτου εχαρησαν ουν οι μαθηται ιδοντες τον κυριον

21 ειπεν ουν αυτοις ο ιησους παλιν ειρηνη υμιν καθως απεσταλκεν με ο πατηρ καγω πεμπω υμας

22 και τουτο ειπων ενεφυσησεν και λεγει αυτοις λαβετε πνευμα αγιον

23 αν τινων αφητε τας αμαρτιας αφιενται αυτοις αν τινων κρατητε κεκρατηνται

24 θωμας δε εις εκ των δωδεκα ο λεγομενος διδυμος ουκ ην μετ αυτων οτε ηλθεν ο ιησους

25 ελεγον ουν αυτω οι αλλοι μαθηται εωρακαμεν τον κυριον ο δε ειπεν αυτοις εαν μη ιδω εν ταις χερσιν αυτου τον τυπον των ηλων και βαλω τον δακτυλον μου εις τον τυπον των ηλων και βαλω την χειρα μου εις την πλευραν αυτου ου μη πιστευσω

26 και μεθ ημερας οκτω παλιν ησαν εσω οι μαθηται αυτου και θωμας μετ αυτων ερχεται ο ιησους των θυρων κεκλεισμενων και εστη εις το μεσον και ειπεν ειρηνη υμιν

27 ειτα λεγει τω θωμα φερε τον δακτυλον σου ωδε και ιδε τας χειρας μου και φερε την χειρα σου και βαλε εις την πλευραν μου και μη γινου απιστος αλλα πιστος

28 και απεκριθη ο θωμας και ειπεν αυτω ο κυριος μου και ο θεος μου

29 λεγει αυτω ο ιησους οτι εωρακας με θωμα πεπιστευκας μακαριοι οι μη ιδοντες και πιστευσαντες

30 πολλα μεν ουν και αλλα σημεια εποιησεν ο ιησους ενωπιον των μαθητων αυτου α ουκ εστιν γεγραμμενα εν τω βιβλιω τουτω

31 ταυτα δε γεγραπται ινα πιστευσητε οτι ο ιησους εστιν ο χριστος ο υιος του θεου και ινα πιστευοντες ζωην εχητε εν τω ονοματι αυτου

1550 Stephanus New Testament (TR1550)

by Public Domain