LCMS Fellowship Principles

[porterross]

I know, QA, but it doesn't take long before the attitude of exclusion for the sake of being separate takes hold. For instance, I wanted desperately to help get Habitat for Humanity and Special Olympics going here. The Episcopal priest approached me expressing his interest as well, but when I brought it up at the LCMS church here it was immediately shot down. "We have to be careful about heresy creeping in." This from someone who can't properly catechize people.

It's the mantra that devil is loving, I assure you, as confessional Lutheranism withers in this region. An attempt at processing and analyzing each situation before rejecting the notion as a reflex is apparently too much to ask, but what I've seen in the church here is blatant ignorance, pride and fear of stepping outside one's comfort zone. How in the world is that serving Christ rather than ourselves when such behavior becomes the norm and detrimental to the message?

There has to be a better way of dealing with these matters than simply having a locked door, no outsiders allowed policy. That is not how Christ dealt with those who most needed to hear His message, is it? This subject truly frustrates me because I see how the improper application of careful mingling can destroy a church's presence and existence in a community and it is a heart-wrenching failure given what Christ expects of us.

 

[QuiltAngel]

Gotcha. Will just throw this out there. My daughter's boyfriend is a DCE in a community that had major flooding this last summer. The 2 LCMS churches there have worked with others for clean up and continue to do so. Personally, I think they should combine resources. Yet, the umbrella organization is not usually a church one. That would be true for some of the organizations you mention.

The point is where to draw the line and how to draw the line. Things like that. The best would be for the local ministerium (sp?) to get together and decide what can and what can be done together and how those will be done. How it will be advertised.

We have this huge bike ride every summer and every few years, it comes through our area. Groups set up food stands. The Methodist women and the Lutheran women (yes, LCMS) have a joint stand for pies. I believe that it is just called Pies or something like that. People may ask where the money goes or they may post that it goes for mission work. So, they work together on this, yet they found a way to not compromise who they are and what they are and what they believe.

I don't mean this to sound like I am going back on what I was saying earlier cause I don't mean it to. Just coming up with applications as to how things can be done. Everyone in town knows that it is the two groups working together, but to those outside, it is just church women selling pies.

So, what I am saying is yes, each situation needs to be looked at, what the purpose of it is, what will be done during the event, etc. Yet also to be careful not to put out there that the event is a sign of official type fellowship.

 

[porterross]

Thank you, Jane. Those are the kind of activities I was talking about and I'm glad you take part in them.

The problem here is, it is a given that the LCMS church pastor will have no part of the joint minister's group. No one can tell me why, though, but it is why the Lutheran church is a forgotten member of the community by their own doing, but until those who are the problem are no longer here, it will continue.


DaRev can attest to what I'm saying. There is no changing things and many of us have tried, yet they sit and wonder why the church is dying. It is spectacularly unbelievable.

 

[DaRev]

The problem here is, it is a given that the LCMS church pastor will have no part of the joint minister's group. No one can tell me why, though, but it is why the Lutheran church is a forgotten member of the community by their own doing, but until those who are the problem are no longer here, it will continue.


DaRev can attest to what I'm saying. There is no changing things and many of us have tried, yet they sit and wonder why the church is dying. It is spectacularly unbelievable.

To this I can attest. It's a sad situation in a community where that church should be bulging at the seams. It's run more on paranoia than anything else.

I have been invited to join the local ministerium here, which I am eager to do.

 

[filosofer]

Everywhere I have served (in LCMS), I have joined the ministerial association, and the response has always been very positive. They know we don't do "community worship" but they appreciate the opportunity to meet.

 

[QuiltAngel]

I am going to guess it is because the Pastor or one of the previous Pastors made it out to be a sign of unionism or something. Most of the local ministerium are for the purpose of things like food banks, how to care for our community, what to do with transients who come begging for things, and also for general time with other Pastor's who are probably experiencing the same struggles as a Pastor.

We don't have one here, yet there are so many LCMS churches about 15 - 20 miles in any direction that our Pastors find it easy to get together with their brothers in the LCMS. Also, many churches around here are served by supply Pastors and the Pastor may not actually live in the town. Though, when it comes to who is doing the service in the summer, the baccalaureate service and other things their input is needed, it is easy to get.

At our previous church, the people whined about how we aren't doing such and such or why couldn't we, yet they never did anything to make visitors feel welcome and included. It was a closed community and the churches were pretty much closed churches as far as welcoming goes. The church was basically inward looking, yet when they wanted to do things together with others, it was things like worship and things done in way that would be compromising our Lutheran doctrine and such. They did not do much to support things like missions. Everything that went wrong was the Pastor's fault. It was easy to blame him as he was an outsider. Most Pastors stayed about 2 - 3 years so when my husband was there for --gasp-- 10 years, it was horrible.

How does one change the attitude of the members? Good question. When anyone comes up with that answer, let me know. I know praying that God changes them is important. Yet, when people's hearts are hardened, it takes a very long time to soften.

I guess I am saying all this to point out that there could be a history there. I don't know how long you have lived there or been a member so forgive me if you have grown up there. I wish I could tell you not to give up, but I know you are leaving there shortly. Keep this church in your prayers that they may open their hearts to ways they can serve the community without compromising doctrine.

 

[porterross]

Yes, the history is there and all that's left are those who were a big part of the reason all the folks who were willing to help have left, including my parents. Prayers are helpful, but until those making the decisions are no longer doing so, nothing is likely to change. I've been trying to schedule a Sunday for my daughter's confirmation and it shouldn't be this difficult, but no one seems to be concerned about it. The poor kid.

 

[filosofer]

I've been trying to schedule a Sunday for my daughter's confirmation and it shouldn't be this difficult, but no one seems to be concerned about it. The poor kid.

What idiots! A great day in the life of a young Christian, and there is apathy?!




May God bless your efforts. Encourage her. This is where we need to be ministering today!! Families and young people... especially at such a crucial age.

 

[QuiltAngel]

That is sad that you can't get a confirmation date.

 

[porterross]

What idiots! A great day in the life of a young Christian, and there is apathy?!




May God bless your efforts. Encourage her. This is where we need to be ministering today!! Families and young people... especially at such a crucial age.

You have no idea. DaRev was willing to do it when he was here, but that was refused, only for me to be told by the ordained mission pastor here that he could and should have.
The vicar (I use the term loosely) called me tonight and said she could take communion. I said I wanted her confirmed. He says he hasn't had time to think about having communion even though it was the 5th Sunday of the month, but will try to fit it in this Sunday. I'm supposed to call him Friday to be sure, but I'll be shocked if he agrees to do it.

I almost felt like I was forcing him to agree to it, because he's leaving again that next week. Honestly, if he doesn't want to do it, I'll ask the Spanish mission pastor to, but given the season, I'm not hopeful.

Now can you see why this church is dying and why I am so critical of the distance learning programs? What goes on here is a travesty.We can't get to the ELCE fast enough and they are already anxiously awaiting our transfer in.