With praise and thanksgiving they sang to the LORD: “He is good; his love to Israel endures forever.” (Ezr 3:11 NIV)
Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. (Act 2:46-47 NIV)
And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. (1Pe 5:10 NIV)There may be some of us, who received these words as part of the spiritual blessings on our confirmation. Everyone of us should hear these words as a blessing together with a wholesome invitation to be strengthened in this way for the challenges of life. Still more this invitation is for those, who are already mixed up in the battles of life and have born the heavy burden of these ongoing struggles and are tiring and losing focus. Oh – how much I pray that these my admonitions to take heed of God’s word would encourage you in the heat of battle and in the struggles of every day life. Whoever is fighting the devil needs lots of grace. This grace alone gives the strength to face this challenge and to cope in this combat. The gracious and merciful triune God remains our only sanctuary and fount of all goodness. To him we call in this battle that he may assist us and stand by our side. To him we cling in faith and trust. He is our rock and our redeemer. Even his name “God of all grace” carries a lot of comfort and strengthening encouragement. Yet the apostles also raises our perspective to behold the final goal to which we are underway. There the bright glory of the crown of victory is already looming large – boosting our energy to continue in our efforts even under duress.
Lord Jesus Christ! You have allowed evening and night to fall on your Church many a times so that we together with all faithful Christians would look out fervently towards you the true morning star. Even in these our later days, you have brought upon us hard times and serious struggles, so that we continue to seek you as our helper and savior alone. Grant that darkness doesn’t overwhelm us and that the night, where nobody can work doesn’t take us by surprise, but let us lift up our countenance and seek help from you alone. Give that even in the darkest of nights we sing your praise and laud your holy name. Grant that your Church will be filled continuously with your joy and with the confidence that whoever trusts in you will never be confounded. Amen. (Hermann Bezzel)
Jesus – Lord of my heart – fill me with your gracious Spirit. I am yours as I am. Grant that no foe harm me. Stay my sun, rod and shield and transfigure your image in me.
Hold me tight and keep me in your mercy. Stay my life and my rejoicing. Carry me home and remain my goal and my destiny. Savior – don’t forsake me. (Friedrich August Weihe, 1721-1771)
This is a rather free translation of Wilhelm Löhe’s devotion for Saturday after the third Sunday after the high holiday and festival of the Holy Trinity. It is found on Pg. 242 in Lob sei Dir ewig, o Jesu! (Eternal Praise to you o Jesus!) edited by A. Schuster and published in the Freimund Verlag, Neuendettelsau 1949.
You crown the year with your bounty (Psa 65:11 NIV)
Yet God has not left himself without testimony: He has shown kindness by giving you rain from heaven and crops in their seasons; he provides you with plenty of food and fills your hearts with joy. (Act 14:17 NIV)
Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings. (1Pe 5:9 NIV)
Our resistance against evil happens through a faithful, trusting and ongoing immersion of our own will in prayer. If we are connected to our Lord and savior Jesus Christ in this prayerful manner and have him as our companion in this conflict, then we are well protected against the evil assaults of the devil. We are strengthened beyond measure by this Christian prayer even if we have a difficult stand against mean assaults and fiendish hatred surrounds us. In these struggles it is a strong comfort to know: “that our brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings.” The companion- and fellowship in suffering that we share with our faithful and confessional brothers demonstrates the malice and size of our terrible enemy, but far more is the extent of the faithful brotherhood and confessional army that our Lord has mobilized and which is fighting side-by-side under his trusted and victorious leadership. Again it underlines that we don’t have to do with flesh and blood in this ultimate battle, but “rather against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” (Eph 6:12 NIV) They are intimidating in size, malice and ferocity. Yet the power of our Lord is mighty in our weakness, so that his glory and victory will be all the more imposing and praiseworthy. This victory is often invisible to our weak eyes. It’s the opposite to our physical endeavors just the lord of darkness was actually overcome through cross, suffering, death and burial of our Lord Jesus Christ. Our victory is not made up of visible triumphs and an imposing list of successes, which shine brightly in this worlds evaluation and set grand benchmarks in the assessment of the high and mighty, wise and esteemed in this world, but rather in faithful steadfastness and ongoing dependability and persistence. We should know this and stick to it.
Lord, eternal God! We thank you from the very bottom of our heart for your immeasurable goodness with which you seek us poor and miserable sinners, coming towards us to save us from the abyss of suffering and death. Lord, we are nothing, we have nothing, we can do nothing – without your grace. We can’t pray to you without your help and assistance, we can’t plead with you without your forbearance and encouragement, we can’t sing your praises without your inspiration and motivation. Lord, enlighten us, that we may pray properly and appropriately. Send your Holy Spirit into our hearts, that he may stand in for us and call on our part: “Abba, dear and beloved Father!” Amen. (Friedrich Heiler)
Awake me that I may run my course towards you without delay by Satans nets: Oh God promote my race!
If the waves pound my lives little boat – stretch out your hand and keep me safe: Oh watch day and night! (Johann Anastasius Freylinghausen, 1670-1739)
This is a rather free translation of Wilhelm Löhe’s devotion for Friday after the third Sunday after the high holiday and festival of the Holy Trinity. It is found on Pg. 240 in Lob sei Dir ewig, o Jesu! (Eternal Praise to you o Jesus!) edited by A. Schuster and published in the Freimund Verlag, Neuendettelsau 1949.
For the LORD will not reject his people; he will never forsake his inheritance. (Psa 94:14 NIV)
God did not reject his people, whom he foreknew. (Rom 11:2 NIV)
Da ich ja auf dem Flug viel Zeit hatte, habe ich ein langes Grußwort geschrieben. Viel zu lang! Es sollte ja möglichst nur 3 oder 4 Zeilen umfassen. Wie gesagt: Missionar Weinert hat es sogar mit 3 Worten geschafft. Doch damit kann ich unmöglich unserer langen und guten Partnerschaft gerecht werden. Darum habe ich mich zwar in der oeffentlichen Sitzung zeitlich begrenzt und habe nur einige Stichworte genannt – alles sehr unbefriedigend. Als Praesident Bugbee von Kanada heute sein Grusswort verlas, bereute ich meine Scheu hier nicht doch einfach die Zeit dafuer zu nutzen. Darum hier nun doch ein längeres Grusswort in einer ausfuehrlichen Version, die zwar noch immer recht mangelhaft ist, aber dennoch in etwas aufzeigt wie reichhaltig und verschiedenartig die Herausforderungen sind vor denen wir gemeinsam stehen. Ich wünsche Freude und auch etwas Ausdauer beim Lesen: SELK 2013 Juni Pastorenkonvent
Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. (1Pe 5:8 NIV)
Our best friend is Jesus and our worst enemy is the devil. Both are going about – seeking. The first seeks the lost to rescue, save and give life, while the other sees to destroy. Satan is not visible and his growling is not audible. Just as everyone fears the roaring lion, so to we would fear Satan if we could see this terrible and evil foe. Then we would flee him on sight. Yet he’s the great deceptor. He goes about in all sorts of disguises, deception and cover-ups. He is comparable with the roaring lion only in regard to his ferocious appetite and brutal greed for our souls – even as he’s prowling in stealthy silence and utmost secrecy – never giving away his true nature or position voluntarily. He’s very much like a venomous snake – slithering death and coldest mortality. He’s got great might and deep guile as his dread armor in fight. That’s why he sometimes lurks under flowers or comes in the brightest of noon days. He’s not omnipresent like our Lord, but still pops up here and there. Nobody is immune against his treacherous attacks and everybody is in danger of being swallowed by this dreadful serpent – if, and only if, he’s not kept safe in the hands of our Lord Jesus Christ. He says: Nobody can pull mine from my hand. Nothing can separate them from my pastoral care and godly protection – not even the devil.
Lord, our mighty and powerful God! Let us fear the evil one, who is so strong in his drive to hurt and kill us and drag us down into hell. Much more however o good Lord and God impress on our hearts that you are by far stronger and mightier than all else, that you have already conquered the dark lord of this world and that he no longer can pull your people from your safe haven in your protective arms and in the holy sanctuary of your beloved Church and Christian congregation. Please draw us into your godly and beneficial will, let your strength fill our faith so that we don’t fear the darkest night nor the foulest deception and guile of any temptor and decptor. Lord – we trust in you, let us never be confounded. Amen. (Wilhelm Löhe)
Faithful watchman, oh Israel: Joy of my soul – you know all trouble of your Church. Oh watchman, you don’t slumber nor rest, look at us with gracious countenance.
Safest sanctuary, oh Immanuel: Haven of my soul – God with us in deepest woe, he around us, in us and for us at all times. Therefore we defy him, who’d harm us; God’ll strike him.
Jesus, oh our peacemaker, who has crushed the serpents skull by your death and reconciled us with God. Grant us peace eternal that your people praise you joyfully – lauding you eternally. (Johann Hermann, 1585-1647)
This is a rather free translation of Wilhelm Löhe’s devotion for Thursday after the third Sunday after the high holiday and festival of the Holy Trinity. It is found on Pg. 240 in Lob sei Dir ewig, o Jesu! (Eternal Praise to you o Jesus!) edited by A. Schuster and published in the Freimund Verlag, Neuendettelsau 1949.
Do not let the oppressed retreat in disgrace; (Psa 74:21 NIV)
Our Lord Jesus Christ says: “The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’ (Mat 25:40 NIV)
SELK-Pfarrkonvent erlebt Buch-Präsentation
Prof. Dr. Roland Ziegler über das Eucharistiegebet
Berlin-Spandau, 19.6.2013 – selk – “Welche Anweisungen gibt das Neue Testament, wie die Kirche heute das Mahl zu feiern hat? ,Dies tut zu meinem Gedächtnis’ – was ist in dem ,dies’ eingeschlossen? Zwischen dem Neuen Testament und heute liegen zweitausend Jahre Kirchengeschichte als Auslegungsgeschichte der Heiligen Schrift”, so skizziert Prof. Dr. Roland Ziegler die Grundfrage seines gerade erschienenen Buches “Das Eucharistiegebet in Theologie und Liturgie der lutherischen Kirchen seit der Reformation. Die Deutung des Herrenmahles zwischen Promissio und Eucharistie”. Der Autor war früher Assistent an der Lutherischen Theologischen Hochschule der Selbständigen Evangelisch-Lutherischen Kirche (SELK) in Oberursel und Pfarrer der SELK in Konstanz. Heute lehrt er am Concordia Theological Seminary Fort Wayne der Lutherischen Kirche-Missouri Synode (LCMS), einer Schwesterkirche der SELK. Zu seinem Buch erklärt Ziegler weiter: “Das Eucharistiegebet ist in seiner Grundstruktur ein durchgehendes Gebet an Gott den Vater, das aus Dank für die Heilstaten Gottes, einer Anamnese des Werkes Christi, das gegebenenfalls die Einsetzungsworte enthält, und einer Bitte um den Heiligen Geist besteht.”
Die 504 Seiten umfassende Untersuchung, mit der der Autor 2011 an der Eberhard-Karls-Universität Tübingen promoviert wurde, ist jetzt als Band 12 der Reihe “Oberurseler Hefte Ergänzungsbände” im SELK-Kooperationsverlag Edition Ruprecht erschienen. Ziegler verbindet darin kirchengeschichtliche Forschung mit praktischen Fragen: Welche Vorläufer haben heutige christliche Abendmahlsfeiern im Judentum, im Neuen Testament, bei Martin Luther? In lutherischen Gottesdiensten wird seit dem 19. Jahrhundert der Begriff der “Eucharistie” für das Abendmahl immer wichtiger. Gleichzeitig wurde in die Abendmahlsfeier ein “eucharistisches Hochgebet” eingeführt. Der Autor untersucht verschiedene Positionen in Deutschland und den Vereinigten Staaten unter der Fragestellung, ob ein derartiger Wechsel in Kontinuität oder im Kontrast zur Theologie Luthers steht. In sieben Tabellen stellt Ziegler verschiedene Texte einander gegenüber, von der griechischen Didache bis zu spanischen und englischen Liturgien des 21. Jahrhunderts.
Am gestrigen Dienstag wurde das Buch (http://www.edition-ruprecht.de/katalog/titel.php?id=391) im Rahmen des 12. Allgemeinen Pfarrkonventes in Berlin-Spandau durch Prof. Dr. Gilberto da Silva von der Oberurseler Hochschule der SELK offiziell vorgestellt. Das Buch (ISBN 978-3-8469-0114-4) kostet 62 Euro.
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Ein Bericht von selk_news /
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der Selbständigen Evangelisch-Lutherischen Kirche (SELK),
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Tel. +49-511-557808 – Fax +49-511-551588,
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Beratungen über neues SELK-Gesangbuch
APK setzt Arbeit fort
Berlin-Spandau, 19.6.2013 – selk – Auf dem 12. Allgemeinen Pfarrkonvent (APK) der Selbständigen Evangelisch-Lutherischen Kirche (SELK) in Berlin-Spandau konnten die Konventualen es in die Hand nehmen – nein, noch nicht das fertige neue Gesangbuch, aber immerhin einen gedruckten Vorentwurf, 860 Seiten dick. Dabei handelt es sich um eine interne Arbeitsvorlage für den Pfarrkonvent. Von der Gesangbuchkommission waren deren Vorsitzende, Kantorin Antje Ney (Hanstedt/Nordheide), und Kantor Thomas Nickisch (Radevormwald) angereist, um am heutigen Vormittag in das Werk einzuführen und die Neuerungen vorzustellen.
Die Erarbeitung eines neuen Gesangbuchs für die SELK geht zurück auf einen Auftrag der Kirchensynode im Jahr 2007. Der APK wird den Vorentwurf nun beraten und über die nächsten Schritte entscheiden.
Zu Beginn der Entwicklung des neuen Gesangbuchs hatte es eine breit angelegte Umfrage bei Gemeindegliedern gegeben. Die Antworten flossen ein in die Überlegungen, welche Lieder beibehalten und welche neu dazukommen sollen. Dabei hatte die Kommission sprachliche, musikalische und theologische Aspekte zu berücksichtigen. Der Gebetsteil wurde neu erarbeitet ebenso wie der Bekenntnisteil.
Der APK dankte der Gesangbuchkommission ausdrücklich für die sehr aufwändige Arbeit. In Arbeitsgruppen werden am Abend und morgen Vormittag diverse Einzelfragen bearbeitet und das weitere Verfahren für die Beschlussfassung im Plenum vorbereitet.
Der Pfarrkonvent tagt seit Montag in den Räumen des Evangelischen Johannesstiftes in Spandau. Er endet am Freitag zur Mittagszeit.
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Ein Bericht von selk_news /
Redaktion: SELK – Gesamtkirche /
selk_news werden herausgegeben von der Kirchenleitung
der Selbständigen Evangelisch-Lutherischen Kirche (SELK),
Schopenhauerstraße 7, 30625 Hannover,
Tel. +49-511-557808 – Fax +49-511-551588,
E-Mail selk@selk.de
—> Informationen aus Kirche und Gemeinden in Wort und Bild
auch unter “SELK-Aktuell” auf http://www.selk.de
© SELK 2013
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