SELK pastor’s convention starts in Berlin

Posted on June 18, 2013 by Wilhelm Weber

St. Johannissift“. sonst bekommen wir wieder keinen Platz.”
SELK: 12. Allgemeiner Pfarrkonvent mit Gottesdienst eröffnet

Berlin-Spandau, 17.6.2013 – selk – “Ein bisschen sehne ich mich danach, dass ist am Sonntagmorgen zu meiner Frau sage: ‘Lass uns 15 Minuten eher fahren, sonst bekommen wir wieder keinen Platz und müssen im Gang stehen.'” – Von der Sehnsucht, dem erwartungsvollen Glauben, dass Gott auch heute unter den Menschen wirksam ist und Gemeinden wachsen lässt, war die Rede, als Bischof Hans-Jörg Voigt (Hannover) von der Selbständigen Evangelisch-Lutherischen Kirche (SELK) am frühen Abend die Predigt im Eröffnungsgottesdienst des 12. Allgemeinen Pfarrkonventes der SELK hielt. Der leitende Geistliche veranschaulichte diese Sehnsucht mit Erfahrungen, die er jüngst bei einem Besuch der Selbständigen Evangelisch-Lutherischen Kirche in der Republik Belarus gemacht hat: Das unverbrauchte und zielgerichtete Engagement, sich für die Entwicklung lutherischer Theologie und Kirche in Weißrussland einzusetzen, wurde an verschiedenen Beispielen deutlich. Voigt bekräftigte das aufbauende Wirken Gottes, an dem er seine Leute beteilige. Es gehe dabei um den weiteren Horizont der Ewigkeit, im biblischen Bild: des “himmlischen Jerusalem”. “Gott selbst wird diese vollkommene Stadt bauen. Ja, er hat ja längst angefangen mit diesem Städtebau. Das himmlische Jerusalem wächst jeden Tag mitten unter uns. Dahin geht meine Sehnsucht”, sagte der Bischof – und ermunterte dazu, sich zu neuer Sehnsucht wecken zu lassen (“Was erträumen wir uns von unserer Gemeinde und was glauben wir, dass Gott für uns tun soll?”). Der Verheißung Gottes, seine Gemeinde zu bauen, könne auch heute sehnsüchtig und erwartungsvoll vertraut werden.

Der durch Orgel- und Blechblasmusik bereicherte Beicht- und Abendmahlsgottesdienst zur Konventseröffnung fand in der evangelischen Wichernkirche in Berlin-Spandau statt, die sich in Nachbarschaft zum Evangelischen Johannesstift, dem Tagungsort des Konventes, befindet. Im Anschluss trafen sich die rund 140 Konventualen und Gäste zu einer ersten kurzen Sitzungseinheit im Plenarsaal. Dabei gab der Allgemeine Pfarrkonvent sein Einverständnis, mit der Konventsleitung Bischof Voigt, die Pröpste Klaus-Peter Czwikla (Spiesen-Elversberg), Gert Kelter (Kelter), Klaus Pahlen (Essen) und Johannes Rehr (Sottrum) sowie Superintendent Burkhard Kurz (Dortmund) zu betrauen.

Der weitere Abend wird ohne Programm als Abend der Begegnung gestaltet. Um 22 Uhr besteht das Angebot eines Nachtgebetes in der Wichernkirche.

Der Konvent dauert bis zum kommenden Freitag an.
——————–
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

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Löhe on 1 Peter 5:7

Posted on June 18, 2013 by Wilhelm Weber

sun in africaCast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. (1Pe 5:7 NIV)

Here the apostle does not write about our basic anxiety for daily bread. He is focusing rather on the anxiety of his congregants and fellow-Christians, who were anxious about the hatred from this world and the enormous challenge to remain steadfast in daily and severe persecutions and to keep the faith and trust in their Lord Jesus Christ even as the heat and pressure of discrimination and harassment were turned up quite excessively. Then the Christians were concerned and anxious about remaining faithful and trusting in their good Lord. Even normal sufferings in this life, which we Christians share will all people and entire humanity have got the tendency to keep people suffering from experiencing joy and happiness. That’s the affliction and temptation of hardships – that it keeps you from smiling and being content. Yet the specific Christian suffering under the hatred of this world and the power of evil is even worse and a stronger affliction. It’s hard to bear that faithful Christians should suffer this way. We can’t really come to grips with that suffering of the righteous and innocent people elected by God to his one, holy Christian Church. Under such terrible and even outrageous circumstances and experiencing such a fate, we are tempted and even naturally inclined to give in to these anxieties, we brood looking inwardly at ourselves, sighing and crying even, as we sway under the load of hardships in danger of losing hope and despairing. The blessed hand of our God and Lord should not pressure us in this way – we think. If it’s pressing hard down on us – we think that it can’t be blessing. Yet, we are to bear our cross patiently and commit all anxiety to the Lord. We people often don’t have enough to carry by bearing God’s cross. That is why we look for even more burdens and increase them considerably by our own anxieties and dark thoughts – even though God has assured us, that he is caring for us. This vain anxiety which really is quite godless and very unproductive too, we should cast away and leave it to him.

Lord, our God and savior. Take all fear from our hearts and grant us your love divine, which drives out all fear. What should we fear? Our suffering is yours. Our hardship leads us towards you. Our sins you have forgiven. Our dying you have transfigured into everlasting life. If it storm and tempest outside, you still are our mighty fortress, our rock and redeemer. We don’t want to be afraid – even as the world is passing and the last judgment comes. Free us from all lack of faith. Even if we have all reason to despair of ourselves, let us never despair of your help and goodness even as you care and control all in your mighty hands and with your living Word. Lord, you know our hearts. You know our anxieties and fears in the unrest of our time and age. Come and pacify our hearts, fill our spirit with your power and peace. Amen.  (Adolf Stöcker)

Be content and still in the Lord of your life. In him you find rest and joy’s fill, yet without him you struggle in vain. He is your life’s font and true sun, shining most brightly for your revival and bliss. So be content in him! (Paul Gerhard, 1607-1676)

This is a rather free translation of Wilhelm Löhe’s devotion for Tuesday after the third Sunday after the high holiday and festival of the Holy Trinity. It is found on Pg. 237 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.

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Herrenhuter readings for Tuesday, the 18th June 2013

Posted on June 18, 2013 by Wilhelm Weber

Jesus heals crippled womenYou turned my wailing into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy. (Psa 30:11 NIV)

When Jesus saw her, he called her forward and said to her, “Woman, you are set free from your infirmity.” Then he put his hands on her, and immediately she straightened up and praised God. (Luk 13:12-13 NIV)

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Löhe on 1 Peter 5:6b

Posted on June 16, 2013 by Wilhelm Weber

Harvest_Joy__W1122000003_-_Size__.77_x_.56_m_fs…that he may lift you up in due time. (1Pe 5:6 NIV)

Humiliation is the road to elevation and exaltation. This is an invitation for us to reconsider the ways of this world and to believe in God’s revelation, which demonstrates that our lives are really nothing else than a learning process to bow down under God’s mighty hand so that he would uplift us up in his good time. Being picked up – is the opposite to humiliation. As the humiliation is nothing else than faithful acceptance of the holy cross that we carry for Christ’s sake, so the elevation is the liberation from this suffering and the introduction of joyful peace and utter solace awaiting God’s children at his good time and bidding. Until this divinely stipulated time breaks there is no peace – no matter how hard we try to bring it about. Rather until that time the word’s of our Lord ring true: “In this world you will have trouble.” (Joh 16:33 NIV) However just as true is his promise that there will come another time at the end of our days, when there will no longer be any sorrow, tears or crying. God will have wiped away all our tears and overcome all our sorrow with never-ending joy and eternal bliss and happiness. This is the time of salvation we are longing for. That’s what the Church is hoping for. Until then we carry our cross and keep the deep longing for perfect peace and ongoing solace under control patiently enduring all without giving up the faith and Christian hope. It reads, we should humiliate ourselves, so that God would lift us up. This humiliation doesn’t earn the exaltation and upliftment. Rather it’s God’s gracious present and free gift.

Lord, our God. We delve into your great Word and motivated by it long for the light of your new world, which you will create in your righteousness and truth. We are grateful that you have given us this hope in this our time and world, amidst all hardship and trouble we go through. We look to your holy Word: You make everything new and that is why our present lives are judged, that is why you have called us to the new life and that is why we want to remain faithful to you always. Keep us in your holy Word and let many people be enlightend by your good and saving Gospel, that they too will look up to you in true faith and trust until we see you face to face at the end of time and this age – seeing your grace and glory over all and in all. Amen. (Christian Blumhardt)

God’s children sow in sadness with lots of tears, yet the year finally brings forth what they were hoping for. Harvest time is coming close and at last they will bind their many sheaves – their sorrow and grief will be utter joy and laughter henceforth. (Paul Gerhard, 1607-1676)

This is a rather free translation of Wilhelm Löhe’s devotion for Monday after the third Sunday after the high holiday and festival of the Holy Trinity. It is found on Pg. 237 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.

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Herrenhuter readings for Monday, the 17th June 2013

Posted on June 16, 2013 by Wilhelm Weber

amosAmos answered Amaziah, “I was a shepherd, and I also took care of sycamore-fig trees. But the LORD took me from tending the flock and said to me, ‘Go, prophesy to my people Israel.’ (Amo 7:14-15 NIV)

Jesus said to Simon, “Don’t be afraid; from now on you will catch men.” (Luk 5:10 NIV)

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Löhe on 1 Peter 5:6a

Posted on June 16, 2013 by Wilhelm Weber

crucifiedHumble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand,  (1Pe 5:6 NIV)

Would not every creature bow down humbly if it realizes the mighty hand of God is coming down? One may even ask, if that is humiliation if we bow down before the Almighty and most high, who created and owns heaven and earth and all that is. If we are entreated to humble ourselves and to bow down low before this mighty hand, then it becomes obvious that this hand is not visible as such and that we can’t recognize it as God’s hand by its appearance. The doubt whether this or that is really God’s mighty hand, stresses this point. Therefore it becomes all the more crucial to recognize God’s mighty hand as such. It is recognizable as it reveals itself in cross and suffering. If we evaluate the carrying of the cross, the bearing of some heavy load and the suffering of God’s will and calling properly and in divine light, then this is no humiliation at all, as this leads us forward and heavenward. Yet our feelings give mixed signals – if not downright negative feedback. We experience this as humiliation and as being let down. That is why we as Christians need to reevaluate and relearn what such humbling experiences really are worth for and what they truly signify, namely being drawn closer and closer to God himself. He himself is low and humble and therefore as he draws us closer to himself we too are lowered and humbled. All blessed Christians enter divine completion and fulfillment through loads of tribulation, suffering and hardship. That is the road into God’s kingdom. There is no other.

Almighty and merciful God! We plead you in our great distress and hardship – let us not fall into despair and faithless dejection. Rather prove your power and bring your faithfulness to light. You are our comfort and helper in our need. Do not forsake us! We humble ourselves under your mighty hand, so that you might uplift us at your pleasure and when it is best. Lord, strengthen our faith in you. Grant us a firm will and manly courage so that we would remain steadfast in bad days, carry out our vocation as would please you and not flee our posts cowardly. Remember all those, who have been targeted and wounded most. Pick up those disheartened and encourage the fainthearted. Teach us to recognize you aright in all these afflictions, so that we may fear, love and trust you above all else. We pray for your Church, its bishops and pastors, teachers and missionaries, helpers and supporters and for all, who have heard your word, who believe and trust in your holy promises and follow your divine laws and stipulations. Reign over us with your godly mercy and protect, keep and flourish your gracious gifts that you have showered over us. Lord God, you are our judge and our advocate, our savior and helper, our physician and best friend. We are yours – help us. Amen. (Mecklenburgisch-Schwerinsches Church book, 1927)

Calmly I sleep, kept safe by angelic bands. No trouble hurts me as I’m dreaming of heaven’s joys. Oh, how I long to be there with Jesus my Lord! (Benjamin Schmolck, 1672-1737)

This is a rather free translation of Wilhelm Löhe’s devotion for the third Sunday after the high holiday and festival of the Holy Trinity. It is found on Pg. 236 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.

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Herrenhuter readings for Sunday, the 16th June 2013

Posted on June 16, 2013 by Wilhelm Weber

st. PaulHow great are his signs, how mighty his wonders! His kingdom is an eternal kingdom; his dominion endures from generation to generation. (Dan 4:3 NIV)

God did extraordinary miracles through Paul, (Act 19:11 NIV)

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Löhe on 1 John 3:17

Posted on June 15, 2013 by Wilhelm Weber

rich man and lazarusIf anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? (1Jo 3:17 NIV)

Remember that first congregation in Jerusalem. Remember how they sold their worldly possessions so that they could donate their financial gain to the apostles and the Church? Do you recall the honour and praise of those Christian congregations, whom the Apostle St. Paul describes? How they gave according to their possibilities and strengths – and some even over and above that – just to support the poor brethren in the Church of Judea, fellows in the faith and sharers of the common Christian hope and truth! Remember how congregations and churches worked hard in good times so that they could take care of the needs of the poor in hard times. Over the many decades and even centuries the Church has indeed been richly blessed with good works of mercy and selfless offerings of compassion and love for those in need and for holy purposes and goals. People choosing to live in poverty and depravation so that they would have to give to others. Others working as good stewards of the many gifts God has entrusted to them, so that they would have to give to those that needed it even more and to do those things in the Church, which served God’s glorification and the spreading of his kingdom throughout this world. People working with the things of this world in a way that was in accord with that of the Lord’s will. They did not close their hearts from those in poverty and need. The love of God dwelt in them richly and motivated them to do as pleased their Lord and master. Just think of those countless works of mercy and love in olden times long gone by and even those done in our time and age too. Compared with the hatred of this world the love of the Church and its mission is so beautiful as it affects positively, meaningfully and significantly not only the companions of the faith, but also those outside the Church.

Almighty God, creator and father of us all! In your unfathomable goodness and wisdom you have ordained that in this world rich and poor, healthy and ill, strong and weak, old and young, wise and foolish would live together in peace and harmony and that each would take care of the other as best as possible and to the benefit of those most in need. You would have mercy reign everywhere and that love and trust unite all of us from the bottom of our hearts. We ask you: Teach us to recognize, what great things you have done to us, when you saved us from the deepest misery and hell so that we did not despair in sin and shame. You saved us by your gracious mercy and care. Therefore let us not look down too harshly on those in need, poverty and at a loss. Let us not despise those in sorrow and care, when we are without care and sorrow. Let us not look down haughtily on those fallen, when we by your grace and mercy are still walking on the straight and narrow paths of your holy will and commandments. Open our eyes for the obvious and hidden calamities in our neighborhood, towns and districts. Open our ears for the cries of those in need and our hands to give and help gladly, our hearts that the love of Jesus would reign in them. Let us not despair if the works of mercy and the necessities of life weigh heavily on us and we feel that our strength is failing, so many stand aloof from the good work and even those in need of help flee elsewhere. Let us follow the example of your son and let us be more and more like him, so that we will not tire, but rather do your work faithfully even unto death. Amen. (Th.Schäfer)    

This is a rather free translation of Wilhelm Löhe’s devotion for Saturday after the second Sunday after the high holiday and festival of the Holy Trinity. It is found on Pg. 235 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.

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Herrenhuter readings for Saturday, the 15. June 2013

Posted on June 15, 2013 by Wilhelm Weber

beichteYou are a forgiving God, gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love.  (Neh 9:17 NIV)

Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us.  (Luk 11:4 NIV)

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Lutheran Order of service in isiZulu/seTswana

Posted on June 14, 2013 by Wilhelm Weber

zaccheus-meets-jesus-satheesan-a-kThe Lutheran Order of Service for the 3rd Sunday after Trinity is available here in isiZulu and seTswana. Today it comes with a sermon on Lk.19,1-10 (Our Lord Jesus Christ visiting Zacchaeus, a chief tax collector in Jericho) written by brother Rev. M.N. Mntambo (LTS in Tshwane, GP) in isiZulu (wz1333130616 n Tr 3) and translated as usual into seTswana (wt1333130616 n Tr 3) by my father Rev. E.A.W.Weber DD.

About the Indian painting depicting today’s gospel: “This painting is done in the traditional mural art style of Kerala, India. This style of art is normally done on the walls of temples and churches and depicts stories. The artist, Satheesan A. K., has worked on the walls of temples in Kerala for several years. In 2008 Satya Global Arts commissioned 10 canvas paintings on the life of Christ. This painting shows the meeting of Jesus and a tax collector named Zaccheus who climbed up a tree so that he could get a glimpse of Jesus as he passed by.” (Fine Art America: ineartamerica.com/featured/zaccheus-meets-jesus-satheesan-a-k.html)

May you have a very blessed weekend and have time to meditate on the watchword for this Sunday. Our Lord Jesus Christ assures us most emphatically: “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.” (Luk 19:10 NIV) The liturgical colour is green.

We thank the Lutheran Heritage Foundation for supporting the distribution of hard-copies of these orders of worship and sermons throughout Southern Africa. If you also want a copy please do not hesitate to subscribe by writing to EAWWeber@bundunet.co.za.

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