Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. (1Ki 19:11-12 NIV)
Jesus said: “What I say to you, I say to everyone: ‘Watch!’ “ (Mar 13:37 NIV)
Rev. Sithole promoted to Doctor of Theology +
Good news from CTS. Ft.Wayne is that Rev. Eliot Sithole (Jobe) PhD, who is a pastor of the Lutheran Church in Southern Africa and teacher at the Lutheran Theological Seminary in Tshwane (LTS) has successfully completed the PhD program at Concordia Theological Seminary in Ft.Wayne and was promoted to Doctor of Theology at their graduation in May.
Professor Dr. Klaus Detlev Schulz, who is the Supervisor of the Ph.D. (Missiology) Program at CTS Ft.Wayne, shared this good news. We rejoice in this and congratulate Rev. Sithole on this outstanding achievement. We look forward to hearing more from Doctor Sithole at Seminary and in our Church: Hallelujah, Hallelujah +
Presentlich Rev. Dr. Sithole is part of the team working on the revision of the Bible in isiZulu in Durban, KZN. We wish him God’s blessings on his way forward as doctor of theology and pastor in the Lutheran Church.
This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. (1Jo 3:16 NIV)
Love is exemplified in the sacrifice of ones life for those loved. Jesus Christ did this as example and model for all. His love for all is demonstrated in his death for all. If you want to know love, get to know the sacrificial and self-offering love of Jesus. The Christians of early times depicted Jesus symbolically as a pelican, who nourishes his young with his own blood by tearing open his chest. This is a fitting analogy especially if we consider the high and holy altar from which he offers us his very own body and blood to eat and to drink for the forgiveness of our sins and for the eternal nourishment and salvation of our lives and souls. Even though it is quite a telling picture the pelican’s imagery is not exhaustive at all, because it does not show how Christ offered himself totally – even unto death. There is no bigger love than that of our Lord for his people. He the King of kings and only begotten Son of the heavenly Father, very God of very God reconciles his enemies with himself and makes them friends, family and next-of-kin. He gives his holy life for sinners, so that they would become holy and sanctified like himself. This love is publically declared and made manifest to all on Golgotha on the holy cross. There he calls us to follow his example and that we too should live and die, work and suffer in loving discipleship. Countless examples – more than have been recorded in the Church – reflect our Lord’s love and life in this world. They give their life in the service for others in this world just as a candle burns itself as it dispels the darkness with its light.
When I survey the wondrous cross On which the Prince of glory died, My richest gain I count but loss, And pour contempt on all my pride.
Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast, Save in the death of Christ my God! All the vain things that charm me most, I sacrifice them to His blood.
See from His head, His hands, His feet, Sorrow and love flow mingled down! Did e’er such love and sorrow meet, Or thorns compose so rich a crown?
His dying crimson, like a robe, Spreads o’er His body on the tree; Then I am dead to all the globe, And all the globe is dead to me.
Were the whole realm of nature mine, That were a present far too small; Love so amazing, so divine, Demands my soul, my life, my all. (Isaac Watts, 1674-1748)
This is a rather free translation of Wilhelm Löhe’s devotion for Thursday after the second Sunday after the high holiday and festival of the Holy Trinity. It is found on Pg. 233 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.
O LORD, you are our God; do not let man prevail against you. (2Ch 14:11 NIV)
For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” (Rom 8:15 NIV)
Anyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life in him. (1Jo 3:15 NIV)
There’s hot warfare go on between the world and the Church. That ongoing conflict between unbelief and true faith drives world history. It’s a battle of death and life. Yet God’s children stand in more than this relation to the world, because they have each other and also stand in the Church of the Lord. There too are battles to be fought. Here too there are various factions and directions in opposition to each other and in conflict with one another. There are denominations, sectarian parties and even heretical enemies. How is this to be understood? Mainly because not everyone is subject to God’s word and will in all aspects, but rather prefers individual or partisan ideologies and philosophies that the revealed truth. That’s why you get differences – serious alterations and even lasting separations and different denominations and churches. These can’t just be brushed aside or nullified. It’s not that easy. Yet they should not be rated higher and more important than God himself rates these deviations, misinterpretations and plain errors and godless heresies. Although most ideas profess to seek and promote more peace and greater unity, they most often do the exact opposite. That seems to contradict all that was said in praise of Christian love and unity. Yet sadly this is no lie or exaggeration or distortion of the truth. It’s true and has proven itself a thousand times in history. It will even stay that way until the very end. The portals of the Church are decorated with the signs of most perfect and greatest love of all – the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, who gave his live for the whole world and all us and our salvation +
O almighty, eternal God, King of glory and Lord of heaven and earth. Your Spirit rules in all things and you have ordered and regulate everything. You are the God of peace and you desire unity of all and peace for everyone. We pray, forgive us our sin and grace us with your godly peace and holy unity, so that we would serve you with fear and trembling, praising your name forever through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
At the Lamb’s high feast we sing Praise to our victorious king, Who has washed us in the tide Flowing from his pierced side. Alleluia!
Praise we him, whose love divine Gives his sacred blood for wine, Gives his body for the feast Christ the victim, Christ the priest. Alleluia!
Where the paschal blood is poured, Death’s dread angel sheathes the sword; Israel’s hosts triumphant go Through the wave that drowns the foe. Alleluia!
Praise we Christ, whose blood was shed, Paschal victim, paschal bread; With sincerity and love Eat we manna from above. Alleluia!
Mighty Victim from the sky, Hell’s fierce powers beneath you lie; You have conquered in the fight You have brought us life and light. Alleluia!
Now no more can death appall, Now no more the grave enthrall; You have opened paradise, And your saints in you shall rise. Alleluia!
Easter triumph, Easter joy! This alone can sin destroy; From sin’s power, Lord, set us free, Newborn souls in you to be. Alleluia!
Father, who the crown shall give, Savior, by whose death we live, Spirit, guide through all our days; Three in One, Your name we praise. Alleluia! (Bohemian Brethren)
This is a rather free translation of Wilhelm Löhe’s devotion for Wednesday after the second Sunday after the high holiday and festival of the Holy Trinity. It is found on Pg. 232 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.
Hallelujah – Praise the LORD. I will extol the LORD with all my heart in the council of the upright and in the assembly. (Psa 111:1 NIV)
Teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. (Col 3:16 NIV)
Ulrich Parzany beeindruckte in Schwenningdorf
SELK-Gemeinde an missionarischen Veranstaltungen beteiligt
Rödinghausen, 11.6.2013 – selk – Eine beeindruckende Atmosphäre herrschte von Freitag bis Sonntag in der Gesamtschulsporthalle der Rödinghausener Gesamtschule. Erstmals fand hier das Bierener Missionsfest statt, das schon zum 104. Male begangen wurde. Mit Bestuhlung, Bühne und vielen Lichteffekten hatten es die Organisatoren geschafft, die Sporthalle in eine „moderne“ Kirche zu verwandeln. „Zwischen 400 und 500 Besucher konnten wir jeweils bei den vier Veranstaltungen begrüßen, insgesamt also knapp 2.000 Menschen!“, freute sich der Pressesprecher Karl Hellmann vom Organisationsteam der Evangelischen Allianz Rödinghausen. „Wir durften natürlich auch auf die Erfahrungen von ProChrist zurückgreifen.“
Begleitet von Projektchor und Projektband, eigens aus allen beteiligten Gemeinden zusammengestellt, tiefgehenden Interviews sowie spritzigen Theatereinlagen war Ulrich Parzany, der bekannte ProChrist-Pfarrer, Hauptredner an allen drei Tagen. Er brillierte durch eine klare Sprache. „Es gibt einen doppelten Ausgang der Geschichte, einen mit Gott und einen ohne Gott. Deshalb ist das Zweifeln wichtig. Zweifeln als ein radikales Infragestellen dessen, was uns die Gesellschaft weismachen will. Dass es ein Leben ohne Glauben gäbe – dabei glauben wir jeden Tag an tausend Dinge, von der Statik unseres Hauses bis dahin, dass unser Partner den Frühstückskaffee nicht vergiftet hat.“ Dieses Vertrauen auch Jesus Christus zu schenken, dafür warb Parzany. Nach jeder Veranstaltung standen Seelsorger für Fragen zur Verfügung. Der für die Seelsorger zuständige Gemeindepfarrer der Johannesgemeinde Schwenningdorf der Selbständigen Evangelisch-Lutherischen Kirche (SELK), Johannes Heicke, zeigte sich beeindruckt von dem regen Gebrauch, der von diesem Angebot gemacht wurde: „Wir hoffen sehr, dass die Menschen zu den Glaubenskursen wiederkommen, die wir in den kommenden Wochen anbieten werden.“
Die Evangelische Allianz Rödinghausen besteht aus den beiden landeskirchlichen Gemeinden Rödinghausen und Westkilver, den jeweiligen CVJM, der Gemeinde der Christen e.V. (Ecclesia) und der SELK-Gemeinde Schwenningdorf. „Dass alle Gemeinden als Mitveranstalter aufgetreten sind und in den verschiedenen Arbeitsgruppen eng zusammengearbeitet haben, hat auch zu einem sehr guten Klima innerhalb der Rödinghausener Ökumene geführt. Schon das allein wäre jede Mühe wert gewesen“, so Heicke.
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Ein Bericht von selk_news /
Redaktion: SELK – Gesamtkirche /
Quelle: Neue Westfälische Zeitung vom 11.6.2013 /
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
Anyone who does not love remains in death. (1Jo 3:14 NIV)
What gives us knowledge and recognition that we are reborn through God the Holy Spirit? The answer stands out like a rock: “Anyone who does not love remains in death.” (1Jo 3:14 NIV) If you continue to love those that are loved by the heavenly Father, then you are a child of his. You have to share the love that he has to be part of him. With the triune God love is not just a thought, but also word and deed. The same holds true for the love of his children. They dedicate body and soul to serve divine love. Just as the soul is all over the body, so also love is in all parts and powers of body and soul. To be permeated by this divine love is a characteristic of godly childhood. This indicates a elevation of life that we don’t have in this fullness as yet. This truth therefore needs to be asked with all sincerity: If we are not, what we should be and if by our own power we can’t become that either, then how on earth are we to pass God’s most holy judgment? However what we are not yet, we can still become. The merciful God himself is willing to compensate our lack. He brings us out of death into eternal life by the vicarious salvation through his only begotten Son Jesus Christ – our Lord.
O dearest Lord Jesus Christ! We plead you to enkindle in our hearts your holy love with which you have loved us lost people even unto death so that we willingly enter your service and mercifully and continuously go after those, who are still caught up in bonds of sin and shame, sighing in great need and calamity. Bless all institutions and societies dedicated to merciful works of love and taking care of your people caught in illness, poverty, captivity and misery, those hurt in warfare and those threatened to loose their souls salvation. Give to all brothers and sisters, who have chosen merciful service as their lives occupation and profession the spirit of faithful and self disparaging love, so that they can continue in this caring service with joy and without moaning. Crown their work with your blessing, so that all need will be answered, sin averted, plague and detriment lessened and many soul saved. Oh Lord deliver us from all evil and take us up finally by your holy grace from this dark vale of tears into your heavenly kingdom. Amen.
We were God’s enemies, yet he gave his only begotten Son Jesus Christ – exchanged his love for our hatred. Whoever believes this will be ignited by his love too and his hate eradicated. Just as God has done to us so we aught to do to our fellow kin. Threats of death we answer with promises of eternal life. Curses return as blessings. In shameful lowliness we’re comforted by the heavenly crown of honour and glory. (Joachim Justus Breithaupt, 1658-1732)
This is a rather free translation of Wilhelm Löhe’s devotion for Tuesday after the second Sunday after the high holiday and festival of the Holy Trinity. It is found on Pg. 231 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.
His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away. (Dan 7:14 NIV)
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. (Heb 13:8 NIV)
“Gott hat geholfen, Gott hilft, Gott wird helfen”
SELK-Gemeinde Görlitz will Flutopfern helfen
Görlitz, 9.6.2013 – selk – “Gott hat geholfen, Gott hilft, Gott wird helfen”
– diese Inschrift über einem Görlitzer Altstadt-Barock-Portal soll als Motto
über einem Fürbittgottesdienst der Görlitzer Heilig-Geist-Gemeinde der
Selbständigen Evangelisch-Lutherischen Kirche (SELK) am 4. Sonntag nach
Trinitatis (23. Juni) für die Opfer der Flutopferkatastrophe stehen.
Schon an den vergangenen Sonntagen gedachte die Görlitzer Gemeinde im
Kirchengebet und bei Gemeindeveranstaltungen der durch die Juniflut dieses
Jahres geschädigten Menschen in Süd- und Ostdeutschland. Im Jahr 2010, als
auch Gemeindeglieder aus Görlitz zu den Opfern der Wassermassen an Neiße und
Spree zählten, war die gesamtkirchliche Hilfsbereitschaft überwältigend. “In
diesem Jahr sind wir glimpflich davon gekommen”, sagte Gemeindepfarrer Gert
Kelter gegenüber selk-news. “Wir würden gerne ein bißchen von dem, was wir
vor drei Jahren an Hilfe erfahren haben, wieder zurück geben.”
Die kleine Gemeinde mit nur 85 Gemeindegliedern möchte daher auch die
Kollekte am 23. Juni, sowie bereits gesammelte Sonderspenden den Flutopfern
zur Verfügung stellen. “Große Summen werden dabei aus unserer kleinen
Gemeinde leider nicht zu erwarten sein”, so Kelter, der auch Propst des
Sprengels Ost der SELK ist. “Bislang scheinen -Gott sei Dank!- nur wenige
Kirchglieder der SELK und unseres Sprengels zu den Flutopfern zu gehören,
aber wir möchten das gesammelte Geld auch gerne betroffenen Menschen zur
Verfügung stellen, die nicht zu einer unserer Gemeinden gehören.” Die
Gemeindepfarrer des Sprengels Ost werden gebeten, Hilfe für Menschen aus
ihren Gemeinden oder dem regionalen Umfeld ihrer Gemeinden, die in Not
geraten sind, beim Pfarramt in Görlitz (goerlitz@selk.de) zu beantragen.
Weitere Spenden, die an Hilfsbedürftige weitergeleitet werden, können auch
auf das Gemeindekonto der Heilig-Geist-Gemeinde Görlitz, Konto Nummer 42 35,
BLZ 850 501 00 bei der Sparkasse Oberlausitz-Niederschlesien überwiesen
werden. (Verwendungszweck: Flutopfer Sprengel Ost der SELK)
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Eine Meldung von selk_news /
Redaktion: SELK – Diakonie / diakonie@selk.de 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 “Aktuell” auf www.selk.de!
© SELK 2013
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