The ABC3s of Miscellany

Symposia Update and International Dignitaries

2012-01-19T14:46:00.003-06:00

Snow Covered Kramer Chapel

Although the 27th annual Exegetical Symposium and the 35th annual Symposium on the Lutheran Confessions (17 - 20 January 2012) began with unusually mild weather on Monday, by Thursday, winter arrived in full force with blustery winds and snow coating the ground.

The theme for the 27th annual Exegetical Theology Symposium, January 17-18, is In Search of Jesus: Why History Matters. Main speakers include Richard Bauckham of Cambridge, England; Daniel Johansson of Gothenburg, Sweden; as well as Dr. David Scaer, Dr. Charles Gieschen and other CTS professors.

The 35th annual Symposium on the Lutheran Confessions has chosen Justification in a Contemporary Context as its theme and will take place January 18-20, under the sponsorship of the Department of Systematic Theology. Speakers scheduled to participate include Dr. Jack Kilcrease, Adjunct Professor of Theology and Humanities at Aquinas College in Grand Rapids, Michigan; Dr. Erik M. Heen, John H.P. Reumann Chair in Biblical Studies, The Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia; along with Prof. Roland Ziegler and other members of the CTS faculty.

Kantorei in Kramer Chapel Balcony

One of the highlights of the Symposia Series at Concordia Theological Seminary in Fort Wayne is the chapel services, in particular the celebration of the commemoration of the faithfully departed. This year the commemoration of the faithfully departed was held on the Confession of Saint Peter, 18 January 2012. Rev. Jon Vieker, Senior Assistant to the LCMS President preached.

Rev. Jon Vieker, Preaching at Commemoration of the Faithfully Departed

Rev. Vieker preached on the LSB Hymn 395, "O Morning Star How Fair and Bright," Stanza 5 and Revelation 21:1 - 7. The service closed with LSB Hymn 676, "Behold A Host Arrayed in White," (Listen to it below).

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The service bulletin from the Commemoration of the Faithful Departed is provided below.

Commemoration of Faithful Departed 18 Jan 2012

Another highlight of the Symposia is the opportunity to meet with church leaders from around the world. This year Concordia Theological Seminary Fort Wayne invited 25 International dignitaries to attend the Symposia. Dignitaries from Russia, Latvia, Germany, Finland, Norway, Tanzania, Nigeria, Haiti, and Indonesia attended.

President Lawrence Rast of Concordia Theological Seminary Welcomes
International Dignitaries and Introduces President Harrison to them.

The International Guests reported that they found the theological lectures and the fellowship at the Symposia Series very encouraging.

Rev. Emmanuel Makala (Tanzania) and Dr. Timothy Quill

Rev. Emmanuel Makala is the assistant to Bishop Andrew Gulle of the East Lake Diocese in Tanzania. He is a new doctorate student at Concordia Theological Seminary in Fort Wayne.

Bishop Vsevolod Lytkin and Adrian Dorr

Adrian Dorr interviews Bishop Vsevolod Lytkin from the Siberian Evangelical Lutheran Church (SELC).

Rev. Charles Wokoma, Archbishop Christian Ekong, Rev. Dr. Albert Collver

This was Archbishop Christian Ekong from the Lutheran Church of Nigeria's (LCN) first visit to Concordia Theological Seminary Fort Wayne. The Lutheran Church of Nigeria has been a partner of the LCMS for 75 years, one of the LCMS' oldest partners. Archbishop Ekong stated that the number one way that the LCMS could help the Lutheran Church of Nigeria was through theological education. Archbishop Ekong stated that Nigeria is the third largest English speaking nation in the world.

Adrian Dorr with International Deaconesses

A little update from wintry Fort Wayne.

CTS Campus in Winter

A view from the new CTS Library.

-- Rev. Dr. Albert B. Collver, Director of Church Relations

Posted 19 January 2012.

Lutheran Village Dedication in Jacmal Haiti

2012-01-16T13:51:00.000-06:00

People Gathered for Lutheran Village Dedication

Yesterday, Sunday, 15 January 2012, the Lutheran Village in Jacmal, Haiti, was dedicated. The Lutheran Village was conceived by Rev. Glenn Merritt, working with the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Haiti (ELCH), after the devastating earthquake in Haiti on 12 January 2010. The Lutheran Village consists of cinder-block homes constructed around a Lutheran congregation. Hundreds of people attended the dedication on Sunday, including the mayor of Jacmal and two senators.

Rev. Marky Kessa, President of the ELCH, awards home to applicant

Senator Joseph Lambert was a government dignitary who attended the dedication of the Lutheran Village. Senator Lambert, himself, was personally trapped under concrete rubble after the earthquake of 12 January 2010. Thirty-nine others were trapped with him, only four, including him, survived. He recounted that when the earthquake struck, he was rendered unconscious almost immediately. Around 11 PM, some six hours after the earthquake, he awoke and thought that life was very short. The sounds of people crying for help brought him to consciousness. He heard people crying, "Senator, please help me, pull the board out that went through my stomach"; "Senator, help me, pull the concrete off my legs." The Senator said he would spare those gathered from the other horrible sounds he heard as people died. His arm was broken behind his back and concrete pressed on his skull. He said with his good arm he reached back and grabbed hold of a board. Around 2 AM, he heard the voice of his younger brother calling his name. The rescuers pulled the Senator out of the rubble by the "board" he clung to. Once out of the rubble, the Senator saw what he thought was a board was in fact a crucifix. He said that he gives thanks to Jesus every day for delivering him from the earthquake. He thanked the work of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Haiti and The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod for its work to help the people of Haiti. He also thanked Glenn Merritt in particular for traveling to Haiti more than 20 times to make the dream of a Lutheran Village a reality.

A Home in the Lutheran Village

A distinguishing feature of the homes in the Lutheran Village from the homes constructed by some of the other relief agencies is the cinder block construction. The mayor of Jacmal contrasted the sheet rock and cardboard homes constructed nearby to the "real homes" constructed from concrete in the Lutheran Village. The quality of the homes in the Lutheran Village were greatly appreciated by Haitian government officials.

A Lutheran Congregation forms the heart of the Lutheran Village

Another distinguishing feature of the Lutheran Village is a Lutheran Congregation, which will serve the community with the Gospel of Jesus and serve as a gathering place, as it did for this dedication.

Sanctuary of the Lutheran Congregation

The people who received homes at the dedication service were very grateful to receive a home.

After the dedication people gathered for refreshments and discussion. It was the conclusion of a fine day.

People from the ELCH

After the dedication service, people rode home on the back of trucks.

A Common Mode of Transportation in Haiti

Below are pictured Dignitaries from the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Haiti (ELCH), The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, and the Haitian Government.

Dignitaries at the Dedication

It was truly a blessing to see the completion of the Lutheran Village.

-- Rev. Dr. Albert B. Collver, Director of Church Relations,

Posted 16 January 2012 in Miami, Florida.

Sunday Morning Worship in Haiti

2012-01-15T13:19:00.001-06:00

Today, 15 January 2012, we worshiped at a local Evangelical Lutheran Church of Haiti (ELCH) congregation in Jacmal near the airport.

People singing at worship. The worship at the Lutheran Congregation followed a liturgical outline: Invocation, confession / absolution, Old Testament, Epistle, Gospel readings, Creed, Lord's Prayer, Holy Communion, and Benediction. The music ranged from hymns to Haitian songs.

Drs. Collver and Just assisted in the distribution of Holy Communion. The elders admitted who could or could not attend Holy Communion-- this is the way the ELCH practices close(d) communion. About 350 people attended the service and 200 communioned.

A group of collage aged young adults from Milwaukee, Wisconsin. They will be assisting in the construction of homes for Haitians.

What a small world... In the group from Milwaukee was Benjamin Wieting from Luther Memorial Chapel in Shorewood. Both Drs. Collver and Grimenstein vicared under Ben's father, Dr. Kenneth Wieting.

After the service we went to the dedication of the Lutheran Village.

-- Rev. Dr. Albert Collver, Director of Church Relations, posted in Jacmal, Haiti.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Location:208,Jacmel,Haiti

Dedication of Concordia Theological Seminary of Haiti in Leogane

2012-01-15T07:20:00.001-06:00

Haitian and LCMS Delegates at Seminary Delegation

In Leogane, Haiti, the Concordia Theological Seminary of Haiti was dedicated on Saturday, 14 January 2012. Present were leaders from the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Haiti (ELCH), a partner of the LCMS, and delegates from The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod. Pictured (left to right): President Marky Kessa, Pastor Marckenson, Pastor Isaac Jacquet, Pastor Eliona Bernard, Dr. Collver, Darrel Howanitz, Rev. Glenn Merritt, Carlos Hernandez, Pastor Daniel Paul, Dr. Edward Grimenstein, Pastor Thomas Bernard, Pastor Walter Ries, Jr., Pastor Ted Krey, Rev. Dr. Willy Gaspar, Dr. Author Just.

Rev. Glenn Merritt, Dr. Author Just, Dr. Albert Collver, Rev. Dr. Willy Gaspar

Rev. Glenn Merritt, Director of LCMS Disaster Response, represents the Office of International Mission and worked diligently on the Lutheran Villages in Haiti as well as the development of the seminary building. Dr. Arthur Just, Professor at Concordia Theological Seminary in Fort Wayne, traveled to Haiti along with Dr. Timothy Quill after the earthquake to help revise the Haitian seminary curriculum. Dr. Albert Collver, Director of Church Relations, represented the President's Office at the dedication. Rev. Dr. Willy Gaspar, served as project manager for the work done in Haiti.

A short video for the dedication of the seminary.

* The internet connection is very slow... will post more when possible.

-- Rev. Dr. Albert B. Collver, Director of Church Relations
Posted from Jacmal, Haiti, on 15 January 2012

Driving Through Port-au-Prince

2012-01-14T13:03:00.001-06:00

The Presidential Palace in Port-au-Prince Haiti. The Presidential Palace does not look much different than it did two years ago.

Tent city in front of the Presidential Palace.

People along the street.

A passenger van in Port-au-Prince.

-- Rev. Dr. Albert Collver, Director of Church Relations, Posted from Port-au-Prince 14 January 2012

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Location:2,Port-au-Prince,Haiti

Delegation Arrives in Haiti

2012-01-14T08:03:00.001-06:00

A delegation from The Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod arrived in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, yesterday on 13 January 2012.

Rev. Glenn Merritt meets with security team who will escort the delegation in Haiti.

The delegation assembled at the airport to travel to the hotel for the evening.

The delegation started the trip in Port-au-Prince. On Saturday, the delegation will travel to Leogane for the dedication of a seminary building, a Lutheran guest house, and several homes constructed by the Building Homes and Hope in Haiti project of the LCMS. Approximately 100 dwellings (70 homes and two apartment complexes) have been build thus far.

Rev. Ted Krey, LCMS Regional Director for Latin America, and Rev. Glenn Merritt, LCMS Director of Disaster Response, discuss the work in Haiti.

-- Rev. Dr. Albert Collver, LCMS Director of Church Relations, Posted on 14 January 2012.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Location:Delmas,Port-au-Prince,Haiti

Pastoral Care for iPhone – Review

2012-01-08T10:03:00.001-06:00

Pastoral Care in iTunes Store

After greatly appreciating Concordia Publishing House's Pray Now App for iOS devices, I was eager to try PastoralCare App. The Pastoral Care App is a $19.95 purchase from the iTunes store. There also is an app for Android devices that was not tested.

Starting the PastoralCare App

The PastoralCare App is started like every other application for iOS by tapping the icon. Unlike most iOS applications, PastoralCare does not display a splash screen while starting, giving the application a somewhat unfinished feel.

PastoralCare App after starting

Once started the PastoralCare app presents the user with the Rites found in the Pastoral Care Companion. At the bottom of the screen, icons help the user navigate to other resources in the app.

Communion of the Sick and Homebound

Once a particular rite is selected, the content from the Pastoral Care Companion is displayed.

Pericope

Another very handy feature of the PastoralCare App is the complete Pericopes for both the Three-year series and the One-year series. A handy feature of the application is that it figures out the calendar for you. If you can't remember if it is the First Sunday after Christmas or another feast, the application figures it for you. Clicking on the readings gives you the full text from the English Standard Version (ESV) of the Bible.

A Selection of Hymns

The PastoralCare App also contains the text of 171 hymns from Lutheran Service Book. This is a very helpful feature.

Bookmarking Feature

The application also offers a bookmarking feature.

Final Thoughts

The PastoralCare app is a good addition to Concordia Publishing House's digital resources. The app lacks some of the polish of other iOS apps but the the content is impecable. One advertised feature of the PastoralCare app, the playing of the Psalm tones did not work on my devices. Either I could not figure out how to make it work, or there is a compatibility issue with iOS 5. I suspect this will be corrected in a future update. Potential customers should be aware that this is not a universal application. It is designed for the iPhone in particular and not the iPad. While it does run on the iPad, it does not run at native resolution resulting in blocky text and graphics.

Screen Shot from iPad

Despite a couple of rough edges, the PastoralCare App is worth the purchase if you are in need of the resources in the Pastoral Care Companion. For someone who travels frequently and who is looking to reduce the number of books packed in my bag, this application is invaluable. It also would be very helpful for the pastor as he makes calls. Although not the target audience, the application has value for the lay person who wants a handy book of prayer and Scripture readings for a variety of life events.

With the expansion of Concordia Publishing House's electronic resources, one can only hope that an electronic version of the Lutheran Service Book is in the wings. Of course, the development of additional electronic resources depends upon sales of existing product. If you own an iOS device and either are a pastor or an interested layperson, I highly encourage you to consider purchasing the PastoralCare app. Concordia Publishing House – keep the resources coming!

-- Rev. Dr. Albert B. Collver

Liberia Last Day -- St Peter's Massacre

2012-01-04T05:02:00.001-06:00

St. Peter's Lutheran Church (LCL)

Before we left Monrovia for the airport, we stopped at St. Peter's Lutheran Church of the Lutheran Church of Liberia (LCL), a partner with the ELCA. There are good relations between the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Liberia (the group affiliated with the LCMS) and the Lutheran Church of Liberia (LCL).

The sanctuary of St. Peter Lutheran Church. Although not seen in this photograph, the pulpit is clear and made of glass. This is fairly common in the Liberian Lutheran churches.

St. Peter Lutheran Church was the site of a horrible massacre during the Liberian Civil War. Approximately, 600 to 700 people (mostly women and children) were slaughtered in the sanctuary of St. Peter Lutheran Church by rebel forces. The pastor said after the massacre, the bodies were piled up in the sanctuary.

The cross on the altar is made from an artillery shell. Other reminders of the massacre remain at the church.

In this photograph, on the right hand, middle, a bullet hole can be seen. The congregation intentionally left several bullet holes in the building to serve as a reminder to the terrible civil war fought in Liberia.

This white star marks the mass grave, where the 600 to 700 people who were massacred were buried.

This marker stone overlooks the white star. It begins by quoting Romans 8:35 - 39, "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ... For your sake, we are killed... For I am sure that neither death nor life ... Shall be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord."

Below the Scripture verse the monument reads, "...Those who lost their loves during the civil Crisis and especially the Lutheran Church massacre on July 29, 1990..."

Amazingly, the Liberian Civil War was hardly a blip on the Western world.

When we arrived at St. Peter Lutheran Church women were kneeling before the altar in prayer.

Today St. Peter Lutheran Church has a school of approximately 700 children. The zebra above dedicated to a new era of peace (dedicated in 2005, 2 years after the civil war ended in 2003), was a gift from the students to the church and school. The congregation worships about 674 people a week.

While in Liberia, we stayed at the Lutheran Guest House Compound that is affiliated with St. Peter Lutheran Church. As we travel to the airport, we bid Liberia farewell and the Lord's blessings.

- Rev. Dr. Albert B. Collver, Director of Church Relations
Posted 4 January 2012 in Monrovia, Liberia

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Location:13th St,Monrovia,Liberia

Liberia Day 5 – Farewell Celebration

2012-01-03T16:16:00.000-06:00

In Front of Evangel Temple Evangelical Lutheran Church

This evening, 3 January 2011, the pastors and church leaders of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Liberia held a farewell dinner for the LCMS guests at the Evangel Temple Evangelical Lutheran Church. There was singing, short speeches, and excellent West African food.

Choir Singing at Farewell Dinner

Before dinner, Bishop Amos Bolay addressed the group, speaking about how fellowship is not the work of men but of God. Bishop Bolay said, "The Lord creates fellowship among church bodies." While in light of the fellowship discussions between the ELCL and the LCMS, the natural assumption was that Bishop Bolay was speaking of the events from the past few days. In reality, Bishop Bolay spoke of the fellowship the Lord created between the four Lutheran groups in Liberia that merged into one in May of 2009, forming the ELCL. Then he spoke how the coming of the LCMS delegation to Liberia also was the Lord's work. An example that Bishop Bolay offered to demonstrate the Lord's hand in the meeting was the alignment of all participants calendars. The group found this comment amusing. On a more serious note, Bishop Bolay said that prior to the unification of 2009, the LCMS would not have known with which of the four Lutheran groups to hold talks. Yet since the unification occurred, there is one ELCL for the LCMS to relate. Thanks was offered to the Lord and to the LCMS guests for coming to Liberia. Next came the presentation of gifts.

Presentation of Gifts

Each of us were given a West African (Liberian) style shirt.

Naomi and Joyce Erber

The women were gifted first, then the men.

Rose Bolay, Dr. Lehenbauer, Bishop Bolay

The choir continued to sing during the presentation of gifts.

Rose, Dr. Erber, Bishop Bolay

The shirt worn by Bishop Bolay commemorates the unification of the ELCL in May 2009.

Dr. Michael Rodewald Addresses the Group

After the presentation of gifts, the LCMS delegation was invited to give a response. Dr. Mike Rodewald, LCMS Regional Director for Africa, presented first. He thanked the ELCL and commended them on their hard work. He echoed some of Bishop Bolay's remarks, chiefly that the way events unfolded were the work of God not of men. He also reiterated how it was that Bishop Bolay ended up in St. Louis in October 2010 when he requested fellowship with the LCMS. Dr. Rodewald invited Dr. Collver to bring closing remarks.

Dr. Collver Offers Closing Remarks

Dr. Collver's remarks centered around 1 Corinthians 1:2 (with some contextualization): "To the church of God that is in [Liberia], to those sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints together with all those who in every place call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, both their Lord and ours." The Lord calls his church together. He called the four Lutheran church bodies in Liberia into one. The Lord might also call the ELCL and the LCMS into fellowship. Dr. Collver also said, somewhat but not entirely tongue in check, that some time would have to be spent in Saint Louis explaining an important detail. In America, we are accustomed to churches splitting or breaking away from another church body, not coming together to form one body. He remarked that it might take some time to explain that these churches came together rather than broke away from another larger church. Thanks was given to the Lord and dinner was served.

A Hat from the ELCL's Convention

The official events concluded and conversations lingered in the "parking lot."

Dr. Mike Rodewald Talks with Members of the ELCL

On this building, the Lutheran "colors" of yellow and green are seen.

Dr. Collver and Bishop Bolay

The trip to Liberia in general and to the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Liberia in particular educated and encouraged the LCMS delegation. As devastating as the Liberian civil war was, the Lord worked good by strengthening churches. Liberia as a country has a theme of "unification." The theme of "unification" also is echoed in the church, yet unlike the secular nation which seeks unity for unity's sake (or for the well-being of the nation), the church is drawn together by the Lord Jesus through the preaching of His Word and the giving out of His forgiving gifts in the Sacraments. Like any church the ELCL has challenges, but is moving forward trusting in the promises of the Lord. As for fellowship between the ELCL and LCMS, Drs. Collver and Lehenbauer will make recommendations to President Harrison and the CTCR, and an announcement regarding a decision should occur around May 2012 (after the next CTCR meeting).

Sunset at Close of Day

On a final note, the missionary staff in Africa -- both Dr. Michael Rodewald, Regional Director, and Dr. Erber and his family -- did a remarkable job of preparatory work for the fellowship dialogs between the ELCL and LCMS. Dr. Erber took care of all the arrangements, making it easy for the team from Saint Louis. Dr. Rodewald, first came to Liberia, in the early 1980s, were he labored to translate the Holy Scriptures into the local language until the Liberian civil war. Dr. Rodewald actually lived in Liberia during the beginning of the war, only to be evacuated later. Dr. Erber has lived in Nigeria for the past 18 years with his family, but makes frequent trips to Liberia. He has been involved with Liberia in particular for the past several years. If not for the Lord's use of Drs. Rodewald and Erber as his instruments in Liberia, it is hard to imagine that fellowship talks would have occurred between the ELCL and the LCMS. Both of these men built on the work of those who went before them... (the trouble with offering thanks is that someone will be forgotten or not mentioned). In any case, as the church, the LCMS has been blessed by the instruments the Lord has provided her for His service.

Dr. Lehenbauer, Noami and Dr. Erber, Bishop Bolay, Drs. Collver and Lehenbauer

On the way back from the visit with the Liberian Vice President, we stopped at the ELWA (Eternal Love Winning Africa) Compound along the coast.

-- Rev. Dr. Albert B. Collver, Director of Church Relations

Posted 4 January 2012 in Monrovia, Liberia.

Liberia Day 5 -- Vice-Presidential Visit

2012-01-03T07:01:00.001-06:00

Bishop Amos Bolay, Vice-President of the Republic of Liberia Joseph N. Boakai, Rev. Dr. Albert Collver

This morning we had the privilege of meeting with Joseph N. Boakai, Vice-President of the Republic of Liberia.

Dr. Mike Rodewald, Bishop Amos Bolay, Vice-President Joseph N. Boakai, Dr. Albert Collver, Dr Joel Lehenbauer, Dr. David Erber

Although Lutheranism has been in Liberia for 150 years, we had opportunity to explain how the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Liberia came into existence in 2009. Bishop Bolay emphasized to the Vice-President that the ELCL was not a break away group from the Lutheran Church of Liberia (LCL), but rather the union of four separate groups that came together. He explained the connection the ELCL has with The Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod. Bishop Bolay politely explained some of the differences between the LCMS and the ELCA.

We had opportunity to give greetings to the Vice-President on behalf of President Harrison and the people of the LCMS. As well as describe the work of the LCMS around the world, particularly in the area of education and humanitarian work. We gave the Vice President a booklet describing the LCMS.

Dr. Collver asked the Vice-President what the greatest challenge Liberia faced. The Vice-President replied, "Harnessing the energy of Liberia's youth in a productive way." He went on to explain this is why educational and vocational programs were essential to Liberia's future.

The Vice-President also noted some differences between America and Africa in general. He said in America the people waste little time and are very efficient. In Africa, lots of time is wasted but in the process many friends are made.

We thanked him for his time and the friendship he showed us and closed with prayer.

Vice President Joseph N. Boakai and Naomi Erber

- Rev. Dr. Albert B. Collver, Director of Church Relations
Posted in Monrovia, Liberia on 3 January 2011.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Location:Rehab Rd,,Liberia

Liberia Day 4 – Visitation

2012-01-02T18:31:00.000-06:00

Today, we, along with Bishop Amos Bolay, visited nine of thirteen Evangelical Lutheran Church of Liberia congregations in the vicinity of Monrovia, Liberia. At each church, the pastor and church leadership was waiting for our visit. In some cases, a choir and parishioners also waited for us to arrive. The ELCL does not count children in its membership counts. Many of the congregations have three services a week. We travelled to many different types of congregations and saw many districts of Monrovia. The congregations we visited include: St. John Evangelical Lutheran Church, Lynch Street; St. Martin Evangelical Lutheran Church, Paity Town; Grace Lutheran Church, Zumah Town; Holy Ghost Evangelical Lutheran Church, Banjor, Lower Virginia; Emmanuel Temple Evangelical Lutheran Church, Chocolate City; St. Luke Evangelical Lutheran Church, Chicken Soup Factory, Gardensville; Christ Lutheran Church, Coco Cola Factory, Payensville; Upper Room Lutheran Church, Coco Cola Factory, Payensville; St. Paul Evangelical Lutheran Church, Red Light. Many of the congregations also have schools associated with them.

St. John Evangelical Lutheran Church, Lynch Street, Monrovia

St. John's was founded in 1992. Many of the congregations are formed around ethic groups. As a result, each congregation uses different types of drums.

Drums from St. John Evangelical Lutheran Church

Next to the church is a coffin workshop.

Coffin Next to the Church

Nearby the church is a mosque.

As we traveled Bishop Bolay said that there is a big need for training pastors in the ELCL. He lamented, "We have pastors who do not know the Small Catechism. We do two or three day training workshops, trying to train pastors. The workshops create a lot of excitement and encourage the pastors to study." This is reminisce of the condition of some congregations at the time of the Reformation, when Dr. Martin Luther lamented that some priests did not know the Ten Commandments or the Lord's Prayer. There is great need for pastoral training.

St. Martin Evangelical Lutheran Church

St. Martin Evangelical Lutheran Church in Paity Town was founded in 1995 during the hottest part of the Liberian civil war. The congregation is named after Martin Luther and has a school associated with it. It is located in one of the most difficult locations due to the extreme poverty of the area.

Children in Paity Town

Bishop Amos Bolay reflected on the Liberian civil war as we visited the ELCL congregations. He noted that the war made people very serious about their faith. Yet even now people are forgetting that the Lord delivered them during the war. Bishop Bolay told us about the three months we spent in a rebel prison camp during the civil war. He said, "If you are fleeing from a war, do not go back to retrieve material things."

Foundation for Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church in Zumah Town

The drums at Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church were square and from the Grebo Tribe.

Grebo Drums

Walking to Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church, we passed some African Hunting Dogs.

African Hunting Dogs

Bishop Bolay explained that some adults and older people do not want to become Christians because they do not want to give up their traditions. This is why Jesus spoke about the faith of children.

Sophie attends Grace Lutheran Church

Our next stop was to Banjor in Lower Virginia where Holy Ghost Evangelical Lutheran Church resides.

Holy Ghost Evangelical Lutheran Church

A mosque sits behind Holy Ghost Evangelical Lutheran Church.

The Mosque is the White and Green Building

It is very difficult for muslims to convert to Christianity. When a muslim converts away from Islam, he is considered dead to the family. To convert to Christianity means to lose your family.

Emmanuel Temple Evangelical Lutheran Church

Emmanuel Temple Evangelical Lutheran Church is located in Chocolate City, named not after the coco bean, but after the color of the soil that looks like chocolate. Emmanuel Temple was founded in 1996. Note the green LCMS logo cross.

Readings for the Circumcision of Jesus

At Emmanuel Temple Lutheran Church the readings for the Circumcision of Jesus (1 January 2012) were written on a chalk board next to the altar.

Outside of St. Luke Evangelical Lutheran Church

St. Luke Evangelical Lutheran Church was founded in 1995 and is located in Chicken Soup Factory, Gardensville.

Field Behind Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church

There are two congregations in Coco Cola Factory. One is Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church and the other is Upper Room Evangelical Lutheran Church.

Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church

Pastor Dennis Mbombo stands in front of Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church in Coco Cola Factory. The area is known as Coco Cola Factory because of the bottling plant nearby.

Coco Cola Factory

In the villages, it was very common to see African Hunting Dogs.

From Coco Cola Factory, we traveled to St. Paul Evangelical Lutheran Church in Red Light. It is named Red Light because before the Liberian civil war there was a three way intersection with a stop light. A market and trading center developed around the "red light." Although the red light is gone, the area is still called "Red Light."

St. Paul Evangelical Lutheran Church

St. Paul's also has a high school that has over 1,000 students.

St Paul High School in Red Light

The visitation of ELCL congregations was invaluable in better understanding this Lutheran church body in Liberia. In some cases, the pastor and church leadership waited for us all day until we arrived to meet them. It took us about 10 or 11 hours to drive around and see each one of these congregations, often times only spending a few minutes there. When the four separate church bodies decided to unify in 2009, about 100 congregations left because they wanted to remain Pentecostal. The congregations that stayed to form the ELCL have made an intention decision to be Lutheran and are working to improve. We all found the visitation to the congregations instructive, inspiring, and encouraging. The Lord will have a church for himself where he desires.

– Rev. Dr. Albert B. Collver, Director of Church Relations

Posted 3 January 2012 in Monrovia, Liberia.

Worship – Liberia Day 3

2012-01-01T18:25:00.000-06:00

Dr. Joel Lehenbauer stands outside Christ Assembly Evangelical Lutheran Church

This morning, 1 January 2012, we worshiped at Christ Assembly Evangelical Lutheran Church. The Evangelical Lutheran Church of Liberia (ELCL) was the result of a merger between four groups. Some of these groups originally had roots in the Church of God or in the Assemblies of God. The remnants of this history is sometimes detectable in the name of congregations such as "Christ Assembly" Evangelical Lutheran Church. Yet having originated in a more Pentecostal background, the ELCL has a good understanding of its dangers and incompatibility with Lutheran theology. One of the ELCL pastors explained, "Pentecostalism teaches that God will do something for you on the basis of what you do for God. This is animism using Christian vocabulary. As Lutherans, we teach that God blesses us not because of what we do for him, but because he loves us and has sent his Son for us." Nonetheless, the ELCL recognizes that elements from its Pentecostal background remain and require slow, patient teaching.

Note the email address says LCMS2

As seen from the pictures above, the ELCL strongly sees itself as connected to the LCMS. The ELCL liberally makes use of the LCMS cross on its buildings and bulletins. The ELCL refers to the Lutheran Worship hymnal as "our Lutheran Worship." The congregation loudly and boldly received the Apostles' Creed during the service. Although the Divine Service in Lutheran Worship serves as the foundation for the worship in the ELCL, it would not be accurate to say the service is like a typical LCMS service. Between sections of the liturgy, various choirs sing in the pattern of tribal chants. Some of the songs were recitations of Scripture with congregational response encouraging the choir or cantor to continue to tell the story. The only musical instruments required were the human voice and drums. Occasionally, the choir and congregation would break into a dance. After the song, the service would continue according to the liturgy.

A Choir that began dancing during one of the songs

The service bulletin is reproduced here:

ELCL Bulletin 1 Jan 2012

Pastor Washington N. Gate preached a sermon based on Luke 2:22 - 38, titled, "Jesus is the foundation of the church. Time to Name the boy born of the Virgin Mary." The sermon, delivered in about 45 minutes and interspersed with "Amens" and "Alleluias," in Liberian English went something like the following.

Pastor Washington N. Gate Preaching

The Law proscribed certain ceremonies – one of them was circumcision. Why was circumcision so important to the Jews? It was a sign that the Lord had saved the Jews, that the Lord had separated them from the Gentiles. It was a symbol of dedication and of salvation. It was a symbol of separation from idols. What was circumcision to the boy? It was the giving of his name. It was a putting of the boy into the Lord's family. Once the boy was circumcised, there was no turning back; he forever was identified as belonging to the Lord. Circumcision was required by the Law. Jesus is the fulfillment of the Law.

Circumcision set people apart. It set people apart in their morals. People are watching you in your community to see how you live. You have been set apart in Jesus.

The new circumcision of God's people is Baptism. it is a circumcision of the heart by the Spirit of God. Salvation is by God through the death of Jesus. The Church is built on the foundation of Jesus, the name given to him not by man but from God.

At the naming of Jesus, the woman was purified. Purification came from the blood of animals. It is not the blood of animals that purifies us. The holy blood of Jesus purifies us. He is our priest. He entered the temple of God and shed not the blood of animals, but his own blood that makes us righteous. He used the blood of the Lamb of God to make us righteous. It is a gift.

Now we are clearly blessed by God because we stand on a firm foundation, Jesus. We are buy back, redeeming. The church belongs to God. Jesus redeemed us from the wrath of God, not with the blood of animals but with his own blood.

Simeon said, "Let us depart in peace. My eyes have seen your salvation." I assure you that Jesus is your salvation. Let's look at the name of Jesus and the name Christ. God himself selected the Name of Jesus. Jesus saves his people. Jesus is the only solid foundation.

Why is Jesus called Christ? Jesus is the anointed one. Jesus is anointed to be our prophet, priest, and king. Jesus is God. He is true man and was raised up as the true prophet, like Moses, but even better. As a prophet he proclaims and bears witness to the truth of God.

Who is a priest? A priest offers up intercession. All Old Testament priests are a shadow of Jesus. Jesus is God and our true high priest. Unlike Old Testament priests, Christ did not have to offer sacrifice for his own sin to enter into the holy of holies. Jesus had no sin. When he entered the holy of holies, Jesus did not offer up the blood of animals. Instead he offered up his own blood. He is the perfect atonement for our sin. The Old Testament sacrifice is a shadow of Jesus. It is like a check that is signed and put into the bank. Jesus, however, is the true treasure. Jesus is your treasure.

Who is a king? A king has power and authority. Jesus is the true King who has all the power and authority of God. Jesus is the true foundation.

Jesus was born, suffered, and died for you. If you do not believe this, you will remain under the wrath of God and die forever. You must believe for yourself that Jesus is the foundation of the church.

Jesus is the Son of God. Jesus is the Son of Man. He is called Emmanuel, the Lion of Judah. Jesus is your Lord and Savior. Amen.

________

The Celebration of Holy Communion

After the sermon and before the Liturgy for Holy Communion, Bishop Amos Bolay offered instruction on the Lord's Supper. He said something resembling the following:

The Lord is in the business of unity his church. One way he does this is by giving his Holy Body and Blood to those who believe his teaching and are baptized. If you do not come from one of our Lutheran congregations, we ask you to remain in your seats during the celebration of Holy Communion. We believe that Jesus gives his true body and blood in the Lord's Supper. It is his body and blood. The bread and the wine do not represent or symbolize body and blood. Jesus gives his body and blood. If you are not Lutheran, or if you are not baptized and repentent for your sins, we ask you to stay in your seats. St Paul warns against improperly eating and drinking the body and blood of Jesus; such improper eating and drinking leads to judgment. For those who believe Jesus' body and blood is forgiveness and life.

After Holy Communion and before the service continued, the pastors gathered at the front of the altar to consume the remaining body and blood of Jesus.

In total, the service lasted about three and half hours.

Dr. Lehenbauer, Bishop Bolay, Dr. Collver

In the background between Bishop Bolay and Dr. Collver is the church's water pump.

Later in the day around the time of sunset, we drove up a hill that over looks the army barracks and the ocean.

The sunset.

– Rev. Dr. Albert B. Collver, Director of Church Relations
Posted 2 January 2011 in Monrovia, Liberia.

Fellowship Talks – Liberia Day 2

2011-12-31T19:00:00.000-06:00

Representatives from the ELCL and the LCMS

On New Years Eve (31 December 2011), representatives from the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Liberia and The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod met on the grounds of the UHP Evangelical Lutheran Church and School for fellowship discussions. Before fellowship discussions began, children from the UHP Evangelical Lutheran School greeted the LCMS visitation team.

The UHP Evangelical Lutheran School Class President

Notice that the school uniforms are yellow and green. In Liberia, the color of the school uniform identifies the church confession. All Lutherans in Liberia use yellow and green. Even the buildings are painted yellow and green. The Methodists use blue and white for their uniforms.

UHP Evangelical Lutheran School

The construction of the UHP Evangelical Lutheran School building was a partnership between the LCMS Concordia Missouri Circuit and the UHP Evangelical Lutheran Church. Africa Regional Director, Dr. Michael Rodewald's father was instrumental in forging this partnership.

A School Girl Sits Near the Wisdom Board

The "wisdom board" reads in part, "If I had a formula for by passing trouble, I would not pass it round. Trouble creates a capacity to handle it. I don't embrace trouble. That is bad as treating it as an enemy. But I do say meet it as a friend, for you'll see a lot of it and had better be on speaking terms with it. Men of character find a special attractiveness in difficulties. For it is only through difficulties they discover their real potential."

Naomi Erber Poses with some Children

The ELCL has 16 Lutheran schools.

Dr. Collver with Bishop Amos Bolay in his WMLT Shirt

In October 2011, Bishop Amos Bolay travelled to Saint Louis, MO, both to attend the LCMS International Disaster Conference, where he received his Witness, Mercy, Life Together shirt, and to request for formal fellowship discussions from President Harrison between the LCMS and the ELCL. In December 2011, the LCMS responded by sending Drs. Albert Collver, David Erber, Joel Lehenbauer, and Michael Rodewald to Liberia for fellowship discussions.

At the 31 December 2011 meeting, Bishop Bolay addressed the LCMS and the ELCL's executive committee and church council:

"We in Liberia feel we are a LCMS church. You ask why? You are the church that started us. You started Bible translation in Liberia. When the Liberian civil war broke out in 1989, many of our people fled to the surrounding nations for safety. There as refugees LCMS missionaries ministered to us. After the war ended and our people were able to return to Liberia, we formed congregations in Monrovia. A few years ago, we asked LCMS missionaries to ordain some of our pastoral candidates. We were told that LCMS missionaries could not conduct the ordinations because we were not LCMS. This hit us hard because we thought we were LCMS. It was an awakening for us and made us desire even more to join the LCMS in partnership. We later learned that the LCMS missionaries referred to us as "Liberian Lutheran groups." It is true that we were once four separate Lutheran groups but now we are one, united in the teaching of the Bible. We believe that the LCMS teaches the Bible correctly and holds to the Confessions. We want to have fellowship with the LCMS because we believe the same. If our teaching is not the same as the LCMS', we want it to be. If we aren't doing it well, it is because we need better teaching. Powerful nations come to Liberia and promote agendas that destroy families and do not hold to the morals of the Bible. The LCMS is in a position to help us bear witness to our nation. We desire fellowship with the LCMS and await your response."

After Bishop Bolay finished his address, the entire room broke into applause. The moderator turned and addressed the LCMS delegation saying, "We await your response to our request for fellowship." This led to a several hour conversation about Lutheran doctrine, fellowship, and the LCMS' policies and procedures related to fellowship. There also was a period of Q&A where people from each church body could ask questions. The meeting ended with hope for the New Year.

Dr. David Erber, West Africa Area Facilitator

Fellowship is not made or created by the church, but recognized as a gift that the Lord bestows upon his church. Fellowship is recognized between church bodies. Drs. Collver and Lehenbauer will prepare a visitation report for the CTCR at its next meeting in April 2012.

The procedure for fellowship is explained in Bylaw 3.9.5.2.2c in the 2010 Handbook:

"When a small, formative, emerging confessional Lutheran church body (identified as such by the President of the Synod as chief ecumenical officer) requests recognition of altar and pulpit fellowship with the Synod, and after consultation with the Praesidium and approval by the commission, such recognition may be declared by the President of the Synod subject to the endorsement of the subsequent Synod convention."

The remaining days of the visitation teams time in Liberia will be spent observing worship, becoming more acquainted with the people of the ELCL, and engaging in more conversation. As I write this, it is the wee hours of the New Year, 1 January 2012. Below are a few pictures from Liberia.

The signs of businesses always are interesting in Africa. The sign above reads, "Divine Glory Electronic Workshop."

Along the road in Monrovia.

Great beauty on the coast.

– Rev. Dr. Albert B. Collver, Director of Church Relations.
Posted 1 January 2012 from Monrovia, Liberia.

2011-12-30T18:50:00.002-06:00

Bishop Amos Bolay Pictured in Gray Shirt on Right

When we (Drs. Collver, Lehenbauer, and Rodewald) arrived in Monrovia, Liberia, Bishop Amos Bolay of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Liberia greeted us at Roberts International Airport. The purpose of our visit is to hold fellowship discussions with the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Liberia. The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Liberia (ELCL) was formed in May 2009 from the merger of four different Lutheran groups, each founded through the Diaspora of the Liberian Civil War through different initiatives of the LCMS, including LCMS World Mission. The newly-formed ELCL has 350 congregations, 30 schools and 11,000 members. A choir from one of the local congregations came to the airport and serenaded us with a rendition of Psalm 23.

It was quite a surprise and honor to be greeted by the choir at the airport. More than that to hear Psalm 23 was tremendous. A portion of the piece is provided in the video above.

Some of the Choir Members

The choir members have a very busy schedule, greeting us at the airport, singing at a funeral on Saturday, and singing at church for the New Year's Eve service.

Later that evening, after traveling for two hours in traffic from the airport, the choir sang again.

Note the tail of the Delta Airbus 330 plane is taller than the fence perimeter of the airfield.

Liberia is in West Africa, bordered by Sierra Leone, Guinea and Côte d'Ivoire and it is part of Africa's "pepper coast." Liberia along with Ethiopia are the only two African nations not to be colonized by Europeans. Liberia was founded in 1847 by freed American slaves. The capital city is named Monrovia after James Monroe, the fifth President of the United States who supported the formation of Liberia.

A view from along the highway.

The Flight Into Egypt

Bishop Bolay mentioned that Islam both in Africa and in Liberia is on the rise. Many Africans have been taught that Islam is a more "African" religion than Christianity. Bishop Bolay teaches seminary students that Christianity cannot become more African than Jesus visiting Africa during the Flight Into Egypt (see Matthew 2:13-23). Not to mention the rich tradition Christianity had in Northern Africa after Pentecost and in the early Church. While the flight of Jesus to Egypt was to fulfill the Scriptures, "Out of Egypt I have called my son," our Lord's visitation to African has become important for Christians as a defense against Islam.

Our first day in Liberia concluded with dinner at Bishop Bolay's home. It was a great honor to visit him in his home.

After dinner we retired to the Lutheran Guest House for some rest after nearly 24 hours of travel.

– Rev. Dr. Albert B. Collver, Director of Church Relations.

Day in the Life of A Partner Church in Siberia

2011-12-11T01:12:00.001-06:00

Saint Mary's Lutheran Church in Tomsk

While waiting in the airport in Istanbul, Turkey, I had the opportunity to watch a video titled, "The Other Half of the Truth." The video describes how the Siberian Evangelical Lutheran Church (SELC), a partner church of the Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod, has a Life Together while she engages in acts of Witness and Mercy among the people of Siberia. Bishop Lytkin noted that while the Siberian Evangelical Lutheran Church is a small church, her parishes cover perhaps the largest territory in the world. If you are interested in seeing how a partner church works on a day to day basis, this video is well worth your time.

The video is noteworthy both for the story it tells and for its production quality. It also prominently features LCMS Missionary, Rev. Alan Ludwig, who works in Novosibirsk, Siberia, Russia. You can read about Rev. Alan Ludwig's work in Siberia on his blog. You can support Rev. Alan Ludwig's work by clicking here.

-- Rev. Dr. Albert B. Collver, Director of Church Relations

Kyrgyzstan Trip

2011-12-10T11:28:00.001-06:00

Today on our last day in Kyrgyzstan, we were able to travel to villages nearby Bishkek. The mountains provided a beautiful view. Some of the Russians who lived in Bishkek before the fall of communism told us that the hillsides had thousands of sheep tended by Kyrgyz on collective farms. After communism fell, the Kyrgyz moved into the cities, where there is high unemployment.

The mountains are not always visible from Bishkek due to smog. A short ways outside of the city, there is great natural beauty. In a village not far from the stream pictured above, fresh trout were for sale.

The scenery that we saw was not intentional, rather it was the view from the car window as we traveled from Bishkek to the outlying villages.

Along the way, we visited a national monument called "Father's Cemetery." Buried here are people who died during the Soviet revolution. This was first constructed around 2001. Within the past couple of months another monument (pictured above) was constructed to commemorate those who died in the May 2010 uprising.

This monument shows how people were murdered during the Soviet revolution with their arms bound behind their backs.

Pictured above is a Russian Orthodox church in a Kyrgyz village. Most people in Kyrgyzstan would like for only two religions to exist: Russian Orthodox and Islam. Most government officials are muslim. Because of this fact, other religious view points face great scrutiny and persecution. Other religious groups can legally exist but with strict regulation. If these other groups attract too much attention, they face additional attention by local officials.

A mosque in a Kyrgyz village. In 1993, there was one mosque in Bishkek. Today, there are more than 2,500 mosques in the surrounding territory.

A local restaurant in Bishkek, where we ate dinner. This restaurant did not accept credit card for payment, however, the waitresses used Apple iPod Touches to place the order in the kitchen and to tally the bill.

The Shumkar Hotel where we stayed in Bishkek was named after a southern mountain range in Kyrgyzstan.

The hotel offered swimming facilities. Unfortunately, none of us were into polar bear swimming.

A view from my hotel window.

The mountains at dusk.

We arrived and departed from the Manas International Airport around 4 am. The trip to Kyrgyzstan went well and I hope to return again.

-- Rev. Dr. Albert B. Collver

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Location:Isanov St,,Kyrgyzstan

LCMS Representatives Meet with Lithuanian and Belarusian Pastors

2011-12-08T15:08:00.001-06:00

By Rev. Dr. Darius Petkūnas

“Ten years ago the Lithuanian Evangelical Lutheran Church and the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod entered into full pulpit and altar fellowship and this fellowship has already proved very fruitful in many areas of our church life,” stated Bishop Mindaugas Sabutis in a Vilnius meeting with Rev. Dr. Albert Collver, director of the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod (LCMS) church relations and assistant to LCMS President Matthew Harrison who officially visited the Lithuanian church on behalf of President Harrison. Included also in the visit on December 3, 2011 was a seminar with Lithuanian and Belarusian pastors.

Bishop Sabutis put special emphasis on the important relationship of the Lithuania Church with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Belarus. He noted that in the centuries immediately following the Reformation the Lutheran Church in Belarus was a part the Lithuanian Lutheran Church. The situation changed after the Russian Revolution when Lithuania became an independent nation and Belarus was swallowed up by the Soviet Union. During this period the Belarusian Church suffered greatly and only those congregations in Polish territory were able to survive until 1939, when western Belarus also fell under soviet domination. In 1990’s after the collapse of the Soviet Union Belarusian congregations were reorganized and were administered by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Russia and Other States (ELCROS). For doctrinal reasons the Belarusian congregations found this arrangement to be unsatisfactory. They wanted an independent church with a strong commitment to the Lutheran confessions. They formed an independent Lutheran Church in Belarus. At the 2011 synod of the Lithuanian Church the Belarusian Church signed an agreement of collaboration with the Lithuanian Lutheran Church and put itself under the pastoral leadership of Bishop Sabutis, although by law the Belarusian Church must remain administratively independent.

Presentations at the seminar were given by Dr. Collver, who spoke on the trials and hardships faced by the Christian church through the ages and down to the present time, using 1 Corinthians as his model. Pastor Daniel Johnson of Marshalltown, Iowa spoke on the liturgy and its relation to catechesis in Lutheran congregations. Also participating were Rev. Dr. Timothy Quill, newly appointed Director of Theological Education for LCMS International Mission and Dr. Charles Evanson, newly appointed LCMS Theological Education Advisor in the Baltic States. Dr. Evanson is already well acquainted with church life in the Baltic Churches. He has held numerous pastoral seminars in both Lithuania and Latvia and for several years served on the Faculty for Evangelical Theology at the University of Klaipeda, Lithuania, and at the Luther Academy in Riga, Latvia.

Pastor Wladimir Meyerson of Bobruijsk, acting bishop of the Belarusian Lutheran Church, and Pastor Sergej Heil of Lida spoke of the current situation in the Belarusian parishes and the church’s theological education needs. Pastor Meyerson noted that although the Belarusian Church has only 11 congregations and 3,000 members, it is a vibrant and growing church, anxious to remain firm in its scriptural and confessional commitment. He stated that the Belarusian Lutheran Church has been officially recognized by the Belarusian government, and that the state recognizes the historic role of Lutheranism in Belarus and is supportive of the church’s work. Pastor Heil spoke about the educational needs of the clergy and congregations and the need for the adoption of a common liturgy based upon the old liturgical tradition as found in the 1897 St. Petersburg Agenda. Linguistic and other necessary corrections are currently under consideration in preparation for the publication of a new worship book, he stated.

After the seminar Bishop Sabutis and Lithuanian and Belarusian pastors met together with Dr. Collver to discuss the needs and concerns of the churches and the implementation of assistance programs. Dr. Collver assured both churches of the commitment of the LCMS to provide educational and other support for their ongoing ministries.

- Posted by Rev. Dr. Albert Collver, Director of Church Relations using BlogPress from my iPhone

Location:Vilnius, Lithuania

Arrived in Kyrgyzstan

2011-12-08T00:42:00.001-06:00

We arrived at the Manas International Airport in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan at 5:30 am local time (about 2:30 am local time in Riga, Latvia from where we departed). The airport is named after "Manas," a great warrior who is believed or understood to have united the Kyrgyz people.

Dr. Quill, Dr. Collver, and Alexey Streltsov pictured above, discussing meeting plans early in the morning.

At the airport, we met up with Alexey Streltsov from Novosibirsk, Siberia, and then went to the hotel.

View from hotel window as sun rises.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Location:Isanov St,,Kyrgyzstan

Riga Latvia

2011-12-07T03:43:00.001-06:00

Archbishop Vanags and Dr. Collver in the Archbishop's Office

After visiting the Lutheran church in Lithuania, we continued to Riga to meet with Archbishop Vanags and the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Latvia. Archbishop Vanags discussed some of the challenges facing the Lutheran church in Latvia, in particular the secularism and consumerism that filled the vacuum left after the fall of communism. Before 1918, a little more than 50% of the population of Latvia was Lutheran. Today, there are about 440,000 Lutherans in Lativa. Around 10% (or 40,000) of those who profess to be Lutheran in Latvia attend church on a regular basis. Another challenge facing Latvia is the current economic conditions. Many Latvians have left Latvia for countries such as the United Kingdom. Many parish congregations are completely vacant because there are few or even no people left in some of the villages.

Drs. Quill and Evanson, Archbishop Vanags, and Dr. Collver

Archbishop Vanags, who also serves as the rector of the Luther Academy, took the opportunity of our visit to discuss theological education needs. He described to Dr. Evanson, LCMS Theological Education Advisor for the Baltics, and Dr. Quill, LCMS Director of Theological Education, the need for ongoing training for pastors particularly in the areas of preaching and pastoral theology. Archbishop Vanags explained that with the near elimination of the church under communism few people remember or have direct experience with how pastors are to provide for their people.

Drs. Quill, Didzis Stilve, Evanson, and Collver in front of the Luther Academy

Dr. Didzis Stilve provided us with a tour of the Luther Academy. In his office, he described the challenges involved in making the Luther Academy an accredited educational institution in Latvia. He explained that under Latvian law the professors are required to speak Latvian. This highlighted the necessity of President Harrison's desire to open LCMS seminaries to international students for advanced training so that they can return to their own countries and provide high quality theological education.

Outside of the Luther Academy Building

Archbishop Vanags explicitly mentioned how delighted he was that the Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod had adopted Witness, Mercy, Life Together as her emphasis. Archbishop Vanags said, "At a recent meeting of the consistory, the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Latvia adopted the same three-fold emphasis of martyria, diakonia, koinonia although we call it something slightly different."

The visit to Riga, Latvia, was very brief, but important. Now we travel to Bishkek, the capital of the Republic of Kyrgyzstan.

-- Rev. Dr. Albert Collver, Director of Church Relations

Some Photos from Riga:

Hill of Crosses (Kryžių kalnas) in Lithuania

2011-12-06T00:05:00.000-06:00

Hill of Crosses, Near Šiauliai, in northern Lithuania

5 December 2011

After leaving Palanga, we drove toward Latvia for a meeting in Riga. Along the way in northern Lithuania, we stopped at the Hill of Crosses (Kryžių kalnas). Rev. Dr. Darius Petkūnas explained that after the fall of communism in Lithuania, people began to bring crosses to this hill. No one knows exactly why the practice of bringing crosses to this place began, but today it is estimated that there are over 200,000 crosses on the hill.

Rev. Dr. Darius Petkūnas Speaking about the Hill of Crosses

The plaque Dr. Petkūnas points to reads, "The Hill of Crosses is a unique place in terms of both its scale and its history. At present some 200,000 crosses of various sizes adorn the hill. By continually putting up crosses there people express their devotion to Christ, pray for his help and mercy, and identify Lithuania as a Christian land. The site is a reflection of the nation's spontaneous religiousness and is probably the place in Lithuania that is most often visited by pilgrims today. The Hill of Crosses gained immense significance in the lives of Lithuanian believers during the Soviet era as a sign of resistance to the totalitarian regime. After the re-establishment of independence new life has been breathed into the Hill of Crosses and it has become a symbol of the entire nation's unshakeable faith, its past suffering and hope. The Hill of Crosses gained fame throughout the world on 7 September 1993 when Pope John Paul II visited it and celebrated the Holy Mass for 100,000 people who gathered there. In 1994 a cross was put up on the site using the crucifix that Pope John Paul II gave to Lithuania. The cross blessed by Pope Benedict XVI was added in 2006. At the foot of the Hill of Crosses stands a Franciscan monastery built with the encouragement of Pope John Paul II and consecrated in 2000. The Feast of the Hill of Crosses, reinstated in 1997, draws large crowds each year on the last Sunday of July."

Dr. Collver standing among the crosses

Of the Hill of Crosses, Pope John Paul II said, "(...) Here where our ancestors in the faith witnessed, by their martyrdom even to the point of death, to the love with which Christ loved us. Here in this spot of the globe, in ancient Rome, I am thinking especially of the 'Hill of Crosses' in Lithuania, to which I made a pastoral visit last September. I was moved by that other Colosseum, not of Roman times, but a Colosseum of our age, of this last century..."

Pope John Paul II continued, "I thought of those other Colosseums, so numerous, of those other "Hills of Crosses" that are on the other side, throughout European Russia, throughout Siberia, so many Hills of Crosses so many Colosseums of modern times..."

The Ten Commandments with an inscription referencing the 1st Commandment,
"Praise God! Not Graven Images."

Pope John Paul II noted, "... at the end of the second millennium the Church has once again become the Church of martyrs. The persecutions of believers - priests, Religious and laity - has caused a great sowing of martyrdom in different parts of the world..."

Looking Back Upon the Crosses

The 20th century had more martyrs for Christ than any other century in the history of the world. Before the Communist Revolution in the early 20th century, Lutheranism was the second largest Christian confession in the Russian Empire after Orthodoxy. It was the third largest Christian confession in the world after Roman Catholicism and Orthodoxy. Before 1918, there were 220,000 Lutherans in Lithuania. Today, there are 20,000. Dr. Petkūnas in his book The Repression of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Lithuania during the Stalinist Era details how Lutherans were persecuted more intently than Roman Catholics in Lithuania. The communist executed half of the Lutheran clergy in Lithuania.

The Cover of Dr. Petkūnas' Book
(A Link to the Book's Site in Lithuanian)

Before the Communist Revolution, Latvia had over a million Lutherans. Today, there are about 400,000 professed Lutherans. Of those Lutherans in Latvia today, about 40,000 are active members. In Russia proper, the Volga Lutherans and the Lutherans in Siberia fled, were deported, exiled to the Gulag, or executed. These numbers reflect only the Lutherans and do not include other Christians persecuted such as Roman Catholics, Orthodox, and other Protestants.

A Franciscan Monastery Resides at the base of the Hill of Crosses

The Hill of Crosses in Lithuania serves as a good reminder of how the church was persecuted under Communism. It reminds how the 20th century martyred more Christians than any other era in the history of the world. During this Advent season, Jesus' words resound, "And if those days had not been cut short, no human being would be saved. But for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short." (Matthew 24:22)

A Cross Placed for Babies Who Died Before Birth

This cross was placed for babies who were never born due to abortion.

Dr. Quill, Dr. Petkūnas and Pastor Johnson

We departed the Hill of Crosses singing the hymn, "Cross of Jesus, Cross of Sorrow" (Lutheran Service Book 428).

Cross of Jesus, cross of sorrow,

Where the blood of Christ was shed,

Perfect man on thee did suffer,

Perfect God on thee hast bled.

-- Rev. Dr. Albert B. Collver, Director of Church Relations

Palanga Lutheran Church

2011-12-05T02:15:00.001-06:00

We visited the almost completed Palanga Lutheran Church in Palanga, Lithuania. This project is a partnership between the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Lithuania and the Iowa East District of The Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod. The Palanga program began in 2003 and ground was broken in July 2005. The dedication for the completed building is planned for July 2012.

Currently, the congregation in Palanga is worshiping in this house. There are 25 to 30 members in regular attendance on each Sunday. Pastor Darius Petkūnas said the congregation is eager to begin worshiping in the new building.

The sanctuary will soon be finished and features an energy saving heating system. The pipe organ comes from Germany.

Pastor Petkūnas explains how the sanctuary will be completed.

Pastor Petkūnas standing in what will be the church study / library.

Pastor Petkūnas shows us the living quarters in the church.

The Lutheran church in Palanga will be a hub of activity for the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Lithuania. The parish center will be a church, a deaconal center, and conference center.

- Rev. Dr. Albert Collver, Director of Church Relations

-Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Location:Saulėtekio takas,Palanga,Lithuania

Lithuania Photo Highlights December 2011

2011-12-04T12:44:00.001-06:00

Below are some photo highlights from my trip to Lithuania. There is a captioned photo album with more photos at the bottom of the page.

Photos from Vilnius, Lithuania

Belfry from Vilnius Evangelical Lutheran Church

Sanctuary from Vilnius Evangelical Lutheran Church

Vilnius Cathedral

Backside of Vilnius Cathedral

Street in Front of Vilnius Cathedral

Photos From Klaipeda

Klaipeda Christmas Tree

Photos From Priekule

Lutheran Church in Priekule

Photo Album with Captions

Second Sunday in Advent at Priekulė, Lithuania

2011-12-04T06:11:00.001-06:00

The Lutheran Parish in Priekule, Lithuania

This morning we attended worship in Priekulė, Lithuania. It is one of 54 parishes of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Lithuania. Christianity came to Klaipeda, Lithuania in 1252, while the rest of Lithuania was pagan. In 1525, Klaipeda, then a part of Prussia, became Lutheran. The Lutheran congregation in Vilnius was established in 1555. The majority of the Lutheran congregations were established in the 17th and 18th centuries in Lithuania. The Lutheran congregation in Priekulė, Lithuania, where we worshiped, once had 6,000 members. Now about 50 persons worship in what was the old school house, the original church having been destroyed by the Communists in the Soviet Era. Before WWII, the Lutheran population was more than 200,000. Today, it is around 20,000 persons. The Lutheran congregation in Priekule retains a strong German identity.

Rev. Dr. Darius Petkūnas writes in the Resurgence of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Lithuania after the Soviet Era, "All Lithuanians love to sing and Lutherans extend this love for music to parish life. From the days of the Reformation the Lithuanian Lutheran Church has been a singing church. The great German hymns were all translated into Lithuanian, and hymns by Lithuanian Lutherans have been added to this treasury," During worship, we had opportunity to hear this rich musical heritage in the confirmation choir and in the hymnody.

Confirmation Choir Sings During Worship

Watch the video below to hear the Confirmation Choir sing.

Pastor Petkuūnas preached on signs of the end of the world for the Second Sunday of Advent.

After the sermon, the congregation sang, "Kelkitės, šlovingai aidi" (Wake, Awake for Night is Flying or Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme in German) by Philipp Nicolai.

Listen to the first stanza in Lithuanian in the video below.

The church is kept warm by an old wood or coal burning stove.

Our visit to Priekulė was very pleasant.

Rev. Daniel Johnson, Rev. Dr. Albert Collver, Juta Galkienė, Rev. Dr. Darius Petkūas

You can read the Resurgence of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Lithuania after the Soviet Era here:

Resurgence of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Lithuania After the Soviet Era

--Rev. Dr. Albert B. Collver, Director of Church Relations

Vilnius Evangelical Lutheran Church -- Lithuania

2011-12-03T08:34:00.001-06:00

Belfry from the Courtyard

On Friday, 2 December 2011, Dr. Timothy Quill, Director of Theological Education, Rev. Daniel Johnson, and Dr. Albert Collver, Director of Church relations arrived in Vilnius for a conference with Lutheran pastors in the Lithuanian and Belarus churches, held at the parish hall of Vilnius Evangelical Lutheran Church. Rev. Johnson presented on Lutheran spirituality, while Dr. Collver spoke on the church's life under the cross from 1 Corinthians. Bishop Mindaugas Sabutis of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Lithuania welcomed the LCMS group and explained how the Lutheran Church in Lithuania by the Lord's grace had been resurrected from death at the hands of Communism. He also encouraged the Missouri Synod to provide strong theological leadership to Lutherans throughout the world.

Conference with Pastors from the Lithuanian and Estonian Churches

Rev. Dr. Darius Petkūnas, Member of the Consistory of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Lithuania said, "The meeting was very important not only for the Lithuanian church but for the emerging church in Belarus, which is resurgent after many years of Soviet Domination. Acting Bishop Wladimir Meyerson in his report provided information regarding the situation of Lutheranism in Belarus and expressed his wish to strengthen relations with the LCMS through Bishop Sabuitus. He emphasized the need for theological education to train the men for the pastoral ministry. The Lithuania church is also very happy with this meeting, which was rich in theological presentations and conversation. It was very helpful for both churches."

The Belarusian Lutheran Church is under the spiritual leadership of Bishop Sabutis and functions as an extension of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Lithuania.

Dr. Timothy Quill remarked, "It was personally heartwarming to listen to the Belarusian pastors report on the progress of the BELC. It was ten years ago to the day, on December 2, 2001, that I attended the constituting synod of the Belarusian Evangelical Lutheran Church that took place in Vitibsk. It has been a difficult time for the faithful Lutherans trying to establish Lutheranism in a country where the Church was totally destroyed by the Communists. Leading their Notruf (plea for help) was a request for theological education to build a strong clergy. They inquired if the Seminary of the Siberian Evangelical Lutheran Church in Novosibirsk, Russia could help train pastors and they encouraged the continuation of regular courses organized by Bishop Mindaugis Sabutis and Dr. Charles Evanson (LCMS theological educator in the Baltics and consultant to the ELCL). They also requested help in producing a Belarusian Lutheran liturgy and agenda. The Lithuanian and Belarusian Lutheran Churches share a common geographical and ecclesiastical history. BELC pastor Sergi Heil explained, 'The BELC is a young church in desperate need of its own liturgy, yet a liturgy that expresses her common tradition with Lithuania.' Pastor Heil asked if Lithuania could assist in this task. The ELCL is blessed to be home to Dr. Charles Evanson and Dr. Darius Petkunas who are not only recognized scholars in the area of the history of the Baltic and Russian liturgies, but key members of the ELCL liturgical commission that recently produced the new Lithuanian agenda."

The Parish Seal of the Vilnius Evangelical Lutheran Church

The first evangelical Lutheran church in Vilnius, Lithuania, was established in 1552 with the completion of the church building in 1555. The parish has had its own seal since 1560 wich depicts the Lamb of God with the inscription, "Diligite Veritatem Et Pacem" ("Value Truth and Peace"). Over the years the church building suffered a number of fires. The current structure had its foundation placed on 3 August 1739. The church was designed by Johann Christopher Glaubitz.

Altar

The altar piece consists of four sections that depicts the life of Christ. The scenes from lowest to highest portray the birth of Jesus, the Lord's Supper, the Crucifixion, and the Ascension of Christ. On either side of the life of Christ are statues of the four evangelists. During the period of Soviet oppression, the Christian symbolism on the altar area was removed and replaced with communist idols. The nativity scene was replaced with the Red Star. The Lord's Supper scene was replaced with images of Karl Marx, Lenin, and Stalin (the unholy trinity of the Soviet State). The crucifix and ascension scenes were removed. The sanctuary was partitioned into two floors, the lower level being a worship and the upper level a basketball court.

The Organ

Another view of the sanctuary.

– Rev. Dr. Albert B. Collver, Director of Church Relations - Assistant to the President

Big Cigar = Big Success

2011-11-30T06:15:00.001-06:00

Here is a cigar ad from 1943. (Originally from BoingBoing.) The extra 17% in cigar length corresponds to professional success -- at least according to Blackstone Cigars.