CORE Voice no.7

Witnessing to God’s Word for our Time
Issue 7 - 2015
Lutheran CORE
Who Actually Is Doing The Bullying And Who Is
Being Bullied These Days?
by Pr. Dennis D. Nelson
Lutheran CORE President
For years we have been hearing complaints from
the LGBTQ community that they are being bullied,
discriminated against, and marginalized. It is my
contention, based upon my observation and experience, that it is not the LGBTQ community, but
instead it is those who hold to the traditional view
of the Bible, Lutheran theology, and human sexuality who are being bullied, discriminated against,
and marginalized.
Why would I make a statement like that?
Consider such evidence as the following –
At one time my former synod would not promote
in the synod publications an event planned by a
Lutheran renewal group within the synod.
One time, when we asked to have a display table
at the synod assembly, we were told that we would
have to be a part of the display of an official,
synodically-authorized committee—but when the
committee was asked whether they would include
our materials as part of their display, we were told
that their response ranged between “No” and “Hell
No!”
One year, our display table at the synod assembly was vandalized – another year we were given
space, but at the far end of the room – the display
table for the “preferred agenda” was right near the
main entrance.
One person who was pursing certification for call
Inside this issue:
What Is “Radical Hospitality”.........p. 2
LCMC Gathering Report..................p. 3
Latino Ministry Encuentro..............p. 4
Changing Congregational Culture. p. 6
Encuentro Pictures..........................p. 9
Northwoods CORE Conference......p. 9
Events, New Catechism Book......p. 10
and was very outspoken about his traditional views
on human sexuality, was told by the committee
interviewing him that he would not be certified for
call because he did not sound “Lutheran enough”–
and it took almost a year after the meeting of the
committee before
he finally heard
It is those who hold
from the committo the traditional
tee.
view of the Bible,
A pastor, who
also was very outLutheran theology,
spoken about his
and human
traditional views
on human sexusexuality who are
ality, experienced
being bullied,
the synod’s interfering in the life
discriminated
of his congreagainst, and
gation after
receiving commarginalized
plaints from a
minority of the
members of the congregation—one wonders
whether the synod would interfere in the life of a
congregation if they received complaints from the
same size minority of the congregation, if the pastor
of that congregation were in line with the agenda
and viewpoint of the synod.
Two young seminarians from the above mentioned congregation were told by the synod that
they would not be certified for call if they were to
remain as a part of that congregation.
My questions for you are twofold:
First, is it also your experience in the ELCA that
those being bullied, discriminated against, and marginalized these days are not the LGBTQ community
but those holding to a traditional view of the Bible,
theology, and human sexuality?
Second, if that is your experience, how can
Lutheran CORE be of help and support to you?
What Does Hospitality at the Lord’s Table Mean?
by Pr. Cathy Ammlung, STS
Lutheran CORE Secretary
I was privileged to participate in the Lutheran
Encuentro event at the congregations Pastor Keith
Forni serves, First and Santa Cruz Lutheran Church
in Joliet, Illinois, on the first Saturday in October.
I came as a representative of Lutheran CORE to
update Encuentro participants on the work of
Lutheran CORE and to discuss the topic of radical
hospitality (the practice of administering Holy
Communion to the unbaptized, and, in some cases,
to unbelievers or those of other religions).
The Encuentro was a celebration of traditional
Lutheran ministry in the context of a largely
Hispanic community. I was so sorry that I could not
stay to enjoy the tour of the museum of Mexican art
in Chicago, worship in the mariachi band-led service of Holy Communion, taste the wonderful food at
the potluck, or hear the presentations by Keith and
by Bishop Allende of the Northeast Ohio Synod.
Nevertheless, a
good time was had by
Lutheran CORE
all who were present. I
strives to serve,
gave a fairly brief (for
me!) synopsis of
support, and
Lutheran CORE’s
equip for
restructuring, the reasons for it, and the outministry
look for its future mintraditional
istry.
I emphasized that
Lutherans of
Lutheran CORE is an
many
organization that
strives to serve, supdenominational
port, and equip for
affiliations
ministry traditional
Lutherans of many
denominational affiliations.
My primary talk, though, was on the topic of
radical hospitality. Most of the laypersons were
unfamiliar with the topic or the controversy surrounding it; even the pastors present, aside from
Keith, didn’t know much about it. To be fair, there
were some folks attending from an NALC congregation, and so far it is not an issue there; but even
so, I was a bit surprised.
I began by highlighting many positive aspects of
hospitality in everyday life and experience: Guests
in a family home, especially at the table; reception
and assistance in a foreign country; welcoming
newcomers into a church. I went on to articulate, as
concisely and fairly as I could, the arguments set
forth by advocates of communing the unbaptized,
both from their own Scriptural examples and from
the foundation I’d just laid about hospitality in general.
Only then did I switch gears a bit. I asked everyone to imagine visiting a seriously ill friend in the
hospital. We agreed that a good hospital also shows
“hospitality” to its visitors in some of the same
ways we had already discussed. Such hospitality
includes providing
clear signage, people
Radical
who can direct you to
hospitality
the proper floor, a
cafeteria, even the
proponents
“negative protocols”
aren’t so much
like “don’t come if you
have a cold; wash your
wrong as just not
hands frequently,” and
radical enough!
so forth.
Then I asked everyone: “If your friend has just undergone a transplant, let’s say, or is receiving strong chemotherapy,
would it be a sign of hospitality if the doctor or
nurses handed you some anti-rejection pills or
hooked you up to an iv. line full of cancer-fighting
drugs?” Nobody wanted any part of that!
Then I expanded on the idea of radical hospitality by lifting up St. Jude’s Hospital, which provides
cutting edge cancer therapy for children free of
charge; it’s all paid for by donations and grants. No
child is turned away, regardless of race, religion,
income, or insurance coverage. That’s radical “hospital hospitality!” But it is offered only to those who
have been admitted as patients, received their plastic arm bracelet i.d., and donned their hospital
gown.
That, I said, is what happens in church. Every
congregation is an outpost of “Holy Cross-Mercy
continued on page 3
Thank you to all who
support Lutheran CORE:
“Shelter and Voice” for confessing
Lutherans
2
Radical Hospitality (concluded)
LCMC Report: Living in the Best
Hospital,” where God’s radical “hospital hospitality” is offered to all who will receive it, regardless
of race, previous religious affiliation, age, income,
or anything else. Everyone is welcome — sure, as a
visitor, but ultimately, as a patient, because everyone in the whole world is dying of the same malady, given the abbreviation of “sin.”
This strange
This strange hoshospital offers
pital offers cuttingedge heart transplants
cutting-edge
from Jesus himself —
heart transplants
so cutting-edge that it
involves being grafted
from Jesus
into his body and
himself
transfused with the
Holy Spirit. He offers
custom-designed anti-rejecton drugs, soothing and
beneficial, made from his very body and blood, in a
form that is wholesome and effective in sustaining
his new heart within us despite our old self’s efforts
to reject it.
But, rather like an everyday hospital, we don’t
make people feel more welcome simply by handing
out “pills” to visitors! Instead, we extend, first of
all, the common courtesy of ordinary hospitality to
them. And we preach, teach, and live Jesus’ invitation to offer his heavenly Father’s “radical hospital hospitality” to them, beginning the process of
admitting them to “Holy Cross/Mercy Hospital.”
Practically, this means receiving status as
patients via Holy Baptism; getting their i.d.
(Anointed with the Holy Spirit and marked with the
cross of Christ), and donning their hospital gown
(baptismal robes; being clothed with the righteousness of Christ); and by means of all this, undergoing
their “heart transplant” (being baptized into the
death and resurrection of Jesus). Then they are
urged to maintain their health by receiving his antirejection drug in the Sacrament of the Altar.
I concluded by saying that radical hospitality
proponents aren’t so much wrong as just not radical
enough in their vision of God’s incredible and lavish hospitality; or perhaps, they don’t quite see
where that hospitality really happens, or why. In
any case, I think those present had a sense of what
the issue is, and how it can be articulated from a
faithful Christian perspective.
of Three Worlds
by Pr. Dennis Nelson
Having moved to Arizona a little over a year
ago, I have learned that there are three groups of
people here. First, there are those who live here year
round. My wife and I are in that group. We have
come to learn that up to 105 degrees is not all that
bad, and you can handle up to 115 degrees and
more if you live your life differently. Second, there
are those who have their home here, but they go
away for a significant portion of the summer. Third,
there are the snowbirds, who live in Minnesota or
someplace like that during the summer and then
come to Arizona for the winter.
Ask the snowbirds and they will tell you that
they enjoy the best of both worlds. Minnesota or
someplace like that during the summer, and Arizona
during the winter. As president of Lutheran CORE I
feel like I get to enjoy the best of three worlds. I get
to relate to the confessionally and Biblically faithful
within the ELCA. But then I also get to represent
Lutheran CORE at the annual NALC convocation
and the annual LCMC gathering. I get to meet people and build friendships with people who are faithful to the Scriptures and who are a part of all three
groups.
I found the LCMC gathering in Dallas in early
October to be most enjoyable and inspiring. Many
people who came by my display table said things to
me like, “God bless you in what you are doing,”
and, “There needs to be someone who is doing what
Lutheran CORE is doing.” (Providing shelter for
confessing Lutherans, including those in the ELCA,
and being a voice for Biblical truth, including by
addressing issues within the ELCA.)
I met people I had talked with over the phone.
They were people who had contacted Lutheran
CORE, asking for some kind of assistance. I again
saw people I had first met at the NALC convocation. It was good to see again and become better
acquainted with people who were representing other
Christian organizations that had informational displays. I enjoyed the night when I joined members of
the Southern California District for dinner. Some of
them I knew from my years of ministry in the Los
Angeles area. I learned a lot from Eric Swensson at
his workshop on “Social Media Strategies and
Tactics.” Eric is the Director of Social Media for
3
continued on page 7
Latino Ministry Was Focal Point of Lutheran CORE-sponsored
Encuentro In Chicagoland
by Pr. Keith Forni, STS
Worship, learning, resource sharing and fellowship highlighted a Lutheran CORE sponsored weekend Encuentro on Lutheran Hispanic Ministries
October 3 and 4 in the Chicagoland area. One hundred twenty persons representing 12 congregations
took part in one or more portions of the gathering,
based at the First and Santa Cruz Lutheran Church
in Joliet, Illinois. Participants were members of
various Lutheran church bodies, including the
ELCA, LCMS, NALC and LCMC.
A Saturday workshop highlighted the Kogudus
discipleship program, which originated in Estonia
and is being developed for use in Ecuador by the
Rev. Jay Johnson of Royal, Illinois. (Kogudus is an
Estonian word meaning “Fellowship.”) The
Apostles Creed provides the central themes for
study, reflection and fellowship during Kogudus
retreat gatherings. Faith reflections, music, prayer,
shared meals and a caring community in Christ are
key components in the Kogudus experience.
The Rev. Cathy Ammlung of Sykesville,
Maryland, Lutheran CORE board secretary, presented a second workshop entitled “Radical
Hospitality — or — Radical Hospital?” This session offered a critique of the proposed (or, in some
cases, realized) communing of the unbaptized,
accenting Lutheran CORE’s confessional, orthodox
perspective which embraces the historic understanding of Holy Communion as the meal of the baptized
people of God [see article by Pr. Ammlung beginning on page 2 above].
A field trip to Chicago included stops in the
heavily Latino Pilsen and Gage Park neighborhoods
where Encuentro participants enjoyed visits to the
National Museum of Mexican Art, Nuevo Leon
Restaurant and the Dr. Martin Luther Lutheran
Church for bilingual Vespertinas (Evening Prayer).
Sunday began with a festive bilingual Service of
Holy Communion, utilizing the music of la Misa
Panamericana, led by Mariachi Tamasula Juvenil
of Joliet. After a potluck luncheon, Pastor Keith
Forni presented “A Quiet Chamber, Kept for Thee /
Reciban este Rincon” offering reflections on “Las
Posadas.” This Advent tradition invites participants
to accompany Maria y José in their house to house
quest for suitable lodging, a place for el Niño Dios,
Jesús, to be born. Sarah Degner Riveros, a teacher
Pr. Forni, Bp. Allende, and children at Encuentro
4
of Spanish at Augsburg College in Minneapolis MN
said she came away “blessed and grateful to learn
about various Chicago area traditions for celebrating Las Posadas.”
Attending the Encuentro with her children, she
noted, “Jesus, whose family lived in turbulent
political and spiritual times hears our prayers for
mercy as we walk through a community in suffering. It is good to meditate on the life of Jesus, (He
who is) our true home, our Posada, our resting
place, and to know that He experienced homelessness, exile and betrayal. We never walk alone.”
“Pilgrimage – faith on the move – …brings the
church out (into the community), to the people and
into our everyday lives. Bringing us out of the sanctuary and into the streets, Las Posadas (and in Holy
Week) the Way of the Cross or Via Crucis devotions express our faith in a God who is alive, who
walks with us.”
The Rev. Abraham Allende, Bishop of the
ELCA’s Northeastern Ohio Synod, gave the
Encuentro’s keynote presentation on Sunday afternoon, “Jesus Calls Us…Follow Me / Jesús Nos
continued on page 5
Encuentro Report (continued)
“Las Posadas,” by Carmen Lomas Garza, National Museum of Mexican Art, Chicago IL. From the exhibit,
“Nuestras Historias, Stories of Mexican Identity,” from the permanent collection. Used by permission.
Llama…Sígueme.”
In his opening remarks, Bishop Allende underscored God’s initiative in his call to us. “I believe
very strongly that we do not choose this task of
ministry. It is God in Jesus Christ who calls us to
serve. I believe that is a very important point to
remember. None of us are where we are because we
choose to be in that particular place. God calls us in
the waters of our baptism to serve, to become a
member of a royal priesthood, a holy nation.”
Reminding the Encuentro participants of the
upcoming special opportunities for outreach, evangelization and nurture in the faith, Bishop Allende
noted: “…The seasons of Advent, Christmas and
Epiphany, for a variety of reasons, lend themselves
to (distinctive) outreach possibilities. Those who are
in this country alone are looking for a sense of community and of the familiar. Those who are here with
small children don’t want them to forget the traditions of the homeland. Above all, those who are
feeling spiritually empty want to be filled.”
Recalling his pastoral ministry at La Iglesia
Luterana La Trinidad, Canton , Ohio, Bishop
Allende echoed Pastor Keith Forni´s perspective as
to the adaptability of Las Posadas. Context is
important. “We couldn’t possibly do all nine nights.
We had to adapt and celebrate at the church due to
the practical considerations that not all homes were
equipped to handle dozens of people, and work
schedules prohibit everyone’s participation every
night of the week. In 2007, an average of 40 people
celebrated over the course of the seven evenings of
Las Posadas.” Ministry partnerships can expand the
possibilities, as Pr. Forni observed. “Latino
Lutherans from Joliet, with the Bilingual Ministry
Resource Center there, were able to lead nine consecutive nights one year in as many cities and
towns, sharing the Las Posadas journey across our
Northern Illinois Synod.”
Ministry with families, and especially with children, is accented by Las Posadas. There is an
increasing anxiety about the potential loss of faith
traditions “as more and more youngsters are being
born in the United States and have never been to
Mexico or experienced the traditions anywhere
5
continued on next page
Encuentro (continued)
other than here,” remarked the Ohio bishop. “The
church, for the parents, thus becomes the institution
through which the culture and tradition is maintained and handed down. It is the celestial link to
their patria or homeland. As Psalm 137 asks,
“‘How can we sing the Lord´s song in a foreign
land?’ The church provides the answer. The church
is the community where they can cling to the familiar,” growing in Christian faith and life.
Reflecting on his own faith journey and experience of God’s call, Bishop Allende reflected on
his years in ministry at his second pastoral call, at
the Lutheran Church of the Covenant in suburban
Cleveland. “I was happy there and looked forward
to serving into my retirement. The only major decision was at what point I would put closure to full
time ministry.”
“And God laughed. God still had other plans for
me and for the ministry to which he calls me. At the
Northeastern Ohio Synod Assembly, …in May of
2014, an astonishing event took place — I was
elected Bishop!” It is astonishing to me because I
never in a million years expected that to happen….
Our faith teaches us that the Holy Spirit speaks
through the Church. The Spirit spoke with a thunderclap that Saturday morning. So much so that, as
the prophet Ezekiel says in Chapter 3, verse 15, “I
sat among them, stunned, for seven days.”
An array of resources for Latino ministry — in
both Spanish language and bilingual contexts —
were highlighted by the Rev. Hector Hoppe of
Concordia Publishing House in St. Louis. Several
parish educators praised the very popular Arch Book
— Libros Arco Bible story series, noting its usefulness in Christian education and evangelization in
Hispanic communities. The new Biblia de la
Reforma was also featured at the CPH exhibit.
Attending lay leaders and pastors received complementary copies of El Evangelio de San Marcos as a
sampler of the new study Bible.
The sponsorship of the Encuentro represented a
continuing priority of Lutheran CORE: The support
and strengthening of ethnic specific ministries. The
gathering’s theme provided an ongoing focal point
throughout the weekend: “Jesus Christ is the Same,
Yesterday, Today, and Forever. / Jesucristo es el
Mismo Ayer, Hoy y por los Siglos.” Hebrews 13:8
[see more Encuentro pictures on page 9]
In Pursuit of the Great Commission:
Changing our Congregational Culture
by Pr. Don Brandt
I came across a fascinating opinion column in a
recent issue of the New York Times, entitled
“Academia’s Rejection of Diversity.”
The article, written by Arthur C. Brooks, president of the American Enterprise Institute, reported
on recent research about the level of ideological
bias in academia. He wrote, “New research shows
that academia has stopped short in both the understanding and practice of true diversity—the diversity of ideas… This year, a team of scholars from
six universities studying ideological diversity in the
behavioral sciences published a paper…that details
a shocking level of political groupthink in academia. The authors show that for every politically
conservative social psychologist in academia there
are about 14 liberal social psychologists.”
Mr. Brooks continues, “In one survey cited, 82
percent of social psychologists admitted they would
be less likely to support hiring a conservative colleague than a liberal scholar with equivalent qualifications.” One more quote: “One of the study’s
6
authors, Philip E. Tetlock of the University of
Pennsylvania, put it bluntly. Expecting trustworthy
results on politically charged topics from an ‘ideologically incestuous community,’ he explained, is
‘downright delusional.’”
While Arthur Brooks’ column focused on political bias in academia, I believe that many mainline
Protestant seminaries have, for decades, exhibited a
similar type of theological bias. The “liberal” ideological bias in some of these seminaries has manifested itself in a kind of “higher biblical criticism”
that, in effect, undermines the centrality of God’s
Word for our life and faith as Christians. And that
devaluation of Scripture, not surprisingly, has
resulted in a theological worldview that questions
the validity of personal and congregational evangelism.
Think about it: This has been a theological bias
which has impacted thousands of seminary graduates over the last forty years. And, in my opinion,
this has been one of the greatest factors in
continued on page 8
LCMC Report (continued)
Lutheran CORE. I appreciated his lifting up the
work and ministry of Lutheran CORE during his
presentation.
The theme for the gathering was “Our DNA.”
With LCMC now being 15 years old, the event was
planned to focus on what makes the association who
and what it is. One of the keynote speakers, Bruce
Wilder, pastor of Faith Lutheran Church in
Albuquerque, New Mexico, asked any representatives who were present from the original 25
churches who formed LCMC 15 years ago to stand.
He then said, “Who but God would have known that
that group would grow into an international organization now made up of over 800 congregations?”
Further comments made by Pastor Wilder during
his keynote address reflected the faith and positive
spirit of the organization. It was very interesting
how he compared the first 15 years of the life of the
association with the early years of the United States.
He began by mentioning the Declaration of
Independence, a document in which the leaders of
the colonies took a bold stand against what they saw
as tyranny and oppression. He then pointed out that
the U. S. Constitution, which was written a few
years later, did not define the new country in terms
of what other country it was against. Instead it
defined the new country in terms of what it would
stand for.
In the same way, the LCMC constitution does
not define the LCMC in terms of who, what, and
what other church body it is against. Rather it
defines the LCMC in terms of what it is for. And
then going even further, he built on the fact that the
United States and England are now allies and said,
“If you do not believe that someday in the future
LCMC and the ELCA can have a new relationship,
your God is too small.” He then drew a comparison
to his own congregation. He shared how people
who are joining Faith Lutheran Church in
Albuquerque today are interested in who the church
is now and what they are doing now, not in why
they left the ELCA and joined LCMC 11 years ago.
I found that LCMC is an organization that lives
up to its name. It truly is a group of Lutheran
Congregations who are in Mission for Christ.
Another one of the keynote speakers, Bill Bohline,
pastor of Hosanna! Lutheran Church in Lakeville,
Minnesota, shared how his experiences knocking on
doors in January in Minnesota to start a new congregation gave a whole new meaning to the term,
Dennis Nelson (left), president of Lutheran CORE,
enjoyed making many new connections, as well as
renewing many connections, at the recent LCMC
gathering. Eric Swensson (right) serves as Director
of Media for Lutheran CORE. In that capacity he
oversees the Lutheran CORE website and Facebook
page. Eric presented a workshop on “Social Media
Strategies and Tactics” at the gathering.
7
“cold calling.” He then said that just as LCMC was
reviewing its DNA after 15 years, so the congregation he had started and was leading and would
soon be retiring from was reviewing its DNA after
35 years. Among the defining characteristics of
Hosanna! are the following:
1) They are a mission congregation. They began
as a mission congregation, and they will always
be a mission congregation. They see what they
do each week between Sundays as a mission trip.
2) They are a high-commitment congregation.
Pastor Bohline said that some churches do not
grow not because they ask too much of people,
but instead because they ask too little. Recently
he had preached a sermon series entitled “All
In.” God went “all in” for us. Therefore, we
should not be afraid to challenge people to be
“all in” for God.
3) They live by the motto, “Wear an apron, not a
bib.” We live in a culture of discontent. Many
are consumers trying to find happiness. But the
healthiest, happiest people are those who are
serving and giving.
4) They do not ask, How are we going to build
this church? Instead they ask, How are we going
to transform this community?
Pastor Bohline closed with a very powerful
continued on next page
Changing Congregational
Culture (concluded)
LCMC Report (concluded)
undermining the mainline church’s commitment to
the Great Commission.
You could argue that a “Lutheran evangelist” is
an oxymoron; a contradiction in terms. That’s an
exaggeration of course. However, the evangelistic
task can seem pretty intimidating for those of us
who grew up Lutheran, whether we are pastors or
laity.
So, if you struggle with this, and you would welcome some guidance
and support in the
You could argue
evangelistic task, I recthat a “Lutheran
ommend a parachurch
ministry currently
evangelist” is an
being utilized by 30
oxymoron
NALC congregations
across the country. I am
referring to Navigator Church Ministries (NCM), a
ministry which assists pastors and lay leaders in
changing congregational culture through an emphasis on disciple-making. Some have perhaps heard
the NALC presiding bishop, Pastor John Bradosky,
advocate for this ministry.
My own congregation has now “signed on” with
NCM, and I highly recommend that you check it
out. I can’t adequately describe this disciple-making
ministry within the limits of this column. However
— briefly — the NCM model is about congregational transformation from the inside-out. It
begins with a coaching relationship with the pastor,
and then continues with an initial Leadership and
Learning Team (LLT) that meets for about three
months. Then the individual team members are each
encouraged to meet with two or three additional
people to share what was learned in the LLT group.
By the way, one very important and foundational
part of this NCM process is to help all participants
establish a daily devotional discipline. The ultimate
goal, however, is to bring about a transformation of
your congregational culture so that, through
disciple-making, your members become more intentional about evangelistic outreach.
If you want more information you may go to the
Navigator Church Ministries website. Or, if you
would like to contact directly the NCM point person
who has been working with the NALC, email
Dennis Blevins at [email protected].
Pr Nelson with Pr. Martin Lalthangliana, Lutheran
Church of Myanmar, at CORE display table.
video in which on an Easter Sunday a few years ago
about sixty people gave cardboard testimonies. First
they showed one side of a cardboard, on which they
had written who or what they had been. Then they
showed the other side of the cardboard, on which
they had written who and what they had become,
having been changed by the transforming power of
the resurrection.
It was an inspiring experience to be able to
attend the LCMC annual gathering. I was glad to be
able to represent Lutheran CORE at the event. I am
confident that God will continue to bless an association that has such a positive spirit and such missionmindedness as part of its DNA.
Christian Hymnody Course
8
The Institute of Lutheran Theology is offering an
exciting new course during the J -Term entitled
“Christian Hymnody,” taught by our new Cantor,
Dr. Daniel Grimminger!
This course will immerse you in the church’s
great treasury of song. As we welcome the new, we
also need to be fed by our great heritage of hymns
that sing the gospel into our hearts. This course will
greatly enrich and enlarge your experience of the
church’s hymnody and give you tools for integrating hymns into today’s worship services. “Christian
Hymnody” is a concentrated, two-credit course,
taught Monday through Friday, January 4-8, from
9:00 AM - 12:00 NOON. Central Standard Time.
Contact www.ilt.org for more information!
More Pictures from Encuentro in Illinois
Left: Pastor Richard
Ramirez welcomes
Encuentro participants to
bilingual Vespers at the
congregation he serves in
Chicago. Events for the
Encuentro were held at
several sites in Joliet and
Chicago.
Right: Mariachi Juvenil Tamazula lead the
Encuentro’s Sunday service of Holy Communion,
“La Misa Panamericana.”
Northwoods CORE to Host
Convocation and Conference
adapted from an email from Pr. Dave Johnson
Northwoods Lutheran CORE is an organization
of us Lutherans who are seeking to be part of
renewal in the church. We have CORE convictions
that we feel we need to hold on to and be grounded
with, in order for that renewal to take place.
I would like to invite you to be a part of this
renewal movement in the church and come to our
Northwoods Lutheran CORE winter convocation
taking place Saturday, December 12, at Christ the
King Lutheran Church in Escanaba, MI! We will
welcome Pr. Paddy Rooney as our guest speaker,
who will share with us the role Mary has played
within the Christian Church.
The event begins with registration at 10:30 AM
and concludes with worship starting at 5:00.
Registration of $25 includes lunch, snacks, etc.
If you have any questions feel free to email me,
Pastor Dave Johnson, at [email protected].
Above: Pastor Hector Hoppe & Sarah Degner Riveros
after the CPH Resource presentation.
Check out our Website and Blog
www.lutherancore.org
“Like” and “Follow” Us
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Coming Events
Northwoods Lutheran CORE 2015 Winter Convocation and Theological Conference,
Saturday, December 12, Christ the King Lutheran Church, Escanaba MI. “The Bible, Mary, and the
Church: A Lutheran Assessment on the Mother of Our Lord.” Presenter: Pr. Patrick Rooney, STS.
Contact Pr. Chris Johnson, 1230 N 18th St., Escanaba MI 49829. $25 including lunch.
Augustana District LCMC Annual Theological Conference, February 8-9,
2016, Best Western Plus—Mall of America, Bloomington, MN. Speakers: Drs. James Nestingen
and Steven Paulsen. For info, call 320-587-2093 or email [email protected].
August 9-12, Wyndham Anaheim Garden Grove Hotel in California.
Events include Braaten-Benne Lectures in Theology, NALC Convocation, NALC Mission Festival.
Rx for Bored Believers
Thank you for your prayers
and financial support!
The American Lutheran Publicity Bureau has
recently published The Christian Faith: A
Catechism for the Curious, by Pr. Eric M. Riesen.
Pr. Riesen states in the Preface, “This book is not
about helping you to live your best life now, or
seven secrets to successful living. This book is
about wonder, and creativity, and compassion, and
curiosity. It’s about the reality of God who makes
life infinitely interesting and worth living. A bored
believer is an oxymoron.”
Intrigued? The book is available by phone from
ALPB at 607-746-7511 or online at www.alpb.org.
Cost is $15 plus $3 postage.
The picture below is the icon of Christos
Pantocrator (Ruler of All), which is the cover
image of the book. Pr. Riesen hopes readers will be
led to the Christ who is the Truth.
Donations can be sent to our Wausau office
PO Box 1741 Wausau, WI 54402-1741
or online at www.lutherancore.org.
Please consider setting up an ongoing regular
donation via our website.
CORE Voice
Successor to CORE Connection
Published by
Lutheran CORE
PO Box 1741
Wausau, WI 54402-1741
1-888-810-4180
www.lutherancore.org
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Pr. Steve Shipman, Editor
and responsible for any unsigned content
[email protected]
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