2014 - Lutherans Engage the World - May-June

8/12/2019 2014 - Lutherans Engage the World - May-June

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May June 2014, Vol. 2, Issue 5

LutheransENGAGE the WORLD


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42 Strengthened Faith, Fervent Love 4 Bringing Christ & Care to Inner-City Baltimore

7 Putting Up Walls toBreak Down Barriers19 Missing Mayberry

888-THE LCMS (843-5267)

www.lcms.org

May June 2014 vol. 2, no. 5

inspire

LutheransENGAGE the WORLD

Engaging the Church in the work of witness and mercy across the globe in our life together.

LUTHERANS ENGAGE THE WORLDis published bi-monthly by The Lutheran ChurchMissouri Synod.

2014 The Lutheran ChurchMissouri Synod. Reproduction for parish use does not require permission.Such reproductions,

however, should credit LUTHERANS ENGAGE THE WORLDas a source. Print editions are sent to LCMS donors, rostered workers and

missionaries. An online version is available (lcms.org/lutheransengage). To receive the print edition, we invite you to make a financial

gift for LCMS global witness and mercy work. Unless otherwise noted, all photos are property of the LCMS.

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version (ESV), copyright 2001

by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

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involve

engageinform

S T A F F

Mark D. Hofman executive director, mission advancement

David L. Strand executive director, communications

Pamela J. Nielsen executive editor

Erica Schwan manager, design services

Melanie Ave staff writer

Megan K. Mertz staff writer

Erik M. Lunsford staff photojournalist/editor

Carolyn A. Niehoff designer

Chrissy A. Thomas designer

3 10 Questions

12 Mercy Moment Philippines Update

14 Reviving Ministryon Americas

College Campuses

16 A Beacon for theCommunity

10 Philippine Disaster Recovery

E D I T O R I A L O F F I C E

314-996-1215

1333 S. Kirkwood Road

St. Louis, MO 63122-7295

[email protected]

www.lcms.org/lutheransengage

REVITALIZE verb,to restore vitality, liveliness

I MADE HE MORNING NEWS the literal collapse

of a Lutheran church building in a blighted north St. Louis

neighborhood. My first thought was, So sad! Another

abandoned Lutheran church, another neighborhood wher

the gifts of God are no longer received at a Lutheran altar.In cities, in small towns

and along country roads,

empty and dilapidated church

buildings dot the landscape.

Reasons vary as to why, of

course, but in every case, these

churches lost their vitality and

eventually closed their doors.

Tis issue of Lutherans

Engage the Worldis about REvitalizingour congregations

It celebrates the places where the Gospel is being

proclaimed in the midst of challenges large and small, in

places where many might have simply given up.

Te LCMS Office of National Mission is focused on

revitalizing congregations and even replanting them whe

they have breathed their last.

In partnership with districts, congregations, Lutheran

Housing Support and LCMS Recognized Service

Organizations, the people of God are working together

to proclaim the Word of life in dark alleys, a longside

cornfields, in challenged neighborhoods and on secular

university campuses across the country.

So, what about that crumbling church in north St. LouisTats a good news story of revitalization! Te congregation

is actively involved in improving the neighborhood, having

helped remodel nearly 250 homes. For safetys sake, worshi

services and church operations were moved long ago into

the congregations school building next door. Te Gospel o

Jesus Christ continues to be proclaimed there each week!

You can read about revitalization of another kind

in an infographic and photo essay on the continuing

disaster-relief efforts in the Philippines (Pages 10-13).

God is blessing your gif ts for LCMS disaster efforts and

to the Global Mission Fund, making church revitalization

possible at home and abroad. Tank you!In Christ,

Pamela J. Nielsen

Associate Executive Director,

LCMS Communications

Cover image:Acolytes light

altar candles before worship

at Trinity Evangelical Lutheran

Church in Mobile, Ala.

PHOTO: LCMS COMMUNICATIONS/ERIK M. LUNSFORD

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2 lcms.org/LUTHERANSengage MayJune 2014 lcms.org/givenow/globalmission

nspire

hristians live outside themselves: they live in Christ

by faith and in their neighbor by love.Tat was one of Martin Luthers most brilliant ahas! It runs

right along with his observation that the nature of sin is to be

curved in on yourself.

Consequently, the effect of Christs Gospel in His appointed

Means of Grace seizing hold of you is that it begins unbending

you. It begins lifting up your eyes to behold with joy the certain

promises of God in Christ. o know them as true for you. o begin

to be filled with the hope that flows from them. And at the same

time, it opens your eyes to see

and meet the needs of

your neighbor with a

fiery love, a divinecompassion.

Strengthened Faith,

Fervent Love ... Luther encapsulated this aha in the words of the post-

communion prayer in our Divine Service. We give thanks to You,

almighty God, that You have refreshed us through this salutary gift,

and we implore You that of Your mercy You would strengthen us

through the same in faith toward You and in fervent love toward one

another .

Every time you gather with your fellow saints at the altar, your

Jesus comes to you in His body and blood to strengthen your faith

by His promises and to set your heart on fire with divine love. Which

is just another way of saying: He comes to give you a share in His

own divine life, for He IS perfect trust in the Father and perfect love

for the neighbor.

Because His life is given us as our own, the Church of Christ

remains an enigma in this world. Its a colony from the future, an

outpost of the age that will triumph when our Lord appears in glory.

When love will have vanquished all hatred. And thanksgiving will

have replaced all grumbling. Its true that we only experience that

in a fragmentary way due to the sin that clings to us right up to the

grave. Despite our weak grasp of the new life, the Holy Spirit still

causes the bright light of the coming age to shine through Gods

people. It is like a door to a room filled with light, opening to spill

out into the darkness outside, inviting those lost and alone in the

darkness to come in with us to the feast of joy that has no end.

Te LCMS Office of National Mission exists to serve our rural,

inner-city and suburban congregations, schools, pastors, youth and

youth workers, teachers and deaconesses in holding open the door

of the Kingdom, letting the light of the age to come spill out of each

unbent life, through strengthened faith and fiery, fervent love so

that congregations are revitalized and new outposts of the future

are planted and flourish.

In His name,

Rev. Bart Day

Executive Director,

LCMS Office of National Mission

We give thanks to You, almighty God,that You have rereshed us through this salutary gif,and we implore You that o Your mercy You wouldstrengthen us through the same in aith toward You and

in fervent love toward one another .

C
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with the Rev. James Sharp

nform

The Rev. James Sharp

10

Questionsby Melanie Ave

3MayJune 2014 lcms.org/LUTHERANSengagelcms.org/givenow/globalmission

T R. J S is in thetrenches of daily ministry asone of about 6,000 pastorscurrently serving an LCMS

congregation. Leading a dual parish inMaryland Christ Lutheran Church in

Dundalk and Nazareth Lutheran Churchin Baltimore Sharp shepherds twocongregations, in two locations with twoschedules, and with two very different typesof members and needs. He is a busy man. Healso is a man committed to teaching andconfessing the faith with a lot of helpfrom God and a lot of energy from themassive amounts of black coffee heconsumes daily.

1. Whats it like leading adual parish?Its a lot like having two kids. I wantto love them both and treat them fairly.

It doesnt mean treating them the same,

necessarily.

2. Describe Sunday mornings.We have church at 9 at Nazareth. By the time Im done with church, I have

15 to 20 minutes to hobnob and head over to the other church, where we

have church at 11. I spend a lot of time driving back and forth between

two churches. I grew up in a larger congregation with two or three services.

Pastors were always running around. Its not too different from that.

3.How has being a pastor changed you?

Its forced me not to think about myself so much. Being a pastor in the cities

where I serve I have a much more clear desire to serve others than to

serve myself. Being a pastor for almost 10 years now has helped me be less

selfish and more loving and caring for other people.

4. Where does your energy come from?I drink an awful lot of coffee. I have a pretty good relationship

with the local roaster.

5. What do you enjoy in your time off?I have two boys and two girls. I try to spend

time with my family. Thats where I get a lot

of energy and joy for the ministry . Every

pastor, first and foremost, is a priest and

minister to his family. I take that very seriously.

6. Do you ever say no?No. (Laughs.) Ive been working on that. It

hard to say no to a congregation, church

members, to my family. There are things

that Ive decided not to say no to. When

my kids were little I said I would neversay no if they asked me to read a book or

to sit on my lap . Ive learned you dont

always have to give people what they ask fo

Sometimes you can offer something better an

give them what they need.

7. What do you want your congregations tobe like in 10 years?

Im hoping well work more closely together and with other congregation

in the area. Weve been looking at ways to extend the partnership.

8. What is your view on church revitalization?It doesnt mean we have to reorganize the church from top to bottom. Itdoesnt mean change everything. It means we can add something new,

and when the new ministry takes off, then the Lord blesses the new

ministry. It will change your congregation and change you in ways you

cant anticipate.

9. Any church revital ization tips you want to share?I definitely encourage congregations to look at multi-parish ministries.

My congregations were forced into it by decline. Both had full-time

pastors in the past but neither could continue to afford it. Churches

could work together before that point and share an outreach pastor. I

encourage congregations and pastors to cooperate and work together

more than we have in the past.

10. What is one thing you would like people who live andwork near your congregations to know about what goes on insideThese are places that really love people. Whatever they might have

heard about church or know about Christianity, if they walk into one

of my parishes, they will find people who will love them and love

them unconditionally. Thats something I dont think

people expect.

Melanie Ave is a staff writer and the

social media coordinator for LCMS

Communications.


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BringingChrist & CaretoInner-CityBaltimore

He pokes his head up the stairwell and calls the residents down,

partly in search of the cushions. Several men in their 20s and 30s

emerge. Clean of heroin or cocaine, one dons a tie for visitors.

A new man with a weathered face and a dirtied camouflage hat

arrives with the others. Clean from drug abuse for a week, he says he

needs a place to sleep. Wildner rattles off a list of rules, and the two

men hug. Te man will sleep with a roof over his head tonight.Earlier in the day, Wildner sits at the table of a small caf in

Baltimore and pokes at a crab cake sandwich. He pushes the bread

aside and dunks grilled veggies into ketchup. He recalls the beginning

of his inner-city ministry days.

I thought I would never be an inner-city pastor, Wildner says. He

adjusts his glasses and thinks for a moment. His salary could be double

in the suburbs, and it would be a comfortable life with great Lutheran

schools. He knows this.

One day, almost 40 years ago, while serving as a volunteer chaplain,

Wildner read a quote on a leaflet: I go where its most difficult because

thats where the Lord needs me most.

Someone made a copy of the leaflet for Wildner. He went where theLord needed him most.

St. Tomas is one of several Lutheran churches working to bring

Word and Sacrament ministry to residents of inner-city Baltimore. East

of St. Tomas sits Martini Lutheran Church, guided by the Rev. Elliott

Robertson. West of St. Tomas is the Lutheran Church of the Redeemer,

led by the Rev. Roy Axel Coats. When plotted on a map, the churches

form an almost-perfect westward line one of the migratory patterns

from the city to the suburbs. While many have looked outward, the

pastors of St. Tomas, Martini and Redeemer look inward.

Coats, a scholarly man with a caramel-orange beard, wears a beret

and walks quickly, as if theres always a pressing need at the end of

R. C W, pastor of St. Tomas LutheranChurch, opens the door to the drug recovery house he runs

next to the church in the inner city of Baltimore. Nearby,

trash blows across the street while prostitutes huddle on the

corner. As he walks inside, Wildner sighs and shakes his head:

Someone has stolen the couch cushions again.

T

by Erik M. Lunsford

Far left: St. Tho

Lutheran Church

seen on the Ba

skyline. Left: A

hangs above a c

void of cushions

the Concordia Hrecovery center

Right: The Rev.

Wildner, pastor

St. Thomas, hug

John McLeroy, f

camera , a resid

the Concordia H

recovery center

Bottom right: The Rev. Charles Wildner prays with

Faye Blasy, a homebound church member. Far right:

The Rev. Roy Axel Coats, center, leads a group in

prayer during a youth confirmation study session at

Lutheran Church of the Redeemer in Baltimore. With

him, from left, are Princess Greah, 17, Samantha

Nah, 16, and the Rev. Steven Schave, director of

LCMS Urban & Inner-City Mission.


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Its something I wasnt expecting to

instantly have people to go and visit and

officially bring into the congregation,

with kids to be baptized theres a great,you know, excitement and energy to the

congregation. Te Lord, through him,

provided me an understanding of how to

reach out and visit with Jesus Christ the

people in my neighborhood.

Robertson, the cheerful, red-cheeked

pastor of Martini Lutheran Church, has

a soothing yet authoritative voice. On a

rainy Friday morning in March, Robertson

sits at a table in the fellowship hall of

Martini. Across from him is 54-year-old

Dennis Schramm, a man freed from drugaddiction, discussing donations to the

churchs food pantry.

Upon the 2008 death of his beloved

grandmother, Schramms drug addiction

ensnared him. Homelessness followed.

He eventually found work at a local

motel, but he continued to bounce from

shelter to shelter. One day several years

ago, Schramm crossed Robertson on the

street. Robertson invited him to church,

but Schramm felt self-conscious about his

appearance. His clothes were tattered, hishair a mess and his shoes full of holes. He

thought others might look down on him.

According to Schramm, Robertson said,

Well, Dennis, its not how you come to

church. Te Lord wants you as you are and

where your hearts at.

Several weeks later, Schramm came to

worship. I felt really welcome a warm

welcome and accepted, Schramm says.

Schramm plans to become a member of

Martini Lutheran Church. He currently

serves the church in a variety of ways.

Te church has restored his trust, which

was eroded by others in the shelters. Myfoundation in life isnt good but I do have

a foundation in the Lord, he says.

After a short breakfast on a rainy Friday

morning, Robertson walks with Betty

Bland-Tomas, an expert in community

redevelopment. She stresses the need for

church engagement and education in

urban renewal. Robertson nods in

agreement as a man drives a forklift down

the street in the mixed-use neighborhood

surrounding Martini.

When people hear the word missionarythey may think of church workers planting

churches and administering the Sacraments

in exotic foreign lands. But the Rev. Steven

Schave, director of LCMS Urban & Inner-

City Mission, wants to append that notion

to include inner-city ministry. Having been

an urban-ministry pastor for years, Schave is

acutely aware of the reality facing the church.

We cant afford to lose any more

ground in our cities, and we thank God for

these men who stand and fight to bring

Christ to those who so desperately need it,Schave says. Te new missionary field, he

says, is not only international missions but

missions in tattered neighborhoods in the

backyards of American cities.

Back at the caf, Wildner describes his

daily life as a pastor of an inner-city church.

On any given day, he may cook, cut the hair

of a member preparing for a job interview,

prepare music for worship, pick up men

recently released from jail and give them

bus fare home from his own wallet, or take

a call in the middle of the night from a

member on the precipice of a drug relapse.

Later that evening, just as they do eachevening, Wildner and his wife, Judy, invite

residents of the recovery house and other

church members to their nearby home for

dinner. Before dinner, some guests assist

in meal preparation while others gather in

the parlor. Here, at the warmly decorated

row house on a rough street in Baltimore,

fine china is meticulously set on period

furniture, prayer is said and a collection of

pastors including Wildner, Robertson

and Coats church members and recovery

house residents dine together. Conversationflows from aspirations to sports predictions.

Te split pea soup is a hit.

Coats, Robertson and Wildner form a

ring of ministry that serves neighborhoods

left behind by suburban sprawl and

development. Anchored by the altar, the

ministry is multicultural, focused on urban

renewal and giving care to the marginalized.

As Coats says, Its hard work, persistent

work, patient work and long suffering

you suffer with people, you keep visiting.

Teyre working through a lot of differentproblems. You hope they find their peace of

the Lord being part of the church.

Erik M. Lunsford is the staff photojournalist

and an editor for LCMS Communications.

Learn more:

Photo album:photo.lcms.org/

NationalMinistries/BringingChristandCare/.

LCMS Urban & Inner-City Mission:

www.lcms.org/citymission.

Far left: From

Jonathan OC

Daniel Broum

Robb Carr, Jo

McLeroy, the

Steven Scha

and the Rev.

Robertson co

before dinne

The Rev. ChaWildner, cent

end of table)

a prayer duri

fellowship di

his home.
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nspire


to Break DownPuttin Up Wall

BarriersSometimes He uses churches to do this work of revitalization.

Such is the case in Fort Wayne, Ind., where homes are being

rehabilitated through a partnership between LCMS National

Housing Support Corp., or Lutheran Housing Support (LHS), and

of the

Creed, Martin Luther acknowledges that God not only

creates His people, but He also sustains them.Iby Jeni Miller

three local LCMS parishes Redeemer, Emmanuel and Zion

located in downtown Fort Wayne.

Te project focuses on providing critical home repairs

to families in need. Te congregations send volunteers and

resources into the community to perform the needed repairs

for as many as 10 families in surrounding neighborhoods.

Te goal is to halt the deterioration of neighborhoods, build

connections between residents and service agencies and share

the Gospel through acts of mercy.


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Revitalization is part of the Churchs work of diakonia, works

of mercy, said James Kienker, director of advancement for LHS.

We believe that we are individuals of body and soul and you

cant care for the soul without caring for the body as well. Tese

revitalization and community development efforts are a piece ofthat, just like disaster relief and soup kitchens.

The Seeds that Started It AllLCMS President Rev. Dr. Matthew Harrison began the process of

neighborhood revitalization near Zion Lutheran Church in Fort

Wayne in the late 1990s as a parish pastor. Tat work was the

precursor to todays joint revitalization efforts between Zion and a

neighboring congregation, St. Peters Catholic Church.

Te St. Peter/Zion Project has been going for many years, 15

or so, said the Rev. Douglas Punke, senior pastor of Zion. In that

time, the neighborhood has been transformed into a place where

families can own their own homes and raise children, where one

does not have to be afraid to walk around the neighborhood.

Meanwhile, a few miles away at Emmanuel, church members

called on the LCMS as they hoped to reach out to their communiin a big way. Te Planting Gospel Seeds initiative, headed by

the Rev. Dr. Carlos Hernandez, helps congregations enable their

neighbors to break the cycles of poverty and struggle.

In June of 2008, Emmanuel began efforts in neighborhood

transformation with an initiative called Planting Gospel Seeds

in which Emmanuel members were trained and sent out into the

neighborhood with the simple goals of establishing connections

with our neighbors and getting their feedback on the key issues i

the community, recalled the Rev. Tomas Eggold, senior pastor

at Emmanuel. Tis was an important catalyst for breaking down


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barriers that kept us from working in our neighborhood.

Similarly, the Rev. David Petersen, pastor at Redeemer, and

his congregation sought advice from the Gospel Seeds initiative.

Hernandez visited in September 2012 to help them plan andtake action.

Its been very good for us to canvass the neighborhood again

and have an excuse to do that, explained Petersen. We went out

and said, Were from the church down the block and just want to

know what youd like to see in the neighborhood. Most of their

responses were human-care type stuff. Some ideas were well

beyond what we or anyone could do, like offer free day care or a

cure for Alzheimers. But what we consistently heard was that they

wanted ways to help improve the property values and make the

neighborhood safer, as houses were falling into disrepair.

Coming TogetherWith the three churches on board, LHS was called in to walkthrough options and connect the churches with other agencies

to enhance the process. LHS typically works by supporting the

community development efforts of local LCMS congregations,

districts, Recognized Service Organizations and their partners by

providing access to funding, customized consulting services and

training resources.

By working with Fort Wayne code enforcement, the churches

were able to identify at-risk homes in their areas that were in

violation of the citys building codes or had potential health or

safety-related issues.

According to Cindy Joyner, deputy director of Neighborhood

Code Enforcement for the city of Fort Wayne, the effort will make a

difference in these neighborhoods.

Lutherans have always done so much for the community in my

experience in Fort Wayne, so it wasnt a far-out plan when [LHS]

contacted me because of all the great things theyve done already,

Joyner said. Tere are lots of property owners right now, more so

than before, and a lot of people have come in to hard times and

may not have money to do work on their homes. When a group like

this comes in to do work to bring that [home] into compliance, its a

win for everyone the neighborhood, the homeowner.

Due to the scope of the project, the churches need volunteers

skilled in home repair. Most of the rehab work on the homes will

be carried out by Lutheran Church Extension Fund Laborers For

Christ (LFC), a group of retired, volunteer builders. Te Laborers

will work with the assistance of volunteers provided by the LCMS

churches and the community. A local construction manager will

oversee the entire project. Since the Laborers come to Fort Wayne

from all over the country, the Fort Wayne parks and recreation

department has agreed to partner with LHS and provide the Laborers

with a place to park their RVs during the duration of the project.

[Te Fort Wayne project] is an awesome opportunity for the

LCMS parishes to reach out and engage and connect with their

Three LCMS congregations in Fort

Wayne, Ind., are rehabilitating homes

in partnership with Lutheran Housing

Support.

surrounding neighborhoods, said Marcy Scholl, specialist for

Laborers For Christ. Tis initiative offers hands-on assistance to

improve their homes. It is walking alongside the people and offering

hope, just like Jesus did.Te project includes another benefit to the families who will

be served: financial management training from Lutheran Social

Services of Indiana. Tey will learn ways to save money and support

future home repair needs, ultimately becoming self-sustaining.

Nows the TimeIn these neighborhoods, especially recently, the communities

are declining significantly because of the economic downturn,

said Nicole Ridley, CEO of LHS. Tis is an opportunity for the

congregations to lend a hand and assist. Teres so much potential

there for them to be the catalyst for revitalization.

Joyner agrees that the moment is now, and the LCMS is well-positioned to help.

A lot of social agencies dont have the financial wherewithal

anymore to sustain this kind of work, Joyner explained. Something

as in-depth as this program with [LHS], you dont see this anymore.

Tese churches stepped up and this is what the community needs.

Why Revitalize?In this work, were not just addressing a community need; were

building relationships, said Petersen of Redeemer. It gives us

something in common, and were less scary to them. It humanizes

us, roots us here in the neighborhood. Tis project helps to establish

us in the minds of those in the neighborhood as a stable, reliable

place. If our neighbors find themselves in spiritual crisis or have a

need, they wont be afraid to reach out to us.

Tis partnership also gives us an opportunity to get to know

them, pray with them, share Christ with them, said Punke of Zion.

God places congregations in particular places with a particular

context and with particular needs. Not every congregation may

need to do work with housing, but surely there is some way that

every congregation can make an impact in [its] community.

Tis work is, Petersen said, the very definition of mercy: to

help people in need. Tere is real value in helping people.

LHS, together with the churches involved in this project, have

asked for prayers and support from those in the LCMS as the rehab

phase of the project begins on June 1. o engage with them in this

work, visit www.nationalhousingsupport.orgor call James Kienker

at 800-248-1930, Ext. 2823, for more information.

Deaconess Jeni Miller is a freelance writer and a member of Lutheran

Church of the Ascension in Atlanta.

Learn more: www.lcms.org/gospelseeds .

Contact: the Rev. Dr. Carlos Hernandez, director of LCMS Church and

Community Engagement, at 314-956-2005 or [email protected]

Explore other options for revitalization offered by the LCMS Office of

National Mission: www.lcms.org/revitalizing.

Te goal is to halt the deterioration of neighborhoods,build connections between residents and service agenciesand share the Gospel through acts of mercy.
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MERCY|MOMENT PHILIPPINES UPDATE

NOVEMBER 8, 2013:yphoon Haiyan barrels across the

Philippines, killing more than 6,000

people, displacing more than 4 million and

damaging or destroying more than

1 million homes. Te storm also damages

an estimated 33 million coconut trees,

taking away the livelihood of many coconut

farmers, a significant loss in a country

that is the worlds second-largest coconut

producer.

NOVEMBER 2013:

An LCMS team journeys to the Philippines

Nov. 15-22 to provide immediate relief and

begin planning for long-term recovery. Te

team is invited by the Rev. James Cerdeola,

president of the Lutheran Church in the

Philippines (LCP), an LCMS partner

church body.

Te LCMS OKs initial disaster grants of

$250,000 to help the LCPs relief efforts. Te

LCMS makes an additional $100,000 grant

to Lutheran World Relief in Baltimore for

immediate aid in the Philippines.

Seeing the damage firsthand enables

the disaster team to develop a Disaster

Action Plan that will include immediate,

intermediate and long-term assistance

aimed at relief, recovery and restoration.

Over the course of four days, a joint LCP-

LCMS team worships and meets together,

using the badly damaged Christ Lutheran

Church as a base of operations. Te churchs

pastor, the Rev. Xavier James Palattao, stresse

that nearly every resident of his community

affected by the typhoon.

Carrying backpacks filled with energy

bars, bottled water and other supplies, the

LCMS group treks by foot and vehicle in the

hot and humid tropical weather to visit with

Lutherans in Mahayag and acloban City,

located in the center of the storms fury.

In a nearby town, where St. James

Lutheran Church suffered significant damag

nform


15/24


congregation and community members

gather to welcome the team, eager to tell

their typhoon stories.

Te principals of three public schools

attended by children of two Lutheran

congregations say the Lutheran team was

the first to visit and check on the schools,

and they indicate that school supplies and

health kits for school children are needed.

Te team purchases a chainsaw

so church members can turn downed

coconut trees into lumber to be sold or

used for repairs to homes.

March 2014:

A team from the LCMS travels to the

Philippines for three days to document

recovery efforts.

eam members interview storm victims,

spend time in the community and survey

the results of the LCMS recovery effort.

Months after the typhoon killed thousands

and displaced millions, they see the island

of Leyte springing back to life. Tey see

patches of green and hear the sound of

hammers, chainsaws and other tools.

More than 50 homes of Lutheran

families and others connected to the church

have been rebuilt, restored, new roofs

constructed or new walls installed. A new

roof, well, dormitory and parsonage will

soon appear at Christ Lutheran Church in

Mahayag. Before the LCMS group returned

to the United States, team members led a

spiritual-care retreat for the families of LCP

pastors and lay workers who responded to

the disaster.

You can see how there is hope in

peoples eyes, says the Rev. Ross Johnson,

director of LCMS Disaster Response.

Tere is joy that is being restored.

So far, the LCMS commitment to

the yphoon Haiyan recovery effort

stands at $1 million. Te LCMS, Johnson

says, is walking with the LCP during its

long-term recovery.

PHOTO: LCMS COMMUNICATIONS/AL DOWBNIA


16/24

nform

ccording to the Pew

Research Center, the

number of nones, Americans

who do not identify with any re-

ligion, is on the rise, especially

among young people.

Despite this, the Rev. Marcus

Zill, coordinator of LCMS

Campus Ministry, said the

future is bright for Lutheran

outreach to university students.

It is vital to not only support

campus ministry where it is al-

ready taking place, but the chal-

lenge is to help congregations

care for their own students who

are away at college, he said. It is

also important to reach out to

those who are in their midst at a

neighboring school.

In January 2013, LCMS

Campus Ministry rolled out

LCMS U, an initiative to expand

and support ministry on

Americas college campuses.

Currently, there are 175

LCMS U chapters around

the country, one of which is

University Lutheran Chapel

(ULC) in Boulder, Colo.

Of Students for StudentsTe Rev. Daniel Burhop was

called to ULC in Boulder,

Colo., in 2007 because of the

dedication of the LCMS Rocky

Mountain District, four vicars

and several Lutheran graduate

students at the University of

Colorado.

Teir efforts resulted in a

mission society originally

comprised of three area

churches committed to

supporting ULC and its full-

time pastor.

Since its founding, the mis-

sion society has grown, adding

an eighth congregation last year.

Te churches provide finan-

cial support. But their backing

of ULC doesnt end there. Tey

also send members to cook

meals and mentor students.

Te students, in return, give

back to the churches through

service.

Unlike many other campus

ministries, ULC is not a town-

and-

gown

congrega-

tion, where

a congregation

reaches out to

students of a nearby

college or university.

It is a congregation of

students for students.

Te students serve on the

church council and determine

outreach opportunities.

In September 2013, when

heavy flooding severely dam-

aged ULCs roof and building,

the student leaders took owner-

ship of the renovation.

Our students are trying to

figure out how to make this

building better for the next 20

years, Burhop said.

When I joined ULC, it was

the first time that the church

I went to was mine, wrote

Kyle Lampe, a 2009 graduate

of the University of Colorado,

in ULCs newsletter. What I

mean is that it was no longer my

parents church or just a church

I went to on Sundays. If there

were decisions to be made,

communion to be ushered,

paraments to be changed,

windows to be replaced or

REVIVINCOLLEG

on A

by Megan K. Mertz

The Rev. Daniel Burhop, left, and

graduate student Thomas Currey

hand out coffee outside of University

Lutheran Chapel in Boulder, Colo.



17/24

lcms.org/givenow/globalmission

flowers

to be

planted,

we did it.

Tomas

Currey, a graduate

student in the

universitys law school,

is grateful for the mission

societys involvement.

Although our congregation

is primarily comprised of stu-

dents, it is also truly a blessing

to see how conventional area

congregations care enough to

actually engage us in fellow-

ship, Currey said. It is nice to

know we are not alone in our

desire to spread the Good News

of Jesus Christ.

Tanks to the support of the

district and area congregations,

ULC is a place where students are

equipped to move into leader-

ship positions at other congrega-

tions after they graduate.

It Takes a SynodAmericas college campuses

can be difficult places for

Lutheran students. And the

Synods campus ministries

face great challenges, financial

and otherwise.

But Zill said campus

ministries also have amazing

opportunities to support and

shape young people during a

time of great personal growth.

As ULC demonstrates, when

congregations, districts and ded-

icated people work together, they

can make a difference in the lives

of college students whether

those students are Lutheran or

non-Lutheran, from down the

street or around the world.

In addition to helping revital-

ize current campus ministries,

Zill sees a great opportunity for

the LCMS to be a trailblazer in

two new fertile mission fields:

urban college communities and

community colleges.

During the next few years,

hed like to see the number of

LCMS U chapters expand from 1

to 300.

We not only need to maintai

and build upon our traditional

town-and-gown campus

ministries, but we also need to

help everyone parents, pastor

congregations, students see th

part that they all play in campus

ministry, Zill said.

Te opportunity for mission

is breathtaking, he said, and th

Church needs to have a place at

the table of ideas in the academi

square.

Megan K. Mertz is a staff writer f

LCMS Communications.

Learn more or find a campus

ministry near you:

www.lcms.org/lcmsu

www.lcms.org/lcmsu/findcamp

MINISTRYCAMPUSES

ricas

During spring break, students from University Lutheran Chapel helped

with flood-recovery efforts in Estes Park, Colo.

MayJune 2014 lcms.org/LUTHERANSengage 15
http://www.lcms.org/givenow/globalmissionhttp://www.lcms.org/lcmsuhttp://www.lcms.org/findcampushttp://lcms.org/lutheransengagehttp://lcms.org/lutheransengagehttp://www.lcms.org/findcampushttp://www.lcms.org/lcmsuhttp://www.lcms.org/givenow/globalmission


18/24

ABeacon

for the

Community

To the Streets

But Marshall and other concerned church

and community members were determined.

Tey coordinated a neighborhood watch

program and worked with the police to

drive out the dealers selling drugs on thestreet corners.

We started standing on the corners. We

thought, we have just as much right to stand

on the corners as the drug dealers. Tey

would go to another, and we would move

too, Marshall recalled. It was a dangerous

ministry, but we had the Lord on our side.

Eventually, the drug dealers left, and

community leaders turned their attention

to cleaning up urban blight, rebuilding the

neighborhood and caring for residents.

In the 1980s, rinity started a hot lunchprogram for senior citizens. Te program

regularly drew some 85 seniors before it

was moved from the church to a newly built

community center.

In 1997, rinity member Leevones

Fisher founded the Bay Area Womens

Coalition, a nonprofit committed to

improving housing and educational

opportunities in rinity Gardens. Since

its establishment, the coalition has

organized the planting of 4,000 trees and

hen the Rev. Ulmer Marshall came to rinity Evangelical LutheranChurch in Mobile, Ala., in 1973, no one expected him to stay long.

Te neighborhood, rinity Gardens, was in a downward spiral. Tere were

problems with drugs and crime. Many of the streets werent even paved.

rinity Gardens was like a dirty word, Marshall said.

by Megan K. Mertz

nform

helped rescue more than 60 houses from

dilapidation and foreclosure.

If the owner of a run-down building

cant be identified, the organization works

with the city to tear it down so a new house

can be built. Church members have pitchedin to build 12 houses in the area for low-

income families.

Before, it was a disaster with houses

collapsing in, people still living in them,

Fisher said. We still have people who

need help but the good part about it is

the people act like they have some sense of

hope now.

Te congregation continues to seek new

ways to serve the community.

One summer several years ago, rin-

ity received a grant to pay approximately25 young men to mow grass and do other

tasks to clean up the community. Marshalls

only requirement was that the youth attend

Sunday school at rinity every week.

We had one of our young men teach

them about starting a business, Marshall

said, and we got to tell them about the love

of God.

For the past 17 years, rinity has held the

Summer Enrichment Program for commu-

nity children. Grant money from the state



19/24

enables rinity to hire teachers and provide

meals to students during the free summerschool. Last year, 186 children attended.

In February 2014, the church held a

job-training seminar to help Mobiles

young people get jobs with new companies

moving into the area. Te event included

information about how to dress for job

interviews and fill out applications.

Even though rinity did not advertise the

event, more than 200 people showed up.

A church is in a community to serve that

community, Marshall said. Its our job.

A Legacy of Education

Over the years, Marshall has fought to keeprinitys day school open, despite times of

struggle during its 62-year history.

As a historically black Lutheran school

in Alabama, rinity Evangelical Lutheran

School has special significance for Black

Ministry in the Synod.

In 1877, just 30 years after the Synod was

formed, the LCMS officially began outreach

to the countrys black population when the

first missionary was sent among them to

Top: The Rev. Ulmer Marshall preaches at Trinity

Evangelical Lutheran Church in Mobile, Ala. Left:

Trinity member Leevones Fisher has been instrum

in revitalizing the surrounding neighborhoods. Sh

pictured in the revitalized neighborhood of Richar

Heights. Right: Students hug teacher Jonathan C

near the end of class at Trinity Evangelical Luthe

School. Opposite: Preschooler LaTerry Kennedy p

during school at Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Scho



20/24

lcms.org/LUTHERANSengage MayJune 201418 lcms.org/givenow/globalmission

proclaim the Gospel. Tat missionary, the

Rev. J.F. Doeshcher, established the first

black Lutheran church and school in Little

Rock, Ark.

Almost 40 years later, in 1916, the Synod

partnered with Dr. Rosa Young, an advocate of

education for African-Americans in the South,

to help start 37 schools in the Black Belt. Un-

der her initiative, Concordia College Alabama,

Selma, Ala., was founded in 1922. It continuesto hold the distinction of being the nations

only historically black Lutheran college.

oday, the LCMS works with 258

congregations in Black Ministry that serve

blacks and African immigrants in a variety of

ways, including through education, mercy

projects, and Word and Sacrament ministry.

Marshall says rinitys school the only

one of the 37 schools started under Youngs

initiative that remains in operation has

been one of its greatest outreaches, noting

that thousands of people have come throughits doors. It currently has about 130 students

in preschool through seventh grade.

Tis year, Marshall and other leaders will

officially change the name of the school to

the Rosa Young Academy to celebrate its

historical significance.

Te school also has a public library

branch on its campus.

When rinity expanded its school

facilities in 2005, leaders saw the opportunity

to partner with the public library to add a

branch for the rinity Gardens community.In exchange for providing the space, Mobile

Public Library provides computers and staff.

Tis unique partnership brings people

to the church property every day and gives

our children access to a public library right

here on our campus, Marshall said.

In the future, the Rev. Roosevelt Gray

Jr., director of LCMS Black Ministry, hopes

to use rinitys historic school as a model

LCMS BLACK MINISTRY

for starting new schools and revitalizing

existing ones that can, in turn, renew black

churches and communities.

Word and Sacrament ministries willcome out of these educational opportuni-

ties, Gray said.

The Life of the Church

Keeping people engaged is a priority for

Marshall, who shepherds Bethel Evangelical

Lutheran Church in Point Clear, Ala., in

addition to rinitys 350 members.

rinity offers opportunities for every

age group. Te youth and mens groups go

into the community to clean up yards, paint

houses and build wheelchair ramps. Eachyear, rinity hosts at least two church groups

that come to volunteer in the community.

In addition, rinity has the largest

Lutheran Womens Missionary League in

the LCMS Southern District. One of the two

groups is specifically for younger women.

Te church celebrates its life in Christ

during worship each week. Tere are four

different choirs, including a Gospel choir,

The Rev. Ulmer Marshall greets Valarie Floyd-

Bridges after worship at Trinity Evangelical

Lutheran Church.

and several different dance groups that

praise God through movement.

During his 40 years of service, Marshall

has served the Synod locally, regionally and

nationally. He has the distinction of being

the first black member of the Synods Board

of Directors and the LCMS Commission on

Worship. He also has served as second vice-

president of the LCMS Southern District

and as chairman of the Black Clergy Caucus,among other roles.

o recognize Marshalls many years of

service, Concordia Teological Seminary,

Fort Wayne, Ind., awarded him an honorary

Doctor of Divinity degree in May.

Of Marshall, Gray said: He has been a

steady foundation of spiritual stability, hope

and optimism in serving rinity and the

LCMS through some of the most challenging

times of change in our church, country and

his community. His pastoral leadership and

longevity have been a model for how pastoralministry and visionary leadership can

positively affect the mission and ministry of

a local congregation serving its community

with the Gospel of Christ.

Although rinitys previous pastors

came and went, Marshall has dedicated the

last 40 years to building up the church and

community. Now, he said, hes proud to say

hes part of the rinity Gardens community,

despite its rough past.

Getting involved in the community

and seeing the great needs and seeing theprogress weve made over the years, thats

one of the things thats kept me here, he

said. Our church has been a beacon for this

community.

Learn more about LCMS Black Ministry:

www.lcms.org/blackministry

blogs.lcms.org/2014/commentary-black-

history-month

Going forward, the ministry plans to focus on:

Informing, educating and motivating LCMS members and

districts to plant new congregations;

Providing leadership and training opportunities through

conferences and workshops;

Revitalizing less-engaged and declining congregations to refocus

on Christs mission;

Supporting and strengthening school ministries and assisting in

the accreditation process; and

Maintaining a scholarship fund for urban children in need.

In November 2013, the Rev.

Roosevelt Gray Jr. took the helm

of LCMS Black Ministry as its

director. Gray says that his priority

is to revitalize congregations

in black ministry as 21st-century

mission and ministry outposts for

their communities by providing

training resources in strategic

planning, community outreach and

collaborative partnership.
http://lcms.org/lutheransengagehttp://www.lcms.org/givenow/globalmissionhttp://www.lcms.org/blackministryhttp://blogs.lcms.org/2014/commentary-black-history-monthhttp://blogs.lcms.org/2014/commentary-black-history-monthhttp://blogs.lcms.org/2014/commentary-black-history-monthhttp://blogs.lcms.org/2014/commentary-black-history-monthhttp://blogs.lcms.org/2014/commentary-black-history-monthhttp://www.lcms.org/blackministryhttp://www.lcms.org/givenow/globalmissionhttp://lcms.org/lutheransengage


21/24


It aint Mayberry anymore!exclaims the Rev. Luke Brown, pastor ofSt. Johns Lutheran Church in Aliceville, Kan. Hes speaking of peoples perception of rural

and small-town America, that iconic place immortalized in Norman Rockwell paintings

where everyone knows the difference between a Holstein and a Hereford, where retired

men meet downtown for weak coffee and donuts each morning, and where lemonade

stands are perched on every corner.

But the perception isnt necessarily the reality. Rural and small-town areas are

changing, he admits, and there is significant poverty, ethnic group changes, stresses on

families, crime, deteriorating infrastructure and housing, limited access to health care and

mass transportation and other challenges.

Missing

Mayberryby Adriane Heins

St. Pauls Lutheran Church along

Main Street in Concordia, Mo.

The Rev. J. Patrick Niles, associate pastor at

St. Pauls Lutheran Church, outside of Concordia, Mo.

nspi


22/24


Brown would know. Te pastor of an

extremely remote parish in Kansas, he

shepherds a congregation in a community

where the population sign reads 25.

But the challenges of rural life are

more than just ones of travel, weather and

agriculture.

Te church has its share too.

Te Rev. J. Patrick Niles, associate pastor

of St. Pauls Lutheran Church in Concordia,

Mo., explains, In a larger city or a suburban

context, it is easy to assume that there isa constant mission field in which you can

do ministry . You lose this perception in

many small towns.

So often we measure the success of a

church and the ability or competence of a

pastor by church attendance, Brown adds.

In a rural and small-town environment, that

can be discouraging. In these areas, funerals

may outnumber Baptisms 2-to-1 and the

Sunday school may have a small handful of

kids no matter what the pastor does.

Tats why Brown and his congregationhave both been helped by and are actively

involved in LCMS Rural & Small own

Mission (RSM), a ministry of the LCMS

Office of National Mission, which is the

Synods effort to support congregations in

rural and small-town settings in the work to

which God has called them.

And on the flip side, Brown and his

congregation are exactly the reason RSM

is focusing on the triennial theme of Strong

Faith, Fervent Love, a purposeful emphasis

on the gifts Christ has given in His Word

and Sacrament, and the way in which

those gifts embolden Christians to bear

witness to Him no matter where they live.

Just as Important

As rural and small-town congregationsrediscover how the Lord is at work

through them to serve their neighbor, new

questions arise.

Tats when RSM comes alongside.

While there is no one picture of

what a healthy, revitalized rural or

small-town church looks like, they will

share a very distinct and important set of

characteristics, explains the Rev. odd

Kollbaum, director of RSM. Tese

congregations will primarily be outwardly

focused. Tey will not be so concernedwith how they can protect themselves

but will consistently be striving to engage

those around them with the Good News of

the Gospel.

Understanding this is a game changer

for many small-town churches. We can

be sure of Gods activity in our midst for

the exact same reasons we can be assured

of His activity anywhere else, Niles says.

Do His people gather together around His

Word and Sacrament? Are sins forgiven?

Are people being taught to daily die to sin

and through baptismal grace rise to new life

in Christ? Yes!

Jesus spent time in rural areas, Brown

agrees. Our mission is just as important

as what happens in the biggest church in

the Synod.For members of St. Johns that mission

the desire to serve both their fellow

members and the community around

them flows from what happens in the

Divine Service on Sunday morning.

A healthy, revitalized congregation is a

congregation rejoicing in who the Lord has

called them to be, explains the Rev. Bart

Day, executive director of the LCMS Office

of National Mission. Tey wont measure

themselves against others. Revitalization is

about daily dying and rising in Christ.Healthy congregations will be faithful,

receiving Gods gifts, showing love and

mercy to those in their community, sharing

the Gospel with those who are still in

darkness, Day says. Tey will be the body o

Christ in the building and out of the building

Teir daily vocation will be shaped by

the cross.

Understanding the value and worth of

a congregation in this way sets a refreshed

tone for work in rural areas.

Teir daily vocation will be shaped bythe cross. Rev. Bart Day, executive director of the LCMS Office of National Mission

Congregants listen

during a Lenten

service at Lutheran

Good Shepherd Home

in Concordia, Mo.


23/24


Many new pastors are placed in rural

and small-town churches and may see them

as stepping stones to the big time and to

glory, Brown says. Tat may happen,

but my hope is that they just relax,

enjoy where they are, love and serve

the people in their church and their

community, respect and honor their

traditions and history, celebrate small

victories, and know that God is at work

just as much in a rural and small-town

church as in a big suburban church.

No One-Size-Fits-AllModelEncouraging the revitalization of

congregations in Strong Faith, Fervent

Love in rural and small-town areas

may seem like an insurmountable

endeavor, Kollbaum confesses. But

RSM staff witness just the opposite.

Tis is why we have placed all of our

time and resources in assisting and

equipping congregations through their

respective districts to handle these

challenges.

Its worth it, he explains, so that we

do not lose our presence in what makes

up over half of our Synods congregations

and membership. It would be a travestyto cease to be able to deliver faithful

Word and Sacrament ministry to what

has become a most vulnerable and often

underserved part of our mission field.

St. Johns is proof. Working with

RSM has caused Brown and his

congregation to change how they view

themselves, their congregation and those

around them.

I visited with a pastor who kind of

hung his head and said his church had

increased attendance from 20 to 22

in the previous year, Brown recalls.

Browns response? Wow! Tats a

Above and right: The Rev. Dr. Lee Hagan

of St. Pauls Lutheran Church greets

congregants following a Lenten service at

Lutheran Good Shepherd Home and reads

to students at St. Pauls Lutheran School.

10 percent increase!

Brown also assisted with an Engaging

Your Community event, hosted last spring i

the LCMS Kansas District.

It was an invitation and

encouragement to be more outward

focused rather than inward focused,

he explains.

Focusing on Christs gifts of Word an

Sacrament and the gifts that flow fromthem can and does change how rural

and small-town churches understand th

Lord is at work in them to serve others.

Tis, in turns, helps congregations let

go of preconceived notions of what a

successful congregation must look like

and instead embrace that there is no on

size-fits-all ministry model and rejoice

in the fact that they are the Body of Chr

in that place to do the work He has calle

and equipped them to do, Kollbaum sa

It can be easy to get into ruts, to

grow discouraged or complacent, to

feel isolated and that nobody knows if

youre even alive, admits Brown, who

says that much of the life together of a

rural congregation nobody else will ev

see and probably wont be appreciated

by the world.

But, he says, God sees.Plus, We have the promises of God

that tell us His Word will not return to u

empty, Niles says. And that, it turns out

is even better than the stuff of Mayberry

after all.

Adriane Heins is managing editor of The

Lutheran Witnessand editor of Catechetical

Information.

Learn more: www.lcms.org/rstm.

Above and left: The Rev. Harold Block,

visitation pastor at St. Pauls Lutheran

Church, visits a 103-year-old church

member outside of Concordia, Mo.
http://lcms.org/lutheransengagehttp://www.lcms.org/givenow/globalmissionhttp://www.lcms.org/rstmhttp://www.lcms.org/rstmhttp://www.lcms.org/givenow/globalmissionhttp://lcms.org/lutheransengage


24/24

NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIO

U.S. POSTAGE PAID

Burlington, WI

Permit No. 12

W E L C O M I N G L U T H E R A N S H O M E

To Gather To Learn To ConfessThe vision of establishing a distinctly Lutheranpresence in the very cradle of the Reformation has

been on my heart and mind for some time. As we

anticipate the 500th anniversary of the Reformation in

2017, it is time to renovate and transform the Old Latin

School in Wittenberg, Germany. The Wittenberg

Project will provide the place, the opportunity and the

inspiration for people to gather and learn about the

Gospel Luther preached there. It will give the LCMS

a unique venue, attractive to all of our existing and

emerging partners worldwide, to help us share

the Gospel that Luther rediscovered in the 16th

century the Gospel our world desperately

needs to hear today.

We are almost there. Join me inrealizing a distinctly Lutheran

presence in Wittenberg.

Rev. Dr. Matthew C. Harrison

President The Lutheran ChurchMissouri Synod

A

B M ,

The ittenberg ProjectC

2014 - Lutherans Engage the World - May-June

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