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Fr. Kent Schaaf says it all about Doxology.
It's important to take care of yourself before you can take care of others. That's a BIG thing I learned last week too.
LC-MS pastors: Please consider Doxology training next year. You'll be glad you did!
Sic satis superque
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It's been a privilege of mine to visit the Sovereign Republic of Texas a number of times. My dear friend Mr. Bentele lived there for a while. I have a cousin that lives there too.
One place I haven't been that I'd love to visit is Luckenbach. There isn't much in Luckenbach, but it's perhaps one of the most well-known communities in Texas.
I had a crazy upbringing, what with listening to copious amounts of "outlaw" music. This includes the amazing Jerry Jeff Walker. Jacky Jack's great 2-record set "A Man Must Carry On" has a one side tribute to the legendary imagineer Hondo Crouch. Lots of good memories listening to that album.
Here's Hondo spinnin' a yarn about the Luckenbach moon.
One day...one day...I will make it to Luckenbach to see the moon and hoist an ice-cold Pearl beer (they don't make Falstaff anymore) to both Jacky Jack and Hondo Crouch.
Shine on, ol' Luckenbach moon.
Sic satis superque
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| 2008-07-23 08:35 |
| From the "You Can't Fix Stupid" Department |
| Public |
| Momence, IL |
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Pastor gets into motorcycle crash - during service.
As my friend and brother in Office Jacob Ehrhard points out, it wouldn't bother many of us LC--MS Lutherans as the first seven rows of pews are usually, but not always, empty.
Sic satis superque
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| 2008-07-18 07:22 |
| Doxology Wisconsin |
| Public |
| Momence, IL |
 refreshed |
| My family waking up |
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Wednesday afternoon ended an amazing 72 hour period of my life. Doxology Wisconsin: The Gathering was an intense, but fulfilling session concerning the worlds of pastoral care and Christian psychology.
Before you start thinking that the two are incompatible at best and opposites at worst (as I once did), understand that it's important for a pastor to understand some psychological matters, especially when it comes to working with parishoners who endure mental suffering. There are a lot of feelings associated with sin that carry what could be an insurmountable load of "baggage". Knowing the places where psychology and soul care "dovetail" is vitally important for a Lutheran pastor and his flock.
I've described my time there as "life changing". I'm not ready to talk about what was life changing for me. I am ready to talk about how this will begin to change my ministry. But please let me continue to process the overwhelming amount of data force-fed into me this week. I need some time also with my family and with parish matters.
After six years in the Ministry, things are starting to sink in concerning the individual care of souls. Plus, I've realized it's a good thing for pastors to have some retreat time that should never be counted as "vacation". The pastor needs to step back for 3-4 days to pray, hear the Word, meditate on the Word, receive Absolution, and get himself in a ready state to shepherd the flock of God. I'll be talking with my elders soon about working in at most a week of retreat time for me each year that can't be counted as "vacation".
I can't wait for The Encore in Green Lake, WI this November. I'll bring a layman with me this time so he can see and hear what we pastors are going through.
For more information, see http://doxology.us
Sic satis superque
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...for every time I played this version of "Mr. Bojangles" on my old morning drive radio show. I could buy a nice house.
You gotta love Jacky Jack.
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For where a Christian is diligent, possessing nothing more than the catechism, the Ten Commandments, the Creed, the Lord's Prayer, and the words of our Lord about baptism and the Sacrament of the Altar, he could defend himself very nicely with them and hold his own against all heresies. No better word or doctrine will arise than what has been summed up in the catechism from Holy Scripture. Therefore, we ought faithfully cling to it so that when a heretic or fanatic appears with his contrary teaching, we can counter it and say that it is not true teaching, for it is not in harmony with my catechism.
But when we do not listen diligently and allow our hearts to wander away from the Word, there the devil has free access and incites a person to the extent that he falls into flagrant, manifest errors. Against this the Lord wants to warn us most earnestly, not to allow our hearts to become indecisive, but contemplate how strongly and firmly we ought cling to God's Word. For he does not send us among angels but among wolves, where attentiveness is required. If we want to be sure of our ground here and not go astray, Christ says, hold to my Word, the true light which I have kindled for you, and the true armor with which you can parry the devil's thrusts and ward him off, even though he comes to you in sheep's clothing.
--Second House Postil for Trinity 8
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| 2008-07-07 14:10 |
| Six Years Today |
| Public |
| Momence, IL |
| Joy to the World - Hoyt Axton |
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It was six years ago today I was ordained as a presbyter in the one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church at Trinity Evangelical-Lutheran Church, Iuka, IL. It was a special day for the people there as well as for my family and friends.
I served in Iuka for over 4.5 years until the Lord called me to my current charge in Momence. I've been here over 15 months and am enjoying feeding God's flock here.
In all things, the Good Shepherd is praised for keeping me steadfast in His Word of forgiveness, life, and salvation. I beg forgiveness for the many mistakes I've made. I point to Jesus for all the good things that have happened to God's people wherever I've been these last six years.
Happy birthday also to my dear friend, The Rev. Aaron M. Moldenhauer. He fed the family Juhl (and his family too) an artery-clogging brunch of Eggs Benedict. I'll put his Eggs Benedict against anyone else's anytime!
Sic satis superque
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| 2008-07-06 23:20 |
| I Wish I Would Have Written That |
| Public |
| Momence, IL |
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Pr. Ben Harju has his take on a debate that blistered the Lutheran blogosphere a few weeks back. His post has much light with zero heat. Well worth the time and effort to read it.
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| 2008-07-02 12:51 |
| Where Were These Guys All My Life? |
| Public |
| Momence, IL |
| When I Get Home - Pentangle |
| music |
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A song called "When I Get Home" by a British group called "Pentangle" shows up on one of my Pandora stations from time to time. I enjoyed the song so I downloaded their anthology "LIght Flight".
Gads, why didn't I listen to these guys long ago! I've heard some Bert Jansch solo stuff before, but the whole group rocks in an acoustic manner.
Here's a live version of "Light Flight" from a 1970 BBC special.
Here's the shortened version used as the theme song to the BBC programme "Take Three Girls", the first BBC drama series shown in color.
Guess what I'll be listening to while driving the family Juhl to Louisville, KY tomorrow afternoon!
Sic satis superque
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| 2008-07-02 10:18 |
| Luther's Prophetic Words on Poverty and Riches, the Church, and the Ministry |
| Public |
| Momence, IL |
| luther |
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It is true that in all ages of the Church two things have done and are doing great harm, namely, poverty and riches. For in the first place, we see the apostles and true bishops and preachers in such straightened circumstances, that no one gave them anything and they themselves were not able to acquire anything; hence everybody felt shy of such an office and no one wished to enter it. In the second place, when the church became extremely wealthy through great endowments and stipends and sat in all luxury, the ministers themselves neglected the office of preaching and the care of souls, and themselves became lords.
Just so it is also at present: Where true pastors and preachers are so poorly supported that no one donates anything to them, and moreover what they have is snatched out of their mouths by a shameless and unthankful world, by princes, noblemen, townsmen and farmers, so that they with their poor wives and children must suffer need, and when they die leave behind them pitiable, rejected widows and orphans. By this very many good-hearted and very clever people are more and more discouraged from becoming pastors and preachers. For all arts, trades and callings in live serve to the end that we may throught them fortify ourselves against hunger and poverty; but with the office of the ministry the contrary is the case, whoever will perform its duties faithfully, must expose himself to danger and poverty.
From this then will follow the ruin of the Church, in that the parishes will stand vacant, the pulpits be neglected and again preachers arrive who seek not faithfully God's Word nor the kingdom of Christ; but who think, as they preach, what the people will galdly hear, so that they may continue in that direction and again become rich; and in this manner things will again go to ruin. Therefore also at present the great and powerful, especially the nobility, plan to keep their pastors and preachers under their feet in order that they may not again become rich, and lord it over them as they formerly experienced and are now over-cautious. But they will not be able to bring it about as they plan.
How shall we now act in this matter and from what source shall we obtain preachers and pastors in order that the kingdom of Christ may be perpetuated? For neither poverty nor riches is good for the Church; mere poverty, hunger and anxiety the preachers cannot suffer; great possessions and riches they cannot stand. Poverty hinders the development of their personality; riches are in the way of them performing the duties of their work and office. But wherever it thus happens that support is not given, and the pulpit and the office of the pastor are left vacant, then will the world also see what it will have to enjoy because of such action.
For if each will consider the welfare only of his own house and seek how he may maintain himself and no one inquires how the Word of God and the office of the ministry are to be perpetuated, then will God also say as he said in the prophecy of Haggai 1:4-11, where the people also left the house of the Lord desolate, neglected God's Word and the service of the temple, so that the priests and servants of the temple had to resort to work as farmers and learn to do other things, by which they could support themselves because nothing was given for their office and service. Therefore he speaks thus: "Is it time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses, and this temple to lie in ruins? Now therefore, thus says the LORD of hosts: Consider your ways! You have sown much, and bring in little; You eat, but do not have enough; You drink, but you are not filled with drink; You clothe yourselves, but no one is warm; And he who earns wages, Earns wages to put into a bag with holes. Thus says the LORD of hosts: Consider your ways! Go up to the mountains and bring wood and build the temple, that I may take pleasure in it and be glorified, says the LORD. You looked for much, but indeed it came to little; and when you brought it home, I blew it away. Why? says the LORD of hosts. Because of My house that is in ruins, while every one of you runs to his own house. Therefore the heavens above you withhold the dew, and the earth withholds its fruit. For I called for a drought on the land and the mountains, on the grain and the new wine and the oil, on whatever the ground brings forth, on men and livestock, and on all the labor of your hands."
Behold, this is the punishment for despising the office of the ministry, when such punishment was the most gracious as it has been still in our day, and I would to God, that it might continue so. But when we esteem the Word of God so lightly and the ministers and preachers are so poorly supported that they are compelled to forsake their office and seek their bread through other occupations, and thereby also discourage others from entering this office, who otherwise are gifted for it and inclined to it; God not only sends famine and other great national calamaties as now appear before our eyes, in order that no one's purse may retain anything and no provisions remain. But he takes the Word and the true doctrine entirely away, and in their stead permits fanatical spirits and false teachers to enter among them, by whom they are led astray and deceived before they are aware of it both as to their souls and property, and for their neglect they must contribute richly and most bountifully.
Therefore the world should be advised, if it will take advice, that the lords, the princes, the countries, the cities and all in general make efforts to provide a little for the necessaries of the house of God and the kingdom of God, as they must do for other offices and arts, in order that they may give their whole attention to them and obtain their daily bread from them, which are needed much more than other offices and arts. While one offices or judge is sufficient, likewise one jurist or physician can meet the needs of one city or more, and for a time of the entire country; we must have thousands of preachers for the various countries since the parishes and districts are so many; for children are daily born who must be baptized and educated, learn God's Word and become Christians. From what source can ministers be had, if they are not reared and educated? Then the churches must either stand vacant and the people scatter and go astray, or the people receive and suffer from coarse mulelike characters and corrupters of the Word.
But woe unto all who contributed to bring about such a state or have not tried to prevent it, that God's house had to become desolate; much more, however, those who have discouraged and hindered others from entering the ministry, or continuing in it; for such characters are worse than the Jews or Turks. However they are not to be excused because they allowed themselves to be discouraged from entering the ministry on account of poverty, for their greatest lack was in faith that Christ would notwithstanding give them their daily bread or nourishment for their bodies, which, although at times may be scanty and bitter, yet, you are to remember on the other hand how very much greater treasure it is that one receives a piece of bread into his hands in an exceptional way and through the special blessing of God, than all the riches and fulness of the world.
---Second Church Postil for Trinity VII, Volume 2, Part 2, pages 214-217
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| 2008-07-02 09:19 |
| Luther on Feeding the Flock of God |
| Public |
| Momence, IL |
| When I Get Home - Pentangle |
| luther |
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There is no higher or greater work we can do on earth than nurturing people with the Word. Oh, how the devil hates such a good work! That is why he attacks it so viciously through sects, tyranny, violence, and persecution. That is also the reason it is such an inherently difficult thing, why it takes so much time and energy to help young people to mature a bit, to accept scriptural principles, and to live in fear and reverence of God. In short, there is no other task so difficult, as to train people to live piously, nor is there a greater service we can render to God.
That is why our Lord Christ performs the greatest work of charity by first rendering the highest service to God by helping these poor people spiritually. With that work he has truly kept the Sabbath day holy, has rendered the highest form of godly service, and helped the people more than if he had given each of those who heard his sermon a thousand dollars. Spiritual food is far more precious than physical food, because it enables man to live eternally.
This is an example that fathers, mothers, lords, and ladies should follow, for by such service they can merit heaven for their own children and household. What I mean is: the greatest, most God-pleasing work of faith a person can do, is to follow the example of Christ by helping people's souls, so that they don't end up going to the devil.
---House Postil for Trinity VII (Mark 8:1-9)
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| 2008-07-02 07:42 |
| As It Was, So It Still Is |
| Public |
| Momence, IL |
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Pr. Joel Brondos shows us there is truly nothing new under the sun.
Sic satis superque
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| 2008-06-30 18:38 |
| A Little Double Dare Fun |
| Public |
| Momence, IL |
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I DVR the 1970's game show "Double Dare" every early Monday morning on GSN. From the next-to-last episode, here's the first clue to a thing. See if you can guess it. I am paraphrasing a little bit.
A 17th century manual gave these instructions for using it: "Produce your rammer, open your pouch, place the instrument within, ram and withdraw."
Good luck!
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| 2008-06-30 17:56 |
| Ralph Doty, Smug Genius |
| Public |
| Momence, IL |
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My friend ![[info]](http://p-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif) outotoro had Dr. Ralph Doty for a number of classes at Oklahoma University.
Just for him, and your entertainment too, here's Dr. Doty from a 1977 episode of Double Dare. You gotta love to hate the guy!
Sic satis superque
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| 2008-06-29 22:42 |
| What If The Song Was Released Seven Years Earlier? |
| Public |
| Momence, IL |
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When I was a teenager, mandatory viewing every weekday at 5:30 P.M. was Doctor Who. Our PBS affiliate was of modest means, so they showed Doctors 3, 4, and 5 over and over again.
Jon Pertwee was my favorite doctor. I don't know why. His longest companion was Jo Grant, played by Katy Manning.
Here's a nifty tribute to Katy Manning as Jo Grant. The chemistry between Pertwee and Manning was exquisite. They were two peas in a pod. IMHO, the only other saddest companion loss in Doctor Who's history was Sarah Jane Smith's sudden departure during the Tom Baker years.
Sic satis superque
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I saw this on justanthy's blog a while back. Now Pr. Heinz has tagged me to participate.
IF YOUR LIFE WAS A MOVIE, WHAT WOULD THE SOUNDTRACK BE?
Here's how it works:
1. Open your library (iTunes, Media Player, iPod, etc)
2. Put it on shuffle
3. Press play
4. For every question, type the song that's playing
5. When you go to a new question, press the next button
6. Don't lie and try to pretend you're cool...
7. Include commentary
OPENING CREDITS: "You're Running Wild" by The Louvin Brothers. Even though I am settled in Momence, the Ministry is a nomadic existence. After 26 years of living in my home town, it's time to run wild, though there always is a sense of not wanting to run wild.
WAKING UP: "Will O' the Wisp" by Miles Davis (from "Sketches of Spain"). Living next door to two Hispanic families makes this song appropriate. The moderate pace of the piece matches the way I wake up: mournful that I can't sleep, but forward looking with urgency to the high points of the day.
FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL: "Tina" by NRBQ. It's a silly song, and my first day at school is full of silliness as I meet and greet my new friends, especially the girls who will scare me for so long!
FALLING IN LOVE: "Money, Money" by The Grateful Dead. It takes money to have a special lady. I don't have much, but what I have helps keep the two of us happy with food, clothing, and fun.
FIGHT SONG: "Soul Refreshing" by Robert Randolph and the Family Band. It feels good to let out all that pent-up aggression, especially after spending so much money with my special lady. She's gotta realize a budget is necessary if we're going to get married and have children
BREAKING UP: "Denver" by Willie Nelson. An appropriate break-up song as she heads for the bright lights of Denver. She's been two-timing me the whole way! That little....
PROM: "Back of Your Mind" by Nazz. I go stag to the prom and meet who I think is the girl of my dreams. In the back of my mind I know there's no way we would work together. But I get up the guts to ask her "A penny for your thoughts?". She rolls her eyes and walks away....just as I expected.
LIFE'S OK: "Calico Lady" by Poco. Pretty soon I settle down with someone who isn't "the woman in red" or "the girl next door". She is who she is and I thank God for her.
MENTAL BREAKDOWN: "Amazing Grace" by Randy Scruggs. All of a sudden I can't take it anymore. An unlikely hymn in the Divine Service causes a breakdown of the first order. I can't even be consoled for the post-Mass coffee and doughnut!
DRIVING: "Just for Me and You" by Poco. Roll down the windows and crank up that early 70's country rock as I grow rolling through the countryside trying to find myself and the one right special lady. The dobro solo features a way-cool air dobro solo by the side of the road featuring yours truly.
FLASHBACK: "Tower Song" by Townes van Zandt. The introspective guitar and haunting vocals of TvZ show me just how much I miss what I once had. Gads, do I need help! My towers are crumbling and have to fall!
GETTING BACK TOGETHER: "Ruination Day, Part Two" by Gillian Welch. The mournful guitar and vocals of Gillian Welch echoing the death of Abraham Lincoln accompany my controversial return to the woman I once loved. Will it be our ruination if we get back together?
WEDDING: "Kathleen" by Townes van Zandt. No song could be better for the day of our vows. Though my bride's name isn't Kathleen, she appeciates the sentiment. She knows I can't live without her!
BIRTH OF CHILD: "Blowin' in the Wind" by Bob Dylan. An auspicious song to welcome our child into the world. Our nomadic lifestyle makes one ask many questions with no ready answers. Such is the mystery of life.
FINAL BATTLE: "Space" by The Grateful Dead. This abstract instrumental with much guitar feedback pretty much sums up the final battle of my life. Certain things just can't be explained. They must be experienced.
DEATH SCENE: "Bound and Determined" by Marshall Tucker Band. This jazz/blues/country/rock song sends me to heaven bound and determined to party like a rock star with Jesus Christ for eternity!
FUNERAL SONG: 'Til Kingdom Come" by Coldplay. The song is actually played at the dinner after the committal as the assembled multitude gaze off into space trying to understand just what Coldplay is trying to say, let alone trying to wrap up my life and what it's meant.
END CREDITS: "Easy Wind" by The Grateful Dead. Pigpen howls about hard work and fun times. That pretty much sums up my life.
Tag yourself.
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