Summer in the Synods

It has been a full summer for Lutherans all across America.  Three of the major U.S. Lutheran church bodies held conventions or assemblies.  There was also a national youth gathering in the Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod, as well as a convention of the Lutheran Women’s Missionary League.

Our prayers are with Rev. Elizabeth Eaton, Presiding Bishop-elect of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, as she transitions to this new and very important leadership role.  And our thanks to Bishop Mark Hanson as he completes his significant and impactful years of servant leadership to the ELCA.

There is no question that changes continue to take place in church denominations as they attempt to discern their place in a rapidly changing religious landscape.  Wonderful and exciting opportunities exist to share the Good News of Jesus Christ in word and deed.  At the same time, these opportunities require adaptation and change as our world becomes more diverse, as “churched” people tend to be less loyal to specific denominations and as church attendance decreases and congregations are often perceived as less integral to community life than they used to be.  As we respond to these changes, church body officials struggle with questions related to their authority and influence.  Should they exert control and require greater agreement around theology and practice or should they encourage more openness and variety of practice in an effort to serve an increasingly diverse population?

Thankfully, while our denominations continue to wrestle with these issues and questions, and while they pursue different paths, the Lutheran faith community continues to share some distinctive common hallmarks.  One of these is the strong desire to serve people in need.  Regardless of what our various church bodies call this response to the Gospel … social ministry, human care ministry, mercy ministry, peace and justice ministry … we seem to have in our DNA caring about and for the welfare of others, no doubt encouraged by Luther and others who describe so well the blessing of Christian vocation.  Efforts such as Stephen Ministries, parish nursing, Lutheran day schools, and deaconess programs are just a few of the countless expressions of this desire to serve.  And, of course, as Lutherans we can be very proud of the tremendous impact of our Lutheran social service organizations.  As you may know, 1 in 50 Americans are touched annually by the services of member organizations of Lutheran Services in America.

There are encouraging signs for the future of a church dedicated to service as Lutheran young adults and other young people of faith place high priority on personal involvement in service to others.  One of the programs that is causing much excitement among Wheat Ridge staff and board members these days is our Burst Grant program that provides initial encouragement and support for health and human care initiatives led by young adults.  We recently hosted a convening of some of the first recipients of this grant.  It was a high energy gathering as these talented leaders filled the room with their stories, experiences and questions, while at the same time building supportive relationships. 

Wheat Ridge Ministries is blessed to have a “bird’s eye” view of this service activity as we receive and respond to abundant opportunities each year to seed new ministries of health and hope from congregations and church agencies that are inspired by God’s Spirit to develop new ways to serve people in their neighborhood and community.

Wheat Ridge Ministries is privileged to connect and serve leaders young and old who are inspired to make an impact in the lives of others in the name of the healing Christ.  We are blessed to serve as a vehicle to connect these new ministries with generous people who serve and support these new ministries through their investment of resources.

Our staff just completed its annual planning retreat.  During our time together, Mark Schoepp, our Director of Congregation Engagement, led us on a wonderful journey through Paul’s letter to the Ephesians.  Paul’s prayer for the Ephesians in Chapter 5 comes clearly to mind as we encourage one another in the important work of sharing the healing touch of Christ with others:

I pray that out of His glorious riches He may strengthen you with power through His Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.  Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever!

Amen!