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| Prexy Peter would probably call the Galatians commentary "Yellow Journalism" - if he has even read it. I doubt it. He has probably been through Fuller/Trinity Divinity/Willow Creek brainwashing. |
The Prexy Press
Peter J. Naumann home 605-845-7242
620 W 9th Street cellular 952-807-3424
Mobridge, SD 57601-1622 PJNaumann@gmail.com
Epiphany - 2013
As you have noticed, we haven’t been sending many updates between conferences. That is for several reasons. The two biggest are: Pastor Schroeder’s Togetherletter which summarizes very well just about everything that I would report from any meetings that we have in Milwaukee. There isn’t much that follows that you haven’t already seen in this week’s issue. The other big reason is that the Call reports are readily available on the synod’s Connect little corner of the world. The reports are also linked to Together. So, why duplicate?
But this time we should send an extra note of thanks. You heard from Pastor Schroeder that CMO came in very strong this year. You can see that on the other files attached. Thank you all very much for your efforts and thank your generous members as well. This together with other good financial news has enabled extra funds for much needed repair work at the schools and to authorize a couple more home mission starts. (May one of them be Williston, ND!) Our district was first in performance again, as it has often been in recent years, and we jumped up a couple levels to fourth in per / communicant CMO. (Maybe we’ll make it to $100 / communicant yet.) Seriously, thank the people and then more so thank our gracious God who has given us ample supply and moved our hearts to use a goodly portion for his work. May many teachers and ministers be well trained and many souls reached and strengthened through their work.
Thank You, Lord Jesus
Call Report 1/15/2013
Pastor Vacancy (vacant since) [call #]
Morning Star, Carstairs, AB [2] Dustin Blumer called
Jon Hein to the Commission on Congregational Consulting - WELS [1 - halftime] (1/7/13)
Teacher Vacancies
Saint Martin, Watertown, SD Gr 3f (6/30/12) [ ]
Bethel, Sioux Falls (10/28/12) [3] calling 1/27/13
Saint Paul, Rapid City, Gr 5-6 (6/30/12) [3] calling 1/27/13
Great Plains LHS, Wttn, SD, principal (6/30/12) [2] calling 1/19/13
Great Plains LHS, dean of students (1/2/13) [1] calling 1/19/13
Holding Calls away
Ben Schmeling to Beaver Dam, WI
Ben Schmeling to Clinton Township, Michigan
Gerhardt Juergens to Cambridge, MN
Call Accepted
Bethel, Sioux Falls, SD, Ben Tomczak
Mike Schultz - hymnal director
Great Plains LHS, Watertown, SD President, Dave Maertz
Calls Declined
Tim Berg to Morning Star, Carstairs, AB
Steve Bremer to GPLHS, principal
Rebecca Kramer to Bethel, Sioux Falls, SD
Richard Muchka declined to Rapid City
Synod Pastor Vacancies About 40 regular pastors are needed as 1/7/2013. There will be 37 graduates in May.
SAB Sale and Move The committee continues to work on selling one or both of our properties. There is one firm offer on the Mayfair Road site, and perhaps another coming.
Every Member Visit (EMV) You have the materials and the plan for this. Hopefully, some have used it or plan to soon. We pray every congregation participates in some manner. We plan to use it at Glenham & Mobridge in February.
Various Conference of Presidents Business last Week
John Braun from NPH gave us updates on three things. First, the plans for the 500thanniversary of the Reformation in 2017. A new catechism is planned in connection with the anniversary. The other event coming in 2015 is the 100th anniversary of the Forward in Christ magazine and it’s predecessor The Northwestern Lutheran.
Continuing Education for Called Workers We had a fair amount of discussion on this topic. Others had questions about the need for it and the expense of the new pastor mentoring program. Questions, concerns, and suggestions will be taken to the whole committee and to Richard Gurgel.
Intrepid Lutherans I don’t read this yellow publication or any others of its ilk. There are better things to do and to read. The main concerns were about its promoting the false justification views of one of the principals and infractions of the Eighth Commandment. One said that, sadly, such muckraking tabloids will always exist. As I’ve told many graduates to the district, I would hope we could find far better materials to read and ways to spend our time.
Pornography There continues to be great concern for the many people - members and clergy alike - who have fallen prey to this material and sin. As we know, internet pornography is a special temptation. If one believes the figures that are given, many, many people are involved. May it not be true of us. Concerning the whole subject of 6th Commandment sin it is good to remember Prov 6:32-33 and 1 Cor 6:18 among others. It would be best for anyone taken by such activity to seek help, beginning with prayer to God, through repentance and faith. Spend more time in the Word. Then think about, “Whatever is true, noble, right, pure …” (Phil 4:8). And, be assured, there are brothers, sisters, and professionals ready to help.
WELS Convention Please note the proper date, here and below: July 29th to August 1st. This will be a day shorter. The convention will convene Monday morning and the opening service will be that evening. Adjournment and the closing service is planned for Thursday.
If your congregation is a delegate or alternate, please identify firm delegates soon.
District Constitutions Two memorials are coming from the COP to the convention. One would make district councils optional. The other would allow districts to eliminate the legislation committees.
Youth Discipleship Because of the good turnout last summer CYD is planning to hold these rallies every other year.
WELS Debt Elimination Our indebtedness should be under $9,000,000 by convention. Together with the Jubilee offering and regular payments, we have made good progress on eliminating this debt. When it is fully paid, there will be $1,600,000 more annually for other forms of ministry. The suggestion was made that we have a debt retirement drive in 2015 to pay it off completely. Stay tuned.
Names, Names, Names If you have someone in the military, be sure to let Milwaukee know. If you know of people moving to western North Dakota, contact Jake Hannemann for Williston; Jordan Ertl for Minot; and Ryan Wolff for Dickinson. Services are being held in each town. We hope to send a request to the general board for a new mission exploratory effort in at least Williston this winter, it not one or both of the other locations.
Statistics & CMO Pledges Please be sure to submit all this to the synod via Connectas soon as you are able. Thanks!
Walking Together Video Did you all see this short (4:15 min) presentation of what our synod is and does. It is in the “toolbox” of last fall’s WELS Connection DVD. It is a very interesting, short overview of the synod’s work. Use it where and when appropriate, perhaps especially in annual meetings as 2013 CMO pledges are set.
(You can find the video on the synod’s site: WELS.net > Connect Resources (bottom left of page) > Resources (on right side) > Walking Together > Walking Together video (under the pic, in the links.)
Calendar
January 22-23, 2013 Rocky Mountain Conference, Missoula
February 5, 2013 Western Conference at Morristown
2/13/2013 Ash Wednesday
3/31/2013 The Resurrection of Our Lord
4/9-11/2013 Spring Pastor Conference, Rapid City
5/18/2013 MLC graduation and assignments
5/23/2013 WLS assignments
7/29-8/1/2013 WELS Biennial convention at New Ulm
9/24-25/2013 Western Conference at Gillette
10/2-3/2013 D-M/NE Teacher’s Conference (in Colorado)
Thanks for all you do
May the Lord abundantly bless you, yours, and your ministries!
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GJ - Prexy Peter fails to mention that one motivation for the Intrepids was to provide a counter-lobby to back Mark Schroeder.
Under Steve Spencer, it has always been a Mark Schroeder shop, but apparently people took the original statements seriously and began to think on their own.
This has a great advantage for Schroeder and the DPs. Now that the flowers have bloomed, they can cut them off, as Mao used to say.
They can also denounce them as trouble-makers and scare anyone else from thinking and studying the Word without expressed, written permission.
They want to play justification by faith as one person's opinion, which is what I heard about everyone else who has ever objected to the absurdity of UOJ.
