light, life and love · 2018-02-17 · continued on page 3 n a l c n e w s 2 d e c e m b e r 2 0 1...

The Stalingrad Madonna by Kurt Reuber, Christmas 1942

NALC NewsN o r t h A m e r i c a n L u t h e r a n C h u r c h D e c e m b e r 2 0 1 7

Light, Life and LoveKurt Reuber’s Stalingrad Madonna - Christmas 1942

By Pastor Bjoern E. Meinhardt

I was visiting Zarephath LutheranChurch in Volgograd (formerlyStalingrad), Russia, in September 2005. As I met with members of the congregation, my eyes weredrawn to a work of art on the wall ofthe fellowship hall.

I had seen the drawing before — inhistory books and art history books —but I have to admit that I had not paidmuch attention to it until then, when Isaw it in the context of the city inwhich it had originated.

Kurt Reuber drew “The StalingradMadonna” during the Christmas of1942, as the Battle of Stalingradraged on. The German inscriptionsaround the margins of the work read:“Weihnachten im Kessel 1942.Festung Stalingrad. Licht, Leben,Liebe” — Christmas at the Siege1942. Fortress Stalingrad. Light, Life,Love. The German word Kesselliterally means “kettle” or “cauldron.”As a military term it refers to an areathat has become encircled duringcombat and translates as “siege.”

The Battle of Stalingrad was one ofthe fiercest and bloodiest of World

Continued on Page 2

Kurt Reuber, Self-Portrait, January 1943

Continued from Page 1

War II. The name Stalingrad evokes the veryepitome of sorrow and grief. Christmas is probablythe last thing that comes to mind in association withthis place.

Christmas and Stalingrad do not seem to gotogether. And yet, Christmas arrived during thebattle, which lasted for 200 days (between July1942 and February 1943). Even on Christmas, thefighting continued. For the scope of this article, wewill not concern ourselves with the details of thebattle, which serve merely as the context in whichthe Stalingrad Madonna was created.

When Ute Tolkmitt-Reuber, the daughter of KurtReuber, went to Volgograd in 2005, she visited amuseum that featured a replica of General FieldMarshall (Generalfeldmarschall) Friedrich Paulus’command post. She was surprised to see that theexhibit contained photos of her father, a copy of theMadonna, as well as other items pertaining to herfather.

She wanted to know why her father was a part ofthe Paulus-Museum. The director of the museumgave her the following explanation, “General Pauluswas the one German responsible for the deaths ofa vast number of people on both sides. Kurt Reuberwas the other German, who even in the perceivedenemy, saw a fellow human being and turnedtoward their needs.” Though it was forbidden,Reuber provided medical treatment to Russiancivilians and prisoners of war.

Who was Kurt Reuber, this “other German”?

He was born on May 26, 1906, in Kassel, a cityabout 200 kilometers (120 miles) north of Frankfurt.He was a Lutheran pastor, a medical doctor, and anartist. Reuber studied Protestant theology after hishigh school graduation (Abitur), eventually earninga Ph.D. in the field of theology.

In 1933, the year Adolf Hitler rose to power, Reuberwas called as a pastor of the Lutheran church in thesmall village of Wichmannshausen in the state ofHesse. In his ministry he was outspoken against theNazis, which led to a series of interrogations by theauthorities. Driven by questions on the unity of bodyand soul, Reuber pursued studies in medicine while

serving his congregation. In 1938, he became aDoctor of Medicine.

Kurt Reuber was also a very talented artist. Afterthe Stalingrad Madonna, it is Reuber’s portraits ofRussian people, drawn during the Germancampaign against Russia in World War II, thatstand out for me. At a time when the reigning Naziideology considered Russians (and other peoples)as subhuman enemies, Reuber saw dignity andcaptured, very aptly, each individual’s character,personality, and humanity.

World War II broke out in 1939. Reuber, despite hiscriticism of National Socialism, was drafted into thearmy, not as a military chaplain, but as a fieldsurgeon.

In the summer of 1942, the 6th Army launched itsattack against Stalingrad. Reuber joined the troopsin November, only a couple of days before theencirclement by the Soviet forces began.

Continued on Page 3

N A L C N e w s 2 D e c e m b e r 2 0 1 7

Portrait of Timose Nikolayevich KurochkinKurt Reuber, 1942


On February 2, 1943, General Field MarshallPaulus surrendered. This marked the end of theBattle of Stalingrad. Kurt Reuber and some 90,000soldiers were taken prisoner. After the war onlysome 6,000 captives survived to return home toGermany. Reuber was not among them. He died,after severe illness, on January 20, 1944, inYelabuga prison camp (present-day Tatarstan),where he was buried in a single grave.

Albert Schweitzer, the French-German physicianand theologian, said the following about his friendKurt Reuber: “He died as a human being whosegoal it was to lose his life in the service to his fellowhuman beings in order that he might gain it.” (InGerman: “Er starb als ein Mensch dessen Ziel eswar, im Dienst am Menschen sein Leben zuverlieren, um es zu gewinnen.”)

As the circumstances of the German 6th Army inStalingrad became dire, desperate, and hopeless,Kurt Reuber wanted to create a visual aid to helpthe soldiers “celebrate” Christmas. He drew theStalingrad Madonna, with the very primitivematerials available to him, as a charcoal sketch onthe back of a Russian map.

In the letters that Reuber wrote home to his wifeMartha, he described the general mood of thesoldiers: They prepared for Christmas “in a soldier-like fashion with stirring love and devotion.” Thesounds of “harmonica, fiddle, and singing, and thecheerfulness of the ordinary soldiers (Landser)”temporarily blotted out the sounds of the battle.Food reserves were conjured up and shared withone another. But Reuber also noted that the attacksby the Russians continued throughout theircelebration. “How it booms through the Holy Night!”he wrote, describing the artillery barrage thatcarried on. He fulfilled his duties as a militaryphysician and wrote that his “beautiful festivebunker turned into a field hospital.”

Reuber also referred to his bunker as a “cave ofclay.” In the days leading up to Christmas, it“became a studio” for his art work. In a letter to hiswife he wrote about his deliberations, “I wonderedfor a long while what I should paint and in the end Idecided on a Madonna with child, or mother andchild.”

In order that his wife could visualize the drawing hedescribed it to her in detail: It looked “like this: themother’s head and the child lean toward eachother; and a large cloak enfolds them both. It isintended to symbolize ‘security’ and ‘motherly love.’I remembered the words of St. John: Light, Life,and Love. What more can I add? In particular if oneconsiders the situation of darkness, death, and hatearound us — and the longing for Light, Life, andLove, which is so immeasurably immense withineach one of us! … I wanted to signify these threethings in this down-to-earth and eternal vision(erdhaft-ewiges Geschehen) of a mother with herchild and the security that they represent.”

Reuber went on to describe to his wife how “myMadonna” was received when Christmas Evearrived and he opened the “Christmas Door” of the

Continued on Page 4



dug-out: “My comrades stood spellbound andreverent, silent before the picture that hung on theclay wall. … Our celebration in the shelter wasdominated by this picture, and it was with full heartsthat my comrades read the words: Light, Life, andLove. ... Whether it was a commanding officer or anordinary soldier, the Madonna was always thesource of their inward and outward reflection.”

It is understandable that the notions of security andmotherly love, the way they are depicted in thedrawing, stirred these very human emotions. Wecan only imagine what the first viewers of thatdrawing must have felt in those moments. Perhapsthe soldiers imagined what it would be like tocelebrate Christmas at home, in the arms of theirwives and loved ones, by the Christmas tree. Orperhaps they longed to finally see the child, thatwas born after they were deployed, safe in the armsof the wife. Maybe they were remembering theirown childhoods, the safety and security of theirmother’s embrace.

Kurt Reuber’s Stalingrad Madonna is one of themost powerful “sermons” on hope and redemption,love and reconciliation. There are times when avisual work can communicate more clearly andeffectively than the spoken word. There are timeswhen a minimalist message, reduced to its mostessential words, carries the most power. It is amessage that still speaks to us and moves ustoday: Light, Life, Love.

In January of 1943, the drawing of the Madonna,along with a self-portrait of Kurt Reuber, were flownout of Stalingrad by one of the last supply planesand eventually delivered to his family inWichmannshausen.

Since 1983, the original Stalingrad Madonna hasbeen on permanent display in the Kaiser WilhelmMemorial Church (Kaiser-Wilhelm-Gedächtniskirche)in downtown Berlin, Germany, where it is viewed daily by approximately 3,500 people.

An exact replica of the Stalingrad Madonna wasgifted to the Cathedral Church of St. Michael inCoventry, England, in 1990, and another to theKazan Orthodox Cathedral in Volgograd in 1995.

Berlin, Coventry and Volgograd are three cities thatsuffered unimaginable losses during World War II.Now, these three cities are connected with eachother through Kurt Reuber’s Stalingrad Madonna.

The words “Light, Life, Love” send a hope-filledmessage of reconciliation that needs to be heardeverywhere.

For more information, recommended literature(unfortunately available only in German) includes:Martin Kruse (editor), Die Stalingrad-Madonna. DasWerk Kurt Reubers als Dokument derMenschlichkeit, Lutherisches Verlagshaus,Hannover, Second edition, 2012. The photos arefrom the Kruse book, pages 27 (Madonna), 43 (self-portrait), and 50 (Kurochkin).

Pastor Bjoern E. Meinhardt serves St. Peter'sEvangelical Lutheran Church, a bilingual(English and German) congregation inWinnipeg, Manitoba. You may contact him byemail at [email protected].

Moments of Missioncalendars and notecards

“Moments of Mission” notecards and 2018calendars are available for purchase. Sets of 12notecards are $6, and calendars are $10 (notincluding postage).

The calendars and notecards feature watercolorpaintings by Pastor Phillip Gagnon of St. AlbertLutheran Church in St. Albert, Alberta.

All funds raised from the sale of the notecards andcalendars will go to the Great Commission Society.Contact the NALC Administrative Office at 651-633-6004 or [email protected] to obtain anexact price for your order including postage.

NALC clergy cards coming soon

NALC clergy identification cards for 2018-2019 willbe mailed before Christmas. Pastors who do notreceive their cards by January should contact theNALC Administrative Office at 651-633-6004 [email protected].


Lutheran Military Veterans and FamiliesMinistries gives gift of Christ’s care toveterans, contractors and their familiesBlue Christmas Vigil will be held Dec. 21 on Facebook

Christmas is often the hardest time of year formilitary personnel, contractors and their families.Come this time of year, the mission of LutheranMilitary Veterans and Families Ministries is given itsgreatest test, according to Chaplain Leslie Haines,executive director of LMVFM.

“For many military households, the familiar —worship services, sights, smells, sounds, and soforth — make Christmas a time to remember andrelish. For some though, this Christmas looms as ahole in the heart that longs to be filled, a hungerthat holiday treats cannot satisfy, a grief that seemsunbearable,” Chaplain Haines said.

Emotional hardships that go with military service —whether past or present — are intensified during theChristmas season:

+ Daddy or Mommy might be deployed, again,serving in a faraway place and preserving our rightto celebrate this holy season and the hope in Christthat it brings.

+ Son, daughter or spouse might have beenexpected home by now, except for that order of tourextension that arrived as their units were boardingtransport back home.

+ For some, it could be the first Christmas followingthe death of a loved one from service-relatedwounds of body, mind and spirit.

+ For others who live with the wounds of war, theholiday blues cast a gloom beyond description.

LMVFM will host a Blue Christmas Vigil for militaryveterans and families live on Facebook onThursday, Dec. 21, 6 p.m. to midnight Eastern time.

“At Lutheran Military Veterans and FamiliesMinistries, we know that only the light of Christ,shining like a bright star in the windows of oursouls, can penetrate the holiday blues and trulyheal the spiritual wounds of war. This Christ-lightguides LMVFM’s ministry to veterans wherever thewounds of war affect body, mind and spirit ofwarriors and their dependents,” Chaplain Hainessaid.

To participate in the Blue Christmas Vigil, you willneed to be a member of Facebook. For details goto: www.facebook.com/events/185810785333366.

Please share the information about the BlueChristmas Vigil with your congregations and anywho might be interested.

LMVFM, an NALC recognized ministry, serves withChrist’s love those who have served.

“We take no government funds and charge noveteran for the services we provide. We also equipcongregations, pastors and other caregivers torecognize and respond to the spiritual wounds ofwar — such as post traumatic stress and moralinjury — with the hope that only Christ and hisChurch can offer,” she said.

Please consider supporting this ministry. Gifts will make a difference in spreading the word of Christand its healing effects on his many hurting,heartsick sons and daughters who suffered in warso that we might celebrate these holy days infreedom and joy.

Gifts may be given online at lmvfm.org or sent to:Lutheran Military Veterans and Families Ministries;3480 Stellhorn Road; Fort Wayne, IN 46815.


2018 NALC Pastors Conference tofocus on discipleship and leadership The 2018 NALC Pastors Conferencewill be held Jan. 30 to Feb. 1 at theDrury Plaza Hotel San AntonioRiverwalk in San Antonio, Texas.The theme of this year’s conferenceis “Discipleship, Leadership and theNALC Pastor.”

Bishop John Bradosky will offer twokeynote presentations ondiscipleship and leadership. Dr. JimNestingen will offer two sessions onpreaching for Lent, Holy Week andEaster.

Workshops dealing with practicalaspects of pastoral ministry,discipleship and leadership will be offered onWednesday afternoon.

Bishop John Bradosky will lead a meeting of theNALC Ministerium which will include discussion ofthe ongoing work of the NALC Structure TaskForce, the Church and Ministry Task Force, theNALC Life-to-Life Discipleship initiative and otherimportant concerns.

A worship service including the renewal ofordination vows and the blessing of anointing oil foruse in congregations is set for Wednesday night.

Registration is $50 per person until Dec. 31 and$65 beginning Jan. 1.

A discounted hotel rate of $129 per night isavailable at the hotel for rooms booked by Dec. 29.The discounted rate will be honored three daysbefore and after the conference.

Clergy spouses, seminarians and non-NALC clergyare welcome to attend but must register to ensurethat adequate seating is available.

To register or for more information go to the NALCwebsite: www.thenalc.org.

Discipleship CoachingSeminar to be offered There will be a seminar for pastors who areinterested in learning more about what it means tobe “discipleship coached” on Monday, Jan. 30, priorto the NALC Pastors Conference in San Antonio.

Discipleship coaching is a way for a pastor toengage in three years of regular mentoring by atrained coach, who will assist the pastor in personaland professional reflection, assessment, goal-setting and accountability. The 7 p.m. Mondayevening seminar will be at no additional cost topastors attending the conference.

Those participating in the coaching seminar whocommit to begin coaching will receive a scholarshipto cover the cost of the first three months.

Those who wish to participate in the coachingseminar should register separately by contactingMaddie Benson in the NALC Ohio office [email protected] or 614-777-5709 (toll free888-551-7254) by Jan. 15.


Daily Bible Reading GuideReading the Word of God, a daily Bible readingguide, has been prepared for Lutherans to use overthe next three years.

The reading guide was conceived and preparedas a result of ongoing discussions betweenrepresentatives of the NALC, the Lutheran Church—Canada (LCC), and the Lutheran Church—MissouriSynod (LCMS).

The reading guide includes monthly calendars withdaily readings starting in January 2018 andcontinuing until December 2020.

As a companion to the daily Bible reading guide, 52 suggested readings — one for each week of theyear — are offered from the book, Luther and theScriptures by Johann Michael Reu (1869–1943), aGerman-born American Lutheran theologian whotaught at Wartburg Theological Seminary inDubuque, Iowa, from 1899 until his death. “During ongoing discussions between representativesof the Lutheran Church—Canada, the NorthAmerican Lutheran Church and The LutheranChurch—Missouri Synod, the participants agreed on two foundational matters. First, we came to acommon understanding of the Holy Scriptures. In sodoing, we adopted a document titled ‘God’s WordForever Shall Abide: A Guiding Statement on theCharacter and Proper Use of the Sacred Scriptures’(available online at www.thenalc.org/nalc-statements).That document has been circulated within our threechurch bodies to widespread approval. Second, weagreed that, to a great degree, the membership ineach of our church bodies suffers from a decliningfamiliarity with the Bible. We are reminded of thecommendation of the Bereans, who ‘received theword with all eagerness, examining the Scripturesdaily’ (Acts 17:11),” the document states.

“In order to encourage the people of our churchbodies in the daily reading of Holy Scripture, wehave compiled a three-year plan of daily Biblereadings and a year-long series of weekly readingson Martin Luther’s approach to the Scriptures. ...The plan provides a guide that will take the reader

through the entire Old Testament one time in threeyears, with the exception of Psalms, which are readtwice each year. The New Testament will be readtwice in the three years. A reading from the OldTestament, a psalm (or portion of a psalm) and areading from the New Testament is assigned foreach day.”

“The suggested readings are offered for one reasononly: to enhance devotional life as an individual or afamily daily examines, and is examined by, theWord of God and then responds in prayer to theheavenly Father. ... The most important purpose ofthe guide is to encourage a daily practice of readingand meditating on the Bible, God’s Word. Since theScriptures as a whole are God’s Word, increasingfamiliarity with the various books is encouraged.”

“The translation of the Bible into the vernacular —into the everyday language of common people —was one of the greatest and most far-reachingaccomplishments of the Reformation. As wecelebrate the 500th anniversary of Luther postingthe 95 Theses, we might also recall that followingthat event in the year 1517, other events ensuredthat the Reformation would leave a permanentmark on the Christian church. ... But we also cannotomit Luther’s translation of the Bible into German,with his publication of the New Testament in 1522and the entire Bible in 1534. The German Bible andthe Catechisms enabled the Reformation to extenddeeply into the mind and life of the laity,” thedocument states.

Reading the Word of God — the daily Bible readingguide and the monthly calendars — are availableonline at www.thenalc.org.


How’s your vision?Dear Disciples of Jesus,

What do you see when you look toward the future?This is a perfect time to ask the question, “How’syour vision?” Do your eyes grow weary staringdown at emails on your computer screen, textmessages on your phone, tweets or instantmessages from your Facebook account? We areinundated by so many messages and perspectivesthat our vision becomes impaired and our thoughtsconfused. We may become distinctly aware thatthings are not always what they appear to be.

Advent reminds us that our vision depends onwhere we are looking. This time of anticipationreminds us to look up, for our redemption is near.As we anticipate the impending celebration ofChrist’s birth, our Scripture texts focus our attentionon the future and Jesus’ return.

“How is your vision” is not just a question aboutyour eyes. It is a question of interpretation. How doyou see it? When Jesus describes the many signsthat signal his return and the fullness of his reign,what Jesus seems to be getting at is not what wesee, but how we see what we see.

Our attitude determines what we allow ourselves tosee and what we exclude from our vision. In thosepassages focused on the “end times,” Jesus ispreparing his disciples for the future with all itspotential difficulties: those who will come in hisname but lead people astray, wars and rumors ofwars, earthquakes, plagues, famines, terrors,persecution, imprisonment, destructive relationships,hatred, days of vengeance. Some might concludethat it is better to keep looking down rather thanlooking out to see such overwhelming problems.

Preparation deals with our attitude — a way ofliving, a way of seeing. In aviation, the attitude ofthe plane is its relationship to the horizon towardwhich the plane is headed. The attitude is set bythe pilot inside the plane. His or her attitudedetermines how the horizon is approached. Theway we live carries us toward the future. Thisattitude is set by faith.

Today many who look toward the future areoverwhelmed by fear, anxiety and depression.Medications are being prescribed and abused at anepidemic rate. Political conflict, terrorism and thethreat of nuclear war create even more stress. Thisway of seeing the world and our future serves tofrighten, intimidate and un-nerve people. However, I believe Jesus’ words, as well as the book ofRevelation, offer hope in the midst of such difficultcircumstances.

Revelation has a rhythm of looking down and up —down at our situation and then up toward theKingdom of Heaven Jesus proclaimed. There isgreat danger if we only look in one direction. Thepeople in Noah’s day only looked down. Theycouldn’t see the storm clouds forming until it wastoo late. Noah looked up to God, and God directedhim to look down, to build the ark and bring in theanimals and his family.

Notice how many people are confused about Jesus. They look down, only seeing his humanity but neverlooking up to acknowledge his divinity. Some think itis better to just wait until they die and then see.

Jesus encourages us to look in a new direction. There is another way of seeing the world and ourfuture that is consistent with the whole of Scripture. The promise of God in Scripture is that his kingdomand rule are drawing near — a rule of mercy, justiceand peace. The rule of God is established andassured in the life, death, resurrection and reign ofJesus. Scripture, from beginning to end, bearswitness to the fact that God is faithful in fulfilling hispromises.

Continued on Page 9

From the Bishop

Bishop John Bradosky



Advent calls us to prepare not just for a holiday butfor the future by trusting in God’s promises to us inJesus. This way of living is not the easy way out.The cross and empty tomb are its symbols. Thisliving involves struggle, since our world oftencontradicts the vision of God. It means livingagainst the evidence, living in contradiction to theworld’s vision of violence, injustice, immorality andbroken relationships.

Jesus is telling us that God has a vision, a way ofseeing. He has a vision for the future of hiscreation. His vision is called redemption — thefulfillment of his kingdom of mercy, justice,righteousness and peace, and all people living in aright relationship with Jesus. This future is just ascertain as the coming of summer, which is signaledby trees coming out with leaves.

Faithfulness is a way of seeing the future, seeingthe world through the vision of God. Faithfulness islooking up in the direction of God. Faithfulness isopening ourselves to God’s vision so that God’svision becomes our own and shapes our lives. Thiseternal word of God’s promises will never passaway. This word is a promise of Jesus to fulfill hismission, to make disciples of all nations. Jesus’ lifeand death give expression to the value of eachperson and the hope he offers to each preciousindividual. He gave his life so that we might liveforever with him.

Advent invites us to look at where we are headed tounderstand its meaning. God could have chosen tocome in many ways that would confirm hisawesome power and destructive capability, butwhen we look to Bethlehem we see his firstappearance in the peace and helplessness of alittle baby born in the humble surroundings of a cowstall. Jesus’ words are not meant to bring fear. Hislove casts out fear. His words are meant toencourage us. It is the assurance of God’s ultimatevictory promised to his people fighting underseemingly hopeless odds and against oppositionthat is relentless. They are honest words about thedifficulties of this life. The battle is fierce and longbut not hopeless. The enemy is doomed to ultimatedestruction and the intervention of Jesus is certain.

Finally, Jesus gives us these words to teach us andchallenge us to prepare and to be watchful for hiscoming again into our midst. Jesus knew that whena crisis is over the common human inclination is torelax, but Jesus calls us to vigilance. He invites usto live with a vision of faith, expecting his coming, tolive with anticipation, to live with a properperspective of what is really important in life. Weare not to be so burdened by the concerns andaffairs of the world that we forget our faith and ourrelationship with our Lord Jesus Christ. We whospend so much time looking down need to look upagain!

Advent is a time of visualizing what we cannot yetsee. It is believing in a vision for the future withsuch faith and confidence that it shapes how welive in the present. Advent, in many ways, is likebeing pregnant. It is about hopeful expectation,waiting, watching and preparing. As with everypregnancy, it requires a substantial change in ourlives. It demands a reordering of our priorities. Itcalls our attention to the details of our lives, whatwe eat, how we rest. It requires training, exerciseand practice for the conclusion of the process.There is no promise that it will be fast and easy. Onthe contrary, it will be laborious and painful. Withoutdoubt, we know the day will come and we live withthat certainty.

As we celebrate Advent, we look up and out to ahorizon that is the completion of the redemptiveprocess. Jesus is coming again. We can be certainof that fact. As with the anticipation and preparationfor a new member of the family, the child makes aplace in the mother’s womb and the entire familyhas to make a place for the child in their hearts.The best way to prepare during this Advent seasonis to make sure there is a place in our hearts whereJesus is making his home. Unless he dwells withinus we cannot pass on this wondrous gift to others.The genuineness of our Christmas celebration ismore than the music or the preaching. It is thewitness of our lives in which Christ dwells. ThisAdvent preparation involves each and every one ofus.

So may this Advent season be equally filled with aclear vision of Christ’s promises for the future andhis presence in our hearts through Word andSacrament.


Temples and PriestsBefore and after Christ’s resurrection

This is the fifth in a series of articles ontemples, priests and church buildings by PastorMark Chavez, NALC General Secretary.

Last month, we looked at our care for and thefunction of our church buildings, the secondarytemple structures. This month we look at our carefor the primary temple structures, our bodies builtas living stones upon the cornerstone of the newtemple, our Lord’s body.

At first glance, it looks like we spend a lot of timeand money on caring for our bodies. The plethoraof commercials selling fitness routines andequipment, healthy foods and diets, and medicinesis overwhelming. There is good reason to take goodcare of our bodies — physically, emotionally andspiritually. However, to whose glory are the adsdirected? Ours or God’s?

What if we approached care for our bodies from adifferent angle? Begin thinking about all the thingswe do to prepare our chancels and altars for HolyCommunion. Think about all we do in worship whenwe receive our Lord’s body and blood. In both thepreparations and the celebration we are careful tobe reverent and to praise and glorify God. We try tokeep our attention on Jesus, and his incredible giftof taking away our sin and giving us new life in him.

What if every morning as we clean and dressourselves, we did it with the same thoughts andintentions as if we were preparing a chancel andaltar for Holy Communion? Our bodies are templesof the Holy Spirit — the Triune God dwells within usand we in Him, so why not be just as careful andreverent in how we prepare our bodies daily to goout into the world?

What if each day as we feed and exercise ourbodies, we think primarily of being well fed and welltrained temples of the Holy Spirit? Why wouldn’t wespend as much time as possible in reading,meditating and praying in God’s Word? Jesus tellsus, “‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every

word that comes from the mouth of God’” (Matthew4:4). Luther’s explanations in the Small Catechismof the third commandment and preparation for HolyCommunion drive at the same point.

Conversely, think about all the things we would neverthink of doing in preparation for Holy Communion.Think about all the things we would never do inworship in or around the chancel. Our bodies aretemples of the Holy Spirit, yet we do many things withour bodies that we would never do in our chancels.Why is it that we are so concerned with reverencingthe sacred space and time in Holy Communion, andgive little thought to reverencing the sacred spaceand time in our bodies the rest of the week?

What if each day in our homes, schools, neighbor-hoods and workplaces we thought of approaching our sisters and brothers in Christ with the samecareful preparation and reverence as we approachour chancels? Think of all the things we would do and say in the presence of our Lord around his table, and then do the same with each other in Christ.

Conversely, think of all the things we would neversay or do in our Lord’s presence in the chancel. Yet we say and do those things to other membersof his body. We do it in our homes, schools,neighborhoods and workplaces. We do it in ourchurch buildings, even on Sundays! Why is it thatwe interact with the living stones in the temple ofour Lord’s body in ways that we would never thinkof interacting with him, the cornerstone?

Systematically segregating our presence with Jesusin the Lord’s Supper from the rest of our daily lives is unhealthy and dangerous. We will soon celebrateour Lord’s incarnation and will praise Him asImmanuel (God with us). Does our behavior bearwitness to his constant presence with us and for us?

Next time we will focus on our interaction astemples of the Holy Spirit with the rest of ourneighbors — the unchurched and those who do nothave faith in Jesus.


Life Conference precedes March for Life The 2018 NALC Life Conference will be heldThursday, Jan. 18, at Annapolis EvangelicalLutheran Church in Edgewater, Md.

The theme of the conference and of the 2018March for Life is “Love Saves Lives.” Theconference will discuss how you can answer God’sbiblical call to protect human life from conception tonatural death.

The conference will begin with lunch followed bythree pro-life speakers and conclude with worshipled by Bishop John Bradosky. All NALC membersand the public are welcome.

Speakers and their topics are:

+ “The Joys of Mary - Luke 1” by Pastor MelindaJones of Advent Lutheran Church in NorthCharleston, S.C.

+ “Biblical Aging” by Pastor Brad Hales ofReformation Lutheran Church in Culpeper, Va.

+ “From Atheism to a Witness for Life — TheStrange and Inspiring Case of Mary Ann” by Dr.Robert Benne of Roanoke, Va.

The next day features the Memorial for the Prebornservice at 8:30 a.m. at DAR Constitution Hall inWashington D.C. Clergy should plan on vesting andparticipating in this service.

After the service, participants will gather with otherLutherans at 11:30 a.m. on the grounds of theWashington Monument to join in the March for Life.

You can learn more about the March for Life atwww.marchforlife.org. For more information contactPastor Dennis Di Mauro at 703-568-3346 [email protected].

Support the North American Lutheran SeminaryYour year-end tax deductible gifts can help theNorth American Lutheran Seminary provide world-class, authentically Lutheran formation for futurepastors and leaders of the North AmericanLutheran Church. The students, faculty and Board of Regents join ingiving thanks for your generous support in theseexciting early years of your seminary’s mission. Asthe student body grows, so does the need foradditional faculty, course offerings and outreach toprospective students.

As you plan your year-end giving, please know thatyour generosity now helps assure that the NALCwill have the solid, confessional shepherds neededfor our mission-driven congregations to “Go andmake disciples of all nations.”

To donate, send checks made out to the NorthAmerican Lutheran Church, with NALS noted onthe memo line, to: North American LutheranChurch; 2299 Palmer Drive, Suite 220; NewBrighton, MN 55112-2202.

Donations can also be made online through theNALC’s website — thenalc.org — using the buttonfor donations. Be sure to designate the NorthAmerican Lutheran Seminary when you give.

Gifts of appreciated stocks are also an excellentway to support the seminary. For more details,contact the North American Lutheran Seminary at724-385-8000 or [email protected] and ask tospeak to our development team.


Pastor Valery Hryhoryk’s work in BelarusBy Pastor Valery Hryhoryk NALC Global Worker

Dear brothers and sisters, greetings in the name ofChrist! This is my first official update as an NALCglobal worker from the mission field in Belarus. It isa great privilege for me to become a part of themission-driven Lutheran church body of the NALC.

This summer was full of events. We pray that theLord shall receive all the glory as the result. Thissummer we hardly had any warm weather. Thetemperature was surprisingly lower than usual, withmuch rain. Our Bible camps were not in the usualplace, in Dolsha. This was a great blessing. Insteadof living in tents, the kids lived “under the roof,” soto say. We had three Bible camps in three differentplaces. The Lord, by his wisdom, decided it shouldbe this way.

In Saldus, Latvia, we had a marvelous Bible campfor the children from Belarus. A team of Americanbrothers and sisters came to tell Belarusian andLatvian children about Jesus and the Bible. TheBible teaching was in English. The camp wasinternational and that was exciting. The childrenlearned about God’s love, grace and mercy throughthe story of Joseph, who was sold into slavery byhis brothers. It was exciting to see the Latvian kidsmaking friends with the kids from Belarus. Singingtogether, playing sports together and reading Biblestories was so much fun.

As for the kids from Belarus, we had an outstandingevent for some of them. Five children participatedin Holy Communion for the first time in their lives. The angels were rejoicing in the sky for this happyevent. The children formed personal relationshipswith Christ. The second camp for the youth was organized forus by our friends in Sweden. A group of 11 peoplevisited a beautiful place in Sweden called Prasebo.We took the opportunity to visit our friends in thelocal Lutheran congregation. I was asked to sharethe Word of God, which I did with great pleasure.Also, two young people from Belarus werebaptized. What a glorious event! Thank you, Lord!

The third camp was organized by Kristina andTomas, EEMN missionaries to Belarus fromSlovakia, for 20 young people. A group of youthfrom Slovakia came to Belarus to participate in theBible camp. The purpose of the camp wasevangelism and education. Seminars, quests,sports, fishing, witness — all of this was to God’sglory during the camp. Times of prayer andfellowship around the bonfire were extremelyvaluable. Thank you, Lord, for this friendship.

The book ministry is very important for the post-Soviet states. The camp in Latvia was an excellentopportunity for us to deliver a good number ofbooks in Russian to the Latvia Lutheran Church. Agift that we received for the children’s work, justbefore the trip, helped us to pay for thetransportation. We were able to rent a big bus for21 people. The border can be a problem, but theLord was gracious to us and we had no questionsasked about the books. Thank you to all whoprayed. Thank you, Lord, for the gift that wereceived, in good timing, just before the camp, fromyour people, to make this Bible camp possible.

A theological seminar took place in Vitebsk. Theseminar was dedicated to the 500th anniversary ofthe Reformation and its biblical grounding. Ourfriend and theologian, Valery Volodin, was ourteacher. The participants were representatives from

Continued on Page 13



Belarus Lutheran Missionary Fellowshipcongregations. The participants were reminded ofthe historical background of the Reformation, therole of Luther in this important historical event, andits importance for the Church and the modernworld. More importantly, we were reminded of thebiblical grounds on which Luther built theReformation: the main principle of salvation bygrace alone and other solas and theses. The timeof fellowship and prayer is very valuable at theseevents. Therefore, we are grateful to God, and ourSwedish friends, who made this seminar possible.After the seminar, there was a church service withHoly Communion. We pray that this, and othereducational events, would be for the glory of God,for the strengthening of God’s glorious kingdom andthe restoration of Lutheranism in Belarus.

We continue with the youth gatherings onThursdays, building handshake relationships withthe youth in Vitebsk. We watch educational moviesand then discuss them. It is great that we canexchange views and, as Christians, acknowledgethe biblical position on everything that is going on inour lives. Movies are very good starting points forsuch discussions.

We took part in a charity project, called VitebskSOS. The project is connected with the childrenfrom the orphanage in Gorodok (40 km fromVitebsk). Children in orphanages usually feelabandoned and are very sensitive to the world. Alittle attention and love means a lot to them. Thepurpose of the project was to show love. God lovesthese kids! The children’s ages ranged from five to16 years old.

Golden Gate music group took part in the annualinternational music festival, held in Vitebsk. It was agreat opportunity to witness to many people aboutGod and spiritual things. Please thank the Lord forthis ongoing opportunity.

Registration of the garage congregation was deniedfor the fifth time. The authorities say that they donot believe that we want to register a Lutherancongregation. They do not understand why Belaruscitizens want to be Lutherans (a German religion). Itlooks like we need to take another approach in

regard to registration. We are planning to visit someofficials in the capital to explain the situation.Please pray for a good outcome to these visits. + Please thank the Lord for all BLMF partners andall the projects this summer. Everything that wasplanned was accomplished. May the Lord’s namebe glorified.

+ Please pray for the general mission fund, as atthis moment we have a deficit of about US $500every month.

+ Continue to pray for the registration of the garagecongregation. + Pray for the book ministry: distribution andproduction of the new material. + Pray for the renovation fund for the churchbuilding in Mazolovo. + Pray for the campsite building project in Dolsha.

+ Pray for new opportunities for Christian witness.

+ Pray for the new partners in ministry.

Dear NALC church members, I invite you tobecome a partner in this ministry. Please prayerfullyconsider this opportunity, as the destiny of thewhole nation of Belarus is at stake. Be blessed!

Please see my testimony from the 2017 NALCMission Festival in Nashville, Tenn., athttps://vimeo.com/225498017


Order and peace, not confusion and chaos“For God is not a God of confusion but of peace.”

— 1 Corinthians 14:33 RSV

At any given time, it seems that about 10 percent ofour congregations are in some state of tension orconflict. In our relationships with other Lutheran andecumenical partners, this appears to be a reality inall denominations. The Body of Christ in the worldtoday is an all-too-human body filled with pastors,leaders and laity who are at the same time saintsand sinners.

It was the same within the congregation in Corinthin the early Church, causing Paul to engage withthem in the “Corinthian correspondence,” as hesought to address their conflict from afar.

In particular, the Corinthian congregation wasdivided over the gifts of the Holy Spirit and thepractice of speaking in tongues in worship. This“Spirit-language” was often offered within the divineservice as unintelligible praying with nointerpretation, so that it was not edifying to the bodyas a whole. Considerable division arose in thecongregation between those who had the gift ofspeaking in tongues and those who didn’t, andwhether there was a place in worship for such un-interpreted speaking and praying.

Add to that what appears, from Paul’s writing, to beadditional issues among worshipers, and we seethat the community was fractured and fighting. Paulreminds them that this is not God’s intention forChrist’s Church at worship, “for God is not a God ofconfusion, but of peace.” Other translations have it“For God is not a God of disorder, division, chaos,but of peace.”

There is nothing more detrimental to the health,well-being and, yes, the mission and ministry of acongregation than confusion, disorder, division andchaos.

Congregations experiencing such things oftenwonder why it is that they never receive newmembers and why visitors may worship once butnever return. Do they need to ask? Few want to be

part of a community of faith where there is nopeace and harmony.

While Paul is writing specifically about spiritual gifts and their use and abuse in the worshipingcommunity in Corinth, what he says should be areminder to every congregation in every churchbody — God desires order, not disorder, in hisChurch. Our God is a God of peace, not of chaos.

What guidance is there for congregations in conflict,wishing to avoid conflict, seeking to be at peaceand ordered in a Christ-like manner?

First, follow your constitution. While congregationalconstitutions were not given by God on MountSinai, they are practical tools for structuringcongregational life in community. Although not to beused as a hammer to beat members intosubmission, constitutions provide helpful guidanceabout responsibilities, practices and proceduresintended to provide for healthy relationships,communication and decision-making. Constitutionsalso provide specific instruction about how to dealwith conflict and disagreement, as well as issuesrelated to difficult pastors, councils or members.Yes, every congregation, at some time, may have a difficult pastor, council or member. Sometimes,congregations have “bullies.”

Second, allow Scripture and your constitution toinstruct you about how to deal with bullies in thecongregation. In many circumstances,congregational leadership teams don’t know how toaddress the reality of bullies in their congregation, so they ignore the situation or try to placate the

Continued on Page 15

Ministry Matters

Pastor David WendelAssistant to the Bishopfor Ministry and Ecumenism



bullies, allowing them to dictate what will or will nothappen in the congregation. Sometimes bullies are“shadow” leaders, attempting to manipulatedecisions and behavior from the sidelines, andsometimes bullies may be elected members of thecouncil. Of course, pastors may try to bully peopleas well.

Hear and heed, then, our Lord’s instruction and thewise counsel of Scripture. Love one another, as heloves us. Forgive not seven times, but seventytimes seven times. Forbear with one another. Donot bear false witness. Speak the truth in love. Inextreme cases, follow our Lord’s instructions inMatthew 18:15-20, which is usually the processprescribed in congregational constitutions.

Third, don’t be a bully! We sometimes feel sostrongly about situations and circumstances in ourbeloved congregations that we don’t realize we areseeking our own wants, desires and agendas,rather than the good will of the congregation as awhole. Councils and congregations work best whenthey seek, first, to build consensus.

Consensus-building is aimed at helping the groupdecide, as a group, what is best for all. This means,at some point in the consensus-building process,that my will — my preference — yields to the will ofthe group. The goal in consensus-building is not forme to get my way, but for us, together, to determinewhat is best for all.

This is often lost on church leaders who bringworldly, secular notions into church leadership. This does not mean that there should be nodisagreement, or that an individual may not seek topersuade the group as a whole. It does mean that,at some time, individuals willingly yield to thedecision of the group. In this way, we move forwardwith decision-making in a way that brings unity,harmony and peace.

Finally, pastors and councils must remember thatthey are, together, a leadership team within thecongregation. The NALC Model Constitution forCongregations states (Chapter 12.04):

The duties of the Church Council shall include thefollowing:

+ To maintain supportive relationships with thepastor(s) and staff and help them annually toevaluate the fulfillment of their calling or employment.

+ To be examples individually and corporately of thestyle of life and ministry expected of all baptizedpersons.

+ To promote a congregational climate of peace andgoodwill, and, as differences and conflicts arise, tofoster resolution of such conflicts according to Biblicalprinciples. Together, the pastor and elected members comprisea leadership team, the council, sharing the aboveresponsibilities. This requires abiding deeply andregularly in the Word of God. It means prayingfervently for one another, for each and every member,and for guidance and direction. It also requiresstraightforward, loving communication, regularassessment and evaluation of ministry, goal-settingwith specific, clearly defined action steps, and plentyof time spent in consensus-building. All with mutuallove, respect, forbearance, forgiveness and yes,good-natured laughter and joy. Which brings us to thereason for this message — offered in theAdvent/December issue of the NALC News.

And the angel said to the shepherds: “Be not afraid;for behold, I bring you good tidings of a great joywhich will come to all the people; for to you is born thisday in the city of David, a Savior, who is Christ theLord.”

And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude ofthe heavenly host, praising God and saying, ‘Glory toGod in the highest, and on earth, peace…” (Luke 2)

God’s intention is that we live in the community offaith, the Church, full of great joy and peace. Our Godis a God of order and harmony, not of division andchaos. Congregations that acknowledge tension andconflict and deal with them appropriately and in ahealthy, Christ-like manner will thrive. People will wantto be part of a Christian community where love, peaceand joy are present. Let’s expect nothing less fromourselves, our congregations and our church.


NONPROFIT ORG.U.S. POSTAGE

PAIDTWIN CITIES, MNPERMIT NO. 7007

2299 Palmer Drive, Suite 220New Brighton, MN 55112-2202

Christ Centered + Mission Driven + Traditionally Grounded + Congregationally Focused

NALC Contact InformationNALC Ministry Office Bishop 3500 Mill Run Drive Bishop John BradoskyHilliard, OH 43026-7770 [email protected] (toll free)614-777-5709 General [email protected] Pastor Mark Chavez

[email protected] Administrative Office2299 Palmer Drive, Suite 220 MissionsNew Brighton, MN 55112-2202 Pastor Gemechis Buba651-633-6004 [email protected]@thenalc.org

Ministry and EcumenismNorth American Lutheran Seminary Pastor David WendelThe Rev. Dr. Amy Schifrin [email protected] 11th StreetAmbridge, PA 15003-2302 Communications724-385-8000 Pastor Mark [email protected] [email protected]

Please send donations to the office in New Brighton, Minn.

NALC NewsPublished by

North AmericanLutheran Church

3500 Mill Run DriveHilliard, OH 43026-7770

Phone: 614-777-5709

www.thenalc.org

Pastor David J. Baer, [email protected]

Please copy and sharethis newsletter widely.


light, life and love · 2018-02-17 · continued on page 3 n a l c n e w s 2 d e c e m b e r 2 0 1...

Documents