2009 Synod
Assembly Reflections
By Tina
Braender Shinn
On June 5 &
6, Pastor Mary, Ron Cobb and I attended the New Jersey Synod Assembly in East Brunswick. This was my first time attending and quite honestly I was unsure
of what to expect.
As we walked
towards the assembly there were numerous displays in the hallway. I was
happy to see Diane Guarini at the WELCA table. Fair Trade coffee,
CrossRoads, Mission on the Move, and Diakonia (coming soon to Holy
Trinity) were also represented as well as many other ministries and programs.
There was a
short service with Communion prior to the opening of the assembly. What
followed reminded me of our annual meeting in January. A quorum was
established, committee reports were reviewed, nominations were made for synod
council and treasurer and retired leaders were recognized.
After lunch
we really got down to business. New resolutions were read and then were
opened up to the floor. Those who wanted to went up to the microphone to
discuss/debate their feelings on the resolutions. I found this to be
very interesting as many people were torn on some of the issues. Bishop
Riley was very adept at monitoring the open forum and kept those speaking
to a 2 minute time period. Some folks were cut off mid-sentence but were
very respectful when told that their time was up.
Day 2
included a report from the Bishop, a report of the elections from Friday and a
synod council report. A representative from the seminary let us know
about enrollment and we also got a report from the candidacy committee as to
candidates that were approved or endorsed for ordained ministry.
A special reception occurred for St. Stephan's Grace Community, Newark as we welcomed these newest members of the NJ Synod. It was great to see a
congregation with the youngest member being 2 to 3 years old and the
oldest being well into their 80s.
The Lutheran
Social Ministries showed a short film of what they are involved in and spoke
about their work helping NJ communities. I was very surprised at how
widespread they are and how bountiful their good works are.
The Youth CONVO presented a very humorous report. It was great to see so
many young people happy to be serving the Lord.
All in all I
found this to be a very interesting experience. It helped me to see
how our Synod is there to help us and to work with us. Representing Holy
Trinity as a voting member was a great honor and I hope that I will be able to
attend again next year.
♦
By Ron Cobb
Let me begin
by stating that the Lutheran Church in New Jersey is alive and well. The
deepening economic crisis in our country certainly has had an impact on some of
the initiatives planned for the future but this has not diminished the enthusiasm
and excitement that this, the Twenty-second Annual Assembly evidenced.
The opening
of the assembly was conducted by Bishop E. Roy Riley, Synod Pastor, in a room
that was cavernous. It was filled with all types of humanity in all shapes and
sizes and all manner of dress but we all had a common goal and that was to
“challenge to change the culture of this church” and not to let our “stuff” get
in the way of our best laid plans.
The homily
was about Nicodemus, the puzzling rabbi who came in secret to visit Jesus one
night. Nicodemus was a nationally-known religious leader and a member of the
Sanhedrin as well as a Pharisee. Some bible scholars say Nicodemus did not do
enough for Jesus, others say he was a secret disciple of Jesus. At least he had
the courage to give Jesus a decent burial.
Courage [the
ability to conquer fear or despair] may well be what some of us will need in
the ensuing months as the Lutheran Church meets in churchwide assembly to
continue discussing a proposed policy on human sexuality that allows
“congregations that choose to do so to recognize, support, and hold publicly accountable
life-long monogamous, same-gender relationships.”
If you want
a more explicit statement go to www.elca.org
and type in Studies on Sexuality. If you want still more information load your
printer with a lot of paper and again go to www.elca.org
and type in Human Sexuality; Gift and Trust [34 pages; both sides]. The
statement on human sexuality was one of several resolutions that were voted on
at the assembly but it was the one that was for some the most contentious and
polarizing.
I’m happy
that we live in a democracy where everyone is entitled to their opinion but
sometimes, after awhile, I would vote for a benign dictator who would stop the
rhetoric and go on to other matters. We finally did. This is not to denigrate
those people who spoke, they certainly had strong feelings, but this was not a
final promulgation and we will have time to slog through this process however
painful it may be for some.
There were
four Hearings [opportunities to be heard]. They were: A Conversation on the
ELCA Human Sexuality Study, led by Bishop Riley. Why and How Do Lutherans Speak
to Government, led by Andrew S. Genszler, a young and very dedicated Christian
who presented his material in an exciting and informative way. Book of Faith:
Why It Matters, led by the Rev. Paul E. Lutz, and, lastly, Board of
Pensions—Financial Wellness, led by Mary Eckman. These took place in four
different rooms so you could spend some time in each room or choose a topic
that was the most interesting to you.
While seated
at the table, waiting for dinner to be served I struck up a conversation with
the person to my right, whose name is Matthew O’Rear. Matthew is the Associate
Director of Admissions at the Lutheran Theological Seminary in Philadelphia. Seated across from us were two people from India and in that three-way
conversation it was discovered that Matthew had gone to the same school in India as the two Indians had gone to and knew many of the same teachers. Talk about a small
world!
One of the
many items on the agenda was Diakonia. Diakonia is a two-year process of
spiritual formation and education. It is taught by pastors and lay people and
the good news is that one is being formed at Holy Trinity in the fall (or at
least that is the plan). More can be learned by talking to our pastors and
reading related articles in this Lamplighter.
St.
Stephan’s Grace Community Church, in the Ironbound section of Newark, was
officially received into the Synod. Pastors Moacir Weirich and Maristela
Freiberg presided over the colorful, noisy, happy group of people of all walks
of life who paraded up to the dais. This was an endeavor 10 years in the
making, so their joy and excitement was truly contagious. It was a great sight
to behold.
Lastly, I
would be remiss if I did not mention Resolution II. This is a resolution
concerning guidelines for weekly days off for pastors and rostered persons.
There were a lot of ‘whereas’s (eight, in fact!). My favorite, though, was
“whereas clearly burnout is a clearly demonstrable phenomenon.”
It’s good to
know that there is now a policy under consideration that will allow our pastors
more time for themselves.
Luke 5:16
states, “Jesus modeled withdrawing privately to be refreshed.”
The Assembly
voted to pass the resolution along to Synod Council for its practical
consideration.
There were
more than 100 pages of various topics that we were given to read, many items to
vote on and many resolutions to pass. At the end of the day, I felt privileged
to be a small part of this important process.
— ARNIE’S CORNER –
Five years
ago I was attending seminary and was taking a class entitled “Lutheran Confessions.”
The teacher was and still is The Rev. Dr. Timothy Wengert. At the start of the
semester, we received a list of books that were divided into “must have” and
“good for your library.”
This was one
of them.
In 1535
Martin Luther wrote a letter to his barber on how to pray. The letter is as
applicable today as it was 474 years ago. On and off for the past 14 months the
question of “How do I pray?” has arisen in more than one conversation. It is
for that reason that I am including part of Luther’s letter to Peter, the
Master Barber.
The entire
letter is found in
Martin
Luther’s
Basic Theological Writings
Edited
by
Timothy
F. Lull
Second
Edition
Edited
by
William
R. Russell
Foreword
by
Jaroslav
Pelikan
Fortress
Press
Minneapolis
“Dear Master Peter: I will tell you
as best I can what I do personally when I pray. May our dear Lord grant to you
and to everybody to do it better than I! Amen.
First, when
I feel that I have become cool and joyless in prayer because of other tasks or
thoughts (for the flesh and the devil always impede and obstruct prayer), I
take my Book of Psalms, hurry to my room, or, if it be the day and hour for it,
to the church where a congregation is assembled and, as time permits, I say
quietly to myself and word-for-word the Ten Commandments, the Creed, and, if I have time, some words of Christ or of
Paul, or some psalms, just as a child might do.
It is a good
thing to let prayer be the first business of the morning and the last at night.
Guard yourself carefully against those false, deluding ideas which tell you,
“Wait a little while. I will pray in an hour; first I must attend to this or
that.” Such thoughts get you away from prayer into other affairs which so hold
your attention and involve you that nothing comes of prayer for that day.
…I confess
and acknowledge great sin and wicked ingratitude on my part because all my life
I have made disgraceful use of the Sabbath and have thereby despised God’s
precious and dear word in a wretched way. I have been too lazy, listless, and
uninterested to listen to it, let alone to have desired it sincerely or to have
been grateful for it. I have let my dear God proclaim the word to me in vain,
have dismissed the noble treasure, and have trampled it underfoot. God has
tolerated this with great and divine mercy and has not ceased in his fatherly,
divine love and faithfulness to keep on preaching to me and calling me to the
salvation of my soul. For this I repent and ask for grace and forgiveness.
…I pray for
myself and for the whole world that the gracious Father may preserve us in his
holy word and not withdraw it from us because of our sin, ingratitude, and
laziness.
…Likewise, a
good prayer should not be lengthy or drawn out, but frequent and ardent.”
Dr. Luther provides us with a model
to utilize in our prayer life. If we approach prayer as a conversation,
incorporating some of Luther’s suggestions, perhaps we would be more apt to
pray, frequently. I hope you consider Luther’s words and they provide you
another option for your prayer life.
~~
Pastor Arnie
Spend Quality
Time with Your
(Faith)
Family This Summer
Whether
you’re planning a ‘stay-cation’ or vacation, please be sure to reserve time for
worship with your Holy Trinity faith family.
Remember,
the worship schedule is the same year ’round: Holy Communion is at 5 p.m.
Saturdays, 8:45 and 10:30 a.m Sundays and 7 a.m. Wednesdays. We also offer a
healing service with Holy Communion at 7 p.m. on the first Wednesday of every
month.
— CHRISTIAN EDUCATION –
Library
Sunday
School is closed over the summer months, but you can still borrow books from
the library. During the Sunday School recess you may keep your books for
three weeks instead of two. Be sure to sign them out, following
the borrowing guide
posted on the bulletin board over the library cart downstairs or on top of the
library kiosk in Fellowship Hall.
We
have over 800 books and CDs in our library. How many have YOU read? Tell us
your favoritesJ.
For
Your Enjoyment
Here are two poems about
books:
So I picked out a book
on my own
from the shelf
and I started to read
on my own
to myself.
And nonsense and knowledge
came tumbling out,
whispering mysteries,
history’s shout
the wisdom of wizards,
some songs of the ages
all wonders of wandering
wonderful pages.
-- Karla Kuskin
Hello Book!
Hello
book!
What
are you up to?
Keeping
yourself to yourself,
shut
in between your covers,
a
prisoner high on a shelf.
Come
on book!
What
is your story?
Haven’t
you ever been read?
Did
you think I would just pass by you,
And
pick me a comic instead?
No
way book!
I’m
your reader.
I
open you up. Set you free.
Listen,
I know a secret!
Will
you share your secrets with me?
-- N. M. Bodecker
Calling All
Harry Potter Fans!
FYI – The movie based on
Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince opens in July!
— EVANGELISM –
diakonia®
Coming to Holy Trinity
Holy Trinity
is now a teaching site for the diakonia® mission of the New Jersey Synod. We
will be starting a class in September and we anticipate a good response from
the local churches because of our location.
diakonia® is a series of
12 classes presented over a two year period (one night a week, agreed upon at
the outset by student and teacher). The courses are set up in a Series A and B
format. At Holy Trinity we will begin with Series A and the first course will
be Introduction to the New Testament. The length will be three hours, one
night a week, for five weeks.
The second course will
be Church History–The First 400 Years, and the last course will be Practical
Ministry I –Biblical Images of the Life
of the Church (diakonia, koinonia, leitiurgia and kerygma).
These three courses will
end prior to the start of Advent to allow the student to participate in the
Advent celebration of the church.
I can tell
you that there is an excitement that builds up among the students that is
almost electric. There is also a bond that develops and continues. I still
maintain contact with some of my fellow classmates.
Yes, I am a
diakonia® graduate and went on to enter ordained ministry. I am proud of the
program and the students who go through it. I also understand that two years is
a significant chunk of time to commit to, but approaching it class-by-class
does make it seem less daunting. The reading assignments are not difficult and
can be quite interesting.
The fees
related to the program amount to $300 per year, which includes books, a
one-time registration fee of $25, the cost of retreats (typically one a year)
and a graduation fee of $25 to $40, which includes a commemorative diakonia®
cross.
The above
information and more can be found in the booklet “diakonia®, Program Overview
and Course Descriptions,” which is available at Holy Trinity.
If you are
interested in becoming a student and/or seek further information, please see
me. ’hope to see you in class!
~~ Pastor
Arnie
Congratulations
to the Class of 2009
Our thanks to
those of you who responded to our request to publish information about Holy
Trinity graduates.
Please
join us in congratulating:
Melissa
Rose Barrella, who graduated with a JD degree from Seton Hall University Law School on May 22, 2009. She will be clerking for a criminal judge in Monmouth County next year. Melissa plans to pursue a career as a criminal attorney in the prosecutor’s
office.
Jeffrey M.
Beal, Jr., who graduated from Quinnipiac University, Hamden, Ct. on May 17,
2009. Jeff graduated with a BS degree in Biomedical Science from the school of Health Sciences. While attending Quinnipiac, Jeff was a member of the Phi
Sigma Honor Society for his research work in vaccines. He is
currently studying for the MCAT exam and plans to attend medical school in the
future.
Emily
Dodenhoff, who graduated from Brookdale Community College, Lincroft, in
December, 2008. She attended the graduation ceremony on May 17, 2009.
Emily will
attend Montclair University in September.
— BLANKETEERS –
The Trinity
Blanketeers will meet at 1 p.m. Monday, July 13 in the classroom in the
back of Fellowship Hall.
We welcome
all who enjoy
knitting, crocheting or sewing blankets for fragile children. We also
appreciate those who work at home and drop blankets off at the church
office.
For more
information about Project Linus, please call me at (732) 449-1942.
Thank you
all for your support!
~~
Gloria Smith
— CHILDREN OF GOD –
During the month of June,
Holy Trinity welcomed the following children into the Body of Christ through
the Sacrament of Holy Baptism:
Name:
Henry Patrick Petrie
Date of
Baptism: June 14
Sponsors:
Dawn and Ehab Ali
Henry
was born June 15, 2008 to Vicki and David Petrie. His brother, Will, is 22
months old.
Name:
Matthew James Forester
Date
of Baptism: June 21
Sponsors:
Andrew Harman and James Harman
Matthew
was born Feb. 17, 2009 to Matthew and Kate Forester. He is the grandson of Holy
Trinity members Jim and Shirin Harman.
Name:
Matthew Reagan Lopes
Date
of Baptism: June 28
Sponsors:
Susan and Frank Del Toro
Matthew
was born March 25, 2009 to Shalena and Brett Lopes. His big brother, Justin, is
two and one-half years old.
— WEDDING BLESSINGS –
Carol
Vizcarra and Norman Noe were married by Pastor Mary on Saturday, June 13, in
the Holy Trinity sanctuary.
Their
Best Man was George Ward and Amie Hotchkiss was the matron of honor.
♥
Catherine
Bioni and Peter Larrabee were married by Pastor Mary on Friday, June 26, in the
Holy Trinity sanctuary.
♥
— REST IN PEACE –
Our love and
prayers are with the family of
… David
“Larry” Shirley, who died April 20, 2009.
Pastor Mary
presided at the memorial service for Larry on Saturday, June 13 in the Holy
Trinity sanctuary.
Larry’s wife
is Holy Trinity member Jane (Kutz) Shirley. Their family includes Holy Trinity
members Doug Kutz and his wife, Donna.
… Everett
Morgan, who died June 20, 2009.
Pastor Mary
presided at the funeral liturgy for Everett on Saturday, June 27 in the Orender
Funeral Home, Brielle.
Everett is the
father-in-law of Holy Trinity member Allison Morgan and grandfather of Taylor
and Scott. We extend our condolences to Allison’s husband, Elliot, and his
entire family.
— BEREAVEMENT MINISTRY –
On the first
Sunday of each month, Holy Trinity offers bereavement support to those grieving
a loss or a change of some kind. The group will meet at 8 a.m. on July 5 in the
Sunday Church School classroom on the first floor in Fellowship Hall. Chris
Ann Waters,
author and certified bereavement
specialist, leads the discussion. Consecutive attendance is not required and
people are welcome to attend as needed.
The most
recent “Transitions,” a monthly devotional written by Ms. Waters that addresses
matters of grief and change, is printed here for the benefit of Lamplighter
readers:
Fathers and
Days
A
word spoken in due season,
how good it
is. Proverbs
15:23
Early June
brings a host of personal remembrances and historic accounts of D-Day. When
this anniversary is marked, it is moving to read or listen to elderly war
veterans speak of their experience. This year I had the opportunity to listen
to a veteran speak specifically about the brotherhood the men felt. He
explained that the danger and the unknown created a bond between the men that
was strong and unusual.
One point this gentleman
made that was of particular interest was when he spoke about hidden wounds. He
and other soldiers were inclined to conceal their wounds as best they could in
order not to be taken out of combat. They wanted to stay with their fellow
soldiers. Moreover, he explained that men were embarrassed to be wounded and
taken out of combat. Therefore, they would hide injuries as best they could in
order to continue participating in battle. This same desire was expressed to
me by a solider I once met at Walter Reed. The officer put it this way, all
I want to do is heal and get back to my buddies. We have to be there for
each other.
Several years ago I was
invited to Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C. to meet with
wounded officers who had returned from Iraq and Afghanistan. I was moved for
many reasons. However, the camaraderie among the officers was particularly
impressive. A friend of mine arranged for my visit there as he had affiliation
with Walter Reed and he felt my skills in bereavement and communication would
be effective in helping these men and their families. I met one-on-one with
officers; each had completed two to three tours of duty in Iraq and/or Afghanistan. Each had serious injuries, which would not allow them to return to combat
although they wanted to. They were informed about my visit and who I was, and
through their pain each shared some thoughts and feelings about their
experience. Woven into each conversation was gratitude for the others they
served with and those who had served before them. As I looked at these once
healthy and strong bodies now maimed and, in most cases, altered for life,
their heroism was palpable. I felt gratitude within me for all their
sacrifices yet these humble patriots stunned me with their generous expressions
of gratitude to me for coming. Before I left each room, I asked if I
could pray for them; not one declined prayer. As I took each hand and prayed,
I was mindful to include the “buddies” they specifically mentioned in our
conversation.
For these men, and our
women, in the armed forces, being there for fellow soldiers and for their
country is a priority. However, we know that to fulfill this calling is
costly. There are various losses involved such as loss of limb, mental
soundness, emotional equilibrium, and loss of life. Moreover, for every
soldier serving in the military, there are those at home who wait, pray, or
grieve. Each soldier’s life is representative of a group of people behind the
scenes trying to carry on to raise and educate children, stretch finances, and
cope with the realities of war. These sacrifices are real and challenging.
They are protracted when a death occurs and grief is a daily weight. For
those who have been touched by such a loss, the emotional toll is heavy. For
those who have a peripheral view of these losses, reading comments by family
members of soldiers allows one to enter into their grief.
Father’s Day honors
fatherhood and all that our dads do, and have done, to shape our lives. They
include the fathers who are overseas now—or have been—who shape our country and
others. Honoring dads will be as grand as special breakfasts of burnt toast or
odd shaped pancakes made by young hands that thrill a dad’s heart. There will
be handmade cards written in crayon as well as a multitude of carefully chosen
greeting cards hand-delivered or mailed for a timely receipt. There will also
be a longing for those who are not present to share the day. Absences may be
due to military service, distance—emotional or physical—illness, or death. For
some, Father’s Day will be one of bittersweet memories that stir emotions in
unexpected ways. However Father’s Day is spent, for those who believe in God
through Christ, every thought and feeling will be accompanied by God the
Father’s love.
The ministry
of the Holy Spirit provides comfort, encouragement, and support when memories
or absence touch a heart. Be they good or odd remembrances, God the Father is
present with each one of us to help us comprehend matters in relationships, and
offer unspoken support in matters inexplicable. For the Christian, life’s realities
are no different than for those who go without faith in God. However, faith in
God assures His presence and the advantage that one will never go through
life’s difficulties alone. God is there. Finally, faith in God promises that
because of Jesus there will be a reunion one day with those we love who have
gone ahead.
Fathers can be
acknowledged on all days for their gifts, contributions, limitations, and
attempts. Their courage of character is evident on the battlefield and in the
hospital room. It is there and easy to see when they are coaching little
league or attending Father-Daughter dances. It is still there on days when
they lose their tempers and ask for forgiveness or lose their jobs and ask to
still be needed. There are days when they are full of hope and faith, and
times when life seems to get the upper hand and they are depleted. Whatever
the days bring, life and all its predictable and unpredictable happenings make
dads what they are and what they are not. The God of all fathers accepts dads
just the way they are. God loves and honors fathers—on their days of victory
and days of defeat. For in all days, these men are God’s and He loves them
so. May we.
Lord God, be with
fathers today and each day. Strengthen their faith and their conviction to do
what is just in Your eyes. Give them courage to stand
for what is right even when it is
unpopular with their children or in our turbulent society. Be with fathers who
miss their sons and daughters for reasons known to You. Thank You for Your
abiding presence as their Father, as our Father. With love in Jesus Your Son,
Amen.
— WOMEN OF THE
EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH
IN AMERICA (WELCA) –
The Circle
of Faith will
meet at 7 p.m. Monday, July 20.
Elisabeth Circle will resume
regular meetings in the fall. We will meet at 10:30 a.m. Monday, September 14,
at church.
During the summer, our
members will collect items for health kits to go to Lutheran World Relief.
These will be assembled at our next meeting. We welcome all newcomers. Call
Louise Moenke (732-899-6846) for more information.
The annual
summer luncheon will be at Noon on Sunday, August 9, in the Union Landing
restaurant, Brielle. The cost is $25. All women of Holy Trinity are welcome to
attend. Watch weekly bulletins for registration forms.
The Holy Trinity Choir School