I had the ability to attend the LEA Convocation in Minneapolis this past week. I would recommend NOT having anything having to do with water as the theme of any convention. If you're wondering, it rained the first two days of the convocation, and snowed the third day. I know it's Minnesota, but I still didn't really expect it to snow in April!
I always enjoy the sectionals at LEA. It seems as though I always seem to pick ones that are very good. Yes, I know I can pick what I wish to go to, but you never know when reading a title and description.
I always enjoy the sectionals at LEA. It seems as though I always seem to pick ones that are very good. Yes, I know I can pick what I wish to go to, but you never know when reading a title and description.
Oh, I would be remiss if I didn't mention Ken Davis as the comedian at the Thursday night banquet--my face hurt from laughing so hard!
The keynote speaker was Professor Lessing from Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, and his address was very good. I think he tied everything together quite well, and got me thinking about the fountain of blood and water flowing from Christ's pierced side.
At this convocation I learned much good and much bad.
The negative part of LEA is usually the mass events. This year I was surprised. We actually had a Lutheran worship service for the closing worship. It followed the divine service! I find this amazing, considering there are so many who push for something other than the liturgy.
The opening celebration was another thing. It was fine if one took it in the sense that it was not expected to be worship, but a gathering where we sang and listened.
Pastor Nunez in our opening celebration said we are "marked people in baptism." I'd agree there. He said, "There are no illigitimate children, only illegitimate relationships." I'd agree with that too. He said that as Christians we sometimes suffer from "celebration constipation" and we don't tell our faces that we have joy. Hmmm. . . He also said, "God is a dream weaver." What does that mean (or maybe that means I wasn't listening closely enough)? He also--at the end of his speech--said that there were platters of water on each table and we were to "play around as we remember our own baptism." I ask again, what does that mean? He did say later that Martin Franzmann was his favorite hymnwriter. To echo Nagel, "there is still hope for our church."
All in all, it was a good convocation--just don't let the song leader do anything but lead the songs.
The keynote speaker was Professor Lessing from Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, and his address was very good. I think he tied everything together quite well, and got me thinking about the fountain of blood and water flowing from Christ's pierced side.
At this convocation I learned much good and much bad.
The negative part of LEA is usually the mass events. This year I was surprised. We actually had a Lutheran worship service for the closing worship. It followed the divine service! I find this amazing, considering there are so many who push for something other than the liturgy.
The opening celebration was another thing. It was fine if one took it in the sense that it was not expected to be worship, but a gathering where we sang and listened.
Pastor Nunez in our opening celebration said we are "marked people in baptism." I'd agree there. He said, "There are no illigitimate children, only illegitimate relationships." I'd agree with that too. He said that as Christians we sometimes suffer from "celebration constipation" and we don't tell our faces that we have joy. Hmmm. . . He also said, "God is a dream weaver." What does that mean (or maybe that means I wasn't listening closely enough)? He also--at the end of his speech--said that there were platters of water on each table and we were to "play around as we remember our own baptism." I ask again, what does that mean? He did say later that Martin Franzmann was his favorite hymnwriter. To echo Nagel, "there is still hope for our church."
All in all, it was a good convocation--just don't let the song leader do anything but lead the songs.
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