Author: Higher Things

by The Rev. Rich Heinz

This year several people found joy in quoting Pastor Mark Buetow, saying that at Higher Things, we emphasize the “Three W’s”: Worship, Word, and … Fun (?) No matter how you look at a Higher Things conference, these are the clearest and best way to describe our four days together. But for now, let’s look at these in reverse order.

Fun! 
At Higher Things, there is always fun. The campus at Grand Rapids provided opportunities for various games, whether something like Jenga with a CCV in the Commons, a spontaneous game of Red Rover with some 40 youth and a few pastors, or Karaoke. Kramer Entertainment joined us on campus, providing simulators and thrills.

Flexibility is key for working with youth, especially at conferences. Thursday was supposed to see some stormy weather in Grand Rapids. The decision was made to call off the picnic and games at Millennium Park. But get this – the capable CCV leadership and Entertainment Coordinator rolled with the punches and provided an evening of great fun. Besides opportunities to swim, watch The Chronicles of Narnia, or just hang out with HT friends, a new event was created: Hymne-oke!

Hymne-oke was a hymn sing in the chapel, led by the gifted organist, Mr. Chris Loemker. Well over 150 youth and some pastors and leaders spent an hour and a half singing great hymns from Lutheran Service Book. As we concluded, a youth came up to Pastor Borghardt and said: “Pastor, can we do this every year?!”

Word!
At HT, we have three categories for our catechetical (teaching) sessions. Plenary sessions are the main teaching times, when all of us gather to hear the Word of God taught to us. This year we had the gifted and dynamic Pastors Bruce Keseman and William Weedon. Both pastors engaged us with the powerful message of SOLA, bringing God’s Law and Gospel to the forefront of our attention.

In-depth sectionals have three periods throughout the week. These are provided for topics that take more than 45 minutes to “unpack,” such as Pastor Cwirla’s topic of Answering the Atheists, or Pastor Stuckwisch bringing the liturgy into our daily lives, beyond the Divine Service.

Breakaway sectionals give 45 minute electives on a wide variety of issues. Quite a few Pop culture items surfaced, such as my “Finding the Gospel in Star Wars,” or Pastor Drew Newman’s “The Shack: Reimaging God or Help with Suffering?” Each person attending Sola had the opportunity to hear four breakaways.

In all three settings, no matter what the topic, the Gospel is at the heart of it all. Discussion always comes back to and centers on Christ crucified and risen for you.

Worship
It has been said that the heartbeat of the Church is the Lord’s Supper given in the Divine Service. The Conferences this year built up to the Divine Service as the final service of the week, with joyous anticipation all week long during Matins, Vespers, and Evening Prayer. Each full day has three services. Matins is the organized Morning Prayer of the Church. Vespers among Lutherans is another prayer service for afternoon or evening.

Some question these prayer offices (services) as too historical, too traditional, too foreign to youth. Experiencing an HT conference, you would never guess that. The singing and chanting of liturgy and hymns is amazing! The youth love the challenge of joining the Church of all ages in these prayers and songs.

The highlights? On Thursday we sang the hymn version of the Te Deum, “We Praise You and Acknowledge You, O God.” Timpani, cymbals, other percussion and wind instruments joined the organ. Adults and youth alike sang their hearts out. Chills ran down spines, and tears flowed. Is such emotion the reason for our worship? Absolutely not! But here, people were moved by the awe and joy of joining the Church of all ages and all places in a 21st century setting of this honored, ancient hymn.

Yet for all the Twittering and Facebooking about the Te Deum (myself included), we must remember that the most important and most amazing moment of the conference was actually the Divine Service! The heartbeat of the Church is what nourishes our faith and gives us life. What a joy and privilege to hear the Word of God and receive Christ’s Holy Supper in the midst of our friends that make up Higher Things!

Once again, I left the Higher Things conference renewed and refreshed. Christ gave His gifts for my forgiveness, life, and salvation. Gift received. Amen!

Now I am home. Actually, I’m in the middle of moving to my new home. And as I do, I look forward to next year’s HT conference, where His Gifts will be GIVEN.

The Rev. Rich Heinz is Pastor-elect of St. John’s Lutheran Church & School in Chicago, Illinois. Sola was his third HT conference.

by The Rev. Mark Buetow

So long to Sola! The Conferences are over. School looms on the horizon. You’re back at home and you miss all the friends you saw and met at the Higher Things Conference this summer. Let’s face it: you’ve probably suffering from the Post-Conference Blues, that sad syndrome that means the Conference is over and you miss all the fun and learning that was going on. But while you had a chance to have the Gospel poured upon you in many ways at the Conference, that same Gospel isn’t just at the Conference! The Lord gives it out to you right where you are in your home church too! So here’s our prescription for those Post-Conference Blues.  

Step One: Be at the Divine Service! Go to church and sing like there are 900 other kids around you! Listen as your pastor reminds your of your Baptism and absolves you of all your sins. Pay close attention as the Word of God is read, declaring to you the Lord’s loving work in and through Jesus Christ. Open your ears and hear Christ crucified preached in the sermon. Kneel at the altar of the Lord and receive the Bread of Life as He comes to you with His body and blood for the forgiveness of sins, life and salvation. The Divine Service is where Christ comes to you. The same Jesus that was so wonderful to see and hear in the Conference worship is right there in the worship you have every Sunday! He’s not only at a Higher Things Conference: He’s right there at home, too! 

Step Two: Be in Bible Study! You learned so much from those wild and crazy pastors who taught on so many different topics. Your pastor at home has the same job: opening your eyes and ears to the wonders of God’s holy Word, showing Christ in the pages of the Holy Bible, discussing and answering your tough questions, and helping you apply the forgiveness of sins to your daily life with others. Bible Study is the place to ask questions, dig deep and be refreshed from the “pure stream of Israel,” as you see the riches of God’s Word come alive in pointing to Christ and delivering Him to you through your hearing of God’s Word. 

Step Three: Grab some Youth Group Friends and have some fun! Call them up. Go bowling. Go see a movie. Play some board or card games. Or just hang out over some burgers and sodas! You are a child of God. Your sins are forgiven. In the freedom that comes from being in Christ, go out and just have some plain old fun. Who knows? You might end up in a game of “Red Rover” or even sing some karaoke somewhere. The point is, enjoy the life and gifts with which your heavenly Father has blessed you.  

Sure, the organ might not sound the same. Your pastor may or may not be as wacky as some that taught you at the Conference. And there aren’t 900 kids to hang out with all at once. But whether your church has 100 members or a thousand, whether your youth group is 4 or 40, rejoice in the wonderful opportunities the Lord gives you right in your own home congregation. One Conference attendee said, “I’m going to church but it won’t sound the same.” To which one pastor replied, “But same Jesus!” Same Jesus indeed! After all, Christ and what He has done for us was the great celebration of Sola 2009. And Christ and what He has done for us is the great celebration every week right there in the congregation where you belong! Christ alone! Grace alone! Faith alone! Scripture alone! But never home alone! For that same Jesus is always with you wherever you are, with all of His Word and gifts! And all that while you can also get ready for “Given!” next year! See you then!