Category: Articles

by Sandra Ostapowich

Having just coordinated three Higher Things Amen conferences this summer, I have a few post-conference reflections to share…

Worship
Once again, conference worship (TEN total services in 4 days, plus nightly Prayer at the Close of the Day in small groups) was a huge highlight of the conferences. Worship at HT conferences is pretty much the same as it is in many of our home churches all across the country, using the liturgy and hymnal. Yeah, we find some pretty amazing organists. We’re pretty sure that Chris Loemker has a secret set of arms like some Hindu organ-playing demi-god. Oh, and Pr. Cwirla wore his “bling” stole for the Divine Service at Amen – Irvine. But other than that, things are pretty normal. 

Worship at HT conferences is not like a concert where you sing along with the band that actually drowns out the audience’s singing. The congregational singing – oh, the singing!! – is just…breathtaking. Hundreds of teenagers, singing HYMNS at the top of their lungs. In harmony!  Kids are supposed to require strobe lights, disco balls, and big-name (or big-name-sounding) bands, dramatic illustrations with movie clips on the big screens, etc. etc. etc. in order to get their interest in anything.  Not true!  They love the liturgy, they love hymns!  Chaplains took the opportunity at all three conferences to teach about different aspects of the service that might not be familiar to everyone.  The Daily Services book also contained important information that taught about the services and practices as well.

At HT conferences, only LCMS pastors preach and lead the services, only LCMS musicians (clergy and laity) play the instruments and direct the choirs. All of the services are taken straight from the LCMS hymnal. That means you can go to church on Sunday, open up the hymnal and see the very same services we used at the conferences. The hymns we sang are all in there too. And I bet your pastor would be tickled rose (the liturgical version of pink) if you asked him to lead one of them sometime, or teach your youth group about the history of the liturgy.

Work
Catechesis at the Amen conferences was also incredible. This year, we had two of our very best teachers leading the plenary sessions.  LCMS pastors, Rev. George Borghardt and Rev. Mark Buetow taught us about Salvation’s Achievement and Delivery and faith’s response of “Amen” in our lives and vocations.  Their dynamic and approachable teaching styles reminded us that Lutherans don’t always have to be stodgy and straight-laced (and for those of us who are stodgy and straight-laced, it’s still OK to crack a smile once and a while).  And who can forget their free-time karaoke performances?? (No one, since they’re on YouTube!)  For SIX 45-minute classes, they kept their youth audiences in rapt attention. I heard time and time again from kids (including ones I didn’t know) about how much they learned and grew from these sessions.

Breakaway and In-Depth Sectionals were also a hit. Conference attendees have the opportunity to choose an “In-Depth” sectional which meets for three sessions, as well as numerous “Breakaway” sectionals which are one-time sessions. The Catechesis Coordinators for each conference recruited a ton of great teachers from the adults registered to the conferences. There were sessions on just about every topic under the sun, all taught by LCMS pastors and laity. In total, there were 96 separate classes offered at all the three Amen conferences this summer!

Youth get to choose the specific topic they want to learn about, but all of the sessions teach meaty theology in an accessible way. Kids don’t need watered-down, children’s message type lessons covered with a sparkly veneer of fun. They don’t need skits or video clips (skits on a screen) to learn.  They don’t need hands-on activities touching rocks or burning pieces of paper to learn.  To learn, they need to be taught and given some meat to dig their teeth into and inwardly digest.  The learning opportunities at HT conferences challenges youth in their faith, teaches them substantial theology, and equips them to make use of it in their everyday lives. And they do! 

Play
This year was a little different as far as the fun and entertainment of the conference went. Instead of trying to herd hundreds of teenagers to a major venue for something fun (the Amen – Irvine beach party being the one exception), we brought in some different types of entertainment and let everyone just…have fun in their own way. The campuses provided a number of different activities from swimming and soccer to line-dance lessons, movies on a theater screen, dodge ball tournaments, and the ever-popular karaoke! Ultimate Frisbee, Apples to Apples, card games, and just hanging out gave youth from all over the country (even the world) to laugh and get to know each other. And if your group didn’t want to do any of those things, they could go and do their own fun thing during that time block. It really doesn’t take wads of money and glitzy production plans for everyone to have fun!

And while the entertainment portion of the conference days are well…entertaining, having fun is not the point.  Countless youth will tell you that the worship was “fun” and the catechesis was “fun”.  Fun in that context simply means they were engaged and interested in what they were doing.  It wasn’t just something they watched happen but piqued their interest, and made them want more.  If you think about it, when “church” is just another place to go to be entertained, play in a souped-up garage…er…praise band, listen to leaders of different denominations talk to you about morality, have fun, and hear a watered-down devotional (motivational) talk…then the place that has the coolest band, the biggest plasma screens, and the most motivating morality sermons will be where they go when they become adults. If they continue going to church at all.  

That’s what happens when we replace the theology of the Cross for the theology of Glory.  There are tons of places in the world where we can go to learn how to live with good, upstanding morals.  There are even more places to go and be entertained in all sorts of ways. There’s only one place to go to hear the Gospel – to the Church, where the Gospel is proclaimed in its purity and the Sacraments are administered in accordance with it.

We do all these things at HT conferences the way we do because we want nothing but the best for youth and want to help Lutheran pastors, parents, and congregations to provide it for them and keep them coming to Church, where God’s gifts for us in Word and Sacrament are being given out. These are the formative years when teens really develop a personal understanding of their faith, why would anyone want it to be shaped by the teaching of authoritative people who teach anything less than the pure Gospel of Christ and Him crucified for us?

(For more information from the conferences and pictures from this summer, please visit www.amen2008.org.)

by Aaron Fenker

Recently we truly saw how our world is passing away – there was an earthquake in southern California.  It wasn’t a big earthquake (I’m not sure how that’s possible), but there was still some damage done, nerves shaken, and a reality check given.

Earthquakes are scary – I’ve never lived through one, but I can certainly imagine.  They take from us the one thing that we take for granted, solid footing.  We like to feel that our little world can’t be disturbed, it’s perfect, and that nothing can take it away.  We tell ourselves this every day, many times a day, and we almost believe it.  Then the world groans.  It’s shaken, and our world-view suffers too.

“Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock.  But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall.” (Matthew 7:24-27.)

There is, however, only one way to view the world, and that’s through the Way, the Truth, and the Life.  Jesus knows the world: he made it, he came to it, lived in it, and, ultimately, he died for it.  Our world may be made of rock and it may, at times, seem stable, but it has nothing on Jesus – the Rock of our Salvation.  He is always stable, always there for us, and always there to forgive our failures.

Our failures are many.  We lust, lie, trust in ourselves, and trust in the world.  It seems natural.  Look at what we’ve accomplished, the technology we have, and the buildings we’ve built.  But our accomplishments fall short, technology fails, and buildings fall down.  Yet there is an immovable rock that shall never crumble, fail, or fall short – your baptism.

Baptism is the gift that lifts us out of this failing world, and clothes us in Christ.  At the font the Lord took us into his hands, and will never let us go.  He continually builds us up through words of comfort – the Absolution, his Word preached and spoken.  And he gives us true food – Christ’s body and blood – to strengthen our bodies and souls to everlasting life.

This world may fall apart, shake, rattle, and roll you about, and the big one might “finally come.”  But we know it has.  The ground shook when Christ died and rose.  The bars of hell are broken, and the gates of heaven have burst open to receive you, who have received Christ in all his wonderful gifts.

Aaron Fenker is a seminarian living in Cincinnati, OH.  He will begin second year coursework at Concordia Theological Seminary in Ft. Wayne, IN in August.

by the Rev. Rich Heinz

“Paul Hamm won’t be going to the Beijing Olympics, after all,” reported Fox News on Monday.  Hamm suffered a broken hand on May 22 at the national championships, and despite surgery his recovery will not be swift enough to compete.  In his effort to accelerate recovery, Hamm also hurt his rotator cuff.

Newscasters speculate that this withdrawal will likely end Paul Hamm’s gymnastic career.  This is quite a blow, both to Paul and his twin brother, Morgan (a fellow Olympic teammate), as well as the U.S. gymnastics team.  It seems as if they – and Paul in particular – have some unfulfilled dreams.

Paul Hamm has worked hard for years.  Before and after completing his degree at Ohio State, he has trained and prepared himself to receive Olympic medals.  Yet now he himself will not enter the Beijing arena.

Moses seemed to have some unfulfilled dreams too.  He worked hard for 40 years, wandering in the wilderness with the children of Israel.  Under God’s direction, he had prepared a whole nation to receive the gift of the Promised Land.  Yet he himself would not enter it.

But wait!  Moses’ dreams were not unfulfilled!  Yes, he dreamed of entering the Promised Land.  Yes, he was prevented from entering Canaan.  However, the Lord took him directly to the true Promised Land, bypassing the earthly shadow that the rest of the nation would enter with Joshua.  His dreams were not unfulfilled – they were fully realized, and more!

This week, whether he realized it or not, Paul Hamm was given a gift.  He will not have the gift of competing in Beijing.  Nevertheless, there is a gift in the injured hand.  Throughout his recovery, Paul will be shown his complete and utter dependence on the mercy of God.   The Lord will display to him the greater gifts: the loving forgiveness and grace of Christ – undeserved, unearned, given freely.

We all can get caught up in thinking we deserve something because of the effort and time we have invested.  There are few people who invest more than Olympians.  Perhaps that is what makes Paul Hamm such a prime example of our inability to count on our own strength, knowledge, and perseverance.  He did everything possible to realize his dream, but now he cannot attain it.

Jesus, however, is our great Champion.  He has accomplished the victory of salvation and given that “gold medal” to us without any merit or worthiness in us.  Like Paul Hamm, Jesus’ hands are scarred.  Unlike Paul Hamm, Jesus’ wounds impact every one of us.  Far more than one’s self, a brother, or a team, Christ’s injuries impact the world! His scars are comforting, eternal marks of love poured out for us.  Those wounds are wondrous trophies for the King whose crown was not Olympic laurels, but twisted thorns.

Now, our Savior gives you Himself, as water and blood flow from His wounds.  The injuries Jesus suffered not only fulfill your dreams, they exceed them!  Life’s plans may change, and the Lord may gift you with suffering and injuries, but you will always have Holy Gifts coming from His hands that were wounded—for you!

The Rev. Rich Heinz is Pastor of Saint John’s Lutheran Church & School in Lanesville, Indiana.  He serves as front page editor for HigherThings.org.  Pastor Heinz is not much of a sports fanatic, but does enjoy viewing some gymnastics and swimming events every four years in the Summer Olympics.

by The Rev. William Cwirla

The Amen-Irvine youth conference came to its worshipful ending yesterday afternoon, and what a week it was!  Though smaller in numbers than Amen-Scranton and St. Louis, the worship at Amen-Irvine was no less joyful and exuberant.  Dare I say, it was fun.  Did I just say that?  Well, if you were there to hear my last liturgical catechesis, you know what I mean.  Fun.  It goes without saying that play is fun.  And it’s a pretty sad thing when work isn’t fun, at least some of the time.  But worship?  Yes, worship too.

I had great, holy fun serving as chaplain at Amen-Irvine.  I come away from the experience humbled and awed by the power of the Word and the sublime mystery of the Sacrament.  I have a greater respect for my brothers who have served as chaplains at previous conferences.  My thanks go out to all my brothers who served as liturgists, readers, preachers, and assistants, and to the CCV crew who served as our ushers, reminding people to set their phones to the “liturgical” (off) position.  Ten services in four days is lots of hard work, and a great deal of holy fun. 

Our worship space was novel, the multi-use chapel/auditorium on the campus of Concordia-Irvine.  Reflective of 70’s functional architectural style, the curved hard surfaces and poured concrete floor provided a lively acoustical environment.  The art was modern and largely abstract.  We still can’t quite figure out that mobile dangling from the front which looked like 39 ginsu knives twirling above the altar.  I’m told it was supposed to represent the great cloud of witnesses, but they looked more like the stand/sit/kneel people from Worship Supplement (1969).  That’s how it goes with abstract symbol.  As a woodworker, I appreciated the inlaid altar and pulpit.  We added a few Higher Things touches with our long green banners and our processional crucifix. 

The splendid Casavant pipe organ, with its prominent trumpets and that jingly thing called a Zimbelstern, was played expertly by Dr. William Heide.  The pick-up choir, directed by Mrs. Audrey Mink of Lutheran High-Orange, was a fine example of a liturgical choir as they sang the psalms antiphonally with the congregation and chanted the Magnificat in harmony.  They even gave us a playful Easter surprise during the offering in the Divine Service with a lively rendering of All You Works of God, Bless the Lord (LSB #930), the “Song of the Three Young Men,” a liturgical text from the Apocrypha, set to a Jamaican calypso melody replete with drums, wood blocks, and other unidentified percussive instruments.   I thought of Psalm 150:  “Praise Him with timbrel and dance; praise him with strings and pipe!  Praise him with sounding cymbals; praise him with loud clashing cymbals!”  I heard that Amen-Poconos actually had loud clashing cymbals, along with timpanis.  We didn’t have any dance, but I was tapping my boots behind the altar.  Such fun it is to live as free people.

The conference hymns cut a wide swath through time and place, from the Reformation to the 20th century.  A Mighty Fortress, Thine the Amen, Lo, He Comes, Eternal Father Strong to Save, and of course, that delightful conference hymn, Our Paschal Lamb, That Sets Us Free with all its Alleluias and Amens.  This kind of richness and diversity is one of the great strengths of our Lutheran heritage, showing the world that we are not some isolated sect mired in any one particular century or mode of song, but that our hymnody, like our doctrine, reflects the true catholicity of the faith and the universality of Christ’s redemption.

We had incense too!  We didn’t just sing about it – “let my prayer rise before you as incense” – we actually saw and smelled it rising up around the altar/throne of grace, reminding us by way of symbol that our prayers are sweet smelling to God for the sake of His Son’s sacrifice for our sin.

My deepest impression, however, is reserved for the young worshipers who were gathered at Irvine over those four momentous days.  What a terrific congregation they were!  Attentive, actively participating, reverent.  They stood and sat without the need for me to flap my arms.  They listened so attentively to the read and preached Word that you could literally hear a pin drop during the speaker’s silent pauses. 

My fondest memory is Evening Prayer on Wednesday evening.  I will cherish this memory all the days of my life.  They had all gone to the beach to play and were scheduled to return by 10 PM.  (I was mired in a meeting – truly there is nothing new under the sun.)  The word came that they were running late.  “It’s going to be late and light,” I warned Dr. Heide.  He played a long introduction.  We dutifully set up the Christ candle and the incense and prepared the little individual candles to hand out, certain they wouldn’t all be used.  When we stepped out to begin the procession of light, lo and behold, there they all were!  A tired, sandy, salty congregation ready for worship.  And they were literally glowing in the dark, wearing multi-colored glow-in-the-dark necklaces and headbands from the beach party!  You are truly the light of the world, a city set high on a hill.

There are many approaches to presiding at worship.  Mine is what a friend of mine calls “relaxed dignity.”  My image of worship is the family of God gathered at the thanksgiving (eucharistic) table, and my role as presider is that of father of the family – strong, loving, wise, gentle, playful, fatherly.  Worship embraces the totality of who we are as redeemed humanity – fear, awe, wonder, reverence, sorrow, joy, laughter, tears.  Here, in the presence of our merciful God we are finally free to be ourselves, baptized into Christ, clothed with Him, sanctified in Him.

David said, “I was glad when they said to me, let’s go to the house of the Lord.”  The Word was preached into ears.  The Body and Blood of Christ was put into mouths.  Prayer, praise, and thanksgiving were spoken, chanted, and sung.  There was joy and gladness.  And fun.  It’s fun to be a child of God.  It’s fun to worship.  It’s fun to dare to be Lutheran.  Holy Amen fun!

Pastor Cwirla serves Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Hacienda Heights, CA. He served as the chaplain for the Amen Conference held at Concordia University in Irvine, California. He is currently the Vice President of Higher Things.