On November 7, the Higher Things Board of Directors adopted new Bylaws that, among other changes, increased the number of directors to nine, including the president, vice-president, treasurer, and secretary. Lynn Fredericksen was elected to a one-year term as treasurer and director. Pr. William M. Cwirla, who is already a director, was elected vice-president.

The board of directors elected three new directors: Bruce Paradis, Richard Resch, and Beverly Yahnke.

Mr. Bruce J. Paradis is the Chief Executive Officer of Residential Capital Corporation, a market leader in real estate finance, headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Bruce and his wife, Lisa, are members of Glory of Christ Lutheran Church in Plymouth, MN. They have six sons – Eric, Jason, Seth, Paul, Nicholas and Michael.

The Rev. Richard Resch is an accomplished liturgical organist who seves as Kantor at Concordia Theological Seminary and St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Ft. Wayne, IN. He is also professor of liturgics and homiletics and has served on the LC-MS Commission on Worship, and is co-director of The Good Shepherd Institute. Rev. Resch has produced nine CDs of church music. His wife’s name is Barbara, and they have two children – Matthew and Allison.

Dr. Beverly Yahnke is the founder and clinical director of Christian Counseling Services in Milwaukee. Formerly, she served as a psychology professor at Concordia University in Mequon and received the Faculty Laureate award for outstanding teaching. As a Christian psychologist she is able to invite people to integrate the resources of their faith into the healing process. Her husband, David, is a physician who also teaches at Concordia Mequon. They are members at Elm Grove Ev. Lutheran Church in Wisconsin. They enjoy skiing, scuba and travel.

We are pleased to add these wonderfully qualified and dedicated people to our board of directors. Each brings a wealth of experience, wisdom, and perspective together with a Christ-centered love for our church’s youth.

The Youth of Advent Lutheran Church invite you to join them for the HIGHER THINGS WINTER RETREAT 2006

When: January 13th, 14th, & 15th (Friday evening to Sunday morning)

WHERE: Advent Evangelical Lutheran Church – 11250 N Michigan Road, Zionsville, IN 46077 (Metropolitan Indianapolis)

Higher Things is an organization dedicated to assisting congregations in the Christian training of youth through instruction in the Lutheran faith and by promoting Lutheran identity through the same. Higher Things does this through a number of means including conferences and our quarterly magazine for youth.

KEYNOTE SPEAKER
� Rev. Klemet Preus (Glory of Christ Lutheran Church, Plymouth, MN) – How To Argue About Jesus

BREAK-OUT SESSION SPEAKERS
� Dr. Richard Bucher (Our Redeemer Lutheran Church, Lexington, KY) – How To Argue Using the Bible � Rev. Sean Ballard (Our Savior Lutheran Church, Indianapolis, IN) – How To Argue Beyond Race & Culture � Rev. Peter Cage (Grace Lutheran Church, Muncie, IN) – How To Argue With Teachers & Professors

To register or for more information please call 317- 873-6318 Email: 
<info@adventlutheran.org>

My tongue will speak of your righteousness and of your praises all day long. – Psalms 35:28

Registration Information
Everyone who attends the Higher Things Winter Retreat must register. 
Registration is open now and will close on December 19, 2005 unless we reach capacity before that date. We urge you to register as soon as possible. The cost to registrants is $75.00 each and is due at the time registration forms are sent. Send completed registration and one check payable to Advent Evangelical Lutheran Church forms to:

Registration Information
Group Registration Form
Individual Registration Form

Higher Things Winter Retreat
Advent Evangelical Lutheran Church
11250 N. Michigan Road
Zionsville, IN 46077

Who is invited to the Higher Things Winter Retreat
1.  Youth. While Higher Things conferences are specifically designed for High School youth, registration is open to any youth who will have been confirmed by the retreat date.
2.  Adult Youth Leaders. Adult leaders must be 21 years of age and be willing to help organize your trip and supervise your group’s youth participants. It is strongly recommended that you have at least one adult male and one adult female leader (unless your group includes only boys or girls). Higher Things prescribes a ratio of one adult per seven youth participants.

Tentative Retreat Schedule

Friday:
4:45 – 6:00 Registration
6:15 – 6:50 Dinner
7:00 – 7:15 Welcome and Announcements
7:15 – 8:00 Catechesis I
8:10 – 9:50 Icebreakers and organized fun (Movie night details TBA) 10:00 PM Evening Prayer

Saturday:
9:00 – 9:30 Matins
9:40 – 10:25 Catechesis II
10:35 – 11:25 Breakout Session 1
11:35 – 12:25 Breakout Session 2
12:35 – 1:15 Lunch
1:15 – 2:00 Catechesis III
2:00 – 4:00 Free Time or organized fun time (Rec games at a local gym) 4:00 – 4:55 Breakout Session 3
5:05 – 5:35 Vespers
5:45 – 6:30 Dinner at the church
6:30 – 7:15 Panel Discussion: Arguing About Jesus (Among Ourselves) 7:30 – 9:50 Social mixer hosted by Advent’s youth (details TBA) 10:00 – 10:30 Evening Prayer

Sunday:
Divine Worship with Communion (exact schedule to be announced)

Sincerely,
Pastor John Fiene

Higher Things requests
the pleasure of your company at
THE FEAST,
the Higher Things 2006 Youth Conference.

R.S.V.P. Requested.

Download Registration Forms and more information at
www.TheFeastOnline.org

Send completed Registration Forms to:

Higher Things – 2006 Conference
PMB #4304
2525 Broadway
Everett, WA 98201

1-888-HTCONF06
(1-888-482-6630)
thefeast@higherthings.org

Registration is now open. Come to The Feast!

—
Sandra Ostapowich
Publications, Team Feast

The Exorcism of Emily Rose is a courtroom drama based on a true story. The defendant and hero is a Roman priest who is accused of negligent homicide. The accusation against him is that he abused his position and the trust of  Emily Rose and her family by urging her to stop taking medication and failing to guide them to necessary medical treatment in favor of exorcism. The story of her possession and exorcism are told through flashbacks while witnesses take the stand.

The movie is well-written, directed, and acted. It is the most sympathetic portrayal of a clergyman I can think of from Hollywood, and that was nice. The priest is portrayed as a noble, honest, and selfless.
 
I was also pleased that what we saw of the rite of exorcism was in English, not Latin, and it was lacking a lot of ceremonial trappings. If it had been in Latin, or Holy water had been more prominent, and such, it would have seemed like a magical incantation, instead of the Word of God. It was not portrayed as magic. It was clear that the Word of God would drive these demons off or nothing would. Though there was never a clear witness of the Gospel (that Jesus died for us, loves us, etc) the Name of Jesus was dominant in the rite of exorcism. That was good. There was also a nice scene were the priest drove off the devil by praying to St. Michael. Yes, I’d rather that that he had prayed to Our Lord for St. Michael’s help, but that is probably not how a roman priest would pray.
And, for what it is worth, I have no doubt that God answers the pious, but ignorant, prayers of His children in the Roman Church even when they are wrongly addressed to the saints.

For all of that I had a number of problems with the movie.

Number 1: too scary. I knew it would be, but still it needs to be said.  It was rated PG-13 and I am sure Hollywood thought it was cute. The problem is that this isn’t fiction. Demons are real. I am not scared by R-rated movies of aliens and vampires and machine guns. I am scared by demons. Don’t go see this movie if you’re prone to nightmares or get nervous when alone at home.

Number 2: It is the not the purpose of the lives of the saints to show us that demons are real (the stated purpose of Emily Rose). Nor is the purpose of the saints to show us that there is a God that battles demons. Rather, the lives of the saints show us that God is merciful in Jesus Christ. The Gospel was missing from this movie and because of that the Roman church’s doctrine was not accurately portrayed nor was the witness and suffering of Emily Rose really given it proper place or explanation. It could have been worse. This is probably about the best we can expect from Hollywood, but it wasn’t quite right.

Number 3: Demons are both more powerful than depicted in the movie, and are also far less powerful. They are more powerful in that they’re not that interested in causing a pencil to roll off a desk or slam doors just to scare you; nor are they so limited that a cold wind blows or you smell something burning and then it just goes away. I can’t think of a single account of demonic activity in the Scriptures that has these kinds of activities happening. At the same time, demons are powerless when confronted by Christ. One little word can fell them. In Christ, we have power over demons. We can command them to go away. They are also very busy. They are at war. We are surrounded by the armies of God. He doesn’t just let one slip through to slam a door now and then. St.
Michael and the holy angels keep the demons busy and us safe. That is a promise. The demons can and do harass us from time to time but they are not in control of themselves. Remember: Satan is God’s Satan. God is in control and God keeps His promises.

Number 4: We don’t choose crosses. In the movie St. Mary (a problem all its own) gives Emily Rose the choice of dying and being relieved of the demons by going to heaven or staying and fighting so that more people will see that the spiritual realm is real. She is told she will not be relieved of the demons until she dies. She chooses to stay and suffer more in order to enlighten the world. No way. Luther would have said: “Let me out of here.” We don’t choose our crosses. If they were optional, we’d opt out. God uses them for good. And I am certainly not saying that the sufferings of Emily Rose were in vain. But we don’t choose them. I suppose it is good that the world recognizes the spiritual realm as real,  but what they really need to recognize and believe is that Jesus lives. Anyway, we don’t seek crosses. Jesus prayed in the garden the cup be removed. Emily Rose was not holier than Jesus is. Choosing to endure this longer than necessary was strange and misleading. It hinted at a kind of works-righteousness.
 
Summary: This is a very thought-provoking movie, but very, very scary.  Whatever was wrong with it from a Lutheran perspective, it is astounding that Hollywood would make a movie that so favorably portrays Christians and a Roman priest. They did get their jabs in at the unseen “archdiocese,” but compared to normal Hollywood fare that was even mild.

Should you see it? I don’t know. I do think that even though it is only PG-13 before seeing it you should secure your parents approval.

The Rev. David Petersen is pastor of Redeemer in Fort Wayne, IN and serves on the editorial board for the magazine and regularly contributes to our website.

How would you like to have the Dare to be Lutheran Conference on DVD? Click here to download an order form.

If you haven’t visited the Higher Things Forums lately, you don’t know what you are missing!

We have online forums for Lutheran youth. Discussions take place on everything from “Is Harry Potter ok to read?” to “What exactly is angel-morphic Christology?” There are even forums for Lutheran College students.

Have a theological question?  You can ask them on the Forums!  Got something just nutty to say?  Talk about it on the Forums!  Why not check them out right now? 

Oh … and vote Borghardt in the “Cage Match!”

Over the past year, Higher Things has provided Reflections for personal, family, small group, and congregational devotions.  Starting with a printable booklet of daily Reflections for the upcoming 2005-06 Advent and Christmas seasons, Higher Things will be providing daily Reflections for the entire year (1-year Lectionary).  Each season’s Reflections will be available to download in a printable booklet format about four weeks before the start of the next season.  Throughout the actual season, Reflections will continue to be posted daily on the website and distributed via email.  Reflections are available free of charge, a gift from Higher Things to you.  If you’d like support all that we do at HT with a donation, you may do so at our website at http://higherthings.org/html/support.html or by mailing a check to:  Higher Things, P.O. Box 82 , Hamel , MN   55340 .  Copies may be made of the Reflections booklets, we only ask that they be reprinted in their entirety without alteration.

DOWNLOAD ADVENT/CHRISTMAS BOOKLET

Have a blessed Advent and Christmas!

Sandra Ostapowich
Higher Things, Secretary and Internet Services Team

In remembrance of the Festival of the Reformation, Higher Things Internet Services is proud to gift you with a Higher Things Reformation. After three years our web site is getting a face lift.

For the past two months Higher Things Internet Services, led by the Rev. George Borghardt III has been working on a number of changes to the Higher Things web site. Our new look is a new approach to the web for HT, and from here it only gets bigger and better. HT Internet Services has been working extremely hard to give you a sharp new look for the web, and thanks to the talented and impressive design efforts of Mrs. Sandra Ostapowich we are pleased to present you with a gift, the new Higher Things web site, or as we call it, a Higher Things Reformation.

So without further adieu, here it is. All it’s glory and gift, for you. Pax Christi!

Would your pastor do THIS to help your group get to “The Feast?”

Registration opens November 15! Start planning today!

Serenity: Good ole’Sci-Fi with a New Twist

I just saw Serenity last night.  This movie is kind of the culmination of a minor sci-fi cult following in a series called Firefly.  There are fan clubs, forums, more geekiness than you can imagine, unless you have ever been to a Dr. Who convention (been there; done that).  So what makes a movie like this tick?  Do you have to be a part of the in-group in order to watch the movie?

No.  that was one of the things I really enjoyed about the movie.  I hadn’t seen any of the TV series before seeing the movie last night, but it didn’t matter.  It was well written,  with a good balance of dialogue and action.  AND there wasn’t a lot of insider stuff that sci-fi flicks are often known for.  It is a good action adventure that most anyone should be able to pick up on, strap in and enjoy.

So let’s apply the Clint Eastwood rule to Serenity and see how we do:

The Good

The action was good.  It moved well.  As a techno-nerd, I enjoyed the ships and guns, and just enough fight scenes to really keep my interest and keep things movie.  In the same way, there is a level of depth to the characters that goes beyond your typical Steven Segal or Alien vs. Predator type movie.

The Bad

There wasn’t any really offensive language that I remembered, which is unusual and very good.  Probably the most offensive part to the movie was the positive portrayel of the “companion” character named Inara Serra.  A companion is a prostitute.  My problem with the character is that prostitution is really held up as a noble and honorable profession, because it “services” the natural urges of humanity.  Ugh.

The Ugly (that is, the parts that really make the movie tick for the Christian)

Probably the two parts to the movie that I enjoyed the most were first of all the positive portrayal of a (presumably) Christian pastor known as Shepherd.  He is a fairly minor character, but he is depicted as having a firm sense of right and wrong, of self-sacrifice, and as providing a kind of moral compass in the midst of dark times.  Obviously Shepherd is no Lutheran, but that is a twist in a sci-fi flick to me.  He is also martyred, which is a nice touch.

The second really enjoyable part is watching Captain Mal Reynolds.  Reynolds struggles with whether his vocation as the captain of his ship is to take care of his crew and pasengers, to himself, or to larger needs of humanity (I don’t want to say more without giving up the plot). 

The bottom line is that it is a good flick, it moves well, and that it would give some good opportunities to talk about vocation and sacrifice.

I give it an 8 of 10.

Enjoy!

Pr. Todd Peperkorn
Pastor
Sci-Feek Geek
New Firefly Fan