Dreams

Today is the day that our new president of the LCMS begins his term. (His installation is Sept. 11 in St. Louis.) He, like all the faithful men before him, is in need of our prayers. And like all the other times before this one, this day is a day to dream. I found this from my friend Will and it is very good.

What the Church is is not what it should be, or could be. The Church is always aspiring to something better, is always looking expectantly to be what God created her to be.

And while I am very hopeful for the term of Pres. Harrison to begin, do not be deceived that my hope is in him. My hope is in the triune God and my prayers are for God's blessings to be on our new president and for God's grace to be poured out on our society through the faithful ministrations of pastors, church workers, and laity.

Here are some dreams to ponder, again from my friend Will:
Here are some of my dreams, though, for my beloved Synod:

A more merciful Church - greater involvement in alleviating human suffering and bringing the love of Christ to bear in tangible ways in our local communities and throughout the world.

A more evangelical Church - no, not in THAT sense; in the true sense. A Church where the Gospel rings out with its unquenchable joy and shapes all we say and do, and where the Gospel (not the Law!) moves our mission work.


A more liturgical Church - learning to live responsibly within our liturgical heritage in the way Krauth: "possessing liturgical life without liturgical bondage." A Church where the full and rich heritage of Lutheran hymnody rings out full-throated from our congregations.


A more prayerful Church - where the Daily Office, the Litany and such come into their own and shape our parishes as places of prayer. If "my Father's house shall be called a house of prayer for all people" let us return our parishes from being fund-raising organizations to being prayer-raising communities.


A more giving Church - where we recover a lively sense of sacrifice, of sharing earthly goods from the charity that the Gospel has planted in our hearts.


A more gentle Church - where the 8th commandment is truly honored in our practice, above all in learning to explain our neighbor's actions in the kindest way and where we remember the wise words of the Apology that harmony in the Church cannot last unless pastors and churches mutually overlook many things.


A more peaceful Church - where the hope of the future that will surely be ours at our Lord's Appearing removes all hastiness and fear and gives us a calm and measured ability to evaluate the challenges before us.


A more educated Church - where a deep and abiding love for the Word of God leads to full Bible classes and devout reading of the Word in our homes.

It is said that over time, a parish takes on the characteristics of her pastor. The above I find to be characteristics of our new President. I hope that in time, the Synod will become like him in that way.
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Those dreams for prayer, mercy, worship, love, peace, the Gospel,sacrifice...those are ways God's Church is known, seen, and experienced. May God grant it by His grace!