The Praying Church
"What could the church do? What could it do in those last years of Jerusalem to solve the problem of Palestine, which the world's political leaders have been trying in vain for centuries to do? What could the church do to stop the ruin of the Roman Empire and of the inestimable treasures of ancient culture? Instead of holding world conferences and having endless debates about the boundaries between church and culture, it went on praying without ceasing and sang the Te Deum on the debris of a world that was coming to an end. None of its prayers were in vain."
- Hermann Sasse, Sanctorum Communio (1974)
The Rev. Kurt Reinhardt will address the topic: Is Christian prayer ever private? It's always personal but we never pray alone. A native of Ottawa and a graduate of Queen's University in Kingston and Concordia Lutheran Theological Seminary in St. Catherines, Pastor Reinhardt has served since 1999 as Pastor of Trinity Evangelical Church in Kurtzville, near Listowel, Ontario. He is the author of My Light and My Salvation, a collection of poetry that aims to be both ecumenical and evangelistic in its scope.
The Rev. Stefan Gramenz and the Rev. Evan Scamman will report on The Lutheran Missal Project. This project has involved extensive research of both Latin missals and 16th Lutheran Church Orders. Pastor Gramenz graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English literature from Concordia University, Mequon, and from Concordia Theological Seminary in Fort Wayne. Since 2018 he has been Pastor of the Lutheran Church of Christ the King in Pawling, New York. Pastor Scamman Pastor Scamman graduated with an Associate in Arts degree from Grays Harbor College in Aberdeen, Washington, and from Concordia Theological Seminary in Fort Wayne. Since 2018 he has been Pastor of First Lutheran Church in Greenwich, Connecticut.
The Rev. Roy Axel Coats will speak on Providence and Prayer in Martin Chemnitz.
Pastor Coats has served at the Lutheran Church of the Redeemer in Baltimore since 2010. He graduated with a Bachelor's in Liberal Arts from Thomas Aquinas College in Santa Paula, California. He then attended Concordia Theological Seminary in Fort Wayne, Indiana, completing his studies before being called to serve Redeemer Church. Pastor Coats is on the board of the Wyneken Project and is active in the Maryland Chapter of Lutherans for Life.
Conference Schedule:
Monday, April 24 – Monday after the Misericordias Domini/ Saint Mark's Eve
11:00 AM – Divine Service
12:30 PM – Lunch
1:00 PM – “Is Christian Prayer Ever Private?” Part I – (The Rev. Kurt Reinhardt, Pastor, Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church, Kurtsville, Ontario)
2:30 PM – “Providence and Prayer in Martin Chemnitz” (The Rev. Roy Axel Coats, Pastor, Lutheran Church of the Redeemer, Baltimore, MD)
4:00 PM – First Vespers of Saint Mark's Day
5:00 PM – Gemütlichkeit
Tuesday, April 26 – Saint Mark's Day
9:00 AM – Matins
9:30 AM – “Is Christian Prayer Ever Private?” Part II (The Rev. Kurt Reinhardt)
11:00 AM – Litany in Procession and Divine Service
12:30 PM – Lunch
1:00 PM – “The Lutheran Missal Project” (The Rev. Stefan Gramenz, Pastor, Lutheran Church of Christ the King, Pawling, New York and The Rev. Evan Scamman, Pastor, First Lutheran Church, Greenwich, Connecticut)
2:00 PM – Panel Discussion
2:45 PM – Itinerarium: Prayer for Travelers
Additionally, we will have:
The Rev. Eric Bednash
Pastor of Saint James Lutheran Church
Baltimore, Maryland
Preacher at Divine Service
Rev. Kevin Barron
Pastor of Calvary Lutheran Church
Baltimore, Maryland
Preacher at Divine Service
Rev. J. Thomas Foelber
Visitor of Circuit 3
Baltimore, Maryland
Preacher at Vespers
The Rev. Brian Westgate
Pastor of Saint Paul's Church, Kouts, Indiana
Conference Organist
The Saint Mark’s Conference concerns the confessional, sacramental, and liturgical life of the Church of the Augsburg Confession. It is hosted by Our Saviour Lutheran Church, Baltimore, Maryland and is open to interested clergy and lay persons.
Details and registration information are at the conference website: http://www.oursaviourbaltimore.org/conference