Gottesblog

As in many other parishes, we hold an additional prayer office each week in Lent. Compline has settled into being the office we use most years, though Vespers and Evening Prayer have had their turns. But what of the readings?

The  incomparable Dr. William Tighe, an Anglophile Eastern Rite (Ukranian) Catholic professor of history (specializing in the English and Scandinavian Reformations) teaching at a college named for the pioneer of American Lutheranism, for some reason likes to read this blog. More than that, he likes to send the editors books. Good books. Really good books. Books you should read this Lent as part of your spiritual exercise. Here are the sparest of reviews for two of them.

Preaching is hard. This is the double plus profound conclusion I have come to. It is embarrassing to read back over many of my old sermons. Some I still like. Many I think were just...bad. I'm sure you've had similar experience. The preachers I respect the most are those who struggle with it the most and don't rest on their laurels.

So by now you have probably discovered that they didn't tell you everything in the seminary. Indeed, that it's a long list. But what I had in mind today was about the nuts and bolts of being a parish pastor. It seems odd that this would be one of the lacunae of seminary education - I think the plan is that this is what you are supposed to pick up from your fieldwork supervisor and vicarage bishop. And fair enough: we all learn a lot there.

Undoubtedly you have by now seen that the former bassist of Megadeath is enrolled in SMP through CSL. Well, good for him. I wish him every blessing in Christ.

This may be old news to many, but it was new to me. If you came out of seminary with any federal backed student debt, read this.

We had a great time at Redeemer's Free Conference yesterday and more Gottesdienst events are on their way for later this week. Alas, parish duties have called me back to Illinois, but if you are in Fort Wayne or on your way, don't forget to stop by the Gottesdienst booth and attend the Sabre Ceremony on Thursday.

A unanimous US Supreme Court has dismissed the employment discrimination case against Hosanna-Tabor Lutheran Church. This is the best decision for the religious life of the nation - though I remain immensely uncomfortable with the MO Synod's language about "ministers."  Read all about it.

I hope that you are planning on coming up to Fort Wayne for the Symposia - which looks to be especially good this year with the main guest being Richard Bauckham - and that you can come early for Redeemer's Free Conference on Monday (see the post below). Once again we will be using the Brotherhood Prayer Book for Vespers with instruction in Gregorian chant coming from its editor, Dr. Benjamin Mayes.

Have you received the CSL 2012 calendar yet? Instead of complaining about it, let's make it a game. The game is: spot the errors, in doctrine, practice, or fact. I'll go first: nice picture for February, Alma Mater! Thanks for supporting classic, traditional, Methodist practice!

I would be very appreciative if someone with access to the Graebner's essay, "Our Liturgical Chaos," could scan it in and email it to me. pastorcurtis AT gmail DOT com