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HEARTLAND - eNews from LCA Bishop John Henderson

26 March 2015

So the crowd that had been with him when he called Lazarus out of the tomb and raised him from the dead continued to testify. It was also because they heard that he had performed this sign that the crowd went to meet him. The Pharisees then said to one another, “You see, you can do nothing. Look, the world has gone after him!” John 12:17–19 (NRSV)

Then [Pilate] handed him over to them to be crucified. So they took Jesus; and carrying the cross by himself, he went out to what is called The Place of the Skull, which in Hebrew is called Golgotha. There they crucified him…” John 19:16–18 (NRSV)

From popular adulation to lonely crucifixion. Through the coming Holy Week we will follow our Lord Jesus Christ on that journey.

It’s important that we don’t rush into Easter without walking this journey first. The prelude to his resurrection is suffering and death. Without it, resurrection, and therefore our salvation, would not be possible. Jesus Christ, true God and true human being, resolutely took on himself the sins of the world. Because of this choice, voluntarily taken on in love and out of obedience to his Father, “the third day he rose from the dead, he ascended into heaven, and sits on the right hand of God, the Father almighty, whence he shall come to judge the living and the dead.” (Apostles Creed, Second Article)

This is ‘ground zero’, that God should love the world so much as to give his only Son. It is our hope, and our life. I pray that you can find some time this Holy Week and Good Friday to be still, pray, and worship. In the words of the Apostle Paul, “I pray that you may have the power to comprehend, with all the saints, what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.”

A little more about the Ordination: We're Listening website

Last weekend the website felt a little ill when it was hacked by a pro ISIS group. Our trusty tech soon brought it back to life, however, and it continues to thrive. In particular I draw your attention to the Question and Answer section on the Home page, which contains the following:
           1. History of the debate
           2. Hermeneutics and the ordination dialogue
           3. Affirming the ordination of men only
           4. Affirming the ordination of both men and women
           9. What does the Church lose or gain from the ordination of  women?
           10. Disagreement over doctrine

As you can see, Q&As 5-8 are still to arrive, and will do so soon.

I remind you of the booklet How to plan a local dialogue for use in your congregation, parish, or ministry group. Many have found this to be a valuable resource.

Finally, papers continue to be added to the Digging a Little Deeper page – check it out if you want to see what people are saying. The documents on this page are not LCA endorsed statements, and you will find points of agreement and disagreement there. If you want to contribute to the conversation, the instructions on how to do so are on the page. You can also subscribe to the page to be notified when new materials go up.

All this material, of course, is there to help us prepare for the General Convention of Synod. We will soon be providing prayer resources for you to pray as we prepare for the Convention. In the meantime you might like to check out the Convention website, which contains a short Bible Study series for local use on the Synod theme.

Pastor Tom Pietsch

Pastor Tom Pietsch, accompanied by his wife Chelsea and baby Benedict, will soon be travelling to the USA to undertake advanced theological study. This is at the request of the LCA as part of Tom’s service to the church. We pray for their safety during this time, and look forward to receiving the benefits of Tom’s labours on his return.

A personal note

I would like to thank the many members of the LCA who send me prayer messages and other greetings. I appreciate these very much, and I continue to pray for you, as you pray for me and for our Church. I also thank the many of you who write in to share your views on the faith and life of the church. We are a vibrant body of Christians who care deeply about our faith, and strive daily to follow Jesus in faithfulness and truth. It is a special gift to share in that with you. I celebrate how God daily lifts us up in the power of our baptism, drawing us closer to him and to our heavenly home.

I will be taking a short period of personal leave during Holy Week.

John Henderson
Bishop
26 March 2015


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