A New Assistant to the Bishop

As just announced over the Synod News from Bishop Mayan:

Dear Friends -

In anticipation of Synod Convention, and preparing for the possible contingency of my re-election as bishop, in February and March I invited four strong clergy candidates to consider the possibility of serving as assistant to the bishop. After careful discernment processes, as well as an interview process, I selected one of the four to consider this position. The candidate responded strongly in the affirmative. The Synod Council, meeting Sunday June 6th, voted unanimously to extend a call to special service - assistant to the bishop, to the Rev. Dr. Larry Kochendorfer (Ascension - Edmonton). This call will be accepted by Larry in short order. Larry was introduced as the assistant to the bishop at the closing Eucharist of the Synod Convention and was greeted with applause and a standing ovation. Larry will assume his duties on 1 August, 2010 and will be installed in September at a date and time yet to be set. The installation service will take place at Ascension, Edmonton.

In the meantime, please keep Larry, Cathy and their family - together with the congregation of Ascension - in your prayers as they move through this transition. So also, the Synod staff as we prepare to receive our new partner in ministry. Soli Deo Gloria!

Blessings!

+Ron

Deciphering the Convention - An Addendum

There is one major accomplishment that the convention also achieved. We elected a Bishop, and this is of course something for which we give thanks to God.

It was such quick election that it never seemed that Bishop Ron's role as our Bishop was in question. And the votes demonstrated that. He is our Bishop and that is something to be thankful for.

Tim's "Crappy" Sermon

Sermon for Synod Convention

Friday, June 4^th, 2010

Augustana Campus, Camrose

Pastor Tim Wray

(Hymn: There’s a wideness in God’s mercy)


Grace to you and Peace from God our Father, through our Lord and savior Jesus Christ.
As I studied this pericope I began playing a game with my eleven month old son. The game goes like this....”mercy...mercy...mercy...JUDGEMENT!” It gets him every time; tears, screaming, red in the face, filled diaper...He hates it. And here I am this morning patterning my sermon on this game that’s not a game.


The parable of the fig tree is the second half of a Lukan judgment text. Yes, you heard me, Jesus is talking about judgment. Are you listening, ELCIC? Are you listening, Alberta Synod? Are you listening, preacher boy?


In the absence of fruit, regeneration emerges from manure.
And yet, there is a tendency in our industrial, virtual, processed, protestant culture to think of manure as the enemy. Among us float fruit filled fantasies, “if we could just build a church free of all the manure we’ve been wading through since 1986 (and earlier) everything would be so much more…fruitful.”


And it makes sense that we might believe this…if you want your engine to run efficiently, get rid of the build up. If you want your plumming to run swift, flush the pipes. If you want your computer to avoid crashing, keep ahead of the viruses. It’s all simple enough. And simple it is. So simple are human beings, that our most advanced technologies require clean and sanitary environments to work. And we think we’ve really done something special. But dump a load of manure in the middle of Apple or Black Berry’s dust free production line and see how many workers come running with buckets, not to harvest ripened fruits from the richness of the earth’s humus, but to whisk the contaminant away.


Engineers have built empires out of silicone and steel, but measly manure and all its lively bugs threaten global scale production. Ask Cargill how much research they have put into living fertilizer products and they will teach you that there is just no money in manure, it’s tough to market, hard to control where it will seeps, it’s often laden with weed seeds, and is expensive to transport, not mention a host of other quality control concerns. The stuff is just not conducive to industrial agriculture. And it’s not that there is a shortage of it. Manure is everywhere. In this room alone there are piles of it (literal and metaphorical) just waiting to seep out of us today. We are steeped in the stuff, and yet our accepted way of dealing with manure is to try and flush it away. Make it go away. Take it away.
Manure is of no use to a man made machine and our negative attitude towards the stuff reveals our allegiances to such man made things.


God, on the other hand, has no aversion to manure. I suppose its because God is old and maybe doesn’t care about human inventions like micro chips, mega bits, miles per gallon, margins of profit and manmade efficiency quotients. God seems to care more about growing fruit. Tasty, labor intensive, harvestable fruit. Fruit that you can sink your teeth into. Fruit that can nourish a starving soul. Fruit that is so imbued with life that if it froze and fell on the ground into a pile of manure, by next spring it would morph into a generative tree that could feed the hungry.


The image of fruit from manure piles places God’s glory and God’s ways of doing things in direct contrast to humanities sanitary idols. This is why the parable of the fig tree is part of a judgment text. Judgment that looms heavy upon us as the manure piles up in our lives, in our neighborhoods, in Christ’s church, and a judgement that will soon call us to account for what or who we have put our trust in.


This impending judgment arouses feelings of fear and thoughts of escaping in all of us until the Word of God pierces through the muddle and calls us to resist escapism and root ourselves in the only one who can bring fruit out of all the uncertainty and crap that God’s faithful are wading through.


Jesus teaches us that judgment is clean and swift and on the way, but the cruciform truth is that mercy…mercy graciously percolates in the filth around us, buying us the needed time to return to the Lord. The only down side is that piles of mercy have a tendency to attract maggots and produce smells so uncomfortable that some will not wait around for fruit. Lutherans are no exception. As much as anyone else, we are prone to believe that we might build something better in the absence of all this crap. A church more attractive, efficient, comfortable, and pure. But the text reminds us that manure is our best friend, because in the presence of all this mess is where God stirs us to faithfulness, brings us into fruitfulness and reckons us as righteous.


At this convention, in our prayers, deliberations and conversations, may God stir up poop, merciful mounds of messy manure that safe guard us against ever confusing the church or its fruits or its future with a mechanism of human design. But rather, may we be rooted in the organism of Christ – the one who mercifully farms fruit from those mired in the messiest of situations. Amen.

Evening Worship

Worship last night was powerfully meditative. 

(photos by Rev. Sean Bell)

Deciphering the Convention

We are about to wrap up the convention and sometimes the pace of the last days can play with your mind. On the surface, the speeches and greetings and comments about bylaws and points of order and reports and all, can make it hard to follow, ie. boring. At the same time, the pace is frantic. There is so much so take in, so much to talk about, so many friends to visit, so many new friends to make.

Its tough to know what has all happened in the end. My convention looked like this:

• Thursday - work with the Tech team to run the powerpoint and sound. Try to organize Jam session... fail at Jam session.
• Friday - continue all tech and sound work with teammate Pastor Sean. Co-lead Youth Ministry workshop with Pastor Tim Wray and Pastor Sean Bell. Play the cello for evening worship. Co-lead an epic Campfire with Pastors Tim, Sean, Jason Anderson and Kristian Wold.
• Saturday - continue with Tech work, adding musical intros to duties! Great Fun! And tech work for the Banquet is to come.
• Sunday - Back to St. John of Golden Spike to preach Bishop Ron's sermon for congregations on the Sunday of the convention.

The most important business that we have worked on this convention, in my humble opinion is:

• Conversations about Re-Structuring, which will hopefully become a platform to re-examine what we believe and confess the Church of Christ to be, and as the ELCIC to reform ourselves according to this belief and confession.
• The motion to grant $50,000 to Martin Luther House - Campus Ministry's student residence in Edmonton - for renovation of the basement to help the continuation of this ministry.
• Conversations about Water and its conservation in Alberta. The approval of a motion that asks our Bishop to speak on our behalf to the Government. These issues are important to our context and important for our future.
• Conversations about Youth Ministry. I think I have said enough about that.

Discovering what the results are of this convention is still ongoing, and in the days to come the impact of what we have done here will come to life. Nevertheless, we have worshipped and sang and prayed and remembered and cared and debated passionately and so much more. These are all good things, and I can say now, that this convention has been a good thing for us.

Thanks be to God!

Pastor Erik Parker

And the Turtle Award goes to...

...St. Albert Lutheran Church, St. Albert for their outreach to homeless people and sex workers in inner-city Edmonton. Great job, St. Albert!

Youth Delegates

The Youth Committee gave a powerful presentation about the role of youth in the church. Unfortunately its the same problems we always hear. Our youth want to be involved, and try hard to be, often to be rebuffed or resisted in our congregations.

Convention floors love to see youth get up and talk. People want to know how to get youth involved in our congregations. Youth bring us so much life... yet, what ends up coming out of the convention? We allowed each congregation, all 150, to have an extra youth delegate... and about 10 showed up. Praise be to God for 10, but where are the other 140?

I said when we allowed youth to come as delegates it was a nice gesture, but not a ministry solution.

I probably sound bitter about this, so don't get me wrong. There is vibrant youth and young adult ministry going on in the synod. Outdoor ministry, campus ministry, youth gatherings, bible school and a variety of youth groups.

The problem with this? Only youth do these things for the most part. Once this youth programming is done, there is nothing left. Youth ministry is actually something that should not exist, rather it should be just ministry. Youth ministry is connecting those of all ages, and building communities for all people.

Youth ministry means ministering to all.

*rant off*

Yet Another Turtle Award!

ROCKY MOUNTAIN EV LUTHERAN CHURCH has been nominated for the lightening speed in which they developed a relationship with Holy Trinity Anglican.

Another Turtle Award Nominee!

St. Albert Lutheran Church for their outreach to sex workers in inner-city Edmonton.

What ever happened to…?

In an earlier post I alluded to the fact that several pastors and congregations have left the ELCIC since our last convention. It seems odd there is no mention made (without judgment or comment) that these brothers and sisters who served faithfully in ministry with us, have seen fit to leave the ELCIC and join other Lutheran bodies in Canada and serve Christ there. Given the stresses and tensions that exist in our church it shouldn't be a surprise the ELCIC has suffered such losses—the divisions and differences in our church are real and have real consequences.
The fact is our church is divided and division causes pain. To ignore (intentionally or otherwise) these absences doesn't make things any easier—if anything it complicates matters. How are we supposed to have a true picture of life in our Synod when this piece of reality isn't mentioned?
How can we have a full understanding of the challenges we are facing and the implications of decisions if we don't acknowledge repercussions that have already happened? What about those still here who grieve the absences of friends and colleagues?
On another note, it would be a gesture of Christian charity to acknowledge those who have left and pray for them God's blessings as they begin service to Christ elsewhere, trusting they are still members with us in the body of Christ.

First Turtle Award

Turtle Award: St. Paul's, Ellerslie for starting a Christian Day Care as a means of reaching out to their neighbourhood. Great Job!

Youth Ministry Today Workshop

In the session "Building the Future Church"... a provocative statement was proposed.

Provocative Statement: Alberta Synod of the ELCIC is a dynamic, engaging and challenging church environment where youth frequently participate in life changing experiences that foster life long service to God, a deep rooted identity in grace, a counter-cultural understanding of stewardship, a compelling sense of call and a longstanding, meaningful relationship to God's Church.  Young people in our Synod are valued and named as they live into the expectation of being influential leaders in the church, in their families and in society, and allow their faith to guide their decision even in the face of worldly opposition.  Lutheran youth have a certain 'flavor' to them that people around them readily sense and find inspiring.  Alberta Synod values our youth, sees these good works and gives glory to their Father in Heaven.

We voted on this statement and 0% of people agreed with it... we couldn't see it.

Then... we shared stories... Stories of where we had seen God real in our lives... Stories where God was visible in our communities and our youth... and challenged ourselves to see God active, and give something new a try.

We discovered a very active God... a very active synod... desire to make it more so.

Then we revoted and 50% of people could agree with the statement... and the hope is that it could be true.

A View From the Media Booth

The Turtle Awards

“For a turtle to move forward it must stick it's neck out.” 

The Turtle Awards, are to be given to churches who take risks. 

Fine words. But I wonder how true they are. I need to ask, how far will churches be allowed to stick their necks out before being chopped off by the institutional church?

I know I get a little suspicious when church leaders encourage churches to foster innovation, mainly because it's been my experience that the institution is built to protect itself rather than to grow. In fact, institutions are designed to NOT change. Status quo is rewarded. Inventiveness is allowed - but only so far. We can do some re-modelling, renovate a room or two, but tearing down and re-building is not usually an institutional option.

If we're being asked to "stick our heads out" I think we may do so at our own peril. Not because it's not needed (taking risks is an imperative!), but because I'm not entirely sure the institution knows it's asking. 

Those who know me, know that I have a visceral dislike of institutional church. Mainly because the institutional church often works to keep it's machinery going, rather than moving forward in Jesus' mission. Institutional church is often more interested in efficiency rather than creativity. Good order instead of Spirit-driven chaos.

Or MAYBE, God is leading our church institution to model what they want from the grassroots. Asking churches to stick their necks out releases control because they don't know what's going to happen. Maybe that's their plan. Maybe it's an unacknowledged benefit. Perhaps God is using the (*gasp*) institutional church for Jesus' mission, dying to our prideful efficiency, and rising to claim and celebrate God's great and promised future.

Whatever the motivation, I'm glad for the Turtle Awards. I hope they stimulate some creative chaos, pushing our limits, challenging our cozy status quo. May God shake us up, pull the rug out from underneath our feet, and move us to an uncomfortable - but exciting - future

Prayer for the Bishop Ron and Dianne

The following is a modification of the the Morning Prayer of Metropolitan Philaret of Moscow. Why re-invent the wheel when there are resources like this.

O Lord, grant them to greet the coming day in peace.
Help them in all things to rely on Your Holy will.
In every hour of the day reveal Your will to them.
Bless their dealings with all who surround them.
Teach them to treat all that comes to them throughout the day with peace of soul, and with the firm conviction that Your will governs all.
In all their deeds and words guide their thoughts and feelings.
In unforseen events let them not forget that all are sent by You.
Teach them to act firmly and wisely, without embittering and embarrassing others.
Give them strength to bear the fatigue of this coming day with all that it shall bring.
Direct their will, teach them to pray, pray You Yourself in them.
Amen.

Asking the question

The presentation on the ELCIC's restructuring plans last night was good insofar as it went i.e. it's good to consider how things can be done more effectively and efficiently to avoid overlaps and gaps.
This restructuring appears to be motivated mainly due to a decline in resources and a finances being given to the National church and to a lesser extent the Synod. However, a lack of finances is merely a symptom that belies a deeper issue and until this question is addressed the problem will continue.
The question is this: If congregational giving has steadily increased over the years (despite a decline in membership and various economic trends) and giving to the Synod has remained for level for the most part, why has giving to the National Church dropped so drastically over the past decades?
Shortly after I was ordained, a senior pastor told me that when people believe a ministry is doing the work of God, money is never an object. Anecdotes and personal experience have proved this true for the most part. Of course there are exceptions. But there is a difference between people being unable to give and unwilling to give. I submit the ELCIC is facing the latter. Why?
There is a range of speculation as to "why" the membership is unwilling to give. Until this is addressed and the support of the membership regained (that's a whole other topic), restructuring, no matter how well planned and thought out amounts to little more than rearranging deck chairs.

A misspelled search...

Did you know...

If you (mis)type Ron Mayn into the google search... it will think you are looking for:

We Have a Bishop!

Bishop Ron Mayan elected on the second ballot. May God grant him grace and wisdom to lead our church in God's great and promised future!

A Bishop has been Elected

There will be white smoke coming out of the convention hall!

After prayerful deliberation and the guiding of the Holy Spirit, the convention has come to a decision.

Rev. Ronald B. Mayan was re-elected Bishop of the Synod of Alberta and the Territories on the second ballot by a 73% majority.

Praise be to God!

Congratulations Bishop Mayan!

Friday Morning Worship

Our Session begins with morning worship, where Pastor Tim Wray, preaching on the parable of the fig tree that is given one more year, reminded us that we have been working our way through the piled up manure for 25 years in the ELCIC. Manure piles up on us throughout life, and we strive to get rid of it.

Yet, God is working in the manure. Grace and mercy comes to us in the form of God bringing this life giving sticky, smelly substance. As we wade through we are given the chance to return to God. We are rooted in God's manure reminding us that the ways in which God works are totally different than the sanitized, sterile environments we try to create. Life is messy, and God works in the mess.

Friday Evening Service - Remembering in Hope

Evening Vespers... something that everyone should have more of in their life. The lights are low, the candles are burning... and we joined to remember our lost, and to hear a message of hope that in God there is always hope.

Task Force on Structure Renewal

The presentation on structural renewal is bringing us up to date on the work of the task force in envisioning big structural changes in the ELCIC.

I won't get into the details of the presentation... there are too many. But suffice it to say, we need to clean things up, decrease redundancy and make everything more efficient.

This is a big deal. Of all things we have debated and discussed as the ELCIC over the past 25 years, this out weighs all of them. How we "structure" our church is rooted firmly in how we vision our church, and what it does.

At least for a few more weeks or months, I will be the youngest pastor in the ELCIC. The structure that I am left with will define our ministry for the next 25 years.

I worry that our focus is scarcity ie how do we survive with less?

Our beginning point needs to be, how can we be the Church (as defined by our core documents, Scripture and Confessions) with what we have.

National Bishop's Report

National Bishop Susan gave her report to the convention.
Hilights include:

• Compassionate Justice: A report from CEO of CLWR Robert Granke, where he reported they reached their million dollar for for Haiti relief. A re-alignment of the Four Corners fair trade merchandise sales with Ten Thousand Villages.
• Diverse Faces: Next year is our 25th Anniversary the ELCIC and our theme for convention is Covenant People: In Mission for Others. There will be focus on our relationship with First Nations peoples.
  
• Effective Partnerships: National Bishop Johnson is exploring, with the Anglican Primate of Canada, the possibility of a joint-office in Ottawa, as a way of creating better "synergies" in sharing space.
  
• Focused Framework: see more when the info about Structural Renewal.
  
• Spiritual Renewal: There has been a movement in North America towards Christianity Lite, and we are called to Spirited Discipleship. Regular worship, prayer, scripture reading and service in the community.
  
• Signs of Hope: There are many signs of hope in the ELCIC. The Human Sexuality Study recieved 500 responses, signs that folks care.
  

The Bishops report gave us some insight into what is going on nationally and some of the significant issues come our way.

Opening Worship Sets a Great Tone for the Convention

People processing, Bishops eating, the Lord inviting us to his table...

It's a great way to start a convention! Thanks be to God!

The Missional Church... simple

What if...

Alberta Synod's Possibility Thinkers. James Hendrikson reminded us of this conversation. Check out their blog!

See you all very soon!

Heading off momentarily. First stop is for coffee at the 7-11 in Claresholm. And I might also get one of their tasty chicken-kabobs. The regular kind. Not one of those honey-garlic abominations.

Water Resolution

UPDATED: to reflect final draft motion.

Renita Falkenstern asked me to post this. Also, she wanted you to know that there will be a workshop on Friday at convention about this issue given by Sheila Muxlow, Interim Director of the Sierra Club and Joyce Zutter, ABT synod social justice staff person. For background information on the issue Renita encourages people to go to:

http://www.water-matters.org/

http://sites.google.com/site/gotthirstalberta/

Draft Resolution on Pending Water Allocation Legislation in Alberta:
We move that the Bishop of the Synod of Alberta and the Territories write a letter to Premier Ed Stelmach and the Minister of the Environment, Rob Renner, to communicate our collective concerns regarding water and the stewardship of creation. Specifically, we call on the Government of Alberta to:

1) Develop a provincial water allocation system that focuses on the public interest by giving first priority to ecosystem health and basic human needs, rather than a market-based system that allocates access to water based on the ability to pay.

2) Incorporate water conservation as a top priority of government and to dedicate adequate funding and staff to this purpose.

3) Conduct broad and meaningful consultations with the public, impacted groups and First Nations on the full range of options before making changes to the Water Act.

Rationale:

As the “Creator of heaven and earth,” God has provided natural resources, including water, to sustain all of life (1^st Article of the Apostles’ Creed).

The creation belongs to God who has called on us to be stewards of creation (Genesis 2:15).

Jesus commanded us to “love your neighbour” (Matthew 22:39). Here we understand our neighbour to include all who depend on water for life, as well as future generations.

Therefore, any system of water allocation should give priority to ecosystem health, basic human needs, and future generations.
  The Issue:

Alberta is facing a severe water shortage due to a growing population, drought, toxic contamination, shrinking glaciers, a lack of conservation efforts, and other factors.

The Government of Alberta is currently reviewing the Water Act to determine how water is allocated.

It seems likely that the Government of Alberta will propose a market-based system where water is understood as a commodity that can be bought, sold and traded for a profit.

Financial Implications: mailing costs

Moved by: Rev. Renita Falkenstern

Seconded by: Rev. Ingrid Cramer-Doerschel

Draft Second Motion Regarding Pastoral Letter to Congregations:

We move that the Bishop of Alberta and the Territories write a pastoral letter to congregations encouraging them to provide input into the process of determining water allocation in Alberta so that families, ecosystems and future generations are ensured access to clean water.  Second, that the Bishop invite congregations to: 1) learn about this issue; 2) learn about and participate in the Sierra Club postcard campaign; 3) write letters to their MLAs; 4) visit their MLA to discuss this important issue which will have an impact on all who live in Alberta.

Rationale: same as above

Financial Implications: mailing costs

Moved by: Rev. Renita Falkenstern

Seconded by: Rev. Ingrid Cramer-Doerschel

If Christ is risen…

I'm not as sanguine as some about conventions, but by the same token I don't think I am as pessimistic as others. That could be a combination of an attitude described by some as cynical (I prefer to think of it as realistic) and 11 years of ordained ministry. So while I'm don't consider myself a grizzled veteran, I've been to enough conventions to realize they are less "make or break" events than a "state of the union" check-up. While there are sometimes significant decisions made at these gatherings, they are merely the end result of a course of action set in motion months or years before. Further, whatever good or bad has been percolating over the intervening two years usually surfaces in some form over the course of the meeting.
That being said, I'm interested to see what the convention looks and sounds like. I know it will look different simply because of colleagues and congregations who were in Edmonton two years ago but are no longer part of the ELCIC. Then there are those, like two of this blog's contributors, who joined the synod since last convention. I'm wondering what it will sound like—what the tone and tenor will be as speakers come to the microphones and as delegates visit and vent in the hallways. What language will be used and what meanings will be intended and attached to words once held in common.
The ELCIC and our Synod in particular, are under a variety of stresses and it's tempting to see convention as either the cause of, or solution to all these circumstances. But Church historian of blessed memory, Jaroslav Pelikan redirects our attention and focuses our perspective: "If Christ is risen, then nothing else matters; if He is not risen, then nothing matters."
God grant journeying mercies to all traveling to and from convention over the coming days. And the Holy Spirit prepare the hearts and minds of delegates as we gather for the business of the Synod, including the election of the bishop.

What might be?

I wonder what might be...

I don't even know what a Synod Convention is like as I've never been to one. It looks... long. But at the same time there looks to be lots of reports that I'm excited to hear about. Also... I've heard stories of epic discussions and dramatic speeches...

Sometimes it's hard to know what a synod does... but then you look at the list of partners and committee's and reports and updates and you see that there is lots being done and coordinated through the synod office.

So... although some of the actions look like exciting bylaw changes... I do look forward to this. The church in convention is all new potential possibility spelling out a plan for the next two years.

The Newbie

As I write this, I am sitting staring out the parsonage window at the Church, where I serve as pastor. Its a view that urges me to contemplate how I got here. This will be my first convention as a "rostered delegate". At the 2008 convention I came as a seminary intern, and at the 2006 convention, I was a youth delegate (well... youthish I guess).

What I have noticed is that officially joining synod is like officially joining a new congregation. There is a bit of a fresh meat attitude out there, which results in ideas like, "Hey, lets get the new guy to do that! He isn't burn out, tired and cynical yet!". (Just kidding! I think its obvious I am those things already... okay, just kidding again). Thankfully, I have some help from the other newbs with the convention powerpoint, worship and late night music, and workshop presentations.

I also know, that there is a lot of work going on from many, many people in Camrose and around the Synod to put this all together and to make a great experience for all!

My hope is that as we gather in convention as the Synod of Alberta and the Territories, that we can find common passions and vision for the church. Over the last years, its been hard to see into the future together. The issues of day and immediate concerns (especially financial) tend to dominate. But I get a feeling is a sense of urgency around these parts to get on with life, and to get on with preaching the Gospel.

I am optimistic and excited for what is to come in the next days of convention.

Peace,

Pastor Erik