Eco-Reformation    

Archbishop Antje Jackelen

It is, quite literally, all around us. We talk about it more and more each day: how strange our weather has been. We're regularly hearing about or experiencing hundred-year floods, severe tornadoes, droughts and melting glaciers and ice caps.

In a recent NPR interview with Pieter Tans,  a scientist who tracks CO2 levels in the atmosphere, said that the CO2 level in Earth's atmosphere now tops 400 parts per million. It hasn't been that high for millions of years.   

Tans noted that there have been dramatic shifts in Earth's climate in the past, but what's different now is the accelerated rate at which the climate is changing. In the last 150 years the CO2 in the atmosphere has risen from 280 ppm to 400 ppm.

Asked what it would take to reverse the CO2 levels, Tans said that we've made little progress on reversing the levels because "the changes we're beginning to see in our climate depend not so much on the rate at which we are emitting carbon right now, but the effects of all the CO2 we've emitted since pre-industrial times."  There's a sobering statement. 

You can begin the conversation and take action in your congregation, your office, or your home. Lutherans Restoring Creation has a wealth of online resources to help.   

Blessings,

Jan Boden, Director of Communications and Marketing

jboden@lstc.edu

News from LSTC    

Franklin Sherman receives Confessor of Christ Award

Franklin Sherman

At its commencement ceremony on May 17, LSTC presented the Rev. Dr. Franklin Sherman with its Confessor of Christ Award. He was chosen for the award for his visionary leadership when he served as Dean at LSTC and for his lifelong dedication to improving interfaith relations. Read more. 

Zion Lutheran Church in Rockford, Ill., receives Community of the Cross Award

Kurt Hendel publishes first English translation of Bugenhagen's writings

Register now for next week's Leadership Conference

The workshops will be awesome, the keynote speakers intriguing, and best of all, we'll be celebrating Distinguished Alumni at this year's Leadership Conference, The Gifts of God for the People of God. We will focus on the gift of diversity within the whole church and the people of God. Bring your experiences and expertise to share as we explore inclusion, hospitality, compassion and justice in a rapidly changing North American culture and context.

The schedule and workshops for the June 16-18 conference are here.
Cost for the entire conference is $150 (housing and meals additional) and $100 for Wed. only. Online registration has closed, but you may register in person or right now by emailing advancement@lstc.edu or calling 773-256-0710. 

The 2015 LSTC Distinguished Alumni Awards will be presented on June 17 at 5 p.m. This event is free with a reception for the honorees after the awards ceremony but you do need to RSVP.

Students receive prizes for scholarship, preaching

Four prizes available for excellence in scholarship and preaching were awarded to LSTC students at commencement.

Andrew(Drew) Rindfleisch received the Lutheran Confessions Prize for his paper, "Justifying the Abused and Assaulted."

Christine Doidge with Dr. Barbara Rossing and President Nieman

Ann Gonyea-Alexander received the Edgar Krentz Award for Biblical Interpretation for her paper, "The Pistis Christou Debate and Use of the Gift-Giving Paradigm and Patron-Client Relations in Paul's Epistles: A Case for the Subjective Genitive Translation."

Christine Doidge received the Bible and Lutheran Faith Prize for her paper, "Interpreting John 13:1-17 as Preparation for Jesus' Death, and the Implications of the Interpretation on the Symbols and Identity of the Diaconate."

Bangert to conduct Bach B Minor Mass   

For 21 years, Mark Bangert led Chicago area professional musicians in the annual Bach for the Sem Concert to benefit LSTC. The final concert was in January 2014, but Mark Bangert has continued to conduct a Bach Cantata Series at St. Luke Church in Chicago.  

On September 27 at 4 p.m., Bangert will lead his final concert in that 25-year series, much more than a cantata, he will conduct Bach's B Minor Mass. St. Luke's has declared September "Mass Month" and is offering seminars, Sunday morning education hours and sermons related to the B Minor Mass.

More tributes to Kurt Hendel

Kurt Hendel

 

I was at LSTC from 1982-1986, graduating in '86 with an MDiv.  Although I came from the AELC tradition, I enrolled at LSTC, then joined in welcoming the Seminex crew in the fall of 1983. My memory of Dr. Hendel is of a very engaging instructor, who brought history to life.  I enjoyed his classes and valued his insights.  

Most of all, however, was his pastoral nature. I went to see him once for some advice on a personal challenge.  He said, "I like to think of myself as a pastor first, and a professor second."  I have never forgotten that!

Many have been blessed by his presence - what a gift he has been, and will continue to be, to the church, and to the world!

It was Dr. Hendel who finally got me to understand Original Sin and to embrace it, since that also meant fully embracing the Gospel and the power of transformative Grace to raise the dead to new life, to "save the sinner." 

I liked his image of the scale with Sin on one side and Grace on the other. That helped drive home the point, too. 

Also, Dr. Hendel had this saying: "if you plug it in to the Gospel and the light bulb does not shine, dear people, then it's not Good News."

Indeed how blessed we have been by him. 

- Pastor Janice Heidlberger, St. John Lutheran Church and St. Paul Lutheran Church, Scribner, Neb. 

The journey to my PhD at LSTC was long (very long), arduous, and filled with a great many roadblocks (not all bad - my son and daughter were born whilst I was on the journey), and through it all, Kurt Hendel was the most gracious, grace-filled, and determined mentor/advisor a student could ever hope to have.  He dealt with every delay with an otherworldly patience and kindness, always encouraging me, and helping me to plot the course of my degree. I earned my PhD because of Dr. Kurt Hendel. 

Along the way, I discovered in Kurt one of the greatest professors I have ever had (and I have been blessed with some truly outstanding professors in my academic career).  His skill in the classroom is a wonder to behold, he exemplifies every quality that we want and need from those who hold the title of professor, or teacher. 

I count myself extraordinarily lucky to have had the opportunity to develop into the scholar and teacher that I am under his guidance and tutelage.

- Ken A. Grant, PhD - Class of 2009

Pillars of the Seminary practice practical philanthropy   

by Keith Nelson, (1970, MDiv), Major and Planned Gifts

A Pillar of the Seminary is someone who has said, "Yes! I want LSTC to have a significant endowment which will provide support for future generations of ordained and professional leaders of the Church." And they are willing to help make that happen through their planned gift to the seminary. 

But "Pillars" also ask questions. They ask, "Given my personal situation, how can I provide for people who depend upon me for financial support and plan a gift to LSTC?"

One asset that ELCA clergy own is held by Portico. Some clergy are using a portion of their withdrawals from their 403 (b)(7) account as housing allowance. This converts highly taxable dollars into tax free dollars. It is an example of how Pillars of the Seminary practice practical philanthropy.

Another example is the Pillar of the Seminary who meets with his or her financial adviser, accountant, lawyer or a planned giving counselor in the Advancement Office at LSTC to discuss practical philanthropy. They will discover how to use their 403 (b)(7) Portico account or traditional IRA assets to make gifts that will benefit both the people who depend upon them for financial support and LSTC.

To find out more about how you can practice practical philanthropy contact Clyde Walter at cwalter@lstc.edu or 773-256-0714. There is no cost, obligation, nor assumption that you will make a gift to LSTC.