Warm Fellowship in a Cold Climate

In the last two weeks of January, LM-A President Pastor Matt Anker, Interim Seminary Principal Pastor Michael Prenzler and Communications Manager Libby Krahling travelled to the United States to attend the annual Concordia Theological Seminary Fort Wayne Symposia and participate in various meetings. While the weather was very cold, the delegation received a warm welcome.

The Symposia

Dr Arthur Just presenting his paper on ‘Hebrews: The New Testament Leviticus’.

The Symposia is a three-and-a-half-day conference attended by clergy and church workers from across the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod (LCMS), as well as various international delegations (including LM-A) and missionaries serving around the world. There are usually two themes explored during the week. This year, the Symposium on Exegetical Theology centred on the theme ‘Holiness, Sacrifice, and Worship: Leviticus for Today’s Royal Priesthood’. The speakers presented on various aspects of Leviticus, including how other books of the Old and New Testaments draw on Leviticus, how the temple practices and Levitical rituals create a type for Christ, and how they provide a way to understand God’s holiness and how we are made holy through Christ’s substitutionary sacrifice for our sins and through the Means of Grace. Of interest to Australians, every speaker in this symposium quoted the work of Dr John Kleinig!

The second Symposium on the Lutheran Confessions focused on ‘Baptism: The Water That Unites and Divides’. Beginning with an in-depth analysis of the Lutheran Confessions’ teaching on baptism, the speakers explored the early Church Fathers’ writings and Luther’s theology of Baptism. This symposium included presentations by both Baptist and Roman Catholic professors, providing an insight into their respective denominations’ understanding of the sacrament. In due course, a number of the presentations will be published or made available as audio recordings by Concordia Seminary for those who are interested in learning more.

Worship was a wonderful part of the Symposia week, with Kramer Chapel filled to capacity each day. Photo courtesy of Concordia Seminary Fort Wayne.

In addition to the academic program, the symposia is a chance to worship together and to attend various gatherings.

The LM-A group enjoyed the reception for international delegations and attended a banquet where the 30th anniversary of the founding of the Siberian Lutheran Church’s seminary was celebrated. It was encouraging to see how this project grew from very humble beginnings in a refurbished house with mostly visiting professors, to an independent seminary with locally trained lecturers on a sizable campus. It can be done!

Pastor Matt and Pastor Michael attended a number of meetings during the week in between sessions. We attended a worship service at Redeemer Lutheran Church in Fort Wayne along with the delegations from the Lutheran Church in Korea (LCK) and the India Evangelical Lutheran Church.

Three international delegations were welcomed at Redeemer Lutheran Church Fort Wayne. Back row (L to R): Rev. Michael Prenzler, Rev. Dr. Jun-Hyun Kim, Interim President of Luther Theological University in South Korea, Rev. Dr. Won Jong Ho, President of LCK, Pastor Matt Anker. Front row (L to R): Rev. Dr. P.R. Selvaraj, Principal of Concordia Theological Seminary Nagercoil, Mrs Brenda Shaw and Rev. Dr. Jonathan Shaw, Mr Ravi Jesupatham, LCMS country coordinator for the India Evangelical Lutheran Church, and Mrs Libby Krahling.

Wintry Weather

Throughout the week the weather was very cold and windy, with temperatures way below freezing. Just as the Symposia concluded, news came through that a major winter ice storm was on its way, which ended up affecting a 2000-mile stretch across America. Pastor Michael was able to travel to Canada for meetings at St Catharine’s Seminary, and Libby travelled with a deaconess to St Louis, arriving about an hour before the storm hit that city. Over the course of the weekend, St Louis received over 13 inches of snow! Unfortunately for Pastor Matt, Fort Wayne was hit hard by the storm on the Sunday when he was due to return to Australia, and he was stranded in Fort Wayne for two more days.

Support for LM-A

Libby enjoyed an afternoon with the KFUO team: Andy Bates, Aubrey Blank and Sarah Gulseth.

Libby found the trip to St Louis very productive as she had the opportunity to meet with LCMS Communications, the Lutheran Witness, KFUO Radio, Issues Etc and Concordia Publishing House. In addition, she met many people in the International Centre and attended their morning chapel service. It was incredibly humbling and encouraging to experience firsthand the deep interest from so many people in the LCMS in what we are doing here in Australia, and their willingness to support us. Many people let us know that they are praying for us all.

Pastor Michael noted that, ‘It was good to strengthen relationships with those who are supporting LM-A (particularly those working in LCMS Church Relations, International Mission and Seminaries) and those whom we are supporting (particularly LM-A students and their families).’

Catching up with Aussie friends and seminarians

LM-A Seminary student Karl Jacobson and wife Lucy with new baby Arthur and Eleanor.

It was wonderful to catch up with Pastor Guntars Baikovs and Jana Baikova, and LM-A Seminarian Corrie, Diane, Cate and Adeline Steel in Fort Wayne.

In Fort Wayne, the LM-A group really enjoyed the chance to catch up with fellow Australians, including Corrie and Dianne Steel and their family and Pastor Guntars and Jana Baikovs, who drove down from Canada for the week. It was wonderful to catch up on their news and learn how God is blessing them in their faithfulness.

In St Louis, Libby enjoyed time with more Australian friends, with visits to Dr Stephen and Coralie Pietsch, and Dr Adam and Joanna Hensley and their family for an Australia Day celebration. Whilst we were in Fort Wayne, Karl and Lucy Jacobson welcomed their son Arthur into the world, and Libby was able to visit with them and present gifts to Arthur and big sister Eleanor on behalf of everyone at LM-A.