About the Lutherans-Women and the Reformation

Transcription

1 About the Lutherans-Women and the Reformation I am prepared to lose everything, even life or limb. May God stand by me. So wrote Argula von Grumbach ( /68?) from Bavaria, who found Martin Luther s message of Christian freedom and equality empowering. This noble woman challenged an entire Catholic university in Ingolstadt in defense of Lutheran faith and a student persecuted for Lutheran heresy. This best-selling lay author with her letter-treatises eventually disappeared under pressure from male authorities. Luther considered her a valiant hero of faith. The Protestant principles scripture alone, grace alone, and priesthood of all believers inspired women just like men to reengage Christian faith and find renewed spiritual meaning in their daily vocations. With the newly written catechisms and hymns, women were equipped to teach the revived faith to their households, where they exercised significant leadership in matters of religious practice. Women lost the monastic option as convents were closed in Protestant areas, but they benefited significantly from the education provided even for peasant girls. Whereas the Reformation theology proclaimed equality in Christian love and freedom from human-made bonds, (Continued on page 6) CGS Sunday News A weekly publication for the people of Christ the Good Shepherd Lutheran Church 1550 Meridian Ave San Jose, CA Pastor Manda (773)

2 S e a s o n o f E a s t e r C r e at i o n s e r i e s A p r i l M ay 2 8 Join us in the season of Easter for a 6-week series celebrating God s creation. The series continues next Sunday, April 30th, exploring In the beginning. The series culminates with a special service with an animal blessing on May 21 outside in our garden. -2-

3 C h o i r n ot e s - s i n g e r fo c u s M i c h a e l F l a n a g i n - W h y D o I S i n g? Music is part of the fabric of my being, and I can t remember a time when music was not always an integral and important part of my life. Perhaps I was just born that way. Personally, I think God has instilled the appreciation of music in all of us. Anytime I am in nature (a favorite place of mine is Armstrong Woods in Guerneville), and I stop to listen, I can hear music all around me. It s in the wind blowing through the trees, the birds singing in the sunshine, the water flowing in the river, and in the sound of my footsteps as I tread upon the soft Redwood needles beneath my feet. I started singing publicly in grade school at assemblies, and in the church choir. Those early days of singing were wonderful times of sharing something happy, and making a connection to God through the words and melody. A favorite hymn was always A Mighty Fortress, giving comfort in the fact that though our foes may be mighty, God is mightier! I will always remember singing that hymn with the University Chorale at Pacific Lutheran in San Francisco at the Masonic Temple, with Pastor Al sitting two rows away from where I was standing. I could tell that was a favorite of his as well. There has always been a special place in my heart for gospel music. It s so jubilant, uplifting, and mood changing. Anytime I want to feel happy I put on Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir (Gloria), the Edwin Hawkins Singers (Oh Happy Day!), or Stevie Wonder (oh yes, he s singing gospel in those melodies)! I have sung in two gospel choirs, and they are among the most memorable times in a choir for me. I appreciate that music also tells a story, and It s been a blessing to sing (Continued on page 5) -3-

4 A r t S h o w W e lc o m e to t h e fa m i ly On Sunday, April 30th we will be having an Art Show after church. There will be artists from our congregation, as well as artists that our curator has invited. Be sure to come and join us after church in the Great Hall to look at and buy some great artwork. This Sunday we celebrate with the Gordineer family as we baptize their youngest, Julia, and welcome her to the body of Christ. P u b ( l i c ) Th eo lo g y Next Tuesday is Pub Theology. Join us at Harry's Hofbrau on Saratoga Ave at 6pm, as we discuss the issues of the day in light of our Lutheran theology. -4- Our friend, Gregg Zigler, is performing in a new musical this month and he would love it if you would come. It is called The Musical of Musicals: the Musical! We are thinking if you like musicals, you just might like this one. See Gregg for more details, or go to Tabard s website, tabardtheatre.org/musical.html for info and tickets.

5 M i c h a e l, c o n t i n u e d with Keynote Vocal Group. It s important to me to be a witness to the LGBTQ community through Keynote and CGS, and I love that we can proclaim the True Colors of our world, and to promote understanding that I was Born This Way, to those who have been hurt by religion in the past. And in the harmonies in which we lose ourselves when singing together, we transcend the hatred that the world sometimes sends our way. That music has the power to heal my heart and soul. Why do I sing? I sing because it s a way to give back to God what he has given me. Whether I m happy, sad, contemplative, angry, in love, feeling lonely, or in need of reassurance, I know there is a musical track for the emotions of my life. I love the lyrics of the song, His Eye Is On the Sparrow: I sing because I m happy I sing because I m free His eye is on the sparrow And I know he watches me PRAY FOR PR. MANDA AND KERRY SCHIEWEK, AS THEY HEAD OFF TO SYNOD ASSEMBLY MAY 4-6 TO REPRESENT CGS AND DO THE WORK OF THE CHURCH. -5-

6 A b o u t t h e Lu t h e r a n s, c o n t (Continued from page 1) women were forbidden to preach or teach in public. Motherhood was presented to women as the holiest of callings, on a par with that of apostles and bishops. So women used creativity in embracing their domestic calling and the authority it brought along. Katharine Schütz Zell ( ), a widely published lay author who had no children of her own, identified herself with a calling of a church mother. In this role she exercised pastoral authority by the side of her pastor-husband in Strasbourg, even daring to preach at funerals. Her scintillating writings in defense of marriage may have caused an uproar, yet her pastoral texts and a hymnbook demonstrate her desire to promote ecumenical unity and to empower Christians to sing the gospel with new voices. Like von Grumbach, she also corresponded with Luther. Another associate of Luther was Duchess Elisabeth von Braunschweig ( ), who used her authority as the mother of the people in her land to implement Lutheran faith through legislation. Like her own mother earlier, Elisabeth had suffered exile from her Catholic husband and children once she confessed her faith in public by receiving the sacrament in a Lutheran rite. Her advice to her son, whom she groomed as a Lutheran ruler, was that he should obey God, the emperor and his mother. Of all the Reformation mothers, the most famous is Luther s beloved Katharina von Bora ( ). She won the heart and admiration of Luther, who had orchestrated the escape of Katharina and eleven other nuns from their convent. As his equal partner in calamity, Katharina mothered their six children and managed the intricate finances and other affairs of their bustling household. Luther admitted that next to the Holy Spirit, he obeyed his wife- lord, Katharina. These and other mothers of faith took significant risks and endured criticism if not even persecution for their choices. Their involvement was crucial for the new faith to take root. Copyright 2016 Augsburg Fortress. Permission is granted for congregations to reproduce these pages provided copies are for local use only and this copyright notice appears. -6-

7 W e p ray f o r Justin (Hung) Lam Lincoln Graham Jenella Patti Nan Bui Linda Henry Bruce Kuefner Aidan Byron Sally Hope Patty Fremlin Elisa Rosero Mary Baechler Hope Russell Barbara Mason Cherle Stephenson Lynne Sagen Don Blanchard Rob Pfisterer Gabi Jones Margaret Valliant Marty Olson Carol Baby Byom Baby Tiller Julia Gordineer George Liao Wo r s h i p L e a d e r s To d ay Pastor Pr. Manda Truchinski Liturgical Deacon Petra Menard Altar Guild Andy Koch & Joy Larsen Comm. servers Craig Tiller, Shelley McKanna Reader Susan Duran Musicians Daniel Thomas & the CGS Band Ushers Bill Mille & Peter Moen Communion Bread Wanda Roszel Coffee HostsBill Mille, Joe Shackelford, Jeff & Yvonne Heiderich Teller Dio Dandoy Checker Rebecca Thomas Wo r s h i p l e a d e r s n e x t w e e k A p r i l 3 0 Pastor Pr. Manda Truchinski Liturgical Deacon Steve Weirauch Altar Guild Wanda Roszel & Susan Duran Comm. servers Sara Tiller, Chris Collins & Phil Boyer Reader Paul Thomas Musicians Daniel Thomas & the CGS Band Ushers Bill Mille & Peter Moen Communion Bread Wanda Roszel Coffee HostsMichael Komnick & Jerry Clark Teller Steve Magie Checker Bob Charves Flowers Audrey Johansson F lo w e r s to d ay g i v e n by The Crum family in memory of Dorothy -7-

8 C a l e n d a r 8:45am Instruments 9am Jesus and Me 9:15am Worship leader prep 9:30am Choir 10am Worship 11:30 Coffee & Fellowship 12:30 Council meeting 5:30pm Music Place 8:45am Instruments 9:15am Worship leader prep 9:30am Choir 10am Worship 11:30 Coffee & Fellowship 11:30am Art Show Boy Scouts 10am Kindersing 6pm Pub Theology Alanon 6pm AA 6:30pm Tai Chi 8pm AA Carden Day 9:30am Yoga Choir rehearsal Alanon Carden Day 10:30am OA 7:30pm LifeRing 10am Primrose Boy Scouts Keynote rehearsal 10am Kindersing 6:30pm Winter Faith Collaborative Alanon Pastor Manda away 6pm AA 6pm Property committee 6:30pm Tai Chi 8pm AA Pastor Manda away Carden Day 9:30am Yoga Choir rehearsal Alanon Carden Day 10:30am OA 7:30pm LifeRing 8am Alanon event -8-