LSTG Preaching and Pastoral Care: Weddings, Funerals, and Baptisms. LUTHERAN THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY AT GETTYSBURG January 14-17, 20, 2015

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1 LSTG Preaching and Pastoral Care: Weddings, Funerals, and Baptisms LUTHERAN THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY AT GETTYSBURG January 14-17, 20, 2015 The Rev. Craig A. Satterlee, Ph.D. North/West Lower Michigan Synod ELCA 2900 N. Waverly Rd. Lansing MI Note: My correspondence is pithy, terse and succinct. I do not generally do well with attachments and so do not accept/receive them for coursework. At LTSG: Garden Apt. 101 Rationale In the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and, practically speaking, all Christian traditions each ordained minister with a congregational call shall, within the congregation: marry, and bury the dead. This course prepares religious leaders to carry out this responsibility by considering the vital role of preaching at times of significant life transitions and pastoral rites. Participants will first focus on weddings, funerals, but are invited to bring other topics and concerns to the course. The course is designed for all seminarians seeking an elective in worship or pastoral care and experienced pastoral leaders seeking to reflect on and renew their ministries of preaching and pastoral care. Objectives Explore the relationship of preaching and worship and pastoral care, which we understand as proclamation of the gospel and spiritual care as opposed to pastoral counseling, and the place of preaching and worship in a larger ministry of pastoral care. Understand God s saving activity in baptism as the foundation for making significant transitions in the lives of Christians. Learn strategies for and gain experience in preaching a wedding and funeral sermon. Required Reading (To Be Completed Prior to the Start of Class) Dennis L. Bushkofsky and Craig A. Satterlee, The Christian Life: Baptism and Life Passages, Using Evangelical Lutheran Worship, Volume 2, Augsburg Fortress, Minneapolis, MN, David J. Schlafer, What Makes This Day Different? Preaching Grace on Special Occasions, Cowley, Satterlee - Preaching and Pastoral Care Syllabus - 1

2 Thomas G. Long, Accompany Them with Singing--The Christian Funeral, Westminster John Knox, Susan K. Hedahl, Preaching the Wedding Sermon, Chalice, Recommended Reading Evangelical Lutheran Worship, Leaders Desk Edition. Evangelical Lutheran Worship Pastoral Care: Occasional Services, Readings and Prayers. Instructor s Assumptions in Planning this Course As a teacher and preacher (and child of God for that matter) I have a unique voice that is both gifted and limited. My voice has been shaped by many factors including twenty-five years of ordained ministry, academic work in homiletics and liturgy at the doctoral level, and teaching preaching for eighteen years. My voice cannot and does not include firsthand expertise of all worship, cultural and congregational contexts and styles of preaching. o Part of the gift/limit of my voice is that I am legally blind. I am highly attuned to oral communication and less attuned to visual/nonverbal communication. I assume that, for some of you, having a professor (teacher, scholar, ordained minister, someone who has power over you) who also manages a disability is a new experience. If you have questions or concerns, please speak to me. o I am also an ELCA bishop. This freaks some students out. We are learning together what it means for a seminary professor to be a bishop and a bishop to be a seminary professor. It is my practice not to vote on any candidacy committee and work hard to maintain the boundaries of my dual roles. God through the church has called you to preach. You have a unique voice that is shaped by many factors, including your faith, culture, experience, and style of learning. Your voice, too, is both gifted and limited. Our task is to help you develop your voice by gaining confidence as well as competence. This course is but a step on the continuing journey of becoming a proclaimer of Jesus Christ. Some among us have been on this journey for a while and therefore bring with them considerable experience; for others this journey is brand new. Yet, this single course must attempt to serve us all. It cannot answer every question, address every issue, and meet every need. Preaching is the point of intersection between theology and practice, faith and life. It s where the rubber meets the road. Preaching is also the chief responsibility of the pastor. We will therefore work hard in this course; we will Satterlee - Preaching and Pastoral Care Syllabus - 2

3 also have fun. Preaching cannot be separated from other areas of ministry. We will therefore inevitably find ourselves discussing topics and issues beyond preaching per se. There are many appropriate ways of preaching. There are also some inappropriate ways of preaching. This course cannot teach all the appropriate ways of preaching. We will teach a framework that provides a foundation for them all. We will also strongly warn against inappropriate ways of preaching. God speaks through a method of preaching. We are called to work as though preaching depends on us but to trust, because ultimately preaching depends upon God. A method of preaching enables us to do both. If you have completed a preaching course, I assume that you have a method of preaching. If you have not taken a preaching course and do not have a method, I assume you will ask for help. Preaching requires balance--work and leisure, prayer and study, time together and time alone, time structured and time not. My own experience, as well as that of the vast majority of the students I ve taught, is that input from the instructor prior to preaching is as valuable (and probably more so) as evaluative feedback after preaching. Therefore, we use a step-by-step process. Emphasis is on preparation rather than review. If you learn better in a different way, please make an appointment to speak to me about how we can better help you to learn. On the one hand, I approach this course as a seminar in that I assume leadership will be shared and that you are doing the assigned reading and research. On the other hand, inasmuch as evaluations indicate that participants want to hear from their instructors, several lectures are included as part of the course. I do not generally use class time to review assigned reading. If you have questions or concerns, or desire a different direction, please bring this desire to our attention. I assume that you will let me know how things are going, both in this class and elsewhere if they are impacting this class. Strategies Pray for our class, for your preaching, for your colleagues, and for the instructor. Other assignments, in addition to those listed below, may be required. Pre-Work (To be completed prior to the start of the course) Read and be prepared to discuss the assigned texts. Satterlee - Preaching and Pastoral Care Syllabus - 3

4 Interview a Pastor: What does she or he do for baptismal preparation, marriage preparation, and ministry at the time of death? Class Work (To be completed during the course) Attendance at all class sessions is expected. Participation in discussion that reflects careful and timely reading and comprehension, completed assignments, and involvement in a collegial (gentle yet honest) analysis of the sermons preached in class. Preach two sermons: wedding, funeral, or other significant life transition (7 to 10 minutes each). Recommended Journal keeping. A preaching journal is often helpful in charting development of insights for both sermon preparation and for the preacher s own reflection. Partners in Preaching. Partner with someone for support/encouragement/help. Assessment The grading system for this course is Pass/Fail so that students can dare to risk. You will be ill-advised to treat this as a cake course. If you need incentives for taking the course seriously, bear in mind that (1) the top priority of any call committee is to get a good preacher, and (2) students have been known to fail. A grade of C or better is required to pass the course. Grades are a highly compressed way of relating actual performance to established criteria. Grades are not a means of measuring rank in relation to other students. Grades do not reflect your value as a human being or child of God; they are not an indication of how I understand or value you. Grades do not necessarily reflect your long-term potential as a preacher. Grades must always be understood in light of more extensive written and oral comments. Grading in this course takes into account what has been assigned (tasks), reasoning and substance (content), and matters of style and expression (form). Generally speaking, letter grades represent the following evaluation: A. Exceptional in most or all ways. Such work completes all tasks, is creative and even original in content, and displays mastery of expression. B. Exceptional in some ways. One part of assignment is slighted, reasoning has some minor weaknesses, and the work is not completely clear in form. C. Adequate (and only that) in all ways. More than one task is slighted, the content is more often problematic, and expression is competent yet not compelling. Satterlee - Preaching and Pastoral Care Syllabus - 4

5 D. Inadequate in some ways. Fails to address significant tasks, showing weak or erroneous content, and expression that obstructs understanding. E. Wholly inadequate. Ignores or misunderstands the assignment, contains major errors of substance, and is generally inept in expression. In terms of sermons, preaching the Gospel as good news earns you a C. I consider myself a B+ preacher. Incompletes and Extensions Incompletes and extensions will be granted only in extraordinary and/or catastrophic circumstances. Ask yourself: Does this situation warrant my not preaching on Sunday? If it does, contact me and we will discuss it. I will not grant incompletes and extensions after the fact. Outline and Content of the Course (Tentative: depending on class size!) Wednesday, January 14 8:30-10:00 A.M. Introduction to the Course and to Each Other 10:00 A.M. Break 10:15-11:30 A.M. Assumptions and a Bit of History 1:00-2:15 P.M. Assumptions and a Bit of History 2:30-3:15 P.M. Human Need, Pastoral Care; Discuss Schlafer 3:15 A.M. Break 3:30-5:00 P.M. Theology of Baptism Thursday, January 15 8:30-9:30 A.M. Sermon Video and Discussion 9:30-11:30 A.M. Funeral Lecture (with Break) 1:00-2:30 P.M. Funeral Liturgy and OS 2:30 P.M. Break 3:45-4:00 P.M. Ministry at the Time of Death: Insights from Student Interviews 4:00-5:00 P.M. Funeral Sermon Workshop (6 students/10 minutes each) 6:00-7:00 P.M. Funeral Sermon Workshop (6 students/10 minutes each) 7:00-8:00 P.M. Funeral Sermon Workshop (6 students/10 minutes each) 8:00-9:00 P.M. Funeral Sermon Workshop (6 students/10 minutes each) Friday, January 16 Satterlee - Preaching and Pastoral Care Syllabus - 5

6 8:30 A.M. Prayer and Orientation 8:45-9:45 A.M. 3 Sermons and Discussion 9:45 A.M. Break 10:0-11:30 A.M. 5 Sermons and Discussion 1:00-2:30 P.M. 5 Sermons and Discussion 2:30 P.M. Break 3:00-5:00 P.M. 6 Sermons and Discussion 5:00 P/M. Break 5:30-7:00 P.M. 6 Sermons and Discussion 7:00-8:00 P.M. Wedding Lecture Saturday, January 17 8:30-9:00 A.M. Wedding Sermon and Discussion 9:00-9:45 A.M. Wedding Lecture (Cont ed) 9:45 A.M. Break 10:00-11:00 A.M. Wedding Liturgy and OS 11:00-11:30 A.M. Ministry at the Time of Marriage: Insights from Student Interviews 1:00-2:00 P.M. Wedding Sermon Workshop (7 students/10 minutes each) 2:00-3:00 P.M. Wedding Sermon Workshop (6 students/10 minutes each) 3:00-4:00 P.M. Wedding Sermon Workshop (6 students/10 minutes each) 4:00-5:00 P.M. Wedding Sermon Workshop (6 students/10 minutes each) Tuesday, January 20 8:30 A.M. Prayer and Orientation 8:45-9:45 A.M. 3 Sermons and Discussion 9:45 A.M. Break 10:0-11:30 A.M. 5 Sermons and Discussion 1:00-2:30 P.M. 5 Sermons and Discussion 2:30 P.M. Break 3:00-5:00 P.M. 6 Sermons and Discussion 5:00 P/M. Break 5:30-7:00 P.M. 6 Sermons and Discussion Satterlee - Preaching and Pastoral Care Syllabus - 6