The Department of Lutheran Studies at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary Summer 2015 OUR GRADUATES 2015 The first students who became part of the Department of Lutheran Studies at GCTS graduated this past May. Peter Feige graduated with a Master of Divinity and is available for call in the LCMC. Joshua Morgan graduated with a Master of Arts in Christian Ministry (Lutheran Studies concentration) and is available for call in the NALC. Pete Feige & Joshua Morgan Contact Information: 14546 Choate Circle Charlotte, NC 28273 Phone: GCTS: 704-527-9909 charinfo@gcts.edu Lutheran Studies: 803-606-7126 mhavens@ gordonconwell.edu In addition, Bishop John Bradosky was awarded the Doctor of Ministry Degree honoris causa for his tireless and faithful witness to Jesus Christ in the NALC and throughout the whole church. Bishop Bradosky preached a strong and impassioned sermon at the Baccalaureate service on conviction commitment and devotion. Dr. Tim Laniak, Dean of GCTS, Charlotte reads the Citation to Bishop John Bradosky. Many of the pastors and parishioners from the Carolinas Mission District attended Commencement exercises. The speaker was Mart Green of Mardel Stores and Hobby Lobby. As reported in recent news Mr. Green and Hobby Lobby have made a powerful stand for the Lordship of Jesus Christ. His message challenged us to re-think ROI (return on investment) from a Christian Dennis & Ann Sessom, members of Advent perspective. The morning was filled with Lutheran Church, King s Mountain, NC music, powerful words, inspired prayers and Bishop John Bradosky. and insuppressible joy! 1
FORMATION: FAITH, FOOD, FELLOWSHIP Throughout the spring semester, we used the time between our morning and afternoon classes to gather for Frank Garrison serves as the worship, eat communion assistant at a service lunch, and learn led by his pastor, The Rev. Brack from area pastors East, Holy Trinity, Gastonia, NC about particular ministries. It was a good use of two hours! This spring we had as our guests: the Pastoral Skills D. Min students, our Advisory Board, The Reverends Brack East, Steve Johnson, John David Bryant, David Drysdale, and Steve Saxe. They shared with us their ministry experience and offered counsel to the seminarians. We heard about some specific ministries and opportunities in the Church, e.g., Teens Encounter Christ, Mission Projects, and the Society of the Holy Trinity. PARTNERS! As we begin our third year at GCTS, Charlotte, we invite you, your group, and/or your congregation to consider becoming a partner to one our seminarians. The Partnership Program enables our students to graduate without the burden of, and worries about, educational debt. The are many ways the Partnership Program can work and there are many ways we can work with you to make it work. The basic premise is that you partner with a student for finances (usually $60.00 a month or more), prayer, and support. The student will keep you informed about their progress and will pray for you as well. It is a blessing for both the student and the partners. The student is able to receive a full scholarship to seminary. The partners have the privilege of being part of preparing leaders for the church. If you are interested or would like more information, please contact: mhavens@gordonconwell.edu. DMIN: PASTORAL SKILLS Lunch with the D.Min students (above) and with the Department of Lutheran Studies Advisory Board (below). Applications are now being accepted for the D.Min: Pastoral Skills track. The first residency will be two weeks, Monday-Friday, in early February 2016. The focus this February will be on Pastor as Caregiver (2017: as Preacher, 2018: as Person) This specific track allows for great flexibility in determining your final thesis. Several have expressed an interest in pursuing a liturgical issue, others in creating devotions based on the Lutheran Confessions. These are both very legitimate topics for study in this track. For more information: http://www.gordonconwell.edu/doctorministry/index.cfm 2
BRING YOUR GROUP TO GCTS & THE BILLY GRAHAM FARM AND LIBRARY BRING YOUR YOUTH GROUP TO GCTS & CAROWINDS Looking for something to do with your group? How about a field trip to your seminary and then to the Billy Graham library and farm! We would love to welcome you to GCTS and give you a tour. If you would like, we could have worship together in the chapel and/or a mini class in one of our classrooms. You could even pick the topic! The Billy Graham farm is a 15 minute drive from GCTS. The tour of the Home, Farm and Library takes approximately two hours. It is also possible to purchase lunch from the Graham Brothers Dairy Bar. There is also a bookstore. Closer to Christmas there is a special Christmas tour (including carriage ride and Christmas Dinner) which will be available. If you are interested in that, plan it now so that reservations can be made in a timely manner. The Christmas tours are very popular and fill up quickly. For more information about the Billy Graham Library tour view the website: www.billygrahamlibrary. org. For a totally different experience, plan a visit to GCTS, with the same options for worship, mini-class and tour, and then a five minute drive to Carowinds for roller coasters, games, rides, and a waterpark! Carowinds is open everyday through the summer months. In September they are open on weekends and in October they transform the park into Scarowinds, open on Friday nights and weekends. For more information as to hours of operation, prices, and parking, see their website: www.carowinds.com. It is usually cheaper and faster to purchase the tickets online rather than at the gate. We will be glad to help you plan your visit. Contact: mhavens@gordonconwell.edu The regular tour is free. We will be glad to help you plan your visit. Contact: mhavens@gordonconwell.edu. Group from Shiloh Lutheran Church, Hickory, NC. listens as Dr. Neely Gaston leads a tour of the new building. At the time of this tour, the building was still undergoing some last finishing touches, hence the ladder! 3
ECCLESIA PLANTANDA MCDANIEL REFORMATION CONFERENCE 2015 This year s McDaniel Conference will be on Thursday, October 29 beginning at 1:00 pm and continuing through a closing worship service in celebration and thanksgiving on the 498th anniversary of the Reformation! In keeping with the pan-lutheran and ecumenical emphasis of Bishop McDaniel, this years conference will feature lectures by a member of the LCMC (Lutheran Congregations in Mission to Christ), The Rev. Dr. Steve Turnbull, and by a member of the NALC (North American Lutheran Church), The Rev. Dr. Roy Harrisville III. The theme will be discipleship. Steve Turnbull More details will be coming in the next month. This year we will plan on the dinner and closing Reformation worship service at GCTS. We have learned, albeit slowly, that Charlotte traffic and a Panthers football game are formidable reasons to keep all events in the same place! The preacher for the service is yet to be determined. Roy Harrisville III SAVE THE DATE: OCTOBER 29, 2015 Bishop John Bradosky and Carolinas Mission District Dean Carl Haynes at the Public Life Forum. FAITH IN PUBLIC LIFE FORUM. Prior to the Hall of Mission dedication on May 15, six local public figures spoke of their spiritual journeys at the Faith in Public Life forum. Tony Zeiss, president of Central Piedmont Community College spoke of a commitment he made while as a teenager to do good things for other people. Ann Caulkins, publisher of the Charlotte Observer, reflected on becoming so obsessed and consumed with her work and career. When anything gets into our core to that degree, Christ is not leading your life. Later she came to the realization, Lord I cannot do it myself. I tried. Stick Williams, president of Duke Energy Foundation, grew up a CEM (Christmas, Easter and Mother s Day s) Christian. At college, he came to realize, in the midst of being wupped by his accounting courses, that God is real. Bishop Claude Alexander, senior pastor of The Park Church, spoke of his mother, a psychiatrist, who was the first evangelist he encountered as she made it her concern to teach him the Scriptures. By age 17, he realized, I knew there were probably many things that I could be, but there was nothing more that the Lord wanted me to do than preach the Gospel. David and Jason Benham, Charlotte realtors, grew up preachers kids. After playing major league baseball for the St. Louis Cardinals they were scheduled by HGTV to produce a reality show combining real estate and the Gospel. The show Flip It Forward, scheduled to debut in October 2014 was cancelled when the lobbying group Right Wing Watch accused them of being anti-gay and anti-abortion. The Benham brothers response: With all of the grotesque things that can be seen and heard on television today you would think there would be room for two twin brothers who are faithful to our families, committed to biblical principles and dedicated professionals. If our faith costs us a television show, then so be it. The compelling witness of these public figures was a great first presentation in the David M. Rogers Hall of Mission. 4
More pictures from Commencement, Baccalaureate and the Dedication of the David M. Rogers Hall of Mission. 5
THRIVENT CHOICE DOLLARS & DONATIONS Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, Charlotte is one of the approved charitable institutions where one may direct their Choice Dollars. This money is credited to the Department of Lutheran Studies account to assist with program and student needs. If you would like to contribute to the Department of Lutheran Studies you may do so in one of two ways. 1. Send donations to the: NALS Fund 2299 Palmer Drive, Suite 220 New Brighton, MN 55112 2. Send donations directly to: The Department of Lutheran Studies Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary 14542 Choate Circle Charlotte, NC 28273 PULPIT SUPPLY There are several seminarians as well as the Director who are available for pulpit supply. There are some Sundays when all of us are already committed to a church, but there are many other Sundays when we might be able to worship with you. If there is opportunity we also are available to talk with groups about the Department of Lutheran Studies. Contact:: mhavens@gordonconwell.edu PRAYER LIST Our students who are so courageously and delightfully responding to God s call to ministry. Our NALS faculty, called to the teaching ministry of the church. Our faculty at GCTS, Charlotte who teach our students and are colleagues with our faculty. Our staff at GCTS, Charlotte who so graciously welcome us and assist us. Our partners in the Partnership Program and for all those who support our Department of Lutheran Studies, GCTS. For Bishop John and the Executive Council of the NALC. For the North American Lutheran Seminary and for all those who study and teach under its auspices. For the persecuted Christians throughout the world who take a bold stance for Christ in the midst of unimaginable and demonic forces that seek to work us woe. For us all...that our minds may be open to learn, our hearts to love, our lives to serve to the glory of God and the expansion of His Kingdom. AMEN What does this mean? That I should be certain that such prayers are acceptable to the Father in Heaven and will be granted, that He Himself has commanded us to pray in this way and that He promises to answer us. Amen. Amen. This means: Yes, yes it will happen this way. (Luther, The Small Catechism) 6