World Lutheran News Digest on 02.23.2013
http://archives.kfuo.org/mp3/WLND/WLN DIGEST 02232013.mp3
Today’s “Fast Trek” includes news about
Martin Luther, Confessor & Reformer segment with guest Dr. Ken Schurb, pastor at Zion Lutheran Church in Moberly, Missouri, USA.
Today’s main audio features
The Kenyan Hymnal Dedication Ceremony
with audio from Rev. Dr. Al Collver and Rev. Dr. Timothy Quill.
In April of 2008, Deaconess Sandra Rhein wrote an essay for the World Relief and Human Care—Theology of Mercy Contest, entitled “Hymnody as Bodily Care to the Church in Kenya.” This is some of the beautiful content from her essay:
Music in the form of hymnody is unique to the church, combining music and the Word in a way that supports both body and soul. The church on earth is revealed where it serves Christ in His poor and suffering ones, feeding and clothing them and bringing healing to their wounds. Grief and despair affect not just the spirit, but also the body. The devil uses poverty and persecution to drive God’s people to despair, crushing the spirit, and bringing sickness and death. Music has the power to drive away evil and to heal both body and soul.
Bringing hymnody to the precious body of Christ, specifically to the suffering church of Kenya, would be a clear and effective form of human care and diakonia. Worry and despair, as the cause of many bodily afflictions related to depression and stress, can be overcome by the voice of the Gospel in hymnody. Consequently, providing hymnody, as part of a comprehensive solution and in conjunction with other forms of care, can be a fundamental way to care for the bodily needs of our brothers and sisters.
Deaconess Rhein did not win, but Bishop Walter Obare of Kenya read the paper and asked to meet her on his next visit to the U.S. His son, Isaiah, was studying at CTS for an advanced degree when the Bishop visited in September 2008 and he introduced Sandra and the Bishop. Almost immediately, the Bishop asked Sandra to work with his son, Isaiah, on developing a hymnal for Kenya. Of course, Sandra said yes, but she had no idea what this would mean and soon found out that there were obstacles at every turn. Nevertheless, things moved ahead.
Learn more about the History of this project and how you can help HERE.
and
Organist / Rev. Dr. Christopher Ahlman
from Lincoln, Nebraska, talks about moving with his new family to Leipzig, Germany to serve the Lord as a performance organist AND assistant pastor.
Rev. Dr. Christopher and Elizabeth (Meckler) Ahlman serve the Lord through The Lutheran Church— Missouri Synod (LCMS) in Leipzig,
Germany, where Rev. Ahlman serves as assistant pastor for a new church plant of the Independent Evangelical Lutheran Church — the partner church body of the LCMS in Germany. He works with LCMS area facilitators and mission partners in developing music materials that witness through music and strengthen the LCMS regional strategy to expand existing Lutheran communities and establish new churches. He also assists the regional director of Eurasia in the development, implementation and evaluation of a strategy for planting new churches in the urban European context.
The Ahlmans are from Lincoln, Neb., where they are members of Good Shepherd Lutheran Church. Pastor Ahlman holds a Bachelor of Arts in music from Concordia University Nebraska, Seward, Neb., a Master of Divinity from Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, Mo., a Master of Sacred Music from the University of Notre Dame and a Doctor of Musical Arts from The University of Texas at Austin. Elizabeth holds a Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of Iowa and a Master of Arts and deaconess certification from Concordia Seminary, St. Louis. Before serving in Germany, Pastor Ahlman was assistant pastor at King of Kings Lutheran Church, Round Rock, Texas.
Support for Rev. Dr. Christopher Ahlman and his family can be given HERE.
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