Headlines:
           From the Senior
           Seminarian Support Fund
           A Reminder from the Secretary
           Festival of the Holy Trinity Bulletin Insert
           Chapter News
           From the Vicar
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From the Senior

At our fall general retreat we will be reflecting on Mother Church. Medieval Christians had a reminder of Mother Church and their care for her in the rood that hung in many of their church buildings between the nave and the chancel. The rood was a cross on which hung Jesus and at the base of which stood his mother and the beloved disciple. The rood scene was a representation out of the Gospel of John in which, from the cross, Jesus provides for the care of his mother by giving her over to the care of the unnamed beloved disciple and charges the beloved disciple to take care of her. But the seamless symbolism throughout this Gospel causes us to think that there was more to this last will and testament than a concern of Jesus to arrange for family affairs, unless "family" is understood in a larger sense.

Jesus speaks to his mother first. He does not call her by name but by the title of Eve in Genesis, which is also used at the wedding feast in Cana where Jesus performed his first sign: "woman." At Cana he had said to his mother, "Woman . . . My hour has not yet come." But in response to her faith, as she directed the servants to "do whatever he tells you," he anticipated his "hour"—the hour of the new creation and the new covenant—by changing water into wine. A sign of the anticipated messianic feast (note that this marriage was on "the third day") replaced the old rites of purification, the water jars, which became the containers for the new wine. Jesus gave his mother a title and a function at Cana that can only be understood in terms of the old creation and the old covenant. The title "woman" belonged to Eve—the mother of all humans in the old creation and the mother of God's chosen people in the old covenant. But now Mary is to be the mother of the beloved disciple. In consequence of her belief in Jesus the Christ—"do whatever he tells you"—she is to be the mother of the newborn in the new creation under the new covenant. She is the mother of a new Israel, a new people of God, the Church.

That new people is represented by the unnamed beloved disciple, to whom Jesus also speaks. This person too receives a new title: "son of the mother who is woman in the new creation and the new covenant." He is the one who follows the words of the woman at Cana: "do whatever he tells you." He has done that. He is there at the foot of the cross.

As one who would do what Jesus told him, the beloved disciple "took her into his own house." He saw Mary with the eyes of faith and accepted her as his mother in the rebirth from above. As soon as the beloved disciple takes the "mother"—Mother Church, as it were—into his own life, Jesus is ready to taste the bitter wine of death. He knew that "all is accomplished" and "he gave over his spirit."

Mary and the beloved disciple are not central to the Gospel of John; the Lord is. But they have essential roles to play. Their roles come from their titles. Mary in the Gospel of John is successively "the mother of Jesus," "the woman," and the "mother of the beloved disciple."

As "mother of Jesus" she guarantees the humanity of the incarnate Word of God. But she is not depicted further for her natural blood and maternal relationship with Jesus. It is the new family who are the true children of God, those who have been "reborn from above."

As "woman" Mary is remembered as the example of all women in the new creation, the woman of a new Genesis who recognizes the need of the Spirit's new wine and indicates to the servants of God how to take part in the messianic banquet.

As "mother of the beloved disciple" the Christian community remembers her as the woman they must take into their own lives as the beloved disciple did. For she symbolizes the Church as the community of brotherly and sisterly love.

As for the beloved disciple, he is the loving servant of the Lord. As "son of the woman," he is the guarantor of the authenticity of the memory handed on—the evangelist who records the signs that Jesus performed so that others might come to believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that through believing they may have life in his name.

I suspect that this symbolism and the reality that it bespeaks is a challenge to many of us because of its view of how that message gets transmitted. Against a kind of gnostic belief that meaning lies outside of the messiness of human history, beyond the mundaneness of personal stories, and transcending the dysfunctions of our upbringing (the kind of things that are amply demonstrated in the Old Testament narrative—which is one reason why gnostics don't like the Old Testament), the Gospel of John asserts that meaning lies in material signs (the Latin for signs is sacramenta). And against the individualism of our society and our penchant for inventing our own personal belief systems, the witness of the fourth Gospel reminds us that the life-giving sacramental signs are performed within a community of faith, into which we are born by Holy Baptism and within which we are nourished by the body and blood of Christ, as signified by the blood and water that flowed from Jesus' side when it was pierced by the soldier's lance.

Mary is implicated in all this. In the theological tradition she symbolizes both the sacramental reality as the Theotokos, the God-bearer, and the communal reality as "mother of the beloved disciple," the Church. To proclaim Mary as "mother" in both senses is to affirm the steady reality of how God works. For Mary, as the symbol of the Church, is the mother of all believers. We did not come to faith on our own; our "mother" told us to "do whatever he tells you."

Mother Church is given to the care of the disciple whom Jesus loved; and the beloved disciple takes her into his own home, into his own life. That is, the disciple—that's us!—must make the life of the Church our own responsibility, with all the hard-nosed realism that dealing in love with brothers and sisters requires. And sometimes the reality we have to deal with is very hard indeed, as we see in the instances of betrayal of trust and abuse of Jesus' little ones that has been so pervasive in the Church—and not only in the Roman Catholic Church, although the scale of betrayal and abuse there is astounding. For all of our Society's desire to be reconciled with the Bishop and Church of Rome, we cannot ignore the scale of the moral scandal that continues to be revealed in one place after another. The bishops' failure to address priestly transgressions is a theological as well as a moral failure. They gave too little credence to the reality of sin that can indeed take us captive and seemingly placed too much confidence in therapy. They also clearly protected their own more than the potential victims of abusive priests.

Pope Benedict needs to address this issue head on. He recognizes the need of the Church to do penance, but he must confess institutional and personal sins and call for repentance. He will probably not do or say enough to satisfy his most vocal critics. But in my view he must do more than he has done (as of this writing). This is a scandal of immense proportions. He may need to convene an ecumenical synod that can issue a magisterial statement and canons for reform, but only if the word of God can first pierce the armor of institutional defenses.

In the face of the shame we all feel as pastors of the Church, we would do well to stand alongside our Mother as the disciples whom Jesus loves and pray to Almighty God, as we did in the opening prayer of the Good Friday liturgy, to "look with mercy on this your family, for whom our Lord Jesus Christ was willing to be betrayed, and to be given over to the hands of sinners, and to suffer death on the cross." "Holy God, holy and mighty, holy and immortal, have mercy on us."

Frank C. Senn, STS, Senior

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Seminarian Support Fund

The Seminarian Support Fund was established within the Society to do that which its name implies—provide support for seminarians in various ways, including the distribution of funds so that they may continue their studies and in due time serve the one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church of Jesus Christ in the ministry of Word and Sacrament. Those who receive such funds are identified through the chapter deans who nominate them to the committee. Such persons have often participated in chapter retreats and are known to be sympathetic to the charism of the Society. Recipients of funds are not required to join the Society upon ordination nor to make any restitution. The distribution of these funds is made through the generous contribution of congregations and pastors in the Society.

Recently five students each received a gift of $3,000. Among them these five students represented the major Lutheran bodies in the United States and Canada—the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS), the Lutheran Church-Canada (LCC), and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada (ELCIC)—and five separate seminaries. The committee was pleased to support these students and help them in their preparation for ministry in Christ's holy Church.

We encourage members of the Society to continue supporting the Seminarian Support Fund so that in turn we can continue to support yet more students.

Patrick J. Rooney, STS
Chair, Seminarian Support Fund

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A Reminder from the Secretary

Members of the Society and those who intend to subscribe to the Rule at the general retreat in October are reminded that dues for 2010 are $250 and should be paid by the Feast of the Holy Trinity, May 30, 2010. Make checks payable to "Society of the Holy Trinity" and send to the Society secretary: The Rev. John E. Priest, STS, 17 High Street, Delhi, NY 13753.

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Festival of the Holy Trinity Bulletin Insert

Society members are alerted to the availability of a bulletin insert for use on the Festival of the Holy Trinity. It has been placed on the Society Web site in pdf format to simplify its reproduction. The bulletin sketches the festival's background, requests prayers and gifts, and re-states the purpose of the Society.

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Chapter News

CAROLINAS CHAPTER
Dean, Larry Yoder, Larry.Yoder@lr.edu

The Carolinas Chapter convened in retreat at the Saint Christopher Conference Center, Seabrook Island, S.C., March 8-9. Beyond the times of prayer and contemplation, the 13 members, 2 inquirers, and 5 visiting laity examined and studied several papers apropos to the current crisis in American Lutheranism, precipitated by the ELCA Minneapolis vote of August, 2009. Papers presented were "Why There Must Be a New Beginning," (Dr. Robert Benne), "The Speech I Would Have Made," (Marianne Howard Yoder), and "Whither Congregations?" (Larry Yoder, STS).

CHESAPEAKE-POTOMAC CHAPTER
Dean, Wollom Jensen, chesapeake-potomac@societyholytrinity.org

A post-Easter retreat jointly sponsored by the Chesapeake-Potomac, Passavant, and Susquehanna Chapters of the Society took place May 3-4 at the Rhodes Grove Camp and Conference Center, Chambersburg, Pa. Dr. Robert Benne was teaching theologian, speaking on "Christian Sexual Ethics."

FLORIDA CHAPTER
Dean, Lawrence R. Recla, florida@societyholytrinity.org

At our June 14-15 chapter retreat we welcome John R. Hannah, STS, who will present "American Lutheranism: A Historical Perspective." He is a founding member of the Society of the Holy Trinity. Since 1995 he has served on the Board of Directors of the American Lutheran Publicity Bureau and is currently president.

We hope our chapter will be blessed with an increase in subscribers to the Rule at the general retreat in October.

GREAT RIVERS CHAPTER
Dean, Timothy D. Hubert, greatrivers@societyholytrinity.org

The chapter will meet May 24-25 at Toddhall, Columbia, Ill. Our leaders for this retreat are Pr. Cliff Bischoff, presenter, and Jim Lehmann, STS, chaplain. In this chapter, we have adopted a rotating schedule of presenters and chaplains, so that everyone knows when and what they will be doing over the next four years (Lord willing)!

GUADALUPE RIVER CHAPTER
Dean, Ralph W. Reitmeyer, rwreit@aol.com

The Guadalupe River Chapter met in retreat May 10-11 at Cedarbreak Retreat Center, Belton, Tex. Evan McClanahan, STS, served as our chaplain and the Rev. B. A. "Tim" Christ proclaimed the Word during our celebration of the Eucharist. The Rev. Dr. Eric Gritsch served as our teaching theologian, presenting on his new book Toxic Spirituality.

INDIANA CHAPTER
Dean, Jeff S. Zell, jeff.zell@yahoo.com

The chapter met at Benedict's Inn in Beech Grove, Indianapolis, Ind., April 26-27. Thelma Megill-Cobbler, STS, led a discussion of Surprised by Hope by N. T. Wright. Jeff Zell is building an e-mail list to communicate with Indiana Chapter members or potential members. If you have not received a message from him, please contact him at the e-mail address above.

IOWA CHAPTER
Dean, David A. Aanonson, pastor@ctklutheranic.org

The Iowa Chapter met in retreat on May 3-4 at American Martyrs Retreat House in Cedar Falls, Iowa. James Harbaugh, STS, served as chaplain, and David Aanonson, STS, served as confessor. Barbara Wills, STS, led a discussion on Craig Koester's book Revelation and the End of All Things. Dean Aanonson also lead discussions on Chapter II of the Rule and on "The Society of the Holy Trinity: Its Gift and Service."

The next chapter retreat is November 15-16, also at the American Martyrs Retreat House in Cedar Falls.

MINNESOTA CHAPTER
Dean, Luther Mathsen, flpastor@cannon.net

The Minnesota Chapter met March 1-2 at Christ the King Retreat Center (King's House) in Buffalo, Minn., for a Lenten contemplative retreat. Bill Wilson, STS, the chapter's chaplain for 2010, presided at the offices and at the Eucharist. Dean Luther Mathsen, STS, preached at Vespers, and Pari Bailey, STS, preached at Matins. Ten members and guests were in attendance. The chapter held an open discussion on the recent document "The Society of the Holy Trinity: Its Gift and Service."

The next retreat is planned for July 19-20 at the chapter's long-time retreat home of King's House.

Reported by Pari Bailey, STS

NORTHERN ILLINOIS CHAPTER
Dean, Keith Forni, northernillinois@societyholytrinity.org

The chapter gathered for a Presentation Day retreat on February 2 at the First and Santa Cruz Lutheran parish in Joliet, Ill., praying the daily offices and enjoying a time of conversation and mutual encouragement. Dean Keith Forni, STS, offered reflections on the Mexican cultural tradition of the "presentación" of children at the church for a blessing with their godparents and families.

At press time, the chapter is preparing for an Ascension Day retreat, with Frank Senn, STS Senior, as presenter. All are looking forward to again welcoming Society members and guests at the general retreat in the fall.

ROCKY MOUNTAIN CHAPTER
Dean, Bradley Everett, rockymountain@societyholytrinity.org

"Sacred Speech: Kerygmatic Preaching" was the subject of the presentation given by Amy Schifrin, STS, at the Rocky Mountain Chapter's February retreat at the FCJ Centre in Calgary. Her presentation, based in part on her recently published dissertation on various homiletic theories, gave members an opportunity to reflect on their own approaches to preaching. For those interested in further study, she had a list of recommended reading.

STS Senior Frank Senn was teaching theologian/Society visitor for our May 2-4 retreat at the FCJ in Calgary. He presented a paper entitled "Rome, Reformation, and Reunion Revisited" and presided over the election of the chapter dean.

Our next retreat is set for November 21-23 at the Providence Retreat Centre in Edmonton.

SANGRE DE CRISTO CHAPTER
Dean, David M. Wendel, pr-wendel@saintlukes-cs.org

The Sangre de Cristo Chapter will meet for a joint retreat with the California Chapter at the St. Andrew's Abbey, Valyermo, Calif., May 24-25. Cost is $90, and retreatants should register with the California Chapter dean, Richard Johnson, STS.

The Sangre de Cristo Chapter will hold a summer retreat July 12-13 at the Franciscan Retreat Center, Colorado Springs, Colo. Cost is $90 per person, and retreatants should register with Dean David Wendel at the e-mail address above. The retreat will feature a visit with Archbishop Charles Chaput, Roman Catholic archbishop of Denver. Discussion will focus on Lutheran/Roman Catholic ecumenical relationships, the new Anglican Rite provision recently approved by Rome, and whether a Lutheran rite might ever be a possibility. All are welcome; please e-mail Pr. Wendel with your plans to attend as soon as possible. Archbishop Chaput will be in attendance Monday, July 12, 2:00-4:00 p.m.

SOUTHERN OHIO CHAPTER
Dean, Jerry Kliner, jerry_kliner@yahoo.com

The chapter met on retreat February 25-26 at St. Therese's Retreat Center in Columbus, Ohio. Five members were present. Peter Kruse, STS, served as chaplain to the retreat and preached at the evening Eucharist. The chapter embarked on a project of reading and discussing the Book of Concord. Charles Peterson, STS, led the chapter in a group reading of the Formula of Concord, Epitome, Articles I-IV.

The chapter returned to St. Therese's on May 13-14 for the Spring retreat. We continued the group reading of the Formula of Concord. Dean Jerry Kliner, STS, led the study and Richard Gilbertson, STS, was the chaplain for the retreat, with Charles Peterson preaching at the Eucharist.

Reported by Peter Kruse, STS

UPSTATE NEW YORK CHAPTER
Dean, Troy A. Mulvaine, upstate.newyork@societyholytrinity.org

The Upstate New York Chapter of the Society continues to meet in Skaneateles, N.Y., at the Stella Maris Retreat Center. Our Easter retreat was held in April with a discussion of the Divine Call to the Holy Ministry, particularly in light of current Lutheran trends in the definition of ministry and some of our members leaving the ELCA and transferring into the LCMS. The chapter is also seeking ways to develop a chapter fund to support guests and fund outside teaching theologians.

Our next retreat will be held August 12-13 at Stella Maris, with John Priest, STS, serving as chaplain and Richard Niebanck, STS, as preacher. Our topic will include preparation for the 2010 general retreat by looking at materials to aid us in our evangelical catholic understanding of the Church and what gifts we have to offer the Church at large and the world. Those interested in the work of the Society may join us for their first retreat as a guest of our chapter. Contact the dean at the e-mail address above for further information.

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From the Vicar

Once again it is strengthening and calming to be immersed in the Great Fifty Days of Easter. Having been drawn into the Son's crucifixion and resurrection through Holy Baptism, we are in THE place from which the church's ministry gets exercised. The Lord's Word has broken us free from the world's life and imbedded us in the Trinity's Life. It is this continuous reality that marks who we are as the Lord's people, pastors, and teachers. It is this reality that drives under and through all the activities of a parish community. Or does it?

It appears that our conversations with one another as well as with parishioners are getting more intense. The reasons are quite obvious: the flailing around in our church structures, the world's impact in our parishes, the re-emergence of self among our pastors, teachers, and parishioners. While these reasons are not going to disappear rapidly, it is to be trusted that our conversations about them are taking us more deeply into what is truly going on. We are being pulled more deeply into the Son's Cross where the self, the world, and the flailing are shattered and the resurrection is restoring us to the Life of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Think of the years in which a matter has been included in your prayers with no apparent effect. Think of the pressures in your ministry that do not subside but actually begin to spread to your family and friends. Think of the times when your "brilliant" solutions are just waiting to be put into place. Think of how painfully distant the Lord appears to be in all these matters . . . and begin to know that this is how it is as the Son's Cross presses in and reminds us that we have been eternally marked as the Lord's sons and daughters in Baptism.

These realities do make the exercise of the church's ministry more difficult. But that difficulty should not startle us. The self, the world, and death do not like it when their marks on us at birth are yanked away by the saving actions of the Holy Trinity at Baptism. They lash back, pressing us to either walk away from the Lord or to make us tentative as we exercise the ministry given us. In their lashing, they push us to fall back into ourselves and they consume us with the idea we can make things much better.

In the middle of these realities we not only have intense conversations with one another or our parishioners, we are also mindful of THE place from which our ministry gets exercised—the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ. In our study of the Scriptures we look for the Word on which our preaching and teaching is grounded. We remind one another of our Baptisms. We help each other to confront our sin and announce the words of Forgiveness. We preside in the eating and drinking of the Son's Body and Blood. We encourage and support one another in the church's ministry. We expose our parish communities to the deep richness of the church's prayer and worship life where the Word is shattering and restoring. We finally let all things be drawn into the Son's Cross.

If we look at these years from the perspective of Good Friday, Holy Saturday, and Easter Day, it appears that we are trapped in the first two days, stirring our fears and gloom, flooding us with disillusionment and cynicism. But we're not that trapped! Underneath them the Lord God is moving us to Easter Day! In his mysterious and powerful ways, he will carry us through the difficulties surrounding us and will enable us to exercise the ministry for which he ordained us!

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Copyright © 2010 Society of the Holy Trinity. All rights reserved.
Posted -- 14 May 2010
Latest Update -- 15 May 2010