The Seminarian - LTSP - Lutheran Theological Seminary at ...

Volume 52, Issue II SPECIAL WORSHIP EDITION! March 2008
Inside this issue...
ACADEMIC LIFE
Authentic Worship .........................
! 2
Preaching with Power! ..................... 3
Something to Talk About.................7
STUDENT LIFE
10 Things! ....................................... 3
Worship Poetry! .......................... 5&6
Sitting in the Front Row! ................. 6
COMMUNITY LIFE
What about worship?! ..................... 4
Let everything... ............................
! 5
INSERT
The Seminarian:
A Publication for and by
LTSP Students
EDITORS:
Alexis Twito atwito@ltsp.edu
Rozella Poston rwhite@ltsp.edu
CONTRIBUTORS:
Becky Howell
Cean James
Brian Jenkins
Joe McGarry
Amy Yoder McGloughlin
Leila Ortiz
Bill Petersen
Jonathan Riches
Heidi Roddrick-Schnaath
Joan Testin
Lena Warren
Steven Wilco
The Seminarian
a publication of the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia
Hein-Fry Lectures Prove
To Be Practical,
Interesting
Erika Strobel
The 2008 Hein)Fry lectures were
entitled, &Living Together in the 21
Dr. Nelson Rivera, Dr. Wanda Deifelt, and Dean Paul Rajashekar pos#
for a picture a$er the annual Hein%Fry Lecture. Deifelt presented &rst i'
the morning, and Rivera responded in the a$ernoon. !Photo: Alexis
Twito"
!continued on page 2"
st
Century: The Lutheran Vocation in World
Christianity.' The Rev. Dr. Wanda Deifelt,
Associate Professor of Religion at Luther
College, came to LTSP as the featured
Hein)Fry lecturer on February 19, 2008.
As quoted from the Hein)Fry lecture
series brochure, &Dr. Deifelt currently
serves as Associate Professor of Religion at
Luther College and resides in Decorah,
Iowa. She is one of the most in*uential
feminist theologians from a Latin
American context who has combined that embrace unquestionable truths expressed by
in*uences from contemporary European authoritarian leaders + mostly male + who support their
and American hermeneutics with life) position through charismatic discourse and biblical
experience and scholarly re*ection from a literalism.' Dr. Deifelt attributed the growth of
Brazilian and Latin)American
fundamentalism around the world to social and cultural
perspective.' The Rev. Dr. Nelson Rivera, changes produced by urbanization, industrialization and
Associate Professor of Systematic modernization in the 20
Theology and Hispanic Ministry, and the
director of the Latino Concentration at
LTSP, responded to Dr. Deifelt(s lectures.
Dr. Deifelt took time in her %rst
lecture to talk about the impacts of
fundamentalism in world Christianity.
With acknowledgement to Martin Marty
and Scott Applebee, Deifelt de%nes
fundamentalism as, &social movements
th century. As these social and
cultural changes occurred, billions of people around the
world were left with uncertainty in their lives and in their
well)being. In fundamentalism, religion o,ers order and
meaning when the society does not.
Dr. Deifelt compared fundamentalism in the United
States to fundamentalism in Latin America. In the United
States, fundamentalism is the response of the Protestant
elite reacting against modernity. The fundamentalist
movement in the United States is a return to &good old
Prison Worship
Surprises Student
Joe McGarry
!
Last semester I had the
opportunity to attend a
worship service at Graterford
State Prison where I did an
independent study on prison
ministry and pastoral care.
I was very impressed with
how everything went at the
service. The Chaplain and I
arrived around 8:00am and
things seemed to be moving
along very well. Everyone
who participated in the
service was an inmate
"besides the chaplain and I#$
there were ushers, musicians,
and a worship leader. We were
there for the Protestant
service and there were about
250 inmates present for
worship.
I %rst noticed the dress of
the inmates, some were
wearing their &regular' clothes
issued by the prison$this was
a maroon shirt and pants with
the letter D.O.C "department
of corrections# on the back.
These clothes were made at
the prison by the inmates
themselves. All the ushers had
white button shirts with their
maroon pants. Lastly there
were those who had blue shirts
on, those were guys who just
came back to the prison from
a parole violation.
The one thing that I
noticed was their shoes. It
seems that one of the things
they had control over is what
shoe(s they wore and you can
see the guys who were really
active in the service were
wearing the &nicer' shoes.
There is no standard issued
shoe for inmates in the general
population. It was their way
of dressing up for church.
The Christian chaplains
rotate leading the service on
Sunday mornings. For the
!continued on page 3"
!THE SEMINARIAN PAGE 1

Volume 52, Issue II SPECIAL WORSHIP EDITION! March 2008
Authentic Worship
Bill Petersen
In a commentary on worship, the ELCA evangelism website
reminds that Article Seven of the Augsburg Confession states that
Church happens whenever there is an assembly of believers among
whom the Gospel is preached in its purity and the holy Sacraments
are administered according to the Gospel. The article(s intent is to
de%ne the Church, but in doing so it also de%nes worship as an event
that announces the Good News of Jesus to all gathered.
Worship that is truly Lutheran worship announces to us in
Word and Sacrament what Jesus has done for us in His dying and
rising. True Lutheran worship declares in its preaching, music and
liturgy that in Christ, captives are set free and sinners are forgiven.
The stakes are high. Article Seven insists that if our worship
services are characterized by anything else other than this
proclamation then whatever we are doing is not Lutheran worship; it
is not even Christian worship.
It is in the context of this Lutheran understanding of worship
and knowing many in our community have wrestled with the &A
Open Letter to Seminary Chaplains,' in the December issue of Th#
Seminarian, that I was moved as I received the sermon preached by
Dr. Dirk Lange on Wednesday, February 27 th. I found great comfort
in hearing the conversation between the Samaritan Woman and Jesus
at the well in a new light. While sermons are written to be
proclaimed, this one also reads as a powerful statement about
worship and community. I encourage those of you who heard it
initially and those who were unable to be in chapel that day to read
and re*ect on the word brought by our co)chaplain that follows.
AL 03 Exodus 17:1-7 + Psalm 95 + Romans 5:1-11 + John 4:5-42
A Sermon Preached by Rev. Dr. Dirk Lange in the LTSP Chapel on Wednesday, February 27, 2008
The Samaritan woman gets it. She recognizes Jesus as prophet and immediately, I(m sure you noticed this, immediately she asks the
question about worship. &The woman said to Jesus, (Sir, I see that you are a prophet. Our ancestors worshiped on this mountain, but you say that the plac#
)here people must worship is in Jerusalem.*' A prophet, of course, would know about worship. A prophet would be able to say where and how God
is to be praised. A prophet would know what &authentic' worship is all about.
She also gets to the heart of the worship question, doesn(t she? Perhaps intuitively, perhaps because she knows she is standing before
someone who calms all fears and who will not fail her. Perhaps because she knows + outsiders, the excluded, the marginalized tend to know
these things better than the rest of us + she knows that &worship' as it happens here and now isn(t authentic or perfect. She precisely has
su,ered because of it. Worship, worship styles are in fact so hypocritical. We say one thing about worship but we do another. Or we insist on
our way, our agenda as if that agenda were the only valid one. This marginalized woman knows that the worship of God, in its current state,
isn(t &it.' Our worship is not yet that eternal song of praise.
So where will we %nd authentic or perfect worship? Luther pondered the same question… he even started making a proposal but then
retreated because, he wrote, he doesn(t yet have the people for it nor does he see any people really capable of it "and he includes himself in
that indictment#! Worship, he writes, is to help us become Christians! So the question remains, will we %nd authentic worship? Where? On the
mountain? In Jerusalem? Here in this chapel? No, Jesus says, &the hour is coming when you wi+ worship the Father neither on this mountain nor i'
Jerusalem. !…" the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers wi+ worship the Father in spirit and truth.'
Ah, now there(s the rub, isn(t it? In spirit and truth. We immediately want to claim these two attributes for our own way of worshipping.
&My worship is inspired by the spirit working through this liturgical tradition, this pattern, these written prayers.' &Oh no, others say, &the
Spirit is here and now inspiring us to pray these words, to sing this song.'
Our issues aren(t much di,erent from the ritual dilemma faced by the Samaritan woman. We(ve got our own mountains and our own
Jerusalem(s working right here.
And perhaps this side of the Jordan, we will only %nd comfort, a way forward, in the multiple signs we have been given + a word that
washes us, a word that is distributed for us, a word that is spoken in the Spirit, a word that is sung for us, for our hearts, a word that calms,
that gives peace.
A word that recognizes us… recognizes our fears and sadness, recognizes our longing, recognizes a deep down goodness. A word that
recognizes and disrupts and comforts us. A word that enters in… through many di,erent paths, through many di,erent ways, a word that leads
us into goodness.
A word that is thanksgiving. The Greeks, Luther pointed out, called it eucharistia. A thanksgiving, a deep praise, a song, the art of the
Holy Spirit, welling up like springs of living water within us, gift of God, reconciliation, sweet peace, Gospel goodness, priceless treasure, joy…
Hein-Fry Lectures...!continued ,om page 1"
Jesus
values' in reaction to modernist values. In contrast, in Latin America, fundamentalism thrives among the less educated, often semi)illiterate,
loosely Roman Catholic audience. In Latin America, where forty percent of people live below the poverty line, the fundamentalist movement
interprets wealth and success in the lives of individuals as God(s favor. Dr. Deifelt shared photos and spoke from her lived experiences in Brazil
and the United States.
Dr. Rivera responded to Dr. Deifelt(s lectures with six important points. 1# Fundamentalism has a strong presence in world Christianity and
takes on many faces. 2# Literalism is not exclusive to the religious experience. Literalism is a cultural phenomenon that allows us to describe
reality &as it is,' like modern science. 3# The Gospel can be de%ned as justi%cation and the primacy of faith. 4# Lutheran critique of visible things
+ what does a true theologian use to speak about God? 5# There is a need for a constant critique of theology. Theology is not given by divine
revelation, and theologians must choose from other peoples( ideas. 6# From theology to praxis + theology needs to be conversant with culture,
history, and society, and all theologies are contextual.
The Hein)Fry lecture series proved once again this year to be interesting and practical. Drs. Rivera and Deifelt shared their gifts with us by
bringing their expertise and lived experiences to the table in important and challenging ways. As in years past, I was impressed by the
scholarship of the Hein)Fry lecturers and the importance of the topics addressed in the series.
!THE SEMINARIAN PAGE 2

Volume 52, Issue II SPECIAL WORSHIP EDITION! March 2008
Prison Worship...!continued ,om page 1" TEN THINGS YOU MIGHT NOT KNOW
service I attended, it was the Lutheran chaplains turn to lead
worship. He said that when he started working there he tried to do
a &traditional Lutheran liturgy service' but for that community it
really did not work. He kept the traditional ordo but it was more of
a free liturgy. There is music at the beginning and then some
prayers, some more music and then scripture and a sermon and
then they end with an &Altar Call' and the Lord(s Prayer.
I have to say the music was great. There were three di,erent
choirs and they all had a full band behind them. The &lead Choir'
was VERY good. They had 5 singers with one lead singer and the
rest was all in harmony. I was very impressed with the quality of
music and thought these guys should do a CD and call it &Soul from
the Cell' $ I said something to the chaplain and he said that the
state would not let them. Which is too bad + I really enjoyed
listening to them.
During the service there were some guys with their hands in
the air and others just sat there not really paying attention to the
service and there was a mix of in)betweens. It is hard to tell who
was there to worship and who was there just to &look good' for the
guards, sta,, parole board, and other inmates. It is terrible to think
that, but it is a reality. I think as long as they are there at least
hearing what the Gospel has to say, who knows what might happen.
God works in all kinds of ways and we cannot limit that.
After the service I had a lot of guys come up to me and thank
me for coming. They asked a few questions about who I was and
they told me that I was welcome back at some point. I must say,
out of all the churches I have been to while in seminary "about 6
churches in %eld rotation my %rst year and about 6 churches since
for various things# this was the most &friendly' congregation I have
been to. I noticed that it did not matter what you were wearing,
what you were doing during the service or who you were, you were
welcome. I talked with one of the inmates at length after the
service about his impressions of worship at the prison. He said that
when he %rst started going he was one of the guys sitting in the
back. He did not care about the service and he did not really pay
attention. He was just going to get out of his cell for an extra hour
on a Sunday morning. One Sunday he did hear a message that
really connected with him and he started asking questions about
religion and his faith and he became more and more active in the
chapel. He has lead worship and he really enjoys trying to reach out
to those who were once in the position he was in.
My hope is that we as future church leaders can have a place in
our churches to those who might have been incarcerated.
Eventually the prisoners will be set free and I hope that our doors
may be open to those who want to continue to build upon their
faith. The men that I encountered at Graterford had a deep and
personal faith. They have a desire to continue to grow in their
spirituality and my hope is that the church can see beyond their
past crimes and take them as they come to us.
ABOUT CHAPEL HERE AT LTSP
Steven Wilco, Sacristan
1. In addition to worship leaders, musicians, and others involved in
planning and leading, 18 people have helped as sacristans, 13
people have baked bread for Eucharist, and more than 20 people
have served as ushers.
2. Paraments are changed in accordance with liturgical season and
major festivals as well as in honor of lesser festivals. We chose to
observe commemorations of saints in worship without changing
the color of the paraments.
3. Readings are done from the large Bible "NRSV# on most days. On
Wednesdays and festival days we use the lectionary book, which
has the readings for those days edited for more inclusive language.
4. The lights in the chapel were designed by Luther D. Reed, former
professor of liturgy and seminary president.
5. The ringing of the bell to call people to worship and during the
Lord(s Prayer is an ancient tradition to invite people to worship
and to invite the community to pray the Lord(s Prayer along with
those gathered in the church building.
6. The Mon.,
Mon., organ March
March has 39 10,
10, complete 7:30
7:30
pm ranks. pm A rank is a set of pipes
producing a given timbre.
7. The Dr. Dr.
candles Alison
used Gise-Johnson
in chapel are 51- beeswax, which makes them
Grace burn Baptist
evenly Church
and slowly of of Germantown
as well as serves as a reminder of the
25 West natural Johnson
world Street,
as Philadelphia,
created by God. PA PA 19144 19144
8. The sacristy "the room for worship preparation and storage# is
Tuesday, behind the March restroom 11, and 11:30 the am classroom. am The earliest known
sacristy was in Syria in the %fth century.
9. Our periodic Dr. Barbara
practice Holmes
of reminding the assembly of their baptism
LTSP, by Benbow the sprinkling Hall, The of Brossman water using Center a pine branch is known as
7301 Germantown asperges. Avenue, Philadelphia, PA PA 19119
10. The words inscribed on the baptismal font read &Baptism doth
also now save us,' which comes from 1 Peter 3:21 "KJV#.
Tuesday, March 11, 7:30 pm
Dr. Gemechis D. D. Buba
Some information taken from Worship Wordbook: A Practical Guide for Parish Worship by
Ralph R. Van Spirit Loon and Truth S. Anita Worship Stau,er, Center Minneapolis: Augsburg, 1995; and LBW
Occasional Services.
1000 Church Lane, Yeadon, PA PA 19050
Wednesday, March 12, 12, 11:30 am am
A Celebration of of Black Sacred Music Music
Five LTSP sermons Schaeffer-Ashmead and one lecture Chapel by six distinguished
LTSP Schaeffer-Ashmead Chapel
7301
7301 African Germantown
Germantown American Avenue,
Avenue, preachers Philadelphia,
Philadelphia,
PA and PA
19119
19119 theologians, and a
celebration of black sacred music comprise Preaching
with Wednesday, March 12, 7:30 pm
Wednesday, Power: March A Forum 12, 7:30 on Black pm Preaching and
Theology. The Rev. Otis Moss, III
The Local Rev. Otis churches Moss, III within the community host
the evening Mt. Airy Church of God in Christ
6401 Mt. Ogontz Airy worship
Avenue, Church Philadelphia, of God services. in ChristAll
are welcome! Come
PA 19150
6401 Ogontz Avenue, Philadelphia, and be inspired! PA 19150
Thursday, March 13, 7:30 pm
Thursday, March 13, 7:30 pm
Dr. Alvan N. Johnson, Jr.
Dr. Mt. Alvan Pisgah N. AME Johnson, ChurchJr.
428 N. 41st Mt. Street, Pisgah Philadelphia, AME Church PA 19104
428 N. 41st Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104
The worship
offering proceeds
go to !"#$%#&'$()'$
*+,#-"$.'$
*/01,+2$324+5#4$
60"+7/),"8-$9:24,
which benefits UTI
students.
Friday, March 14, 7:30 pm
Friday, The Rev. March Gregory 14, Holston 7:30 pm
LTSP The Schaeffer-Ashmead Rev. Gregory Holston Chapel
7301 Germantown LTSP Schaeffer-Ashmead Avenue, Philadelphia, Chapel PA 19119
7301 Germantown Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19119
For more information regarding Preaching with Power, please contact
!THE SEMINARIAN For more Lyn Jackson information at 215.248.6381 regarding Preaching or at Ljackson@Ltsp.edu with Power, please or contact PAGE 3
Lyn visit Jackson our Web at site 215.248.6381 at www.Ltsp.edu/preachingwithpower
or at Ljackson@Ltsp.edu or
For more
information visit
www.ltsp.edu.

Volume 52, Issue II SPECIAL WORSHIP EDITION! March 2008
What About Worship
Brian Jenkins
I have been in the church as long as I
can remember. I have heard what worship
was and have participated in worship, but
it wasn(t until recently that I had
experienced worship in its purest form.
I was on my %rst international
mission emersion in the impoverished
developing country of Guyana, South
America. As I entered into the one room
Pentecostal church in the village of
Timehri, I heard the words of Psalm 95
ringing out from the voices of a youth
choir, &Come let us worship and bow
down, let us kneel before the Lord our
God our maker, for he is our God, and we
are the people of his pasture, and the
sheep of his hand.' As I looked into their
eyes, seeing their hands lifted up towards
heaven, I grasped they were giving God
everything they had. The real revelation of
the purity of their worship came when I
visited the home of 18)year)old Nathalie
who led the morning worship. Her mother
died a year ago and her father was doing
his best to raise seven children on his own
in their one room shack about the size of
my living room.
It was in this moment I learned what
words of the Psalm they sang really meant.
It is not worshiping God for what you have
or what you expect; it is worshiping him
just because of who he is: God!
We Worship God with
Noise
Psalm 95 points out that worship
requires thanksgiving and a joyful noise.
We often debate a great deal about what
the &noise' should sound like. I have a
great appreciation for the Latin masses of
Franz Schubert and Antonio Vivaldi. I love
to sing the formal hymns of the church
and I love the sound of contemporary
gospel, but joyful noise is not limited to
(Un)Holy Communion?
Amy Yoder McGloughlin
A few months ago, when my Mennonite congregation shared
communion, it was particularly messy. The pastor broke the thick,
hearty, misshapen loaf of grainy bread, and when he did, pieces of
the bread went *ying. When he lifted the cup into the air, a little
splash of grape juice fell onto the *oor. And when I went forward
with my brothers and sisters to receive communion, I reached for
the bread and took a big chunk of it, then dipped the bread into the
WAITING juice.
Somewhere in the midst of this mess, I envisioned what was
and what could be, and something inside my soul moved. I imagined
myself with Jesus and witnessed him breaking bread at the table with
his disciples in that Upper Room. I imagined some wine dripping
o, of Peter(s chin onto his tunic. I envisioned John dropping a hunk
Children in Guyana: Pastor Brian Jenkins, of Chosen 300 Ministries, prays with childre'
in Guyana, South America during worship. !Photo: Brian Jenkins"
these. I hear worship in the humming of
my grandmother as she rocks in her
rocking chair. I have heard this noise in a
rock band worshiping God on their
electric guitars and drums. I have heard
this noise in a gospel rap group, as they
made rhymes declaring how great God is.
We try to de%ne worship on the noise
itself rather than the source of the noise.
The source of the noise lies with in the
heart of the one projecting it towards God.
Matthew 21:16 says, &Out of the mouth of
babes and sucklings thou hast perfected
praise.' Can babes sing Vivaldi or
Schubert, sing a hymn, sing a gospel song,
play in a band, or do a rap? No, they just
cry unto God with a joyful noise.
We Worship Him Because
He Is the Creator
Verses 3)5: &For the LORD is a great
God, and a great King above all gods..In
his hand are the deep places of the earth:
the strength of the hills is his also..The
sea is his, and he made it: and his hands
formed the dry land.' The thanksgiving
we o,er is not because of what God has
done, although it is warranted; but, our
thanksgiving and joyful
noise should be o,ered unto
him because he is our
creator.
We Worship God
with Humility and
Reverence
Verse 6 gives us the
instruction that we should
worship him with all
humility and reverence. &O
come, let us worship and
bow down: let us kneel
before the LORD our
maker.' This goes beyond
just a physical act of bowing
or kneeling, but it is a
symbol of obedience.
Abraham shows us this idea
of worship in the 22 nd Chapter of Genesis.
Here God instructs Abraham to take his
promised son Isaac whom the Lord had
given him in his old age and o,er him as a
sacri%ce. &And Abraham said unto his
young men, Abide ye here with the ass; and
I and the lad will go yonder and worship,
and come again to you' "Genesis 22:5#.
We Worship Him because
We Have Relationship
Verse 7 says, &For he is our God; and
we are the people of his pasture, and the
sheep of his hand.' Our relationship with
God is signi%cant in the worship
experience. To e,ectively worship him
you must have a relationship. We often try
to de%ne worship by how comfortable we
are with worship, but I have learned that
although worship does require action, it
has more to do with the spirit of a person(s
heart towards God. For &the hour cometh,
and now is, when the true worshippers
shall worship the Father in spirit and in
truth: for the Father seeketh such to
worship him. God is a Spirit: and they that
worship him must worship him in spirit
and in truth' "John 4:23)24#.
of bread on the *oor. The disciples and Jesus savored the delicious
bread and sweet wine and their time together, without concern for
manners or social propriety. This meal was messy, confused, and
terrifying. The disciples had no idea what was going on or what to
expect, but they were irresistibly drawn to Jesus and to the power of
his words.
In her book Take This Bread: A Radical Conversion, Sara Miles
describes her %rst experience with communion and how it changed
her. Up until the moment that she walked into the church building
and took communion, she was an atheist. But there was something
transformative that happened in that moment that Miles received
the bread and wine. She writes,
- Eating Jesus, as I did that day and to my great astonishment, led
me against a+ my expectations to a faith I*d scorned and work I*d
never imagined. The mysterious sacrament turned out to be not a
symbolic wafer at a+ but actual food.indeed the bread of life.
!continued on page 6"
!THE SEMINARIAN PAGE 4

Volume 52, Issue II SPECIAL WORSHIP EDITION! March 2008
Worship is sometimes
new or uncomfortable,
but ever welcoming
Jonathan Riches
Worship is a community
endeavor. While people participate in
prayer and devotion on an individual
basis, the faithful are called together
as the assembly to worship and grow
as a community drawn by God and
sent out to the world. My own
denomination, the Reformed
Episcopal Church, declares in its
mission statement that the Church
&sets /its0 highest priority on biblical
worship and declares /its0
commitment to the work of
evangelism, the bold and
unadulterated proclamation of
salvation by grace through faith in the
Lord Jesus Christ.' The mission
statement then emphasizes the
importance of discipleship and
indicates that the Christian life &is
necessarily corporate. The Gospel call
of salvation is not only to a Savior, but
also to a visible communion "I
Corinthians 12:27#, which being
indwelt by Christ(s Spirit, transcends
both temporal and geographic
bounds.'
When I gather for chapel here I
come to worship God and also to be
an active part of the community of
God(s people in this place. In so
doing, I gain a greater glimpse of the
fullness and diversity of the body of
Christ. I will admit that at times, as a
non)Lutheran, I get lost in the service
and feel uncomfortable; however, that
is part of getting to know di,erent
traditions and working together as a
community.
Worship is not just for me, it is
directed to God and for the whole
To dance, to dare
to belong, to believe, to
bare
my soul before my
loving Lord.
I am here…
~ Rebecca Howell
assembly. Chapel is a place where
everyone should feel welcome. As we
gather together from diverse
traditions and cultures we will not all
feel comfortable all of the time;
however, each of us must be
committed to working together to
understanding one another. That is
part of being a community and
growing together as a portion of the
body of Christ. We can be welcome
and still at times not feel at ease.
While from time to time I may
be confused or uncomfortable in
chapel here, I know I am always
welcome and that there are always
people who are willing to take time to
help me understand why things were
done a certain way. Further, as a
whole the community here seeks to
reach out and understand the other,
no matter what culture or
denominational tradition from which
one may be. Of course in order to be
understood, one has to participate and
be heard. That is why these public
conversations about worship are so
important and why it is essential that
when any of us as a part of any
assembly have concerns about worship
that we share them with chaplains,
presiders, and those who help guide
our worshipping community. From
time to time, I have shared my
concerns, and in every case, over time
I have seen action that took into
account, not only my concern, but the
well)being of the community.
Each and every one is welcome to
come before God and let their voice
be heard in worship and praise. It is
also important that we allow our
voices to be heard by one another in
this community. God will work
though and in each of us for the
edi%cation of each other and the
service of the community and the
world.
To love, to leap
for joy, and to employ
each scrap of wit and
wonder,
heart and hand,
in service of my King.
Let Everything That Has Breath…!
Cean James
One of my favorite blogs is &Random Thoughts of a
Lutheran Geek' "lunargoat@blogspot.com#. I actually was
drawn to this blog about a year and a half ago when the
blogger seriously pondered the controversy over worship
music that was ragging in her local church and
denomination. Music is indeed one of the great uniters in a
much divided world. The power of music is universal and
even Christians who do not agree on much else, will agree
that music is essential for Christian worship.
Perhaps it is this indispensable nature of worship music
that has led the church into this age old debate, &What type
of music is PROPER for worship?' For centuries the battle
lines have been drawn; Traditional vs. Contemporary. Organ
vs. Keyboard and Guitar. Choir vs. Praise Team. Gospel vs.
Metered Hymns. To drum or not to drum, that is the
question? Is Alternative Christian Rock even %t for
worship? Isn(t Gospel Hip Hop an oxymoron?
In order to address this issue, we can %nd churches
today with three di,erent services, each providing di,erent
types of music. This has left many families divided during
worship as Grandma goes to one service, Mom and Dad
attend another, and the children check out a still another.
While these arraignments o,er an adequate temporary
solution, deep inside we all know that segregation is not a
real resolution.
The foundation of this issue is, of course, style. And
style is a matter of preference, of which everyone is entitled.
Experience will teach that style has a very necessary
neighbor, respect. It is not mandatory that even the most
eclectic among us enjoys or appreciates all forms of worship
music, but it is important that we respect all music that
glori%es God, or more importantly, that we respect the
people who enjoy and appreciates those forms of music.
While I do not see myself in the near or distant future
developing an a1nity for Gospel Rock, I value the music
because I respect those who hear God in the electric guitar.
We have allowed a prejudice to slip into our concept of
worship. It is in our lexicon of worship, when &high church'
is used to denote a certain style of worship and music,
leaving other styles in the worship basement of &low
church.' A preference becomes a prejudice when we believe
that one is truly better than the other. That one glori%es
God more than the other. That one is the worship music of
&digni%ed Christians.'
The Psalmist might have been on to something when
she developed a symphonic praise, %lled with trumpets and
harps, cymbals and strings, dance and pipes. I believe that
today she would call for congas and tambourines, B12
Hammonds and bass guitars, saxophones and maracas, two
turntables and a microphone. Let everything that breathes
and plugs in, praise the Lord!
OUR seminary does an excellent job in dealing with
many of the tough issues that face God(s church. We wrestle
constantly with racism, sexism, heterosexism, materialism,
denominationalism, and *at out bigotry. How then do we
incorporate a new understanding of how to do music in
worship that is faithful to the gifts of the community and
honors God?
!THE SEMINARIAN PAGE 5

Volume 52, Issue II SPECIAL WORSHIP EDITION! March 2008
Sitting in the Front Row
Joan Testin
On September 24 I had an experience
that most folks in this community have not.
On that day, a guest preacher in our chapel
proclaimed that I was living a life that was
contrary to Biblical teaching, a life that was
evil, and that my church, in pandering to this
evil, was contributing to its own downfall.
From the pulpit in our chapel, I was named
&anathema' in the very space that is most
sacred to all of us.
That afternoon, I sent the following e)
mail to our worship leaders:
- /I have tried to talk myself out of feeling
0iolated by the sermon today. I have told myself
that this was a visiting preacher whose views /do
not necessarily re1ect the views of management.2 I
have tried to block out the sight of nodding heads,
and the sounds of agreement by reminding myself
that it was only a few folks, only a part of th#
community that I ca+ my own. I know tha3
community does not mean uniformity, and I know
that this issue is a divisive one in so many places.
My own denomination is in the midst of a nasty
battle over it. I read the newspapers, I see the blogs
and e%mails. I have heard this theology even her#
in the refectory over dinner. I know that it is /ou3
there2 and /in here2, and I*m con,onted with it o'
a regular basis.
- And yet, and yet. I do feel violated, I do
feel singled out, and I do feel uncomfortable in a
place that has felt safe. I also know that it wi+
never feel quite safe again.
Words ,om the pulpit have a power that no
other words have. Invisibility in our chapel feels
more invisible than anywhere else. I ask your
prayers.2
I have read that there are people who
do not feel welcome in the chapel. And I
have to confess that that confounds me.
Because on September 24, I was told that I
was not welcome, and yet I know that is not
true. On September 24, I was told that I am
abhorrent to God and God(s people, and yet,
almost daily I am held as part of the body of
Christ. On September 24, I was told to keep
away. I did not do what I was told.
Some of the folks in chapel that day
knew that I have shared the last 21 years of
Hey, did you hear the annual
Student Spring Phonathon is April
1, 2, 3 and 8,9,10! Want to do
some smiling and dialing to help
put lots of dollars into the
Leadership Fund?
my life with my beloved partner. They knew
how hard that sermon was for me. They
hugged me, talked with me, and reminded
me that I was loved. Yet not one of them
wrote an article, organized on my behalf, or
decided that I needed them to rescue me.
They did not presume to speak for me or
about me. They assumed that, as a budding
church leader, I had the power to do my own
talking. And that was an insightful and loving
gift + and one that is not always given to
marginalized folk.
Liturgy is the work of the people + all of
the people. We are gay, straight, multi)
colored, male, female, rich, struggling, old,
young, multi)denominational, and we are the
people of God. When we come together to
worship in our chapel we create liturgy that
re*ects us. Worship is built on relationship,
and not on speci%cs of music, or prayers + or
even on the words of preachers. We honor
each other when we remember that; and
remember to speak to each other, rather
than for or about each other.
So I attend services, and help to create
our worship community. If there is a form of
worship that I hunger for, I volunteer to lead
a service in that form. If there is a style of
music that I want to hear, I nag the seminary
musician until I hear it. If what I hear from
the pulpit wounds me, I do not walk away.
Instead, I contact those who have the
responsibility for what happens in our
chapel. On September 26 th, I met with our
chaplains, and we shared our mutual feelings
of anger and violation, and we prayed
together. At the next Eucharist, I was back
in chapel + in the front row. Our chaplain
gave a powerful sermon of love and
inclusion, of hope and reconciliation. And I
cried.
The chapel at LTSP is not our chapel.
The chapel at LTSP is God(s chapel. By our
presence around the table, we create worship
that enfolds the whole community. Through
that worship, God give us the grace to look
into each other deeply and know the Body of
Christ. May we have the wonder and
humility to join in worship of the Holy One
who has given us to each other in this time
and this place.
Sorry, 7-8:30 is past
my bedtime! And, I’m
not allowed to talk to
strangers!
Will he or won’t he?…….to be continued
*Sponsored by the LTSP Foundation
Art by: Rebecca Howell
(Un)Holy Communion...!continued
,om page 4"
In many of our churches, these
communion experiences would never have
occurred. The *ying bread and spilling juice
would distract and scandalize. The idea of a
non)believer participating in communion
would not pass on church council. And the
messy experience of communion(s
transformation would, therefore, be lost. Our
worship rules of decorum would get in the
way of truly experiencing the transformative
power of communion.
What are we trying to say or experience
in communion? Are we trying to continue a
tradition? Are we remembering the life of
Jesus? Are we taking in the bread of life Jesus
o,ers to all? I pray that like Jesus and the
disciples, and like Sara Miles, the experience
of sharing communion with our brothers and
sisters )) and maybe even a stray atheist or
two )) transforms us.
They aren’t strangers; they are our
friends and expect us to call them!
Don’t you want to help raise money
so students get more help with
paying their school bills!
Come on…let’s help!
Maybe there will
be food and
prizes?!
!THE SEMINARIAN PAGE 6

Volume 52, Issue II SPECIAL WORSHIP EDITION! March 2008
Snapshotes of Life as an Intern - One for
the Books!
Leila Ortiz, St. John(s Lutheran Church in Baltimore, MD
The Time: First Sunday in Epiphany !Three Kings Day% 2008"
My parents were in town from Puerto Rico. My mom had
cooked 5 pork shoulders, 10 lbs of rice and peas, and a green banana
casserole. My dad was getting his bongos and percussion toys ready to
play with the invited Latin Jazz band, and I was getting myself ready
for something not to play out as I had envisioned.
My internship supervisor had handed over the reigns and it was
all on me. Every Friday night for weeks I had been with the children
and youth rehearsing a liturgical dance for that day !would they
remember the steps?"; I had invited the church to share some of their
traditional dishes for our gathering after the service !would there b#
enough food?"; and I had invited the Latin Jazz band from New York
City !would they make it or let me down?". Oh and did I mention that I
had to preach %rst to the children and then to the congregation, as
well? I was close to faint when that time came. The pressure was on…
so many things on my mind and nothing was for certain… not to
Reflecting on Culture,
Race, Racism and even
Worship (part 2)
Lena Warren !Continuing ,om last month*s
article…"
Thinking about the di,erent senses of the word &white,' in a
skin tone sense, I agree, chapel worship is expressly pale. Though
there are a few regular)attenders who are not &white' and hail from
countries all over the world. I am grateful for everyone(s attendance
and miss others who choose not to come. I am supported by all of
their prayers and my faith is strengthened by their faithfulness. I
hope that they %nd some value for me being there as well.
While I have a little trouble de%ning what white culture is
exactly "not to say that there aren(t several#, I feel that in a cultural
sense, chapel isn(t white. The worship that is done in the chapel
comes from the church spread all over the world. We frequently use
an &ordo'$a pattern for worship$that comes from the early church,
which most likely arose from Western Asia and was embraced in
North Africa before it ever found its way to Europe.
I(m grateful that we use such an ancient ordo regularly, rather
than succumbing to the understanding of worship that consists only
of singing a lot and then listening to the preacher talk for a very long
time$something that came to the fore in the States and has now
been imposed upon other cultures as the right way to worship. I feel
a little counter)cultural within this country(s context to value what is
genuinely ancient. It also makes me feel connected$to the church
all over the globe and throughout time that has and continues to
share this ordo, too.
In chapel we often sing hymns from every part of the globe. We
are blessed by being able to sing hymns from Cameroon and Tanzania
and South Africa. It is not unusual to sing in Spanish. I love when
we sing music from the African American tradition$which we do
often. We sing music from all over Asia. And we sing music from
Europe and the Americas. It is all beautiful music. And I humbly
appreciate the gift of singing it. Thuma Mina, the International
Ecumenical Hymnbook, produced by the World Council of
Churches, reminds us that &hymns written in other contexts and
under di,erent living conditions . . . remain the property of people
from other countries and bear the indelible mark of their own
mention that the church was packed with visitors and guests, an
invited church, and my parents as spectators from a fundamentalist
perspective.
The time came for the service and during and at the end of our
sermon together, the church was at their feet praising, worshiping,
clapping, with their hands in the air; it was absolutely and exclusively
the Holy Spirit at work doing something new. We all became
spectators to what God was doing… It was by de%nition a true
celebration!
We interns have a gift for getting overwhelmed with all the tasks
at hand. We get so consumed in our projects and in the impressions
we give o, that sometimes God has to show up in unusual and
unexpected ways "i.e. getting Lutherans on their feet, clapping and
praising freely# to remind us that it is not about our planning and
envisioning. God wi+ do. God is and wi+ be faithful. God has and wi+
provide. God wi+ make God(s self known!
By the way, the band showed up early and provided an amazing
Latin Jazz experience, there was more than enough food for everyone
to eat and take home, and my parents? Well, let(s just say our
theological conversations have evolved from endless debates into
productive questions and answers.
God is good, all the time! And all the time, God is good! !
context . . . Yet they give us the opportunity to be touched by the
wide variety of sung spirituality which links Christians all over the
world with each other.' Of all the places I(ve ever been able to
worship, I %nd that the chapel gives me the best opportunity to sing
the faith of others, respectfully. And isn(t that what the church is
about$a body of believers throughout time and space? A multi)
dimensional body breaking open our views of the world, whatever
they are?
I have never worshipped quite this way before$no Lutheran or
Baptist or Methodist or Episcopal or Catholic or any other
denominational or non)denominational congregation I have ever
attended is willing to be as *exible as the worship is in chapel. No
congregation I know is willing to let so many di,erent voices speak
from the pulpit. No congregation I(ve visited or heard of is willing to
rearrange the furniture like is done in this space. To be honest, the
constant *exibility keeps me slightly uncomfortable$never sure
what to expect, regularly stumbling through at least one new hymn,
and never entirely relaxing into a pattern.
Yet, for that I am glad, because it makes it clear to me that no
one owns the chapel. We all come together to make worship and
prayer happen every day. We are guided by the really amazing
theological re*ection of Dr. Quivik, Dr. Lange, and Mark Mummert,
as well as their colleagues, whose voices they regularly recommend
and bring to speak. We are led into deeper appreciation of many
di,erent practices by exquisite musical expression and well thought)
out liturgical practice$by all people who lead "I believe and hope#.
And for that, I am deeply grateful. I have found that worship here
has been an invitation to me to explore$to explore the rich heritage
of the church and many di,erent people(s expression of faith$and in
the process, learn my own voice of faith$always in dialogue with
community and always open to hear what others have to say.
It is sad to me that some people do not feel welcome in chapel,
no matter what pigment of skin they have. I believe that everyone is
always welcome. And I believe that no one is exactly doing the
welcoming, except for a gathered community that would like to hear
some scripture read, some good news preached, some faith sung, and
some heartfelt prayers lifted to God. That community is formed by
those who show up and it is di,erent every day and it has been
extremely di,erent every year. Because ultimately, what gives life and
spirit in worship is not what liturgies you plan or hymns you sing, but
the inspirited body of Christ that comes to pray.
!THE SEMINARIAN PAGE 7

Volume 52, Issue II SPECIAL WORSHIP EDITION! March 2008
Squirrel
Bites
What has been your most
memorable experience here
in the chapel?
Emilie Theobald: The very first chapel
service I helped lead my junior year… I was in
the procession—it was myself, Dr. Beth
Huwiler, and President Krey. We started down,
I was leading, and all of a sudden I’m more
than halfway down and I notice they’re not
behind me. New little junior I was, I didn’t
realize we had to stop and bow at the cross. I
was already at my seat, but I tried to rush back
—but it was too late. I was embarrassed. It
was my first experience of processing at LTSP.
Becca Ehrlich: At the beginning of last
semester, when we welcomed new faculty
and staff in, was my favorite. That was cool!
I like that we did that in chapel.
Matt James: Mine would probably be the
first Eucharist I ever experienced, last year,
because everybody sang… And it was
amazing! They sang—they didn’t just… sing
—they SANG!!
Dr. Nelson Rivera: When I was a student
here in the mid-80s, I used to love going to
Compline on Sunday evenings. It was the
only time we did it then. But we did it with
music—organ—and everything. It was well
attended. I have never experienced Compline
again the way that was done. It was just
wonderful to start the week like that.
Rachel Zimmermann: I loved Reformation
Day! It was a beautiful, warm day. We all
started outside, praying and singing. It was a
cool way to start like that.
The Seminarian does not necessarily express th#
0iews of the editors, the seminary, or any of its
representative church bodies. A+ images are used
)ith permission, a+ materials property of th#
author.
We welcome contributions! If you have
something to say contact an editor.
!THE SEMINARIAN PAGE 8

Words of Wisdom from Someone
Who’s Been There
Rev. Heidi Rodrick!Schnaath
When we arrive at seminary we come with certain
expectations about what life will be like in this Christian
community. Our expectations are as varied as we are. Some of us
anticipate that seminary life will be an ivory tower of higher
education. Others expect that it will be more like church camp; a
place of warm acceptance and comfort. Some think it will be like
their home congregation, only better. When we get to seminary
we "nd that yes, this is a "ne academic institution. And yes, this is
a speci"cally Christian community. And of course, there is much
here that resembles life at home, yet we may be disappointed.
Seminary life is not entirely academic. Students are required
not just to learn the rubrics, the rules, the history and the canon.
They are also meant to see how these things are to be practically
applied.
Seminaries are Christian communities but they are not the
place where you go to have a mountain top experience. When you
enroll in seminary, you do so knowing that you will be evaluated by
your instructors, the administration and your candidacy
committee. And those appraisals don#t always leave room for the
warm or the fuzzy.
Seminaries by their very nature are not congregations. They
are church institutions. As such they are governed by a speci"c set
of rules and guidelines. These strictures can have implications in
the worship life of the community and beyond. In addition, one
may "nd that the things that you loved most about worship at
home are not necessarily included in worship at seminary.
It seems that worship is frequently the focus of our
disappointments in community life. It happens in the parish and
it happens at the seminary. And when you are a leader of a
worshipping community, you are usually the one who will be
discussed, evaluated and even criticized. Sometimes the
conversation is public and sometimes it is not.
“ONE HOUSE AT A TIME” Seeks Your Help
One House At A Time continues to look for VOLUNTEERS! We help low!income families get
started in homes by delivering basic furniture to them for free. Our organization has grown and has
been able to help more people because of volunteer support. You can volunteer for only an hour a
month and still help us help families. You can help to:
Sort items and prepare them for delivery
Help on scheduled workdays
Deliver furniture on Saturday morning '8:30!12(
Pick!up or deliver furniture on weekdays
Pick!up local donations on weeknights 6!8
Tell your friends about One House and encourage them to donate
their gently used furnishings.
If you would like to help, we will "nd a way that works with your schedule. You can participate with
friends as well as encourage your "eld education/internship congregations in the Philadelphia area
to become involved. We would like to have people who can help once every 6!8 weeks. Call Debi
Wilson in the One House o$ce 215!646!7812 to "nd out how you can help or to share your idea of
how you would like to help.
Submitted by Ellen Anderson, Upper Dublin Lutheran Church, Ambler which has been involved
with )One House& since its creation 10 years ago.
When you are the leader of a worshipping congregation you
have to make di$cult decisions. The choices you make are
hopefully guided not only by theology and ecclesiology but also by
a sense of pastoral care. But don#t think that the decisions are
always cut and dry.
! A con"rmation student has attended class only half of
the time. He hasn#t done the sermon notes. He refuses
to serve as an acolyte. He#s surly and hard to talk to.
When he does talk, you sense that he has a lot of
questions about faith. Do you con"rm him or not?
Remember, Dad#s on the Congregation Council and
Grandma#s already bought her plane tickets.
! The sister of a member dies and you are asked to do the
funeral. The member is a heavy hitter in the community.
Lots of money. Lots of power. And he knows it. His
sister was baptized in the Presbyterian Church but lately
she#s been a practicing Buddhist. Do you agree to do the
funeral?
! The chair of the Altar Guild asks you to baptize her
granddaughter. You know that the parents don#t have a
church home of their own. And you#re pretty sure they
aren#t shopping for one either. The family will be in
town at Thanksgiving. Will you do the baptism? What
will you say to the parents?
Hopefully you will do the best you can, given the
circumstances surrounding your decision. Your seminary
experience should provide you with a solid background in both the
theoretical and practical dimensions of pastoral decision making.
Your instructors are not only teaching you, they are modeling this
aspect of pastoral life. Whatever choice you make, I pray that
people will give you the bene"t of the doubt or as Luther said, I
hope that they %put the best construction on all that you do.& For
that is a hallmark of a truly Christian community.
JUST!A!NOTE!FROM!THE!
SAVE!THE!AVENUE!COALITION:
All!businesses!on!Germantown!
Avenue!are!open!and!ready!to!
serve!you.!!Please!don’t!let!the!
Germantown!Avenue!
construction!inhibit!your!support!
of!local!businesses.!!Note,!for!
instance,!that!the!Trolley!Car!
Diner!has!added!a!take!out!deli!
that’s!a!short!walk!from!campus.!
Remember!to!visit!
www.SaveTheAve.org!for!more!
information!regarding!the!project!
and!its!impact!on!businesses!in!
Mt.!Airy.

CELEBRATE
UNITY
WITH THE
UTI
STUDENTS
AT THEIR
SPRING UNITY SERVICE
Date: SUNDAY, APRIL 20, 2008
Time 4:00PM
Schaeffer-Ashmead Chapel
Lutheran Theological Seminary
at Philadelphia
GUEST PREACHER
Rev. Dr. Wayne E. Croft, Sr.
Church of the Redeemer Baptist