Bruno Schlachtenhaufen Rest in God's Peace

This month's The Lutheran magazine brings notice of the passing of the Rev. Bruno Schlachtenhaufen.
Among his other services to the Lord and his neighbors, he directed the Seminary Appeal for the old American Lutheran Church during the years I attended Luther Seminary in St. Paul, Minnesota. I remember his name because I had the responsibility to announce his presence on campus with an invitation for any interested persons to meet with him. I had this announcement duty during the Chapel time when hundreds gathered for worship. I sweated out the pronunciation of his name -- not wanting to sound silly in front of the crowds, nor to hurt Bruno Schlachtenhaufen's feelings. When it came time for announcements, all the consonants and vowels rolled out beautifully. (I was even complimented by several persons afterward for my precise pronunciation.) Ever after, when I needed a great pastor's name to throw out for illustration, I fell back on Bruno Schlachtenhaufen.
Now, I read that he has passed on to his promised place with God. I think I may still use his name as it is tough to beat it, but I shall also momentarily reflect every time on the transitory nature of this world -- its duties, worries, calls to service, concern about possessions, praises for actions, and opportunities for service. And I shall remember the divine promise given to Bruno Schlachtenhaufen, fulfilled now in his passing. Requiescat in pace.

The Bible: In the Beginning ...

The Bible: In the Beginning ...
This was indeed indeed "In the Beginning" of our Summer "Reel Religion" film festival at First United. About a dozen folks showed up on Wednesday at 7:00pm to watch John Huston's interestingly conservative treatment of the subject (the first 22 chapters or so of Genesis). Perhaps the "Free Popcorn" was the big draw, but I think we all enjoyed the Hollywood-scale treatment of this very religious subject matter. It was interesting to do a little research and discover that the film was not a great money-maker at its release. In fact, many consider it to be the last of the Biblical Epics that Hollywood churned out from the late 1940's through 1966. I think the mid to late 1960's really challenged everything that went before. Even the Adam character (Michael Parks) followed this movie with his 1969 TV series "Then Came Bronson" where he played a restless youth trying to discover himself as he motorcycled on the highways of America. Maybe as the country reevaluated everything, the Bible seemed archaic. Here over 40 years later I think the film holds up as a faithful retelling of the early chapters of Genesis, though Huston is a bit goofy as Noah in my opinion. Catch it on DVD if you were not there on Wednesday!
(Next Wednesday, July 29, "The Nativity" from 2007! And there is more Free Popcorn!)

My Sister's Keeper

This tear-jerker, My Sister's Keeper, is out right now in wide release. Actually not bad for its type of movie. (Though I would prefer Star Trek again if I was going to repeat a movie.) What I noticed in this movie about young life, young death, a family's coping, questions of afterlife, and organ donation issues was a lack of reference to traditional faith. Only after one character's death do we see a pastor in the rain at a funeral. Prior to that, the family is on their own; no church friends are mentioned; no chaplain or pastor visits in the hospital; and the characters speak abstractly about the soul and wonder about what comes after this life. Are we that post-church today? Is there no one to speak about the faith, about the promises related to the afterlife? Are children growing up with no real concept of something, some certain hope after death? I pray that the church (that is, all the people of God) find a way to share our faith message because Hollywood rarely even gives us a nod nowadays. And we cannot simply be left for the last ceremony or be left out in the rain.

Arts Festival Accomplished!

We survived! No, we thrived!
The Midsummer Arts Festival came and went and we were inspired! Thanks to all the musicians. As one audience member commented: "How do they keep all that in their heads?" Well, they didn't. The music flew from head to finger to instrument and voice. Amazing music! I forget sometimes what a marvelous space we have for music -- the sound just rolls through the building and envelops a listener. Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful -- what more can be said?
The audience enjoyed adding their voices through the Folk Songs, and they must have enjoyed them because when the lead-choir offered to skip one, the audience cried out to sing that one too. Next year, we need more sing-along time.
The ongoing Fine Arts dealt beautifully with the theme of "Despair to Hope" -- thanks go out to those who lent the pictures and graphics on display. And we had some tasty treats to sample as the beauty was appreciated.
The Vespers service was moving for those who spoke German and those of us who can keep up with some German. I think even the English-only speakers were captured by the beauty of the Abendgebet (Evensong / Evening Prayer). And then the Order of St. John fed us royally with delicious grilled Brats (and what was in those beer cups?)
We survived! We thrived! Or hearts were raised at Midsummer!

Getting Ready for the Half-Christmas Celebration!

When our children were younger, we held half-birthday celebrations for them, especially since my son's birthday was in July and otherwise he would miss marking the occasion at school. I have some misgivings about that now, since they still do not want to give the practice up and they are both in their twenties! But I digress. This coming Sunday, First United Lutheran Church is repeating a kind of half-Christmas Celebration -- a MidSummer Arts Festival close to the Nativity of St John the Baptist Day (June 24). On the 28th of June, we shall bring out the Arts indeed in celebration of John the Baptist as well as being half a year towards Christmas. We have pianists from child prodigies in the SMU Youth program to Cliburn Competition finalists. We have singers -- a South African and folks leading traditional German folk songs. Then we will offer a German Vespers service. The evening concludes with a Beer and Brats fest!
Christmas is a great time of the year. We hope to make half-Christmas a joyful, fun, and worshipful time as well.

According to their website: Dallas' Theatre Three concluded their 2008-2009 Season " with the dramatic musical, Lost in the Stars by Kurt Weill and Maxwell Anderson, based on Alan Paton’s Cry, the Beloved Country. Lost in the Stars is the captivating emotional journey of loss, grief, redemption, and the resultant peace that only forgiveness and reconciliation can bring." It was an almost archaic reminder at times of the now old issues of Apartheid and societally-enforced racial segregation. At the same time it offered a review of old human issues -- want, accident, forgiveness, reconcilliation. I particularly appreciated one interchange between the fathers of two sons -- one the Black accidental killer and the other the White victim. Referring to the necessity of the death sentence when a murder has been committed, even when it was an accident and the killer has repented and told the absolute truth, the Black father says,"Jesus did not say this." And the White victim's father responded, "But where there is government, it is true." Issues of life and death are so "life and death" and yet what about forgiveness, truth, justice in an unjust society?

7:30am Saturday -- Volunteers Head to Habitat for Humanity!

Yes, at 7:30 AM on a Saturday, I joined a handful of volunteers from First United Lutheran Church, who headed for South Plano and a Habitat for Humanity building project. The early morning cool soon gave way to a roasting heat, especially as three of us started on the roof (Tim Ellis, Jeff Harrington, and me). I had a shoe "blow out" and my red duct job kept the shoe together, but made it dangerous to return topside. Therefore, I joined Paula Ellis in various ground level jobs. Broken by a delicious hamburger and hot dog lunch, we helped with the roof, hanging sofit (how about those air-pressure nail guns), marking cut-outs for drywall, and generally being available. Our small group was happy to see a committed group, including frequent visitors Elisabeth and Heinz Schaefer, making great headway on this duplex. We hope to join in again soon!

Monday evening, I attended a reception for Bishop Tom Barnett of The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Sierra Leone (ELCSL). His soft-spoken manner cloaked the mighty mission of that church body which seeks to serve a country recently emerged from civil war. Their amputee project helps their fellow Sierra Leoneans while they also support refugees from neighboring Liberia. Our family has long supported the young church and believe they are doing wonderful things. (We also think they are good stewards as the church continues to use a blue Plymouth Voyager our family donated about ten years ago!) The ELCSL is currently constructing the Jubilee Center in central Freetown as a visible witness of the church's commitment to serve this impoverished country in faithful witness to our Risen Lord Jesus!

Peace and Love

I recently attended a production of "Love" -- the Grammy-winning musical adaptation of Beatles' music with the intriguing staging of Cirque du Soleil. Though slow-starting (IMO), it eventually played frenetic homage to the Beatles and some events of the era when the music was composed. And there was a Volkswagen Beetle! (Always a good sign in my book.) Close to the end, as the musical approached a raucous crescendo with "Revolution," huge words appear on one wall -- "Peace and Love." Then the words fragment and various letters begin to cascade down like rain. Art.
The show was overall amazing and worth attending (IMO again). When I saw those words though, I thought of Jesus as a much earlier proclaimer of "Peace and Love," especially I guess because of the texts from the Gospel of John (not Lennon) that we have been reading during Holy Week and Easter: the Great Love Commandment (John 13: 34,35), Jesus' immediate post-Easter offering of Peace (John 20: 19ff.), and this Sunday's text "This is my commandment, that you love one another ...." (John 15:12).
The Beatles once famously/infamously claimed to be more popular than Jesus. I suppose their music is famous indeed, but the message of Peace and Love from God in Christ preceded and (IMO) will outlast those four lads from Liverpool, The Beatles.
But we can all share the hope that "Peace and Love" will rain down on our world.

Tuesday, April 21 -- a couple of hours prior to the last post

Tuesday, April 21 --
A couple of hours before I wrote the previous post, my son, Alex, broke his ankle while bicycling. After getting off from their pizza delivery jobs at like one in the morning, he and his roommate Nathan go cycling through the dark streets of Arlington and Grand Prairie. Mom and Dad wish for safer choices (like wear a helmet!). But in this case, no late night reveler hit him; there was no bicycle stunt gone bad. No, he just stepped off his cycle and something went wrong and he twisted his ankle and then lost his balance and snap! His foot was limp and off center by 90 degrees and the distal fibula cracked. He rode by ambulance to the Emergency Room and got his foot set the right direction, but they only splinted the break. Mom flew off to Laredo to speak to librarians. Dad went to teach class and take care of church stuff. Several hours later, Alex awoke in agony, informed me of the situation, and we began the process of chasing down doctors and referrals and dealing with insurance. The swelling subsided and just today the break was finally repaired -- screws and plates.
Thank God for modern medical care, for dedicated medical personnel at all levels that addressed his needs and are helping Alex to mend! He should be able to cycle again relatively soon (but wear a helmet!). We are not sure, if he will ever be able to waltz. (That would require extensive lessons, as he has never tried before.) (That was my sorry attempt at humor.)
I do thank God that we are "wonderfully and fearfully" made. It was amazing to see the intricate design of how the ankle snugs up into the leg bones with ligaments wrapped to secure it. We humans are an amazing creation.