It is officially warming up. The sun is shining today and the opportunity was not wasted at the Wartburg Seminary campus. An email was sent out over the student server sharing a call to join in on the wonderful game of Ultimate Frisbee. The call was answered.
At 2 p.m. this afternoon half a dozen seminary students paraded on to the field to pursue the glorious adventure of throwing a platic disc back and forth between different people. The appeal of this event may be obvious, but let me expound on its significance. Ultimate fribee is a sport that is a cross between soccer and football, but played with a frisbee instead of a ball. Teams line up on opposing endlines and one team commences play by hurling the disc to the other end of the field in a move called a 'kickoff' (see the similarity to football?). The other side, upon receiving the thrown disc, moves to get open so that the team member who picked up the frisbee can throw it to them. When a player receives the disc, she or he cannot run forward, but moves the disc down the field through fine displays of teamwork, strategy, and gutsy moves of hustling down the field to receive the thrown frisbee. It is a joyous occasion when one team moves the disc all the way to the other end of the field and past the endzone line and scores a point. It is a wonderful game and I am glad to say that the Juniors won this afternoon's match!
I tell you that to tell you this. There is something simply great about getting outside with brothers and sisters in Christ and doing stuff together, even if it is things as ridiculous as chasing down a round piece of plastic. In the fellowship that we share with one another, we share Christ. This shared experience of Christ is enhanced even more when it is set in God's creation, under the great blue sky and soaking in the sunshine. All in all, it was good to be here at Wartburg Seminary today where we shared in the sunshine with one another and, most importantly, we shared Christ.
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
Lead On, Mr. President
This past weekend was the innauguration of Wartburg's 13th presdient, Rev. Dr. Stanley Olson. President Olson has come to us from the ELCA Synod ofice in Chicago and has a strong history in the church. He is a relatable and confident leader that we trust the Holy Spirit has led to Wartburg in order to guide the community as we continue to live out God's mission in the world.
The innaugural service included a sermon from the ELCA Presiding Bishop Mark Hanson who challenged all of us to look at our feet and the feet of our neighbors in order to put focus on how God continually calls us to move in mission. This message set the tone for the rest of the service as we ritually welcomed President Olson into the office of the Wartburg Seminary presidency and bestowed upon him the seminary medallion. The tone is the missional call that we all accept when we accept the summons of the Lord. We were not placing a new person into a position of prestige, but, rather, we were affirming a brother in common mission of God to lead in this missional community.
It was an exciting day for all of us. President Olson gave an address in which he outlined plans to strengthen Wartburg in the future as we move forward, continually seeking God's call. As good Lutherans, we ruminated on this address and the innaugural service with lots of coffee and food (without coffee and refreshments I, for one, would be hard pressed to say that God could have been present at all). But, alas, we shared goodly fellowship with the Presiding Bishop, President Olson, the Wartburg Seminary Board members, Bishops, other ELCA Seminary Presidents and ELCA College representatives, students, faculty and a number of family and guests. It was good to share the experience as a national Lutheran community which helped us remember and experience that our call is not solely to Dubuque, IA, but to all that God has made.
So, as you are now officially sworn into office, we look forward to working, studying, worshipping and living with you, President Olson. Welcome to your new office as the 13th Presdient of Wartburg Theological Seminary!
The innaugural service included a sermon from the ELCA Presiding Bishop Mark Hanson who challenged all of us to look at our feet and the feet of our neighbors in order to put focus on how God continually calls us to move in mission. This message set the tone for the rest of the service as we ritually welcomed President Olson into the office of the Wartburg Seminary presidency and bestowed upon him the seminary medallion. The tone is the missional call that we all accept when we accept the summons of the Lord. We were not placing a new person into a position of prestige, but, rather, we were affirming a brother in common mission of God to lead in this missional community.
It was an exciting day for all of us. President Olson gave an address in which he outlined plans to strengthen Wartburg in the future as we move forward, continually seeking God's call. As good Lutherans, we ruminated on this address and the innaugural service with lots of coffee and food (without coffee and refreshments I, for one, would be hard pressed to say that God could have been present at all). But, alas, we shared goodly fellowship with the Presiding Bishop, President Olson, the Wartburg Seminary Board members, Bishops, other ELCA Seminary Presidents and ELCA College representatives, students, faculty and a number of family and guests. It was good to share the experience as a national Lutheran community which helped us remember and experience that our call is not solely to Dubuque, IA, but to all that God has made.
So, as you are now officially sworn into office, we look forward to working, studying, worshipping and living with you, President Olson. Welcome to your new office as the 13th Presdient of Wartburg Theological Seminary!
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