Quotable Blog Quotes #5

Quotable Quotes From Around the Blogosphere



Brothers of John the Steadfast
Pastor Charles Henrickson’s two parodies of the Ablaze! hymn, offered as comments following Mollie Ziegler Hemingway’s post on the same topic.

ABLAZE DISGRACE
Tune: “Amazing Grace”

Ablaze disgrace, the heat profound
That makes it rest on me:
I’ve won the lost, but more abound–
It’s high anxiety!

Ablaze has taught my heart to burn,
Ablaze my guilt increased.
What pressures did Ablaze apply–
Statistics never ceased!

Through many programs Synod shares
The kingdom surely comes.
‘Tis doctrine that gets in the way
And causes us speed bumps.

When we’ve filled up ten thousand pews,
Igniting every one,
We’ve no less days to stay ablaze,
Till Jerry says we’re done.

One Mission, Mission, Mission One!
One Mission, Mission One!
One Mission, Mission, Mission, Mission!
One Mission, Mission One!



COME ABLAZE AND GET ON FIRE!
Tune: “Light My Fire”

You know it’s what you need to do,
You know it makes your head perspire.
Sinners lost because of you–
Ev’ry second folks expire!

Come ablaze and get on fire!
Come ablaze and get on fire!
Try to drive the numbers higher!

The time to get it straight is through,
No time to do what we did prior,
No one really knows what’s true,
So we sure don’t need no purifier.

Come ablaze and get on fire!
Come ablaze and get on fire!
Try to drive the numbers higher!


A Heresy Hunter at Concordia
Bob Hunter, CTS seminarian

"And One of the books we're reading is by the ELCA and it would sure look good in a fireplace."


Brothers of John the Steadfast
Mollie Ziegler Hemingway

And when I served on the Board for Communication Services, we understood that we wouldn’t be able to offer a job to a confessional clergy member of the LCMS who was proficient in theology because President Gerald Kieschnick wouldn’t even let us hire any staffer who was a confessional clergy member of the LCMS who was proficient in theology. He literally blocked us from hiring qualified individuals who were also confessional Lutherans.


Four and Twenty Blackbirds
Pastor Bill Cwirla’s post "Advent Refections on TLH"

I must admit to getting a bit emotional when I hear the congregation’s response “And with thy spirit” to my pastoral salutation, “The Lord be with you.” What a beautiful exchange of blessings between pastor and people.


Gottesdienst
Comment of Pastor Larry Beane

I think Fr. Petersen is spot on here. We Americans are clueless when it comes to courtly behavior and the rubrics of conduct in the presence of royalty.

In fact, we wear our ignorance and Philistinism as a kind of badge of honor, as if knowing which fork to use at a banquet and being able to confidently write a letter incorporating proper titles and protocol are somehow considered unmanly or effeminate behavior - or worse yet somehow "un-American."

Being a 21st century American and masculine is somehow seen as incompatible with humility in the presence of one's superiors and knowing how to conduct oneself in the presence of the Sovereign.

Also, showing reverent physical obeisance in the presence of consecrated sacramental elements and in holy places confesses not only the Lordship (which is really, as Fr. Petersen points out, the Kingship) of Jesus, but also that He is physically present, and that we, as His subordinates, ought to behave with propriety as His subjects at court - especially pastors, who are "officers" in the court as well as the King's vassals.

And how counter-cultural this is! I recently saw a YouTube of an LCMS pastor "preaching" a Christmas "sermon" dressed up as a shepherd and pretending to be drunk (even cracking such jokes as asking the "audience" how many Romans it takes to light a candle). To be carrying on this way at the altar doesn't signify manliness, but is simply blasphemous conduct in God's presence (No Isaiah 6 "chancel prancing" here!). Though I'm sure the guy "meant well" - sort of like the American woman a few years back who greeted Queen Elizabeth with a bear hug.


Preachrblog
The concluding remarks to Pastor Tom Chryst’s New Years Eve sermon

For our God, our help of ages past, is our hope for years to come. We look back to his salvation, accomplished for us at the cross and empty tomb, and we look forward to that future day when he comes again in glory. And for now, we look to his word, to his promises, and to his love, which is always for us in Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.