wfn.org | Lutheran Men Strive to Build Legacy of Faith

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ELCA NEWS SERVICE

August 24, 1999

LUTHERAN MEN STRIVE TO BUILD LEGACY OF FAITH
99-211-MR

     BRECKENRIDGE, Colo. (ELCA) --  The 1999 Lutheran Men's Gathering
brought together more than 600 grandfathers, fathers, sons and friends
to explore what it means to "build a legacy of faith and life" that will
make a difference in families today and for generations to come.  The
gathering took place here Aug. 13-15 at the Beaver Run Resort.
     Under the theme, "Building Legacy," men worshiped, sang,
participated in workshops and heard keynote presentations.
     Men from "the plains, hills, seashores and mountains discovered a
fresh relationship with God and with other men on the same faith
journey," said Douglas Haugen, director for Lutheran Men in Mission
(LMM) -- the men's organization of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in
America (ELCA).
     The goals of the gathering were three-fold, Haugen said.  "The
event served to connect men from all generations in America today; spark
new men's ministries in ELCA congregations; and uplift and support the
Lutheran Men in Mission organization," he said.  LMM is organized in 42
of the ELCA's 65 synods.
     The Rev. H. George Anderson, presiding bishop of the ELCA, greeted
the gathering.  "Recognize that you are a legacy.  The time men spend
with young people is rare in today's society.  You are unique."
     Anderson said Breckenridge is an appropriate place for this
gathering.  "A mountain is a good place to be," he said.  "Moses met God
and received the Ten Commandments on a mountain, and the disciples came
to know more about Jesus on a mountain."
     The Rev. Walter (Walt) Wangerin Jr., host of Lutheran Vespers, the
radio ministry of the ELCA, led a keynote presentation with his two
sons, Joseph, 29, and Matthew Wangerin, 28.  Walt said the keynote was
his first stage presentation with his sons.  The Wangerins spoke on the
"Building Legacy" theme.
     "Legacy can be about what is passed down.  It's not hereditary,
but legacy can be about sharing stories from generation to generation,"
said Matthew, a restaurant manager in Atlanta.  Joseph is a freelance
artist and sculptor.
     In their presentation, Matthew and Joseph shared stories about
growing up and the significance of their father.  Walt discussed the
process of naming a child, "a holy thing God has given to parents."
Growing up, Matthew was often called by his father "the loud war-cry."
     "The process of naming is a way we discover children.  Naming is
the declaration of a whole character, and how a child begins to identify
and knows himself," said Walt.
"God empowers us to name, and everything named establishes
relationships."
     The Wangerins were introduced by Rollie Fredrickson, Chippewa
Falls, Wis., an LMM board member.  Fredrickson brought his two sons and
five grandsons to the gathering.
     Workshop topics at the men's gathering ranged from dealing with
anger constructively to men as key leaders in teaching faith.  Curtis
Miller, associate director of men's ministries for the Presbyterian
Church (U.S.A.), led a workshop on developing "healthy" men's ministry
in cooperation with other churches.  In 1997, the ELCA Churchwide
Assembly voted to enter into full communion with the Presbyterian Church
(U.S.A.), the Reformed Church in America and the United Church of
Christ.
     The Rev. Roland D. Martinson, a professor of pastoral care at
Luther Seminary, St. Paul, Minn., a seminary of the ELCA, led a seminar
on foundations for building men's ministries.   Lyman Coleman, president
of Serendipity, a publishing company in Littleton, Colo., led a seminar
on small group ministry for men.
     Music at the 1999 Lutheran Men's Gathering was provided by
musician and songwriter Paul Todd, the music group Dakota Road and
guitarist Tony Melendez.  Born without arms and hands, Melendez plays
the guitar with his feet.
     Bible study was led by the Rev. Albert Starr Jr., Ascension
Lutheran Church, Los Angeles.  "Legacy is about relationship and an
exchange between generation and generation," Starr said.  Starr also
serves on the California Governor's Commission on Fatherhood.
     "God is present in all generations.  That is a legacy and a
promise,"  Starr said.  "God does not give us a legacy of fear, but a
legacy of power, love and self-control."  Starr asked men to think
about how our nation and society experience grief and hopelessness, and
how the church can be prepared to respond.  He also asked men to think
about what they want the next generation to inherit and why.
     The Rev. Richard Hardel, executive director for the Youth and
Family Institute of Augsburg College, Minneapolis, a college of the
ELCA, was a keynote presenter.  Hardel said nothing is more important
than "men proclaiming to be nurturers of faith. "
     "We seek our father's blessings.  Fathers, don't wait a lifetime
to give it.  Give it now, so that your child may see Jesus in your life.
Have your children and your children's children know the power of
forgiveness," Hardel told the gathering.
     Bart Campolo, vice president of Kingdomworks, an urban youth
ministry in Philadelphia, said, "Fathers give us a start in life, and
this should be the basis for measurement.  Do not compare yourself with
other people, not even with your own father, which is what we tend to
do.  We all have different starts; test yourself against yourself."
     Campolo said men do not look "into the mirror much, but we must.
You must take stock of who you are and see what you have.  If you want
to build a legacy, first determine that which you have.  Next, you must
determine what you can do with what you have.  Our fathers may have
blessed us with a starting point, but it is who we are in the end that
matters.  We are all made in the image of God.  Our legacy may be bad or
good, but your destiny is terrific."
     The Rev. Richard Jensen, professor of homiletics, Lutheran School
of Theology at Chicago, and musician Paul Todd, delivered a sermon with
music from famous Broadway plays.  Jensen said plays like "Phantom of
the Opera," "Rent," "Jesus Christ Superstar" and "Les Miserables"
illustrate the "incredible welcome of God's grace" in ordinary lives.
     Ken Canfield, president of the National Center for Fathering, a
non-profit education and research center dedicated to "inspiring and
equipping" men to be responsible fathers, was a keynote presenter.  "We
have been given testosterone, we have been given power," he said.  "Men
set the pace for the world."
     Canfield outlined four "'I can's of fatherhood: involvement,
consistency, awareness and nurture.  A father needs to spend time with
family, and a father should know his children's personality, spiritual
gifts and learning capacity.  A father also expresses love, an eruption
of the kingdom of God and our destiny."
     The men's gathering closed with worship.  Walt Wangerin preached
the sermon.  More than $30,000 was given for the men's organization.
     Preceding the men's gathering, the Lutheran Men in Mission board
met here Aug. 12-13.  The board re-elected Charles Schwartz,
Fredericksburg, Texas, president of LMM.  Heber Rast, Cameron, S.C., was
elected vice president; Leroy Simonson, Rolf, Iowa, was elected
secretary; and Ken Getzin, Rancho Palos Verdes, Calif., was re-elected
treasurer.
     "We're looking to do bigger and better things," said Schwartz.
"Members of Lutheran Men in Mission plan to raise $100,000 to match a
$100,000 gift given to support the work of the men's organization."
     "We hope membership in the men's organization will expand.  We
also hope that the organization becomes financially independent and not
rely on subsidies from the ELCA.  A goal of LMM is to help enrich and
develop the faith lives of men, so that their relationship with Jesus
Christ strengthens," Schwartz said.
     The goal of LMM is to build men's faith, relationships and
ministry through men's gatherings, resources produced by the
organization and leadership development, Haugen said.  LMM works to
achieve their goal by working with men in congregations and synods of
the ELCA through gatherings, Bible studies, men's ministry guidebooks
and resources, and "coast-to-coast" leadership training, he said.
     "Our commitment is to assist every congregation in establishing an
effective, life-changing men's ministry so that every man would become a stronger
churchman and a stronger family man," he said.

For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or NEWS@ELCA.ORG
http://listserv.elca.org/archives/elcanews.html