Why didn't I see you there?

Today is the final day of the 2017 Institute of Liturgy, Preaching, and Church Music put on by the LCMS Worship through its Office of National Mission and was directed by the Office of Chaplain, namely the Rev. William Weedon.  It has been a wonderful week and a marvelous opportunity to grow in knowledge and craft, refreshed by Word and Sacrament, and fellowship with friends (new and old).  If you were not here, you missed it.  You really did miss the boat.  You should have been here!  That said, do not miss it when it comes around again in 3 years.  And find out who went and what they thought about the week.  I hope all of this will encourage you.  We had about 400 here this week.  Wisconsin has over 1,000 (from a church body one sixth the size of Missouri).  Next time lets try to top the WELS and not for competitive reason but because what happens there is too good to miss.

Today is the commemoration of Johann Sebastian Bach.  We are the Church from which such faith, craft, talent, skill, and genius came.  It was formed in faith, shaped by the life of the baptized around the Word and Table of the Lord, led by the Spirit through the Word, and dedicated to the cause of preaching the Gospel through music.  At the Institute we honored Carl Schalk and Henry Gerike, two of among so many giants who have followed in their steps.  And with them so many more whose names are not as well know but whose faith, dedication, and labor is no less.

I cannot say enough about the welcome we received from Pres. Dan Gard and the Concordia University Chicago family. . . or about Chaplain Will Weedon and all his crew. . . or about the presenters and speakers. . . or about the musicians and the volunteers. . . It was a high privilege for me to be a part of the planning work and to be among those who presented, preached, and led worship.  And to those who head home, Godspeed, my friends!