From: "Rev. Robert Rahn (by way of Rev. Eric J. Stefanski, )" To: Subject: CLIMB: Luther Academy Dedicated in Latvia Date: Friday, November 02, 2001 12:54 PM Subject: CLIMB: Luther Academy Dedicated in Latvia Sent: 5/30/20 9:23 AM Received: 5/26/00 6:32 PM From: Rev. Robert Rahn, rrahn@lhfmissions.org To: Confessional Lutherans in Missionary Boldness, CLiMB@CAT41.org 5/26/00 Dear Brothers, I am unsure if this has already appeared on the Climb list. I have been out of the office for much of the last month and we have also had some recent e-mail problems. Rev. Robert Rahn LHF Executive Director +++++++++++++++ Celebrating Achievements On Friday, May 5, 2000, in Riga, Latvia there were two concurrent celebrations taking place at 1 Dome Square. Riga citizens were celebrating the hockey teams rare achievement of defeating Russia in hockey. The Dome Square was filled with shouting, horn blowing, flag-bearing celebrants. By contrast, the quiet prayers of celebration emanating from Luther Academy at the same address were being drowned out by the hockey celebrants and the windows of the Luther Academy had to be closed in order to hear the speeches by visiting Lutheran dignitaries extolling the dedication of this Lutheran facility. One could draw some rather obvious conclusions from these contrasted events. The most obvious conclusion is that the hockey celebration is momentary, fleeting, of short duration, to be followed by future defeats. Meanwhile, the opening of an institution where men will be prepared for the holy ministry calls for celebration because the effect will be eternal. The lesson one learns is that earthly celebratons may outwardly seem more exuberant and festive and very attractive to a great crowd of people, but can often end with nothing more than headaches as early as the next morning. For Luther Academy there will only be a few graduates in its opening years and yet the preaching of the Word will touch the lives of many offering cures for the headaches of life, and even more significant, offering a cure for the sin that would otherwise have ended in meaninglessness, fear, hopelessness, and eventual death. But through the suffering, death, and resurrection of Christ, there has been given to us the great exchange that ushers in hope, joy, peace, and eventual life that is eternal. What is more valuable? What calls for the greater celebration? On what event will we celebrate in the most hearty way? What is it that will receive our jubilation? Will it move us to the town square with shouts of victory? Will we be proud bearers of the banner or flag of the Lord? Yes, the dedication event calls for a pause, an analysis, a look at the race and the goal. The Latvian Lutheran Church has chosen a route that is slow, methodical, but pressing to the goal of becoming a school from which prophets are sent out into the world. It was good to have been a part in this subdued celebration. The Lutheran Heritage Foundation was cited by the Bishop as the first to suggest that a seminary ought to be started. This suggestion was met with opposition by the Bishop and he admitted that because of circumstances he was later compelled to change his mind. Dr. Reinhard Slenczka, Rector, cited the contribution of many around the world who made the day possible. He indicated that the LHF helped to develop the library and that most text books being used were translated and published by the LHF. It was interesting that on one of the shelves in the Luther Academy I found a book I hadn't even seen up to that point, the most recent release in Russian of Chemnitz' Theologici Communes. Representing the Schwan Foundation was the Rev. Keith Boheim, which provided the funding for the renovation of the six story building. Rev. Boeheim introduced the Rev. Fred Schielke, who represented the World Misson of the LCMS. Other dignitaries included heads of various church bodies, confessional groups, and men of a church body mentioned again and again _the LCMS. In attendance were Dr. Sam Nafzgar, CTCR, Dr. Dean Wenthe, Pres. Concordia Th. Seminary, Fort Wayne, IN, Dr. William Weinrich, LCMS Third Vice President, Prof. Tim Quill, Fort Wayne Seminary, and Rev. Robert Hartfield, European Coordinator, LCMS World Mission. Mr. Andris Smilgdrivs, LHF Baltic Vice President, served as interpreter for presentations, and Mr. Konstantin Komarov, LHF Vice President Russia Region, was a special guest. The celebration began at 1:00P.M. with a special presentation by officials of Luther Academy, followed by lunch. At 3:00 P.M. a dedication service was held at the Dome Lutheran Cathedral with Dr. Janis Vanags, Bishop of the Latvian Lutheran Church, presiding. Some 50 special guest pastors and Latvian Lutheran clergy joined in the procession for the service. Following the service the congregation proceeded across the street to participate in the dedication rite at the entrance to Luther Academy. Special gifts were presented to Rector Slenczka and President Guntis Kalme. Rev. Robert L. Rahn, LHF Executive Director, presented a copy of the CPH Commentary on Revelation. The Rev. Fritz Raedeke, Good News Distribution Director, provided books by Johann Gerhard and volumes of the Good News Journal. A special reception concluded the events of the day. The Luther Academy started holding classes in 1997 in the Konsistory of the ELLC and actually moved into the new quarters in October 1999. Currently there are close to 50 students attending and many of them are already serving under a Pastor or function as evangelists. There are also students from the Universtity of Latvia Faculty of Theology, who are auditing courses. There is a prescribed route for these students to follow in order to be ordained in the ELLC. This includes a comprehensive exam prior to authorization for ordination. It is anticipated that the Luther Academy will become a prestigious confessional Lutheran institution in the Baltics and all of Eastern Europe. This historic occasion was indeed worthy of celebration. Rev. Robert Rahn Lutheran Heritage Foundation rrahn@lhfmissions.org + + + Confessional Lutherans in Missionary Boldness + + + The CLIMB e-letter brings you unedited, uncut reports directly from the mission field, whether in South America, Africa, Europe, inner-city, rural, or collegiate America, or military installations and battle sites around the world. 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