Assembly 2010 - June 4, 2010

Assembly 2010 - Friday, June 4


"Gratitude is more attractive than worry" said Bishop Julian Gordy in his report to the Assembly. He was quoting Chaplain John Tirro of Tyson House, the Episcopal-Lutheran Campus Ministry at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville. Chaplain Tirro observed that when the students stopped worrying about low numbers and an uncertain future and started focusing on thankfulness to God for what they had and worshipping together as a grateful community, their numbers grew.

After listing several things that have made our work together as a Synod difficult in the past year, Bishop Gordy invited us to learn from the students at UT and to be joyful, thankful people. Though there is much to worry about, there is also much to be thankful for, and "gratitude is more attractive than worry."

On this day we are grateful for women in ministry, as we celebrated the 40th Anniversary of the Ordination of Women in the Lutheran Church. We are very grateful that God gave Pastor Evon Flesberg the gift of preaching as our Assembly Chaplain stirred us up with a rousing sermon on God's gift of grace.

On this day we are grateful for the many women and men who have served this church as rostered leaders (pastors, diaconal ministers and associates in ministry). We celebrated them by recognizing those celebrating significant anniversaries, in particular our former bishop, Pastor Jerry Troutman, in his fiftieth Year of service.

On this day we are grateful for the many people who have served on synod committees and task forces and on synod council. We recognized all of them and especially Mr. Wesley Crenshaw who has served for eight years as the Vice-president of the synod.

On this day we are grateful that Lutherans are known around the world as people who care and people who do. Pastor John Nunes of Lutheran World Relief reminded us of the many good things we have done and are doing and challenged us with a call to continue to go into all the world serving "the least of these."

Pray for us who are assembled here in the Chattanooga Convention Center that as we move through Saturday's business agenda, we will remain full of gratitude for God's Grace shown to us and through us.

Delmer Chilton