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A Three-Point Comment

It used to be something of a maxim for preachers to deliver the Three-Point Sermon. Perhaps that belongs mainly to history nowadays. Nevertheless, in honor of that, I offer my own Three-Point Column.

Two points involve anniversaries which are occurring in 2005. And one point involves my own grateful nod to Steve McKinley, who is ending his tenure as Pastor Loci as of this issue.

The November/December issue is devoting a portion of its content to preaching. In this issue the two preaching-related articles are also connected to the significant anniversaries.

One is the 60th anniversary of Lutheran World Relief. Our cover story deals with preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ while, at the same time, seeking to integrate the themes of hunger and poverty in the sermon. It is written by Wayne Menking, an ELCA pastor who directs the Seminary Program of the Southwest, out of Austin, Texas.

LWR Director Kathyrn Wolford, in a sidebar to Prof. Menking’s article, writes about LWR’s particular place among our churches, as it has shouldered some of the joys and burdens of aiding hungry, poor, and distressed people since it first began its ministry in the destructive shadows of the Second World War.

If you haven’t already shared this anniversary with your congregations, the approaching holidays of Thanksgiving and Christmas would be a good time to thank God for this six-decades-old ministry, done in the name of Christ through our churches for the sake of a world in need. Encourage your congregation to log on to LWR's Web site at www.lwr.org for information on their current work.

The year 2005 also marks the 35th year since our church (through its predecessor bodies) began to ordain women as pastors. Elaine Siemsen, a pastor and religion professor at St. Olaf College, has written an article which takes our readers into the relationship between preaching and how culture’s gender characteristics may shape how and what you preach.The magazine is also publishing titles of some noted works involving women in ministry. Most are titles of books published within the last 15 years.

Some current statistics involving women and men in ordained ministry: active, 2,869 women, 8,730 men; retired, 196 women, 5,901 men (Source: Research and Evaluation, ELCA, August 15, 2005).

Men and women in the candidacy process of the ELCA (as of Sept. 2005): 1,040 men and 1,042 women (Source: Rostered Leaders Database, Office of the Secretary, ELCA, Compiled by the Vocation and Education unit).

Then there’s Steve “Pastor Loci” McKinley who is publishing his final column in this issue.

I’m grateful for the years I was able to prepare for publication approximately two thirds of his 150 columns. It was a privilege, and it was definitely fun. I was the first to slit open his envelopes (prior to the advent of e-mail). With the computer, I was the first to click open his attached files. Always I wondered, just what has his mind come up with this time?

I especially liked the interviews he conducted with his imaginary friend and pastoral colleague, T. Albert “Tacky” Carlson of Melanchthon Memorial Lutheran Church. More than once, I would open my ELCA Yearbook convinced that there had to be such a person somewhere in the ELCA. I wanted to find him and interview him.

Steve’s columns came to me in fine form. Editing was not difficult. I can think of only one or two times his column had some problems which needed addressing. On one occasion, both of us decided that his column probably should not run. But without missing much of a beat under the pressure of a looming deadline, Steve found a way to work it into his parish schedule, and another column cascaded into my office a week later. I know now that I have also been fortunate to be the recipient of the good editorial graces of his wife, Pat, whom Steve said nearly always read his columns before they were sent off. My heartfelt thanks to you.

Steve sometimes wrote that the editors in Chicago were really some monks cloistered out in Utah who, like scribes, used quills and ink to prepare his column — not to mention the entire issue of Lutheran Partners — for publication. That was because of the fairly lengthy lead time we required for him (and our other authors) to get their material to us. I share this with you, neither to deny nor agree with Steve’s assertion that the magazine is done by an order of monks, but to lead you westward into a natural segue.

I asked some office theologians for help translating the Latin found in the title of Richard Koenig’s tribute (at that time I didn’t realize Richard had translated it himself at the end of his article). One of them began to pull apart ave atque vale. Suddenly, his colleague on the other side of his office wall gushed forth “Happy Trails! That’s what that means. That’s how Steve would want it translated!” And, immediately, images of Steve, dressed up like Roy Rogers, rushed into my mind, riding off into the Western sunset.

Steve, your columns have showed much love and support for pastoral leadership and the church over the years. For this, I say, as Richard Koenig wrote and translated the Latin phrase in his tribute — “hail and farewell.”

But my office mate’s “Happy Trails” translation comes closest to reminding many of us of your keen ability to place a smile on our faces and in our hearts and not take ourselves too seriously as we do the marvelous work of sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Ave atque vale. Hail and Farewell. And (can you hear us singing and whistling?)....

"Happy trails to you, until we meet again....”

William A. Decker is editor of Lutheran Partners magazine, Chicago, Illinois.