Foros are supposed to bring partner organizations together with LCMS OIM and partner church leadership to hear about the goals and strategies of the partner church, and then to determine how partner organizations might be able to bring resources to bear to assist in achieving those goals. The partner church drives everything. However for this… Continue reading Foro Day 1
Category: Theology
Evolving Relationships
As my role has evolved from roving theological educator to Area Facilitator and managing key relationships both internally within our deployed staff in Asia as well as with partner church bodies and potential partner church bodies in about ten countries, inauguration of Foros as a new way of integrating relationships between LCMS partner organizations and… Continue reading Evolving Relationships
Pieper’s Posse?
I may need to define the term thug for my first year students at the Lutheran Theological Seminary in Baguio. Some of them look way to cheerful and friendly. But they look like great future pastors and deaconess, don’t they!?
September 4 – Touring
Today we spent looking over the grounds of Timothy Lutheran Seminary in Birip, and doing a bit of touring in the nearby towns. The seminary is situated on expansive grounds that are lush and, due to our visit no doubt, neatly kept! Visitors are a big deal here in the middle of the middle of… Continue reading September 4 – Touring
Heading to the Highlands
Today we traveled from Lae back to Port Moresby and then from Port Moresby up to the Highlands, landing at Mount Hagen Airport. There we were met by Rev. Dr. Ron & Mary Anne Rall, LCMS missionaries who have served full-time and part-time for over 50 years in PNG. In order to fly on the… Continue reading Heading to the Highlands
A Day in Lae
Lae (pronounced lay) is a major shipping port for Papua New Guinea (PNG) on the northern coast. We came here for several reasons, mostly exploratory in nature. There are two major Lutheran church bodies in PNG – Gutnius Lutheran Church (GLC) and the Evangelical Lutheran Church of PNG (ELC-PNG). The LCMS founded the GLC, while… Continue reading A Day in Lae
Connections
Six years ago Gena visited Papua New Guinea with her father. It was the first time they returned to PNG after departing in 1983 for the US. During her visit, while at an outstation in the Highlands, Gena was befriended by Bella, a 16-year old PNG girl. She tried to teach Gena some pidgin, the… Continue reading Connections
Field Trip
After a very brief time with family back in the US, I am back in Baguio, Philippines, to help teach at the start of a new academic year for Lutheran Theological Seminary. My two-week time in Baguio was only somewhat marred by last minute changes to the academic schedule, meaning classes started a week later… Continue reading Field Trip
Leading in Sri Lanka
With the departure of all the executive leadership in the Asia Region, I and my colleagues Rev. Steven Mahlburg and Rev. Matthew Wood, as the Asia Area Facilitators, are tasked with holding down the fort, so to speak, as the search for new executive leadership begins. It will likely not be until early next year… Continue reading Leading in Sri Lanka
Back in Baguio
Not quite as catchy as Back in the USSR, but c’est la vie. I have been back in Baguio. It’s becoming a second (or maybe third?) home for me over the past few years. This time I’m back to coordinate and assist in a training and review week for deaconesses of the Lutheran Church in… Continue reading Back in Baguio
The Nelson Family Indonesia 