Support the Mother Church in Cleveland

I want to inform you that Zion Lutheran Church (the first LC-MS church in Cleveland) is offering a 200 page history. It is excerpted from a paper read before the Cleveland Chapter of Concordia Historical Institute on May 28, 1970, by Rev. Clarence T. Schuknecht. It is being sold by Zion as a fund-raiser for needed repairs. Rev. Schuknecht served as Zion's pastor from 1929 to 1988. This book contains:

> a written history of Zion from April 14, 1843, through May 28, 1976;
> pictures of the early church and school, their officers, teachers and other groups;
> elementary school pictures; confirmation pictures and names dating back to 1921;
> pictures and names of those who served in WWII;
> the "Story of the First Christmas Tree";
> Zion's picture Directory dated 1988; and much more.

This book weaves a tapestry of Zion's history and Lutheranism in the Cleveland area from well before the Civil War, as German Lutherans immigrated to this country.

Please contact 1-216-861-2179 or mail $30.00 for color, $20.00 for black and white and $2.15 each for shipping and handling to Zion Lutheran Church- Attn: Carol Corpus 2062 E. 30th Street, Cleveland, Ohio 44115. Checks can be made out to Zion Lutheran Church.

Reflections on the Ohio District Convention#1

Blessings in Jesus Christ,

From June 8th through the 10th, I attended the Ohio District Convention in Dublin, Ohio. My congregation, St. John, Strongsville, submitted 9 overtures, non of which passed at the Convention (The overtures were suggested by Consensus). My goal was to bring up for discussion on the floor of the Convention significant issues that still plague our District and our Synod. I was told right after the Convention that District Conventions are not the place for these type of overtures. I must respectfully disagree. I think District Conventions are the perfect place to discuss our issues of disagreement. One of the overtures that we submitted dealt with Closed Communion and the need for us to continue to practice it. This resolution overwhelmingly failed. I am curious how a resolution about Closed Communion can fail at a District Convention, seeing that it has always been Lutheran practice. Nevertheless, we will continue to press on.

Generally, I was encouraged by the Convention. I got the opportunity to meet other pastors committed to Confessional Lutheranism. It is my hope- and the plans are already in the works- to have more congregations submit overtures in 2009. If you or your congregation would like to assist St. John, please contact me.

After the Convention, I am committed more than ever to Confessional Lutheranism in Cleveland and throughout Ohio. I also have hope, after the Convention, that our District will return to a more confessional position in the future. We have a lot of work to do. May God bless us now and always.

In Christ's service,

Pastor Jim Haugen