A Word from the President
Dear CNH Family of Faith,
Is your smile deflated? I would have to say mine sure is. Not only that, I suffer from feeling used up, dirty, and discarded. The circumstances of our last four months has been a challenging ride. However, in the midst of it all, I am encouraged that you have continued to proclaim the truth of God in his word, and specifically, the good news that grants us true freedom from sin, death, and the way of the flesh so prevalent all around us. This morning, a friend shared with me this passage below. I know it, I’ve spoken of it, I’ve written letters about it, but I found myself needing to drink in the personal and communal truths found here once again:
For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. Galatians 5:13
We find ourselves in the CNH District, specifically California, with the frustrating order from our governor, banning singing in churches. Our 1 st amendment rights feel very trampled on by this order, and there is some notable inequity when protesters are allowed to chant and meet together, but churches are forbidden to sing by governor’s order. Our governor seems to have overstepped. He has acted with limited consultation with our church leaders, protecting the constitutional rights of some and neglecting the rights of others.
We were already deflated, dirty and tired. We had just gained back opportunity to worship in the flesh again at many of our churches. We are at best, miffed.
And yet, we are called to balance our desire to sing within the freedom we have in Christ.
Singing is meant to praise God; encourage the whole family of faith; proclaim the word of Christ; and give vocal confession of that which the Holy Spirit has rooted in our hearts. We view it as essentially part of our worship.
We sing as a confession and response to God’s word. We sing because we are set free from sin and our selfish nature. Yes, we sing to serve one another with God’s word in worship. The church must respond to our governor letting him know these things. I pledge to you that such a letter will be written, and that appropriate communication with the Pacific Justice League and other organizations will be pursued in a timely manner. I would even urge you to lodge your own winsome, yet clear letters to the governor’s office, but more importantly, consider the following.
My dear friends, remember that we are not first citizens of America with rights, we are first the body of Christ. We must guard against using our Christ-redeemed freedom as a right to serve our own fleshly desires, demanding our own way. Some feel firmly convicted that we must sing as a way to worship and confess our Savior. Others might desire to serve others in love by avoiding this practice for a time. Might we reason together and avoid becoming polarized over this issue, striving to be reconciled to one another in our love for Christ and thereby giving a powerful witness to the world?
We pray for an end to this pandemic and its oppressive side effects, but even more, we pray that God would refine that which is impure from within each of us and bring us, by his grace, to a courageous and beloved obedience to his calling. Yes, I pray that your love, your community “smile” of faith, might be inflated by the love of Christ and cleaned by the forgiving power of his once-for-all sacrifice.
Your fellow servant,
Michael Lange, President
CNH District, LCMS
P.S. Perhaps you hear me reflecting inconclusively on the proper way to use our Christian freedom. That is by design. I will not be prescriptive in this matter. I pray that you, the courageous and sacrificial (loving) people of God, will pray and reason together that which is appropriate and God-pleasing, “through love serving one another,” each in your context.
Included for your use and consideration are:
Governor Newsom’s order (https://files.covid19.ca.gov/pdf/guidance-places-of-worship.pdf)
Pacific Justice League opinion (https://mailchi.mp/pji/important-call-tomorrow-on-thursday-march-346896?e=42)