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July 2020
Dear Friends,
Four years ago I used the letter below as the centerpiece of our newsletter in
July of 2016. Never can I recall a time we have needed to give heed to such
majestic instruction as now.
Washington's "Earnest Prayer"
The Prayer below was written by Washington at Newburgh, New York, at the close
of the Revolutionary War on June 14, 1783. It was sent to the thirteen governors
of the newly freed states in a "Circular Letter Addressed to the Governors of
all the States on the Disbanding of the Army."
Circular Letter Addressed to the Governors of all the States on the Disbanding
of the Army, June 14, 1783
I have thus freely declared what I wished to make known, before I surrendered up
my public trust to those who committed it to me. The task is now accomplished. I
now bid adieu to your Excellency, as the chief magistrate of your State, at the
same time I bid a last farewell to the cares of office and all the employments
of public life.
It remains, then, to be my final and only request that your Excellency will
communicate these sentiments to your legislature at their next meeting, and that
they may be considered the legacy of one, who has ardently wished, on all
occasions, to be useful to his country, and who, even in the shade of
retirement, will not fail to implore the divine benediction on it.
I now make it my earnest prayer that God would have you, and the State over
which you preside, in his holy protection; that he would incline the hearts of
the citizens to cultivate a spirit of subordination and obedience to government,
to entertain a brotherly affection and love for one another, for their
fellow-citizens of the United States at large, and particularly for brethren who
have served in the field; and finally that he would most graciously be pleased
to dispose us all to do justice, to love mercy, and to demean ourselves with
that charity, humility, and pacific temper of mind, which were the
characteristics of the Divine Author of our blessed religion, and without an
humble imitation of whose example in these things, we can never hope to be a
happy nation.
The wisdom of our founders was immense and remains such today. However, even
that once unassailable reasoning is under assault. How can this be remedied when
people do not even know the contribution of such great, though faulty, human
beings? Washington provided the answer, “earnest prayer.” It is time to take
then General Washington’s words to heart and pray. None of us know the future
but we know that the prayer of the righteous avails much. We Christians who
follow in the path of Jesus must invoke that name in prayer with verve and
fervor that we may be renewed in “charity (love), humility and pacific
(peaceful) temper of mind.” The time for some necessary changes may be upon us
and that time may yield devastation or a time of renewal. By God’s grace,
through prayer, we will see the latter. God be with you all. We are thankful for
your continuing support in your gifts and prayers. Lord, teach us to pray.
God’s Peace,
Jay Weidner
DONATIONS RECEIVED...
In memory of Rev. Rodney Johnson
from Ken Seaton
Steve & Marilyn Dahlmeier
Dale & Joanne Mattinen
Reuben & Anita Aho
In memory of Shirley Myrmel
From Les & Sara Liimatainen
In memory of Harold & Shirley Myrmel
Deborah Hendrickson
In memory of Jack & Betty Bergstedt
Kevin & Kathleen Liimatta
LOOKING forward to the Fall Semester
Tentatively the daily classes offered this fall will be History of the Ancient
Church, Ministry to the World, Pastoral Counselor, Ministry to the Aging and
possibly other Biblical classes which will be announced. All daily classes begin
on Wednesday, September 9.
The Monday night class on Ephesians/Colossians/Philippians will begin on
September 14 from Hancock, MI and available on Zoom.
All participants previously taking the Thursday night from Eastwood ALC-Negaunee
are invited to join in on Monday night. All we need is your email address and
your computer needs to be equipped with a webcam and the Zoom software. (Prior
to the start of class, we will conduct tests to be sure everyone is able to join
in).
If you are interested in any of the classes, please send an email to cilseminary@ilseminary.com.
For additional information, you may also contact the seminary at (906) 482-3337.
ATTENTION: SUPPORTERS
THERE ARE OTHER WAYS TO SUPPORT THE SEMINARY.
Have you ever have used Amazon.com to do your shopping? Now AmazonSmile offers
the same products, same prices and same service and will also donate 0.5% of the
price of your eligible AmazonSmile purchases to Inter-Lutheran Theological
Seminary whenever you shop on AmazonSmile.
Simply log use in by using this link….
http://smile.amazon.com/ch/41-0918317
which will bring you directly to smile.amazon.com in support of our
organization.
The Thrivent Choice® program offers a way members can recommend where Thrivent
Financial distributes some of its charitable outreach funds. As a benefit
member, your ownership of Thrivent Financial products and services help make
this support possible.
Remember….If you are an eligible member 16 and older you can recommend how to
distribute Thrivent Financial charitable grant funds thought Choice Dollars®.
Member eligibility and the Choice Dollars designated are based on:
• Holding a Thrivent Financial volunteer leadership position; or
• Having $750 or more in annual premiums of qualifying
insurance products; or
• Having $20,000 or more in contract value of qualifying products.
For more information about Choice Dollars, visit http://www.Thrivent.com/thriventchoice
or call 800-847-4836 or contact your local Thrivent Financial representative.
INFAITH COMMUNITY FOUNDATION:
Several years ago, the Seminary board of directors established the
Inter-Lutheran Seminary Endowment Fund. Funds contributed to the endowment are
not used for current day to day operations. Only the annual earnings of the
endowment will be used for the seminary’s needs thereby ensuring the continued
existence of this funding source. This is the preferred method used by many
non-profit entities, especially ongoing religiously focused organizations such
as seminaries.
While this is an excellent strategy, it has proven a challenge for us to
actually meet the minimum funding requirements. Until now, the fund has existed
but remained unfunded. By the Lord’s grace we have been blessed with a large
contribution to fund the Inter-Lutheran Seminary Endowment Fund. We would love
to build on this generous contribution to grow our endowment into a major source
of ongoing seminary support.
Although the seminary still needs the financial ongoing regular contributions of
our supporters, please consider the endowment fund for your planned giving
needs. The seminary has chosen the InFaith Community Endowment Fund (the renamed
Lutheran Brotherhood Foundation) to administer our endowment fund. They will
provide experienced legal advice to help guide you with any contribution
questions done through estate planning in addition to lump sum contributions,
IRAs, property and securities. For more additional information, please contact
Kirk Otto, Jr. at (715) 294-4343 or Cheryl Hendrickson at (906)482-3337.
**PLEASE NOTE**
If you are receiving this newsletter in error or would prefer to be taken off
the mailing list, please complete the form below and mail to: P.O. Box 449,
Hancock, MI 49930.
Or call 906-482-3337 or email: cilseminary@ilseminary.com. Thank you!
Date:_________________
Name:_______________________________________________________
Address:_____________________________________________________
I wish to be removed from the Inter-Lutheran Seminary’s mailing list.
Inter-Lutheran
Theological Seminary
James Weidner, President
P.O. Box 449
Hancock, MI 49930
administrator@ilseminary.org
Phone: 906-482-3337
FAX: 906-482-0694