Dear Friends of the ACELC . . .

We hear so much about ending a decade of war overseas; everyone is ready for peace. We also have heard about Worship Wars over the past decades in the Church. Wouldn’t it be nice to reach genuine agreement on the matter of worship in the Missouri Synod? Isn’t it time for peace?

The ACELC – in the spirit of genuine koinonia with sister congregations of the LCMS – invites you to its 3rd National Free Conference, April 16-18, 2013, at Trinity Lutheran Church in Austin, TX where our theme will be - Christ For Us: The Divine Service.

It is no surprise that we have various worship practices in the congregations of our Synod today. Are these all a matter of adiaphora? Are they complementary or contradictory? What are the Biblical and Confessional grounds for each? On the basis of our common faith, how may we achieve a commonality of life and practice as we gather before our God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit?

The ACELC sincerely wants to provide a forum in which these questions may be discussed, even debated, in a fraternal, loving and God-pleasing manner. Toward that end, our Free Conference will address the Distinctives and Bases for Contemporary, Traditional and High Church Worship.

We will outline the essential questions regarding the theology and practice of Lutheran Worship and then hear from representatives of the various types of worship current in our Synod today. We want to submit ourselves to an honest hearing of each other on the basis of God’s Word and our Confessions. We want to engender mutual trust and a better understanding. We want to talk together about what is common or still conflicted. We believe that it’s time for us to come together and work toward a genuine, Godly walking together in peace. For Lutherans, we call it Concordia!

Again . . . the ACELC invites you to its 3rd National Free Conference, Christ for Us: The Divine Service, at Trinity Lutheran Church, Austin, TX, April 16-18, 2013. We hope you will come.

Scholarships are being graciously provided by our host congregation, Trinity Lutheran in Austin, TX, to cover conference registration and two nights in a hotel for SEVEN pastors meeting the criteria on the registration form. Please note that only seven such scholarships are available.

Registration information is now available on our ACELC home page. Please go to our website for full registration and Conference information! The full Conference Schedule will be posted there as well within the next day or two.

Our registration form is also available. Please click on this link to register online for Christ For Us: The Divine Liturgy, in Austin, TX this coming April 16-18.

See you in Austin - Deo Volente!
ACELC Board of Directors