DONE WELL

I was on vacation in Chicago and had the opportunity of worshiping once again the Evangelical Lutheran Church of St. Luke on Belmont Avenue. Although that was not my home church, I had often worshiped there from the early 60s and 70s before I moved to Florida and then from time to time when I vacationed in Chicago. St. Luke was a marvelous parish with a flourishing Christian Day School and some of best liturgy anywhere.

The great attraction was the pastor, A. R. Kretzmann, of blessed memory. The church was the epitome of what Lutheranism could and should be. Dr. Kretzmann was an important figure in Chicago and in the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod. As I recall he designed the official seal of the LC-MS. But Dr. Kretzmann never hesitated to commune non-Missouri Lutherans. He would happily converse with seminarians from the LCA’s Lutheran School of Theology. During the unpleasantness at Concordia Seminary in St. Louis started, Dr. Kretzmann sided with the moderates. I was at the church the Sunday the pastors and teachers resigned their calls to St. Luke’s formerly LC-MS and then were called once again by St. Luke’s now AELC.

Dr. Kretzmann retired in 1982 after 52 years as pastor. I saw him a few times after that, and was saddened by his death in 1987. It was as if an institution had died.

St. Luke continues to be an exemplary church under the expert leadership of Pastor David G. Abrahamson. It has expanded it’s out reach with senior citizen’s housing.

I attended Morning Prayer at 8:30 since I was on my way to the Printer’s Row Literary Fest. Anyone entering the church is immediately overwhelmed by the soaring height of the modern structure. It’s now 50 years old, but still gives the impression of being absolutely contemporary. It is the silence which still impresses me. My church tends to be rather talkative before services, but not St. Luke’s. The liturgy was perfectly led by Dr. Ruth Hamilton, the pastoral assistant. Organist Michel Wolniakowski plays the hymns i liturgy in a way that makes it easy to sing, yet always with variety. Whether it was a German Chorale or a Marty Haugen contemporary piece his playing was absolutely appropriate. The sermon came at the end, where it makes sense after the office liturgy. Pastor Abrahamson preached a solid, Biblically grounded sermon with a proper relationship of Law and Gospel. And then to finish with a flourish, the postlude was Sigfrid Karg-Elert’s “Nun danket alle Gott.” Wonderful!

St. Luke remains an example of what is possible in the Lutheran Church. I say example rather than model because I don’t think you can duplicate one church in another location, with a different congregation, and a different pastor. I certainly don’t have Pr. Abrahamson’s leadership qualities nor could I preach with his gravitas. Nevertheless, we need examples of church done well. “Done well” is a key. We should never settle for less that our best in the worship and service of God.

May the Lord bless you on your journey and greet you on your arrival.

Wayne

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