Confessional Evangelical Lutheran Conference

 

How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity! (Psalm 133:1)

Christmas Greetings

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A “JOY” sign is a popular Christmas decoration in the neighborhood where I live in Minnesota, USA. Sometimes a Nativity is found inside the “O.”

Certainly this is an appropriate decoration for Christmas. When the angel announced the birth of Jesus to the shepherds, the angel said: “I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people” (Luke 2:10). The Psalm for Christmas Day states: “Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth” (Psalm 98:4).

But only Christians know what the “JOY” of Christmas truly is. It is the delight that settles into our hearts when we know that God forgives our sins for Jesus’ sake. It is the deep, inner happiness of knowing that God loves us even though we are filled with sin—because the Son of God came to earth to live, die, and rise in our place to reconcile us to God. The angel said: “Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you” (Luke 2:11).

This is a joy that transcends all earthly circumstances. Many of you who are reading this greeting may have intense personal struggles at the moment. You can still have a feeling of pleasure and well-being inside, as the Holy Spirit leads you to treasure Jesus as your Savior from sin. Paul said about the Thessalonians: “You welcomed the message in the midst of severe suffering with the joy given by the Holy Spirit” (1 Thessalonians 1:6). About himself, Paul wrote: “In all our troubles my joy knows no bounds” (2 Corinthians 7:4).

It is the prayer of the CELC Planning Committee that all of you as members and friends of the CELC may find great JOY as you contemplate the birth of Jesus. A blessed Christmas to all of you!

Thomas P. Nass,
CELC President

P.S. Even as we find joy in the good news of the gospel, we also find joy in one another as believers (see 1 Thessalonians 2:19-20). Please watch for registration information about the CELC convention to be held, God willing, on June 6-8, 2023 in South Korea—where we may rejoice in one another’s company. Registration will begin on January 4.

The Confessional Evangelical Lutheran Conference

The Confessional Evangelical Lutheran Conference is a worldwide fellowship of Lutheran church bodies, committed to the teachings of the Lutheran Church found in the Book of Concord of 1580. Established in 1993 with thirteen churches, the CELC has grown by God’s grace to include thirty-four church bodies today.

Every three years, representatives from CELC churches gather for fellowship and theological study at an international convention. Regional meetings are held in alternate years. These gatherings provide spiritual encouragement for confessional Lutherans who often find themselves quite isolated. Visitors are always welcome at these gatherings

Joint work of the CELC includes the writing of The Eternal Word: A Lutheran Confession for the Twenty-First Century, which testifies to the unity of doctrine enjoyed by CELC churches. The CELC also has a commission to help coordinate and improve theological training in CELC churches.

Speaking about the heart and core of the CELC, former President Gaylin Schmeling wrote:  “The CELC stands ready to give answer to the confident hope of salvation in Christ that is within us. It is a refuge for those seeking confessional homes and a beacon shining the light of the Gospel in a sin-darkened world. Here the central truth of the Reformation, justification by faith alone, continues to be proclaimed. We are declared righteous by nothing we do or accomplish, but alone on the basis of Christ’s redemptive work which is counted as ours through faith in the Savior. He accomplished salvation for all on the cross and announced it to all by His resurrection, declaring the whole world righteous in Christ. This treasure is brought to us personally through the means of grace and is received by faith alone in the Savior which is worked through those very means of grace.”

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