Participants at the Jubilee Conference of the LBK
The 50th anniversary of the Lutheran Confessional Church (LBK) was observed in Sweden at a conference conducted on July 17-21 under the existential question: “After 50 Years—Do We Need a Confessional Church Today?” This jubilee celebration took place at Hjälmargården, Vingåker. It was a joy to be present for this gathering comprised of pastors and members from the Lutheran Confessional Church—Sweden, Norway, and Finland.
Presentations were made on the six chief parts of the Small Catechism, the 500th anniversary of the first Lutheran hymn book, and the impact of Dr. Siegbert Becker. Near the closing of the event there were six presenters, clergy and lay, who spoke on the subject: The Way Forward.
Many young families with children were present for the week-long retreat/conference. This has been a long-time customary gathering, so that many of the adults reminisced about attending it in their youth. They showed themselves to be a close-knit church body, which demonstrates its love for Jesus, his Word, and one another, and is welcoming to visitors. The singing of many hymns was not only part of the worship services, but also before and after every presentation.
The answer to the existential question was a resounding “Yes!” While all the pastors in Norway, Sweden, and Finland are bi-vocational, they continue to find interested Lutherans from the state churches who appreciate the faithfulness of this small free church and seek to be part of the LBK.
Submitted by ELS President Glenn Obenberger
Conference choir in a worship service
