Restructuring the Synod?

If the call goes out for us to restructure the already crumbling infrastructure, what should we suggest? How about all those fat, lazy, "meetings and eatings" District Presidents must serve a parish -- that's a great start! Then, they can trim down those many stupid meetings, and maybe even trim their waistlines a bit. In fact, every "District Official" who has departed from the parish soon becomes very much disconnected from the real work of the Church: Word and Sacrament Ministry (no, not missions, sorry you mission exec. wannabes). Then the districts and synod send the local pastor and parish all the hog-swill programs they want you to promote (translation: to make more $$$ for the district and synod). Gee, I thought congregations made up district and synod, and simply gathered funds for the mission field, which was the only reason for the existence of a district and a synod in the first place. Now, the whole thing is turned upside down, and it's us (pastor and people) serving them (bureaucrats), instead of them serving the real servants of the Church.

And, by the way, if restructuring is the call, how about we start, dare I say it, de-emphasizing missions. Here's news to you ignoramuses out there who always use the tag words "Mission and ministry" and think that by merely saying it you're more mission-minded than the average parish pastor; and this is a "Northwoods Luther" original, so mark it well, and get a lot of mileage out of it, and take from it what you will: If you constantly adopt the missionary position, you're theologically screwed! The Church is not all about, what has been erroneously called "The Great Commission." Matthew 28:18-20 is not the whole Bible, and what is taught there is this: Make Disciples by Baptism, Catechesis, Communion (I am with you always...). If you over-emphasize the "Go..." and forget about "Lo, I am with you..." you'll think you need to do some sort of, oh I don't know, Ablaze! thingy. Let's call it the Great Omission, and get to the real Magna Charta of the One Holy Christan and Apostolic Church:

And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. Acts 2:42

There it is, the restructuring of our Synod, so that she won't be the LCMess any longer. Mightily into the apostolic doctrine (the Gospel in all its articles), which confessed establishes closed communion fellowship in the Eucharist, and this within the framework of the Divine Service, which contains "the prayers": the Psalms and the Our Father. Hmmm, sounds like something we're already doing, in many places, as a Church. Ah, there you have it: "Be what you already are" as baptized, forgiven sinners feasting on Christ in Word and Sacrament, and you'll be confessing to the world what Christ has done. And the Lord (not Ablaze, nor anything else) added to their number day by day those who were being saved. (Acts 2:47)

Restructuring complete: no need to meet --- let's eat!

Regards,
The Northwoods Luther