2022 Novemberfest at St. John’s in Mattoon, Illinois

On Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday, November 13th – 15th, St. John’s in Mattoon will again host this conference; last year was a great success, judging by the participation and responses we got.

We open Sunday night with a brat fry at the church. The conference runs all day Monday and ends Tuesday late afternoon. This year’s featured speaker will be the Rev. David Ramirez, pastor of St. Paul Lutheran Church in Union Grove, Wisconsin. His topic will be “The Three Estates and Resistance to Tyranny.” As the modern totalitarian state is ever grasping for more power, he will address how we as the Church can learn from our failures and by going back to God’s Word and seeking to gain a proper understanding of the three estates.

We’ll also hear from Rev. Dr. Burnell Eckardt, our editor-in-chief, on his “Liturgical Observer,” and from departmental editor Rev. Dr. Karl Fabrizius on “Musing on the Mysteries.” We’ll have plenty of discussion and Gemütlichkeit, as usual.

$40 per person until Nov. 1st. After that, $60; seminary & pre-Seminary students – Free. Please fill out the registration form below and submit the appropriate donation to register.

Schedule of Events

Sunday, 13 November 2022

Bratwurst fry at St. John, from 6 pm

Monday, 14 November

8:30 a.m. Divine Service

9:45 a.m. Conference welcome

10:00 a.m. Session 1 - Ramirez

11:00 a.m. Break

11:15 a.m. Session 2 - Ramirez

12:15 a.m. lunch

1:15 p.m. Session 3 - Eckardt

2:15 p. m. Break

2:30 p.m. Session 4 – Ramirez

3:30 p.m. Vespers

4:30-8:00 p.m. Gemütlichkeit

Tuesday, 15 November 2022

8:30 a.m. Matins

9:30 a.m. Coffee and Donuts

10:00 a.m. Session 5 - Fabrizius

11:00 a.m. Break

11:15 a.m. Session 6 – Ramirez

12:15 p.m. Lunch

1:15 p.m. Panel Discussion

2:30 p.m. Vespers

Featured Speakers: Our keynote speaker is Rev. Fr. John Bussman, Pastor at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Cullman, Alabama. He is a 2012 graduate of Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, and, with a B.A. from Concordia University in Seward, Nebraska. He has been a Gottesdienst blogger since 2018. Fr. Bussman will be speaking on Worship as a Setting Apart. You can register for only $40 if you do it by April 24. After that registration increases to $60. Register Now!

Rev. Fr. David Peterson is Pastor at Redeemer in Fort Wayne, which is hosting this conference. He has been the pastor there since 2000 and has been a departmental editor since 2006. He holds an S.T.M. (2012) and an M.Div. (1996) from Concordia Theological Seminary in Fort Wayne, Indiana. He will be following up on Fr. Bussman’s keynote by speaking on Not being Mainstream but Set Apart by Digital Minimalism.

As a bonus, we have Mr. Jonathan Busarow, the Executive Artistic Director of the Fort Wayne Children’s Choir. Mr. Busarow also serves on the voice faculty at Indiana University - Purdue. He will be providing a lesson on how to sing in church, a presentation beneficial for pastors, choir members, and any layman who attends a Divine Service.

Conference Hotel

Conference participants can get a special rate of $80/night at the Best Western Luxbury. 5501 Coventry Ln Fort Wayne, Indiana 46804. Click the following link for details and to reserve a room:

https://www.bestwestern.com/en_US/book/hotel-rooms.15061.html?groupId=4J9UH2E4

Schedule

Monday, 2 May 2022

1:30 p.m. Divine Service - preacher Petersen

3:00 p.m. Conference welcome

3:15 p.m. Session 1 - Bussman - Biblical Background: Worship as a Setting Apart 

4:15 p.m. Break

4:30 p.m. Vespers - preacher Fr. Burnell Eckardt

5:00-8:00 p.m. Gemütlichkeit and Taco Bar in Undercroft

Tuesday, 3 May 2022

8:30 a.m. Matins - no preacher

9:15 a.m. Coffee and Donuts (undercroft)

9:45 a.m. Session 2 - Bussman - A Theology of Being Set Apart and of Worship

10:45 a.m. Q & A ./ Casuistry

11:00 a.m. Session 3 - Busarow - Singing Lesson

12:00 p.m. Lunch

1:00 p.m. Session 3  -  Petersen. Not being Mainstream but Set Apart by Digital Minimalism

1:45 p.m. Break

2:00 p.m. Session 4 - Busarow - Singing Lesson

3:15 p.m. Break

3:30 p.m. Vespers - preacher Fr. Karl Fabrizius

4:30-8:00 p.m. Gemütlichkeit and Supper in Undercroft

Wednesday, 4 May 2022

8:30 a.m. Divine Service - preacher Fr. Michael Frese

9:15 a.m. Coffee and Donuts

9:45 a.m. Session 5 - Bussman - Lutheran Worship: Distinctly Setting Apart

10:45 a.m. Panel Discussion

11:30 a.m. Lunch

We’re asking for a donation of $40 per person until April 24. After that, registration goes up to $60.