Ohio Winkel for Laity

AUGUST 17, 2024       SAVE THE DATE

Registration  8:00 to 9:00

Closing at 2:30

Location:
Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church
766 S. High Street
Columbus, Ohio 43206

Register Today       registerforowl@gmail.com

Cost:  Free Will Donation

Breakfast and Lunch provided
 

What is the Ohio Winkel for Laity?

The average lay person has seen on his church’s monthly calendar the peculiar word winkel, but most have no clue what it means,  and fewer understand its usefulness for their pastor. The Ohio Winkel for Laity (OWL) Convocation is intended to bring the sacramental benefits of the pastor’s monthly circuit meeting (the winkel) to the entire church. Luther wrote in the Smalcald Articles under Article IV on the Gospel:

 

God is superabundantly generous in His grace: First, through the spoken Word, by which the forgiveness of sins is preached in the whole world. This is the particular office of the Gospel. Second, through Baptism. Third, through the Sacrament of the Altar. Fourth, through the Power of the Keys. Also through the mutual conversation and consolation of the brethren, ‘Where two or three are gathered’ (Mt 18:20) and other such verses.
 

One such other verse is Romans 1:11-12, where Paul writes, “For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to strengthen you – that is, that we may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith, both yours and mine.” Every Christian has particular gifts wrought by the Holy Spirit, and therefore so does every pastor.
 

The Ohio Winkel for Laity Convocation is intended to share these particular gifts of the clergymen for the edification of the saints under several different themes or topics including: practical theology, on-going catechesis, exegetical/systematic theology, a theology of contemporary issues, and more. All such presentations will be grounded in the Word of God with the intent to equip the laity in the knowledge of the truth and to strengthen their faith that they may be emboldened to fulfill their various vocations. If Paul confesses a mutual encouragement of each other’s faith between him and the Christians in Rome, we would do well to confess that such a Convocation as this would bring about the same blessing as we gather together to meditate on God’s Word. Faith comes by hearing it (Rom 10:17)!
 

At the OWL Convocation Pastors from around the Ohio District (and beyond) will run breakout sessions with presentations on these topics just as they would at their monthly pastor’s meetings, hence the concept of a winkel for the laity! The fellowship opportunities are also great for building fraternity. As any pastor will tell you, sometimes the best part about the monthly winkel is the conversation around the lunch table afterwards! The OWL Convocation is not intended to be a scholarly, academic conference, but one which gets down to the nuts and bolts of the Christian faith and applies it to the contemporary Christian life. Having the opportunity to learn from other pastors, and likewise for pastors to teach the Word to other people, this will no doubt make us all more biblically well-rounded. For as Solomon says, “As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another” (Prov 27:17).