Friedrich Wyneken, Pastor and Missionary

Commemoration of C.F.W. Walther, Theologian

May 7, 2012

The Lord be with you

Over the last few days there have been several commemorations on our calendar for which I failed to put posts on our blog about. I shall make up for that today with posts about Friedrich Wyneken, Frederick the Wise, and C.F.W. Walther. This one will deal with Wyneken, whose day is May 4 and is officially named the Commemoration of Friedrich Wyneken, Pastor and Missionary.

Friedrich Conrad Dietrich Wyneken (May 13, 1810 – May 4, 1876) is one of the founding fathers of The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, along with C.F.W. Walther (commemorated May 7) and Wilhelm Sihler. (Sihler, for whatever reason, does not have a date to commemorate him and his work.) Wyneken was born in Germany, studied at Göttingen and Halle, and came to Baltimore, Maryland, in 1838. Shortly thereafter he accepted a call to be the pastor of congregations in Friedheim and fort Wayne, Indiana. Supported by Wilhelm Loehe’s mission society, Wyneken served as an itinerate missionary in Indiana, Ohio, and Michigan, particularly among native Americans. (Loehe is commemorated January 2.) Together with Loehe and Sihler, he founded Concordia Theological Seminary in 1846 in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Wyneken later served as the second president of the LCMS during a period of significant growth (1850-64). His leadership strongly influenced the confessional character of the LCMS and its commitment to an authentic Lutheran witness. He died in San Francisco where he traveled to spread the Gospel. Churches he founded are still active.

Appropriate prayers include:

For the LC-MS, that it be committed to her Lord and spreading the Gospel

For mission work

For American Indians

For a heart committed to Jesus and sharing his love.

Blessings in Christ,

Pastor John Rickert