January, 2010

Dear Lutheran Youth Leaders,

We are very excited about SIMUL in the City and looking forward to having you with us for a few days of faith-filled-fun!! 

Some of you have asked what “SIMUL” stands for . . .

— SIMUL is central to what it means to be a child of God.  Luther believed it was essential to understand that we are always two things at the same time; that we are “simultaneously saints and sinners”.  We are paradoxically good and bad, wrong but right-ed, saints and sinners all at once.

— SIMUL is short for the Latin phrase that Luther used to describe his theology of Justification by faith; Simul justus et peccator.  Luther taught that we are always all both “simultaneously saints and sinners”, both sinful and saved at the same time.

—Simul justus et peccator simply means that a Christian's righteousness (or justification) is a gift of Christ, freely given despite and for the fact that we are all sinners.

— SIMUL is good news for the sinner because it shows us how God has taken care of us “even while we were still sinners”

We will expand on SIMUL with you and your youth group this summer.  Come and engage in Christ’s love through hearing, knowing, and being the Gospel. 

We will hear the Gospel in the large group gathering times on Sunday and Monday Evening. 

Your group will get to know the Gospel with you through the Bible Study guidebook co-written by our speakers and provided for you to use with your group. 

And you will get to consider with your group what it means to be the Gospel in and for the world in this time through the Monday afternoon learning sessions.

Don’t miss this opportunity to invite your youth group to gather around the faith and hope of the Good News of Christ.

Looking forward to seeing you at SIMUL in the City this summer!!

The Rev. Kristen Jacobson
Associate Pastor for Youth, Family and Community Ministries




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333 South Twelfth Street
Minneapolis, MN 55404
612-870-4416