by Adriane Dorr I miss Holy Week,” a friend of mine sighed as we left church a few weeks after Easter. I knew what she meant. For many of us, there are particular seasons in the Church Year that stand out in our minds, certain services or commemorations that open God’s Word up to us
by Dr. Jerald C. Joersz Q: Tattoos are all around us. As a 60-something lifelong Lutheran, I’ve never liked them or wanted one. Recently someone in my church strongly disagreed with me about this. On the basis of the Bible, what should we say about this practice? A: As far as I am aware, only
The church sets aside a special day for St. Michael. Read up on who he is and what he did.
Words Save Lives This morning, the kids and I were talking about upcoming events, and we came to the topic of our pastor’s retirement. I said, “In a few weeks, it will be Pastor’s last day at church because he is retiring. Then we will get a new pastor.” My son Matthew asked, “Then what
THe church has kept a magazine for 130 years. What makes this publication so necessary and unique?
by Rev. Dr. Dennis J. Goff Each year on September 29, the church remembers the minor festival known as St. Michael and All Angels day. The 29th day of September is closest to the first Sunday following the autumnal equinox. From now until the following March when the spring equinox occurs, the hours of darkness
How can the church make history come alive for us who are so far removed from the Early Church and the historical places of Scripture?
by Rev. Dr. Greg Wismar The vocabulary of the church is filled with big words, large and meaningful words that sum up a great quantity of theological content. There are words like redemption and sanctification, words like liturgy and sacramental and words like propitiation and atonement. These great words may well need some reflection and
We serve beside God’s beloved children in good times and bad.
by Kim Plummer Krull One year after a magnitude 7.0 earthquake devastated Haiti, more than 1 million people remain homeless, and the Western Hemisphere’s poorest country has struggled with a cholera epidemic. But amid huge challenges, LCMS World Relief and Human Care’s (WR-HC) Rev. Glenn F. Merritt says that the Synod’s mercy ministry, with the
I’ve been known to hold on to craft magazines and Christmas editions of decorating magazines for ideas. All others go to the laundromats around town or to other places where people have to wait. Today when I was tidying up my desk space, I realized that I have quite a collection of Lutheran Witnesses saved
I so enjoyed the article “Come, Lord Jesus” by David W. Loy (June/July). My father, grandfather and three cousins were all LCMS ordained pastors, and we were taught to say: “Come, Lord Jesus, Be our Guest, and Let this food to us be blessed.” I have always called it the “uncommon” Common Table Prayer. Maybe