by Anthony A. Cook The View from Here Editor’s Note: With this online column, we offer occasional essays on topics that appear in The Lutheran Witness or that have broad interest among our readers. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Every social group has a story–a narrative that gives the group meaning, defines values, articulates goals, identifies enemies, and records

by Rev. John T. Pless As I write these lines, the world reels with the news of a devastating earthquake in Haiti that has left a death toll numbering in the thousands. In this impoverished nation, the magnitude of suffering cannot be measured. Closer to home, senseless workplace murders, seemingly random violence, and cases of

How a New York congregation helps ‘keep the home fires burning’ and serves as an example of the work of Operation Barnabas.

Between January and July, our 35 LCMS Districts met in convention. Click on the links below for access to the Reporter Online summaries of each convention. Atlantic District New Jersey District California, Nevada, Hawaii District North Dakota District Central Illinois District North Wisconsin District Eastern District Northern Illinois District English District Northwest District Florida-Georgia District

The Blue Ribbon Task Force on Synod Structure and Governance is preparing the final report of its work. The report will be presented to the Office of the President Oct. 15. For more information on the work of the task force, click on the link below. Task Force Web Page: www.lcms.org/lcmsfuture

Visit the CHI Museum photo album on our Facebook page.

by Diane Strzelecki As part of a presentation last March to the National Lutheran Administrators Conference, Rev. Ron Weidler, pastor of Immanuel Lutheran Church, Batavia, Ill., listed a series of steps that enhance the ministry efforts of a congregation. Weidler and Immanuel principal Glenn Steinbrenner, along with leaders from the two additional schools that were

by Roland Lovstad Ministry among immigrants in neighborhoods such as Detroit’s Mexicantown depends on willing and committed volunteers as well as church workers. As he reviews Iglesia Luterana Pan de Vida en Belén, Rev. Gregory Lorenz remarks, “Our ministry exists only because we have partners and that includes congregations and individuals.” The congregation and LATINO

by Diane Strzelecki Like families in many communities, the Ellis family was unchurched. Today, the family worships at Immanuel Lutheran Church, Batavia, Ill. Corinne Ellis tells her story to Lutheran Witness editor-at-large Diane Strzelecki. We moved to Batavia four years ago and had planned on sending our son to public school. In fact, that was

by Scott Snow As the “dog days of summer” fade into preparations for kids going back to school, there will still be time for many families to squeeze in that last exciting opportunity to get away before the more relaxed schedules of summer become distant memories. Others will know the excitement of welcoming these travelers

by Richard C. Eyer As I sat in the waiting room thumbing through the only magazines available–women’s magazines–I skimmed an article intending to prepare young women for having sex on a first date. There were no prohibitions for doing so, only precautions about the kind of men with whom a woman should allow herself to

by R. Reed Lessing The year is 588 B.C. and Nebuchadnezzar, the great Babylonian king, is establishing his headquarters at Riblah in modern-day Syria. Having destroyed the Judean fortresses at Lachish and Azekah, his troops are beginning to lay siege to the prize, the jewel, the crown of his military campaign, Jerusalem (cf. 2 Kings