by Dr. William B. Knippa Our pastor recently accepted another call, and it’s been a blow to all of us in the congregation. He’s the most incredible pastor our church has known. We all thought he and his family were happy here. I’m especially worried about how this will affect my 14-year-old son, who greatly
Natural disasters such as the recent Gulf Coast hurricanes cause terrible damage and create much stress on communities and families affected by them. Yet even in such difficult circumstances, God’s people sometimes find rays of humor—such as the following anonymous (and popular) Internet/e-mail collection—in their day-to-day efforts to cope. Our sense of humor: It’s another
by Rev. Terence Groth Many of our homes feature a cornucopia as part of our traditional Thanksgiving decorations. The curved goat’s horn overflowing with fruit and ears of grain serves as both a celebration of our abundance and an encouragement to thank God for it. Likewise, as the Scriptures speak of thanksgiving they overflow with
As we approach the Thanksgiving season, I thank God for the blessing of being an American citizen and a member of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod.
I had to let you know the Mission Central article on Gary Thies (September) arrived just as our church was planning a bus trip to Mission Central in Mapleton, Iowa. I didn’t know what to expect, since I had never heard Gary Thies or toured Mission Central. So the story gave me some insight into
Praise God for Dr. James Lamb and his dedication to life! (“Life Issues: Renewing the Three R’s,” September). His simple three R’s formula to renew our church’s commitment to life issues is one that can be implemented by every one of us. I agree wholeheartedly with Dr. Lamb that our churches are responsible for raising
“Much Ado about Nothing” (September) is an inspiring example of how Prof. Paul Maier plows through the mire and muck of much of the spiritual junk food of our day. We are on the same team. In fact, his story reminds me of how his father, the world-renowned Lutheran Hour speaker, Dr. Walter Maier, hit
Susan Senechal’s September Lifeline story, “Dancing with Joy,” is a wonderful commentary on cheerful giving. It should be sent to all Lutheran congregations in the U.S. as a stewardship flyer. I would love to see the author’s description of joyful dancing in my church. Janice Sievert Wilson, N.Y. Read More Letters to the Editor
The stories about “God’s Design for Marriage” in your August issue were of interest, but as a divorced Christian, I am concerned that the issue of divorce was not addressed. Almost 50 percent of all marriages, including Christian ones, end in divorce. There is so little constructive information about how to survive a divorce and
We returned Aug. 9 from New Orleans and the Gulf Coast, where we saw firsthand the ongoing effects of Hurricane Katrina (“Revisiting Katrina,” September). We stayed at Camp Biloxi and met some of the most wonderful, generous, selfless people you can imagine. Many came with the intention of helping out three or four weeks and
Our circumstances may change, but we always have opportunities to give thanks.
I was happy to read the August story about encouraging young musicians to help with worship in their congregations (“Music to the Ears: Inspiring Children to Enrich Worship”). We have done that in our parish for many years. However, I was disappointed that the article did not mention the Lutheran Summer Music program, which encourages