The Magazine
From Heaven Above

The gentle faith of a stepfather makes a young Thai boy marvel at the Good News of Christmas–and wonder what it means for him.
A wake-up call

The December Letter to the Editor (below) titled “Wake Up Call” was so sad to see. The confilct between the beliefs of the Masons and LCMS are clear. What is also clear is Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 18:15-17. Has this man been privately apporached to discuss the conflict between the Masons and LCMS? Do we
Sharing the Faith in East Moline

by Rev. Ronald E. Nelson Mision Gracia (Grace Mission), East Moline, Ill., is a ministry of the Central Illinois District, partially funded by gifts to Fan into Flame. District Missionary-at-Large Pablo Dominguez directs the ministry. Currently serving the Quad Cities community from a 1,000-square-foot, three-room storefront, the mission is seeking a larger, permanent facility. About
Christmas Journeys

by Rev. Terence Groth “Over the river and through the woods to Grandmother’s house we go.” This poem and song, whose “dapple gray” originally pulled his sleigh-riders through “the white and drifted snow” to Thanksgiving dinner, also has versions where the object of the journey was the pumpkin pie and pudding of Christmas Day. Every
Dealing with a Complicated Medical History

by Theresa M. Shaltanis, M.A., L.P.C. I have a long and complicated medical history. I could have yet another surgery, but I may end up worse than I am now, or even die during the operation. I would rather go on like this than risk dying and not seeing my children grow up. My husband
Keeping Christ in Christmas

  M   is for the Miraculous gift God gave to mankind. E is for the Everlasting life He left behind. R is for the Richest love He gave to you and me. R is for the Redemption He blessed us with. Y is for the Yearning to meet Him in paradise.   C is
Obligated to Give?

Our congregation is conducting its annual stewardship drive. In the past my husband and I have given generously, but because of serious concerns about the direction the church and school are taking, we no longer feel we can support them. We have shared our concerns with several elders but nothing changes. Most of our offerings
Lutheran Ministry in Wittenberg

I was in Lutherstadt Wittenberg, Germany, in September serving with the Wittenberg English Ministry.  I question Pastor Torgerson when he says it will be wonderful when someone can say, “There is a Lutheran church here” (Lutheran Witness, October 2007). There is a strong Lutheran presence in Wittenberg now. The congregations of St. Mary’s (the Stadtkircke)

The Greatest Gift of All

Thinking about Christmas and Christmas gifts, the love with which they are purchased and exchanged, and the sacrifice that often is involved reminds us that these same factors are descriptive also of the greatest gift of all.
“The Nativity Story”

A number of LCMS congregations, schools, and youth groups are using the film “The Nativity Story” as a community outreach tool. If this pertains to you, you may want to use the Dec. 2006 Lutheran Witness story on this movie as a helpful discussion guide.
“Luther on Mission”

I was astounded to read in the October 2007 lead article, page 7: “Luther lived in a world with very few ‘evangelism opportunities’ of the sort we in the 21st century have.  He met, at most, a couple dozen unbaptized people in his entire life.” This exposes the notion that my baptism seals my salvation

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