Open Doors
Following a devastating earthquake in Peru, the LCMS continues to reach out in mercy to those who are suffering.
The Magazine
10 Minutes with Deborah Rutt and Nicole Ridley
by Kim Plummer Krull Helping congregations bring neighborhoods back to life by sharing Christ’s love: That’s one simple way to describe the work of Lutheran Housing Support (LHS), say Deborah Rutt and Nicole Ridley. But the challenges these women tackle are anything but simple. “We work with and walk alongside congregations as they work to
A New and Reckless Creed: Children and Culture
by Dr. Beverly Yahnke In most churches, as we gather each Lord’s Day, we recite either the Apostles’ Creed or the Nicene Creed. We find both joy and certainty in our profession of faith. We speak the words with confidence, binding ourselves to one another within the Body of Christ and worshiping our God who
Lutheran Witness: October 2011
In this special edition of The Lutheran Witness, we give thanks to God for Carl Ferdinand Wilhelm Walther, the first president of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod.
Q & A
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
Shedding Some Light
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
Marking Time is Making Time
by Rev. Travis J. Scholl If you’ve ever been there, it is impossible to forget Pentecost Day at Redeemer Evangelical Lutheran Church in the Bronx. The church is awash in red— deep, bright, fiery red. The red of vestments and altar linens, the red of balloons and banners, the red of people. Shirts, ties, jackets,
An Army of Angels
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
Be Bold in Your Prayers
Our hearts are purified by forgiveness in the Sacrament of the Altar, and we have access—unhindered and rendered holy by Jesus—to stand in the holy presence of God Almighty.
Mighty Little Words
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
10 Minutes with . . . Dr. Paul L. Maier
by Adriane Dorr Dr. Paul L. Maier is a true Renaissance man—professor, campus chaplain, author and lecturer who just so happens to serve as the Synod’s third vice-president. He also recently retired from teaching in Western Michigan University’s Department of History for the past 50 years. He is the author of several best-selling books, such
Rev. Glenn Merritt (web exclusive Q&A)
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