by David L. Strand With this issue, we say “God speed you,” Carla J. Dubbelde. For the past 22 years, Carla has held a key position: editorial manager of the stitched-in district editions of The Lutheran Witness. As the name implies, these editions are publications within a publication—the monthly news of LCMS districts bound within
by Dr. Jerald C. Joersz A member of my family (raised LCMS) will not allow his children to be a part of anything connected to a church. He wants them to “make their own decisions regarding religion when they are old enough to understand.” How can I approach him about this without causing resentment? Your
Children are a heritage from the Lord—a gift from Him—and that good gift is received, not manufactured or made. In His wisdom and time, God makes mothers of women.
by Kim Plummer Krull Amputees and prosthetics typically aren’t uppermost on the minds of most college students. But for Jonathan Naber and Adam Booher, the quest to develop an affordable prosthetic arm for people in developing countries has dominated much of their time at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Naber, 21, is president of
We can’t say enough about the new LW format and content and especially appreciate the theme-based issues. It really helps deliver a complete perspective on the subject matter. Beth and David RitterBrainerd, Minn. Thank you for your outstanding work in reshaping The Lutheran Witness. The design is pleasing and modern, while the content has improved
by Roland Lovstad What does it take to be an LCMS pastor? And what makes the seminaries that form those pastors so unique? What comprises a seminary curriculum? Pastoral ministry students at the LCMS seminaries—Concordia Theological Seminary (CTS), Fort Wayne, and Concordia Seminary (CSL), St. Louis—can be divided into two categories: residential and contextual (distance
by Dr. Lawrence R. Rast Jr. Economic collapse, rapid social change, troubling finances . . . is this the LCMS of 1911 or 2011? Climate change, economic collapse, familial displacement, rapid social change, changing morals—so chaotic were the circumstances of life that some began to predict the imminent end of the world. These were the
by Jerald C. Wulf Why do we give to the church? Is it because it makes us feel good or because everything we have is the Lord’s? It is suppertime, and the telephone rings. With a certain amount of apprehension, you pick up the receiver. Caller ID does not show a familiar name, so you
by William D. Cochran Q. How have LCMS schools grown over the last 40 years? A. There has been a steady growth in the total number of Lutheran schools, which peaked at 2,525 schools in 2006. That includes a significant growth in the number of free-standing early childhood centers, which reached a high of 1,406
by Adriane Dorr Q. What is the Concordia University System (CUS)? The CUS consists of: Ten colleges and universities 27,000 students Over 2,000 full- and part-time faculty Over 200 programs of study One solid foundation, God’s Word, for a Christ-centered educational environment Q. What is the current number of students enrolled in a church vocation,
by Dr. Albert B. Collver III Among the blessings, gifts and challenges that our Synod faces is the task of restructuring. With the passing of Res. 8–08A at the Synod’s convention in July 2010, the Synod decided to create a more flexible organization by aligning its work around two mission boards. The President’s Office was
by Barbara A. Below On a beautiful spring evening in Palmar Arriba, Dominican Republic, as pictures were displayed on a makeshift screen set up in the street outside the three-bedroom home, little Ramona stood in the spotlight and danced. Along with over 200 other people who gathered from the community, Ramona enjoyed the dedication of