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The Post-Confirmation Journey
By Ellie Corrow The Confirmation Season undoubtedly brings a great deal of joy to many families, as children go through this rite of passage, finally receiving the Sacrament of the Altar alongside their parents. Indeed, Palm Sunday this year was, for me, easily one of the happiest days of life, as I admittedly wiped a tear or two, watching my son confess his faith before God, our pastors, and the congregation; it was a time of enormous thanksgiving, as we gave thanks to God for the faith He had given my son and the other confirmands, and a time of reflection, as I considered the road that had brought us…
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The Perfect Potluck Plate {infographic}
By Vanessa Rasanen Who doesn’t love a church potluck? I mean, sure, it can be stressful sometimes to decide what to bring, but there’s just something comforting and wonderful about the homemade secret-recipe hot-dishes mingling with box of store-bought donuts being passed off as desserts (ahem, not that I’ve ever done that or anything…). Not to mention the salads that aren’t really salads at all — hello, jello. My favorite! But potlucks may not always be happy affairs. Without proper planning and execution, your potluck plate can end up being a sad dish of regret rather than the happy helping of comfort and joy. To help avoid the unfortunate, here’s…
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Call Week
By Holly Scheer This is “Call Week” for the LCMS. This is the week when Vicarage placements, Deaconess assignments, and first Calls for seminarians are issued. The services started Monday night and continue through the week. You can view them in real time or check out the lists after the fact — here and here. For anyone unfamiliar with the gravity of this week, here’s a bit of background. Most of the pastors and deaconesses in our Synod, after completing their bachelor’s degree, are trained at one of two seminaries — Ft. Wayne and St. Louis. This involves uprooting the family and moving. That’s move number one. After their second year of study,…
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Treasury of Daily Prayer
By Amanda Markel Many individuals and families struggle with having a devotional time in the home. What should this time look like? What do you actually need to do? What resources are available — and not just available, but theologically sound — for you to use? A few years ago, Concordia Publishing House came out with a book that takes all of the guesswork out of spending time in the Word. It’s called the Treasury of Daily Prayer, and it’s a wonderful resource for use in the home, for people of all ages and from all walks of life. And the best part is, you don’t have to worry about…
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Article XXI (IX): Of the Invocation of Saints- Part 2
25] Here and there this form of absolution is used: The passion of our Lord Jesus Christ, the merits of the most blessed Virgin Mary and of all the saints, be to thee for the remission of sins. Here the absolution is pronounced on the supposition that we are reconciled and accounted righteous not only by the merits of Christ, but also by the merits of the other saints.26] Some of us have seen a doctor of theology dying, for consoling whom a certain theologian, a monk, was employed. He pressed on the dying man nothing but this prayer: Mother of grace, protect us from the enemy; receive us in…
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Article XXI (IX): Of the Invocation of Saints- Part 1
1] The Twenty-first Article they absolutely condemn, because we do not require the invocation of saints. Nor on any topic do they speak more eloquently and with more prolixity. Nevertheless they do not effect anything else than that the saints should be honored; likewise, that the saints who live pray for others; as though, indeed, the invocation of dead saints were on that account necessary. 2] They cite Cyprian, because he asked Cornelius while yet alive to pray for his brothers when departing. By this example they prove the invocation of the dead. They quote also Jerome against Vigilantius. “On this field” [in this matter], they say, “eleven hundred years…
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The Humorous Tales of Our Children in Church
Our kids are all in church frequently — which is great. It has also provided us all some funny tales of their best (or worst — you decide) moments in church. Come, sigh and laugh with us, and maybe find comfort that you’re not — at all — alone. He was about three, and we were in church. I had been teaching him the Creed and the Lord’s Prayer, and he jumped right in reciting them in church. I beamed, looked around to make sure everyone saw it, because, well, my kid rocks, and I’m an awesome mom. A few minutes later, I’m not paying attention, but am focused on the sermon, but he’s standing between…
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Blocking Out the World
By Vanessa Rasanen The world sucks. Now, this is pessimistic and a bit debbie-downer-esque of me, but some days this is the thought running through my head – a thought I can’t seem to shake. I read story after story of evil and sin, tragedy and heartbreak. Babies being murdered every day. People fighting to dehumanize those babies. Children being hurt and killed. Women being sold into slavery. So many people dying, starving and suffering. Every day there’s another new story or two that has me with one breath cursing the world and all the evil within it, and with the next breath praying for Christ to return so it can all……
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Helping A Sister Through Sadness
By Holly Scheer Sometimes a sister we love is suffering, and for all our desire to help, we simply don’t know what to do. Whether it’s a grief that stretches over time or a temporary sadness, the suffering of our loved ones and friends is difficult to bear. Here are some simple suggestions for showing care and concern for a suffering sister. Pray for her. Sometimes it can feel trite to tell someone we’re praying for them but it’s not. Prayer is powerful and should be our first step. Pray for her, and pray with her if she wants. Ask if she wants to be added to the prayer list…
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Katie’s Bookshelf – Kitty My Rib
Welcome to Katie’s Bookshelf. Life’s busy, really too busy to waste time on bad books, and The Sisters of Katie Luther is here to help! Feel free to eavesdrop on Sandra Ostapowich, Holly Scheer, and Ellie Corrow, as they use technology available to regularly e-chat about books we’ve chosen to read and discuss together. These reviews are informal, probably slightly snarky, but always informative, and designed to help you determine what is worth your consideration. Pull up a chair, a cup of tea, or something else, if you prefer, and help yourself to our conclusions, as we explore what is on offer. Our review today is on Kitty My Rib…
