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Children’s Book for Divine Service Review
By Bethany Kilcrease As my daughter’s first baptismal birthday was approaching earlier this month, I decided to find a gift by perusing the Concordia Publishing House website. The new book Whisper, Whisper: Learning about Church by Mary Moerbe caught my eye. My now nearly 13-month old daughter is a human dynamo. We like to say she is “enthusiastic about life.” Getting her to remain sort of silent and relatively still in the pew entails so much physical exertion that I generally break into a sweat and figure I can skip the gym later. Obviously I’m on the look out for age-appropriate books to introduce her to the Divine Service and…
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Pity, Pittance, and Pie
By Debra-Lynn Swearingen She died as she had lived. Alone. She had been long forgotten by her church and went largely unnoticed by her neighbors. Her illness had rendered her a social misfit. She didn’t communicate well and when she did speak, everyone could tell she was afflicted. Her medication had made her tongue thick, her hands shake, and her body rock back-and-forth. As involuntary as all of it was, one couldn’t help but wish she would stop. At one point, it was it was thought she would benefit from training in simple life functions; making purchases, counting money, and remembering walking paths through town. But her grasp of all that…
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Birth Fears
By Holly Scheer Having a new baby is exciting. Announcing to friends, to family, to the congregation, that a new little person will be joining the family is a joy. With this joy there can be fear, though. Fear of the unknown for the first time mother, fears of the somewhat known for the mother who has been there, done that, especially if things were really hard. This fear isn’t a new one, sister. Childbirth through history has been a dangerous undertaking for women– and their babies. In some parts of the world, it still is. You aren’t alone in this, either. God has promised to never forsake and leave…
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The Sisters of Katie Luther
This blog kicked off on February 20, 2015. In that time the Facebook page has grown over 1,000 likes, we’ve had some tough discussions and disagreements, and a whole lot of coming together to grow as Lutherans. Thank you. Thank you to everyone who has contributed, commented (even comments that disagree), and shared our posts. To everyone who writes and shares their thoughts and hopes, their struggles and encouragement. Thank you for helping us grow as Lutherans. Sisters (and you brothers who pop in), I’m so happy that although most of us will never meet face to face, the Internet has allowed us to find community and a place to…
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Smalcald Articles– Part III Article III. Of Repentance
Part III, Article III. Of Repentance. 1] This office [of the Law] the New Testament retains and urges, as St. Paul, Rom. 1:18 does, saying: The wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men. Again, Rom 3:19: All the world is guilty before God. No man is righteous before Him. And Christ says, John 16:8: The Holy Ghost will reprove the world of sin. 2] This, then, is the thunderbolt of God by which He strikes in a heap [hurls to the ground] both manifest sinners and false saints [hypocrites], and suffers no one to be in the right [declares no one righteous], but…
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Smalcald Articles– Part III, Article II. Of the Law
Part III, Article II. Of the Law 1] Here we hold that the Law was given by God, first, to restrain sin by threats and the dread of punishment, and by the promise and offer of grace and benefit. But all this miscarried on account of the wickedness which sin has wrought in man. 2] For thereby a part [some] were rendered worse, those, namely, who are hostile to [hate] the Law, because it forbids what they like to do, and enjoins what they do not like to do. Therefore, wherever they can escape [if they were not restrained by] punishment, they [would] do more against the Law than before.…
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Wedding Bloopers
By Amanda Markel Let me tell you a funny story about my wedding. In the months and weeks leading up to the big day, my almost-husband and I worked diligently with our pastor on the service. Of course, we were using the standard wedding rite from the hymnal, but there were gaps to be filled in with Bible readings, hymns, and instrumental music. The pastor had suggestions, but we had to choose the final details. And, after reading through many Bible readings and hymns, and listening to lots of music, we had all the decisions made, and were ready to have the bulletins printed. I can’t tell you how…
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On Care for Animals
By Ellie Corrow Anyone who knows me even a little bit is aware that I’m an animal lover. This means, for me, my pets are part of my family and as a result, I do everything I can to provide them happy, healthy lives. But my love for animals isn’t just restricted to the pets (3 dogs and 2 cats at this writing) that also inhabit my home, as I can often be found helping a wayward turtle crossing the road, and most recently blew a good chunk of a Saturday whisking a wounded bird to a wild bird rehab facility. I’m just wired that way, I can’t help it,…
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Comfort for Those Tending to the Lord’s Littlest Sheep, Part 3
By Keri Wolfmueller Tricks of the Trade and Quiet Activities for Young Children Thanks for joining the conversation about having children in church! Please see Part 1 and Part 2. I’m just as normal as you. However, I’m going to boldly assert a “Top Ten” list of helpful things to know and practice when you have little ones with you in church. This is not the Ten Commandments. This list holds no value regarding your salvation. You therefore are free. Every parent is unique and sets their own standards of what is acceptable for their child. Every child is unique. Some respond to discipline. Some respond to rewards. Some naturally aim…
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My Lutheran Story
By Amanda Markel Sometimes, I think I’m the most boring Lutheran ever, if only because I’m so very Lutheran, and have been since my baptism, when I was just a few weeks old. I was baptized, confirmed, and married at the same church…the very church at which my mother is still a member to this day, and the church at which my father served on many boards before his death. I started out at my Lutheran dayschool in the four-year-old class. I still have fond memories of that year (or maybe it was kindergarten…both years involved the same basement classroom, and the same loving, exuberant teacher). I then went on…
