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On Becoming a Titus 2 Woman
By Holly Scheer Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good, and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled. Titus 2:3-5 These words are serious. These words are weighted with the expectations of generations of past discussions, among women and men far wiser than I, talking about something we’re often lacking in our communities and lives. But I’m here to encourage you, as best I can, and hopefully provide some…
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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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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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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…
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Craving Popularity in the Church
By Holly Scheer The church seems like the last place that popularity should matter. After all, aren’t we all sinners, desperate for grace? Aren’t we all on equal footing as we wait for God’s very good gifts? Unfortunately, it often seems or feels like there’s a hierarchy in both the church and the synod. It doesn’t take long for it to become clear that, just like in any group, there are the people who seem to be sought out, admired, looked up to — and those who aren’t. It can feel like we see the same names writing books and devotionals, the same faces leading the fellowship meal committees and hosting…
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Blessed Easter!
He is risen! He is risen indeed, Alleluia! Have a blessed Easter. Go to church. Celebrate the love our dear Lord has for us and the wonderful news that our Lord conquered the grave. He is risen. He is risen indeed, Alleluia. Photo Credit to Jim Forest. Creative Commons License.
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Maundy Thursday
When I was growing up I thought Maundy Thursday was people pronouncing Monday Thursday slightly strangely and I couldn’t really understand why they were combining the two days. I didn’t know what it was about, really, and while I knew that it was some pre-Easter holiday (I’m cringing, too, here, sorry!) I didn’t really think that anything terribly important was happening or commemorated on this day. Oh, I was wrong. I was so wrong. Sometimes it’s frankly embarrassing looking back at the sure certainty of childhood and the things we’ve (OK, I) misunderstood. Maundy isn’t a mispronunciation of the beginning of the week. Nor is it some unimportant place holder…
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Holy Week
by Holly Scheer Sunday was Palm Sunday. We have entered Holy Week– the holiest of weeks in the church year, in which we follow the final footsteps of our Lord from his Triumphant entry into Jerusalem, remember the institution of the Lord’s Supper, mourn the betrayal in the garden and pray as He suffers on the cross. And on Sunday we rejoice in the Resurrection and the forgiveness and peace that is ours as beloved children of God. Holy Week brings so much of our theology into perfect clarity in such a short period of time. It is a week filled with the best of news — we are loved, we…
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On Women’s Bible Studies
by Holly Scheer I don’t lead a charmed life. Honestly, I don’t buy things just because they’re pink or sparkly. My favorite color is blue and I’m more likely to be found wearing boots and blue jeans than a dress. I also don’t flock to women’s only Bible studies. I don’t really think that the Bible has a different Truth for me than it does for a man– there is one core truth that we ALL need. That truth is that Jesus came as a tiny baby, held safe in the arms of his mother, and went willingly to Calvary to conquer Death for all of us. There’s no sugar…
