Gottesblog

The latest print issue of Gottesdienst is about the Lord's Supper, reverence, and a special focus on refuting receptionism. Which brings to mind the time I almost got kicked out of a call for not being a receptionist. That's probably a little melodramatic, but not much. It's a long story how it got that bad - a story that starts with a 1955 CSL grad, Creative Communications' Christmas service with a tag-team Verba between pastor and congregation, and my intrepid request that we not use it. The story continues with me be harangued in front of the DCE as a witness (poor guy - a really nice fellow), the circuit counselor being called in. . . well, you get the point: when you graduate from the sem, try to avoid being an assistant pastor.

Petersen recommended that I read this book: Class: A Guide through the American Status System by Paul Fussell. My only complaint is that Petersen didn't have me read this sooner. I understand why he didn't: the knowledge therein gives one a steep Lifemanship advantage over others. Below, I intend to make Petersen pay for hording this advantage for himself.

There was a time and a place wherein a Christian minister who realized that he was being oppressed by the Bishop of Rome would naturally think of the churches of the Augsburg Confession as his rightful home. After all, nothing in doctrine or ceremonies contrary to the catholic faith has been instituted among us.

The esteemed Fr. Stuckwisch aside, Gottesdienst encourages the use of the historic "series of lessions" (Ap. XXIV.1) of Epistles and Gospels. It is a great blessing that LSB has produced a full range of resources for the historic Church year (even if they took some liberties in lengthening the Introits), and the LSB selections for additional readings from the OT are, in my opinion, a great improvement over previous attempts.

Read the first section of this essay for one of the best examples of explanatory hermeneutics I have ever read. The author summarizes the book of Isaiah in two paragraphs that are so engaging, lucid, and intriguing that you can't help but want to read the book again and wonder how you were ever such a dullard as to be bored with reading it. It's a great example of how we should preach on the Bible.

Well, I've dodged the small town pastor duty of presiding over a patriotic community event for several years, but this year I got pegged: my turn to "say a few words" at the VFW Memorial Day event at the Gentile Cemetery here in town (for whatever reason, they never hold it at the Lutheran Cemetery being a couple of miles out of town).