Faith Matters

Okay, I need to get something off my chest. Basically, why am I ELCA? Why do I remain in a Lutheran church that seems to stray, according to some?

Simply put, I do not believe it has strayed all that far. For one, the Lutheran church was founded upon change, upon reform. We are supposed to be an ever-reforming church. We are not supposed to be stagnant dead pools of the law with a few sprinklings of grace thrown in for our elite-few members (not financially elite, since I know...

AngelusSax

Somewhere in eternity
Which is somewhere after today but before tomorrow
A Father sat with His face in His hands
Anguished in great sorrow

His children had forgotten Him
They never called or attempted to write
But that soon would be changed
One long winter's night

There was one daughter
Upon whom He had shown favor
She had not rejected that
Which she was chosen to labor

And now upon
This chosen...

AngelusSax

There comes a time of year when people tend to go one of two extreme ways. They either get super happy feel-good warm and fuzzy, wishing peace on earth and all that, or they tend to turn into giant green monsters that will breathe fire upon all Wal-Marts until they get the best deal for their little kids' Christmas, er, excuse me... holiday presents. Unfortunately, our mass marketing gurus who overwhelm us from, oh... before Halloween through December, tell us things like "Christmas costs less...

AngelusSax

Thanksgiving is over. Well, the holiday is, though hopefully one's state of being thankful for blessings is never over. My last post here talked about being thankful and hopeful. Now I think I see a pattern in our holiday schedule arise out of that.

Thanksgiving is usually the official start of "the holiday season", which is secular-speak for Christmas-time. Of course, there are other holidays of other faiths, but as I am a Christian, my concern in this blog is of Christian...

AngelusSax

I am thankful to God for a lot of things. My wife. My job. My house. My family. My friends. My car. Food. Liquid refreshment. Pets (I'm coming around on the yappy dog who needs to pee every ten minutes). I'm thankful the Dallas Cowboys were able to rediscover their offense for at least one game Thursday. And, of course, I'm thankful for my church, the ELCA, and even its recent decision regarding human sexuality.

The reason I am thankful for that last one is quite simple. It has forced...

AngelusSax