Where did my Grandfather's Church go?

I was thinking about "this isn't your Grandfather's church"...The Church of both of my Grandfathers is no longer. It used to be Our Redeemer Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod in Silverton, Ohio. Until the Pastor retired and "Pastor Tim" came on board. He "recruited" people into the church with "visions" and things of that nature. Shut down the church school (one thing he was Called for was to get the School back on its feet. Which could have been done. He didn't actually WANT to do that.) and decided that Silverton wasn't a "good enough" place to grow because it was full of OLD people. (sigh) They moved out to Maineville Ohio (over 30 miles from the original church site) thus displacing hundreds of older folk, including my Grandmother who, instead of driving the extra miles, 30 to Crosspointe and 20 to the next closest LCMS church, has joined the ELCA congregation that is only 5 miles from her former church. Many of her friends of the same age, she's 88, have done the same.) and called themselves "Crosspointe Community Church". Go ahead. Click on the link and look at the home page. Where does it tell you that it's a LCMS church? Heck, where does it use the term "Lutheran" at all??? Can't find it? Well try out the "Who we are" page...oops..not there either huh?? Okay, well it HAS to be on the "Worship" page...right??? Oh gads. Not only isn't it there, but you find a picture of "Pastor Tim" preaching...in his vestements? Nope, those are for STODGY churches with DEAD RITUALS. No really, that's what it says. Here, I'll quote it for you...

Originally Posted by ccc

We believe that people are looking for a service that is welcoming to all and is designed to make room for the person who was "turned off" by what they perceived as the "old, stodgy church," filled with dead rituals. We believe that there are a significant number of people who are looking for something new and fresh that speaks to their hearts in a language they can relate to. Thus, our worship celebrates diversity and variety.

end quote

So, I scroll down the page to see what "My Grandfather's Church really has turned into...actually, I can't even bring myself to quote it. It really turns my stomach.

So, I need to find the LCMS...where is it? Where is the "proof" that this is still a Lutheran Church??? Ooh look..."Our Ministries..." Dang. Nope, not there either. And not under any of the "ministry" tags either. It's not under "contact us" it's not under news and events...oh wait...that's the whole website. Not one reference to the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod.

But I'd bet that if I wanted to take my not yet confirmed Husband to CCC, he'd be welcomed at the "table of the lord" (can't bring myself to capitalize what I am SURE is a travesty of a farce.

My Mother has a friend that decided she wanted to know what the Lutheran faith was about...she's closest to CCC so, since the sign out front says lcms in teenytinylittleletters she and her family went there.

She called my Mom after that and said "I can't believe you're a Holy Roller" and my Mom was aghast that her friend would think that. But after hearing about the "service" Mom encouraged her friend to drive a little bit more and check out either our Church or a sister Church that was only 10 minutes further from CCC. Mom's friend is now begining membership classes at King of Kings LCMS. The "old stodgy church" won out with these "young people" (they have 5 kids. the oldest is 4.)

Kae

PS. I did find "LCMS"...but let's see how many of YOU can find it too.

Issues Etc...

As many of you already know by now, the awesome KFUO program, Issues Etc, was taken off the air after the firing of the host of the show, Pastor Todd Wilkins and the producer, Jeff Schwartz.

The Synod is giving "for programmatic and business reasons" as the reason why the show was canceled and why Pr Wilkins and Mr. Schwartz were fired. They state that the show never received more than (about) 1600 local listeners and 37 streaming audio listeners on any given day. The numbers released were from 2004. They did not take into account the numbers of people who download the podcasts or who listen via WMA or find the podcasts via itunes or other podcast sites.

An online petition disputing the termination of Pr. Wilkins and Mr. Schwartz and to protest the cancellation of this program has been signed by almost 6000 people. A pretty big change from "just" 1600 listeners huh? In fact, the almost 6000 signers represent people from every state in the union (except one) and over 21 countries around the world! This show was spreading the Gospel folks! (Isn't that what Kieschnick wants for his "Ablaze (tm)" movement? But I guess the Gospel isn't enough for K. We have to have the Gospel told in the "new" way. Let's all be happy clappy people! *eyerolls*)

This action has also been noted in the Wall Street Journal's March 28th 2008 edition in a piece called Radio Silence by Mollie Ziegler Hemingway, a former member of the Board of Communications. It's an excellent article and I highly recommend going to read it.

Ms. Hemingway also speaks to Mike Horton of White Horse Inn about all of the controversy going on because of the cancellation of Issues Etc.



There are grass roots blogs popping up all over the place including:

Save the LCMS

and

Bring Back Issues Etc

In fact, if you google "Issues Etc LCMS" you'll wind up with 169,000 hits. Staggering.

If you've never heard of Issues Etc, I highly encourage you to go out and grab the podcasts while they're still available. Goodness knows when they'll be pulled...again.

Friday Jello Salad...

For a bit of fun, I thought I'd post a jello salad recipe each Friday. (If I remember it.)

This week is...

Lemon Lime Vegetable Salad (courtesy of Allrecipes.com)

INGREDIENTS

* 1 (3 ounce) package lemon flavored gelatin mix
* 1 (3 ounce) package lime flavored gelatin mix
* 4 cups boiling water
* 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
* 2 stalks celery, finely chopped
* 1/2 cup chopped pimento-stuffed green olives
* 2 carrots, peeled and grated

DIRECTIONS

1. In a large bowl, stir together the lemon gelatin mix, lime gelatin mix, and boiling water until gelatin has dissolved. Stir in the apple cider vinegar, cover, and refrigerate for about 1 hour to thicken.
2. When the gelatin is thick but not set, stir in the celery, olives, and carrot so they are evenly dispersed throughout. Pour into a 1 quart mold and refrigerate until firm, at least 3 hours. To serve, unmold onto a plate.


Why yes...that IS OLIVES they have in that recipe.

ick.

Hope

(this is a devotion I wrote for Women's Guild)

A friend recently asked “what makes Lutherans so HAPPY over the coming end times?” It brought about a discussion of how Lutherans seem to just “take things in stride” as opposed to other Christians.

With all I could have said on the subject, the answer really comes down to just one word. Hope. Now, being thoroughly Lutheran, I have to ask “what does this mean?” The online free dictionary defines hope as “1. To look forward to with confidence or expectation or the archaic use “To have confidence; trust”

We Lutherans seem to understand the whole concept of hope in Christ based on God’s promise of salvation and that promise is a “sure thing” as it says in Hebrews 11:1 “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.”

And because we have that confidence, we also have the "modern" type of hope. We CAN look forward to Christ's Second coming with GREAT Confidence and Expectation! We can do so because, when it all boils down, Jesus did it all FOR us. As Luther said in the Explanation to the 3rd article of the Apostles' Creed: "We can not, by our own reason or strength, come to faith in Christ Jesus, or come to Him; but the Holy Ghost has called me by the Gospel, enlightened me with His gifts, sanctified and kept me in the true faith; even as He calls, gathers, enlightens, and sanctifies the whole Christian Church on earth, and keeps it with Jesus Christ in the one true faith; in which Christian Church He forgives daily and richly all sins to me and all believers, and at the last day will raise up me and all the dead, and will give to me and to all believers in Christ everlasting life."

Because of this hope, this complete confidence and trust we can have in God, we Lutherans should be nothing but happy and joyfully LONGING for the end times to come. It doesn’t mean that bad things will never happen to us, but it DOES mean that because of God’s boundless grace, His absolute love that gave us forgiveness through the death and resurrection of our Lord, that, even in the hour of our deepest need, we can have that hope, clear and true, that we are forgiven and we will see salvation.

Amen. Even so, Come Lord Jesus! Amen.

Living Life the Lutheran Way

What does this mean? Well, Lutherans believe in being saved "By Grace Through Faith" meaning that we can't do anything to affect our own salvation. Only God can bring us to faith. We can, however, choose to turn away from that faith. We bring about our own damnation by ignoring God's free Grace.

This blog is for me to just talk about how this particular LC-MS Lutheran lives her life, what I find in the Bible and how it relates to Lutheran doctrine, the devotions I write for my Woman's Guild and yes, even some Lutheran humor.

I will say here and now that I am a Confessional Conservative Lutheran. Meaning that I am not in any way shape or form going to say that certain Liberal "Lutheran" Churches are, in fact, living by the accepted Lutheran Doctrine. I'm sorry if it offends you but, this is what I believe. You're more than welcome to leave me comments. I'll totally appreciate them. I promise! :o)

Thanks for visiting. Hope you enjoy the site.