For the past few weeks I’ve been following with some interest the way people greet one another at this time of the year. For example, I’ve noticed that if I say to a store clerk, “Merry Christmas!” the clerk is usually quite ready to echo my greeting: “A Merry Christmas to you!” If, on the…
Download Life Guide If you look at our Reformation banner, you may be thinking that our Reformation Celebration has now gone into overtime. After all, during the past three weeks we’ve covered the three “solas” of the Lutheran Reformation as they are so beautifully displayed on the banner: Grace Alone, Faith Alone, and Scripture Alone.…
Download Life Guide My dad used to describe himself as a “Jack of all trades, master of none.” It was his way of saying that while he tried his hand at a lot of things, he wasn’t an expert at any of them. Sure, he could replace a washer in a faucet, but that…
Download Life Guide Life was hard for Bill Grob – partly because of choices he had made and partly because of the times in which he lived. Born in January 1900, young Bill witnessed two world wars and, like so many others, suffered through the Great Depression sandwiched in between them. Years later a work-related…
Download Life Guide In my work as a member of our synod’s Assignment Committee, I have the great privilege of helping to assign young pastors to their first congregation. It’s a responsibility that no one on the committee takes lightly. We study the needs of each congregation requesting a pastor and then we pore over…
Download Life Guide Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. (1 Peter 3:15). These words of the Apostle Peter were ringing in my ears as we visited with Charlie, our taxicab driver. All total, Cindy and I would spend…
Download Life Guide When Lifetouch was here last, the company that did our most recent pictorial directory, the photographer mentioned that they could touch-up my photo. “What do you mean by that?” I asked, rather intrigued? “Can you get rid of these bags beneath my eyes?” “Yes we can.” I was assured. “And how about…
Do you remember a time in your life when you felt like Christmas couldn’t come soon enough? Last week Pastor Raasch talked about the signs of the times. Already as a child, I learned to spot the signs of the coming of Christmas. At church it started with the midweek Advent services, rehearsing Christmas music in choir, and Saturday morning practice for…
Download Life Guide When introducing his study of the Lord’s Prayer, Martin Luther writes: “Our Father in heaven. What does this mean? With these words God tenderly invites us to believe that he is our true Father and that we are his true children, so that we may pray to him as boldly and confidently as dear children ask their dear…
