Oppertunity

Now that you have heard the good news about Issues Etc. returning, maybe you will want to roll up your sleeves, and get a little more involved locally. Two organizations are designed for that--Brothers of John the Steadfast (BJS) http://laymenetc.typepad.com/ and the Confessional Lutherans for Christ's Commission http://www.theclcc.org/.

BJS encourages starting confessional reading groups in your congregation and CLCC seeks to help people reach others in their congregation with the message that Christ's Commission calls for learning the faith, not just saying "Jesus loves you." Before long BJS will be printing a journal written at a popular level, chock-full of good stuff and CLCC plans to equip local people to host workshops and seminars on different topics in their circuit and region. Check out their websites.

If you would like to get even more involved locally, connecting with other confessionals in your district and having theological chats with them, every district has a dedicated site for discussion. Go to http://www.LutheranInfo.Net. On the right half of the page, you will see subscription information. Fill it out so you can be on your district's list. These are open lists and are therefore mostly for discussing theology, although synod and district politics do get brought in. Once you are on, send out a note to the list, announcing you are there and you are looking forward to discussion. Everyone who is on the list (and has an active address) will receive that post and will be able to respond. Most of the district lists have moderators, but most of them are also looking for more discussion. Help them get it started. Each district already has a few people on the list, but these lists have been there since 2001, and many have been dormant. They need to have some dust blown off of them. The recent events in the LCMS should be more than enough to blow that dust off (actually, blow the doors off).

Resurrection Etc.

http://www.piratechristianradio.com/

Statement from the Synod

http://www.lcms.org/pages/internal.asp?NavID=13379#statement

I don't know about you, but all I heard was "We did this without good planning, and then had a secret meeting about it afterwards. Oh, and by the way, we did it because of money so please stop talking about it.".

Keep your eye on the blogs listed to the right for thoughtful responses to the latest statement.

News Story

http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/news/columnists.nsf/keepthefaith/story/E7FFE1FEE85BBB0186257430001179AF?OpenDocument

A Response:
http://adelphoitouchristou.typepad.com/savethelcms/2008/04/more-press-for.html

News Story

http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/news/stories.nsf/religion/story/2AA6C162EE5AE3EA8625742C001087AA?OpenDocument

more photos: http://thewretch.blogspot.com/2008/04/why.htm

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