A standard introductory ritual when you meet someone is to shake his hand. To greet another, you extend your hand. “Hello, I’m Rich,” as I grab hold of the other person’s hand and we both move them up and down. So, we grasp hands and shift their movement in a set pattern. Can we not […]
Maundy Thursday Sermon: Remembering… for you
March 24, 2016 by
Our God is a God of ritual. He commanded His Old-Covenant people to take part in a yearly ritual: The Passover meal. In the first Passover, God freed His people from their slavery in Egypt. Every year after their liberation, God told the Israelites to remember the first Passover by eating a meal, which God […]
It’s Not Either Or
January 22, 2016 by
This is our pastor’s article for the February edition of our congregational newsletter. The longer I’m a pastor, the more I find that what we bring to the table shapes our understanding of Scripture and, thus, the faith, even more than what a Scripture passage may say! Let me give you a personal example. About […]
Augsburg Confession, Article 24
August 4, 2014 by
AC XXIV: The Mass (Pt 1) Our churches are falsely accused of abolishing the Mass. In fact, the Mass is retained among us and is celebrated with the greatest reverence. Almost all the customary ceremonies are also retained, except that German hymns, added for the instruction of the people, are interspersed here and there among […]
