I've Cried and Now it is Time to Rejoice

After a long 7-month battle at church over whether the Pastor and his stupid hand-picked council would lead the church out of the evil ELCA, they won the first vote. (When I say stupid -- I mean the people on council are either stupid and/or just easily swayed by the zealotry of the pastor). I suppose they will win the second one too in 3 months. Over this time, I have seen just how much a psycho zealot he is! He used the sexuality statement to get many people riled up over the ELCA, but truly he just wants to leave because he is a little man and he has issues and he wants all the POWER!

Ugly things have happened at the church. We actually stopped worshiping there after Christmas and started visiting Lutheran churches. We were delighted to be back in a Lutheran church because whatever he calls this church, and he will continue to call it a Lutheran church, it has become anything but Lutheran.

So now, where is God leading us? If the bishop wants to start a new church -- we're in. However, if he chooses that it is not best for this area, we have already found a new church not too far away.

Mark recently wrote an email to those that want to stay and fight and he wrote "At some point it is time to move on. Church should be a joyous event and celebration not a battle. The Church is not a Pastor or a building, the church is US! We can have a loving, living, learning, Lutheran Church without him and at any location. If the Bishop will support such an effort this may be a better investment of our time and energy. Let us take this challenge laid before us by our Lord and run with it. He has great plans for his people if we follow his lead and get out of the sinful battles of man. This is not easy for me to do, because I too don't want to "lose" to him. However, I try to think of it as a win as Christ is leading me on a different path. Carefully and prayerfully consider the path that we should take. Make sure it is one the glorifies God and does His work. " I couldn't have said it better!

Oh and BTW the church home we have found is Rejoice Lutheran! Rejoice indeed!

A Lutheran in an Episcopal Church

I've been Lutheran all my life. I like liturgy. This past weekend I went to St. Andrews Episcopal Church in Stillwater OK with my daughter. (She's Lutheran too but likes the Stillwater Episcopalians more than the Stillwater Lutherans). The order of the service was printed in the bulletin, but they actually use the hymnbook and the BCP (Book of Common Prayer). Kathryn helped me find my place in the book as necessary. There are many similarities in their liturgy and a Lutheran liturgy -- except the sermon is early in the service and the announcements (at least at this church come later).

During the announcements, the Pastor made a comment about the Billion Dollar Drive that OSU just kicked off and he looked at a man across the aisle from me. I glanced over and realized that I was attending church with Burns Hargis -- The President of Oklahoma State University!

How cool was that!

More cool than that was spending my daughter's birthday with her in Tulsa, getting back to Stillwater in time to go to church and having Frito Chili Pie at Coney Island afterward! Happy 19th birthday Kathryn.