Overall, I have been ingrained with Lutheran Theology and that is a major part of who I am….

Sure there have been times that I questioned my beliefs.  My faith journey has not always been easy.  But I must admit that when it comes down too it, I do love Lutheran Theology.  Knowing that  we are saved wholly by God’s grace, through faith is an awesome thing.  I love the fact that we as Lutherans can believe with our hearts as well as think about why we believe what we do with our heads (more about that in another post).

But above all of that, I love how we can poke fun at ourselves. I have heard joke after joke about the traditional stereotype Lutheran and I love it.  I would like to share with you today a list of typical Lutheran type things — a list  that I received in a recent email.  Enjoy!

The following list was compiled by a 20th century Lutheran who, observing other Lutherans, wrote down exactly what he saw or heard:

1. Lutherans believe in prayer, but would practically die if asked to pray out loud.

2. Lutherans like to sing, except when confronted with a new hymn or a hymn with more than four stanzas.

3. Lutherans believe their pastors will visit them in the hospital, even if they don’t notify them that they are there.

4. Lutherans usually follow the official liturgy and will feel it is their way of suffering for their sins.

5. Lutherans believe in miracles and even expect miracles, especially during their stewardship visitation programs or when passing the plate.

6. Lutherans feel that applauding for their children’s choirs would make the kids too proud and conceited.

7. Lutherans think that the Bible forbids them from crossing the aisle.

8. Lutherans drink coffee as if it were the Third Sacrament.

9. Some Lutherans still believe that an ELCA bride and an LCMS groom make for a mixed marriage.

10. Lutherans feel guilty for not staying to clean up after their own wedding reception in the Fellowship Hall.

11. Lutherans are willing to pay up to one dollar for a meal at church.

12. Lutherans think that Garrison Keillor stories are totally factual.

13. Lutherans still serve Jell-O in the proper liturgical color of the season and think that peas in a tuna noodle casserole adds too much color.

14. Lutherans believe that it is OK to poke fun at themselves and never take themselves too seriously.

15.  You know you’re a Lutheran when you hear something really funny during the sermon and smile as loudly as you can!

16.  When donuts are a line item in the church budget, just like coffee.

17.  The communion cabinet is open to all, but the coffee cabinet is locked up tight.

18.  All your relatives graduated from a school named Concordia.

19.  When you watch a “Star Wars” movie and they say, “May the Force be with you,” you respond, “And also with you”.

20.  You actually understand those folks from Lake Wobegon , MN.

21.  And finally….you know you’re a Lutheran when it’s 100 degrees, with 90% humidity, and you still have coffee after the service.

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The word vicar comes from the Latin “vicarious” meaning substitute, or one who has authority to act in the place of another.

The Church of England used the term for a clergy-person who serves a parish as its minister. A vicar in the Roman Catholic faith refers to a bishop who is sent to a diocese without a bishop.

In the ELCA (Evangelical Lutheran Church in America),  the church in which I serve a “vicar” normally refers to a seminarian who has completed the first two years of academics, clinical pastoral education and a year of field education, who is assigned to a congregation as an intern for one year. This typically involves the student working with a senior pastor and a committee of the church to support the development of the seminarian.

Typically at the end of the year of vicarage, the candidate returns to seminary and completes a final year of studies. After being issued a call or assignment, the candidate is ordained as a pastor in the ministry of Word and Sacrament.

Now I am not an intern but the pastor of the church I am working at wanted me to have a title.  I guess Vicar is the most appropriate title for that.  However, I think there needs to be education on what Vicar means and why we use that title.

I am getting use to having a title before my name.  Soon enough I will be “Pastor” – I have not thought about that much until recently and I think that is a very cool thing.  I will see what the culture of the church is before I decide if my first or last name will follow Pastor.  I am sure that everyone will have their own comfort level and I am open to that. I think that what is comfortable for someone I will be okay with that.  As long as they don’t call me late for dinner!  (sorry I could not resist)

For those who are seminarians or pastors or even those in other professions – what is the “proper” way that one should be addressed in the work place? What is the most professional way we should be called, or does it really matter?

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Admist the craziness of life I am having a pretty good week. The end of last week I had a lockin at church- followed by the Souderton Christmas Parade, I was kinda disappointed by Santa Clause. There are more and more Santa’s around that have real long white beards and my son knew that this was a fake and he is only three. He just asked what was on Santa’s face, I just said that Santa was cold and he seemed okay with that.
This followed with lunch and the much needed nap.

Sunday was church and then a trip to the King of Prussa mall to the Apple Store. Currently on my labtop (where I am typing from) I am missing the F2 and F5 key, the space bar, the left and down arrows. This is caused by the aforementioned son. When he was smaller he would sneak onto the computer and pull off keys. They told me it would be $150.00 to get it fixed. The computer is functional and I have adapted this long it would not matter for alittle while longer. Like our cars I am hoping this computer will make it through the rest of seminary.

I don’t think I would ever go after a PhD. I was intimitated enough by coming to seminary for my masters degree. Plus the language would keep me out of most programs. However if I do get my Dmin down the road. I would love to get into the idea of Theodicy and Psychology. I just had to write a paper along those lines and I think it is very interesting. How does evil come into the world? When we talk about evil and an individual – what is the psychological make up of those individuals? And how does God fit into all of this. I would consider doing a Dmin down the road with perhaps a focus on becoming a CPE supervisor. I think I could tie those two things in together and that would be something that interests me. But right now I am thinking that would happen 5-10 years from now.

For the current time I am goign to be in the draft and I have indicated on my forms that I am in conversation with Evangelical Outreach and Congregational Mission. Basically I was told by my advisor that I should consider being a mission developer or a Church Planter. I would not mind doing something like this, acutally I think it could be fun and that I could do a good job at it. This Friday I have a prescreening for the position.

Well I should get back and watch my Patriots. Right now they are not doing so good. GO PATS!!!!!

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This article is taken from the Lutheran Disaster Response.

Southern California Wildfires
An update from Lutheran Disaster Response

October 24, 2007

More than 20 wildfires continue to burn and grow across southern California, fueled by the strong and persistent Santa Ana winds and drought conditions across most of the region. At this emergent stage in this disaster, Lutheran Disaster Response and its affiliate agency, Lutheran Social Services of the Southwest, are assessing the needs of the affected communities. Lutheran Disaster Response coordinator Tempie Beaman has been in near constant communication with local clergy as well as representatives from the ELCA Pacifica and Southwest California Synods and the LCMS Pacific Southwest District. Additionally, she has coordinated a number of Lutheran chaplains to provide spiritual care to evacuees at a number of shelters in the area.

Recent news reports state that nearly 1,500 homes have been completely destroyed with the worst of the damage concentrated in San Diego County. Perhaps more astoundingly, nearly one million people have been ordered to evacuate their homes as fires continue to spread unpredictably. Some of those evacuees are seeking temporary shelter at places like Qualcomm Stadium, home of the NFL’s San Diego Chargers, as well as at schools, churches, and homes of family and friends. With thanksgiving, it is also being reported that the volunteers who have organized at local shelters to help those displaced nearly outnumber the evacuees themselves.

Bishop Murray Finck, ELCA Pacifica Synod, reports that a number of clergy from the synod have been part of the evacuation orders as well as countless members of Lutheran congregations. At this time, Bishop Finck is not aware of any church structures that have been affected, but he and his staff continue to monitor the news for information. Leaders from the Southwest California Synod and Pacific Southwest District are also reporting that no church structures have been reported as affected at this time.

Contrary to some news reports that seem to be focused on the wealthy, this disaster is likely to have an impact across economic classes. Southern California, like other densely populated areas, is home to many who are underprivileged, including a large population of undocumented persons. While the full extent of this tragedy is yet to be seen, there is likely to be a need for Lutheran Disaster Response to assist in the long-term recovery process, and it will be our mission to seek out those who may otherwise be overlooked or underserved.

Seven counties in total have been declared both federal and state emergency areas, and emergency responders, namely fire crews from around the state, continue to battle the fires, assist families in evacuating, and care for any injured. The weather continues to be uncooperative with wind gusts reaching near-hurricane speeds and dry, hot air continuing to blow in from the desert. Cooler air and moisture are expected to arrive towards the end of the week which will be a welcome relief to residents wanting to return home and firefighters struggling for containment.

At this time, we pray for the many communities in southern California that continue to watch and wait for the fires to be contained. We pray for the local, state, and federal officials who are aiding in the early response to this tragedy. And we pray for the hundreds of thousands who are displaced from their homes and feeling uncertainty about what exactly the future holds.

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