A Little Something about Snow

This post, from the blog I linked yesterday, gives a delightful description of snow. For those who are in the midst of the "annual great white rearrangement", here is another way to look at such things. We more often than not think of snow and only remember the slush on city streets or the scraping of windows every morning or the shoveling of sidewalks that must be done. We forget about the joy we first felt each winter at the first snow when we were children. We forgot that we too used to put out our tongue to taste the snow. Some of us declaring that it was not done yet or just right!

Also, notice in the second half the argument, not simply for the existance of "a god", but of the God of Genesis. The God who knits (Psalm 139) each of us in our mother's womb. This is the same God who with intricate care creates billions of snowflakes for each snowfall. Even if they will melt in a month or later that same day. After you read this, go play in the snow!

The Manhattan Declaration

This is a vitally important document. I cannot urge all of you strongly enough to read this declaration, sign it and then share it. We as Christians cannot remain silent. We need to join with our brothers and sisters in our faith who lived in previous centuries and battled against other, earlier evils.



Speaking out against such as this is part of our vocation as Christians.



This document deals with the critical issues of our age; life, marriage, freedom of conscience. The three issues dealt with here are the ones that will define us, I believe, as Christians.



Follow the link below the Pelican. Go, read, sign.

Theology and Science

To view this slideshow (scroll down and click on the link for "the Month in Space") is to realize what complexity is found in the few small words of the first article of the Apostles' Creed: "I believe in God the Father almighty, maker of heaven and earth" (Luther's Small Catechism (II: 1st). And the words of the Holy Spirit by the prophet Moses in Genesis: 'And God said, "Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to give light upon the earth." And it was so. And God made the two great lights--the greater light to rule the day and the lesser light to rule the night--and the stars. And God set them in the expanse of the heavens to give light on the earth, to rule over the day and over the night, and to separate the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good. And there was evening and there was morning, the fourth day.' (Genesis 1:14-19) Not only does these images from space remind us how complex our world and universe really are, they also remind us what God really did by speaking a few small words! Finally, did anyone catch on that when God made the sun, the moon and the stars, these were three separate groups? 1. The greater light to rule the day--the sun. 2. The lesser light to rule the night--the moon. And 3. The stars. The sun is a separate creation from the stars.

News from the ELCA

The ELCA is beginning to lose congregations. To read more, see Dr. Veith's good post on this subject and the accompanying comments. We all need to continue to pray for our brothers and sisters within this and other erring church bodies. They need Jesus' healing, forgiving power now more than ever.

Psalm 147

Well, this passage to be exact.

'Praise the LORD! ... He counts the number of the stars; He gives names to all of them.' (Vv. 1, 4) It struck me, while I was reading from my TDP this morning what a truly wonderful God is the Christian God. How unfathomably amazing our God is! I over and over continue to uncover gems like this. Why is it surprising to anyone that, if the God of the universe, the Alpha and Omega, God Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, when He will take the time to name each star, He will also take the time to care for each and every one of us. Why is it amazing that God will deign to rescue us from our sinfulness. And yet it is, precisely because of of who God is. It is precisely because He cares so deeply for such small things.

Not one of us is to small and insignificant for Jesus to take the time for. He cares for all of us. Even the forgotten ones.

Response to the ELCA decision from Concordia Theological Seminary

For Immediate ReleaseAugust 26, 2009

Concordia Theological Seminary Responds to Actions at ELCA ConventionFORT WAYNE, IN (CTS)

‹As Christians in an ever-changing world it is imperative that we be ready with a response when those changes are contraryto God's word. The Rev. Dr. Dean O. Wenthe, President, ConcordiaTheological Seminary, Fort Wayne, IN, stresses that we must also make that response with clarity and charity. A video of Dr. Wenthe's response to actions at the recent convention of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) may be found at the seminary's website, www.ctsfw.edu<http://www.ctsfw.edu/> .³

Concordia Theological Seminary, with the Christian church throughout history, confesses the sanctity of marriage as a union between a man and a woman God's gift of marriage at creation is a beautiful and abiding blessing upon all of humanity. Similarly, we believe the living and healing voice of Jesus through His prophets and apostles Sacred Scripture when He calls us to fidelity in marriage and warns about the harmful and destructive impact upon human beings when adultery, promiscuity, or homosexuality are practiced. In departing from two thousand years of Christian teaching and practice as well as challenging the majority of present day Christians, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) has exhibited sectarian behavior that saddens a large spectrum of the Christian community.We pray that the Lord will strengthen those who remain faithful to His healing Word and recall those who have so tragically abandoned that Word and its healing and absolving Truth. Please also consult President Kieschnick¹s address to the ELCA ChurchwideAssembly as posted on the LCMS Website at www.lcms.org<http://www.lcms.org/> .² (Dean O. Wenthe, President, Concordia Theological Seminary, August 25, 2009)

###The mission of Concordia Theological Seminary is to form servants in Jesus Christ who teach the faithful, reach the lost, and care for all. For additional information on educational opportunities and events at CTS please e-mail PublicRelations@ctsfw.edu or phone 260-452-2100.

HT: Rev. Matt Harrison

ELCA to allow practacing homosexuals to be ordained as Clergy

The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), the largest Lutheran denomination in the United States, has voted to allow homosexuals in committed relationships to be ordained. This is contrary to holy Scripture. The Lutheran Church-Canada has provided a very good public statement which you can read here.

One interesting side note, as the ELCA chose to go against God's holy word, there was some rather interesting weather going on outside the convention center. That storm occurred while the convention was going on and damaged Central Lutheran Church just up the street from the convention hall. That tornado was, to say the least, an interesting coincidence.