Feature Stories
by Jonathan Kraemer
“Out of the depths I cry to you, O LORD! O Lord, hear my voice! Let your ears be attentive to the voice of my pleas for mercy!” (Psalm 130:1-2). As soon as the words left my mouth I remember thinking, “Wait a minute, I’m not in the depths! Today is actually a great day!”
I was a teenager and our pastor had recently introduced praying the Psalms at Sunday service. I had prayed Psalm 130 before, but it had been when I was, well, feeling like I was “in …
In: Feature Stories, Headline
by Mathew Block
My wife and I recently began renting a new home, so much of my “time off” lately has been spent unpacking boxes and trying to put the house to rights. Getting the garden in has also been a major concern. Add in preparing this issue of the magazine for press, and it means a pretty busy period as of late. It’s little wonder then that I’m looking forward to some upcoming time off to recuperate a bit and get to bed at a decent hour. It’s safe to …
In: Feature Stories, Headline, Table Talk
[Note: Spoilers follow.]
by Ted Giese
A crew member says, “It’s a miracle!” Spock responds, “There are no such things.”
Star Trek Into Darkness is a big budget blockbuster film, chalk full of explosions and intrigue, but it doesn’t have the luxury of existing in a bubble: it’s a film that’s deeply connected to all things Trek. It has a pop cultural context that it’s working within. In fact, this year’s Star Trek film is the twelfth in the franchise.
In Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, the alien crew member Spock sacrifices …
In: Feature Stories, Headline, Movie Review
DALLAS, Texas – In May, representatives of the Anglican Church in North America, Lutheran Church–Canada, The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod, and the North American Lutheran Church held a summit on biblical marriage and sexuality. The results of that summit was the joint “Affirmation of Marriage” which appears below. Approved by the heads of all four church bodies, the statement is a strong example of biblical ecumenicism at work. The statement is also available for download as a pdf here.
An Affirmation of Marriage
The Sacred Scriptures teach that in the beginning the blessed …
In: Feature Stories, Headline, International News
by Peggy Pedersen
Cargo cults have appeared in the past in various undeveloped countries, such as Papua New Guinea and Melanesia, in response to exposure to the wealth of outside cultures. In these religions, which are typically led by a charismatic leader, material goods are believed to have a spiritual source; if you know the right magic, you too achieve untold riches and prosperity.
The most well-known cargo cult is the John Frum cult in Vanuatu. The indigenous population received many manufactured goods by airdrop during World War II and from stationed …
In: Feature Stories, Grace-full Living, Headline
EDMONTON – Lutheran Church–Canada (LCC) is pleased to announce the second graduate of its Pastors with Alternate Training (PAT) program. Rev. James Kay received his first call at Concordia Lutheran Seminary’s Sacred Convocation May 24 in Edmonton. He will join Grace Lutheran (Edmonton) where he will continue to serve the Nuer-speaking Sudanese community which meets there.
Rev. Kay was born in southern Sudan in 1968 during a period of warfare. He was baptized in Sudan while a teenager, and was active in the church, singing in the choir. He fled Sudan …
