PROP: Puzzle–choose one that best fits the age group of your kids. A simple shape or alphabet puzzle is recommended. A 500 or 1,000 piece puzzle is not recommended.

Pastor: Good morning boys and girls! Let’s say good morning to our friend Sammy and see if she is there. Ready? One, two, three…Good morning, Sammy!

Sammy: Good morning boys and girls!

Pastor: Today I have a special activity for everyone. We are going to put together a puzzle!

Sammy: A puzzle! Oh that’s wonderful!

Pastor: Yes it is! 

Sammy: What’s a puzzle?

Pastor: Well, a puzzle is a wonderful activity where you take pieces of wood or cardboard or paper, and you try to fit them together to make a picture.

Sammy: What kind of puzzle did you bring?

Pastor: I brought this puzzle for us. [Show puzzle to children]

Sammy: That looks pretty challenging, Pastor.

Pastor: I think we can do it if we work together. What do you think, boys and girls?

[Provide a few minutes for children to assemble puzzle. Make note of who is doing more work, and who is doing nothing/very little]

Pastor: All done! Shall we show the congregation? [Hold up puzzle]

Sammy: Wow! You did a great job! Today is a day when I wish I had thumbs like you guys.

Pastor: That’s okay, Sammy. You were a great observer. But you know what? 

Sammy: What’s that, Pastor?

Pastor: I noticed that ____ worked really hard on our puzzle and put a lot of pieces in place. Will you stand here please? [Have children line up in the approximate order in which they offered help, from the most help, to the least help.]

Sammy: Anyone who just watched can stand at the end of the line. Don’t worry–I just watched the puzzle come together, too.

Pastor: Jesus teaches in our Gospel text today that hard work and generosity as defined by God are different from how we define hard work and generosity. You see, Jesus talks about how God gives generously to all people who work for him, whether they did a lot or a little.

Sammy: That doesn’t seem fair.

Pastor: Jesus’s rules are different from man’s rules.

Sammy: So what else does Jesus say? 

Pastor: Jesus teaches that he is allowed to be generous with what belongs to him. He also teaches that the first shall be last and the last shall be first.

Sammy: What does that mean? 

Pastor: Jesus gives to each of us as believers, and he does things that may be mysterious to us. Today, some of you were watchers like Sammy. I am going to give you a treat first. Others of you helped me with the puzzle a lot. I am going to give you a treat last. Each of you will get a treat, but just like Jesus teaches, the first shall be last, and the last shall be first.

Sammy: When you get your treat, let’s sit down together so we can pray.

Pastor: Dear Jesus, thank you for helping us to understand how much you love us and other people. Thank you for giving generously to us. We love you. Amen.

Sammy: Bye, everyone!

Pastor: Bye, Sammy!

September 2026

Dear Friends in Christ –

The First Reading for September 13 from Genesis 50 is the culmination of the account of the reconciliation between Joseph and his brothers.  There is something absolutely amazing going on here – the healing and restoring of a broken relationship through confession, repentance, and the giving and receiving of forgiveness.   

A few chapters before Judah had offered to stay behind in Egypt in place of Benjamin in order to not break their father’s heart.  Here we see the selfless act of a person who is willing to suffer the punishment that was coming to someone else.  And that person is a biological ancestor of Jesus. 

The brothers go back home, knowing full well that they are now going to have to tell old Jacob, “Joseph is still alive.”  The problem is that in saying that they are going to have to tell their father what they did twenty-two years before. 

Reconciliation and restored relationship are not about avoiding difficult conversations or uncomfortable, unpleasant situations or covering them up.  Instead reconciliation and restored relationship always require telling the truth. 

The miracle of rebuilt trust and community takes truth telling, confession, repentance, and forgiveness.  And that is what happens here.  After twenty-two years it happens here.  For the first time – finally – they are a family.     

Where in your life is a relationship that needs reconciliation?  Where have you been most deeply hurt by someone?  And/or where have you most deeply hurt someone else? 

 Think about the one who hurt you.  You might think, he or she does not deserve to be forgiven.  Maybe he or she does not deserve it.  Neither did Joseph’s brothers deserve it.  Neither do you and I deserve it.

Forgive him or her anyway.  Do it because of the One who also was stripped of His robe, who also was deserted and betrayed, and who said, “I will pay the price.  I will bear the cross.  Let the punishment fall on me.”

What made Joseph able to endure – and endure so graciously – so many years of being mistreated and not take revenge on his brothers?  The same three things that can make us able to endure it.  Three things that are mentioned in Genesis 50 and Matthew 18, the First Reading and Gospel for September 13. 

1. Knowing that their father had told him to do it.  In Genesis 50: 16-17 Joseph’s brothers approach him saying, “Your father gave this instruction before he died.  ‘Forgive the crime of your brothers and the wrong they did in harming you.’”
2. Knowing how much he had been forgiven.  In contrast Matthew 18: 23-35 tell of a man who had been forgiven ten thousand talents (a huge amount) who refused to forgive one hundred denarii (a much smaller amount).
3. Knowing that God makes all things work together for good.   In Genesis 50: 20 Joseph said to his brothers, “Even though you intended to do harm to me, God intended it for good, in order to preserve a numerous people, as he is doing today.” 

We all need to forgive – and we all need to be forgiven. We all need the sweet promise of Psalm 103: 12 (part of the Psalm for September 13).  “As far as the east is from the west, so far he removes our transgressions from us.”  

It is very true what has often been said that the person whom we refuse to forgive will always hold power over us.  But there is also a very strange corollary which seems to be the way the ELCA thinks and operates.  You will lose power if you forgive.  You will lose power over the one whom you choose to forgive.  And power is what it is all about.       

The apostle Paul wrote, “The law kills, but the Spirit gives life” (2 Corinthians 3: 6).  With the law, no matter how much you do, it is never enough.  You always need to do better and more.  The law is a relentless, cruel, never-satisfied task master.

The same thing is true of the ELCA’s constantly calling on us to repent of racism, sexism, male dominance, white supremacy, homophobia, transphobia, and Islamophobia.  No matter how much we repent, it is never enough.  We will always need to grovel and repent more.  How long will the ELCA keep on calling on us to repent of the same things?  And why are they doing this?  I believe for two reasons.  First, at the heart of all this is a massive self-righteousness.  They are woke. They are not guilty of all the awful things that other people – especially old white people with traditional views – are guilty of.  And second, I believe that they want to so demolish the courage, will, and self-confidence of old white people with traditional views that they will not resist as the woke totally take over. 

As we learn more, we will keep you informed about how the stage is being set for an even more complete takeover at the 2028 ELCA Churchwide Assembly.  Thank you for your prayers, words of encouragement, and faithful financial support, all of which enable us to do our work of being a Voice for Biblical Truth and a Network for Confessing Lutherans.  Please find below links you can use to give a gift towards our regular operating expenses.  Your prayers are especially important to us.  Please let us know how we can be praying for you. 

In the Name of Jesus, who removes our sins as far as the east is from the west,  

 

Dennis D. Nelson
Executive Director of Lutheran CORE
P.O. Box 1741
Wausau WI 54402-1741

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I have been reflecting recently on my own upbringing and, in doing so, have come to an uncomfortable realization.

My parents were faithful Christians. We attended church regularly. We prayed before meals. We prayed before bedtime. I attended Sunday school and was confirmed. My parents sincerely believed in Jesus Christ and made certain that I received a Christian education.

Yet we almost never talked about God.

Faith belonged in church. Religious education belonged to the pastor, Sunday school teachers, and confirmation instructors. At home, we lived as Christians, but we rarely discussed why we believed what we believed or what God’s Word meant for our daily lives.

Looking back, I do not blame my parents. They simply reflected the culture in which they had been raised. They likely assumed the pastor was better equipped to teach the faith. Whatever the reason, faith became something practiced primarily on Sunday rather than intentionally woven into everyday family life.

The surprising part is that I repeated the same pattern with my own children. Only much later did I realize that I had unintentionally passed along the model I had inherited.

Then something unexpected happened.

My wife began reading the Bible faithfully. I was genuinely pleased that she had taken such an interest in God’s Word, yet I found myself strangely uncomfortable. Looking back, I cannot fully explain why. I believed the Bible was God’s inspired and authoritative Word. I attended church faithfully. Yet seeing someone intentionally engage Scripture every day somehow exposed how little I had done the same.

Eventually, I decided to listen to the entire Bible in one year. That simple decision changed my life.

The more I immersed myself in God’s Word, the more I wanted to understand it. One year of listening became years of study. Today, to my own amazement, I am pursuing a Master’s degree in Orthodox Lutheran Theology. Had someone predicted that twenty years ago, I would have laughed.

Looking back, I now understand something that Martin Luther understood nearly five hundred years ago.

Following the Reformation, Luther was deeply troubled by the widespread ignorance of Scripture among ordinary Christians. During the Saxon Visitations, he discovered that many people, including those expected to teach others, knew very little of the Christian faith. His response was not merely to educate pastors.

He wrote the Small Catechism for fathers and mothers.

Again and again, before each chief part, Luther repeats the simple instruction:

“As the head of the family should teach them in a simple way to his household.”

That sentence may be one of the most overlooked in Lutheranism. Even more striking are Luther’s opening words in the Preface to the Small Catechism:

“The deplorable, miserable condition which I recently observed when visiting the parishes has constrained and compelled me to prepare this Catechism.”

Luther was not lamenting the failures of society. He was lamenting that Christians no longer knew the basics of their own faith.

His solution was revolutionary in its simplicity. Return God’s Word to the home. This was never Luther’s idea alone. It is deeply biblical.

Through Moses, God commanded His people:

“These words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.” (Deuteronomy 6:6-7)

Likewise, Psalm 78 declares that one generation is to tell the next “the glorious deeds of the Lord” so that “they should set their hope in God.”

The Apostle Paul instructs fathers:

“Bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.” (Ephesians 6:4)

And Paul reminds Timothy that from childhood he had known the Holy Scriptures, “which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.” (2 Timothy 3:15)

Notice what all of these passages have in common. The primary responsibility for passing on the faith belongs in the home.

Pastors assist in that calling.

Congregations support it.

Christian schools strengthen it.

But none of them replace it.

Perhaps one of the greatest barriers today is not unbelief but discomfort.

Many Christians sincerely believe, yet feel awkward discussing God with their spouses, children, or grandchildren. They fear they do not know enough. They worry someone might ask a question they cannot answer. They assume religion is best left to the professionals.

I understand that feeling because I lived it.

Even after confirmation, intentionally talking about religion made me feel strangely uncomfortable. It almost felt as though I were becoming someone I was not. Looking back, I realize it was not because I lacked faith.

It was because I lacked practice.

No one had ever modeled ordinary conversations about God’s Word around the dinner table or during daily life.

The remarkable discovery was that the discomfort gradually disappeared as I spent more time immersed in Scripture.

Confidence does not come from knowing every answer. Confidence comes from becoming familiar with God’s Word.

Parents do not need theology degrees.

They simply need to be willing to open the Bible, read it together, pray together, and occasionally say, “I don’t know the answer, but let’s discover it together.”

Children learn as much from watching that humility as they do from hearing perfect explanations.

Our culture understands the importance of daily formation.

Every day, our children are being catechized by social media, entertainment, schools, advertising, politics, and popular culture. They are constantly being taught what to value, whom to trust, and how to understand the world.

If the Church offers God’s Word only for one hour each week, we should not be surprised when other voices become louder.

The Christian home must once again become a place where Christ is spoken of naturally.

Not through long theological lectures.

Not through guilt.

But through ordinary conversations rooted in God’s Word.

Read a few verses after dinner.

Ask one simple question: “What does this passage teach us about God?”

Pray together before bedtime.

Talk about Sunday’s sermon during lunch.

Small habits, practiced faithfully over many years, shape generations.

Yet we must remember that the future of the Church does not ultimately rest upon our efforts. Christ Himself has promised, “I will build My Church” (Matthew 16:18). He preserves His Church through the Holy Spirit working through the Means of Grace—His Word and Sacraments.

In His mercy, God also calls parents and grandparents into this sacred vocation. He entrusts them with the privilege of placing His Word before the next generation, trusting that the Holy Spirit will accomplish His saving work through that Word.

Luther understood this.

Scripture teaches it.

Perhaps it is time we recover it.

If we desire our children and grandchildren not merely to know about Jesus, but to know Him as their crucified and risen Lord and Savior, then the Christian faith must become more than something we attend on Sunday morning.

It must become something we joyfully read, discuss, pray, and live together every day.

Not because our conversations create faith, but because God has promised that His Word shall not return to Him empty, but shall accomplish the purpose for which He sends it (Isaiah 55:11). As Christian parents and grandparents faithfully place that life-giving Word into the hearts of their families, we may confidently trust the Holy Spirit to do what only He can do: create faith, strengthen faith, and preserve Christ’s Church from one generation to the next. May God grant us the confidence not only to believe His Word, but to speak it naturally, faithfully, and joyfully within our homes, for the blessing of our children, our grandchildren, and generations yet to come.

In my last article for Lutheran CORE I reflected on the fact that the animating principle of the Lutheran Reformation was ad fontes—back to the sources of Christian faith.  I also recounted how the formal principle of the Reformationcame to be sola Scriptura—that Scripture alone was to be the standard by which all Christian teaching and practice was to be measured.

The Lutheran take on sola Scriptura is radically different from that of Reformed (Calvinist) theology.  Calvinism operates under what it calls “the regulative principle” of Scripture, which may be roughly summed up as “what is not commanded (in Scripture) is forbidden.”  Using this hermeneutic (reading perspective), Scripture becomes the source of all Christian revelation.

Luther, on the other hand, seeking not to reinvent the Church but to re-form it, turned to the Scriptures with a completely different set of assumptions.  Sure, the medieval Church had gotten off track and out of alignment with God’s revealed will, enshrined in the Scriptures, but the Scriptures could not logically be the source of Christian truth, for there were several decades’ worth of Christians before there was a New Testament.  No, the source of Christian faith is the Apostolic proclamation “Christ is risen!” but the standard by which Christian faith and practice was to be measured were the canonical Scriptures, which were a “snapshot” of the Apostolic mind, inspired by God “so that nothing was written down that should not be.”[1]

Thus, in Lutheran usage, a Christian belief (like the word “Trinity”) or Christian practice (like making the sign of the cross) need not be found in the Scriptures to be authentically Christian; they need merely be measured by the standards presented in the Scriptures.  An authentic Lutheran hermeneutic for reading Scripture is “what is not forbidden is permitted.”

At first blush this may seem to be a distinction without a difference, but its implications for Christian faith, life, and church practice are staggering, especially if we are seeking to ground our witness in the tradition of the Church catholic, as I argued that we should in my last article.  The modest Lutheran approach maintains continuity with the Church across time while allowing for necessary course corrections when error seeps in or new missional needs are encountered as the Spirit leads the Church “into all truth.” (John 16:13)  The Calvinist approach not only permits but nearly commands each generation to reinvent its faith and practices, searching the Scriptures to justify their choices.

The Calvinist approach is fundamentally anti-tradition.  The Lutheran approach is cautiously optimistic about Christian tradition.  This has serious consequences.

Here is an example from my own pastoral experience.  At a recent meeting, a well-meaning layman, influenced by the incipient Calvinism of American Evangelicalism, presumed to teach theology at a Christian Education Committee meeting.  I had proposed a blessing of the backpacks as a kickoff to the school year.  This person declared, “Jesus didn’t bless things, He blessed people.  We’re not blessing any backpacks.”  Because I was not present at the meeting, his opinion carried the conversation.

He meant well.  He was trying to be faithful, but his most influential theological formation had come at the hands of a quasi-charismatic parachurch ministry.  His theology was so infused with the Calvinism nearly inescapable in American Evangelicalism that he put me in the position of needing to reeducate people in a Lutheran church on established Lutheran practice, found in our own worship resources, which were crafted by highly trained and experienced Biblical and liturgical theologians.

Of course, Jesus did bless—or consecrate—things if He was a faithful Jew conforming to first century Jewish practice… I confess, I wonder how the person in question missed Jesus’ blessing the bread and fish in Matthew 14 or the elements at Passover!  Still, the point I am trying to make is that because he couldn’t immediately recall to mind a positive instance of Jesus’ doing something, it meant that Christians should not do that thing either—his approach to sola Scriptura was Calvinist, not Lutheran.  Rather than asking, “Are Christians permitted to bless things?” (is that a valid development of Christian practice based on not merely Jesus’ actions, but Old Testament instruction) his instinct was to ask, “Are Christians commanded to bless things?”

The relevance of these two different approaches to Biblical interpretation is manifold for Christian life and faith, and I leave it to Lutheran CORE readers to work out its implications in your own mission context, but one thing I think is worth noting; it was my conviction for the last eight years I served in the ELCA that the theological distraction, dissipation, and dissidence that I saw overtaking the denomination had been built into it from the beginning by its own constitution, which stated that the canonical Scriptures were the “authority, source, and norm” for the church’s life and faith.  In my estimation, the word “source” represented a Calvinist incursion into a Lutheran context, permitting the church to eventually do whatever it wanted theologically without regard for Christian tradition, for as Cyril of Alexandria wrote to John of Antioch in the wake of the Council of Chalcedon, “those who love to upset sound doctrine pervert … words to their way of thinking. … remember that the followers of every heresy extract from inspired Scripture the occasion of their error.”

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[1] Here I am defining the inspiration of Scripture apophatically, in the same way the union of Christ’s human and Divine natures was defined at the Council of Chalcedon as being “without confusion, change, division, or separation.”

HUMAN SEXUALITY

One of our ministry goals as Lutheran CORE is to provide resources for those who want to learn more about and/or want to inform their congregations about what the ELCA is actually doing. 

The task force that is reconsidering the 2009 ELCA social statement, “Human Sexuality: Gift and Trust,” has released a study guide that focuses on the whole issue of bound conscience.  They are asking for responses by September 30.  Here are links to two articles which I have written recently that can help you evaluate, respond to, and lead your congregation in understanding and responding to this study guide.

For our July 2026 newsletter I wrote an article which gave an overview of the reconsideration process and evaluated the study guide as developed by the task force.  I described their work as “An Obvious Attempt at Damage Control.”    

An Obvious Attempt at Damage Control: – Lutheran Coalition for Renewal (CORE)

For my August 2026 letter from the director, I wrote an article that zeroed in on the whole concept of bound conscience, which is the focus of the work of the task force between now and the 2028 ELCA Churchwide Assembly. 

LETTER FROM THE DIRECTOR – AUGUST 2026 – Lutheran Coalition for Renewal (CORE)

CHURCHWIDE ASSEMBLIES

In our May 2026 newsletter I gave a long list of articles that I have written regarding the ELCA covering the period of time between the 2022 and 2025 Churchwide Assemblies along with a summary of the major points from each of these articles. 

What’s Next With The ELCA? – Lutheran Coalition for Renewal (CORE)

Here is a link for those looking for a shorter and more condensed version of the above.

ELCA 2026 SUMMARY DOCUMENT

And here is a link to a document that focuses on actions taken and decisions made by the 2019, 2022, and 2025 ELCA Churchwide Assemblies.

ELCA 2019-2026    

Finally, my June 2026 letter from the director contained a list of questions that you can use if and/or when your synodical bishop or another synodical representative visits your congregation.

LETTER FROM THE DIRECTOR – JUNE 2026 – Lutheran Coalition for Renewal (CORE)

I hope and pray that these resources are helpful for you in understanding and in communicating to your congregation what the ELCA is doing and the direction in which it is going.    

UNWRAPPING BOUND CONSCIENCE

by Dennis D. Nelson

Note:  Many thanks to Larry Becker, NALC pastor in southern California and member of the board of Lutheran CORE, for gathering several of the references and resources that are used in this article. 

Last month I wrote an article for the July issue of our newsletter about the study guide from the task force that is reconsidering the 2009 ELCA human sexuality social statement. HERE is a link to that article.  The study guide focuses on the whole issue of bound conscience, which is the term the social statement uses to describe the fact that people in the ELCA hold different views on same sex relationships.  This month I would like to further explore the whole concept of bound conscience – where it came from, whether it has been helpful, is it being followed, and what we might anticipate for the future.

Pages 19-21 of the original 2009 (the social statement was revised in 2025) version of “Human Sexuality: Gift and Trust” describe four different positions on same sex relationships that people within the ELCA hold “with conviction and integrity.”  It then says, “Although at this time this church lacks consensus on this matter, it encourages all people to live out their faith . . . with profound respect for the conscience-bound belief of the neighbor.”  It is this whole issue of bound conscience that the 2022 ELCA Churchwide Assembly voted overwhelmingly (708-93) to reconsider.

HERE is a link to a video from the 2009 Churchwide Assembly where Dr. Timothy Wengert explains the whole concept of bound conscience.  Dr. Wengert is professor emeritus at United Lutheran Seminary (Philadelphia) and was a member of the task force on human sexuality.  The whole motivation is clearly revealed in the comment made by the person who introduces him – to build a case that disagreement on human sexuality need not be church dividing.

When Lutherans think of bound conscience, they naturally first think of Martin Luther’s defense in 1521 at the Diet of Worms.  “My conscience is captive to the Word of God.  I cannot and will not recant anything, for to go against conscience is neither right nor safe.”  For Luther bound conscience was not about different people holding different views “with conviction and integrity” and we need to have profound respect for all.  Bound conscience is not personal conviction, subjective sentiment, political pressure, nor group consensus.  Rather it is submission to the authority of the Word of God. 

But Dr. Wengert – in his introduction – spends the larger portion of his time talking about what he describes as a second way in which bound conscience came up during the Reformation.  That second way had to do with specific, practical, ethical dilemmas such as whether to pressure lay people to receive both bread and wine at communion and rules regarding the practice of fasting.  Dr. Wengert compares the Reformers’ approach to these issues to the way the apostle Paul deals with eating meat offered to idols when he writes to the Romans and the Corinthians. 

Because of what Dr. Wengert places greater emphasis upon, he has reinterpreted bound conscience as giving permission for mutually exclusive moral positions.  As I see it, according to his way of thinking, my conscience becomes bound by my opinion of what the Word of God says (or should say), not by the clear message of Scripture.  As a worst-case scenario, the Word of God becomes bound to my opinions (and the values and beliefs of my culture) rather than my conscience is bound to the Word of God.  No wonder Paull Spring (former retired ELCA bishop, later chairperson of the Lutheran CORE steering committee and bishop emeritus of the NALC), said, “In its emphasis on conscience, the task force forgot that Luther was not talking about his own right to his own opinion.  He was declaring his commitment and allegiance to the Word of God.  It is exactly the opposite of the task force’s idea of conscience as one’s personal beliefs.  They are encouraging the strange notion of a bound conscience as nothing more than individualism.” 

There are four points that I would like to make regarding Dr. Wengert’s definition of bound conscience.

1. It does not make sense.
2. It has been rejected.
3. It is not the way the ELCA has been doing things.
4. What’s next?   

First, it does not make sense. 

If one person believes that a certain behavior is sinful and another person believes that it is holy, pleasing to, and blessed by God, they cannot both be correct.  Also, if the Church were to lift up two opposing practices as equally valid, how could or would it have any moral authority to proclaim truth?  Instead of having a prophetic voice, the Church would become a reflection of its culture.

Second, it has been rejected.

 Extraordinary Lutheran Ministries (ELM) and its predecessor organizations trace themselves back to 1990 when two San Francisco congregations extended calls to openly gay and lesbian pastors, in violation of ELCA policy.  In 1993, the Extraordinary Candidacy Project was created to provide a credentialing process for publicly identified LGBTQIA+ people.   After the ELCA changed its ministry policies in 2009, those who had been ordained outside of the ELCA structure and process were welcomed to the ELCA list of rostered leaders.  Some of these people, as well as many other members of ELM, are in positions of considerable power and influence in the ELCA.

In early September 2022 – shortly after the 2022 Churchwide Assembly which authorized the reconsideration of bound conscience – Extraordinary Lutheran Ministries put out a statement that said, “The ELCA must address our sins of racism and ‘bound conscience.’”  HERE is a link to that statement, which then goes on to say, “Many queer-rostered ministry leaders experience . . . harm in the ELCA with little recourse because of ‘bound conscience’.”  The 2019 Churchwide Assembly adopted a formal letter of repentance to commit to examine the church’s complicity in slavery and to acknowledge “the ELCA’s perpetuation of racism.”  At the 2022 Churchwide Assembly Bishop Eaton formally apologized to the worshiping community of Iglesia Luterana Santa Maria Peregrina in central California for both individual and institutional racist harm done to the congregation and the Latine community.  In the same way Extraordinary Lutheran Ministries believes that “queer people in the ELCA deserve an apology and behavior consistent with repentance for the harm caused by ‘bound conscience’ and policies like ‘Visions and Expectations.’”  This statement then ends by saying, “It is time for ‘bound conscience’ to go.” 

Here Extraordinary Lutheran Ministries basically is equating racism and bound conscience.  Since for the ELCA racism is the worst of the worst, then the provision for bound conscience also must be the worst of the worst.    

No “profound respect for the conscience bound belief of the neighbor” here.  Knowing the high-powered positions of many who are a part of Extraordinary Lutheran Ministries, no one with traditional views should feel welcome, valued, respected, and/or safe. 

Third, it is not the way the ELCA has been doing things.

 As I have mentioned in previous articles –

• ELCA youth gatherings have become grooming events for LGBTQ+, transgender, and non-binary ideology. Why would anyone with traditional views want their child or grandchild to attend an ELCA youth gathering?
• The Human Sexuality Reconsiderations Task Force recommended and the 2025 Churchwide Assembly approved by a vote of 742-46 changes to the social statement which they described as “simply editorial,” when actually they amounted to no less than a full embrace of every diverse form of sexual orientation and gender identity.
• Prior to the 2025 Churchwide Assembly the Commission for a Renewed Lutheran Church recommended and the Church Council approved a number of Continuing Resolutions which are now part of the ELCA governing documents without ever having to be voted on by a Churchwide Assembly. Among these Continuing Resolutions are ones which make every diverse form of sexual orientation and gender identity a privileged and protected group within the church. 

It is interesting that the news release about the November 14-17, 2024 meeting of the Church Council did not give any specific information about the above.  Instead it just stated –

In key actions, the council:

Approved amendments to “Constitutions, Bylaws, and Continuing Resolutions of the ELCA” that were drafted in response to the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Accessibility (DEIA) Audit.

Recommended to the 2025 Churchwide Assembly certain amendments to “Constitutions, Bylaws, and Continuing Resolutions of the ELCA” that were brought to the council by the Commission for a Renewed Lutheran Church (CRLC).

We did not learn anything specific until later – six months prior to the Churchwide Assembly – when the Church Council informed Synods of its recommendations.   

No “profound respect for the conscience bound belief of the neighbor” here if that neighbor has traditional views.  All those with traditional views need to realize that their position will continue to be eroded.  

Fourth, what’s next?

 I am going with the assumption that the language of “bound conscience” will be removed from the social statement.  The vote at the 2022 Churchwide Assembly to reconsider bound conscience was so strong (708-93).  Votes taken at the 2025 Churchwide Assembly on matters of human sexuality further eroded any standing that traditional views and those who hold them might still have.  Many people have spoken very critically about bound conscience because of the way they see it as allowing for traditional views. 

There certainly will not be in 2028 the “restraining influence” that there was in 2009 from those who hold traditional views.  They are simply no longer there. 

Some members of the task force have spoken very positively about the quality of communication and high level of trust among members of the task force – even among people who strongly disagree with each other.  Are there other members of the task force who would not say that?  

There definitely seems to be a desire to “get through this” with as little organizational damage to the ELCA as possible. 

On the other hand, if bound conscience is eliminated and some other wording that gives a place of dignity and respect for traditional views and those who hold them is not provided in its place –   

Why should or would anyone with traditional views ever trust the ELCA again?

Will synodical bishops be able to hinder a pastor with traditional views from being able to get another call and/or be able to hinder congregations with traditional views from being able to call another pastor?

Will seminarians with traditional views be blocked in their efforts to be certified for ordination and first call (so eventually there will be no traditional pastors left in the ELCA)?

If a pastor is sued for refusing to officiate at a same sex wedding and/or a congregation is sued for refusing to host a same sex wedding, will there be any backing and support from the synod and/or churchwide?

According to the schedule included in the study guide from the task force –

In 2027 a draft of revisions to the social statement will be released for public comment.

In 2028 the ELCA Churchwide Assembly will take action on any proposed revisions.

We will keep you posted as we learn or hear more. 

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VIDEO MINISTRIES

“PROPHECIES OF ISAIAH FOR MAMAS AND LITTLES”

Written by Hanna FitzGerald – Reviewed by James FitzGerald

Many thanks to Hanna and James FitzGerald for this video review of Hanna’s new book, “Prophecies of Isaiah for Mamas and Littles,” which will be published in August 2026 by the American Lutheran Publicity Bureau.  Hanna is a former English teacher who is now a full-time mother while serving her church, St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Fulton, Maryland (ELCA), alongside her husband, the Reverend James FitzGerald.  The FitzGeralds are the ones who provide the weekly, lectionary-based children’s messages on our website. 

A link to the FitzGeralds’ video review can be found HERE.  A link to our YouTube channel, which contains seventy reviews of books and videos on topics of interest and importance, can be found HERE.      

Isaiah prophesied about the coming of Jesus: Emmanuel, God with Us.  During the Advent and Christmas seasons, we remember the gift of Jesus as a baby born in a manger, and we wait for the return of Christ Jesus in glory with the Advent of a New Heaven and a New Earth.  Selected scriptures from Isaiah and the Gospels reveal Jesus in the Old and New Testaments.  Included in this devotional are stories of modern motherhood, prayers, and journal questions.  With each adult devotional for mama, there is also a devotional for children to complete with mama.  These shorter devotionals include prayer, scripture, and a family activity.  Grow closer in faith as a family while preparing for Christmas with each turn of the page.

Emmanuel Lutheran Church (NALC) in State College, PA is a dynamic, growing, and multi-generational church plant located in the heart of central Pennsylvania, home to Penn State University. Celebrating 10 years of faith, growth, and community, Emmanuel’s name, God with us, captures the essence of our journey. From the very beginning, we’ve felt God’s presence guiding us as we seek to live out His calling.

Our core values are foundational to everything we do: Grounded in God’s Word, Confident in God’s Grace, and Committed to Sharing God’s Love. These principles shape our worship, outreach, and relationships, as we strive to be a faithful, generous, and enthusiastic presence in our community. A pastor called to Emmanuel will find a supportive and encouraging congregation, eager to partner in ministry and growth. We are committed to providing opportunities for both personal and family development, as well as a welcoming environment for leadership and spiritual growth. As we look to the future, we are excited to call our next pastor; a shepherd who will help guide us in sharing the Good News and extending God’s love in the State College area. Together, we will continue to grow in faith, hope, and mission.

For more information about Emmanuel, see the Congregational Profile at:   https://drive.google.com/file/d/17VNb_7wyQAMPb2-sn8Dj29BxM9_0x8dD/view

A video about Emmanuel is available at:  

Link’s to Emmanuel’s webpage and Facebook page:     

https://www.emmanuelnalc.org

October 18: 21^st Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 24, Lectionary 29)

OR St. Luke, Evangelist

 

21 Pentecost/Proper 24:

ALL: Isaiah 45:1-7 (God anoints Cyrus on behalf of his Chosen People)

ALL: Psalm 96: 1-13 (Declare God’s glory among the nations, whose gods are worthless idols)

ALL: 1 Thessalonians 1:1-10 (Paul commends Thessalonians for turning from idols to Christ)

ALL: Matthew 22:15-22 (Render to Caesar, and to God, what is due each)

*******

Opening Hymn: All Hail the Power of Jesus’ Name: LBW #328/9, ELW #634, LSB #549

OR Come, All You People: ELW #819

Hymn of the Day: Holy God, We Praise Your Name: LBW #535, ELW #414, LSB #940

OR We Give Thee But Thine Own: LBW #410, ELW #686, LSB #781

Communion 1: On My Heart Imprint Your Image: LBW #102, ELW #811, LSB #422

Communion 2: Take My Life, That I May Be: LBW #406, ELW #583, 685, LSB #783/4

Closing Hymn: Gracious God, You Send Great Blessings: LSB #782 (really nice hymn!)

OR God, Whose Giving Knows No Ending: LBW #408, ELW #678

                        Note: if tune is unfamiliar, sing it to “Love Divine, All Loves Excelling”

                OR God, Whose Almighty Word: LBW #400, ELW #673, LSB #979

*******

St. Luke:

Isaiah 35:5-8 (Eyes opened, deaf hear, lame run, ransomed return)

Psalm 147:1-11 (Sing praise to the Lord who heals, forgives, ransoms, redeems)

2 Timothy 4:5-11 (Paul’s final instructions to Timothy; before his death, only Luke is with him)

Luke 10:1-9 (the 72 are appointed to preach, teach, heal, announce Kingdom)

*******

Opening Hymn: All Hail the Power of Jesus’ Name: LBW #328/9, ELW #634, LSB #549

OR Hail to the Lord’s Anointed: LBW #87, ELW #311, LSB #398

Hymn of the Day: Stand Up, Stand Up For Jesus: LBW #389, LSB #660

OR Word of God, Come Down on Earth: WOV #716, ELW #510, LSB #545

Communion 1: Jesu, Jesu, Fill Us With Your Love: WOV #765, ELW #708, LSB #980

Communion 2: Take My Life, That I May Be: LBW #406, ELW #583, 685, LSB #783/4

Closing Hymn: By All Your Saints in Warfare/Still Striving:

LBW #178, v. 1, 19, 3; ELW #421, v. 1, 21, 3; LSB #518, v.1, 26, 3)

OR Oh, For a Thousand Tongues to Sing: LBW #559, ELW #886, LSB #528

*******

 

In the power of the Spirit, let us pray to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ for the world, the Church, and one another.

 

A brief silence is kept.

Thank you, dear Lord, for creating us in the image and likeness of your beloved Son. Thank you for making us his image-bearers to a world seduced by idols and fakes. Let us, like St. Luke, whose feast this is, constantly honor and serve Jesus, and show him to everyone we meet.

 

Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

 

Imprint Jesus’ image upon the Church. Conform its worship, teaching, fellowship, and outreach to his likeness. By faithful preaching of your Word, and through right administration your Sacraments, use your Church to lead many people from vain idols to life-giving trust in you, the true and only God.

 

Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

 

We pray for our fellow Christians who suffer persecution because they refuse to render to anyone or anything the true worship that is due to you alone. By their faithful witness, lead their enemies to repentance and amendment of life.

 

Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

 

Help this congregation to give you all honor, glory, worship, and praise. Help us to give one another forgiveness and faithful enouragement. And help us to give our neighbors love, respect, and justice.

 

Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

 

Sometimes we who bear Christ’s name display such a blurred and distorted image of him that others are scandalized and dismayed. Forgive and sanctify us. Make Jesus’ love and mercy shine clear and bright in our lives, to his glory and for the sake of those he came to save.

 

Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

 

Help us to act in accordance with the Gospel. Thank you for all the Gospel writers, especially St. Luke, and for all pastors and teachers who proclaim the Gospel faithfully. Continue to raise up and inspire leaders in your Church who will diligently preach, teach, and guide your flock in truth and righteousness.

 

Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

 

As you anointed Cyrus to accomplish your will for captive Israel, we ask that you anoint the leaders of this and every nation upon earth. Equip them to do whatever accomplishes your will for all who are captives to injustice, poverty, or violence. Teach us to put our trust in you, to seek your will for the nation, and to live honorably, peaceably, and kindly with one another.

 

Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

 

We plead on behalf of all who are afflicted by pain, turmoil, or any other assault of the Evil One. Today we also pray for: {List}. Come to their aid. Restore them to wholeness of body, mind, and spirit.

 

Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

 

Holy Father, we entrust into your never-failing care our beloved dead. Continue in us the work, begun at our Baptism, which fashions us into the blessed likeness of your dear Son. By your Holy Spirit, give us faith to commend ourselves, one another, and our whole lives to Christ our Lord. Bring us into your Kingdom where we shall see him face to face. There let us see his image, perfectly restored, in the faces of everyone whom you have redeemed by his blood.

 

Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

 

For Jesus’ sake, grant the fulfillment of all we ask that conforms to your holy will. Amen.

October 11: 20^th Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 23, Lectionary 28)

 

Note: even if your practice isn’t to have weekly communion, you might want to make an exception today! 😉

 

ALL: Isaiah 25:6-9 (On God’s holy mountain, a feast of fat things; death shall be destroyed)

ALL: Psalm 23 (You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies)

SOLA/LSB: Philippians 4:4-13 (Rejoice in the Lord always; think on things excellent, honorable;

thanks for Philippians’ gift)

            ELW/RCL: Philippians 4:1-9, Stand fast in the Lord, rejoice, think on these things

ALL: Matthew 22:1-14 (The wedding feast…and its, er, substitute guest list)

 

********************

 

Opening Hymn: Arise, My Soul, Arise: LBW #516, ELW #827

OR Behold a/the Host, Like Mountains Bright/Arrayed in White:

LBW #314, ELW#425, LSB # 676

OR Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee: LBW #551, ELW #836, LSB #803

Hymn of the Day:  O Jesus, Joy of Loving Hearts: LBW #356, ELW #658

OR At the Lamb’s High Feast: LBW #210, ELW #362, LSB #633

OR O Living Bread From Heaven: LBW #197, ELW #542, LSB #642

OR The Feast is Ready: ELW #531

Communion 1: Come, Let Us Eat, For Now the Feast is Spread: LBW #214, ELW #491, LSB #626

Communion 2: Soul Adorn Yourself with Gladness: LBW #224, ELW #488/9, LSB #636

Closing Hymn: Thine the Amen, Thine the Praise: WOV #801, ELW #826, LSB #680

OR Sent Forth By God’s Blessing: LBW #221, ELW #547, LSB #643

*******

In the power of the Spirit, let us pray to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ for the world, the Church, and one another.

 

A brief silence is kept.

 

Father, you promise to throw a wedding feast for all whom you redeem through Jesus’ death and resurrection. Sometimes we act like it’s no big deal. Or we look forward to the entertainment, so to speak, more than being joined to our heavenly Bridegroom. Thank you for your patience. Open our hearts to the joy you have set before us. Keep us always centered in Jesus, our Savior and our true love.

 

Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

 

You have made the Church the bride of your beloved Son. Make it radiant with faithfulness and lovely with holiness. Adorn its words and deeds with grace so that many people hear your invitation and gladly come to the banquet of salvation.

 

Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

 

Prepare a table for your persecuted people in the presence of their enemies. Feed them with patience, perseverance, and trust in you. Anoint them with the oil of mercy, and heal their hearts, minds, and bodies. By their faithful witness, soften the hearts of those who hate them.

 

Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

 

Bless the people and ministries of this congregation. Help us to rejoice in your strong saving love, to speak wisely, and to act justly. Focus our minds and hearts on those things which are good, honorable, and pleasing to you. Help us encourage our family, friends, and neighbors to do the same.

 

Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

 

We pray for couples who are preparing for marriage, for newlyweds, and for all husbands and wives. Ground their love for each other in Christ, the true and faithful Bridegroom. Lavish upon them those gifts of your Holy Spirit that will sustain their marriage in difficult times. May their union bear rich fruit for their family, their community, and your Kingdom.

 

Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

 

Direct the thoughts, words and actions of our military personnel, police, first responders, and all who risk their lives to bring safety and justice to others. Prosper all they do that serves your will. Bring healing to the wounded, hope to their families, and honor to all who have honorably served.

 

Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

 

Save our world and its people from natural disasters and from human malice. Take away the reproach of our sins. Remove the death-shroud of the evils that ensnare us. Give us leaders who are wise, honorable, just, and excellent; and give to each of us the blessing of your peace.

 

Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

 

We remember before you all who walk through the valley death’s dark shadows, and all who are troubled by sorrow, anxiety, or despair. Today we also pray for: {List}. Teach them the truth of Paul’s words, “I can do all things through him who strengthens me.” Revive their souls, restore their bodies, and refresh the hearts of all who care for them.

 

Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

 

Dear heavenly Father, thank you for the faithful who have entered your banquet-hall of eternal life. Keep us steadfast in faith until we arrive there! Make our lives good, true, lovely, pure, honorable, and praiseworthy. Grant us the joy of sitting with all your wedding-guests at the table you have prepared for them as members of the Body and Bride of Christ.

 

Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

 

For Jesus’ sake, grant the fulfillment of all we ask that conforms to your holy will. Amen.

October 4: 19^th Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 22, Lectionary 27)

 

ALL: Isaiah 5:1-7 (Love song about beloved vineyard turns to lament over its wild grapes)

SOLA/LSB: Psalm 80:7-19 (Come to the aid of your vineyard, against those who trample it!)

            ELW/RCL: Psalm 80:7-15

ALL: Philippians 3:4b-14 (My richest gains I count but loss because of surpassing excellence

of knowing Christ)

ALL: Matthew 21:33-46 (Parable of the wicked tenants in master’s vineyard)

*****************

Opening Hymn: Judge Eternal, Throned in Splendor: LBW #418

OR Built on A/The Rock the Church Shall Stand: LBW #365, ELW #652, LSB #645

OR As Saints of Old Their Firstfruits Brought: LBW #404 (aw heck. I hate when great hymns are set to bad or difficult tunes. Use “Forest Green,” the jaunty English folk melody used for “I Sing the Almighty Power of God.” That’s what is used in ELW #695!), ELW #695

Hymn of the Day: There in God’s Garden: WOV #668, ELW #342 (This is a great and noble hymn, magnificent words, majestic tune. If your folks don’t know it, teach it to them! Use it as a Hymn of the Month Club hymn! It’s up there with “In Christ Alone,” which if you can find it online, is also a wonderful hymn here.)

OR Ah, Holy Jesus: LBW #123, ELW #349

OR  Fruitful Trees, the Spirit’s Sowing: LSB #691

Communion 1: Son of God, Eternal Savior: LBW #364, ELW #655, LSB #842

Communion 2:  When I Survey the Wondrous Cross: LBW #482, ELW #803, LSB #425/6

Closing Hymn: The Church’s One Foundation: LBW #369, ELW #654, LSB #644

 

*******

In the power of the Spirit, let us pray to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ for the world, the Church, and one another.

 

A brief silence is kept.

 

Father, thank you for grafting us into your pleasant planting: your people Israel. Thank you for uniting us with your true Vine: your dear Son Jesus. Make us abound with fruit of the Holy Spirit, to your glory and for the nourishment of a world starved for your love.

 

Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

 

Uproot from your Church all strife, false teaching, and unrighteousness. Defend it from those who destroy it from within, or ravage it from without.  Make Jesus, the strong Son of Man who sits at your right hand, its life and salvation. Draw us all to the foot of the Cross, there to glorify your holy Name.

 

Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

 

Give persecuted Christians the righteousness that depends on faith, so they know Jesus and the power of his resurrection. Let them share his sufferings, and through him, attain the resurrection from the dead. Turn the hearts of their enemies toward you in repentance and humble faith.

 

Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

 

Thank you for making this congregation your own in Jesus Christ. Help us to count everything else as rubbish compared with the surpassing worth of knowing him as our Lord and Savior. Make us Jesus’ disciples, sharing his love and encouraging others to join us as we follow in the way of the Cross.

 

Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

 

We pray for all those who toil at “dirty jobs” that are unpleasant, dangerous, and poorly paid. Help us to honor their labor and ease their burden. Give them a glimpse of the surpassing loveliness of Christ. By your Spirit, shape their faithful work into “something beautiful for Jesus.”

 

Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

 

Raise up faithful servants of your Word. Prosper the work of seminaries and church schools. The world hungers for the fruit of your living Vine, dear Lord; equip the Church to share it with starving souls.

 

Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

 

Give those entrusted with worldly power and authority a hunger for justice and a thirst for righteousness. Make them swift to build bridges of respect and concord, and slow to brandish weapons of war. Fill them with wisdom, patience, and fairness. Spread these virtues among all people, so that bloodshed and injustice cease, and all people live in peace and call upon your name with joy.

 

Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

 

Restore the lives of all who cry out to you in their distress of body, mind, and spirit, including: {List}. Shine the light of your countenance upon them, that they may be saved.

 

Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

 

With gratitude and affection, we entrust our faithful departed into your care. Comfort those who mourn. Teach us to help one another through the sorrows and dangers of this life. Unite us with your dear Son, so that with all whom you have redeemed by his Cross and Resurrection, we may be welcomed into your pleasant planting, your beloved vineyard, there to rejoice in your presence forever.

 

Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

 

For Jesus’ sake, grant the fulfillment of all we ask that conforms to your holy will. Amen.

“Now the time had come for Elizabeth to give birth, and she gave birth to a son.  Her neighbors and her relatives heard that the Lord had displayed His great mercy toward her; and they were rejoicing with her” (Luke 1:57-58).

When obvious miracles happen, people rejoice.  Things happen that have more significance than we often realize. Scripture tells us to rejoice.  We are here reminded, whether or not we think it is significant, to rejoice in the work of the Lord.  The Lord has mercy for the whole world.  The Lord offers grace to those who believe so that we may learn how to rejoice in every circumstance.

Lord, I often spend more time complaining about circumstances than rejoicing in Your goodness.  Help me to understand that each day You grant is a miracle and that You are always at work in each of us.  Help me to rely upon Your Spirit as You speak to me so that I do not speculate upon what to do but walk in the way You are directing me.  Bring me out of myself to live life as it is to be lived.

Lord Jesus, help me to join in where my neighbor is living.  If they are weeping, help me to weep with them.  If they are rejoicing, remind me to rejoice with them.  In and through all things, lead me to be sensitive to those around me knowing that You will teach me what it means to truly love my neighbor.  Teach me all that I need to learn and grant me a willing heart to receive the teachings You give.  Amen.

“And Mary stayed with her about three months, and then returned to her home” (Luke 1:56).

A significant amount of time was spent together for these two women who were carrying two significant people in the history of the world.  What happened during that time?  Beyond the obvious bonding of Mary and Elizabeth, we do not know.  Focus upon what the Lord does give us, not upon what we do not know.  We each experience many things and the Lord uses them to grow in us the Christ life.

Lord, help me to live the life You have given me.  There are many experiences I do not acknowledge as being anything significant, but You use all things to conform each of us to the new life we are given through grace.  Help me through the anxieties of this world so that I may learn how to live as You would have me live.  Guide me in Your goodness and mercy to walk by Your guidance.

Lord Jesus, we know very little about your first thirty years other than that You spent time growing up as we all do.  Help me to not focus on trying to learn what only speculation can answer; but instead focus upon what I can do.  Lead me in the way You know I need to go, spending time where I need to spend time and learning what it is that I need to be taught.  Amen.

“He has given help to Israel His servant, in remembrance of His mercy, as He spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and his descendants forever” (Luke 1:54-55).

To the one who knows that God prevails, there is mercy upon mercy.  The promises of the Lord to all people will be fulfilled.  Those who, through faith, believe that God is Sovereign, will receive the sure hope of everlasting life.  God’s word has gone out and as many as believe will receive the promised redemption which has been granted through the coming of the Son.  He has accomplished the Father’s will.

Lord, with such simplicity You have shown over and over again Your love and mercy.  Help me to understand that it is not so much what I do, but who I am in You that will lead me out of the futile strivings of this age.  Guide me out of the way of thinking which depends upon my thoughts in order that I may receive Your word. Let the seed of Your word germinate and grow in me.

 Lord Jesus, You patiently went through a life of experiencing its various stages.  You were an infant, a toddler, an adolescent, a teenager, and then an adult.  You know what it is like to live a daily life like ours in this world.  Help me to understand that You have purpose in each stage of life as You grow in me Your image.  Guide me to follow You every step of the way as You lead me.  Amen.

“He has brought down rulers from their thrones, and has exalted those who were humble.  “He has filled the hungry with good things; and sent away the rich empty-handed” (Luke 1:52-53).

Who is it that moves history forward?  The proud ascend to their thrones and are then thrown down.  The haughty make oaths and declare their supremacy, but they too end up in the pit.  The rich have their fill but are poor inside.  What is it that you want?  Is it not the purpose for which You were created?  The Lord is Sovereign and it is His will that shall be done on earth as it is in heaven.

Lord, You know how anxious I become over the state of things.  I see the insanity of this age and too often join in the constant celebration of the rich and haughty.  Lead me out of this world’s way of thinking to know that history is in Your hands.  You have called me to live into a new life which humbly follows You, going where You lead me.  Guide me so that I follow You and not the world.

Lord Jesus, You chose to be born in humble circumstances.  You have shown that it is not wealth or privilege which elevates us, but the mercy and grace which You have won for those who believe.  Lead me in this new way of living so that I may become increasingly like You as I live each day.  Guide me to know that in You alone do I have hope and an eternal future.  Amen.