By Sue Sprang SYNOD – The following letter was recently received from Pastor Chris Laughlin – also known as Chaplain or Major Christopher Laughlin. A member of the U.S. Army Reserves, Laughlin is currently serving at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, and will complete his one-year tour of duty this spring. He previously served Grace Lutheran […]
The good years
By Sue Sprang NEW ERA – “It was a good year,” said C. J. Clark, as he reflected on last year’s summer camp and looked toward this year’s upcoming season, “and we expect this year to be a good one, too.” Clark is the executive director of Living Water Ministries (LWM), a joint program of […]
It is what it is
By Sue Sprang It is what it is… or is it? It seems a currently common phrase is: “It is what it is”. And sometimes that’s the way it has to be. Sometimes whatever the “it” is cannot be changed. Whether or not we like the “it” doesn’t matter. That’s the way things are and […]
Giving a nod to Mother Earth
By Sue Sprang LANSING – Members of Bethlehem Lutheran Church, Lansing, have committed to caring for Mother Earth and, with the formation of the Green Team about one year ago, have put their commitment into action. Debbie Viele, a member of the team, credits the congregation’s pastor, Matt Smith, for urging active commitment to a […]
Being church together
By Sue Sprang BATTLE CREEK/NILES – Shortly after Pastor Kjersten Priddy arrived at Trinity Lutheran Church, Battle Creek, the congregation received a check from Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, Niles. Puzzled, she set out to learn what it was all about. “I had to go ask our council president why this congregation was just randomly sending […]
Upholding the World (Synod Assembly 2016...
By Sue Sprang GRAND RAPIDS – The 2016 Synod Assembly gathered under the banner “For the Life of the World” in Grand Rapids, May 15-17. The focus was global justice. The assembly opened with songs of praise lead by a youth band headed by Pastor Aaron Werner (St. Luke’s Grand Rapids) and a welcome video […]
Keeping it fresh
By Sue Sprang SYNOD – It’s no surprise that Trinity Lutheran Seminary (Columbus, Ohio) sees the formation of church leaders to be its foremost task. Faculty member Dr. Walter (Wally) Taylor, professor of New Testament for the past 35 years and director of doctoral studies since 2002, points out that Trinity, in fact, goes a […]
Bringing others to Jesus, part 3
By Sue Sprang SYNOD – Part 1 looked at Living Water Ministries’ successful 2015 summer season. In part 2, summer camp staff member Molly Smith spoke about her role as the day camp director and as a worker at the National Youth Gathering in Detroit. Now, Executive Director C. J. Clark gives his take on […]
Bringing others to Jesus, part 2
By Sue Sprang SYNOD – Part one of this three-part article on Living Water Ministries looked at this year’s on-site (Stony Lake, New Era) summer camp. Here, in part two, we’ll hear from Molly Smith, who was this year’s Day Camp director and who, along with other camp staff, worked at the National Youth Gathering […]
Ringing and singing into the future
By Sue Sprang MIDLAND – “It only takes a spark to get a fire going” says the first line of an old church camp song – and Trinity Lutheran Church, Midland, is finding one way to do that in the world of music. The Trinity Music Academy (TMA) for Children and Youth is a weekly […]