Yes, that was the "Christie Brown" of Trinity, Vermilion. She wrote to me this morning and said she watched the sermon a second time and was thankful for my "courage" to preach that. She wondered where our "Wartburg" is. If you don't catch her drift, Luther was secluded in the Wartburg Castle after the Diet of Worms when he was condemned by the Pope. I told her that in the ELCA we don't have to worry about the Wartburg because we are a "big tent" church and there is room for a bit of unorthodoxy. Rather, I told her that my concern was us getting out of the Wartburg and into the world with proclamation of the gospel.
I agree with you, Christie, the mystery is bigger than any of us. That is a segue into tomorrow's sermon, "Now we see in a mirror dimly, but then we will see face to face." Yes, a little bit of I Corinthians 13 for Easter Sunday!
For now, we each can do our little bit of "the right thing" for the Kingdom! I'm thankful for your contribution!
So was the parishioner that came to you with this concern the same one you identified as "another Christie" in your new congregation? There are more than I thought of people like me! Not exactly doubting Thomas, but not on board with some of the traditional (ancient) theology. The mystery of God is bigger than I will will every come close to understanding in my lifetime. So I just hope that this afterlife thing clears a few things up! But I can live in suspense in the meantime, and just do my little bit to follow in the footsteps.
Yes, that was the "Christie Brown" of Trinity, Vermilion. She wrote to me this morning and said she watched the sermon a second time and was thankful for my "courage" to preach that. She wondered where our "Wartburg" is. If you don't catch her drift, Luther was secluded in the Wartburg Castle after the Diet of Worms when he was condemned by the Pope. I told her that in the ELCA we don't have to worry about the Wartburg because we are a "big tent" church and there is room for a bit of unorthodoxy. Rather, I told her that my concern was us getting out of the Wartburg and into the world with proclamation of the gospel.
I agree with you, Christie, the mystery is bigger than any of us. That is a segue into tomorrow's sermon, "Now we see in a mirror dimly, but then we will see face to face." Yes, a little bit of I Corinthians 13 for Easter Sunday!
For now, we each can do our little bit of "the right thing" for the Kingdom! I'm thankful for your contribution!
So was the parishioner that came to you with this concern the same one you identified as "another Christie" in your new congregation? There are more than I thought of people like me! Not exactly doubting Thomas, but not on board with some of the traditional (ancient) theology. The mystery of God is bigger than I will will every come close to understanding in my lifetime. So I just hope that this afterlife thing clears a few things up! But I can live in suspense in the meantime, and just do my little bit to follow in the footsteps.