As you may already know the Collect is an ancient form of western liturgical prayer in which the theme for the Sunday is distilled into short prayer. While there are well-established formulas for most Collects the Collects of Advent are of a more desperate nature! Desperate because the church senses that the end of all things is near. "Nearer now than when we first believ...

The best way to think of the book of Hebrews is as a transcription of an actual first centry mass from the beginning, and up to the actual Eucharist which, under no circumstances, would have been recorded. Not recorded because it was as private a matter as marital intimacy between husband and wife. The actual eucharistic dialogue begins in 10:22 and runs through the very e...

A Retake On Hebrews Chapter Thirteen It seems to me that this chapter of Scripture is not only misunderstood, but also mistranslated into the English. It is in my reading a Eucharistic admonition and liturgical Preface. Beginning with v. 1 philadelphia (brotherly love) should be understood as Eucharistic admonition. "Brother" should not be read as a collegial term in the...

In his famous book The Lives Of The Saints, Fr. Alban Butler writes of the importance of theological reading for the Christian. While we as Lutherans do not endorse everything he says in this introduction, or in his book, there is still great benefit in reading it. As regards pious reading he says this in his introduction: "AS IN CORPORAL distempers a total los...

This video is highly recommended.I ask you to watch it, and hope that you will. In it an evangelical Christain interviews an LCMS Lutheran pastor and learns about Lutheran faith, and Lutheran worship in a live tour of the sanctuary. It is captivating. Disclaimer: Both participants are little toofreneticfor my taste but that's just me. God made all kinds of Christians...

In yesterday's Old Testament lesson the prophet Habakkuk (500 years before Christ) asks this question, "O LORD, how long shall I cry for help, and you will not hear? Or cry to you "Violence!" and you will not save? Why do you make me see iniquity, and why do you idly look at wrong? Destruction and violence are before me; strife and contention arise. So the law is ...

Dear Friends and Members of CLC, On September 29, 1889 Christ Lutheran Church conducted its first official act, the baptism of Olga Frantz. Since that time God has ministered to countless souls.He has redeemed sinners, brought them into fellowship with himself, fed them with his Word and with the Body and Blood of Christ in Holy Communion. He has answered their prayers, r...

Please see this article in which the ELCA repudiates Christ as the only way of salvation. If that action was strike three thenhere is strke four. As stated in my previous post I don't normally comment on what other religions are doing. But because many of our friends and relatives, formerly members of the LCMS, are now members of the ELCA, I think you should know what is...

The ELCA (Evangelical Lutheran Church in America) is a distant spiritual relative of ours; and becoming more distant every day it seems. For this reason I include this podcast concerning their latest church-wide assembly in which they state that they can no longer affirm that faith in Jesus is the only way of salvation and eternal life. This, though Scripture states that:...

Today I received an email from an organization dedicated to teaching Christian apologetics. Apologetics seeks to give a rational and reasonable defense of the Christian faith, and benefits believers and unbelievers alike. Apologetics provides believers with an informed faith; and unbelievers who have an open mind with something deep and worthwhile to think about. All to t...