Share your faith with a young child.
How can you aff ord not to?
Editor
By Daniel J. Lehmann
Taking a look back, forward
Effectiveness is what’s important I
Delightful art. Sound theology. Stories of joy, peace and God’s amazing grace. To
be read to or read by children aged 0 to 7.
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comes 10 times a year with a personalized message from you.
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$2.50 Volume 6, Issue 7 February 2013
n this season of waiting for the best gift ever, we took time to look at what we hoped were gifts to you from the magazine with the promise of more to come. We asked readers at various times this past
year to list articles and authors they like most. The overwhelming favorite was Peter W. Marty (page 3). His column is a hit with both laity and clergy. What a gift it has been since he said yes to writing for The Lutheran in 2010. Two other constants were the presiding bishop’s column and letters to the
editor. Mark S. Hanson wrote the column for 12 years and attracted a large, faithful following. Now it’s Elizabeth A. Eaton’s turn (page 50). Two col- umns in (we joke with her that she has only 70 more to go) and the difference between Eaton’s and Hanson’s writing styles is clear. Both are gifts to the church. Letters to the editor are not so much a gift as they are an opportunity. Step up on the soapbox and be heard. There’s more, but here is a word on the effectiveness of our articles. The Lutheran Global Health Volunteers program was featured in the September issue (page 34). Since that article appeared the churchwide office in charge of it has received contacts from more than 20 health-care professionals, including doc- tors, nurses, dentists and medical students who are interested in volunteering. “Without fail all of these individuals have said they saw the article in The
Lutheran,” said Ruth Reko, health care volunteer coordinator. “We are in the process of developing volunteer opportunities to take advantage of the skills, experience and credentials of each of these individuals and working with ELCA partners in Liberia, Tanzania and India to define short-term positions to meet their specific needs.”
In the coming year we hope to do a better job of wrapping together the magazine with the Web (
www.thelutheran.org) and social media. In addi- tion, we’ve heard that you want more stories on faith development; leadership formation and ecumenism; point-counterpoint discussions; devotionals; and better cover designs and photographs. We’re on it. One more item on the future. In 2002, The Lutheran increased the price
of base congregational subscriptions from $6.95 per copy to $7.95. That remained basically unchanged for 12 years. For 2014, we increased it a dollar. We know the past few years have been challenging and took this step with some trepidation. Still, what product do you know of that held its price steady for a decade plus? We hope the extra dollar isn’t seen as being a grinch. Finally, it is with thanks and humility that I report being re-elected by the ELCA Church Council to a third four-year term as editor of The Lutheran. A great gift, indeed.
In the coming year we hope to do a better job of wrapping together the magazine with the Web and social media.
Counting 4 The Lutheran •
www.thelutheran.org
MICHAEL D. WATSON
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