Picture this
way government works. When the church, which has no experience or expertise in that which a government does, asks the government to do its work, the stage is set for our post- Christian age. George J. Dancigers Virginia Beach, Va.
Column a winner A big thank you to Presiding Bishop Elizabeth A. Eaton for “Spruce up our spiritual house” (November, page 66). I find it powerful, inspiring, energizing and uplifting. She is abso- lutely right. I thank God she is our presiding bishop. Gerald Bauer Huron, Ohio
Vital ministry The article on the large number of ELCA pastors getting ready to retire (November, page 18) was good but left out one very important item— interim ministry. My husband was an intentional interim minister who for eight years prepared congrega- tions for their new shepherd. He would go into a congregation, see what was needed and work himself out of a job. This does not negate the work of the previous pastor, but it helps prepare congregations for the new pastor. Evelyn Fischer Dallas, Ore.
No news here A baby boomer myself, I found the retiring clergy article ridiculous. Every generation gives way to a younger one. This is not news. And the boomers are not special in any way, except in sheer numbers. I wel-
Affirming a flying faith
LARRY KOHLENSTEIN
This wasn’t your ordinary 2014 confi rmation class photo at Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church in Gettysburg, Pa. With their pastor, Stephen Herr, are Bryce Evans (left), Jared Herr, Lauren Smith, Gus Douds and Patrick Cogliano.
Send us your best: The Lutheran is looking for photographs that tell the tale of your faith life or that of your congregation or the ELCA, or our church at work around the world. Send your high-resolution photo to
lutheran@thelutheran.org with “Picture this” in the subject line, along with caption and contact information.
Send “Letters” to: The Lutheran, 8765 W. Higgins Rd., Chicago, IL 60631; lutheran@
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come the gifts that Gen X and mil- lennial pastors bring to the church. As for losing the institutional mem- ory of the 1987 merger, how many boomers remember the mergers that formed the predecessor churches? Who cares? You can look it up on Wikipedia. Joan Jacobson Lakewood, Colo.
Speak up & out Thank you, Peter Marty, for the cour- age to confront and name the grow-
ing sickness in our society that is gun idolatry (November, page 3). I hope you have inspired others to speak up and out for commonsense reforms. “What would Jesus do” may be an outdated saying, but really, what would Jesus do in the midst of all the violence and desecration of human life facilitated by the overabundance of guns, especially in the wrong hands, in America today? Linda Keener Glen Allen, Va.
January 2015 49
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