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Letters Work of church? Point us to God


Presiding Bishop Elizabeth A. Eaton’s columns are mesmerizing. Her Feb- ruary offering, “We need to talk” (page 50), gave me a new viewpoint to consider. Her emphasis on “we are church” focuses us on what’s impor- tant. For too long The Lutheran seemed to tell us what to believe and what to work on while not pointing us to God. I stopped subscribing for several years. Jesus told us to love God and each other. Everything else flows from that. That’s what being church is, isn’t it? I like some of what I’ve seen lately—articles on Luther- ans helping people of all kinds are interesting and thought-provoking. More theological pieces would be good. Help me see God, and God will tell me what I should be doing. God is quite good at it. Hope Hall Madison, Va.


48 www.thelutheran.org


Stuck in past Our faith has been disrupted by new understandings of what and how to think of life and God. Now we can’t figure out how to let God emerge to make our faith work (June, page 4). We are still teaching that the only form of the gospel is described in concrete-historical events based on a narrow view of revelation and think that metaphor is the same as myth. We’re stuck. It is not about trying to teach old stories in new ways. Agreed, The Lutheran isn’t in the business of being so provocative it scandalizes the faithful. But the “Deeper under- standings” column is an example of either the writers don’t get it or they still believe the laypeople couldn’t understand any other way. If our pas- tors, teaching theologians and lead- ers are not out in front of this, and they are not, it will be the laity leading a change—which is happening. The Rev. Timothy H. Lentner Maybee, Mich.


Different kind of stuck With all due respect to Presiding Bishop Elizabeth A. Eaton, I must disagree that we should not rewrite the creeds (May, page 50). It may have taken a couple centuries to write the Nicene Creed, but that does not mean we have ceased to think, learn, grow and discover other ways to express our beliefs. The Rev. James L. Henderschedt Allentown, Pa.


No votes, thanks I am certain the need for the Mission Support Think Tank (June, page 12) was precipitated in part by the sexu- ality votes in 2009. Financial support


to the synods and churchwide office dropped significantly after that. One can contend that taking this hit was justified in order for the ELCA to take a stand on these issues. However, I suggest that after a social issue has been thoroughly studied, the issues involved should be documented and any action could be suggested. At that point, individuals or congrega- tions could decide their own course of action without any vote. Ralph Sandall Coppell, Texas


Outreach matters It’s always nice to read a “local” story in The Lutheran. In “Showers of Blessing” (June, page 24), Pastor Ron Cox and Christ Lutheran are going the extra mile for the underprivileged in Goleta, Calif. It brought back good memories of when Cox was an intern at our church, Trinity Lutheran in Ventura, Calif. He was always look- ing for community outreach back then, and I can see and read that this continues still today. Kudos and blessings to Cox and Christ Lutheran for their great outreach. John Adair Ventura, Calif.


June had it all Leadership, generosity, service, hope. These are hallmarks of the ELCA. Thank you for sharing and telling these stories well in the June issue. The Rev. David Halaas Sioux City, Iowa


Four items in particular The June issue was outstanding. Peter W. Marty’s column on gener- osity (page 3) served as the founda-


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