Contents News


8 U.S. Congress: 15 from the ELCA 10 ELCA sends more funds for Haiti


Cover story 18 Finding acceptance


20 Denominations: Pulling together—fraying apart Yes, there is good news for being Lutheran


21 Emergent church 25 A Bible study 25 Rerooting in the community 27 Study guide


Features


14 From the outside in Ohio congregation offers makeovers for women in need


20 Denominations do matter


16 Come, let’s eat Set your welcome table as a spiritual discipline


28 May your church be filled with dancing


30 Promoting health Following these steps could save clergy-parishioner relationships


34 Compounding misery When pain & losses add up, we sometimes don’t know how we’ll ever live again


36 Germany experiments with training imams 32 Why care about Pakistan? Departments


3 A Lutheran Christian life for today


4 Editor 39 Two months out 40 Youngchurch 41 Pass the faith 42 Best this month 43 Faces


43 His heart is in his work & song


For breaking news, see www.thelutheran.org or www.elca.org/news COVER PHOTO: MICHAEL D. WATSON


44 Higher education 45 Light side 46 Classifieds 46 Deaths 47 Crossword 48 Letters 49 My view 50 Presiding bishop


FEBRUARY 2011 VOLUME 24 NUMBER 2


The Lutheran is the magazine of the ELCA


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The Lutheran is a member of the Associated Church Press


Editor Daniel J. Lehmann lutheran.editor@thelutheran.org


Associate editors Julie B. Sevig Congregations & Community julie.sevig@thelutheran.org Elizabeth Hunter Church & World elizabeth.hunter@thelutheran.org


Editorial production mngr. Andrea S. Pohlmann andrea.pohlmann@thelutheran.org


Art director Michael D. Watson michael .watson@thelutheran.org


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Circulation/marketing director Curtis Peterson curtis.peterson@thelutheran.org


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Contributing editor Jeff Favre jjfavre@gmail.com


Study guide editor Rob Blezard rcblezard@hotmail.com


Assistant to the editor Barbara A. Fletcher barbara.fletcher@thelutheran.org


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The Lutheran magazine belongs to the people of the ELCA in all our diversity. The magazine: ■ Nurtures awareness of Christ’s presence in our lives and the world.


■ Shares stories of God’s people living their faith. ■ Connects us with the global Christian community. ■ Provides an open forum for discussion. ■ Challenges us to bring God’s grace and care to all.


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February 2011 5


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