Contents News


8 ELCA responds to floods in Central America 10 Mennonites support Lutheran aid 12 Report: Giving, benevolence spending hit record low


16 Save the date


Cover story Features


26 Study guide


14 A Christmas meditation Once again God pitches a tent in our midst


18 Deeper understandings The creeds: Confessional, revelatory, ecumenical, evangelical & delightful


20 Your favorite gifts


30 Between us Half a lung, half a lung, half a lung onward!


32 Give ‘joy’ this season First, recycle a building; second, restore Christmas


34 A warming place Milwaukee area churches offer ‘prayer vigil’ & place to sleep


36 After the storms Lutheran partners are in Joplin, Mo., and other states for the long haul


38 Our common fight U.S. & Colombian Lutherans work against the spread of HIV


28 Treasure the chaos Departments


3 10 Bible stories that breathe life


40 Youth are pageant stars


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


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


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


20 Gifts to remember Memories show the value of simplicity in our giving


DECEMBER 2011 VOLUME 24 NUMBER 12


The Lutheran is the magazine of the ELCA


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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


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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.


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December 2011 5


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