So I was thinking . . . I have a church in my circuit named Saint Stephen's. I wonder why they decided to name their church that? I am going to ask them tomorrow when I am with them. I am interested to hear their answer. They might not know why it was named that back in the day, but it will be interesting to think about and think up reasons why that is a good name for them today.
So I got to thinking about church names . . . Some churches are named after two people, for example, Sts. Peter and Paul. A quick Google search shows a bunch of them. They are put together because although they had a disagreement (see the book of Galatians), they also reconciled with one another. So why not a St. Paul and St. Stephen Lutheran Church? (A Google search showed only one church with this name, in Gloucester, England.) Why that name? Well, Paul was there while Stephen was being stoned, watching the clothes of those doing the deed and approving of it all. And yet while he was being stoned, Stephen look up to heaven and said with his dying breath: Lord, do not hold this sin against them (Acts 7:60). Against Paul. So what would naming a church with that name testify? That we are all about forgiveness.
Seems pretty good to me.
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