Reasons to Vote NO on Ballot Question #1

Here are some reasons to vote NO on Ballot Question #1 - the unlimited, no guardrails access to abortion Virginia constitutional amendment:

I will vote NO on amendment #1 because . . . 

. . . I don't want Virginia parents to lose the right to protect their pregnant daughters from a risky abortion decision. 

. . . I want to make sure that the women of Virginia only receive care from Licensed Doctors and medical professionals.

. . . the state of Virginia should not allow unregulated abortions up to birth. 

. . . I believe that Virginia must be able to prosecute anyone who harms a woman during an abortion or coerces her to have one. 

. . . Virginia must be able to pass a law that ensures that Babies Born alive after an abortion get medical care. 

. . . making Virginia a place where predators and traffickers cannot be held accountable is dangerous. 

. . . unlimited abortion doesn’t help women or protect their babies, it only serves abortion promoters. 

. . . the ballot question is deceptive and doesn’t tell us how risky this amendment really is. It’s vague and removes legitimate regulations that keep women safe. 

VOTE NO!

A Good Read

Luther Classical College publishes a little tract called Ad Fontes once a month, usually worth taking the time to read. Here is the link to the October publication, on what the Reformation is all about, and what it means that the church is always reforming. Well said.
Check it out.

What Happened?

So I uploaded a video yesterday about voting NO to ballot question #1 in Virginia. This video has been taken down, it says, "by the uploader." Who is "the uploader?" It wasn't me. The people who made the video want it shared widely. So . . . ? Anyway, to view the video, click here. And STILL VOTE NO to ballot question #1!

Vote NO on Ballot Question #1

 

Florida

Seems like all I've been posting about are travels . . . but so be it! I had a trip to Florida this week for a Pastors Conference and a Board meeting. I flew down a day early to visit with my brother who lives just south of Jacksonville. It's been a while since we've been together, so we had a nice visit. Short, but nice. A few pictures . . .

Having breakfast by the ocean at the Funky Pelican. (What a great name!)

He has two dogs. This is Willow (Great Dane) on her favorite couch.

And this is Weston, a little Westie.

Willow enjoying some pets!

No pictures from the conference, but glad to be home, AND no travel for the next five weeks! Yay!

Wednesday to Saint Louis

So Wednesday morning we visited with our friends a bit more, then it was back to Milwaukee to fly out - me to Saint Louis and my wife back home. Of course, since she was flying into Reagan National, her flight was delayed! My flight to Saint Louis was pretty quick and easy. The rental car . . . not so much! Turns out this is an extremely busy week in Saint Louis with lots of special events, and I got one of the last rental cars available! (And yes, it cost an arm and a leg!) But hopefully, since I was asked to rent it to help transport the Board around, the Synod will reimburse in full.

Thursday was the first Board for International Mission meeting of the new triennium. That means Board elections. The man who served as our chair for the past number of years got elected to the Synod Board of Directors, meaning a new chair had to be elected. And yes, yours truly was elected. What does this mean? Not exactly sure! Some of my responsibilities I know, some I will discover, and some will come about as I settle into this position. In chapel that morning, President Harrison made a pretty funny comment as he introduced people at the end. When he asked who was elected our chair and I just smiled at him, he said, "Well that didn't go the way I was hoping!" It was pretty funny. Here's the link to the service - check it our for yourself. :-)

Tuesday in Wisconsin

Our second day in Wisconsin . . . Went out to a nice breakfast, followed by a trip to one of the four corners of the earth! What's that (and where's that), you ask?

Well, turns out there are four points on the globe where 45 degrees latitude and 90 degrees longitude meet, marking the center of the four hemispheres of the earth. One of these is in the mountains of Tibet, one in the Pacific Ocean, one in the Indian Ocean, and one in Wisconsin! So we went and now we are members of the 45x90 club. :-)  Some pictures . . .

After that excitement :-)  it was off to our next visit in Tomah, a couple hour drive again through the "wilds" of Wisconsin. We had a very nice dinner with our dear friends and got to catch up.

And we got to see this awesome sunset after dinner . . .

Tomorrow: Goodbye to Wisconsin and off to our next stops.

More Travels!

I haven't forgotten to post, just on the road again . . .

First stop last week was Milwaukee. Flew in late Sunday night. Well, really early Monday morning! It wasn't supposed to be that late, but all my flights out of Reagan National seemed to be delayed these days.

Anyway, Monday morning went to Concordia University-Wisconsin and preached for the Monday chapel service. (Click here to watch) Then lunch with my daughter, and then left to drive upstate to Merril, WI, where two former members live. We hadn't seen them in a while so wanted to visit. It was a nice drive through the "wilds" of Wisconsin. :-)  They have a beautiful home and we had a wonderful dinner and visit with them. Glad they are doing well and good to catch up.

Tomorrow: The 45x90 club and our next stop . . .

Back from Travels . . .

Just got back from two trips and two weeks away.

First was a drive to Detroit, Mequon WI, Grand Rapids, Detroit, and then home again. This was to take my daughter back to school at Concordia University, Wisconsin. On the way there and back, we stopped at my in-laws in Detroit to visit my mother-in-law (in Memory Care) and help my father-in-law with the house and other things he needed to get done. On the way back to Detroit, we stopped in Grand Rapids to visit a pastor who I knew but never met before! So we stopped by for dinner to meet him and his wife and had a nice time. And Shirley, the blueberry pie so so good!

Then it was off to Florida for the Lutheran Haven Board of Trustees retreat and meeting. That was a long three days! Much discussion about the future of the Haven and how to move into the future. Had a tough time getting home. We tried to depart before storms moved in at the airport, but didn't quite make it. We sat on the plane for about two hours, after which we had to deplane due to "tarmac rules" about how long they can leave us there without actually leaving. So we sat in the terminal a while longer, then back on the plane and finally departed about four hours late. But I did get home! And now I'm here for a few weeks until my next couple of trips in September.

Re-elected

One thing to update you all on is that I was re-elected to serve on the Synod's Board for International Mission for another six year term. Elected on the first ballot, so no drama. ;-)  Last convention, there were some very close votes (3-4 vote margins!) with one of our incumbents being unseated and one just barely getting re-elected, so I didn't take this for granted. But I enjoy serving so was glad to be chosen. Now it's back to work.

Update?

Yeah, I haven't posted again for a couple weeks . . . Not that I haven't been thinking about it! Just nothing newsworthy, I didn't think. Just got my nose to the grindstone, trying to get things done, especially since I've got a couple trips coming up. I'll try to post about them a little. 

As for our gardens, the blueberries are done. We did get a good crop this year, even though we were late getting our net up and the birds got a lot at the beginning! The tomatoes are coming in now. Some big zucchinis, purple peppers (?), and some watermelon. The first watermelon wasn't quite ripe - hopefully the next one will be better. 

We're taking my daughter back to school. Her junior year! Time flies. She had a good summer. Worked a lot and made some good money. She'll be happy to be back with her friends. We're helping more with my wife's parents now, too, as they are getting older. We'll stop and see them and do some things for them while we're out that direction. 

Been trying to ride regularly and stay in shape, though it's been a challenge with so much going on. I think something I'd like to do is ride Skyline Drive through the Shenandoah. It's approx. 105 miles. Hilly. I could try to do it as a fundraiser - for LFL, missionaries, something. I think it might be a fun ride. Before that, though, I have the hiking competition with my daughter in November. Ultratrax. We're going to try to win the "Wolf medal" by doing four loops (28 miles) in the ten hours alotted. I think we can do it, though maybe I am underestimating how hard it will be. We'll see. 

That's it for now, I guess. Stay tuned for updates!

Higher Things - Part Deux

So I spent last week at the Higher Things Conference at Colorado State University in Fort Collins, CO. This time without my youth, serving as Conference Chaplain. It's a lot of work! But a great group of very dedicated and caring people. And serving the youth is great.

A few pictures . . .

The chapel set-up in the main ballroom. Nice view of the mountains in the background!

We had almost 900 youth in attendance.

With President Bruss of the Fort Wayne Seminary, getting ready for Matins.

A view of the mountains as we drove to the airport.

It was a very tiring week! I left right after church for the airport and arrived at CSU in the evening. My responsibilities: Monday was unloading the truck and setting everything up - and there's a LOT to set-up! Monday night is Service of Evening Prayer with the Staff. Tuesday the Conference begins. Final preparations and set-up, leader's meeting, the opening Divine Service, teaching a Breakaway session, Evening Prayer, Private Absolution, and Compline. Wednesday and Thursday are Matins, leader's meeting, Vespers, teaching a Breakaway session, Evening Prayer, and Compline. Friday is the closing Divine Service, followed by packing everything up, loading the truck, and then Staff dinner. Saturday is the drive to the airport and the flight home, finally getting back about 9:00 pm or so. That's a long week! But again, a good one!

A Few Days of R&R

This week we visited my older daughter in Virginia Beach and got a few days of R&R after the busy Higher Things trip last week. We had a very nice time and it was good to unplug. Thanks to our friends who let us use their condo for a couple of days! Right by the beach! Easy to walk right on. And we even got to see fireworks on Monday night. Some pics . . .

Kayaking with the dolphins

With my daughter, hiking at the State Park

There were lots of pelicans!

Interesting . . .

The Memento reading plan has a reading through the books of 1 and 2 Samuel. Two things that caught my attention this time through:

(1.) The kingdom of Israel was divided before it was split in two after Solomon's death. In 2 Samuel 2, David is "anointed king over the house of Judah," and then Ish-bosheth (a son of Saul) was made king over the rest of Israel! Then in chapter 5 the nation is united under King David.

(2.) 2 Samuel 8:18 - "and David's sons were priests." Hmmm. Only sons of Aaron were to be priests. David is from the tribe of Judah. This little phrase is just tacked onto the end of a listing of David's officials. The note in the Lutheran Study Bible says, "Or, "chief officials" (cf. LXX). Not Levitical priests but ministers of state through whom the king ruled and through whom others would do business with the king." 1 Chronicles 18 uses "chief officials" instead of priests. So I guess maybe that's so. But, hmmm. Maybe it's really pointing to Christ (THE Son of David) and then through Christ to the priesthood of the baptized?

Home!

Got home safe and sound last night. Nice to sleep in my own bed! This morning, found this next to our house . . .

. . . which looks like a spent firework to me! That's kinda scary . . . if it had fallen on our roof . . . hot? fire? Thanks be to God it didn't!

Higher Things Day 4

Last day! :-(  The week always seems to go by so fast and it's time to go home before you know it. So we had to get up early to pack up, load the van, and check out so we could leave right after the closing service to get to the airport. It was a little bumpy, but we got it done! 

After breakfast was the final plenary, before which was the announcements and one last chance for tetramorph teams to earn points and win. And we almost did! Four youths from each team (including one from our group!) got to do one final challenge - and whoever won would win the team competition. It was close, but our group cam in second. But a valiant effort.

The closing Divine Service was great, as were all the services. Already talking about next year! Thanks WashU!

Just a couple photos today . . .

Teaching my breakaway: "Rising Hope on Judgment Day"

Higher Things Day 3

Day 3 started as Day 2 did - with an early breakfast to get our choir member to practice. The we began with Matins, where I preached on the Parable of the Sower. I'll get that posted soon. A terrific plenary session followed, then lunch.

But in the morning, it was meet old friends day! 

First up was Kathryn Peperkorn. When we lived in New York, she would fly out to have a lesson from her voice coach in New York City and stay with us in our house. We haven't seen her in many, many years, so it was great to catch up a little.

Next up were the Hensleys! With me here are Mary, John, and Lucy. When their father was finishing up his Ph.D. dissertation, they lived in Virginia and attended my church. I baptized John and Lucy in those years, and now here they are attending Higher Things! They now live in Saint Louis where their father teaches at the Seminary.

Preaching at Matins.

After lunch there were two breakaway sessions with an adult/group leader thank you reception in between while the youth did a service project. I taught in the second session of the day (the final breakaway session) and it went much better than yesterday. I get to teach this twice more in Colorado. Someone took a picture of me teaching, but I didn't receive it yet.

After dinner, we went over to Concordia Seminary for Evening Prayer, free time activities, and Compline. We had two youths in the talent show, and they both did really well. The winners of points for their tetramorph teams will be announced tomorrow morning.

The Hensleys also sang with the group from their church.

But this wasn't just old friend day - we also made new friends. I met the pastor of a former member who now works as a recruiter for the Fort Wayne Seminary. We took a picture together and sent it to her.

The youth made new friends, too. And the free time activities were a lot of fun.

Had to get this giant ball around an obstacle course!

Now it's late and we have to get up early in the morning to load the van and check out before breakfast so we can get to the airport right after the Closing Divine Service. Hopefully nothing will go wrong with the flight home!

Higher Things Day 2

Today was the first full day. Started with an early breakfast so we could get a couple youth to choir practice. 

After breakfast was Matins and then the second plenary speaker, the President of the St. Louis Seminary. Lunch followed that, and then Vespers. And bit of free time to go to the merchandise tables to see what was for sale, and to go to the exhibitor hall and visit with folks there.

Nice old chapel.

Jocelyn Benson of Wittenberg Academy. We visit at HT every summer!

Michelle Baumann of Y4Life.

Dr. Baneck, the Synod's Pastoral Formation guru, and Chaplain Craig Muehler, head of LCMS chaplains.

Here's our group photo.

I taught the first of my two breakaway sessions this afternoon. It went okay. It seemed like a some of the youth had different expectations of what I was going to talk about. But I got a couple nice comments, too. Hopefully tomorrow will be a little better.

Ran into a couple students from Concordia Wisconsin who know my daughter . . .

And a few more old friends . . .

Tomorrow is another full day, starting off by preaching for Matins. But ore on that tomorrow. Kids are having fun. Things are going well. But off to bed now!