St. Matthew To Remain With ELCA....At Least For Another 2 Week

Last Sunday, the people of St. Matthew Lutheran Church in Logan, Ohio, spoke their voice when they voted down a measure to disaffiliate with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, and join the North American Lutheran Church.

I Decided To Go Ahead And Vote To Leave The ELCA

After lots of prayers during church today, I decided to go ahead and vote.  I realized that not voting because the church might dissolve is a pretty extreme circumstance that might happen.  I don't think the St. Matthew will dissolve.

I'm Hurt and Ashamed To Be A Lutheran

I'm hurt and ashamed to be a Lutheran Christian today because of what I experienced today at St. Matthew Lutheran "Church." Never in a million years would I think someone at a church would tell another person, "You need to be quiet and learn to listen." I don't care if you've been a member for 55+ years. That is NOT the way to act in church. You do not disrespect other people by yelling at them to shut up and learn to listen. I asked everyone to please be respectful, and that did NOT happen.

This decision to leave the ELCA has been nothing but trouble. I don't care what side you're on. BOTH SIDES SHOULD BE ASHAMED. What I experienced today at "church" makes me want to leave no matter what. 

This is why I will NOT be participating in the vote next week on whether St. Matthew Lutheran Church will leave the ELCA. I will NOT contribute to the downfall of a 161 year old institution.

Hymns and Christian Tradition Final Reflection

[This paper was written for the Hymns and Christian Tradition class at Capital University, where I am seeking a minor degree in religion.]

Final Reflections

Before writing this paper, I was writing another reflection paper for the Music Business and Law class here at Capital University.  The assignment was to write a short reflection on the class, and what my future goals were going to be.  I wrote about how I used some of the components of the Music Business and Law class, as well as some aspects of this class, to compose two hymns, as well as register both with BMI and the United States Copyright office.  One hymn was sung at my church, Saint Matthew Lutheran Church, in Logan, Ohio, while the Collegiate Chorale at Christ Lutheran Church in Bexley, Ohio, performed the other hymn.  There’s nothing quite like having something you made be sung by 150 people at the same time. 

“I Want To Walk As A Child Of The Light”: A Journey of Discouragement and Comfort Within Christian Hymns

[This paper was written for the Hymns and Christian Tradition class at Capital University, where I am seeking a minor degree in religion.]

“I Want To Walk As A Child Of The Light”: A Journey of Discouragement and Comfort Within Christian Hymns

Many people over the years have used hymns to express pain or grief, as well as comfort that they have received from having faith in Jesus Christ.  This paper will focus on discouragement and comfort within Christian hymnology.  Several hymns will be analyzed by detailing how these hymns applied to the age they were written in, and how they can apply today.  Most of the hymns will be coming from the Evangelical Lutheran Worship hymnal, which is the official hymnal of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.  Other hymns and songs will be cited accordingly.