Church Direction « St. Mark's Lutheran

Teaching Virtue

By Parson Brown, on 3:27 pm%

Confirmation instruction will be starting up again. This year is the church doctrine year, and while the doctrine is not all ethics, church doctrine helps us answer the question of how should we live and thrive? This essay is from a Sociology Prof teaching an introductory course that focuses on many of the . . . → Read More: Teaching Virtue

Masculine Virtues in Religion?

By Parson Brown, on 1:32 pm%

This is from Rod Dreher and takes its jumping off point from an evangelical church that is holding mixed martial arts (MMA) viewing/fight nights. The Fight Club for Jesus title is kind of funny, but the larger point is not just to ridicule the impulse. Rod takes the efforts as good faith actions . . . → Read More: Masculine Virtues in Religion?

Happenings around here

By Parson Brown, on 12:20 pm%

I’ve been slow to get things on the website. For that I apologize. It has been a hectic season, and I want to share with you some of the stuff we’ve been working on and what will be coming up.

Last Sunday was the congregational meeting where the proposed budget for next year was . . . → Read More: Happenings around here

Vision to Mission – Congregational Meeting Update

By Parson Brown, on 11:49 am%

The attached presentation below was published in the newletter and was present at the 11/15 congregational meeting. At the last congregational meeting me present a vision for St. Mark. The response has been positive and the phrase we’ve been using is that is appears people have “bought into” the vision. Almost literally as . . . → Read More: Vision to Mission – Congregational Meeting Update

From the what can you say file…

By Parson Brown, on 1:54 pm%

Read David Brooks today. (He’s using this as source material.)

For most of the church’s existence in the US, it has had a cozy relationship to the culture. A Christian could blend in. Those days are ending fast. The church will need to adapt to being pilgrims or strangers in a strange . . . → Read More: From the what can you say file…

Sermon – Mark 9:38-50 – Low Walls, High Standards

By Parson Brown, on 5:14 pm%

Full Text

People have long looked at the second grouping of these verses (Mark 9:42-50) as simply an individual warning. That reading has always caused me trouble as I either needed to treat it as completely spiritual which I don’t like, or I needed to go lopp off a hand or pluck out an eye, . . . → Read More: Sermon – Mark 9:38-50 – Low Walls, High Standards

Numbers, members and disciples

By Parson Brown, on 4:55 pm%

William Willimon is a great preacher. And somewhere along the way he decided to give up a cushy job as the Dean of the Chapel at Duke and become the presiding bishop of North Alabama Conference in the UMC. That is roughly like giving up a job that has no accountability where people . . . → Read More: Numbers, members and disciples

Turbulent Summer – Draft of a teaching response to the ELCA social statement on Sexuality

By Parson Brown, on 4:01 pm%

This is the internet so we can post drafts of things that we can alter later, right? Here is a draft which I’ve sent out for some review on a teaching response to the actions by the ELCA and the EC-USA this summer. I say teaching response because while I think many people . . . → Read More: Turbulent Summer – Draft of a teaching response to the ELCA social statement on Sexuality

Congregational Presentation – Vision Sunday

By Parson Brown, on 11:23 am%

This past Sunday (Aug 2nd) we set aside time to present a vision of what St. Mark as a congregation could be and to talk about some of what it will take to get make that vision a reality. Posted here is the full presentation on the vision componant. Members of the church . . . → Read More: Congregational Presentation – Vision Sunday

What form of Christian Worship? – discussion in the comments & American Idol

By Parson Brown, on 2:40 pm%

I’ve been having a good back and forth in the comments with “orthodox protestant” – part of it over the role of music in worship. Dennis and I for the 4th Sunday’s (last Sunday didn’t count becuase it was Memorial Day which overrides other elements) have been searching though “modern” music. By modern . . . → Read More: What form of Christian Worship? – discussion in the comments & American Idol

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