Marriage

The Marriage of Sarah Mellott and Edward Cadagin

August 12, 2010

July 31, 2010 Sarah is a thorough and orderly person, which was evident as she planned this wedding. Last night at the rehearsal, I discovered part of Ed’s own thoroughness, as he asked me for a copy of the vows so he could practice them. That always makes a pastor happy — but the truth, [...]

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Psalm 45

August 12, 2010

This was much better when I preached it. I think. The Hebrew Bible contains introductions to each Psalm that often leave the reader wanting more details. Psalm 45 begins, “To the Director,” presumably a choir director; then, “According to the Lilies,” which could either be some kind of musical instruction, or a particular tune, in [...]

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All glorious is the princess in her chamber

August 12, 2010

I’m working through the Psalter at our Wednesday Evening services; last night we arrived at Psalm 45, which I preached as a wedding hymn for Christ and His bride the church. I just noticed that the Gradual for the Feast of St. Mary (which falls this coming Sunday, August 15) is taken from that same [...]

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Update: Placement of the Marriage Rite

July 14, 2010

A correspondent (a very capable liturgical scholar) sent me an email pertaining to my earlier post on the placement of the marriage rite in the daily office. He is in favor of keeping the marriage rite in the place where the LW Agenda has it (after the sermon). However, he gives these useful historical details: [...]

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Placement of the Marriage Rite in the Daily Office

July 7, 2010

I’m reviewing the draft of a wedding service folder for a marriage that will take place at Immanuel later this month, and thought I’d review the notes on the Rite in the Lutheran Service Book Agenda. There I discovered something surprising that doesn’t make a great deal of sense to me. Under “General Notes” on [...]

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Parton/Townes Wedding Sermon

December 26, 2009

From the wedding service of Richard Townes, III and Kyle Parton, on Saturday, December 19. We had a major snowstorm that caused the wedding to start late (see pictures below), and unfortunately some of the guests also couldn’t make it. But it was a beautiful wedding. I’ve been trying an experiment with some of my [...]

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Manhattan Declaration

December 7, 2009

I read and signed the Manhattan Declaration today. I would encourage you to read and consider signing as well. The three issues it treats – life, marriage, and freedom of conscience – are the critical public issues of our time.

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Whence cometh the "climate of distrust"?

October 8, 2009

Pastor Michael Brockman of Christ Lutheran Church in Hutchinson, Kansas wrote a penetrating letter to the editor in the latest issue of the Lutheran Witness. President Kieschnick is not the only one wanting the “climate of distrust” gone from among us as LCMS Lutherans [“From the President,” August]. I, too. But how has this climate [...]

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LCMS President Kieschnick responds to ELCA decision affirming homosexual clergy

August 27, 2009

The two largest Lutheran church bodies in the United States are the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) with 4.8 million members and The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS) with 2.4 million members. On Friday, Aug. 21, the Churchwide Assembly of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America voted to open the ministry of the ELCA to gay [...]

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When the Husband performs the duties of a wife

April 9, 2009

In his commentary on the footwashing account (John 13, Gospel for Holy Thursday), Lightfoot notes that footwashing was the duty of a wife towards her husband: It was an unusual thing for superiors to wash the feet of inferiors. Amongst the duties required from a wife towards a husband this was one, that she should [...]

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