390,000 and Falling

[djbaer]

I'm one of those pastors who has spent the 15 years of my parish ministry encouraging members to think outside of their local congregation.  Seeing that our members receive "The Lutheran" magazine has been a part of my efforts.  I worked to keep it on our Synod budget much longer than the bishop would have preferred and continue to keep it on our congregational budget.

The last few years I've been wondering if the best way to encourage members to consider and support the church beyond our walls is to keep them ignorant of the national church.  I hate to think that way.  It may be that keeping them informed will lead them to dispair of the ELCA.  And it may be that dispair of the ELCA is the right course for those who wish to remain faithful.

For now, our members remain among those 390,000 subscribers.

[Gladfelteri]

David Baer wrote, "The last few years I've been wondering if the best way to encourage members to consider and support the church beyond our walls is to keep them ignorant of the national church."

This begs the question, why would a Pastor want to facilitate his congregation's staying in a certain national Church if he has to "keep them ignorant of the national church?"

[Gary Hatcher]

Just when one starts to feel guilty about no longer having the every home plan for the Lutheran in the congregation one stumbles across this little tidbit, http://www.spiritualityandpractice.com/        
 It seems the Brussats, the Lutheran's movie critics, are very inclusive in their understanding of spiritual practice.  Are there no Lutherans who could remain somewhat orthodox and still review movies?  Or can only "we will acccept whatever spiritual path you want to take" reviewers fill the bill?  I wonder if the Brussat's review of the Da Vinic Code, found on their web site, will make it into the Lutheran to enlighten the masses of Lutherans.  
Gary Hatcher

[wildiris]

At our house, The Lutheran goes straight from the mail box to the recycle bin, and I'm sure we are not the only Lutheran family where this happens.

[Fred_S]

Our congregation paid for a subscription for every family for a long time.  Then we got upset with the state of the ELCA and dropped our subscriptions.  We decided to let those members that wanted the Lutheran to sign up and the subscription would be paid for by the congregation.  We went from 98 subscriptions to 25 and many of those 25 were just to monitor the state of the magazine - (read this as - how bad can it get).