I think this pastor should be defrocked...

[Keith Falk]

The more I reflect, the less bent out of shape I am about the whole thing.


Really, I will not believe you if you say there has never been a minute's worth of speech in your ministry that could have been taken out of context and blown up in this way.  Whether during announcements... Sunday School class... a fellowship event; I know I've said some silly things that - in context - were perfectly appropriate.  But if someone had used their phone and recorded JustThatOneMinute... well, I imagine that I would look pretty foolish.


The most worrisome part of this is that so many of us (myself included!) believed the headlines - that there was actually just a one minute worship/sermon.  My gut response wasn't, "That can't be right!"; it was, "Of COURSE some idiot pastor did that".

[Marshall_Hahn]

A number of years ago, at a service on April 1, I got in the pulpit and told the congregation that it had been a really busy week and I did not have time to adequately prepare for the sermon.  So, rather than do a disservice to God's Word by preaching a poor sermon, I invited the people to simply sit and meditate on the day's readings for the next 5 minutes or so.  Then I sat down.  After about 15 seconds I got up and said, "April fool's!"  Some of them saw it coming, and some were getting ready to clean out the parsonage.  My little joke was probably worse than the one mentioned above since I did this in the middle of the worship service.  As described in the first post what this pastor did happened before worship had (really) begun. 

As Margaret Hamilton might say, such things must be done "del-icately."

Marshall Hahn

[J. Thomas Shelley]

Clergy in Pittsburgh used to wear stoles and I think even chasubles in black and gold for Steeler Sundays ...

]In 2004 the Steelers played in the Superbowl a couple of months after the fatal shooting of PSP Cpl Raymond Pokorny
I told the congregation that I follow the rubrics of the church year, but if it were strictly up to me....I then held up a black maniple with gold trim..."go Steelers".

The fallen Trooper was a close relative to a team member and the Steelers had done a lot to help the family through the tragedy.

Cpl Pokorny's son graduated from the PSP Academy last March, becoming the child of a fallen Trooper to join the force in the department's 108 year history.

[Tom Senge]

Just a thought....has any who are so put out by this actually adhered to Mt. 18 and contacted this pastor?

[swbohler]

Rev. Senge,

I should think that few things are more public than news articles in print, on broadcast news, and the internet.  If what this pastor did IS a sin (the premise of Jesus' instructions in Matthew 18), then it is a very public sin.  And per the Large Catechism, the instructions of Matthew 18 would not apply.

[Terry W Culler]

If this is the worst thing to happen in an American pulpit that week--well, thanks be to God.  My only question--why did it get out any further than the people in sanctuary and the folks they spoke to the next day?  Why is everything public today?

[Steven Tibbetts]

If this is the worst thing to happen in an American pulpit that week--well, thanks be to God.  My only question--why did it get out any further than the people in sanctuary and the folks they spoke to the next day?  Why is everything public today?

His son posted the video.

spt+

[Brian Stoffregen]

Rev. Senge,

I should think that few things are more public than news articles in print, on broadcast news, and the internet.  If what this pastor did IS a sin (the premise of Jesus' instructions in Matthew 18), then it is a very public sin.  And per the Large Catechism, the instructions of Matthew 18 would not apply.

Note also Matthew 18:15 (emphasis added): "If your brother or sister sins against you,…" Did he sin against you? If so, you are to go and speak to him privately. If not, Matthew 18 doesn't apply.

[DCharlton]

I'm all for supporting one's team, as long as it matches the color of the day or season.  So, for instance:

Advent:  Chelsea or Everton
Christmas and Easter: Tottenham
Epiphany: Celtic
Pentecost: Man U or Liverpool (not both!)

I still need one for Lent.

[pr dtp]

I'm all for supporting one's team, as long as it matches the color of the day or season.  So, for instance:

Advent:  Chelsea or Everton
Christmas and Easter: Tottenham
Epiphany: Celtic
Pentecost: Man U or Liverpool (not both!)

I still need one for Lent.

The Minnesota VIkings - (quite appropriate giving the pain they cause in the fall to Vikings fans)

[Pr. Luke Zimmerman]

I'm all for supporting one's team, as long as it matches the color of the day or season.  So, for instance:

Advent:  Chelsea or Everton
Christmas and Easter: Tottenham
Epiphany: Celtic
Pentecost: Man U or Liverpool (not both!)

I still need one for Lent.

There are no British football home purple kits that come to mind.

But the options from other European nations include RSC Anderlecht (Belgium) and AFC Fiorentina (Italy). Anderlecht often makes the Champions League qualifiers or group stages, but don't advance pass that. A bit of humbling, since they can't seem to achieve victory for themselves. Perhaps it's a fitting Lenten message.