Making Christ Known is published online six times per year. Congregations are encouraged to email or make copies for leaders, members, and visitors. Articles can be copied for congregation use in newsletters or other publications.
The January/February 2016 issue of Making Christ Known is now available online. Please share it with your congregation members, leaders, staff, and visitors. This issue is the sixth in a series on the seven Faith Practices. Find previous issues at nisynod.org/pubs/mck . Download the issue
The Rev. Dr. Denver Bitner, part-time assistant to the bishop and LSSI President Emeritus Teacher, What is the greatest commandment in the law? And He said to him, You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the great and first …
Pr. Janet Lepp, St. John’s, Mendota Affirmation of Baptism The young people in their white robes stand in front of the congregation. “You have made public profession of your faith,” the Pastor announces, and then asks them, “Do you intend to continue in the covenant God made with you in holy baptism?” Then the five …
Pr. Mark Oehlert, St. John’s, Sterling Serve. Serving. Tennis anyone? Seconds at thanksgiving dinner? Well not exactly, at least in this communication. This message has to do with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and how serving is at the core of Jesus teaching. Many biblical parables speak profoundly of Jesus call to serve …
Pr. Jeffrey Clements, assistant to Bishop Wollersheim This is what the Son of Man has done: He came to serve, not to be served—and then to give away his life in exchange for many who are held hostage. Mark 10:45, The Message I was in my first call as a young pastor. As we were …
The November/December 2015 issue of Making Christ Known is now available online. Please share it with your congregation members, leaders, staff, and visitors. Invitation / Hospitality But how are they to call on one in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in one of whom they have never heard? And how are …
Pr. John Heins, Cross and Crown, Roscoe Hospitality is a multi-dimensional element of the faith practices we Christians use to develop the fullness of our lives. Jesus demonstrated warm, personal, and convention-breaking hospitality when he rebuked the disciples for trying to turn away children people brought to him. “People were bringing little children to him …
Jerry L. Johns, member, Bethlehem DeKalb Jamie came to worship at our church, and I was able to invite her to the fellowship hall for refreshments after the service. What ensued was an extremely open and candid visit. She was looking for a church home and verbalized her expectations. I also had an opportunity to …
Rev. Dennis Hill We are invited by Christ when he states in Matthew 11, “Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest …
Ms. Ruth Anderson, AiM, Trinity, Galesburg “I love this! I’ve always wanted to ring, and had no idea how much fun it would be.” These words from a new handbell ringer surprised me. A few weeks earlier I worked to fill an unexpected vacancy in our choir. After making a list of potential candidates, I …
From the September/October 2015 Making Christ Known Rev. Dr. Loren L. Nielsen This past summer I had rotator cuff surgery on my shoulder. The surgery went well but recovery and rehab were another story. I was always hurting. I had a hard time sleeping. I couldn’t drive the car for the longest time. It seemed …
From the September/October 2015 Making Christ Known Pastor Troy C. Hedrick While sitting in my office at the Chicago inner-city congregation I was serving, I heard the front door open and someone run in. As I walked into the narthex to see who it was, the door opened again and 4 or 5 older African …
Encouragement “To everything there is a season and a time for every purpose under heaven.” Ecclesiastes 3 This issue is the fourth in a series on the seven Faith Practices. Find previous issues at nisynod.org/pubs/mck. Download the issue
From the September/October 2015 Making Christ Known Bishop Gary Wollersheim I think there are a lot of important times in our working lives, but none more important than our beginnings and our endings. For a pastor, starting strong means listening, learning, and developing relationships based on trust and mutual respect. Sometimes pastors try to make …
From the September/October 2015 Making Christ Known Each fall, everyone in the Northern Illinois Synod is encouraged to attend one of the Discipleship Gatherings which are held in each of our eight geographical conferences. Bishop Wollersheim has announced that he will retire and not stand for re-election as Bishop of the Northern Illinois Synod at …
Special Assembly Highlights Edition This special issue is a break from our Faith Practices series. The Faith Practices will pick up again with the September/October issue. Download the issue
This issue, focusing on Worship, is the third in a series on the seven Faith Practices. The worship of God is both personal and corporate. As we grow in our experience of worshiping God together with the community of faith, our desire strengthens to follow Christ in daily life. As we gather to worship, we hear the Word and receive the Sacrament, respond by singing, praying and giving our offering and are sent by the Spirit to serve God and our neighbor in the world.
The Rev. H. Jeffrey A. Clements (from the May-June 2015 issue of Making Christ Known) My son was new to his position as associate director of Flathead Lutheran Bible Camp. He and his dog had moved to Montana that summer with what he could stuff into his small car. My daughter-in-law was still working in …
The Rev. Twila Schock (from the May-June 2015 issue of Making Christ Known) “Wow! I love worshiping here. I was afraid, hearing you were Lutheran, you would make us bow, cross ourselves, and say things at church that we didn’t feel. Instead, we sing, we read the Bible, and we pray.” * * * “Thank …
The Rev. Robert A. Franek (from the May-June 2015 issue of Making Christ Known) Worship is from the beginning the Church’s primary faith practice. A people gathered by the Holy Spirit around word and sacrament on the Lord’s Day giving thanks and praise for resurrection of Jesus Christ is the church’s primary activity. Everything in …
Given competition, is it ‘hub of our week, space of our regrouping’? The Rev. Elizabeth Eaton, ELCA Presiding Bishop (from the May-June 2015 issue of Making Christ Known) There is a Seattle-based caffeinated beverage company that goes to great lengths to provide excellent customer service. Its campaign is to make itself everyone’s “Third Place.” “First …
The March/April 2015 Making Christ Known is now available online. Please share it with your congregation members, leaders, staff, and visitors. This is the 2nd issue in a series on the seven Faith Practices. This issue focuses on Giving/Generosity. Giving is a mark of discipleship and a part of daily life. Giving is not always easy. Our human need for …
The January/February 2015 Making Christ Known is now available online. Please share it with your congregation members, leaders, staff, and visitors. This is the 1st issue in a series on the seven Faith Practices. This issue focuses on Prayer . Prayer is both listening and speaking. Through prayer God’s will is discerned and greater clarity is gained for our journey. Prayer can …
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