She's so blonde...she thought Meow Mix was a CD for cats.
‹Jim Genthe›
Atlantis: the domain of the Stingray
29Jun
2014
Sun
17:21
author: Stingray
category: Sermons
read/add comments: 0
trackbacks: 0

Sts. Peter and Paul, Apostles

Matthew 16:13-19

Sts. Peter and Paul, Apostles 2014 Wordle
In the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Pope Leo X, in a bull titled Decet Romanum Pontificem on January 3, 1521, excommunicated Martin Luther from the Catholic Church, as well as any who follow his teachings, whom this bull labeled Lutheran. The last part of the missive cites the authority which Leo uses to perform such excommunications. There, he wrote,

No one whatsoever may infringe this our written decision, declaration, precept, injunction, assignation, will, decree; or rashly contravene it. Should anyone dare to attempt such a thing, let him know that he will incur the wrath of Almighty God and of the blessed Apostles Peter and Paul.
28Jun
2014
Sat
22:18
author: Stingray
category: My Ramblings
read/add comments: 0
trackbacks: 0

What I Did This Week, no. 26

birthday week

I turned another year older this week. If you stop and think about that, it sounds weird. I mean, I’m only a week older than I was last week. However, Sunday was my birthday, so I turned a year older. Technically, as that’s how birthdays work, I began my 39th year of existence on this planet. Though, I suppose technically again, that happened nine months earlier; life begins at conception, after all, and life is sacred.

22Jun
2014
Sun
08:38
author: Stingray
category: Sermons
read/add comments: 0
trackbacks: 0

Presentation of the Augsburg Confession (transferred)

John 15:1-11

Presentation of the Augsburg Confession (transferred) 2014 Wordle
In the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

The sainted Dr. Hermann Sasse, a Lutheran theologian from Germany by way of Australia, posed a question to the LCMS about 50 years ago. He had written a series of letters to Lutheran pastors in the Missouri Synod, and in letter 20 he wrote,

The real life-and-death question for the Missouri Synod, as for every other Lutheran Church, is not about the strength of the external organization, the constitution, the growth of the congregation, or the school system. Nor is it about the position of the Confession as the basis for the message and work of the church. Rather it has to do with the strength of the Lutheran faith; that is, the genuine deep faith of the heart in the saving Gospel, which the Holy Spirit alone can give. It is the question whether, and to what extent, this strongest confessional church of Lutheranism is a truly confessing church, a church in which the Lutheran Confession is not merely held in honor as the confession of the fathers and therefore in force and untouchable. It is the question whether the Confession is the confession of a living faith of the congregation, and therefore the formative life-principle of the church. It is the question which Missouri, even as every other church, must ask herself in humility and must answer before the face of God: Are we still Lutheran? (emphasis mine)
21Jun
2014
Sat
23:34
author: Stingray
category: My Ramblings
read/add comments: 0
trackbacks: 0

What I Did this Week, no. 25

I think I see why they cancelled it after 5 seasons

It’s another Saturday, already. I feel like I did one of these posts only a couple of days ago, but, no...another week has passed. It was a pretty fun week, filled with many good things.

11:39
author: Stingray
category: My Ramblings
read/add comments: 0
trackbacks: 0

A Little Something from Weird Al

Can you catch the pattern?

14Jun
2014
Sat
23:16
author: Stingray
category: My Ramblings
read/add comments: 0
trackbacks: 0

What I Did This Week, no. 24

tedious fun

Saturday comes, and once again I haven’t done my weekly update. In some sense, doing this update is tedious, but I want to keep doing it if for nothing else than I want to keep some sort of a record of what has been happening. Never mind that I like recalling and recording the events of the week, despite the tediousness.

10Jun
2014
Tue
20:34
author: Stingray
category: My Ramblings
read/add comments: 0
trackbacks: 0

Time For Some More Mashups

via Soundcloud, featuring "Titanium"

8Jun
2014
Sun
23:18
author: Stingray
category: Sermons
read/add comments: 0
trackbacks: 0

Whitsunday

Genesis 11:1-9; Acts 2:1-21; John 14:23-31

Whitsunday 2014 Wordle
In the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

The world was a very evil place. God looked upon what He had created, and even in the foreknowledge of the fall of man into sin, grew weary with their wickedness. Moses wrote for us,

Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And the LORD was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart. So the LORD said, “I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth, both man and beast, creeping thing and birds of the air, for I am sorry that I have made them.” But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD. (Genesis 6:5-8)

God instructs Noah to build an ark. He is to fill it with every kind of animal, and take his wife, his sons, and his sons’ wives in with them. 40 days and 40 nights the rains fell, and the springs of the deep burst open, gushing forth their water so that the whole earth was flooded. A year, a month, and 20 days later, Noah and his family disembarked.

7Jun
2014
Sat
20:59
author: Stingray
category: My Ramblings
read/add comments: 0
trackbacks: 0

What I Did This Week, no. 23

another short but sweet update

I think I’m going to be short again this week. Sunday was Exaudi, the Sunday after the Ascension of Our Lord. While anything but normal, Jesus was delivered and received yet again; praise be to Jesus! Monday was a wonderful day off. Tuesday was back to the office, as well as Wednesday. On both days, I planned services for August and September, put together the church calendar for both of those months (perhaps incomplete), and updated the church website accordingly. While we were supposed to meet for Lutheran Confessions Study, many people couldn’t make it, so we called it off. Thursday, I was the teacher at the Breakfast Bible Study; I tried a different dish that morning—it was good and very hot, so it took me a while to finish; consequently, probably not one to get again. Back in the office and I worked on introit and gradual inserts. Friday at the office was spent working on Sunday’s sermon; that evening, I went to the Bible Study host’s house, but only one other person showed up—we talked at length, but didn’t do any real studying. While short, it was a good time for us. Saturday was Elizabash; due to changes made by the chamber of commerce, there weren’t many vendors, and the streets cleared out pretty early. The latter might have been helped by a storm on the horizon. This might be the last year that the church participates; I’m not heartbroken about it.

2Jun
2014
Mon
21:04
author: Stingray
category: My Ramblings
read/add comments: 4
trackbacks: 0

Well, I Just Emailed My Representative

Cory Gardner

Here is the text of the email I just sent my US Representative.

Rep. Gardner,

The time is NOW. We should have had enough of the president circumventing the law to suit what he thinks is right. The events of yesterday are over the top. Why are we not hearing anything from congress with regard to the 30 days notice he is supposed to give you before releasing prisoners from Guantanamo? Why are we not hearing anything from congress with regard to the fact that his administration negotiated with terrorists? Why is there no outrage over the fact that five top-level terrorists were released, supposedly to spend a year in Qatar, but that we all know will go right back to plotting terrorists acts against the United States? His administration has even admitted to breaking the law. What are you waiting for?

Suspend your campaign for the senate and see to the work you are currently elected to by impeaching President Obama.

Thank you.