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Atlantis ‹the domain of the Stingray›
There is a rank due to the United States, among nations, which will be withheld, if not absolutely lost, by the reputation of weakness. If we desire to avoid insult, we must be able to repel it; if we desire to secure peace, one of the most powerful instruments of our rising prosperity, it must be known that we are at all times ready for war.
‹George Washington›
Atlantis: the domain of the Stingray
21Jan
2021
Thu
13:04
author: Stingray
category: My Ramblings
read/add comments: 0
trackbacks: 0

All Caught Up, Mostly

another necessary task

So, I'm all caught up on posting sermons since the last sermon I've posted. I do have something of a backlog of sermons to post for 2019 and 2018, I think, so I'll get to those eventually. The latest sermon posts are all Matins or Vespers videos for my congregation; I've been recording them since lockdowns began in March, 2020, and have continued to do so, even as my congregation is gathering again (especially for those who are uncomfortable joining or unable to join us during this time).

25Nov
2019
Mon
11:55
author: Stingray
category: My Ramblings
read/add comments: 1
trackbacks: 0

I'm Ditching Tags

They seem to cause an issue with my site, specifically on the back end with my host. I don't know exactly what the deal is, but it is spiking my resource usage. I got an error twice in the last post trying to include tags. I've since rebuilt the tag database and omitted the use of tags in that post, and things look to be running a little more smoothly.

Oddly enough, the tags are loading more quickly, too, in the blog back end...

4Apr
2019
Thu
08:43
author: Stingray
category: My Ramblings
read/add comments: 0
trackbacks: 0

Busy, Busy, Busy

What's going on?

Here I am, nearly a year after the last entry, only to say that I have been very busy. I have a second job—have had it for over a year, now—and that has constricted my office time a little. Tack on taking kids to school, and that means that I can't get into the office earlier to "relieve" some of that constriction on the front end. Of course, the second job means I'm also spending more time out of the house now.

Consequently, the time I have to update my blog in any meaningful sense has severely decreased. I want to include more sermons; I have plenty to share. I also have other things that I would have liked to have written about, some of which I'm sure I have forgotten.

So, here's a short entry just to keep things "going" here; a quick update on what I've been doing and not doing.

29Mar
2018
Thu
23:39
author: Stingray
category: My Ramblings
read/add comments: 0
trackbacks: 0

Is This Thing On?

Hello?

Yes, it's still on. I've just been...busy.

30Dec
2016
Fri
13:17
author: Stingray
category: My Ramblings
read/add comments: 0
trackbacks: 0
26May
2016
Thu
13:21
author: Stingray
category: My Ramblings
read/add comments: 0
trackbacks: 0

Big Update

sermons finally posted

So, I've been sitting on this month's sermons for a little while, some longer than others, obviously. They have now been posted to the site. You'll find them all listed in the menu bar if you hover over the word "Sermons." These four will be listed there for 30 days from the set posting date, which for the first one, Rogate, is May 1 (so only a few more days).

20Dec
2015
Sun
22:18
author: Stingray
category: My Ramblings
read/add comments: 1
trackbacks: 0

I Can't Believe that It's Been Six Years

how long have we lived here?

Today is the sixth anniversary of my installation as pastor at Christ Our Savior Lutheran Church. Six years! It's hard to believe that I've been here that long. For one thing, it simply doesn't feel like I've been here that long. For another thing, my life has been lived having never spent this much time in one place; it feels weird, in a way—it's not that I'm looking to move, but that I'm simply not used to living as long as this in one place.

2Jul
2015
Thu
18:21
author: Stingray
category: My Ramblings
read/add comments: 0
trackbacks: 0

Removal from Office

false teaching and heresy

Though not all is said and done, on July 15, Rev. Dr. Matthew Becker will be removed from the roster of the LCMS. It's a shame it had to happen, but the man teaches falsely, contrary to sound Biblical doctrine, and refuses to repent of it. You can see his response here.

Frankly, this is the right thing to do, and should have been done some time ago. Truthfully, it hurts. Would that these things could be discussed and handled cordially, and the error be brought back to orthodoxy peacefully and gently, but it was not the case this time.

He needs prayers. Where he ends up needs prayers. And what he is leaving needs prayers.

22Mar
2015
Sun
20:19
author: Stingray
category: My Ramblings
read/add comments: 0
trackbacks: 0

Let Us Pray

Erhalt' uns, Herr, bei deinem wort
Und steu'r das papst's und turken mord,
Die Jesum Christum, deinen Sohn,
Wollen stürzen von deinem thron.
4Feb
2015
Wed
16:31
author: Stingray
category: My Ramblings
read/add comments: 0
trackbacks: 0

The Sacrament of the Altar

a quote from Martin Luther

Some certain congregations in my past could do well to read this and question their practice or label:

People now regard the holy sacrament of the body and blood of our Lord so lightly and assume an attitude toward it as if there were nothing on earth which they needed less than just this sacrament; and yet they want to be called Christians. They imagine, because they have now become free from papal coercion, that they are no longer obligated to use this sacrament but may well do without it and freely despise it without sinning at all. And if this sacrament were never used or were lost, it would not matter to them.
Martin Luther, "Admonition Concerning the Sacrament of the Body and Blood of our Lord"