Divine Service from the 2024 Issues Etc. Making the Case Conference

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Another Making the Case in the Books…

…and if you weren’t there, why not? It was a great conference. I told Jeff I think it’s the perfect length: just part of the day Friday and all day Saturday. Outstanding speakers, joyous yet reverent liturgical worship (Compline, Matins, and Divine Service), and our hymn sing on Saturday afternoon. And I was given the most moving gift at the conference from the Ukrainian Lutheran bishop, Vyacheslav Horpynchuk (who due to the war was unable to be present with us): a copy of their service book, damaged by a Russian soldiers tossing a hand grenade into their facility when they saw the word Lutheran on it. I will treasure that! It was awesome to serve with Chaplain Simeon Raddatz and what was icing on the cake was being able to WEAR a chasuble and stole that belonged to my old friend Karl Bachman (that are now Simeon’s). See you there next year, folks! You don’t want to miss it!

I THINK…

…I’ve finally got everything ready for the worship at Making the Case 2024. Hope to see some of you up in River Forest! And in case you haven’t been following along, check out the great stuff happening at the Synod’s Institute on Liturgy, Preaching and Church Music happening in Seward, right here. 

My daughter…the champion of baby-led weaning!

Winnie and her piece of steak:

So Cindi and I were talking just the other day…

…about how great the extra daylight is in the summer. We woke up about half an hour before sunrise today. I got the bacon ready to toss in the oven and made us a cup each of crio-brew. We enjoyed that before we headed out for our “sunrise walk.” Absolutely gorgeous today. So crisp, in fact, I had to put on my flannel shirt. We walked up to Old Route 66, turned around and headed home. Time then for a cup of Irish Breakfast as we did our personal prayers and Bible reading (Matins with that Southwell Litany—oof!—Book of Concord on the Mass and then 1 Samuel 28-31 and Deut. 32:1-4). I finished up and set the table outside on the deck and that’s where we enjoyed a chuck-eye (split), eggs, and bacon. Then we did our post-prandial stroll and chatted a bit. Came back in and prayed Treasury (with yet another cuppa). Did my internet puzzles and workout. Went for another walk on my own, listening to music. Then home to make my cup of coffee and prepare for the workday. A leisurely and peaceful way to kick off the day. Thank you, Lord, for such a beautiful day on July 1 (Eve of Visitation).