Heinlein

I’ve been reading a lot of Robert Heinlein this summer. He is a famous science fiction writer, best known for Stranger in A Strange Land. I’ve read Space Cadet, Rocketship Galileo, Time for the Stars, The Day After Tomorrow, and Spaceman Jones. I liked them all, though Rocketship Galileo was pretty slow. The Day After Tomorrow is a story that reminds me of Moses & Pharaoh from Exodus.

My Birthday

My birthday was July 3, and I was off work for the 3rd and 4th. Anne and I went to Ohio to see my parents and Scott. Scott made me a birthday cake that looked like the American flag, with red raspberries for the stripes and blueberries for the blue part. I got a new drawing pad that connects to my laptop from my Mom & Dad. Scott gave me a variety of presents including a percussion instrument called a "Donkey Call," but Marlowe always called it a vibra-slap. I got birthday wishes on facebook and myspace from most of my former youth group girls—Morgan, Emily, Shelley, Kenna, Brittney, Erica, even Julie Thompson. The boys didn't do as well, but John and Justin called to say hello. One of the high points was meeting my friend Jon (from school) for breakfast at Bob Evans. I love being at home for the summer, but I miss my friends from school too.

2008 Mid-Year Rememberies

2008 Mid-Year Rememberies

January
J-term Class: Greek I, Part II
Saw Christ Lutheran's Middle School Youth at Youth Quake Event
Mom & Dad in South Africa

February
Spring Semester Classes: Ministry of Worship, Care of Souls, Hebrew I, Being Lutheran in America
St. Luke's last Sunday at 3917 Alexandria Pike

March
"Blizzard 2008"

April

May
Mother’s Day with Mom at Boston Market
First Sunday at St. Luke at 4800 Alexandria Pike
Week in Louisville
Mom, Dad & Scott visit
Tacko comes to live with us

June
Clinical Pastoral Education at Fort Thomas VA

Seminary Notes: May 2008

I have finished my first year of seminary at Trinity! It has been hard work, but I have learned so much this year. I have written papers and presentations this semester on the history of Associates in Ministry in the ELCA, the understanding of God in Islam, and the use of anointing with oil in biblical times and in healing rites today. When I return to seminary in the fall, I’ll be taking Old Testament 2, Church History 1, Systematic Theology, and the Ministry of Preaching.

This summer I’ll be living at home in Northern Kentucky and working with the chaplains at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Fort Thomas, Ky., to complete my Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) unit.

Seminary Notes: February 2008

Some good news since my last seminary update: I passed through the “Entrance” part of the candidacy process in November, the first of three sets of essays/interviews. In addition, I received a semester’s worth of advanced standing in my degree program due of my previous seminary experience. While this probably doesn’t mean I’ll graduate early, I will have a lighter course load during my second and final years at Trinity.

This semester, however, I have a very full and unusual course load. I’m taking “Care of Souls” with the second-year middler students; “Ministry of Worship,” with my junior class; “Intro to World Religions,” with the Methodists and Roman Catholics at the Catholic seminary; “Being Lutheran in America,” with the seniors; and another biblical language, Hebrew.

2007 Year End Rememberies

January
Middle School Youth Quake Event in Cincinnati
Winter BBQ Letterboxing Event in Louisville
Mom & Dad in Australia

February
Kentuckiana Broomball Tournament
Christ Lutheran/St. Luke Ski Trip at Perfect North Slopes
Valetine’s Day with Anne at Jeff Ruby’s Tropicana
Olivia Hartmann born to Karen and Jason
Chinese New Year/Prayer Partner Event
Senior High Construction Zone Event in Cincinnati
Trip with Scott to St. Louis & Hannibal MO

March
Dinner with Julie & Andy at the Melting Pot in Indianapolis
Christ Lutheran Bowling League
Visit at Trinity Lutheran Seminary in Columbus

April
Middle School Spring Break Trip to Northern Appalachia
Senior High Spring Break Trip to Appalachian Kentucky
Graduation Brunch for Mitch, Shelley, Iddoshe, Ashley & Morgan

May
Cinco de Mayo Letterboxing Event
Mother’s Day with Anne & future mom-in-law Sue at General Butler
Celebrating Anne’s & Mom’s birthdays
Benson Family Reunion Memorial Day Weekend

June
Great Lakes Letterboxing Event in Columbus
Great Bible Reef Vacation Bible School at Christ Lutheran
Indiana-Kentucky Synod Assembly

July
Bachelor Bowling Bash South in Louisville
Attended mass on St. Thomas Day in Columbus
Spirit Song Festival at Kings Island
Harry Potter & The Order of the Phoenix Overnight Event
ELCA Global Mission Event at The Ohio State University
Purchased house in Crestview, Kentucky
Scott’s 30th Birthday/The Simpsons movie premiere
Galilee-by-the-Sea Vacation Bible School at Christ Lutheran

August
“Extreme Makeover” House Painting Party in Crestview
Last Sunday at Christ Lutheran
Trip with Anne to Santa Claus, Indiana & Camping at Lake Rudolph
Moved out of apartment in Louisville
Wedding shower at St. Luke Lutheran
Orientation at Trinity Lutheran Seminary
Sweet Corn Festival Parade with Marlowe

September
Greek I, Theology Today, Person in Ministry classes
Bachelor Bash North in Columbus

October
Rehearsal & Rehearsal Dinner Luau
Wedding, Reception & Dinner
Honeymoon to Walt Disney World & Disney Cruise to Bahamas
Hired at Gloria Dei Lutheran Church as Education & Volunteer Ministry Staff
Fall Break
Faith Seeking Expression Class

November
Marlowe's funeral
Preached Thanksgiving Eve service at St. Luke
Thanksgiving with Mom, Dad & Scott in Crestview

December
TubaChristmas with Scott, Bill & Kyle
Christmas Eve at Gloria Dei and St. Luke
Christmas Morning with Anne, Scott, Mike, & Sue
Christmas Evening with Anne, Scott, Mike, Fred & Lyda
Trip to North Carolina to visit with Grandpa & Gramma Knauff, Mark & Joy, Kelly & Nate
Detour through Pigeon Forge/Gatlinburg
Boar’s Head Festival/New Year’s Eve in Louisville

Merry Chi-mas

My wife is the pastor of a small Lutheran church named St. Luke. And since it is a small church, they have a small sign outside their small church building. To invite the public to their children's Christmas pageant, the sign read "XMAS PROGRAM, SAT. 5 PM." The day of the program, someone called and left the following anonymous message on St. Luke's answering machine: "I'm calling as a concerned person going past your church all the time. I know commercial things are out there putting X-mas on signs, but it really hurt my feelings to see a church put "X-mas program" on their church and not "Christmas program." A church taking Christ out... That really bothered me and it would not make me come to your church. So, I just want to share that with you as a fellow Christian. Thank you very much. Goodbye." This semester in my New Testament Greek class we learned that the Greek word for "Christ" is Χριστος, which begins with the letter "chi." So when we abbreviate the word "Christmas" as "X-mas," we're using the Greek letter "X" rather than the English letter "X." The chi is often combined with a "rho," which looks like the English letter "P." Combined, they look like this:☧, an ancient symbol for Christ. In fact, if the gentleman who left this message had come into St. Luke for the Christmas program, he would have had the opportunity to help decorate the Christmas tree with Xs and ☧s and other symbols of Christ. So, whether we spell it "Christmas" or "X-mas," today we celebrate the birth of Jesus, the Christ, the Messiah, the Anointed One. And St. Luke Lutheran proclaims this good news, just as Saint Luke did many centuries ago: The angel said to the shepherds, "Do not be afraid; for see — I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger." And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favors!" (New Revised Standard Version)