Main Street Lutherans

Episode Notes Keith has a conversation with Pastor Imad Haddad, pastor of Church of the Good Shepherd in Amman, Jordan. They discuss living in the region as a Palestinian Lutheran and how The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land and the ELCA relate. Catechism Question: What are ways to get involved in advocating for justice through the ELCA? Join the ELCA e-Advocacy Network. Inv...

Episode Notes Ben & Keith discuss the new shirt. We hope it sparks conversations about our faith. The episode covers how one might explain Lutheranism to someone who wants to know because they read your t-shirt. Catechism Question: Martin Luther disliked the idea of this new church body being named after himself. What name did he prefer instead? Evangelisch Kirche (Church of the Gospel) The Me...

Episode Notes Ollie Bergh joins Ben and Keith from Fairbanks, Alaska to talk about Matins (Morning Prayer) and all of the Daily Prayer (or Daily Offices) services in the ELW, our hymnal. Pastor Ollie hosts the Psalmcast Podcast. Give it a listen. Sorry for some of the cuts. The audio files were corrupted and Ben stitched it together as best he could on the schedule we have. We'll try not to let it...

Episode Notes David Lose, Senior Pastor at Mount Olivet Lutheran Church in Minneapolis, MN, joins us for this episode. We start out with a broad topic, how do our churches move forward in our time and place. We talk about He Gets Us and what it means to be Lutheran. In the A Segment, Ben and Keith discuss what it means to be "Unapologetically Lutheran". Catechism Question: What happened...

Episode Notes Dr Granquist joins us to continue our exploration of the history that leads up to the ELCA being what it is. The Catechism Question: Where did the majority of Lutherans immigrate to North America come from? A. Germany, Norway, and Sweden B. Germany, Norway, and France C. Austria, Australia, and Antarctica D. Wittenberg, Wartburg, and St. Olaf Links Our First Episode wth Dr Granquist...

Episode Notes Pastor Dave Daubert joins the show to talk about the critical parts to understand about Lutheran faith and how theology we use in the ELCA is our best hand for living the Christian Life. Links Day 8 Strategies Dave Daubert's books on Amazon www.mainstreetlutherans.com Instagram Facebook Threads YouTube ‪(734) 250-9554‬ Music by Viktor Hallman Find it at https://www.epidemics...

Episode Notes This is the first of three episodes that cover the history leading up to formation of the ELCA by merging three Lutheran Synods together. We start at the Reformation in this episode. The next one will start in America in the 1800s when a lot of Lutheran immigration occurs. The last will cover the last 75 or 100 years. Rev Dr Mark Granquist is a professor of the History of Christianit...

Episode Notes Ben talks about what it means to be authentic as a Christian, as a Lutheran, and as a person of the 21st century as well as the challenge the ELCA has to be authentic in all three ways. This episode's Catechism Question: What is considered by Lutherans to be the primary document of the Book of Concord? The Catechisms The (Unaltered) Augsburg Confession The Creeds The Formula of Conco...

Episode Notes Ben and Keith discuss the history and theological issues behind the ordination of women in the American Lutheran Churches in 1970. They also tackle the mail bag. Links Our Savior's Lutheran, Calamus, IA ELCA area of Reddit Call the Laborers - ELCA document from 1992 about the Ordination and Call of Women Pastors 50 Years On: a Half Century of Ordaining Lutheran Women St Olaf...

Episode Notes Keith and Ben are joined by the ELCA Youth Gathering staff, Justin Wilson, Jessica Liles, & Beth Hartfiel, to talk about one of the ELCA's largest and most important events. This is a long episode at about an hour and sixteen minutes, but it's worth every bit of time you can give it. Links Gathering Remix Resources for Congregations 2027 ELCA Youth Gathering Sacred Playgrounds St...

Episode Notes Pastor Mark Singh-Heuter, pastor of Advent Lutheran Church in Harleysville, PA, reunites with Keith and Ben to talk about the season of Advent. Links ELCA LiturgyGram about Advent The Advent Project Seminar www.mainstreetlutherans.com Instagram Facebook Threads YouTube ‪(734) 250-9554‬ Music by Viktor Hallman Find it at https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/jcOQ6kY2Cy/ Through Epidemic...

Episode Notes Notes go here Keith and Ben talk about the Mainline Protestant Denominations and we have a winner for the Episode 24 Catechism Question! Links ELCA Full Communion Partners www.mainstreetlutherans.com Instagram Facebook Threads YouTube ‪(734) 250-9554‬ Music by Viktor Hallman Find it at https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/jcOQ6kY2Cy/ Through Epidemic Sound Support Main Street Lutheran...

Episode Notes Deacon Margret Folkemer-Leonard joins the team to talk about everyone's favorite cranberry colored Evangelical Luther Worship and Song book, the ELW. Links Sundays & Seasons Mary Munson ELW and ACS Hymns on Youtube All Creation Sings 2020 Hymnal Supplement All Creation Sings Samples www.mainstreetlutherans.com Instagram Facebook Threads YouTube ‪(734) 250-9554‬ Music by Vikto...

Episode Notes Ben and Keith review the 95 Theses, the starting point for Martin Luther's Reformation. Links Does the Roman Catholic Church still have Indulgences? (RCC) Indulgences Myths (RCC) Flannelgraph (Ben said it wrong oh so many times.) Martin Luther Flannelgraph www.mainstreetlutherans.com Instagram Facebook Threads YouTube ‪(734) 250-9554‬ Music by Viktor Hallman Find it at https://www.ep...

Episode Notes ELCA Vice President Imran Siddiqui joins us for a second conversation about the Churchwide organization. We get into some details about the different home areas of the national church body and how the employees help our synods and congregations do God's ministry. Links ELCA Constitutions ELCA Churchwide Assembly Conference of Bishops Lutheran World Federation World Council of Churche...

Episode Notes This is a long one. Ben and Keith ask the VP what his job in the church is and how the ELCA is governed. In the next episode, we'll get into more details. Links ELCA Churchwide Assembly ELCA Church Council Synods www.mainstreetlutherans.com Instagram Facebook Threads YouTube ‪(734) 250-9554‬ Music by Viktor Hallman Find it at https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/jcOQ6kY2Cy/ Through Ep...

Episode Notes Ben talks with Rev Keats Miles-Wallace about Technicolor Ministries, and online expression of Lutheran community based in the SW Texas Synod. We discuss how it works, how that model might work for other groups, and how this ministry is expanding. Links Technicolor Ministries Ground Rules for participation Reconciling Works www.mainstreetlutherans.com Instagram Facebook Threads YouTub...

Episode Notes Keith talks with Deacon Chelle Huth and Sister Marianne Brock about all thing Deacon in the ELCA. Episode 18's Catechism Question: What technology made Martin Luther's writings spread farther and faster than prior critics of the Roman Catholic Church? a The Gutenberg Press b The Washington Post c The Xavier Onassis Quantum Chair D Wikipedia Episode 19's Catechism Question: What is th...

Episode Notes Ben and Keith talk about what might make a podcast "ELCA Lutheran", why there aren't a whole lot of them, and why they're hard to find. They also do some self-reflection about this podcast and give some advice to anyone who is considering starting their own. Links The Bible for Normal People The Bible Project United Lutheran Seminary Podcast Faith+Lead Podcasts (Pivot, Work...

Episode Notes Ben and Keith dig into a Social Message that was adopted by the ELCA Church Council in 2020. It has some parts that are useful in helping us look at our human-built structures (government, economy, and social systems) in a way that sees God at work in the world. Links ELCA Social Message on Civic Engagement in the United States. Martin Luther’s On Secular Authority www.mainstreetluth...

Episode Notes Keith is back! We discuss the ELCA's extravagant welcome of all people and what that means. Links ELCA Who is Welcome? ELCA What We Believe Reconciling Works www.mainstreetlutherans.com Instagram Facebook Threads YouTube ‪(734) 250-9554‬ Music by Viktor Hallman Find it at https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/jcOQ6kY2Cy/ Through Epidemic Sound Support Main Street Lutherans by contribut...

Episode Notes Ben talks with Rev Drew Tucker about the history of Lutheran Camps and how they are adapting to our changing world and ways of being church. Pastor Drew even gives us a Catechism Question! Links Hopewood Outdoors Lutheran Outdoor Ministries Sacred Playgrounds Camp Research and Support by Jacob Sorenson www.mainstreetlutherans.com Instagram Facebook Threads YouTube ‪(734) 250-9554‬ Mu...

Episode Notes Win Kurlfink joins us to talk about the Perennial Waters Project, an environmental stewardship group operating from St Philip Lutheran Church in Trenton, MI. Ben and Keith talk about how the ELCA Social Statement, Caring for Creation from 1993, helps congregations focus efforts to help renew the environment. Links Perennial Waters Project PWP Facebook Page Great Lakes Spirituality Pr...

Episode Notes Ben & Keith talk about their time at the Festival of Homiletics in Pittsburgh. Links The Festival of Homiletics Ben's Photos and videos from the Festival Greenfield Village , where Ben works www.mainstreetlutherans.com Instagram Facebook Threads YouTube ‪(734) 250-9554‬ Music by Viktor Hallman Find it at https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/jcOQ6kY2Cy/ Through Epidemic So...

Episode Notes Keith and Ben talk about translations, editions, formats, and disposal of the Bible. And Judi Tyler is our first Catechism Question winner! Links Oremus Bible Gateway www.mainstreetlutherans.com Instagram Facebook Threads YouTube ‪(734) 250-9554‬ Music by Viktor Hallman Find it at https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/jcOQ6kY2Cy/ Through Epidemic Sound Support Main Street Lutherans by...