Meet Our Partners

Larry and Rudonna Goeringer, 

Peace Lutheran Church

This week we meet Larry and Rudonna (Ru) Goeringer from Peace Lutheran Church. I hope you enjoy this opportunity to get to know them better.

Larry & Rudonna

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We always warm up with some easy ones, so what are you favorite foods?

Larry - coconut cream pie

Ru - my homemade lasagna for all the happy memories it brings

And drinks?

Larry - coffee               

Ru - Dr Pepper

Do you have a favorite movie?

How To Be Perfect

To understand what Jesus means when he tells us to "be perfect", we need look no further than the doughnut hole.

Because in the same way that the doughnut hole does not exist without the dough, neither does our perfection exist without Christ.

• Leviticus 19:1-2, 9-18  • 
 
• Psalm 119:33-40  • 
 
• 1 Corinthians 3:10-11, 16-23  • 
 
• Matthew 5:38-48

Meet Our Partners

Eldon and Leta Goeringer, 

Trinity Lutheran Church

This week we're visiting with Eldon & Leta Goeringer from Trinity in Clinton. I hope you enjoy this opportunity to get to know them better. 

Eldon & Leta

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Let's start with the easy ones I usually begin with, what are your favorite foods?  

Eldon: Home Grown Steak w/baked potato & Green Salad 

Leta: T Bone steak

I guess that makes sense since you raise cattle! And your favorite drinks? 

Eldon: Water 

Leta: Ice tea

What's your favorite color? 

Eldon: Blue and Brown

Leta: Blue

Do you have a favorite song? 

Eldon:  Be Thou My Vision

Leta: Gather Us In

How long have you been members of Trinity? 

Eldon: 34 years but not consecutively .

Leta: 29 years 6 months that is when we moved back to the farm.

Tell me about your childhood.  Where did you grow up? brothers and sisters? schools? etc.

Loopholes

As human beings, we like to leave ourselves some wiggle room. And so life is full of loopholes and technicalities.

They give us an escape clause if we get caught doing something we shouldn’t be doing. And frankly, we like having a way to escape the blame or shift it to the other guy.

In our gospel lesson this morning, however, Jesus makes it abundantly clear that God’s well aware of this sinful human tendency.

And so he proceeds to close up all the loopholes and negate all the technicalities by offering us a sobering, cage-rattling and altogether unsettling recounting of the 10 Commandments.

 
• Psalm 119:1-8  • 
 
• 1 Corinthians 3:1-9  • 
 
• Matthew 5:21-37

Salt and Light

Salt is an important preservative that gives food added flavor and zest.  And salt also makes us thirsty.

As the dispensers of Christ’s salt, Jesus wants us to give flavor and zest to the world by dispensing his love and truth.

If we’re faithful in doing that, then the world will be thirsty for more.

Philanthropy in America

In October of 2010, I was invited to participate in Lviv's Ecumenical Social Week as the American representative at a round table discussion that included the Canadian Ambassador to Ukraine, the Vatican's Apostolic Nuncio to Ukraine, and the rector of the Ukrainian Catholic University. 

The topic I was asked to present on was Philanthropy in America. What follows is the text of my presentation.

I have been asked to speak about Philanthropy in America. But before I begin, I think it would be best if I gave you some idea of who I am and what it is that might qualify me to speak on this topic. Prior to coming to Ukraine a month ago, I was an ordained pastor in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America for nine years. I served congregations in Ohio and New York. So any thoughts I have about philanthropy in America are going to be from that perspective: What I have experienced at the local level in my pastoral ministry.

Also, just as all of you are proud of your Ukrainian heritage, I am proud my country and all she has accomplished over the course of her history. I am proud that according to a recent study down by the John’s Hopkins institute, “Americans give more to charity per capita and as a percentage of GDP than any other nation on earth.” Forbes Magazine, 12/26/2008 I am proud of how generous and compassionate America and her citizens have been in responding to such world crises as the 2004 tsunami in Asia and the earthquakes in Pakistan and Haiti. I am also proud of the congregations I served which were full of generous and compassionate people, who I believe they accurately represent the spirit of most Americans.

Do I think America’s perfect or above reproach? Of course not, but I am proud of America’s generous spirit. So I am honored to speak to you about philanthropy in America from my perspective as a parish pastor. I hope it will be useful to you in your own philanthropic efforts.

The theme for this ecumenical week: Philanthropy. Trust. Responsibility.
Captures a bit of wisdom that it took me a while to learn as a pastor. And that wisdom is this: Philanthropy needs to be done responsibly. Because if it is not – if philanthropy is done irresponsibly – then it can encourage dysfunctional behavior and create a spirit of irresponsibility and entitlement. By contrast, however, philanthropy that is done responsibly, empowers people to take on more responsibility in their own lives.

Compline

PRAYER AT THE CLOSE OF THE DAY

Compline

  

L             The Lord almighty grant us a quiet night and peace at the last.

C             Amen

L             It is good to give thanks to the Lord,

C             to sing praise to your name, O Most High;

L             to herald your love in the morning,

C             your truth at the close of the day.

                Hymn 282 or another hymn appropriate for a night service is sung.

               The CONFESSION follows.

L             Let us confess our sin in the presence of God and of one another.

Evening Prayer

EVENING PRAYER

Vespers

L             Jesus Christ is the Light of the world,

C             the light no darkness can overcome.

L             Stay with us, Lord, for it is evening,

C             and the day is almost over.

L             Let your light scatter the darkness,

C             and illumine your Church.

L             Joyous light of glory:

C             of the immortal Father;

                                heavenly, holy, blessed Jesus Christ.

                We have come to the setting of the sun,

                                and we look to the evening light.

                We sing to God, the Father, Son,

                                and Holy Spirit:

                You are worthy of being praised

                                with pure voices forever.

                O Son of God, O Giver of life:

                                The universe proclaims your glory.

L             The Lord be with you.