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Date: Tue, 24 Jun 1997 08:22:16 -0500
From: Gregory A Walter (flacius@geocities.com)
Dear all ELCA-listers;
Permit me to introduce myself: my name is Gregory Alan Walter. I am a
second-yea seminarian at Luther Seminary in St. Paul, MN. I am, perhaps
obviously Lutheran; I belong to the ELCA and am seeking ordination in
2000.
I was born on 28 July 1974, the commemoration date of J. S. Bach and
raised in Fairmont, MN, a small town on the prairie in southern
Minnesota. My father comes from the LC-MS, joining the old ALC for
sundry reasons. My mother stems from Danish pietism which became
American Baptist once entering the States. My father taught me
catechism ("you'll learn it better if you memorize it in German as
well"), my mother taught me music ("Bach to Chopin and no further").
St. Olaf College (Northfield, MN) provided my undergraduate education:
I majored in Mathematics (which I consider to be the modern-day
equivalent to the older university training in logic) and studied
Greek, Kierkegaard, political philosophy, and Dostoevksy. There's narry
an author in the extend 18th century (Pope to Austen) I do not like.
I am a devout fan of the Chicago Cubs (who broke a losing streak
yesterday) and consider myself blessed to live in the baseball
dispensation. I also seek to better my ears through Jazz, though I can
think of no finer aural thing than Shostakovitch's 7th String Quartet,
Chopin's 1st Nocturne (op. 9), Beethoven's Pathetique, ....
My commitments center in the /theologia crucis/: therefore I read a lot
of Luther, Kasemann, et al. My favorite 20th Century theologian is
Hans-Joachim Iwand (HJI); he's the sort of guy my confirmation kids would
call "hard-core." As my email address betrays, I enjoy Mattias Flacius
Illyricus, as well.
At St. Olaf College I was gainfully employed as a UNIX systems programmer,
so I am very familiar with UNIX, the Web, the Internet, &c. I welcome
correspondance of any kind and look forward to enjoying conversation with
you.
Yours Sincerely,
Gregory A. Walter
email: flacius@geocities.com
web address coming soon
---------------------------------------
Date: Tue, 30 Jun 1998
From: Jim Watson notbreadalone@hotmail.com
Hello all,
My name is Jim Watson, from Lafayette, Indiana. I'm a member of Gloria
Dei (ELCA) in Mulberry, Indiana. I came to the Lutheran Church after
reading Bonhoeffer and Luther in college, and also as a result of dating
a good Lutheran girl (now my wife). In repayment, I'm not putting her
through agony as I go through the candidacy process to discern whether
ordained ministry is God's will for me.
At this stage of life, as the ELCA and I try to find out if we're right
for each other, I am reading Luther and the confessions more deeply than
ever, studying theology and church history, and lamenting the fact that
I didn't take Greek when I had the chance. I would be glad to hear from
anyone who is going through seminary or recently finished, especially if
you have tips on family survival.
Currently I'm working as a software developer and consultant. I have
served my congregation as council member and president, lay worship
leader, Sunday School teacher, and occasional guitar player. If I had
any free time, I would probably pack up the family and go for a hike and
picnic at one of Indiana's beautiful (yes, really!) state parks.
Peace,
Jim Watson
notbreadalone@hotmail.com
---------------------------------------
Date: Wed, 17 Sep 1997 19:04:38 -0500
From: Pastor Robert White
May I introduce myself:
I am Pastor Robert White, pastor of Christ the Redeemer Lutheran Church
(ELCA) in Erie, Pennsylvania. I have served Christ the Redeemer for two
years. We are a smallish parish (average worship attendance about 90)
just outside the east edge of the city of Erie (on the lake of the same
name).
Previously, I served parishes in the vacinity of Hanover, Pennsylvania
(about half an hour east of Gettysburg).
I am a second career pastor (actually more than two) and a 1987
graduate of Gettysburg Seminary. Prior to seminary I taught English in
high school and college and pursued an advanced degree in British
Literature.
In addition to parish responsibilities, I currently serve as chair of
the Northwestern Pennsylvania Synod Task Force for Worship and as member
of the board of directors of a social service agency near Pittsburgh.
Currently I am interested especially in liturgy and in developing
the adult catechumenate in a smaller parish.
More personally: I am married, have two daughters (one a sophomore at
Carnegie Mellon Univ. in Pittsburgh, the other a junior in High School).
I am an avid bicycle rider in the warmer weather and cross-country skier
when there is enough snow. There is not a much better read than a
classic British mystery (although Dickens or Jane Austen will do on a
long winter's night.)
Pastor Robert White
Christ the Redeemer Lutheran Church (ELCA)
863 Silliman Ave.
Erie, PA USA 16511-2060
814-899-3264
email: xrredeem@erie.net
<---You can't conceive, my child, nor can I or anyone,
the appalling strangeness of the mercy of God.--Graham Greene
--------------
Date: Tue, 30 Jul 96 11:29:13 EDT
From: mwine@sherman.icnet.com
Hello! My name is Michael Wine, member of Bethel Lutheran Church located in
the metropolis of Manassas, Virginia. :^) My wife is Deby, and we have two
boys, Jacob (10) and Galen (6). I have been a SCS teacher for 2 years, last
year for the Junior Highs. (who is teaching who?)
I am interested in most anything that will help me get a more personal
relationship with the Lord.
My earthly interests: helping people, volunteer teacher of Hunter Education
in Virginia, serving Bethel as SCS teacher and committee chair (Lock Up Crew
[security]), aquariums, and having fun with my family. In my weekly rut I am
a computer software engineer.
-----------------------
Date: Tue, 16 Jul 1996 10:23:22 -0400
From: Tom.Wittel@DANA.COM
I have good news: the tomb is empty: He is Risen!
I am a life-long resident of Northwest Ohio (Perrysburg). I am 48, married
(Cheri) and have two daughters Lori, 14 and Amy, 16. Prior to living six
years in Perrysburg, Cheri and I lived 13 years in Temperance, Michigan,
just across the Toledo, Ohio/Michigan line. (Remember the great
Ohio/Michigan border war? Ohio got Toledo, so I don't know who won the
war!) And don't forgot the joy of northwest Ohio: It's so flat you can see
tomorrow coming!
Education:
Bowling Green State University (Go Falcons!) Liberal Arts
Employment:
I am a lease asset manager for the Dana Corporation (16 years service), a
fortune 100 manufacturer of automotive/vehicular components, both O.E. and
aftermarket. Did you ever go to your local NAPA parts store? Dana makes
all those engine/chassis parts!
Lay Ministry:
I am an elected member of the Ohio District Board For Mission Services
representing the northwest Ohio circuit and beginning my final year of
elected service. My circuit represents (1) Campus Ministry (Bowling Green
State University) in which we recently converted the campus ministry to a
parish ministry (Community of Christ Lutheran Church and Student Center);
(2) Deaf Ministry (Good Shephard of the Deaf) of about 80 communicant
members under the pastorate of Shirrel Petzoldt; (3) various traditional
parish ministries.
A 1987 graduate of the LCMS Michigan District's Michigan Lutheran Ministries
Institute (MLMI), a lay training institute of the district's mission board.
As an outreach ministry specialist I am associated with various church
planting starts in southeast Michigan and northwest Ohio.
Recreation:
Baseball/Softball umpire certified for ASA and AABC. Favorite memory: Long
hit ball down outfield foul line, drops foul by four inches; Coach storms me
while screaming that I missed the call, claiming ball hit fair; I point to
the sun and ask the coach if he can see it; I tell the coach that on a
clear day I can see the sun and it is 93 million miles away. I clearly saw
the ball drop foul 200 feet down the line. I laughed, but coach did not. I
stayed in game, but coach did not!!
All-time best quotes:
1. "People don't care how much you know, until they know how much you
care!"
2. Mark Twain, "Those who don't read good books have no advantage over
those who can't."
All-time best movie:
Mr. Holland's Opus
Favorite Websites:
1. Click and Clack's "Cartalk" (from National Public Radio network)
http://www.cartalk.com/
Worship Preferences:
Alternative (I don't know what that means, either!), but high church is okay
once in a while, like for funerals.