Pastor's Blog

Having observed Veterans Day on Saturday, I give thanks for Pastor Drew’s military service as Chaplain in the Navy. I give thanks for everyone who has served and is currently serving...

Ever since worshipping on our Christ South campus, we have worked closely with Thrive, a ministry that provided childcare and education for children with special needs...

Last week I had the opportunity to attend our Synod’s Fall Convocation at Camp Lutheridge in Arden, NC. As an annual event, it is a time for rostered ministers in North Carolina to gather...

With uncertain markets, war in the Middle East, rising interest rates and company layoffs, everything from the news to the financial planner to my gut says to conserve, hold back, play it safe and protect yourself.

Over the years, I have experienced twists, turns, mountains, valleys, joy and pain. Through it all, I have benefited from the lessons learned as I endured each situation.

One of the most, maybe THE most, important ways we can live our faith is with daily devotions. A daily devotion can be a reading from a prepared book or simply reading through the bible. The idea, whatever your tool, is to get God into your daily life. Read from His Word and then spend some time in prayer.

Generosity is less about the amount of money we put into the plate and more about the grateful heart of the believer. And we know that God is all about the heart! For two weeks in October, we are going to combine our stewardship message with the songs of Tasha Layton. Tasha is a contemporary Christian artist who appeared on American Idol and has won several awards. She is now a well known Christian music singing artist who will perform a concert at Christ Lutheran on October 27. Make sure to get your tickets! Her words of gratitude for all that God has done fit nicely into our theme of a generous heart.

I can’t say exactly when we leave. I couldn’t tell you where we are going. What I can say is that this fall I’m deploying with the 350 sailors on my Navy ship as part of Carrier Strike Group 2. We are ready for the adventure. We’ve trained to uphold peace and we’ve trained for combat, if necessary. As the Chaplain, I’ve trained the crew to be ready mentally and spiritually.

I am so excited to have completed my first month here at Christ Lutheran. Wow! I am honored for this privilege to serve with you! I thank you for such a warm welcome!

Lisztomania or Liszt Fever: “The intense fan frenzy directed toward Hungarian composer Franz Liszt during his performances.”

It is with great joy and deep gratitude that I can finally announce Tony Hyde as our new Director of Property and Finance following Gregg Huether’s resignation.

Confession time: I have bribed my kids. There I said It. Maybe you have too? I have bribed my kids because, well, sometimes I need them to not be kids. I need them to be little adults, which means, really, to be quiet. It’s almost always to be quiet and keep calm. I know they can’t do it forever, and I know they don’t want to do it naturally because they’re kids. But I know they can do it for a time, and when I just must have that moment, I bribe them. I bribe them so they will “behave.”It’s funny when we say “behave” because what we tend to mean when we say to our children “behave” is not behave like a child, even though we are talking to children. No, what we mean is “behave” like an adult, even though you are a child. Keep quiet, keep calm, and do not pretend to be a dinosaur. Please? Pretty please!? If you do this, we can get ice cream after. And, just like that, BOOM, perfect little angels. But, of course, only for a time. 

Thrive Day School is beginning its 6th year starting in the fall. Below is a quick update from the Thrive Day School Board Chairman, Lane Goode.‍Thrive Day School continues to thrive! Summer school is in full swing in all 3 Thrive campuses: CLC Providence, CLC Concord, and Rock HIll. Enrollment for Fall 2023 shows very strong growth as well, so much so we are looking at options for expanding to accommodate the demand. The need to serve families in our community who have children on the Spectrum and other special needs has never been greater. We have parents traveling over an hour each way to reach a Thrive campus.

Find your new thing! Revisit an old thing! Try out several things! 8 Days of Service is an opportunity to serve in our community – a one-time thing or explore to find a new passion. If you are not close to Christ Providence in Charlotte, there are similar agencies in every community. Search for an option like a school that needs volunteers, an agency that ser0ves meals, or collection stations for almost anything you can imagine. My heart for serving others grows the longer I participate, and my faith is grown and challenged along the way … my relationship with God is strengthened and I meet His Holy Spirit everywhere I turn!

We have several people leaving the staff after a long tenure, the first being Lyndon Ratliff. Lyndon was the first person I ever hired at Christ Lutheran back in 1998. He first came in as our custodial and maintenance person, helping with everything from set up to minor repairs to cleaning. After his initial retirement, he stayed on with the staff to help with evening security and lock up. For 25years, Lyndon has been a fixture at Christ Lutheran — dependable, trustworthy, and forever welcoming to all. Happy Retirement, Lyndon!‍