Madagascar Photo

As I promised...a photo.  Here is Jacob Corzine with a lot of Malagsy children...  Jacob is a fourth year seminarian at Concordia Theological Seminary.

Innovative

What would you say is the most innovative company in America and why?

Madagascar

A group from Concordia Theological Seminary just got back from the big island, Madagascar.  They seemed to have a great trip.  Six students and Professor Pless made the trek.  If you are a facebooker, go see Prof. Pless’s profile and check out the cool photos.  If not, I’ll try to get some of them here soon.  Welcome home, crew! 

Fly Like a Bird

I’m saying goodbye to the great white, wet, miserable north!  Well, at least for a couple of days and boy will I miss my wife.  But I’m going to Texas.  I’ll be in Houston for the next five days.  If you are around, come and say hello.  Salem Lutheran Church in Tomball, Memorial Lutheran Church and School in Houston, St. Mark’s Lutheran Church in Conroe, and Gloria Dei Lutheran Church in Houston are my stops.  Give the church a call to find out when I’m there and come chat with me.  I’d love to visit with you.  Maybe by the time I get back it will be in the 60’s here…

A Friend Comes to the Seminary

The Seminary has called the Rev. Brian Mosemann to be the new dean of students.  He replaces Rev. Timothy Puls after a 10 year run in that post.  Rev. Mosemann was my pre-seminary director at Concordia Chicago.  I’m happy that he has accepted and I look forward to having him in the Fort.  Blessings on your transition Mosemann!

A Visit Is Worth a Thousand Words

We just had a gentleman and his wife stop by for a seminary visit.  They were a very delightful couple.  I really enjoyed showing them around.  Originally from Indiana, he found and married his wife while studying at Concordia University Ann Arbor.  Our campus is very interesting place.  Even in the middle of a quarter break, it is still alive.  I would say there isn’t a place like it in the world.  And the best part about it: CTS belongs to the church.  It is your seminary.  If you are 5 years old or 85 years old…this is your seminary.  If you plan on being a pastor or if you don’t have any plan to change your career, this is your seminary.  AND it is alive as God uses ordinary means to form and shape future workers for his church. 

 

There is a lot of history with this campus.  Kramer Chapel towers over the upper plaza and the bell tower tolls the hour.  But most fascinating of all is that God takes poor miserable sinners and forms them into his servants.  From here into all the world, these pastors and deaconesses bring the Gospel to the lost and care for the God’s weak and sick. 

 

It’s a blessing to have such a place as Concordia Theological Seminary.  You really should stop by and take a look.  And if you can’t pray for the continued support of forming pastors and deaconesses for Christ’s church. 

Whiteout

The snow is falling in Fort Wayne again.  It is almost a whiteout at the seminary.  Of course it is a beautiful, but I just don’t want to go out in it.  When is spring gonna come??

Back in the Fort

To St. Louis and back and so I journeyed Wednesday and Thursday.  I was there talking about the synod’s upcoming Pastoral Education Month.  This yearly celebration of our synod occurs during the month of May.  There will be resources on the synod’s Web site and posters mailed to congregations.  Why?  Pastoral Education Month has been designated by the Synod’s Board of Directors to help educate the synod about the process of forming servants for Jesus Christ.  It encourages pastors and congregations in the processes of finding putting forth possible candidates for the seminary.  Also it provides a way to encourage financial support for the formation of the Lord’s workers.  Look forward to more information as this year’s celebration draws closer and closer.  Mark the calendar though…perhaps your church could have a Pastoral Education Sunday during the month of May.  Give me an email if you have any questions: steven[dot]cholak[at]ctsfw[dot]edu.

Normal is broke, be weird!

Everybody should know about Dave Ramsey.  Dave is a financial talk radio host, best selling author, and TV personality.  He speaks and writes about getting your finances in order and most importantly...about getting out of DEBT.  The normal way of life for most of us is to live paycheck to paycheck.  But there is a better way to do things.  Each dollar can have a name and our money can do what we tell it to do, rather than the other way around (money telling us what to do).  We all wanted to learn from someone to have financial peace, and no one ever teaches us.  We get out of high school with credit card companies marketing to us, but school never teaches us how to get by without the credit.  Well, I encourage you to be weird...drop your debt and have some peace.  Then you'll have money to spend, money to grow, and the most fun...money to give away!

We're having a heat wave...

A tropical heat wave. The temperatures have risen to about 40 degrees in Fort Wayne. Pretty crazy not to have to bundle up so tight. We had temps in the teens last week, with wind chill factors in the negative numbers. I don't know how long it will last, but it sure is nice.

A Meditation for Epiphany

In the name of the Father and the +Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen

O Daughter of Zion - your hill is the holy mountain of God. You have been citied high - for everyone to see. Your city cannot be hidden, yet you hide and desire sweet, sweet slumbers. For the air is thin and the view has become boring. So angels fill the still dark sky and beckon you to rise: "Hark the glad sound!" They sing. A thrilling voice announces to the ends of the earth: Behold, your Savior comes. Isaiah prepares your way. He has opened your gates and cleared your road of stones. John has warned you of the wrath to come! Preaching repentance, O Daughter of Zion, the Kingdom of God is at hand. Salvation belongs to our God through Jesus Christ our Lord. And that salvation is his reward for you to have. Upon the cross he has accomplished your freedom. God has become man and in that incarnation the almighty creator has taken on your flesh and your blood. Freedom is accomplished as God hanged upon the cross. There the Lord hath elected to show his love to you. Behold, O Daughter of Zion, Jesus has taken your sin and guilt and destroyed it there on Calvary. Your sin and punishment taken away - paid in full. Hark the glad sound - O you holy people of God. The Savior cometh. He cares not for the things of earth...nor the pleasures it doth offer. He comes and seeks you out for you he did suffer. Let us therefore be joyful - the Savior approaches and calls you righteous. Softly from his manger Jesus calls you: You are safe from danger, children you are freed from sin and death.

Behold, O Daughter of Zion, your Salvation comes, and has come and behold his reward is here. It is yours. Your city is not hidden, but exalted. You are the redeemed of the Lord.

Amen

Rev. Steven Cholak
CTS Kantorei Tour
Epiphany 2008

McDonalds takes on Starbucks

I'm a big Starbucks fan. It comes from 6 months of employment as they slowly got me hooked on the java bean. It also comes from the ethic I saw as I worked there. They spent more time on training employees (called partners at Starbucks) then they spent on advertising. They were true to their mission and their love of coffee. I haven't worked there for about a year. But I would say they've gone down hill. I wonder if it is their focus on selling everything, but coffee. Whatever the case, the Starbuck's Experience isn't what it was even one year ago.

So McDonald's announces that they are going to install espresso machines and hire employees they will call "baristas." It seems that maybe they are just doing what Starbucks has done so well in the past year or so. You'll be able to get anything you want to eat or drink - even buy some fancy music on your iPhone - but you won't be able to get a decent burger.

I've never really liked McDonalds, but I've used them. When I have to eat, I stop. Their practices won't bother me, because it can't get much worse. Starbucks, on the other hand, grieves me. I hope it turns around...but in case it doesn't I should start a backup plan.

Where do you get your coffee?