The WORST seat ever!

I've been to Tiger Stadium with all its obstructed view seats. I've been to Ford Field and peered through the net behind the goal posts. I've been to Chrysler Arena and had the hand rail almost at eye level...but I've never had a worse seat than this ticket. I thought I'd spend some quality time with my son at a basketball game. Shak has left the Miami building, seemingly along with everyone else but I still wanted to see the Pistons play even if it was the worst team in the NBA. I walked up to the usher and he instructed that we were three rows from the bottom. Actually, we were the first row, right behind the band, The Sun Messengers.

Wow! The farther down the steps we got the better our seats looked. Until, that is, we sat in them. This seat is sandwiched against the portable bleachers behind the basket. The problem is that they are lower than the bleachers and right down the sideline. So when I sat down I could see none of the court and I don't mean there were some plump Pistons fans blocking my view. Because my seat was lower than the bleachers I was smashed against, I could see no part of the court. I had to look up to see the screen. It was my only hope to snatch a glimpse of the Pistons.

Because of technical difficulties I cannot get the picture off my phone to my computer. I will, but until then trust me this seat was the worst. How did I end up with it?

Stub Hub! I scanned the internet and found a seemingly good deal. Now Stub Hub won't give you the seat number before you buy the seat due to privacy restrictions. Fine. I get that. But there needs to be some explanation like, "Buy this seat so you can hear the band." or "With this seat there will be nothing blocking your view...of the giant scoreboard hanging from the rafters."

On the way to the game, I passed by the ubiquitous scalpers in the parking lot. "No I don't need tickets."

Oh, the irony. I had tickets but I had no view.

As it turned out, not many showed up for Beach Night so we moved across the aisle and had an excellent view.

However, if you peruse Scrub Snub and see this ticket, be afraid, be very afraid.

Here is LCMS president Kieschnick's response to The Wall Street Journal article: Letter to the Editor:

As President of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod, I express my extreme disappointment over the column “Radio Silence” published March 28 under “Houses of Worship.” Its author presents a distorted account of the reason for the discontinuation of the “Issues, Etc.” program on the Synod’s KFUO-AM Radio station. What is even more disturbing is the false and misleading picture she presents of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS) as a deeply divided church regarding its mission and ministry.

First, let me say our church is happy to own and operate KFUO-AM, the oldest continuously operating religious radio station in the country, if not the world. We are proud of the ministry it has provided listeners for some 84 years, and we endeavor to continue this ministry. I must also note that all ministries of the church, of which KFUO-AM is but one, require financial support from their constituencies.

Here are the facts surrounding the termination of “Issues, Etc.” This program was cancelled by the Synod’s director of communications after years of attempts to keep the program financially solvent. In fiscal year 2007-08, KFUO-AM’s operating deficit was $620,000. Since 2001, the accumulated deficits of the station have been in excess of $3.5 million. While airing for only 18 percent of KFUO-AM’s programming week, “Issues, Etc.” in the last fiscal year accounted for more than 40 percent ($250,000) of the station’s total deficit. These figures are based on the audited financial statements of the LCMS. As of February 29, two thirds into the current fiscal year, KFUO-AM was on pace to suffer heavy loses again.

Listeners of “Issues, Etc.” have had nine years and countless invitations and opportunities to support the program financially, and some have, but not nearly enough to offset the show’s deep, ongoing losses.

More importantly, I wish to address the unfortunate comments in the column that The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod is deeply divided and that it is pushing “church marketing” over the historic confessions of the evangelical Lutheran Church.

In truth, last summer the LCMS had its most positive and unified convention in years. Our church remains faithful to the Scriptures and Lutheran Confessions, an integral part of our identity as a church body. As stated in a resolution adopted last summer by the national Synod convention: “From the founding of our Synod 160 years ago, we have been blessed by unity in our common confession and the articles of our shared faith, such as the Trinity, the person and work of Christ, original sin, baptismal regeneration, the real presence of Christ’s body and blood in the Sacrament, the inerrancy of Scripture and many others.”

In accordance with our unity in what we believe, teach, and confess, the Synod adopted the mission and vision of Ablaze!—a focused and concentrated effort to “share the Good News of Jesus Christ with those who do not yet know him.” One goal of Ablaze! calls for the Synod to start 2,000 new congregations by the 500th anniversary of the Reformation in the year 2017. This outreach emphasis is not “marketing” as suggested by last Friday’s column; rather, it is one of many ministry endeavors developed to foster the mission of our Synod “… vigorously to make known the love of Christ by word and deed within our churches, communities, and the world.” (LCMS Mission Statement)

In summary, The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod is more committed than ever to proclaiming the one message of Jesus Christ and his love for all (1 John 4:9-11).

On behalf of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod, I invite readers to visit our website at www.lcms.org for more information on God’s grace and salvation in Christ.

The Rev. Dr. Gerald B. Kieschnick, President
The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod

Issuing a response to the Issues Etc. issue

Here is David Strand's complete explanation found on the LCMS website.

Here is one analysis of that response.

Shhhhh. Did you hear that?

Recently, Mollie Hemingway, a writer in Washington, and former member of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod's Board for Communication Services wrote an article in The Wall Street Journal on the cancellation of Issues, Etc.

The article is a great compendium concerning the Issues, Etc issue. Read the article and listen to the interview here.

On a different and more comedic note, this article brought a smile to my fisherman's face.

Easter Vacation DONE list

I'm nearly finished with the second reading of The Fire and the Staff. It's better the second time around. I've highlighted some quotes that I'll use as blog fodder at a later date. It's also given me some good ideas for a couple of Blog entries similar to the weekly Caption Contest, that has not been so weekly, as of late.

Beach Night at the Pistons/Heat game was...interesting. Our seats were terrible. Pictures will follow. I can't believe you can buy this ticket at The Palace. Honestly, I could not see the floor. I know people will exaggerate when describing visible obstructions but there is no hyperbole here. Even Mr. Hardy, who happened to be at the same game, saw what I saw....the bottom of the bleachers, a guard rail and the backs of Pistons fans. At any rate, it was Beach Night and it was appropriate that as we walked back to our cars we were greeted with four inches of snow. Nice. I scraped the windows and then settled in for the trip home. Usually it's a twenty-five minute ride home. Last night those twenty-five minutes morphed into a seventy-five minute, white-knuckle nightmare. I was driving through white-out conditions on M-59 at the end of March! Ugh!

If you have never heard of Issues, Etc., you need to discover this confessional repository immediately. Stop reading now and discover Issues, Etc. When the discovery is over hit the back arrow and then find out more information concerning Issues, Etc.'s cancellation. The cause and effect pattern should move you to action. Print the information and take it to your pastor. Ask if he's heard of the show and then ask if you could place a blurb in the church bulletin about the show's demise. It may divert attention from the announcement concerning the Easter lily recycling project, but some times, some matters are important. Issues Etc. is one of those matters.

At the very least educate yourself about the Issues, Etc. issue. One great program was Issues, Etc.'s review of Joel Osteen's book, Your Best Life Now. Listen to the review and discover the importance of Issues, Etc.

More issues about Issues, Etc.

If you value the clarity of the Gospel and a program that cherishes the clarity of the Gospel message, here is some contact information to let these people know that cancelling Issues, Etc. was a mistake:

Synod: 888-843-5267
KFUO: 314-725-0099
David Strand:David.Strand@lcms.org
Synod's address:1333 S. Kirkwood RoadSt. Louis, MO 63122-7295
infocenter@lcms.org

There is also a petition that people can sign to show their support. Don't feel like committing to the petition? That's fine. Scan the names and see the Michigan people that support Issues, Etc. Better yet, read the comments and you will see how important this program has been.

If you have never heard of Issues, Etc. check out the link on the side of my page or some of these:
Issues, Etc information from various blogs, and other blogs, still more info on blogs, and a Facebook account has also been created.

Read them to know what's going on.

I'd love to hear your reaction.

Bring Issues Etc. Back!

One of the best programs I have encountered has been yanked. Issues Etc. has been removed from the KFUO website. This show was a repository of information. Many of my chapel messages have used information gathered from the programs I heard on Issues Etc. I have been blessed with the opportunity to teach youth Bible classes and have used Issue Etc. as a resource. The young people I daily interact with need and crave such clear, such strong information. The devil assails our faith in a variety of ways and we all need resources to help us focus on Christ and the cleansing righteousness we receive through his death and resurrection.
I'm on Easter vacation and like my previous post stated, I am going to reread some old favorites. I'm on page 75 of The Fire and the Staff and I absolutely love the clarity of the life-in-Christ focus this book proffers. Issues Etc. proffered the same clarity on so many topics. Wondering about Joel Osteen and what he believes and how his beliefs limit the Gospel? Search "Osteen" on the Issues Etc. website. Wondering what Beth More believes? Does it really matter if Christ is truly present in the Lord's Supper? If death is the disease we contract at conception, have you wondered how infant baptism is the panacea? These and so many more questions are answered via the various interviews on the show. It's discouraging to find out, for whatever reason, that this show has been pulled.
Use "the Google" and research this for yourself. Some blogs and other websites are archiving the shows. Listen and save the programs while you can.
It's vacation so I'll have time to add updates on this serious decision.

He is Risen! He is Risen, Indeed! Alleluia

Easter Vacation To-Do List

1. Praise our Creator for the gift of grace he gave to everyone through Christ's death and resurrection. His is risen. He is risen! indeed! Alleluia!

2. Watch Lebron James play. Nothing better than a road trip to see Lebron in Cleveland and visit the school where I used to teach. It's the same high school that Mr. Felten attended as a youngster. Too young to attend school, while I was teaching at Lutheran West, I did teach his oldest brother. I also remember Mr. Felten running the Lutheran West hallways in a fashion similar to the Li'l Ebelettes.

3. Get some preliminary miles in on the bike. I'll ease into the season since I purposely tried not to ride during the winter.

4. Catch up on grading.

5. Usually I get excited about some new reads. This vacation I'm revisiting some old reads. Lately, I've been discouraged and frustrated with the attitude that Lutheran theology doesn't much matter. As long as we believe Christ died for our sins, any other beliefs, as different and contrary to scripture as they may be, are just fine. While I agree that it is only belief in Christ that matters for salvation, that doesn't mean salvation via baptism doesn't matter. It also doesn't mean that churches that believe it is not Christ's body and blood we receive at the Lord's Supper doesn't matter. It also doesn't mean that Christless videos and Christless works and Christless anythings do not matter. Christ must always remain at the center of our existence. There are two great reads that discuss this matter. Daniel Preus', Why I am a Lutheran, and Klemet Preus', The Fire and the Staff. I'll be rereading those to gain focus on what is important. I know this will aide my discouragement and help others see why Christ, and the cleansing righteousness we receive because of all he has done, must be the center of our lives.

6. Relaxingly drink coffee in the morning without rushing off to school.

7. Enjoy several relaxing meals at Luigi's, the finest eatery in The Clem.