Around this time of the year in 1985 Madonna released the song "Material Girl." She crooned: "I am living in a material world and I am a material girl..." With apologies to Madonna, if I had that song to sing today, I would change it to a "digital world." So much of our life, it seems, is lived in front of a computer screen. I don't think the church needs to uncritically embrace all of this technology, but I do think we can use many of the new gifts for the spread of the Gospel and the upbuilding of the Kingdom of God. For one simple example, I enjoy listening to several podcasts each week when I am in my car on the way to visits... call it virtual/digital continuing education.
In that spirit, I would like to alert you to a few new "digital" features to celebrate in our midst:
The monthly newsletter is now available for download (PDF file), usually before the print copy hits your mailbox.
The weekly bulletin is also available, along with the weekly announcements (also a PDF file), usually on Friday or Monday.
Sermons for the past several weeks are available on our web site as well (MP3 format).
And in this same spirit, new ways of doing things also call for new ways of serving. We give thanks for all those who for over 50 years have faithfully "run the tape" of our worship services to the radio station. In the past weeks we have moved to transferring this digitally and so now need a new corp of volunteers to digitize and upload the worship service for broadcast. Talk to me if you are interested.
By the way, we have moved a bit down the radio dial. We are now on FM 99.1 WFRO Fremont, 11:30 am Sundays.
Groundhog Day?
This past Monday many celebrated Groundhog Day. February 2nd is also important as a church festival as well, for it is on this day, 40 days from our celebration of Christmas, that we celebrate the Presentation of Our Lord in the Temple (Luke 2:22-40). If you would like to hear a little more about this festival, I would invite you to listen to my sermon on the text, which also fell on December 28.
New Technology, New Songs
Since these reflections are digitally themed this week, I thought I would suggest one way to try some of the many wonderful songs in our new Evangelical Lutheran Worship Hymnal:
1. Find the hymn you are interested in singing.
2. Looking the bottom right hand corner in the tiny print for the tune name (above the meter).
3. Google "CCEH tune
4. Click on the "Play as MIDI file" link.
5. Example "In His Temple Now Behold Him" (ELW 417), tune: Regent Square, meter: 8 7 8 7 8 7, would be googled "CCEH tune Regent Square."
Prayer
Finally, in our prayers this week we call to mind all who are left out of the digital world and seek, with God's help, creative ways to connect in "low tech" or "no tech" ways with all of God's children.
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