Friday, July 11, 2008

Looking For A Congregation To Visit In Orland

I’ll be attending another conference on metrology, this time in the Orlando area from August 1st to August 7th. Just as my with my visit to Minneapolis last year, I will need to find a congregation so I may attend the Divine Service where the Word is preached purely and the Sacraments are administered rightly. Does anyone have a suggestion?

Last year I two great suggestions for a church visit. Dr. Veith had reported that University Lutheran Chapel was very good and TKls2myhrt had suggested Glory of Christ pastored by Klemet Preus. Certainly two great congregations and it was hard to pick one.

I decided to visit Glory of Christ and was made to feel as welcome as any place I’ve ever visited if not more so. I also had the opportunity after Pastor Preus’s Sunday school class to get to talk to Pastor William Cwirla who was in town for a Higher Things conference as was what seemed like nearly all of the Higher Things staff. Pastor Cwirla and I had a neat chat about vocation, chemistry and the field of metrology that probably bored those around us. Probably.

Anyhoo, I was just wondering if anyone had any ideas for the Orlando area that won’t make me think that I’m in some kind of goofy magical kingdom. Websites are sometimes ambiguous and not so helpful or simply misleading. I’m know there was a time when the “brand” LCMS meant something clearly defined but that was your grandfather’s church and as synodical officials are fond of reminding us, those days are long gone. With the LCMS trying to out-evangelical the evangelicals and be more “seeker sensitive” planning ahead and interviewing congregations has become a part of my travel strategy no matter where I go. Sad, but necessary.

So, any ideas….anybody?

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Actually, for a *large* church, we've found St. Luke's over in Oviedo (next door to Orlando) to be acceptable.... the liturgy is mostly traditional, the peaching mostly not bad, and the congregation itself is Slovak... worth a lok even if it isn't as *retro* as some might wish.

Preachrboy said...

LCMS churches there are not numerous, but when visiting my Mother-in-law we actually went to an ELS church in Kissimee that wasn't too shabby.

http://www.peacelutherankissimmee.org/site/default.asp?sec_id=140000398