Taboo News

Hello, friends! I know your ears are just itching to hear about the LCMS-U conference last week, so here I am to tell you.

This was a conference packed full with college students and campus ministers. (Unfortunately, none of our students could come, because FSU started back up on Wednesday.) The topic was "Taboo" -- we talked about all those topics no one likes to talk about: specifically, sex and sexual sin. We had many good speakers, sectionals, and times of worship, and if I told you about everything that happened, my blog would become a novel. So here are some of the highlights of Taboo for me!

• I got to stay with my dear friend Megan Panurusky! It was so delightful to spend time with her and learn about her new business. She does event planning, web design, written content, and research for Christian churches and organizations, all with a ministry perspective. Check it out: http://www.bridgingthegapmss.com/
• I was an exhibitor, along with Pastor Jay. We were promoting the Lutheran Campus Initiative. I enjoyed the conversations we had, and I hope some of them will bear fruit! (You should also ask Pastor Jay to tell you the funny story about the banner stand.)
• The Concordia nerd in me was very happy to have so much worship time, especially when it involved Matins with Hymn 941. :)
• Probably my favorite sectional speakers were Rev. Dan McMiller and David Fiala, both former LCMS missionaries. They spoke about how the Word of the Cross is "taboo" in society, and the joys and difficulties of missionary work.
• Speaking of missionaries, the speaker at our banquet Tuesday night was none other than Anthony DeLiberto, who I first met in Peru two years ago! It was wonderful to reconnect with him and Jamie.
• Our plenary speakers were excellent; they included Scott Barefoot, Rev. Tom Eckstein, Rev. Dr. Peter Scaer, and Rev. Roger Sonnenberg. Scott Barefoot was particularly inspiring; I highly recommend the book he co-wrote with Rev. Richard Starr, called "Forgive Us Our Sins - Homosexuality in the Light of God's Truth."
• One interesting development happened Wednesday morning. A pro-homosexuality group heard about our event's topic and set up a table in the center where the conference was being held. This was handled in a great way by event staff: they bought the group hot chocolate and engaged them in conversation. It was a  demonstration of speaking the truth with love.

I also wrote this week's church newsletter about the conference; you can find it here: http://campaign.r20.constantcontact.com/render?ca=8dd821a3-2a82-4ffb-8943-33ebc5f7d9a8&c=c0251f40-c0ec-11e3-b8ed-d4ae5292c38a&ch=c03f5e00-c0ec-11e3-b8ee-d4ae5292c38a

I hope you enjoyed this special edition of Taboo News. Now my blog will return to its regular schedule of being published on Thursdays!

Two pictures from the conference: me with the honorary LCI representative and the real LCI representative.