Shared Lutheran Ministries at Ellinger

Advent 1, December 3, 2023

It was a privilege to be with SLM in Ellinger this week. The service began at 8:00 am, so I pulled out of my driveway at 5:30 this morning. It was a beautiful morning of dense fog as the sun came up.

SLM has been in an interim for a couple of years now, one of the longest. Pastor Marcia Kifer retired in 2021. They completed their ministry site profile in the summer of 2022, and we begin the search for candidates. They’ve had a few interviews, but have not landed on their next pastor yet. Recently, the interim pastor, decided to retire, so we are in the process of finding them a new interim pastor as their search continues.

People began gathering at around 7:30 AM, and they had a little sing-along for those who arrived early at 7:50 AM before the service began.

Worship was from Evangelical Lutheran Worship, but for the sing-along, they also had the former, green Lutheran Book of Worship in their hymnal, as well as with one voice, and one hymnal I had never seen before: Songs of Praise for Sunday Schools, Church Societies, and the Home, copyright 1935. It was published by The Lutheran Book Concern, and later by Augsburg Publishing House. Someone even requested hymn from that hymnal, when I had never heard before.

By the time worship began, the small country church had filled up. boy, these folks can sing, with harmony. Take note of the beautiful tin ceiling in this old, but well cared-for worship space.