Twenty years ago, on the 25th anniversary of my ordination into the ministry, my wife gave me a beautiful money clip with an inscription commemorating that occasion. I have treasured that gift through the last two decades. Then two weeks ago the clip turned up missing. It is irreplaceable because of the personal meaning it held for me.
The feelings brought back memories of the time my wife Linda used her writing skills to win us a cruise to the Bahamas — a cruise that proved to be my favorite vacation. Late on Thursday evening, as our plane landed in Cleveland, the excitement of the cruise was still with us and all was right with the world. Our joy was about to be altered moments later when we went to claim our luggage.

The Evangelical Lutheran Church In America held its Churchwide Assembly in Minneapolis. Gathering in convention as an international church body as they do every odd numbered year, their gathering will be similar to such gatherings as they have been held in most Protestant denominations over the past several years – focusing on debate over the liberalizing of theological and ethical doctrines within the church.
As the ELCA and other denominations meet in such conventions, I am reminded of something that took place between Guenther Tharp and his mother several years ago.