John's favorite photo

John Noltner, a Minneapolis-based photographer, traveled to India in 2004 to visit projects sponsored by Lutheran Partners in Global Mission, Minneapolis, an independent Lutheran ministry. Many ELCA congregations help support the work of LPGM, a mission advocacy organization.

Here he shares why this is his favorite photo from that trip.



When the congregation of St. Luke Lutheran in Park Ridge, Ill., decided to update the air conditioning unit in their church, the people of Kolakaravadi, India, received a great gift. Through a joint project of Lutheran Partners in Global Mission, Minneapolis, and MSAADA Architects, a nonprofit architectural service organization in Minneapolis, St. Luke members tithed 10 percent of their fundraiser to sponsor a building project in India. As a result of this project, called “Sharing the Blessings,” the village of Kolakaravadi received a new chapel.

St. Luke needed to remove a wooden beam in its church for the new air conditioning unit. Out of that beam members fashioned five small wooden crosses that they sent to the five leaders of the village chapel in India for the ground-breaking ceremony.

The small cross in the hands of that Indian man is symbolic of the relationships LPGM builds across thousands of miles and vastly different cultures—all in the spirit of Christian love for one another.

This week's front page features:

David Solie, author of "The geriatric gap: Our aging blind-spot" and How to Say It to Seniors: Closing the Communication Gap with Our Elders, leads a discussion about the aging process and how it affects both older adults and their families.

He'll answer questions and respond to comments from The Lutheran's readers today through Jan. 24 in our discussion forums.

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We'll tabulate the results and share them with readers of The Lutheran, so those congregations facing financial difficulties or that want to fund a special project may benefit from your experience.

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The deadine for completing the survey is Feb. 3.

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This week on our blog:

Andrea Pohlmann (right) blogs about MLK Day and a lifetime of service.

Amber Leberman challenges readers to test their knowledge about Martin Luther King Jr.

Kathleen Kastilahn blogs about paraskavedekatriaphobia. (Don't know what that means? You'll have to read her blog posting to find out.)

Sonia Solomonson blogs about finding "white space" in our hectic lives.

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Tell us! Where are they now?

It may be cold where you are, but The Lutheran staff is already thinking ahead to summer. And as you know, that’s reunion time. If there’s a person you’ve read about in The Lutheran and wonder where they are now, please let us know. We’ll try to track them down and give you an update. Think back, and then write us!

(Try to be as specific as possible—not just “Whatever happened to John, who I think I read about 10 years ago or so?" We’re a sharp staff but not clairvoyant.)

Send your requests by Jan. 31.

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