St. John, who baptized

     Of course I should have mentioned in my last post that we do prayer around the cross every Friday at 9:30 p.m. The church is at 119 W. Cherry St. in Shenandoah. You mau come in your jammies or dancing shoes, whichever suit your plans for afterward.

     And this week, it is on St. John;s birthday. How  I love him, the last of the OT prophets! Back at St. Johns' 125th anniversary, when we were deciding which St. John to claim as patron, my father lobbied strongly for this one, and suggested that we remame ourselves, "Ye Brood of Viper
sLutheran Church." (Luke 3:7) footnote: at the end of the day we decided to claim the patronage of every St. John, hence "St. Johns'."

    He was not a mincer of words, this saint. He spoke his truth, and it was always about Jesus, from thei first meeting before they were born when he jumped in his mama;s belly with the joy of recognition. He tol his followers of someone greater coming after him, when Jesus arrived, he and God both acknowledged him.

     He wasn't at the crucifixion--he'd already been killed. But Matthias Grunewald painted him there. And to do what? To point, with that long finger, to Jesus.

     What a calling! Never part of the inner circle, but so much more--the one Jess called the greatest of those born of women.

     Come out tonight and we'll celebrate his birtday.