Author Archives: PastorM

About PastorM

Pastor Michael Church and Pastor Terri Church (yes, that really is our family name) are helping the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Romania develop a new ministry to English-speaking Christians in the city of Cluj-Napoca, Romania.

“Your Lucky Day”

It was a sunny day in Paris.  Our family was just leaving the Champs de Mars, the big grassy park between the Eiffel Tower and the national military academy, when a woman greeted us.  In English, which immediately put us … Continue reading

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A Few Days in Paris. Toddler Included.

Pastor Terri and I are firm believers in vacation, at least in principle. In practice, it can be a little hard to pull yourself away from work that you enjoy. The result is that we haven’t had a Sunday off … Continue reading

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Hearing the Word

I’ve added a new page in the “About Worship” series, intended primarily for people who may come to us from other churches, and wonder just what we are doing on Sunday.  Sorry if it’s a little dry. Here’s the key … Continue reading

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Why Do We Confess?

Okay, I admit it:  Lutheran worship can seem a little strange.  It’s too plain for the Orthodox, and too fancy for the Reformed.  Anglicans and Roman Catholics usually catch on quickly, but many other Christians may find themselves wondering just … Continue reading

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The Glorious Fourth

Yesterday, we celebrated Independence Day.  At many American churches, this is unremarkable.  But here in Romania — in a service where only a few of us were from the United States — it was a different event.  Or, rather, it … Continue reading

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Now With More Sermons!

I have added a couple of recent sermons to our main English Ministry website, and will add more as time allows. There’s a new link on the side of the page, or else you can click this link here. These … Continue reading

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Seeking Victory

After this they went home, and sung a song of thanksgiving, and praised the Lord in heaven: because it is good, because his mercy endureth forever. — I Maccabees, 4:24 After a great victory against their enemies, God’s people “went … Continue reading

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Our Brother in Tanzania

This is Aaron.  Please pray for him. If you worship with us on Sundays, you will usually hear, among the prayers of intercession, something like this:  ”We pray for our partner churches in Romania and New York, and especially for … Continue reading

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Godspeed

Ave atque vale, the Romans used to say:  Hail and farewell. On Pentecost, we said goodbye to some friends.  Charles and Jann were here on sabbatical, Rob and Marsha because of sports.  But seasons and semesters end, and it was … Continue reading

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Cluj Ministry Video

One of the things that Lutheran pastors do is get together, with each other and with laypeople, at an assembly every year.  We call it a synod, from the Greek words for “on the same road.”  Anyway, I have ben … Continue reading

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