In remembrance of the Festival of the Reformation, Higher Things Internet Services is proud to gift you with a Higher Things Reformation. After three years our web site is getting a face lift.

For the past two months Higher Things Internet Services, led by the Rev. George Borghardt III has been working on a number of changes to the Higher Things web site. Our new look is a new approach to the web for HT, and from here it only gets bigger and better. HT Internet Services has been working extremely hard to give you a sharp new look for the web, and thanks to the talented and impressive design efforts of Mrs. Sandra Ostapowich we are pleased to present you with a gift, the new Higher Things web site, or as we call it, a Higher Things Reformation.

So without further adieu, here it is. All it's glory and gift, for you. Pax Christi!

Would your pastor do THIS to help your group get to "The Feast?"

Registration opens November 15! Start planning today!

Serenity: Good ole'Sci-Fi with a New Twist

I just saw Serenity last night.  This movie is kind of the culmination of a minor sci-fi cult following in a series called Firefly.  There are fan clubs, forums, more geekiness than you can imagine, unless you have ever been to a Dr. Who convention (been there; done that).  So what makes a movie like this tick?  Do you have to be a part of the in-group in order to watch the movie?

No.  that was one of the things I really enjoyed about the movie.  I hadn't seen any of the TV series before seeing the movie last night, but it didn't matter.  It was well written,  with a good balance of dialogue and action.  AND there wasn't a lot of insider stuff that sci-fi flicks are often known for.  It is a good action adventure that most anyone should be able to pick up on, strap in and enjoy.

So let's apply the Clint Eastwood rule to Serenity and see how we do:

The Good

The action was good.  It moved well.  As a techno-nerd, I enjoyed the ships and guns, and just enough fight scenes to really keep my interest and keep things movie.  In the same way, there is a level of depth to the characters that goes beyond your typical Steven Segal or Alien vs. Predator type movie.

The Bad

There wasn't any really offensive language that I remembered, which is unusual and very good.  Probably the most offensive part to the movie was the positive portrayel of the "companion" character named Inara Serra.  A companion is a prostitute.  My problem with the character is that prostitution is really held up as a noble and honorable profession, because it "services" the natural urges of humanity.  Ugh.

The Ugly (that is, the parts that really make the movie tick for the Christian)

Probably the two parts to the movie that I enjoyed the most were first of all the positive portrayal of a (presumably) Christian pastor known as Shepherd.  He is a fairly minor character, but he is depicted as having a firm sense of right and wrong, of self-sacrifice, and as providing a kind of moral compass in the midst of dark times.  Obviously Shepherd is no Lutheran, but that is a twist in a sci-fi flick to me.  He is also martyred, which is a nice touch.

The second really enjoyable part is watching Captain Mal Reynolds.  Reynolds struggles with whether his vocation as the captain of his ship is to take care of his crew and pasengers, to himself, or to larger needs of humanity (I don't want to say more without giving up the plot). 

The bottom line is that it is a good flick, it moves well, and that it would give some good opportunities to talk about vocation and sacrifice.

I give it an 8 of 10.

Enjoy!

Pr. Todd Peperkorn
Pastor
Sci-Feek Geek
New Firefly Fan

We've been trying new things on the HT webpage.  In fact, we want you to have something new every time you visit!

So, we're going to take our own stab at reviewing movies.  Always ready to poke fun at ourselves, we'll call this column "Higher Movies." (smile).  If you'd like to submit a review for our weekly movie review, you can submit it to me. 

This review is provided to you by our our resident Batman expert,  Pastor Petersen. 

"Fan Boy Bliss"

Batman Begins began last night. I couldn't wait for the weekend. Jacqui and I went. I read Batman comic books ever month and have for years. Being more than a casual fan I expected to be disappointed despite the good reviews. But I loved it, loved it, loved it. It may be the best comic book turned to movie ever. Jacqui even liked it.

What was good? For the fanboys: great casting, great origin story, great use of the Ra's Al Ghul and Scarecrow, great use of Lucius Fox and explanation of how Batman gets his gadgets, very low level love interest/story (thanks for that! I hate it when these get sappy.) and lots of great effects. The ultimate fanboy kick? The best, absolute best, batmobile ever and the best entrance to the batcave.

Only two minor disappointments: no pearls on the street in a pool of light after the Wayne's are killed. That is a classic comic panel and they could have paid homage there. At that point in the movie I thought they would and was bummed when they didn't. That would have been a very nice touch visually just to let us fanboys know they were paying attention. They also failed to show Batman as much of a detective/scientist. I know there are a lot of different Batmans in the books, but I've always been prone to the thinking batman.

For the non-fanboys? It is a good action flick. There is plenty of dialog, plot and character development, to supplement the “ooh-ahh” effects. It is just a good story. There is nothing deep here: just fun. I highly recommend it. 

Rev. David Petersen is pastor at Redeemer Lutheran Church in Fort Wayne, IN, and a member of the Higher Things Editorial Board. This review was taken with permission from his blog, CyberStones.

What do you think?  Tell us on the Higher Things Forums.

One of the cool things that we'll be adding to the Higher Things website is media!  We'll be achieving your favorite HT authors on Issues, Etc., in sermons, and podcasting our Daily Reflections.  

We are going to give you a little preview of our Media Section with a little taste of the Fall 2005 Edition of Higher Things and some lagniappe from Pastor Cwirla. 

Check out HT Media now!

Dear everyone,

October 15th has arrived and, as promised, The Feast is now online!

Check out the 2006 conference web page at: www.thefeastonline.org

• Download Registration Forms and Pre-Conference Information.
• Get a foretaste of our worship life at The Feast.
• Meet our Plenary Speakers and get a preview of some of the many great In-Depth Sectionals that are being planned.
• Explore the fun activities your group can enjoy in/around Colorado Springs.
• Get a sneak peak at the tentative schedule for the conference.
• Join in on the discussion at our Feast Forums.

Remember that registration will open on November 15, 2005.

On behalf of the rest of "Team Feast" we're looking forward to seeing you in Colorado Springs in the land of high altitude, low humidity, and for one week next summer, the next greatest Higher Things Lutheran Youth Conference!

So check now and check back often at www.thefeastonline.org. This will be your online home over the next 9 months as we prepare together for The Feast!

Enjoy the appetizer.

 

In Christ,

Mrs. Sandra Ostapowich, Plymouth, MN
Conference Publications Coordinator

Rev. Marcus Zill, Laramie, WY,
2006 Conference Director

"And in this mountain The Lord of hosts will make for all people A feast of choice pieces, A feast of wines on the lees, Of fat things full of marrow, Of well-refined wines on the lees."  (Isaiah 25:6)

Our Executive Editor, Pastor Todd Peperkorn, has been a very busy man lately!  He presented at the Lutherans in God's Word (LiGW) workshop at Memorial Lutheran Church in Houston, Texas on Tuesday.  His topic was "One Body at the Table."

He will be on Issues Etc this Sunday night discussing "Youth Ministry."  Check him out on October 16th from 10 pm to midnight CT online!  Listen Here!

The Fall 2005 issues of Higher Things is now on the press and will soon be out the door!  This issue has articles on everything from hell to video games, Narnia to plastic surgery, and the ever present Kathy Luder installment.  But for our online friends, we have three special additions:

• In addition, there is an article (also online in PDF) on how to listen to sermons by our own Pastor William Cwirla.  This article helps young (and old) with what they are to listen for, how to listen, when to cut the preacher some slack, and how to find Jesus.

In honor of Pastor Cwirla's article on preaching, we have also posted two articles that were originally sermons from the Dare to Be Lutheran youth conference.  Here they are:

• Equal to the Apostles, by Dr. Norman Nagel.  This was the sermon Dr. Nagel (one of Pr. Cwirla's teachers) preached at our Divine Service at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, this past summer.  We commemorated the Eve of St. Mary Magdelene, and the text was from Luke 7.  Dr. Nagel invites the hearers to recognize that Jesus is the one who draws us into HIs Holy Kingdom by HIs blood, and that "our sin is not the measurement of HIs love."  This sermon (along with a bunch of great pictures from DTBL), is also available in PDF format.

• Enslaved, Seduced, and Shackled: And 'The Lord was with Joseph' , by Pastor Peter Cage.  This sermon is on Genesis 39, the seduction of Joseph by Potiphar's wife.  This was probably one of the more interesting and difficult texts we had at Dare to Be Lutheran this past summer, and Pr. Cage did a wonderful job pointing out how Joseph's faithfulness points us to the faithfulness of Christ, who is always true to His Bride, the Church.  It is also available in PDF format.

Look for your copy of Higher Things in the mail in the next few weeks, and in the meantime, enjoy the teasers!

Pastor Todd Peperkorn, STM
Executive Editor
Higher Things: Dare to Be Lutheran
editor@higherthings.org

The Staff of Higher Things extends our prayers to those who are in the path of or effected by Hurricane Rita.  May the Lord keep you and your family safe and protect you from all harm and danger.

As you prepare for the Hurricane or watch the news, take a moment and ignore the weather and reflect upon the promise of the Gospel: 

"They cry out to the Lord in their trouble, and He brings them out of their distresses. He calms the storm, so that its waves are still." (Psalm 107:28-29)

Click here for our Hurricane Resources.

The Lord be with you!

Rev. George F. Borghardt III
Higher Things Web Committee
revborghardt@higherthings.org

It's time for something new, isn't it? The web committee has wonderful plans to change the look, feel, and content of the Higher Things website! In fact, we are so excited, we couldn't even wait until Advent. We've already begun. We've added:

• A new and more stable host.  Faster, quicker, better!   Do you like it? This change is already here!
• Think it's time for a whole new slew of moderators for the Higher Things Forums?  Done!  Check out the announcement here!

There's so much coming on the website, that I can't get into all of it!  But, I can tell you the following:

• A completely new look to the whole Higher Things website, complete with easy to navigate drop-down menus, information registration materials for The FEAST, and more!
• Daily Reflections for the full year!  Available through email, posted daily on our website, or download a seasonal booklet!  We've even got a slew of new writers!  Here are our 2005-2006 Reflectors:

 Are you excited?  I know we are!  It's coming soon!

In Christ,

Rev. George F. Borghardt III
Higher Things Web Committee
revborghardt@higherthings.org