THE PUBLIC MIND: PASTOR CLARIFIES MESSAGE IN PAPER

Dear Editor:

I appreciate very much the opportunity offered to churches by the Southeast Missourian to supply material for the "Church of the Week" column on Fridays. I have gladly submitted articles for this page and gladly read the messages from my colleagues.

I was therefore dismayed by two editorial errors on the part of the Missourian in printing what I submitted for Friday, Oct. 18. First, I wrote of the ministry of the church "to comfort the grieving," not "challenge" as it was printed.

More importantly, I wrote that "I do understand how some people have been hurt by their connection to the church." The insertion of "not" into this sentence makes it say the very opposite of what I sought to convey.

The church is not perfect by any means. Yet the mutual sharing of joys and sorrows in the church needs a reconsideration from those who, for whatever reason, have experienced only the sins of the church and not the message of God's gracious love.

Sincerely,

Rev. Craig L. Nessan, pastor

St. Mark Lutheran Church