Being a new WELSian has been interesting. This past Sunday, people introduced themselves to me as former LCMSers gone WELS. The common theme was the whole SEMINEX controversy and what was going on during that time. I heard about Sunday School curriculums that blatantly said trust the SEMINEX leaders. I heard about people who were in a lot of pain. We discussed when we thought the LCMS would begin ordaining women. I say within the next 20-30 years, myself. The whole women as elders and as elected leaders in the congregation is a step towards this, no matter what people may think and say.

I have found I must adjust to a new mafia. Being the Godson and nephew of a pastor and a cousin of a DCE allows one to see the LCMS mafia in action. Yes, there is a LCMS mafia, and how you become a member of it is being either in the ministry or have family in the ministry. I have two degrees of separation between me and the First Vice President of the LCMS, and he probably doesn't know it. Everybody knows everybody. Now I am in a Synod where I know three pastors. I needed multiple pairs of limbs to count the number of LCMS pastors I know. Anyway, I now have to slowly weave myself into the WELS.

There is a culture shock. The Common Service is familiar, but there are enough tweaks to it to make it difficult to follow along without a hymnal. The newer services don't seem to have much in common with anything I know. That's just reality. I expected it.