IN MY OPINION, THE LUTHERAN CHURCH HAS LOST TOUCH WITH ITS ROOTS AND WITH ITS CHRISTIANITY. I AM SICK AND TIRED ABOUT PEOPLE CALLING THE CHURCH "MY CHURCH". GET IT THROUGH YOUR THICK HEADS THAT IT IS JESUS' CHURCH, NOT "my church". WE LUTHERANS USED TO LOOK OUTWARDS AND WELCOME EVERYBODY. MANY EARLY CHURCHES TO THE NATIVE AMERICANS WERE LUTHERAN CHURCHES AND THE LUTHERAN CHURCH WAS THE FIRST IN AMERICA TO ACCEPT AFRICAN-AMERICANS AS FULL MEMBERS. NOW, IT SEEMS THAT AMERICAN LUTHERANS ARE AFRAID OF PEOPLE NOT OF THEIR OWN SKIN COLOUR OR THEIR OWN CULTURE. WE NEED TO BECOME MORE TRADITIONAL LUTHERANS.