u/Sufficient-Cow-3761

Full disclosure: I haven't attended an LCMS church in almost 15 years. I haven't attended any church in that length of time. I've found and have been going to an LCMS church again for the past year or so. I've talked with the pastor about possibly joining the church. He mentioned that I would need to do a profession of faith class that is 9 weeks in length.

Am I nuts for thinking 9 weeks is way too long? Baptized and confirmed LCMS. I understand 15 years is a long time but.....wow.

I emailed my previous church and asked them what their process is and they said they'd just have me in for a 15-20 minute meeting and sign a form stating my profession of faith. I'd just go back there but I'm no longer in the area.

Can anyone speak to what the culture is like working within the corporate offices? What are days like? How are the people and managers? Does work/life exist? Does the pay match the workload? Hows the stress that comes with the job?

Really any insight on how working in corporate is would be appreciated!

I’m looking to hear from those who have firsthand experience with an LCMS/Catholic marriage.
If you are an LCMS member, did you get married in the Catholic Church because your spouse was Catholic? If so, how did you navigate that decision?

Has anyone chosen a courthouse wedding instead? If so, what led you to that choice? Did you end up doing a “blessing” in either church afterward?

For those with children, how did you approach raising them? Did you raise them in one church, or did you decide to have one child raised Catholic and another LCMS?

I’d appreciate hearing about your experiences and what you learned along the way. Thank you in advance.

What's the best day to watch planes coming in before Airventure actually starts on Monday? Saturday or Sunday? Looking primarily for military/warbirds and heavies.

I'm looking for some advice from people who have gone through cancer or career transition.

After several months away from work while undergoing chemotherapy and recovering, I'm approaching the point where I need to decide what comes next. The challenge is that the time away has given me a chance to reflect, and I'm no longer sure I want to return to the same type of work I was doing before.

Part of me is hesitant because I still deal with some fatigue and want to be realistic about my energy levels. Another part of me wonders whether this experience has simply changed my priorities and what I want from my career moving forward.

Has anyone else struggled with returning to work after a significant illness or life event? How did you determine whether you were burned out from the experience, needed more time to recover, or were genuinely ready for a different career path?

For context, I'm mid 30's, college educated, and my professional background includes claims, payroll, and union benefits administration. I'm trying to figure out whether I should return to a familiar role, pursue something new, or look for opportunities that better align with my long-term goals.

I'd appreciate hearing about your experiences and any advice you have.

For those familiar with LCMS/Catholic weddings, I’m curious how this is usually handled.

If one person is LCMS and the other is Catholic, is it generally considered okay from an LCMS perspective to get married in a Catholic church? Does it depend mostly on the LCMS pastor, the Catholic priest, and the details of the service?

Also, has anyone done a Catholic church wedding and then later had a blessing, prayer, or recognition at an LCMS church? I’m wondering whether that is appropriate or common.

I know we would need to speak with both pastors/priests directly, but I’d appreciate hearing respectful experiences or guidance from others who have been through something similar.

One more thing: I've always been LCMS but fell away from my childhood church and am looking to return to another LCMS church. The new church is telling me I need to complete a 9 week class. I was born, raised, baptized, and confirmed LCMS. I asked about a "profession of faith" but the pastor redirected me to the 9 week class. Is this the new norm in LCMS churches?