Winter 2012 | Volume 110 | Number 662
Live, Give, Grow: Faith
Photo Credit: Ivonne/Veer; AP Photo/Sebastian; Image Source/Glow Images
Maybe It's All That Jell-O…
Want to live in a friendly place where people trust their neighbors and contribute to their community? Move to a small town with lots of Scandinavian Lutherans. An Iowa State University study examining ethnicity and religious heritage in small towns in Iowa found that communities with high proportions of Scandinavian Lutherans had more social capital – as measured by civic participation, volunteering in the community and friendly relations – compared with other towns. The researcher suggests the cultural and religious similarity of the town's residents may contribute to the high levels of trust and civic involvement.
Source: Journal of Religion and Society
Yarn: Not Just for Grandma
The knitted scarf you see on that 20-something in the grocery store might just be her own handiwork. According to the Craft Yarn Council, there's been a 150% jump in the number of women ages 25 to 34 who know how to knit or crochet. "Anecdotally, retailers nationwide attribute this increase to the vast array of yarns and trendy designs, as well as the social aspects of the crafts,'' says Mary Colucci, the Craft Yarn Council's executive director. If you're a yarn aficionado, too, check out Ravelry, the social networking site for yarn lovers, where users can find not one, but two, Lutheran online knitting groups.
Source: Craft Yarn Council
Dead Sea Scrolls Go Digital
You can now look at the Old Testament's Book of Isaiah in its ancient form. Google, working with the Israel Antiquities Authority, has begun posting digital versions of the original Dead Sea Scrolls, discovered in 1947, online for everyone to see. Users can view high-quality images of the scrolls in their original format and language. The site also provides translation tools.
Founding Father
The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod (LCMS) is holding a yearlong celebration for Rev. Dr. C.F.W. Walther, one of its founding fathers. Walther, who was born 200 years ago on Oct. 25, 1811, immigrated to the U.S. from Germany in 1839. He became the LCMS' first president after its establishment in 1847. Activities began in 2011 and will last through 2012, which is also the 125th anniversary of Walther's death.