Hello, everyone. I am a new Christian who accepted Jesus Christ as his savior only a few months ago in December 2005. I was thinking about "converting" for the year prior to that. One day while driving home from an off-site class that my work paid for, I was listening to Brahms' "Ein Deutsches Requiem" and it suddenly hit me. I had listened to this beautiful piece before, but this time I felt Jesus speaking to me. I started reading the Bible after this, but hesitated going to church. I didn't start going to church until the Sunday prior to Ash Wednesday of 2006. I decided to try Trinity Lutheran Church in Lynnwood, Washington because it looked so inviting. I felt lost during the service, but I loved the experience and I've been back ever since. I enjoy the liturgy and history of my denomination. I've read numerous books on Lutheranism and Christianity since.

Why Lutheranism? Probably the biggest fact was that my mother is German--what can be more Lutheran than a German? Also every workday my bus to work passes by an interesting church in Seattle called Gethsemane Lutheran Church, and the church for some reason has stuck in my mind ever since (though I am not attending services there though). It might have been because of teh statue of Jesus outside the church, or the welcoming banners outside. I also started seeing Thrivent billboards around my city that piqued my interest. I also still enjoy Davey & Goliath which all of you know that was produced by the Lutheran Church. I guess all these indications led me to the Lutheran denomination.

It's funny but a couple years ago I got, for the first time, into Shakespeare. I got into his works thinking that there's got to be something with the Bard since folks still enjoy his plays 500+ years later. I attended some performances and read some of his plays, and I enjoyed him immensely. Now that I've become a Christian I think back on how I got into the Bard, and I see that maybe subliminally I must have had the same idea about Jesus--why would someone and his teachings alive 2000 years ago still be popular and important to so many people? Now I know why!

A Christian author that I've enjoyed reading is Philip Yancey.

Musically I especially enjoy listening to chorale music--particularly Bach! I love his Mattheus Passion.

Things I especially enjoy about attending services are the fellowship, worshipping Jesus, the traditional organ music, the hymns, the sermon, communion, and the liturgy.