I felt a disturbance in the force...

Since I don't know what synod the church belong to that Tom attended I can't say what is normal for that particular church. I have seen some of the liberal ELCA churches so chummy with the papists that you would find them exchanging pulpits.

Now forty-one years ago when I was going to the Lutheran Church there wasn't a crucifixion on the wall, nor did we hear the pastor pronounce absolution upon us. However time has dimmed my memories.

Here is a link to the LCMS explanation of the liturgy. LCMS Parts of the Liturgy Compare it to the CRCNA Service for Word and Sacrament. You can see in it they too have a confession and absolution section.

Peter

If you believe what you like in the gospels, and reject what you don't like, it is not the gospel you believe, but yourself. Augustine of Hippo