Category: John
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God Knows
There are some days in the life of the church when words ought to come more slowly. Good Friday is one of those days. This is not a day for rushing. It is not a day for quick reassurance or easy optimism. It is a day for standing still long enough to see what love…
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Turning Toward the Light
Five years ago, I had emergency surgery. On a Sunday night, the retina in my left eye detached. And in an instant, I lost 90% of my vision in that one eye. I called my eye doctor here in town. He said, “Be in my office at 8 am tomorrow.” I was. And by 8:30 am, I was on my way…
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God in the Shadows
One of the interesting things about shadows is that they change the way we see things. In the bright light of day, we see and understand things clearly. Edges are sharp. Colors are vivid. We know exactly what we are looking at. But when the light fades, and shadow grows, the world feels different. Familiar…
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Rooted in Love
Grace and peace to you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, to whom you belong. Amen. A friend of mine up in the Twin Cities once told me about his attempt to join a local pickleball league. (Anybody here ever play Pickleball?). He had seen the game, thought it…
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It All Tastes Like Church
There’s an old story about a small-town church potluck dinner that I heard years ago, and it has stuck with me. You know the kind of potluck feast I’m talking about, right? We’ve hosted them here at Trinity…the kind where tables of crockpots, hot-dishes, salads, breads, and desserts stretch on for miles. Now, at this…
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Holy Disruption
Almost all of us have experienced a life changing event in our lives. It could be something full of joy…or it could be something tragic. But all of us at some point, have, or will experience something that suddenly, unexpectedly, causes everything to change. I’ve read interviews with people who worked at the World Trade Center on…
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Ants in your Pants
Have you ever wondered if it’s ok to have doubts about your faith? Have you ever questioned the beliefs you grew up with…or the things you’ve been taught? Have you ever wondered “is this really how it all works?” Occasionally, people come to see me who have doubts, or questions. That doesn’t surprise me. It’s a good thing. God gave…
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One Meal at a Time
Have you ever experienced a really good meal? I mean really good? A meal that stands out…a meal that you remember. We all know that a great meal…is not simply about the food……though having good food certainly helps. No, a great meal is much more than that. A great meal is good food…and, it is good people. I have a group…
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This is the Way
Grace and Peace to you from God our creator, and from Jesus, the one who is the way. Amen. Lori and I have been rewatching the TV series from the early 2000’s called “The West Wing.” It is the story of a fictional presidential administration, and all of the staff who work within the west wing of…
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Come and See
My wife, Lori has a large family. She has 6 brothers and sisters, plus, kids, grandkids, great-grandkids, in-laws, nephews, nieces, great nephews, great nieces…you get the idea. There’s a lot of ‘em! So, when her family gathers for Christmas, or other holidays… well, it can be a little nutty. What they consider a medium sized family gathering is probably 25-30 people. And…