For the shepherds outside of Bethlehem, the night of that first Christmas was just like any other night. All the sheep had been gathered in and there was nothing left to do except to keep watch, talk with one another, and stay stay close to the campfire, keeping warm. That night, however, their quiet routine was … More Hear, See and Go
Sabbatical Day 12 This morning, Lori and I went on a hike to see some more of the area waterfalls. Then, this afternoon, we grabbed books and a couple of adirondack chairs next to the water and spent a couple of hours reading and staring at the lake. I would read for awhile, and then … More The Currents are Strong
In my younger days, I would take youth groups out on cross-country trips to build homes with Habitat for Humanity. On the night before we left, we would always gather with families for a short worship service. And at that worship, we would give every young person who was going a small cross, on a leather lanyard. … More To Tell the Truth
Do you remember the first time you felt really, really trusted? The first time that someone entrusted you with an important responsibility, or a task? I remember when I was young, probably just in jr. high, and my parents and my brothers had to go out of town for something, and they left me completely … More Well Done
Dear friends, We are all well aware of the spread of the COVID-19 virus. The leadership team at Trinity has been paying close attention to what is going on, and we have been in contact with medical experts and the county health workers. We have developed a congregational response plan with three stages. In the … More Trinity’s Response to the COVID-19 Virus
“Faith is moving forward.” “God has a plan for us.” “Let’s go.” Now, these words are from a drama. They are not actually found in the scriptures. The truth is, we wonder, but we don’t know exactly what Mary and Joseph talked about on that journey to Bethlehem. But there had to be some anxiety…apprehension…maybe … More Rethinking Judgment
The Christmas Dilemma: Joseph | Videos | The Skit Guys “I’m not enough.” You heard the words of Joseph. “I’m not enough.” Now, those words do not actually appear in the scriptures. But it isn’t a stretch to imagine that those words could have come out of Joseph’s mouth. This was not what he’d signed … More The Nativity Dilemma: Joseph
You have probably seen the posters, shirts and online memes that started popping up a few years ago that have a little crown symbol, and say “Keep Calm, and…“ then told you to do something. I did a quick search of the most popular of these. They include: Keep Calm and Dance Keep Calm and … More Keep Calm and Carry On
There are things that I wonder about. Things that keep me up at night…thinking. Questions and problems that do not have easy answers. Let me share a few of them with you: Why is it that we park on a driveway, and we drive on a parkway? If nothing sticks to Teflon, how do they … More Trick Questions
Earlier this week, I wrote in my blog about the first time I was called in to a hospital room where the patient, an elderly gentleman, was dying and his family was, understandably, in crisis. I was doing my student chaplaincy at Unity Medical Center in Fridley, and while the man lying unconscious in the … More When the Spirit Breaks our Hearts
Test Driving Theology 