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
In 2016, ABC News ran a story about a woman named Tiffany Otterbeck. Tiffany and her husband had had a baby, she’d gone on parental leave, and now, she had returned to work. One night, even though she was exhausted from working all day and then caring for her young daughter, she decided that she was … More No Place Too Far
When I think of Christmas, I often think of car trips. I think of packing up suitcases and sleeping bags. I think of laundry baskets full of Christmas presents for the cousins, that go into the station wagon. I think of my brothers and I, loading into the back, rear-facing seat of the Ford Country Squire (complete with … More Where Heaven Meets Earth
“But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything, and remind you of all that I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, … More Peace
Grace and peace to you from God our creator, and from Jesus, who heals. Amen. In 2008 a young Australian woman, Hailey Bartholomew, found that she just wasn’t enjoying life. She described herself as feeling lost and stuck on a treadmill. She couldn’t really explain why. She was married to a man she loved and … More How Are You?
Five years ago yesterday, I walked in to Trinity Lutheran Church for the first time as its pastor. From one perspective seems like those five years have just flown by. And at the same time, it seems like I’ve been there forever. But five years is something of a milestone, and so I’ve been doing … More Reflections on My First 5 Years at Trinity
This is our dog’s favorite position. While Kennedy does enjoy walks, car rides and the occasional opportunity to bark at and chase squirrels, deer and rabbits, we will often walk into our living room to find him down and sleeping on his side, sometimes on the floor and sometimes on a chair. I’ve got to … More A Dog’s Life
I’m going to make an assumption here, that most of you have had the opportunity to go to a wedding. I have. Actually, in my line of work, I go to a lot of weddings. Since becoming a pastor, I’ve had the joy and the honor of marrying well over a hundred different couples. That’s … More Through Jesus’ Love, We Learn
This past Sunday, our 10th graders did a mini-retreat as they prepared for their Affirmation of Baptism (confirmation) that will take place on October 28th. In one of our activities, we spent time talking together about the faith questions that have emerged for them as they have learned and grown over the past three years. … More 10th Grade Faith Questions Part I
There was a newspaper story some years back about a man who, when he reached an age when he wanted to retire, decided to sell the asphalt company that he’d invested his entire life in building. He found the right buyer, and negotiated a sales price of $422 million. While this was a pretty big … More It’s 5:00 Somewhere
Test Driving Theology 