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 … More Rooted in Love
Originally published in the Owatonna People’s Press, July 26, 2025 Recently, our community came together for a celebration of inclusion, belonging, and joy. The local Pride festival was filled with music, laughter, families, food, and friendship. People showed up to be seen, to be known, and to support one another. It was a beautiful reflection … More Love Is Our True Identity
A farmer was teaching his young son how to plow. As his son sat in the tractor seat, his dad pointed to the far end of the field. “Now, son,” he said, “What you have to do is keep you eyes on one point at the far end of the field. Just focus on that one thing and … More Turn Your Face
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 … More It All Tastes Like Church
At the end of last week’s Gospel reading, Jesus seemed to be on the verge of starting a social revolution. He had just said, “Blessed are you who are poor, hungry, sorrowful and despised,” and then “Woe to you who are rich, fat, happy, and famous.” To the crowd who was listening, most of whom were poor…this … More When It Is Hard to Love
Of course, the shepherds were terrified. Of course, they were! They had to be terrified…because that night, they were just minding their own business…doing what shepherds do, when out of nowhere, an angel of the Lord stood before them and the glory of the Lord shown around them. They were terrified at the shock of it all, but … More Love Knows Your Name
If you were at worship this morning, you heard the announcement that Deacon Kris made about today being the tenth anniversary of my call as senior pastor at Trinity. (Thanks for the surprise, all!) I remember that day, ten years ago, very well. I remember being curious, and a bit nervous, as I walked into … More Ten Years at Trinity (and counting!)
Every three years, the ELCA Youth Gathering takes place. It is a milestone event in the lives of tens of thousands of young people across the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. It is more than an event; it is a pilgrimage that offers profound spiritual growth, community, and inspiration to both the youth and the … More As We Gather: Created to Be
There are some things we cannot understand or describe. God’s love is one of them. There are no words adequate to describe God’s infinite capacity to love. Humans often try to define, or even to limit who is worthy of God’s love based on our own criteria or understandings. But the scriptures tell us a … More A Love We Cannot Measure
Grace and peace to you, from God our creator, and from Jesus, our Savior, who calls us to prepare the way for love. Communication is instantaneous. Once upon a time, it wasn’t. People of a certain age: Do you remember a thing called “long distance?” Do you remember waiting until after 9pm to make a call, when the phone … More Those Who Dream…Prepare the Way
Test Driving Theology 