Hear, See and Go

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

I See You

A few years ago, I was a part of the team of folks that helped to put together the racial reconciliation roundtables that took place at the Owatonna Middle School after the high school experienced an incident of racial conflict.  The goal of these sessions was to open lines of communication, and to have healthy, … More I See You

A Turn in the Story

A number of years ago, I was in New Orleans for a continuing education conference.  I was in the hotel lobby, deep in conversation with a colleague after the evening session when we witnessed an interesting exchange. A man who looked to be homeless shuffled into the lobby and approached the front desk.  I don’t … More A Turn in the Story

This Changes Everything

As I write this, Trinity’s group of 47 youth and adult leaders are traveling to the ELCA Youth Gathering in Houston, Texas. Right now they are somewhere in Oklahoma, and are about 5 driving hours away from their destination.  I’m pretty certain that they are all looking forward to getting off of the bus, getting … More This Changes Everything

Sheep and Goats

As a young boy, probably 7 or 8 years old, I feared the moment.  It was the moment I’d have to face my parents.  It hadn’t even really occurred to me when my friend and I crouched down to use a stick to write our initials in the fresh, wet concrete of the sidewalk that … More Sheep and Goats