Article: What Love Is. . .

  In the Lutheran Church—Pentecost kind of seems like a minor holiday. It is not as important as Easter or Christmas, but it should be remembered. It is more on the lines of Epiphany or Reformation Sunday. (If you have no idea what I am talking about, just read on. . .) I am not…

…make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 6 and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. 8 For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive… 2 Peter…

Here we are again. It is the end of the year and we will step into a new one Sunday morning. Although this is a secular holiday will many stop their routine and celebrate the incoming year- sometimes late into the evening. Some reflect on the year coming to an end and wonder what the…

On Wednesday night at our “First Wednesday Speaker Series” we watched the documentary “A Time for Burning.”  The documentary is a 1966 film which explores the attempts of Pastor Youngdahl of Augustana Lutheran Church in Omaha, Nebraska, to persuade his all-white congregation to reach out to black Lutherans on the city’s north side. The film was directed by San Francisco filmmaker William C. Jersey and was nominated…

On Wednesday night, we hosted Rabbi Dana Magat from Temple Emanu-El in San Jose. I kept thinking about something he said to us about Reformed Judaism. Essentially Rabbi Dana said that our actions have eternal significance. How we act in this life has ramifications in our afterlife. I am sure the good Lutherans in the…

  Last week I shared an article on pastoral leadership styles that need to be avoided. Someone kindly asked me if there is a list for church members?  There is! All of us know the old children’s rhyme, “Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me.” As you have heard…