Hi everyone, I am in my hotel room in Chicago, Illinois just hours away from my second church council meeting at the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). Just like last time (and possibly every time) the agenda is packed with lots of items. All of it important as we try to live out our…
Last Sunday we heard the story of Jesus coming to Jerusalem. Jesus didn’t live in Jerusalem, but he spent the final week of his life in the capital city of Israel. It was customary to make a pilgrimage to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover during the time of Jesus. Passover is the primary covenant between…
Long before Jesus, the nation of Israel was more of a loose confederation of tribes. There was no national government, only the 12 tribes that descended from Jacob’s sons and grandsons. The Israelites endured slavery in Egypt until God rescued them and gave them the ten commandments and the law. But they still struggled, like…
The other day, a longtime member of our church family passed along a handful of articles written by our founding pastor. Although written 22 years ago, they speak to the truth of human nature and God’s plan for our lives. I am so very blessed that I was able to learn from Pr. Ray as…
I am in the middle of a book about Abraham. Abraham is the ancestral father of all Israel. Indeed, he is our adopted father as well! (See Romans 11:17-18) Three major faith traditions find their roots in Abraham. Judaism and Christianity through Isaac the son of Abraham. Of course as a Christian, we are adopted…
A voice of one calling: “In the desert prepare the way for the Lord; make straight in the wilderness a highway for our God. Every valley shall be raised up, every mountain and hill made low; the rough ground shall become level, the rugged places a plain. And the glory of the Lord will be…
Does the thought of 2024 excite you or scare you? Or is January 1 just a date on the calendar with no significant meaning? I can remember struggling to write the correct year on checks back when I wrote checks for everything. Luckily, using a debit card eliminates that worry! For me personally, a new…
Last weekend, I preached a message on overcoming shame. I mentioned an article that landed on my phone which is very helpful in terms of processing negative feelings of any kind. Below is that article in its entirety. By Stephanie Harrison As a researcher on the psychology of happiness, I’ve seen how this can create problems for…
For God’s anger lasts only a moment, but the Lord’s favor lasts a lifetime; weeping may remain for a night, but joy comes in the morning. Psalm 30:5 These words reflect the thoughts of a songwriter in ancient Israel. This psalm could be almost 3000 years old. Their experience of God tells them God’s goodness…
What do these things have in common? Taking a trip A home cooked meal Taking a test Getting married Welcoming a newborn into your home A new school year Throwing a party Christmas This appears to be a random list without a thread connecting them, but there is an association. All these things either take…
