We’ve all heard the five words at some point in our lives: “Everything happens for a reason.”
An unexpected setback. A debilitating accident. A diagnosis you never thought you’d hear. An illness that wreaks havoc on…
Our time with Covid has given birth to some peculiar practices. One concerns funerals. For the past 2½ years, when a loved one died and friends inquired about when services would be held, they were…
For some reason, churchgoing in America seems inevitably to be tied to the school year. Maybe it’s because we have a “summer schedule” for worship that is lighter than our regular one. Maybe it’s because…
Back on May 4 (yes – the Fourth was with us!), the subject of our final confirmation class of the year was Jesus’ Resurrection. Mostly I talked at the students, as it is a difficult…
“Have faith.” It’s what we say when we are not sure of an outcome. “Have faith, it will all work out.” “Have faith, the doctors are really good at what they do.” “Have faith, your…
I am an advocate of the mainstream media, but boy, do they like to tell us what is wrong with the church and with religion. Last month it was an opinion piece in the New…
A reminder that, while material goods are desperately needed in Ukraine, the most effective gifts at present are financial. Follow this link to make a difference through the ELCA's Lutheran Disaster Response: https://community.elca.org/eastern-Europe-crisis-response.
Recently, a young man on a clergy Facebook group I am part of wanted to know what the purpose of traditional liturgical worship could possibly be. He told us that he grew up with knowledge…
I am a big fan of the mainstream media because those outlets demand accountability. Opinion pieces are another matter. Everyone is entitled to their opinions, but sometimes those can really stir things up when they…
Singing together! Remember when we used to do this heartily, lustily, putting our entire bodies into the act as the Spirit would flow through us in soul-stirring praise of God? Remember how the risen Christ…