We Are All One in Christ
How is a Christian to respond to shouts of white supremacy and anti-semitic slogans? And how can we hold fast to our conviction to “love neighbor as self” without escalating the conflict?
I vividly recall the first time I saw something called a “Macintosh,” a product of an unknown start-up Apple Computer. This little ivory-colored box was in a friend’s basement office and was only connected to the electrical outlet. As we huddled around its tiny black and white screen, it came to life with a little smiley face. Something in my very being sensed that we were peering into a window on the future. We were.
Moving Day
Is there anything quite as unsettling as moving? Up until a year ago, I was blissfully ignorant of the logistics of relocating my family of three roughly fifteen blocks south. It felt like the world got turned upside down, put into boxes, and we shoved them wherever they would fit so the floors could be finished and the shelves installed in the basement. For that whole period of time, “home” was not a place, but something we—as a family—were discovering.
On Watching
I am writing to you from the monastery in Atchison where 125 Benedictine nuns are eagerly awaiting 600 guests who are coming to watch the full solar eclipse. An astronomer from the Vatican will be here to speak and they are serving hot dogs on the lawn. One nun giggled as she pictured people stopping on the highway to see the moment that hasn’t happened for 99 years and will not happen here again in our lifetimes.
Another Great Year of VBS
It was another fantastic year of Vacation Bible School! The kids loved or super hero theme, as well as all our volunteers. A huge thank you to all who participated and took a leap of faith to volunteer with VBS this year.
Where the Spirit of God Dwells
Maybe you and I want more than a strong and thriving church. Maybe what we are asking is how to be an extraordinary church. We’d like to be more than a collection of folks with similar values who love God. What we really envision is becoming a community where the spirit of God dwells.
Juxtaposition
The renowned Lutheran scholar Gordon Lathrop claims that one of the many amazing things about Christian worship is how we set this next to that, what he calls “juxtaposition.” We set Sunday next to the other six days of the week, for instance. We set the preaching of the word next to the table. We set the rhythms of Advent and Lent next to Santa Claus and March Madness, respectively. This set next to that.
The Traces We Leave
I’m currently in the process of cleaning out my desk as I prepare to transition into a fulltime position at church. The prospects ahead are exciting: short term, as we gear up for Carla Aday’s installation; and longer term, as we think about what 100 years of existence – and beyond – looks like...
Together on a New Journey
I have been walking into the same building to come to “work” for 29 years. But today feels different. And new. And scary. And exciting. I am humbled by and grateful for the call you have extended to me to serve as Senior Minister.
From One to Astrophysics and Back
At first glance, two books could not seem more different. Who Counts? is a numbers book for children ages 3-8 based on scripture stories. I pretty much “get” that one. The other is Astrophysics for People in a Hurry by Neil deGrasse Tyson. Everything I know about astrophysics I learned from “The Jetsons.”
The Gathering
As someone new to the staff, I’m still learning lots of vocabulary particular to our congregation. Terms like Pathways (when a lot of Sunday school classes come together for a special education offering at the 10:00 a.m. hour), Faithbook (a Bible study Carla leads, playing off the well-known social media site), and now the Gathering (an occasional get-together in the library on Sunday mornings for anyone interested in knowing more about joining).
First-Time Community Campers
My family recently returned from our first trip to Christian Community Camp in Estes Park, CO. We didn’t know what to expect, but it proved to be a fantastic experience for my whole family, even my hard-to-please teenage son!
Our Response to Music in Worship
Most experienced musicians know the difference between participating in a worship service and performing on the concert stage. We learn the difference through experience and practice. In fact, even in the concert hall, the most dramatic response to a performance is one of sustained silence following the rendition.
On Listening
By Lara Schopp, Director of Communications Andrew Forsthoefel had just graduated from college when he decided to walk across the country. He had no goal – he wasn’t raising money or awareness. He was walking to listen. He literally carried a sign that read “Walking to Listen,” and along his journey Read More...
Worship Works
Ask most church-going folks what they love best about Sundays and they will likely point to two things, worship services and a day of rest (even if the latter is more idealized thinking than reality). Skimming the newspaper, listening to National Public radio, enjoying some waffles, and, oh yes, sliding into a pew for some hymns, prayers, and a sermon; what a lovely Lord’s day morning.
