Content Warning: sexual assault, abuse, rape, church abuse, I am Lutheran (ELCA). In Lutheran theological understanding, all of the commandments are interconnected, not only to our relationship with God, but to our relationship with other people. Commandments are most quickly broken because we (people) create false idols. These are not the golden calf of… Read More
RCL: Praise and … Something Ugly
It must be Christmas 1, Year C because the dreaded “slaughter of the innocents” passage is the Gospel text this week. Of course, there are other options and most of us will choose one of them. Just in case you are feeling called away from God’s reclaiming of God’s people in Isaiah, or the joyful… Read More
Narrative Lectionary: God’s Hope (Jeremiah 33:14-18)
The text for this week is so short I figured I would just put it here: Jeremiah 33:14-18 14 The days are surely coming, says the Lord, when I will fulfill the promise I made to the house of Israel and the house of Judah. 15 In those days and at that time I will… Read More
RCL: Swords into Ploughsares
When it comes to Advent, I’m a bit of a traditionalist. By this I mean that I prefer the old themes of Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love. I don’t think we can go wrong with these. On the other hand, I’m not fond of the references to the Second Coming that are included in the… Read More
Wit’s Ends Day: Reviewing the Review
We just finished a pastor/congregation evaluation process at my church. Actually, our consultant says that this is just the beginning! We have exciting work ahead as we explore the summary documents! We should read through them prayerfully every night and consider what God is saying to us through the words of our co-congregants! What an… Read More
Wits’ Ends Day: Conspiracy Theories
Conspiracy theories are quite popular right now—everyone thinks that someone else is up to something secret and nefarious. And don’t be fooled; these conspiracies are not limited to the political realm. There are plenty of conspiracies happening in our own congregations. Here are just a few conspiracies I’m inclined to believe in: Bigfoot may be… Read More
Saturday prayer – For Those In Meetings
Dear God – We gather around tables, we invoke Your name and then we begin. We listen. We speak. We raise our hands in affirmation. We caffeinate. We take notes. We decide. And in all these things, we are striving after You – straining to know Your will for us. Bless the work we are… Read More
RCL: Holy Ways and Entertaining Angels
I often write and speak about how God is waiting for us to choose God’s ways over our human ways. The texts this week invite us to evaluate where we are on the faith journey. Are we serving God or are we more self-absorbed? In the U.S. it is Labor Day weekend and we are… Read More
Sunday Prayer for 7/28: Bless this church this day, O God.
Bless this church this day, O God. Inspire all worship. Meet each person. Empower each word. Inspire each prayer. Lift each song. Open each ear. Fill each heart. Feed each person. Bless this church this day, O God. Inspire all greetings. Welcome each visitor. Comfort each weeper. Share with each rejoicer. Parent… Read More
The Pastoral is Political: Called to Serve and Protect
Children in cages, concentration camps, and jails – hungry, abused and scared as hell. Young people shackled by and to the (in)justice system via electronic monitoring and/or criminal records that hold them back like the proverbial ball and chain. Families grieving yet another child lost to senseless gun violence – their gifts, dreams, and promise… Read More
