Posts by Pastor Mark Nelson

Dear Peace members and friends, Last Wednesday evening was a big-bash gathering to celebrate our ministry together over these last 19 years. The room was packed with many of you. The program included a testimonial or two and there was a song and a poem written especially for the occasion. There also was an awful lot of laughter. As Marcie and I drove home, we couldn’t stop talking about how much fun it all was.  Maybe God knew what we…

Dear Peace members and friends, This Sunday, I will conclude the sermon series, “How My Mind Has Changed.” And I want to end the series with Jesus. Why Jesus? Because he is the core of our faith; the reason we exist as Peace Lutheran Church. And, even for those who are indifferent to him, his influence remains—on everything. The great church historian from Yale, Jaroslav Pelikan, wrote, “Regardless of what anyone may personally think or believe about him, Jesus of…

Dear Peace members and friends, A good summer’s day to all of you!   This Sunday in worship (9:30am), we continue the sermon series, “How My Mind Has Changed.” Why this theme?  Changing one’s mind is part of our Christian experience. It is the center of the New Testament, the center of all of the Apostle Paul’s writings, and at the center of all of Jesus’ teaching and experience. And—if it is good enough for Paul and the New Testament and…

Dear Peace members and friends, Happy 4th of July! Years ago, my wife and I were traveling overseas and we were out and about one morning. And I suddenly realized what day it was, and I said, excitedly, to someone nearby, “It’s the 4th of July!” And the man replied, “That’s right. And yesterday was the 3rd and tomorrow is the 5th.” He didn’t have a clue!  We Americans know that the 4th of July is more than just a…

Dear Peace members and friends, Enough rain everyone? When it comes to the nature’s unpredictable ways, I have often replied to pleas from church members such as, “Pray that my outdoor wedding/game/match/backyard lounging doesn’t get rained on,” with the line, “I don’t do weather!” But today, I’m hoping that you’re drying out and the sun will shine…..soon!  As you know, Jesus healed many people. But he didn’t heal everybody. He walked by all the sufferers laid out on pallets by…

Dear Peace members and friends,  I’m looking forward to Sunday worship (9:30am)! We’ll begin a sermon series called, “How My Mind Has Changed.” Let me explain: way back, when I was considering the call to parish ministry, an old pastor (had to be 50!), after listening to me describe how I had come to that point, looked at me and said, “If there’s any way you can avoid this, run! Run, and keep on running! Go into ministry only if there’s…

Dear Peace members and friends,  There is the old story about a little girl in Sunday School, drawing with all her crayons and with all of her might. Her teacher asked her what she was drawing, “I’m drawing a picture of God,” the girl said. Her teacher replied: “But, my dear, nobody knows what God looks like.” To which the little girl replied without looking up: “Well, they will when I’m finished!”  I tell you that story because this coming…

Dear Peace Members and Friends,  Since I last wrote the last e-note, most of you have become aware that I have submitted my resignation to the Church Council, effective August 1st. I’ll say more about that at the end of this note.   This Sunday in worship (9:30am) we will once again celebrate God’s faithfulness to God’s people now and always in the festival of Pentecost. We will celebrate that we have been given the gift of God’s Holy Spirit to…

Dear Peace Members and Friends,  I still remember my University of Minnesota philosophy professor commenting on Christianity, saying, “You must admit that it [the Easter story] is inherently irrational. There is no way for a rational, modern scientific person to be a Christian.” Really? Does that leave us Christians then as irrational; as primitive, and superstitious? I thought of that question and that professor as we neared this, the last Sunday in the season of Easter. Before we move on…

Dear Peace Members and Friends,  This is Memorial Day weekend. Memorial Day was officially declared a national holiday in 1971, but, in practice, dates back to shortly after the Civil War. It is a time to remember and honor those who have died in service to their country (All Saints in November is the church’s commemoration of all those who have died). Memorial Day is also a time to allow the stories about the sacrifices of our fellow citizens to…

Dear Peace Members and Friends,  I’m already looking forward to Sunday!  In worship (9:30am), we will be blessed by the Peace Choir and the Sunday School Singers for the last time before the summer break and give thanks for their ministry to us throughout this last year. It is the 5th Sunday of Easter and once again we will hear a story of new life given by the risen Christ and the Holy Spirit; this time to the apostle Peter…

Dear Peace Members and Friends,  I’ll get to our exciting Sunday in a moment but first, let us join with those around the world in rejoicing with our fellow Christians in the Roman Catholic Church, especially those in our area, on the election of Pope Leo XIV. Yesterday, we witnessed the historic election of the first Augustinian and the first U.S.-born Pope—only the second to come from the Americas. We share with him both geographic and historic roots (Martin Luther…