Blogs And Devotionals (Page 4)

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…

Dear Peace Members and Friends,  What might happen if every Easter we celebrated—not only the resurrection of Jesus 2,000 years ago but more—the ongoing resurrection of the whole world through Christ? Well, that’s exactly what we do during the 50-day season of Easter. This Easter season is the affirmation of our continuing resurrection from fear to faith, from violence to peace, from self-gratification to generosity and—in all these ways and more—from death to life.   This Sunday in worship (9:30am) Easter…

Dear Peace Members and Friends,  What a joyful Easter we had last week! It was a wonderful morning! In worship this Sunday (9:30am), the season of Easter continues. Yet, oddly, it doesn’t always feel that way. This Sunday’s preacher, Rev. Alan Loose, describes our situation well: “Easter day—an occasion for cheering and celebration and sharing the good news. “He is risen!” And yet, we hear in John’s gospel that that same evening, the disciples were cowering in fear behind locked…