It is that time of year. A time to prepare, a time to welcome the birth of Jesus, a time to be with family, a time to reach out to our neighbor. The two Great Commandments easily come to mind at this time of year. Love God, and Love your neighbor as yourself. We have heard “love your neighbor as... READ MORE >
A newly ordained priest was sent to work as an assistant to an older priest. The young priest went to the older priest for some orientation and advice. “How long should I preach?” The older man answered preach for about 10 minutes. I have been surprised when I observe that people can attend a lengthy concert or movie for two... READ MORE >
Church attendance and worship of God for Christians should be a group experience. God is everywhere, we learn that as young children. Sure we may worship God in the forest, at the lakeshore, sitting on a rock, all alone. However we must understand Christian fellowship. Those who accepted Jesus’ message were baptized. They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and... READ MORE >
October 31 was one of my children’s’ favorite day of the year. Why? Well, Halloween of course. Dressing up as their favorite scary character, and collecting all that candy. What’s not to like? What is Halloween? A definition of Halloween is: “Halloween: a contraction of “All Hallows’ Evening,” also known as All Hallows’ Eve or All Saints’ Eve, is a... READ MORE >
Two weekends ago, while helping to remove the Christmas decorations from the church, I was asked “Who is going to do this next year?” Wondering what the question meant, I sought clarification. “Well, look around we are all old…there are no young people here.” “Who is going to know what to do?” The question made me wonder: is religion dead?... READ MORE >
Have you ever had an experience where you were kind of nervous, a bit on edge, worried about something you had to do? Maybe it was a job interview; maybe you had to make some kind of presentation at work; perhaps you were going to ask the boss for a raise. Whatever it was, you’re a bit upset. And some... READ MORE >
As the time of our lives advances, we can still grow in faith, hope and charity. These thoughts are primarily a focus for the elderly. I have realized that I am a member of this group, but only in those times when I really act my age. I have given much thought to aging over the last several months. Becoming... READ MORE >
The celebration of Epiphany is January 5, right around the festival of New Year’s that was celebrated before, during, and after the birth of Christ. Epiphany is the celebration of the Magi as they arrived and honored the Baby Jesus in Bethlehem. You know the story, of a star they followed. Matthew’s gospel is the only source of this great... READ MORE >
So we now take you to the city of Jerusalem to that time just after Jesus was crucified and before His resurrection…to hear from the Centurion, from Biblical monologues written by Ross Olson: I am a Centurion. I worked my way up through the ranks of the Roman army to become commander of a century…100 men. My century was part... READ MORE >
Next week is the beginning of Holy Week, a very Holy Week in the Christian year. A common liturgy on Holy Thursday is the practice of washing of the feet on (Holy) Maundy Thursday. It is an ancient custom. The root of this practice appears to be found in the hospitality customs of ancient civilizations, especially where sandals were the... READ MORE >
