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Luke 4:21-30 Jeremiah 1:4-19 Holy Trinity Lutheran Church San Carlos, CA Prophetic speaking is hard work. It’s hard to hear the call; it’s hard to carry through and speak the truth; and then there are the consequences when people actually hear what your going to say. And, it’s also no wonder that, when we hear [...]
Before seminary preaching-lab classes, my classmates and I noticed that each of us had our little “thing” that we had to do before we were on. Adjust your tie; pull up your socks; fingers through the hair; chew on a cough drop. I redid my lipstick. This would not be particularly notable, except that I [...]
A not-really-so-long time ago, I was trying to figure out what my next ministry step would be. I had spent two years teaching religion at a school in one of Chicago’s not so affluent neighborhoods, and I was finishing up a year working at a big (affluent) urban church. I was considering taking a position [...]
Keep watch, dear Lord, with those who work or watch or weep this night, and give your angels charge over those who sleep. Tend the sick, Lord Christ; give rest to the weary, bless the dying, soothe the suffering, pity the afflicted, shield the joyous; and all for your love’s sake. Amen St. Augustine, 4th [...]
No, really, my Master of Divinity degree is still quite useful at those times when I’m fully a stay at home parent. For instance, I can use my knowledge of liturgy to write collects appropriate to various occasions. Like this one: Creator God, who tamed the chaos of water, and brought about all that is; [...]
Enough for Him, whom cherubim Worship night and day, A breastful of milk And a mangerful of hay; Enough for Him, whom angels Fall down before, The ox and ass and camel Which adore. –Christina Rosetti Last Christmas, in the middle of an eight month hiatus from church pastoring, my family attended “The Big Church” [...]
OK, I’m going to admit it. We do need heat here in California. This family of Northerners has been schooled. It turns out that houses of a certain vintage here (late 1940s) seem to not have insulation. Or storm windows. And, while our pipes aren’t going to freeze, it gets chilly at night. 37 degrees [...]
“There are no words” says my wise friend Katherine, regarding the shootings in a Connecticut elementary school today. I’m saying the F-word under my breath quite a bit here, but I am now trying to figure out what on earth to say to my first grader when I pick her up from school in a [...]
It’s the time of year again, when we try to figure out what to do with Santa around here. And this year, I’ve reached some new clarity on the issue, with the help of Zora’s continually astute questions and a little assist from my dear John Calvin. To review, we never really told Zora about [...]
Among the more amazing things about children: their incredible ability sometimes to do something that is intensely loving and also completely crazy making at the same time. You know, like when Abram starts kissing Erik’s hand the other day, and then bites it. Zora took it to a whole new level yesterday, though. Today is [...]