The Rose is Still Blooming: The Reformation at 500
All praise for Jesus, best gift divine through word and witness, in bread and wine; incarnate love song of boundless grace, priest, teacher, prophet in time and space, your steadfast kindness with human face; Soli Deo Gloria! Soli Deo Gloria!—ELW 878 Starting October...
An Open Invitation
The most favorite part of my job is…YOU. I love talking with each one of you and hearing your stories; I love meeting for coffee (or Diet Coke) or exploring the spaces where you work. I love sitting on your sofa and looking at pictures of your loved ones. To me,...
Anniversary of a Miracle
Oh give thanks to the Lord; call upon his name; make known his deeds among the peoples! 2 Sing to him, sing praises to him; tell of all his wondrous works! 3 Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice! 4 Seek the Lord and his strength;...
From Your Pastoral Team: Marks of Discipleship
One of our primary goals as your pastors is to help you in your journey as a Jesus follower. To that end, we are taking extra time in prayer and listening to your voices as we plan worship—hopefully opening up the space for the Spirit to meet you. In addition to...
A Season for Re-Creative Rest
“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” ~ Matthew 11:28-30 If you are...
From Your Pastoral Team
“God the Father, light-creator, to thee laud and honor be. To thee, Light of Light begotten, praise be sung eternally. Holy Spirit, lightrevealer, glory, glory be to thee. Mortals, angels, now and ever praise the Holy Trinity!”—ELW 511 Bethesda’s pastoral team has...
Why Worship?
This article begins a series that will focus on the whys of worship. Over the next several months, I will focus on the big question: why worship? as well as examining the whys of the various parts of the worship service (i.e. why sharing of the peace, why communion,...
Rejoicing In Our Sorrows
“Through [Christ] we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we in hope of the glory of God. Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character...
$10 Challenge
“Everything is $10.” This was a simple conversation shared between two people at the grocery store. If you want more TV channels, the next package is $10 a month. If you want more internet speed, $10 a month. Want an additional feature for your cellphone, $10 a month....
From a Distance
Jack and I had an interesting experience on February 20th. I’m not telling you all this to make you think we are wonderful, caring people (Jack was) because in my mind, I wasn’t that day. I know it’s the christian thing to do but come right down to it I was not ready...
Love is…
If I speak in the tongues of mortals and of angels, but do not have love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love,...
Finances: First Things First
What’s the first thing you do each day? What’s the first thing you do when you get home for the day? What’s the first thing you do when you receive your paycheck or social security check or other income? How you answer each of these questions may also answer what is...