Reformation Day
John 8:31-36 "Then Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him, “If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.” They answered him, “We are descendants of Abraham and have never been slaves to...
Grief
Jesus said to the twelve, ’See, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be handed over to the chief priests and the scribes, and they will condemn him to death; then they will hand him over to the Gentiles; they will mock him, and spit upon him, and flog...
Following Jesus
Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast save in the death of Christ, my God; all the vain things that charm me most, I sacrifice them to his blood. —from When I Survey the Wondrous Cross vs 2 As Jesus sets out on a journey, he runs into a man who kneels before him and...
Hosea Youth Services Pallet Shelter FAQ’s
The Church Planning Council has been working with Hosea Youth Services over the past couple of months to place six pallet shelters in the west parking lot for six young adults to live in between the ages of 18-25. These shelters will be fenced in by cyclone fencing...
3 Big Questions that Change Every Teenager (and You?)
“For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” -Ephesians 2:10 Twenty years in, I’ve found ministry among young people to be, Always the same Never the same Youth ministry is never the same, year to...
We Are The Children Whom Jesus Welcomes
Do you recall what it was like to visit your parents the first few years after moving out? Did you ever feel like a child again? Did you revert to old antics with siblings? Was there any awkwardness in relating to your parents, having become more independent? Two...
Whoever Is Not Against Us Is For Us
John said to [Jesus,] “Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him, because he was not following us.”—Mark 9:38 I’ve been a fan of the Green Bay Packers my whole life. There were times as a kid that they weren’t easy to follow...
The Messiah
(Jesus) asked them, “But who do you say that I am?”—Mark 8:29 I’ve had a lot of nicknames in my life. Some that stuck with me for a while and others that were used for a week at camp. My High School Social Studies teacher called me Buffalo Guy. My name in German Class...
Live Your Waterlife
My hope and expectation for true community begins with resurrection, his death and life in me. His Spirit fills the Body: his church through water sees promise for tomorrow, his waterlife in me.—Verse 3 of the song, Waterlife, from Worship & Praise Above is a...
Sand Gets Everywhere
“I will surely bless you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as the sand on the seashore.” ~ Genesis 22:17 I’m writing this on the day between Bethesda Family Camping at the coast and our own family vacation. The big task of the day is...
Confession and Forgiveness
“Did you wash your hands? With Soap?—mom” Our kids should be old enough by now but we have this sign hanging in our downstairs bathroom. After five Sundays in John’s Gospel focused on Jesus as the “bread of life.” We return to Mark’s Gospel and we step into...
You have the words of eternal life
Alleluia. Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. Alleluia If you sang the above words to the tune from the LBW, Setting 2, you might be a church nerd like I am. Sometimes, I am surprised when a memory triggers and I am taken back to Pioneer...