Like many of us, I’ve found a great escape and joy in watching the Winter Olympics. From the subtle skill of the curlers to the fierce bravery of the downhill skiers, I cannot get enough of watching the athletes do their thing—not just as individuals…
Sometimes a love story begins with a letter, a long walk, or passing hellos. But what starts as a spark grows into something more—through distance and difficulty, through ordinary Tuesdays and extraordinary challenges, through the daily choice to sho…
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One of the aspects of my particular role at St. Paul is that I get to spend intentional time with our church Core Values. I always have an eye to the ways we are living them out as well as the ways we need to refocus our ministry to better reflect th…
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Pastoral intern Sarah Yotter joins the staff Feb. 3, bringing gifts forged in marching band leadership, national park ministry, and a deep love of walking alongside people in their faith journeys. A graduate of Wartburg College with degrees in music…
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A new year often brings both new beginnings and thoughtful reflection. As I complete my first year serving as the Pastoral Residency Program Administrator at St. Paul, I’ve had the opportunity to reflect on the program’s impact and success. With that…
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Whenever I hear someone say something like “The Bible is clear that…” I brace myself for what’s coming next. It’s likely that whatever they’re about to quote isn’t really so clear at all. Someone might say “The Bible is clear that anyone who doesn’…
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When Lisa Holdorf dropped her daughter Ellie off at Iowa State University (ISU) this past fall for her freshman year of college, she braced herself for the wave of emotion everyone warned her about. “My friends thought I was going to be a basketcase,…
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Sitting here today, as my part-time position ends for the year, I am so grateful for the opportunity to serve St. Paul as giving ministry coordinator. Truthfully, I wasn’t sure what I was getting myself into but from my first day, I have been constan…
For nearly 20 years, St. Paul has served as a crucible for pastoral formation, welcoming ordained pastors fresh from seminary into a two-year residency program. Now, responding to shifting realities in the church and an opportunity to shape pastoral…
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The best things in life are often the most inconvenient. While that may seem a bit sensational, I have come to believe over the past few months that it is true. A few months ago, I bought a new coffee maker. A very inexpensive thing, but it makes t…
Joel Moore serves as the chair of the call committee. He is an ordained deacon who has been part of the St. Paul community for more than 20 years. “This is not a job someone applies for,” Joel said. “This is a vocational calling into ministry as an a…
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January 6 is a particularly important day in the life of the global church. It marks the Epiphany of our Lord, the Manifestation of Christ to the world. The most common element of Epiphany is the arrival of the wise men, or magi, to visit the Christ…