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Evenings in my house are routine and, at the same time, anything but routine. Each evening, Malie and I connect to do our “calendaring.” We pull up tomorrow’s agenda to ensure we know who needs to be where and when, who is taking whom to what, and w…
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Much like many of you, my Apple playlist hasn’t moved too far away from playing Dolly Parton songs since her death a few weeks ago. Dolly was an entertainer rooted in faith, humility, and unbounded grace. She walked through the world with a ‘God-cent…
Fall Start-up means we return to the fullness of our Sunday morning learning for all ages and worship life. Learning takes place from 10:15-11 a.m. KIDS The classroom journey begins at age 3. Weekly check-in will take place in Lower Commons for ages…
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I can still picture standing at the front of the class, taking a deep breath, and slightly mumbling these words: “Four score and seven years ago…” Each week, with the arrival of a new history theme or English topic, my fifth-grade teacher required…
Confirmation gets underway for St. Paul youth, with Wednesday gatherings beginning Sept. 9. The journey includes fall retreats and culminates in ninth-graders sharing their Faith Stories with the congregation on three upcoming Sundays. Confirmation F…
This has to be one of my favorite seasons of the year. And no, I’m not talking about the slightly cooler temperatures, nor am I referring to the arrival of college football season. I’m talking about back-to-school time. It’s this time of the year tha…
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Justin Marquis (pronounced “marquee”) joined the staff in August, bringing a philosophy professor’s curiosity, a semi-cross-country bike tour’s worth of patience, and a conviction that church can hold both its history and its future at once. Justin s…
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When my daughter started preschool, she had the most enormous backpack. Not only was she a tiny two-year-old, but I bought her the most oversized bag. I read that she needed a “full-sized” backpack, so her art wouldn’t get squished. Not wanting to ge…
The Guerin family has spent years serving alongside Russ and Jeannine Johnson, and their family, at Hope at the Brick House — and one gaga ball pit later, the connection runs deeper than ever. On a Friday night on the west end of Davenport, a buildin…
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Several weeks ago, in the midst of the wonderfully exciting World Cup tournament here in the United States, I found myself listening to a conversation on National Public Radio between the host and a sports psychologist. The psychologist was offering…
One St. Paul family finds fun, friends, and family on the Rock River through the Backwater Gamblers water ski show. Bridget Berger grew up in Westosha, Wis., where she did gymnastics and 4-H and developed an athlete’s sense of balance and body awaren…
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There are many attributes that come with being a proper Midwesterner: knowing how to drive in the snow, mastering the 10-minute good-bye, apologizing when someone bumps into you, serving dessert salads, saying “It wouldn’t be so bad if it weren’t for…