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One of the most important things I think Dietrich Bonhoeffer ever said relates to human prosperity. In an autumn 1931 sermon, this German pastor and theologian told his congregation that seven million people in Germany would be without jobs that wint…
St. Paul is blessed to have two care ministries, both of which intentionally connect members of the St. Paul community beyond the walls of the church. The Hospital Befrienders program is a team of volunteers who visit hospitalized St. Paul people in…
On the evening of Sunday, May 28, the unimaginable happened in downtown Davenport. The historic Davenport Hotel, home to businesses and apartments, collapsed, leaving many without homes and the loss of their belongings. Anyone wishing to make donatio…
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I moved to Davenport nine months ago. Nine months of time this year feels shorter than nine months last year. It’s a wake-up call, really, how on one end, there’s an objective measurement of time; the speed of sand falling from the top to the bottom…
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Throughout his 14 seasons of playing professional basketball, Rick Barry was known for a lot of things, many of them not good, but chief among them was his ability to make a free throw shot. In 1975, Barry played one game where he successfully made 1…
In March, the congregation voted to call MacIver “Mac” Mullins to a two-year placement as part of the Pastoral Residency Program. Born and raised in North Carolina, Mac is currently at Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary. He begins his call in Aug…
St. Paul members Craig and Judy Wurdinger both had a clear idea of what they were meant to do with their lives. For Craig, thanks to his family and influential coaches, it was always basketball. And for Judy, it was the guidance of a social worker an…
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A recent news story said that women are now advised to have mammograms regularly beginning at age 40 or 45, not at 50, as previously had been the guideline. At my recent annual physical, my doctor noted that a scan for aortic aneurysm is recommended…
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I love clarity. Waking up in the morning and having a clear sense of the day ahead strikes me as a good way to live. It seems so right to want clear insight for whatever problems the day may bring. That I could have a clear view of how things fit or…
Longtime St. Paul member Rachel Evans has always had a passion for recycling but just last year, she took on the role of communications coordinator for the Waste Commission of Scott County. Rachel is a graduate of Valparaiso University where she obta…
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I first learned about this funny German word “gestalt” in a college video production course. “Gestalt,” meaning “shape” or “form,” refers to the ways in which individual parts come together to make an original whole. Filmmakers use the principles of…
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Kansas City, the city I called home for four years, made headlines this week because of a tragedy. Ralph Yarl, a 16-year-old boy, was sent to pick up his younger brothers from a friend’s house. He mistakenly rang the doorbell at Northeast 115th Stree…