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The news this week has been dominated by images of individuals and families who, in the most literal way we can imagine, can’t survive on their own. The photographs and videos coming to us from southeast Texas are heartbreaking: nursing home resident…
One day, Christine Vincent was walking on campus at Augustana College. She is a religion major, and hopes to work in Lutheran youth ministry in the coming years. In the college’s coffee shop, staff from Sky Ranch were there, talking with students abo…
Muriel Johannessen’s portrayal of Katharina von Bora Luther began a few years back, when she was serving a Lutheran church in North Carolina as a deacon. “We started talking about the fact we hear a lot about Martin Luther, but we don’t hear much abo…
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He remembers almost everything about the crash. On May 15, Peter Baril and a friend headed south on Harrison Street in Davenport on his motorcycle. Just a few blocks north of church, a car pulled out in front of them. “I remember making choices on wh…
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It’s been the topic of conversation for weeks now. People planned parties or traveled hours to find themselves in just the right spot. Specially designed sunglasses were sold out everywhere. The total solar eclipse that took place on Monday afternoon…
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Like many parents, I’m selective about the images my children see. They’re little enough that in their limited screen time, the things they watch or see comes filtered through us. But this weekend, our five-year-old daughter overheard us talking abou…
Back-to-school blessing The anticipation of a new school year is in the air: school supplies, back packs, and the eagerness of learning new things. On Sunday, Aug. 20, St. Paul will hold its annual back-to-school blessing. Students of all ages can br…
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The very first time Ethan Bettis walked into St. Paul Lutheran Church, it was for worship on a Sunday morning one year ago. The 17-year-old was there with Cheyenne Griswold, who encouraged him to come with her. Ethan, who is gay, was hesitant – he ha…
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Ronda Meier was one of four St. Paul women who traveled to the Twin Cities for the Women of the ELCA Triennial Gathering. Here are a few of her thoughts from the experience. I was so honored to be one of the women who got to go to the Women of the EL…
Their size rivaled two VW Beetles, steel gray and tucked away in the basement of St. Paul. Each fall, they roared to life, fueled by natural gas, to boil water. With a complicated twisting and turning series of pipes, valves, radiators, air handlers,…
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Have you noticed the song of the cicadas lately? It’s pretty hard to miss. One of my friends in high school said she always thought it was a very melancholy sound, because it meant summer was almost over. Very recently, another friend echoed the same…
The old school bus is spray-painted black, with Hawkeye decals and a license plate telling the world its purpose now: to be the anchor for a team of people riding in RAGBRAI (the Register’s Annual Great Bike Ride Across Iowa). At the wheel is Phil Ha…