When I was preparing for my first mission trip two years ago, I was experiencing some serious doubt. I wanted to serve, and I was willing to work hard. What I doubted was whether I had enough skills to make a credible contribution. Prior to leaving,…
I enjoy feeding the birds. In my rational mind, I understand that the birds instinctually come to the feeders for the millet, the safflower and the thistle. However, in my heart, I feel they come because we are friends. We count on each other. We mee…
The energy is contagious. Hundreds of Quad City teenagers rally each fall to collect as many green beans, corn, flour, macaroni & cheese, and countless other nonperishable food items. It’s called the Student Hunger Drive, and it helps stock the s…
November 19, 2015 We are shocked and dismayed by the terrorist attacks in Paris, Beirut, Egypt and elsewhere in the Middle East, but also in Nigeria, Kenya, Bangladesh and the Philippines. Senseless acts of terror will maim and forever have an impact…
Part of my daily prayer practice is walking outside. I feel connected with God when I’m out in the fresh air. Some walks are for soaking in the day, while other walks turn into prayerful conversations with God. I have learned to appreciate the pesky…
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The songs began on a Tuesday evening in September. A few of the members of the Open Spirit contemporary ensemble – which provide worship leadership for St. Paul’s 11:45 a.m. service – got together at Hans Schnekloth’s house. Chris Ryan had created a…
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What are the 40 positive assets in a young person’s life that can help them thrive? How can knowing and understanding these assets shape efforts to reach out to others, no matter their gender, age, socioeconomic status, race, ethnicity, or ability? R…
On the weekend of Nov. 13-14, St. Paul will host two nights of fun: a game night for parents and an intergenerational trivia event. Parents’ Game Night is Friday, Nov. 13, 5:30-8 p.m. Come for dinner and get ready to laugh out loud with other parent…
As he filmed a series documentaries focused on the issues of immigration, Luis Argueta noticed the consequences, especially for kids, of familial separation. During one of his trips to the Midwest (Argueta also produced a documentary about the large-…
This week, I was reading a book about Sarah Grimke. Grimke was an active abolitionist and a mother of the women’s suffrage movement. The thing that was striking to me was that Grimke didn’t find her calling until she was in her mid-40s. No longer the…
Dressed in brown and white robes, the monks of New Melleray Abbey enter the chapel. Mid-day light pours through the arched windows of the expansive place, made of limestone and wood. They do not speak to each other. Instead, they chant together. Glor…
Editor’s note: Meridyth Bates is spending a year in Madagascar as part of the Young Adults in Global Mission initiative of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. Q: Tell us a little bit about your path to serve – what choices did you make, how d…