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When my daughter was a preschooler, she loved the book Wacky Wednesday. We’d read it every day, multiple times a day. Even now, seven years later, I can recite it to you. “It all began with that shoe on the wall. . .” My daughter knew every word yet…
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Two weeks ago, I happened to be hanging out with our high school youth during their usual Sunday evening gathering. It was “Ask the Pastor” night, where teenagers were invited to ask us any question they might have related to faith, theology, the bib…
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The English language is spoken by more than 1.5 billion people worldwide. It is the official first language of 67 different countries and the second language of hundreds of others. English dominates the business world, global politics, and internatio…
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The Ig Nobel Prize is a satiric prize offered annually since 1991, a pun on the actual Nobel Prize awarded in Sweden every year. The ignoble nature of these actual prizes aims to honor unusual achievements that “first make people laugh, and then make…
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All pastors have had a “first year,” and some of the lessons and experiences in that first year will likely make up the initial core snowball that will eventually roll into a large circular mound of snow 25 years later. One lesson or somewhat common…
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St. Paul youth transform new Camp Shalom cabins with brushstrokes and paint. In late January, a group of St. Paul youth packed their bags and art supplies and made the 42-mile drive to Maquoketa to spend the weekend creating artwork that will plant s…
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A recent news story reported research on a relatively new artificial sweetener. It gave the results of the study, but a majority of the story quoted the scientists on another point. They cautioned readers about how much they still don’t know about th…
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I love to try and wrap my head around things I don’t understand, to learn something about all that I don’t know. Usually this journey is rewarding; sometimes it’s fruitless, though, leaving little more than an empty feeling. Case in point: vandalism….
A big welcome to Brittany Guy as St. Paul’s new childcare team leader. She comes on board following the recent resignation of long-time team leader, Teresa Whitbeck, who served with outstanding dedication for 18 years. Brittany previously taught for…
At 5:30 p.m., the doors swing open. The line of more than a dozen people files in. More people will follow soon. Signs with arrows point you through the two turns to find the Zion Meal Site. The guests line up and wait for the evening’s announcements…
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After 26 years of combined service, two long-time St. Paul staff members plan for retirement next week. Paula Durham, business office manager Paula started her career in Information Technology as a systems/project manager designing computer systems….
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With people around the world, I have been reading and listening to news stories about last week’s earthquake in Syria and Turkey. I’ve been struck by images of entire blocks and cities destroyed, more than 35,000 people dead, and scores of others inj…