Wearing a green apron put on by a classmate, the third-grader took off from one end of Friendship Hall to the other. In his hand, he carried a spoon outstretched, balancing a tiny blown-up blue balloon. At the end of his sprint, he carefully set the…
One by one, the students at Mid City High School come through the doors in the morning, greeted by name. One by one, they walk past the definition of a Maverick, written in purple on the wall. The students chose the school mascot, the school colors,…
Life is full of defining moments, from first steps to first words to first crush. And perhaps the greatest defining moment is when one discovers the power of God at work in their life. You could say I put this moment off because it’s quite intimidati…
He graduated from Pleasant Valley High School, she from Cedar Falls High School. They both pursued music degrees at the University of Northern Iowa. But it was a cafeteria across campus where Benjamin Klemme and Deborah Coltvet first met. They marrie…
In spite of being relatively well read, I remain clueless about satirical magazines in other languages. I had never heard of Charlie Hebdo before last month. Most of the world didn’t know this small French magazine until an act of horrific evil unfol…
Kids will build their faith in God, explore nature, and learn how to discover and use their gifts for others during Camp Shalom’s summer 2015 season. The theme is “A love that never ends,” said Andrew Brehmer, program director. Registration opens thi…
One tested out his walking skills. Another snoozed in a car set. Mamas fed squirmy ones, and daddiess held sleepy ones in their arms. St. Paul babies born in 2014, and their families, gathered Sunday to connect and learn about how faith can be formed…
Green-and-yellow fan you are or not, the Green Bay Packers lost a tough one last weekend. By any reckoning, they had the game in the bag. Complete domination in the first 30-minutes pushed the salty air from Puget Sound right out of the stadium. Fans…
Michelle Kanzaki had a good life. She worked with people with disabilities or the elderly almost all of her adulthood. She was busy with her career and her daughter and her grandkids and her husband of 40 years. But as a Sunday school and confirmatio…
Echoing all over the world this week are the words “je suis Charlie,” which in English is “I am Charlie.” These three words have been found on placards at marches, on Twitter feeds and on buttons worn on lapels of torn wool coats and expensive velvet…
To know Ken Hofer was to adore Ken Hofer. It was a simple as that, really. His smile lit up a room. He loved to dance and give hugs. He cared deeply for family and friends. His faith in God was true. He really loved to learn about the lives of other…
Last week I sat on an Amtrak train heading southwest towards a New Year’s visit with my family. Not long after I took my seat by the window, the winter sun began to set. And by late afternoon my view turned from various shades of brown, frozen fields…