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At our house, we have a whole drawer in our kitchen designated solely for cords. It seems nearly everything we own needs its own charging cord. There are cell phone cords (of varying lengths and differing degrees to which they still function). Cords…
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The path to homeownership through Habitat for Humanity isn’t one you take alone. The community and friendships formed last long after construction ends. For Pam Crowe, it all started with a simple question as she waited for choir rehearsal to begin i…
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It really is a cesspool of germs. An infection site for both the predisposed and the unsuspecting; a high-risk environment for even the most cautious; a source of exponential viral growth. Yes, I am talking about social media. More specifically, I a…
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Fragile. Stretched thin. Buckling. Nearing collapse. On an almost daily basis now, we’re hearing about global supply chains inching ever closer to a breaking point. Those of us outside of industry haven’t spent our lives worrying or thinking about su…
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Maddy Carroll has been named as Interim Director of Children’s Ministries for the current school year. Her focus will be on Sunday-morning life for children and creating family events that nourish kids and families in a life of faith. The goal of her…
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This past weekend, St. Paul’s 7th graders gathered for their fall Confirmation retreat. In other years, we’ve spent 24 hours up at Camp Shalom, enjoying the woods, cabins, and adventures of this beloved camp just about an hour out of town. But, like…
A slight chill in the morning air recalled for me a recent cartoon. Side by side pictures show the same young woman in a park. In one, she is in a sweater and pants, with a cap on her head, bundled up and huddled on a bench, a baby stroller next to h…
Faith stories, the culmination of the confirmation experience, are a 2-3 minute presentation. During this time, teenagers will speak about how they see God at work in the world and in their individual lives. Faith stories will be shared during the Su…
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In the front room of our house there’s a large picture window that faces toward the street. Part of our early morning routine each day is to walk by that window and open the curtains to brighten up the room a bit. For a good portion of the day, sunli…
Fall Start-Up is when we return to the fullness of our worship and learning life. Worship shifts to Saturdays, 5 p.m., and Sundays 8, 9, and 11:15 a.m. A children’s message will be offered at 9 and 11:15. Learning classes begin for ages 3-adult at 10…
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Heidi wheeled me into the surgical suite just before noon yesterday. We’d never met before. But whoever goes for the heated blankets when there’s a chilly patient on a gurney is, in my estimation, the cat’s pajamas. That was Heidi. As the surgical pr…
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This summer, I took our kids to the Hurtsville Interpretative Center in Maquoketa, just north of us here in Eastern Iowa. It’s a nature center – full of trails and places to play in tallgrass prairie and wetlands. Our kids looked at flowers, watched…