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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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Some of the most beautiful transactions in the world occur without money ever changing hands. We all know this since we’re regular participants in such transactions. I find it inspiring to remember the particulars of different encounters, if for no o…
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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…
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For many people, this is the time of year for vacations, a week at camp, or a trip to visit family. I don’t know how you prepare for a trip or vacation, but my first action is always to make a list of everything I need to pack. It’s the only way I fe…
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Meredith Bruster may not know exactly what she’ll be packing in her suitcase next month, when she leaves for a year away with the ELCA’s Young Adults in Global Mission. It’s likely she will be living in southern Africa, where she will of course need…
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Sometimes, it’s an ice cream kind of day by 9 a.m. St. Paul member Kristin Burns is the quality control manager for Whitey’s Ice Cream, the iconic Quad Cities sweet treat company. And yes, that means taste testing at all times of the day. She spends…
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I was stopped at the intersection of Kimberly and Eastern here in Davenport a few weeks ago, and saw the large sign for Habitat for Humanity’s ReStore. I looked at the sign, with a whole lot of gratitude for this store that sells used or repurposed b…
“Walk the talk” has been a popular phrase for a long time. It’s one way we celebrate the importance of actions backing up words. Conventional walk-the-talk wisdom suggests that what we do with our lives matters more than what we say. Deeds trounce wo…
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The pastors who completed the St. Paul residency program during the past 11 years are now leading throughout the country. They recently gave an update for the Lilly Endowment, which helps support the initiative. Here are snapshots of their current mi…