Advent is the celebration of Christ become human, His birth heralded by angels. I have witnessed the presence of Christ and of angels through hundreds of days recently spent with my beloved partner in his residence, the Alzheimer’s unit of a local nu…
I lived in Spencer, Iowa, for most of my growing up years. My family attended Bethany Lutheran Church, and the church was an integral part of our lives. Attending church was very important to my parents. Even when we were traveling, we always found a…
As a person who has lived his entire working career outside, it’s obvious that light is a very important commodity to me and everyone around me. People use light in many different ways. We keep track of how long the sun will be up every day. When we…
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I have often been drawn to the way different words bring on certain feelings and emotions. Language is such an integral part of everything we do. Simply mention “hot chocolate,” and you can immediately make someone feel warmer or cozier. While just d…
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And to think – Ron Huber was not always going to be a pastor. Losing his father at age 15, Ron felt a sense of responsibility to his family farm in rural Minnesota. After farming with his uncle for a few years, a local pastor who had became like a su…
It’s edgy riding a mountain bike trail in the deep dark forest with only the bike’s handle-bar-mounted headlight pushing its single beam through the nighttime darkness. Edgy for the rider whose eyes are straining to follow the never straight but alwa…
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Art by Sheila Mesick, given to raise money for clean water in Tanzania. One task I remember my grandmother attending to each morning was lifting up the window shades. The sunshi…
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This fall marked the passing of U.S. Rep. Elijah Cummings. Rep. Cummings was born a poor black son of sharecroppers in 1951, who went on to become an attorney and politician. Starting at age 11, he dedicated himself to desegregation and civil rights….
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As a young boy, I dreaded going to bed. My imagination ran wild as I laid in bed conjuring up when and how the monster under my bed or in the closet would strike next. The darkness paralyzed me with fear. By morning, with the sun’s magnificent streng…
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A conversation with a Jewish scholar of early Christianity, entitled “You help me to know me – An interfaith insight,” will be Monday, Nov. 18, 7 p.m., at St. Paul. The presentation is free and open to the public. Marcie Lenk trained at both Yeshiva…
“Let the waters swarm with fish and other life. Let the skies be filled with birds of every kind.” Genesis 1:20-23 Margaret and I enjoy the beauty and diversity of God’s creation. Bird watching is one of the ways for us to experience nature and the b…
A documentary about the systemic causes of homelessness in America will be shown at St. Paul on Tuesday, Nov. 19, 6:30 p.m., in the Chapel. Released earlier this year, The Invisible Class explores what it means to be homeless in America, challenging…