Amos 8:4–7 Psalm 113:1-9 1 Timothy 2:1–7 Luke 16:1–13 Audio Version with Childrens Sermon Link to Video of Sermon At first glance, it would seem that the scripture today from Luke, does not have much in common with that of Amos or 1 Timothy. You might be asking the same question I was when I … [Read more…]
Link to Audio Version Ecclesiastes 1:2 Ecclesiastes 1:12–14 Ecclesiastes 2:18–23 Psalm 49:1–12 Colossians 3:1–11 Luke 12:13–21 When the last Austin Powers movie was released there was a lot commercials and hype around the movie. Hearing or reading about it seemed unavoidable. One of Mike Meyers’ co-stars commented on what the actor was like as he … [Read more…]
Audio Sermon Link Luke 8:26-39 It is all to easy to dismiss, with our scientific knowledge of today, that this man who approached Jesus in Gerasen as being just mentally ill. We can so easily justify that the lack of knowledge of the people of Jesus’s time, just did not understand mental illness and that … [Read more…]
Before I begin, I must advise you as the reader, that this will appear in a news letter for Wartburg Seminary. Although to keep it within the 500 word limit, it was edited somewhat. Below you will find the article in its entirety. I have also included the footnotes for this post, where it will not be … [Read more…]
We are to leave on Saturday from the retreat at Pine Ridge Reservation, South Dakota. It has been full of emotions and learning. Yesterday I developed a head cold. I was still able to put some more time into the house we have been working on. We also did some work today. We were not … [Read more…]
Yesterday we went to St. John Episcopal Church for a service done by the Lutheran pastor of the retreat. This is a very small church that was going to be closed due to the low attendance When the Lutheran pastor agreed to do the services, it was allowed to remain open. Both the church and the meeting room … [Read more…]
Our group had attended a wake for an elderly Lakota woman. I have to tell you, to have twenty non Indians (Us) just show up at the wake, seemed very strange. I was uneasy about “barging” in on a grieving communities’ wake. Sure enough, when we got there, I know I felt everyone’s staring at … [Read more…]
Yesterday I visited Lakota College on the Rez. (Reservation). The group and I were given an audio history of the Lakota Indians, accompanied by photographs on the wall of the cultural center. While listening to the history, feelings began to stir inside of me. I found myself ashamed of my government, angry, hurt, and a myriad of other emotions … [Read more…]
Yesterday night my fellow students and I arrived at the Presbyterian-Lutheran retreat located on the Pine Ridge Indian reservation in South Dakota. We spent twelve hours driving from Dubuque IA, via U.S. Route 20 and 16. It was really a nice drive on New Year’s Day going down mostly two lane highway through rural America. … [Read more…]
An open letter to my congregation: My dearest friends…..no strike that, my dearest family. I missed you all very much this Christmas. This is the first time in several years that I have not spent my Christmas Eve service at Trinity and you were all missed. Although I went to a service out in Galena … [Read more…]