{"id":12,"date":"2008-01-02T14:39:00","date_gmt":"2008-01-02T20:39:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/2008\/01\/02\/new-beginings\/"},"modified":"2008-01-02T14:39:00","modified_gmt":"2008-01-02T20:39:00","slug":"new-beginings","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/2008\/01\/02\/new-beginings\/","title":{"rendered":"New Beginings"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>
Well, we are in a new year now. It is a time to start a new. A new is good many times. For me it is a good time as well. I stepped back into a Church that I had not been in for over a month. It started off well, but right away, some back stabbing started to happen. It really pains me to see this. This is a place that I called my home Church for over 10 years. I knew it was only a matter of time, over the last year, that I would call a new Church home. I had prayed that the Church would heal and the people in it would as well. So far this is not the case, and they are not even close. All problems are blamed on the former pastor that left after only 18 months. This is not fair at all, but it is what it is. They have contracted with a Pastor to put them through healthy congregations. This really should help, should people start to step up and take responsibility for their actions, and help out in all aspects of the Church, especially giving.<\/p>\n

I was finally coming to terms and peace, with all the turmoil<\/span> that happened there, and then I went in to take care of a few loose ends. Well, I got dragged down with the crap again. I think it is now best I just avoid the place as much as possible. I promised<\/span> to keep their computers and phones up and running until someone else can do this. So I will need to do this in the evenings, when I do not need to see anyone there.<\/p>\n

The former pastor is healing as well. He is a great person and pastor. Yes, he made some mistakes. We all made them. However he was never allowed to recover from any of his mistakes and they were compounded by the members and did not let him forget or make up for them. I just listened to his podcast today. It is somber, but moving forward. http:\/\/www.wiredjesus.com<\/p>\n

My family had a real good Christmas and a very nice quiet new years. We spend Christmas eve at Trinity Lutheran for both services and went to dinner with the pastor and family between services. For you that do not know, I am Deacon at this Church. (Side note, I have reapplied for synod<\/span> Deacon position again.) I had to drop my application due to a commitment to my former home Church.<\/p>\n

New years was a great time. My brother in law came over and a neighbor. We ate, drank and plaid Wii<\/span>. It was adult video night. My daughter had a couple of friends stay overnight and my son finally had some friends come and eat, talk and play video games for several hours.<\/p>\n

A good time had by all.<\/p>\n

Thank God for all the blessings he has put upon my family and friends<\/span>!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Well, we are in a new year now. It is a time to start a new. A new is good many times. For me it is a good time as well. I stepped back into a Church that I had not been in for over a month. It started off well, but right away, some … [Read more…]<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_crdt_document":"","_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"entry","1":"post","2":"publish","3":"author-admin","4":"post-12","6":"format-standard","7":"category-uncategorized"},"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p2m6h5-c","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":1050,"url":"https:\/\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/2014\/10\/02\/invitation-stewardship\/","url_meta":{"origin":12,"position":0},"title":"Invitation \/ Stewardship","author":"Douglas Dill","date":"October 2, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"Audio Link https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=UxbSBS1waYw An alternative version of the sermon from the first service can be seen below. http:\/\/youtu.be\/sC0SvR11QXs Luke 15:1-10 Can we truly put a price tag on life itself? We hear of individual lawsuits over loved ones that have died. There are class action suits on behalf of multiple\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Attitude"","block_context":{"text":"Attitude","link":"https:\/\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/category\/attitude\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/img.youtube.com\/vi\/UxbSBS1waYw\/0.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":26,"url":"https:\/\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/2009\/10\/04\/community\/","url_meta":{"origin":12,"position":1},"title":"Community","author":"Douglas Dill","date":"October 4, 2009","format":false,"excerpt":"As Pastor and I batted around ideas for a sermon today, community is the one that he decided that I should speak on. Community, what is it? \u00a0\u00a0Well, let\u2019s get back to that in just a moment, but keep that question in your head.What\u2019s the Largest Organism in the world?\u2026","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":1520,"url":"https:\/\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/2016\/05\/02\/church-bullies\/","url_meta":{"origin":12,"position":2},"title":"Church Bullies","author":"Douglas Dill","date":"May 2, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"Below is a very interesting article about bullies in the church. In the past I have seen this behavior by members of a church. \u00a0I saw a pastor leave a congregation following some of this behavior. \u00a0The title is indicates that there are good reasons, however the good reasons are\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Bullies"","block_context":{"text":"Bullies","link":"https:\/\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/category\/bullies\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":3166,"url":"https:\/\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/2023\/10\/25\/ever-reforming\/","url_meta":{"origin":12,"position":3},"title":"Ever Reforming","author":"Douglas Dill","date":"October 25, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"Ever Reforming: The reformation, sometimes referred to as Luther\u2019s reformation, was not the first. His 95 thesis was nailed to the door of the Wittenberg Castle Church, October 31st, 1517, not to break the church but to reform the church, through debate. It was common to put noticed upon the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Gospel"","block_context":{"text":"Gospel","link":"https:\/\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/category\/gospel\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"brown concrete statue of man","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/pexels-photo-6458045.jpg?fit=1200%2C795&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/pexels-photo-6458045.jpg?fit=1200%2C795&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/pexels-photo-6458045.jpg?fit=1200%2C795&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/pexels-photo-6458045.jpg?fit=1200%2C795&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/pexels-photo-6458045.jpg?fit=1200%2C795&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1676,"url":"https:\/\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/2016\/12\/23\/traditions\/","url_meta":{"origin":12,"position":4},"title":"Traditions","author":"Douglas Dill","date":"December 23, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"Below is a post about traditions. \u00a0This post is on the website of the Church I serve at, First Lutheran Church, South Sioux City Nebraska. \u00a0http:\/\/www.flcssc.org \u00a0 This time of the year can be steeped in traditions. \u00a0Sometimes we don\u2019t even recall when or why a tradition was started. \u00a0\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Christ"","block_context":{"text":"Christ","link":"https:\/\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/category\/christ\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":1578,"url":"https:\/\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/2016\/06\/28\/pope-says-church-should-apologize-to-gays\/","url_meta":{"origin":12,"position":5},"title":"Pope says church should apologize to gays","author":"Douglas Dill","date":"June 28, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"See this article from NPR regarding the Pope's comments on Gay people. \u00a0Note the apology is not just the Roman Catholic Church but all Christians, as we are \"The Church\" of believers. Also note his comment about Martin Luther. shortcode","rel":"","context":"In "Acceptance"","block_context":{"text":"Acceptance","link":"https:\/\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/category\/acceptance\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=12"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=12"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=12"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=12"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}