Sunday – We pray for all who have died and those who have lost loved ones. Surround those near death and the mourning with Your peace and the promise of Your love. Especially for… Monday – We pray for those who are isolated, alone, anxious, depressed, shut-in, and...
Part of our spiritual journey as we mature is to find out why we think and believe the way we do. Part of our journey is coming to terms with our lack of surety, and still embracing life with faith, a faith that is often based more on trust than absolutes. There are several spiritual...
This week marks the 1 year anniversary of the opening of the St. Andrew’s Family Shelter in Hugo. Faith Lutheran has been a partner on the journey in developing this ministry and providing volunteers over the last year. The “Hugo House” hosted a birthday party to...
Sometimes we know certain things about ourselves based on life experiences, reflection, or lessons we’ve had to learn the hard way. Other times we are kind of oblivious to our tendencies, giftedness, or abilities that are pretty rare in the world. The Holy Spirit has given each of us...
Each spring, the Saint Paul Area Synod holds a gathering called a ministerium for its pastors, deacons, interns, and those going through seminary to attend. Often there is a guest speaker to share about a particular topic, but this spring the Saint Paul Area Synod did things a bit...
“No one has ever seen God. It is God the only Son, who is close to the Father’s heart, who has made him known.” John 1:18 ELCA Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Easton speaks of this passage and its deep meaning to her. The Greek word translated “heart” is not the...
How will we know when we have enough deacons? When all the needs of the marginalized and vulnerable are met. When to gather the gifts of the church and take them to the world – and to gather...
This summer, our church council had a two night retreat led by Rev. Justin Grimm from the Saint Paul Area Synod to learn about our spiritual gifts. Our council spends a lot of our time working on “business” during regular meetings—trying to be efficient and make wise decisions...
Earlier this month, I attended a Saint Paul Area Synod Event featuring Rev. Dr. Martin Junge, General Secretary of the Lutheran World Federation (LWF). The LWF is a coalition of 148 different church bodies, 99 countries, and 75 million Lutherans around the world. That’s a lot of...
For 2 days in October, leaders from across the Saint Paul Area Synod gathered for the annual Bishop’s Theological Conference. This year’s theme, “More Than Can Be Told” featured the ELCA Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton as our keynote and guest. The conference...