Happy Pentecost! The day of Pentecost occurs on the fiftieth day of Easter. On this day the church observes and celebrates Pentecost, which is a day of celebration of the Holy Spirit. Through and in the Holy Spirit, “the people of God are created and re-created. Pentecost is sometimes called the church’s birthday, but might more appropriately be called its baptism day, since the gift … Continue reading The Day of Pentecost
Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world; have mercy on us. Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world; have mercy on us. Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world; grant us peace, grant us peace. After seeing the news of yet another mass shooting yesterday, at Seattle Pacific University, I felt that I … Continue reading Lord, Have Mercy on Us
A while back I was asked to think about evangelism in our present-day context. Friend and pastor Aaron Fuller pondered, “how do you get Mainliners to do it, particularly the older ones?” This is a great question. Before I say anything though, let me offer an admission, I am NO EXPERT at evangelizing. I wouldn’t say I am any good at it either. But what strikes me … Continue reading Evangelism 101?- Or at least how to start the process perhaps
Tuesday on the blog means that it is time to share some links to things I have found interesting and thought provoking over the past week. As I mentioned last week, this week’s edition is a tiny bit shorter because of traveling and other work and project commitments. One of those reasons was being able and blessed to attend two of my friends’ ordinations, which you … Continue reading This Week’s Links
In the midst of life and its many constant changes and transitions, it is imperative that you take time to express that gratitude and thankfulness that resides deep within your heart, mind, and soul. Today’s reflection really comes out of this perspective. Allison and I have had the great joy and pleasure to walk alongside a number of friends as they have discerned calls towards … Continue reading Congratulations, Hallelujah, and Thanks be to God!
You may not be aware of this day of the church year, but today is the day that many observe Ascension Day, or the “Ascension of Our Lord.” This is the day that the church remembers when Jesus ascended into heaven. At the heart of the worship and message of Ascension are two passages, Acts 1:1-11, and Luke 24:44-53. On this day the followers of … Continue reading Ascension Day
Tuesday on the blog means that it is time to share some links to things I have found interesting, head-scratching or thought-provoking over the past week. As always, I break up the links into categories. This week’s topic categories are: Church and Ministry Thought & Practice; Cross-Sector Collaboration; Leadership Thought & Practice; Millennials; Neighbor Love; Social Media & Blogging; Vocation; Worship and Miscellaneous. I hope … Continue reading This Week’s Links
Gracious and holy God, lead us from death to life, from falsehood to truth. Lead us from despair to hope, from fear to trust. Lead us from hate to love, from war to peace. Let peace fill our hearts, our world, our universe; through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen. I felt like offering a prayer was the best place, and perhaps only place … Continue reading Memorial Day Reflections
You might often hear the term “lay leadership” every once and awhile in church and ministry areas of thought. Many people describe this differently. The description that I prefer is one meaning the non-congregational staff or non-clergy who are serving in some form of volunteer leadership within a congregation or faith community. Admittedly, it is an insider term and “leaders” or “non-staff leaders” might be … Continue reading How do you cultivate lay leadership?
Tuesday means that it is time to share some of what I have come across, read, and found interesting in the past week. This week’s topic categories are: Church and Ministry Thought & Practice; Cross-Sector Collaboration; Leadership Thought & Practice; Millennials; Neighbor Love; Social Media & Blogging; Stewardship; Vocation; Worship and Miscellaneous. I entrust them to you now and hope you enjoy them and find … Continue reading This Week’s Links
Timothy Siburg 