There has been a lot of interesting stuff written and published in the past couple of weeks. These all deserve their own post by me, but for the sake of time and in an effort to share this good stuff, I entrust these links to you for your reading and hopefully thought provoking pleasure. Leadership If you are like me, and you are always looking … Continue reading This Week’s Links
Last week, I came across one of those “re-posts” on my Facebook news feed. I wasn’t particularly happy when I saw it. It read: “REPOST IF U BEILIEVE IN GOD AND IN 2 MINUTES HE WILL DO YOU A HUGE FAVOR” Now first of all, yes, whoever first created this re-post misspelled believe. Second, there is an assumption seemingly made that God has a gender. … Continue reading Some thoughts on a re-post and the prosperity gospel
As has become custom on this blog, I am including a transcript of the sermon I preached this past Sunday (September 1st, 2013). The gospel passage that this centered from was the lectionary appointed one, Luke 14:1, 7-14. Without further adieu here it is: A Sermon for September 1, 2013 (Lectionary 22/Pentecost 15C); Gospel of Luke 14:1, 7-14 The past two Saturdays, Allison and I … Continue reading A Sermon on Luke 14
In my posts yesterday I hinted that there would be upcoming posts about recent changes in the ELCA (the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America). Today, I offer a guest post sharing some reflections from my brother Thomas who was a voting member at the ELCA’s Churchwide Assembly on behalf of the Southwestern Washington Synod. Thomas is in the midst of graduate studies in social work and … Continue reading Guest Post- Reflections on the ELCA Churchwide Assembly
I had the opportunity to bring the message yesterday on the story of the sisters Martha and Mary. What follows are excerpts of that sermon. I have removed some of the more contextual pieces that would only really make sense for the congregation that this sermon was preached for. I titled the sermon, “Why do we do what we do?” It was preached on July … Continue reading “Why do we do what we do?” – Sermon on Luke 10:38-42
Some of my favorite blogs provide regular posts with a simple series of links and brief annotations. In this vein, and in the spirit of sharing information and collaborating I would like to begin to provide my own links regularly about once a week. I need to come up with a good name for this regular post, so any ideas are welcome. My hope is … Continue reading Weekly Links
The Lutheran World Federation (LWF) hosted a virtual conference on Diakonia* today (June 5, 2013). The conference included participants from around the globe (including from the Philippines, Sweden, Norway, Germany, Switzerland, Mexico, the United States and many other locales). For purposes of shared learning and collaboration, I wanted to catch some of the resources from today’s conference. I have linked to a few that particularly … Continue reading Diakonia Conference Resources
I had the pleasure of being able to take some time out of my work day to attend chapel at Luther Seminary yesterday. I felt it was important to do so as this was the final chapel service of the academic year, and it was a special one of “Farewell and Godspeed” for a place itself that is in the midst of great transition and … Continue reading Leadership and the Church- Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow
Continuing in my series of reflections from reading Anthony B. Robinson’s Transforming Congregational Culture, today we turn to chapter four which he titles, “From Assuming the Goods to Delivering the Goods, Part One: Worship.” This chapter offers some thoughts, perspectives, challenges, and questions around what is worship. Robinson makes a number of assertions in this chapter and asks some very important questions. I was particularly struck … Continue reading “From Assuming the Goods to Delivering the Goods”
I have decided to pick up and read a decade old book, Transforming Congregational Culture, by Anthony B. Robinson.* As I move through this book, I intend to write a few posts along the way about either quotes that resonate with me, or about pieces I see that have especially changed (good or bad) since Robinson wrote this. So, in this line of reflection, from the beginning … Continue reading “The Challenge We Face, Part I”
Timothy Siburg 