Greet- Day 7 of Advent

During Advent this year, I will be reflecting daily using this Advent Photo Devotional. The word designated for December 5th was #Greet.  Yesterday morning pastors, staff, and other ministry professionals from the southern portion of the Southwestern Washington Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) gathered for an Advent Eucharist service with the bishop at the church I am serving. One of the … Continue reading Greet- Day 7 of Advent

This Week’s Links

Each week on the blog I get to share some of what I have seen, read, and found interesting and thought provoking over the past week. To help make sense of all of these links, I have grouped them by the following categories: Church and Ministry Thought & Practice; Cross-Sector Collaboration; Leadership Thought & Practice; Millennials; Neighbor Love; Social Media & Blogging; Stewardship; Vocation; and Miscellaneous. … Continue reading This Week’s Links

King- Day 6 of Advent

During Advent this year, I will be reflecting daily using this Advent Photo Devotional. The word designated for December 4th was #King.  A favorite worship song which can be particularly appropriate for the time around Christ the King Sunday and the early Sundays of Advent is “The King of Glory” by Willard F. Jabusch. It’s a catching tune which does a nice job of connecting … Continue reading King- Day 6 of Advent

Story- Day 5 of Advent

During Advent this year, I will be reflecting daily using this Advent Photo Devotional. The word designated for December 3rd was #Story.  Last night it hit me, my wife and I have a lot of stories already. It struck me as we unpacked box after box of Christmas ornaments how each one has some connection to a life experience, a trip, vacation, or hand me … Continue reading Story- Day 5 of Advent

Glory- Day 4 of Advent

During Advent this year, I will be reflecting daily using this Advent Photo Devotional. The word designated for today is #Glory.  When I think of “Glory” and Advent and Christmas, I usually think of the angels and their witness, such as the refrain “Gloria inexcelsis deo.” However, that’s not what I have on my mind today. Instead, I am confronted again by the senselessness of … Continue reading Glory- Day 4 of Advent

Hill- Day 3 of Advent

During Advent this year, I will be reflecting daily using this Advent Photo Devotional. The word designated for today is #Hill.  “I lift up my eyes to the hills- from where will my help come? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.” – Psalm 121:1-2, NRSV I grew up near the bottom of a big hill, with another hill in my … Continue reading Hill- Day 3 of Advent

This Week’s Links

Each week on the blog I get to share some of what I have seen, read, and found interesting and thought provoking over the past week. To help make sense of all of these links, I have grouped them by the following categories: Church and Ministry Thought & Practice; Cross-Sector Collaboration; Leadership Thought & Practice; Millennials; Neighbor Love; Social Media & Blogging; Vocation; and Miscellaneous. I … Continue reading This Week’s Links

Royal- Day 2 of Advent

During Advent this year, I will be reflecting daily using this Advent Photo Devotional. The word designated for today is #Royal.  One of my favorite Advent hymns is “Prepare the Royal Highway,” by Frans Mikael Franzen. The text is so beautiful and does a beautiful joy with its Swedish folk tune melody to capture the excitement of the season that accompanies the waiting, wondering, and … Continue reading Royal- Day 2 of Advent

Prepare- Day 1 of Advent

During Advent this year, I will be reflecting daily using this Advent Photo Devotional. To begin the series, the word of the day is #Prepare.  “The days are surely coming, says the Lord, when I will fulfill the promise I made to the house of Israel and the house of Judah. In those days and at that time I will cause a righteous Branch to … Continue reading Prepare- Day 1 of Advent