There’s a Voice in the Wilderness- an Advent devotional for Dec. 8, 2017

This Advent season I am going to reflect on a hymn or carol daily as part of my spiritual practices. I am not sure where all these reflections will take me, but in conversation with my spiritual director, I am going to leave room for both “the head stuff” and “the heart stuff.” Some days might be more of one or another. I invite you … Continue reading There’s a Voice in the Wilderness- an Advent devotional for Dec. 8, 2017

As the Dark Awaits the Dawn- an Advent devotional for Dec. 6, 2017

This Advent season I am going to reflect on a hymn or carol daily as part of my spiritual practices. I am not sure where all these reflections will take me, but in conversation with my spiritual director, I am going to leave room for both “the head stuff” and “the heart stuff.” Some days might be more of one or another. I invite you … Continue reading As the Dark Awaits the Dawn- an Advent devotional for Dec. 6, 2017

This Week’s Links

Tuesdays on the blog mean that I have the pleasure of sharing some links to things that I have found interesting and thought provoking over the previous week with all of you. To help make sense of all that I have read, I have grouped these links by the following categories: Church and Ministry Thought & Practice; Cross-Sector Collaboration; Millennials; Neighbor Love; Stewardship; Vocation; and … Continue reading This Week’s Links

Hope, Connect, Go: A Stewardship Sermon for the First Sunday of Advent

It was a joy to be back with the good people of Emmanuel Lutheran Church in Tekamah, Nebraska. Thank you friend and Pastor Tyler Gubsch for the invitation to help kick off an Advent series on stewardship. The sermon was based in part on the appointed readings for Advent 1B in the lectionary, especially: Mark 13:24-37, Isaiah 64:1-9, and Psalm 80:1-7, 17-19. What follows is … Continue reading Hope, Connect, Go: A Stewardship Sermon for the First Sunday of Advent

All Earth is Hopeful- an Advent Devotional for Dec. 1, 2017

This Advent season I am going to reflect on a hymn or carol daily as part of my spiritual practices. I am not sure where all these reflections will take me, but in conversation with my spiritual director, I am going to leave room for both “the head stuff” and “the heart stuff.” Some days might be more of one or another. I invite you … Continue reading All Earth is Hopeful- an Advent Devotional for Dec. 1, 2017

This Week’s Links

Tuesdays on the blog mean that I have the pleasure of sharing some links to things that I have found interesting and thought provoking over the previous week with all of you. To help make sense of all that I have read, I have grouped these links by the following categories: Church and Ministry Thought & Practice; Cross-Sector Collaboration; Leadership Thought & Practice; Neighbor Love; … Continue reading This Week’s Links

Our God is a God of Love- whom we love and follow through our stewardship

I had the joy to be with the good people of First Lutheran Church in Blair, Nebraska this weekend. I was invited by pastors Scott Frederickson and Pam Ciulla, to preach in their worship services on stewardship, and based my message on the appointed gospel text from the revised common lectionary, Matthew 21:33-46. The majority of the manuscript that I preached from is what follows.  … Continue reading Our God is a God of Love- whom we love and follow through our stewardship

“Who do you say that I am?”- and the stewardship of relationships

This morning I had the great joy to be with the good people of Salem Lutheran Church in Fremont, Nebraska. I am especially grateful for the warm welcome and invitation from Pastor Chip Borgstadt. The sermon for today was based on the appointed lectionary readings from Matthew 16:13-20, and Romans 12:1-8, and what follows is the majority of the manuscript that I preached from.  Grace … Continue reading “Who do you say that I am?”- and the stewardship of relationships

Life as a Disciple, is Life as a Steward- a joyful one, but not always easy!

I was invited to lead worship and preach today at Emmanuel Lutheran Church in Tekamah, Nebraska by Pastor Tyler Gubsch. Thank you Pastor Tyler for the invitation, and to the whole congregation for the warm welcome. I shared some words of gratitude about mission share and greetings within the announcements earlier in worship, and therefore, omitted them in the sermon that follows. The message was … Continue reading Life as a Disciple, is Life as a Steward- a joyful one, but not always easy!

Let’s be a John 3:17 People! – A stewardship sermon

This weekend (March 11th & 12th), I had the joy of visiting First Lutheran Church in Kearney, Nebraska. Pastor Sylvia Karlsson invited me to come, preach, and visit, as part of the congregation’s stewardship season of focus during Lent. Over the course of the weekend, I preached the following sermon, visited with many different people, and also had a fun evening of a barbecue stewardship dinner … Continue reading Let’s be a John 3:17 People! – A stewardship sermon