“For All the Saints and Stewards”- a stewardship sermon for All Saints Sunday

I had the privilege of being with the good people of American Lutheran Church in Adams, Nebraska this morning for All Saints Sunday, thanks to the invitation of friend and pastor Rev. Nathan Metzger. It was the congregation’s mission festival, and as part of that they invited me to preach, and had a potluck after worship. What follows is the majority of the manuscript I … Continue reading “For All the Saints and Stewards”- a stewardship sermon for All Saints Sunday

Ashes and Dust- Time, Love and New Life

Confession time. This isn’t going to be a post with anything profound theologically. This isn’t going to be some great stewardship piece. No, this is purely a personal reflection of the jumbled thoughts that are in my head, the smorgasbord of feelings on my heart, and an attempt today to try and make some sense out of it all.  “Remember that you are dust, and … Continue reading Ashes and Dust- Time, Love and New Life

It Came upon the Midnight Clear- an Advent devotional for Dec. 19, 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 It Came upon the Midnight Clear- an Advent devotional for Dec. 19, 2017

Awake! Awake, and Greet the New Morn- an Advent Devotional for Dec. 4, 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 Awake! Awake, and Greet the New Morn- an Advent Devotional for Dec. 4, 2017

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

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!

Choosing Life and Living Abundantly

The following is the majority of the sermon I preached at American Lutheran Church in Filley, Nebraska on Sunday February 12, 2017. The passages appointed for the day by the revised common lectionary (Epiphany 6A) included Deuteronomy 30:15-20, 1 Corinthians 3:1-9, and Matthew 5:21-37.  Grace and peace to you this day, and greetings from your 100,000 sisters and brothers across the Nebraska Synod. I know … Continue reading Choosing Life and Living Abundantly

This Week’s Links

Tuesday on the blog means that I get to share some of what I have found interesting and thought provoking over the past week with you. To 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