Text: Psalm 23 and Psalm 98:1-3 In May of this year, my family gathered in northwest Iowa to bury my grandpa. I stood in front of those loved ones and recited those familiar words of the twenty-third Psalm. The Lord is my shepherd… You know, we imagined that this was a temporary act of closure……
Ordinary Time
Who Is At the Table
Text: Philemon 1:1-17 On Monday night, our Administrative Council gathered to talk about how we are doing as a church and what we wanted to focus on next year. One of the questions before us was: How has Covid-19 impacted your ministry? Of course there were the obvious things… we’re worshipping online, we’ve adapted to…
The Real Housewives
Text: Romans 16:1-16 Last week we explored the nuts and bolts of what a house church was, how it functioned, and who was part of it. One of the things I lifted up is that while occasionally they would have had traveling preachers and apostles come visit, for the most part, these communities spent time…
Nuts and Bolts
Text: 1 Corinthians 16:15-21 The first thing I want to say is a thank you to Maggie who read our scripture this morning. She had a really boring passage of scripture with a lot of hard names that we almost NEVER read. And she did an awesome job. You know, we almost never read the…
Day by Day
Text: Acts 2:42-47 Friday night is game night at my house. For years it has been an event where friends and family gather, surrounded by food and laughter and love. Everyone brings something to the table… even if it is just a story or a giggle or themselves. One of the things that usually happens,…
Laboring for God
Well, friends, we made it. We made it to the final stop on our Summer Road Trip through the national parks and monuments. And today, we actually aren’t too far from home in St. Louis, Missouri at the Gateway Arch National Park. Today on Labor Day Sunday, I chose this location because Gateway Arch National…
An Interview on Improvising Ministry
Transcript from last Sunday’s Conversation in Worship Text: 1 Chronicles 15:25-16:3 Katie: Well good morning to all of you! I have some special guests with me here today. They are familiar faces because they have been with you these past two weeks while I have been on vacation. Pastor Paul and Pastor Beth, both from…
Aloha!
Text: Isaiah 43:1-2, 18-19; Psalm 139:7-10 Friends, I’m so excited to travel with all of you, virtually, to Hawaii this morning. As many of you know, these islands hold a special place in my heart because my family has been blessed with the opportunity to visit and spend time not only enjoying the sunshine… but…