Claimed, gathered and sent

You know the saying, "You can't go home again"? Well last week we had the privilege of returning to Petersburg, WV, which was our home for a year while I was on internship. We even had the opportunity to stay in the parsonage like we did that year.  Once a year, at a little country church outside of Petersburg, there is a service called Homecoming, which is followed by a pot luck. At the right you see the cover of the bulletin from that service. Each year, a former intern of Pastor Larry Cantu, is the guest preacher for that service. This year I had the privilege. Larry is the pastor of Grace Lutheran Church , which was my internship site. Below is the message I preached based on Ephesians 4:25-5:2 .           How many of us growing up have experienced teasing or even what today would be considered bullying? Inevitably, there would be a parent or some other authority figure like a teacher, when they hear our tale of woe, would r...

Reform # 5 No One Hungry Luther’s conviction was, “Nobody ought to go begging among Christians” (Lindberg, p. 109). In the cities of the Reformation, a common chest was place where resources for the needy were stored. It was basically an institutionalized welfare system. There were no beggars in such places because their needs were to be met. How realistic is this today? flickr foto

Yesterday in our J-term class on music and spiritual formation, there was a presentation by a woman who had been to the Taize community in France. Regarding the numerous languages and cultures touched by this movement, she drew our attention to a prayer written by a Jewish rabbi for the children of Gaza. Please read it at this link. Taizé - A Jew’s prayer for the children of Gaza We used it during our intercessions at compline last night. Today's appointed psalm caught my attention with a verse that certainly speaks to the situation, "For the Lord hears the needy, and does not despise his own that are in bonds" (Psalm 69:33). Lord in your mercy... flickr picture