Claimed, gathered and sent

          This is the historic front porch of the Lutheran House at the Chautauqua Institution. Lutherans have been a part of the Institution for 125 years and in that current building for 90 years. There's something interesting about every home, apartment house or inn at Chautauqua. Each and every one of them has a porch. While I was chaplain there last week, I was encouraged to occasionally just sit on the porch. Inevitably people would walk by on their way to a lecture or some other event. Conversation would ensue, even if it was just an exchange of greetings. We don't see as many homes with front porches anymore. More often we see back porches or decks where we can escape into our own little worlds. I have been doing some reading about this phenomena and its impact on community and sharing the gospel with our neighbors. In a conversation with Jake Jacobson, an assistant to the bishop of the Northwest PA Synod, I first heard the term, "porchin.'"...

Last week I was away in Gettysburg at Gettysburg Lutheran Seminary for a wonderful week of continuing education, fellowship, rest and worship. I did not have the opportunity to post my sermon from that Sunday. Below is the sermon from Sunday, July 19th. It is based on Ephesians 1:3-14. This is the message I shared with St. Timothy Lutheran Church and St. Mark Lutheran Church. Have you ever been in a meeting that is boring you to tears? And you look outside the window and it's a beautiful day, the sun is shining. Birds are chirping and bunny rabbits are hoping across the lawn. And you would much rather be outside with the bunnies than inside in this boring meeting. Now certainly, none of you feel that way at this moment. Author and church renewal consultant, Kelly Fryer, tells about a time in seminary when she was listening to an uninteresting lecture on a beautiful day when everyone would rather be outside. Apparently the professor sensed that nobody was being attentiv...

Jesus is Lord over sickness, the elements and death. I have really enjoyed the past few weeks we've spent in Mark's gospel. This past Sunday, 6/28, the text was Mark 5:21-43 . This is the sermon I preached at St. Timothy's and St. Mark's. Are you hungry? Is your stomach rumbling and you can hardly wait for coffee hour with all its goodies to begin? In today's gospel, Mark serves up another of his Markan sandwiches. The two stories which compose the bread and meat of this sandwich have a number of similarities and a few differences; complementing each other and providing commentary for each other. The first slice of bread is Jesus being approached by an important man named Jairus. He wants Jesus to come and heal his daughter. Jairus was a religious leader who could have been at odds with Jesus. Instead, he turns to Jesus, risking the health of his daughter and his own relationship with other religious leaders. Jairus was likely a man of wealth as well as being ...

Amid the horror and sadness of Wed. evening's killing of those at a Bible study in Charleston, SC, the gospel text for Sun., 6/21, Mark 4:35-41 seemed so applicable to the situation. I really sensed God's direction as I prepared to share with St. Timothy's and St. Mark's. I received a lot of positive feedback. See what you think. I would appreciate hearing from any of you via the comments. We continue to pray for all who have been impacted by this event, including the shooter and his family. Lord have mercy. Do you know what the proper name is for the place where you all are sitting? It's called the nave, which is Latin for boat. Think of the word navy. If you look up at the ceiling, you can see how this space resembles an upside down boat. Throughout the centuries, the church has been considered an ark of safety, a lifeboat for God's people, which carries us in safety across the seas of life. In today's gospel reading, Jesus is in the boat with his dis...