Claimed, gathered and sent

All I can say is, "Amen!" By the way, the mid-day prayer is taken from a book we're using in my Ecology and Stewardship class. I knew it sounded familiar. Weavings Newsletter

Yesterday I had the opportunity to preach at Bender's Lutheran Church . The scripture passage was Matthew 20:1-16 . It has been over a year since I've had the opportunity to be with these folks. Here is the sermon:             In this week’s gospel, Jesus is doing what he does best—turning everything upside down. Was there anything in the gospel that made you wonder—that puzzled you? I sure hope so. That is just what parables are supposed to do—catch us off guard—shock us—grab our attention.             In this reading, the surprises start right out of the gate. I find it curious that the landowner is the one who goes out to look for workers for the field. He has a manager who works for him because he is the one who pays the workers at the end of the day. Why didn’t he have his manager do the hiring?             The landowner hired day laborers to work for him. Those seeking work would gather in a central part of town to wait for someone to hire them. Unlike today,

Kathryn wrote: The Season You're In - Friday Five Headquarters for me is the northeast of the United States. Here school is getting back in session, the tease of autumn is in the air (or the hope for the tease of autumn is in the air) and church life is gearing up to full throttle. One thing I've learned with blogging and social media is that the where I live is not necessarily where you live. And so I want to know what September means to you, in your place of the world and time in your life. This week's Friday Five is: What are 5 things that the beginning of September mean to you? Bonus: What's one thing you could do without?   So...here are my responses:   1. School--this is my last year of seminary!!!! My grown daughter is returning to school and my granddaughter is starting 2nd grade as well. 2. Cooler temperatures--In the mornings it's now starting to feel like fall. 3. New beginnings--New program year at church a

O Power of Creative Goodness, we pray for the welfare of our world and all creatures that call it home. May the winds continue to blow, but not too hard; may the rain continue to fall, but not in torrents; may the sun continue to shine, but not oppressively; may the soil continue to reproduce nutritious plants; may the stars continue in their orderly paths; and may your Spirit continue to renew the face of the earth. Amen. (http://www.lchwelcome.org/spirit/office/morning.php)  Google Image

And I thought it was my imagination. I was working on my Approval Essay in the den and I thought I heard and felt the building shake here in Gettysburg. Apparently the whole northeast felt it. Magnitude 5.9 - VIRGINIA

I spent the last year on internship in WV, a coal state. Thanks to Ben Witherington for this insightful, honest post. Creation Care—- and Clean Coal??? | The Bible and Culture

  Why Community? Years ago when I was working with new members in the community, there was always one session in which I asked each of them individually, and in turn, why they went to prayer. The answers were always full of the piety that comes with newness and the theology that comes from books. "Because," someone would say, "prayer is what leads us to perfection. That's why I go to prayer." I'd shake my head: "No," I'd say. "That's not why we go to prayer." They'd think a while, then someone else would try. "We go to prayer to immerse ourselves in God." I'd shake my head: "No," I'd say. "We are always immersed in God but that's not why we go to prayer."