COVID-19 Yesterday, I received some hard news from our Council President Heidi Leiser-O’Neil. She tested positive for Covid-19 and is quite ill. We were able to talk briefly and have been texting and she requested the prayer support of the congregation. She said when it started, it felt like allergies, but she is now experiencing … [Read more…]
Fall Leadership Conference Hello everyone, I am a part of the virtual Fall Leadership Conference today and tomorrow. I will be listening to our featured Speaker Susan Beaumont for the plenary sessions and one of my old Mission Development colleagues from my time as a developer on the East Coast will be leading worship. I … [Read more…]
Deconstructing Racism I hope this winter will allow for some thoughtful preparation for how we want to reopen our church when it is safe to do so and for us to build excitement about inviting new people to join us. Who will they be? What will they care about? How can we best welcome them … [Read more…]
A Poem for Forgiveness For Pastor’s Corner today I wanted to share I poem that I’ve mentioned several times in Bible Study and have used in pastoral care and sermons in the past. It comes from a familiar source for me, my father John who’s life and poetry has inspired me to see the world … [Read more…]
Remembering September 11th It’s been almost 20 years since the attacks on World Trade Center and Pentagon shocked the world. We all have a story to tell about how we heard about this attack and how we responded. In 2001, I had just graduated from college and was staying with my parents on September 10th … [Read more…]
Check out this resource for your family! Happy Grandparents Day! In 1977, the United States declared the first Sunday after Labor Day to be Grandparents Day! That means that this Sunday, September 13th we will celebrate grandparents and all the important relationships between our grandparents and with grandchildren. Rev. Kristin Nielsen who has helped facilitate … [Read more…]
Why is self-care important? Physical Self-Care Taking care of yourself physically is the most basic level of self-care. That means getting enough sleep, movement, and healthy nutrition. Psychological Self-Care The level of psychological self-care is where you learn new things, practice mindfulness, and explore your creativity. Emotional Self-Care On the emotional level, you take steps … [Read more…]
Dear Members of First Lutheran, This week was an encouraging one for me to experience as a pastor in a new congregation. I was able to experience being church together in a new way, that has sometimes been hidden due to the circumstances of the last months. On Wednesday, our congregational council met and for … [Read more…]
August 26, 2020 Church Council Meeting Highlights Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, The Executive and Church Council met on Wednesday, August 26, 2020 outside under the lighted tents to discuss current issues and plans for the upcoming months as we all continue with COVID. To keep the congregation informed, I will publish the bullet … [Read more…]
Connecting With Others In my newsletter article for September, I share about a visit to my friend Brian in Iowa and how he is finding ways to support the victims of the derecho wind destruction in the state, especially in nearby Cedar Rapids, where his sister lives. Yesterday, I talked to my former supervisor who … [Read more…]
