Matthew 9:35-10:8

 I once had a friend who made a habit of reading the first page and the last page of a mystery novel before reading the whole book. 

I thought that was a terrible idea – after all, the surprise would be destroyed, knowing “who dun it” before even starting! But my friend liked to see how all the pieces fit together, and he could do that easier when he knew the ending at the start. Read more…

Matthew 9

It was Saturday, the 29th of August 2021. I was in Columbus, cleaning out my parents’ house after moving them to senior living. I was relieved to have them moved; my dad’s cancer had returned during the pandemic, and my mom’s memory had declined significantly as well. I hoped they would have some good years there, but if their health failed, I knew the care they needed was in place. 

Two days earlier, I’d got a call Read more…

Matthew 28 

I was teaching a bible study on the sacraments, and I shared this passage from Matthew 28: 

“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations 

Baptizing them in the name of the Father Son and Holy Spirit 

And teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.” 

I was going to talk about baptism, but a woman said, “I Read more…

It’s graduation season. Like many of you, two weeks ago I attended my son’s college graduation in Indiana. In the baccalaureate service and commencement ceremony we heard the usual things: congratulations on a job well done; stories of growth and achievement; encouragement for graduates to take on the challenges life has to offer. 

But it wasn’t until one of the student speakers stood up that we heard what Read more…

John 14:1-14 

It wasn’t much to go on. The wallet contained $40, a handful of receipts, and a state benefits card. The name on the card read “Hattie Mae Johnson.”  There was no address.  

I was at one of those marathon recording sessions back in Covid times with a few musicians preparing anthems and hymns for upcoming pre-recorded worship services. We had been taking a break in the Read more…

John 1:1-10  

Luke 24:13-35 

Many of you know that I had two reasons I moved here to Ohio, 1: being your pastor, 2: to be near my parents in their final years. My parents, brother, and I had hoped that when I moved to Ohio that we would have a few Read more…

John 20

When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the doors of the house were locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.”

It’s quite an introduction to the story. We come off of Easter morning with Mary Magdalene’s proclamation, “I have seen the Lord!” and we think everything is celebration and joy.

But this introduction leads me to think it wasn’t so simple. It Read more…

I had a favorite communion kit, an heirloom with tiny silver paten and cup that used to be Uncle Byron’s on my husband’s side of the family. Byron was a Lutheran pastor who had died at age 39 from cancer. His widow had held onto his communion kit, and when I entered the family 15 years later, she presented it to me.

I told that story every time I used the kit. I liked the way the communion kit itself was a resurrection story – the meal Read more…

John 11

Along the border of Mexico and the US, there is a competition called “gritar.” Gritar in Spanish means to yell, and that what the contest is about—yelling for as long and as loud as you can. The origins of the competition are foggy, but it is said that the grito

is the shout that started the Mexican Revolution of 1810. Most of the competitions are in bars or at country fair-type events accompanied by a decent amount of cervesa. Sometimes the competitions get downright rowdy.

Read more…