Fifth Sunday of Easter: Acts 11:1-18 

I was at the Lutheran retreat center Holden Village, watching the homegrown 4^th of July parade. Among the kids pulling wagons, homemade floats, and the volunteer fire brigade was a woman with jet black hair, dark red lipstick, and sleeve tattoos covering both arms. She was with the Old Testament teaching professor I had been enjoying all week, and the two of them were singing a parody of “Lift High the Cross” about crabby Lutherans

We are so cross…

Fourth Sunday of Easter: Acts 9:36-43

Helen was the coordinator of the prayer shawl ministry. She got women together on Thursday mornings to knit and pray over the shawls, which were then given to people in the parish and beyond who needed healing or prayer. She was especially good at inviting new women into their circle–often women who had

Third Sunday of Easter: John 21:1-19

Do you remember your first love?  The first person you fell head over heels for? It is an all encompassing feeling, as if you could eat, sleep, and breathe that person. 

Now maybe you are one of those people who marry their first sweet heart. But most people

I remember the moment well, though it was 20 years ago.  I was changing my daughter’s diaper, and she reached out to touch the lace on my bathrobe as she lay on the change table.  I was surprised; her brother never did that.

I think of it now as a first hand

Easter Sunday: Luke 24:1-12

Palm Sunday: Luke 19:28-40, Phil 2:5-11

My mom stood at the window, looking out toward the airplane on tarmack.

Our Swedish exchange student, Karl, was boarding the plane, heading home.

There was no way he could see us, and we couldn’t see him through the tiny airplane windows,

Nonetheless, my mom was still waving.