Your Last Day Word From Wiese November 5, 2025 If you knew tomorrow would be your last day of life, what would you do? Rally a party with your family and best friends? Pig out on your favorite food and desserts? Catch a flight to your favorite location to snorkel, ski, or hike? Grab your loved ones and walk bare …
Are You Peaking? Word From Wiese October 29, 2025 My dentist tells me I need two crowns. For the first time in decades, due to a troublesome back, I didn’t run in an organized race last year. Am I over the hill? Amid such discouraging health realities, I was heartened to read a report from The Times (United Kingdom) which …
What Do They Mean Today? Word From Wiese October 22, 2025 Friends in Faith, Boy, Martin Luther blew it! Why did he choose October 31 to post his 95 Theses? Well, how could Martin Luther ever have guessed that posting his calls for church reform, lodged on the doors of Wittenberg’s Castle Church, would launch a world-wide Reformation? Furthermore, how …
Bending Iron 15 October 2025 Dear Faith Friends, As a kid, while touring historic Williamsburg, I was fascinated watching the blacksmiths shape horseshoes. The fires were scorching hot! Those blacksmiths, were required to heat iron to over 1500°F before hammering it into new forms. The transformation required unrelenting persistence. That image comes to mind as we reflect on the recent …
The Weaving: Windows to Heaven 8 October 2025 Dedicated! So many of you are passionately DEDICATED to Jesus’ mission in the world. As complementary inspiration, I’m thrilled that last Saturday, in a special ceremony, we dedicated a stunning weaving as the latest feature in our Sanctuary Renewal Process. Commissioned by an anonymous donor in honor of a loved family member, …
Let the Ideas Fly, But Keep the Fists Down 1 October 2025 Ugghh. In Michigan Sunday night, congregational worshipers went to bed not humming beautiful hymns from the morning’s worship–but removing their bloodied and smoke-saturated clothing after the latest troubled American unleashed violence and terror. (Note: On behalf of COS, on Monday morning, I connected with five different leaders of …
Wow – What a Celebration! 24 September 2025 Wow! What a fantastic Golden Celebration of 50 years of Christian ministry for Christ Our Shepherd Lutheran Church this past Sunday! Music from different decades, including a commissioned choir anthem written and arranged by Bill Pasch. A “cold open” ala Saturday Night Live from 4 of our 5 pastors over 50 years. …
Tunes of 1975 September 17, 2025 The auspicious day is almost here! It’s not every day that you’re privileged to celebrate a golden anniversary. That’s exactly what we’re blessed to do this Sunday–give thanks and praise to the Lord for launching, loving, and leveraging Christ Our Shepherd Lutheran Church for the purposes of our Triune God for five marvelous decades. …
Barnabas Encouragement September 10, 2025 Friends in Faith, Usually, my Sunday sermon and Wednesday email explore different territory. But today, I really want to emphasize my challenge to all of us to be Barnabas-like encouragers each day. Since we live in a world that knocks us down, lifting others up is an essential duty for ones Jesus commissions to be …
Working at Waffle House 3 September 2025 Dear Friends in Faith, Waffle House. The beloved Southern classic eatery might not make the Top 10 list of best family reunion spots. But on the morning of Labor Day, it was the perfect choice. Morgan was driving to the airport after a wedding in Athens, and Luke was hitting the road after …