A Fourth Love 19 February 2025 Is there a fourth kind of love? First, let me say I hope you enjoyed a fun Valentine’s Day last Friday. Did you enjoy chocolate or flowers, a romantic date, or a funny card between friends? Whatever transpired, I hope you stayed out of trouble and good times were experienced. Secondly, Valentine’s reminds us …
Chartering Faith 12 February 2025 Would you want to live in a neighborhood without a faith community like Christ Our Shepherd? 50 years ago, a group of Christians fervently answered “no” and took action! This Sunday, February 16 we mark exactly 50 years from the historic date when 97 adults and 62 children commenced signing a charter, expressing their determination to …
Accuracy & Matthew 25 5 February 2025 Dear friend in faith, After church on Sunday, there was a statement issued by a prominent voice in our nation which was inaccurate. Charges were made of money laundering and illegal payments by Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Services. That unfounded accusation was not only incorrect. It was very unhelpful in our important national …
Intentionality about boosting others. That’s one example of why so many experienced Janet Stronach such a captivating and impactful sister in Christ. While a sudden infection took her life two weeks ago, Janet had already composed her New Year’s Resolutions. As we prepared for Janet’s Celebration of Life last Friday, the family suggested that we could provide copies of the resolutions …
Three Martin Luthers 22 January 2025 Have you heard of the connection between the world’s most famous reformer and our nation’s most famous civil rights leader? As author Taylor Branch depicts in Parting the Waters: America in the King Years 1954-63, the civil rights leader we revere now as Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was born on January 15, 1929 and …
Ripped Apart (Happy 2025, Ugh) 15 January 2025 We were shocked. Our three-year old rescue dog, Breezy, has proven an exceptionally well-behaved canine. Even in her first year with us, she only chewed up two little items before figuring out what was kosher for gnawing. So, when I came home from church two Sundays ago, LuAnne broke the news to …
Thank You President Carter 8 January 2025 Regardless of evaluation of Jimmy Carter as a politician, most Americans treasure President Carter’s example as one of our country’s finest citizens. As Christians, there are not too many Jesus-followers who argue that he wasn’t a shining light and exemplar of our faith well-lived. Soon after arriving in Georgia, many COS friends advised me …
Gobbling Gratitude 27 November 2024 Dear Fellow Turkeys, Gobble Gobble. What if a turkey translator revealed “gobble gobble” meant “grateful, grateful”? Then turkeys would be some of the happiest creatures around, gobbling gratitude wherever they go. For in our gratitude, we experience peace, perspective, and positivity. Scripture states, “from the rising of the sun to the going down of the …
Trifecta of Trials (They Come in Threes) 20 November 2024 There’s an old adage that bad luck comes in sets of three. Such was the case for my wife LuAnne. A few weeks back, we were traveling on the highway when the car in front of us swerved violently to the left. Immediately, we viewed why. Several large pieces of …
Squeeze 13 November 2024 The strongman at a circus squeezed the juice from a lemon between his hands. He then shouted to the audience, “I will offer $200 to anyone in the audience who can squeeze another drop from this lemon. A thin scholarly looking woman came forward, picked up the lemon, strained hard and managed to get one, two …