Here I StandHere I StandA pastor's reflections, storie and shared experiences on serving a multi-cultural church in a diverse community in the midst of transition and renewal. Articles
Weekend in Tennessee (part 1)
2008-03-10 15:47:00 As we packed our van and got ready to leave for Tennessee on Saturday, we really had no idea of how the weekend would go. The weather reports for our destination at Greeneville were mixed. One forecast called for gusting winds and moderate to heavy snow, while other forecast models said it would certainly be ... More About: Weekend , Part
Sermon for the 5th Sunday in Lent
2008-03-10 03:10:00 March 9, 2008 5th Sunday in Lent John 11:1-45 Grace and peace from God the Father and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen. Earlier in the week as I began my study in preparation for today?s sermon, I was captivated by the imagery of our first lesson from Ezekiel. Reading the text one can envision the valley of ... More About: Sermons , Sermon
The Saturday Morning Post
2008-03-08 13:41:00 Welcome to Saturday , March 8, 2008 The Great Escape III At Christmas Angela and I ignored the voice of reason and we bought both of our girls a hamster. Both had been asking for one for a while, but we felt with 2 dogs, a cat and an aquarium filled with fish there were plenty of pets ... More About: Post , Morning
Partners in Ministry
2008-03-07 20:51:00 When I first went off to seminary, I did so knowing that I did not go alone. The fact is that my family and I have enjoyed the support of many people. Beginning with our home congregation, the folks who have encouraged us with their prayers, gifts and support are too numerous to recount. If ... More About: Church , Ministry , Seminary , Partners
I Can Breath!
2008-03-07 20:49:00 Thanks to those who offered their prayers, well wishes and advice the past few days. I am feeling quite a bit better. I hate being sick, but it is one way that one can catch up on some much needed sleep. More About: Breath
Feeling Yuckey?
2008-03-05 18:58:00 If you work and you are sick, do folks a favor and stay home. That way the rest of us won’t catch what you’ve got. Good advice, but a day late. I have the crud that has been going around the seminary so I won’t be visiting blogs today. Post something good so I have ... More About: Life , Feeling
Blogroll Update
2008-03-04 03:29:00 A new blog on my blogroll is Philosophy Over Coffee, where everything from church life to pop culture is discussed. The guy behind the counter at Philosophy Over Coffee is known to the blogosphere as Coffeepastor. According to his self description, Coffeepastor is A pastor in the United Church of Christ. Hipster doofus. Husband. Father-to-be. ... More About: Blogroll , Update
Sermon for the 4th Sunday in Lent
2008-03-03 16:33:00 March 2, 2008 The 4th Sunday in Lent John 9:1-41 Gracious and loving Father ? We confess that we are broken by the power of sin and blinded by the ways of the world, yet we long to hear your Word. Pour out your Spirit upon us; open our eyes and ears so that we may see your ... More About: Sermons , Sermon
The Saturday Morning Post
2008-03-01 17:29:00 Welcome to Saturday , March 1, 2008 Milestones Roll out the red carpet and release the balloons; today?s Saturday Morning Post is Here I Stand?s post number 500! Way back in May, 2006 a friend suggested to me that it might be a fun to write a blog. He had been blogging for a few months and enjoyed swapping ... More About: Sports
Six Non-Important Things Meme - Pt. Deux
2008-02-29 23:31:00 The Unlikely Conversationalist tagged me for the Six Things meme that has been making its way around the blogosphere. You know, the one that asks you to list six of your habits or quirks that make you unique. I realize that I just did this one in response to another blogger who tagged me, but being ... More About: Meme
Road Trip
2008-02-29 01:08:00 When I was 19 years old I made my first solo cross-country trip. I was on my first leave from the navy and had to drive from my parent?s house in Boynton Beach, Florida to the Great Lakes Naval Station, along the coast of Lake Michigan just north of Chicago. That is where I attended ... More About: Life , Trip , Road Trip , Road
Absence Makes the Faith Grow Stronger
2008-02-28 02:26:00 One of the more notable aspects of my internship last year was working with the men?s group, helping them define their mission, and planning their first ever retreat. I learned much from these men, especially about how we men have trouble opening up and communicating with each other on important personal issues. We focused on ... More About: Faith , Men , The Faith , Stronger , Grow
Hamster Dance
2008-02-27 02:45:00 We had a crisis this morning as I was abut to leave for the seminary. Just as I was heading for the door my daughter Rachel emerged from her bedroom in tears. It seemed that after cleaning her hamster?s cage the night before, she didn?t get everything put back together just right and Isabel was ... More About: Hamster , Dance
The Saturday Morning Post - Evening Edition
2008-02-24 02:41:00 Welcome to Saturday , February 23, 2008 Wait Until Dark Last night we spent the evening with our oldest son at college watching the spring performance of the Newberry College Theater Group. Before college, our son J?s girlfriend K attended the school for the arts majoring in drama. Who knew that one could major in anything during high ... More About: Post , Morning , Edition , Evening
Six Things Meme
2008-02-22 20:46:00 On his blog Freedom, Joe tagged me for a meme which shares six non-important things about me. I?m always up of letting people know just how unimportant I am, so here goes. The rules for the meme are: Link to the person who tagged you. Post the rules on your blog. Share six non important things/habits/quirks about ... More About: Humor , Meme , Things
Where Does Thankfulness Begin?
2008-02-22 03:45:00 It is so easy to give thanks to God when the blessing received is something that you hoped for. It is also easy to give thanks when the blessing received is something that comes as a welcome surprise. But it is very difficult to give thanks to God during those times when we receive something ... More About: Church , Seminary
The Envelope Please?
2008-02-21 12:18:00 Yesterday in the afternoon, 24 of my classmates and I received the envelopes we had been waiting for. My wife made the trip up so that she too could experience the joy, anticipation, nervousness, surprise, and delight of the moment. Those are a lot of emotions to experience at one time, and there are some that ... More About: Seminary , Lutheran , Envelope
A Leap of Faith
2008-02-20 16:12:00 Today, as I anticipate hearing the news of my regional assignment in the ELCA call process, I can’t help but wonder what if things don’t go as I had planned. What happens if the region I am assigned to is not the one I hoped for? And if it is, but how will I react if tomorrow’s announcement of synod assignments brings surprise? One friend told me that I will just have to take the leap of faith and embrace the assignment. That’s easy for her to say. She isn’t the one whose family will have to relocate and whose spouse will have to leave the only home she’s ever known. Still, a leap of faith is just that; a leap into the unknown with the assurance that God leaps with us. I have worked for a living ever since I was young. When I was 17 years old and still in high school I took a full time job and made my way so that I would not have to change high schools for the second time in 16 months. I didn’t know it back then, but working to support myself while s... More About: Faith , Leap
Just a Quick Post
2008-02-19 23:21:00 I am very aware that I have not been as vocal a member of the blogosphere lately. I love reading the many different blogs I visit and discovering new blogs as well. I also enjoy making comments on the blogs of others and reading comments on mine. Sadly, I have been swamped with a certain History of Lutheranism in North America project, writing Christian Ethics papers and well as other classes and sermons. Today I managed to visit about half of the blogs I normally read and left some comments on them. Others are on my late night “to-do” list. Having said that, here are just a couple of tidbits from the day in the life of a seminarian. In the next few hours the first day of the ELCA regional selection should be completed. Our seminary president is the person representing candidates from LTSS, and the region 9 coordinator who is there also has his office on our campus. The bishop representing our region is my synod bishop so I guess it is fair to say that I k... More About: Post , Quick
Keeping the Cart Behind the Horse
2008-02-19 02:59:00 Yesterday in the evening I met my pastor at Starbucks for coffee and to just get a little heads up on what to expect following the assignment process. Much has changed since he went through it, but there are also similarities. Back when he graduated seminary he had a bit of control as to where he would serve, and even had a hand in setting up interviews with congregations. That isn’t the case anymore, but I am glad he shared his stories. Besides, any and all moral support is welcome. He also brought along several catalogs from various church suppliers to sift through.  My home church is graciously purchasing my first stole (red) for my ordination, and he thought it would be a good idea to begin choosing one. Needless to say, reality hit home in a new way last night. The prospect of ordering stoles and such is not something I would have even thought as recently as a few years ago. Looking trough all the samples and pictures it became quite evident that this is... More About: Cart , Horse
The Saturday Morning Post - Evening Edition
2008-02-17 02:26:00 Welcome to Saturday , February 16, 2008 Celebration of New Life Earlier in the week one of my wife?s friends asked if I would consider leading a prayer service for her mother who died on Wednesday. Her mom moved to South Carolina a few years back and never found a church to call home. I was flattered that ... More About: Post , Morning , Edition , Evening
1-2-3 Books
2008-02-12 19:42:00 This meme has been making the rounds, and since I have little time for blogging today I will play along rather then publish another of my awe inspiring, inspirational posts. It is called the 1-2-3 Meme , and to play along one needs a book. Being that I am sitting in the seminary library right now, ... More About: Books
Sermon for the 1st Sunday in Lent
2008-02-11 15:14:00 Yesterday I had a wonderful opportunity to serve as pulpit supply for a congregation that is currently without a pastor. I have done this before, but this is the first time at such a church in my senior year of seminary. This visit had nothing to do with a call process, they simply needed someone ... More About: Sermons , Sunday , Sermon , Lent
The Saturday Morning Post
2008-02-09 17:51:00 Welcome to Saturday , February 9, 2007 Honor Roll This week all three of our children who still live at home had awards day at school, and for the first time ever, all of the children living under our roof made the Honor Roll at the same time. Needless to say, Angela and I are proud parents, but ... More About: Post , Morning
Ash Wednesday
2008-02-06 16:07:00 As we enter this season of Lent we are reminded of our mortality and our need for God?s grace. The 40 days of Lent are reminiscent of the 40 years the Israelites wandered in the wilderness before reaching the promised land, and also of the 40 days Jesus was alone in the wilderness, fasted and ... More About: Wednesday , Ash Wednesday
Pfannkucken! (Pancakes)
2008-02-05 11:48:00 Ahhh, Shrove Tuesday; the last day before the season of Lent and a day to feast on pancakes, bacon and a big glass of ice cold milk. I look forward to Shrove Tuesday every year, mostly because of the pancakes and bacon, but also because it is a time to get together with friends at ... More About: Church , Pancakes
Seminary Celebration
2008-02-04 16:31:00 As it turned out, Transfiguration Sunday was a most appropriate day for our congregation to recognize our ELCA Seminaries. What was originally supposed to be a celebration to honor Kathryn and me (both students at LTSS) and our families, quickly became a thanksgiving service for all those who participate in the formation of pastors and ... More About: Church , Celebration , Seminary
The Saturday Morning Post ? Part Deux
2008-02-03 05:31:00 Special Late Night Edition Seminarian Day It isn?t often that a small church sends someone to seminary to become a pastor, and it is even more seldom that small churches will have two of their members enrolled in seminary at the same time. So tomorrow morning during worship, our home congregation will be recognizing our seminarians (Ms. ... More About: Post , Saturday , Morning , Part
The Saturday Morning Post
2008-02-02 18:06:00 Welcome to Saturday February 2, 2008 Just a note to those who are used to seeing a much different type of post here on Saturday Morning , this week?s Saturday Morning Post is an editorial comment concerning tomorrow?s Super Bowl. My usual post will appear later this afternoon or evening. Super Week For those people who have been living under ...
On The Road Again
More articles from this author:2008-01-28 16:00:00 Today is the first day of my final semester at seminary; needless to say, I am ready to get this one started. Yesterday at church a man asked me ?How many round trips to Columbia do I have left?? I thought for a moment, did a bit of math and arrived at the number 64. ... More About: Seminary , Road , On The Road , The Road 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 |
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