Yesterday morning I went to Belle Tire at 8:05 a.m. to get a slow leak in a tire fixed. They asked if I planned to leave the vehicle there for the day. I said, “No,” for my plan was to work on my laptop in their waiting area for an hour or two, and then be on my way to scheduled home visits.
It is a phrase we are all familiar with. In fact, sometimes I think these might be the most well-known – and most often quoted – words of Jesus. “Judge not, that you be not be judged. For with the judgement you pronounce you will be judged.” (Matthew 7.1-2)
Our Judgmental God Read Post »
Some classic Lutheran theology that is often overlooked or misunderstood describes how God rules in our world with two different
Our Two-Handed God Read Post »
fter Tuesday night’s ninth inning debacle the Tigers woke up Wednesday morning in the cellar of the American League Central Division. Their play thus far has been disappointing to me. Meadows was a nice last-minute addition, Javy is back in the lineup, and Miguel is hitting more in April than I can ever remember, but after that …
Holy Week and Easter are such a special time that I am still glowing with an emotional high nearly a week later. It is partially the nearly 400 people who worshiped with us on Easter (when you add together Sunrise, Festival, and 144 online views) – the most we have had in a single day since before the pandemic.
What an 8-day week this is – more good to great stuff than one often finds in a couple months! It starts with Palm Sunday, one of my favorite annual celebrations. Then comes our Maundy (Holy) Thursday Journey to the Cross at noon and in the evening (check out the virtual experience here and then make plans to join the live-better-than-virtual experience today: https://www.stl-eastpointe.org/2022/04/04/welcome-to-journey-to-the-cross/).
Thirty or forty years ago – or perhaps even longer – Roy Odgers (no, not Roy Rodgers) told me that “church work is slow.” Over the years it was often repeated to me by John H Smith (no, not John L Smith). Yet, still today, I have to keep repeating it to myself on a regular basis. Patience rightly is a fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5.22) for which I regularly need pray be produced in my life.
As I was making a variety of home visits over the past couple days, I started thinking about how privileged I am – that you have entrusted me to serve as your representative, and our Savior’s ambassador – in all I do as pastor of STL.
Over the years I have always preceded my morning walk/run with a variety of stretching exercises. I twist my trunk, spread my legs and touch the floor, rotate my shoulders, etc. Years ago a doctor friend of mine emphasized how helpful and valuable this in staying limber, especially as we get older. However sometime in the past year I stopped doing my stretches. I have no idea why or when!
with bringing Christianity to Ireland. Legend (?) has him miraculously driving snakes out of Ireland and into the sea, using the three leaflets of the shamrock to explain the concept of the Holy Trinity, and raising 33 people from the dead. Today Detroit and much of the world celebrates Saint Patrick’s Day. I myself have had a green beer or two over the years in celebration of the day.
