By Maya Bryant My family likes to say that tragedy strikes in threes: If one thing goes wrong, two others (big or small) are bound to follow. And when they happen to you, they’re Tests. There’s something you need to learn to grow, and hardship might be the only way to do that. The three [...]
By Bishop Ann Svennungsen I distinctly remember a job interview when I served as pastor at Trinity Lutheran in Moorhead. When I asked the applicant why she wanted to work in a church, she replied, “I think it will really help my faith.” Recently, I’ve been thinking a lot about her remarks. Sunday was Pentecost [...]
By Emilie Bouvier “Ambient heaviness.” “So disheartened.” “Feeling amped up.” These were some of the comments I heard from colleagues today as we spent time checking in with each other after the long weekend. There seems to be so much swirling right now: the immense tragedy of mass shootings in Buffalo, Orange County, and Uvalde; [...]
By Pastor John Hulden One million dead from COVID in the U.S. I know, that’s not a great way to start a blog. But, it is really big news that, well, is not really new; it’s a tragedy. That’s 1,000,000 people – an ever-growing number that is an unfathomable catastrophe. Now, let’s talk birds. This [...]
By Pastor Norma Malfatti Last week my brother came to visit; it was so good to be together. This is the first time he’s come to Minneapolis that we could explore the area and we went on some fabulous adventures. However, the real reason he came to visit was to help me continue to go [...]
By Meghan Olsen Biebighauser This week my spouse and I discovered that the app that our family uses for tracking our kids’ money was being discontinued in the U.S. It’s a real loss because this app allowed us to a.) automatically dole out weekly allowance without having to remember or have cash in the house, [...]
Bob Hulteen I first heard the maxim that significant deaths happen in threes just a few years ago. The last few months have “made it real” for me, with three people who had significant impact on my life – two as mentors – passing away. With two terms as president of Concordia’s pre-sem club under [...]
By Nicholas Tangen This summer, the Faith Practices & Neighboring Practices learning community is embarking on a summer of neighborhood listening. Each of the 13 participating congregations is planning its own listening work in its context; the Faith Practices & Neighboring Practices team will provide accompaniment, coaching, and resources along the way. This is an [...]
By Pastor Craig Pederson The miracle of Easter was celebrated again this weekend: “Christ is Risen!” (You know the response, right?) And, for the first time in two years, there was the option – largely unfettered by COVID – to worship in person with others who were seeking the joy of the open tomb. “Easter [...]
By Pastor John Hulden My big brother David (a pastor in Iowa) and I always greet each other this week using the catch phrase of Batman’s sidekick – Robin, the Boy Wonder. As a kid, I so loved watching the half-hour Batman TV series with Adam West as the title character and Burt Ward as [...]
