Equipping for ministry
Mission & Ministry

Equipping for ministry

Beginning in the 1960s, Lutherans adopted a unique way of equipping people for ministry, as Christian leadership formation is described in Ephesians 4. A year serving a congregation as an…

An ordinary blessing for Christmas
Living Faithfully

An ordinary blessing for Christmas

Some of the sagest advice we receive in this life can sound like a simple thing we already know deep in our bodies, but it gains authority when we hear…

Love coming down
Living Faithfully

Love coming down

Focal verse “Let all that you do be done in love” (1 Corinthians 16:14). Reflection One word guides the way I teach Sunday school: love. On the first day of…

On holy harvests and chopsticks
Living Faithfully

On holy harvests and chopsticks

One of my favorite Thanksgiving memories happened in holy surprise. I had been called to my first parish in Chicago, and traveling to see family wouldn’t be convenient. My wife…

“Ubuntu is a way of life”
Mission & Ministry

“Ubuntu is a way of life”

Recently there’s been a lot of talk about diversity, equity and inclusion—or DEI, as it’s often referenced. To help create environments that are welcoming, safe and comfortable for everyone, organizations…