One blustery Ash Wednesday, some pastor colleagues and I went downtown to distribute “ashes on the go.” We spread on sidewalks that ran along towering office buildings and bustling restaurants, dressed in clergy wear…
In her 17 years of flying to the coastal village of Kipnuk, Alaska, to serve as its primary care provider, Anne Komulainen had never seen it like this. “The debris…
Even in the days of GPS, I still sometimes get lost. I miss the cue from my phone’s directional app; I look for a sign that isn’t there. Suddenly, I’ve…
Three years ago, as many congregations were rebuilding after the pandemic, things at First Lutheran in Ketchikan, Alaska, were falling apart. The first issue was the church building, which was…
There comes a point every summer when I realize we aren’t going to complete everything on our summer bucket list. I have big dreams in May (I’ve made lists on…
I’d always skimmed over the earthquake in Matthew’s resurrection story (28:1-10) until I was in “a big one.” I live in Alaska. There hadn’t been “a big one” in my…
Be prepared! You might hear this from a scout leader, a financial adviser or a wild-eyed first-century prophet who ate bugs for lunch. There are many forms of preparation—we prepare…
After my toddler gave the mop a “haircut,” I learned about the gentle discipline technique called redirection. When a child makes a mistake or has a meltdown, a caretaker suggests…
Erika Bergh, pastor of Christ Our Savior Lutheran Church in Anchorage, Alaska, has found a new way to worship during the COVID-19 pandemic—through a Nintendo Switch. Bergh and her spouse,…
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