Gary Heard’s previous congregation, Advent Lutheran in Manhattan, decided to try selling Christmas trees in the mid-1990s as a fundraiser to bolster the church budget. “We were struggling at the…
Move over, inflatable yard Santa and giant, illuminated snowman! Here comes Jesus. That’s how retired pastor Luther Swicegood, a member of Mount Tabor Lutheran Church, West Columbia, S.C., talks about…
Ina Goetzinger loves to knit. A maker of shawls for parishioners who are ill or hospitalized, she says a prayer for healing with every stitch. But her pastor, Edwin Weber,…
South Sudan Lutheran Church, Fargo, N.D. Social worker, Cass County Economic Assistance Division; chair of the Fargo Human Relations Commission; Bush Foundation fellow; and member of the Eastern North Dakota…
Editor’s note: As we reflect on one of the most tumultuous years in recent history, with movements that brought discussions of race and racism to the forefront, we offer a series focusing…
A few years ago, we received an early Christmas gift—a musical snowman with a carrot nose and a trumpet snug in his hands. It’s a decorative piece that connects to…
When I worked at a department store over my winter breaks in college, I was often assigned to the holiday goods department: a swath of shelves and floor displays of…
When many people picture the holidays, their family comes to mind, even if it’s accompanied by commentary about having to tolerate certain members’ irritating qualities. And then there is the…
“My soul magnifies the Lord” (Luke 1:46) Timing is everything, but often the truth of this adage is seen only in hindsight. While we’re in the moment, the purpose of…
I vividly remember a day shortly into my first pastoral call when I went home and told my husband I hadn’t had a chance to go to the bathroom for…
She was born full-term, 5 pounds. Her jaundiced head was too big, her eyes too wide, her appetite too small. Her mother knew something was wrong. After two weeks in…
Focal verse To you is born this day in the city of David a Savior who is the Messiah, the Lord (Luke 2:11). Reflection Tucked in a closet with all…
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