Epiphany 3
Nehemiah 8, Luke 4:14-21

Dear friends in Christ,
I must admit there are times when I get a bit irritated when certain conservative Christian groups imply that they alone properly use and understand the Word of God, the Bible. There are times I’ve heard it suggested that Lutherans really don’t believe the Bible and therefore our Christian faith is viewed suspiciously. Well, nothing could be further from the truth. We have always believed the Bible, the written Word of God, to be central and foundational to our lives of faith. It is so important that we seek to read it properly and with care, not in a simplistic and superficial way. Read More...

Epiphany 2
John 2:1-11

Dear friends in Christ,
A lot has changed about weddings since Melissa and I were married a little more than 28 years ago. When we were married, evening weddings were commonplace. Our wedding was at 7:30PM on a Saturday night. Not anymore. They’re all in the afternoon. I can’t remember the last time I either officiated or attended a wedding in the evening. In those days it was still pretty common to hold receptions in the church hall. We didn’t do that, but it was often done. Again, it has been decades since I’ve been at a wedding reception in a church hall. Read More...