There is a good reason that construction workers wear hard hats: to protect their health. It may give them hat-hair, be bothersome, uncomfortable, and or a burden, but it is necessary. We aren’t quite going to be requiring a hard hat along with our mask mandate, but we’re going to be a construction zone as… Continue reading Get out your hard hat!
Category: Pastor Paul’s Ponderings and Letters
Old dogs learning new tricks
New vocabulary – it can be demanding, exacting, and difficult! When I was a kid, I knew I wanted to be a pastor, so I paid special attention to scripture. I was good at memorizing passages. In college, I continued that trend as a religion major. Then there was an internship and then seminary. Halfway through… Continue reading Old dogs learning new tricks
World Communion Sunday: October 3, 2021
Each year, Christians around the world mark the first Sunday in October by coming together for communion. This year, World Communion Sunday falls on October 3. And, as described in Luke 13:29, “The people will come from east and west, from north and south, and will eat at the table of God.” What are your… Continue reading World Communion Sunday: October 3, 2021
Thank you.
Thank you. Thank you for being the church, the palms of Jesus right here, right now. In your words and deeds, you are making a radical difference in the lives of people. British author, G.K. Chesterton, as his days were coming to an end, decided to write his autobiography. What made it so unique was that in… Continue reading Thank you.
Making lists, crossing things off
I love making lists, especially to-do lists. Making lists keeps me on track and moving in the right direction. I had a seminary professor that told us to put even the most mundane things on a to-do list. Why? The psychological high it gives when crossing off those items on the list! I also love… Continue reading Making lists, crossing things off
An exploding turkey and a homework assignment
Sue Bender, in her book, Everyday Sacred, describes what happened when she and her husband went to a lawyer to make a will and living trust. “What would you like to do in case there’s an exploding turkey?” the lawyer asked. “Exploding turkey?” she asked. “What if the whole family was together for Thanksgiving and… Continue reading An exploding turkey and a homework assignment
Catching up on things
Can you believe it is September? Where did August go? And for that matter, where have July, June, May, April, and 2020, 2015, 2000, 1980 gone? If you feel as if the world is spinning faster than your ability to process it all, take heart, you are not alone. Many of us are in that… Continue reading Catching up on things
What’s more exciting: congregational meetings or watching paint dry?
It’s an exciting time to be the church! Watching paint dry. Congregational meetings. Some sermons…okay…many sermons! Boring, boring, boring! That can often be the case – but not this time! For quite some time, our former moderator, Judy Jondahl, has led a group of dedicated church folks on redoing and updating our church’s constitution and bylaws (CaB).… Continue reading What’s more exciting: congregational meetings or watching paint dry?
Keep Moving
As my college class was graduating, it was a hot and sunny day. It was a proud moment as I walked across the platform and received my diploma in front of family and friends; there was a flood of emotions filling my heart, mind, and soul. As I was handed a diploma, I shook the… Continue reading Keep Moving
How do you find balance in your life?
My life needs balance: brains, heart, and courage. Like a three-legged stool when I lean into all three of them, they become pillars of strength to carry my physical, emotional, and spiritual weight through the tough moments of life. If I don’t utilize one of the three or if I depend upon one or two more than… Continue reading How do you find balance in your life?