https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WppMKwpXsQs Trailer for the Rev. Adam Hamilton's curriculum, "Words of Life" The last couple of weeks, I've been doing something I never thought I would ever do -- I'm teaching a Sunday school class. In more exact terms, Debi and I are co-facilitating an adult faith formation class on the 10 Commandments over Zoom. It's … Continue reading How a Zoom class on the 2nd (or 3rd) commandment, Luther’s catechism and a Latin pun suggest a God I can pray to
‘Swedes in Roger William’s Garden’
Proposal for the paper I'm scheduled to present next month at the 22nd annual Conference on Illinois History sponsored by the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum. Conference program and registration information are available HERE. Sessions will be conducted by Zoom, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. My session will be from 10:45 a.m. to 12:15 … Continue reading ‘Swedes in Roger William’s Garden’
Tzedakah: Acting as God’s agents
Just in time for "God's Work Our Hands Sunday" in the ELCA Lutheran churches -- Excerpts from Saturday's column by Rabbi Barry Marks in the State Journal-Register on a related Jewish concept -- tzedakah, or obligatory acts of charity. "When we respond generously to the needs of our fellow persons, we are acting as God’s … Continue reading Tzedakah: Acting as God’s agents
D R A F T / Theology? Shmeology. Why the Book of James isn’t an ‘epistle of straw’ — notes & quotes
James Hazelwood, bishop of the New England Synod -- in his chapter on service quotes theologian and futurist Len Sweet ... "... his point is that through the ages, different parts of the Old and New testaments have particular power and resonance. The 16th century saw the book of Romans; in our time it just … Continue reading D R A F T / Theology? Shmeology. Why the Book of James isn’t an ‘epistle of straw’ — notes & quotes
Spiritual direction — December 2019
Email sent Saturday to my spiritual director and posted here to provide a monthly update on themes we've been working on and my progress (or lack thereof). Lightly edited to fix obvious illiteracies and reformatted. Hi Sister -- Just looked at the calendar with something else in mind and realized our meeting is Monday afternoon. … Continue reading Spiritual direction — December 2019
A bookish, unlikely mantra for Advent in a dark time — wait, be patient, keep faith … just in case the world isn’t about to turn yet
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0hPDrkqZGWE Canticle of the Turning | katherinemoore77 Advent has always seemed to me like a study in polarities. Darkness and dawn, the soaring promise of the Magnificat -- "He hath put down the mighty from their seat, / and hath exalted the humble." Light overcomes darkness; hope overcomes despair (or, more often in my case, … Continue reading A bookish, unlikely mantra for Advent in a dark time — wait, be patient, keep faith … just in case the world isn’t about to turn yet
Advent meditation: John the Baptist, the kingdom of heaven, a Swedish theologian and the duty to resist anti-Semitism
Mass grave at Bergen-Belsen camp. Inscription says, "Here rest 1,000 dead, April 1945."Memorial stones and Israeli flag are placed on monument in observance of Jewish tradition. One of the spiritual exercises I try to practice is something the Jesuits call "creative prayer" or Ignatian contemplation -- after St. Ignatius of Loyola, founder of the order … Continue reading Advent meditation: John the Baptist, the kingdom of heaven, a Swedish theologian and the duty to resist anti-Semitism
‘Build Us Up, Lord’ — swinging into a new parish church year at Peace Lutheran
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vkenPwCU-Q8 "Build Us Up, Lord," by Mark Glaeser and Donna Hanna (ELW 670) MaryRuth72 One of my favorite things about August, along with the State Fair, yellowing corn- and beanfields beginning to dry before harvest, shorter days and cooler nights, is choir practice. It's like a little foretaste of the feasts to come, as we … Continue reading ‘Build Us Up, Lord’ — swinging into a new parish church year at Peace Lutheran
Taking stock of spiritual formation — over the month of May and the past year
[Copied from my other blog Hemlandssånger, June 8.] Copy of email I sent to my spiritual director this morning, archived here as: (1) a record of issues we've been taking up along the way; and (2) a reminder of my overall direction so I can consult it when I need to get off of tangents … Continue reading Taking stock of spiritual formation — over the month of May and the past year
Ordinary Time 