In Luther’s time, only monks, nuns and priests were considered to have a vocation. Luther expanded the idea of vocation to all people, even people who did menial work that was disrespected in society.
This week, the Lutheran theme is “Law and Gospel.” People often misunderstand this concept, thinking that the law is bad and the gospel is good. Others misunderstand it by thinking that some parts of scripture are “law” and others are “gospel.”
If you’re so inclined, I suggest this activity. Take 5-10 mins. First, pray to understand more about the cross of Jesus. Then journal what the cross means to you. (I’d love to hear what you come up with.)
Freedom. This word is often understood as being unconstrained, as in: “I can do what I want.” For Christians, freedom means something different.
Grace. If I could summarize the Christian faith in one word it would be Grace. Grace means getting what you don’t deserve, in a good way. It means being loved even when you feel unlovable; being forgiven when you are still steeped in guilt; being healed when you are incapable of healing yourself. This week, I start a summer series on Lutheran…
If you have been disturbed to the point of tears these past days, you are not alone. Words are inadequate to express my outpouring of grief and anger at the consistent horror of preventable gun deaths. The question so many people – including myself – are asking is “how can this get better?” No one wants to live in a world where going to…
I haven’t known exactly what to say in light of the multiple mass shootings last weekend. The one in Buffalo is a special brand of horror, with its combination of white supremacy, internet-fueled isolation and easy access to assault rifles. Again I find myself asking, what does our faith have to say about this? A few things come to mind.…
A question we have all asked at some point and especially over the course of the past two years during the worldwide pandemic: Why doesn’t God heal us all? This may be the most daunting question in Christian theology. For the sixth week of Easter, Pastor Sarah reflects on the universal and personal application of God’s love. Read the full…
As of this week, 1 million people have died in the United States from COVID-19. After the 10:30 service on Sunday, we will ring the church bell twelve times. Once for each hundred thousand people and two extra times for the two members of Peace who died from COVID-19. All week I’ve been going through news articles from the early…
Peter is hardly the first person to challenge the status quo because of something God told him in a dream. In this reflection for the 5th week of Easter published in the Christian Century, Pastor Sarah asks the hard questions: What do you need to do to be part of Jesus’ community? What rituals do you need to participate in?…