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Category Archives: Reflections
Highlights from the Treasure Valley
The Bishops’ Holy Land trip I was scheduled to participate in this September was postponed for obvious reasons. To say I lament the genocide, the violence, the tragedy that we have been witnessing in Israel and Palestine seems inadequate. And … Continue reading
United at the Font – the pre-work
Originally published in the NWIM Synod’s e-newsletter. Dear Friends in Christ, We are preparing to open registration for our three one-day United at the Font: Partnering for the Futureevents this fall. As I wrote in our grant application to Wartburg Seminary, these three … Continue reading
ELCA CWA
Originally published in the August electronic-newsletter for the Northwest Intermountain Synod. ELCA Churchwide Assembly 6 Yet among the mature we do speak wisdom, though it is not a wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are … Continue reading
On Baptism and Vocation
Originally published in the Northwest Intermountain Synod July e-newlsetter Dear Friends in Christ,I had been planning to use this July column to look ahead to Labor Day Weekend, which I will still do. First, I want to commend to you Bishop … Continue reading
Seattle University and Quality of Call
I am a week behind on this blog, in part because as soon as I got home from Seattle there was one event after another that I was paying attention to (synod, national, global) and after months of staying healthy, … Continue reading
All about Pride parades and festivals – a letter to the NWIM Synod
Originally sent to pastors, deacons, and synod council members. Across our synod, from June through September, community members will be showing up at Pride Parades and Festivals as one way to support our LGBTQ+ siblings. You might wonder what in … Continue reading
End of a Road Trip
When people ask me what has surprised me most about this call as bishop, how I respond usually depends on the day or week. I have certainly been surprised by the pastoral care needed by both rostered leaders and congregations. … Continue reading
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Answering “How are you?”
I’ve been quiet on this blog the last few weeks. After our Synod Assembly and a few more days up in Spokane I flew back to the Treasure Valley and because of some miracle in the calendar have been here … Continue reading
Time for Stories
Originally published in the Northwest Intermountain Synod e-newsletter. Octopuses have had an excellent few years in pop culture. In 2020 there was the inspiring documentary, My Octopus Teacher. Two years later, Shelby Van Pelt’s novel Remarkably Bright Creatures became a best seller (I … Continue reading
Through the Palouse to Spokane
After preaching at First Lutheran, Kennewick last Sunday, I drove to Trinity Lutheran, Endicott for the 75th anniversary of their historic church building. From the church’s FB page: We were blessed to have these people back home with us to … Continue reading
Posted in NWIM Synod, Reflections
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A Place at the Table 