McFarland USA

McFarland USA & why I love sports movies like this one

I love sports movies, even mediocre ones.  I don’t know when this began.  I was a high school athlete but so was half of my 76-member graduating class.  The only televised sporting events I watch now are the NCAA basketball tournaments and the Olympics.  Yet beginning with the first time I watched Chariots of Fire as a kid I have seen just about every sports movie I can get my hands on.  Since I know you’re interested , my own collection includes Hoosiers, Bull Durham, Bend it Like Beckham, Seabiscuit, and Miracle.

There are at least two things that make a sports movie worthy of a pastor’s blog:

Someone is given a second or final chance.

Boundaries or differences are overcome so that a community is created. Continue reading

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E-Devotions for Lent

On Sunday, Feb. 8, at Trinity Lutheran Church, we will introduce some electronic resources for Lent 2015, which begins on Ash Wednesday, Feb. 18.

Here are the links we will use:

Luther Seminary emails a God Pause devotion every day of the year.  The Lent 2015 theme is There in God’s Garden.  Sign up here.

God'sGarden                                      IMG_0393 Continue reading

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Publishing “Growing to Feed Many”

It started when “my” gardeners and I had a conversation about grant writing.  Dale & Sheila Anderson and colleague Paulette Blaseg have had all of their gardening necessities for a while–greenhouse, transportation, compost bins, netting, tools and of course raised beds.  They had even added new beds to the home garden and assembled a huge new garden in another part of Nampa during the past several years.  I had learned that, at least for the first time you apply, a grant organization prefers to provide start up funds for a new project.  And so, as we sat around the table at Trinity Lutheran Church, I asked, “Do you have any one-time or brand new projects in the works?”  “Well, for a while we’ve been trying to put together this book about gardening.”  As a good friend says, “That sounds intriguing.”

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Community Garden Banquet

After our community blessing of the church gardens last spring and a season of growing produce, about thirty of us came together for a celebratory banquet.  Grace Episcopal Church hosted us.  The food, all made with produce from home and community gardens, was delicious.  Tomato vegetable sauce on brochette, rhubarb crisp, veggie stew, sweet corn, sliced cucumber, and  zucchini cake were just a few of the dishes served.

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Freezing Produce 2014

Last night our food preservation workshop ended with a session on freezing followed by taste testing:

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Pressure Canning 2014

Thursday night we continued our Food Preservation Workshop with Pressure Canning:

David'sGrp   ???????????????????????????????

Carrots

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Basic Canning 2014

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Tomatoes                                                             Salsa

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After a Blessing

Today the Idaho Press Tribune ran a front page article about community gardens.  The story featured the new 15th Avenue Garden and referenced the Trinity Community Gardens master gardeners who have helped start numerous community gardens throughout the Treasure Valley.  It seemed like an appropriate time to remember last spring’s Blessing of the Gardens and take a tour.   Here are some photos from then and now:

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Home Food Preservation Workshop 2014

Tomatoes3     Corn2
Limited Enrollment
August 21, 28 & Sept. 4
6-9pm
  • Home Canning Made Easy
  • Hands-On Pressure Canning
  • Freezing
Please plan to attend ALL THREE classes.
Total cost is $35.00 (scholarships available)

Registration Form

 

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“The Stranger” – Immigration

Wednesday night several of us from Trinity Lutheran Church went to a screening of “The Stranger,” a new documentary produced by the Evangelical Immigration Table.  So no, it is not based on Albert Camus’ The Stranger, nor is it a remake of Orson Welles’ 1946 film. Continue reading

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