Like a good neighbor… I suppose most of us could finish this little advertising jingle without much trouble. But what does it sound like—what does it look like—when we finish the line with the words Cross Lutheran? It has been my experience that being a good neighbor is built into the DNA of this congregation. … [Read more…]
On the first of May, when I was young, my sister and I would make and deliver May Day baskets to friends in the neighborhood. Now, growing up in tiny Keenesburg, Colorado (the town slogan was “500 Happy People and a Few Soreheads”), that meant the whole town was our neighborhood. So we would make … [Read more…]
“Easter is not about immortality but about resurrectionfrom a death that is a real death with all its frightfulnessand horrors, resurrection from a death of the bodyand the soul, of the whole person, resurrection by thepower of God’s mighty act. This is the Easter message.” ― Dietrich Bonhoeffer, God Is on the Cross: Reflections on … [Read more…]
Friends, the season of Lent is an invitation to reflect and discern our call as people of faith in the midst of the harsh realities of the world around us. Moreso, it provides an opportunity to act on God’s call to love our neighbor, seek justice, and strive for peace. Given the circumstances of the … [Read more…]
Friends, I write this message in the middle of February, on the day that the federal government announced that a withdrawal of ICE and other federal agents from the cities. Some who I have talked with today have welcomed the news. Others have said “I’ll believe it when I see it.” I find myself feeling … [Read more…]
January 25, 2025 Friends in Christ, …you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people,in order that you may proclaim the mighty acts of him whocalled you out of darkness into his marvelous light.…I Peter 2:9 I write this annual report to the congregation at a time where darkness is … [Read more…]
Greet now the swiftly changing year,with joy and penitence sincere,Rejoice! Rejoice! With thanksembrace another year of grace. Greet Now the Swiftly Changing Year.Jaroslav Vajda, LBW181 This morning, I saw a lonely Christmas tree, shorn of lights and ornaments, propped up beside a trash container — a sign, perhaps, that for some people, Christmas is done, … [Read more…]
The headlines will tell you that the world is going to hell in a handbasket. There are floods and fires, famine and war, economic uncertainty and governmental upheaval — so many challenges, so little time. On the other hand, we proclaim a God who is everywhere and at all times creating, restoring, redeeming, and loving. … [Read more…]
“Jeremiah was a prophet. Was a good friend of mine. I never understood a single word he said, but I helped him drink his wine, and he always had some mighty fine wine.” Often when I think about Jeremiah, this silly little tune runs through my head. Turns out, though, that the hit recording by … [Read more…]
“Abide with me, fast falls the eventide. The darkness deepens; Lord, with me abide. When other helpers fail and comforts flee, help of the helpless, oh, abide with me.” This beloved hymn, written in the early 19th century by Henry Lyte, has been one of my own personal favorites. There is one particular version, recorded … [Read more…]