From the Pastor The Spirit in the Dust(Romans 8:1-17) It has already been over a week since we gathered at church on Ash Wednesday. Lent has begun! We continue to hear in our worship life together those words from the prophet Joel: “Return to the Lord your God, for He is gracious...
From the Pastor The Wisdom of Numbering Our Days(Psalm 90:4, 12-14) The comparison/contrast between eternity on the one hand and time measured by watches and hourglasses on the other has always been a mindblower for me. Once upon a time when I was a little guy, my grandpa repeated Hendrik van...
From the Pastor Immanuel, “God with Us” Right Here and Now(Matthew 1:18-25) LCMS historian Dr. Paul L. Maier once said this about one thing that makes the Christian faith stand out among other world religions: “The divine-human encounter in the biblical faiths...
From the Pastor A “Very Present” Help(Psalm 46) October is the month of the Protestant Reformation. And what would any commemoration of the Protestant Reformation be without the singing of the hymn, “A Mighty Fortress”? I ask that question because this...
From the Pastor Two Are Better than One(Ecclesiastes 4:9-12) If your first thought upon reading the title of this article was that I had the institution of holy matrimony in mind, think again. The Ecclesiastes passage is often used at weddings. I have used the verse for that purpose...
From the Pastor “That [Your] Hearts May Be Encouraged”(Colossians 2:2) Ever known someone who was a great encourager? I’ve had the privilege of knowing a few over the years. One thing I’ve noted: the best encouragers don’t have a hidden agenda or need to...
From the Pastor That Time of the (Church) Year(Acts 2:29-33) It’s that time of year in North Carolina that summer has not quite arrived, but we know it’s on its way. NBA conference finals are almost over. Fireflies in the backyard have not yet given way to cicadas...
From the Pastor “Come and Have Breakfast”(John 21:1-14) One of the best signs I ever saw was at a breakfast place in Fuquay-Varina called “Eggs Up Grill.” It was a long and thin horizontal sign, with white or beige-colored lettering on a dark-background. It read...
From the Pastor “If It Dies…”(John 12:23-24) Have you seen the Yoshino cherry (sakura) tree in front of the main office of our church this year? It burst into bloom several days before I wrote this article. And though today the tree is dropping petals with every...
From the Pastor Thriving in a World of Change(Jeremiah 17:5-8) How well do you deal with change? Over the years I’ve learned that in times of change, routine can be helpful. I’ve noticed that an unusually cold weather day usually feels better if it begins with my “happy...
