One person at a time
When all the social and relationship issues of our nation came to a head in the summer of 2020, citizens in our nation and members of our synod had mixed…
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One person at a time
Unprecedented
“COVID-19 pandemic, an ‘unprecedented wake-up call’ for all inhabitants of Mother Earth.” “Unprecedented damage by COVID-19 requires an unprecedented policy response.” “Unprecedented!” The word screams at me from the headlines…
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Unprecedented
Wedded widows and widowers
After God created Eve, he presented her to Adam. “The man said, ‘This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called “woman,” for…
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Wedded widows and widowers
COVID casualties
More than four million infected and 148,866 deaths. Those are the coronavirus statistics shared by the US Centers for Disease Control at the end of July. Meanwhile, the World Health…
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COVID casualties
Friends are friends forever
This article’s title comes from a Michael W. Smith song from the late 1980s. The lyrics say, “Friends are friends forever if the Lord’s the lord of them.” Smith’s point…
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Friends are friends forever
As we come and go
I am overflowing with excitement. As I write these words, we are making our final preparations to celebrate our first public worship services as a church in over two months.…
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As we come and go
Getting older. Getting closer.
As a young boy, sometimes I’d think, In the year 2000, I’ll be 45 years old. Wow, that’s old! Guess what? My perspective has changed—in part because the year 2000…
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Getting older. Getting closer.
Parenting parents
Families celebrate graduations throughout the nation this month. Young men and women are moving to another level of education or vocation. As parents, we can get teary-eyed realizing that our…
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Parenting parents
Holy Week is coming!
Andrew C. Schroer My favorite Christmas movie of all time is the movie Elf. In the movie, Will Ferrell plays a man who was raised as an elf at the…
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Holy Week is coming!
A man with unclean lips
The word “hell” keeps popping up in my reading these days. No, I’m not talking about my daily study of Scripture. I’m talking about the newsfeeds on my smartphone. These…
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A man with unclean lips
The Father to the fatherless
Snowden G. Sims Being fatherless is a reality in our world today. Serving in a midwestern urban setting, I encounter single mothers with children who may not see their fathers…
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The Father to the fatherless
A life like Mr. Panza’s
Andrew C. Schroer Mr. Panza is 97 years old. He lives in the nursing home down the road from my house. Over the last year, he and I have become…
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A life like Mr. Panza’s