I think back to them still, more than two months after first meeting them. Who could have predicted such an encounter and opportunity? Who could have foreseen the Holy Spirit’s web of connectivity being spun in time and space and lives? My seminary classmate who invited me out to his community in central Colorado likely… Continue reading Discerning
Author: mrpaulnelson
I've been blogging for over twenty years on one platform or another, and my favorite topics are cross-sections of faith and culture and everyday life. I'm an ordained minister with the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod - among other things. Welcome!
Homeward Bound
Concluding our time in the Los Angeles area we next headed north. Homeward, as it were. As close to home as we’ve ever known. Nearly eleven years spent in the idyllic locale of Santa Barbara, California. The American Riviera. An exquisite, beautiful bubble of wealth mixed with a healthy strain of surf culture. It’s where… Continue reading Homeward Bound
Orange Lutheran High School
We were very excited to be invited to present to three classes of high school students at Orange Lutheran High School in Orange, CA. Orange is a suburb of the sprawling Los Angeles metropolis and our experience at OLU was nothing short of eye-opening and incredible. OLU has an entire missions program. Interested students can… Continue reading Orange Lutheran High School
Westward, Ho!
Today we begin the second and final major leg of our home service travel. This time we’ll be just in the state of California, between Los Angeles and the Central Coast of Santa Barbara, Santa Ynez, Goleta, and other places and names that used to mean home to us but now are part of scrapbooks… Continue reading Westward, Ho!
Back to Base
We finished in Minnesota and after dinner with a friend and former colleague, headed back to Arizona. Our travel was fantastic and we’re so glad we got to see everyone we did. It never feels like enough time, but simultaneously it seems like an eternity. Traveling is rarely just a matter of distances, it also… Continue reading Back to Base
Excelsior, MN
Just a few weeks before we departed Indonesia for the US we were informed we had a new partner congregation. The LCMS has a program called Together in Mission (TIM) that connects congregations with deployed church workers around the world. We were told a new congregation was now partnering with us. Very exciting news! I… Continue reading Excelsior, MN
Mission Central
We drove all day Monday from Chicago to Mapleton, IA. We were hosted by the wonderful Kaftons, whom Gena and I were privileged to stay with three years ago as we were just starting out on this adventure. This time they hosted Gena and I as well as the boys, providing a wonderful meal and… Continue reading Mission Central
Chicago
As we were publicizing our impending Home Service through our newsletters, I was contacted by another former classmate from seminary. Rev. Michael Brown and I have remained in good contact through the years and have even managed to meet up at a few conferences along the way. He invited me to preach at his congregation,… Continue reading Chicago
St. Louis
This is our first home service. As career overseas workers we come back every two years to visit with friends, family, and partners. Once upon a time this was popularly construed – both by workers and receiving congregations – as an appeal for continued funding. These days, due to the generosity of so many people,… Continue reading St. Louis
En Route to St. Louis
We flew from Colorado Springs yesterday towards St. Louis, with a alleged stopover in Dallas-Ft.Worth. However when we landed we discovered our flight to St. Louis had been cancelled because of weather. We struggled to get information from customer service but there was not much to glean. Other than since it was weather-related we were… Continue reading En Route to St. Louis
The Nelson Family Indonesia 