We were blessed to arrive in time to worship with the good folks at Grace Lutheran of Oak Creek, Wisconsin at their 6:30 pm Thursday worship. Afterwards, we were amazed – nearly everyone who attended worship stayed after the service to hear us talk about our upcoming deployment to Southeast Asia. We had a great… Continue reading Oak Creek, WI
On the Road Again
Or more accurately in the air again! Tomorrow Gena and I fly from Phoenix to Milwaukee to visit two congregations in the area. This means getting up at 3:30am to catch a 4:30am Uber to the airport for our 7am flight, then a brief stop in Chicago to change planes and then on to Milwaukee.… Continue reading On the Road Again
Reading Ramblings – July 25, 2021
Date: Ninth Sunday after Pentecost ~ July 25, 2021 Texts: Genesis 9:8-17; Psalm 136:1-9; Ephesians 3:14-21; Mark 6:45-66 Context: God is the Creator of all things. This means God is master of all things. There is nothing that happens without God’s either direct will (the Flood) or permission (Job). This is how we are to… Continue reading Reading Ramblings – July 25, 2021
Reading Ramblings – July 18, 2021
Date: Eighth Sunday after Pentecost – July 18, 2021 Texts: Jeremiah 23:1-6; Psalm 23; Ephesians 2:11-22; Mark 6:30-44 Context: Just starting the reading at Jeremiah 23:1, we might be inclined to interpret the words as directed towards the priests as shepherds of God’s people. However if you start at Chapter 21 you see this is… Continue reading Reading Ramblings – July 18, 2021
St. Paul, Ogden UT
Today we were blessed to worship with the saints at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Ogden, UT. My wife’s family has a long history here, with her grandparents on her father’s side being life-long members there, along with her aunts and uncles until most of them moved away. St. Paul Lutheran, Ogden UT I was… Continue reading St. Paul, Ogden UT
Practicing Patience
Yesterday we got to practice patience, something we’re told we’ll need plenty of in getting around in Indonesia. Friday we flew into Santa Barbara from Phoenix. Months ago I promised to do the memorial service for a parishioner of my former congregation. The memorial was this morning at 11am. We made it to the Santa… Continue reading Practicing Patience
Making Connections
As a newly Called global church worker, making connections with pastors to come and visit their congregations can be challenging. I know from experience as a parish pastor there are plenty of agencies and groups – all good organizations, to be sure – hoping to get word of their work and invitations to support it… Continue reading Making Connections
What We’re Reading
Part of trying to prepare ourselves for life overseas means doing research, learning history and other things that could help us make better sense of where we’re going. I don’t know about y’all, but Southeast Asian history was touched rather lightly (ie not at all!) in my education. Even my undergraduate studies in history never… Continue reading What We’re Reading
A Bit About Chronology Here
Just as a heads up, I try to keep this blog more or less chronological. But being human, I’m also prone to lapses of memory. Add to that juggling technology in terms of whether the photos for the day are on my wife’s phone or mine, and sometimes things get lost in the shuffle, at… Continue reading A Bit About Chronology Here
Reading Ramblings – July 11, 2021
Date: Seventh Sunday after Pentecost ~ July 11, 2021 Texts: Amos 7:7-15; Psalm 85; Ephesians 1:3-14; Mark 6:14-20 Context: The Word of God often stands in stark contradiction to the rules of polite society or the transitory whims of human nature, not to mention the insistent rebellion of outright evil. Speaking the Word of God… Continue reading Reading Ramblings – July 11, 2021
The Nelson Family Indonesia 