Podcasts about elca

Mark 15:33-39When it was noon, darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon. At three o'clock, Jesus cried out with a loud voice, "Eloi, Eloi, lema sebacthani!" Which means, "My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?" When some bystanders heard it, they said, "Listen, he is calling for Elijah." And someone ran and filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on a stick and gave it to him to drink, saying, "Wait, let us see if Elijah will come and take him down." Then Jesus gave a loud cry and breathed his last. And the curtain in the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. Now, when the centurion who stood facing him saw that in this way he had breathed his last he said, "Truly this man was God's son." When I was a kid, we had a giant pit of sand and dirt in our back yard – about the size of our fire pit, over there next to the labyrinth. We cleverly called it the "Sand Pile" and it was a cheap, tasteless, makeshift version of what more sophisticated people would call a sand box, and we used it for sand castles, mud pies, dirt-track races for Matchbox cars, and whatever else kids who play in the sand, do in the dirt. (I think the Sand Pile started out as some sort of home improvement project at the church parsonage where we lived, but never amounted to anything, so my brother and I, along with our friends next door, co-opted it as a great place for little kids to play.)What made the Sand Pile cooler than your average sandbox, though, was that it wasn't self-contained. There were no sides, no cover, and no barrier underneath. One day, our neighbor friend had the brilliant idea that we should dig and just keep digging until we couldn't dig anymore. We knew this was going to take some time and I think the four of us decided to make it a summer project. Sometime after we started, I remember my dad coming home from work and noticing that we were up to something more ambitious than usual. When he asked what we were doing, we told him our plans and my friend declared that we were going to dig "all the way to Kingdom Come." We weren't very sophisticated, but we were ambitious.And so we dug a little bit each day, for days. We found worms and bugs and rocks of all kinds. We hit water one day, which meant we were really getting somewhere, so that was cool. And then one of us had the realization that if we kept digging long enough, we'd dig our way right into Hell and we wondered if maybe that wasn't such a great idea. We did keep digging, but the expedition ended shortly after that, either because we were scared or skeptical or just plain tired of shoveling. But that was the first time I ever remember considering something like the question someone offered up for this morning:"Do we have to believe in Hell in order to believe in Heaven?”When I was older, in High School, and learned about World War II and the Holocaust, I wondered if that might be Hell: the injustice and horror of concentration camps; the gas chambers, the torture, the attempted genocide. Elie Wiesel, likely the most famous survivor of the Holocaust asked once, "How [do you] explain or even describe the agony, the terror, the prayers, the tears, the tenderness, the sadness of the scientifically prepared death of six million human beings? … Six million human beings sentenced to death by an evil dictatorship not because of their faith or their circumstances but because of their very being." It sounded – and sounds, still – like Hell to me, even if it wasn't someplace you could dig your way into.When I visited all kinds of jails and prisons in college, I wondered if the smell and the heat and the sounds and the danger and the circumstances that led and keep a person there might be Hell.When I worked as a hospital chaplain for a summer during seminary, I remember a guy who had been burned on over 80% of his body. That looked like Hell, and I wondered if Hell was the sickness, disease, and disasters that consume and kill men, women, and children every minute of every hour of every day in the world. When I traveled with my family and then with our high school kids a couple of summers ago to the Whitney Plantation, in Edgard, Louisiana, where enslaved human beings were used and abused and tortured and killed, like worthless animals, for generations – Hell seemed very nearby.Is Hell the war in Ukraine? Is it the famine, starvation, and destruction in Gaza? Is Hell a cancer diagnosis or is the rigors of chemotherapy or radiation – even if they work, but especially when they don't? Is Hell a broken or breaking marriage; the death of a child; any kind of unbearable physical pain or emotional suffering? Is it paralyzing fear; hopeless loneliness; utter despair?With all of my questions, I guess you can tell that I don't think about Hell in the same way I did when I was digging around in the dirt as a child. But, from what I can tell, too many people – preachers, theologians, artists, and politicians – haven't moved beyond the sandbox. We hear too often, in my opinion, detailed images of Hell. You know them as well as I do: pictures of fire, deep dark places, chains and shackles perhaps, weeping, wailing, and gnashing of teeth, for sure, and the little guy in the red suit with a pointy tail and a pitch fork with the capacity to inflict pain and suffering on his victims for all of eternity.And these same people will tell you how to get there faster than any shovel can dig. Instructions usually include breaking the rules or not having enough of the right kind of faith or 'doing faith' differently than what's expected or accepted or, generally, behaving in ways that make God angry enough to send you ‘there' instead of calling you home to the right side of eternity.But I don't think any of this is what Hell is like or where it's at. Which is why I picked the readings I did for this morning. There are plenty of references in the Bible to Sheol and the Pit, to Hades and the Abyss. There's lots of talk about fire and punishment and the outer darkness – much of it from the very lips of Jesus himself.But nowadays, when I think of Hell, I think about the crucifixion and death of Jesus on that Good Friday afternoon. And it's not because of the abuse or the spitting or the whips or the thorns. It's not because of the darkness or the nails or the cross itself, even. It's because of the way all of these things added up to leave him hanging there alone, crying at the top of his voice, "MY GOD, MY GOD, WHY HAVE YOU FORSAKEN ME?" (Theologians call it Jesus' “cry of dereliction,” and it's why we say, as we do in our Apostles' Creed, that Jesus indeed “descended into Hell.”)It's at that moment when Hell becomes more real and more scary than any pitchfork or fire pit, if you ask me. It's at that moment when Jesus experiences what many of us have known – or what we fear – more than anything else: being utterly alone, utterly afraid, utterly out of control, cosmically lost, and entirely without hope or faith or comfort – even from God.It's at that moment when Jesus himself knows fully the hell of every concentration camp victim, every prisoner, every enslaved person, every frightened soldier, every starving stomach, every struggling addict, every dying patient, grieving spouse, scared child, broken heart, and sin-sick soul that ever was or ever will be. "MY GOD, MY GOD, WHY HAVE YOU FORSAKEN ME?"So back to the question at hand. I was asked pointedly, if “we” believe in Hell, which seems to include the questioner, myself, and other leaders and pastors and theologians of the ELCA. I won't speak for others, because I can't – that's part of the beauty of what it means to be an ELCA-flavored Lutheran, in my opinion. But I will tell you that, I don't very much think about Hell anymore these days.If it does exist, it's not a concern of mine, because I believe it's been conquered and undone, dismissed and destroyed by the work of God's love in Jesus Christ – for me, and for you, and for all of creation. You can cite for me every Scripture and verse there is about Hades and Sheol, about the outer darkness and The Pit. But I believe there is a Hell the way I believe there are K Pop concerts, hot dog eating contests, and white pride parades. They may very well exist, but I don't – and won't – ever have to show my face there, thanks be to God.We can find plenty of pictures in the Bible and elsewhere to scare each other into believing that Hell is as likely an option as Heaven or that damnation is as likely as grace. And there are lots of pastors and churches who will fan that fire with gusto and glee, but that's not what the Gospel promises. To suggest that we can faithfully choose Heaven… To suggest that we can faith-LESS-ly opt for Hell… To suggest that we can reject God's willingness to love us all the way through Hell and back and remain in our sin and death, despite God's clear desire to win us back… is to suggest that God is powerless over evil, that God is powerless over death, that God is powerless over Sin, that God isn't all God is cracked up to be and that the very death and resurrection of Jesus was a cosmic waste of God's time. And I don't buy it.I don't buy it because when Jesus cried, “My God, My God, why have you forsaken me,” he was quoting the first line of Psalm 22, which he knew well. So he must have known how Psalm 22 ends, just the same – with the hope of God's promised dominion, deliverance, power and provision. Verse 24 promises, “He did not despise or abhor the affliction of the afflicted; he did not hide his face from me, but heard when I cried to him.” By invoking Psalm 22, what if Jesus wasn't just announcing his despair and descent into Hell's separation? What if he was declaring his hope for the Heaven that was to come, just the same?My adventure in the Sand Pile as a kid that summer didn't end just because we were scared of what we might find. I think it ended because, even as kids, we realized our digging wasn't leading us anywhere but down – and that's exhausting. It didn't take us long to learn that there was more life and fun and good news in the other direction – and that's where we chose to spend our days.Which is why and how and what we believe about Hell matters for our lives in this world.When our faith is motivated more by fear than it is by hope, we're heading in the wrong direction. When it comes to our journey of faith, I hope we'll remember and share as often as we can that the Gospel is about life conquering death. The story of Jesus is about God conquering Satan. The promise of our faith is that Heaven conquers Hell – whether we like it, would choose it, or not. And the call of our faith is to live and to love our way into Heaven, not to run away from a Hell that isn't ours to fear any longer, thanks to the God we know in Jesus Christ, crucified and risen for the sake of the world.Amen

Bizable https://GoBizable.comUntie your business exposure from your personal exposure with BiZABLE.  Schedule your FREE consultation at GoBizAble.com today. Angel Studios https://Angel.com/ToddJoin the Angel Guild today and stream Testament, a powerful new series featuring the retelling of the book of Acts. Renue Healthcare https://Renue.Healthcare/ToddRegister today to Join the Renue Healthcare Webinar Thursday September 11th at 11:00 PST.   Visit https://joinstemcelltalks.com or call 602-428-4000.  Bulwark Capital https://KnowYourRiskPodcast.comBe confident in your portfolio with Bulwark! Schedule your free Know Your Risk Portfolio review. Go to KnowYourRiskPodcast.com today. Alan's Soaps https://www.AlansArtisanSoaps.comUse coupon code TODD to save an additional 10% off the bundle price.Bonefrog https://BonefrogCoffee.com/toddThe new GOLDEN AGE is here!  Use code TODD at checkout to receive 10% off your first purchase and 15% on subscriptions.LISTEN and SUBSCRIBE at:The Todd Herman Show - Podcast - Apple PodcastsThe Todd Herman Show | Podcast on SpotifyWATCH and SUBSCRIBE at: Todd Herman - The Todd Herman Show - YouTubeMeet the Republican AOC. // The Kennedy Center should not be The Trump Center. // Newest ELCA Lutheran Lie: The Bible Doesn't Address Sex.Episode Links:Democrat Rep. Greg Casar is complaining outside an ICE detention center in Texas because they denied him entry while calling to END deportations of illegals.How many times did he visit the victims of the Texas floods?? Or does he only spend his time visiting foreign criminals??I will end islam in Texas once & for all. America is a Christian nation. Help me get to Congress to destroy the muslim brotherhood & all the other terrorists, So help me God.ELCA pastor Lura Groen, who has previously PRAISED polyamory and one night stands, seeks to combat the notion that the bible has a sexual ethic binding for Christians.

• Pastor Stanton's message for: Sun, Aug 17 2025• Luke 12:49-56 (There will be division)• Revised Common Lectionary: Year C• From First Lutheran Church in Onalaska, WI• Support this ministry at 1stlu.org/give• Join us! 1stlu.org/worship

In today's gospel, we hear one of the most revolutionary hymns in all of Scripture, it's known as the Magnificat. But, too often Mary is domesticated —pictured as meek, mild, and obedient. However, the Mary we encounter in Luke is something far more radical. She is a teenager, unwed, dark-skinned, and living under the occupation of the Roman empire. By all accounts, she should be invisible. She should be powerless. And yet, she dares to sing... The post The Feast of Mary, Mother of Our Lord appeared first on Wicker Park Lutheran Church.

Angel Studios https://Angel.com/ToddJoin the Angel Guild today and stream Testament, a powerful new series featuring the retelling of the book of Acts. Alan's Soaps https://www.AlansArtisanSoaps.comUse coupon code TODD to save an additional 10% off the bundle price.Bizable https://GoBizable.comUntie your business exposure from your personal exposure with BiZABLE.  Schedule your FREE consultation at GoBizAble.com today.  Bonefrog https://BonefrogCoffee.com/toddThe new GOLDEN AGE is here!  Use code TODD at checkout to receive 10% off your first purchase and 15% on subscriptions.Bulwark Capital https://KnowYourRiskPodcast.comBe confident in your portfolio with Bulwark! Schedule your free Know Your Risk Portfolio review. Go to KnowYourRiskPodcast.com today. Renue Healthcare https://Renue.Healthcare/ToddYour journey to a better life starts at Renue Healthcare. Visit https://Renue.Healthcare/ToddLISTEN and SUBSCRIBE at:The Todd Herman Show - Podcast - Apple PodcastsThe Todd Herman Show | Podcast on SpotifyWATCH and SUBSCRIBE at: Todd Herman - The Todd Herman Show - YouTubePetulant Children or Statesmen and Public Servants? // BREAKING: Schools Discover Fish Need Water // A Sample of ELCA's Lutheran “Theology”Episode Links:Reporter: "Do you know what the chain of command is now?"Pamela Smith, D.C. Police Chief: "What does that mean?" This is who is in charge of the police in D.C…CNN POLL: Americans overwhelmingly prefer President Trump's approach to crime over Biden's.They're admitting now that walking in the woods doesn't cause forest fires.Here we go… Jeff Evely from Canada has been fined $28,872.50 by the Nova Scotia Regime for walking into the woods which violates the WEF/WHO/UN ‘Communist Climate Lockdowns'.Gavin Newsom and Karen Bass are sending bills to the Pacific Palisades fire victims to pay over $900 each for new fire hydrants that didn't even work, or have water to stop the fires that burned their homes down. Spencer Pratt “Here you go, real life. If you want to rebuild the Palisades to get your permits through, you have to spend $912.16 cents to buy new fire hydrants for Karen Bass”Fascinating insight from a school teacher on in school phone bans."How queer was Jesus? ...He was 30 years old, no wife, no job, hung out with 12 other dudes- that's pretty queer." Progressive impastor explains how Luke presents Jesus.  

• Pastor Stanton's message for: Sun, Aug 10 2025• Luke 12:32-40 (Where your treasure is…)• Revised Common Lectionary: Year C• From First Lutheran Church in Onalaska, WI• Support this ministry at 1stlu.org/give• Join us! 1stlu.org/worship

Angel Studios https://Angel.com/ToddJoin the Angel Guild today and stream Testament, a powerful new series featuring the retelling of the book of Acts. Alan's Soaps https://www.AlansArtisanSoaps.comUse coupon code TODD to save an additional 10% off the bundle price.Bizable https://GoBizable.comUntie your business exposure from your personal exposure with BiZABLE.  Schedule your FREE consultation at GoBizAble.com today.  Bonefrog https://BonefrogCoffee.com/toddThe new GOLDEN AGE is here!  Use code TODD at checkout to receive 10% off your first purchase and 15% on subscriptions.Bulwark Capital https://KnowYourRiskPodcast.comBe confident in your portfolio with Bulwark! Schedule your free Know Your Risk Portfolio review. Go to KnowYourRiskPodcast.com today. Renue Healthcare https://Renue.Healthcare/ToddYour journey to a better life starts at Renue Healthcare. Visit https://Renue.Healthcare/ToddLISTEN and SUBSCRIBE at:The Todd Herman Show - Podcast - Apple PodcastsThe Todd Herman Show | Podcast on SpotifyWATCH and SUBSCRIBE at: Todd Herman - The Todd Herman Show - YouTubeJasmine Crockett's Crew Begs to be Arrested // The Killer Satellite Attacking Canada! // The AI Debate over JesusEpisode links:Democrats get comfortable at rock bottom. The Wall Street Journal finds their popularity is at its lowest in history, and the Washington Post reviewed focus groups that give a LOT of reasons why - particularly when it comes to Democrats challenges with young menTexas State Rep. Linda Garcia (D) makes a video lip-syncing "We're going to hurt some people" after fleeing the state to avoid voting. Democrats AGAIN inciting violence.They know exactly what they're doing.Hakeem Jeffries: "Their One Big Ugly Bill, which is now law... It rips away healthcare for millions of Americans. Steals food from the mouths of children. All of this is being done... so they can reward their billionaire donors."“Starlink is cancelled in Ontario because Elon Musk was attacking our Country…” says Premier Doug Ford citing ZERO evidence to this claim.Google Gemini: What are the most commonly debated topics about Jesus Christ?Yesterday the ELCA introduced a motion to remove the phrase 'TO BE A COVENANT BETWEEN A MAN AND WOMAN' when describing marriage from their social statement: Human Sexuality: Gift and Trust

• Pastor Karyn's message for: Sun, Aug 3 2025• Luke 12:13-21 (The parable of the rich fool)• Revised Common Lectionary: Year C• From First Lutheran Church in Onalaska, WI• Support this ministry at 1stlu.org/give• Join us! 1stlu.org/worship

Listen to Vicar Sarah's sermon here! The post Ninth Sunday after Pentecost appeared first on Wicker Park Lutheran Church.

When imagining our “best self” we can get stuck thinking about the past, before major traumatic life changes. The Prophet Zephaniah was writing to a whole nation (Israel) after the shared trauma of the Babylonian Exile, sharing the hope that God would bring restoration. But the restoration would only come by moving forward through the trauma not by returning to the idealized “best self” of the time before the Exile. The short book of Zephaniah is a good reminder that God is calling us to move forward knowing that God is with us even in the midst of the traumatic times of our life.

PROPHECY HOUR: THE WAY THE TRUTH AND THE LIFE!  Pastor Dan and Linda Catlinwww.prophecyhour.comTHIS AND MORE!A minister identified as being part of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, commonly described as one of the most liberal organizations claiming the description “Christian,” has publicly rebuked the Bible's call to share the Good News with others. In fact, this pastor promotes the idea that, “There are people who are perfectly happy in other faiths who don't need converting to ours.” *Lutheran pastor (ELCA) openly rejects the Great Commission, insists that there are “people who are perfectly happy in other faiths who don't need converting to ours.” WOW THIS AND MUCH MORE! TRUTH IS COIMING! LISTEN, WATCH, AND DOWN-LOAD HEREhttps://www.podomatic.com/podcasts/branch/episodes/2025-07-31T20_29_26-07_00RADIO AND NET ARCHIVEShttps://www.podomatic.com/podcasts/branch Mission Churchhttp://wichitahomeless.com/Donations and Contacthttps://prophecyhour.com/donations/  

PROPHECY HOUR: THE WAY THE TRUTH AND THE LIFE!  Pastor Dan and Linda Catlinwww.prophecyhour.comTHIS AND MORE!A minister identified as being part of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, commonly described as one of the most liberal organizations claiming the description “Christian,” has publicly rebuked the Bible's call to share the Good News with others. In fact, this pastor promotes the idea that, “There are people who are perfectly happy in other faiths who don't need converting to ours.” *Lutheran pastor (ELCA) openly rejects the Great Commission, insists that there are “people who are perfectly happy in other faiths who don't need converting to ours.” WOW THIS AND MUCH MORE! TRUTH IS COIMING! LISTEN AND DOWN-LOAD HEREhttps://www.podomatic.com/podcasts/branch/episodes/2025-07-31T20_24_51-07_00RADIO AND NET ARCHIVEShttps://www.podomatic.com/podcasts/branch Mission Churchhttp://wichitahomeless.com/Donations and Contacthttps://prophecyhour.com/donations/  

• Pastor Karyn's message for: Sun, July 27 2025• Luke 11:1-13 (The Lord's Prayer)• Revised Common Lectionary: Year C• From First Lutheran Church in Onalaska, WI• Support this ministry at 1stlu.org/give• Join us! 1stlu.org/worship

Life doesn't always go as expected, if it did Pastor Stephanie would be an Olympic Figure Skater by now! When we encounter the unexpected storms in life that take us off the path we had envisioned we should remember the God who was with Sarah, Elizabeth, and Mary is also with us through the storms.

• Pastor Stanton's message for: Sun, July 20 2025• Luke 10:38-42 (Jesus Visits Martha and Mary)• Revised Common Lectionary: Year C• From First Lutheran Church in Onalaska, WI• Support this ministry at 1stlu.org/give• Join us! 1stlu.org/worship

Wicker Park Lutheran Church Vicar Sarah Freyermuth July 20, 2025 When you look for God in the world, who are you looking for? Don't worry, since it's my first sermon here, I'm not going to actually make you shout out your answers – although watch out, I might make you do that in a future sermon! But really, I just want all of us to take a moment and think about this question: when you look for God in the […] The post The Feast of Mary Magdalene appeared first on Wicker Park Lutheran Church.

• Pastor Karyn's message for: Sun, July 13 2025• Luke 10:25-37 (The parable of the good Samaritan)• Revised Common Lectionary: Year C• From First Lutheran Church in Onalaska, WI• Support this ministry at 1stlu.org/give• Join us! 1stlu.org/worship

Wicker Park Lutheran Church Rev. Jason S. Glombicki July 13, 2025 Today's gospel reading is my favorite story in the entire Bible. In it, we find a story within the story. First, we have the “expert of the law” in conversation with Jesus, and then, we have the parable of the Good Samaritan. Each in their own right offer us a lot to ponder and explore. Let's start with the parable. We heard of a man who was coming from […] The post Fifth Sunday after Pentecost appeared first on Wicker Park Lutheran Church.

• Pastor Stanton's message for: Sun, July 6 2025• Luke 10:1-11,16-20 (Rejoice that your names are written in heaven)• Revised Common Lectionary: Year C• From First Lutheran Church in Onalaska, WI• Support this ministry at 1stlu.org/give• Join us! 1stlu.org/worship

Wicker Park Lutheran Church Rev. Jason S. Glombicki July 6, 2025 Today's readings focus on God's reign. They give us a glimpse into how God acts, and they invite us to respond to God's action. In Isaiah, we have an image of God comforting as a mother. In Luke's gospel, we are reminded of the importance of receiving hospitality and in turn, providing hospitality. Like the seventy-two who were sent had nothing to offer – no purse, no bag, no […] The post Fourth Sunday after Pentecost appeared first on Wicker Park Lutheran Church.

• Pastor Karyn's message for: Sun, June 29 2025• Luke 9:51-62 (Would-Be Followers of Jesus)• Revised Common Lectionary: Year C• From First Lutheran Church in Onalaska, WI• Support this ministry at 1stlu.org/give• Join us! 1stlu.org/worship

Third Sunday after Pentecost June 29, 2025 Faith, Okemos I Kings 19:15-16, 19-21. Psalm 16, Galatians 5:1, 13-25[26], Luke 9:52-62   The apostle Paul wrote, I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but it is Christ who lives in me.  And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.  Galatians 2:20   …it is no longer I who live, but it is Christ who lives in me…   [And these words from Paul's letter to the church in Rome: Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?  Therefore, we have been buried with him by baptism into death. So that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life…So you must also consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.  Romans 6:3-4, 11]     As I was preparing this week for a small group study of the life and writings of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, I thought a lot about his vocation as a pastor in Germany in the 1930's and 40's, about his participation in the escalating resistance to Hitler's Nazi regime.  Dietrich came to believe that Christ truly lived in him and that Christ Jesus living in him did battle with the forces of darkness within his own soul and within the soul of the nation he deeply loved.   My brothers and sisters, I believe that Jesus living in Dietrich also lives in now each of us.  Know that in our restlessness and fear in this troubling time, Jesus is doing battle in and with us against our leanings toward despair and  anxiety and cynicism, against our leanings toward disgust and hatred of other sisters and brothers perhaps in all three branches of our government with whom we may have come to increasingly distrust and despise.    I think of the huge budget reconciliation bill now before Congress, a bill affecting countless of the poorest, the most vulnerable among us, a bill negatively affecting our efforts to conserve and preserve the Earth.  Members of Congress and we whom they represent could easily give way to what St. Paul includes in what he calls “the works of the flesh”:  heightened strife, anger, quarrels, dissensions, and factions.   But if it is really true that “it is no longer [we] who live, but rather Christ Jesus who lives in [us]”, then our hearts, our words, and our behaviors radically change.  Then these beautiful words increasingly become who we are:  people of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.       But let us make no mistake: as long as we live in a fallen world, we remain vulnerable to speaking and acting badly, even in a congregation so full of love as this one we so cherish.  In uncertain, stressful times we could can be nasty or at least indifferent to each other.  We could hurt one another even if unintentionally, whether we are young or old, whether new or long-time members.    That was certainly true in the little church in Galatia.  Harsh, ill-considered, judgmental words and behaviors toward one another threatened to irreparably break the bonds of love and kindness that held them together, wounds that effectively muted their witness to God's mercy and grace.    The little church in Galatia and our congregation in Okemos, Michigan did have this in common:  the same crucified and risen and healing Jesus Christ who lived in the Galatian congregation 2000 years later also lives in us.  They were then and we are now the very presence of Christ!  Individually and collectively, we are called to be the very presence of Jesus in this time and in this community whenever our love for one another and for our neighbors especially in Meridian Township is clearly expressed.   But when these Galatian sisters and brothers sinned against each other, and if and when we sin against one another, this same indwelling God who spoke plainly and firmly in their hearts through this little letter to them from Paul, now speaks words of judgment plainly and firmly in our hearts.  Christ Jesus dwelling in their hearts, this Jesus, through the Holy Spirit who convicted them of their sins, now truly dwelling in our hearts, will convict us of our sins against each other.  But Jesus, the Son of God, gave them, and now will give us both the courage and the humility to repent, to put to death our pride and stubbornness, and to ask for forgiveness from those we have hurt.   It has been and it will be a wonderful thing to be part of a congregation where members can courageously acknowledge to one another their lack of kindness or patience or gentleness or self-control.  It has been and it will be a wonderful thing when we can say to one another, “Please forgive me” and to hear back, “I forgive you.” It is a wonderful thing when we regularly practice confession and forgiveness with one another!  This practice may be the most primary, most powerful, deepest witness we can give to our own families, to our neighbors, to a country, to a world so divided, so full of hate.      Confession and forgiveness “levels the playing field.”  In it no one of us is either higher or lower than any of our siblings.  Before God we are all sinners.  And in Christ Jesus, we are all saints, truly cleansed and forgiven through Jesus' death on the cross for us.  Until we reach our heavenly home heaven, we will always be both sinners who need to repent and saints who have been forgiven.   There is great freedom is this dual reality.  We are set free from having to prove how good we are, how much better or better behaved we are than others, how surely “we are right” and “they are wrong.”   At the same time, we no longer need to wallow in guilt or remorse for how awful we are, for how badly and stubbornly wrong-headedly we've lived.  Christ in our hearts continually sets us free!  Jesus through the Holy Spirit struggles in us and with us and for us to name and dethrone the false gods that deceitfully promise a better, happier, safer life if we only we isolate ourselves, cut ourselves off from people with whom we disagree or whom we regard as beneath us.    I want to witness to our life in following Jesus, who is our Life, who day after day resides in our hearts, a life that keeps getting richer and richer.  I want to share a little of what that was like in my own life this past week.  Just days ago Janet Boyer was on my mind.  I called her and rejoiced with her in her gratitude to God for still having her voice after major thyroid surgery performed dangerously close to her vocal cords.  Then I think the same day, I was asked to see Jane and her daughter and some close friends. Jane, a member of Immanuel, Grand Ledge, was in hospice care, just hours away from her death.  Together we prayed and hugged and commended Jane into God's eternal embrace.  Then I privileged to be with a developmentally disabled young man in jail who as I was leaving promised to pray for me as I for him.  Then on Thursday evening Phylis and I were with a very crowded church in Grand Rapids, blessed by the presence of Nadia Bolz-Weber, a very down-to-earth, unpretentious ELCA pastor, who testified of the unending grace of God even in and from her mother's womb, the grace of God through years of drug addiction, and to this day sharing the beautiful fruits of the Holy Spirit with countless people who were lost… Nadia sensing even in her darkest hours that Jesus was not far from her.  She could echo the words of St. Paul: “It is no longer I who live but it is Christ who lives in me.”  With her we sang many songs that evening, songs including these two verses of Amazing Grace…   I believe that experiences like those given to in these last few days…expressions of love, joy, peace, patience, gentleness, kindness, given and received, are meant to be experienced by all of us, all of us in whom Jesus dwells, all of us whom Jesus calls to courageously follow him for the rest of our lives.     Please sing with me “Lord Jesus, You Shall Be My Song” [ELW 808]   Amen.                                                                                          JDS  

Wicker Park Lutheran Church Rev. Tom Gehring June 29, 2025 May these words of my mouth and this meditation of all our hearts be acceptable to you O Lord, our source of power and our compassion. Amen. Well I feel like I should just come right out and say it: this gospel text that we just heard is flat out troubling to me. And, if Jesus' words and the actions of the disciples have you feeling a bit uneasy or […] The post Third Sunday after Pentecost appeared first on Wicker Park Lutheran Church.

Luke 9:51-62When the days drew near for him to be taken up, he set his face to go to Jerusalem. And he sent messengers ahead of him. On their way they entered a village of the Samaritans to prepare for his arrival, but they did not receive him because his face was set toward Jerusalem. When his disciples James and John saw this, they said, “Lord, do you want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them?” But he turned and rebuked them. Then they went on to another village.As they were going along the road, someone said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.” And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.” To another he said, “Follow me.” But he said, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.” And Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God.” Another said, “I will follow you, Lord, but let me first say farewell to those at my home.” And Jesus said to him, “No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.” Jesus would have been a terrible pastor. And I am not the first pastor or preacher to say such a thing. Most pastors, yours included, work very hard to make things comfortable. When you come here, things are orderly and neat, (have you met pastor mark?). We do our best to explain what's going on, where things are, and how to get involved (if you want to). We hope the worship is satisfying, the music gratifying, and the preaching not a snore. We want people to know this is a place where you are cared for. So we make sure Christian education is appealing and diverse in it's offerings; there is plenty of opportunity for fellowship and meals together; and we do some service, but not too much. In all, we try to give people what they want, without too many demands — after all, it's not like we can compete with sports or packed family calendars.Jesus is the opposite. I imagine if Jesus were a pastor and greeted you at the door, he wouldn't say, “I'm so glad you've joined us,” but more like, “Are you sure you want to do this?” That's essentially what he says to the would-be disciples in Luke. Jesus is walking toward Jerusalem when someone says, “Wherever you go, I'll follow!” You can almost hear Jesus say, “You don't even know what you're saying. Creatures of earth and sky have homes — not me. Are you ready to be homeless?” We don't know how the young man responds. But I know how I would — and I'm guessing you do too.And so it is with the other two would-be disciples. Jesus tells one not to bury his father. What kind of lunatic says that? Especially in a culture where honoring one's parents was a sacred obligation. Surely Jesus can't be saying that following him is greater than the traditions of their culture? Surely he isn't telling us we can't attend funerals or grieve those we love.And is it really a big deal that the third person wants to say goodbye? That doesn't seem like an unreasonable request? I mean of course he would come rushing back to Jesus, right? A quick hug to mom, maybe one more meal, a good night's rest, and then he'll be ready. But Jesus says “you'll only make crooked furrows and that's no good in the Kingdom of God”. You see what I mean that Jesus wouldn't make a good pastor? Here are people throwing themselves at Jesus and his response is “are you sure? Because this is going to cost you.” It will cost you your comfort; it will cost you the traditions and obligations you hold so dearly, it will cost you whatever or whoever it was waiting for you back home. We don't want to hear that. I don't want to preach that! It would be easier to stand up and say we are doing so well. Instead of a discipleship at all cost, we much prefer discipleship at little to no cost. We want Jesus, myself included, to sound like a used car salesman, reaffirming that this life of faith can be ours with little to no money down! We want discipleship on demand — where we hit pause when something else comes up, and resume when time allows. After all isn't there grace?! And here among all places, isn't grace offered with no string attached? But when grace becomes an excuse to avoid commitment — when it asks nothing of us — it turns into what Bonhoeffer called “cheap grace. “Cheap grace is that grace which we bestow on ourselves. Cheap grace is preaching forgiveness without repentance; it is baptism without the disciple of community; it is the Lord's Supper without the confession of sin; it is absolution with out personal confession. Cheap grace is grace without discipleship, grace without the cross, grace without the living, incarnate Jesus Christ”. Rather what Jesus offers to the would-be disciples and to us is a costly grace. It is costly because it will cost us comfort — but it is grace, because we follow Jesus.It is costly because it will upend our lives — but it is grace, because it offers life to the full, here and now.It is costly because we will lose relationships — but it is grace, because it leads us into deeper communion with others and with GodI want to be clear. Discipleship is not how much one goes to church. I don't think Jesus is saying discipleship means you must be homeless, or that you can't grieve a loved one, or doubt what you're doing. But I also don't want to chalk this up to hyperbole and say, “Nice try — at least there's grace.” Grace isn't an excuse; it's a catalyst. Discipleship will cost us. So what is the cost — for you, in your life, right now? And what might it cost us, together, as a community of faith?What comfort might this costly grace afflict?What obligations are you asked to let go of?What relationships need reordered?In Winston-Salem, I saw costly grace embodied. The Dwelling is a church made up of — and for — people who live on the margins. Folks who are homeless or have been. People wrestling with addiction. Just out of incarceration. Some from nearby low-income housing. A few who looked like you and me. When we got to the dwelling for worship, their sanctuary looked nothing like ours. Think more living room, less cathedral. It was packed with people who walked in from the street, bags and dogs in tow. People would yell, sometimes at no one, sometimes at someone, sometimes playful, sometimes not. We ate breakfast together. But the smell of the egg casserole was not enough to mask the scent of sweat and smoke that filled the space. Worship began once seconds were finished, around 11ish, but no one sets their watch by it. And if you think our second service is loud… People held conversations, left, came back in, moved about at their leisure. But they also clapped and danced, and yell affirmations during the sermon and prayers. Did I mention it too is an ELCA church?After worship, they gathered for another meal, waiting in a long line on the blacktop as the North Carolina sun beat down. With early 2000s pop blasting from a speaker, the servers danced with abandon as they dished up a thoroughly southern lunch for over 200 people. And that's what every Sunday is like. [return to screen].It is uncomfortable, especially for those of us who expect church to look, feel, smell, and sound more like this. It breaks many traditions of worship, programming, and education, especially for a Lutheran congregation. And it has cost them relationships. People won't worship there because they think it could be unsafe, or they can't tolerate the smell, or there's no Sunday School. Yet as I sat in worship — clearly the minority in all sorts of ways — I saw costly grace. It was messy and beautiful, hard and joy-filled. But that's discipleship.And at our best, I believe we embrace costly grace in faithful ways for our context. It sounds like raising hard questions and concerns about the dangers of Christian Nationalism. It looks like showing up at Pride with a booth and a message: that God's love is for all — especially those who've been told it's not. It means addressing the history and ongoing injustice caused by racism. It feels like giving a significant portion of our money away each and every year to people and places that need it. These things make us uncomfortable. They reorder our obligations. They challenge our traditions. And yes — they have cost us relationships. But isn't that what Jesus said discipleship would look like?Discipleship is costly, Jesus is very honest about that. But he asks nothing of us that he hasn't already done for us.Maybe that's why he would have been a terrible pastor — but the perfect Savior. And thank God for that. Amen.

Angel Studios https://Angel.com/ToddBecome a Premium Angel Studios Guild member to watch The King of Kings, stream all fan-curated shows and movies, and get 2 free tickets to every Angel Studios theatrical release. Alan's Soaps https://www.AlansArtisanSoaps.comUse coupon code TODD to save an additional 10% off the bundle price.Bioptimizers https://Bioptimizers.com/toddEnter promo code TODD to get 10% off your order of Berberine Breakthrough today.Bizable https://GoBizable.comUntie your business exposure from your personal exposure with BiZABLE.  Schedule your FREE consultation at GoBizAble.com today.  Bonefrog https://BonefrogCoffee.com/toddThe new GOLDEN AGE is here!  Use code TODD at checkout to receive 10% off your first purchase and 15% on subscriptions.Bulwark Capital https://KnowYourRiskPodcast.comBe confident in your portfolio with Bulwark! Schedule your free Know Your Risk Portfolio review. Go to KnowYourRiskPodcast.com today.Renue Healthcare https://Renue.Healthcare/ToddYour journey to a better life starts at Renue Healthcare. Visit https://Renue.Healthcare/ToddLISTEN and SUBSCRIBE at:The Todd Herman Show - Podcast - Apple PodcastsThe Todd Herman Show | Podcast on SpotifyWATCH and SUBSCRIBE at: Todd Herman - The Todd Herman Show - YouTubeBarack Obama's Truth-Machine Fetish // Trump Started WW … Oh, wait.  // Bee Dude's Sermon Vs. ELCA Pastor: Choose The Worst Heretic.Episode Links:Obama pines for a social media Ministry of Truth:I have no electricity. Nothing! Look how well lit my video is. That I'm uploading to my phone. And sharing — without Internet. Also, I'm practically starving and can barely maintain my obese figure on lentil soup and pita bread. What do you think the hostages ate for supper?NEW: Amazon worker asks how she is supposed to do her job after the United States bombed Iran. "I just want to know how I'm supposed to do my job when we bombed Iran, and we're just supposed to, like, go around about." "We're just supposed to get these boxes out without being worried. I just need somebody to explain to me how I'm supposed to not crash out."Lunatic Lindsey Graham is on the Senate floor still agitating for regime change in Iran by likening them to the n*zis bent on taking over the world. VP JD Vance discusses that President Trump has announced a ceasefire deal in the coming hours between Israel and Iran. Will both countries stop the fighting?CBS's Margaret Brennan Audibly Sighs as Rubio SCHOOLS Her on Iran Intel AssessmentCrazy dude dressed like a bee delivers a sermon in the form of a poemLutheran pastor (ELCA) openly rejects the Great Commission, insists that there are "people who are perfectly happy in other faiths who don't need converting to ours."

• Pastor Stanton's message for: Sun, June 22 2025• Luke 8:26-39 (Jesus Heals the Gerasene Demoniac)• Revised Common Lectionary: Year C• From First Lutheran Church in Onalaska, WI• Support this ministry at 1stlu.org/give• Join us! 1stlu.org/worship

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. Dear siblings in Christ,dear friends, mentors, and companions on the journey. This is a bittersweet moment. My time as your diaconal resident is coming to an end. And as I've been thinking and praying about what I'd like to leave with you, I couldn't think of a better passage than today's text from Our Epistle Reading... The post Second Sunday after Pentecost appeared first on Wicker Park Lutheran Church.

Today, we had a special musical performance of Holy Manna by the Summer Singers at Faith Lutheran Church in Okemos, Michigan.

• Pastor Stanton's message for: Sun, June 8 2025• John 14:8-17 25-27 (The Promise of the Holy Spirit)• Revised Common Lectionary: Year C• From First Lutheran Church in Onalaska, WI• Support this ministry at 1stlu.org/give• Join us! 1stlu.org/worship

Today's reading from Acts is odd. We heard that the disciples were gathered, and flames began dancing on their heads. Then, they begin speaking in non-native languages so that they could communicate with every devout Jewish person who was “living” in Jerusalem. And, I want direct our attention to the Greek word translated here as “living.” It has a specific meaning. It means “to have settled or been planted in a new place.” That is, these Jewish people were not born in Jerusalem, they didn't speak the native language, and they probably looked, acted, and engaged in different ways... The post Pentecost Sunday appeared first on Wicker Park Lutheran Church.

Today, we had a special musical performance from Calvin Kadrofske on Marimba, as he played the song Restless written by Rich O'Meara at Faith Lutheran Church in Okemos, Michigan.

• Pastor Karyn's message for: Sun, June 1 2025• Revelation 22:12-14, 16-17, 20-21 (The Alpha & the Omega)• Revised Common Lectionary: Year C• From First Lutheran Church in Onalaska, WI• Support this ministry at 1stlu.org/give• Join us! 1stlu.org/worship

At some point, I lost heaven. I can't remember exactly when that was. Suddenly I reached into the void. The sky was gone. I continued to search for a while, a little deeper, between the folds - or on the other side? No. My sky, the little piece of the puzzle, sky blue with cloud white - had disappeared... The post Seventh Sunday of Easter appeared first on Wicker Park Lutheran Church.

Today we had a special musical performance from members of the Faith Bell Choir, Brenda Kopf,  Elaine Harrison, Ann Mayer, and Addie Thompson as they played How Firm A Foundation at Faith Lutheran Church in Okemos, Michigan.

John 17:20-26; Pride Sunday; 7 Easter; June 1, 2025 Additional texts: Acts 16:16-34; Revelation 22:12-14, 16-17, 20-21 Rich Weingartner   Grace to you and peace from God our parent, Jesus our Savior, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.   I'm scared.  We live in a scary time. When I went up to the UP to visit my parents and family for Easter, I brought my passport with me.  No real reason, just some fear that I might be in a situation where I'll have to try to prove that I'm a US citizen. I hear of friends traveling to foreign countries, some of them who are part of the LGBTQIA+ community.  I fear that they won't be able to come back into our country. I'm afraid to leave the United States for concern that I'll be stopped at the border and end up being detained and not let back into our country.  It is an unsettling time for LGBTQIA+ or Queer people these days.  We hear constant attacks on people as things are said or laws are introduced or passed that try to declare our Queer siblings as “other” or to make it sound like there is something wrong with them.   I also know others are scared.  The queer community aren't the only ones being attacked and put down.  I know my Black, Indigenous, and People of Color community have been attacked for centuries in various ways. Our siblings of hispanic heritage are facing struggles and threats as well. Asian and Pacific Islanders as well. Immigrants, including refugees and asylum seekers, including the young men in our parish house. There are a lot of people who are apprehensive and concerned now - and for many this is just a continuation of decades or centuries of being treated like “others” and that they don't really belong and aren't valid as a human being.   However, God, through Jesus and the bible, tells us a different story.  A story that declares that we are all children of God and we can be proud of who God made us to be. A story of love that knows no bounds and never ends. Which brings us to our readings for today that show that God is always with us, even in times of trouble.   We start with the reading from Acts where we find Paul and Silas thrown in jail. While they may have been feeling scared and worried - they didn't show it by just sitting around and moping and blaming God for their troubles.  Instead, we find them praying and singing hymns and connecting with the other prisoners. In the midst of it all, they kept faithful to God. Then the earthquake happens. Since, at the time, if a guard lost prisoners, it was custom that he would pay for the loss with his life, the guard had assumed that everyone would have fled and thus was about to kill himself.  However, Paul and Silas kept faith and stayed where they were and saved the guard's life - not only physically but also spiritually through their witness to the power of God.  This serves not only as a reminder that God will never leave us, but also that we can serve as witnesses to the power and love of God just through who we are and doing what is right - doesn't take anything special - just through our actions and love they can know God's love.  Just like yesterday and the pride festival.  We may think we were just there at a booth, talking to people, and handing out items - but we were witnesses to the love of Christ through our actions of acceptance, welcome, and love, to the LGBTQIA+ community and their allies.   Then we move to the concluding verses of Revelation.  From verse 13, “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end” (Rev. 22:13) While this passage refers to the extremes of the beginning and the end; and the first and the last - we need to remember that God isn't just there at the extreme ends, but everywhere in between.  Just like all of creation, God isn't just at one point or another - God is everywhere in between.  Not just light and dark, but in all the shades in between - not just day and night but at sunrise and sunset, the dawn and twilight.  In all creatures that live in the waters, on the land, and in the sky - and all of those that live in multiple places. And thus God has created all of us - in our many different varied ways - there is no binary in creation - everything spans a wide range to create the beautiful diversity of God's creation - something to be proud of and celebrate.  God is ever present across all time, all places, and all creation - the entire Cosmos from the very beginning of creation until the very end.   And not only do we have this promise of God being ever present with us always, we are invited. As it says in Revelation 22:17 - all are invited to come to the Lord and His promises.  Everyone who is thirsty and wishes to take the water of life as a GIFT is invited to come. This is a great reminder that God wants us to be in God's presence and love - we are invited to receive the gift.  We do not earn it, we do not have to work for it - it is a gift, a most wondrous gift from God for all.   Then we turn to today's Gospel from John.  When I was preparing and first read the Gospel for today - the very first thing I noticed was how this passage starts. It wasn't the words that I noticed - it was that it started with a quotation mark. Now, you'll notice that in the reading we used in our service, a helpful prompt is added at the beginning in brackets to guide the reader, but in the Bible that prompt isn't there. Since I didn't have that prompt and the passage starts with a quotation mark, I knew we were joining in, right in the middle of something, so I backed up to get the context.  And then I also remembered this is the time of the church year I tend to  get confused.   Just a few weeks ago we experienced the passion story and then the joyful Easter Resurrection.  In fact, we are still in the season of Easter.  However, for our Gospel readings for a few weeks, we have jumped back in time to hear stories from Jesus and his disciples during Jesus' last evening with them at the last supper. So that is where we are with today's Gospel.  Jesus is giving his farewell speech and then praying for his disciples.  That is where today's Gospel is from - part of the prayer Jesus shared with his disciples that evening.   While Jesus is praying with and for his disciples, we find that the prayer isn't just for his disciples, as this part of the prayer starts with “I ask not only on behalf of these, but also on behalf of those who will believe in me through their word”.   The “behalf of these” is referring to the disciples and “behalf of those” is referring to us, today, and past and future.  All of us who believe. You and me and all of God's beloved. Take a moment and let that sink in - Jesus around 2000 years ago was praying for you and me, everyone alive today, and in the past and in the future. I don't know about you, but I find it pretty awesome and also comforting to know that Jesus was praying for all of us - so long ago.  In times when we are often scared and facing uncertainty it certainly is a good reminder to know that Jesus and God are on our side and that we are not alone.   So, yes, it is awesome that Jesus is praying for us - but what did he pray for? He prays that we all may be one. Not only that we are one together with each other, but that also we are one together with Christ. We live in a world that wants to label us and put us in many different categories to separate us. However, that is completely opposite of what God wants, which is for all of us to be one in Christ.  We have been given God's glory so that we can all be together as one.   While we need to celebrate and take pride in being called together as one in Christ Jesus - we are also given some work to do in this prayer - a reason for us all being called together as one.  We are called to act together so that the world, through us, might believe that Jesus was sent from God. Not only to believe that Jesus is God's son, but that God loved the entire cosmos so much that God sent Jesus for us, so that we may experience the grace, love, and forgiveness of God - given to us as a gift.  It is this unconditional grace, love, and forgiveness that we are called to share with the world - just like we did yesterday at the pride festival.   So, during Pride month, and always, today's readings remind us we are never alone - no matter what we are going through or who we are.  We are not alone for two reasons.  First, we, through the examples of so many stories in the Bible, are not alone because we live in community with each other. God clearly sets an example that we are meant to be in community with each other (and with the entire creation) to support and build up each other - to be one together with each other.  Not to divide and label, but to support and uplift each other.   Second, we are not alone because we have been promised and reminded time and time again that God is always with us.  God is the alpha and the omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.  And more importantly God is also everything in between.  God never ends - and is always with us - and loves all of us exactly for who we are - children of God created in God's image. Or in the words of a hymn.   Have good cheer, little flock; have good cheer, little flock, for the Father will keep you in his love forever; have good cheer, little flock!   May we all learn from the example and prayer of Jesus and work to be united as one with each other and with God and Jesus Christ.  Not just to be with each other but also to share God's love with all of creation.  From the waters and sky to the grass, trees, and plants, to all the animals that live in the water, on land, or in the sky. And to all of God's beloved children - every one of the LGBTQIA+ community, all our BIPOC siblings, people with every different ability, immigrants seeking safety and shelter, those who are hungry, everyone, especially those that society often shuns, calls an “other” or “less than”, and pushes to the margins. Through our words and actions, we can help bring this unity to creation, so we all can be one in Christ.   We do this through the help of God who is always coming to us, every day, not just at the end of times. As it says in Revelation 22:20-21 “‘Surely I am coming soon.' Amen. Come, Lord Jesus! The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all the saints.”  and let the entire church say “AMEN!”.

Can your church pay the bills and follow God's call with integrity? In this episode, Loren talks with stewardship educator and sustainability strategist Grace Duddy Pomroy about how churches can embrace bold, faithful financial models without compromising their mission. Grace offers insights drawn from her national research and latest book on reimagining how churches fund ministry—from sliding-scale rentals to community-rooted partnerships. Topics Explored: Why your mission must come before your money The spiritual practices that sustain long-term financial change How to rethink rent, real costs, and what generosity really looks like Why churches need to grieve the past to make room for the future A six-part “rocket ship” model for launching sustainable ideas The myth of quick fixes—and the value of faithful experimentation   Grace Duddy Pomroy is the Director of the Stewardship Leaders Program at Luther Seminary. She's a lay, millennial stewardship leader, speaker, and financial educator based in Allyn, WA. She is the co-author of the stewardship book, Embracing Stewardship: How to Put Stewardship at the Heart of Your Congregation's Life, as well as author of the free 2013 ELCA stewardship resource, “Stewards of God's Love.” Her latest book, Funding Forward: A Pathway to More Sustainable Models for Ministry, was just released September 2024. Grace is also a consultant with Relèven, a charitable organization that lovingly preserves, restores, and repurposes under-utilized churches into community hubs and affordable housing.   Mentioned Resources:

• Pastor Stanton's message for: Sun, May 25 2025• Revelation 21:10, 21:22–22:5 (The River of Life)• Revised Common Lectionary: Year C• From First Lutheran Church in Onalaska, WI• Support this ministry at 1stlu.org/give• Join us! 1stlu.org/worship

Today's gospel is part of a longer conversation between Jesus and his disciples known as Jesus' “farewell discourse.” This final conversation began when Jesus washed his disciples' feet, and it continued with last Sunday's reading sharing Jesus' new commandment to love one another. Today, Judas (and not the Judas most people know but the other one) asked Jesus for clarification... The post Sixth Sunday of Easter appeared first on Wicker Park Lutheran Church.

• Pastor Karyn's message for Wed., May 21 2025• Acts 15:1-18 (The council at Jerusalem)• Narrative Lectionary: Year 3• From First Lutheran Church in Onalaska, WI• Support this ministry at 1stlu.org/give• Join us for worship! 1stlu.org/worship

Is your Jesus making your sons more radical—or more compassionate? In this scorching conversation, Frank Schaeffer sits down with Rev. Angela Denker to unpack her explosive new book Disciples of White Jesus: The Radicalization of American Boyhood. From Lutheran pulpits to CNN, Denker has tracked how faith, fear, and masculinity are being fused in dangerous ways. This episode exposes how American Christianity is grooming boys for culture war—and what real spiritual courage looks like instead._____LINKShttps://angeladenker.substack.comhttps://www.instagram.com/denkerangela/https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmKIdMPvTt9uf3tlGBLFnxQhttps://www.lovechildrenplanet.com/events/it-has-to-be-read-red-state-christians-by-rev-angela-denker_____I have had the pleasure of talking to some of the leading authors, artists, activists, and change-makers of our time on this podcast, and I want to personally thank you for subscribing, listening, and sharing 100-plus episodes over 100,000 times.Please subscribe to this Podcast, In Conversation… with Frank Schaeffer, on your favorite platform, and to my Substack, It Has to Be Said. Thanks! Every subscription helps create, build, sustain and put voice to this movement for truth. Subscribe to It Has to Be Said. Support the show_____In Conversation… with Frank Schaeffer is a production of the George Bailey Morality in Public Life Fellowship. It is hosted by Frank Schaeffer, author of Fall In Love, Have Children, Stay Put, Save the Planet, Be Happy. Learn more at https://www.lovechildrenplanet.comFollow Frank on Substack, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Threads, TikTok, and YouTube. https://frankschaeffer.substack.comhttps://www.facebook.com/frank.schaeffer.16https://twitter.com/Frank_Schaefferhttps://www.instagram.com/frank_schaeffer_arthttps://www.threads.net/@frank_schaeffer_arthttps://www.tiktok.com/@frank_schaefferhttps://www.youtube.com/c/FrankSchaefferYouTube In Conversation… with Frank Schaeffer Podcast

• Pastor Stanton's message for: Sun, May 18 2025• Revelation 21:1-6 (The new heaven & the new earth)• Revised Common Lectionary: Year C• From First Lutheran Church in Onalaska, WI• Support this ministry at 1stlu.org/give• Join us! 1stlu.org/worship

• Pastor Stanton's message for Wed., May 14 2025• Acts 8:26-39 (Philip & the Ethiopian eunuch)• Narrative Lectionary: Year 3• From First Lutheran Church in Onalaska, WI• Support this ministry at 1stlu.org/give• Join us for worship! 1stlu.org/worship

In this heartfelt episode of Tendrils of Grief, we welcome Jillene Gallatin, whose journey through grief began at the tender age of 14 when she lost her mother to suicide. At a time when grief resources were scarce—especially for teenagers—Jillene was left to navigate unimaginable loss on her own. That life-altering experience became the catalyst for her lifelong dedication to grief advocacy and mental wellness. Now an ordained pastor in the ELCA since 2001, Jillene brings deep spiritual insight and compassion to her work as a certified 300-hour yoga teacher specializing in Grief Yoga and as a Grief, Loss, and End of Life Coach. She's on a mission to build supportive communities that honor emotional healing and break the silence around grief and mental health. Join us as Jillene shares her story, her tools for healing, and her unwavering commitment to helping others move forward in grief with grace, support, and connection. Episode Highlights Teen grief support Mother loss to suicide Grief yoga for healing Grief and mental wellness End of life coach ELCA ordained pastor Suicide survivor stories Healing from parental suicide Faith-based grief healing Yoga for emotional release Grief support for teens Holistic grief recovery Navigating childhood trauma Grief coaching and yoga therapy Emotional healing through movement Holistic Approaches to Grief Recovery Faith and Spirituality in Mental Wellness Yoga as a Tool for Processing Grief Teenage Grief and Emotional Development Healing Generational Trauma Suicide Prevention Through Storytelling Navigating Parental Loss in Adolescence Creating Safe Spaces for Grief Conversations End-of-Life Coaching as Emotional Support Trauma-Informed Faith-Based Counseling Connect with Jillene Gallatin website  www.groundedloveforgrief.comonleyinc/ Did you enjoy today's episode?   Please subscribe and leave a review. If you have questions, comments, or possible show topics, email  susan@tendrilsofgrief.com   Don't forget to visit Tendrils Of Grief  website and join for upcoming Webinars, Podcasts Updates and Group Coaching.   Get involve and share your thoughts and experiences in our online community   Tendrils of Grief-Survivor of Loss   To subscribe and review use one links of the links below  Amazon Apple Spotify Audacy Deezer Podcast Addict Pandora Rephonic Tune In  Connect with me Instagram: @Sue_ways Facebook:@ susan.ways Email @susan@tendrilsofgrief.com  Let me hear your thoughts!

• Pastor Stanton's message for: Sun, May 11 2025• Revelation 7:9-17 (God will wipe away every tear)• Revised Common Lectionary: Year C• From First Lutheran Church in Onalaska, WI• Support this ministry at 1stlu.org/give• Join us! 1stlu.org/worship

The most famous shepherd in Chicago, or the States or the world is LEO. However even Leaders like Presidents are shepherds. At any rate, in the spirit of antiquity and in the spirit of the Bible, they can be described as a shepherd. Because in ancient times, leaders of states were compared to shepherds, people in higher positions who had to lead others... The post Fourth Sunday of Easter appeared first on Wicker Park Lutheran Church.

• Pastor Karyn's message for Wed., May 7 2025• Acts 6:1-11, 7:2a, 51-54, 57-60 (The story of Stephen)• Narrative Lectionary: Year 3• From First Lutheran Church in Onalaska, WI• Support this ministry at 1stlu.org/give• Join us for worship! 1stlu.org/worship

• Pastor Karyn's message for: Sun, May 4 2025• Revelation 5:11-14 (Worthy is the Lamb)• Revised Common Lectionary: Year C• From First Lutheran Church in Onalaska, WI• Support this ministry at 1stlu.org/give• Join us! 1stlu.org/worship

Wicker Park Lutheran Church Rev. Jason S. Glombicki May 4, 2025 Change is at the center of today's gospel reading, and … change is challenging. Change is hard because it almost always involves loss, uncertainty, and disruption – even when it's for the better. But not all change is the same. In fact, scholars note that there are two different types of change – technical change and adaptive change. Technical changes are easy solutions that often have apparent solutions. While […] The post Third Sunday of Easter appeared first on Wicker Park Lutheran Church.

The Texas Legislature is now entering the final third when bills make it to the floor for a vote or begin to die. Last week, Bee Moorhead joined the program to talk about the House passing the Voucher bill, and it seemed like immediately after, we began to see a TON of bad bills start to move... and a few good ones.    One of the issue areas that was particularly in focus this week has been the return of anti-trans legislation, so we are going to welcome to the program for the first time, Texas Impact's Policy Consultant, Rev. Keats Miles Wallace, an ELCA pastor and staff member for Texas Impact's LGBT Rights Issue Champion team to talk to us about both the policy issues in that space, but also about the importance of people of faith engaging on these bills.    Join an Issue Team on the Legislative Action Center page on our website.

In this second installment of our conversation with Pastor Erik Janke of May River Lutheran Church, we go deeper into the sacramental life of the Lutheran Church—exploring what Lutherans believe about communion, baptism, and the authority of Scripture.Pastor Jeff and Pastor Erik unpack some of the differences between the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod (WELS) and other branches of Lutheranism, including the ELCA and Missouri Synod, and why staying grounded in God's Word is at the heart of it all.