We’re having a potluck after worship this Sunday at University Lutheran. It’s a weird word, “potluck”. The etymology of the word is unclear – we have no idea where or who started saying “potluck” first. And I’m sorry, but no, Lutherans probably invent the concept (although, neither did the Baptists who like to claim it…
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Posts by University Lutheran (Page 6)
Today I get to go to the dentist. It’s a great moment in my life that comes only so often and so the joyous expectation builds up in my soul until that moment that I sit down in the chair…. Actually, it’s nothing like that at all. I sort of dread getting in that chair.…
In Matthew 16, Jesus asks His disciples an important question: “Who is Jesus?” He starts off asking them how other people answer that question, and then He drills down to them: “But who do you say that I am?” This past Sunday at the Super Bowl, I saw something that I’ve seen happen many times…
There’s a story of a young seminary graduate who was sent to a village where an elder missionary had established a church community. The older missionary was showing the young man around and introduced the young man to the chief of the village. Figuring he would make an impression, the seminarian said “In the wisdom…
Pretty much every Sunday, I try to listen to my own sermon. No, it’s not because I’m a narcissist who loves to hear his own voice. It’s sort of because it’s not fair for you to have to listen to me if I don’t have to listen to me. But mostly, it is so that…
Paul says something that has always made me feel a little funny as a Christian in the 12th chapter of his letter to the Romans. In it he says in the power of the Holy Spirit that “If your enemy is hungry, feed him, and if he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in…
About one month ago, Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan was able to sell his piece of art “Comedian” for $6.2 million dollars. What might even be more shocking is that “Comedian” was simply created by Cattelan using a roll of duct tape to tape a banana to a wall. So I suppose if you want to…
Gabriel Hurles remembers his 6th birthday very well. His dad, Casey, had been deployed in Iraq for 7 months. This meant that his family had gone all out to provide the best birthday party they could seemingly to distract from the heartache of not having Gabriel’s dad around. As Gabriel walked into the room and…
Today is January 2nd. Notably, many employers will give people the first day of the New Year off. This may be because late nights and some possible over indulging that might not make for the most productive employees on the 1st. Today many people are getting back to work, back “into the grind.” We have…
I was talking to someone today about how he always thought that the “Twelve Days of Christmas” had something to do with Advent. That all of that “partridge in a pear tree” stuff was all a count down to Christmas Day. But he had learned this year that the 12 days of Christmas are the…