How do 100,000 masks get into the hands of NC Synod congregations? “Ask and you shall receive!” says Deacon GeoRene (“Jo”) Jones, NC Synod Liaison for Lutheran Disaster Response (LDR). Over the last 25 days, 152 cases of cloth face coverings were distributed to congregations and affiliated agencies. Early this year, the Federal Emergency […]
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Sabbatical and why we are so confused And just like that, it’s August, and my July sabbatical is a memory. While sabbatical is in the NC Synod Compensation Guidelines and I missed my scheduled fall of 2015 sabbatical in Atlanta because of a Holy Spirit glitch, I’m keenly aware that sabbatical isn’t something most of
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Reading 30 The Light of Faithfulness—Conclusion I am a lover of Scripture. I find great comfort in knowing that the hope and guidance found in Scripture will never expire or be exhausted. The entrance of the word of God brings light and that light will never be extinguished. No expiration, no exhausting, no extinguishing.
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Reading 29 Courage and Witness—Matthew 28 Read Chapter 28 The final chapter of the Gospel of Matthew is divided into three parts. Each section tells the reader something about the courage required to be a witness to the Lord of life.
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Reading 28 Two Kingdoms—Matthew 27 Read Chapter 27 The vivid portrayal of Jesus’ death on the cross serves as a reminder that the fully divine Jesus is also fully human. He struggles with the fear of death and abandonment. And yet the story of Jesus’ suffering and death is something that the Gospel of Matthew
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Reading 27 Dropping the Ball—Matthew 26 Read Chapter 26 Matthew chapter 26 includes the Last Supper, Jesus praying in Gethsemane, Judas’ betrayal of Jesus, and Peter’s denial of Jesus. These aren’t easy topics to cover. We take away different lessons each time we have read these stories. As I read this in quarantine, Jesus’s prayer
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Reading 26 Something Is Missing—Matthew 25 Read Chapter 25 When I first read my assigned text, I was excited to have received it. But after thinking for a short while, I realized that I didn’t know how to interpret parables. Then I remembered the book a friend had loaned me, Short Stories by Jesus: The
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Reading 25 Follow Me and Do Not Fear—Matthew 24 Read Chapter 24 Upon hearing about the chaos, darkness and destruction that will mark the end of the age, one by one, the disciples reveal their anxiety and fear as they approach Jesus privately. They ask big questions such as “How long, O Lord?” and “How
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Reading 24 Where Is God in the Woe?—Matthew 23 Read Chapter 23 Jesus used the word more than anyone else in the Bible, woe is used seven times in this chapter. What is Jesus trying to say? I believe Jesus is trying to get us to wake up and take notice of our choices. Calling
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Reading 23 Questions. Questions. Questions.—Matthew 22 Read Chapter 22 A chapter of questions confronts us. For some we know the answer and others raise even more questions. The chapter begins with a wedding feast to which many have been invited but did not come. Most commentaries believe this was a reference to the Jews having
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