What Bishops Do
March, 2025
We’re about to elect a new North Carolina Synod bishop at the end of next month, which begs the question of what a bishop does. Clearly, different bishops in different locations and times and with…
Ash on the Laundry
March, 2025
Hans Schaefer was, in 1985, the Oberkirchenrat—like one of our synod deans with more power—of the Weimar District of the Lutheran Church in what was then East Germany. As such, he was periodically permitted to…
Speak Publicly in Solidarity
February, 2025
As I write, a resolution is pending in the U.S. House of Representatives this week essentially condemning Bishop Budde of the Episcopal Church, USA—our closest colleague in shared ministry—for her sermon given at the unity…
So Much to Be Grateful For
January, 2025
In 2024, we had so much to be grateful for. North Carolina is indeed a generous synod! Congregations and their people have shared in many ways. There is so much as congregations walking together that…
Deep Need, Blessed Partnerships
December, 2024
The word synod comes from the Ancient Greek σύνοδος (synodos). Think of the prefix syn meaning together or same (syntax, synonym, synthetic, etc.), and the Greek word (h)odos (from which we get odometer), meaning road…
Chronos & Kairos
November, 2024
The Greek chronos and kairos both translate into English as “time.” You may guess that chronos has to do with chronological time, measured in minutes, hours, days, months, years. Chronos dictates that in January my…
Looking for the Helpers
October, 2024
Ps. 121:1 – “I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where is my help to come?” As bishop of our synod, yes, but also as a father/grandfather/in-law to 8 much-beloved people in Asheville,…
Not Agree. Love.
September, 2024
Wendy knows that I love her. I first told her maybe 42 years ago. I could have said way back then, “So, hold that thought, and I’ll let you know if anything changes.” Even I…
Unloveable Yet Loved
August, 2024
Forty years ago when I was in seminary, the one unforgivable sin as we were finding our Lutheran theological voice of proclamation was works righteousness. Pelagianism! Oh, the scandal of it all. It wasn’t just…
Focusing on Common Ground
July, 2024
“Would you rather be right, or happy?” This was the last, almost seemingly afterthought question after we had already prayed and stood to go our separate ways during my first conversation with the call committee…
Third Time’s the Charm
June, 2024
They say the third time’s the charm. That seemed to be the case for this year’s 2024 North Carolina Synod Gathering. You may recall that in 2019, the NC Synod Assembly passed a resolution that…
Refuge
May, 2024
God is our refuge and strength. A very present help in time of trouble. (Psalm 46) In you, O Lord, I have taken refuge. (Psalm 71) Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service (LIRS) began in the…
A New Beginning!
April, 2024
Few of you likely preached, and therefore few of you likely heard—even in this, the “Year of Mark”—the Easter narrative from Mark’s Gospel this past Sunday. Preachers remember from seminary that Mark’s original ending was…
Reflections from Sabbatical
March, 2024
I’m a processor. Perhaps to a fault. While I can and do make some decisions that call for quick decisions, I much prefer to ponder, pray, simmer all possible perspectives in the pot—especially those not…
Called to Sabbatical
February, 2024
Dear Ones, I am reminded of the best thing I did in the first year of my first call some twenty years ago. I noticed the fatigue and weariness of the lay leaders who had…
The Peace Child
January, 2024
We, as North American Christians, take so much for granted. Most of us were born into a Christian home. Many of us had parents and grandparents who passed along the faith. Few have ever been…
NovusWay Needs Our Help
December, 2023
I hope you’ve been reading about recent changes at NovusWay Ministries. We’re grateful for all Dick Peterson did as Interim CEO in Phase 1 of the interim plan, and now we’re extremely grateful that Mike…
Both+And
November, 2023
Lutherans have always loved a good paradox. In a world that would seduce us into either/or camps—us vs. them—we’ve always known that we are saint AND sinner, already AND not yet, justice AND mercy, law…
The World Is about to Turn
October, 2023
A couple of dozen bishops recently read the book by Gil Rendle titled Countercultural and discussed it at some length at last week’s Conference of Bishops in Chicago. It’s one of the more helpful and…
Never Alone
September, 2023
Why? WHY? Anyone with a toddler knows how this question echoes—or anyone who practices science, philosophy, theology, politics, or just relationships in general. Why implies purpose, cause and effect, and meaning. When people don’t have…
A Seed from that Fateful Apple
August, 2023
First of all, I know very little about Artificial Intelligence, or AI. I do know that I have bishop colleagues in other synods who have picked a random selection of lectionary assigned texts—let’s say the…
God First
July, 2023
“This Is My Song” (ELW 887), a poem by Lloyd Stone set to the tune Finlandia by Sibelius, was one of my dad’s favorite hymns. In this time of emerging Christian nationalism and resurging American…
Astounding Giftedness and Blessing
June, 2023
As I write this, the 2023 NC Synod Assembly ended just late yesterday afternoon. It was wonderful really. Lots of visiting between sessions and during meals, joyful worship, and presentations that were not only informative…
Polity & Process
May, 2023
Maybe it’s because just a few weekends ago I led an intensive, nine hours of instruction on the riveting topic of “ELCA and NC Synod Polity and Governance” for our first cohort of SAMs (Synod…