Time is a gift this Advent

Time is a gift this Advent

Lea “El tiempo es un regalo en el Adviento” por Kristina Diaz en Español. by Kristina Diaz Time is a gift we all need, and Advent, like Lent, is a time of year that invites us to take our time to slow down. The air is filled with anticipation as we count the days until […]

Do I check the Lutheran box?

Do I check the Lutheran box?

by Becca Ehrlich I grew up in an interfaith household. My Mom is Roman Catholic; my Dad is Jewish. Though neither of my parents were particularly active in their faith traditions, we celebrated both Hanukkah and Christmas, a tradition I continue to do every holiday season. I was confirmed and welcomed into the church as […]

My experience as a new Lutheran

My experience as a new Lutheran

by Wanda Frenchman I was raised in a non-Christian, indigenous home by my Lakota mother and grandparents. We didn’t attend church. We did practice the Lakota ceremony, and I was taught at an early age about Tunkasila (tunkashila) or Grandfather the Creator. We prayed to Tunkasila and gave gratitude for food, family, good weather, good health, […]

Wearing orange in remembrance of Indian Boarding Schools

Wearing orange in remembrance of Indian Boarding Schools

by Wanda Frenchman The National Day of Remembrance for Indian Boarding Schools in the United States is Monday, September 30. It originated in Canada as the National Day of Truth and Reconciliation in 2021 when the Government of Canada passed Bill C-5, making it a federal holiday. Canada has done work in healing its Indigenous […]

Starting over where you are now

Starting over where you are now

by Meredith Harber “But still the clever north wind was not satisfied. It spoke to Vianne of towns yet to be visited, friends in need yet to be discovered, battles yet to be fought. . .” One of my favorite movies is Chocolat with Juliette Binoche and Johnny Depp. Not only is it about chocolate, […]

Getting through starting over

Getting through starting over

by Meredith Harber “Hi, do you have a rewards card with us?” This simple question from a store employee can feel like a question of welcome and inclusion when I can respond “YES!” Yet it can feel like a point of exclusion when I say “no.” Every time I’ve moved to a new place, I […]

Retreat where you are

Retreat where you are

by Kimberly Knowle-Zeller Are you looking to carve out some time for yourself? Are you looking to connect with your faith? Are you looking to deepen your sense of the sacred in our midst? Come and retreat. This one-day retreat is designed for you. And the gift of this retreat is that you can take […]

Blessed to be an ally

Blessed to be an ally

by Amanda Llewellyn A young woman, probably in her early 20s, looked deep into my eyes. “I can have communion? I wasn’t confirmed . . . my pastor wouldn’t confirm me.” “Yes. You can have communion here.” Moments like this make the hard work of serving as an ally incredibly powerful and humbling and so […]