forgiveness

Racism in Our Ears

By Bob Hiller –

A couple of years ago, when I first started writing for this blog, my brother told me I needed to deal with some of the pressing social issues in our culture. He said that since I write a good deal about sports, I should talk about race in sports. I have been incredibly hesitant to do this for many reasons. First, I am a rather privileged white dude. My views on race are not going to be particularly well informed. Second, I try to keep my blogs to issues of preaching + ham-fisted sports analogies, though I have blogged about social issues before. Third, I have an aversion to the social gospel, which I don’t believe should be confused with biblical Gospel. Fourth, and perhaps this is the most shameful reason, I am afraid of causing offense where offense need not be given (the key word there is “afraid,” read “cowardice”). To be fully honest, I don’t know the utter depths of the issues. I cannot argue for or against politically conservative or liberal views with any sort of competency. I am ashamed to say that I live in a rather white world where issues of race are not on my doorstep every day apart from what I hear in the news or see on social media.

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The Free Gift

By Paul Koch –

Today is a strange day. It’s Father’s Day, of course, but as far as special days go this one never really feels quite right. It isn’t as obvious as Mother’s Day, just what we are supposed to do on this day. It always comes off as a bit awkward. There are not elaborate brunches being planned and more than likely no one has gone out to buy a bouquet of flowers. It shouldn’t be so difficult to say and do the right thing for our fathers on this day, but it certainly can be. If you were to ask most men what they want for Father’s Day, they probably haven’t even thought about it. Quite simply, they would be happy with whatever small token was given: a phone call, a card, even a “World’s Greatest Dad” coffee mug. But there’s an inherent tension about this day. Though they are happy to observe it, men didn’t ask for it; so we’re not quite sure what to do with it.

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What makes a Wonder Woman?

By Cindy Koch –

Sugar, spice, and everything nice—what are little girls made of? As a mother to four little girls, I have undoubtedly asked this question since the day they were born. Parents are created to encourage and teach their children to the best of their ability. And for years I have asked this question of each daughter: Who is she? Who will she become? What makes this little person?

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God at Work

By Paul Koch –

If a new convert to the faith or a curious onlooker happened to show up in church on Holy Trinity Sunday, when the congregation began to confess that beautiful, rhythmic and admittedly long Athanasian Creed, they would think we are a bunch of strange cult-like weirdos. Imagine if you had little to no introduction to the life of a church or the order of a worship service, and then one Sunday you show up you hear these people saying, “Whoever desires to be saved must, above all, hold the catholic faith. Whoever does not keep it whole and undefiled will without doubt perish eternally.” I mean, I like it. it’s bold and straightforward. But you have to admit, in our politically correct culture hearing those words sounds a bit strange. Then we add to it that “we worship one God in Trinity and Trinity in Unity, neither confusing the persons nor dividing the substance.” On and on it goes, and the casual church goer is thinking, what the heck is going on here? I thought I was going to church – not engage in a philosophical discussion about the nature of the Holy Trinity.

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Judging Tiger Woods

By Bob Hiller –

What has happened to Tiger Woods? Honestly, can you think of anyone who has taken a harder fall than Tiger? It really wasn’t all that long ago that he was untouchable on the golf course and in the public eye. I believe his weekend schedule used to consist of rolling out of bed, having a cup of coffee, winning a major, and then going to party with Michael Jordan and Charles Barkley. No athlete in the world was as celebrated as Tiger Woods. No athlete was as invincible.

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Confirmation: Join the Resistance!

By Bob Hiller –

This past Sunday, our congregation rejoiced with all the saints and angels over four eighth graders who stood up to confirm their faith in the triune God. At our church, we enjoy personal testimonies from each of the confirmands. I always enjoy listening to the students talk about how they believe in the death and resurrection of the incarnate God for them. I love hearing the pro me in action! But the part of the service that really gets me is the old rite of confirmation. In it, these eighth graders renounced the devil, confessed their faith in the truth of God’s Word, committed themselves to a life filled with and formed by the Word and Sacraments, and said they were willing to stake their lives on this confession. What is not to love in this rite?

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Be Ashamed When You Sin, Not When You Repent

By Joel A. Hess –

“Be ashamed when you sin, not when you repent.” – John Chrysostom

This little quote from Golden Mouth struck me this past week. Our social media society has compelled most people to configure false images of themselves on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Like a recent episode of the British TV show Black Mirror, people put stuff out there to get likes, pure and simple. Ha, it’s kind of like this blog post. Therefore, at first glance, it may appear that all our friends are living extraordinary lives of constant adventure, romance, perfect marriages, and happy families. Black Mirror really shoves this in your face.

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No More Hiding

By Paul Koch –

I love reading John 20:19-31. It is read every single year on the Sunday after Easter in churches around the world, and rightly so. After all, this is the account of our Lord’s appearance to the disciples in the upper room after His resurrection from the dead. This reading contains the tale of doubting Thomas and the longing desire to see and even touch our risen Lord. And most especially, this text answers the question, “now what?” Now that our Lord has suffered and died and risen from the dead, what do we do? Where do we go from here? What is the next step? This is what is presented to us in this incredible text.

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Lent Is for Fasting; Easter Is for Feasting!

By Bob Hiller –

Isn’t it weird what a come down Easter is? I mean, we spend forty days in the repentant darkness of Lent, withholding “alleluias” from our lips and fasting from some pleasure in order to drive us to more focused prayer. Then Easter comes, the Alleluias return, lilies cover the altar, and we all log back on to Facebook with mouthfuls of chocolate. The fast is over, and it is time for the feast. So we do—for one day.

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Just as He Said

By Paul Koch –

What a glorious morning! This is what church is all about. This is why we rejoice in the gifts of our faith. Today we celebrate the pinnacle event of the Christian faith. It is the moment that sheds light on everything else. Today we celebrate a new life, a resurrection, a victory over that terrifying enemy we call death. Christ is risen, He is risen indeed, and today is the day that we sing the praises of our God and cling to his promises. Of all the days that you should come to church, this is perhaps the very best day to come. Not that the others are all that bad, but today is Easter! It is the great festival of the resurrection.

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Good Friday

By Bob Hiller –

We’d prefer something else tonight. Sure, it’s good for us to come and remember Jesus dying. It makes us feel a bit more holy because we’re the ones being so very good on this Friday night, going to church and contemplating the suffering of our enfleshed God. Oh, we can explain this death, tell you how He did it for us, and feel pretty good about our well-educated confession.

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Betrayal

By Ross Engel –

The band of brothers reclined at the table. Their conversation was animated and loud. Laughter and smiles, joy in the midst of this Holy night of celebration. The Passover had come and there was much to rejoice in! So many things had happened recently, so there was much to talk about. Their dead friend had been raised. A blind man healed. Demons had been driven out. A parade of palm branches and Hosannas had just been experienced. Yes, there was much to revel in. Curiously enough though, the night’s feast began with their Master washing all their feet like a humble servant. Yes, there was so much to talk about this night.

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What Sort of Father Do We Have?

By Bob Hiller –

Imagine with me, if you will, a father having dinner with his children. At the table, the father waxes eloquent about what it means to be a member of his family. He describes with great passion the sort of people his children ought to be. He talks a great deal about how much he has done for his children, how much he has sacrificed for his family, how much he desires to see his family thrive. His is a love that the children strongly desire, his family is an ideal they long to be a part of. They appreciate the hard work he has done. They know it is an honor to be in this family. Of course they know. Their father tells them constantly.

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It’s not Good for the Man to be Alone

By Joel A. Hess –

“It’s not good for the man to be alone”

Those words rang in Jesus’ red, fleshy brain. He said them, after all. Or His Father did. It didn’t matter. He had never really been alone. His Father had always been with him. Even in Mary’s womb or those quiet moments He stole away before those ragged mobs desperately called out his name from the bottom of the hill, He always felt His father’s face, like the warm spring sun, looking upon him.  

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