Tag: Offerings

  • “The Joy of Spiritual Desire”

    One of the stereotypes of Christians is that they can be somewhat dour and lacking in joy. That might have been lurking in the back of my mind as began this morning’s reading from The Rule of Benedict, where he writes, “At all times the lifestyle of a monk ought to have a Lenten quality”…

  • Labor and Lectio

    Yesterday morning, a young man from Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church came to our house to work outdoors for five hours. He came because we had submitted the highest bid in a “Servant Auction” sponsored by the youth who are raising funds for their trip to the ELCA’s National Youth Gathering in New Orleans…

  • Asking God for Help

    Today is the twentieth anniversary of my ordination. I recall that, at the time I stood before the members of the parish in Potter, Neb., and made my vows, I felt a mixture of accomplishment and apprehension. I was pleased to have reached this milestone in my professional life, but I also was unsure about…

  • Body Building

    This past Sunday I had the opportunity to prepare a sermon and to lead worship at St. John’s Lutheran Church, Marquette, Neb. Last night I met with two members of the Congregation Council at Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Beatrice, Neb., to talk about my service to that parish as its interim pastor beginning July 1.…

  • Spiritual Seniors

    Saint Benedict writes two chapters that fall a little harshly on modern ears. They address “Those Who Make Mistakes in the Oratory” (RB 45) and “Those Who Err in Some Other Way” (RB 46). To turn to one of the Lutheran tools for reading a text, it seems fair to see that most of these…

  • Making Satisfaction

    Sometimes as I read The Rule of Benedict, the text seems to speak directly, offering a clear word about how I ought to live. But then, on other occasions, as I am reading it, the tremendous differences in time and culture step to the forefront. The title of the chapter I looked at this morning,…

  • A Balanced Life

    One of the most famous sayings, or mottoes, to arise from Benedictine spirituality is the phrase, “ora et labora,” meaning “prayer and work.” It’s a shorthand way of gathering up the insights about the value, both spiritual and physical, in achieving and maintaining a proper balance in one’s life between one’s vocations to serve God…

  • Seeking Silence

    One of the little lessons I remember from my years of taking private lessons to play the alto saxophone is that music comprises both sound and silence. In many ways, the silence provides the setting, the foundation, from which the melodies and harmonies arise and take their shape in our ears’ memories. The famous opening…

  • Arranging All Things

    The chapter’s title, “At What Hours Should the Brothers Take Their Meals?”, led me to believe I would be reading my way through a thicket of details, with little to find worthy of adapting to my daily life. And the truth is that much of this section does concern itself with the timing and frequency…

  • A Rule for Living

    In recent weeks, Anne, my wife, and I have met with our pastor, the Rev. Ron Drury, and another member of our parish to discuss adapting the model constitution for congregations in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America to our congregation, Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church, Hickman, Nebraska. This project will update the current…