A New Call

Those of you who have been following my journey through seminary know that I had delayed my entry into the ELCA call process until a few months ago, and that since then, I have been in conversation with the Bishop of the Northern Great Lakes synod. We've made a few visits to the area and … Continue reading A New Call

Crowdfunded Church

Crowdfunding is becoming more and more popular. While it has been around for a good long time, it was only about ten years ago that crowdfunding began to catch the public's eye. Now, companies and people are increasingly turning to platforms like Kickstarter instead of traditional publishers and investors to get their funding. With crowdfunding, … Continue reading Crowdfunded Church

A Taste of the U.P.

As of this writing, I have driven 17 hours in two days. It took 11 hours to get from Columbus, Ohio to Marquette, Michigan. This morning Debbie and I met with the bishop of the Northern Great Lakes synod. Then we drove 3 hours this afternoon to northeast Wisconsin to meet with a church council … Continue reading A Taste of the U.P.

Neon and Fires

Neon lights are great. They are colorful, flashy, clever, and fun. Neon says, "The party starts here!" Debbie and I found a gas station tonight on a long, empty highway, because it was lit up like a big neon blue Christmas tree. Neon grabs the eye, draws attention, and draws people in. But neon lights … Continue reading Neon and Fires

Should Church Be Welcoming?

This may seem like an odd question to ask. I'm sure for many, the response would be, "Of course!" After all, who would want to join a church that didn't welcome them? The problem with being a welcoming church has as much to do with how we treat ourselves as it does how we treat … Continue reading Should Church Be Welcoming?