When I was 15 years old I started going to hardcore punk shows.  In fact, I can pretty much remember every show I've ever been to.  I've been to over 100 shows and my wife can tell you it shows in relation to my hearing.  I usually watch TV with the volume pretty high. What's … Continue reading More Influential Than You May Realize →

I must confess it took me a while to get to to the point of believing that love for our enemies should have no limits.  Like so many I've always seen confines to Jesus' words to love our enemies.  As I commented elsewhere it's hard for us to get beyond our Western presuppositions that see … Continue reading “Love your enemies” [in so far as…] →

In our American context we often times misunderstand the dynamics of sin.  We tend to see sin as a problem between ourselves and God.  When it comes to others it's usually very superficial.  I personally think this has to do with the Lutheran understanding of justification which sees sin as something that is purely individualistic … Continue reading “Sabbath for the man or man for the Sabbath?” →

I'm the pastor of a very small Lutheran church.  We have 30 members on the rolls but average around 18 a Sunday which is actually a big deal when compared to what the church was averaging a few years ago.  But as you can probably guess such numbers can't sustain a pastor for all that … Continue reading Grow or Die! →

Every third Saturday of every month the members of Holy Cross Lutheran Church feed those in need a warm meal.  We started doing this in November of 2010 and haven't stopped since.  Depending upon the month we've had upwards of 45 people come through our doors in need of a meal.  As a result we've fostered … Continue reading “For I was hungry and you gave me food” →

I grew up in Yonkers, New York in a heavily Irish Catholic neighborhood known as Woodlawn.  It's a fairly working class residential neighborhood.  Hearing an Irish accent was just part of my life growing up - it seemed normal to me.  Yet I found out later that I grew up in one of the many … Continue reading New York Novelty →

I enjoy watching TED videos especially when I'm putting together the bulletins on Saturday.  The two things that really stuck with me in regards to this video were the Lakota's reference to us as "the people who take the fat of the land" and President Lincoln's participation in sentencing 38 Lakotas to death right after … Continue reading I live on stolen lands, how about you? →

This is Steve.  Steve is a very good friend of mine and he's homeless.  He's a very familiar face around Glenwood Springs and the Roaring Fork Valley.  Before we first met in November of 2010 I used to see him around town all the time.  I'll never forget the first time I saw him walking … Continue reading A Homeless Friend →

During the summer of 2001 I came across a movie that really spoke to me at the time.  The movie is none other than Martin Scorsese's Taxi Driver.  For those who don't know it had a cast full of young and upcoming stars such as Robert DiNero, Jodie Foster, Harvey Keitel and Cybill Shepherd.  Many … Continue reading “Someday a real rain is gonna come…” →

With the state of North Carolina recently outlawing same-sex marriage and the President then endorsing it it has been an interesting last few days.  I'll admit I'm not really all that "up" on such issues because I don't really care all that much. Homosexuality doesn't really bother me.  At least not enough to elicit a … Continue reading Those darn gays may teach us something after all… →