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June 2009 Blog Posts (29)

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50 Days of Prayer

50 Days of Prayer



As of June 29, 2009 Bishop Hanson has requested that the Assembly enter into a 50 days of prayer plan. This is a wonderful and necessary step on the course of contemplating difficult issues. The enormity of taking on Sexuality in a church setting is not an easy one. There are people who attend Churchwide assemblies with some regularity. There are others who are there specifically to process this issue. I include myself in the latter category.



Having had,… Continue

Added by Bobbie Steinhauer on June 30, 2009 at 9:04am — No Comments

A Thousand Words Can't Explain

Today, I did something that, growing up, I never thought I’d do. And to be honest, it never even occurred to me to be upset because I wouldn’t do it. But today, I did. I stood up in front of a congregation, not once, but twice, and gave a sermon.

Now, this might not seem like a big deal, but let me tell you a bit of my history.

When I was in seventh grade, I participated in my first MSBOA (Michigan School Band and Orchestra Association) Solo & Ensemble competition. My piece was… Continue

Added by Kara Brooks on June 28, 2009 at 8:48pm — 2 Comments

A Goal A Day Diet

Recovering from Depression is a colossal pain in the butt! Now, part of the reason for this is that I am not a good patient. I do each phase of recovery with a bad attitude and tantrums. It’s true. That’s just me – give me all of the happy pills in the world and my essence is still grumpy – joyfully so.



Phase one was that I had to calm down a little bit in my life. Part of depression is the inability to make decisions and being very easily overwhelmed. So, if I have four things to do… Continue

Added by Bobbie Steinhauer on June 25, 2009 at 10:08pm — No Comments

Road Trip Tuesday (Number 4)

Yesterday, since it was Tuesday, I had another meeting/interview. PJ and I met with Pastor Ed, who is an assistant to the Bishop. He seemed a little shocked that I wanted to hear his call story. In fact, he asked me repeatedly if that’s really what I wanted to hear. I assured him that, yes, I really did. As I’ve said before in another entry, stories are a blessing for me. The more I hear of other people’s journey’s, the easier it is for me to process my own.

Interestingly enough, while… Continue

Added by Kara Brooks on June 24, 2009 at 9:21pm — No Comments

Confessions of a (Suburban?) Girl

Yesterday, I had the pleasure of helping Karen and Hannah from St. Timothy’s prepare the food for Breaking Bread Together. For those that don’t know about BBT, it’s a dinner, free and open to the community, that happens every Monday (except during July and August) at St. Timothy’s. Karen is in charge, but she has a whole bunch of awesome people that help her out with various aspects of preparing the meal and cleaning up. Like I said, I had the opportunity to help out with the food preparation… Continue

Added by Kara Brooks on June 23, 2009 at 9:04pm — No Comments

And a good time was had by all!

The 2009 Strawberry Festival is now history. We had beautiful weather, a nice turn out, and lots of great conversation. I do see this fund-raiser more as an outreach event. While the main seating is under canopies in our back yard, our air-conditioned fellowship hall is also available for seating. I am so pleased to see some people come through our doors with walkers, wheelchairs, canes, portable oxygen, and other assistive technologies. All have smiles on their faces as they enjoy a day out… Continue

Added by Rev. Gregory Isaacson on June 23, 2009 at 9:41am — No Comments

As we move from Spring time to Summer

As we move from Spring time to Summer, I recalled these verses:

Ecclesiastes 3:1-7 –A Time for Everything

3 There is a time for everything,

and a season for every activity under the heavens:

2 a time to be born and a time to die,

a time to plant and a time to uproot,

3 a time to kill and a time to heal,

a time to tear down and a time to build,

4 a time to weep and a time to laugh,

a time to mourn and a time to dance,

5 a time to scatter stones… Continue

Added by Douglas Dill on June 22, 2009 at 10:31pm — No Comments

My Plan

I’ve put a lot of thought into my blog and it’s direction as of late. Here is my plan for the summer: at least 3 blogs a week, one dealing with recovering from Depression, one with the process of preparing for Churchwide Assembly in August and one a women of the Bible study. Then, of course, I can always add whatever inspires me.



For my friends reading on FB, my blogs are primarily an extension of my faith, so there are many, many God references. Please don’t be offended, this isn’t… Continue

Added by Bobbie Steinhauer on June 22, 2009 at 8:47pm — No Comments

One of those times when I'm dense...

I’m getting kind of sick of writing about my past memories, so I’m quite sure anyone reading my blog is sick of reading them. Apparently, I’m not done processing, though (and kind of bitter about that, haha), so here I go.

I wrote at the end of my last blog entry that I think it might help me to let go of some of the bad things that I remember from my old church home if I can find positive things that I can hold in my heart. I don’t really know any efficient way to go about this, so I… Continue

Added by Kara Brooks on June 18, 2009 at 7:28pm — No Comments

Baseball and Connections

I was the recipient of a pair of Minnesota Twins tickets this week. I invited my godson to attend the game with me and we're meeting at the Metrodome. It's the final season in the covered dome and, given the weather today, I think I will be glad to be covered and enjoy the game. Rain is an expected hazard in all ballparks but in Minnesota it can get quite cold in April/May and Sept/Oct.



But it will also be a time to reconnect with my godson as we enjoy baseball, food, and time… Continue

Added by Rev. Gregory Isaacson on June 18, 2009 at 8:00am — No Comments

good old days

Our church uses Lay people to fill in when our Pastor is away,and this last week my wife and I did the service !! We had many very possitive comments during fellowship and I suggested to several members that they should do a service as I feel it's a very good learning experiece!! Just reading and rereading the gospel and the readings is a great experience ,,let alone writting a sermon !!

Their negitive reaction got me thinking about rural ministers years ago .. A friend of my fathers had… Continue

Added by bruce metcalf on June 17, 2009 at 7:59pm — 1 Comment

Update on Book of Faith Bible Studies Test Congregations

An overwhelming 1,300 congregations and groups responded to Augsburg Fortress’ request for testers of the Book of Faith Bible Studies. Here are some details about the next step in the selection process.



Groups are chosen based on information that was provided in the survey, and will be contacted via e-mail.



At this time, all groups that filled out a survey are kept on file. Augsburg Fortress will continue to select new ones as studies become available.



Augsburg… Continue

Added by Book of Faith Social Network on June 17, 2009 at 8:54am — 2 Comments

Road Trip Tuesday (Number 3)

Today PJ and I met with Pastor John from Atonement Lutheran Church in Brighton. I once again was given the opportunity to hear a call story, and receive some advice from someone who has traveled the path I am exploring right now. Or, maybe I should say, is traveling, because one of the concepts I heard again today was the questions don’t ever stop. Discernment is not a short term idea. It’s something that you spend your entire life doing. There are always more questions.

Perhaps I keep… Continue

Added by Kara Brooks on June 16, 2009 at 9:02pm — No Comments

Depression is Awful, but God is an Awesome God

Depression has been a part of my life for – well, for longer than I’ve been breathing. My grandmother suffered debilitating depression and anxiety. My mother has waged her own battles. It is sprinkled throughout my family, many of us live with clinical depression, anxiety and/or obsessive compulsive disorder; along with several who have attention deficit disorder. It certainly makes holidays colorful. If depression is the bricks of our family, then love and humor are the… Continue

Added by Bobbie Steinhauer on June 15, 2009 at 12:25pm — No Comments

"New in Town" - Movie Review



Kristen and I just watched this movie and found it very fun and delightful. This romantic comedy stars Renee Zellweger and Harry Connick, Jr. A high-powered female executive is sent to turn around a manufacturing plant in New Ulm, Minnesota. While the plot is familiar and predictable, it is filled with those Minnesota nuances we laugh at and ask, "do we really do that?" It is rated PG so there are a few samples of language that, while coarse,… Continue

Added by Rev. Gregory Isaacson on June 15, 2009 at 11:00am — No Comments

God whispers?

Today, in PJ’s sermon, he was talking about the small things that can change our faith. He asked us all to think about those moments in our lives, where something, barely more than whisper, helped us to grow from a child into an adult, spiritually.

To be honest, I’m having a hard time coming up with anything. That sounds really terrible, but my dilemma is this: everything I can think of that radically changed my faith was, well, a radical event.

In my mind, this means one of two… Continue

Added by Kara Brooks on June 14, 2009 at 9:28pm — No Comments

Join the Conversation. In Person. Celebrate the Word of God.

Attend the Book of Faith Jubilee Aug. 14-16 at Luther Seminary in St. Paul, Minn.



Through inspiring keynote speakers, practical workshops, and conversational dinners, The Book of Faith Jubilee provides skills, resources, contacts, and encouragement for participants in order to lead congregational and community renewal in reading the Bible.



To see more information, ask questions, and register, visit the Jubilee’s… Continue

Added by Book of Faith Social Network on June 12, 2009 at 11:00am — No Comments

The Day Love Made History

I don’t know how many of you know about Pandora, but I highly recommend it. (This is relevant, I promise). It’s a website that allows you to create your own radio station. You pick a song, and the website analyzes the song, and then finds other music that has similar qualities to your choice. You can then either accept or reject each song that the site plays, and they continue to analyze these choices. You end up with a radio station that plays nothing but music you like. Try it out.

I was… Continue

Added by Kara Brooks on June 11, 2009 at 3:15pm — No Comments

Road Trip Tuesday (Number 2)

Today, I met with one of the assistants to the Bishop. Due to my incredibly unfortunate memory, I have forgotten his name already. I remember some of the new stories I heard, though!

Part of what he was telling me about when I asked for his call story was his time in the seminary. He grew up Missouri Synod Lutheran, and he attended St. Louis during the years that they fired the President of the seminary. It was his first year there, and he was one of the many students there at that time… Continue

Added by Kara Brooks on June 9, 2009 at 7:31pm — 1 Comment

Who is Welcome?

At Women of Faith some of the stories that were shared included: financial addiction, lying, overeating to fill the void, throwing up food to try find control, being perfect to gain love and acceptance, being broken from death of a loved one, breaking all of the rules, numbness, scrapbook addiction, rape and so much more. The point of sharing all of the hurt and history: everyone is loved and is a child of God.



What does that mean exactly? I mean are Bill Clinton and Dick Cheney… Continue

Added by Bobbie Steinhauer on June 9, 2009 at 7:00am — 1 Comment

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