I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing. —John 15:5 In the transformational work we have been doing at Luther Seminary in recent years, it is clear that we are called to be a seminary […]

“Up until that time, I’d only been a liturgist in the church. I’d never done anything like a reflection. It was very daunting, and I was quite scared. I thought my voice would get high and squeaky and all that. But for some reason, it felt like this was the place I needed to be, […]

We have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us. —Roman 12:6a Sometimes I wonder how the Christian tradition developed such clear lines between those in our community with a clergy role and those without. Certainly, humans crave order and prioritize roles and responsibilities. In doing so—intentionally or not—we assign worth to the […]

Then he said to them all, “If any wish to come after me, let them deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will save it.” –Luke 9:23-24 We should not be […]

The texts we read during Lent, Holy Week, and into Easter remind us that Jesus is all over the place. He’s in the wilderness and up to Galilee and in Jerusalem and over to Bethany. He talks to the poorest of the poor, the richest of the rich, and everyone in between. And throughout his […]

Lent has begun, and many of us will have heard the words of Psalm 51: “O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise.” You may be reading this message weighed down with the worries of the day, or struggling with health or family concerns. Perhaps you are wondering, as we all […]