Blog Feed: postings from prairie hill

Reflections on May 1, 2010

Published on 2011-05-02 01:10:00

There is a lot going on right now! Last Wednesday the Southeast US was ravaged by tornadoes and storms. This morning, we kicked off our 90 Day Challenge. I have many things I want to share with you. But all of that was overshadowed tonight by the new > read more

What's Going On

Published on 2011-04-03 12:57:00

For the past 5 years, this blog has served multiple functions. It has been a professional blog, used for announcements and news for the congregation of St. John. It has been a personal blog, where I have shared news about my family and life. And, it > read more

Bach's Coffee Cantada

Published on 2011-03-21 17:36:00

In honor of the 326th birthday of the Fifth Evangelist, here is J.S. Bach's Coffee Cantata (Schweigt stille, plaudert nicht, BWV 211).Written for and performed by Bach's Collegium Musicum, at Zimmerman's Coffee House in Leipzig. The libretto (text) > read more

A Prayer in time of Tragedy

Published on 2011-03-11 12:13:00

A prayer, offered in response to the earthquake off the shores of Japan and the resulting tsunami.O God, we stand in awe of the power of your creation; deal mercifully with your world, especially this day the people of Japan and all affected by the w > read more

Lent: Repentance

Published on 2011-03-10 11:13:00

"The world, as we live in it, is like a shop window into which some mischievous person has got overnight, and shifted all the price-labels so that the cheap things have the the high price-labels on them and the really precious things are priced low. > read more

Fear Not!

Published on 2011-02-03 12:14:00

Groundhog Day. Punxsutawney Phil comes out his burrow; if he is frightened by his shadow we are in for more winter, if he is not, then spring is coming. This day has me thinking about fear, and how we are like that rodential harbinger of springtime. > read more

Saint Nicholas

Published on 2010-12-06 12:42:00

I love the feast of Saint Nicholas, for many reasons. First, this day marks the beginning of Christmas celebrations for me. Yes, we have usually had one or two Sundays of Advent before the Feast of St. Nick, but Advent is not Christmas. No, with t > read more

Questions for God

Published on 2010-10-06 17:41:00

Recently, while meeting with a small group in our congregation, I asked the participants what one question they would ask of God if they had the opportunity. I found their questions to be very insightful, and thought I would share some of them with > read more

From the mouths of babes

Published on 2010-10-02 11:36:00

Hanging out with my 3 year old:"You have coffee at church - it makes you feel better. You're so happy."This is most certainly true. > read more

Shack Discussion Guide

Published on 2010-09-30 11:57:00

I have started reading Wm Paul Young's The Shack with two groups at Prairie Hill. In anticipation of our time together, I am putting together a little study / discussion guide to give shape to our conversation. While I did look at other guides out > read more

Luther: Preface to 1 Corinthians

Published on 2010-08-09 12:17:00

Came across this in my devotions this morning, and it spoke to me. In this epistle St. Paul exhorts the Corinthians to be one in faith and love, and to see to it that they learn well the chief thing, namely, that Christ is our salvation, the thing ov > read more

The Lord's Prayer: re-imagined

Published on 2010-07-25 11:40:00

I think we miss it with the Lord's Prayer. It has become the symbol of formalized religion - using language to no one talks in anymore, to pray to a God that no one talks about anymore. As I pondered my sermon for this morning, I wondered what the > read more

Friends of Hyvenson

Published on 2010-05-17 22:38:00

It has been four months since a magnitude 7.5 earthquake rocked Haiti, causing devastating destruction in an already struggling country. It is easy to forget. The world spins on, our lives carry on. It is easy - it is natural - for the country and th > read more

Praying for Louisiana

Published on 2010-04-30 13:52:00

Two short weeks ago, I was in New Orleans for the Texas-Louisiana Gulf Coast Synod Assembly. I talked with old friends, colleagues, and strangers about the slow recovery that not just New Orleans, but all of Louisiana has faced in the years since Kat > read more

Synod Assembly

Published on 2010-04-21 15:15:00

I am still unpacking from this year's synod assembly - physically, mentally, and spiritually. It was a very good assembly - in fact I have really enjoyed the last three we've had. One of the highlights of this assembly was a "Justice Immersion" - in > read more