This past weekend, weather was another wonderful blessing sent from the Lord. Saturday’s daytime high of above freezing, with very little wind and pure sunshine was a welcome sign of hope. True, a couple of days with temperatures above freezing do not mean spring is here, but they do impart a comforting hope that the… Read More ›

“But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” – Romans 5:8 As you know, we celebrate love in a few weeks on February 14th, Valentine’s Day. There is a lot of uncertainty regarding the origin of the holiday. It has been associated with a few… Read More ›

As part of my devotions, I’m currently reading a book entitled “The Heritage of Faith,” which is a collection of brief writings of Georg Sverdrup. Sverdrup is recognized as one of the architects of Free Lutheranism in America. There is a section in the book that deals with the congregation specifically: its nature, work, relationship… Read More ›

This harvest has been one of the most difficult in recent times for farmers. Harvest concerns can be seen on their faces and heard in their voices. Only last Friday, a retired farmer from the Mayville area pined that his son had yet to combine the first acre of soybeans or corn. Some of the… Read More ›

Change. Change is hard. Yes, I’m writing this with our congregation in mind and the decisions we’ve been praying about recently in regard to our Sunday morning schedule. But it’s not just current decisions. We’ve made big decisions in recent years to hire a youth director, host an intern, hire a second pastor, and make… Read More ›

“So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, ‘If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.’” – John 8:31-32 When I was a teenager, I felt that abiding in God’s Word was enslaving. I believed that if… Read More ›

“Observe the Sabbath day, to keep it holy, as the LORD your God commanded you. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work, you or your son or your daughter or your male… Read More ›

When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore, pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.” – Matthew 9:36-38… Read More ›

We have just celebrated Memorial Day in America. Some celebrate it as the first long weekend after winter with the hopes for three warm, sunny days to enjoy time with family and friends. For others, Memorial Day is a solemn day of heartfelt pain remembering loved ones who made the sacrifice for our nation’s freedom…. Read More ›

“For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven.” – Ecclesiastes 3:1 This week, I decided it was finally safe to put the snowblower away. At this point, I certainly hope we don’t see any more of that white stuff for many months! The season has dramatically changed in the… Read More ›