Each Sunday at St John's Lutheran Church in Lakeville, MN, we do "Zoom in with Coffee!" One day, we asked each other "What Bible character do you identify with or not?" When someone answered with "Some days I am Mary; and other days I am Martha." This, of course, has turned into a summer sermon … Continue reading Would You Rather Be…?

With everything that is going on in the world, parents and caregivers want to provide their kids with a safe and secure home. Families from different churches have asked me for a resource to help edify their homes. Interesting request, right?! When I asked what they needed, some said scripture and others said prayer, but … Continue reading Home on a Rock

At St John's Lutheran Church in Lakeville, MN, we will use two Sermon Series for the Summer of 2020. The first series is entitled "This is My Father's World"and the second series is "Would You Rather Be...?" (this will be coming out soon!) (Logo credit to Perry Fuerniss) "This is My Father's World" is a 6-week … Continue reading This is My Father’s World

One thing about being under a "stay at home" or "shelter in place" order is that online collaboration has gone full throttle. First is Faith Finder Fun, a creative collaboration of six churches to provide fun faith finds for families. We have a YouTube channel and a Facebook Page. Second is The Front Door Movement, … Continue reading Pastor Sisters

Remember the game you played in Sunday School as a little kid: "Here's the church, here's the steeple, open the doors, and see all the people!" But right now, it's more like "...open the doors and there are no people?" That's because the church being not limited to a building is quarantined in their houses. … Continue reading The Front Door Movement

Holy Week's Good Eats Invitation Jesus was always eating with followers and with the disciples in their homes. Below is a food invitation for families and households to enter Holy Week with Good Eats. Food can remind us of who we are as a church community and can be symbolic of God's story. This Holy … Continue reading Holy Week & Good Eats

Children have vivid and curious imaginations. To help encourage their imaginations and biblical learning the children, youth and family staff at St John's Lutheran Church in Lakeville, MN, we will be making Holy Week Play Sets. Each kit has felt play pieces of the Holy Week story including a palm branch, a cross, a rock, … Continue reading Holy Week Play Sets

Pandemic. Not a word I thought I would use in my lifetime. But it is a word that has changed my life and especially the way I work. Being a pastor, in-person worship and programming are currently on-hold. Right now, everything must be offered online in some capacity. That's where Faith Finder Fun on YouTube … Continue reading Faith Finder Fun

The other day I was looking for something from outer space to do with my confirmation students. We've done stump the pastor questions like "Are there aliens?" or "What is beyond Pluto?" But I don't really have the best answers for those questions except to pray. That's when my friend, Nicole VanderMeulen, who is the … Continue reading Star Wars Prayer Stations

One of my top strengths in Strength Finders is ideation. Sitting around a table brainstorming is both stimulating and engaging. But lately I have been thinking about what happens when we are willing to share ideas? What I have found is that when we freely share ideas, we create space for innovation and more room … Continue reading Idea Sharing