This blog. The areas which I am the most interested in are religion, faith development, social commentary, observations on the street.

Religion. In a rough sort of way, there are two distinctions I would make. Religion as it is presented through ecclesial structures (organized religion) and religion as it is presented through communal structures (being the body of Christ, the assembly of believers, the fellowship of the baptized).

My experience and education regarding formal structures has been through the Lutheran Church. Specifically I was baptized while part of the Augustana Lutheran Church (Swedish heritage). I was ordained while part of the Lutheran Church in America (LCA). I served and then retired while part of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). My perspectives have been colored and influenced by involvement with these formal expressions.

Religious community is more ephemeral. It is governed by the admonition of Jesus “wherever two or three are gathered in my name ….” And so, those who gather on a Sunday morning for worship form a community for that time and space. For me the two most important longer term experiences in religious community include being part of a church camp over several summers as a member of the summer staff (Lutheran Outdoor Ministry Center, Oregon, Illinois)and being part of the campus faith community while attending Augustana College, Rock Island, Illinois. Both of these communities informed and shaped my understanding and participation.

Of special note. From Fall, 1986 till Fall, 2001 I was a domestic missionary establishing a new congregation in Conway, Arkansas. This was a very special time for many reasons. My work there made a deep impression on me regarding the mission and the work of the church both in the formal sense and the community sense.

Faith Development

Throughout the whole of my life. The awakening and the developing of my belief has been of primary concern. I very much appreciate a deep and serious approach to faith. I have found that what I believe is critically informed by what I have experienced. My story, if you will.

Each of us have such a story. The elements may differ, but there will be some common touch points. What matters is seeking to understand how the events of our lives inform our living and how faith enlivens our lives.

My hope is that by sharing some of my stories of faith, those who read these words may be inspired and see God working in and through their lives.

Some of the important stories along the way include the discovery and meaning for me of being adopted, wrestling with the ethical and societal considerations related to the Vietnam war and the possibility of being drafted, sifting through various professions on my way to choosing becoming a pastor, spending a fall term in Europe while in college, trying and failing at my first call, developing a new congregation, trying my hand at farming, retiring from serving a local congregation and discovering what comes next.

Social Commentary

We live in an interconnected world in which there are many challenges. Climate, hunger, disease, migration, prejudice and racism just to name a few. I come at these issues from what I hope is a fairly broad perspective that is informed by travel and the experience of other cultures. This is especially important in the current day where we have almost daily examples of how not to relate and engage with other people, places and issues.

Observations on the Street

There is so much that can be learned by listening, observing, and being aware of your surrondings. I seek to keep my eyes open, my ears unstopped, my mind alert and my heart compassionate. I will share these stories with you so that you may as well reflect upon what they might mean and how they can impact our common life.