Pastor Jim’s Blog
In But Not Of
Today's Word from Pastor Tom... “In but not of…” One of the great lines of scripture. A slight paraphrase from John chapter 17, Jesus’ High Priestly Prayer. Jesus prays for his followers who are “in” this world but not “of” this world. For me this is one of the most...
From India, With Love
Today's Word from Sheila Weidendorf... I am writing this from the rooftop of our Rajasthani farmhouse, nestled in the arms of the Aravali Mountains outside of Udaipur. Udaipur is a gleaming white marble city known as “The City of Lakes.” The historic palace of the...
A Great Year Ahead!
Today's Word from Pastor Jim... 2022 is going to be a fantastic year! I expect there to be some bumps in the road, but by any measure I am certain that 2022 is going to be a great year. A year of beautiful sunrises and sunsets, a year of hot showers and tasty food, a...
Touch the Future
The Trinity Lutheran Church Endowment will give away $240,000 in 2022. This money will support local charities, national and international causes, and provide needed scholarships to dozens of college students. Make your final statement in life consistent with the...
Flawed Humans: They’ll Know we are Christians by our Love
Today's Word from Pastor Jim... There has been a lot of criticism of the Christian Church in recent years and it has led many to be skeptical of all organized religion. The criticism has been mostly fair. This is not a new story; the Christian Church has opened itself...
Creation
Today’s Word from Pastor Jim... Our first story, Genesis chapter one: “Then God said, ‘Let us make humankind in our own image, according to our likeness’..” We were created in the image of God. Now there is much that we could say about that. Female and male were...
Us Lesser Knowns
Today’s Word from Pastor Tom... That’s me on the left. For those who attended the October 31st Reformation Service you undoubtedly recognized me adorned in my red chasuble. Not every pastor is gifted with a bobblehead doll, or a red chasuble for that matter. This...
Leftovers
Today’s Word from Deacon Amy... “When they were satisfied, he told his disciples, ‘Gather up the fragments left over, so that nothing may be lost.’” John 6:12 Right around the time the new year rolls in, we start to put away the Christmas decorations. Lights come...
There’s No Place Like Home
Today’s Word from Pastor Jim... On January 23rd we will celebrate the Third Sunday of Epiphany. Our reading that morning will be from the 4th Chapter of Luke. In that text, Jesus will be coming home to Nazareth. He had left home some time earlier; he had been baptized...
Blessed Effulgence…
Today’s Word from Sheila Weidendorf... As I write this, the season of Advent (my favorite in the liturgical year!) has come and gone, and Christmastide is all but concluded. 2021 has tucked itself into the recesses of memory as we herald in a new year—a fresh start, a...
Never Too Old!
Today’s Word from Pastor Tom... Who said, “You can’t teach an old dog new tricks?” Not true. Why, for example, just recently I had an experience that taught me why it is helpful to turn on the light prior to brushing my teeth. Did you know that in the early morning...
Immanuel
Today’s Word from Deacon Amy... As we wind down from our joyous Christmas celebrations, for some, there is a lingering sadness. A sadness that comes with the memories of loved ones who are no longer here, or perhaps with the experience of not being able to be together...
What Do You Know About Mary?
Today’s Word from Karl Olsen... “Let us learn from the Virgin Mary how to be bolder in obeying the word of God.” Pope Francis “In trial or difficulty, I have recourse to Mary, whose glance alone is enough to dissipate every fear.” Saint Therese of Lisieux “When I find...
Christmas Anticipation
Today’s Word from Pastor Tom... You know that part of “Santa Claus Is Coming to Town” where we sing “… He sees you when you’re sleepin...” It is a faint childhood memory but I think it was the old cowboy Gene Autry who sang it. Well, that always struck me as a little...
Room for a Little One
Today’s Word from Deacon Amy... I had the joyful experience of visiting the preschoolers in their outdoor classroom today. They excitedly lined up on their little stump seats to wait for my Bible story. Today, though, I didn’t bring my Bible. Instead, I brought one of...
Venti, Venti…
Today’s Word from Sheila Weidendorf... O come, O come, Immanuel, and ransom captive Israel that mourns in lonely exile here until the Son of God appear. O come, o Wisdom from on high, who ordered all things mightily, to us the path of knowledge show and teach us in...
Christmas Memories
Today’s Word from Pastor Tom... Their ages were age one, two and a half, and almost four. Our one and only time as a family in Hawaii. It was right after Christmas. There were so many things I appreciated about that time in our family life. For one thing, it was...
Spreading Smiles
Today’s Word from Deacon Amy... I’ve mentioned before that both of my daughters raise and show goats in 4H. My youngest, Lia, spends the whole year training her pack goat, Norman, by taking him on almost daily walks. Together, they stroll up and down the roads around...
Let All Things Now Living
Today’s Word from Karl Olsen... "Let All Things Now Living" by Katherine K. Davis, Let all things now living a song of thanksgiving to God the Creator triumphantly raise, who fashioned and made us, protected and stayed us, who guides us and leads to the end of our...
Finding Sunshine
Today’s Word from Deacon Amy... The windstorm that struck our beautiful island early this week was incredible! I’m sure this is one that future generations will grow tired of hearing about. We’ll all have remarkable stories about the weather that we’ve experienced...
The Lovely Dark
Today’s Word from Karl Olsen... It’s amazing how many timers and clocks we have in our lives. This past weekend when we “fell back,” I’m sure I set nearly 10 different devices around our house, from thermostats to light timers, to clocks. All in the effort to avoid...
Focus, People, Focus!
Today’s Word from Pastor Tom... By the time you read this, Brenda and I will have experienced the Andrea Bocelli concert at the completely remade Key Arena, now known as Climate Pledge Arena. The last time I was in that arena it was to watch the Seattle Sonics go down...
Misplaced
Today’s Word from Deacon Amy “For the Son of Man came to seek out and to save the lost.” Luke 19:10 Have you ever been lost? Or maybe even just misplaced – like you know where you should be, but you’re not quite sure how to get there? It’s really not a good feeling....
When Life Gives You Green Tomatoes…
Today’s Word from Laura Canby... I enjoy harvesting veggies from my garden this time of year -- a reward to labors during spring and summer. Usually, I have buckets of various red tomatoes: plum, Roma, heirloom, cherry tomatoes, beefsteak, etc. We enjoy them in...
Honoring Angels
Today’s Word from Trinity member, Ron Roesler... Life is a constant flow of transitions and lessons… When born, we know very little. At eighteen, most of us knew everything. At least I believed I did. Then, it takes a lifetime to learn and realize how little I/we...
Be Thou My Vision
Today’s Word from Sheila Weidendorf Text Origin: Middle Irish Poem “Rop tú mo Baile” Attribution: Saint Dallan Forgaill Tune: Slane (the village from which this Old Irish folk tune was collected) Be thou my vision, O Lord of my heart Naught be all else to me, save...
A Promise Made
Today’s Word from Pastor Tom A promise made is a promise kept. I remember my dad uttering those words while he quietly wept. Some business partners had, years before, made a promise on a handshake, and were now reneging. Through hard work he had kept his side of the...
What is Your Calling?
Today's Word from Deacon Amy... "Your calling is where your own greatest joy intersects with the needs of the world." – Frederick Buechner I love this quote from Frederick Buechner. I first heard it my Vocation class at Trinity Lutheran College. It was an entry level...
Renewal in the Wilderness
Today's word from Laura Canby... “…He frequently withdrew to the wilderness to pray.” Luke 5:16 The Gospels tell us that Jesus frequently went into the wilderness (nature) to pray. I like to think that in addition to conversing with His Father, He was refreshed by the...
Making a Positive Difference in the World
Today's Word from Trinity member Ron Roesler... I am just one of seven billion people. What can one person do to make a positive difference in the world? What could one in billions possibly do to affect the whole world? I have my own problems and opinions. As good as I...
An Evening Hymn, This Morning
Today's Word from Karl Olsen... One of my favorite hymns, in our hymnal or any other, is an old favorite sung to the hymn tune TALLIS CANON, All Praise to Thee, My God, This Night. Part of my affection for this hymn is its straight forward, wonderful,...
Uncommonly Common
Today’s Word from Pastor Tom... “I’m an idiot!” Not an uncommon piece of internal conversation I have that is never ever to be available for an outside audience. But it is, none the less, a fairly regular piece of ticker tape that floats across my frontal lobe. I mean...
More Kindness
Today’s Word from Deacon Amy... “Nothing in nature lives for itself. The rivers do not drink their own water; the trees do not eat their own fruit; the sun does not shine on itself and flowers do not spread their fragrance for themselves. Living for others is a rule...
Drills – Revisited
During Pastor Jim's Sabbatical, we have decided to revisit some previous missives. They were written in the earlier days of the pandemic. The original publication date has been left on the missive. A Word from Pastor Jim March 18 2020 I remember the drills. Not the...
Twenty-Fifth Anniversary in Our Sanctuary
Today’s Word from Pastor Jim... Twenty-five years ago, we were preparing for our first worship service in our newly built sanctuary. We had been planning, fundraising, and laboring for years in anticipation of this day. In August of that year my parents would be...
Walking in Limbo
Today's Word from Mark Winslow This pandemic time reminds me a great deal of a previous time in my life about forty years ago. Walking in limbo. I was 28 years old and experiencing the happiest day of my life, at that time. I was getting married to the woman I loved,...
’Til Each Tear Becomes a Rose
Today’s Word from Sheila Weidendorf... Pastor Jim recently preached the good word about Love as the Greatest Commandment—the love of God, the love of neighbor, the love of self. But life and love among we mere mortals can be a tricky business. Human relations are...
Extravagant Hospitality
Today’s Word from Pastor Jim... “Let mutual love continue. Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by doing so some have entertained angels without knowing it.” Hebrews 13:1-2 It was one of those quick church conversations while moving about from office...
Joy
Today’s Word from Pastor Tom... As I write this, I am listening to our Karl play and sing “I Heard the Voice of Jesus Say.” Assuming you were blessed by his devotion last Wednesday, the tune “Kingsfold” might still be ringing in your head. This is a favorite hymn of...
Choose Kind
Today’s Word from Deacon Amy... “Nothing beats kindness… it sits quietly beyond all things.” Charlie Mackesy. I was waiting in line at a sandwich shop the other day when an older gentleman in front of me turned to look at me and smiled. He told me that he liked my...
Happy Birthday Web and Marion!
Today’s Word from Pastor Jim... I hope you will join us this Sunday, September 26, for a very special day in the life of our community. We are having a birthday party this coming Sunday for Web Halvorsen. On September 28th, Web will be celebrating his 103rd Birthday....
Whose is it?
Today’s Word from Pastor Jim... “The heavens are yours, the earth is also yours; the world and all that is in it -- you founded them.” Psalm 89:11 The flamboyant entertainer Liberace was a remarkable musician, but he was known for his lavish costumes, lavish rings,...
Providence
Today’s Word from Pastor Jim... “The grass withers, the flower fades, surely the people are grass.” Isaiah She approached me after the worship service; the mask covered a face that had weathered seasons of great joy and unspeakable sorrow. There were things about...
I Am the Vine… You Are the Branches
Today's Word from Laura Canby... As I did morning slug patrol in the garden, vines of tender, unfolding grape leaves caught my eye. A long-ago memory came to mind – along with a hankering for dolmas. I was a freshman in a Christian college in Northern California above...
The Art of the Tune
Today's Word from Karl Olsen... “The art of sewing lyrics with the tune is very interesting….” Ankit Tiwari, Indian playback singer and songwriter. Last Sunday we played a song called The Invitation as part of the Prelude music for the church service. If you were...
9/11
Today's Word from Pastor Jim... “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever.” Hebrews 13:8 Our nation changed twenty years ago today; our world was changed by terrorism. Our nation has been changed by Covid19; our world has been changed by this pandemic....
The Spirituality of Craft
Today’s Word from Pastor Tom... It’s Labor Day. I am laboring on Labor Day. Looking out over Lake Chelan at the masses enjoying the fruits of our last summer holiday, I sit at the computer typing my little fingers off. I’m a laborer. On Labor Day. Now in the interest...
A Little Faith
Today’s Word from Deacon Amy... I mentioned a couple of weeks ago that my daughters and I took some time away recently. Leaving home, when you have a small farm, is a big undertaking. It can sometimes be a challenge to find someone reliable and competent to manage the...
Love of Neighbor
Today’s Word from Pastor Jim... The bubonic plague is believed to have been in existence since at least 224 B.C.E. The plague arrived in Europe in October of 1347. In the five-year period that followed, one third of the population of Europe was dead. The bubonic...
What If You Only Had a Day?
Today’s Word from Pastor Jim... She smiled when I sat down by her bed; she squeezed my hand firmly, her eyes communicated as she was no longer able to talk. Scripture washed over her, the Lord’s prayer rhythmically echoed, the familiar words now touched the deepest...