Ask the Pastor: Spiritual Practices

Like any practice or habit, picking up new spiritual practices can be difficult. They are appropriately called practices because learning to use them is a lifelong journey. Many of us grew up with some sort of spiritual practice at home, and many of us lost them over time. My family prayed before dinner every day when I was a little kid, but as we got older and life got busier, we weren't always eating together as a family and the practice died out. This was the extent of my spiritual practices at home growing up. So I had to learn a few later in life, too.

Complicated Computus

The common way of describing the date of Easter is "the first Sunday after the first full moon after the March equinox." It's simple and relatively easy to understand. Most of the time, this short formula is sufficient to calculate the date of Easter in a given year. Unfortunately, it's also incorrect.

A Pastoral Letter to the Members of Bethlehem Evangelical Lutheran Church Regarding Accusations Made Against Lutheran Social Services, Global Refuge, and Other Lutheran Organizations

This letter was sent to the members of Bethlehem Evangelical Lutheran Church, Indianapolis, IN, on 6 February 2025. On Saturday, 1 February 2025, disgraced former Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs Mike Flynn posted screenshots to X (Twitter) of a spreadsheet listing federal grant money paid to a number of regional Lutheran Services … Continue reading A Pastoral Letter to the Members of Bethlehem Evangelical Lutheran Church Regarding Accusations Made Against Lutheran Social Services, Global Refuge, and Other Lutheran Organizations

Why We Gathered to Pray

This post originated as a response to concerns about the appropriateness of holding an evening service of prayer the day after Election Day. On the evening of 5 November through the morning of 6 November, I received a number of messages from members of Bethlehem Evangelical Lutheran Church expressing fear and uncertainty about the safety … Continue reading Why We Gathered to Pray