Posted by lcooper |
Recently I came back from a trip to New Orleans. I have been there many times in the past but never really paid attention to all the different worship spaces in that city. The old historic churches in the downtown area are beautiful, with large brick exteriors and beautiful stained-glass windows.
However, just because these buildings are amazing on the outside does not mean they are full…
Posted by lcarr |
When I think about what faith means to me, I sometimes don’t know what I’m going to write about. One of the powerful quotes that I always use when I talk about my faith is, “We are called to encourage, enlighten, and empower each other because we are all unique and different.”
The Bible verse I chose to talk about my faith is Joshua 1:9, and it states, “I hereby command you: Be…
Posted by svanbaale |
One of the nicest things to come from our worshiping at Overland Park Lutheran Church (OPLC) is the collaboration. We have been able to combine worship with another Lutheran church, and sometimes we have two Lutheran churches (Salem and OPLC) and a Presbyterian church. It is nice to see the differences not only between our church and the Presbyterian church, but also between us and another Lutheran…
Posted by rgarza |
As we gather in fellowship during this Easter week, let us embrace the message of redemption and renewal. Let us open our hearts to the transformative power of love and forgiveness, extending grace to ourselves and others. May this Easter be a time of spiritual rebirth, where we emerge from the shadows of doubt and fear into the radiant light of faith and hope. Let us carry the message of Easter…
Posted by hlewis |
The great dichotomy Sunday is upon us: where we begin with Hosannas and celebration and quickly move to the story of Christ’s passion and betrayal. Holy Week continues as we show Christ’s love by serving each other on Maundy Thursday and contemplate His sacrifice with beautiful music in the Good Friday Tenebrae service.
I love the word dichotomy: it is a contrast between two things,…
Posted by jbrudvig |
Walking the country roads of Kansas has helped me to appreciate the power of antiquated windmills. I am fascinated by windmills because I, like Don Quixote, the eccentric “mad knight” in the musical Man of La Mancha, find myself tilting at the windmills that come my way more often than I would like them to. The adversaries, both real and imagined, are worthy opponents, often…
Posted by lcooper |
As we continue through the season of Lent, I find myself thinking a lot about faith and believing. These words have strong meaning and identify my Christian life.
Faith and belief are foundational parts of our lives as Christians. There is a difference between them even though we tend to look at them as having the same meaning.
A belief is a state of mind and does not push us to…
Posted by lcarr |
I have served about four months as the nursery coordinator for Salem Lutheran Church. I was excited when I began working with the staff. I have been involved in so much at Salem over the years and wanted to take a new step into a new journey. I brought new ideas to Salem that were just suggestions but could be chosen.
When the pandemic brought changes to our lives in 2020, I started to step…
Posted by svanbaale |
In this Sunday’s gospel reading, Jesus says, “Those who are ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of them the Son of Man will also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.” (Mark 8:38)
This reminds me of the bold, unashamed witnessing our youth have, not just the youth in Salem, but the many others I see. They are not…
Posted by rgarza |
What a great week it was! It started with a Super Bowl win, and continued with Ash Wednesday with the start of Lent and Valentine’s Day to focus on the loved ones in our lives. Specifically, we tend to focus on our spouse, partner, or significant other. While there is nothing wrong with celebrating Valentine’s Day and spending time with our loved ones, it is important that we do not overlook…