Reflections Following yet another Mass Shooting Pastor Dean“Turning and turning in the widening gyre The falcon cannot hear the falconer; Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold; Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world, The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere The ceremony of innocence is drowned; The best lack all conviction, while the worst Are full of passionate intensity.” from “The […] Read More
Enough is Enough Pastor Dean“The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to till it and keep it. And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, ‘You may freely eat of every tree of the garden; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in […] Read More
Ascension Day Pastor DeanI was part of a “round table discussion” at the Phipps Center for the Arts in Hudson, WI. The discussion centered on a project (still in process) by St. Paul artist Sam Robertson. He’ll combine over 250 hand painted illustrations with the King James text to create an “Illustrated Old Testament.” The artist was there […] Read More
The Super-Ultimate Question Pastor DeanMartin Gardner wrote about an emotion that comes over certain people at times when they reflect on the fact that anything exists at all: “Why should there be something rather than nothing? Obviously we have no way to answer…” If you try to answer, “God created something,” “the question can be asked again: Why does […] Read More
90% Pastor DeanWoody Allen once quipped: “90% of life is just showing up!” It was one of those light-hearted comments that express unexpected wisdom. People have since suggested words other than “life” – 90% of helping is just showing up; 90% of loving is just showing up, etc. Well, what about witnessing to God’s presence? Lutherans tend […] Read More
Life’s Journey Pastor DeanIt’s a dangerous business, Frodo, going out your door. You step onto the road, and if you don’t keep your feet, there’s no knowing where you might be swept off to.” – Bilbo Baggins in Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings It’s been nearly four years since I arrived for my “three-year appointment” here at Grace […] Read More