On your mark, get set, go! Pastor Phil's Thoughts for the DayEvery year the passages we listen to in worship come from one gospel, either Matthew, Mark, or Luke with regular interruptions from the last of the gospels written, John. This coming Sunday we begin our year in Mark. Mark is my favorite gospel. Yes, pastors and all faithful people will have their favorites! This is […] Read More
Catching Up To God: On Ordaining, Not Disdaining, Women Pastor Phil's Thoughts for the DayCatching up to God: On Ordaining, not Disdaining, Women This month our national church celebrates the fiftieth anniversary of the ordination of women in our ministry. We confess that it took us another thirty years after doing that to celebrate the ordination of a black woman. And it wasn’t until only ten years ago that […] Read More
God’s Next Wonderful Thing Pastor Phil's Thoughts for the DayYesterday, Grace Lutheran issued a call to me as Lead Pastor. In the remarks I made before the vote, I mentioned a God-experience I had which opened my heart to new possibilities. Four years ago, my wife, Lori, was offered a position at University Lutheran Church. We had talked about her dream to have such […] Read More
Gifts that Keep on Giving Pastor Phil's Thoughts for the DayWho were the people who made you who you are? Who loved you so much that your life unfolded in fulfilling directions? With All Saints Day yesterday we remembered those whom our church entrusted into God’s hands during this past year. The number was so high this year. But we remembered them and reclaimed the […] Read More
Media and Ministry Pastor Phil's Thoughts for the DayLast week, we discussed the way plague shaped the Reformation. This week I’d like to turn to a positive development in the 16th Century, the printing press. Scholars have long noted that it is hard to imagine the Reformation without it. All of us probably have heard that but when we look at the specific […] Read More
The God who freely gives Pastor Phil's Thoughts for the DayFunny how new experiences grant new insights into the past. The Reformation that led to the formation of Lutheran churches began during the second wave of the plagues that had been ebbing and flowing for 200 years. It is estimated that 30% of the population of Europe was lost to this airborne disease. Much of […] Read More
Giving Faith, Hope, Love Pastor Phil's Thoughts for the DayThis year our stewardship theme announces that our generosity in using our time, talents, and financial resources express what ultimately matters to us. Where we invest these resources shows where our hearts lie. But let’s be clear, our hearts have not come to the place we are on their own. Before exploring our response to […] Read More
What I Would Save Pastor Phil's Thoughts for the DayLast week I wrote about the burning down of my digital house. I won’t recount that story again except for this. You have probably been in a context where someone asked you, “If your house was on fire, what would you grab to save?” A bit tragic that my answer has always been, “My computer, […] Read More
Pastor Phil Nearly Loses It ALL! Pastor Phil's Thoughts for the DayThis past week I made a costly mistake that followed on other foolish errors. I accidentally put my primary document folder in the trash and then emptied the trash losing three decades of documents–I’d estimate 30,000 of them. Sermons, favorite quotes, manuscripts of books and articles I’d written, workshop outlines, encouraging notes saved, photos, personal […] Read More
Honk if you love Jesus–a new worship response? Pastor Phil's Thoughts for the DayOn October 4 we are trying something new for us. We are worshipping in our parking lot with most of us sitting in our cars. Remember when you went to drive-in movies. This is like that. You tune in on your FM radio and listen to the service that we will be leading from a […] Read More