Blessed are the agnostics. Blessed are they who doubt. Blessed are those who have nothing to offer. Blessed are the preschoolers who cut in line at communion. Blessed are the poor in spirit. You are of heaven and Jesus blesses you. Blessed are those whom no one else notices. The kids who sit alone at middle-school lunch tables. The laundry guys at the hospital. The sex workers and the night-shift street sweepers. The closeted. The teens who have to figure out ways to hide the new … [Read more...]
Blog Archive
Love’s InTentCity
Snow fell again this morning. For middle-class outdoor enthusiasts, winter camping is an adventure. For those without permanent shelter, not so much adventure as one more factor in the ongoing challenge to survive. Life in Tent City 3 is intense. Recently, we were informed that campers could count on only two meals this week. Most food doesn’t appear on a schedule. Supplies are less predictable in the weeks and months following holiday patterns of abundance and … [Read more...]
Mountaintop Experience
7 Pentecost C—3/3/19 Exodus 34:29-35; Luke 9:28-43a Pr. Scott Kramer My team and I had just reached the summit of Mt. Rainier. It was just after sunrise and after two days and a night of hard climbing, we were thrilled to be at the very summit of the highest mountain in the Pacific Northwest. Seeing our enthusiasm, Dave, one of our climbing guides, said with a sly smile, “Well, you’re halfway there!” He was right, of course! In that moment, we may have felt “on top of the world” … [Read more...]
Sadvent
It’s no secret that many folks feel depressed this time of year. Reasons are varied—Seasonal Affective Disorder, remembering departed loved ones--but it’s clear to me from conversations that some feel weighed down by expectations of the season. External, culturally-conditioned pressures—gift-buying, party-attending, meal-preparing—are compounded by internal expectations of the “perfect” Christmas experience, whatever that might mean. Whatever the reason, some faith communities … [Read more...]
Season of Advent(ure)
You might have heard that our congregation’s life together took an unexpected turn when Lakeridge Lutheran was asked if we would host Tent City 3. TC3 for months had been trying without success to secure a site for the winter months. We received the request on a Tuesday. After a flurry of meetings that same day, on Wednesday our council voted to welcome the “campers.” On Saturday TC3 residents began setting up camp and they’ve been with us now for a week and a … [Read more...]
Peace On Earth
Peace on earth, goodwill to all. Our church lawn features a traditional-looking sign that displays the church’s name and web page. It’s nothing fancy, just an old-school variety with an open field on which messages have to be manually created, letter by letter. That’s part of the reason the message doesn’t change very often! Last fall, in anticipation of the Christmas season, we posted a simple message that’s often associated with Christmas: Peace On Earth. It hasn’t been changed … [Read more...]
Ultra-Light Backpackin’ Tips 2017
Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. –Matthew 11:29-30 A few weeks ago, I returned from an eight-day, 90-mile hike on the Pacific Crest Trail. The PCT runs 2600+ miles from our Mexican border into Canada. Last year a friend, his adult children and I hiked the 70-mile section of the PCT from Snoqualmie Pass to Stevens Pass. We enjoyed it so much that we chose to … [Read more...]
Fairy Tales?
8 Pentecost A—7/30/17 1 Kings 3:5-12; Rom. 8:26-39; Matt. 13:31-52 Pr. Scott Kramer I have with me this morning one of my favorite plants. Grevillea is an Australian native. I love this plant! It’s evergreen, it’s hardy in winter and blooms--even in snow! Hummingbirds love it, especially in winter. It is drought-tolerant, grows rapidly and can be pruned easily. And get this--it loves poor soil, which makes it a great fit for the unfertile soil of our Lakeridge yards! Jesus uses a variety of … [Read more...]
Imani Melele Concert!
Next Sunday, June 11th, all the way from Uganda, the Imani Milele Children's Choir, in concert at Lakeridge Lutheran, 6:00 pm. All are welcome, free-will offering. … [Read more...]
Signs of God’s “KIN-dom”
Northwest Washington ELCA Lutheran churches recently received from our regional office a statistical study that describes neighborhoods by racial representation. Included in this study is a profile of Lutheran churches within those zip codes according to racial distribution. The percentage of people of color within our Lakeridge Lutheran neighborhood—the 98178 zip code—is higher than any other neighborhood in the survey: 68.94%. The percentage of people of color within our congregation is … [Read more...]
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