Category: Pastoral Life
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A rainy day grave and a call to ministry.
It has been twenty years exactly. Twenty years since Pastor David Stoner surprised me in Bible study and started a chain of events I never expected to end up here. As we sat in study, someone asked him about seminary (not me) and he was sharing information about it. At…
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Where in the World is Pastor Julie Kelly?
A brief on how I ended up in Syracuse. What a journey! In April I submitted my paperwork to be open to call (that means “job” in churchy language). I released it to the ENTIRE ELCA, including global service. I had no idea what to expect. The story follows. I…
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Under the Altar Cloth:
Our job as a pastor is to lead by living as well as speaking and teaching. If we live a life so out of balance, what are we teaching? We must attend to this carefully and not stray- the consequences are too dear.
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Under the Altar Cloth: Volunteers and turf wars
Not all volunteers in the church (or anywhere for that fact) are ready to let go of their control and perfected skills.
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Under the Altar Cloth (UtAC)
My friend Suzannah once said, “I am so angry that we don’t get told ANY of this as a congregation member! We don’t want to be ignorant about these things!”
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What Does Folk Christianity Mean?
In those moments alone, we can experience the “nous” as the Gospel of Mary explains, the sweet spot between spirit and soul where God resides.
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The stillness of Holy Week
Sometimes we rush through life so much we forget to be still. The idea of stillness in Holy Week almost seems wrong….
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The Way of Grief
Grief sits on me like a beached whale, stifling, decaying, lost potential and life. Grief walks with me, now an old friend, well known; we know each others rhythms and habits. Grief stalks me, watching from close by and letting me know it is there, but never knowing when it…
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Dear Jesus Etiquette- A Pentecost Season Sermon
Pentecost 12C ~September 1, 2019 Hope Lutheran Church; Riverside, CA Luke 14:1,7-14; Proverbs 25:6-7; Psalm 112; Hebrews 13:1-8;15-16 Reading a blog recently, a mother described dinner at her house: “We have a pig. smack dab in the center of our dinner table. I…
Mistress of Divinity 