Prepare Ye

Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, ‘Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where...' John 20:15 Lord God, It was on a green hill far away that we think of you on that cross. A red bloody day when the sky turned black... but on a green hill. And when you stood before Mary on that first Easter day We think of you in the green garden with the empty tomb – Not because the scenery is described but because you are: And you were thought to be the gardener. In the garden of your world, God, We build things out of things you grew. We snatch at life that has taken time to be. We trample on detail and intimate design And hammer a cross to stand on a green hill. But beneath it all and about it all is your greenery, God, Your life force to be reckoned with, Your breath blowing butterflies in the breeze, Your water of life nourishing and replenishing, Your sun warming and comforting seed and creature. Yes, you are the gardener, God, Down to earth – planting and pruning But

The Lutheran writes about its seminaries "The Lutheran," the magazine of the ELCA has a feature article in this month's magazine about seminaries and the call process. The main article is linked at the title. Other articles on the site are: Let Us Pray For ; Lasting Learning ; Action,Deeds In context ; Diploma in One hand, Debt in the other. Some articles may require membership/subscription.

Thank you, Lord of the universe for your omnipresence. You are everywhere for me. You go before me to show me the way, behind me to encourage me. above me to watch over me, and within me to give me peace. Fill my heart with the joy of your presence! Amen. from "Daily Texts" from the Moravian Church.

I coordinate the youth sports program for my hometown’s elementary and middle school students. On Saturday’s during the school year, there are over 800 students playing sports. Basketball has an obsessive hold on my hometown, with elementary games regularly drawing crowds of over 500 people. A few years ago, I was having an especially difficult day with the boys basketball program. I had just finished having a shouting match across the court with one of the coaches, when one of the security officers assigned to the games asked me how I dealt with the stress. I told him I was probably going to go to the bar and get drunk. He said that wasn’t the thing to do, and he asked if he could have his church pray for me. I told him it couldn’t hurt. The next weekend, I did not work the youth sports program and instead I attended a football coaching clinic. I have coached high school football since 1995. At coaching clinics, a variety of vendors set up booths to provide samples and catalogs for co

This blog is an attempt to document my preparations to enter the seminary. I just turned 43 today, and am preparing to leave my job as a recreation director and enter an ELCA seminary to become an ordained minister. In addition to coordinating my city’s youth sports program, I have also been a high school football coach for 12 years. I have applied to two ELCA seminaries, Trinity Lutheran Seminary in Columbus, Ohio and the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Gettysburg (Pennsylvania). I am in the middle of the candidacy process for the ELCA. I hope this blog will serve to share the process with those who are hearing the call of ministry. Please feel free to share your thoughts and experiences in the comments. I have learned so much from the blogs of others who are at some point in the journey. I hope this blog will also allow my friends and family to follow my journey once I head to seminary. I will also post my thoughts on a variety of topics; whatever I come across that I want to share