Religion/Spirituality

Object lessons for gospel readings in the 3 year pericope Year C, for use in worship, Lutheran Schools, Sunday school and family devotions.

Object lessons based on the gospel lessons in the 3 year pericope, year B for use in worship, Lutheran schools, Sunday school or family devotions.

Children’s object lessons based on the three year pericope, year A for use in worship, Lutheran schools, Sunday school or family devotions.

From the good sisters and monks of the 11th century, hospice care grew through the passions of 20th century people like Dame Cecily Saunders and Elizabeth Kubler-Ross, and into the recognized modality it is today of compassionate and palliative care for those who are on their final journal from this world. Pastor Lopez rightly fills this name as he reaches out, not only to patients and their families, but the team of nurses, doctors, social workers and caregivers who o‑ffer their hands and hearts to those in need. Within these pages you will find practical and compassionate words, along with hands and a heart that knows the pain of loss and feet that are willing to accompany the reader on their journey.

In the beginning was the Word . . . This collection of fifty-six reader’s poems, combined with twenty-six original pieces of art printed in full-color, offers an inviting first read to those new to the Gospel and fresh perspective to those long familiar with its themes. Like artists throughout the centuries, siblings Samuel Rahberg and Natalie Rahberg have employed the disciplines of writing and visual art to share with others the fruits of their own prayer. May each reader be led back to the Christ revealed in the Gospel of John. Samuel Rahberg is a spiritual director and author in Saint Paul, MN. Natalie Rahberg is a working artist in McKinney, TX.

Charles had the two sermons published in the anthology Best Funeral Meditations: “Jesus’ Grief and Yours,” 50-52; “A Time To Be Born, A Time To Die,” 53-55. Best Funeral Meditations. (Lima, Ohio: CSS Publishing Company, Inc, 1998).

The center of the Christian faith involves a relationship with Jesus Christ, and such a relationship carries significant consequences. However, while the notion of relationship with God through Christ is still a leading notion, it is often overshadowed by a focus on the rational mind inherited through a massive movement from centuries ago: the Enlightenment. Whether a theologian or lay Christian, we have all, to some degree, been impacted by this focus on ‘proper thinking’ and doctrine as it pertains to God, to the point that we inadvertently apply salvific qualities to them. What’s more is that, according to contemporary research, roughly 15% of the American population considers themselves open to spirituality but lacks any interest in Christianity or any other organized religion. This accounts for more than double the percentage of atheists and agnostics combined. Author Michael Fessler suggests that the 15% of nonbelievers are not looking for something to appeal to their intellect per se; they’re looking for something to stir excitement and truth within their hearts. Moreover, Fessler suggests that Enlightenment philosophy brought about a false method of knowledge, truth, and belief. We are more than rational beings. We are also beings of emotion, spirit, conscience and will. All of these aspects are involved in our pursuit of truth. Fessler promotes the “faith of a wrestler” and that the church should share the gospel with others through this particular lens of faith; a faith which is centered on a relationship with Christ, one which acknowledges that in any relationship there are times of struggle, confusion, doubt, and uncertainty – times of wrestling. And of course with such times of wrestling comes the opportunity for deeper trust and intimacy. It’s a faith which recognizes too that we live in a fallen world, a world which holds terrible misfortunes and suffering. It’s with this that we wrestle as well. According to Fessler, the 15% are just not interested because the church as a whole has failed to appeal to them with the simplicity of God’s powerful gospel message, and in a way that embodies the faith of a wrestler. In fact, many Christians today need to rediscover their faith and the authentic gospel for themselves. Within this theological journey is the author’s own personal journey which helps to accentuate the core of his message. They’re just not interested. But perhaps they will be.

For many Christian leaders, the experience of ministry includes enough conflict and disappointment to soon wear off the patina of one’s initial enthusiasm. And yet relief and renewal seems too often out of reach. In Enduring Ministry, Samuel Rahberg draws supports and empowers leaders for continued ministries in the church, helping readers experience a shift from merely enduring to lasting, effective, and vibrant Christian leadership.

Each chapter includes a scripture verse, personal story, writing prompt, and a prayer. Readers are invited to record their own reflections. It isn’t just a book to read. It’s a doorway toward something bigger. An Irish Proverb: “Always remember that hindsight is the best insight into foresight.”

If someone asked you about your core convictions, could you answer in one or two sentences? As Christians, we often stutter when questioned, “Who are you?” “What do you believe?” “Why does it matter to you?” We get a unique chance to share our heart and we say too much or nothing at all. In an increasingly non-Christian society, every Christian ought to have a compelling statement about who they are and why it matters. But before we can share this with others, we have to truly know it for ourselves. Sterile statements cut and paste from a Sunday School manual aren’t good enough. Jeff Cloeter walks through his own quest for identity and meaning, revisiting core Christian convictions and making sense of why they matter today. He begins with just two words, loved and sent, demonstrating how they characterize God’s own heart as well as Christian identity and purpose. Discover who you are and why you matter, and then you’ll have something to say to someone else. Available at tenthpowerpublishing.com.