Category: Pastor’s Blog

  • Small Town Life – Living it Up

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    I’ve been the pastor at Bethany for a little more than a year now. And after a year working in this community, I still wouldn’t have thought of Longview-Kelso as being small towns. It’s smaller than Seattle or Portland sure. But after a month of living here, there may be more of that “small town”…

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  • Group Work as “Grown Ups”

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    Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. ~ Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 I am notoriously terrible at doing group work. I’ve been enjoying all of the “first day of school” photos in my Facebook feed the last few weeks. I…

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  • Light out of our Basket – Community

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    “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may…

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  • Blessed by Giving – Blessed to be a Blessing to Others

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    “She opens her hand to the poor and reaches out her hands to the needy.” ~Proverbs 31:20 September is pledge month at Bethany Lutheran Church. Our theme is revisiting the concept of being “blessed by giving”. Each Sunday during the offering, we have had members of our church share during temple talks how they have…

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  • Speak to the Earth – Creation’s Language

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    7 “But ask the animals, and they will teach you, or the birds in the sky, and they will tell you; 8 or speak to the earth, and it will teach you, or let the fish in the sea inform you. 9 Which of all these does not know that the hand of the LORD…

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  • Gospel Lessons – NIMBY

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    “Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink?” Matthew 25:37b I learned a new acronym last week: NIMBY It means “Not in my back yard”. The context? People in my neighborhood were commenting about an upcoming council meeting regarding resources for people…

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  • Pastor Explains – Gospel in Scripture

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    Matthew, Mark, Luke, & John – That’s all you Need Right? Luther on Reading Gospel Need some help reading the Bible?  Me too, no need to be ashamed.  I grew up in church. I grew up with the Bible sitting on my dresser. But I freely admit to you that I didn’t know what to…

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  • Cluttering it Up – Building a Home

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    By wisdom a house is built, and by understanding it is established; by knowledge the rooms are filled with all precious and pleasant riches. Numbers 6:24-26 I don’t like clutter.  For the longest time I would blame my stifled creativity, my unfettered procrastination,  my demotivation, on the excessive clutter in my home.   Who can get anything done…

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  • Baptismal Promises – The Ones We Make

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    There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. ~Ephesians 4:4-6 This Sunday is the day my daughter Hadley will be baptized! I…

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  • Baptismal Promises – The Ones Made to Us

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    There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. ~Ephesians 4:4-6 I’m not entirely sure where this year has gone, but it’s nearly…

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