http://web.me.com/prugejones/iWeb/Site/Blog/Blog.html God in the grit, stooping in dust again, scooping up dust again, passes into ashes, dust to life Reflections on God in everyday life Early SErmon Seeds to get you thinking about next week Quotations from great thinkers questions inviting responses Hope in the middle of the mess iWeb 1.1.2 http://web.me.com/prugejones/iWeb/Site/Blog/http%3A/www.mac.com/st/1/sharedassets/1.1/Common/Templates/Elegant/Blog/flourish_aqua_top.png http://web.me.com/prugejones/iWeb/Site/Blog/Blog.html http://web.me.com/prugejones/iWeb/Site/Blog/0DC885DD-81B2-41A6-A46B-4C6D0A240C76.html http://web.me.com/prugejones/iWeb/Site/Blog/0DC885DD-81B2-41A6-A46B-4C6D0A240C76.html Thu, 27 Aug 2009 22:11:37 -0500 This week we had convocation, a very formal event. Faculty in gowns. Litanies in celebration of education. Announcements of awards. The Provost began announcing those faculty members who have received tenure and promotions. He announced Prof. Boyer’s promotion and they flashed an informal picture of him in sunglasses looking cool. Everyone laughed. Then Prof. Gustafson’s promotion was announced and a pic of him experimenting on a river in full waders made everyone laugh again. Next Prof. Thompso http://web.me.com/prugejones/iWeb/Site/Blog/02B2C192-618A-4495-AD9B-C482C3D8C46A.html http://web.me.com/prugejones/iWeb/Site/Blog/02B2C192-618A-4495-AD9B-C482C3D8C46A.html Sun, 23 Aug 2009 21:43:57 -0500 For those who have had enough bread, guest blogger, amazing seminarian Jason Chesnut shares reflections on next week’s epistle [James 1:17-27] Ahh, James. This New Testament book is always fun, especially for Lutherans, to tackle, since Martin Luther himself famously referred to it as an “epistle of straw.” Turns out Luther was pretty sensitive to anything in the Scriptures that didn’t specifically and overtly mention Jesus the Christ – they were, in his mind, worthless. Added to this, James http://web.me.com/prugejones/iWeb/Site/Blog/8A118522-188B-4C28-8D8D-53ACEB465592.html http://web.me.com/prugejones/iWeb/Site/Blog/8A118522-188B-4C28-8D8D-53ACEB465592.html Sat, 22 Aug 2009 07:01:01 -0500 Many of you know the short version of the votes that took place in MN. I thought our bishop responded well immediately after the vote. Here are his thoughts as recorded in a communication I received from LC/NA. Bishop Hanson comments after the vote were pastoral and an appropriate cap to the momentous day: "I would like to speak before I call on any mics. "I want more time to think about words from one you have called to serve as pastor of this church. I have been standing here thinking abou http://web.me.com/prugejones/iWeb/Site/Blog/9D070B7B-57D2-4A2B-9CCF-BF6DEE04B744.html http://web.me.com/prugejones/iWeb/Site/Blog/9D070B7B-57D2-4A2B-9CCF-BF6DEE04B744.html Tue, 18 Aug 2009 17:08:27 -0500 A friend of mine who’d heard about the ELCA’s upcoming votes regarding full welcome of those with differing sexual orientations asked me what in the world is going on with the Lutherans. Here is part of my response: Lutheranism has always held that not moral options but the gift of God's grace in Christ is what holds us together. Trust in Christ is the center that defines us and not moral practices. Sexuality issues have never been central in Lutheranism except in that it critiqued the narrow v