Join us on January 8 as we come together in fellowship hall for a dinner. Following dinner, we will head over to Feed My Starving Children in Chanhassen to serve together. Feed My Starving Children is a fantastic organization that sends packs of food to people all over the world. There are a variety of ways to volunteer during a packing session accommodating volunteers as young as 5 years old or v...  Read More

On Christmas Eve, the lights in our sanctuary sparkle brightly. The wreaths hang in the windows, the fully lit Advent wreath shines forth a warm light, the congregation holds flickering candles (of both flame and LEDs), and the tree twinkles with lights, ornaments, and strands of beads.If you are in the sanctuary this Christmas season, or watch the service online, you might not notice how large th...  Read More

It is easy to feel isolated in this cold and dark time of year. Perhaps you’ve moved recently and are now hours away from family and friends. It doesn’t have to be physical distance, though. With everyone’s varied and busy schedules, it’s easy to live within a few miles, yet be unable to find a time that works for everyone to gather. Alone in the dreary cold of winter, it can be difficult to remai...  Read More

But you, O Bethlehem of Ephrathah,    who are one of the little clans of Judah,from you shall come forth for me    one who is to rule in Israel,whose origin is from of old,    from ancient days.— Micah 5:2 And Mary said,“My soul magnifies the Lord,    and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,for he has looked with favor on the lowly state of his servant.    Surely from now on all generations will c...  Read More

Barren pines keep watchas snowdrifts pile on their roots —birds fly with snowflakesFrozen red aster -now a playground and shelterfor two cold squirrelsDeep beneath snowpacka lily seed rests in soil -an expectant bloom...  Read More

How much snow did you get yesterday?As adults, we see every inch for the work it'll take to clear off of our sidewalks, driveways, and roads. We know that slippery roads lead to slow commutes and accidents. We think of all the lost productivity from co-workers who run late or need to leave early to pick up kids when the schools close. We see each falling degree of temperature as another dollar to ...  Read More

Today, as I write this, I spent half an hour working on the bathroom door knob. The spring had grown weaker over the last few months and it finally gave up latching at all. Now we’re interrupted in our morning routine by an inquisitive dog. Knowing that family and friends will be visiting for Christmas, I knew that I had to fix the latch for them.Do you have necessary repairs at your home? It’s ea...  Read More

What makes a gift that you receive valuable? It could be solely the purchase price, though most people will also factor in other factors. The effort it took to find the gift. Something that has been handmade gains value from the effort that went into its construction. The usefulness of the gift can increase its perceived value.There is a lot of thought that goes into the costs of gifts. It could b...  Read More

People often talk about their mindset, which is their default mental attitude or mental response to something. We talk about having a good mindset or one that holds you back. People try to change their mindset to be more adaptable to situations. Building mental flexibility is great, but I also think we should consider our heartset.Rather than mental, this is a default emotional attitude towards li...  Read More

It’s a common saying that no two snowflakes are exactly the same. Math and science say that this is true for complex snowflakes, even though around a septillion of them fall each year. Though large patterns repeat, there are microscopic or even molecular differences in each flake.The same can be said for moments in our lives. Yesterday was our annual Service of Lessons & Carols, during which there...  Read More

I will sing of your steadfast love, O Lord, forever.- Psalm 89:1aAdvent is a preparation for Christmas. The celebration and rejoicing are especially obvious this morning at our Service of Lessons & Carols. Through the season, we celebrate the birth of Jesus by singing joyful songs, eating delicious food, and enjoying the company of our friends and family. It can be easy to forget that Jesus was se...  Read More

Every year during the first week of Advent, I go down into the basement and haul up the large cardboard box with the artificial tree in it. Once the three pieces are stacked together and the branches are spread out to look nice, then it is time for me to do my part: I am the only one that can put the lights on the Christmas tree.Now, this is a sort of self-imposed rule. I have a specific way of ru...  Read More