Always wonderful to be at Luther Seminary in beautiful St. Paul, MN! Today the board gathered to listen, discern, share, sing, and dream. Thankful for these thoughtful and faithful people I am privileged to be serve alongside. Luther Seminary #lutheransnw
During our last day in WA DC advocating for peace and justice in the Holy Land, we went to our different legislators' offices to share our hopes and desires for the Middle East.. I joined other Washingtonians and met with great staff in the offices of Senator Patty Murray and Senator Maria Cantwell. We were also blessed to have with us Shadin Nassar, a Lutheran Palestinian whose family owns Tent of Nations in Palestine. The Nassar family has owned this land for generations - since the Ottoman Empire. She spoke eloquently and beautifully about peace and justice for all.
May we continue to pray and act for all of God's people including Christians, Muslims, and Jews in the land we all call holy.
May there be no more dehumanization, no more starvation, no more killing ... no more. May we see the face of God in every person. #lutherans Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land Northwest Washington Synod, ELCA
I am so thankful no one was killed by gun violence last night at the WH Correspondents Dinner.
And I continue to grieve the 48,000 killed each year in gun violence. I continue to want common sense gun control so that no one has to run, hide, or shelter from a shooter.
It's not about finishing a ballroom. It's about keeping all people safe throughout America, especially vulnerable children. If it is about a ballroom, build one in every school.
What an honor and a joy to preach at the African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Cascade District of the Pacific Northwest Conference. Singing, praying, dancing ... what a gift! And thank you to Jason Bendickson for singing and bringing the Church to its feet! So glad to nurture these ecumenical relationships and share the good news of Jesus together! #lutheransnw
Honored to speak about what it means to be a leader in the Church today with The Wild Hope Center for Vocation at Pacific Lutheran University. I didnt take any photos during the event but here is a lovely picture of PLU and also a picture of me, along with Cathy Bentley, when we were students there (along with our landlady).
At Bishop's Convo we celebrated the 40th anniversary of Holden Evening Prayer (Vespers '86). Community singing is the best!
Throughout the world people will be celebrating this anniversary during the week of April 26. Watch for places near you!
It was a beautiful day in the synod beginning with Grace Chinese Lutheran Church where I preached and baptized two people. And then this afternoon I met with Confirmation students to talk about what it means to be Synod together. The Confirmation students are from four congregations who have partnered together this year (Central, Faith, Immanuel, and Maple Leaf). Lovely, rich, energizing, and Gospel-filled! Shannyn Magee Fuerst Julie Blum RevPriscilla Austin Paul Eldred #lutheransnw
On the holiest Saturday of the Christian year, as Christians remember Jesus' death on the cross, as we await the promise of new life and resurrection for the whole world, this post from President Trump instead seeks war, retribution, countless suffering, and blasphemes the name of God for power.
On this Good Friday, as I sit in worship, I hear echoes of war: mother's screaming for their dead children, fathers never returning, cities in rubble.
I hear those in power: spewing hatred, making scapegoats, lying so they can amass even more.
I hear the roar of the crowd: Crucify him. Nails being pounded. The moans of pain.
And I hear Jesus, "Love. Forgive. Come into my kingdom."
And I weep.
