BLOG

A Pre-Deployment Update

I can’t say exactly when we leave. I couldn’t tell you where we are going. What I can say is that this fall I’m deploying with the 350 sailors on my Navy ship as part of Carrier Strike Group 2. We are ready for the adventure. We’ve trained to uphold peace and we’ve trained for combat, if necessary. As the Chaplain, I’ve trained the crew to be ready mentally and spiritually.

One Month In!

I am so excited to have completed my first month here at Christ Lutheran. Wow! I am honored for this privilege to serve with you! I thank you for such a warm welcome!

Classical Music’s Blasé Rap

Lisztomania or Liszt Fever: “The intense fan frenzy directed toward Hungarian composer Franz Liszt during his performances.”

More Exciting News

It is with great joy and deep gratitude that I can finally announce Tony Hyde as our new Director of Property and Finance following Gregg Huether’s resignation.

Confession time

Confession time: I have bribed my kids. There I said It. Maybe you have too? I have bribed my kids because, well, sometimes I need them to not be kids. I need them to be little adults, which means, really, to be quiet. It’s almost always to be quiet and keep calm. I know they can’t do it forever, and I know they don’t want to do it naturally because they’re kids. But I know they can do it for a time, and when I just must have that moment, I bribe them. I bribe them so they will “behave.”It’s funny when we say “behave” because what we tend to mean when we say to our children “behave” is not behave like a child, even though we are talking to children. No, what we mean is “behave” like an adult, even though you are a child. Keep quiet, keep calm, and do not pretend to be a dinosaur. Please? Pretty please!? If you do this, we can get ice cream after. And, just like that, BOOM, perfect little angels. But, of course, only for a time. 

8 Days of Service

Find your new thing! Revisit an old thing! Try out several things! 8 Days of Service is an opportunity to serve in our community – a one-time thing or explore to find a new passion. If you are not close to Christ Providence in Charlotte, there are similar agencies in every community. Search for an option like a school that needs volunteers, an agency that ser0ves meals, or collection stations for almost anything you can imagine. My heart for serving others grows the longer I participate, and my faith is grown and challenged along the way … my relationship with God is strengthened and I meet His Holy Spirit everywhere I turn!

Change & Opportunity

We have several people leaving the staff after a long tenure, the first being Lyndon Ratliff. Lyndon was the first person I ever hired at Christ Lutheran back in 1998. He first came in as our custodial and maintenance person, helping with everything from set up to minor repairs to cleaning. After his initial retirement, he stayed on with the staff to help with evening security and lock up. For 25years, Lyndon has been a fixture at Christ Lutheran — dependable, trustworthy, and forever welcoming to all. Happy Retirement, Lyndon!‍

Music is Part of Your Life

In October 2001, after only four years since returning to Apple as CEO, Steve Jobs introduced a consumer product to the masses that, in his words, didn’t just “change the way we listened to music, it changed the entire music industry.”

WELCOMING THE NEW YOUTH MINISTRY TEAM

On behalf of the Youth Director Call Committee and the Personnel Committee, I’m excited to announce that we have hired TWO people to take the lead on our middle and high school youth ministries! Tyler Weller will be the new Youth Director and Natalya Legvold will be the new Youth Ministry Advisor!

Get up! Get up! This is big!!

We are hosting a concert for Tasha Layton, a national contemporary Christian artist on Friday, October 27th at 7pm. We are so excited to have her coming to Christ Lutheran to share her talents.

How Does Your Garden Grow?

I have been gardening for 15 years. I have cross pollinated my own plants and crafted a sub-species tailored to my ideal tomato. But ever since I’ve come to the South my tomatoes have struggled with various diseases. The South is a ruthless place because it never gets cold enough to kill all the things that want to kill my tomatoes. 

Beauty in the Chaos

Oh the chaos. School is out and the chaos was beginning to mount and then it all disappeared. My two oldest went off to camp. And with them went all the noise and scattered socks and shoes. No more coming out from their room because they couldn’t sleep. Ne’ery an argument over a video game. My youngest was an only child. Peace.

From Our Church Council President

In last week’s blog post, Deacon Kenny informed our congregation that he will continue his pastoral journey with a congregation in Northern Virginia. We thank God, and Kenny, that he has served us so well throughout his ten-month internship at Christ Lutheran. We will miss him, but we know that he is embarking on the path that God set forth for him. Blessings to Kenny, his wife, and his ministry.

An Internship & A Call

You all have heard me share in worship many times; I have been on a journey of discernment over the past year of my life which led me to you in response to God’s call by switching rosters from a Deacon to a Pastor. The discernment has continued during my internship with you, discerning where God is calling me to serve, once I complete my internship and coursework. It is with a sense of sadness, fear, excitement, and hopefulness that I share with you my decision to not pursue a pastoral call here at Christ Lutheran Church.

Sabbatical Plans

That’s The Council and Personnel Committee have always been very generous and supportive of the well being of the staff. For those on Leadership Team, they provide time for a sabbatical of 6weeks every five years. This time away is not just an extended vacation but a time of education or writing or spiritual renewal or wellness.

MayCember

That’s the latest term you know – “May-Cember”? And I for one am feeling it. December IS crazy each year with family obligations, Christmas parties, and everything else wrapping up another calendar year.

First-World Problems

Here is my first world problem for you. My house is being remodeled, and the guys who reseated or sealed or magically mounted my toilet failed to do a proper job. So now to use the bathroom I have to go down the stairs and around the corner, in my own house! How privileged to have multiple bathrooms in my house so that when one fails, I am only as disturbed as a walk down and up the stairs?!

Managing for Decline

Harvard Business School has isolated a point in a company’s lifespan when they are no longer managing for growth but rather managing for decline.

5 Realities for Generation Z

I recently attended a workshop that was all about Generation Z (those born between 1997 and 2018) and Generation Alpha (those born after 2018) and how these generations are communicating and interacting with the world.

What Happens After I Die?

Death is a topic about which relatively few people know how to converse gracefully, and likely with good reason:

To Know and Be Known

“We have to go to church today.” Those are the words of my 12-year-old son to his mother. “We have to go to church” he continues “because I’m needed.”

What’s a Deacon?

Back in 2016, the ELCA voted as a denomination to create a new “roster” or office of leadership within the church and call them “Deacons.”

I Hope You Were Pleased

Holy Week began with Palm Sunday that was the largest worship attendance we’ve seen for a non-holiday Sunday since Covid.

Easy Like Sunday Morning

Exodus 12:11 “This is how you shall eat it: your loins girded, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and you shall eat it in haste. It is the Passover of the LORD.”

Triduum

Triduum refers to the three days leading up to Easter. Too many people go right from the joyous shouts of Hosanna on Palm Sunday to the resurrection shouts of Hallelujah on Easter without experiencing the complete Passion Story through the Triduum.

Affordable Housing!?!?!? How can it be?

Do you make mortgage payments? If so, think about this for a while: Do you know that it is considered a government subsidy because of the tax deduction you receive on interest paid?

Gen Z & the Church: 5 Things to Consider

Carey Nieuwhof recently posted on his blog “A Sneak Peek into 5 Characteristics of Gen Z Church.” It is a summary of possibly takeaways from the Asbury Revival that occurred back in February.

A Commandment From God

John 13:1-14

A sacrament is a means through which God acts and gives us grace. For example, in communion, Jesus commanded us to “do this” and through the bread and wine we receive grace.

Christian Ethics: Why Do You Believe What You Believe?

Many people have strong opinions about specific ethical issues such as abortion, euthanasia, capital punishment, universal health care and war. But do you know..

Be Still

He says, “Be still, and know that I am God. I will be honored among the nations. I will be honored in the earth.”

Pride comes before the fall

Pride will get us to lofty places. When we have pride, we can be driven to places that, comparatively, are superior. Now, I’m not talking about pride in one's work. I’m not talking about doing a job well or seeing things through. I’m talking about a sense of self that makes us think that we are the end-all, be-all, answer for everything. An overabundance of self-confidence will, absolutely, get you to great places.

For Everything There is a Season – in Celebration of Christ South

For everything there is a season, and each season has a beginning and an end. Our beginning was a small group of people worshipping in a dance studio, and on Sunday, February 12th, we will gather one last time as Christ South. While we naturally seek to understand why things end or what went wrong, it’s important to remember that the real story of South isn’t those two points in time, but all that happened in between.