On the day before the night before the night before Christmas, I write with anticipatory joy. In less than forty-eight hours, we will once again celebrate the Incarnation of God’s eternal love. Through traditions, sacred and otherwise, we will gather for this special holiday. I pray that this Christmas will be a time of meaning and connection for you and your family.

Last Sunday was a special night in the life of the St. James community. Thanks to the leadership of Pastor Nancy and the Pastoral Care Team, and Birdie Olson and the Welcome Team, we hosted a Tree Lighting event. The snow, which today is rapidly melting, was in a sufficient quantity to serve a picturesque backdrop. The chill in the air and on the ground had us bundled up and shuffling our feet.

Have you wondered, as I do on a regular basis, when will this pandemic end? As COVID-19 continues to spread in our community, there doesn’t seem to be a finish point anytime soon. There will, of course, but not yet. Sadly, with the communal transmission risk as high as it has been, we must remain vigilant even as we want it all to be over.

Last Sunday we began our Advent journey. Lighting candles, we count down the weeks until our Christmas celebration. For many, it is a joyous time of the year. After all, ‘tis the season to be happy.

But what if you are sad?

Think of a doorway. On one side is what has been - the past. Life there has happened. On the other side is what might be - the future. Life there is unknown. In the threshold, we find ourselves a work in process.

At its October meeting, the St. James Council responded affirmatively to the request of the AMERICAN INDIAN ALASKA NATIVE LUTHERAN ASSOCIATION and our Bishop Patricia Lull, to join the Saint Paul Area Synod in a time of remembering the children who have died in Indian Boarding Schools.

You might have heard the expression, “a picture is worth a thousand words.” There is something about images that can speak deeply to us. Whether it is an award-winning photo taken by a famous National Geographic photographer or a quick selfie taken on a smartphone, pictures provide connections, tell stories, and illustrate a variety of emotions and truth.

In just a few days, I am looking forward to celebrating my twenty-fifth All Saints’ Sunday as a pastor. I can’t wait to sing out “For All the Saints" one more time with those gathered in-person and online at 9:30 a.m.

Not to rush things, but, we are a few days away from beginning a new month. As Americans who have a tradition of setting aside a day of national “Thanksgiving,” November is a good time to pause and give thanks…. Here is a resource for you that you are invited to share with others….

On Sunday, October 17, we will offer the fourth (and final) of the new worship forms that our Worship Team has prepared for this Fall. Pneuma is the Greek word for spirit (also breath) and it is the name of a healing liturgy. Together we will seek God’s healing power for our health and wholeness.

I am grateful for the handful of youth that came out last Saturday for the Duluth Day Retreat. We had an amazing day in spite of the liquid sunshine that occasionally reminded us of our baptisms.

We continue to feature new styles of in-person/online worship this Fall at St. James! (for a complete listing - click here) On Sunday, Oct. 3, our worship is called “LOGOS,” which is the Greek word for “word.”

Car—-what? Does Charis sound “Greek” to you? Well, it should because it is…. Charis is the Greek word for grace and is the title of one of the new worships that St. James Lutheran is offering this Fall.

I am pleased to introduce four new styles that we will be using this Fall at St. James at our 9:30 a.m. in-person/online worship. Each one of these worships is named using a Greek word that describes its tone and character: AGAPE (love), CHARIS (grace), LOGOS (Word), and PNUEMA (spirit). Although each employs a variety of music and liturgical styles, all are Word and Sacrament worships rooted in our Lutheran identity.

It is with excitement that I look forward to this coming Sunday at St. James. We celebrate the beginning of another year full of ministry opportunities together. Our FESTIVAL of WELCOME worship…

As we look towards starting up ministry again this fall, the word that seems to be on my mind is “modify.”

One of the things that I carry often is my backpack. It is a useful bag filled with pockets and compartments for all sorts of stuff.

The recent recommendations of the CDC concerning wearing of masks indoors for both vaccinated and unvaccinated people has prompted the question: Do I have to wear a mask at St. James?

For the last five years or so, St. James has implemented a fresh way of doing congregational ministry that has allowed us to be effective, flexible, efficient, and innovative.