Spiritual Director

  Eleanor was the first shut-in I ever called on some 20 years ago as I began my ministry. She had recently become widowed and was facing a number of health issues as well. Like many in her situation in our culture today the children and grandchildren had moved away, were busy with their own lives, and barely called or wrote. Now that I have worked in the hospital setting five years I see it...

Have you ever heard the term “in a New York minute?” I heard it from a colleague over lunch this weekend as he referenced how quickly he would do something. I’ve heard the term before but have never given it much thought. I mean I generally understand things go “faster” in New York and I know the city itself never sleeps, etc. So a visit to Wikipedia sheds light on this term “a New York...

I want to go back and visit Epworth Forest camp in North Webster, Indiana. It’s the camp where I made my weekend, and where I have served a number of teams. The memories are countless, the images still very moving, the experience the most incredible in my life. I hope you can also remember your original weekend, and the sight, sounds, and smells of the Spirit of our Lord. A favorite memory is the chapel...

Mother’s Day is this Sunday, May 8th! We’ve been honoring Mom’s officially as the second Sunday in May since 1914. I think May is a wonderful time of year as the weather turns, and the flowers bloom we honor our mothers. My own mom passed in 2014 and for the last two years this holiday has made me realize what a gift I had in a loving, caring mother. I know that’s not the case...

Spring cleaning outside was how I spent this past gorgeous Sunday afternoon! I hope you and yours were able to get out and enjoy the weekend. I love this time of year as the weather turns, the trees and flowers are getting in bloom, the birds sing and all seems right with the world. It was time to fire up the lawn mower, get out the garden hose, reset up the bird feeders and bird...

Stephen Ministry has been around in congregations, hospitals and other places for over 40 years. The message is simply about equipping God’s people to care for another person. The leadership training I attended last week promoted the idea that people will always need someone to care for them whether they realize it or not. Visit www.stephensministry.org to learn more. I will be having a class in Stephen Ministry at the hospital coming up in May...

This year, the 4th Sunday of Easter is April 17th.  But “Year C”, what’s that all about?  Have you ever talked about Sunday’s sermon with a friend from another denomination, or even Catholic, and he or she heard the same Scripture and a similar sermon?  Here’s why. The church year is broken up into Seasons: Advent, Christmas, Epiphany, Lent, Easter and the Season after Pentecost.  The Revised Common Lectionary (RCL) is a three-year cycle of...

Chaplain Doug Givan has been away at a training conference for two weeks so I will will bring you today’s message in his stead. It’s been over 2 weeks since the time change to Daylight Saving Time and I just got around to changing the old analog clock on my fireplace mantle. Everything is so easy these days, even your cell phone knows how to adjust for Daylight Saving Time! But did you “spring forward”...

Chronic pain is no fun! I see it all the time in caring for patients but it is one thing altogether to deal with chronic pain myself. For about a year now I have had bulging discs in my neck, along with some arthritis. This is causing a real to life “pain in the neck” and in the Levator Scapulae going down from the neck to the shoulder blade. I have written about this before!...

t’s a lovely time of year! Today is the first day of Spring and new life is all around us! The weather is turning for most of us and warmer temperatures are here. I have noticed the robins singing in the morning and bobbing along my yard looking for worms. The other day on a walk I saw the most gorgeous flowers newly blooming and the trees are getting their leaves. In some communities this...

Every year in Lent the Bishop for the ELCA (Lutheran) in Indiana offers a special worship service for all the local pastors. I always try and get the day off so I can attend. I love seeing old friends, worshipping together and getting a chance to talk with my Bishop. In this service oil is blessed for our use in ministry (thus the word “chrism”) and we renew our vows. I always appreciate this as...

Spring is in the air! Warmer temperatures this week and it’s time for the time change! Unless you happen to live in Alaska or Hawaii we have to change time this coming Sunday morning the 13th/14th! We “spring ahead” and most of our electronic clocks do this automatically, but we will go from 2 a.m. to 3 a.m. and get one less hour of sleep. When I was Pastor at my church I always got...