Faith Practices
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Continuing the Work God Has Begun Among You: Living a Generous Life
From April 2016 Bethel Bell Tower newsletter I am confident of this, that the one who began a good work among you will bring it to completion by the day of Jesus Christ. ~ Philippians 1:6 We began the season of Lent on Ash Wednesday as I said the words: “today with the whole church we enter the…
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The Year Ahead
From January 2016 Bethel Bell Tower newsletter 11[God] has made everything suitable for its time; moreover he has put a sense of past and future into their minds, yet they cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end. 12I know that there is nothing better for them than to be happy and enjoy…
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More Mass Shootings: We’re better than this
I was sitting in my office at church this afternoon when our secretary asked if I’d seen the news. Today, it was the news of the mass shooting at the Inland Regional Center in San Bernardino, CA. What I find especially heinous about this attack is that Inland works with developmentally disabled people from infants to the elderly.…
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Building Bethel: We Do Stuff Here You Just Don’t Do Anywhere Else
From December 2015 Bethel Bell Tower newsletter And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. Don’t copy the behavior and customs…
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Building Bethel: Discernment
From October 2015 Bethel Bell Tower newsletter For it has seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us… ~ Acts 15:28 By the time you read this, another major hurdle in my doctoral program will have been overcome. My thesis proposal is due on September 30 at Luther Seminary in St. Paul, MN for review by the Institutional…
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The Adventures of Flat Jesus
A few days ago, I was talking with one of our members about her travels for this summer. As we talked, I asked what ways she thought we could keep touch with our Bethel family while they travel this summer – or anytime for that matter. Without missing a beat, she said “Flat Jesus!” Well…
Epicurious Lutheran 