Pastor’s Note
Christian Conversation
Living in Harmony? I don’t know about you, but I am someone who hates disagreement and conflict. About 6 years ago, our church staff took personality inventories and I learned…
Read MoreThe Sun Sets on a GSLC Summer | Update from Pr. Chris Enstad
The “Sunshine List” Last Sunday, I referenced a “Sunshine List” that our Director of Faith Formation, Sarah Iverson, compiled as we prepared for our online Congregational Meeting in June. Many…
Read MoreTransitions
Changing Seasons Here in Madison we’re making it through the hottest week of the summer. As I sat on our back deck the other evening when the sun was lower…
Read MoreWho Do You Say That I Am?
Heard any good St. Peter jokes lately? So one day Ole passed away and arrived at the pearly gates of heaven. St. Peter greeted him and said, “In order to…
Read MoreThe End of the Law
Wrestling with the Law As we continue through Paul’s letter to the Romans, you’ll hear the same reminder tonight (Romans 10:5-15) that you heard last week from Pastor Chris (Romans 10:1-5).…
Read MoreIsn’t It a Miracle?
A Legendary Fish Tale In my family there are a few stories that over the years of being told have morphed into family legends. One of them involves a fishing…
Read MoreCompassion Extended
How many times does the same miracle performed by Jesus get recorded in all four Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John)? Honestly, I’m not going to give you time to…
Read MoreGood Soil
Weeds, rocks, thorns – there’s a lot that threatens to kill newly sown seed. But what of those seeds that land in good soil? What of the seeds that are…
Read MoreSin and Us
Jesus saves us even from our sinful selves My 3-year-old son has some favorite words and phrases that he likes to say all the time. They include answering questions with…
Read MoreWeekly Pastor Letter | July 9, 2020
Dear siblings in Christ at Good Shepherd, Thank you for attending our first, and hopefully only, virtual Town Hall Meeting on June 28. I was so humbled by the stories that…
Read MoreWhat does a cup of cold water really mean?
What is Jesus talking about? When Jesus says, “and whoever gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones in the name of a disciple—truly I…
Read MoreDiscipleship Danger
Today on Father’s Day, when we want to be together and celebrate with love and family, we’ve got Jesus coming along saying “For I have come to set a man…
Read MoreWeekly Pastor’s Note | Difficult Conversations
A couple weeks ago, I attended the Solidarity March in downtown Madison sponsored by the African American Council of Churches. I haven’t been to many marches like this, but my…
Read MoreJesus Christ, Our Propitiation
Translating the Good News The Christian Church on earth is being called on to take up the challenge of translating what it really means in this time to confess allegiance…
Read MoreCreation
Where are you from? A number of African-American women spoke to the public at the end of the Black Lives Matter Solidarity March on Sunday evening. Madison Alder Barbara Harrington-McKinney…
Read More