Posts from July 2016

9 Items

Sunday, July 31: Too much stuff?

by Trina Kleist

Life’s a battle: Stuff vs. spirit! “Vanity of vanities” – that’s what King Solomon says about having lots of stuff. All his astonishing building projects and his far-reaching political and economic power ultimately lead him to “despair,” he writes in today’s reading. “Chasing after wind,” he calls it in the book of Ecclesiastes. Jesus meets […]

Pastor Eileen’s Musings: “Sacred Serendipity”

by Trina Kleist

‘Cuz if it’s sacred, it’s not “luck”! Sometimes what I think is an inconvenient interruption in my day is actually sacred serendipity. “Sacred” because the dictionary defines serendipity as “luck that takes the form of finding valuable or pleasant things that are not looked for.” Often, I am certain that what has happened is not […]

Sunday, July 24: Knock on God’s door!

by Trina Kleist

But, what will you knock for? Persistent prayer is the theme of today’s Gospel. Jesus tells his followers to knock on God’s door and ask. “It will be given to you,” Jesus promises. “Search, and you will find.” But will they ask for a laundry list of material goodies? That’s not what God is about […]

“Right to Die” law explained at seminar

by Trina Kleist

Ethical, medical, legal issues at seminar for New Law People facing terminal illness have a new choice – the possibility to end their own lives legally and humanely – under California’s End of Life Option Law that went into effect in June. Doctors, lawyers, patients and people of faith are working to understand what could […]

Kids’ goal: $350 for water pump

by Trina Kleist

Earthcare Day Camp teaches kids to care for “Sacred Creation” Children at Earthcare Day Camp in Grass Valley this week have a goal: raise $350 to buy a hand-operated water pump. Children in developing countries often must walk long distances to fetch water for their families. They often make that trek instead of going to […]

Sunday, July 17: Take time for God!

by Trina Kleist

Do you have time to welcome the divine? We are so busy. Our lives often are chaotic. We hardly have time for the basics, let alone going to church and reading the Bible. But we want God in our lives, right? Today’s stories tell of Abraham welcoming God into his home when the Lord appeared as […]

Bishop: Violence & racism call us to see!

by Trina Kleist

Violence against one is violence against all. ELCA Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton responds to shootings in Baton Rouge, La. and St. Paul, Minn. She urges followers of Jesus to “show up” and “be present” in communities that are in pain. Some of Bishop Eaton’s remarks from Friday’s statement include: “Connect to law enforcement – they […]

Sunday, July 10: Those nasty Samaritans!

by Trina Kleist

Will we learn from them? In Jesus’ time, Samaritans were outsiders. They were a Jewish minority with a different history and even different worship practices from the majority based in Jerusalem. “Good” Jews looked down on them as being less, as not good enough. So it would be just like Jesus to tell a parable […]

“Leap of Faith” delivers more than $28K

by Trina Kleist

‘Care of neighbor’ at core of “Leap of Faith” PEACE Lutheran Church recently cut checks of $14,139 each to Hospitality House and the Salvation Army’s Booth Family Center to support their programs for homeless men, women and children in western Nevada County, Calif.  “These gifts represent what the people of PEACE Lutheran Church believe is […]