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Summer 2023 “Salvation Now!” Bible study video supplement Session 3
Needed Salvation Now—A World Wanting Wellness Anyone who’s been to a sports game knows John 3:16: “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.” Lesser known is John 3:17, which...
Summer 2023 “Salvation now!” Bible study video supplement Session 2
Tangible Salvation Now—Christians Bringing Wellness Following Jesus means expressing our solidarity with Jesus and his mission, in all we do. Because Jesus is the bringer of salvation, in his name, so, too, are we. Where there are wounds and brokenness, we are called...
Summer 2023 “Salvation now!” Bible study video supplement Session 1
This June, we travel overseas to join the Rev. Dr. Anna Madsen, author of the Summer 2023 “Salvation now” Gather Bible study. Dr. Madsen takes us on a walking tour of Regensburg, Germany, where she lived from 1999 to 2004, sharing various legends and sites of interest...
May 2023: Video Supplement to “Love in action: The art of intergenerational hospitality”
In writing to the Romans, Paul advised this early Christian community: “For as in one body we have many members, and not all the members have the same function, so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually we are members one of another.” Yet when it...
Winter 2023 “The Ten Commandments” Bible study video supplement Session 4
Guardrails for love of God and neighbor In this fourth and final session, we will consider sayings from Proverbs and other biblical wisdom related to minding our tongues, integrity in the marketplace, and practical ways to serve our neighbors.
Winter 2023: “The Ten Commandments” Bible study video supplement Session 3
Sanctity of life and love In our third session, we will review some of the major murders of the Bible. We’ll also delve into the scriptural witness to the spirituality of sex and the covenant of marriage.
When we know better, we do better
A while back, one of my children was struggling with some behaviors that I thought might indicate a mental health issue. It created a challenging situation at home; it upset our daily life. I didn’t know where to turn. First, I talked to his elementary school teacher....
Winter 2023 “The Ten Commandments” Bible study video supplement Session 2
Rhythms and respect Some might say the Old Testament commands Remember the Sabbath and Honor Your Folks seem outdated and quaint. After all, didn’t Jesus routinely break the Sabbath? Didn’t Jesus (on occasion) talk back to his mother? Yet these commandments are far...
10 ways to manage your mental health
Felicia Houston, mental health specialist with ELCA-affiliated Advocate Health Care, Chicago, offers tips on how to manage your mental health. “Taking care of your mind is just as important as taking care of your body,” she says. “Protect your mental and emotional...
10 ways to manage your mental health
1. Eat healthy meals on a regular basis. Stay hydrated. By eating healthy foods that are full of vital nutrients, you can increase your overall wellbeing and decrease anxiety and stress.2. Get moving. Staying active is as good for the brain as it is for the body....
Winter 2023 “The Ten Commandments” Bible study video supplement Session 1
Dancing the Decalogue Psalm 19 claims, “The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul.” Joy and romance may not be the first images that come to mind when we think of the Ten Commandments. However, a close reading of the first several commandments opens us to a...
Who dies by suicide?
By Elise Seyfried Statistics indicate that a person who dies by suicide is most likely to be a white or Native American male, aged 55 to 75. Men are three times more likely than women to die by suicide. But statistics don’t tell a complete story. Deaths of despair...
Take the first step
Help create a safer world for kids. Did you know that the number of children and teens killed by gunfire in the United States increased 50 percent between 2019 and 2021, and that gun violence became the leading cause of death for U.S. children and teens in 2020? The...
November 2022: Video supplement to “Jesus and nature: Creatures”
Welcome to the November 2022 video supplement to the Gather Bible study, "Jesus and nature" by the Rev. Sara Olson-Smith. November 2022, Session 3: “Creatures,” offers us an opportunity to observe and learn about God from birds, foxes, sheep, dogs and other animals,...
October 2022 video supplement to “Jesus and Nature: Soil”
Welcome to the October 2022 video supplement to the Gather Bible study, “Jesus and nature” by the Rev. Sara Olson-Smith. Session 2: “Soil,” will dig deeply into the parable of the soil (otherwise known as the parable of the seed, Matthew 13) and other Biblical...
September 2022 video supplement to “Jesus and Nature: Teachers of Faith”
Welcome to the September 2022 video supplement to the Gather Bible study, “Jesus and nature: Teacher of Faith” by the Rev. Sarah Olson-Smith. September 2022, Session 1: “Trees,” will tap into Biblical images of trees and explore why planting and protecting trees is...
August 2022 video supplement to “Crafted in Christ”
Welcome to the August 2022 video supplement to the Gather Bible study, “Crafted in Christ,” by the Rev. Katie Hines-Shah. August 2022, Session 3: “Ties that bind,” examines how God invites us to commit to a new way of life with God and with each other.
July 2022 video supplement to Gather Bible study, “Crafted in Christ”
Welcome to the July 2022 video supplement to the Gather Bible study, “Crafted in Christ,” by the Rev. Katie Hines-Shah. Session 2: “Quilt cutting and piecing,” explores how our lives and Christian communities come together into a cohesive whole, including people of...