In the Fullness of Time – 2014 Christmas Sermon

Text: Galatians 4:4-7 – But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, [5] to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. [6] And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into…

My Nomination for Person of the Year

It was announced last week that Time Magazine’s person of the year was the people who were on the front lines fighting against the ebola virus. There is no doubt that ebola was a big deal in 2014, but I would like to offer my own nomination: the surveillance camera. Things caught on camera have…

Owatonna’s 2014 Culturefest

The 16th annual Culturefest was held on the grounds of Wilson Elementary School in Owatonna on Saturday, September 27. The event highlights all the different cultures that can be found in our mostly-white southern Minnesota community. There was plenty of entertainment on the main stage, including an Emmy-winning duo, the Okee Dokee Brothers, circus performers…

Construction at our local elementary school

Just a week before school is to start I notice a major construction project starting at nearby Lincoln Elementary School. (What to Expect When File Photo) Soon it becomes obvious that they are installing new temporary classrooms. (What to Expect When File Photo) The new structure will be in three parts, two sides and a…

Adrian Peterson and Corporal Punishment

  The latest incident involving a famous person and a contentious social issue is the case of Adrian Peterson, the star running back for the Minnesota Vikings NFL football team, being charged with child abuse for whipping his four year old son with a tree branch. A doctor saw the marks on the boy during a…

Celebrities and Domestic Violence

Last year the World Health Organization (WHO) published the results of the first major global review of violence against women. The study found that about a third of women have been physically or sexually assaulted by a former or current partner. The head of the World Health Organization, Dr. Margaret Chan, called it “a global health problem…

Always Patsy Cline

The Merlin Players kicked off their 20th season at the Paradise Center for the Arts in Faribault, MN,  on September 12 with a production of Always Patsy Cline. This play is based on the real-life relationship between Country music legend Miss Patsy Cline and Louise Seeger, one of her biggest fans. Miss Cline was one of the…

Modern Art Musings

For a nursing home service I was conducting recently, I brought with me several works of art showing Jesus as the Good Shepherd. I noticed that the residents took a brief look at each work of art and then were done looking. Now, look again at the artwork at the top of this blog. Here…