Vicar Kris Roberson

Photos from the Bishop's Ordination and Consecration.

It's a beautiful and blessed morning on the Cathedral Mount.

Wishing our sisters and brothers a Happy Rosh Hashanah. May your year be filled with health and prosperity.

Join us tonight at 6:30pm as we discuss Rahab, Bathsheba, and Ruth. Zoom link posted in the comments below.

God of love and comfort,
On this night before school starts, we ask that you give peace and rest to all who await tomorrow's excitement. Provide for students, teachers, instructional assistants, bus drivers, custodians, secretaries and all staff this night. May their fears be silenced, anxieties calmed, joys stoked, and anticipation increased. Send your Holy Spirit to engulf them in your loving mercy, and may they know that you are with them while they sleep and when they wake. Keep all in the palm of your gracious hands, and may their hearts, minds, and ears be open to learning and knowledge. We give you thanks, O God, for the joy of learning and for the opportunity to grow in your sight. We ask this in the name of our redeemer, Jesus Christ, who himself treasured learning and spent time in the temple teaching. Amen.

Good and gracious God,
As students and educators prepare for another year, we ask that you grant protection and safety throughout all our schools. Uphold all who enter through the school doors in the palm of your loving and gentle hand. Keep watch over those who are leading and learning, and provide for them a secure and productive environment. Wrap your mighty arms of protection around all who work and study, and grant them health of body, mind and spirit. May your Holy Spirit move among the hallways, filling each room and person with your love, grace, and mercy. We ask this in the name of Jesus, our redeemer and savior. Amen.

Today we commemorate J.S. Bach, a deeply religious, introspective musician. Bach wrote nearly two hundred cantatas, including sets which provided a cantata for each Sunday and holy day of the Lutheran church year.

When you're in Zoom class all week, it's great to have homemade blueberry zucchini cake with lemon buttercream icing. My wife loves me.

Today we remember the Emanuel Nine who were tragically slain on June 17, 2015.

This almost Pastor Loves you

Tiffany window from the former St. Paul Lutheran Church in Williamsport, Pennsylvania

Day 2 of Synod Assembly is off and running thanks to great leadership by Bishop Gohl and his team.

"Grace is radical. But is grace unconditional? Is grace available to all regardless of limitations?" -Pr. Surekha Nelavala

Pr. Surekha brings a powerful message.

Let the fun begin.

Jesus is excited to be at St. Stephen' Episcopal in Columbus, Ohio for the Discerning Mission retreat.

[Jesus] said to him, “ ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the greatest and first commandment. And a second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ -Matthew 22:37-38

We who call ourselves followers of Christ know exactly what to do...to love God IS to love our neighbor. To love God IS to put aside ego and personal, selfish desires that harm others. To love God IS to love others who are created in God's image more than our privileges, and even our rights. To love God is say ENOUGH! If we love God we cannot love our own lives more than those who are dying because of gun violence at an all to unacceptable frequency.

I've been asked recently, what can be done? Action. Thoughts and prayers are not enough. We must act, demand policy and governance that protects those who desire to do harm and those who are their intended targets. We must demand that laws and regulations be implemented to keep these destructive and highly deadly weapons off the streets. We must demand that elective officials do what we expect and provide intelligent and swift measures to keep every person, every child of God, every human created in a holy and divine image safe.

To be a people of life demands that we do this; it's what is required to be an authentic and genuine people who claim a God of mercy and grace as our living redeemer. If we do not act now, the our "thoughts and prayers" are meaningless and our words vain attempts that make mockery of what we are demanded to do and be as a people of faith.

Start with telling your elected officials do what's right and work to protect people, those who want to shop at malls, grocery stores, attend classes, worship at services, and live without the fear of gun violence. Then get up and vote. Vote for people who understand that protecting life means life at all stages, for all people, no exceptions!

I have faith and hope...hope in a God who hears our cries, our prayers, and our pleas for justice. I have hope in a risen redeemer who knows our desires for safety and protection. I have hope in a moving Spirit to stir us grom complacency toward action. And I have hope in us, the people of God, to live out our calling to love God and love others more than ourselves.

Weeping, be gone; sorrow be silent: death put asunder, and Easter is bright. Cherubim sing: ""O grave, be open!"" Clothe us in wonder, adorn us in light. Jesus is risen and we shall arise: give God the glory! Alleluia! ELW #377

Blessed with this yummy treat from a friend and church member. I'm one blessed Vicar.

God loves you just the way you are!

"Thy kingdom come on earth . .” Let's work together for God's kingdom

Felt Jesus has really enjoyed his time at The Lutheran Center . Time to head home.

Impromptu choir today at the Lutheran Center.

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Felt Jesus waits to board the plane.

What's with the ashes on our heads?

1. They are a reminder that God formed us from nothing...from the dirt of the earth God created humanity in God's divine and holy image, and breathed life into us. Without God, we are nothing.

2. They are a reminder of our human frailty. We live only for a finite time but God's love is unconditionally eternal. We all return back to the earth from which we were created and in our frailty, there is a need for redemption as we cannot by our own merit or powers overcome the finality of death.

3. They are marked with a cross to remind us of God's love, grace, and mercy brought to us though Jesus' death on a cross and resurrection from guilt and the grave - death apart from God. God alone has the power to deliver us from the guilt of sin and through Jesus, we are freed from this guilt.

4. They are a reminder that because we are liberated by God through Jesus, we are to live a life fully reflecting God's love, grace, and mercy given to us, to the world around us. We are marked as Christians and should wear this symbol boldly as a witness to God's glory and in the good works we perform to bring honor to God.

God bless you on your journey through this season of Lent.

“However I react (as a leader) when other people make a mistake is how people will react when I make a mistake.” - Gerry Brooks

A clear example of Law vs. Gospel.

Good and gracious God, enable us to see the reality of racism and free us to challenge and uproot it from our society, our world, and ourselves. Amen!

Holy God, we give you thanks for the warmth sun of today and the calm skies of tonight. How good it was to feel the warmth on our faces and the gentle breeze. We know that soon the cold, harsh winter will return, and until then we joyfully bask in the radiant glimpse of spring. Help us to remember this day when faced with the snow and ice of reality. May we always be grateful for the little days of sun amidst the darkness of this season. We pray this in the name of Jesus, our eternal sunshine and warmth. Amen.

When you show up for an event and the window above the door has today's lesson on it. Coincidence, I think not.