Shows
Workplace Wellness with Karen WeirThe Power of Workplace Wellness with Sara Young, Debbie Pediredla & Mark DouthwaiteWelcome to the Workplace Wellness podcast with me, Karen Weir. During this series, I’m going to be joined by expert guests and my colleagues to discuss the work we’ve been doing to improve wellness in the workplace. In this episode, I’m excited to welcome Sara Young, Debbie Pediredla, and Mark Douthwaite from Changing Minds with Pick Up a Penny. Together, we’ll explore the transformative work they’re doing to boost wellbeing, and why they think it’s crucial for every business to prioritise their employees’ wellbeing.They’ll offer real-li...2024-10-2929 min
Workplace Wellness with Karen WeirButeyko Breathing with Mark Douthwaite, Sara Young and Trudy Taylor Welcome to the Workplace Wellness podcast with me, Karen Weir. During this series, I’m going to be joined by expert guests and my colleagues to discuss the work we’ve been doing to improve wellness in the workplace.In this episode, I’m joined by Sara Young, Director of Changing Minds with Pick Up a Penny, Mark Douthwaite, qualified psychotherapeutic counsellor, Biofeedback and Neurofeedback technician and Buteyko instructor at Changing Minds with Pick Up a Penny and Trudy Taylor, one of our Sales and Marketing consultants at Weir Insurance. We’re going...2024-10-1529 min
Saint Athanasius Lutheran ChurchCaught in the Net of LifeFishers of men, huh? Here's what my question would have been. Which men? 'Cuz don't send me to Nineveh, like you did Jonah! No way! Not those men! I'll fish for men, but not in that sea! 'Cuz that's what we do, isn't it? We pick and choose. This person is worth it, that person is not. But that's not how Jesus does things. Not how He thinks. So Jonah was sent to the Ninevites. And now He was going to do that for Simon, Andrew, James, and John. Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men. All...2024-01-2119 min
Brass EvolutionEp 11. James P Gregory Jnr - Cora Youngblood CorsonIn this episode I chat to researcher and relative of Cora Youngblood Corson, James P Gregory Jnr about her trailblazing and complex life and his ongoing discoveries into her significance in opening doors for women brass musicians. We discuss her enterprising beginnings in Anadarko, her rise to fame, jewel encrusted Euphoniums and much more.
The Legend of Cora Youngblood Corson - Youtube Presentation
International Tuba Euphonium Association
Podcast music is Mephistopheles performed by the Illinois Brass Band
https://fanlist.com/brassevolution
2024-01-1232 minBrass EvolutionEp2. Chris Ord - The Northumberland Miner’s PicnicIn this episode I speak bandsman and author Chris Ord about his memories and experiences of the Northumberland Miner's Picnic. We chat about band rivalry, the late great Jimmy Shepherd and how to get everyone to be your best mate in the pub on Picnic Day.
Every episode a portion of the ad revenue is donated to an organisation chosen by our guest - this week its the Jayess Newbiggin Band.
This episode is dedicated to James "Jimmy" Shepherd
Chris Ord Amazon
Chris Ord Author Facebook
Jayess Newbiggin Brass...2023-06-2934 min
Just Making ConversationEpisode 5 - Interview with Ian Douthwaite "The Rally Chef"Hello! Episode 5 is an interview with Ian Douthwaite. Known as The Rally Chef. Ian is a commercial vehicle enthusiast that parallels his passion for model making. Not only is Ian an amazing scratch builder he is the winner of last year's Golden Nut award with his "Hobby in a Nutshell" entry to the Walnut Challenge. We also explore Ian's interest in amateur surgery and Chinchillas.
Show Link: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/justmakingconversation
Show Notes:
Classic Model truck show: https://www.britishmotormuseum.co.uk/whats-on/classic-and-vintage-commercial-show
1/12 Airfix model kit kits...2023-05-291h 00Saint Athanasius Lutheran ChurchA Most Unlikely BishopThe full title for this Sunday is the Commemoration of Saint James of Jerusalem, Brother of our Lord, and Martyr. That is, James was put to death because of his faith in his brother Jesus, that He was the promised Messiah. Now, James was probably the person most surprised by this of anybody, for he didn't start out believing this about his brother. Who would? But then after his brother appeared to him after being crucified and then rising from the dead, and by the work of the Holy Spirit in his heart, he believed.2022-10-2318 min
CPD Hack by What-IWellbeing in the Workplace with Tracy DouthwaiteTracy Douthwaite from Way to Wellbeing gives an insight into supporting Mental Health and Wellbeing in the Workplace - covering practical advice from training to developing an underlying supportive culture. Such an important topic both from a human perspective and commercially. 2021-12-0926 minSaint Athanasius Lutheran ChurchGlory Through the Lens of the CrossHerod is at it again. Two weeks ago, we heard how his sword came down on the neck of John the Baptist. Today it is James who feels the cold steel. The first pleased his niece; the second the Jews. But Herod's sword is a two-edged sword. On one edge might be the blood of John and James but on the other is his own. Why kill the ones who were helping him? But so it is with sin. Sin isn't rational. Sin isn't logical. Sin can't be satisfied. It always wants more. More of you, until it has all...2021-07-2518 minSaint Athanasius Lutheran ChurchAmazing Glory, Amazing LoveJesus and His disciples are on the road going up to Jerusalem. Mark tells us that as they were going up, they were amazed, and those who followed were afraid. But why the disciples were amazed, and why those who followed were afraid, Mark doesn't tell us. But perhaps it is for the same reason. They are amazed that He is, and afraid that He is. And after three days He will rise. But what does that mean? So it may seem like an odd time for James and John to approach Jesus with their request. They want to be...2021-03-2116 minSaint Athanasius Lutheran ChurchGlory Seen, Glory DoneThis is a side of you I haven't seen before. We say that sometimes. Well today, in His Transfiguration, Jesus shows Peter, James, and John a side of Him they haven't seen before. Or have they? Peter, James, and John got to see the glory of the Son of God that day. But it really was a side of Jesus that He had been showing them all along by the glorious things His glory did. But the point is clear: this is not how Jesus wants to be seen or known. Not yet. So on Wednesday we enter the season...2020-02-2317 minSaint Athanasius Lutheran ChurchWho Sought Who?Epiphany. Wise Men. The star. Gold, frankincense, and myrrh. You know the story. It's part of the Christmas story we all know so well. Doting shepherds and wealthy wise men gazing at the child. The thing about Epiphany, though, is that baby the shepherds and wise men are looking at -- that's God! God in the flesh. Hod here in the world. And for us today, it's not in seeing the pint-sized Jesus in the manger, but in seeing the omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent God on the cross and in the grave. That you be wise men, wise women, and wise...2020-01-0517 minSaint Athanasius Lutheran ChurchGod with UsGod with us. That's how it was meant to be. But something had gone horribly wrong. His children no longer wanted Him there with them. And so God with us... that was no longer good news. Except it still was. They just didn't know it. God with us. There may not be a better phrase that sumes up Christmas than that. And so how it was meant to be, God has made it again. God is with us. In Adam there was a great change. In Jesus, an even greater one. This Christmas, think about that. God with us. God...2019-12-2216 minSaint Athanasius Lutheran ChurchYes! He Is the OneAre you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another? The Jewish leaders said no. You, Jesus, are not the one. The Romans said no. We have our own gods. But for twenty centuries now, the Church has answered yes! Jesus is the one. Jesus in the one who was, who is, and who is to come. And the Church has taken this message into the world. That is our joy this day. And so we lit the rose-colored candle on the Advent Wreath -- the joy candle. To remind us that the answer to John's...2019-12-1515 minSaint Athanasius Lutheran ChurchA Perfect ChristmasThis is the season of hopes, wishes, and dreams. Of getting something for Christmas that you would like very much. But one wish I hear more than any other -- and it usually comes from older folks -- is the wish that this year, this Christmas, will be like it used to be. Not so busy, not so filled with cares and concerns. Simpler. More joyful. Well a simpler, more joyful Christmas is what John the Baptist wants for you, too. And it's why he was sent. Not to treat the symptoms in our lives, but the problem in our...2019-12-0815 minSaint Athanasius Lutheran ChurchNo Christmas?!So, whaddya think? Just skip Christmas this year? Forget the whole thing. Call it off. The reality, or the possibility of it, is the reason, in fact, for this season of Advent which we begin today. This season, these four weeks before Christmas, aren't here to get us ready to celebrate Christmas, but to prepare us not to. To prepare us for if there is no Christmas this year, and for that possibility to fill us not with sadness, but with joy! Because when the King comes back, when Jesus comes back, it will be for us a day of...2019-12-0114 minSaint Athanasius Lutheran ChurchVictory!Today you will be with me in Paradise. Someday, those words will be spoken to you. When the one who spoke them to the criminal on the cross next to Him comes to speak them to you. Where will you be when He does? When will it be for you? How will it be for you? None of us knows. But those words will be just as true for you as they were for that criminal, and will deliver for you the same: eternal life. Death and the grave will not be your end. Life will. Life in a "today"...2019-11-2416 minSaint Athanasius Lutheran ChurchThe Dawning of a New DayThe sun came up this morning. I can tell you're not impressed, or surprised! The sun comes up every morning, right? Whether you like it or not. And honestly, there are some mornings we like it and some mornings we don't. The sun comes up and a new day dawns... ready or not. But this is not a lecture about nature. The new day dawns when Jesus comes. First, when He comes as the sun of righteousness who arose from heaven and came down to be our Saviour. Second, when He comes as the sun of righteousness who could not...2019-11-1718 minSaint Athanasius Lutheran ChurchBrothers and Sisters in ChristAs a pastor, I often get questions about what heaven is going to be like. And the truth is, the Bible doesn't give us a lot of answers. But I think trying to teach us about our next life is a bit like trying to teach a baby in the womb what life in this world is going to be like for her. You'll be the same person you are, but your life will be completely different. And yes, better.2019-11-1018 minSaint Athanasius Lutheran ChurchSeeing Blessedness DifferentlyAfter this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages. Old people and young people. Professionals and blue collar workers. The rich and refugess. Murderers and martyrs. The prince and the pauper. What do they all have in common? Not much, you might say. But this: sin. And death. But we heard this too, today. Something else they all have in common. They are clothed in white robes. So they all have this in common too: they're saints. God's saints. Made saints by Him.2019-11-0315 minSaint Athanasius Lutheran ChurchEleutheriusAt the time of the Reformation, it was not unusual for scholars to adopt a Greek form of their name for themselves, or what we today would call a pen name. Luther did this. For the name he chose for himself was: Eleutherius -- the free one. Now, if you were to ask folks to summarize what the Reformation was all about in one word, you might get answers like sola, or indulgences. Non-Lutherans might say heretic, rebel, or schismatic. But it is Luther himself who tells us what that one word really is, what the Reformation was all about...2019-10-2717 minSaint Athanasius Lutheran ChurchWidow's Faith, Widow's PrayerIt's easy to lose heart, isn't it? Jesus knows that. He is a man in every way like us except without sin. We worry, we doubt, we wonder what God is doing or why it's taking Him so long... if He sees and knows and cares about me. This is how God is toward us. Then and still today. Good and faithful and righteous. And when the Son of Man comes, what we may not be able to see clearly now we will see clearly then. When we stand before God we will see how tenderly He has brought us...2019-10-2016 minSaint Athanasius Lutheran ChurchThe Faithful One in an Unfaithful WorldSo maybe like Adam and Eve, you've doubted God's Word and thought to yourself: it's just a little sin, after all! If so, good news for you! You have a faithful God. He sees your sin, your leprosy. He knows it better than you. And He says to you: I forgive you all your sins. In fact, they're not even yours anymore -- they're mine, He says. And so free to live. To live as the child of God you are. Free not to go back to your old ways, like Ruth. So now you -- rise and go; your...2019-10-1317 minSaint Athanasius Lutheran ChurchThree Little WordsThree little words. You know them. Wives long to hear them from their husbands, and husbands from their wives. No, not I love you! But I forgive you. So I don't know about you, but if someone sins against me and hurts me pretty bad and I forgive them, I'm feeling pretty good about myself. And yet we heard these words from Jesus today: So you also, when you have done all that you were commanded, say, 'We are unworthy servants; we have only done what was our duty.' And so when you forgive, when you speak those three...2019-10-0614 minSaint Athanasius Lutheran ChurchConfidence in Jesus and His AngelsThings look bad. And the future? Well, it's hard to predict the future, but it's hard to imagine things getting any better. We're on the wrong trajectory, and picking up speed. How can you turn this thing around? Well, Daniel saw all this, and he fasted and prayed. You might remember Daniel's story -- or at least part of it. He did not have an easy life. But like as with Daniel, God sends His angels to fight for you. So if you look around at our world today, it looks like it was in the days of Daniel. But...2019-09-2916 minSaint Athanasius Lutheran ChurchEach and Every OneOne sheep. It's only one sheep Jesus. You still have 99. Don't worry about it. It'll probably just wander off again anyhow. But that's the way of man, not of God. For God, each and every one is important, valuable, and worth His time and effort. Not sheep, but sinners. He doesn't want even one lost. Because Jesus is here for all of you and each one of you. For each and every lost sheep, lost person. And there's no place He'd rather be than here, with you, with sinners, loving you, rescuing you, being your God.2019-09-1511 minSaint Athanasius Lutheran ChurchYou Can't; He CanHow did you do it? How did you become a disciple of Jesus? Because you are. You're here. You confess. You're a Christian, a follower of Jesus. But you don't measure up. Because all those things I can'd do, Jesus did. He did leave everything behind. He did give up everything. He didn't let anything or anyone move Him from His mission. He did take His cross and die. For me. So that's how you did it, dear children of God. It wasn't you after all; it is Christ, and Christ who lives in you. And so you are His...2019-09-0814 minSaint Athanasius Lutheran ChurchDead Men Don't CareHe just wants to have a nice dinner party, this Pharisee. At least, that's the appearance. But there's an elephant in that room. The Pharisees, we are told, were watching him carefully. They wanted to trick Him, trap Him, or tempt Him; get Jesus to say or do something so they could discredit Him -- put this Jesus problem to bed once and for all. But they couldn't. So what was it they they didn't get? What was their giant miscalculation? It's not that Jesus had these secret super-God powers that kept frustrating the Pharisees. It's rather this: Dead men...2019-09-0117 minSaint Athanasius Lutheran ChurchDisciplined for HolinessAt my father's funeral, my brother, his son, and I all mentioned discipline in our sermons. My nephew talked about something my father had written, which referred to the strap that ended all foolishness in my father's house when he was growing up. That kind of discipline isn't done much today, if at all. As times change, discipline changes. The methods change, but the discipline continues. Because love continues. And the Lord disciplines those he loves. Discipline isn't just to stop a bad behaviour, but to instill a good one. The Lord's discipline, too. We heard today that God disciplines...2019-08-2514 minSaint Athanasius Lutheran ChurchRelax, Eat, Drink, and Be Merry! Yes!The rich man in the parable Jesus told today was exactly right. The rich man's desire to relax, eat, drink, and be merry is spot on. That's exactly what God wants for you. Now. As His baptized children, you can relax now in your Father's love and care for you. You can eat and drink here and now at His Table. And you can be merry now because you have an inheritance in heaven that your brother, Jesus, provided for you with His death and resurrection. An inheritance that doesn't end or go away when you die, but one that...2019-08-0416 minSaint Athanasius Lutheran ChurchTeaching Us to PraySurely the disciples knew how to pray. The Jews had their prayers and their times for prayer. The disciples knew how to pray, like we know how to pray. For prayer is the breath of the Christian. We breathe in God's Word and we breathe out that word in prayer. Yet we could be better, do better. So we can understand the request of the disciples that we heard today: Lord, teach us to pray. It is our request, too. The hardest part of learning is learning to ask the right questions. This was the right question, the right request...2019-07-2814 minSaint Athanasius Lutheran ChurchBe Different!Be different! That's the message rom God to you today. Be different. Don't be like the people around you. Don't do what they do. You, be different. That's what God gold Old Testament Israel in the reading from Leviticus we heard today. Don't be like everyone else. Don't be like the world. Because you're not. You're mine. I am the Lord. Sometimes when we hear that phrase, I think we hear it like parents say it. Except that's not how God means it at all! I am the Lord is like the Invocation we hear at the beginning of every...2019-07-1419 minSaint Athanasius Lutheran ChurchA Kingdom on the MoveSo you don't go to the kingdom of God, the kingdom of God comes to you. Sounds backwards, doesn't it? But not with God. For Him, the kingdom is on the move. The kingdom of God comes to sinners, finds sinners, and forgives sinners. Even here, to you, today. Don't see it? Maybe you're looking for the wrong things. That was a stumbling block to people in Jesus' day, and in our day, too. We want a church that is powerful and influential, that the world will look up to and pay attention to. So repent. And know that when...2019-07-0716 minSaint Athanasius Lutheran ChurchA God Who Sets His Face Toward YouJesus had been going about His business for some time now. He could have stayed up in Galilee and Samaria, kept doing amazing things, lead a comfortable life. But Jesus wanted so much more than that. Not for Himself, of course, but for you. And so when the days drew near for Jesus to be taken up -- that is, taken up on the cross, He did not turn away -- He set His face to go to Jerusalem. And thank God for that! But not just that Jesus set His face to go to Jerusalem, but that long before...2019-06-3017 minSaint Athanasius Lutheran ChurchSet Free by JesusI'm not saying you have a demon... but have you ever been driven by something within you, like the man we heard about in the Gospel today? Maybe your anger, which causes you to lash out at others. Or maybe for you it is lust that drives you to do things that are hurtful, shameful, and harmful to yourself and others. What about envy? And if you're like me, you do these things even though you don't want to. So I'm not saying you have a demon... but maybe the sin in us makes us more like this man than...2019-06-2317 minSaint Athanasius Lutheran ChurchThe God of LifeAre we not right in saying that you are a Samaritan and have a demon! I used to chuckle at those words. Because what is Jesus supposed to say? Yeah, you're right. I have a demon. You got me! So what's the point? Well, they're not just saying that Jesus is crazy, or a few cards short of a full deck. By saying Jesus has a demon, what they were saying is this: Jesus is evil. The eerie thing is: that sounds an awful lot like what many people are saying today. We are dangerous and cannot be tolerated.2019-06-1617 minSaint Athanasius Lutheran ChurchA Life-Changing EventSome events that happen in life are life-changing. Marriage. Or divorce. The death of a loved one. Moving to a new place. Having a baby. And some events are world changing events. D-Day, the beginning of the end of World War 2. September 11, 2001. The Tower of Babel was an event that changed the world forever, dividing peoples and languages that are still separate today. Well one of those events is Pentecost. The sending of the Holy Spirit changes lives, larger groups of people together, and even the world.2019-06-0917 minSaint Athanasius Lutheran ChurchPraying as Children of GodRemember back to when you were little. A little child. When you needed something, you asked your parents. You didn't worry about whether you were going to get it or not -- you just asked. And then after a while, you just stopped asking. Because you got old enough to do things, get things, on your own. As a Christian, maybe that's where you're at -- relying on God less now than you did before. Oh, He's still there for advice when problems arise in your life. But the day-to-day stuff, you just take care of on your own. Well...2019-05-2616 minSaint Athanasius Lutheran ChurchSorrow Turned to JoyJesus doesn't try to insulate His disciples from sorrow. He is no helicopter God, trying to spare them any hardship or pain. He doesn't promise them that every day will be sunshine and laughter. You will weep and lament, He says. You will have sorrow. But... your sorrow will turn into joy. And so the problems and struggles you face this week... you can have joy even in them, like the discipes. For you're not alone and you're not on your own. And that when you stumble and fall -- and you will! -- it won't change your Saviour's love...2019-05-1919 minSaint Athanasius Lutheran ChurchA Washed FlockWhat does it mean to have a Good Shepherd? For most, I think, the answer would be that Jesus is watching over you. But it is more than that. For you have not only a good shepherd, but the Good Shepherd. When you have the Good Shepherd -- or maybe better to say, when He has you, in his flock, it means this: that you will be one of the one coming out of the great tribulation. What is the tribulation, the trial and trouble, you need your Good Shepherd to get you through?2019-05-1216 minSaint Athanasius Lutheran ChurchOne ManDeath's strong bands look awful strong. And one man caused it all, Paul said today. One man. Named Adam. But the good news that we are celebrating today is the second half of Paul's sentence. For as by a man -- one man --came death, by a man has come also the resurrection from the dead. Because of one man. One man. Named Jesus. One man. Risen from the dead. Yes, Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia!2019-04-2114 minSaint Athanasius Lutheran ChurchChangeThings in life can change in an instant. And often do. Today in the readings we heard, things changed dramatically in the span of one week. A whirlwind that took twelve disciples from following their King into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday to being holed up in fear behind locked doors on Saturday. But the truth is that nothing that week changed at all. This was the plan from the beginning of time, from the first sin that plunged us and all the world into death.2019-04-1413 minSaint Athanasius Lutheran ChurchThe Victory of LovePeople in love often do goofy things, especially when that love is new or just beginning. So by all accounts, God must really love you! Because the landowner in the parable Jesus tells today, the figure who represents God the Father, is goofy. And maybe a bit beyond that. Your Father in heaven doesn't want a herd of people driven by force or fear -- He wants a family. Love that turns the other cheek. Love like the landowner showed. So today we enter Passiontide -- the last two weeks of this Lenten season. And though the cross is now...2019-04-0716 minSaint Athanasius Lutheran ChurchRebels Welcomed HereI am always amazed at how the Word of God seems to speak to what I am going through in my life. Abundant, amazing mercy. Blot out my transgressions. That's what the father had done. That's what our Father in heaven does. Four our sake -- for the sake of us rebels -- the Father made His Son who knew no sin, who had done no wrong, to be sin for us -- to bear our sin and rebellion for us; so that in Him, because of Him, we might become the righteousness of God.2019-03-3120 minSaint Athanasius Lutheran ChurchBringing Us HomeAs a father, I want to teach my children. I want to teach them the difference between right and wrong, truth and falsehood, good and evil. And if you are a partent, I know it is the same for you. But children don't always listen. That's hard for parents, and hard for their children. It comes from our sinful nature, which always curves us in on ourselves. Well, our heavenly Father wants to teach His children, too. He makes no mistakes, but has recorded for us in Scripture the mistakes His children made in the past.2019-03-2416 minSaint Athanasius Lutheran ChurchNo Substitutes. Just Repentance and ForgivenessWhy did Jerusalem stone and kill the prophets God sent to them? It's simple, really. They didn't like the message, so they would kill the messenger. We heard an example of this today from the book of Jeremiah. God sent Jeremiah to call the people to repentance, but also to tell them that since they had refused to repent, God was going to discipline them. So you might think, then, that Lent must be a really unpopular season, with its strong call to repentance. But its not. There are many people who will still give up something for Lent. Ah...2019-03-1717 minSaint Athanasius Lutheran ChurchIt's PersonalJesus takes temptation personally. It hurts Him, for sin hurts His creation. Sin destroys what He has created. Which is why Jesus takes temptation personally -- in His person, in the flesh, for you. He came in the flesh to be personally tempted, and to win. He came to live the perfect life that we cannot live. Jesus came to take temptation personally. Which is important, because I think we tent to regard temptation as just a feeling, an urge, an inclination to do something.2019-03-1016 minSaint Athanasius Lutheran ChurchFrom Glory to GloryYou know what that's like. When you want to stay awake, but you just can't. So it was for Peter, James, and John. They wanted to pray with Jesus -- He had chosen them specially for this, after all! But the harder they fought off sleep, the sleepier they became... and then they woke up. Some time later. And Moses and Elijah are leaving. They missed it. It's over. But the truth is... they hadn't missed it. He would atone for the sin of all the world and disarm the hordes of hell. They didn't miss that. That's now what...2019-03-0317 minSaint Athanasius Lutheran ChurchRest Received; Rest ProclaimedCome to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. And so along with Peter, James, and John, Andrew, Philip, and Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James, Thaddeus, and Simon, Matthias preached this. These words that he had heard from Jesus' lips, and saw Jesus fulfill. For that was one of the requirements of being placed into this office of apostle: he had to have accompanied the twelve all through Jesus' public ministry, and be an eye witness of the resurrected Jesus. For apostles provided first hand testimony of what Jesus said, what Jesus did, and...2019-02-2417 minSaint Athanasius Lutheran Church"Blessed" Is a Statement of FaithOur world tends to judge things in a very easy and straightforward way. And so, blessed is the man to whom nothing bad happens. Who attains the desires of his heart, and to whom life is good. And the opposite, then, is true. Woe to the man to whom bad happens, for whom life is a struggle. But it's not just "the world" that thinks that way. We do it too. Today Jesus reminds us: not so fast. Or how does the old saying go: don't judge a book by its cover! Blessings and woes may not be what you...2019-02-1712 minSaint Athanasius Lutheran ChurchFishers of Men Are Preachers of JesusThe last two Sundays we have heard of Jesus preaching. First it was in the synagogue in Nazareth, then the synagogue in Capernaum. Today He is preaching again, but this time is a little different. It is not in a synagogue, but by the Lake of Gennesaret (also known as the Sea of Galilee). It is not a Sabbath but a work day. And He preaches not from a reading table with a scroll of Scripture in front of Him, but today His pulpit is a boat. But the preaching is the same. That doesn't change. He preaches so that...2019-02-1016 minSaint Athanasius Lutheran ChurchThe Devil's DevilWe heard God give authority today to Jeremiah, to be His prophet, to speak for Him. He told Jeremiah that I have put my words in your mouth. The Word of God that has authority. So Jeremiah would speak, and the blue lights would come on for kingdoms, nations, and kings. And God gives that authority today, as pastors blue light sins, speaking in the stead and by the command of Jesus. His words, His authority, His forgiveness. But the Lord is with you. He has given you His Spirit. In fact, the Lord has touched your mouth, too, as...2019-02-0317 minSaint Athanasius Lutheran ChurchRun or Rejoice?Imagine a place that is cold and silent toward pain and human suffering. Life is all about financial profit, business transactions, and the bottom line. Countless people are being dehumanized. In this place there are no prayers, liturgies, hymns, or sermons. Mercy is a rare commodity. Where is this God-forsaken place? It is the world Isaiah describes in the last 11 chapters of his book. But then Isaiah gets to chapter 60 and he changes his tune. Arise, shine, for your light has come, he says. That's the message of Epiphany. The message proclaimed by Jesus that day in Nazareth. Arise! Shine...2019-01-2716 minSaint Athanasius Lutheran ChurchThose PeopleThat person, those people, don't matter. Maybe you don't say that, but have you ever felt it, thought it, or acted like it? Those people don't matter. Words that I hope bring all of us to repentance today. But words that can bring us joy too! In this way: to know that these are words that are not and will never be uttered by God. For the message of Sanctity of Life Sunday is that those people matter. That YOU matter. And not just matter, but are precious to God. And that, to use the words of Isaiah, your God...2019-01-2019 minSaint Athanasius Lutheran ChurchThe Heavens Were OpenedWhy did Jesus have to be baptized? That's the question I am asked whenever people hear this story. And the answer, very simply, is this: He did not have to be. Jesus had no sin to repent of. He needed no washing of forgiveness. Jesus is the Lord and Creator of all, and the perfect, sinless Son of God -- what could John possibly give Him that wasn't from Him and of Him? Nothing. So why was Jesus baptized? Well, for the same reason He was born and lived and died: because you needed Him to be. Because when Jesus...2019-01-1315 minSaint Athanasius Lutheran ChurchGet it? Get it!Matthew is a lousy historian. He tells us this story of the wise men, but he leaves out so many details. For example, how long after Jesus was born did the wise men come? How long and how far did they have to travel? How old was Jesus when they arrived? And where were they from? Yes, Matthew is a lousy historian. But he is a great Gospel writer. For he knows this story really isn't about the wise men -- it's about Jesus. And so what's important in this story isn't the details about the wise men, it's that...2019-01-0617 minSaint Athanasius Lutheran ChurchPlanning and Preparing for ChristmasPlans and preparations for Christmas have been going on for a while now. The church has been planning and preparing, too. The season of Advent is to prepare us and our hearts for the comings of the Lord -- to remember in His coming in the flesh at Christmas, to rejoice in His coming to us with His forgiveness in His Word and Sacraments, and to be ready for His coming again in glory. But there is one more who has been planning and preparing: God. And just as surely as that Christmas God was planning and preparing for came...2018-12-2315 minSaint Athanasius Lutheran ChurchAdventingToday is joy Sunday. The third Sunday of Advent. We lit the oddly-colored candle on the Advent wreath today, the rose-colored candle, the joy candle. For with this Sunday we have turned a corner. Advent is now more than halfway over and our remembrance of Christmas is close. And so the call rings out today for joy. But the readings we heard today weren't all joy... or so it seems. But to think there is no joy in the Gospel today is to misread it. Wherever Jesus went, He brought joy. He is fulfilling all the prophecies spoken of the...2018-12-1616 minSaint Athanasius Lutheran ChurchTarnished Silver Cleansed by the Blood of ChristIt was the best of times, it was the worst of times... we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way. Charles Dicken wrote those words over 150 years ago, yet how apt they seem for today. How wise we are, yet how foolish we often act. Perhaps the fact that Dickens wrote those words so long ago is a lesson to us, that the more things change... right? The more they stay the same. So I guess (to use words I began this sermon with) that makes the worst of lives into the best...2018-12-0917 minSaint Athanasius Lutheran ChurchJust As He Had Told ThemSo chronologically, this reading today of Jesus entering Jerusalem belongs to Palm Sunday and the end of the Lenten season. But theologically, it is fitting for today, this First Sunday of a new Church Year; this First Sunday of Advent. For Advent isn't just about getting ready to remember Jesus' coming at Christmas, but more to get us ready for Jesus' coming again at the end of time. Christmas is part of that. Palm Sunday is part of that. But it is this First Sunday of Advent that brings it all together, so that you can await His second coming...2018-12-0215 minSaint Athanasius Lutheran ChurchLooking ForwardWhat are you looking forward to? Many folks were looking forward to this holiday weekend and spending time with family and friends. Or maybe you're looking forward to a new job, to finishing school, or something else awaiting you in 2019. The Introit we sang today reminded us of something else, too, that as Christians we are looking forward to: We are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness. And it will not just be the home of righteousness, it will be our home, too. So heaven an earth, this world, this creation, it's...2018-11-2515 minSaint Athanasius Lutheran ChurchConfident in the One Who Endured to the EndJesus says a lot of frightening things in the Holy Gospel today. First, He tells His disciples that the Temple they were just standing in and which engulfed them with its size, would be destroyed. Then, He says, there will be false prophets and false messiahs speaking false truths. There will be wars. There will also be persecution because the truth will not be popular. Well, relax. The one who endured to the end was Jesus. And that's why we have hope. That's the Gospel. We can draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith.2018-11-1817 minSaint Athanasius Lutheran ChurchA Poor Widow, A Rich BrideThere were a lot of people in Jerusalem. It was almost the Passover. So people were coming from all over, coming to Jerusalem for the Feast. And Jesus watched. All kinds of people and all kinds of offerings. At last, she came in. After the many. At the end. Like she didn't want to be seen or noticed. Except Jesus noticed her. Maybe this story isn't so much about giving as it is about mercy. Or maybe the two go together... The end of the church year gives us that chance each year to remember that we may be living...2018-11-1115 minSaint Athanasius Lutheran ChurchThe Big PictureThese are the ones coming out of the great tribulation. Tribulation, not ease. For life in this world is seldom easy. There is hunger and thirst and tears. There is trouble, trials, and temptations. There is weakness, fear, and death. And we are a little flock, hunted by the devil, hounded by his demons, and harassed by his evil, both without and within. And yet in the midst of such a world, we have hope. And we are given this vision of hope today. When Jesus comes again, and John's vision becomes reality. All God's promises, fulfilled.2018-11-0417 minSaint Athanasius Lutheran ChurchJesus, Here For YouSome would say that we should not have a Festival of the Reformation. We should not celebrate this day, but, in fact, mourn. For the Reformation, they would say, divided the church. Well, the church had been divided long before Luther ever came along. Which, honestly, is what we should expect. But though some sing a dirge on this day, it is not a time to mourn. For one very simple reason. Not because of Luther. We thank God for him, as we do for all the church fathers who came before us, who fought for the truth, who often...2018-10-2818 minSaint Athanasius Lutheran ChurchChildren of the One Who Loves to GiveI wonder how far the rich young man had gotten? You know, the one we heard about last week. A couple of paces, a hundred yards? Before Jesus, maybe still looking at him, still gazing at him walking away, maybe still hoping he would turn around. How far had he gotten before Jesus said the words we hear today: How difficult it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God! Then who can be saved? On our own, yes, it is impossible. But not with God.2018-10-2118 minSaint Athanasius Lutheran ChurchFollow Jesus, to the Cross, to LifeGood Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life? I wonder what caused this young man to ask this question of Jesus. Maybe something happened, shook him up, that caused him to think about life and what it's really all about. Or maybe, even though he seemed to have it all in this life... still, maybe there was something missing. Jesus says: one thing you lack... you must come and follow me. You see, the wealth, the treasures, they're not the thing. But they were holding him back. It wasn't really about the wealth -- it's about following Jesus.2018-10-1417 minSaint Athanasius Lutheran ChurchThe Good LifeIn this world and life, death usually separates the wife from her husband. But this death, Jesus' death, unites us to Him. For He joined us in our death, to unite us to himself in His resurrection. To leave the ungood from cold, hard hearts in the cold, hard grave, and raise us from our fallness to good again. That we have what is really good, that we have life -- not because of a loophole in the Law, but in the forgiveness of our sins. Or as we sang: His Strong Word bespeaks us righteous.2018-10-0715 minSaint Athanasius Lutheran ChurchA Fight to the FinishSo we call the church on earth the Church Militant. The Opening Hymn we sang today sounded very militant. A good wedding of text and tune, conveying the focus of this day. For although he lost the battle in heaven and has been cast to the earth, and although Jesus stripped him of his weapons against us, defeating sin and death on the cross for us, still satan isn't going to give up. So how good to know that we fight not alone. That the angels of God are fighting for us. So we have protection. God's own Secret Service.2018-09-3015 minSaint Athanasius Lutheran ChurchGreat in God's EyesThe disciples were arguing about who was the greatest. When faced with news of Jesus' death, their minds went to who among them would be the greatest. It became all about them. But before you cast aspersions on the disciples, let's know that we do this too. It's part of our sinful human nature. It's just that some of us hide it better than others. For you can't think about the kingdom of God like you think about things in the world. So you want to be great? Remember your baptism. That there in those waters Jesus received you and...2018-09-2316 minSaint Athanasius Lutheran ChurchRaising a Son, a Father, and YouLord, I believe; help my unbelief! I cannot think of a better description of a Christian and of the Christian life than that. Six little words that encapsulate our lives so perfectly. For as we live simultaneously as saints declared righteous and sinners who fall, it is always as dear children of God in our Saviour Jesus Christ. Our Saviour who came own from heaven to be born in our flesh, who came down from His Transfiguration to die our death, and now resurrected and ascended still comes down to you and me.2018-09-1615 minSaint Athanasius Lutheran ChurchO Lord, Ephphatha Us!Did you ever wonder how Jesus could see and hear so much better than us? And I don't mean just that He didn't need glasses or hearing aids. How could Jesus see the needs of others better than we? How could Jesus hear the cries of the poor and needy better than we? How could Jesus have compassion so much better than we? He is in every way just like us, except without sin. Jesus is perfect man. And that, I think, is the reason why He could see what we cannot see, and hear what we cannot hear, and...2018-09-0916 minSaint Athanasius Lutheran ChurchPut on the Armor of GodArmor has a long history. To protect us against the enemies trying to hurt us. But what if the enemy isn't outside of you but inside of you? Then what? And so for us, as Christians, the right armor is the armor of God, because the enemy is not one that any armor of this world can defend against. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.2018-09-0216 minSaint Athanasius Lutheran ChurchChanging to Word, or the Word Changing You?We all do it. We all think we know better. We know what's right. We know what's good. At least, good for us. We make what we think, what we want, sound good, not rebellious. We call it fairness, freedom, reson, love. And maybe, when it comes to people in the world, maybe sometimes we do know better. But when it comes to God, good and pious sounding names and rationalizations don't change the fact of what we're doing: going our own way, and expecting God to bless us in it.2018-08-2620 minSaint Athanasius Lutheran ChurchA Tree to Feed LifeIn the beginning, when there was no death, there was a tree of life. All the other trees -- except for one -- could feed Adam and Eve and the children they would have. But these were not trees of life. There was only one tree that could do that. But instead of eating from the tree of life, Adam and Eve decided instead to eat of that other tree -- the one with death in it. And so now, in Christ Jesus there is again a tree of life. Jesus has restored us. Now, the Body and Blood of...2018-08-1217 minSaint Athanasius Lutheran ChurchHolding on for Dear Life!Of all the saints days we commemorate in the church, Saint Mary Magdalene sounds the most jarring, doesn't it? Seems the most unusual, the most unlikely, the most out of place, the most... well let's just say it: wrong. But that's what makes this day so right. Mary reminds us that we are all unlikely saints. A saint is someone God has taken hold of and says: forgiven, free, mine! And that makes Mary Magdalene the perfect saint.2018-07-2214 minSaint Athanasius Lutheran ChurchA King, A Voice, and A KingdonHearing God's Word, learning it, applying it, believing it, submitting to it ... it isn't easy. Because it means confessing that I'm not the king. It means confessing that I am a sinner. It means admitting that maybe I don't know all I think I know. That maybe the way I've ordered my life isn't right at all. That I need to hear something to set me free from the palace of my own desires, defenses, and demands that I have built around myself -- that turned out to be not a palace, but a prison.2018-07-1516 minSaint Athanasius Lutheran ChurchAn Astonishing, Giving GodWhat is it today that causes some to be offended, scandalized, at the God who only wants to come and give His gifts? Perhaps one reason is our belief in equality -- that everyone should be treated equally. And perhaps at some times and in some ways that is important and true. But not always. Because love doesn't treat everyone the same. Love takes into account who a person is and what a person needs and acts accordingly. Parents know this. Well so, too, with God.2018-07-0818 minSaint Athanasius Lutheran ChurchThree DaughtersHis little girl was dying. He didn't know what to do. He would do anything for her -- anything! So when he hears the news ... that Jesus just got off the boat that just came ashore, he didn't hesitate. For he had heard. How Jesus healed. He would go to Jesus. Well, he did it. He got through. He had gotten to Jesus, and Jesus was coming with him. He was anxious at first, but with each step they took, he had more and more hope.2018-07-0117 minSaint Athanasius Lutheran ChurchA New Page, A New Name, A New LifeSometimes our names tell people what we do. Kids know what Bob the Builder does. Adults know what to call Len the Plumber for. And John the Baptist... yeah, he baptizes. He wasn't always called John the Baptist, though. First he was just John. John would not have the name of his father, for he was not following in the footsteps of his father. He would follow in the footsteps of another from Israel's history -- Elijah. So with the coming of John the Baptist, the page turns from the Old Testament to the New. From prophecy to fulfillment.2018-06-2416 minSaint Athanasius Lutheran ChurchWe Know Not HowWe live in the information age. We know stuff. And we know more stuff now than ever before. And what we don't know, we will know, right? We'll research it, investigate it, discover it, uncover it, science it. But not the kingdom of God. Jesus tells us today that we do not know how it sprouts and grows. So we don't know how the kingdom of God sprouts and grows, but we know that it will. Because these words here aren't just a description -- they are a promise. A promise that Jesus has been fulfilling from the beginning of...2018-06-1716 minSaint Athanasius Lutheran ChurchBy the Word of GodThere are things in this world that we can see, and things in this world that we cannot see. Things visible and invisible. So now here's the question: How do we understand and interpret this reality? What does it mean? Is it good or bad? Well, only by the word of the One who knows. The One who not only sees the visible and the invisible, but is the maker of all things visible and invisible. It is only by the Word of God that we can interpret -- correctly -- the things of this world and life.2018-06-1017 minSaint Athanasius Lutheran ChurchOur Glorious, Glorifying GodSo on this Holy Trinity Sunday, that's what we celebrate. Not just who God is -- Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; God in three persons, blessed trinity as we sang at the beginning of the service today -- but who He is for us. What He has done for us. Because you cannot separate the two and get either one right. We cannot know God apart from what He does for us. And what He does for us is really who He is. And if this is what God is doing for us, then it is glorious.2018-05-2719 minSaint Athanasius Lutheran ChurchThe Power of the WordIn the Holy Gospel we heard today, we hear Jesus speaking from His heart. He is mere hours from being lifted up on the cross, to lay down His life for His friends, for His enemies, for you and me, for all people. So, Jesus gives us God's Word, God's powerful Word and promise, to do three things, we heard today -- three things that we need. First, Jesus gives us the Word to keep us from the evil one. Second, Jesus gives us the Word to sanctify us. And then third, Jesus gives us the Word to make us...2018-05-1317 minSaint Athanasius Lutheran ChurchDeath, Sin - You Have a ProblemHave you ever thought: If only this person would go away, my life would be so much better. And so maybe instead of a gun or a knife, you pulled out your words and stabbed them repeatedly with your criticism, or you threw them under the bus, or you did a little character assassination. But it doesn't work. So how good that we have this Sunday every year - Good Shepherd Sunday - to comfort us and give us hope in the midst of such a world. And to remind us of who we are and what that means.2018-04-2216 minSaint Athanasius Lutheran ChurchThe Best Is Still To ComeIt's great to be able to help people, but not even Jesus Himself healed everyone. We read story after story of towns where Jesus was, and He was healing people, but the next morning, He's gone -- He's on to the next town, leaving behind people who had wished for healing, but were not healed. You see, it's not just about healing -- it's about preaching. Preaching that the Word of God is now fulfilled in this man, Jesus of Nazareth.2018-04-1518 minSaint Athanasius Lutheran ChurchPeace for Doubting, Fearful HeartsWhen today's Gospel is heard the Sunday after Easter every year, I think the contrast most often made in our minds is between the ten disciples who were in the room that night and Thomas, who wasn't. Between the ten who believed and the one who doubted. And so into that room filled with doubt and fear so thick you could probably cut it with a knife, comes Jesus to give peace. He does not condemn or harshly criticize. Jesus repeats Himself -- peace be with you -- so His words sink in. Peace to chase away those doubts. Peace...2018-04-0818 minSaint Athanasius Lutheran ChurchThe March For Our LivesThere was a march in Washington a week or so ago. You might have heard about it. It was called the March for our Lives. But long before there was a March for our Lives in Washington, there was a March for our Lives in Jerusalem. And whether or not you think the march in Washington was worthwhile, accomplished anything, or will ultimately do any good, I'm not really here to talk about that. But the march in Jerusalem... that's why we're here today. Because that did accomplish something -- it accomplished the greatest good of all time.2018-04-0112 minSaint Athanasius Lutheran ChurchRestored to a Right MindWhat a contrast of minds we heard today. This mind of Christ, it is what we had before sin. Before sin corrupted our minds, twisted our thinking, curved us in on ourselves. Adam's mind only for Eve, and Eve's mind only for Adam. Christ's mind only for you. And our mind...? And yet it has changed. Paul said it. That in Christ Jesus, we are being put back to where we were before. That in Christ Jesus, we are being put back into our right minds.2018-03-2511 minSaint Athanasius Lutheran ChurchPriests in the Order of JesusToday we enter Passiontide. The last two weeks of the Lenten season. When we began this Lenten season, our alleluias were taken away, as was the Gloria in Excelsis, the hymn of praise we sing toward the beginning of the service. Today, even more is taken away. No more Gloria Patris. And our cross is veiled. For soon, now, very soon, we will remember when our Lord was taken away from us. When He was arrested, tortured, and then crucified. Things are getting serious now.2018-03-1819 minSaint Athanasius Lutheran ChurchWhat Are You Looking At?It seems to me that selective vision was a problem for the people if Israel we heard about in the Old Testament reading today. They saw the manna, the food God was giving them, but they weren't seeing God's love, God's care, God's faithfulness -- they saw only the food they had grown tired of and now loathed. And because that's all they saw, they loathed God as well. So God wanted to help them see again, to focus their eyes on Him again. So He sent fiery serpents among the people and as you can imagine, this caused the...2018-03-1117 minSaint Athanasius Lutheran ChurchLiving Cleansed and FreeFor the Law, the Commandments, are good, but not if used wrongly. Not if we think that God spoke these words for us to save ourselves. For the Commandments, Jesus would later explain, are all about love. They are what love looks like. If you could love perfectly, you would live like this. So what these Commandments show us, then, is how we've fallen short. How we've not lived in the freedom God has given us.2018-03-0416 minSaint Athanasius Lutheran ChurchDying to LiveThe only good Christ is a dead Christ. The only good Christian is a dead Christian. Sadly, I don't think you will hear that from many pulpits or in many churches these days. It sounds better to say that to be a good Christian is to be a person who does a lot of good things. However, those things are defined by society at the moment. And so the Christian life is one of constant dying and rising. Dying to sin, dying to ourselves, and rising with Christ.2018-02-2515 minSaint Athanasius Lutheran ChurchOur True and Faithful FatherThere are lots of men fathering children these days. Completing the biological act necessary to be a father to a little boy or little gir. But at the same time, it must be said, there are many men who father children who are not being fathers at all. Not the ones who die or who for other reasons cannot be fathers for their children, but the ones who are willfully not carrying out the responsibilities that come after the act of fathering. But it's what sin does, to us and to our world.2018-02-1816 minSaint Athanasius Lutheran ChurchThe Transfiguration of Our LordPeter, James, and John had traveled up a mountain with Jesus, just as Elisha had gone with Elijah. And suddenly, things change! Jesus is transfigured before them. His appearance changed. His clothes became radiant, intensely white; an unearthly white. There were no fiery chariots and horsemen from heaven -- instead, in this glory there appeared Elijah and Moses, and they were talking with Jesus. Mark doesn't tell us what they were talking about, but Luke does; they were talking about Jesus' departure, His Exodus.2018-02-1118 minSaint Athanasius Lutheran ChurchPreaching the Kingdom of GodStop what you're doing, open your eyes, and hear the Ward of the Lord. The people in Galilee did. And as we heard last week, they were amazed and astonished. Yes, Isaiah, they heard the kingdom of God. They saw the kingdom of God. They saw, they heard, they believed. The kingdom of God was there. In Galilee. And then it was gone. The next morning He was gone. Everyone is looking for you, Simon told Jesus. But Jesus was not in the town. He was out in a desolate place. Praying.2018-02-0414 minSaint Athanasius Lutheran ChurchSurprised by Such LoveSome people like surprises; some people don't. Some people like everything orderly and planned out and thought through; some like to just go out and see what happens. Some people don't like when the unexpected happens; for others, it brings spice and excitement to life. So it was that day in the synagogue in Capernaum. The people went to church that day expecting the expected, the usual order, the normal teaching and kind of teaching. But what they got was astonished and amazed.2018-01-2817 minSaint Athanasius Lutheran ChurchThe Fisher of MenWho was the first fisherman of men? Was it Simon? Was it Andrew? Mark, in his usual pithy way, makes it sound like Jesus called them together, at the same time. The answer I want to tell you is that the first fisher of a man wasn't even a man! That the first fisher of a man was the great fish that fished Jonah out of the sea and swallowed him, after Johnah refused to go to Nineveh and preach the Word God told him to preach.2018-01-2117 min