“Out with the old and in with the new” This is a saying which is really loaded! It refers to letting go of outdated things, ideas, or habits to make way for fresh starts, progress, and better opportunities. It is a common idiom used to encourage positive change, embracing innovation, or turning over a new leaf. I throw it out to us as churches in the LMA. What old things do we need to let go of and what new ways of worship and gathering together do we need to explore? Or no

Many of us have heard sayings like this. Long before weather forecasts, satellites, and smartphone apps, people watched the world around them for signs that the seasons were changing. The sight of a swallow returning might bring hope, but one swallow alone was not enough to guarantee that summer had arrived. In the same way, we often look for signs that God is at work. We watch for indications that someone is interested in faith, that a heart is open, or that circumstances ar

To be “Open to God” is first and foremost about posture, not performance. It is the quiet but decisive turning of the heart toward Him—a willingness to listen, to trust, and to be changed. Scripture consistently places this inner openness before outward action. The psalmist prays, “Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening” (1 Samuel 3:10), capturing that readiness to receive. Likewise, Psalm 46:10 calls us, “Be still, and know that I am God.” Stillness is not inactivity; it

The resurrection of Jesus Christ is not simply an event we remember—it is the living reality that shapes everything about who we are and how we live today. For believers in the 21st century, it is as powerful and transformative as it was for the first disciples. 1. It means death is not the end The resurrection declares that sin and death do not have the final word. In a world still marked by suffering, uncertainty, and loss, we live with a deep, unshakable hope. Because Chri