• About

Laced up Lutheran

~ Theology that is Approachable, Enjoyable, and Relevant

Laced up Lutheran

Tag Archives: training

Random Thoughts from Seattle

24 Friday Aug 2018

Posted by laceduplutheran in Church, Theology, Travel

≈ 4 Comments

Tags

homelessness, poverty, Seattle, training

I’m currently in Seattle, WA – at a training with mission developers.  My focus is on poverty and homelessness.  It’s been an interesting week so far.  A lot of great networking opportunities, hearing about great ministry, and learning some great stuff.

A few things I’m taking away as we move towards wrapping up the training:

  1. There are some great people in ministry.  People who are in mission development are a unique breed of people – very entrepreneurial.  That’s not really a new insight.  But it’s great to be around people like this.  It’s great to be around people who come up with as many ideas for ministry as I do and not think it’s insane.
  2. Even while I’m away, ministry continues to happen – and sometimes there is no escape.  Ok, often, there is no escape.  As I was listening in to a conversation on homelessness and prison ministry, I was busy trying to help a friend find some kind of shelter for a few days.  From three-time zones away.  Technology makes this possible.  Which is incredible and amazing.  And it also is a constant reminder that there is no break for those caught in poverty and homelessness.
  3. We in the church need to have more fun.  We get so wrapped up in our work and so stuck on being serious for worship that all to often we forget to have fun.  Where there is life, there is fun.  There is fun where there is health.  Yes, the institutional church is in decline, but where are the things we can celebrate?  Where are the things we can have fun with?  There’s enough crap in the world to bring people down.
  4. There are plenty of things in the secular world that the church can learn from.  I was in a bar last evening with friends.  This was an incredible place.  More than just a bar.  It was a brewery.  It was packed.  I would estimate there was over 200 people inside.  It was open and movement was easy.  There were large tables, specialty groups (we saw a camera group, a medical group, a Birthday, and more).  Dogs were welcome.  And there was even a kids section.  Games were available for guests – for free.  Bathrooms were even different – one entrance with separate very private individual stalls, with a central hand washing station.  It was packed – did I mention that?  We sat and wondered what church would look like in such a location?  Or if a church took on aspects of this.  What would it look like?  How would it be different?  There was great life in the place, and a sense of openness and welcome.  And it wasn’t forced.  It felt natural.

As we wrap up, I come away with plenty more ideas and enthusiasm.  I look forward to being back home, seeing my family, and trying out the ideas that have been learned.  And seeing what God is up to and how we are creating environments where people will encounter God in unique ways.

Image

Helsinki City Marathon

27 Sunday Apr 2014

Tags

August, Finland, Helsinki, Helsinki City Marathon, marathon, training

Helsinki City Marathon

I signed up for the Helsinki City Marathon today! The timing works out great. The marathon is August 16th. We’ll be arriving in Finland around Aug. 1. I’m pretty excited about this. I’ve never run a marathon on a different continent before. I’ve done 10 marathons so far – usually about one per year. My goal with marathon running is to run a marathon in all 50 states and DC. That of course is still my long-term goal, but continuing it will have to wait until 2015.

Now comes the hard part – creating a training routine for the next 3 1/2 months. It will be a bigger challenge than normal for the simple fact that we’ll be moving out of our house (and all of my familiar routes in mid-June.

I’m pretty excited about doing the marathon. It will be a great way to start off our time in Finland.

Posted by laceduplutheran | Filed under Finland, Running

≈ Leave a comment

Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Join 635 other followers

Follow Laced up Lutheran on WordPress.com

Top Posts & Pages

  • Porvoo Cathedral interior, Porvoo, Finland
    Porvoo Cathedral interior, Porvoo, Finland
  • Juone Pastogre, Siauliai, Lithuania - A Great Place to Eat
    Juone Pastogre, Siauliai, Lithuania - A Great Place to Eat
  • Romans 13:1-2
    Romans 13:1-2

Please Pray with me on Twitter daily

My Tweets

St. Stephen Lutheran Church

30 W. Main St.
New Kingstown, PA 17072
1-717-766-2168
Sunday Worship: 9:00 am
Education 10:45 am

Want to reach me?

pastor@ststephenlc.org

Check us out online:

pleaseprayerwith.me

pastormatthewbest.com

St. Stephen Lutheran Church website

St. Stephen on Facebook

My Gravatar

laceduplutheran

laceduplutheran

I believe that God, church, and theology are approachable, enjoyable, and relevant for everyone. I write about this a lot because people need to hear it. So many people feel lost, hopeless, alone, and are searching for identity and meaning. I'm an ELCA Pastor (Lutheran) who has a background in politics, business, and the non-profit worlds. I take churchy theological ideas and words and communicate them in everyday language that people can understand, in ways that relate, and show that God, church, and theology matter a great deal. Oh, and it doesn't have to be boring either - mostly because it's the best news ever!

View Full Profile →

Some of the Blogs I Follow

Categories

Website Powered by WordPress.com.

Praying the Psalms for Lent 2020

I want to invite us to pray together this Lent.

Thoughts from the Catholic Cave

Is it just me, or is the world insane?

What do I see in the world?

Heaven's above

God is good all the time

graceandpeacebeyours

Hendricks Communications

Public Relations - Marketing - Freelance Writing - Photography

Confessions of a Recovering Churchboy

What I bought before, I just can't sell

Life Through Lutheran Lenses

Seeing and Understanding Today's Culture Through Lutheran Eyes

One World House - Mark Davies

for a more just, peaceful, participatory, and sustainable world

Captivated Child