Taste and See
Epiphany 5A-23 Immanuel Lutheran, Chicago “You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has lost its taste, how can its saltiness be restored? You are the light […]
Entries by Pastor Monte
Stopping The Nonstop Bad News
Epiphany 4A-23 Immanuel Lutheran, Chicago Most mornings, I wake up and start scrolling thru headlines. This week was rough. Police violence. Mass shootings. War in Ukraine. Political strife. What would […]
The Right Road
Epiphany 3A-23 Immanuel Lutheran, Chicago It was New Year’s Day, 1929. The University of California at Berkely Golden Bears played the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets in the Rose Bowl. Halfway […]
Kingdom Train to Glory
Epiphany 2A-23 Immanuel Lutheran Two weeks ago, on New Year’s Day, I went to church with extended family on vacation. New Year’s Day is what we call a ‘low Sunday.’ […]
The Blessed Light
Christmas Eve – 22 Immanuel Lutheran, Chicago The prophet Mohamed, peace be upon him, describes the nativity scene at the birth of Jesus in the Quran (Surah 19) featuring a […]
In the Middle of a Miracle
Advent 4A-22 Immanuel Lutheran, Chicago I met a kid at tutoring on Monday night. His name was ‘Nottie.’ I had to ask him to repeat it for me. I wasn’t […]
Dark Night of the Soul
Advent 3A-22 Immanuel Lutheran, Chicago It’s a blue Christmas for John the Baptist. He paces back and forth in his narrow cell. Imprisoned by King Herod, he questions the choices […]
Your Armor of Light
Advent 1A-22 Immanuel Lutheran, Chicago Jesus sat and spoke to the disciples. He is somewhere on the Mount of Olives across the Kidron valley from the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. […]
Jesus or Judas?
Christ the King, C-22 Immanuel Lutheran, Chicago Today’s gospel offers us a choice. Shall we follow Jesus or Judas? It may sound like a rhetorical question. After all, as every […]
In From the Storm
Proper 28C-22 Immanuel Lutheran, Chicago Her name is Stefani. She laughs easily with a throaty chuckle. Her eyes sparkle. ‘Bliss,’ could be her nickname. But her words catch us by […]