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Chapel of the Resurrection at Valparaiso University

In Thy Light We See Light

For with you is the fountain of life;in your light we see light.(Psalm 36:9)The Psalm for today from the Revised Common Lectionary is Psalm 36. The second half of verse 9, “in thy light we see light” is the motto of my alma matter, Valparaiso University in Valparaiso, Indiana. This phrase is prominent throughout the university, but most so within the beautiful and tremendous stained-glass windows surrounding the altar and chancel of the Chapel of the Resurrection. This chapel is enormous, holding up…

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A place to Abide

The 2 Corinthians reading from last Sunday has really stayed with me. The passage speaks about our plenty, allowing us to share with those in need and vice versa. One verse in particular has given me extra pause for thought (8:15) : “The one who had much did not have too much and the one who had little did not have too little.” Some translations use the word “gathered” instead of “had” to refer to those gathering enough food to meet their and…

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Planting, Watering, and Weeding

“I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow.  So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow.  The one who plants and the one who waters have one purpose, and they will each be rewarded according to their own labor.  For we are co-workers in God’s service; you are God’s field, God’s building.”    1 Corinthians 3:6-9I was pulling weeds in our garden and preparing space to…

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The Path Behind and Ahead

"Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. For I am the LORD, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.” (Isaiah 43:1b-3a)Sunday was Faith Lutheran Church’s annual meeting. We held it…

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Stolen Identity

I have a friend who recently discovered that her identity had been stolen. As she was sharing with me the process for reporting the fraud and protecting her identity, it surprised me just how exhaustive the process was. There are so many entities that rely on our personal information and “identities.”This gave me pause to wonder: what is an identity?According to the government, an identity is our name, address, birthdate, and social security number. Perhaps according to our own selves it is the…

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Good Soil

A dear friend of mine will be consecrated as a Lutheran deaconess this weekend. She has had to wait several months for her service to be rescheduled and it will look very different from her original plans. But we know God is faithful and that God continues to call us regardless of what is going on in the world around us and no matter how long it takes us to make things “official.”One of her texts for the service is the Parable of…

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