REFLECTION Archives - Treasure Valley Prays

That They Might Lovely Be

Post author:Kathryn Baerwald
Post published:April 13, 2022
Post category:Kathryn Baerwald REFLECTION
Post comments:2 Comments

16th Street NW in Washington, DC, north of the White House and to the Maryland State Line, is sometimes referred to as the street of churches. There are Catholic and Orthodox churches; synagogues and a Christian Science Reading Room; just about every variety of Protestant churches you can imagine, as well as gathering places for people of a variety of beliefs. 16th Street is also a meridian from which surveyors in the 1700’s and 1800’s measured the distance between north/south roads. It is…

Roots

Post author:Aaron Lindemann
Post published:February 23, 2022
Post category:Aaron Lindemann REFLECTION
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Author's Notes:This newsletter article was originally published in late July 2021 after returning from a trip to visit family in the Midwest. Reading it again in the current context makes me think about how much of my faith is rooted in what happens during the upcoming weeks of Lent and Holy Week. A friend of mine once traveled to Europe at the end of March. He told a story about the town they were visiting and how all the businesses and attractions were…

A Reflection on the Beheading of John

Post author:Sarah Henthorn
Post published:February 21, 2022
Post category:REFLECTION Sarah Henthorn
Post comments:1 Comment

The beheading of John the Baptist is a gruesome story. It’s also relatable. The way that greed and power function in this story are very familiar. Consider John the Baptist. We know that he’s a prophet but to the powers that be at the time he just seemed like a fringe voice. He’s a guy who dresses weird, eats weird food and hangs out in weird places. He starts speaking truth to power. What John is preaching should probably be seen as a…

Make a Joyful Noise

Post author:Mary Braudrick
Post published:February 16, 2022
Post category:Mary Braudrick REFLECTION
Post comments:2 Comments

Every Tuesday afternoon after school we elementary-aged “church kids” gathered in the church’s basement assembly room. It wasn’t dreary down there, but brightly painted and well lit. Small Sunday school rooms surrounded this larger multipurpose room. The white benches we sat on were hard, straight up and down, but we didn’t care. We were just there to be with friends and sing. A well-tuned upright piano stood at attention in the corner, awaiting the start of choir practice.I loved Mrs. Edwards, our children’s…

What We Have Learned

Post author:Meggan Manlove
Post published:February 9, 2022
Post category:Meggan Manlove REFLECTION
Post comments:1 Comment

I read an article online that encouraged congregations to not let the current moment pass by before taking some time to reflect on what we have learned during the last year (or two). Here’s a share-out from meetings/gatherings during January, 2022 at Trinity Lutheran, Nampa:Worship Altar Guild and MusicWe’ve become adaptableThings can be simplerCommunion adaptations have gone wellWe are now ready to bring back some thingsGospel and GrowthWe need repeated, frequent contact with God and our church family; that contact was maintained through…

Lilies of the Field

Post author:Linda Worden
Post published:February 2, 2022
Post category:Linda Worden REFLECTION
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When the news of Sidney Poitier’s death came out, I thought about how long it had been since I’d seen him perform, and then I realized I had never seen Lilies of the Field, the 1963 film that won him the Academy Award for Best Actor, so I watched it on Amazon Prime Video. It’s an uplifting story with a strong Christian message. It doesn’t insult your intelligence. I recommend it, although it’s in black and white, has no computer graphics, no explosions,…

Breathe! And Be!

Post author:tvprays
Post published:January 26, 2022
Post category:Kent Schaufelberger REFLECTION
Post comments:1 Comment

We are currently in the midst of the winter season. Earth itself gives us an opportunity to experience and learn from her wisdom. In this season, life itself slows down. The animals react by conserving their energy and some even hibernate through this cold and desolate time of year. It was snowing so hard that I couldn’t see much farther than half a block down the street. It was a “white out.” The trees have lost their foliage and lie dormant waiting, in…

An Invitation

Post author:Diane McGeoch
Post published:January 19, 2022
Post category:Diane McGeoch REFLECTION
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“After he had washed their feet, and put on his robe, and had returned to the table, he said to them: Do you know what I have done to you? You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for that is who I am. So if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have set you an example, that you also should do as I have done to you.…

Game Day Smoothie

Post author:Aaron Lindemann
Post published:January 12, 2022
Post category:Aaron Lindemann REFLECTION
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Author's notes:In their record 9th FCS National Championship victory this past weekend, NDSU Bison head football coach Matt Entz talked about the servant leadership mindset of the team that has enabled them to support each other through a long challenging season. Doing what you love can be a struggle and sustaining all at the same time. Bringing a passion to your job and using that energy to serve and build up others can be very fulfilling. A handful of people have described the…

This Happened 12/24/21

Post author:Mary Braudrick
Post published:January 5, 2022
Post category:Mary Braudrick REFLECTION
Post comments:1 Comment

The night was cold, the hour was late, and they were all tired. But, they came anyway. There was a sacredness in this gathering of intentional worshippers. Though few, they came together for this beautiful Christmas Eve service.Celebrated in the reading of the Word was the gentle birth of the Christ Child. And, the singing of carols filled the sacred space as worshippers communed. Then came the moment when the sanctuary lights were dimmed. The Christ candle provided the source of iight from…

Planning for the New Year

Post author:Linda Worden
Post published:December 29, 2021
Post category:Linda Worden REFLECTION
Post comments:2 Comments

Take therefore no thought for the morrow, for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof. Matthew 6:30, KJV I quoted the King James Version of this famous saying of Jesus because it is the one I grew up with. My mother often referred to it and that is how I best remember it. Our civilization depends on complex planning and management. This may give us the illusion that we can control the…

Comfort My People

Post author:Penelope Smith
Post published:December 22, 2021
Post category:Penelope Smith REFLECTION
Post comments:1 Comment

“Comfort, yes, comfort my people!” says your God. “Speak comfort to Jerusalem, and cry out to her, that her warfare is ended, that her iniquity is pardoned; for she has received from the LORD’s hand double for all her sins.” The voice of one crying in the wilderness: “Prepare the way of the LORD; make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be exalted and every mountain and hill brought low; the crooked places shall be made straight…

Mindful of the Moment

Post author:Kelly Preboski
Post published:December 15, 2021
Post category:Kelly Preboski REFLECTION
Post comments:1 Comment

Eat It Up (or not)

Post author:Aaron Lindemann
Post published:December 8, 2021
Post category:Aaron Lindemann REFLECTION
Post comments:0 Comments

Author's notes:In growing vegetables for paying customers, one of my biggest concerns is not having enough items to fill the biweekly boxes. My response to this fear is that the fertility of the soil often produces an abundance that greatly exceeds expectations. This can lead to another anxiety for CSA members as they receive a heaping box full of fresh food, not quite sure what to do with it all. It is a very tricky thing to figure out just how much is…

Pivot

Post author:John Hergert
Post published:December 1, 2021
Post category:John Hergert REFLECTION
Post comments:1 Comment

It began with an email from the directors of Holden Village, where I was about to volunteer for three weeks. Things were changing in the village once again due to COVID-19. More stringent practices would be reinstated. Everyone who lives, works, visits or volunteers there must be vaccinated. It is in fact the safest place to do all the things I mentioned above. Since the outbreak of the pandemic Holden, this place apart, has not had one case of COVID-19. They had put…

Why Are You Still Going to Church?

Post author:Keith Hammer
Post published:November 24, 2021
Post category:Keith Hammer REFLECTION
Post comments:1 Comment

I’ll Venture that You Have Some Very Good Reasons Others Would Like to Hear!In early November, Anthony Robinson, a United Church of Christ pastor, consultant, and blogger, pointed me to an October 2021 article in Christianity Today that I’ve been pondering all month. The article has the intriguing title “Empty Pews are an American Public Health Crisis.” Obviously the present COVID-19 pandemic and other every-day societal turmoil such as guns, addiction and violence have been related to public health—but now empty pews???! The gist of…

Who Is My Neighbor?

Post author:Diane McGeoch
Post published:November 17, 2021
Post category:Diane McGeoch REFLECTION
Post comments:1 Comment

Luke 10: 29-37 The Parable of the Good SamaritanVerse 29 “Who is my neighbor?”We met some neighbors we did not know before during the early days of the pandemic. Our neighborhood organized bears in the windows, chalk the walk, puzzle and game exchanges, and other fun events that did not exist before. Adam and Natalie and their three daughters arrived one morning to chalk our driveway. They spent a few hours doing this and their efforts created a beautiful rainforest with sloths, birds,…

Gifted

Post author:Kathryn Baerwald
Post published:November 10, 2021
Post category:Kathryn Baerwald REFLECTION
Post comments:3 Comments

We’re coming into the time of the year when thoughts turn to gifts. Many of us will have Thanksgiving dinner at the home of a family member or friend. We may bring food to share with others. Sometimes we also bring a gift for the host and/or hostess. It could be flowers or little delicacies or a bottle of wine – something a bit special to express gratitude. Of course, the big gift-giving extravaganza will be coming in about six weeks. Some may…

Your Hands Care for Us

Post author:tvprays
Post published:November 4, 2021
Post category:REFLECTION tvprays
Post comments:1 Comment

AN OPEN LETTER TO OUR HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS from the Treasure Valley Cluster of Churchesof the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America This letter first appeared in two local Boise, Idaho papers, The Idaho Statesman and The Idaho Press on October 1, 2021. Though we would wish it otherwise, it remains relevant, and we hope it will continue to be an encouragement for those who care for us, and for us to care for them. In our daily work as pastors and faith community…

Prioritization, Hustle, and Luck

Post author:Aaron Lindemann
Post published:November 3, 2021
Post category:Aaron Lindemann REFLECTION
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Author's notes:In addition to the love of growing vegetables, a big part of my call to work in the soil relates to having a sense of purpose, a sense of doing something that is appreciated by others, and increasingly a sense of community. Originally I didn't feel that my gardening was about community. But over the years CSA members have made many comments about how the veggies (and the farmer) are a link to their community and to each other. As I pay…

Sing to the Lord a New Song

Post author:Linda Worden
Post published:October 27, 2021
Post category:Linda Worden REFLECTION
Post comments:1 Comment

Thirty years ago, I belonged to a Presbyterian church in Oakland, California. The congregation was mostly elderly. When Pastor Carl asked us to stand, he added, “If you are able.” This church had an intimate atmosphere created by lifelong Christians comfortable with their faith. I enjoyed the short walk from my home to the one Sunday service. It was nice to worship with all the members at the same time.Every voice counted in that small congregation, so I always tried to lend my…

A Place of Joy and Peace

Post author:Kelly Preboski
Post published:October 20, 2021
Post category:Kelly Preboski REFLECTION
Post comments:2 Comments

At Luther Heights Bible Camp this season we ended our fall retreat season a bit early. On Labor Day we were asked to evacuate camp due to the Jakes Gulch fire. Thankfully, our guests were all off site when we received the phone call from the forest service and staff were heading out as well. I, much like many others, feel a sense of joy, renewal, and peace with Christ with moments experienced on the holy ground at Luther Heights in the exquisite…

Perspective Changing and Changing Again

Post author:Diane McGeoch
Post published:October 13, 2021
Post category:Diane McGeoch REFLECTION
Post comments:2 Comments

I pulled a tendon in my right ankle doing yard work. I stepped away from the bush I was trimming, and my foot got caught between the edge of a concrete landscaping border and the grass. That stepping away immediately changed my perspective. I knew something was wrong when I couldn’t put weight on the foot without pain and it was swollen. The tendon will heal if I keep weight off my foot for at least two weeks, so I am wearing an…

Garden Love Song

Post author:Aaron Lindemann
Post published:October 6, 2021
Post category:Aaron Lindemann REFLECTION
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Although I've done it for many years now, seeing the first seeds push through the soil each spring fills me with amazement, joy, and hope. It is a reminder to me of God's love of life and the tiny miracles that take place every day.

Being a Blessing

Post author:tvprays
Post published:September 29, 2021
Post category:Kathryn Baerwald REFLECTION
Post comments:3 Comments

For me, the most difficult thing about writing a devotion or a reflection is coming up with the topic. As soon as I turn in my writing and photo, my usual pattern is to determine the theme for the next TVPrays. Then I let the theme roll around in my mind before typing the first word.That didn’t happen this time. I sat quietly and tried to discern what might be a good topic. Nothing. I skimmed through several religious and devotional texts that…

Streams of Glory on Dusty Trails

Post author:tvprays
Post published:September 22, 2021
Post category:Kari Swanson REFLECTION
Post comments:5 Comments

““But,” the LORD said, “you cannot see my face, for man shall not see me and live.” And the LORD said, “Behold, there is a place by me where you shall stand on the rock, and while my glory passes by I will put you in a cleft of the rock, and I will cover you with my hand until I have passed by. Then I will take away my hand, and you shall see my back, but my face shall not be…

What Happened After Chicago…

Post author:Justin Tigerman
Post published:September 15, 2021
Post category:Justin Tigerman REFLECTION
Post comments:2 Comments

I never thought I would be raising chickens, turkeys and sheep within 6 years of graduating from seminary. I think I maybe anticipated gardening at the most. During seminary in Chicago, there was a high emphasis on ministry in urban settings. It made sense at the time as we strove to practice building community where we lived. We were used to apartments squeezed too closely together dating back to the 1970s. We were used to restaurants and experiences closely located to our tiny…

Games that Empower

Post author:Sierra Armbrust
Post published:September 8, 2021
Post category:REFLECTION Sierra Armbrust
Post comments:2 Comments

With everything that is going on in the world right now, with Covid-19, politics, wars, and just day-to-day life, it is hard not to think of all the suffering, violence and stress that accompany these things. So having Learning Peace: A Camp for Kids this year was like a weight being lifted.I was tremendously excited to help with Peace Camp and to teach the kids and adults Play for Peace games. There were a lot of games that we played throughout the four…

Reflection or Echo Chamber?

Post author:Casey Cross
Post published:September 1, 2021
Post category:Casey Cross REFLECTION
Post comments:1 Comment

When I was around 13 years old, I remember a friend from church saying something like, “You might be the only bible someone ever reads.” We were talking about how we live out our faith and how we reflect our beliefs in the world through the way we live. It stayed with me. It didn’t necessarily inspire me to read the Bible daily, or memorize a bunch of verses, but it did inspire me to take what I learned and read and live…