Thirty years ago, our family went through a very tough few months. It began when Art’s dad was killed in a crash. Then, our Tupperware franchise was closed by the home office without warning. Art and I had no job or income. Art went into a deep depre…
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Early Tuesday morning, just as the chilly day began, several teenagers pulled into the parking lot at St. Paul. They were there to see a project they worked on do its job. At the request of Matt Spencer, building manager, this welding class from Dave…
The Boys in the Bunkhouse: Servitude and Salvation in the Heartland is the 2019 All St. Paul Reads book. All St. Paul Reads is encouragement for all to read and talk about a single book title in the same year. In 2019, this dinner and discussion even…
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Editor’s note: Martha Barnds created a stippling of the north side of St. Paul. A notecard-sized reproduction is available at the Info Center through December. St. Paul has been my church home since we moved here from Pennsylvania. As a child, I spen…
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Advent is my favorite liturgical season, not as an expansion of Christmas, but as a time during which the church honors those seasons of our lives when God seems far off and silent, and gives a symbol to our longing for a communion that is yet unreal…
Growing up on a farm in the country brought a variety of beauty into my life. In the winter months, the beauty changed when it was snow covered. When I went outside to do the horses on winter nights, I would sometimes have to search for them in the f…
One recent fall afternoon, I spent time at Madison Market, the food pantry St. Paul leads at the J.B. Young Opportunity Center. I answered questions, assisted with shopping decisions when needed, bagged groceries, and helped keep the flow going. The…
This fall, I began teaching a course called “Lives that Matter” at the East Moline Correctional Center. The course is part of a “Graduated Release Initiative” that offers incarcerated individuals support before and after their release from prison to…
Asa, right, with his brother, Gabe. I remember the first time I felt completely alone. I was about six years old, and had been on a bike ride with my family, which consists of…
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One might say that our family’s commitment to faith isn’t restricted by distance. We have a 65-mile drive to worship and confirmation classes when we travel to St. Paul. The ministry offered here alone is worth every mile traveled. I can still rememb…
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Take a moment and think of a favorite dish from holiday dinners of the past. What did it taste like? What was it served in? Who made it? Who was gathered around the table. So many times, food serves as the foundation of some of the most important mem…
Carol was confirmed at St. Paul (many years ago), but we joined St. Paul as a couple after moving to Eldridge from Moline. We were looking for a church that offered the traditional Lutheran liturgy, varied opportunities for worship and service, an ac…