Paul's Faith Journey

Ordination Pictures

2011-06-05T23:32:00.000-04:00

An Easter Poem

2011-04-19T11:28:00.002-04:00

An Easter Poem

Deep in the earth

After a long winter of silence

The tomb of death

Becomes the warm womb of possibilities

And there it is and there we are—

Everything and everyone—

Waiting to emerge

Our hearts burning within us

Waiting to be born again

To return to the light

To awake from dreaming

To transcend the bonds of death

To rise to new life

Rising above the fray into the beauty of Creation

Praising God for the sunlight and the rain

And the light of the risen Son

A Son shining in our hearts and minds

Leading us on His path way of peace and reconciliation

A path that seeks to restore an everlasting bond

A bond begun at the beginning between all of creation and its Creator

A bond that will again last beyond

Beyond the end of time

(Adapted from Spiritual Reading for the Liturgical Christian)

Our Little Dancers at the Baltimore Museum of Art

2010-05-10T07:02:00.001-04:00

Emily was a beautiful flower from the Cylburn Arboretum
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Project Flyer

2010-03-31T16:18:00.000-04:00

seek peace, and pursue it

Psalm 34:14

Seeking and pursuing peace among the children of Abraham

A quest to create an appreciation and equality for all of God’s Children

Where:

St. Paul’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

1609 Kurtz Avenue

Lutherville, Maryland 21093

410.252.3768

Calling ourselves children of Abraham, we need to be aware, and concerned, about the continually growing contentions between the Israelis and Palestinians. How can blood brothers and sisters who have been at odds for more than 60 years find a way to live in peace? Come join the conversation on Wednesday nights beginning April 14th as we explore ways to seek and pursue a just peace in the “Holy Land” with guest speakers who have lived in and worked for peace and reconciliation between Israel & Palestine through non-violent means.

April 14th - 7p.m. – The Rev. Susan P. Wilder:

The Representative for Middle East Public Policy for the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America is a member of the Advisory Council of the Washington Interfaith Alliance for Middle East Peace, (WIAMEP). She has served in ecumenical and interfaith networks as a grassroots organizer, speaker and educator, working to raise awareness about the Israeli/Palestinian situation and to further advocacy for a just peace. She is ordained in the Presbyterian Church, U.S.A.

April 21st - 7p.m. - Mai Abdul Rahman:

A Palestinian American living in Washington D.C. she is an organizer, activist and journalist. She is an active member of WIAMEP. Mai founded the American Palestinian Women's Association and has organized humanitarian relief programs to aid Palestinians. As a United Nations consultant, she assisted in developing short and long term strategies for Birzeit University in the occupied West Bank.

April 28th - 7p.m.- Shelley Fudge:

Coordinator of the DC-MD-VA Chapter of Jewish Voice for Peace. She serves as member on the Steering Committee of the WIAMEP, and is active in Marylanders for a Just Peace in Israel and Palestine, which focuses on Congressional advocacy. Shelley has family in Israel and has traveled throughout Israel and parts of the West Bank recently visiting Gaza and Israel in May – June 2009.

May 5th - 7p.m. - Dr. Philip Farah:

A Palestinian-American born and raised in Jerusalem, he attended and earned his BA from the American University of Beirut and a Ph. D. from the University of New Mexico. He has taught at educational institutions in Palestine, including the Lutheran School of Hope and Birzeit University. He is active in Arab-American organizations and a member of WIAMEP’s Steering Committee. He has addressed audiences around the U.S. on Middle East peace issues.

Join the conversation…get involved…be a part of the solution!

Newsletter Article for April

2010-03-31T16:11:00.000-04:00

seek peace, and pursue it Psalm 34:14

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

As a part of my vicarage at St. Paul’s, the seminary places on me certain requirements that I must complete. One of these requirements is the completion of a project that is not a program already in place or something that is ongoing within the life of the local church and one that benefits the congregation being served. As most of you know, Dee and I had a wonderful faith building experience on our trip to the Holy Land in January. In preparation for that trip the seminary professor who lead our group encouraged us to do some reading. He suggested we read the following books in preparation for the trip: O Jerusalem!, L. Collins and D. Lapierre (history of the Israeli war for independence); Blood Brothers, Elias Chacour (a Palestinian priest tells his personal story); The Land and the Book, Charles Page and Carl Volz (essential traveling companion), and Justice and Only Justice: A Palestinian Theology of Liberation, Naim Stifan Ateek. In addition to these I have read two more books by Elias Chacour – Faith Beyond Despair and We Belong to the Land. On our trip we meet Dr. Mitri Raheb, a Palestinian Lutheran Pastor at Christmas Lutheran Church in Bethlehem. Since meeting him I have read his book, Bethlehem Besieged, and have started another one of his books, I am a Palestinian Christian. I thought I would have had a break from all the reading at seminary!

With all that being said my project during my vicarage here at St. Paul’s stems from my reading and meeting with Dr. Elias Chacour, Archbishop of Galilee of the Melkite Greek Catholic Church and Dr. Mitri Raheb in Israel/Palestine. These readings and meeting with people involved in finding a peaceful solution to the Israeli crisis have stirred my interest in the peace process between Israel/Palestine. Upon our return from the trip I contacted Dr. Raheb and asked him if he would provide me with contact information for representatives in the United States who could speak to the issue of seeking and pursuing peace in the land where our faith was born. The conflict between Israelis and Palestinians has been an ongoing problem for over 60 years since the founding of the State of Israel in 1948.

Calling ourselves children of Abraham, we need to be aware, and concerned, about the continually growing contentions between the Israelis and Palestinians. How can blood brothers and sisters who have been at odds for centuries find a way to live in peace? Come join the conversation on Wednesday nights beginning April 14th as we explore ways to seek and pursue a just peace in the “Holy Land” with guest speakers who have lived and worked for peace and reconciliation in Israel & Palestine through non-violent means.

I hope and pray you that you will consider supporting me in this project by attending any or all of the programs that are going to be presented at St. Paul’s. If anyone is interested in doing some reading beforehand, I would recommend Blood Brothers by Elias Chacour, Justice and Only Justice by Naim Stifan Ateek and Bethlehem Besieged by Mitri Raheb. If you have any question please feel free to contact me.

Blessings,

Vicar Paul

Non Sibi Sed Patriae

2010-02-23T21:40:00.001-05:00

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The Snow Queen and her Princesses

2010-02-09T09:25:00.000-05:00

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Fun in the Snow

2010-02-08T11:04:00.000-05:00

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IMG00992-20100206-0731.jpg

2010-02-06T11:08:00.000-05:00

Lutherville winter wonderland 23" and still falling expecting 30" or more!!
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Good Bye Granny & Aunt Amy

2010-01-26T15:14:00.001-05:00

Today was a sad day we had to say good bye to Granny and Aunt Amy. We already had to say good bye to Aunt Susan who came with Granny and had to leave a couple of weeks ago. Without the help of these dear loved ones this trip would not have been possible. Thanks to the members of St. Paul's who helped along the way too!
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Big & Little E&E Reunited

2010-01-25T09:28:00.001-05:00

Little E&E have been reunited with their counterparts Big E&E. It was good to finally sleep in our own bed again last night. These past days and weeks were a great opportunity to reflect on the history and context of where our Christian faith began. It will take a few days to process all people and places we have encountered. This journey would not have possible with out the help and support from Mom and Dad and my sisters Susan and Amy.
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Last day in Israel

2010-01-23T17:17:00.002-05:00

At Caesarea Maritime our last stop, a fortress built by Herod the Great on the Mediterranean Sea, we saw the theater, the arena, fortress and waterworks. Herod constructed 17 miles of aqueduct which carried water to the fortress from Mount Carmel. It was beautiful.
See you stateside!!!
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Meggido & Jezreel Valley

2010-01-23T09:51:00.002-05:00

We survived Armeggedon! Actually, we visited Megiddo in the Jezreel Valley. Much like the Shenandoah Valley in Virginia, the Jezreel Valley is fertile and prosperous with lots of green farm land. Tel Megiddo is an excavated site that dates as far back as 7000 B.C. It was the site of the Canaanite Temple in 3000 B.C. and where Joshua defeated the Canaanite kings there as described in Joshua 3:12. Throughout history it was also inhabited by the Syrians, Egyptians and Persians. This is the place that is identified in Revelation 16:16 where the final battle of Armageddon will take place. John's inspiration for this vision of Armageddon comes from the prophet Zechariah who describes such a battle in Zechariah 12:11.
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Baptismal site on Jordan River

2010-01-23T03:28:00.001-05:00

As we say good bye to Galilee on Day 18, we spent the morning at the River Jordan, a symbolic place of Jesus' baptism by John the Baptizer. A short service of affirmation of baptism helped to make the moment special.
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Streets of Nazareth

2010-01-22T14:54:00.001-05:00

The streets of Nazareth from the Basilica of the Annunciation to place we had lunch today.
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Basilica of the Annunciation

2010-01-22T14:41:00.002-05:00

We then went to the Basilica of the Annunciation which is believed to be where the angel Gabriel announced to Mary God's intention for her to conceive His son. It also marks the place where the holy family stayed upon their return from Egypt.
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St. Gabriel's Church

2010-01-22T14:29:00.001-05:00

In Nazareth, we visited Mary's well in St. Gabriel's Church. This is the place that is believed to be where the angel Gabriel first appeared to Mary.
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Ancient city of Zippori/Sepphoris

2010-01-22T14:19:00.001-05:00

Our first stop on Day 16 was at Zippori, also known as Sepphoris. This ancient city was called Zippori because it is perchd on top of the mountain like a bird. It is traditionally known as the home of Mary's parents. A Crusader fortress sits on top of an earlier Roman building. Nearby, a 4000 seat Roman amphitheater has been unearthed. In the heart of the market place, wagon wheel ruts have been worn into the rock street. Throughout many structures in the city, beautiful mosaics have been unearthed.
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Caesarea Phillipi

2010-01-21T11:20:00.002-05:00

It it at Caesarea Phillipi, that Jesus asks his disciples who do they think he is Simon Peter acknowledges that Jesus is the Christ, son of the living God (Matt. 16:18-19). This is the place where King Herod built a palace in honor of Caesar after Caesar's death. One of Caesar's sons Philip took over the palace and made it the capital' renaming it Caesarea Philipi.
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Day 16 Tel Dan

2010-01-21T10:49:00.002-05:00

Today day #16, we visited Dan, the capital city of the 10 northern tribes of Israel. The city was perched atop a mountain and was protected by three gates. We hiked to the site of the synagogue along the stream of Dan which is one of three springs that feeds into the Jordan River. We also saw an ancient mud gate that was used st the time of Sarah and Abraham.
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Bethsaida

2010-01-20T15:09:00.001-05:00

Bethsaida is thought to be the small village where Peter may have lived.
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2010-01-20T15:06:00.001-05:00

Today Wednesday, January 20 was a damp and dreary day weather wise. Our thoughts, hearts, and faith were kindled by walking and searching out the places our Lord & Savior once trod. No one can be for certain the exact spots these events that have shaped and formed our faith have occurred. The most important fact concerning these sites I believe is the impact their witness has on our faith inspiring and encouraging each of us to be faithful just as Jesus Christ is faithful.
Good Night!!
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Tabgha/ Primacy of St. Peter

2010-01-20T14:06:00.001-05:00

At our second stop of Day 15, we saw the place where Jesus fed his Disciples on the seashore after Jesus instructed them to cast their nets on the right side of the boat and they caught 153 fish (John 21). We had our morning devotion there and sang one of Paul's favorite songs -- "You Have Come Down to the Lakeshore."
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Tabgha Mosaic

2010-01-20T13:39:00.001-05:00

Day 15 started out with a visit to Tabgha, the site that claims to be the place were Jesus fed the five thousand with five loaves of bread and two fish. (Mark 6: 30-46).
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Shawarmas at a local restaurant in Katzrin, in the Golan Heights

2010-01-20T13:14:00.001-05:00

Yum Yum!
Today we had shawarmas at a local restaurant in Katzrin, a city in the Golan Heights region in northwestern Israel not far from the border with Syria. Shawarmas are pitas stuffed with vegetables, hummus and roasted meat. They were much better than the ones I remember having in Saudi Arabia.
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Capernaum -- Sea of Galilee -- Mount of Beatitudes

2010-01-19T12:06:00.001-05:00

Today, Day 14, we left the tranquility of Kibbutz Ein Gedi and the Dead Sea and traveled north to Capernaum and the Sea of Galilee. As we traveled north out of the Judean wilderness, we noted a dramatic change in the terrain -- from desert dryness to the lush green surrounding the Galilean Sea. There are large fields of banana trees and even a dairy farm with Holsteins! We saw an ancient fishing boat at Ginosar, one much like those used during the time of Jesus, and then took a boat ride across the Sea of Galilee for lunch. We visited the place that is believed to be where Peter's mother-in-law lived and Jesus spent much of his time. We completed the day with a service of Holy Communion on the Mount of the Beatitudes.
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Schefflera.

2010-01-19T11:26:00.001-05:00

Not your everyday schefflera.
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Enjoying supper with Elizabeth and Emily in Ein Gedi

2010-01-18T16:04:00.002-05:00

Mom and Dad got enjoy supper with Elizabeth and Emily on there last night in Ein Gedi. We can't wait to have supper with the real E&E&G&A Sunday night!
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Ancient Synagogue at Ein Gedi

2010-01-18T15:54:00.002-05:00

Today was a free day and all activities were cancelled. I was on a mission to get a chance to see this famous synagogue I had heard about the afternoon before from our kibbutz tour guide, Daniela. She had said her husband Yudah could give us a special tour if we had time. So we went to the gift shop were she worked and she arranged for her husband Yudah to even come and pick us up. Dee and I and four other people got a special treat of getting to see this ancient synagogue from around 100 A.D. This synagogue has beautiful original mosaic tile floors. Yudah is also the palm date farm manager. Yudah and Daniela have raised 8 children living on the kibbutz.
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Washout in the desert

2010-01-18T15:21:00.001-05:00

Today, lucky day #13, was a washout in the desert. The local people said this was the biggest rain they had seen in 10 years. The rain fell all night and a good portion of the morning. A river quickly formed in a dry valley, carrying silt and mud into the Dead Sea. Waterfalls gushed from the mountains. All planned activities were cancelled and we were given another "free day."
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Bomb shelters in the kibbutz

2010-01-18T14:32:00.001-05:00

These odd looking structures were curiously placed around the housing area of the kibbutz. I asked our guide what they were and she said they were bomb shelters. She then added, but we have never had to use them, thank God!!!
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Tour of Ein Gedi Kibbutz

2010-01-17T14:40:00.001-05:00

Today, Day 11, E &E slept in just like Mom & Dad. Then they played around climbing palm trees and cactus. OUCH! Mom & Dad went back to the Dead Sea and floated in the water and got another mud bath while the girls just hung around. This afternoon we got a tour of the kibbutz where we are staying. A kibbutz is basically an Israeli commune where everyone lives and works together for the common good. There are 165 families that live and work here. This oasis in the desert is made possible by an Artesian well in the side of the mountain that has been used by people for over 5000 years but not continuously. The current benefactors of this well have only been here for 54 years. So any of trees you see are only about 50 years old. They have made the desert into a tropical paradise. The last two days have been a nice respite from the hectic schedule of our itinerary. Tomorrow we hit the road again. We are now on the home stretch and looking forward to being home again.
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Dead Sea

2010-01-16T13:37:00.002-05:00

Today was a day of rest and spiritual renewal. It is our 11th day of our journey. Today we went to the Dead Sea spa for a unique experience. We soaked in a hot sulfur springs pool, covered ourselves with soft, silky, mineral-rich Dead Sea mud, and floated weightless in the Dead Sea. It was a day of rejuvenation.
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Dead Sea Mineral Content

2010-01-16T13:23:00.002-05:00

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Qumran-- Dead Sea Scrolls

2010-01-16T10:22:00.001-05:00

Our final stop of Day 10 was at Qumran, where the Essenes dwelled. Dead Sea Scrolls were found in caves in the cliffs above the community. The have determined the room where the scrolls were written, the scribes room. They also determined which room wad the dining room because of all of the plates that were found in one room. They also found grave sites and among those buried there they found some female internments.
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Jericho

2010-01-15T15:19:00.001-05:00

The third stop on day#10 of 19 was in Jericho. This ancirnt has the oldest structure known to humankind (8000 B.C.) and the lowest below sea level (1300 ft.). This the city made famous by Joshua, you know the song you are singing it to yourself right now. This Oasis in desert made green by a large free flowing spring. This spring found in the building in the foreground with the red clay tiles.
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Israel Museum and the Shrine of the Book

2010-01-15T10:37:00.001-05:00

Our second stop on Day 10 was the Israel Museum and the Shrine of the Book. Here we looked at a 1:50 scale model of the Old City of Jerusalem at the time it was destroyed in 70 A.D. It helped to bring together all that we had seen over the past three days. Then at the Shrine of the Book, we learned about the Scroll of Isaiah from Qumran and the Essenes who interpreted the scroll and lived in a secluded community and believed that Armageddon was near.
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Yad Vashem

2010-01-15T06:40:00.001-05:00

Our first stop of Day 10 was the Yad Vashem, which means "hand name" and is a Jewish idiom for memory or remembrance. This Jewish Holocaust Museum is a memorial to the millions of Jewish people who were annihilated by the Nazis prior to and during World War II. It is a touching remembrance to the Jewish people. Thousands of artifacts donated by survivors of those horrible days. Especially touching was the memorial to the children in which the names of the hundreds of thousands of children who died are read. A quote depicted in the museum reads, "A country is not just what it does. It is also what it tolerates." -- Kurt Tucholsky, essayist of Jewish origin
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Bob Lang-Efrata/ Dr. Mitri Raheb-Christmas Lutheran Church in Bethlehem

2010-01-14T15:35:00.001-05:00

This morning (Day 9) we met with Bob Lang,the leader of the Jewish settlement of Efrata near Bethlehem and then Dr. Mitri Raheb, a Palestinian Lutheran pastor at the Christmas Lutheran Church in Bethlehem. Each of these men gave their opinion of the political and socio-economic status of Israel. We then visited the church of the Nativity which marks the Place where Jesus was born and the manger. We concluded our day at the Shepherd's Field, which is representative of the type of area the shepherds may have been when the angels appeared to herald the birth of our Savior.
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Via Dolorosa -- The Church of the Holy Sepulchre

2010-01-14T14:45:00.001-05:00

Our final tour for Day 8, saw us walking the Via Dolorosa, which traced the steps of Jesus from his trial to his tomb. We started near the Chapels of Condemnation and Flagellation, across from the Antonia Fortress where Pontius Pilate tried and condemned our Lord. We followed the winding narrow street and witnessed the stations of the Cross that marked events of his journey, such as him falling under the weight of the cross, to Golgotha where he was hung. The Church of the Holy Sepulchre now marks the spot where Jesus was hung,where He was laid after being taken down from the cross, and his tomb. Six chapels were built on this spot by different denominations, each laying claim to the tomb.
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Pool of Bethsada.jpg

2010-01-14T14:10:00.000-05:00

For our 5th and 6th stops of Day 8, we visited the Pool of Bethsada, where Jesus healed the sick man by the pool on the Sabbath and St. Anne's Church. St. Anne's is a church built by the Crusaders and is known for its awesome acoustics. We were blessed by some of our travel mates performing a solo and then a duet of Ave Maria. It was very touching.
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Olive tree at Garden of Gethsemsane.jpg

2010-01-13T14:40:00.000-05:00

Our 4th stop on Day #8 The Garden of Gethsemane the place Jesus prayed that this cup might be taken from him. The night in which he was betrayed.
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Pater Noster.jpg

2010-01-13T13:59:00.000-05:00

Stop #3 of Day 8 was at the Pater Noster (Our Father), the place where it is believed that Jesus taught the disciples how to pray. The Lord's Prayer is inscribed in around 165 different languages. This is the Norwegian version.
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Bethpage

2010-01-13T13:37:00.001-05:00

Our second stop for day #8 was the Sanctuary of Bethpage, which is in the village were the disciples got the donkey for Jesus to ride into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday. (Mt. 21: 1-11).
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Augusta Victoria Hospital -- The Mount of Olives

2010-01-13T13:21:00.001-05:00

Our first stop on day #8 was the Augusta Victoria Hospital on the top of the Mount of Olives. We heard the story told by Pastor Mark Brown of the struggle they have had in providing medical services to Palestinian people.
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Temple Mount-Western Wall-City of david

2010-01-12T14:59:00.001-05:00

Today is the 7th day of our journey and our first full day in Jerusalem. We started the day by ascending the Temple Mount, which is basically the same era that had been covered by Herod's temple but was destroyed in 70 A.D. Today the Temple Mount is occupied by two Muslim mosques, the black-domed el-Aksa and the golden domed mosque, the Dome of the Rock, which is Islam's third holiest site. We went to the City of David to see what is believed to be the foundations of his palace and visited the Western Wall, commonly known as the Wailing Wall. We then walked Hezekiah's Tunnel (2 Chron. 32:2-4, 30) and visited the Pool of Siloam, where Jesus healed the blind man (John 9:7). After lunch in the Armenian Quarter, we returned to the Dung Gate of the City to explore the excavations around the base of the Temple Mount which revealed the pathways which Jesus would have walked. We also trod on the same steps that Jesus taught from on the south wall of the Temple Mount. What an awesome experience it was to walk in the same place where Jesus walked and taught. We ended our day of learning with a short stop for shopping at the Mount of Olives Bazaar.
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Tima Park/Solomon's Mines

2010-01-11T10:50:00.001-05:00

Tima Park/Solomon's Mines home of ancient copper mines used by Egyptians and Middianites. There is an inscription from Ramses the III and a Middianite temple.
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Egypt/Israel border Gulf of Aqaba

2010-01-11T10:35:00.001-05:00

Leaving Egypt along the Gulf of Aqaba heading to the border of Egypt and Israel. Saladin's Castle in Gulf of Aqaba. Elizabeth & Emily after making the border crossing into Israel with Mom and Dad.
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St. Catherine's Monastery

2010-01-11T10:08:00.001-05:00

St. Catherine's Monastery home of Moses' well and the burning bush as claimed by the Greek Orthodox Church. Site dates back to the 4th century. It is home of the world's oldest Christian icons and some of the most ancient Old and New Testament manuscripts. At the base of Mt. Sinai.
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Mt. Hebron/Sinai

2010-01-10T11:43:00.001-05:00

Today we road camels two-thirds of the way up Mt. Hebron/Sinai walking the last 800 steps up the side the mountain on steep rocky &dusty steps. We saw the cave Moses was supposed to have stayed in when he received the ten commandments. There is a mosque built over the cave. There is also a Greek Orthodox Chapel on top of the mountain. We sat on top of the mountain and listened to the story of Elijah from 1Kings 18-19 where we like him were listening to hear the still small voice of God. It was an awesome view and day.
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Moses well in the Sinai

2010-01-09T11:34:00.001-05:00

Elizabeth and Emily @ Moses well in the Sinai (Mara) story in Exodus where Moses turned the bitter water into sweet water
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Feluca sailboat ride on the Nile

2010-01-09T11:28:00.001-05:00

Boat ride on the Nile on a feluca sailboat all sail no motor. Oldest Coptic church in Egypt.
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Sphinx Carpet School

2010-01-09T11:11:00.001-05:00

Sphinx Carpet School. A local gIrl learns the art of making hand-knotted silk rugs. The rugs are beautiful, but very expensive. A 3x6 silk rug costs about $6500 and takes about 6 months to make.
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Pyramids at Saqqara

2010-01-09T11:02:00.001-05:00

Pyramids @ Saqqara oldest pyramids in Egypt
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Elizabeth & Emily @ the Sphinx at Mephis

2010-01-09T10:45:00.001-05:00

Elizabeth & Emily @ the Sphinx
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Ramses II - Memphis

2010-01-09T10:41:00.001-05:00

Sphinx & statues of RamsesII in Memphis, Egypt
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Suspended Church

2010-01-08T15:33:00.001-05:00

We saw a church called the Suspended Church that claims it started by St. Mark and one that claims to be over the place Joseph, Mary and the baby Jesus lived after they fled to Egypt after Josheps' dream.
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Pyramids of Giza & Sphinx

2010-01-08T15:15:00.001-05:00

Today we saw the pyramids, the Sphinx, and camels.
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Pyramid Park Hotel

2010-01-08T14:48:00.001-05:00

When we arrived at our hotel in Cairo we found out that they were celebrating Christmas They use the Eastern Orthodox colander which celebrates Christmas on the 6th of January.
Merry Christmas Everyone!
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Airport in Cairo

2010-01-07T10:38:00.001-05:00

Airport in Cairo
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E&E @ JFK

2010-01-06T21:23:00.003-05:00

Live from New York its the E&E Show
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E&E @ BWI

2010-01-06T16:04:00.002-05:00

Flat E&E @ BWI Airport
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Saying good-bye at the light rail

2010-01-06T16:01:00.002-05:00

Thanks Mom and Aunt Susan we couldn't have done this with YOU!!! Love You
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Map and itinerary at St. Paul's

2010-01-06T15:57:00.001-05:00

Map and itinerary at St. Paul's
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Big E & E show off their Little E & E

2010-01-06T15:54:00.002-05:00

Elizabeth and Emily saying goodbye and sending a little bit of themselves with Mom and Dad
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Leaving St. Paul's for the Holy Land

2010-01-03T12:00:00.002-05:00

Last Sunday at St. Paul's before leave on our trip to the Holy Land.
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Departure Breifing

2009-12-31T12:53:00.001-05:00

I just had a delightful and enlightening conversation with Rafi Rone, the Deputy Director at the Baltimore Jewish Council(see link). He gave me some interesting insights on places, sights, and sounds we will see and hear on our trip to the Holy Land. Rafi gave me some brochures and maps to use on the trip and so St. Paul's to keep track of me. I believe it is always good to get as many perspectives as you can in order to gain a better understanding of the big picture. I truly appreciate Rafi taking the time to speak with me sharing his perspectives. I am thankful for the materials he gave me that will be beneficial along the journey as well as retelling the story of our experiences when we return. I look forward to eating a few shawarmas in Jerusalem so I can compare them to ones I had in Riyadh :-).

Details of our journey to Egypt and the Holy Land

2009-12-29T11:34:00.001-05:00

Vicar Paul & Dee’s Spiritual Journey

Just so that you don’t have to play the Where’s Waldo? or Where’s Vicar and Dee? game from January 6th to the 24th, I’ll tell you where we will be. Dee and I will be on a cross-cultural immersion experience and spiritual retreat in Egypt, Israel and Palestine. Early this past summer, the Virginia candidacy committee asked all of those who are in the candidacy process from the Virginia Synod (which I am) if we would like to take advantage of this opportunity. I immediately thought this was a great prospect, but then I thought about my wife and family and being away for 19 days. I asked Dee her thoughts and she expressed an interest in going as well. We pursued the idea by asking my mom if she would be interested in coming out and watching the girls. She said, “Yes,” and then my two sisters Susan and Amy also volunteered to come and help mom with the girls. I spoke with Pastor Huffman and Dr. Avery from the seminary and they supported and encouraged us in the decision to take the time to go on this journey.

I believe this will be a faith supporting experience and a time of strengthening my call, gifts for mission, and faith sharing. During the Lenten season I will share our experiences on this journey through the Holy Land. I will also be making daily updates on Facebook and a blog page that will be linked to the St. Paul’s web page so you can follow us on this journey. In those photos you will see pictures of two little people cut out of paper that will represent Elizabeth and Emily. I got this idea from one of my nieces who sent me a figure of herself cut out and folded and asked me to take a picture of the cutout with me when I lived in Virginia. We feel that this way the girls can picture themselves with us when they see their cutouts in pictures on the computer. I will be placing a map in the outdoor bulletin board that will trace our route so everyone will be able to see where we are on any given day.

We look forward to this great experience and are excited about sharing this experience with you when we return. Now everyone won’t have to wonder where the Vicar and Dee are!

The tour is entitled The People of Egypt and the Holy Land: Then and Now. It is a cross-cultural immersion and spiritual retreat in Israel, Palestine and Egypt. Our itinerary is as follows:

JANUARY 6-7, 2010 (Days 1 &2)
Depart USA and arrive in Cairo.The Egyptian Muesum: Exploring the wonders of biblical Egypt.
Overnight in Cairo

JANUARY 8, 2010 (Day 3)
The Pyramids, the Sphinx, Sakkara, Step Pyramid, Cairo synagogue, Felucca boat ride.
Overnight in Cairo.

JANUARY 9, 2010 (Day 4)
Sojourn to the mystical isolation of Mount Sinai and have evening of interaction with local Bedouins. Overnight at Mount Sinai

JANUARY 10, 2010 (Day 5)
Climb Mount Sinai and tour the fourth-century Greek Orthodox monastery of St. Catherine. Overnight at Mount Sinai.

JANUARY 11, 2010 (Day 6)
Cross border into Israel. Visit Timnah, or Solomon's Mines and overnight in Jerusalem.

JANUARY 12, 2010 (Day 7)
In Jerusalem: the Temple Mount, Western (Wailing) Wall, Temple Mount excavations; City of David, Warren's Shaft, walk Hezekiah's Tunnel, Pool of Siloam. Overnight in Jerusalem.

JANUARY 13, 2010 (Day 8)
Meet with Pastor Mark Brown, head of Lutheran World Federation, at Augusta Victoria Hospital; Bethpage, Pater Noster, Dominus Flevit, Garden of Gethsemane, Pool of Bethesda, Via Dolorosa, Church of the Holy Sepulcher. Overnight in Jerusalem.

JANUARY 14, 2010 (Day 9)
Meet with Bob Lang, leader of the Jewish settlement of Efrat; Bethlehem, talk with Dr. Mitri Raheb, Palestinian Lutheran pastor; Shepherds' Field. Overnight in Jerusalem.

JANUARY 15, 2010 (Day 10)

Yad Vashem, Shrine of the Book (Dead Sea Scrolls museum), Model City, Jericho, Qumran and overnight at Kibbutz Ein Gedi in the wilderness on the shore of the Dead Sea.

JANUARY 16, 2010 (Day 11)
Free day to enjoy the Sabbath and Dead Sea. Overnight at Kibbutz Ein Gedi.

JANUARY 17, 2010 (Day 12)
A day of solitude, reflection and private prayer where David, the prophets, John the Baptist and Jesus sought refuge and spiritual renewal. Late afternoon tour of the kibbutz. Overnight at Kibbutz Ein Gedi.

JANUARY 18, 2010 (Day 13)
Arad, Masada, Nakhal (wadi) David hike, Ein Gedi synagogue. Overnight at Kibbutz Ein Gedi.

JANUARY 19, 2010 (Day 14)
Capernaum, Ancient Boat, Sea of Galilee boat ride, Tabgha, Mount of Beatitudes communion, evening visit to Tiberias Hot Springs with local Israelis, both Jewish and Arab. Overnight in Tiberias.

JANUARY 20, 2010 (Day 15)
Gamla, Katzrin and its museum and afternoon of leisure at Tiberias Hot Springs. Overnight in Tiberias.

JANUARY 21, 2010 (Day 16)
Ancient Dan, Banias waterfall, hike to Caesarea Philippi, Druze villages, Kuneitra, UN Peace Keeping mission. Evening repose at Tiberias Hot Springs. Overnight in Tiberias.

JANUARY 22, 2010 (Day 17)
Sepphoris, Nazareth, Basilica of Annunciation, celebrate Erev Shabbat (the beginning of Sabbath) with locals. Overnight in Tiberias.

JANUARY 23, 2010 (Day 18)
Visit Archbishop Elias Chacour in Haifa, see Bahai Shine, Mount Carmel, Megiddo, Caesarea Maritime, Jaffa on the Mediterranean Sea for final dinner. Transfer to airport for departure to US.

JANUARY 24, 2010 (Day 19)
Arrival in USA exhausted and yet refreshed!
We look forward to our return and sharing this experience with everyone.

Blessings,
Vicar Paul & Dee

Advent Newsletter/Bulletin Article

2009-12-29T11:27:00.002-05:00

Advent -- the arrival of something important or awaited for. What does it mean for us today? Does it mean waiting for Jesus as an infant in swaddling clothes or waiting for him coming down riding in the clouds in triumphal return to restore everything to God’s original intention?

The theme of readings and teachings during Advent is preparation for the Second Coming while commemorating the First Coming of Christ at Christmas. I believe that in today’s society we have become numb to the meaning of Advent. We start seeing Christmas items in stores even before Halloween. The reality of this Holy Day (not holiday) is that Christ has already come once in the form of an infant. Advent calls us not to look at the Christ child but to look past that event and prepare ourselves for the Second Coming. Jesus warns us in stirring fashion about what it will be like on his return. From the gospel of Luke 17: 28-30, here is Jesus’ version: “Likewise, just as it was in the days of Lot: they were eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building, but on the day that Lot left Sodom, it rained fire and sulfur from heaven and destroyed all of them -- it will be like that on the day that the Son of Man is revealed.” This doesn’t sound like any Christmas scene we have ever imagined. It sounds more like a Sylvester Stallone or Arnold Schwarzenegger character than the baby Jesus lying in a manger while the cattle are lowing. What does this passage say to those of us who are living in the “already but not yet”? What does that mean? It means we know “already” the reality of Christ and his promises but we have “not yet” realized them fully until Christ’s Second Coming.

How many of us have seen the movie Talladega Nights? I believe we can learn a lesson from this movie by examining the mentality of the main character in the movie. Unfortunately, sometimes his actions don’t fall too far from our own. We have allowed our own priorities to be dictated by pressures from the media and society at large. The main character is the self-absorbed, boorish Ricky Bobby, who likes to pray to "the baby Jesus." This irreverent scene from the movie should be a wake-up call to all of us who call ourselves Christians. It may seem funny and cute, but I think it cuts to the quick about the ways in which we allow Jesus to be prevalent and relevant in our daily lives. It should cause us to think about who Christ really is to us. What kind of Jesus do we pray to? Do we only want the prosperity of Jesus to bless our worldly values, pursuits and lifestyles? Or do we, like Ricky, really prefer the baby Jesus because He makes no demands upon us?

We seem to treat the infant Jesus as if he’s just another baby full of hope and promise. The real baby Jesus has grown up and was crucified and has been raised. I know this may seem like a bah humbug attitude, but I believe it to be more a reality check on our priorities and values concerning who Christ is in our lives. A reality check during this Advent season that seeks to call our attention away from the bright lights and pretty wrapping paper to focus on the incarnation of Christ, God born in human form as the sole object of our attention. This season momentarily draws us to the manger, but in an instant comes under the shadow of the cross, revealing the greatest expression of love ever given to all of humankind.

My hope and prayer for this Advent season is that during all of our eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building, we would take a few moments and consider the wonderful blessings we have been given and share those blessings with those who are less fortunate than us but no lesser children of God than you and me. We should focus on thanking God for the gift of the baby Jesus some two thousand years ago and reflect on our “already but not yet” condition in which we live Jesus calls out to us to live out the Gospel by telling the Good News of God’s love for everyone. Blessings to all as we wait triumphantly for Jesus’ return, and as we celebrate God’s opening salvo, the First Coming of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ in a manger in Bethlehem.

Advent & Christmas Blessings,

Vicar Paul

October 2009 Bellringer Article

2009-12-29T11:26:00.002-05:00

Seasons

And God said, “Let there be lights in the dome of the sky to separate the day from the night; and let them be for signs and for seasons and for days and years, and let there be lights in the dome of the sky to give light upon the earth.” And it was so.

As the leaves begin to fall, our thoughts and attitudes toward the weather outside may begin to change. The leaves start to turn from green to all the beautiful shades of fall foliage, twirling and floating to the ground. Watching the leaves fall awakens our senses to another changing of the seasons. We put away the shorts and swimsuits meant for the beach and pull out the flannel and wool that are meant to keep us warm. Sometimes we feel gloomy as we think about those warm, sunny days while dealing with dreary skies and long dark nights. These signs of the season are not the end, only part of this on-going process of life. We want these seasons to be short or nonexistent, longing for warm and sunny days. We have to deal with the things we cannot change or alter, which is very difficult for us fixer-upper types who want to be able to make everything right. In a sense we are all like that. We don’t want things to change. But without these changes in the seasons we wouldn’t have the all the beautiful hues of all the autumn colors and hot apple cider on cool crisp nights.

Often, we have the same feelings about the seasons of the lives of our families and loved ones. We don’t want to see our family members and friends get sick or face life threatening illnesses. The hardest part is when they don’t recover and their season of life ends. The end of their season also ends the season of their physical presence in our lives. But just like the leaves on the tree change color and fall, they return to the ground from which they once drew nourishment now becoming nourishment for others. Even though their physical presence is gone their memories last from one season to the next. Those memories are absorbed and passed on by those who loved them just like the nutrients from the leaves return life sustaining nourishment to whatever soil they have touched.

As it says in Ecclesiastes 3: 1For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: 2a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted. These words may bring comfort at times but still we are left with the loss of a loved one and we who are left behind have to come to terms with that loss. We have to learn to trust in God’s love and grace, believing in the promises of God even when we walk through the valley of the shadow of death. We must find confidence in knowing that God never leaves us or forsakes us.

Seasons change and we are changed by the seasons of those lives who are both here and those who are gone. With each passing season, we grow and mature as we are fed and nurtured by the lives and memories of our loved ones along with the love and presence of God.

Paul, in the 8th chapter of his letter to the Romans, reassures us he is convinced (and we should be too) that neither death nor life, neither angels or demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. The challenge for us is to remember when the seasons seem long and cold making us feel far removed from God’s love, which God is there through all the seasons of our life. So enjoy and endure the seasons knowing that we are being seasoned by and being seasoning for others through all our life experiences and we are sustained perpetually by the love of God.

Seasons Greetings

Vicar Paul

First Bellringer Article

2009-12-29T11:22:00.000-05:00

My/Our Lutherville Sojourn

Your statutes have been my songs in the house of my sojourning.

Psalm119: 54

Here I am, once again moving to a new place and finding out once again that where I have been God has been right there ahead and alongside me with every step along the way. I, like Abraham, have been called by God to leave the home of my family, although mine was a farm back in Minnesota. And I have been wandering around this world in God’s grace ever since.

My confirmation pastor, Rev. Donald R. Olsen, told me when I was a senior in high school that I should go to seminary. But I had no interest in higher education and was fairly certain that I didn’t want to milk cows the rest of my life either, so I did the logical thing and joined the U.S. Air Force (USAF), thus running ran as far away from both as I could. I was stationed in Texas, New Hampshire, South Korea, Okinawa, Hawaii, Florida, and Saudi Arabia.

While in New Hampshire I became life long friends with Rev. Earl Werdelin. When I asked him about ministry, his advice to me was to fight the call until you couldn’t fight it anymore! I finally gave in about three years ago. When I told him of my new plans, he asked, “What took you so long?” You see, I had planned to make my career the USAF. But a drunk driver ended those plans when he rear-ended my truck and sent me to the hospital. I was medically discharged from the USAF and in time, changed “my plans” for my life. With every change, though, my life was centered on God and the church and it was truly the only place I ever felt at home.

After “my plans” ended “I” pursued a job with the National Park Service working in Virginia and Montana. After working for the Park Service for 10 years I was told if I wanted to get promoted I had to move. So I thought to myself if I have to move, what do I really want to do with my life? Do I want to continue working for the park service? Or was there something else calling me for another purpose? I started talking with my wife Dee about this idea of going to seminary and she supported the idea. We ended up going to a special “seminary weekend” at the Lutheran Theological Seminary in Gettysburg. From the moment we got to Seminary Ridge, it just felt like home and the place God was calling us to be. I mean “us” because this whole experience wouldn’t be possible without the love and support of my wife Dee and our two beautiful daughters Elizabeth and Emily.

Once again I find myself in a new and different place here in Lutherville trying to make my way leaning on God’s providence for guidance and strength. I eagerly anticipate the work that this year will bring, knowing there will be many challenges ahead and abundant opportunities for learning the in’s & out’s of church life, business and ministry. I hope and pray this sojourn with you will be a fruitful time for me personally as a vicar and for the life of this church, St. Paul’s Evangelical Lutheran. I look forward to meeting as many members of the church as I can and getting to know you one-to-one because the one thing I have become certain of in all of my travels is there is something to learn from everyone!

Saving the best for last our family would like to thank all those from our new church family who welcomed us by volunteering to help us move into and set up our new apartment. The unloading of the truck was a breeze with all the hands at work. We are grateful for all the food, the yummy treats from the Maryland basket and the scrumptious apple cake!

Thank you for the opportunity for us to sojourn with all of you for the next year as we abide in God’s presence doing the work we are called to do trusting in the power of the Holy Spirit to guide us and the grace of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ to keep us mindful that we are all children of the same Heavenly Father.

Blessings as we sojourn together,

Vicar Paul

Internship site St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church, Lutherville, MD

2009-12-29T10:30:00.003-05:00

This is my current stop on my faith journey. My sojurn/internship in historic Lutherville, MD at the cross roads of Melanchthon and Francke Avenues. The head and heart of Lutheranism Phillip and August.
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

My first mobile upload with

2009-12-28T22:00:00.001-05:00

My first mobile upload with my new Blackberry!