September 13, 2009
Last week we worshipped together for the first time for the 2009/2010 academic year. It was a big group! The Lutherans on the Columbia campus are growing in number, and it’s definitely an exciting time for campus ministry. We filled three rows of chairs and there was even talk of running out of bread at communion. Before the service we had some tasty Thai food and socialized with the Episcopalians (a spicy beef dish was one delicious entree). After the service Pr. Nicole anointed our heads with oil to bless us in the year ahead. The oil smelled like rosemary or pine trees.
September 21, 2009
This week we worshipped and sang some great hymns together! And once again we were three rows strong. First though we met on the steps outside of St. Paul’s to chat and enjoy the cooler weather, drink some apple cider and gnosh on cookies and grapes. We heard about adventures in sky diving and discussed the various Columbia crowns. We even touched on where we saw God in our summers. The marjority seemed to say………..camp! The sermon focused on the first shall be last, and the last shall be first passage. We talked about it within the context of being a student at CU where people try so hard to be first. Pr. Nicole reminded us that God wants us to use our gifts in service to others though and she included a quote in the bulletin about the idea of being enough now. We closed with some talk in the chapel. As of last night we now have two Texans amongst us!
September 27, 2009
This Sunday we met in the back of the gorgeous Romanesque church, St. Paul’s, for conversation and goodies before the service. Emily Ballentine, our very talented pianist, started the service with a beautiful piece— a musical backdrop for some reflection and quiet before our opening prayer. It’s still Pentecost. Wow, what a long church season! Pr. Nicole preached about prophets amongst us….where and from whom do we hear God’s word in our lives?
November 15, 2009
Last night was h-u-g-e! Perhaps it was the homecooked chili and apple streudel that lured folks out to the basement of St. Paul’s? But there we were, sitting and chatting and eating at 730pm before the 830 pm service…Some kind souls from Advent Lutheran on 93rd and Broadway volunteered to make supper. The service itself was lovely, nice to sing Abide with Me, and have a crowd of singers offering up melodies. The prayers were done differently, there was time for people to interject their own prayer requests. Mark your calendars — we’ve got ourselves a mission trip to El Paso, Texas for spring break 2010.
November 22nd, 2009
This Sunday was Christ the King Sunday. Down in the basement conversation turned to favorite horror movies while we supped on quiche and salad. The hymns were classics, Praise to the Lord Almighty, The King of Love, My Shepherd Is, and Beautiful Savior. The sermon was interactive. We discussed whether we thought of Jesus as a king and, if not, how we imagined Jesus in our mind’s eye. Other answers were shepherd and baby. Point to ponder…… what does it mean that Jesus is our king?
January 31st, 2010
We’ve been back at school for two weeks now, but there were still plenty of stories to share as we ate dinner before the service. Pastor Schwalbe gave another interactive sermon inviting our thoughts on the well-known passage from 1 Corinthians 13:1-13, and we talked about the ways in which the passage has been misused as well as its uplifting reminder of what it truly means to love each other. How might we change our behavior simply by reading this passage each morning? How wonderful if we could all remember to love in a way that is truly “patient and kind,” that “rejoices with the truth,” and that “does not insist on its own way …”
Mr. Rogers on love…http://pbskids.org/rogers/songLyricsManyWays.html
February 14, 2010
We gave it our best shot, but today was probably not our most impressive Sunday with regards to singing. We stumbled through “Open the Eyes of My Heart” and “Shine, Jesus, Shine,” but luckily the last hymn, “How Good Lord to Be Here,” was nice and rhythmic, and we got it together at the end! Music aside, today was also special because it was Blake’s birthday. He turned 21, and we hope he really enjoyed his day!