Sharing the peace everywhere

My 3-year-old nephew, Caleb, enjoys sharing the peace at his church. When his parents had to take him to the hospital after he hurt himself falling off the bed, the doctor shook his hand and said, “You are a good little gentleman.” Caleb was quick to reply, “And the peace of the Lord be with you.”

“I forget—do we hug?”

Good timing

We were just beginning our Ash Wednesday service when Pastor Gerald Nordsiek, Joyful Spirit Lutheran Church, New Port Richey, Fla., entered the sanctuary in his purple chausible. He walked up the aisle past a 2-year-old just as she opened up her storybook and said, “Look. It’s Barney.”


You asked ...

I’d forgotten my sunglasses for the Transfiguration Sunday children’s message and quickly borrowed a pair from one woman on my way forward. I told the children how Jesus was transformed before the disciples’ eyes—becoming so bright they had to wear sunglasses. Michael, a fifth-grader, observed: “Hey, Pastor, sunglasses should be bigger than your eye sockets ....” Indeed, yet I forged on, telling them Jesus was probably so bright the disciples might have needed what a welder would wear at work. I asked, “Anyone know a welder and what a welder wears when welding?” Michael again: “A Budweiser shirt.”

“In spite of the fact that you always volunteer to bring a main dish to the church supper,you may not claim the congregation as your dependents.”

Unfortunate text

Alpine Lutheran Church, Rockford, Ill., was sorry to see our beloved vicar, Kendra Wilde, finish her internship year and return to Wartburg Seminary, Dubuque, Iowa. On her last Sunday, a verse from the day’s Gospel text was printed on the bulletin cover. We hoped this verse wasn’t a reflection of her experience with us: “Woman, you are set free from your ailment.”

Dead tour turns lively

My wife and I were joining a group from our church to see the Dead Sea Scrolls exhibit. On the way, someone crashed into our car, causing a minor fender-bender and making us too late to join the group. Unable to reach anyone by cell phone I had to call the museum to try to get a message to them. When the security guard finally located them the message they received was: “Your pastor was in an accident ... and he’s not going to make it.”