This is Nurse’s Appreciation Week.  The pandemic has landed upon those skilled, educated, and compassionate people who have answered the vocational call to become nurses. New Spirit, and before us, Spanish Trail Lutheran, have had a great number of nurses among our community of faith.  Some serve(d) in Tucson hospitals and clinics.  Some served as

Gov. Ducey announced April 29th that “shelter-in-place order” will continue in Arizona until the end of May.  While numbers seem to be improving, the virus is still active and deadly. That being said, the Bishop’s Office has instructed congregations in the Grand Canyon Synod to not meet in person until the end of May.  We

We are quickly approaching the end of April! We are living in the midst of this unprecedented virus pandemic, and dealing with life masked, distanced, and in so many ways, alone. I am learning a lot, but not fast enough, about streaming worship on-line, but it is painfully clear I don’t understand enough for it

Holy Week and Easter were unique, weren’t they? Many of you gathered around computer screens and/or smart-TV screens to follow the journey of Jesus. Our celebration of the Resurrection was quiet but the promise of New Life resounded loudly! “When are we going to have Communion again?” We believe and teach that the Lord’s Supper

On this Monday in Holy Week, I welcome you from my home. I, like all Arizonans have been ordered to shelter in place. It is a bit inconvenient, but by no means impossible. I want to thank you, the members of New Spirit, for your reaching out to one another. I understand many of you

Holy Week is the full-drama of the fulfillment of Jesus’ ministry. It is filled with familiar scenes, and the intrigue of the plot to kill him. Since we are not able to come together to “hear” the Word, I encourage each of you to “read aloud” the Word every day in the coming week. Reading

It is hard to believe that this coming week is Holy Week. I wonder how we will refer to Holy Week 2020 in the future. Easter 1999 was the “Easter that it snowed.” This will be “the Easter nobody came to church.” That being said, I want to strongly encourage you to make your Holy

If you are following the instructions of Govenor Ducey, you and your family are prepared to “shelter in place” or stay at home. As many of you know, I am a “both/and” kind of guy. I’ve never really understood the “either/or” approach to life because there are too many variables. I am “both/and” when it

Reminder, we will be streaming live on Sunday, March 29th, at 10:00 a.m. on Facebook Live. You’ll need to go to “New Spirit” on Facebook, to access the live feed.  The 5th Sunday in Lent is one of my favorites!  Great readings, challenging images, and lay all of that over the world in which we