(First published 9 years ago. Lightly edited for today.) We were eating supper with Nancy’s parents. It was the eve of their 60th wedding anniversary, nine years ago. The three of them (Tom, Marion, and Nancy) were talking of places they’ve lived, people they’ve known, farms that have grown (and some that have gone). (Two […]

Peter was glad to use his boat to help Jesus. Until everyone had to go to work. And Jesus finished his more talk. Peter got ready to go to shore, to go to bed. And then Jesus said, “Let’s go out to the deep water, and you can put your clean and folded nets back […]

Simon was a successful businessman. He owned a boat, he owned nets. He caught fish and sold them and supported a family. His mother-in-law lived with him, his father isn’t mentioned anywhere. So although he was likely young when we first hear about him, he was experienced. He had a few conversations with Jesus as […]

God. Isaiah wrote your words in a scroll, more than almost anyone else in the Old Testament.  and those words are quoted throughout the New Testament. Paul wrote your words in letters that we still read, over and over. His letters shape much of our thinking about what church could be. Peter wrote some more […]