Staff Trax

Last Monday was Presidents’ Day. A lot of people consider it just another day off of school during conferences or a weekend of big sales, but there is more to it than that.

What do you think of when you think of Presidents’ Day? I always thought it was celebrated somewhere between Abraham Lincoln’s birthday (Feb. 12, 1809) and George Washington’s birthday (Feb. 22, 1732) to commemorate…

The Gospel reading this Sunday is known as the Beatitudes. It contains the words of Jesus when he was speaking to the disciples at the Sermon on the Mount. Jesus gives a list of those who are blessed in the eyes of God.

This could be seen as inspirational. The disciples had not done much public ministry before hearing the Beatitudes. They had made the huge decision to drop everything and…

When preparing materials for worship each week, I have a chance to read the Psalm, First Reading, and Gospel text multiple times. This week’s Gospel text is the Baptism of Our Lord, and it seems the Psalm and First Reading both tell of what is to come in the Gospel.

The Psalm this week speaks of hearing the voice of the Lord over waters. “The voice of the LORD is over the waters; the…

It can be difficult to trust in God, especially when things don’t make sense or go against what society tells you is right.

This week’s Gospel Reading is Matthew’s account of Jesus’ birth, focusing more on Joseph. It describes Joseph’s character, saying he planned to wed and divorce Mary because she was pregnant before their marriage. Joseph assumes that because Mary is pregnant…

We are a couple of days away from celebrating Thanksgiving. I am sure you know that it commemorates the first harvest feast shared by the colonists (pilgrims) and Native Americans in 1621. But did you know it was not an official holiday until 1863?

After the 1621 harvest feast, other thanksgivings were held sporadically by individual colonies and states. President George Washington issued…

If you look at the Weekly Announcements page on our website, you can see there is a lot going on this Sunday at church — the end of Daylight Savings Time, All Saints Sunday, noisy offering, Commitment Sunday, and the Commitment Sunday brunch.

Daylight Savings Time ends this Sunday, Nov. 2 at 2:00…

While this coming Monday is the federal holiday known as Columbus Day (also known as Indigenous Peoples’ Day in some states), did you know that the state of Kansas celebrates neither? While it is a federal holiday, it is not a paid holiday for state workers, nor is it a day off of school.

According to

In this Sunday’s Gospel reading, Jesus tells the parable of the shrewd manager. When the employer hears that the manager was “squandering his property,” he calls him and says, “What is this that I hear about you? Give me an accounting of your management because you cannot be my manager any longer.” (Luke 16:2)

The dishonest manager is concerned that his boss is going to fire him.…

It’s a little quieter in our house these days. Even though I hardly saw my daughter — between school, work, dance, church leadership, youth group, and school clubs — her absence is still felt after bringing her to college last week. I really didn’t see her much the last few years, but I feel her absence every day now.

I no longer need her work schedule each week to know when she…

I am not looking forward to what will happen in a couple of weeks. It is not just the long drive, though I am dreading that. It is what happens at the end of our journey. My family of four will be driving two cars across the state of Kansas and some of Colorado. When it is over, only one car and three of us will return to Olathe.

If you haven’t guessed it, we are taking my daughter to…