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Staff Trax

Clinging to Hope

Recently, children and youth from Salem and Overland Park Lutheran churches proclaimed the word through song, recounting the power and might of the God of Israel who answered the Prophet Elijah’s prayers with fire from above, consuming a water-soaked altar and the prophets of Ba’al.

Unfortunately for Elijah, upon hearing the news, Queen Jezebel vowed to kill God’s prophet. Fearful…

Hello, Salem Lutheran Church!

My name is Laura Higbee, and I am the new office administrator. I am a lifelong Kansan who currently lives in Lawrence. I am married to my wonderful husband, Sam, and we have two cats: Shalom Michael and Cyrus Daniel. Yes, we gave our cats middle names. We have been married for 10 years, together for 11. We are serious board gamers, so if you want to be bored to sleep, feel free to ask me about…

Empowering Our Youth

When I was a kid, my favorite Sunday school teachers and youth leaders were ones who listened. They asked us questions, encouraged us to talk about our thoughts and opinions, and had discussions instead of lectures. I remember crowding around a couch in the narthex during a youth hangout, feeling safe enough to talk about tough teenager issues, with our youth leader validating our feelings. This…

Savor the Summer

Believe it or not, we are in the last few weeks of the summer of 2024. On the calendar, we still have two months of summer. But for those of us with kids in school, school is right around the corner.

It seems school supplies, like most things, are put on store shelves earlier and earlier each year. I saw the shelves being filled at Walmart before the Fourth of July. I know it happens every…

Daily Friendship with God

No matter how seemingly small or insignificant our daily lives may be, the heart of a fulfilling relationship with God lies in our willingness to speak to Him as a friend. In the quiet moments, in the briefest of prayers, or even in a simple acknowledgment of His presence, we cultivate a bond that transcends the little things.

God doesn't measure our worth by the grandeur of our deeds, but…

Nostalgia is a Pipe Dream

Although I love history, I am beginning to learn that nostalgia is a pipe dream. When we select idealized memories to fit the current narrative of our lives, we risk oversimplifying the challenges, struggles, and complexities of the past.

Reflecting on the powerful lure of nostalgia, Brené Brown, professor, author, and podcaster, says that when we compare the “good old days” to today,…

Farewell, Salem!

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

With a heart filled with mixed emotions, I write this farewell message for my last Staff Trax as the nursery coordinator at Salem to express my deep gratitude and affection as I prepare to embark on my new chapter of my journey as I travel down to Manhattan, Kansas, to do what I love to do best, which is getting ready to teach and guide our youth of our…

A Risk of Faith

The Gospel for this Sunday (Mark 5:21-43) tells of two healings that Jesus performed on females. Besides having this in common, both the unnamed woman who had a hemorrhage and Jairus, father of the girl who was near death, risked a lot to come to ask Jesus for his healing touch. Jesus also risked a lot, by having contact with two people considered unclean by Jewish laws in the Old Testament.

God’s Love and Grace

In today's world, where we have distractions and challenges throughout our day, we find comfort in the knowing of God's love and grace, as Jesus reminds us in Matthew 10:24-39. Amid the noise and trials of modern life, God's love stands as an anchor, assuring us that He is always aware of our struggles and deeply values each one of us. His grace, freely given, is sufficient to sustain us through…

Your Kingdom Come

After reading this Sunday’s gospel lesson, I’ve been thinking about how many different ways we are growing God’s kingdom. In Mark 4, Jesus talks about scattering the tiniest mustard seed, which grows into a large plant and provides a home for others in its shade. I love that picture of sharing our faith for so many reasons: we may feel that it’s small, but we share it anyway. As we send…

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