Posts from Annie Saunders
Blessed to be a Blessing
God told Abraham that he was blessed to be a blessing. I imagine Abraham didn’t feel blessed when he couldn’t have children or when he had to leave the land to find food. Abraham’s great blessing was God coming through for him even when it was bad. As children of Abraham, God blesses us to […]
Posted on September 17, 2018 | Posted by Annie Saunders
My Hands
My hands are clumsy, they drop things a lot. My hands are cracked, they require a good lotion every morning and night. My hands are small, they have trouble carrying things (probably part of the reason why they’re clumsy). My hands are unmanicured, no pretty polish adorns them and chipped or uneven nails are commonplace. […]
Posted on September 13, 2018 | Posted by Annie Saunders
Dear Noah
Dear Noah, As you set foot on land, this feels like a new beginning for the both of us. So, it seems like a good moment to write. I have received your offering and heard your prayers and I’d like to address a couple of questions you’ve raised. Let’s get the easy one out of […]
Posted on September 10, 2018 | Posted by Annie Saunders
Martin Luther and the Vineyard
On this Labor Day weekend, Pastor Dan reads an abridged and translated sermon by Martin Luther on the workers in the vineyard parable (Matthew 20: 1-16), “As God’s people, we don’t judge by outward things, social standing, material blessings–none of us can boast before the Lord. Rather, we regard the goodness of our Lord and […]
Posted on September 3, 2018 | Posted by Annie Saunders
Justice, Mercy, and Life
When we come to the end of this book, we do not find a God who wields the scales of justice better than we. We do not find a God who is a harsh judge, nor a perpetual pushover. Rather, we find a God in love with this world. Even Nineveh. A God who is committed, in the end, […]
Posted on August 27, 2018 | Posted by Annie Saunders
Grace for You AND Them
Thankfully, God persisted with Jonah and he came around to speaking to Nineveh. Surprisingly, the great evil enemy of God’s people listened and repented. And God relented on the punishment. There are so many stories of God punishing people from the Egyptians, the Philistines, and even to his own people. But in this story we […]
Posted on August 20, 2018 | Posted by Annie Saunders
An Alternative to Drowning
At the end of those three days, the great fish vomited up a man on the shores of the sea. But it was not the same man that the fish swallowed. The man the fish swallowed was defeated. The man the fish swallowed had no hope. The man the fish swallowed knew of God’s power, […]
Posted on August 13, 2018 | Posted by Annie Saunders
God’s Calling–Jonah 1
“We are beginning a series on the book of Jonah. In the first chapter, we read how because of his resistance to God’s call, Jonah fled in the opposite direction. God caused a storm to stop his getaway boat. To stop the boat from sinking the crew ended up throwing him overboard. This reminds me […]
Posted on August 6, 2018 | Posted by Annie Saunders
Blessing of the Backpacks 2018
On August 12th, Ascension will be participating in our annual school supply drive, Blessing of the Backpacks. Deacon Mary Stoneback, director of faith formation, describes this event best, “It’s a time for the community to come together and bless the students, teachers, administrators and families going back to school and commemorate the beginning of a […]
Posted on August 2, 2018 | Posted by Annie Saunders
God’s Love Comes First
A month or so ago Kristen and I went to see the movie about Mr. Rogers. It was really good. It was moving and funny. And I learned a lot, too. For example, did you know that Rogers’ first name is Fred! Growing up I always assumed it was Mister, or that he didn’t have a first name at all. […]
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