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The Cactus & The Cross Blog


Happy Christmas! Now What?
This past October I was privileged to sit through a workshop lead by our very own Pastor Lowell Nelson, a member of St. John’s, who was...


Pressing Reset
Have you ever had your phone working but not quite right, dropping calls and apps suddenly closing? Sometimes the best thing is to reset...


Waiting: An Advent Reflection
At my seminary graduation I felt like an all-star. As I looked back at the growth I experienced thinking of my first seminary class being...


Pro-Peace means Pro-People (and taking criticism)
Advent and Christmas are natural times to talk about peace. Jesus is, after all, the Prince of Peace (Isa 9:6)! At his birth, the angels...


What Does It Mean Exactly to Proclaim, Celebrate, & Serve?
Picture this friends, You are in Frys wearing your yellow “God’s Work, Our Hands” t-shirt and you see a fellow shopper reading your...


Come, Prince of Peace!
It’s mid-October as I am imagining myself forward in the future to November and what may be on your hearts and minds in November with All...


Why Church?
Fewer and fewer people in the U.S. are participating in Churches. What can we do? More on that in a minute. The 16th century Reformation...


Who Let the Dog In?
While attending this summer’s ELCA Rostered Ministers Gathering here in Phoenix, I was met by a group of hounds hanging out at the ELCA...


Growing Leaders
Leaders aren’t born, they’re grown. Yes, there are some people who seem to have native leadership skills, but I think it only looks that...


God's Work. Our Hands. Every Day.
You may have seen St. John's members wearing bright yellow shirts around campus that say "God's work. Our Hands." at worship, at the West...
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