Faith is a living, bold trust in God's grace, so certain of God's favor that it would risk death a thousand times trusting in it. Such confidence and knowledge of God's grace makes you happy, joyful and bold in your relationship to God and all creatures. The Holy Spirit makes this happen through faith. Because of it, you freely, willingly and joyfully do good to everyone, serve everyone, suffer all kinds of things, love and praise the God who has shown you such grace. - Martin Luther


Friday, October 30, 2009

Hate Free BoZone March & Rally

In response to recent white-supremacist activity by "The Creativity Movement" that has targeted the university community, local schools, and people of color, Bozeman United, a nonpartisan coalition of concerned citizens and organizations, will hold a march and rally THIS SUNDAY, November 1st. YOU ARE INVITED TO JOIN THE RALLY!!
Participants should assemble at 2:00pm at the corner of 8th and Cleveland (MSU campus) and will then march down 8th to Main Street for a rally at Willson School. You might consider parking downtown and then walking up to campus for the beginning of the rally.
Feel free to make signs or posters using the artwork above (designed by Brickhouse Creative - David Thompson, Abby McMillen, and Jessica Burch). And get the word out!

This is a great opportunity for those of us who follow Jesus to witness to the creation of ALL people in God's image.

Thursday, October 22, 2009

Reformation Sunday

Reformation Day is always October 31st (the day Luther nailed the 95 theses to the castle church door in Wittenberg in 1517). We CELEBRATE Reformation Sunday on the last Sunday of October every year, which is THIS Sunday, October 25th.
Remember to wear red to worship as we celebrate not only the beginning of the Reformation almost 500 years ago, but also the ongoing work of the Holy Spirit in the church today.

A thought for you, from volume 26 of Luther's Works:
Let us thank God, therefore, that we have been delivered from this monster of uncertainty and that now we can believe for a certainty that the Holy Spirit is crying and issuing that sigh too deep for words in our hearts. And this is our foundation: The Gospel commands us to look, not at our own good deeds or perfection, but at God himself as he promises, and at Christ himself the Mediator. [God] says: 'I am giving my own Son into death, so that by his blood he might redeem you from sin and death.' 'Here I cannot have any doubts unless I want to deny God altogether. And this is why our theology is certain: It snatches us away from ourselves ... so that we do not depend on our own strength, conscience, experience, person or works but depend ... on the promise and truth of God, which cannot deceive.'

Friday, October 9, 2009

Photos from the 2009 Cardboard Box City

First, it was COLD! I am very thankful to have a warm, dry and comfortable place to sleep each night.

Second, THANKS - to everyone who donated money to Family Promise and to the folks who came down to check out the Parade of Boxes. It was nice to see so many folks there.

Third, THANKS - to Susie Siemsen, who remembered her camera and took a bunch of fantastic pictures. Here's a sampling:

Friday, October 2, 2009

Sleeping in a Box

Tonight is the 3rd Annual Cardboard Box City to raise funds for Family Promise of Gallatin Valley. While it's too late to register and sleep in your own box in Bogert Park, it's not too late to do something about homelessness right here close to home.

Come and check out the Parade of Boxes from 7:00-8:00pm tonight at Bogert Park. Donate to Family Promise. Get trained as a Family Promise Volunteer (Paula Beehler, CtK's Family Promise Coordinator, will be at the Cardboard Box City and would LOVE to hear you want to volunteer). Learn about the causes of homelessness here in Bozeman and around the US and world. Pray for those who are homeless; and pray for those who serve them.

See you at the park!