Trip Pr. Taran's Sabbatical
The focus of my sabbatical studies will be exploring how Scripture’s story can/does shape, influence, sustain, and grace us in historic moments. To give context: I was ordained on October 31st, 2020. My first weeks as a pastor were during the once in a hundred-year pandemic. There was a raid on the nation’s capital which hadn’t happened in two-hundred years. Racial injustice, tensions, and protests had risen to levels not seen since the 1960’s. And to boot, there was a dividing election grabbing everyone’s attention. At this intersection, I stood as a young preacher wondering why God had called me into the ministry “at just such a time as this.” [Es 4: 14] Of course, I am not the first preacher to stand at such an intersection. Two preachers of interest to me are the Apostle Paul and Martin Luther. Both held Scripture’s story in high regard and preached that old, old story, to navigate their present moment. I hope to study how they preached and taught so that I may be shaped in telling the old, old story for today.
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From Paris to Rome – We made it Home
We made it home last night. What an amazing month of adventures in Europe! I missed blogging between our last change of city. We spent a quick couple of nights in Munich before packing a lot into our time in…
Rothenburg and Family Roots
Our latest stay has been in the idyllic town of Rothenburg ob der Tauber. We stayed in a hotel that is more than 700 years old. Just through the lobby was a rose garden where we could duck out of…
Erfurt, Eisleben, Eisenach
How do you keep track of which important Luther “E” city is which?!? I genuinely messed them up in my planning several times. And we almost drove to the wrong “E” city when plugging things into my phone’s GPS. Now…
Alles gut aus Berlin (All good from Berlin)
I’m a day behind (we arrived in Erfurt yesterday), but we’ve had a fun filled entry into Germany. The Lenzs and the Spokane Dennings train-ed and airplane-d from Italy up to Berlin, Germany. One delay on the tarmac later (and…
Required Rest and Renewal
Something I’ve learned and confirmed while on sabbatical is that I have a hard time sitting still. I get stir crazy. I feel as if I’m only as productive as whatever I’ve gotten checked off the list. For those of…
Ciao Rome
We have wrapped up our time in the Holy City, Rome. The heat was sweltering. We took daily naps in our cool hotel during the warmest parts of the day. Even with built in rest, we saw so much over…
The Gift of Hospitality
We made it! After a flight to Minneapolis and then a 9 ish hour flight across the pond, we arrived in Rome! The girls did GREAT! Having grandparents on board taking turns on who was being napped upon, was extremely…
The Worlds of the Story
I’m not sure who originated the concept, but there are always three worlds/peoples interacting when reading Scripture: The world in front of the text – That’s you and I as readers and listeners The world of the text – Which…
Who has shaped your story?
“I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that lived first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, lives in you.” – 2 Timothy 1: 5 When we read or hear Scripture’s story,…
Narrative – Living Story
Narrative is one of the most impactful ways to tell a story. Think back on your favorite stories. Whether it’s a personal memory, a piece of fiction or non-fiction, a movie, a book, or a television series, narrative is the…
Preparing for Pilgrimage – Stepping into the Story
For centuries, pilgrimages were understood as acts of devotion that merited holiness. Sites such as the scala sancta (holy staircase) were believed to carry the power of sanctification. According to tradition, these were the steps Christ climbed on his way…