Author Archives: joyocala

I’m back in Florida now. It fascinates me to observe the topography, development and weather differences between Vermont and Florida. They are two very different states in all those aspects.   This summer, the weather was very wet and not too … Continue reading →

When I go for my morning walk, I pass a building with an awning covering the sidewalk. Rain water pouring off the awning onto the concrete bellow has worn a shallow grove into the pavement. As the years go on, … Continue reading →

 The pomegranate is an unusual, but beautiful, fruit. Once the outer skin is peeled off, a mass of reddish gelatin encased seeds is revealed. Recently sales have gone up, because health food enthusiasts praise the pomegranate for its benefits; both … Continue reading →

The sci-fi geek in me comes out… We all remember the “first” or “original” Star Wars movie, whichcame out in 1977. It was actually Episode IV in the saga, but that’s neitherhere or there. We are introduced to Luke Skywalker, … Continue reading →

Today, October 9th, by proclamation of our president, we observe Indigenous Peoples’ Day.  We honor our Native Americans for their resilience and contributions to American society, despite the discrimination and genocide that spanned generations.  A major barrier facing Native peoples … Continue reading →

        Paul Tillich said, “The first duty of love is to listen.” Paul Johannes Tillich (August 20, 1886 – October 22, 1965) was a German American Christian existentialist philosopher, and Lutheran theologian who was widely regarded as one of the most influential theologians of the twentieth … Continue reading →

Having grown up a life-long Lutheran, I am very familiar with the desire for coffee at every Lutheran function.  We have it before church, after church, at every church meeting, during church cleaning, maintenance, etc. Some of my fellow Luther … Continue reading →

Today was the perfect definition of what a Northerner would wistfully call “Fall.” The cloudless sky was bright blue, the temperature was in the low 70’s, the breeze was light, and the leaves were changing color. The swamp maples are … Continue reading →

Back during Lent, Pastor Art gave a fine sermon on the story of Jesus and the Samaritan woman at the well (John 4:1-41). I became interested in an odd comment in the Gospel: “The woman left her water jar” (vs. … Continue reading →

Before moving to Ocala and joining Joy Lutheran Church, Paulette and I were members of Bethabara Moravian Church in Winston-Salem, NC.  There are many connections between Moravians and Lutherans, both historical and contemporary (the ELCA and the Moravians have agreed … Continue reading →