Voices of Faith Blog

Explore what it means to grow as the Body of Christ during the season after Pentecost. Pastor Kristin reflects on faith, worship, service, and community, encouraging believers to use their unique gifts to strengthen the church and serve God’s mission in Brighton and beyond.

Discover how seasons of church transition can become opportunities for renewal, growth, and shared ministry. Drawing from the book of Acts, Craig Johnson explores how faith, fellowship, volunteer service, and Christ-centered leadership can strengthen a congregation and build a thriving church community together.

As Pentecost approaches, this reflection invites us to celebrate the gift of the Holy Spirit and the birth of the Church. It reminds believers that each person is equipped with spiritual gifts to serve, lead, and share the gospel. In a season of transition, Pentecost calls the church to step out in faith, trust the Spirit’s guidance, and embrace new ways of living out Christ’s mission.

Exploring family ancestry reveals a living faith passed through generations, from immigrant roots and diverse traditions to today’s journey through Lent and Easter hope. Reflecting on Hebrews 12, we are reminded that we are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses and called to carry forward a faith shaped by grace, memory, and resurrection promise.

As Michigan shifts from winter to spring, we’re reminded that God is present in every season. From icy sidewalks to blooming hope, creation reflects His faithfulness. Easter proclaims the ultimate promise fulfilled: Christ is risen, and new life is always near for every heart.

At 86, Craig Johnson reflects with humor on aches, aging, and asking God why he’s still here. While the world equates slowing down with uselessness, Scripture points to Abraham, Moses, Simeon, and Anna as proof that God calls people in every season. Rooted in grace, not strength, our vocation continues - sometimes simply by praying, encouraging, and bearing faithful witness.

February is a month of love, but true devotion to God goes beyond rituals. “Have a Heart” explores how sincere love enables faithful stewardship, generosity, and service, rooted in Scripture (Deuteronomy 6:5, Isaiah 29:13, Ezekiel 36:26-27), and inspired by Jesus as the perfect example.

Entering a New Season reflects on faith, transition, and hope at Lord of Life Lutheran Church as the congregation welcomes an interim pastor. Grounded in Scripture, the article invites the community to embrace this season of change as a time for reflection, growth, and listening for where God is leading next. It also encourages members to connect, share their thoughts, and walk together in trust, knowing that God remains constant through every season of ministry.

A reflection on loss, prayer, and God’s attentive grace, reminding us that nothing we bring before God, great or small, is beyond God’s care.

Interim Pastor Kristin Vander Ploeg introduces herself to the Lord of Life community. With 15 years of experience in the ELCA, including a distinguished 20-year career as an Air Force chaplain, she shares her personal journey of faith and service. Pastor Kristin expresses her excitement to journey with the congregation during this transitional season and looks forward to meeting everyone.

A message for our Lord of Life Lutheran Church brothers and sisters in Christ. Image Source: Pinecrest. My wife Kathy and I have been around a few years, more than a few, really. My career caused many transfers both in state and across state lines. From our 1964 wedding day in an ALC congregation in Lombard, Illinois, we began our family ‘s nomadic life. We belonged to two congregations in the Chicago area, three different churches in Michigan, one in Iowa, and two in Pennsyl

As Advent begins, we reflect on the four weeks of hope, peace, joy, and love that prepare our hearts for Christmas. This article explores the meaning of Advent, the Gospel of Luke, the joy of waiting, and a heartfelt farewell after 26½ years of ministry.

Over the past twelve weeks, I’ve had the privilege of co-leading an in-depth Bible study on the Book of Acts at the Presbyterian Church in Milford. As we studied the remarkable growth of the early church, one chapter in particular that stood out to me was Acts 15. It’s a remarkable story about conflict, compromise, and ultimately, Christian unity. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgive each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. Ephesians 4:32 In Acts 15, the ea

Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not yet seen. (Hebrews 11:1) Greetings in Christ! This month we celebrate Thanksgiving, a day we set aside to give God thanks for our many blessings. Thanksgiving Day is a day of reflection, family gatherings, food and fellowship. Thanksgiving in America began back in 1620, when a group of brave men and women ventured across the Atlantic Ocean in search of a better life. The voyage to America took two months a

On Saturday, October 25th, our church family came together in partnership with Kids Against Hunger for an incredible morning of service, compassion, and community! A team of over 50 dedicated volunteers helped to fight hunger and bring hope to families in need. Together, we packaged over 10,239 meals — each meal providing nourishment for a family of four. That means more than 40,000 servings of food going to children and families both around the world and right here in our l

As stewards, we are the recipients and caretakers of God’s goodness, love, mercy, and grace. Stewards are managers of God’s creation. We acknowledge God as the owner; therefore, we are to act not as owners but as managers because our lives and resources are simply on loan from Him. The book of Daniel gives an account of a man who failed to recognize God as Creator and provider and exalted himself. King Nebuchadnezzar, walking on the roof of “his” royal palace, surveying “his”

October is a beautiful month in so many ways. The air grows crisp, the trees paint the landscape with fiery colors, and the rhythms of fall bring both reflection and anticipation. But for me, October also carries a spiritual highlight, Reformation Sunday. Each year, it stirs my heart with gratitude and hope, reminding me why this day matters so deeply. Reformation Sunday is not simply a history lesson about Martin Luther nailing 95 theses to a church door in 1517. It’s not ju

“And day by day the Lord added to their number all who were being saved” (Acts 2:47). The changing of the seasons is one of God’s blessings to us. Each season serves as a guidepost on life’s journey. Perhaps it’s God’s gentle way of reminding us of passing time. We have just four Sundays remaining in the season of Pentecost, the longest season of the church year. Pentecost contains Jesus’ teachings about discipleship and what it means to follow him. Along our journey we learn

Donation Drive a Success — Thank You! We are thrilled to share that Lord of Life’s donation drive for Cristo Rey Community Center in Lansing was a great success! Thanks to your incredible generosity, we were able to collect and deliver a wide variety of much-needed items including clothing, household goods, and hygiene products. The donations have been successfully dropped off, and the team at Cristo Rey was deeply appreciative. Your contributions are already making a differe

Martin Luther, the author of the Reformation which we celebrate the end of October, wrote, “A Christian is a perfectly free lord of all, subject to none. A Christian is a perfectly dutiful servant of all, subject to all.” Perhaps those two sentences appear at first to be contradictory. What Luther was trying to help us understand is that we, as Christians, are called to freedom from an obligation to serve, but that we are called to the freedom to serve joyfully. This call to