Voices of Faith Blog

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

OUR Mission in Acts 1:8 You shall be My witness to the remotest part of the earth - Acts 1:8 Well, at six thirty in our household it has been and most likely will always be Jeopardy time. Now we have been rather good church attenders and both my wife, Kathy, and I have taught Christian education over the years. So, when host Ken Jennings asked, “Where can the great commission be found in the New Testament outside of the Gospel?” without hesitation both of us start shouting. O

Welcome back to fall and the start of our new church year! We are thrilled to begin another season of worship and learning together. Our Sunday school classes will resume for all ages, from 3 to grade 12, including adult Sunday school. As we reflect on the wonderful events of this past summer, let's carry that enthusiasm and joy into our fall activities. We are excited to announce that our theme for this season is "Aloha." This Hawaiian greeting emphasizes adventure and exper

At Lord of Life Church, we believe that serving others is one of the clearest ways to reflect the love of Jesus Christ. On Day of Caring 2025 in Livingston County, we had the opportunity to put our faith into action—our Lord of Life youth group team worked together to meet the practical needs of a local homeowner and share Christ’s compassion in tangible ways. Lord of Life Church Youth Group with Homeowner at Day of Caring 2025 Guided by Colossians 3:23— "Whatever you do, wo

During Jesus’ last three years on earth, He spent much time nourishing and teaching His disciples. Only when they were prepared to go out into the world to preach, teach, and heal did He send them. Leaving without provisions, the disciples were totally dependent upon those whom the Lord would send them for their support. The disciples relied upon the power of the Gospel to move the hearts of their listeners who would willingly provide for their needs. They were to travel ligh

Reflection on the 23rd Psalm with Some AI Insight For most of my eighty-five years I have found great comfort in one of the most beloved passages in all of Scripture, the 23rd Psalm. Its words have guided me, grounded me, and reminded me of the steadfast presence of God through every season of my life. I first came to love this Psalm while in high school and later during my many years of involvement in the Scouting movement, including my role as a God and Country merit badge

Perspective is defined in Webster’s Dictionary as a method of subjective evaluation. In layman’s terms we might describe the meaning of perspective as the way we look at things. For example, is the glass half empty of half full? Both answers of the glass question are correct but one (half full) emphasizes the positive, while the other (half empty) emphasizes the negative. Perspective, or the way we look at things, really does matter. As a Christian and as a pastor I have come