Zoar

Yesterday morning, 23 of us from Zoar participated in Canby's annual Fourth of July parade. It was fun tossing candy, handing out flyers for Vacation Bible School, and greeting our friends and neighbors. We were grateful for cool weather, surprised by the larger-than-usual crowd, and encouraged by the words of community members who expressed gratitude he ministry Zoar's people do in Christ's name. Overall, it was a good morning, and yet for many of us, there was an uneasy fee

I want to begin this sermon by saying "happy heavenly birthday" to my sister, Sandy. Sadly, Sandy passed away from complications related to Parkinson's Disease on December 30th My sister was born almost a generation before me and would've been 81 years old today. She married young - at age 19 - so, I don't remember her ever being at home when I was a young child. In fact, her son, my nephew, Sean, is actually closer in age to me, since he's only four years younger than I am!.

From Bishop Laurie Larson Caesar: Saints of Oregon and Siblings in Christ, Nearly two years ago, the congregation at Bethany Lutheran Church in NE Portland reflected on the sacred history of their congregation as they prepared to leave it. Their ministry in Christ had served thousands of members, neighbors, and friends through more than one hundred years of life and faith. By the end of 2024, the congregation voted to close and gift their property to the Oregon Synod. In turn

Today's gospel holds a few oft-quoted and difficult nuggets. This text is a continuation of last week’s gospel when Jesus commissions the twelve to go out and "proclaim the good news ... Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons" (Matt. 10:7-8). Oh, and don’t take any money or provisions with you and you’ll be walking into really hard places but it's ok because the Spirit is with you each step along the way. In today>s reading, Jesus continues paintin

Canby Pride held its sixth annual event on June 14 at Wait Park in Canby. This year's theme was "Many Stories, One Community." (CLICK HERE for the Canby Herald article.) For the past 5 years, Zoar Lutheran Church has been a sponsor, supplying both financial support and having a booth with LGBTQ+ Christian swag and family-oriented craft projects. This year, besides the ever-popular rock painting, we had a Tree of Life where messages of joy, hope, wishes, and prayers could be a

Well, it's graduation time, isn't it? Who here has been to a graduation or a promotion or a moving up day recently? (Show of hands) This time of year can be a knotted ball of sorrow for leaving the past behind, nostalgia for the ways things were, anticipation of futures mapped out but not yet trod, relief for just getting past the finish line or regret for not quite making it there. It's a complicated time, this graduation season that we're in. And as I read today's gospel, I

Zoar continues its decades long tradition of offering Vacation Bible School (VBS) for the children of Canby. The 2026 theme is "Road Trip - On the Go with God" centered on Joshua 1:9: The Lord your God is with you wherever you go. VBS begins every morning at 9 am with an opening assembly with songs, skits and Bible stories, followed by a morning of crafts, science, music and snacks. A closing assembly brings the day to a close at noon. VBS is open to all children from potty-t

One day last week, I was driving through Barlow on my way to an appointment. I was almost at the stoplight at the intersection of Highway 99 when suddenly the bells began to clang and the railroad crossing bars came down. I rolled my eyes and sighed - as one does! - and thought to myself, "If only I'd been five minutes earlier! Grr..." Then I settled back in my seat to wait, hoping it wouldn't be a long train. Since I was right up front at the crossbars, I had a perfect view

Saturday, June 13, 2026, 1pm at Zoar Lutheran Church, Canby, OR The service is available to view on our YouTube channel: CLICK HERE Luverne Alan Jacobson July 7, 1937-March 22, 2026 The Reverend Luverne A. Jacobson (Pastor Jake), beloved husband, father, grandfather, brother, pastor and friend, died peacefully at home March 22, 2026. Jake was born July 7, 1937, in Faribault, Minnesota, the son of Loyal Jacobson and Alma (Hostager) Jacobson. He was raised on a farm in Kenyon

Presiding Bishop Yehiel Curry has issued his first in a series of monthly messages that will continue through the end of this year under the title "All Together in One Place." Each message will share a pastoral word, rooted in Scripture, that witnesses to God’s presence today, our rich theological tradition and the social teaching that connects us. Read the full message through THIS LINK. These are posted on the ELCA Facebook page and reposted on the Zoar Lutheran Facebook pa

The garden is growing! On May 17th, Zoar’s confirmands and congregants shoveled dirt, planted, and watered to install a small community garden of four raised beds in the gravel parking lot. To best serve the Tuesday Night Community Dinner Ministry, we planted salad ingredients. If you’d like to help care for the garden, there is a watering sign-up sheet on the bulletin board across from the office. Thank you to everyone who made the garden possible, beautiful, and so much fun

Chances are, if you and I live long enough, we may end up having a mystical experience - a Holy Spirit encounter - that we can't explain. It might come in the form of a vision or dream. It might come as a voice that seems to speak from somewhere deep within us...or from somewhere far beyond us. Over the years, I've heard a number of people tell of such experiences, and some have even said that their experience included an acute sense of smell or a profound sensation of touch.

A very wise woman recently reminded me that saying goodbye is hard. And I think today's readings reflect this. In the first reading from Acts, the apostles say goodbye to Jesus as he ascends into heaven. And in the gospel, Jesus says goodbye to his apostles through prayer. Last summer, I said goodbye to my dear friend, Inger. I met Inger when she was well into her nineties. A very perceptive pastor matched us for lay visitation and we became fast friends. I visited her most W

I know I’ve said this before, but I feel like it bears repeating: I don’t give nearly as much time and attention to the news media as I once did. I just can’t. And based on a number of conversations I’ve had recently, I think many of you resonate with that…. So, these days I dip into the news just enough to stay informed because it’s important to be aware of what’s happening in our community and in our world – in all the places where you and I live and work and play. One

On Monday, May 4th, staff from Clackamas County Department of Human Services joined with members of the Zoar Sewing Circle for a potluck lunch at the church. This semiannual event is an opportunity for staff to pick up the quilts and other items donated by the Sewing Circle and share stories about how these items impact women and children who are experiencing a variety of traumatic life experiences. The quilts are especially comforting for children in frightening or unfamilia

The Evangelical Leadership Team is hosting a Zoar Movie Day featuring "The Wild Robot" on Sunday, May 31st right after the Worship service. Food - including a sandwich bar and traditional movie snacks - will be provided. Feel free to invite your friends to join us! We have created a Facebook Event you can share to help spread the word or simply forward this blog post. Zoar Movie Day - The Wild Robot

A couple of weeks ago, I had the honor of attending a bat mitzvah for a dear friend's daughter. I always enjoy going to synagogue services even though I don't speak or understand a lick of Hebrew. But I appreciate the depth of dedication to the Torah and the intimacy of the Jewish community in that sacred space. And as I was basking in the beauty of the service and delighting in the pride of the entire community centered on that bright 13-year old girl, I wrestled with today'

Building trust and solidarity across differences. In Canby, immigrant leaders and friends from Zoar Lutheran Church are co-creating spaces to strengthen food security and community resilience. Last month, they hosted a multilingual, multiracial gathering to prepare for the upcoming “Cocinando el Futuro Juntos” cooking class series. Over a shared meal, people exchanged stories, struggles, and hopes for the class. Language was no barrier—laughter filled the room. Several partic

Perhaps I only imagined it or maybe it showed up in one of my dreams because I've searched all over, and I've never been able to find it since.... I'm talking about a cartoon drawing I saw several years ago that shows Jesus behind a gated wall. In the cartoon, there are people standing inside the gate, alongside Jesus, and one man is scratching his head and saying to another one, "I just don't understand it. The gate is locked, so how do all these people keep getting in?" The

A Letter from Religious Leaders in the Pacific Northwest "At a time when armed conflicts proliferate, and democracies strain under polarization and the coercion of autocrats, truth itself is contested and trust for moral authority stands at a crossroads. This week, we are seeing how religion is used as a balm—or a blade. "Around the world, sacred traditions are being invoked to justify violence, exclusion, and domination of our neighbors. Political opportunists wrap themselve