Steven J. Rye

Readings Jonah 3:10–4:11Psalm 145:1–8Matthew 20:1–16 In today’s gospel – Jesus tells a parable about God’s generosity, challenging the common assumption that God rewards people according to what they have earned or deserve. The holy gospel according to saint matthew (20) [Jesus said to the disciples:] “The kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went… Continue reading

It is customary for funerals for two or three readings to be chosen, plus a psalm that is read responsively.  Usually, the Order is… Sometimes this section of readings is broken up by special music. PLEASE NOTE: Upon request – a quite lengthy email can be sent to you with all of the following readings… Continue reading

Hymn Suggestions (! – other hymns are also welcome) It is preferable that the music at a funeral should be sung by the congregation. Involvement by the congregation can draw people into worship. Special music performed by a soloist or small group is also appropriate. Usually, at a funeral, there are at least three hymns/songs… Continue reading

The following are questions intended to help family and friends reflect on the life of their loved-one who has died. They can be used either in preparation for a pastoral conversation — or you may feel free to text your thoughts, memories, reflections to the pastor. (Voice-to-text can be a helpful tool to do this.)… Continue reading

Texts: 1 Corinthians 3:5–9, Psalm 78:1–7, and John 1:19–34 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen. I should probably begin this morning with a confession. I almost never preach the same sermon twice. Even when the Bible readings come around again, the world has… Continue reading

Grace to you and peace… First of all, I’m so glad I happened to be in town  And available and was able to step in for Pastor Drew this morning. I’ve actually spent a good bit of the last week down in Sioux Falls, helping care for some of my parents’ needs. So the timing… Continue reading

First Lutheran Church in Brainerd, MinnesotaTexts: Jeremiah 20:7-13 — Romans 6:1b-11 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen. a little over a week ago… i turned 61…. And last night,  I returned from my parents place in sioux falls My dad is 95 and my mom… Continue reading

Bethel, Little Falls & Immanuel, Hillman Matthew 9:9-13, 18-26 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen. I have a confession to make. I am a full-blooded norwegian Though i do take pills for it And if there are any Norwegians here this morning, you know… Continue reading

“And There Is More” Holy Trinity Sunday — May 31, 2026 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen. Every year on Trinity Sunday, pastors everywhere face the same problem. How do you explain the Trinity? How do you explain one God in three persons:Father,… Continue reading

This is a song I wrote in seminary – during a time of national anxiety. Continue reading

This week’s message explored a simple but powerful truth: Sometimes God is closer than we realize. Using a story about a child wandering into the woods while a watchful father quietly follows behind, we reflected on the ways we move through fear, uncertainty, curiosity, and even rebellion — only to discover that God has not… Continue reading

As we continue to celebrate the fifty days of Easter, today’s gospel includes Jesus’ promise that he goes to prepare a place for his followers in his Father’s house. Our baptism commissions us to share Jesus’ mission in the world. As 1 Peter reminds us, we are a holy people, called to proclaim the one… Continue reading

Today is sometimes called “Good Shepherd Sunday.” Jesus is called the “gate” of the sheep in today’s gospel. The risen Christ opens the way to abundant life. He anoints our heads with oil and guides us beside the still waters of our baptism. Each Sunday he spreads a feast before us amid the world’s violence… Continue reading

Today’s gospel begins with two disciples walking to Emmaus, overcome with sadness, loss, and disappointment. They had hoped Jesus, who was crucified, would be the one to redeem Israel! Yet the risen Christ walks with them and then opens their eyes in the breaking of the bread. Each Sunday our hearts burn within us as… Continue reading

In this final message of the Repairing What’s Broken series, we hear that God doesn’t just restore us—God sends us. Drawing on Second Epistle to the Corinthians 5:17–18, this sermon explores how our renewed lives are meant to bring healing, reconciliation, and hope into a broken world. We are repaired for a reason: to participate… Continue reading

Week Two: Letting the Master Work In the second message of the series, the focus turns to what happens after we acknowledge the broken places in our lives. Drawing on Jeremiah’s image of the potter shaping clay, the message reflects on the humility and trust required to allow God to do the work of repair.… Continue reading

Week One: Admitting the Crack The first message in the series introduces the theme of honest self-examination. Drawing on Psalm 139:23–24, the sermon reflects on the courage it takes to invite God to “search” our lives and reveal the places that need attention. Using the familiar experience of preparing a house for sale—walking through each… Continue reading

I was studying Psalm 2 this morning – and this reflection seemed worthy of posting on my blog. The more things change – the more they stay the same….Psalm 2:1-31 Why this uproar among the nations, this impotent muttering of the peoples?* 2 Kings of the earth take up position, princes plot together against Yahweh and his anointed,* 3 ‘Now let us break… Continue reading

This three-week Lenten series reflects on the ways God restores and renews our lives. Using familiar experiences of fixing things that have fallen into disrepair, the series explores how faith invites us into a process of honest self-examination, surrender to God’s healing work, and renewed purpose in the world. In the first message, Admitting the Crack,… Continue reading

meditating  beside a still stream  a winter blanket of pure silence surrounding me interrupted by a stirring squirrel Continue reading

A number of women I know, happen to be adjusting to a new normal of living their lives without a husband. This seems to be a worthy subject for a haiku: his chair holds the spacewhere laughter once eruptedsilence breathes his name Continue reading

On this cold winter’s day – I find myself yearning for a beautiful summer day. How about you? I’ve been going through all of my work from this past six months at ALC & BLC in Windom…and came across this video that I put together as part of an invitation to take a “God Pause”… Continue reading

In the lead-up to Christmas 2025, the Pequaywan Lakes Association website got hacked and shut down. For over a year previously I served as the webmaster. That just meant I corrected inaccurate things and posted items from time to time. I kept the site in basically the same condition that I got it — figuring… Continue reading

This happened while I was away. Cub Foods was a favorite place to get groceries. One of the hardest parts of being a pastor is walking alongside people who are struggling with difficult changes. The spiritual journey involves relinquishment of all sorts — and with that, often comes grief. It takes time for new patterns… Continue reading

Matthew, Mark, and Luke all record the words of Jesus – A house divided cannot stand. Ours is a house divided, sadly. And I’m not happy that my wife has better swag. Continue reading