So, the 10th anniversary of my ordination will take place September 27th. That journey began in February of 2013. What follows are some chronological observations, leading up to the present. I have been paid to think theologically since 1984. Starting with University of Detroit, The Jesuit Program of Living and Learning, and my consulting practice that focused on urban ministry, and building a community of compassion. In 2007 I received my doctorate from The Ecumenical Theol

For the person who attempts to follow Jesus, it is understood that God owns everything. That God is love. That God created everything and that all people are sacred. The Peace has no limits and sometimes it forces very hard questions. But in the end The Peace should be applied to everything. To government, business, medicine, education, etc. There is no compromise. The problem we all have is that generally, the functions mentioned above do not significantly follow The Peace.

First off, I want to thank you for the wonderful Christmas gift! I have already used a portion of it to buy an exercise bike. Beth and I will find other uses for the gift and I am excited about that! I also want to thank you for your prayer support this past year. You have been with me for the third time when I have needed adjustments to my meds for depression. I want to thank you for your encouragement as we move our mission forward. We have a community that is positive an

When I ask this question, I am referring to our wellbeing. How do we feel physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually, financially, and socially. Usually, these experiences are interconnected. One can be off, affecting other aspects of our life. Some of this is guided by our expectations of life. Are we about where we hope to be or not? Of course, then we might ask ourselves. “How are these expectations determined?” Whose standard of life are we choosing? The standard I

“Create in me a clean heart Oh God, and renew a right spirit within me.” --Psalm 51 “Father, forgive them they know not what they do.” --Luke 23 I believe that forgiveness is the key to unlock in the most powerful way the other aspects of The Peace. (Compassion, Mercy, Justice, Forgiveness, and Grace.) It may be the most difficult to achieve. Remember in Matthew 18 when Peter asked Jesus. “How often must I forgive? Up to 7 times?” Jesus responded “No, 70 times 7 times.” Hold

As Pastor Mark and Beth prepare for a trip to Scotland, he reflects on the best way to approach new places and new people. #pastormarkfisher #stjohnelca #scotland #eyesofChrist #sharethepeace

#Faith, #Peace, #Jesus, #Shalom, #SacredandLoved #innerpeace, #serenitynow #stjohnelca, #pastormarkfisher

When we think about what threatens society the most, we often assume it’s evil, but Dietrich Bonhoeffer believed that stupidity, not evil, is the greatest danger to humanity. #StJohnELCA #stupidity #Bonhoffer #Pastor Mark Fisher

As followers of Jesus, we are asked to be God’s hands and feet to share the Great Peace/Shalom. In reading the Gospels, Jesus brings hope and healing to the poor and challenges the rich. He would say “To whom much is given much is expected.” In God’s creation all wealth comes from God’s blessings coupled with human effort. But this wealth is meant to be used as needed to care for the poor and disadvantaged. We see this care coming in the form of food, clothing, education, tr

Pastor Mark has suggestions about how to make the Serenity Prayer work in your life. #PastorMarkFisher #SerenityPrayer

In our world things are changing quickly with a variety of actions taking place in Washington. It has naturally created fear particularly for those who might be viewed on the margins of society. For others the question will become how do these changes also affect me? Of course, for others these changes are met with a degree of celebration with the hope that it will lead to something better. Our society is a curious mix between government, business and the not-for-profit secto

Yesterday, Beth and I went to the MLK service at Genesis Lutheran in Detroit. It was a high energy experience with singing, clapping, preaching and celebration. This community was at the same time concerned about the future sensing that the Civil Rights Movement had taken a hit recently. With that said the preacher worked with passages from Jeramiah suggesting God had made great plans for those in exile and that they should cultivate great hope for the future. She went furt

Hello Friends, This is just a short note of thanks, for the support you have given me over the past year! From our Board, Leadership Team, and Pastoral Support Group. In addition, the countless interactions with members have demonstrated to me the power of God’s love that is in our midst. And thank you so much for the Christmas gift to cap our year off! I look forward to this new year and how God will work within our midst as we continue our journey to be Gods hands and fe

Pr. Mark suggests the perfect gift from someone else... or yourself! #Christmaseveservice, #Christmas, #forgiveness, #Christmasgifts, #peace

Pastor Mark offers self-care tips for the holiday season. #KrisfromSanta, #Christmas, #selfcare, #peace, #holidaystressrelief

This past week I stayed at a Hermitage (very small house) at Desales Center in Brooklyn, MI. It was over five days of silence. Preparing for this retreat I chose to read “War and Peace” (but did get a 300-page head start the week before) and the Gospel of Luke. I brought my own food, did not cook, and kept things very simple. Each day I would read Tolstoy for an hour or so, and then take a brief walk through the woods to the chapel. In the chapel I would go up the stairs to t

I have been reading about the early church from after Acts to about year 300. It seems that one of the most important characteristics of the early church was patience. The willingness to bear the burdens of others calmly and compassionately. This virtue was seen as a way of Jesus and being responsive to the movement of God with humanity since the beginning of recorded time. Being patient requires a willingness to understand the needs of the other and to almost organically re

Based on the conversation about the topic of Communion Participation during the congregational meeting on 9-22-24, I would like to share with you a revised statement that accurately reflects our current practice and will serve as a foundation moving forward. Suggested Statement for Communion Participation a. It is the belief of this congregation that participation in the “Lord’s Supper is the reception of “the body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ given with bread and wine,

I have been wondering lately about the human capacity to give and receive love. During this contentious political season this is a worthy question to ponder. First off, capacity means the maximum level to produce or contain love. In our faith tradition we view The Bible as the basis for our understanding about the relationship between God and humanity and how we humans are to relate to each other. It is fair to say that God’s capacity to love extends well beyond our human un

This morning coming home from the gym I stopped to get gasoline. It was cool outside and standing there in shorts and a t shirt felt invigorating as my hand held on to the pump. I glanced to my right looking at the classic car lot across the street, eying a 1966 Mustang. It took me back to the mid- sixties when I was on the safety patrol at the corner of Fielding and Plymouth. It always seemed chilly and I looked forward to watching cars drive by or stop at the light. It was