Well we're back home from spending the morning in worship with all the good folks at Salem United Church of Christ.  I felt the sermon went well and my daughter Maddie was able to record it for me.  Unfortunately she started recording it on her camera and her battery died.  She made a quick shift of devices and caught the rest on her phone.  She said it was at a point that I had paused and thinks it will be fairly seamless.

She hasn't spliced the two together yet for me (heck if I know how to do that) so when she gets it done I will try and get it online and link it here.

Was wonderful to be out in the country again and worshiping with all the good people!

Here is a photo of another lovely South Dakota Church.  This one is a Catholic Church in Hoven South Dakota and is sometimes called the Cathedral of the Prairie.  This church is visible for what seems like miles as you come up on Hoven.  Right out of college I interviewed with the Bank in Hoven and was offered a job there which I declined.  I sometimes wonder how vastly different life would have been if I had taken that job.  Just a few years later I learned the Senior Vice President was arrested for a check kiting scheme that he and another banker from a bank on I believe the west coast had going on.  Might have made for an immediate opening to move up that ranks. LOL

Catholic Church in Hoven, SD

Have a very blessed weekend and remember to be a blessing to somebody today!

Roy

Bless Somebody Today

I just had three wonderful women from St. Paul's Lutheran Church come into the Gallery to have an image of Christ reframed for their Church Library.

We got to talking and of course as I am so want to do when the opportunity presents itself, I started teaching.  They were fascinated as I unpacked information to them about the early church and it's history going forward to today.  After I was finished they asked me if I would consider coming to visit St. Paul and teach a class or classes for them in their adult education.  I told them I was not certain I was worthy but I would be happy to do so.

I gave them my business card and they resolved to have their Reverend come by or call me to visit with me.  Apparently they are in the process of some changes in the church and they are wanting to introduce a Biblical Teaching program.

God is amazing and I am as always humbled that he might use someone such as I to edify his people.

God's Grace and Love to you all!

Roy

Solemn Oaths and Vows......

Good Morning,

Today I am compelled to reflect on what I look forward to in my future ministry with the most enthusiasm and the most anxiety. That is the joining of two people in the holy bonds of matrimony. Sadly it has never been my experience that ministers do an adequate job of premarital counseling and advising (and there is certainly no maintenance provided). This is an area in which I fully intend to spend several sessions meeting with the engaged couple and pushing them to reveal to each other their very most deeply held wishes and hopes for the marriage.  The couple also needs to be armed with methods for conflict resolution, and much, much more.

I hope to convey to them the very depth of the covenant that they are not only making with each other but to God himself. It is a time of absolute joy, but young (and old) couples need to understand the great gravity of the act of coming before God and man and making a Holy Covenant.

For me the fact that I am being asked to perform the wedding means that I too am a member of the cast in this marriage. And as I discussed with my fellow ELM student Chuck Snow on our way back from Hastings the other day, I fully intend to insist that any and all couples I might wed to sign an agreement with me personally. This agreement would be a solemn oath given from them to me and witnessed by the Almighty that before they would ever even consider divorce or separation that they will spend a minimum of four counseling sessions with me personally. I may even go as far as to make them pledge further sessions if I deem they are required. My mind plays with the idea as well of asking them to spend a session with me annually to discuss how the marriage is doing.

I fully intend to come off heavy handed on this regard as I have very deeply held convictions and opinions on marriage. I feel there is no greater responsibility that I will bear upon my shoulders as a future minister and advocate to my loving God than to join people in a life together and it is my job to set the stage for them to be successful. If I am unable to give them a greater chance at a successful marriage than the local judge then I have no business being involved nor for that matter presenting myself as an emissary of Christ.

May you all find peace, joy and love.

Roy

In Memory of my Mentor Jesse

Tomorrow 5/21/12 will be six months since my dear friend and Mentor the Rev. Dr. Jesse Brown passed away.  I just wanted to put up a post in his honor.  As I stated the other day Jesse was an incredible man and had many remarkable accomplishments to his credit.  Undoubtedly he was the greatest influence on me in my decision to go down this path to formal ministry.  I only wish Jesse had been able to keep the promise he made to me to see me through the process and into my first pulpit.  Forever I shall remember taking Jesse out to lunch to discuss my desire to pursue this path into ministry and the support and encouragement that Jesse gave me.  Jesse always thought more of me and my abilities than I have ever or will ever think myself.

This is far from a good photo of Jesse
but it's all I have at the moment.
This photo was part of a newspaper article
where they interviewed Jesse about his friendship
and relationship with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

I took one of Jesse's books with me to the ELM class this weekend a copy of "The Screwtape Letters" by C.S. Lewis.  We were to bring something along that reminded us of someone who had a significant impact on our spiritual journey.  I had special bookplates made up for the books Jesse and Kathy gave to me and as I came to this particular book I saw that it had a bookplate of Jesse's in it and that it simply stated Mr. Jesse Brown not Reverend nor Doctor.  Upon reading the plate farther I saw that it listed his address as Crozer Seminary... I literally felt a chill as I realized this book had been with Jesse at Crozer where he roomed across the hall from Dr. King.  To think that this book had at the very least been in the same room with Dr. King and was now in my possession was incredibly humbling.  What a life Jesse had and what amazing people had my good friend known and befriended.

In my memorial to Jesse at his service I said the following.  "It was my considered honor to literally hold my dear friend Jesse's hand as he walked through the very gates of Heaven.  When the day finally comes that it is my turn to walk through those same gates, I suspect that I'll see just inside my old friend Jesse.  With that glint in his eyes, that wry smile on his lips, his head cocked for effect, and his hand outstretched, he'll say to me "what took you so danged long...."  There are many, many folks I look forward to seeing again someday in whatever form Heaven maybe, but there are scant few that I look forward to visiting with again more than Jesse.  The wonderful thing is the next time we visit we'll know all the answers to the questions we so loved to debate.

God Bless You Jesse my beloved friend. 

I would ask that you might all pray for Jesse's widow Kathy Brown.  I'm certain tomorrow will be a very difficult day.  I will try to call her at some point in the day, but I know she would appreciate the support of your prayers.

Be the Blessing,
Roy

A couple pictures from the old days.

Six of the Eight Karlen kids, summer of 1980
Boys from left to right: Brad, Warren, Roy (me)
Girls from left to right: Julie, Connie, Paula
We're all in front of my much loved 1979 Cougar which is currently
at the Ranch and sitting not far from where it's parked in this photo.
Sad to say though she's in serious need of being restored.
Wm Roy Karlen photos

Me and my favorite old cowpony Scout.
He was one amazing old cowpony, miss that old horse so very much.
Wm Roy Karlen photos

ELM Training Session - Christian Education

Back home from 'ELM', this session and next month are covering Christian Education.  It was a very interesting class taught by Dr. Ted Huffman, Senior Minister at 1st Congregational United Church of Christ, Rapid City, SD.  I really enjoyed meeting and visiting with Ted.  He seems to be a very interesting man and some of his background I can relate to very easily.  I envy him with being able to pastor a church in the beautiful Black Hills, certainly one of the most gorgeous places in the USA.


Since I have long said that I'm more of a teacher than a preacher, I found this session very worthwhile.  Only problem is Ted referred to several books which I now desperately want.  The Courage to Teach by Parker J. Palmer and Stages of Faith by James W. Fowler are two that were mentioned that I very much would like to purchase as well as several others that were referenced.  Ted also told me about a book on the brain that sounded very interesting but he could not recall the exact title and author so I asked him to please forward it to me.  (on top of all that I purchased a book for the upcoming Baptist Polity class 'Down by the River, a brief history of Baptist Faith', by Everett C. Goodwin)  The problem is that with all of the books I inherited from Jesse my library is bursting at the seams.  This summer's project will be rearranging and modifying the basement in order to be able to shelve my current library.  I have laughingly said that I need to find a pulpit soon just to have more shelf room.


I will close this post with a couple more images of country churches, again all of these churches are located up in South Dakota.


As always please remember to "be a blessing to somebody today".

In God's Love,
Roy

A few more beautiful South Dakota Country Churches.

God's Houses in God's Country.  What can be more beautiful....

Remember to be a blessing to somebody today.
Roy

I will be doing Pulpit Fill at the Salem United Church of Christ near Steinhauer Nebraska on May 27th.  The service is at 10:15 am.  I'm looking forward to giving the sermon that day and plan to dedicate it to my friend Mark Winquist who passed away last year on May 28th.  If anyone is interested in going down with me just drop me a line, you're more than welcome to ride along if you're in the Omaha area.  After the service there will be a Memorial Day Service at the cemetery and I will be reading a poem and giving a prayer there also.

Salem United Church of Christ

Salem is a country church with only gravel roads leading to it, exactly my kind of church and the type of church I hope to spend my final years preaching in.

Remember to be a BLESSING TO SOMEBODY TODAY!

God's Love,
Roy

Well here is a test to embed a video.  I of course love Johnny Cash, and this is one of my favorites.

Enjoy the video and as always.... "Be a Blessing to Somebody Today"!

In his Grace,
Roy

I just love this photo.  Pardon me while I practice loading photos to the site, as I said I'm just getting the hang of all this and will try and start genuinuely blogging in the next several days.  In the meanwhile here are a few more photos to enjoy.

Blessings!
Roy

All of these as well as the Church in the Header of the Blog are Lutheran Churches out in the country in South Dakota.  You have to love these beautiful country Churches, so much history and character.

Hello and welcome to my blog.  Please understand that I'm just starting to blog and I'm working to figure out and understand how all of this works.  I will hopefully have the hang of it all soon and I will make this a hopefully somewhat interesting place to read and follow my journey into ministry.

In the meanwhile please stop by again in the near future as I hope to have this up and running by the end of May if not sooner.

Blessings to you all,
Roy