Religion

(Photo courtesy of Laura Rorem)

Living and Growing: Meaningful belonging

My 57 glorious years with my beloved soul mate, Larry, created a deep sense of emotional security and stability. We truly belonged together. His loving,… Continue reading

 

Sparse supplies are seen on shelves at the Helping Hands Food Bank during its final days operation in November of 2022, when it was forced to close after 39 years. Other food banks throughout Juneau today are seeing high demand due in part to rising food costs. (Jonson Kuhn / Juneau Empire file photo)

Living and Growing: For those with the bounty of food, family, friends and fortune, think of those without

Unitarian Universalism is a unique religion, in that its members share no common creed. Instead, we search for our own truths while covenanting to share… Continue reading

 

Hans Rivera (foreground) plays a Mexican song on cello with other Juneau Alaska Music Matters students and a mariachi band from Anchorage as part of a Feast Day of Our Lady of Guadalupe celebration at St. Paul’s Catholic Church on Sunday. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

An enlightenment into sights, sounds and spirit of Mexico at annual Feast Day celebration

Local music students join visiting mariachis at church celebrating national holiday for holy visionary.

 

The author holds her mother’s hand two hours before she died. (Photo by Gabriella Hebert)

Living and Growing: Spiritual care at end of life

My favorite Gold Creek trail was damaged in one of the 2024 storms that swept through Juneau and altered the creek with a deluge of… Continue reading

The author holds her mother’s hand two hours before she died. (Photo by Gabriella Hebert)
Brent Merten is the pastor of Christ Lutheran Church, Juneau. (Courtesy photo)

Living and Growing: The most famous person you’ll ever meet

The most famous person I’ve ever met was Gerald R. Ford. It was nearly 30 years ago. I was walking down a corridor at a… Continue reading

Brent Merten is the pastor of Christ Lutheran Church, Juneau. (Courtesy photo)
Jacqueline F. Tupou is a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Juneau. (Courtesy photo)

Living and Growing: A life hack for holiday happiness

Do you wish you were more happy? Do you see others experiencing joy and happiness and wonder how they do it? Or is your life… Continue reading

Jacqueline F. Tupou is a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Juneau. (Courtesy photo)
(Photo provided by Adam Bauer)

Living and Growing: Spiritual foundations for mental health — a Bahá’í perspective

I would like to take a moment to acknowledge that we are on the traditional territory of the Áakʼw Ḵwáan, the original inhabitants of Lingít… Continue reading

(Photo provided by Adam Bauer)
People gather outside Resurrection Lutheran Church as it hosts its weekly food pantry on Tuesday afternoon. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

Resurrection Lutheran Church leadership dispute intensifies with accusations of assault, theft, sabotage

Pastor removed, lawsuit lingers as competing groups try to continue worship services, food pantry.

People gather outside Resurrection Lutheran Church as it hosts its weekly food pantry on Tuesday afternoon. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
Page Bridges of Holy Trinity Episcopal Church in Juneau. (Photo courtesy of Page Bridges)

Living and Growing: The healing power of art

I found this awesome quote about art from Googling: “Art has the power to move people and evoke emotions that words can never do justice… Continue reading

Page Bridges of Holy Trinity Episcopal Church in Juneau. (Photo courtesy of Page Bridges)
(Juneau Empire file photo)

Living and Growing: A list of do’s to reclaim Shabbat

To be silent the whole day, see no newspaper, hear no radio, listen to no gossip, be thoroughly and completely lazy, thoroughly and completely indifferent… Continue reading

(Juneau Empire file photo)
“Princess Sophia” stranded on Vanderbilt Reef, Oct. 24, 1918. (Alaska State Library Historical Collection, ASL-P87-1700)

Living and Growing: The storms of the Fall

Psalm 19 1 The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament shows his handiwork. 2 One day tells its tale to another, and… Continue reading

“Princess Sophia” stranded on Vanderbilt Reef, Oct. 24, 1918. (Alaska State Library Historical Collection, ASL-P87-1700)
Brent Merten is the pastor of Christ Lutheran Church in Juneau. (Courtesy photo)

Living and Growing: The eye of the needle

One day, a rich young man approached Jesus, asking him what he had to do to inherit eternal life. He was convinced that he could… Continue reading

Brent Merten is the pastor of Christ Lutheran Church in Juneau. (Courtesy photo)
Jennifer Moses is a student rabbi at Congregation Sukkat Shalom. (Photo provided by Jennifer Moses)

Living and Growing: Joy after sorrow during celebration of Sukkot

As you read this column Jews around the world are preparing to celebrate the holiday of Sukkot, or Booths. It is the Jewish equivalent of… Continue reading

Jennifer Moses is a student rabbi at Congregation Sukkat Shalom. (Photo provided by Jennifer Moses)
Laura Rorem. (Courtesy photo)

Living and Growing: The power of real hope

Highly compatible, Larry and my strength was in our ability to merge our individual gifts into one, which enhanced our ability to discern God’s will… Continue reading

Laura Rorem. (Courtesy photo)
(U.S. Forest Service photo)

Living and Growing: Common ground. Common kindness.

I write this piece from the perspective of one who believes in God and who tries (and fails regularly) to follow Christ. I do believe,… Continue reading

(U.S. Forest Service photo)
Priest Maxim Gibson is the rector at St. Nicholas Russian Orthodox Church in Juneau. (Photo provided by Maxim Gibson)

Living and Growing: Restored icons — image and likeness

This past month at St. Nicholas Russian Orthodox Church, we had the great blessing to see two of the holy icons on our iconostasis restored,… Continue reading

Priest Maxim Gibson is the rector at St. Nicholas Russian Orthodox Church in Juneau. (Photo provided by Maxim Gibson)
Roger Wharton is former Episcopal priest in Juneau. (Courtesy photo)

Living and Growing: 10 things you can do to be happy

What is happiness? What makes you happy? Can you increase your happiness? These are very interesting and current questions, especially in times when loneliness is… Continue reading

Roger Wharton is former Episcopal priest in Juneau. (Courtesy photo)
Adam Bauer of the Local Spiritual Assembly of Bahá’ís of Juneau.

Living and Growing: Environmental stewardship — a Baha’i perspective

To begin, I would like to take a moment to acknowledge that we are on the traditional territory of the Áakʼw Ḵwáan, the original inhabitants… Continue reading

Adam Bauer of the Local Spiritual Assembly of Bahá’ís of Juneau.
Cars and homes flooded by the break of Suicide Basin’s ice dam in August. (Alaska Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management photo)

Living and Growing: After the flood

It is Ordinary Time, the Season of Increase, the Season of Creation. During this season of Creation, the power of life renewing is manifest. In… Continue reading

Cars and homes flooded by the break of Suicide Basin’s ice dam in August. (Alaska Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management photo)
Kueni Ma’ake, Ofeina Kivalu, Jaime and Alanna Zellhuber, Aubrey Neuffer and Mary Fitzgerald of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Juneau serve meals to those affected by this month’s flooding of the Mendenhall River. (Photo provided by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Juneau)

Living and Growing: A life hack for happiness in a flooding river of change

Fall is upon us and with it change. School is starting, leaves are changing colors, schedules change and the weather transforms the landscape. Change can… Continue reading

Kueni Ma’ake, Ofeina Kivalu, Jaime and Alanna Zellhuber, Aubrey Neuffer and Mary Fitzgerald of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Juneau serve meals to those affected by this month’s flooding of the Mendenhall River. (Photo provided by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Juneau)