Religion

(Photo provided by Gina Del Rosario)

Living and Growing: Holy Week

Filipinos are known all over the world for their strong faith in God and for their deep love and reverence for our Holy Mother Mary,… Continue reading

 

The downtown Juneau cruise ship dock on a clear March day. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire file photo)

Living and Growing: Seeking joy during times of great uncertainty

“This is the greatest act of power I have come to know: To be an activist of joy; a beacon of grace; a radiance of… Continue reading

 

Sabrina Donnellan and her family attend a community luncheon for federal employees at Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran Church on Saturday, March 8, 2025. (Jasz Garrett / Juneau Empire file photo)

Living and Growing: Choose empathy during these difficult times

“It is your concern when your neighbor’s wall is on fire.” — Horace Recently, too many of our neighbors have lost their jobs through no… Continue reading

 

A black bear sow and her cub walk along the Trail of Time at the Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center. (Michael Penn / Juneau Empire file photo)

Living and Growing: The bear

The folks of Southeast Alaska are fortunate in that we sometimes experience glimpses of bears along the trails and even in our yards. These encounters… Continue reading

A black bear sow and her cub walk along the Trail of Time at the Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center. (Michael Penn / Juneau Empire file photo)
Laura Rorem is a member of The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. (Courtesy photo)

Living and Growing: Practicing true patience

“Have patience, have patience, Don’t be in such a hurry, When you get impatient, you only start to worry, Remember, remember that God is patient,… Continue reading

Laura Rorem is a member of The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. (Courtesy photo)
The Rev. Tim Harrison is the senior pastor at Chapel by the Lake. (Courtesy photo)

Living and Growing: The numbers tell the story

I love numbers and math. One of my first career aspirations was to be a high school math teacher. Then a disastrous semester with Calculus… Continue reading

The Rev. Tim Harrison is the senior pastor at Chapel by the Lake. (Courtesy photo)
Page Bridges of Holy Trinity Episcopal Church in Juneau. (Photo courtesy of Page Bridges)

Living and Growing: Spiritual self defense

True spiritual power is quiet, under the radar. One beautiful thing about it is that it can protect us from danger. It is self-defense with… Continue reading

Page Bridges of Holy Trinity Episcopal Church in Juneau. (Photo courtesy of Page Bridges)
Nuns wait for a seating area to be opened before a recitation of the rosary for Pope Francis’ health at St. Peter’s Square in Vatican City, on Monday night, Feb. 24, 2025. (James Hill/The New York Times)

Living and Growing: Let us journey together in hope

Friends, we are a little over a week away from the beginning of the season of Lent, the beginning of that annual six-week journey of… Continue reading

Nuns wait for a seating area to be opened before a recitation of the rosary for Pope Francis’ health at St. Peter’s Square in Vatican City, on Monday night, Feb. 24, 2025. (James Hill/The New York Times)
Tari Stage-Harvey is the pastor of Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran Church. (Photo courtesy of Tari Stage-Harvey)

Living and Growing: Seeing is believing

Christians are nearing the time of Lent, 40 days of repentance and fasting, before the celebration of Easter. I love Easter. I love the worships.… Continue reading

Tari Stage-Harvey is the pastor of Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran Church. (Photo courtesy of Tari Stage-Harvey)
Adam Bauer of the Local Spiritual Assembly of Bahá’ís of Juneau. (Courtesy photo)

Living and Growing: Gathering to share ‘Faith in the Future’

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

Adam Bauer of the Local Spiritual Assembly of Bahá’ís of Juneau. (Courtesy photo)
Page Bridges of Holy Trinity Episcopal Church in Juneau. (Photo courtesy of Page Bridges)

Living and Growing: The light of the world

“Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has dawned upon you.” “What has come into being in him was… Continue reading

Page Bridges of Holy Trinity Episcopal Church in Juneau. (Photo courtesy of Page Bridges)
Tari Stage-Harvey is pastor of Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran Church. (Courtesy photo)

Living and Growing: Watching our words for other people

I could be wrong, but the only time Jesus directly talks about Hell is in Matthew 5:22, “But I say to you that if you… Continue reading

Tari Stage-Harvey is pastor of Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran Church. (Courtesy photo)
Brent Merten is the pastor of Christ Lutheran Church, Juneau. (Courtesy photo)

Living and Growing: Imagine the comfort of Jesus’ promise of heaven

Earlier this month, former president Jimmy Carter died at the age of 100. While factors like double-digit inflation, high unemployment and the Iran Hostage Crisis… Continue reading

Brent Merten is the pastor of Christ Lutheran Church, Juneau. (Courtesy photo)
(Photo by Gina Del Rosario)

Living and Growing: Free will

Genesis 1: 26 -28 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish… Continue reading

(Photo by Gina Del Rosario)
Becky Corson is a member of Shepherd Of The Valley Lutheran Church. (Photo provided by Becky Corson)

Living and Growing: ‘Secondhand’ can be a wonderful way to go

These clothing sales are ruining my life. Maybe that’s an overstatement. It’s more that the guilt I’m experiencing is ruining my life. It’s the guilt… Continue reading

Becky Corson is a member of Shepherd Of The Valley Lutheran Church. (Photo provided by Becky Corson)
A sculpture of Constantine the Great by Philip Jackson in York. (Public domain photo republished under a Creative Commons license)

Living and Growing: Christianity or Churchianity?

Several cruise ship passengers arriving in Juneau this September were greeted on the dock with a sign that asked a religious question: “Why Aren’t Christians… Continue reading

A sculpture of Constantine the Great by Philip Jackson in York. (Public domain photo republished under a Creative Commons license)
Fred LaPlante is the pastor at Juneau Church of the Nazarene. (Courtesy photo)

Living and Growing: Reflections from Advent

Do you feel pulled in so many directions this Christmas season? I know I sure have. It is hard to accomplish so many events and… Continue reading

Fred LaPlante is the pastor at Juneau Church of the Nazarene. (Courtesy photo)
(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

(Photo courtesy of Laura Rorem)
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

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)
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.

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)