Author Archives: Pastor Ken Frantz

Highlights of this wintery time of year include fiery sunrises and sunsets. Each is unique with its own evocative beauty. Digital images that capture such moments can be difficult to distinguish morning sky from evening. Years from now when we are a mere afterthought of future generations, a cache of old thumb drives might beContinue reading “Capturing the Moment”

An important factor when coming to equilibrium in one’s faith is the need to recognize that we simply do not know all there is to know about the Divine. It’s easy to proclaim otherwise because people respond quite well when they are given the black or white choices we favor in life. No fence ridingContinue reading “Thinking Dimensionally”

As we make our way haltingly through life there are but few things that have accompanied us in the long haul. One case in point is a stalwart bit of greenery that has quietly bided its time with us for better than forty years. It was given to us by a previous owner who hadContinue reading “New Growth And A Flourishing Faith”

The leaves on the gamble oak are some of the last to go. They stubbornly hang on through rain and freezing weather, even after turning. They are testament to the toughness of the plant in general. . .drought tolerant, insect resistant, cold hardy and able to recover from mower blight over the years. Gambel oakContinue reading “The Resilient Church”

The heart of fall is upon us. It is easy to spot because it is characterized by the grand entrance of varieties of colors. The colors have been there all along, the chlorophyll of the plants masking the vibrant hues are present, the chlorophyll cells die and fall color becomes a certainty. Another sure signContinue reading “The Blending Of Fall”

Summer is casually wearing on flowerbed annuals and perennials. Not much has changed temperature-wise, yet there is a smugness one senses in the season that fall is close by. Happily, there is much left of summer that still inspires. Two elements of the growing season in particular are tied to one another: texture and color.Continue reading “Color And Texture, Companions Of Faith”

We’re not exactly birding hobbyists, but we have kept track of a variety of bird species in the various places we have lived. We can share with confidence a number of common birds in our region, both permanent and seasonal. Our first field guides were a delight . . . officially endorsed editions that laterContinue reading “Taking It To The Birds”

A taste of fall is in the air.  The last several days have ushered in cooler air and a freshness that says early autumn has arrived.  The gardens have also responded by offering up fall blooms that have been patiently waiting to cue up.  It is a hopeful time of year that brings with it its own uniqueContinue reading “The new Virtuality”

Some things are never meant to last.  The bountiful summer produce we enjoy is the perfect example.  Sweet corn, cantaloupe, summer squash, and rhubarb are rivaled only by the free-wheeling joy ride known as peach season.  It is marvelous, wonderful, and all too fleeting.  Western slope peaches are simply the best with Cache Valley peaches from Utah coming inContinue reading “Peaches and Exercising the Faith”

The wild onions inhabiting a corner of our rhubarb patch do not lend themselves well to sayings equating life and peeling back layers.  Pulling apart the layers isn’t exactly easy when stalks and pods go every which direction.  Curves, loops, and odd angles of all kinds contribute to the beauty of its complex bio architecture. It shouldn’tContinue reading “Wild onions and grace”