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St. Philip Lutheran School
2025 - 2026
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To Bow or Not to Bow? That's the Question - By Pastor Thomas Engel
For an elective in college, I took an acting class. I was hoping that it would help me overcome my shyness. To my surprise, I got an “A”...
Andrea Bateman
Mar 8, 20217 min read
When It Doesn't Make Sense - By Pastor Thomas Engel
At times, when life gets hard, doesn’t it seem like those people on some of those survival shows have it better than you do? The...
Andrea Bateman
Mar 1, 20218 min read


God's Plan A - By Pastor Thomas Engel
During Advent, you’ve heard me talk about Clark Griswold in the National Lampoon’s Vacation movies. I like his enthusiasm although it’s...
Andrea Bateman
Feb 22, 20218 min read


God Is Right Down the Street - By Pastor Thomas Engel
During a move, several years ago, I came across my catechism from eighth grade at the bottom of a box of other books and knickknacks....
Andrea Bateman
Feb 15, 20219 min read


Bootstrapping: Not in the Dictionary of Faith - By Pastor Thomas Engel
On Monday morning, I was in the school office and heard a commotion and bustling at the front door-a lot of plunk, plunk. I looked and...
Andrea Bateman
Feb 8, 20218 min read


Well Said - By Pastor Thomas Engel
I was watching a movie the other night, and it turned out not to be a very good movie. In reading the short preview, I saw a lot of...
Andrea Bateman
Feb 1, 20219 min read


All Wrapped Up - By Pastor Thomas Engel
After an hour of spilling out all your problems to your best friend over multiple cups of coffee, your friend makes eye contact with you,...
Andrea Bateman
Jan 25, 20218 min read


Our Hundred Acre Wood - By Pastor Thomas Engel
From time to time, I find myself running back into the Hundred Acre Wood and meeting again all the characters who live there. For me,...
Andrea Bateman
Jan 19, 20218 min read


Our First Citizenship - By Pastor Thomas Engel
How we are starting out today will sound like a fairy tale, but as we go along, the intention is for it to become very real. Let’s first...
Andrea Bateman
Jan 11, 20219 min read


Not Forgetting to Remember - By Pastor Thomas Engel
How do you go about remembering to do things? Are you high tech or low tech? Do you use an app on your phone to schedule alarms to remind...
Andrea Bateman
Jan 4, 20218 min read


Up, Down, Back, and Forth - By Pastor Thomas Engel
Let’s say that St. Philip has obtained a computer program that can graph all your reactions to everything that has happened in this past...
Andrea Bateman
Dec 14, 20208 min read


No Cliffhanger Here - By Pastor Thomas Engel
Let’s start with a little television drama series show trivia of the '70s and '80s. Who shot J.R.? To refresh my memory, I went to...
Andrea Bateman
Dec 7, 20208 min read


Simply Passing Through - By Pastor Thomas Engel
A perfect job has popped up recently to help pay for those extra December expenses. Reviews.org is advertising the “Ho Ho Holiday Dream...
Andrea Bateman
Nov 30, 20209 min read


What's Living About - By Pastor Thomas Engel
If you drive past the school, walk down the hallway, or go to the school’s Facebook page, you will see the main points of the theme verse...
Andrea Bateman
Nov 23, 20208 min read


Not the End of the Matter - By Pastor Thomas Engel
Often, when we are going through difficult times, we say the phrase, “Take one day at a time.” That phrase about living by one day is an...
Andrea Bateman
Nov 17, 20208 min read


Not Always Like "This" - By Pastor Thomas Engel
Driving down Lake Shore Drive gives the opportunity to take in some very scenic views. On one side of the drive is the city with its...
Andrea Bateman
Nov 3, 20207 min read
God Said So - By Pastor Thomas Engel
Back when you were a child, do you remember what your mom or dad said when you asked about something that you wanted to do? You may not...
Andrea Bateman
Oct 26, 20209 min read


The Edge of a Coin - By Pastor Thomas Engel
Math was never my best subject back in school although I do appreciate it now. And Physics was definitely not on top of my list of majors...
Andrea Bateman
Oct 20, 20208 min read


Taking the High Road - By Pastor Thomas Engel
Mom was right when she said, “If you don’t have anything “nice” to say, don’t say anything at all.” Mom was right about a lot of things....
Andrea Bateman
Oct 12, 20208 min read


Cleaning Up Our Messes - By Pastor Thomas Engel
As you know, I teach one course of college English. Part of the course is to learn how to present a strong position in an argumentative...
Andrea Bateman
Oct 5, 20208 min read
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