As the leaves on the trees begin to turn vibrant shades of yellow and orange and the sun sets on September, I’m reluctantly letting go of summer and reflecting on these past few months, in particular my 51 biking adventures throughout Minnesota.

Some of you know what I am talking about; I’ve done a lot of biking this summer and conned many of you into joining me. But for those that don’t know, here’s the scoop.

In June, days before my 52^nd birthday, I was out riding my bike and was reminded of all the great places we have to bike here in the Twin Cities. So I decided, on a whim really, that it was time to explore these many and varied bike routes in the state of MN. So the next day I called my parents and invited them to join me and my daughter for a ride. That day we rode the Greenway and Cedar Lakes trails, I took a photo, posted it in Instagram, and bike #2 was in the books. The adventure had begun.

My goal was 52 different rides, and my only rule was I had to bike different routes each time. Because my “normal” mode of biking was training for races (usually on the same course) this goal seemed pretty lame, maybe even weak, but starting simple I figured I could build from there.

The first few rides were easy, as I tried out some of the paths I knew but hadn’t ridden for awhile. But it wasn’t long before I needed to expand my horizons. So, I did two things: got some maps – one of which I marked each route after my ride – and I talked with people. To my goal and rule, I discovered I needed to add something else – a posture – explorer mode! Explorer mode was about being open, and required both doing research and trying new things along the way. Sometimes explorer mode helped me find new trails and beautiful park reserves, sometimes it was forced on me by construction and detours. At times it was the result of being at a fork in the road “and taking the one less traveled.” A few times it brought me to a dead end. Overall explore mode opened up new territory and the desire to visit again.

This goal, rule, and posture helped me develop a new skill – adaptability. Adapting became central to everything and helped me reframe all kinds of situations. For example, I learned to adapt my expectation of time – what started as “oh this route will only take me an hour” often turned into 90 minutes plus travel time. Therefore as the summer progressed I learned to leave the end time open so I didn’t feel pressure. I also learned to adapt to the surroundings – a popular trail on a Saturday morning has more traffic than a less popular one on Monday morning; roads are slower than paths; and feeling rain in the air usually means a storm is brewing. And biking with people and by myself are different, so I learned to adapt my pace to be in sync with those I was traveling with. Some days I pushed it with hard core bikers and other days I had a leisurely ride with people more interested with what’s going on around them. The whole continuum was fine with me, because in the end, it was great to bring people into the adventure with me.

Practicing this skill help me name a second rule – have fun! Be it a solo ride along the river on a 90 degree day or an outing with relatives “up north” or chatting with a friend while going around the lakes, I wanted, personally and for my fellow adventurers, to enjoy the ride and remember something good about the adventure. (And I learned it is really OK to have fun be a rule!)

Saturday is bike #52 – 100 miles around the greater Twin Cities. Most of the trails I will already have been on sometime this summer; a few connecting roads/trails will be new. A few of you may see me in your neighborhood, feel free to join in a few miles if you like, but know this…Minnesota is a great state for biking and invites us all into various adventures. This summer, biking was mine.

I’ll share more about the lessons I learned this summer…and give some links to great trails near and far…but until then I invite you to enjoy the turning of summer into fall and to wonder about your own adventures.

For the past 3 days, over thirty church leaders from Lutheran and Episcopalian congregations reimagining confirmation. We explored our driving questions as ministry leaders, we wondered about the driving questions of God’s people in the past, and we named the brokenness and joys of our world…all before we started talking about confirmation. Then we engaged theconfirmationproject.com research, especially the portraits of multiple approaches to confirmation with various purposes and talked with youth themselves. We prayed together, celebrated the Lord’s supper, gathered for conversation over food and drink, and became one expression of Christian community.

Today, we return home. On one level, not much will change. Many will lead confirmation ministry tonight in their home congregations. Many are preparing sermons for Sunday. And then there are the committee meetings, administrative details, and pastoral care needs to attend to. On one level it will look the same.

But on a deeper level, we leave knowing the church is changing and believe God is in the midst of it. We are renewed for another week, month, season of ministry. Scattering across the Northeast this afternoon, we know there are kindred spirits wrestling with similar ideas, praying for the real needs of the world and our churches, and open to God’s promises breaking in. And on that level, we are not the same. Hope lurks like spring on our doorstep. It longs to find a home in us. And we long for it, just as we are uncertain that the winter winds are done with us.

Today, I invite all of us to pray for our youth, our world, and our churches as we navigate this change of season.

We are the church and today we are living into our calling!

Today I join 40 people, from 40 networks, to discuss, imagine, and pray for faith formation within the ELCA. Our goal for the next two days is to connect, align, and collaborate existing initiatives in the ELCA around faith formation ministry working with children, youth, young adults, and their families in order to cultivate a culture of faith formation within our church, congregations, and ministries.

We have been having formal and informal conversation about this for years. We have prayed for coordination, leadership, and support around such work. And today…we take these conversations a step further. Please pray for us in these next two day…and the months and years ahead.

Follow the conversation online – #formingfaithelca

Here I sit, on the other side of Easter. No more Lent, no more focusing on despair, no more walking to the cross. So now what?

The theme for our Easter sermon on Sunday was life, like living…actual heart-beating in our chest living. Before worship I went on an early morning walk and noticed life – spring sprouting, worms on the sidewalk, grass turning green. It’s hard to miss it, yet we do, rather I do, all the time.

So what would living, like really living look like in your world these days? If death had no hold on you, what would change in your life?

I’m not sure I know what that looks like for me yet, but I do know I’d risk more, I’d spend more time working together with others for the common good, and I’d listen to other people’s stories (because most people have very interesting stories).

Each of these ideas surfaced as I surfed Facebook and these videos caught my attention. Maybe, on this side of Easter, they might get your attention too.

http://blog.ed.ted.com/2016/03/24/how-educators-can-apply-innovation-methodology-in-everyday-projects/

Many of us leadership know the value of stepping back from the immediacy of leading (be it in our homes, workplaces, or volunteer work) to see the bigger picture of what is going on. The new year, and/or new seasons, often nudge us into such reflection.

What you may or may not know is that this reflection type of reflection has a name. According to Ronald Heifetz it is called “Getting on the Balcony” and he names how critically important this practice is for leaders.

Today one of our Luther Seminary students shared this blog with me, a reflection on this engaging this practice. It’s worth a read…and worth the time to practice this type of reflection yourself.

Leadership Insights Blog by Wesley Dorsett

I’ve been thinking about 2016. Have you? And I’m just wondering what plans you have for the coming year.

Just for fun I’ve created a little poll. I invite you to take it and then after the new year I will report my findings.