Faith Formation Forum

Retreat

2012-02-10T08:12:00.002-05:00

Thanks to everyone who participated in Souper Bowl Sunday. A total of 80 cans of hearty soup were delivered to the Gettysburg Community Soup Kitchen last Monday morning!

I'm taking a bit of a break from the blog this week while on retreat. Look for a new posting next week.

Peace be with you.

Commission

2012-02-03T08:24:00.000-05:00

This Sunday is Souper Bowl Sunday. Please bring a can or two of hearty soup to worship with you. We are collecting them on behalf of the Gettysburg Community Soup Kitchen. While many of us will settle down later in the day to watch a bunch of millionaires fight it out in a billion dollar venue, there remains a portion of our community wondering how to feed their families. So, take some time to get your can to church and make a difference!

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Now, I haven't forgotten about our list of six hallmarks or characteristics of congregational life that we have been thinking about over the past month. We will get back to them soon. (Maybe a little bit of time for reflection and gestation is in order.)

This Sunday I'd like us to spend some time with our Bibles and consider a passage from Paul's first letter to the church at Corinth: 1 Corinthians 9:16-23. Please take the time to look it up in our own bible. (If you don't have one, let me know . . . I have a stash.) If you really can't wait, here it is:

If I proclaim the gospel, this gives me no ground for boasting, for an obligation is laid on me, and woe to me if I do not proclaim the gospel! For if I do this of my own will, I have a reward; but if not of my own will, I am entrusted with a commission. What then is my reward? Just this: that in my proclamation I may make the gospel free of charge, so as not to make full use of my rights in the gospel.

Over the next day or two, read this passage several times . . . slowly . . . prayerfully. Now try to imagine yourself as Paul. Aren't we all entrusted with a commission?

There is plenty here to occupy our thoughts and discussion this week.

See you Sunday. Bring a friend along with your can of hearty soup.

Immediately

2012-01-19T11:26:00.000-05:00

Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”

Passing alongside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew the brother of Simon casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. And Jesus said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men.” And immediately they left their nets and followed him. And going on a little farther, he saw James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, who were in their boat mending the nets. And immediately he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants and followed him.

(Mark 1:14-20 ESV)

Reading accounts and stories in scripture about the many and various ways by which God calls us is something I enjoy. The stories of the ways Jesus calls his first disciples are instructive as well. As described in the passage from Mark included above, it seems as though Jesus is operating out of a sense of urgency and purpose.

I've always been amazed by the response of Simon and his brother Andrew. The immediacy of their response is amazing. They counter with no questions, no protest, no request for itinerary, no contract, no guarantees. They obey. Leaving their livelihood and their father behind, they drop everything and immediately follow.

How would we describe our response to the call of Jesus to follow him? What adverbs would we use?

I suppose we could argue that life now is so much more complicated than life was then, when Jesus first walked alongside the Sea of Galilee. We are so much more established and encumbered by things, so-called property, previous commitments and obligations. I wonder sometimes if our plates are so full that we have difficulty hearing, much less entertaining the notion to follow Jesus. It's convenient that Jesus shows up where we are and where we gather. But would we be willing to follow Jesus into the wilderness? Would we be willing to leave livelihood and family behind?

Before Jesus calls his first disciples, we read:

Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”

The vision and mission are clear. There is a sense of urgency and necessity. With this clarity, Jesus sets out. Taking the initiative, Jesus calls us to follow him.

I look forward to our weekly gatherings on Sunday morning. As we continue our exploration of the six halmarks of our congregational life, may we consider ways in which clarity of vision and mission contribute to the immediacy of our response to God in Christ?

Meanwhile, invite a friend and stay in One Peace!

Work of the People

2012-01-12T14:17:00.000-05:00

When we gather on Sunday's for worship, sometimes we'll hear the word Liturgy or Liturgical. I suspect that these words are not ones we hear or use during the rest of the week. Words like this tend to be viewed as "insider" language. I suppose it states the obvious to say, unless you know what they mean, you don't know what they mean.

Liturgy means work of the people. We use this word to speak of what we do or in what we engage when we gather together for worship each week. Our worship can be described as liturgical, because it is meant to engage everyone in actively worshipping God. We are not spectators. We are participants.

Most of us have experienced, heard of, or been exposed to other types or styles of worship. Take some time to reflect on your past experiences. Were you engaged and involved? Where you watching a performance? Did you have to move? Were you asked to respond? Questions like these can initiate our thoughts and reflection.

This Sunday we'll dive into a consideration of worship as the heartbeat of our congregation. Get ready for a Holy Spirit-lead time together!

Meanwhile, take a break for prayer and reflection:

Walking the Talk

2012-01-05T09:19:00.000-05:00

This coming Sunday we celebrate the festival of the Baptism of Our Lord. While we'll hear the account of this event as recorded in the gospel of Mark, we will also be reminded of what it means for our daily walk.

We excel, more or less, at getting the right or correct words out when we discuss the Sacrament of Holy Baptism. However, the real challenge (might we call it an opportunity?) is to put those words into action. In other words, how can we more faithfully walk the talk?

This reminds me of what it may mean to have integrity. There's not much more troubling than living a conflicted life. Multiple examples of fragmented lifestyles abound. I dare say we even look upon those who "have it all together" as abnormal. The new normal seems to be a hyper multi-tasked lifestyle. We try to serve too many masters and end up serving nothing.

But it doesn't have to be that way for you or me. We get to live as God's children because of God's action in our Baptism. We, too, have been sealed by the Holy Spirit and marked with the cross of Christ forever. Sometimes, however, we loose sight of this gift of faith and end up confused and led astray. So, this Sunday we'll look at the five components of the covenant of our baptism:

to live among God's faithful people,
to hear the word of God and share in the Lord's supper,
to proclaim the good news of God in Christ through word and deed,
to serve all people, following the example of Jesus,
to strive for justice and peace in all the earth.

Let us pray.

We give you thanks, O God, that through water and the Holy Spirit you give us new birth, cleanse us from sin, and raise us to eternal life. Stir up in your people the gift of your Holy Spirit: the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord, the spirit of joy in your presence, both now and forever.
Amen (Evangelical Lutheran Worship)

Bilingual Epiphany service

2012-01-04T08:38:00.003-05:00

Everyone is invited to come to a special bilingual Epiphany Day service at Trinity Lutheran Church, 38 North High Street, Arendtsville. It will be Friday, Jan. 6, at 7pm. Come early, at 6pm, for a light meal. Organized by the Latino Ministry of the Gettysburg Conference, the service will be in Spanish and English and is part of the Lutheran outreach to Spanish-speaking residents of Adams County. In the cultures of Latin America, the Day of Epiphany is an important feast day that celebrates the arrival of the three kings to the stable where Jesus was born. The meal includes Rosca, a special bread with a small doll of the Christ-child baked into it. You may be the special guest who finds the Christ-child. The service includes a sermon by Sharon Kaya, Latino missioner of the Gettysburg Conference. For information contact Sharon Kaya at 357-3045 or Pastor Robert Blezard, pastor of Trinity, at 677-8921.

Where were you born?

2011-12-22T09:23:00.000-05:00

With all the last minute shopping and gift wrapping going on, it's somehow necessary to note that we are not preparing to celebrate our birthdays, but rather the Nativity of the Lord.

I don't mean to be bah humbuggish at this late hour. Really, the purpose of this post is to help to draw our attention back to the center of what we would be better served to remember: God put on skin and subjected himself to the indignity of infancy. Even now, today, we look to the powers and principalities of this world to intervene and meet our needs. I suggest that when we do so, we are engaged in a fool's errand. Such misplaced allegiances will only and ultimately disappoint. So, lift up your hearts and hear the good news: Jesus, the Christ, is born for you and me so that we might give ourselves away in love and service to one another in a world in desperate need of what we are called, equipped and empowered to share.

If Jesus were to be born today, he would likely be found in a tent city rather than the safety of a hospital.
Watch this:

Bishop Hanson's Christmas Message

2011-12-18T17:15:00.000-05:00

Getting the Word Out

2011-12-14T08:51:00.000-05:00

Henry Ossawa Tanner, The Annunciation, 1898

My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
for you, Lord, have looked with favor on your lowly servant.
From this day all generations will call me blessed;
you, the Almighty, have done great things for me,
and holy is your name.

You have mercy on those who fear you,
from generation to generation.
You have shown strength with your arm;
and scattered the proud in their conceit,
casting down the mighty from their thrones
and lifting up the lowly.

You have filled the hungry with good things,
and sent the rich away empty.

You have come to the aid of your servant Israel,
to remember the promise of mercy,
the promise made to our forebears,
to Abraham and his children forever.

Luke 1: 46b-55

Light in the Midst of Darkness

2011-12-08T10:34:00.001-05:00

There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.

He came as a witness to testify to the light,

so that all might believe through him.

He himself was not the light,

but he came to testify to the light.

John 1:6-8

This week I received a letter from Annunciation Monastery of Clear Creek in Hulbert, Oklahoma. (I suspect my name was shared with their mailing list from one of my journal subscriptions.) It was a letter requesting my prayer and financial support for the monastery as they continue to strengthen their ministry and build a new chapel. The letter got my attention with it's opening paragraphs:

Today we are seeing a certain 'eclipse of God' taking place, a kind of amnesia which, albeit not an outright rejection of Christianity, is nonetheless a denial of the treasure of our faith, a denial that could lead to the loss of our deepest identity.

In a world of relativism and mediocrity, we need that radicalism to which your consecration, as a way of belonging to God who is loved above all things, bears witness.

These words were first addressed in the Monastery of San Lorenzo de El Escorial in Madrid on Friday, August 19, 2011. They are excerpted from Message for the 2011 World Youth Day by His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI.

Pope Benedict mentions the phrase Eclipse of God, echoing the thoughts of Martin Buber from the 1950's. Buber, an Austrian-born Jewish philosopher, wrote of the apparent destruction of the opportunity for intimacy with an eternal, ever-present God.

Martin Buber

As we discussed in last week's class, Advent reminds us of the all important task of clearing the way, of preparing, of sweeping the sidewalk of our life so that our encounter with God in Christ is as unencumbered as possible.

This week's gospel reading from the Gospel of John uses the imagery of John the Baptizer's role as witness to the Light of the World, Jesus Christ. So, we'll continue our exploration of what gets in the way of an honest and authentic encounter with Jesus in our daily lives and in our life together.

People Get Ready!

2011-12-02T10:02:00.001-05:00

John the Baptizer

In exploring the meaning of this season of Advent, I confess that I’m fatigued by hackneyed attempts like: Advent is a time to prepare for Christmas.

While there is nothing at all incorrect about such a statement, we leave ourselves bankrupt if we don’t avail ourselves of a more honest and through consideration. Such a thoughtful pondering demands a bit more sustained attention than were typically conditioned to endure. So, let’s not look at it as something to be endured, but rather as something to be embraced.

This Sunday as we get together, we’ll be discussing Advent. As we anticipate our conversation, join with me in considering portions of the readings from the lectionary texts for this Sunday.

The following is an excerpt from the second lesson, 2 Peter 3:13-15.

[W]e wait for new heavens and a new earth, where righteousness is at home. Therefore, beloved, while you are waiting for these things, strive to be found by him at peace, without spot or blemish; and regard the patience of our Lord as salvation.

What does this imply about righteousness?
Why is it not at home now and here?
What fences and walls have we constructed to “keep us safe” from the righteousness of God?

The gospel reading for this Sunday introduces us to the Gospel of Mark, Mark 1:4-8

John the baptizer appeared in the wilderness, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. And people from the whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem were going out to him, and were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. Now John was clothed with camel's hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. He proclaimed, "The one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to stoop down and untie the thong of his sandals. I have baptized you with water; but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit."

If someone fitting this description of John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness of the early 21st century, what would be the response?
Would there be a response?
Would we notice?
Would we even be capable of hearing his cry of his proclamation above the din of our lives?

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Looking forward to seeing you this Sunday! Meanwhile, stay in One Peace.

Stephen Ministry

2011-11-17T10:46:00.001-05:00

An inter-congregational effort organized under the “umbrella” of Lutheran Social Services is underway to identify individuals as potential Stephen Ministers.

The Stephen Series is a complete system for training and organizing lay people to provide one-to-one Christian care to hurting people in and around our congregation.

The Stephen Series provides congregations with the structure, training, and resources to set up and administer a complete system for lay caring ministry (called Stephen Ministry) in the congregation. In Stephen Ministry congregations, lay caregivers (called Stephen Ministers) provide one-to-one Christian care to the bereaved, hospitalized, terminally ill, separated, divorced, unemployed, relocated, and others facing a crisis or life challenge. Stephen Ministry helps pastors and congregations provide quality caring ministry for as long as people need it.
If you or someone you know would be interested in participating in this ministry or would like to hear more about it, please contact Pastor Frye as soon as possible. There are many folks in our congregation and within our community who would be blessed by such an outreach and faithful Christian witness. An application packet will be provided and a face-to-face interview with prospective Stephen Ministers will be conducted.

The hope is to begin a training class sometime toward the beginning of 2012. So, if you are interested, call Pastor Frye as soon as possible to let him know, or contact him via email: christopherfrye@embarqmail.com.

On Being Made Holy

2011-11-10T11:22:00.001-05:00

The Third Article of the Apostles' Creed:

I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting.

Robert De Niro as Captain Mendoza in The Mission (1986)
Encumbered by baggage and burdens

Last Sunday the Church celebrated the festival of All Saints. Typically, I suspect, we would say that we are not saints. . . at least, that is, not in the way commonly understood. Yet, we do confess a faith that holds that we are simultaneously both saint and sinner. Our status as saints is a gift. It is not the result of our behavior, our score-card, or a litmus test. Our status as saints is also something that we find difficult to embrace or acknowledge, especially after a bit of self-examination. Our sinfulness so quickly overshadows our saintliness.

Luther says the following about this third article:

I believe that by my own understanding or strength I cannot believe in Jesus Christ my Lord or come to him, but instead the Holy Spirit has called me through the gospel, enlightened me with his gifts, made me holy and kept me in the true faith, just as he calls, gathers, enlightens, and makes holy the whole Christian church on earth and keeps it with Jesus Christ in one common, true faith.

Robert De Niro as Captain Mendoza in The Mission (1986)
The Forgiveness of Sins

There is a whole lot packed into these lines of the Third Article of the Apostles' Creed. I suspect we won't exhaust all possible topics in our gathering this Sunday. But I do pray that we will be open together to listen and receive the gifts that we will share with one another. Meanwhile, take time to invite a friend to come along with you. See you soon!

lords a-leaping?

2011-11-04T09:28:00.000-04:00

Albrecht Durer (Nuremburg, 1471-1528)
The Annunciation to the Virgin

Thank you all for a good discussion last week as we began our exploration of the second article of the Apostles' Creed. This Sunday we will continue with the rest of article two.

I believe in Jesus Christ, God's only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried;
he descended to the dead.
On the third day he rose again;
he ascended into heaven,
he is seated at the right hand of the Father,
and he will come to judge the living and the dead.

suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, dead, and buried;

~ The Apostles' Creed

As we discussed last week, the first line of this portion of the creed is the ultimate confession of allegiance. In it we confess that Jesus has become our Lord. Martin Luther reminds us that this means:

He has redeemed and released me from sin, from the devil, from death, and from all misfortune. Before this I had no lord or king, but was captive under the power of the devil. I was condemned to death and entangled in sin and blindness. (LC, 27)

So, this Sunday I would suggest that we concentrate our discussion on the rest of this article which will serve to help us more fully appreciate the claims of the first.

Timothy J. Wengert, a professor at the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia, may assist us in framing our question with these observations from his book, Martin Luther's Catechisms: Forming the Faith. (page 59).

Wengert writes:

The question that this explanation poses for twenty-first-century Lutherans is simple: In a world without "lords a-leaping," except in quaint Christmas carols, what picture can we find that carries the same weight? How do we unlock the remarkable heart of the Christian message, ensconced in the Nicene Creed--"who for us and for our salvation came down"? Our failure to do this will simply reduce Christ to mythology or moralism and rob us of the comfort (and freedom!) of the gospel.

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Be sure to take note that the Annual Meeting of the Congregation will be held on Christ the King Sunday, November 20, 2011, immediately following the combined worship service that begins at 9:00 AM.

We're Overdue

2011-10-27T10:23:00.001-04:00

So far in the history of the Church, it seems that every 500 years or so, there is some sort of course correction or major shift and change:

The period from 325 to 787 witnessed the Seven Ecumenical Councils

The East-West Schism (or so-called "Great Schism") of 1054

The Reformation, 1517 - 1529

Are we currently in the midst of another such period of transformation?

This Sunday the church observes the Festival of the Reformation. We'll remember the Reformation of the 16th Century. And we'll also discuss the Reformation of the 21st Century. And, believe it or not, this all fits in well with our ongoing consideration of the second article of the Apostles' Creed.

Below is an image of what is known as Luther's Rose or the Luther Seal. Following it is Martin Luther's own explanation of its meaning. If you were compose an image that would represent your faith or the Faith of the Church, what would it look like?

Explanation of Luther's Rose

"Grace and peace from the Lord. As you desire to know whether my painted seal, which you sent to me, has hit the mark, I shall answer most amiably and tell you my original thoughts and reason about why my seal is a symbol of my theology.
The first should be a black cross in a heart, which retains its natural color, so that I myself would be reminded that faith in the Crucified saves us. For one who believes from the heart will be justified" (Rom. 10:10).

Although it is indeed a black cross, which mortifies and which should also cause pain, it leaves the heart in its natural color. It does not corrupt nature, that is, it does not kill but keeps alive. "The just shall live by faith" (Rom. 1:17) but by faith in the crucified.

Such a heart should stand in the middle of a white rose, to show that faith gives joy, comfort, and peace. In other words, it places the believer into a white, joyous rose, for this faith does not give peace and joy like the world gives (John 14:27). That is why the rose should be white and not red, for white is the color of the spirits and the angels (cf. Matthew 28:3; John 20:12).

Such a rose should stand in a sky-blue field, symbolizing that such joy in spirit and faith is a beginning of the heavenly future joy, which begins already, but is grasped in hope, not yet revealed.

And around this field is a golden ring, symbolizing that such blessedness in Heaven lasts forever and has no end. Such blessedness is exquisite, beyond all joy and goods, just as gold is the most valuable, most precious and best metal.

This is my compendium theoligae [summary of theology]. I have wanted to show it to you in good friendship,hoping for your appreciation.

May Christ, our beloved Lord, be with your spirit until the life hereafter. Amen."

Martin Luther

Letter to Lazarus Spengler, July 8, 1530.

Redemption

2011-10-20T11:22:00.000-04:00

In my estimation there are few things better than redemption. Actually, now that I think a bit more about it, there really is nothing better than redemption. See how easy it is to allow ourselves to be preoccupied with things here and now and loose sight of what should concern us ultimately? How many chances at making a good first impression have we squandered? How many times have we fallen short of expectations that either others have of us or we have for ourselves? How innumerable are the ways in which we have sinned against God and one another?

The second article of the Apostles' Creed is concerned with the person and nature of Jesus the Christ and the work of redemption in the life of the Christian.

Indeed, the entire gospel that we preach depends on the proper understanding of this article. Upon it all our salvation and blessedness are based, and it is so rich and broad that we can never learn it fully. (Martin Luther, Large Catechism)

If redemption is something that is at work in the life of the Christian, then why is it that we often live by another score-card -- one that tracts and remembers and holds itself against us?

Confessing a belief in Jesus Christ, our LORD is a bold move. There is nothing subtle about allegiance this signals. Luther says if anyone asks "What do you believe in the second article about Jesus Christ?" answer as briefly as possible, "I believe that Jesus Christ, true Son of God, has become my Lord." Luther than continues to explain that It means that Jesus has redeemed and released me from sin, from the devil, from death, and from all misfortune.

Before this I had no lord or king, but was captive under the power of the devil. I was condemned to death and entangled in sin and blindness. (Large Catechism)

Obviously, this is a central article of our faith as Christians. So, we'll take time on Sunday to explore it together and be reminded of the greatest gift we receive as children of God. Meanwhile, take time to enjoy the beauty of the Autumn leaves. Invite sometime to come along with you on Sunday!

All are welcome,

Guests are expected!

Now, turn off your phone and turn up the volume on your speakers and watch/listen to this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_fsrQFWb-xc&feature=player_detailpage

The Helper

2011-10-06T11:46:00.000-04:00

I recently found a bulletin/newsletter from Zion Lutheran Church (the original name of our Lutheran congregation here in Fairfield before we merged with the St. John's United Church of Christ [Reformed] in 1968) dated March 25, 1923. The title of the publication was The Helper.

Jesus said:

"If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you." (John 14:15-17 ESV)

Many translations of the Bible refer to this Helper (Paraclete) as the Advocate or Counselor. To our detriment we forget to remember that we aren't alone. Both as individuals and collectively, we children of God are not forsaken. Certainly as a congregation of disciples of Jesus we are heirs of this promise.

The reason I'm bringing this up now is because The Helper will be the new name of our congregational newsletter. The next issue of The Helper will be mailed toward the end of next week.

Meanwhile, I'm looking forward to our discussion this coming Sunday about the first article of the Apostles' Creed (please refer to last week's blog post). Also, we'll have some time to talk about our upcoming field-trip to the local migrant worker camp with Sharon Kaya, Latino Missioner for the Gettysburg Conference. Thanks for your warm and enthusiastic reception of Sharon's presentation last Sunday.

See you Sunday. God bless you.

The First Article: On Creation

2011-09-29T09:57:00.000-04:00

The annual Pippinfest has come and gone once more. The people of God return to the rhythm of life. And the Faith Formation Forum at St. John Lutheran Church is called to return -- gather again to learn, fellowship, and grow!

This Sunday we'll delve into the first article of the Apostles' Creed. Last Sunday we shared with one another what it means to believe. We might think of faith as having to do with understanding, comprehension, certainty, and the like. However, if we mind the biblical witness, belief is often harnessed to action. In other words, creed is partnered with deed.

Consider Martin Luther's explanation to the first article of the Apostles' Creed in his Small Catechism:

I believe in God, the Father almighty, Creator of heaven and earth.

What is this? Answer:

I believe that God has created me together with all that exists. God has given me and still preserves my body and soul: eyes, ears, and all limbs and senses; reason and all mental faculties. In addition, God daily and abundantly provides shoes and clothing, food and drink, house and farm, spouse and children, fields, livestock, and all property--along with all the necessities and nourishment for this body and life. God protects me against all danger and shields and preserves me from all evil. All this is done out of pure, fatherly, and divine goodness and mercy, without any merit or worthiness of mine at all! For all of this I owe it to God to thank and praise, serve and obey him. This is most certainly true.

Exploring this together on Sunday should be more than enough to keep us engaged during our time together. As always, please consider inviting a friend to come and see. Meanwhile, God bless you!

Creed & Deed

2011-09-16T08:39:00.003-04:00

In our corporate worship every Sunday we confess our shared faith with the words of the Apostles’ Creed. Such a confession is a way in which we publically proclaim the essence of our system of belief rooted in the historical Tradition of the Church.

Everyone is invited to participate in the Faith Formation Forum over the next several months as we explore the connection between what we believe and what we do — the relationship between creed and deed.

This Sunday, September 18, we'll gather at 9:15 in the fellowship hall for the first in a series of sessions dealing with the substance of our confessional heritage. Martin Luther's Small Catechism will serve as our primary reference.

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September 2011 Wish List

Household Items

• Bath mats; no rubber backing
• Towel/washcloth sets
• Non-flannel twin sheet sets
• Ziploc snack-sized bags
• Garbage bags; 13 gallon
• Masking tape
• Mattress pads; twin size
• Mr. Clean® Magic Eraser cleaning pads
• Bleach
• Dish soap (liquid)
• Pillows; standard size, new only please
• Plates; dinner size, non-breakable
• Facial tissues (with lotion preferred)
• Aluminum foil (heavy duty)
• Latex gloves
• New toys/games for birthday closet (age 8 & up)
• Wii controllers and “E for Everyone” games
• Individual snack-size applesauce, juice & crackers
• Board game replacements/pieces (please call)
• DVD player

Children’s Programs

• Daycare crib sheets; 24”w x 38”l x 3”deep
• Diaper Genie® refills (green size)
• Tempera paint – big containers preferred

Gift Cards

• Food Lion
• Weis
• Lowes
• Sheetz

Property Care

• Vehicle fluids; oil, coolant, transmission and windshield washer fluid
• Repair/replacement of Ford van’s running board
• Round-up weed killer
• Bee/wasp insecticide spray
• Ant traps/spray
• Gently used lawn tractor w/mower

Clothing – only these specific items please

• Gift cards for new shoes: Payless, Factory Brand Shoes, etc.

Office/Computer Lab

• Copier paper; white, 8½ x 11

Family/Personal Care Items

• “Pink/Pantene Woman of Color” hair products
• Decongestant/cold/allergy/cough medications/Mucinex; adult & child strengths, alcohol-free, single-dose packets preferred
• Lip balm
• Suave hair de-tangler spray
• Sanitary napkins; maxi pads
• Pepto Bismol® tablets; adult & child strengths
• Diapers; sizes 3, 4 & 5
• “Goodnites" med/large

Rally Day

2011-09-06T12:01:00.000-04:00

This Sunday, September 11, is Rally Day. . . a day to return to Sunday School and get back into the rhythm of worship in the community of faith. I'm not so sure why so many "take a break" from the Means of Grace in Word and Sacrament during the months of summer. However, Rally Day is a day of amnesty, a day to return to the Lord for hope, healing and strength. So, shall we gather?!

Please take note of the change in the Sunday schedule beginning this Sunday:

8:00 Holy Communion

9:15 Sunday School for all ages (Faith Formation Forum will meet in Fellowship Hall)

10:30 Holy Communion

There will also be a barbecue at Sanders' Square at 12:30. Everyone is welcome. Please bring a dish to share. BBQ, drinks, and paper products will be provided.

Looking forward to seeing you all this Sunday. In the meantime, here are some resources to assist in your preparations for gathering together this Sunday.

Prayer of the Day (ELW)

O Lord God, merciful judge,

you are the inexhaustible fountain of forgiveness.

Replace our hearts of stone with hearts that love and adore you,

that we may delight in doing your will,

through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.

Readings

Genesis 50:15–21

Psalm 103:[1–7] 8–13

Romans 14:1–12

Matthew 18:21–35

Reflection

(from Sundays and Seasons)

You have heard it said, "The only good terrorist is a dead terrorist." Regardless of ethnicity, sex, or creed, most people, including those who confess Jesus Christ as Lord, would readily agree to that statement, because the practice of terrorism is not peculiar to any one group of people. However, a brief perusal of human history would illustrate that almost everyone is a descendant of people who have, at one time or another, inflicted pain and suffering on other people. But the Author of Life, the Source of salvation history has the last word.

In the first reading, Jonah disobeys God’s command not because of faithlessness, but because of his faith in the mercy of God. He knows that God’s mercy extends even to the enemy. Jonah wants to see the people of Nineveh destroyed because they have inflicted such pain and misery on his people. Not Jonah’s will, but rather God’s will is done.

While dying, hanging from a cross, the very first words spoken by Jesus are words of forgiveness for the very ones who were the cause of his agony. Although forgiveness for the carnage that took place September 11, 2001 may still be far from our hearts and minds, even in our anger, in our grief, and in our outrage, we are guided by the Holy Spirit to work for justice and peace.

Crucifers

2011-08-25T12:09:00.002-04:00

Roughly one hundred years ago, English writer G. K. Chesterton spun the following:

"Just going to church doesn't make you a Christian any more than standing in your garage makes you a car."

For many, “going to church” is one among many activities and events on our weekly planners. The common assumption is that, once checked off as “done” we’re good to go for another week. This view sees the task of “going to church” akin to taking out the trash or getting an inoculation at your doctor’s office. Further, it reinforces the unfortunate notion that “church” is merely a destination. We bankrupt ourselves spiritually by perpetuating this belief and practice.

I’ve been thinking (praying, reflecting, meditating, studying) recently on the relationship between belief and practice, faith and action, talking and walking. Generally, we excel at orthodoxy. We’ve got the Creeds; but what about the deeds?

In the gospel reading (Matthew 16:24) for this coming Sunday Jesus says to his disciples:

"If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.”

Does belief come first? Does it matter? It sounds like Jesus is emphasizing the activity of following rather than the attitude of belief. Honestly though, isn’t it much more convenient and comfortable for us to “be a believer” and leave the following, the sacrifice, the cross-bearing to others?

Christianity is often categorized as a one of the world’s major faiths. It’s one among others in its function as a label or identifier. And when we relegate Christianity to this banality, we are deprived of the joy of becoming followers of Christ and The Way. Christianity is not only a system of belief or articles of faith, but also a way of life in all of life, not just for an hour a week or special occasions.

Chesterton is also famous for reminding us that . . .

“the Christian ideal has not been tried and found wanting; it has been found difficult and left untried."

Hubert Conner, the Dean of Students of my high school and eleventh-grade religion teacher, was fond of shouting out at us from behind his podium in front of the class: “Seek first the Kingdom!” (He reminded me of John the Baptist: he was clear about his mission; and was a little rough around the edges.) This proclamation has clarified so much of what otherwise would confound and confuse me into paralysis.

Take some time and space to reflect on the relationship of creed and deed in your own life. Are you an admirer of Jesus? A believer? A follower?

I sometimes find that in the act of obedience I’m set free to believe. In other words, it’s liberating to seek the things that are above, to set my mind on divine things. Sure, I still live here and now in the midst of many things I cannot change, but I do so with the reassurance that, having lost my life for Christ’s sake, I have gained the ability to respond to Christ’s call.

Head of Christ
Georges Henri Roualt (1871-1958)

Light in the Darkness

2011-08-10T10:34:00.003-04:00

Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,

By most outward appearances, the powers and principalities of this world are failing. To put the best construction on it, let’s just say that it’s quite evident that we are in the midst of a period of transformation.

Considering the meltdown of our economy; the disintegration of the functional capacity of government; riots throughout England; drought and famine in Somalia; or ongoing war in the Middle East, there is more than enough to be overwhelmed.

In the midst of all this, what do we do? Do we give in to fear and despair? Do we yield to cynicism or apathy? What might be a faithful response for us who know ourselves to be children of God and citizens of the Kingdom that is not of this world?

Perhaps I’m wrong, but just maybe the era of “business as usual” is coming to an end. Doing the same things again and again and expecting different results may indeed prove to be the height of insanity.

There is much at stake. Allowing ourselves to be immobilized in a straitjacket of fear may be our default strategy for enduring such times as these. Yet we are not meant to merely endure or exist. Christ came that we might have life — so that we might live!

For God’s sake, take a few moments and read a passage from the Apostle Paul’s letter to the Church at Rome:

For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received a spirit of adoption.

When we cry, ‘Abba! Father!’ it is that very Spirit bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ—if, in fact, we suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with him. (Romans 8:14-17)

What a tremendous passage this is!?! Actually, I love it . . . until that last line: if, in fact, we suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with him.

Suffering! There’s the rub. We would rather avoid suffering. However, living as children of God and as citizens of God’s Kingdom here and now, we will necessarily be reminded that we have been marked by the cross of Christ forever. We have been called to take up our cross and follow. As members of Christ’s body, the Church we aren’t called to be chameleons. We’re called to Get up, Stand up!

Finally, what I’d like you to remember is this: do not be discouraged. This present darkness is indeed overwhelming. Yet, it is also an opportunity for us to let our light shine. Each and every one of us has been given the gift of Christ’s light. And now the world around is in need of what we have. So let us shine to the glory of God!

In Christ’s love for you,

Pastor Frye

Boats Rock

2011-08-03T16:50:00.002-04:00

Model of the 'Kinneret Boat', a Galilean fishing boat of the first century CE based on archaeologists' reconstructed plans of an actual boat found on the shores of the Sea of Galilee, or Yam Kinneret as the "sea" was known at the time the boat was in use.

We're all in the same boat. We're in this together, or we're not in it at all.

This may not be a comfort in the face of anxiety and fear. Yet it is indeed the image of the church that is depicted in this week's gospel lesson from the Matthew. The disciples are together in the boat:

Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, but by this time the boat, battered by the waves, was far from the land, for the wind was against them. And early in the morning he came walking toward them on the sea. But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, saying, "It is a ghost!" And they cried out in fear. But immediately Jesus spoke to them and said, "Take heart, it is I; do not be afraid."

Peter answered him, "Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water." He said, "Come." So Peter got out of the boat, started walking on the water, and came toward Jesus. But when he noticed the strong wind, he became frightened, and beginning to sink, he cried out, "Lord, save me!" Jesus immediately reached out his hand and caught him, saying to him, "You of little faith, why did you doubt?" When they got into the boat, the wind ceased. And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, "Truly you are the Son of God."

-- Matthew 14:22–33

Throughout scripture, water is often meant to symbolize chaos, danger, and death. So, for Jesus to walk upon the water demonstrated his power over such things.

We don't have to look far or for long around us to sense many and various things that overwhelm, frighten, and intimidate us. We may not all be like Peter -- wishing to embark on a dance upon the deep. Yet we too find ourselves sinking and in despair when we keep our eyes off Jesus. There are so many weapons of mass distraction in our lives that compete for first place in our heart and faith. The good news, however, is that Jesus still comes to us in the midst of the windy storms, picks us up and lifts us to safety -- restoring us to community.

When they got into the boat, the wind ceased.
(Matthew 14:32)

Kingdom of Heaven

2011-07-21T11:51:00.002-04:00

If you think it's hot here . . .

I hope all of you are faring well during these hazy, hot, and humid days of summer. The dog days are upon us earlier than usual it seems. It's a good day to be still and know that God is God (Psalm 46:10).

This coming Sunday's sermon theme is the Kingdom of Heaven,

Prayer of the Day (ELW)

Beloved and sovereign God,

through the death and resurrection of your Son

you bring us into your kingdom of justice and mercy.

By your Spirit, give us your wisdom,

that we may treasure the life that comes from Jesus Christ,

our Savior and Lord.

Readings

1 Kings 3:5–12

Psalm 119:129–136

When your word is opened, it gives light and understanding. (Ps. 119:130)

Romans 8:26–39

Matthew 13:31–33, 44–52

The kingdom of heaven is a recurring topic throughout the gospel of Matthew.

"... Your kingdom come,

your will be done

on earth as it is in heaven." (6:10)

"But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness,

and all these things will be given to you as well." (6:33)

"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven,

but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven." (7:21)

Throughout Matthew's gospel, Jesus and his disciples proclaim the good news that "the kingdom of heaven is near!" In the reading for this Sunday, Jesus tells parables about the kingdom of heaven to help the disciples and the people understand the implications for their lives (and ours).

The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that someone took and sowed in his field; 32it is the smallest of all the seeds, but when it has grown it is the greatest of shrubs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches.

The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed in with three measures of flour until all of it was leavened.

The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which someone found and hid; then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.

The kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls; on finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had and bought it.

The kingdom of heaven is like a net that was thrown into the sea and caught fish of every kind; when it was full, they drew it ashore, sat down, and put the good into baskets but threw out the bad. So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come out and separate the evil from the righteous and throw them into the furnace of fire, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Grant Park, Chicago, June 2011

Wasted Seed?

2011-07-06T14:50:00.000-04:00

I imagine it is difficult for most of us to embrace extravagance as a way of life. I also assume that when most of us hear the word extravagance, notions of excess and frivolity come to the forefront of our mind. It's too much. We must be reserved. To be a miser in regard to one's possessions, finances, and other gifts is held up as virtuous by many.

Along comes Jesus in this Sunday's gospel lesson from Matthew 13. We hear the parable of the sower (others refer to it as the parable of the soils). Jesus simply shares the story. Take a few minutes and open your bible to Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23. Read the parable and Jesus' own explanation.

Consider the following:

What is the first word in the parable?
What is the last thing so many of us are able to do in a world of noise and chatter?
How would you descibe the activity of the sower?
Do you think the sower was a miser?
What's the point of sowing seed?
What types of soils are describes in this parable?
What is the purpose of a seed?
What happens to a seed in the various soil types?
What type of soil are you?
What type of soil are we as a congregation?
Are we only one type?
What constitutes a weed?

Certainly there are more questions that we could ask, but twelve seemed like a good start.

So, let's just start another list:

Where do you hear God in this parable?
What is God doing?
What difference does it make in your life? . . . in our life together?

You may enjoy viewing this with your children or grandchildren . . . or with your child-like self (I didn't mean childish.):

http://youtu.be/V9IOhGPrRvY
______________________

Two reminders:

First: This Saturday evening from 5:30 to 6:30 PM you are invited to gather with me in the fellowship hall to explore and discuss the readings for Sunday -- including this parable from Matthew 13. The other texts include:

Isaiah 55:10-13
Psalm 65
Romans 8:1-11

Second: Worship this Sunday will be at 9:00 AM at Carroll Valley Park (if it dosn't snow). Bring a lawn chair, a friend, and an open heart. Bikers welcome!

RSVP VBS ASAP

2011-06-20T14:34:00.000-04:00

We will hold our combined St. Mary's & St. John's Vacation Bible School at St. Johns Monday, July 11-Friday, July 15 from 6-8:30PM. Feel free to invite neighbors and friends. Ages 4-12 are invited to participate. There is no cost for participants. Please see Jess Lee, Stacey Chesko, or Carol Garman for registration sheets or if you are interested in helping. A registration form can be found on the website:

http://www.saintjohnfairfield.org/Documents/VBS.pdf

PS: blogger on r&r until July . . . peace be with you!

Focus

2011-06-15T21:26:00.000-04:00

Earlier this year, at the annual leadership retreat, a focus statement for our life together was developed that provides direction for us as we anticipate the immediate future of our mutual ministry in Christ’s name in this place. Here it is:

Unity: God has made us one in Christ
Vitality: We have been made alive in Christ
Service: We are sent to serve our neighbor and community making Christ known.

UNITY
Even though sometimes we don’t feel united or we don’t behave as though we are united, the truth remains that, in fact, God has already established our unity in Christ. So, when we sense that unity is not being made manifest, or when some individuals or cozy collaborations actively work against unity in our life together, then we know that sin and evil are at hand with all trickery, deception, and lies at their disposal, attempting to rent asunder what God has put together. This is conduct unbecoming a community of disciples of Jesus. And so, we all do well to remember that we are in this together or we are not in it at all. God has made us one in Christ.

VITALITY
Since we have been made one together in Christ, we get to share in the resurrected life of Christ, transformed and equipped. We have not been made one and made alive simply to exist, but to engage life and ministry with vitality. What might signs of vitality in our life together look like? How do we know that we are truly living rather than merely existing and going through the motions? The apostle Paul was able to say: “I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but it is Christ who lives in me.” (Galatians 2:19b-20)

SERVICE
There is purpose in our unified and vital life together. Attending church services is prelude to being a church of service. For nearly 160 years, there has been a worshipping and witnessing Lutheran faith community gathering together in Fairfield and being sent out in service to the community. As you know, our community has experienced great change and growth since the mid-19th century. It is safe to assume that the rate of change will continue to increase. We are presented with many and various opportunities to be sent to serve our neighbor and community and make Christ known!

May the three areas of this ministry focus statement do just that: focus our ministry. May we come to acknowledge that God has a mission in our midst and invites our united, vital participation in service to one another, our neighbor and the community in Christ’s name.

Let's Take a Hike Together

2011-06-10T21:39:00.000-04:00

Thanks to Staci Grimes for submitting the following post:

John 17:22-23
The glory that you have given me I have given them, so that they may be one, as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become completely one, so that the world may know that you have sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.

Christ not only desired that we should be in good fellowship with each other, he believed that through our fellowship we could witness to all others about living in the glory of God.

We live in a beautiful region of the world. There are mountains and valleys and rural countryside here. There are structures in place that allow us to take in the glory of God's work here on earth. Several of us are interested in choosing a date for an afternoon hike at Strawberry Hill, and we'd love for you to join us.

This is an opportunity to come together as one, as well as an opportunity to learn from God's creation what is mentioned in Job:

Job 12:7-10
But ask the animals, and they will teach you; the birds of the air, and they will tell you; ask the plants of the earth, and they will teach you; and the fish of the sea will declare it to you. Who among all these does not know that the hand of the Lord has done this? In his hand is the life of every living thing and the breath of every human being.

If there is interest, we'll pick a date and take a walk together. Individuals, families, children, and non-church members are all welcome. Have a beautiful couple of days until next we worship together again!

~Staci Grimes

Cooperation

2011-06-02T10:57:00.000-04:00

I appreciated our discussion last week about the dynamics of congregational life and vitality. What we are experiencing in our life together is typical when congregations approach a certain threshhold, encounter new territory, and unfamiliar opportunities for ministry.

This Sunday I'd like to share with you more about the Catoctin Mission Cooperative. In order to prepare for the discussion, I'd like to ask you to engage the following assessment and make note of your responses to each of the questions. These questions (and your responses to them) will serve as the framework for our class discussion this week. In advance, I want to thank you for your prayerful and toughtful responses to these questions. God bless you!

+ + +

Catoctin Mission Cooperative Self-Assessment

The Catoctin Mission Cooperative (St. John Lutheran Church in Fairfield, PA, Elias Lutheran Church in Emmitsburg, MD, and St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church in Thurmont, MD) is conducting an informal survey of church leaders in the South Central Pennsylvania and Northern Central Maryland area to gather information about how local Lutheran churches think about themselves at this moment in time. The hope is that by openly sharing information about what is happening within our churches, how we believe God has gifted our congregations, and our hopes and dreams for our future, together we might obtain a better sense for God's mission for us -- not only within our church but in the larger church family that includes our neighboring Lutheran churches.

This survey starts by having you put your congregation in front of a mirror and asking you what you see. If your church's professional and lay leadership see fundamental challenges in many areas of church life, they are not alone! We want to hear about your issues; most likely other congregations have similar issues and could be of help when working to prioritize and begin to deal with these challenges.

The second part of the survey asks you to dream. Dream big! We all have big dreams for our churches. In all of us there is a desire to see certain things happen. God sprinkles these thoughts and inklings into the minds of followers for a reason. Sometimes those reasons are not immediately clear but can become clearer as they are shared and discussed with other dreamers.

The last part of the survey asks you to list out the gifts and special abilities of your current congregations. Taking a moment to consider how God has gifted us to overcome our challenges and let us more fully realize God's mission for us is important. Please take 5 or 10 minutes now to begin to recognize that importance for your life as a Christian and for your life as a member of your congregation. Responses received by June 12th, 2011 will be accumulated and shared with the Cooperative by June 13th, 2011. Responses will be shared with church councils at a later time in the year.

Current Challenges for your Congregation
What are three major challenges for your congregation right now which you believe limit your ability to do what God is calling you to do?

Visitors’ Impressions
What would be the experience of the first time visitor at your church if they were to attend this Sunday?

Dreams for your Church
Fast forward 10 years. Imagine all of your greatest desires for your church and church life have been realized. Tell us about what that might be like. What is going on?

Giftedness
What special skills and abilities are represented by your church's current members that could make some of those dreams a reality? Also, what help might area church's provide in helping your congregation reach these dreams.

Ministry Opportunities
How might your congregation be of service to your neighbor?

Thank you for taking to the time to participate in this assessment.

Now for something completely different

2011-05-26T13:42:00.000-04:00

Thanks to Barbara Booz for sharing this video. Take a few minutes to watch and listen!

Our Three Expressions

2011-05-21T10:38:00.001-04:00

Saint John Lutheran Church, Fairfield, Pennsylvania, is a congregation of the Lower Susquehanna Synod, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. And while this is so, it may not be clear to you or others what it means. The constitution of the ELCA speaks of us being one church with three expressions. I invite you to click on the link below and explore these information shared there.

Our Three Expressions - Evangelical Lutheran Church in America

Good Shepherd

2011-05-12T12:17:00.000-04:00

This Sunday, the Fourth Sunday of Easter, is traditionally observed as Good Shepherd Sunday. The appointed Psalm for the day is the twenty-third Psalm. Many people know this Psalm. It is one of the "most requested" Psalms for funerals and other times of trial and faith-testing. While many people know Psalm 23, I wonder how many people know the shepherd.

The LORD is my shepherd. (Psalm 231:a)

That is how Psalm 23 begins. An argument could be made that that is where it could end as well. Everything that follows, all the other six and a half verses of the Psalm, help us understand what it means to confess that the LORD is our shepherd.

If you were to write the rest of this Psalm, what would you say? In what ways is the LORD your shepherd? What does it mean to be a shepherd? Are we to think of ourselves and one another as sheep? What does that mean?

The next day John [the baptizer] saw Jesus coming toward him and decalred, "Here is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!" (John 1:29)

Maybe this seems odd to you. This Sunday we celebrate Christ as the Good Shepherd while simultaneously joining John in confessing that Jesus is the Lamb of God. Can we do both? Can Jesus be both?

Francisco Zurbaran, Agnus Dei

The gospel reading for Sunday morning is John 10:1-10. Take a few minutes to prayerfully read this passage in preparation for worship and for our discussion on Sunday. The topic for our class will be the Book of Psalms in general, but we'll take a close look at the twenty-third as we wrestle with some of the questions mentioned above. Meanwhile, enjoy the beauty of these days. Whether sunshine or rain, it is a gift of God for the children of God.

Recognition

2011-05-05T10:02:00.001-04:00

This Sunday's gospel reading is Luke 24:13-35. It tells of two disciples of Jesus who are walking from Jerusalem to a town called Emmaus, approximately seven miles away. (Imagine walking from the Lutheran Seminary in Gettysburg to Fairfield.)

It isn't just another regular day. They're walking and talking together on the first day of the week. Earlier that morning, the empty tomb was discovered and news had already reached them that Jesus had risen from the dead. While they continued walking and discussing, they were joined by someone they didn't recognize.

For the rest of the story, please read Luke 24:13-35. Seriously, get your Bible out and read it.

Supper at Emmaus by Caravaggio

In what ways are we kept from recognizing Jesus in our midst? Do we live in expectancy? Are we open to encountering Jesus in those we don't at first recognize? I suggest that living in expectancy is so much different than living with entitlement. The first is faithful; the second, arrogant. We often live with the second and deprive ourselves of living in the first.

Relating to Luke 24: 32 and utilizing the gift of hindsight, let us ask ourselves: has there been a time recently when our hearts were burning within us? What are the obstacles that prevent us from recognizing Jesus? In what ways have we encountered the risen Christ in our midst?

If you don't make it a regular practice already, I invite you to participate in either one of our worship services on Sunday morning (8:00 or 10:30). Jesus is in our midst, as he has promised, when we gather together in worship. Christ comes to us in the Word and the sharing of the Supper of his Body and Blood. All are welcome. You will be blessed.

Meanwhile, don't forget that this Saturday evening there will be a Pot-Luck Supper at the Church from 5:00 to 7:00 PM. Bring a dish to share. Bring a friend, make a friend.

Mission Possible

2011-04-29T09:05:00.001-04:00

The Incredulity of St Thomas, c. 1634
Rembrandt Harmensz. van Rijn

I hope this finds all of you doing well and appreciating the good that we are able to receive and share. This past week we celebrated the Resurrection of Our Lord and, in fact, the celebration continues during these fifty days of Easter. May the message of the hope and promise of Christ's resurrection be comfort to the hundreds (thousands) devastated by the storms earlier this week in Alabama and other parts of the country.

The following are topics for discussion that you suggested a couple of weeks ago:

The Book of Revelation
The Twelfth Imam
The Book of Psalms
Acts of the Apostles
Seasons of the Church
Mission Trips

I'd like to also suggest -- and maybe this can be for ongoing exploration throughout the summer -- that we investigate what Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote about what he calls "Religionless Christianity."

Before we begin any new topic, I'd like us to set aside this Sunday's class to consider the connection between Resurrection and Mission. In other words, what does the good news of Christ's Resurrection have to do with the mission of the church? How do we manifest the good news that we celebrate?

Head of Christ, c.1648-56
Rembrandt Harmensz. van Rijn

If you are planning any road trips later in the summer, you might consider a trip to the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Beginning August 3 through October 30, 2011, the beautiful museum along the Schuylkill River will host: Rembrandt and the Face of Jesus. For more information about the exhibit, follow the following link:
http://www.philamuseum.org/exhibitions/409.html

Meanwhile, peace be with you. See you on Sunday! Bring a friend!!

Resurrection of Our Lord

2011-04-23T21:02:00.001-04:00

Benjamin West, The Angel at the Tomb of Christ.

After the sabbath, as the first day of the week was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb. ²And suddenly there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord, descending from heaven, came and rolled back the stone and sat on it.

(Matthew 28:1-2)

First and last alike, receive your reward.

Rich and poor, rejoice together!

Conscientious and lazy, celebrate the day!

You who have kept the fast, and you who have not,

rejoice, this day, for the table is bountifully spread!

Feast royally, for the calf is fatted.

Let no one go away hungry.

Partake, all, of the banquet of faith.

Enjoy the bounty of the Lord's goodness!

O death, where is your sting?

O hell, where is your victory?

Christ is risen, and you are cast down!

Christ is risen, and the demons are fallen!

Christ is risen, and the angels rejoice!

Christ is risen, and life is set free!

Christ is risen, and the tomb is emptied of its dead.

- John Chrysostom (347-407)

Archbishop of Constantinople;

was an important Early Church Father.

2011-04-14T11:16:00.000-04:00

Sunday of the Passion/ Palm Sunday

Today's liturgy begins with a palm procession, commemorating Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem. Quickly the tone of the service changes as we meditate upon Jesus' passion and death. Because this story is so central to our faith, we hear Matthew's account of the passion today and John's version on Good Friday. Though Jesus is obedient even unto death on the cross, he is exalted by God. We gather to remember his offering for the life of the world, and to be fed by his life-giving mercy. This holy week will culminate in the celebration of the Three Days of Jesus' suffering, death, and resurrection.

Matthew 21:1-11

Isaiah 50:4-9a

Psalm 31:9-16

Philippians 2:5-11

Matthew 26:14—27:66 or Matthew 27:11-54

Monday in Holy Week

Isaiah 42:1-9

Psalm 36:5-11

Hebrews 9:11-15

John 12:1-11

Tuesday in Holy Week

Isaiah 49:1-7

Psalm 71:1-14

1 Corinthians 1:18-31

John 12:20-36

Wednesday in Holy Week

Isaiah 50:4-9a

Psalm 70

Hebrews 12:1-3

John 13:21-32

Three Days—Easter

Maundy Thursday

With nightfall our Lenten observance comes to an end, and we gather with Christians around the world to celebrate the Three Days of Jesus' death and resurrection. At the heart of the Maundy Thursday liturgy is Jesus' commandment to love one another. As Jesus washed the feet of his disciples, we are called to follow his example as we humbly care for one another, especially the poor and the unloved. At the Lord's table we remember Jesus' sacrifice of his life, even as we are called to offer ourselves in love for the life of the world.

Exodus 12:1-4 [5-10] 11-14

Psalm 116:1-2, 12-19

1 Corinthians 11:23-26

John 13:1-17, 31b-35

Good Friday

At the heart of the Good Friday liturgy is the passion according to John, which proclaims Jesus as a triumphant king who reigns from the cross. The ancient title for this day—the triumph of the cross—reminds us that the church gathers not to mourn this day but to celebrate Christ's life-giving passion and to find strength and hope in the tree of life. In the ancient bidding prayer we offer petitions for all the world for whom Christ died. Today's liturgy culminates in the Easter Vigil tomorrow evening.

Isaiah 52:13—53:12

Psalm 22

Hebrews 10:16-25

John 18:1—19:42

Resurrection of Our Lord—Vigil of Easter

Romans 6:3-11

John 20:1-18

Resurrection of Our Lord—Easter Day

On this day the Lord has acted! On the first day of the week God began creation, transforming darkness into light. On this, the "eighth day" of the week, Jesus Christ was raised from the dead. We celebrate this new creation in the waters of baptism and in the feast of victory. With great joy we celebrate this day of days, even as we begin the great fifty days of Easter. Filled with hope, we go forth to share the news that Christ is risen!

Acts 10:34-43

Psalm 118:1-2, 14-24

Colossians 3:1-4

Matthew 28:1-10

Stray, Lost, or Found

2011-04-06T08:49:00.000-04:00

As sometimes happens, last Sunday the ”tyranny of the clock” brought a premature conclusion to our discussion about the connection between worship and mission (worship and outreach, worship and witness). Because of that, we’ll try to pick up where we left off last week as we gather this coming Sunday. If, for some reason, you missed last week’s class, please don’t think that you are disqualified from jumping in this week.

Toward the end of her book, Reaching Out Without Dumbing Down, Marva Dawn sites the following:

David Barrett reported statistics for Oxford University Press that in a twelve-month period, 2,765,100 worship attenders in Europe and North America cease to be practicing Christians — an average loss of 7,600 every day. This means that every week more than 53,000 people leave churches and never come back. The percentage of active Christians in the world has fallen from 29.0 percent in 1900 to 23.3 percent of today’s population. Losses in the Western and formerly Communist worlds slightly outweigh Christian growth in the Two-Thirds World.(page 280)

In preparation for our time together on Sunday, please take a few moments over the next several days to and read and reflect upon the following passages:

Matthew 3:1-12

John the Baptist prepares the way

Matthew 10: 5-15

the sending of the twelve apostles

Matthew 18:12-14

a version of the parable of the lost sheep

Roman 15:1-13

the example of Christ

As you open these passages, how do they open you? What do you notice? What surprises you? What questions come to your mind? What is God saying in these passages?

Worship and Mission

2011-04-01T17:48:00.000-04:00

Rowan’s godparents were visiting with us for a couple days this week. We hadn’t seen them for several years before this visit, yet we were all able to pick up where we left off the last time we were together. It was, of course, a treat for Rowan, who, at age five, wasn’t sure what to expect. It was a good visit and Rowan had a chance to bond with his Aunt Sandy, Uncle Jeff and Cousin Emma.

Sharing this with you is a roundabout way of explaining why I haven’t posted on this blog earlier in the week.

+ + +

I’m looking forward to our time together this Sunday as we continue our discussion about worship and its connection to mission. I am still thinking about how nice it was that each group last week discovered/recognized the relationship between worship and mission. I always need to remind myself that the church doesn’t have a mission. We, as church, are a mission. Another way I’ve heard it said is like this: “The Church doesn’t have a mission. God has a mission and it’s called the ‘Church’.”

Yet this is no excuse to think of ourselves as merely adherents to Churchianity. Rather, we are called to be confessors of Christianity. Think about that difference.

So, what do you think? Should the church be more concerned with institutional survival or evangelical mission? What does our history teach us about our priorities? What are God’s priorities?

Worship, Round 2

2011-03-24T13:00:00.000-04:00

Last Sunday at the end of our time together, gave you the take-home sheet that contained the following questions from Douglas Webster's book, Selling Jesus:

How do we present Christ to a consumer-oriented, sex-crazed, self-preoccupied, success-focused, technologically sophisticated, light-hearted, entertainment-centered culture?
How do we strategize, as Jesus did with the disciples, to distinguish between popular opinion and Spirit-led confession?
How does the confessional church, as a community of Christian disciples, engage the world?*

Webster follows these questions with an observation that it is so easy to become distracted by marketing "church" to meet the needs (wants, really) of various catagories of people. He then asks:

But are the Christian marketers asking the right questions? Is the issue for the American church authenticity or attractiveness, integrity or excitement?*

This all may seem like a distraction from the topic of worship. However, as you may have noticed from the wide ranging responses shared last week, our expectations are all over the place. So, allow me to provide the following definition of worship for the sake of focus:

Worship
Old English: "worthy."
Offering adoration, praise, and thanksgiving to God in recognition of God's holiness and in response to what God has done, continues to do, and promises yet to do for his people and for all creation.

I would also like to reinforce one of the "givens" that we discussed last week. Worship, for the purpose of our discussions, is a corporate activity. It is a work of the people (liturgy) in response to God's initiative in Christ to bring about our reconciliation on multiple levels and in many ways.

This coming Sunday we will distiquish corporate worship from all the various other activities and rythems of the church. I'm looking forward to out time together. Meanwhile, stay in One Peace.

*Douglas D. Webster, Selling Jesus: What’s Wrong with Marketing the Church (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1992)

Reaching out without Dumbing Down

2011-03-19T10:17:00.000-04:00

As a church, we gage our "success" on the answers to questions such as "how many?" and "how much?" In fact these questions are the two, if only, questions on the score card with which we are concerned. How many people attended worship? How much money did we take in?

I'm not kidding. These questions are central and essential to many in the church these days.

Might I suggest that these are the wrong questions with which to be concerend!?

One of the reasons these questions are the wrong questions is that they lure us away (tempt?) from focusing on what really matters. If these questions remain the central test, it isn't difficult to understand why and how our teaching is shaped . . . . compromised.

Tommarow we will begin an explorartion of the purpose of worship and its relationship to the mission of the church and the context (culture) in which we live. As we prapare for our first session, please consider the following:

PLEASE READ: ACTS 2: 42-47

1. What is important in our life as a congregation?
2. What is the point of worship?
3. What role does the Holy Spirit play in our worship life?
4. What is “central” to worship?

Knowing that Christians are saved totally by God's grace and not by any efforts on our part, the Church throughout the ages has understood that its task as an institution is to provide opportunities for worship and praise of God and the educating and forming of its people for a life of caring for others in response to that grace. We might compare these two tasks at to the two great commandments -- to love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength and to become the kind of people who will love our neighbors as ourselves.

Do our efforts in worship lead to genuine praise of God and the growth of character in the members and the whole body of this Christian community?

-- From Marva J. Dawn, Reaching Out without Dumbing Down.

Japan

2011-03-17T08:53:00.000-04:00

On March 11 an 9.0-magnitude earthquake caused severe damage and led to a tsunami that overwhelmed cities and farmland in Japan. Tsunami warnings have been raised around the Pacific Rim. ELCA Disaster Response is monitoring the situation and preparing this church's response, both internationally and domestically as needed.

Your gifts to ELCA Disaster Response, designated for the Pacific Earthquake & Tsunami, will be used entirely (100 percent) in response to this disaster.

You may also choose to give to ELCA Disaster Response where the need is greatest -- enabling our church to respond where help is needed most around the world and close to home.

Please visit ELCA Disaster Response for more information and worship resources.

http://www.elca.org/Our-Faith-In-Action/Responding-to-the-World/Disaster-Response.aspx

Other Ways to Give:

• Check or money orders sent to:

ELCA Disaster Response
39330 Treasury Center
Chicago, IL 60694-9300
write "Pacific Earthquake & Tsunami" on your check's memo line.

•Credit card by phone: 800-638-3522

•Credit card contributions may also be made via mail.

Lenten Discipline

2011-03-10T17:55:00.000-05:00

On Ash Wednesday, the church was invited to embrace the discipline of Lent with the following words (from the Ash Wednesday Liturgy, Evangelical Lutheran Worship):

Friends in Christ, today with the whole church we enter the time of remembering Jesus' passover from death to life, and our life in Christ is renewed.

We begin this holy season by acknowledging our need for repentance and for God's mercy. We are created to experience joy in communion with God, to love one another, and to live in harmony with creation. But our sinful rebellion separates us from God, our neighbors, and creation, so that we do not enjoy the life our creator intended.

As disciples of Jesus, we are called to a discipline that contends against evil and resists whatever leads us away from love of God and neighbor. I invite you, therefore, to the discipline of Lent--self-examination and repentance, prayer and fasting, sacrificial giving and works of love--strengthened by the gifts of word and sacrament. Let us continue our journey through these forty days to the great Three Days of Jesus' death and resurrection.

This Sunday, we will explore together the ways in which the Lenten Discipline plays out in our individual lives and in our life together. Take some time to read the gospel lessen from Ash Wednesday as you prepare for our time together on Sunday, Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21.
Beware of practicing your piety before others in order to be seen by them; for then you have no reward from your Father in heaven.

So whenever you give alms, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they may be praised by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your alms may be done in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

And whenever you pray, do not be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, so that they may be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. But whenever you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

And whenever you fast, do not look dismal, like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces so as to show others that they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that your fasting may be seen not by others but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal; but store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consumes and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

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Spring Ahead
Daylight Savings Time begins this Sunday, March 13. Remember to set your clocks ahead one hour before retiring Saturday night.

Transfiguration

2011-03-03T18:37:00.000-05:00

Titian, The Transfiguration of Christ, c. 1560-3.
Church of the Holy Saviour, Venice.

This Sunday the church celebrates the festival of the Transfiguration of Our Lord. We'll hear the gospel from Matthew chapter 17:1-9.

The Greek word translated "transfigured" is metamorphoomai. Mark also uses this word for the transfiguration. Paul also uses this word to talk about a transformation that is to take place within us.

Romans 12:2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God -- what is good and acceptable and perfect.

2 Corinthians 3:18 And all of us, with unveiled faces, seeing the glory of the Lord as though reflected in a mirror, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another; for this comes from the Lord, the Spirit.

I suspect that the story of the Transfiguarion of Our Lord in Matthew 7 is as much about a transformation of the disciples as it is about the transfiguration of Jesus. I love the way God interupts Peter and basically tells him to stop talking, stop doing, stop worrying and take time to listen to Jesus. Sometimes I think we need to stop and listen more than we do.

As you read and reflect upon Romans 12, consider the following:

1. What does it mean to be transformed?

2. What is the goal of transformation?

3. What should motivate us to undergo transformation?

4. What does one do in order to experience transformation?

_____________________

Reminder:

Invite a friend to come to worship this Sunday . . . . .
Shrove Tuesday Pancake Dinner, Tuesday, March 8th

Ash Wednesday Services, March 9th at 11:00 and 7:00

Worry Much?

2011-02-24T10:16:00.005-05:00

Today, as of 9:06 AM, the price of Crude Oil is approximately $100.68 per barrel. United States military personnel are being deployed to Egypt. I wonder if these two realities have anything to do with the fact that nearly 3 million barrels of oil transit daily through the Suez Canal controlled by Egypt, largely headed to the US.

If one downloads only from media outlets of anxiety and fear, then it's simple to be entangled in a snare of paranoia and resigned to looming apocalypse. I say it's simple . . . but it is also tragic to drink cool-aid out of only one bucket.

As a so-called "Christian" nation, what impact does the word of Christ in Matthew 6 and 7 have upon us?

No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.

Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life . . .

What do you worry about?

But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.

Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.

What teaching from the Sermon on the Mount has been the most meaningful to you?
Most challenging?
Most comforting?

Lift up your hearts!

2011-02-17T10:08:00.000-05:00

The Treasure Cave!. Illustration by N. C. Wyeth
for Treasure Island
by Robert Louis Stevenson,
Charles Scribner's Sons, 1911

In Matthew 6:19-21, Jesus says:

"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal; but store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth not rust consumes and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."

I realize this youtube video is a bit dated. At least give it a listening. as you reflect on the passage above.

In Discipleship, Bonhoeffer writes:

[W]here is the boundary between the goods I am supposed to use and the treasure I am not supposed to have? If we turn the statement around and say, What your heart clings to is your treasure, then we have the answer. It can be a very modest treasure; it is not a question of size. Everything depends on the heart, on you. If I continue to ask how can I recognize what my heart clings to, again there is a clear and simple answer: everything which keeps you from loving God above all your heart clings. (Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Discipleship, page 163)

I'll admit that my heart is often distracted by and attracted to things that are of no lasting worth and only serve as temporary gods while God's patience and mercy are tested. Have you every been able to identify misplaced priorities in your life as well? What do you think we are to do when we discover that we have been storing up for ourselves treasures that are passing, transient, and earthly? I mean, does Jesus really expect us to "clean house" and seek first the Kingdom?

In the next several days, be mindful of the many and various treasures in your life. Where is your heart in the midst of all this? Where is our heart as a congregation? Hmmm....

Lift up your hearts! We lift them to the Lord!

Light Perpetual

2011-02-10T09:31:00.003-05:00

Claude Monet, Water Lilies, 1916

Last Friday evening, Marie Kittinger, an elder of the congregation, died at age 94. Marie lived a life of faithful witness and self-less service. She new well that it was in giving that we receive. After her husband died in 1957, Marie cared for her mother and for over forty years cared for hundreds of Fairfield area children in the daycare she opperated in her home. Marie was born in the house that her parents built in Fairfield. She lived in this house her entire life. Last Friday evening she died in the same house.

The year of Marie's birth was also witness to a few other things:

The invention of the light switch
The Chicago Cubs played their first game at Weeghman Park (now named Wrigley Field)
French Impressionist Claude Monet was painting the Water Lilies series
gasoline was 16 cents a gallon

In the weeks before her death, largely confined to her home, Marie was able to connect with her extended family though Skype!
Certainly Marie witnessed and experienced an amazing amount and rate of change in the world during her lifetime. Not only does her family mourn their loss of a matriarch, so does our community and congregation.

Rest eternal grant Marie, O Lord,

and may light perpetual shine upon her!

_______________________

Last Sunday I was planning to give you a homework assignment to prepare for this coming Sunday. I forgot. So, now, here it is: Please take some time to prayerfully read and reflect upon the sixth chapter of the gospel according to Matthew (Matthew 6:1-34). I doubt very much if we will cover all that territory. At any rate, read it and make note of what grabs your attention. More than likely the conversation on Sunday will center on the topic of prayer.

Tact and Diplomacy

2011-02-03T12:18:00.001-05:00

I am struck by the direct manner of address employed by Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount. There is little, if any, lead-in, filler, warm-up. I sometimes wonder if such upfrontery is palatable in any way. Does the method of delivery match the message?

"You have heard that it was said . . .

You shall not murder . . .
You shall not commit adultry . . .
Whoever divorces . . .
You shall not swear falsely . . .
An eye for an and a tooth for a tooth . . .
You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy . . .

But I say to you . . ." (Matthew 5: 21 and following)

Please take a few minutes to open your Bible to this passage and read what it is that Jesus has to say.
Here are a few questions to consider as we prepare for our discussion on Sunday.

What point is Jesus trying to make?
If you were amoung those first disciples, how would you hear what Jesus is saying?
What is Jesus not saying?
What does Righteousness mean to you?
What do you believe Righteousness means to God?

"Bonus" reading: Philippians 3:7-11

In his reflection on the Sermon on the Mount, Dietrich Bonhoeffer contends:

[Jesus] himself steps between his disciples and the law, but the law does not come between him and his disciples. The disciples's path to the law leads through the corss of Christ. . . .

[I]f Jesus stands between his disciples and the law, it is not to release them from fulfilling the law. Instead, it is to enforce his demand that the law be fulfilled. The disciples' adherence to him requires the same obedience of them.

Discipleship, page 118

Salt and Light

2011-01-27T19:49:00.001-05:00

‘You are the salt of the earth; but if salt has lost its taste, how can its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything, but is thrown out and trampled under foot.

‘You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hidden. No one after lighting a lamp puts it under the bushel basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.

Matthew 5:13-16 (NRSV)

I'm not diligent enough to have planned it this way, but as it turns out, our study and exploration of Jesus' inaugural instruction (the "Sermon on the Mount") closely parallels the assigned gospel readings during these weeks after the Epiphany of our Lord. In last Sunday's class we discussed the Beatitudes. This Sunday's gospel is Matthew 5:1-12, the Beatitudes. So, guess what? Many of the comments and questions that we heard last Sunday from one another are going to find their way into the sermon this Sunday. And, I've done a bit of digging on the Greek work, Markaios (Blessed). To put it mildly, "Happy" is a bankrupt translation.

Take some time before gathering this Sunday to identify and list the many and various roles you fill in a given week. How many different parts to you play in the human drama? (employee, spouse, child, neighbor, etc.). Do you feel fragmented? Or is integration working for you?

Last night as the snow was falling, I watched a movie that I borrowed from the Adams County Library System. The movie is called, The Visitor. It's a story of discovery of purpose. The main character, Walter, is transformed by the discovery of his passion. That's all I'll tell you about it. Check it out for yourself.

The King's Speech

2011-01-20T11:05:00.000-05:00

This week's posting is not a review of the current movie about King George VI of Britain staring Colin Firth, but rather a preview of this Sunday's discussion of the inaugural address of Christ the King as recorded in Matthew's gospel.

More commonly referred to as Jesus' Sermon on the Mount, the fifth through seventh chapters of the Gospel of Matthew comprise the first instructions given to the newly minted disciples of Christ.

When Jesus saw the crowds,

he went up the mountain;

and after he sat down,

his disciples came to him.

Then he began to speak,

and taught them, . . .

Matthew 5:1-2

I invite you to take a few minutes and read as much of chapter five of Matthew's gospel account as possible. There is much to consider and embrace in these words.

In his book Discipleship, Dietrich Bonhoeffer helps us understand the situation of the first disciples:

They were just like all the others. Then Jesus' call came. So they left everything behind and followed him. Since then they have belonged to Jesus--completely. Now they go with him, live with him, follow him wherever he leads them. Something has happened to them which has not happened to the others. This is an extremely unsettling and offensive fact, which is visibly evident to the crowd.

Discipleship, page 100.

As we anticipate our time together on Sunday, consider the following questions:

Is it sufficient to profess to be a believer?

Are we not called to be followers as well?

What is the diffference between the two?

Which comes first, faith or obedience?

Meanwhile, God bless each of you with peace and joy!

Kingdom Journalists

2011-01-14T11:11:00.000-05:00

The Good Samaritan (After Delacroix),

by Vincent van Gogh (1890)

The whole assembly became silent as they listened to Barnabas and Paul telling about the miraculous signs and wonders God had done among the Gentiles through them. Acts 15:12 (NIV)

Are you and I able to go about our everyday life and pay attention to what God is up to in our midst? It’s challenging, I suspect, because so often we are distracted by other things or we simply have so much on our agenda. Often we have little left for reflection and meditation. Yikes!

If it were your job to be a journalist for the Kingdom of God, what would be your lead story?

There is plenty of historical background that we are more familiar with and in which we tend to dwell. But if it were our job to pay attention to current events . . . to see what God is up to right now in the world . . . what would be our report?

Even in the face of so much “evidence” to the contrary, God is still actively engaged in a mission of love in the world. How might we as children of God (as brothers and sisters) participate in telling others about what God is doing here and now?

___________

Recently I have been reading a series of books by a Baptist leadership development consultant named Reggie McNeal. Here is a paragraph from early on in his book The Present Future.

People may be turned off to church, but they are not turned off to Jesus. Jesus is popular. He still makes the cover of Time and Newsweek every year (generally around Easter). . . . Church people sometimes get excited about this but fail to understand that people in the nonchurch culture don't associate Jesus with the church. In their mind, the church is a club for religious people where club members can celebrate their traditions and hang out with others who share common thinking and lifestyles. They do not automatically think the church as championing the cause of the poor or healing the sick or serving people. These are things they associate with Jesus. . . .They believe the church is out for itself, looking out more for the institution than for people.

Reggie McNeal, The Present Future, page 12.

What do you think about that?

___________________

Beginning Sunday, January 23, 2011, the Faith Formation Forum will begin a study and exploration of Jesus’ so-called Sermon on the Mount from the fifth, sixth, and seventh chapters of the Gospel according to Matthew.

Some of the more familiar or popular topics to be considered include the following:

The Beatitudes

Non-violent Resistance

Love for Enemies

Personal Piety

Private Prayer

Fasting

Treasure

Worry

God or Money?

Judgementalism

The Golden Rule

In the meantime, the Faith Formation Forum is anticipating a Mid-Winter Social at the Carroll Valley Park Pavilion on Friday, January 21, 2011. All are welcome. Please remember to bring a friend and a covered dish to share! For more information, speak with Sharon Sass or Amanda Whitcomb.

See you Sunday for the second installment of Dave Booz' presentation on the History of Islam.

Light in the Darkness

2011-01-06T10:58:00.002-05:00

“Let your light so shine before others,

that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.”

Matthew 5:16

The picture above is hardly a good illustration of intension of the baptismal charge to let your light so shine. So, if you were to select a more fitting depiction, what would it look like? How do we let our light shine?

Today, Thursday, January 6, 2011, is the Festival of the Epiphany of Our Lord. Epiphany means "manifestation." On this day we celebrate the revelation of Christ to the Gentiles—that is, to all nations. Some Christian traditions celebrate three great epiphanies on this day: the magi's adoration of the Christ child, Jesus' baptism in the Jordan River, and his first miracle, in which he changes water into wine. The word and sacraments are for us the great epiphany of God's grace and mercy. We go forth to witness to the light that shines brightly in our midst.

PRAYER OF THE DAY

O God, on this day you revealed your Son to the nations

by the leading of a star.

Lead us now by faith to know your presence in our lives,

and bring us at last to the full vision of your glory,

through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord,

who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,

one God, now and forever.

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A couple housekeeping things:

This Sunday, David Booz will begin to lead us in a two-part (two week) study and discussion of the History of Islam. The first session will focus on the emergence and development of Islam. The second session (the following Sunday) will focus primarily on Islam in the 20th century. Thanks to Dave for offering his gifts in this way.
A talented and enthusiastic task force is working hard to finalize plans for our Mid-Winter BYOF* Festival on Friday evening, January 21, 2011. Please save the date and stay tuned for more information.

*BYOF: Bring Your Own Friend. Not to be confused with either BYOF: Bring Your Own Furniture (We’ll make sure we have enough) or BYOF: Bring your Own Firewood. The point is, each of us is encouraged (expected) to extend a welcoming invitation to at least one person who has not yet had the distinct ~~privilege~~ pleasure to encounter the Faith Formation Forum and the many and various ways the Holy Spirit works ~~in spite of us~~ in our midst to Make Christ Known.

Perhaps we should have billed this event as the “Mid-Winter BAF (Bring a Friend) Festival.” It at least makes number eight of the top ten definitions for BAF.

Acronym/ Definition

BAF/ Bunker Adjustment Factor (freight fuel surcharge)

BAF/ Barrier-to-Autointegration Factor (protein)

BAF/ Basic American Foods (Brownsdale, Minnesota)

BAF/ Bioaccumulation Factor

BAF/ Biological Aerated Filter

BAF/ British Allergy Foundation

BAF/ Belgian Air Force

BAF/ Bring A Friend

BAF/ Build A Figure (toy)

BAF/ Basal Area Factor

This little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine!

What's in a Name?

2011-01-01T09:29:00.000-05:00

Saturday morning, January 1, 2011

What's in a name? It's a great question. Certainly it has been asked before -- most notably, perhaps, by Shakespeare's Juliet:

"What's in a name? That which we call a rose

By any other name would smell as sweet."

Romeo and Juliet (II, ii, 1-2)

Aside from being the first day of a new year, today is also known in the church-year as the Name of Jesus.

By Jewish law, every baby boy was circumcised and named on the eighth day of life, so on the eighth day of Christmas the church celebrates this event in Jesus' life. The keeping of the covenant as well as Jesus' name are signs of God's salvation given to us through him.

From the beginning, by virtue of our baptism, we are called Christian. We were "Christ-ened" at the font. Bearing his name, we share the same Father and are invited to address him intimately: Abba! Jesus bears our sins in humble obedience to the will of the Father. Today we pray that the mind of Christ, whose name we bear, would be our own. It is a good way to begin, again, another year.

Included by permission under Augsburg Fortress Liturgies Annual License #23623.

Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus,
who, though he was in the form of God,

did not regard equality with God

as something to be exploited,

but emptied himself,

taking the form of a slave,

being born in human likeness.

And being found in human form,

he humbled himself

and became obedient to the point of death —

even death on a cross.

Therefore God also highly exalted him

and gave him the name

that is above every name,

so that at the name of Jesus

every knee should bend,

in heaven and on earth and under the earth,

and every tongue should confess

that Jesus Christ is Lord,

to the glory of God the Father.

Philippians 2:5–11

_________________________

Don't forget that there is only one worship service tomorrow at 9:00 AM.

Coffee, conversation, and fellowship to follow. See you then.

Happy New Year!

O Come, All Ye Faithful!

2010-12-24T09:22:00.000-05:00

Maria der erste Tabernakel von J. Hane

Tonight we gather to celebrate the birth of the Christ Child. Tonight we also gather with expectation, longing, hope. Some will bring pain, resentments, disappointments, and fear. Whatever is going on in your life today, it isn't too late to plan to gather on this holy night to hear and see the love of God for you and all people. All are welcome, guests are expected.

Christmas Eve Holy Communion

6:30 & 9:30

Sunday, December 26, 2010

9:00

Really? Advent IV

2010-12-16T09:48:00.004-05:00

Angel visits Jospeh

Satheesan AK

Given the evidence, it's almost too difficult to believe. You know how the birds and bees work. How could Mary conceive without having had "known" Joseph? And if all this is so important to our faith, then why did the writers of the gospels according to Mark and John not even bother to tell us the story?

Mary has been (and still is) held in high regard by the church. She is often described as the first or model disciple. Her "yes" to God's will is something to consider.

What also deserves our consideration and reflection is the faith of Joseph in all this. Try to put yourself in his sandals for a moment. What ran through his mind when Mary told him she was pregnant? Was he really dreaming!?

This Sunday, along with the members of the confirmation class, we'll take some time to consider the scandal of this "dysfunctional" family. Why didn't God wait for the perfect, model, family and household to have his way?

I suspect we've all heard this story so many times we seldom take a moment to look at it with fresh perspective. If all goes well, we'll have that chance together on Sunday. See you then . . . bring a friend!

Here is a video for your enjoyment and meditation:

Concupiscence

2010-12-08T14:15:00.000-05:00

Joseph Accused by Potiphar's Wife

Rembrandt, 1655

This Sunday we will complete (for now) our study of the Ten Commandments with a discussion of the last two. They're similar. Please take time to read them and the explanations in your copy of Luther's Small Catechism.

Perhaps our consideration of these commandments against coveting is timely -- given the nearness of Christmas and our likely investment in shopping. As you have been making your list and checking it twice, what sorts of things influenced you in your decision making?

Luther shares the following thoughts in his explanation to these commandments in his Large Catechism.

Such is nature that no one wants someone else to have as much as he or she does. Everyone tries to accumulate as much as he or she can, and let others look out for themselves. Yet we all consider ourselves upright people, and put up a fine front to conceal our villainy. . . . In short, whoever is sharpest and shrewdest in such matters gets most advantage out of the law, for as the saying has it, "The law favors the vigilant."

Martin Luther, Large Catechism

What do you think? Do you think Fr. Luther is accurate? Although he wrote this in the sixteenth century, does it still stick today?

In the section dealing with the Ten Commandments in the Catechism of the Catholic Church, the following insight is offered:

The tenth commandment unfolds and completes the ninth, which is concerned with concupiscence of the flesh. It forbids coveting the goods of another, as the root of theft, robbery, and fraud, which the seventh commandment forbids. . . .The tenth commandment concerns the intentions of the heart; with the ninth, it summarizes all the precepts of the Law.

Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2534

___________________

Something to consider: http://www.charbanach.com/pbyia/PDF_Library/Visioning/Leadership/Leadership0002.pdf

The Seventh and the Eighth

2010-12-03T10:42:00.000-05:00

Icon of John the Baptist

This coming Sunday we'll delve into a consideration of both the seventh and the eighth commandments. They have to do with stealing and bearing false witness. Take some time to read the explanations in your copy of Luther's Small Catechism (if you don't have one, let me know).

I've been off the grid recently, both figuratively and literally. Transitioning to a new computer and recovering from an intestinal virus and bronchitis have kept me in hibernation for the past couple weeks. This wasn't exactly the spiritual retreat which I was anticipating, but God does work in mysterious ways.

How has your Advent been going so far? Are you taking time to make spiritual preparations for Christmas? It's easy to get preoccupied with preparations for the commercial Christmas that we loose sight of the call to repentance and alertness to the nearness of the Kingdom.

____________________

Take a moment to check out the December wish list from Hope Alive:

http://www.hopealiveministries.org/app/webroot/useruploads/files/wish_list_dec10.pdf

An Away Game

2010-11-22T09:09:00.003-05:00

My parents sent this link to me. It's the Philadelphia Opera Company taking their gifts to the people at the old Wanamaker's Department Store (now Macy's) in center city Philadelphia last month. What would it look like if the Church took the gifts of God "to the people" for a change, rather than always expecting them to find us at the publicized "show times" that we keep? Just wondering. What do you think?

Turn your speakers up all the way and watch this full screen and enjoy.

Thy Kingdom Come

2010-11-18T10:13:00.000-05:00

Please note that this Sunday we will be celebrating the Festival of Christ the King. It is the last Sunday of the liturgical church year. In our local context, we will also be conducting our congregational Annual Meeting following our combined worship service at 9:00 AM.

In addition to reminding ourselves that we are citizens of God's Kingdom in Christ, we will also be celebrating the sacrament of Holy Baptism.

Below is the prayer of the day and gospel lesson for this Sunday. Pray, read, and invite a friend to join you.

Prayer of the Day

Almighty and everlasting God, whose will it is to restore all things to your beloved Son, whom you anointed priest forever and king of all creation: Grant that all the people of the earth, now divided by the power of sin, may be united under the glorious and gentle rule of your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

Luke 23:33-43
When they came to the place that is called The Skull, they crucified Jesus there with the criminals, one on his right and one on his left. Then Jesus said, "Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing." And they cast lots to divide his clothing. And the people stood by, watching; but the leaders scoffed at him, saying, "He saved others; let him save himself if he is the Messiah of God, his chosen one!" The soldiers also mocked him, coming up and offering him sour wine, and saying, "If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!" There was also an inscription over him, "This is the King of the Jews."

One of the criminals who were hanged there kept deriding him and saying, "Are you not the Messiah? Save yourself and us!" But the other rebuked him, saying, "Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed have been condemned justly, for we are getting what we deserve for our deeds, but this man has done nothing wrong." Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom." He replied, "Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise."

Adultery

2010-11-12T08:43:00.001-05:00

Christ and the Woman Taken in Adultery

Rembrandt

The Sixth Commandment: You shall not commit adultery.

What is this? Answer:
We are to fear and love God, so that we lead pure and decent lives in word and deed, and each of us loves and honors his or her spouse.

If you would like to read this commandment in context, please consult either Exodus 20:14 or Deuteronomy 5:18.

I'd also like to encourage you to read and reflect on the following passage from John's gospel. It gets at the whole issue of adultery.

John 7:53 – 8:11
Then each of them went home,while Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. Early in the morning he came again to the temple. All the people came to him and he sat down and began to teach them. The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery; and making her stand before all of them, they said to him, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the very act of committing adultery. Now in the law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?” They said this to test him, so that they might have some charge to bring against him. Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground. When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “Let anyone among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” And once again he bent down and wrote on the ground. When they heard it, they went away, one by one, beginning with the elders; and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him. Jesus straightened up and said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” She said, “No one, sir.” And Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you. Go your way, and from now on do not sin again.”

Martin Luther, early on in his explanation of this commandment in the Large Catechism reminds us that
"Adultery is particularly mentioned because among the Jewish people it was ordered and commanded that one marry. Young people were married at the earliest age possible, and the state of virginity was not commended, nor were public prostitution and lewdness tolerated as they are now. Accordingly, adultery was the most widespread form of unchastity among them."

Luther continues: "But inasmuch as there is such a shameless mess and cesspool of all sorts of immorality and indecency among us, this commandment is also directed against every form of unchastity, not matter what it is called."

Certainly our conversation on Sunday will not be effortless. And it probably won't be comfortable. However, since we gather as the Body of Christ, in the power of the Holy Spirit, be not afraid! Take some time to contemplate this commandment and consider questions or insights you might bring to the talble during our discussion.

Meanwhile, invite and friend and stay in One Peace!

Criminal Minds

2010-11-04T19:25:00.001-04:00

Cain Kills Abel

Albrect Dürer

(1471-1528)

The Fifth Commandment: You are not to kill.

What is this? Answer:

We are to fear and love God, so that we neither endanger nor harm the lives of our neighbors, but instead help and support them in all of life's needs.

The interpretation of this commandment has been known to cause arguments and divisions. At face value, the commandment seems pretty clear and straight forward. Yet, as you well know, there are a variety of perspectives from which this commandment is heard. In its original context, the meaning was very specific. In our day, this commandment has been broadly admired while at the same time frequently ignored.

In his Large Catechism, Luther says this:

". . . this commandment is violated not only when we do evil, but also when we have the opportunity to do good to our neighbors and to prevent, protect, and save them from suffering bodily harm or injury, but fail to do so."

What do you think? How does making war relate to this commandment? How does consumerism relate to this commandment. How do we keep this commandment in our life together in community, neighborhood, and home?

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This coming Sunday we will observe the festival of All Saints. Everyone is going to be there! Invite a neighbor or friend to come along with you. Meanwhile, stay in One Peace.

Honor

2010-10-29T17:34:00.000-04:00

The Fourth Commandment

Honor your father and mother.

What is this? or What does this mean?
We are to fear and love God, so that we neither despise nor anger our parents and others in authority, but instead honor, serve, obey, love, and respect them.

The first three of these ten commandments from God our directed toward God; that is, they are concerned with our relationship with God. This fourth commandment to honor is directed to our father and mother; that is, it's concerned with our relationship with them. In the Large Catechism, Martin Luther explains it like this:

God has given this walk of life, fatherhood and motherhood, a speacial position of honor, higher than that of any other walk of life under it. Not only has he commanded us to love parents but to honor them. In regard to brothers, sisters, and neighbors in general, he commands nothing higher that that we love them. He distinguishes father and mother above all other persons on earth and places them next to himself.

If you have grown up with a family where parents have been loving, caring and supportive, it is perhaps easy to honor.

How do you honor your father and mother today? Luther suggests that this commandment also has to do with others in authority. Just who are these "others in authority" in our life? In what way is our relationship with and understanding of God reflected in our relationship with and understanding of our father and mother and others in authority?

What's in a Name?

2010-10-22T09:00:00.000-04:00

We all have one. It was given to us probably by our parents. Maybe it reflects a trait of percieved character, maybe it honors someone from our past, maybe it was chosen with the future in mind. Whatever the reason, we all have a name.

In the Second Commandment we read this:

You are not to misuse the name of God.
What is this? Answer:
We are to fear and love God, so that we do not curse, swear, practice magic, lie, or deceive using God's name, but instead use that very name in every time of need to call on, pray to praise, and give thanks to God. (from Luther's Small Catechism)

In the Third Commandment, this:

You are to hallow the day of rest.
What is this? Answer:
We are to fear and love God, so that we do not despise preaching or God's Word, but instead keep that Word holy and gladly hear and learn it. (from Luther's Small Catechism)

As we anticipate gathering together for our discussion this Sunday, take a few moments to consider how these two commandments impact your life and what they have to say to our life together as church. Is God suggesting that we simply be polite when others are listening? How do we hallow the Lord's Day? What do we do (or not do) on Sundays that witnesses to our identity as children of this God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ?

_________________________

Another way to prepare for Sunday is to review the prayer of the day and the assigned gospel reading. I've included them here for you.

Sunday, October 24, 2010

Twenty-second Sunday after Pentecost

Prayer of the Day
Holy God, our righteous judge,
daily your mercy surprises us with everlasting forgiveness.
Strengthen our hope in you,
and grant that all the peoples of the earth may find their glory in you,
through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.

Gospel Reading: Luke 18:9-14
Jesus also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and regarded others with contempt:

Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.
The Pharisee, standing by himself, was praying thus, 'God, I thank you that I am not like other people: thieves, rogues, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give a tenth of all my income.'

But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even look up to heaven, but was beating his breast and saying, 'God, be merciful to me, a sinner!'

I tell you, this man went down to his home justified rather than the other;
for all who exalt themselves will be humbled, but all who humble themselves will be exalted."

Oh, God!

2010-10-13T19:18:00.000-04:00

Michelangelo Buonarroti - Hands of God and Adam

"You are to have no other gods."

It seems so obvious. The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ wants to be in first position in your life and in mine. Yet, as we well know, our lives frequently reflect a different set of priorities.

In his explanation to this first commandment in the Large Catechism, Father Luther has this to say:

A "god" is the term for that to which we are to look for all good and in which we are to fine refuge in all need. . . As I have often said, it is the trust and faith of the heart alone that make both God and an idol. If your faith and trust are right, then your God is the true one. Conversely, where your trust is false and wrong, there you do not have the true God. For these two belong together, faith and God. Anything on which your heart relies and depends, I say, that is really your God.

Take a moment and review the rest of the commandments we refer to as the big ten. How does this first one show up in all the rest? Do you think another one should be number one? If it were up to you to order the commandments, would you retain the "original" sequence? If not, why not? To what extent do you think the other nine commandments are but a reflection or commentary on this first one?

We'll "be in conversation" over this on Sunday morning! We need to spend a bit of time on this before we plough forward with the rest of the catechism.

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Here is a thought provoker for you to turn over in your heart and mind. I'm interested in what you think of it. It's a quote from a blog of the Women of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (WELCA).

Posted on July 9th, 2010 by Emily Hansen:

I heard Bishop Hanson deliver the keynote address to the Lower Susquehanna Synod Assembly a couple of weeks ago. He was asked, “How is the ELCA doing?” He answered, “I believe the ELCA is suffering from a very contagious virus called NOSTALGIA.”

Definition of nostalgia: A bittersweet longing for things, persons or situations of the past.

The problem with nostalgia, Bishop Hanson further explained, is that you’re longing for something that actually never really existed. Nostalgia can be a way to escape the challenges of the present.

But why long for the past when you can, and should, celebrate the possibilities of the future instead?

Expectations

2010-10-07T11:18:00.001-04:00

In his preface to the Small Catechism of 1529, Martin Luther writes:

Although no one can or should force another person to believe, nevertheless one should insist upon and hold the masses to this: that they know what is right and wrong among those with whom they wish to reside, eat, and earn a living. For example, if people want to live in a particular city, they ought to know and abide by the laws of the city whose protection they enjoy, no matter whether they believe or are at heart scoundrels and villains.

Last Sunday we jumped directly into our consideration of the Ten Commandments -- with particular attention paid to the first. I would like to suggest, before we continue that discussion, that we ponder Luther's counsel as quoted above.

So often faith and belief are considered "private" matters or individual issues -- "It's personal . . . it's an individual thing." Really? Is that true? Is that all it is?

How do context and community shape our faith and belief and the way we exercise them? What impact do we have on one another as we make meaning out of our lives? What are the expectations we live with as we strive to be faithful? Is everything up for a vote?

We'll consider these and other questions on Sunday. In the meantime, read again Luther's preface quoted from above. It is included in the copies of the Small Catechism that have been distributed in class (beginning on page 81).

Meanwhile, consider inviting a friend, neighbor, or family member to come along on Sunday. And one last appeal: While the Forum is a blast and we all benefit from it, consider coming early or staying later for worship at either 8:00 or 10:30. God is present in Word and Sacrament! We get to worship and praise in response to God's gifts of forgiveness and grace. Try it . . . you'll like it.

Appearances

2010-09-30T10:42:00.001-04:00

Sometimes on Saturday evenings, I like to watch the TV show, Keeping Up Appearances. It's a British sitcom starring Patricia Routledge as eccentric, social-climbing snob Hyacinth Bucket (pronounced bouquet by Hyacinth, but pronounced bucket by everyone else).

Hyacinth Bucket passes her time visiting stately homes, hosting "executive" style candlelight suppers, bragging of her "white slim line telephone with automatic redial", and maintaining the integrity of her woodblock floor, wallpaper, and status in the community, name-dropping at any hint of an opportunity. Her aim in life is to impress neighbors, friends, and important people.

Clearly the character of Hyacinth is a caricature. Yet, I suspect that each of us knows someone like her or share certainly qualities and traits with her.

In his preface to the Small Catechism, Martin Luther exclaims: "Dear God, what misery I beheld!" This is his response after making official visitations of congregations in electoral Saxony and Meissen from October 22, 1528 through January 9, 1529. He continues:

"The ordinary person, especially in villages, knows absolutely nothing about the Christian faith, and unfortunately many pastors are completely unskilled and incompetent teachers. Yet supposedly they all bear the name Christian, are baptized, and receive the holy sacrament, even though they do not know the Lord's Prayer, the Creed, or the Ten Commandments! As a result they live like simple cattle or irrational pigs and, despite the fact that the gospel has returned, have mastered the fine art of misusing all their freedom."

Do you think someone took Luther aside and suggested he work on his "people skills" after delivering such feedback? Whatever the case, it seems that Luther wrote with the conviction that he was speaking the truth in love. Authentic truth-speaking takes courage.

I sometimes wonder if there is still such misery to beheld in our midst. Can we perceive that at times we may be engaged in a poorly disguised effort at keeping up appearances? What do you think? If someone like Luther were to make a visit here and now, what would be their findings?

Recently someone offered me a piece of advice after learning that the church council was considering trying something new to reach out to the community at Christmas (the specifics aren't important now). He said "I think you would be opening up a can of worms if that happens."

I have given this some thought and turned it about in prayerful reflection. Here is my current conclusion: If a can (or someone's can) is full of worms, maybe it needs to be opened up. When I worked on my great uncle's dairy farm, occasionally one of the Holstein cows would develop a nasty abscess on its hind-quarters. Treatment almost always included taking a sharp knife and opening up the site to drain all the nasty goop. This action promoted healing. It wasn't pretty at the moment, but with the big view in mind, it was necessary.

Sometimes keeping up appearances is risky business. Maintenance at the expense of mission is detrimental to life in the Body of Christ.

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I've been reading The Great Brain Suck: And other American Epiphanies, by Eugene Halton. Here is a thought to ponder:

"Consider that the average American spent three thousand hours consuming media in 1988, of which 1,550 hours were devoted to television, and 1,160 to radio. Yet the average American household had steadily increased television time over the decades, most recently going from an average [daily?!] of seven hours and seventeen minutes in 1995 to just under eight hours in 2003 according to Nielson surveys. And this occurred in the decade when the epiphany of the computer screen materialized throughout America, compounding 'screen time.'"

See you on Sunday!

Hindsight

2010-09-17T18:31:00.001-04:00

Wow! What a week.

There is a wonderful gift that each of us gets to unwrap from time to time. It's called hindsight. Actually we have it always with us, but we don't really appreciate it until we need it. . .or at least until it can be really helpful in making sense of a situation that has gone awry – despite our best intentions.

So, as we anticipate this coming Sunday and our first Faith Formation Forum of 2010-2011, remember that when we gather, it is by the grace of God and with the power of the Holy Spirit. Not bad company. This week we will get our hands on copies of Martin Luther’s Small Catechism.

The following Sunday coincides with Fairfield’s annual Pippinfest. We will still have worship services at both 8:00 and 10:30 and Christian Education for all ages at 9:15. There will be plenty of time to walk the streets later.

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Today I came across a wonderful passage in the Apostle Paul’s letter to the Philippians. It was a timely reminder for me. So I share it with you:

If then there is any encouragement in Christ,

any consolation from love, any sharing in the Spirit,

any compassion and sympathy, make my joy complete:

be of the same mind, having the same love,

being in full accord and of one mind.

Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit,

but in humility regard others as better than yourselves.

Let each of you look not to your own interests, but to the interests of others.

Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus,

who, though he was in the form of God,

did not regard equality with God

as something to be exploited,

but emptied himself,

taking the form of a slave,

being born in human likeness.

And being found in human form,

he humbled himself

and became obedient to the point of death—

even death on a cross.

Philippians 2:1-8 (NRSV)

Rally Day 2010

2010-09-10T11:38:00.000-04:00

Rally Day is almost here... and it's time to reengage a life of learning, discipleship and fellowship.

Children of God of all ages are invited to gather together this Sunday at 9:15 in the nave of the church for our opening and introductions. Worship services on Sunday are now at 8:00 & 10:30. This Sunday we will also have a chicken bar-b-q out on the church lawn following the 10:30 service (if it doesn't snow!). Everyone and anyone is welcome.

This is a good time to make a new start. Invite a friend, neighbor, or even a relative to come along with you.

Expectations

2010-08-24T11:54:00.000-04:00

It's back-to-school time again. This week Heidi and I are attending three separate orientations sessions designed to prepare us for what to expect . . . and help us understand what is expected of us. Last week our St. John Lutheran Preschool held its annual open house and orientation for all the new three and four-year- olds and their parents. Expectations were outlined. It helps us know what to anticipate and how to prepare.

Now that summer is winding down and local commitments are shortening the leash on our lives, it's "back-to-church" time for many who haven't been regular in their participation in worship and other activities of the congregation. It's not the ideal way of things, but it has become a pattern -- or maybe it's a rhythm -- that we take a hiatus from church during the summer. Nevertheless, it is time to reengage. It's time to reconnect to the life and rhythm of the family of faith.

Along with this engagement there are expectations. And let's not be uninformed, brothers and sisters, that these expectations are not meant to be a burden, but rather a blessing. We all know that when expectations are ratcheted down to their lowest possible level, they will be met. However, God in Christ has great expectations for you and for me. Forget what our church constitution says about being regarded as an active member of the congregation (communion and contribute once every other year). We need to leave behind simply attending to maintenance of the status-quo. An authentic life of discipleship (hear I said authentic, not perfect!) is one that calls for our best effort and faithful attention.

Through the gospel readings in worship over the next eight weeks or so, we are going to be challenged to realize that the bar is set a bit higher than we might imagine or function. We are going to be stretched in our faith, in our thinking, in our believing, by the words of Jesus that we will encounter (and will encounter us) in our readings form the fourteenth through the eighteenth chapters of the gospel according to Luke. (I encourage you to read ahead.)

Throughout these chapters, Jesus speaks of the conditions and expectations of discipleship. I want you to know now that it won't necessarily be a fun ride. It may get uncomfortable from time to time. These texts speak of radical changes and challenges to the dominant "business as usual" mindset.

A great deal of what we will be exploring together has to do with stewardship: the stewardship of our lives. We will be called upon to take stock of who we think we are and what we do, and compare that to what God has made us to be and called us to be about.

We will be called upon to ask questions:

Are we really interested in a God with power to transform us?
Are we interested in a God who can renew and revive us?
Are we interested -- no matter what age we are or how long we have been coming to church -- in being challenged and stretched so that the Holy Spirit can once again burn in us with the fire of faith, so that we can be church, Christ's Body in the world?

That is what is at steak in the weeks ahead. Jesus is setting the bar high for us. We will be challenged . . . but we will also be equipped. God never calls us to do something just to leave us unprepared and empty-handed. God is faithful.

This coming Sunday we begin with Luke 14.

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By the way, later this-afternoon, I'm going to the seminary bookstore to pick up our order of Luther's Small Catechism, Study edition. If you would like a copy in advance of Rally Day on September 12th, let me know. Meanwhile, peace be with you!

Mary, Mother of Our Lord

2010-08-14T11:32:00.000-04:00

Sunday, August 15, 2010

Mary, Mother of Our Lord

Mary's role is not limited to giving birth to Jesus and mothering him in his childhood. In John's gospel, she is among the women standing near the cross; in Acts, she is among the disciples awaiting the gift of the Spirit. Through all that happened she continued to see how God was at work through her son, keeping the ancient promises to her ancestors, brushing aside the rich and powerful, and focusing on those as poor and powerless as Mary herself.

The church (including Martin Luther) honored Mary with the title theotokos, meaning "God-bearer," for her role in giving birth to the Son of God. Her song, the Magnificat, speaks eloquently of God's lifting the lowly and feeding the hungry.

Prayer of the Day
Almighty God, in choosing the Virgin Mary to be the mother of your Son, you made known your gracious regard for the poor, the lowly, and the despised. Grant us grace to receive your word in humility, and so to be made one with your Son, Jesus Christ our Savior and Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

Readings
Isaiah 61:7–11
Psalm 34:1–9
Galatians 4:4–7
Luke 1:46–55

Hazy, Hot, and Humid

2010-08-04T10:11:00.000-04:00

Next week I will be ordering a copy of Martin Luther's Small Catechism for each of the participants in our Faith Formation Forum. If you would like to help defray the $6.00/copy cost, please know that you're more then welcome. If you are unable, worry not -- you'll get one regardless.

I hope you are keeping cool during this summer blast of 3H weather. Don't forget that we will have worship at Carroll Valley Park this coming Sunday morning at 9:00. We'll also be celebrating the Sacrament of Holy Baptism in the creek. Invite a neighbor or friend.

+ + +

Below is the article I mentioned to some of you this past Sunday. I'm curiuous what you think about it.

An appreciation for doubt

Wonder, glory of mystery get swept aside by self-righteousness
by Peter W. Marty (The Lutheran, August 2010)

Who doesn't love the experience of having confident faith? There is something thrilling about strapping oneself to a way of life that Jesus considers powerfully God-centered. But Lutheran Christians are at their best when they prize humility more than certainty. Our duty is not to claim to know more than we do. If anything, we have a responsibility to learn how to make wise choices without always needing to be entirely sure.

A popular myth in our day elevates absolute certainty in spiritual matters as the goal to which we all should aspire. Yet certainty becomes a small "g" god when it turns ideological. It assumes incredibly seductive powers. Devout believers start becoming obsessed with being right. They know the precise purposes of God. They are absolutely sure that God dislikes the exact same people and things they do. There is little question of who wins the approval of God and who does not.

This is not a variety of believing around which to fashion a life. It leaves love on the periphery. It voids the surprise that deserves to go with faith. If absolute certainty in knowing the mind of God is imperative, the journey of faith quickly becomes impoverished. All of the incomprehensibles — the unanswerable questions — will have to be ignored or short-changed. The wonder and glory of mystery will have to be shelved. God will look more domesticated than our favorite pet.

Novelist Marilynne Robinson speaks of cultivating a degree of uncertainty in her writing, considering it a form of reverence. "There is something about certainty that makes Christianity very un-Christian," she writes.

Perhaps it is the absence of spiritual modesty, our claiming to know more than we really do. Or maybe it is a misunderstanding of the place of doubt.

The opposite of faith isn't doubt — it's certainty. Doubt is really quite beautiful. For too long we have been denying doubt the respect it deserves. Theologian Frederick Buechner once called it the "ants in the pants of faith." How true. It keeps us on our toes. It rescues us from the excesses of certainty. "It ain't what you don't know that gets you into trouble," Mark Twain said one time. "It's what you know for sure that just ain't so."

At the very end of Matthew's Gospel account, Jesus commissions his disciples to head out into the world and bear witness to the truth and power of God. Most of us know this section of Scripture by the oft-repeated line: "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations ..." (28:19). It's a culminating moment in the Gospel when the now-resurrected Christ turns over his ministry to the now-seasoned disciples.

Matthew writes of the moment: "When they saw [Jesus], they worshiped him; but some doubted" (28:17).

This is the way most Bibles translate the experience. The problem, as New Testament professor Mark Allan Powell points out, is that the word "some" doesn't appear in Greek manuscripts. Translators have inserted the idea that some doubted, evidently to satisfy their own theology and suggest that doubt is somehow the opposite of faith or worship.

Nothing could be further from the truth. The disciples worshiped and they doubted. Period. All of them. Matthew never suggests that the disciples were free of doubt or that they should have been. Doubt intersects with our faith lives in profound ways, ensuring that we don't become too certain that we are right.

Few things seem to have boiled the blood of Jesus more than religious people who behaved as if they knew all things. Self-righteousness is the fancy name for such behavior. Jesus railed against any number of supremely religious people who knew how to tithe every spice in their cupboard but had no clue how to love their neighbor.

In our day, the most thoughtful forms of faith will always point toward the truth, without claiming to possess it entirely. Integrity in our personal lives and civility in our congregations will grow wherever we figure out that loving others is more important than being right. Isn't that one of the gifts of love — to bring the arrogance of certainty to its knees?

Sabbatical

2010-07-07T19:19:00.001-04:00

Now seems a good time for me to take a break from the blog. I'm going to attempt to set aside the remainder of the month of July as a time of fasting from e-communication. Which means I'm going in cease from "interfacing" via e-mail, blog, facebook, etc. My ears still function and I can get the words out from time to time over the phone or, preferably, in person if you would like to stay in touch or need anything.

I've embraced this discipline before (last summer while I was on vacation) as a way of helping myself allow the main thing to be the main thing. How easy it is to be distracted and squander the obvious!

Certainly God thought it a pretty good idea to keep the Sabbath. So, I'll pray for God's blessings to you and your family in the weeks ahead. May the Peace of the Lord be with you always.

Independence

2010-07-01T11:28:00.001-04:00

This Sunday -- the Sixth Sunday after Pentecost -- also happens to be July 4th, a federal holiday celebrating our independence. The follwing is something to read and think on as we anticipate our gathering this Sunday.

First off, here is what Merriam-Webster has to say about independence:

Main Entry: in•de•pen•dence

Pronunciation: \ˌin-də-ˈpen-dən(t)s\
Function: noun
Date: 1640
1 : the quality or state of being independent
2 archaic : COMPETENCE 1

Main Entry: 1in•de•pen•dent
Pronunciation: \ˌin-də-ˈpen-dənt\
Function: adjective
Date: 1611

1 : not dependent: as a (1) : not subject to control by others : SELF-GOVERNING (2) : not affiliated with a larger controlling unit b (1) : not requiring or relying on something else : not contingent (2) : not looking to others for one's opinions or for guidance in conduct (3) : not bound by or committed to a political party c (1) : not requiring or relying on others (as for care or livelihood) (2) : being enough to free one from the necessity of working for a living d : showing a desire for freedom e (1) : not determined by or capable of being deduced or derived from or expressed in terms of members (as axioms or equations) of the set under consideration; especially : having linear independence (2) : having the property that the joint probability (as of events or samples) or the joint probability density function (as of random variables) equals the product of the probabilities or probability density functions of separate occurrence

2 capitalized : of or relating to the Independents

3 a : MAIN 5 b : neither deducible from nor incompatible with another statement

synonyms see FREE

— in•de•pen•dent•ly adverb

Portrait of Martin Luther by Cranach, Lucas the Elder (1543)

Germanisches Nationalmuseum, Nuremberg

Martin Luther’s most famous thesis is the following:

A Christian is a perfectly free lord of all, subject to none.

A Christian is a perfectly dutiful servant of all, subject to all.

Luther saw the Christian’s liberty as a spiritual reality guaranteed by Christ’s atonement and his/her service as bodily act of worship in the earth, showing Christ’s love to one’s neighbor and proper authorities.

Portrait of The Apostle St. Paul by Rembrandt Van Rijn (1633)

Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna

For though I am free with respect to all, I have made myself a slave to all,
so that I might win more of them.

I Corinthians 9:19

Owe no one anything, except to love one another;
for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law.

Romans 13:8

The following words are from The Word, Christ the King:

If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples;

and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.

John 8:31

So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed.

John 8:36

The Crucifixion, by Thomas Eakins (1880)

Philadelphia Museum of Art, Philadelphia

Body Building

2010-06-24T12:23:00.000-04:00

I just finished writing page one of the July issue of TIDINGS, our congregational newsletter. Included on the right side of the page is a blurb about the summer gatherings of our Faith Formation Forum. Here is an excerpt:

"The purpose of our gatherings is to engage one another in conversation, support, encouragement and prayer. Each session together will begin with devotions (and off course coffee!)."

My hope is that this is a description of what we do together, not a prescription for what we should do. It brings to mind the lost art (or the quickly vanishing art) of building one another up in love.

St. Paul writes: Therefore encourage one another and build up each other, as indeed you are doing.

1 Thessalonians 5:11

(I could have written that in a letter to you!)

(Also confer Ephesians 4:1-16 for another great "Body Building" passage.)

+ + +

Last evening I was the "supply preacher" at the Wednesday evening contemporary worship service of St. Paul Lutheran Church in Carlisle. I've been filling in there several times a year for several years. Before the worship begins at 6:00, the members of the congregation provide a meal for many of the disenfranchised and marginalized of the community. This diverse weekly gathering is such a blessing in so many ways.

So, next Wednesday (6/30) I'm schedualed again to supply. If you would like to go along, let me know. It is a great experience. I try to leave Fairfield around 4:00. And I'm normally back by 7:45 or so.

Hope Alive Wish List for June 2010

2010-06-21T10:58:00.000-04:00

http://www.hopealiveministries.org/

Wish List for June 2010

Household Items
Food storage bags; zip-lock style, gallon and sandwich sizes
Garbage bags; 13, 30 and/or 42-gallon
SOS® scouring pads
Masking tape
Cleaning products; non-bleach for bath, kitchen and wood furniture
Disinfecting/sanitizing wipes
Mr. Clean® Magic Eraser cleaning pads
Toilet bowl cleaner; non-bleach
Liquid hand soap; small sink dispensers and/or large refills
Vacuum cleaners; new or gently used
Dinner napkins; paper
Paper towels; rolls and tri-fold for dispensers
Pillows; new only
Twin sheet sets; new or gently used

Office/Computer Lab
Chair floor mats; for loop style carpet, 4
Office chairs; new or gently used, 4
Property Care
Insect repellent spray; DEET-free
Bee/wasp insecticide spray
Ant traps/spray
Plastic storage bins; under-bed style w/lids
Vehicle fluids; oil, coolant, transmission & windshield washer fluid

Family Personal Care Items
Diapers; Huggies® only due to allergy, size 4
Pull-ups®; all children’s sizes needed
Diaper Genie® refills
Pepto Bismol® tablets
Decongestant/cold/allergy medications; alcohol-free, single-dose packets preferred
Ibuprofen/Acetaminophen; adult & children
Razors; disposable
Tampons; super-size only please
Toothbrushes; children’s
Suntan lotion; SPF 30 or higher
Hair brushes
Clothing – only these specific clothing items please
Underwear; new only, girls 2T/3T, boys 3T/4T & 6; and women’s size 7/8
Socks; boys, girls & women’s
Gift cards for new shoes: Payless, Factory Brand Shoes, etc.

Children’s Programs
Play sand for indoors
Diaper Genie® refills
Music CD’s; Dora and Diego
Car seats for children 20+ lbs., new only
Bulletin board paper
Card stock; poster paper
Contact paper; clear

Questions? Please call Missy Miller at
301-241-4005, ext. 314, for specific details and to
schedule an appointment for delivery. Thank you!

Crossing to the Opposite Side

2010-06-16T14:15:00.002-04:00

One day he got into a boat with his disciples, and he said to them, “Let us go across to the other side of the lake.” So they put out, and while they were sailing he fell asleep. A windstorm swept down on the lake, and the boat was filling with water, and they were in danger. They went to him and woke him up, shouting, “Master, Master, we are perishing!” And he woke up and rebuked the wind and the raging waves; they ceased, and there was a calm. He said to them, “Where is your faith?” They were afraid and amazed, and said to one another, “Who then is this, that he commands even the winds and the water, and they obey him?”

Luke 8:22-56

It probably is no news to hear that we tend to be people who like to take a side. You know: Republican or Democrat, Conservative or Liberal, Coke or Pepsi, Cubs or White Sox, North or South, . . Fairfield or Carroll Valley! Declaring a side helps us to know who we are, I suspect.

But what happens when we are called, prodded, or directed to go across to the other side? Are we seized with fear that we might have to give up our identity, or that we will be lost in newness and unfamiliarity?

The gospel text for Sunday picks up immediately after the passage at the top of this post. In it Jesus and the disciples get out of the boat on the land on the other side of the Sea of Galilee (Lake of Gennesaret). They have crossed a boundary and entered Gentile territory. Jesus had just calmed the storm on the waters and now he will calm the storm of a man possessed with many demons.

I bet the disciples who were traveling with Jesus in that boat were still afraid and amazed. Is it comfortable for the comfortable to venture into the unknown and the unfamiliar . . . even when it is Jesus who leads and accompanies? But we are in this boat together and we get to go across to the other side in order to be faithful to our mission of making Christ known.

What boundaries and barriers do we fear and face in our life together? As we consider our commission to be about God's work with our hands in this community, what stumbling blocks exist for us?

Crucified with Christ

2010-06-10T11:57:00.000-04:00

Don't forget that this coming Sunday we will be gathering for worship at Carroll Valley Park! (I hope the sun shines!)

Our second reading this Sunday is from Paul's letter to the Galatians. Take a few moments to ponder these words:

I have been crucified with Christ;

and it is no longer I who live, but it is Christ who lives in me.

And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God,

who loved me and gave himself for me.

I do not nullify the grace of God;

for if justification comes through the law,

then Christ died for nothing.

-- Galatians 2: 19b-21

+ + +

Thanks to David and Barb for working on those letters of invitation. I have them ready for your signatures.

Momentum

2010-06-03T09:53:00.000-04:00

Beloved, I do not consider that I have made it my own; but this one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on towards the goal for the prize of the heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus. Let those of us then who are mature be of the same mind; and if you think differently about anything, this too God will reveal to you. Only let us hold fast to what we have attained.

Philippians 3:13-16

Last Sunday, with a big assist from the Holy Spirit, we caught a vision for what we might be about this summer. Rather than taking our train into a siding for a time, we sensed that it would be good to build momentum with our learning and growth -- even during these summer months when others go into hiatus. I applaud your willingness to keep the conversation going for the well-being of our life together.

So, this Sunday, we will explore some of the many and various ways that we can engage others in the vision and mission not only of the Faith Formation Forum, but also in the life of our congregation. Between now and Sunday, please give some prayerful consideration to how you can contribute to the team effort to make Christ known! In the above passage from Philippians, what do you suppose the Apostle Paul was referring to when he wrote: "I press on towards the goal . . ." and "Only let us hold fast to what we have attained.”?

Stewardship

2010-05-26T08:55:00.000-04:00

“Each of us was given grace according to the measure of Christ’s gift . . . The gifts that he gave were that some would be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until all of us come to the unity of faith and the knowledge of the Son of God, to maturity, to the measure of the full stature of Christ.”

Ephesians 4:7, 11-13

This is one of my favorite passages in the New Testament. On a recent Sunday morning, the Faith Formation Forum studied this passage together at some length and depth. It certainly is a relevant word for us and our congregation as we strive to live faithfully as stewards of all that God has given us.

I would like to make something perfectly clear. If you assume that when you hear the word stewardship it’s only a code-word or “churchy” way of talking about money, then please stop assuming. To limit stewardship to money is to short its rich meaning. Stewardship is not simply a committee, a program, or an annual emphasis. Stewardship is a lifestyle.

A challenge for us is to recognize that we have been gifted with everything we need to be faithful to what God is calling us to be about. And guess what? God is up to something in our midst. The Holy Spirit is moving people to step forward in faith, to witness to the change and healing in their lives, and to embrace a vision for mission in our life together. Sometimes I believe I can see tongues of fire dancing upon you. Amen. Come Holy Spirit!

+ + +

Last Sunday afternoon the St. John Preschool held its graduation ceremony.

Below is a picture of the "Class of 2010" and their families.

+ + +

http://www.hopealiveministries.org/

Wish List for May 2010

Household Items

• Food storage bags; zip-lock style, gallon and sandwich sizes
• Garbage bags; 13, 30 and/or 42-gallon
• SOS scouring pads
• Masking tape
• Cleaning products; non-bleach for bath,

kitchen and wood furniture

• Sanitizing Wipes
• Mr. Clean® Magic Eraser cleaning pads
• Toilet bowl cleaner; non-bleach
• Liquid hand soap (in small sink dispensers or larger re-fills)
• Vacuum cleaners; new or gently used
• Dinner napkins; paper
• Paper towels; rolls and tri-fold for dispensers
• Toilet tissue; septic-safe (no facial tissue)

Gift Cards (food, medicines, gas & property repair)

• CVS
• Food Lion
• Lowes
• Sheetz
• Wal-Mart
• Weis

Office Needs

• Chair floor mats (4) for carpet
• Office chairs (3, gently used or new)

Property Care

• Insect repellent spray; DEET free
• Bee/wasp insecticide spray
• Ant traps
• Plastic storage bins; under-bed style w/lids
• Vehicle fluids; coolant, transmission & windshield washer fluid

Family Personal Care Items

• Baby wipes; disposable
• Diapers; sizes 4, 5 & 6 only
• Pull-ups
• GoodNite underwear
• Diaper Genie® refills
• Decongestant/cold/allergy medications; alcohol-free, single-dose packets preferred
• Ibuprophen/Acetaminophen (adult/child)
• Razors; disposable
• Tampons; super-size only please
• Toothbrushes; children’s
• Suntan lotion; SPF 30 or higher

Clothing – only these specific clothing items please

• Underwear (new only); girls 2T/3T and boys 3T/4T
Gift cards for new shoes: Payless, Factory Brand Shoes, etc.

Children’s Programs

• Play sand for indoors
• Diaper Genie® refills
• Coloring books; faith-based stories preferred
• Music CD’s; Dora and Diego
• Car seats (for children 20 lbs. or over), new only please for optimum safety

Questions? Please call Missy Miller at 301-241-4005, ext. 314, for specific details and to
schedule an appointment for delivery. Or bring donations to St. john Lutheran Church and place in the Hope Alive collection box in the fellowship hall. Thank you!

Unity

2010-05-14T10:02:00.001-04:00

Richard Avery and Donald Marsh (The Avery & Marsh Songbook, Hope Publishing) have a song called I Can Be a Christian By Myself.

The first verse goes:

I can be a Christian by myself.
Leave my dusty Bible on the shelf.
I'll sing a hymn and pray a bit.
God can do the rest of it.
My heart's the church, my head's the steeple.
Shut the door and I'm the people.
I can be a Christian by myself.

Some of the other verses include these lines:

I'll break some bread and drink some wine.
Have myself a holy time.
I'll take the off'ring then I'll know
Where that money's gonna go.
So please remember, Lord, when I die,
Give me my own cloud in the sky.
After this life with its labors
Don't bug me with needy neighbors.

These lyrics would be hilariously funny if they weren't so often descriptive of an attitude or mindset that pervades in the church.

This Sunday, we'll reflect on Christ's prayer for unity as recorded in John 17. Take time to read it over please. Also, I would like to remind you to take some time to engage the spiritual gifts inventory that I mentioned last week. The link to the ELCA website is included in last week's blog post.

Pray for the sun to shine! I'm having a hard time with these clouds.

The Ascension of Our Lord

2010-05-13T08:57:00.002-04:00

Today is the fortieth day of the Easter season. The Church celebrates Christ's ascension to heaven (Luke 24:44-53; Acts 1:1-11). Today is one of the principal festivals of the church year. This festival has been included in the church's calendar since the fourth century.

Prayer of the Day (ELW)
Almighty God,
your only Son was taken into the heavens
and in your presence intercedes for us.
Receive us and our prayers for all the world,
and in the end bring everything into your glory,
through Jesus Christ, our Sovereign and Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and forever.

In today’s gospel the risen Christ ascends into heaven and his followers are assured that the Spirit will empower them to be witnesses throughout the earth. The disciples were told to not gaze up into heaven to look for Jesus; we find his presence among us as we proclaim the word and share the Easter feast. We too long for the Spirit to enliven our faith and invigorate our mission.

Gospel: Luke 24:44–53

On the day of his ascension, Jesus leaves his disciples with a commission, a blessing, and a promise of the Holy Spirit.

44Then he said to them, "These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you — that everything written about me in the law of Moses, the prophets, and the psalms must be fulfilled." 45Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures, 46and he said to them, "Thus it is written, that the Messiah is to suffer and to rise from the dead on the third day, 47and that repentance and forgiveness of sins is to be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. 48You are witnesses of these things. 49And see, I am sending upon you what my Father promised; so stay here in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high."

50Then he led them out as far as Bethany, and, lifting up his hands, he blessed them. 51While he was blessing them, he withdrew from them and was carried up into heaven. 52And they worshiped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy; 53and they were continually in the temple blessing God.

+ + +

Cyril of Alexandria wrote regarding the Ascension of Our Lord, "As man then, Jesus appeared before the Father on our behalf, to enable us whom original sin had excluded from his presence once more to see the Father's face. As the Son he took his seat to enable us as sons and daughters through him to be called children of God. So Paul, who claims to speak for Christ, teaching that the whole human race has a share in the events of Christ's life, says that God has raised us up with him and enthroned us with him in heaven. To Christ as the Son by nature belongs the prerogative of sitting at the Father's side; this honor can rightly and truly be ascribed to him alone. Yet because his having become man means that he sits there as one who is in all respects like ourselves, as well as being as we believe God from God, in some mysterious way he passes this honor on to us."

Illustration: The Ascension of Christ, by Salvador Dali

Discernment & Vocation

2010-05-05T13:36:00.005-04:00

Getting everyone onboard is a desired goal -- one to which we can aspire. In the meantime, we aren't called to paralysis or apathy. There is good work to be done as we seek to be faithful to our congregational mission of making Christ known.

How can we best be the church for the community? Answering this question will involve an intentional dedication to delving into discovering how God has called us to be together. It will involve sorting through the many and various ways that we have already been blessed and equipped to better serve God and neighbor.

The following link is to a tool available to us on the ELCA web site. It is a spiritual gifts assessment. I invite you to take some prayerful time to check it out, work on it, and consider the feedback.

http://archive.elca.org/evangelizingchurch/assessments/spiritgifts.html

On Sunday, we'll continue our exploration of the relationship between discernment and vocation. God is calling us. God is already up to some pretty amazing things in our lives and in the life of our community. Let's all get onboard!

WE AGREE TO DISAGREE . . .

2010-04-30T11:45:00.001-04:00

ELCA, CORE, WordAlone…What do the messages from these groups mean for our Lutheran faith and heritage? This Sunday, seminarian Trevor Hahn will present a brief history of issues leading up to the ELCA sexuality studies, the decisions made at the ELCA Churchwide Assembly 2009, as well as a brief history of how and why the WorldAlone network came into being and of course, CORE. The discussion is meant to help bring meaning to why these groups not only are in existence, but also why they are now in the midst of sometimes heated disagreement. We will NOT resolve the disagreements through our own discussion on Sunday, but we will hopefully have a better understanding of the ideology behind the messages being sent in our direction. Please bring your bibles.

See you Sunday!

Perspective

2010-04-22T10:07:00.003-04:00

Earth and Moon as seen from Mars (Photo by NASA)

I've often been reminded to "keep things in perspective" as a way to avoid feeling overwhelmed. I'm not suggesting that, occasionally at least, "majoring in minors" is a bad thing, but when it becomes a way of life not just for an individual, but also for a community and society, then we're headed for trouble. Some may argue that "God is in the details" in an attempt to justify a micro-focused life style.

How about this: Since we are capable of both keying in on minutia and seeing the big picture, why don't we strive for a healthy balance?

Maybe we haven't struck the healthy balance for any sustained amount of time because we are simply conditioned (pressured?) to take sides. Are you left or right, up or down, in or out, for it or against it? Are you pro-life or pro-death, faithful or unfaithful, justified or condemned, saint or sinner, Republican or Democrat? You get my point. We're not good at nuance, at shades of grey, at dialectical tension. We like it cut and dry, black and white, either/or. Am I right or wrong?

Looking forward to this Sunday's Faith Formation Forum, I'm anticipating exploring the ways in which the fourth chapter of Ephesians can help us ground this conversation and help us keep things in perspective.

Meanwhile, peace be with you.

Death, Life, and Portrayal

2010-04-15T10:01:00.000-04:00

JOHN UPDIKE (1932-2009), American writer

Portrait: Alex Katz

I really enjoyed the experience last Sunday of examining each of the four gospel accounts of the first Easter. We discovered that Mary of Magdala (Mary Magdalene) was present in each account. You've heard about Mary Magdalene and her reputation. What do you suppose it means that she is mentioned in each of these accounts?

This side-by-side comparison of the gospels provoked a question regarding the similarities and differences between and among the four accounts. So, this coming Sunday, we'll explore a bit more of the history and development of the gospels.

I'm currently savoring a book by N. T. Wright, Surprised by Hope: Rethinking Heaven, the Resurrection, and the Mission of the Church. In discussing the gospel resurrection stories, Wright writes:

" . . . they show signs of the theological interests of the different evangelists: Matthew's story of the resurrection emphasizes typically Matthean themes, and so on. But this is like what you get when different artists paint portraits of the same person. This painting is certainly a Rembrandt; that is indubitably a Holbein. The touch of the individual artist is unmistakable. And yet the sitter is fully recognizable."

Page 57.

See you Sunday. Bring your Bible. Bring a friend. Meanwhile, stay in One Peace.

Resurrection

2010-04-04T06:17:00.000-04:00

The Resurrection of Christ

from the Isenheim Altarpiece

by Matthias Grunewald

Christ Jesus lay in death’s strong bands for our offenses given;

But now at God’s right hand he stands and brings us life from heaven.

Therefore let us joyful be and sing to God right thankfully

Loud songs of hallelujah! Hallelujah!

(Martin Luther, 1483-1546)

Good Friday

2010-04-02T11:03:00.001-04:00

The Crucifixion of Jesus by Salvador Dali

When the centurion saw what had taken place, he praised God and said, ‘Certainly this man was innocent.’ And when all the crowds who had gathered there for this spectacle saw what had taken place, they returned home, beating their breasts. But all his acquaintances, including the women who had followed him from Galilee, stood at a distance, watching these things.

Luke 23:47-49

The agent of Rome, the centurion "saw" Jesus crucifixion and death. The crowds saw what had taken place. The acquaintances of Jesus, although at a distance, watched.

Do you think there is a connection between being a witness of the Jesus crucifixion and death and the ability to be a faithful witness to Jesus' resurrection?

We don't like the cross. We want to avoid suffering, death, darkness, and silence. Yet without this day, without the cross, without this death, there is no life.

+ + +

Good Friday

12:00 Noon

Fairfield Council of Churches at St. John

7:00 PM

Good Friday Liturgy

Maundy Thursday

2010-04-01T09:27:00.001-04:00

The Last Supper by Salvador Dali

Today is the beginning of the Three Days: Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Holy Saturday Easter Vigil. These Three Days and their liturgies are in fact one . . . one liturgy that celebrates the one paschal mystery.

The paschal mystery, the mystery of faith, is that Christ has died, Christ is Risen, Christ will come again. This paschal mystery contains the contrast of dying and rising -- of suffering, death, yet joy and hope.

We know our lives contain the same contrast. We know the mystery of living and dying, of believing and unbelieving, of giving and receiving, and of mourning and rejoicing. We know our lives contain these tensions and apparent contradictions because as Christians, we have died to our old selves and risen with Christ, we have drowned in the waters of baptism and have been joined to Jesus and one another forever.

This new life of ours is a mystery, a paschal mystery. This new life is not always clear, logical, or free of frustration, but it is a life sustained and guided by a God who loves us in Christ Jesus with a love stronger than death . . . so that we might love and serve one another.

+ + +

This evening, the Maundy Thursday liturgy will begin at 6:00 PM. The liturgy will include foot washing, Holy Communion, and the Stripping of the Altar.

Happy Birthday George

2010-03-31T14:49:00.000-04:00

Yesterday, March 30th, was George Martin's 95th birthday.

He is pictured here with two of his young friends under the shade of balloons.

Palm Sunday/Sunday of the Passion

2010-03-24T14:02:00.000-04:00

Do yourself a favor and take some time before Sunday to read two passages from the Gospel of Luke. The first one is Luke 19:28-40. The second one is Luke 22:14—23:56.

This Sunday we will be celebrating Palm Sunday which recalls Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem. Just after the prayer of the day, we'll shift gears and be confronted with the reading of the Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ as recorded in Luke.

Debra Dean Murphy observes: On the Sunday before Easter, churches often follow “The Liturgy of the Palms” with “The Liturgy of the Passion.” This choice is usually made when a church won’t be holding Holy Week services or, more conspiratorially, when turnout is expected to be low on Maundy Thursday and Good Friday. Going from the high of Palm Sunday to the high of Easter is, as seasoned pastors know, to cheat and be cheated.

That we call these long, dense narratives “liturgies” reminds us that when we read and hear them we are not innocent bystanders–we are implicated in the stories; we have “work” to do in them (“liturgy” = leitourgia = “work of the people”). We are the crowd along the streets of Jerusalem shouting, “Hosanna! Hosanna!” and we are the same mob on Good Friday screaming, “Crucify him! Crucify him!” As Fleming Rutledge has noted, “the liturgy of Palm Sunday is set up to show you how you can say one thing one minute and its opposite the next. This is the nature of the sinful human being.”

In our Faith Formation Forum this Sunday, we'll explore the tension between our dual capacities, or what it means to be simultaneously both saints and sinners.

Sacrifice

2010-03-18T09:19:00.001-04:00

Recently I had the opportunity to go to Arlington National Cemetery for a graveside service. Before the service began, I took a walk to see the tomb of the Unknown Soldiers and watch the changing of the guard. On the way back I took this picture of the grave markers in a small portion of the cemetery. You don't have to be extraordinarily patriotic to be impacted by such a tangible reminder of the extreme sacrifices that have been made on our behalf.

Given my vocation, I get to many types of cemeteries -- from the big and famous, to the improvised, to the humble and unnoticed. No matter the type, I am always reminded of the Great Cloud of Witnesses that has gone before us. One of the often overlooked attributes of our predecessors is the amount of sacrifice offered and endured out of a sense of responsibility and hope for the future.

In our increasingly violent world, I am reminded of a saying of Mohandas K. Gandhi. Gandhi reflects on what he sees as the Roots of Violence:

Wealth without work,

Pleasure without conscience,

Knowledge without character,

Commerce without morality,

Science without humanity,

Worship without sacrifice,

Politics without principles.

What are your thoughts about the relationship between sacrifice and violence? Is sacrifice a necessity in the face of violence? Is the lack of sacrifice a cause of violence?

What are we called to sacrifice here and now for those who come after us? What are we called to sacrifice for those who have preceeded us?

Hope Alive

2010-03-10T13:10:00.000-05:00

The following is the March 2010 "Wish List" from Hope Alive Ministries. Print a copy and take along with you next time you head out to do shopping. Contributions can be placed in the box by the door in the fellowship hall at church.

Food storage bags; zip-lock style,
gallon and sandwich sizes
Garbage bags; 13, 30 and/or 42-gallon
Cleaning products; non-bleach for bath,
kitchen and wood furniture
Sanitizing Wipes
Mr. Clean® Magic Eraser cleaning pads
Toilet bowl cleaner; non-bleach
Vacuum cleaners; new or gently used
Batteries; 9 volt and AA
Gift Cards: CVS, Food Lion, Lowes, Sheetz, Wal-Mart and/or Weis
Office chair mats (4) for loop style carpet
USB flash drives; minimum 4GB
8½ x 14 & 8½ x 11 white copy paper
Pillows; standard size, new only please
Dinner napkins; paper
Paper towels; rolls and tri-fold for dispensers
Toilet tissue; septic-safe (no facial tissue)
Baby wipes; disposable
Diapers; sizes 4 and 5 only
Pull-ups
Diaper Genie® refills
Play Sand for outside and indoors
Decongestant/cold/allergy medications; alcohol-free, Single dose packets preferred
Razors; disposable
Tampons; super-size only please
Plastic storage bins; under-bed style w/lids
Toothbrushes; children’s
Manipulative toys; sorting toys, peg boards, moving gears, etc.
Puzzle storage rack
Music CD’s; Dora and Diego

Questions? Please call Missy Miller at
301-241-4005, ext. 314, for specific details
and to schedule an appointment for delivery.

Thank you!

Conversion

2010-03-04T12:22:00.000-05:00

Last week's session together ended as "time ran out" with some frustrated, others tired, some silent. Remember that we aren't going to figure it all out each week. In fact, Never does Jesus ask or expect us to have it all figured out.

As we anticipate our time together this Sunday, I invite you to consider the following questions so that we can dig in deeper this Sunday as we consider the dynamics of conversion.

If we took with ultimate seriousness the claim that God raised the crucified messiah from the dead and that we have been grasped by the spirit that raised Jesus, what would our life together look like?

In what do we hope?
What must we do?
What is God up to in the world?
How can we join God?
What is God asking of us?
What does God need us to be?
What does God need for us to do?
In this task, what is God promising us?
What is God expecting of me?
What is God up to in our congregation?
How can we make God proud?

I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, making every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope of your calling, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all.

Ephesians 4:1-6

A New Creation

2010-02-27T11:59:00.000-05:00

Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,

+ Grace and Peace to you.

We have a tradition that every year the members of church council gather for a retreat. In years past, this so-called retreat has been nothing more than a long "business" meeting. For the past eight or so years, the retreat has been more of an actual retreat from business as usual.

Our annual Leadership Retreat is quickly approaching. If you are an elected leader of this congregation, you are expected to participate in this retreat. If you are any other kind of leader in this congregation, you are welcome to participate in this retreat.

Leadership Retreat

Saturday, March 6th

9:00 AM — 2:00 PM

Martin Luther defined our “god” as whatever it is to which we flee and see refuge in at times of trouble. The psalmist and Luther’s great hymn, Ein Feste Burg speak of God as our refuge and strength, but it is a mistake to conclude that we are called as the church to some sort of fortress mentality or to safety. Jesus says that to be his followers, church and disciples is “to deny self, take up our cross, and follow him.” Discovering the refuge and strength we have in God is not in hunkering down some place as the first disciples did when they hid in fear behind locked doors after Jesus was crucified. Rather it is getting out, going, risking, and getting in on what God is up to in the world. Jesus never calls us to play it safe — never!

Jesus calls us to the greatest adventure we can imagine — following him in mission.

The grounding and inspiration of everything we might be or do as a congregation, is the news of the empty tomb discovered on the first Easter morning. Maybe that seems obvious. But, yet we can not assume that this Gospel is indeed what drives us. There are many traditions and practices that have become our prime reason for existence. It is time to examine, to take inventory of what we are doing, to sort through the busy-ness, so that we may collectively and individually repent of all that draws us away from our prime mission of making Christ known.

That God raised the crucified Son from the dead is not just something that God did for the word. It was also something that God did to the world. Consider these words of Paul:

So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation; . . . So we are ambassadors for Christ, since God is making his appeal through us; we entreat you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.

This passage from 2 Corinthians will be part of our Bible study at the Leadership retreat. Please keep this event in your prayers. On Sunday, February 28th, I'll preview the theme of the retreat in our Faith Formation Forum.

Yours in Christ,
Christopher Frye
Pastor

PS. News continues to break in regard to the earthquake in Chile.
Lord, have mercy. Christ, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.

Holocaust

2010-02-18T12:15:00.000-05:00

Portrait of members of a Hungarian Jewish family.

They were deported to and killed in Auschwitz soon after this photo was taken.

Kapuvar, Hungary, June 8, 1944.

— United States Holocaust Memorial Museum

There was a bus trip to Washington, D.C. this past Monday. We spent time visiting the Washington National Cathedral in the morning and the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in the afternoon. Some of our confirmation class students took advantage of having a day off school to join the trip.

While I have visited the Cathedral many times over the years, this was my first visit to the Holocaust Museum. The experience is one I will not ever forget. This learning experience also made an impact on our confirmation students. So, this coming Sunday, they will be joining us for the Faith Formation Forum to share some of what they experienced and learned as a result of this visit.

In the meantime, please take a moment to visit the website of the Holocaust Museum at http://www.ushmm.org/.

The following verse from Deuteronomy is engraved on the wall in the Hall of Remembrance on the second floor of the museum:

Only guard yourself and guard your soul carefully, lest you forget the things your eyes saw, and lest these things depart your heart all the days of your life, and you shall make them known to your children, and to your children's children.

Deuteronomy 4:9

Luther's Small Catechism: The Creed

2010-02-04T13:08:00.000-05:00

Father Mike and I just got back from lunch at Brothers Pizza. Frank told us some PennDot employees were in just before us. They said we can expect 12"-18" of snow starting tomorrow late afternoon and going into Saturday.

So, if this comes to pass, please know that I still plan to be "at church" on Sunday. (The last time we had such a snow the spider bite kept me down, not the snow!)

We'll continue our exploration Martin Luther's Small Catechism. This week we'll focus on the Apostles' Creed and Luther's explanations. I'll provide copies of the section for you.

In the meantime, take a moment to read over the Creed and make notes of questions or insights you may have. Bring them along on Sunday. Maybe after worship we'll all go out in the church yard and make snow angels!

I believe in God, the Father almighty,

creator of heaven and earth.

I believe in Jesus Christ, God's only Son, our Lord,

who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,

born of the virgin Mary,

suffered under Pontius Pilate,

was crucified, died, and was buried;

he descended to the dead.

On the third day he rose again;

he ascended into heaven,

he is seated at the right hand of the Father,

and he will come to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit,

the holy catholic church,

the communion of saints,

the forgiveness of sins,

the resurrection of the body,

and the life everlasting. Amen.

Luther's Small Catechism

2010-01-29T10:10:00.000-05:00

Under "normal" circumstances, when a baby or a young child is baptized, they are presented by their parents and sponsors before God and the congregation. Below is a portion of the text from Evangelical Lutheran Worship for the Sacrament of Holy Baptism.

Called by the Holy Spirit, trusting in the grace and love of God, do you desire to have your children baptized into Christ?

Response: I do.

The presiding minister continues:

As you bring your children to receive the gift of baptism, you are entrusted with responsibilities:
to live with them among God's faithful people,
bring them to the word of God and the holy supper,
teach them the Lord's Prayer, the Creed, and the Ten Commandments,
place in their hands the holy scriptures,
and nurture them in faith and prayer,
so that your children may learn to trust God,
proclaim Christ through word and deed,
care for others and the world God made,
and work for justice and peace.

Do you promise to help your children grow in the Christian faith and life?

Response: I do.

The presiding minister addresses sponsors:

Sponsors, do you promise to nurture these persons in the Christian faith as you are empowered by God's Spirit, and to help them live in the covenant of baptism and in communion with the church?

Response: I do.

The presiding minister addresses the assembly:

People of God, do you promise to support name/s and pray for them in their new life in Christ?

Response: We do.

+ + +

Wow, there are some heavy-duty promises made here aren't there!? However, as you may have noticed, we're all in this together. When someone is baptized, they are baptized into Christ. They are baptized into the community of faith, the Body of Christ. Because we are in this together, we are interdependent. We need each other. In order to be faithful to the promises spoken at our baptism, we need the support of our fellow sisters and brothers.

So, as a way of assisting us in this responsibility when we are at home in the context of our households, we have the rich resource of Martin Luther's handbook, The Small Catechism, which he wrote in 1529. The new Evangelical Lutheran Worship includes a copy of The Small Catechism, beginning on page 1160.

From time to time we will explore each part of the catechism. This Sunday, after providing an overview, we'll review the first part: The Ten Commandments. In the meantime, pray that the Holy Spirit will invigorate our thoughts and discussion!

Haiti and Discipleship

2010-01-23T11:03:00.002-05:00

While I've already made a financial contribution to Lutheran World Relief to assist with ministry in Haiti, I feel a bit helpless. As I passively watch and read news reports about recovery efforts and the growing death toll, I wrestle with what it means to be a disciple of Jesus and how to be faithful to my identity as a child of God and member of the Body of Christ. It's a work in progress.

What I have included below is a letter from our Presiding Bishop Mark Hanson. I invite you to read this account of the ministry that is taking place in Haiti right now and how we can be part of it. I've also included information about the urgent need for health kits and quilts. Cathy Hull, our church council secretary, has stepped forward as the coordinator of this effort for our congregation. (Thank you Cathy!) There will be an insert in tomorrow's bulletin that will provide further information about this.

Tomorrow morning's Faith Formation Forum was intended to explore Dietrich Bonhoeffer's understanding of discipleship. We will proceed with that theme. However, we will discuss what it means to be a disciple of Jesus in light of our baptism itno Christ -- a Christ who suffers with our sisters and brothers in Haiti.

Photo credit: Paul Jeffrey/ACT-International

Dear sisters and brothers in Christ,

"If one member suffers, all suffer together with it;

if one member is honored, all rejoice together with it."

–1 Corinthians 12:26

Almost two weeks have passed since the devastating earthquake in Haiti. The outpouring of gifts from members of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) to ELCA Disaster Response has enabled a swift response on behalf of this church.

Thank you for your generous financial support which now totals more than $1.6 million. Thousands of other gifts are still being counted. Our community-based partners are already providing:

Two water purification systems to bring clean water to 25,000 people.

Emergency food and medical supplies to thousands.

Blankets and tents to shelter 10,000 people who are homeless.

Funding, distributed through three partners, will increase as giving continues.

$300,000 has been sent to The Lutheran World Federation (LWF), a key responder and member of Action by Churches Together (ACT). The funds support LWF efforts to provide shelter to people left homeless by the quake.

$150,000 has been sent to Lutheran World Relief (LWR), Baltimore, for material aid.

$150,000 has been sent to Church World Service (CWS) for construction of temporary water systems and distribution of water purification materials.

In addition, $25,000 has been sent to Lutheran Services of Florida for initial support to refugees and Haitian Americans entering or returning to the United States.

We are pleased that Louis Dorvillier, director for International Development and Disaster Response in the ELCA Global Mission program unit, is part of a delegation to his country of origin with LWF and ACT.

Your generosity makes this life-saving work possible. As we celebrate this outpouring of gifts and prayers, we also know that we have a long road to travel together. There is so much more to be done. This church is committed to walking with our brothers and sisters in Haiti for years to come; your continued support is needed to provide ongoing care.

I encourage you to visit the ELCA Disaster Response (www.elca.org/disaster) Web site for updated information, worship resources, bulletin inserts and details on how to offer financial support. General mission-support dollars and gifts to ELCA Vision for Mission make it possible for 100 percent of your gifts designated for Haiti Earthquake Relief to be used entirely for this response effort.

To give today, go online (www.elca.org/haitiearthquake) or call 800-638-3522.

In God's grace,
The Rev. Mark S. Hanson
Presiding Bishop
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America

P.S. View photos of your gifts at work (www.elca.org/bishopstatement).

URGENT NEED FOR HEALTH KITS AND QUILTS

Lutheran World Relief has issued an urgent request for quilts and for health kits to replace those already sent to Haiti. One container of health kits from the Lower Susquehanna Synod has already been sent to Haiti; two other containers are packed and ready to go.

Dear Friends,

With more than 100,000 dead, more than 1 million homeless on the streets, and up to 80 percent of buildings in Port-au-Prince destroyed, the need is still dire. And significant aftershocks still continue.

But the good news is that aid is finally starting to get in to Haiti. And we are working with a team of 400 people on the ground to provide immediate access to water, food and shelter.

LWR has pledged $1 million to overall relief work in Haiti and has committed an initial $150,000 to the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) to deliver water containers and purification materials, as well as temporary shelter items. We anticipate that we will need more than $1 million to assist those in need in Haiti, thus we will revaluate that pledge as the need and fundraising increase.

LWR is providing these immediate services though our partnerships with LWF, Catholic Relief Services, local partners in Haiti, and other international faith-based organizations. And we’re also preparing a long-term response to help the people of Haiti rebuild their lives.

How can you help? You can make a gift online to help LWR and our partners with these critical relief efforts. Or you can make a $10 donation NOW by texting LWR to 40579 (use this number in the “to” field).

You can also make quilts and health kits . There is an urgent need for these materials. We are dispatching them from our warehouses, and first shipments will leave in the next three days.

We are working around the clock to ensure we have the most up-to-date information possible. Please check back with us at lwr.org/Haiti for updates.

Thank you for your quick and compassionate response to this devastating situation.

In Christ,
John Nunes
President and CEO

For information on credit card or cash donations, go to http://www.lss-elca.org/Haiti.asp.

Haiti

2010-01-14T11:36:00.001-05:00

Since it was released 21 days ago, we have spent $179,834,568.00 to see the movie Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel. Certainly we have the capacity to respond to the immediate need of our brothers and sisters in Haiti.

We can channel immediate donations in several ways:

You can donate through the ELCA Disaster Response.
• Check or money orders sent to:
ELCA Int'l Disaster Response
Attn: Haiti Earthquake Relief
PO Box 71764
Chicago, IL 60694-1764
write "Haiti Earthquake Relief" on your check's memo line.

• credit card by phone: 800.638.3522

• or online. Credit card contributions may also be made via mail.

Donations can also be made directly to Haitian Timoun Foundation, HTF, through their website, www.htflive.org, 100% of all funds HTF receives go directly to Haiti. They have people on the ground there and will deploy your gifts in the most effective way. You can also access updates on the situation there via their website.

Your help is needed today to bring immediate relief and continued hope for our brothers and sisters in Haiti. About 3 million lives, one-third of Haiti's population, are affected by this earthquake.

Already one of the poorest countries in the world (70 percent of Haiti's population lives in extreme poverty), this catastrophe will exacerbate the suffering felt by many already living with hunger and poverty.

+ + +

Letter from Presiding Bishop Mark S. Hanson

January 13, 2010

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ:

The first chaotic reports and images now are coming out of Haiti, documenting the devastation caused by yesterday’s massive earthquake. Haitian officials estimate that more than a hundred thousand people may have died and that the quake destroyed major parts of the capital, Port-au-Prince.

The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America already is responding through the Lutheran World Federation’s Haiti Program. Given the devastation caused by this earthquake, the ELCA has committed an initial $250,000 from ELCA International Disaster Response for Haiti and has authorized an additional $500,000 as congregations respond both to the immediate needs and long-term rebuilding efforts.

We give thanks to God that LWF staff escaped injury from the earthquake. We also give thanks that we have trusted and effective partners on the ground in Haiti who already are at work helping earthquake survivors. The ELCA is the largest regular supporter of the LWF’s program in Haiti, which helps communities escape the deep poverty in which so many Haitians live. Since staff is already in place, no precious time will be lost in shaping an effective response. The work of providing food and shelter and in helping people to rebuild their lives is under way.

We give thanks also for our partners in this work. The LWF staff in Haiti also was tapped to coordinate the responses of Protestant and Orthodox churches throughout the world through Action by Churches Together (ACT). In addition, the ELCA, in coordination with the Florida-Bahamas Synod, will be working to provide disaster support to and possibly through the emerging Lutheran church in Haiti.

More details of the ELCA’s response and a disaster insert for congregational use are posted on www.elca.org/disaster as communication channels are restored. Please share with members and friends both the urgent need in one of the United States’ closest neighbors and the effective means by which their church is responding. Please go to http://www.elca.org/haitiearthquake or call 800-638-3522 to give toward our response to the disaster in Haiti.

In God’s grace,
Mark S. Hanson
Presiding Bishop

Haiti

2010-01-13T22:11:00.000-05:00

Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,

The devastating news from Haiti is difficult to digest. However, as people of faith, we need to respond. From what we know from the various reports being given by relief and response agencies, the immediate tangible need is for a massive infusion of money.

While I have been thinking and praying about this and will have a clearer sense of direction tomorrow, I can anticipate making the following request of you and our congregation:

1. Pray
2. Consider the various gifts and resources we have at our disposal that can be redirected to address this pressing need. Let me be specific. While I do not have the exact figures, we have entrusted to us thousands of dollars. Some of it is earmarked for the flower fund; some of it is earmarked for the organ fund; some of it is restricted in other ways. However, in light of the intense suffering of our brothers and sisters in Haiti, we must consider the most faithful stewardship of these resources now.

While bodies are being stacked in the streets of Port au Prince, we cannot wait to act. Therefore, I urge you to prayerfully and urgently consider the ways in which we will respond as a congregation.

There are two relief organizations of which I am aware that have pledged to devote 100% of gifts to provide immediate aid. The first is the ELCA Disaster Response; the second is the Haitian Timoun Foundation. On Thursday, I will publish contact information for these two organizations.

Meanwhile, trust that the Lord our Shepherd walks with us even in the shadow of death.

In Christ,
Your Pastor,
Christopher

WHAT TIME IS IT?

2010-01-07T10:10:00.001-05:00

In the Old Testament book of Ecclesiates, we hear this:

For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven.

(Ecclesiates 3:1)

On Sunday during the Faith Formation Forum, we are going to explore the rhythms and patterns of the Church Year Calendar. This Sunday is the festival of the Baptism of Our Lord. Yesterday, January 6th, was the festival of the Epiphnay of Our Lord. Christmas is always celebrated in December 25.

The Church Year Calendar is the church's system of observing Sundays, seasons, principal festivals, lesser festivals, days of special devotion, commemorations, and occasions.

When is Easter Sunday this year? Why isn't it on the same date each year?

In their book, Worship Wordbook, Ralph R. Van Loon and S. Anita Stauffer note that the church year calendar "includes two basic parts: (1) the temporal calendar is an annual cycle focusing on the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ; (2) the sanctoral calendar consists of saints' days (hence the term sanctoral (Latin: "holy"), known as lesser festivals and commorations, which are usually observed on the person's death dates."

+ + +

A word about prayer: Some years ago we (Saint John Lutheran Church) had a telephone prayer chain. In recent years, this prayer chain has discontinued. With the availability of e-mail, do you think it would be possible to resurrect our prayer chain? I'll say more about this on Sunday. In the meantime, consider if you would be willing to participate in the ministry of prayer for one another and others on a regular basis.