tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-67401280674944450692024-03-13T03:19:25.061-07:00Ministry Notes from Pastors Ray and Ruth AnnNow that we have completed seminary and begun ministry as ordained Lutheran pastors, we will write about life in the parish, issues of being new pastors and a clergy couple as well, and other things as the Spirit moves us.Rayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01698792931274993366noreply@blogger.comBlogger45125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6740128067494445069.post-3012099033346928002015-11-28T19:43:00.003-08:002015-11-28T19:44:43.209-08:00Advent ArticleAn article I recently wrote for the local newspaper:<br />
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Advent Article for Thanksgiving Edition of the Stanly News and Press (SNAP) 2015<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">By Rev. Ray Sipe, Chaplain, Trinity Place</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Why are we waiting?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Thanksgiving is upon us. As we prepare for the big day
with lots of food, family and friends gathering together, and preparations for
the big game, we may not be aware that Advent is just around the corner,
beginning the Sunday after Thanksgiving this year. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">For many of us, Advent has become an old churchy thing
that no one does anymore. For others, Advent has become a renewed season of
waiting, preparing, and for some, a time of soul searching and examination. Wikipedia defines Advent as “time of
expectant waiting and preparation for the celebration of the Nativity of Jesus
at Christmas.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Advent (from <i>adventus,
Latin meaning coming) </i>is a time of waiting. It literally is a time of
waiting for the second coming of Jesus. This is the time in which we live – the
time between the birth of Jesus and his coming again. We celebrate the season
of Advent in the church as a time of waiting and preparation – both on the
first coming and on the second coming. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">As we hear the readings from the Revised Common
Lectionary during the season of Advent, we hear both the anticipation of the
coming savior as a child in the manger, and of the second coming of the savior,
to set this world right and establish the Kingdom of God here on earth.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Our Gospel texts this Advent season come from the
Gospel of Luke. We begin with the end times, Luke 21:25-36, and hear Jesus
describe the second coming. On the second Sunday of Advent, we hear John the
Baptist proclaiming the coming of the messiah (Luke 3:1-6). On the third Sunday
of Advent, we continue John’s proclamation (Luke 3:7-18), and on the last
Sunday of Advent (Luke 1:39-55) we hear of Mary’s visit with her cousin
Elizabeth, and of course, Mary’s Song.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Each of these texts tells of the coming of the
messiah, gives us food for thought to reflect on the meaning of the birth of
Jesus, and of his coming again. As we scramble through the preparations for
Christmas, and end of year, and inventories, and cleaning up the records for
tax time, and all of the many other things that occupy our time during
December, I invite you to spend just a little time, pausing each day, to
consider the coming of Jesus. If you don’t hear these texts on Sunday morning,
I invite you to read them on your own, as your own Advent devotion. Instead of
reacting to all of the things that are happening around you, take a few minutes
to reflect on the birth of Christ, and what his presence means in your life.
For additional Advent devotional resources, simply Google Advent Devotions and
many will pop up. One of my favorite free resources is available at </span><a href="http://www.luthersem.edu/advent"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">www.luthersem.edu/advent</span></a><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">.
You can read it on-line or print it. A large print version is also available.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'times new roman', serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">As we watch and wait this Advent season, we pray: Come, Lord Jesus. Awaken your people. Fill us with your light, and bring the
gift of Peace on Earth. Amen.</span></div>
Rayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09774193422140227576noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6740128067494445069.post-15529117535198960672015-04-03T09:55:00.000-07:002015-04-03T09:55:25.869-07:00Good Friday<span style="font-size: large;">It is Good Friday, and as I ponder a sermon for the day, I come back to these words by S. M. Lockridge that I found a few years ago. I find them to be a powerful description of the day.</span><br />
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By S. M. Lockridge</div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt;">It’s Friday<br />
Jesus is praying<br />
Peter’s a sleeping<br />
Judas is betraying<br />
But Sunday’s comin’<br />
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It’s Friday<br />
Pilate’s struggling<br />
The council is conspiring<br />
The crowd is vilifying<br />
They don’t even know<br />
That Sunday’s comin’<br />
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It’s Friday<br />
The disciples are running<br />
Like sheep without a shepherd<br />
Mary’s crying<br />
Peter is denying<br />
But they don’t know<br />
That Sunday’s a comin’<br />
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It’s Friday<br />
The Romans beat my Jesus<br />
They robe him in scarlet<br />
They crown him with thorns<br />
But they don’t know<br />
That Sunday’s comin’</span><span style="font-size: 16pt;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16pt;">It’s Friday</span></div>
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See Jesus walking to Calvary<br />
His blood dripping<br />
His body stumbling<br />
And his spirit’s burdened<br />
But you see, it’s only Friday<br />
Sunday’s comin’<br />
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It’s Friday<br />
The world’s winning<br />
People are sinning<br />
And evil’s grinning<br />
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It’s Friday<br />
The soldiers nail my Savior’s hands <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt;">To the cross<br />
They nail my Savior’s feet<br />
To the cross<br />
And then they raise him up<br />
Next to criminals<br />
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It’s Friday<br />
But let me tell you something<br />
Sunday’s comin’<br />
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It’s Friday<br />
The disciples are questioning<br />
What has happened to their King<br />
And the Pharisees are celebrating<br />
That their scheming<br />
Has been achieved<br />
But they don’t know<br />
It’s only Friday<br />
Sunday’s comin’<br />
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt;">It’s Friday<br />
He’s hanging on the cross<br />
Feeling forsaken by his Father<br />
Left alone and dying<br />
Can nobody save him?<br />
Ooooh<br />
It’s Friday<br />
But Sunday’s comin’<br />
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It’s Friday<br />
The earth trembles<br />
The sky grows dark<br />
My King yields his spirit<br />
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It’s Friday<br />
Hope is lost<br />
Death has won<br />
Sin has conquered<br />
and Satan’s just a laughin’<br />
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It’s Friday<br />
Jesus is buried<br />
A soldier stands guard<br />
And a rock is rolled into place<br />
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But it’s Friday<br />
It is only Friday<br />
Sunday is a comin’!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt;">Sunday is coming, and the rest of the story comes with it.</span></div>
Rayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09774193422140227576noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6740128067494445069.post-72587320358968676512014-07-08T17:53:00.003-07:002014-07-08T17:53:53.880-07:00Of Loss, Grief, and ChangeYes - it has been a while since I wrote anything in this space. The last thing I wrote was about my current schedule and whether or not I could sustain it. The answer is yes, but not easily. Much has had to change.<br />
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Many of the recent changes have not been ones we planned for. For example, during the last couple of months of school, I ended up driving a school bus more days than not. I had hoped to cut back on the number of days I drove, but a serious need by the schools I drive for and some loss that meant I needed extra money won out.<br />
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The first loss was in my ham radio equipment. I apparently suffered a lighting strike that I was not aware of until I realized that my antenna was not working well which soon turned into the radio not working well either. From all reports, the radio suffered severe damage (not repairable without spending more than a new radio cost); and the antenna is also not repairable without spending more than it is worth. Trying to earn some extra money to replace this equipment was part of the reason to drive the school bus more.<br />
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Another reason for the extra money was so that I could go to the Dayton Hamvention in Dayton, Ohio. This event occurs every year, but last year and this year were the first opportunities I have had to go with a group (thus saving a lot of money). This year was the first (and maybe only time) that the stars will align and I can make the schedule work out. It was a great trip and a lot of fun. I hope to be able to go again some day.<br />
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Then the next loss - my Jeep died. This was a major loss - both in terms of financial setback and grief. I have driven Jeeps for the last 20 years. I have gone places I could not have gotten to otherwise. We have been to Camp Jeep three times (twice in Virginia and once in Arkansas). They were great fun and experiences we will never forget. We have not been for almost 10 years, and I still tell stories from our time there. Not only did the Jeep die, the part was worth more than the value of the Jeep (2004 with 192K miles). Worse yet, I had already been debating some other vehicle because of gas mileage. Since I am doing ministry in three places, the nearest being 12 miles away, and the next 12 miles in a different direction, and the third being another 9 miles past the second place, I am putting on a lot of miles. An average of 2,700 each month. The one problem with Jeep is that they have never improved the gas mileage (I understand that the 2015 will have a fuel-efficient diesel option which gets about 25 MPG, for about $40k), and I really needed to get better than 19 MPG.<br />
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Since the Jeep died in the drive-way and I was pretty sure it was some type of computer/electrical failure, I had it towed to the dealership where I have had other service work done (including the new transmission three years ago). The part was almost $1000, plus labor, plus the other electrical problem I had not had time/money to repair, plus the new tires it was going to need. The bottom line was it just needed too much work.<br />
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After having tried several other vehicles and realizing that many of them were just too short (no head-room for me) and that others gave no better gas mileage, and yet others had all that but cost way too much, we drove a Dodge Journey (basically back to a station wagon). The size is good, the gas mileage is an improvement, and since it only has 26K miles on it, I should be good for a few years.<br />
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I really like the car, but I miss my Jeep. I grieve the loss of my Jeep. There are places I know I can't get to without 4 wheel drive. I have to figure out new storage places and a new way to install my ham radio. The controls are not where they used to be. So much is different. Change is hard. Loss is hard. And yet, this is the way of life.<br />
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As I deal with these losses and changes in my life, I understand why change in the church is so hard for some people. Everything around them is changing, and the one thing they think should remain the same is the church. The problem is, the church has to change for many of the same reasons. Some things are too worn out or too expensive to maintain. Some things just don't fit any more. Some things have to change so we can afford other things. Loss of members, loss of income, loss of leadership - all these require us to evaluate how we do things and most likely - we have to change and adapt. There is loss here akin to the loss we feel when someone dies. There is grief here akin to the grief we have when someone dies. There is change - life will never again be the same. But we must remember - it is God who is unchanging, not the church. The church must change, adapt, reform - constantly - or it will die. The same is true with us. I could have gone in dept to repair my much loved Jeep and kept it on the road for a while longer, but how long? What part would fail next? How much would it cost? At what point do I decide that enough money has gone into a vehicle that does not get good enough gas mileage and that is continuing to rack up miles at a high rate?<br />
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The same is true of the church. We must adapt and change. We must make decisions based not on how we used to do it, but what can we afford and what will work today. Loss, grief, and change. They are never easy, but they are a constant part of life.Rayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09774193422140227576noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6740128067494445069.post-48833751642719004262014-02-15T09:38:00.001-08:002014-02-15T09:38:28.601-08:00Coming and GoingAs I have enjoyed the past few days (snow days) of being able to work from home and not have to drive anywhere, I have given some thought to the questions I have been asked lately about my schedule. As you may or may not know, I am currently doing ministry in three places, plus a couple of other things since full time calls in this area are scarce.<br />
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I am serving as the long-term interim pastor at <a href="http://www.mtgileadlutheran.org/">Mt. Gilead Lutheran Church</a> in Mt. Pleasant NC, the long-term interim pastor at <a href="http://www.stmartinconcord.org/">St. Martin Lutheran Church</a> in Concord NC, and the part-time chaplain at <a href="http://www.lutheranhomealbemarle.net/">Trinity Place</a> Lutheran Home in Albemarle. This means that on Sunday, I have a 9:30 a.m. service, an 11:00 a.m. service, and a 4:00 p.m. service. It also means that on Sunday I drive about 65 miles.<br />
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On top of those three positions, I also drive a school bus some mornings, and still work on computers and websites. All in all, still not quite full time pay and no benefits. As a colleague said to me the other night, this is the new church, and we cobble things together as best we can (he also drove buses for awhile -delivering new ones).<br />
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As I said, I have spent some time contemplating this situation and have wondered a couple of things. How much longer can I manage this kind of schedule without meeting myself coming and going? So far, I manage to not miss many things (thanks to really good calendar apps) and I still do manage to get some time at home. The other question is how long can the church survive when this is what leaders are forced to do?<br />
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I have heard and read many stories of leaders (mostly young with families who have no other skill sets) who have ended up on food stamps and lost their homes because they were either at a church where they could not provide a full salary or they were without a call and could not find one. Long gone are the days when a candidate is trained for the church without cost (most of us carry a lot of student loan debt), and most of us need a decent salary to survive. Even with a call that includes a parsonage, cost of living has increased much faster than many salaries, and most churches are looking at ways of reducing cost - including the pastor's salary, so what are we to do?<br />
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One of my hopes was that by taking on the interim position in two congregations, someday we might be able to talk about a two-point parish with a call. That may still happen, but some days seems like a long-way off. Other days it seems like it could happen soon, but the reality is that not many congregation are willing to consider this option. For most, their independence is an issue they do not want to mess with. It is not that they don't like the other church, or that they don't want the pastor to have the income they cannot provide, but the change itself, and not being able to set your own schedule can be an issue. This point came home to me over the last couple of weeks as we discussed the schedule for Lent. One congregation was adamant about doing a soup supper in their own fellowship hall every Wednesday in Lent and not alternating as we have done for Bible Study. It just means that I give up two evenings every week in Lent instead of one. But these are the issues we face as we try to set up new models of ministry.<br />
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Most days, I love what I do - even the days that begin at 5:30 a.m. to drive a school bus and don't end until about 9:00 p.m. when I get home from Bible Study. I love the people and I love serving God. However, when I find myself falling asleep while visiting someone, or nodding off at a stoplight, then I wonder again how long this can go on.<br />
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Peace be with you all, and pray for all those who work multiple jobs that they might find time to rest occasionally.<br />
<br />
RayRayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09774193422140227576noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6740128067494445069.post-25755177972655475662013-12-22T19:17:00.000-08:002013-12-22T19:17:15.350-08:00Advent 2013<i>Advent is almost over. Twenty-two days ago, we began the journey through Advent. While I would have like to have posted this sooner, it has been a busy Advent and I have not had time. </i><br />
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<i>As part of a local ministerial association, I was asked to write an article about Advent. Since our local newspaper does not make articles like this available on-line, I am going to post it here.</i><br />
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Advent, which literally means “coming,” is the season when
Christians prepare for the coming of the Messiah, the Christ. We often sing Advent
hymns rather than Christmas carols. The suggested scripture readings for the
season focus on passages which prepare us for the coming of Jesus as a baby in
the manger, as well as texts which focus on the second coming of Christ. Advent
is that season when we are we are most aware of living in the in-between time –
that time between Jesus’ birth and his return on the last day.</div>
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This can be a difficult time for us, especially as we see
all the advertisements for Christmas, beginning even before Halloween is over.
It becomes so easy for us to get caught up in the excitement, each day busier
than the last, as we try to out-decorate, out-shop, out-spend, and out-party
the previous year and everyone around us.</div>
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This is why the church teaches patient waiting as part of
Advent. We watch, and we wait. We light Advent candles to mark the weeks, and
we wait. We sing Advent hymns, and we wait. We decorate a little at a time, and
we wait. We use blue paraments to signify hope – hope at the anticipation of
the coming Messiah, and we wait. We hear the stories of the Annunciation – the
angel announcing to Mary that she will bear a son, and we wait. We hear about
John the Baptist, come to prepare the way of the Lord, and we wait. We read the
prophet Isaiah and hear the prophecies of the coming Messiah, and we wait. </div>
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While we wait, we are called to examine our lives and our
priorities, just as John the Baptist called for repentance as he baptized in
the river <st1:place w:st="on">Jordan</st1:place>.
While we wait, we are called to bring the message of the coming Messiah to
others who may not have heard. While we wait, we are called to remember the
poor, and those who are homeless and hungry. While we wait, we prepare for the
coming babe in the manger as choirs practice, and pageants are rehearsed; as
greens and poinsettias appear in the sanctuary. </div>
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Even while we wait, we are assaulted from all sides to spend
more, to shop earlier and later, to stand in longer and longer lines to get
that “must have” gift at the best possible price. Each year, while we wait,
more and more Christmas movies and television shows appear, urging us to begin
our celebration of Christmas earlier and earlier. As we wait, we go to parties
and eat too much, drink too much, and later we wonder what happened to our
self-control. </div>
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All this waiting, and yet when Christmas Day comes, we can’t
wait to till it is over so we can start taking the decorations down and putting
them away till next year, when the season is actually only just begun! The
twelve days of Christmas – that time from Christmas Day till Epiphany when we
celebrate the coming of the wise men, becomes lost because we have been
inundated with Christmas music since before Thanksgiving and we are tired of it
by Christmas Day.</div>
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This year, join us as we wait, savoring the anticipation of
the coming of Christ. Join us as the church celebrates the entire Christmas
season, up to and including the Epiphany on January 6. Leave the tree up until
then, rather than taking it down on New Years Day. Spend some time this Advent
season feeding the hungry, helping someone build their own home, buy a toy or clothing
for a child that will otherwise go without, and wait for the celebration of the
birth of the Lord, for he has come, and has promised to come again.</div>
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<i>Another good article on Advent can be read here: </i><a href="http://www.thestate.com/2013/12/15/3157659/scoppe-the-war-on-advent-continues.html">http://www.thestate.com/2013/12/15/3157659/scoppe-the-war-on-advent-continues.html</a></div>
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Blessings to you during the final days of Advent and into Christmas. In two days we can begin to celebrate in earnest the coming of our Lord and continue for the next twelve days. Merry Christmas!</div>
Rayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09774193422140227576noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6740128067494445069.post-74474354475666902582013-06-15T08:32:00.001-07:002013-06-15T08:32:35.971-07:00What is a pastor to do?I have recently come from the NC synod assembly, and like many others, one of the conversations was about the "nones." Here is a post about a synod assembly that took this one step farther - <a href="http://reveverett.com/2013/06/11/religious-nones/">click here</a>.<br />
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The question becomes, just how do we as pastors go about reaching the "nones?" Of course, there are some who do not want us to reach them, but I notice that sometimes, once they know we are pastors, we are the first person they come to with some question about church, or forgiveness, or some related topic. They do not want to be in church, but they do want to be able to ask questions.<br />
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What format works best? Is it an informal session at the local pub, coffee house, or is it an informal session at your place of worship, such as in informal midweek service, an open coffee hour some evening, or something else? It is clear that these conversations are important. It is clear that many (but certainly not all) of the nones are people who have been hurt by their previous participation in a church (many times a very conservative church) or by what they have seen happen in or to someone in a church.<br />
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We are often labeled hypocrites because we talk about leading sinless lives, but yet there are so many sinners in our church. I was once told "I would not go to that church because so-and-so goes there and you know all the things so-and-so has done." We know, especially as pastors, that the church is for the sinners, and that there is always room for one more, but what do we do about the perception that we are all "saved" and therefore sin no more?<br />
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This may be one of those places where Lutherans get lumped with a lot of other Christians and we need to let our own voice be heard - especially our belief that we are both saint and sinner. Lutheran believe in the both/and, not the either/or. We know we are saved - "for by grace you have been saved through faith (Eph 2:8)," but how do we articulate this so as to open doors, not shut them? How do we be inclusive rather then exclusive? If we truly believe that God's grace is available to everyone, what language do we use that does not sound like the "insider" language we use in worship?<br />
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I guess I am really troubled by the reports from the "nones" that worship is too confusing, too intimidating, too "insider." Why don't we do a better job of leading worship? Why don't we do a better job of mentoring those new to worship? Why don't we have people trained to go sit with the new people and help them follow a worship service?<br />
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It seems that most of our problem is that we are still operating like we did 40 years ago when it was assumed that everyone went to church, everyone knew how to read a bulletin and follow a service, everyone knew at least the basics of how to worship. The reality is that none of this is true. We need to assume that every new person who walks through our doors knows nothing about worship, or at least about how we worship. and we need to do everything we can to help that person become familiar and comfortable with how <u>we</u> worship. Be redundant in our instructions. Remind everyone what page the creed is on and why we profess it. Do all the things you can think of to be more user-friendly to everyone who visits - whether for the first time, or the 1000th time. Even our older members will be appreciative of the extra reminders of what page we are on!<br />
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Not that I have proposed any grand solution here, but these are thoughts on a Saturday morning after reading the article I linked to in the beginning. Be sure to read that article, as it really opens the discussion and offers some good questions and insights. <br />
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Peace be with you!Rayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09774193422140227576noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6740128067494445069.post-13425630757273841192013-05-08T08:10:00.000-07:002013-05-08T08:10:03.026-07:00It's been a busy spring!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjLAUHm0i_XWqr6WCBvd1ahapRBgUuGwTiwY1Ceo1TVT4aTC2BZ89gUlzVuBk875EY9-MnwfuqSNecn0rDvDTl6-woyRT2LrSYFdKxbtnque7oENp87Ui_b3EWJ-62wYNLWpiaLrwQlvcp/s1600/20130507_134303.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjLAUHm0i_XWqr6WCBvd1ahapRBgUuGwTiwY1Ceo1TVT4aTC2BZ89gUlzVuBk875EY9-MnwfuqSNecn0rDvDTl6-woyRT2LrSYFdKxbtnque7oENp87Ui_b3EWJ-62wYNLWpiaLrwQlvcp/s200/20130507_134303.jpg" width="150" /></a>I had thought back during Lent that I would get back into posting more often, but then something happened (doesn't it always?). That was about the time I went from being a part-time substitute school bus drive to a full part-time school bus driver (yes, an oxymoron if I ever saw one. It simply means that instead of driving some days, I now drive the same bus on the same route every day, but still a part-time job).<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXOeB7Hu9ZaTgHRyFL-ex0bow5FGm_CoFaoe07_wpYuonmxyxdlrmyXrrGG5MuYCpBUMFQh74bUt5zLGET6G6LLyRz0WLTN0Tyb76pNcdietuy0fRR2Odz453BCToCms5K-xUTIKC83Mcn/s1600/20130507_134246.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXOeB7Hu9ZaTgHRyFL-ex0bow5FGm_CoFaoe07_wpYuonmxyxdlrmyXrrGG5MuYCpBUMFQh74bUt5zLGET6G6LLyRz0WLTN0Tyb76pNcdietuy0fRR2Odz453BCToCms5K-xUTIKC83Mcn/s200/20130507_134246.jpg" width="150" /></a>Along with supply preaching, 12 hours per week at Trinity Place (formerly Lutheran Home - Albemarle), and starting yard work and putting in the garden, life has been really busy. On top of that, I have taught a basic Ham radio class, become a Volunteer Examiner Session Manager for ham radio licensing, and been working with a local congregation to see if we can work out something for me to be their interim/extended supply pastor (also part-time).<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinggOv8lR_6k8-Bgy-AHN9UHXrdG8ywkYxqCrJs_IGP-hYsK8AMnKlSHGcgklEjwYomi_URtSwcvv1-JXQw7i63gitr3uIKFX25YJFM0Oi9GTgWdvznWCN2eWGpjK1R8OSEHiwN-RLmN_K/s1600/20130507_134321.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinggOv8lR_6k8-Bgy-AHN9UHXrdG8ywkYxqCrJs_IGP-hYsK8AMnKlSHGcgklEjwYomi_URtSwcvv1-JXQw7i63gitr3uIKFX25YJFM0Oi9GTgWdvznWCN2eWGpjK1R8OSEHiwN-RLmN_K/s200/20130507_134321.jpg" width="150" /></a>With Ruth Ann being full time and my many part-time jobs, we stay very busy. We also get to keep at least some of the grandchildren every now and then. The oldest was with us the week after Easter, the twins will be here next week, and the triplets come for at least a couple of days each month. After each visit, we are quite glad to go back to our regular, busy days as they require much less energy!<br />
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The garden is growing (some pictures on Facebook with more to come). I will post some garden pictures here when I can. These photos are the first roses of spring! We are glad to have a rose garden again, even if it is fairly small. They give us great enjoyment throughout the year! Happy spring!<br />
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<br />Rayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09774193422140227576noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6740128067494445069.post-11684191670197908052013-02-08T06:52:00.003-08:002013-02-08T06:52:58.150-08:00The crazy world in which we liveI know - it has been ages since anything has been posted here. And I have been guilty for weeks of "meaning to do something about it" and getting sidetracked.<br />
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This morning, I read this <a href="http://www.churchleadership.com/leadingideas/leaddocs/2013/130130_article.html">article</a> and it prompted me to write something about it. You see, this is one of the things I have struggled with in ministry. I grew up in a time and place where Sunday mornings and Wednesday afternoons and evenings were sacred times - reserved for church, confirmation, choir practice, and all other things associated with church. No ball games, no practice (or if there was, it was voluntary and you could be excused for confirmation class), no school activity dared to interfere with these times which were reserved for church events.<br />
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I have struggled with this because part of me very much wants to believe that we have choices, and that our choices say a lot about who we are. I still believe this is true, and this article also shows me that there are other ways to deal with this. Sometimes, we don't really have much of a choice. If we work, and our job sometimes requires us to work on Sunday morning, we really cannot be blamed - after all, if we don't work, we don't eat, we don't pay the rent, or anything else that we need. If we view our job as a vocation (as this article suggest), then we must excuse those who work on Sunday. If, indeed, we take this view, then it is the church that is failing (not the church member who works on Sunday) for not providing an opportunity for that person to worship at some time other than Sunday morning.<br />
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While on internship in Alabama, I knew of one church who had many of its members who worked in the service industry in the resorts. In order to provide them with a worship opportunity, they had a worship service on Thursday evening, with Holy Communion, to provide an opportunity for those people to worship.<br />
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Kids today are really in the same kind of boat. Sure, they could choose to not participate in sports, but for many, it is a way to a scholarship and a college opportunity that they might not otherwise have. Providing an alternate worship time for them is not only a good idea, but probably essential. If the church is not about meeting people where (and when) they are, then we are guilty of being irrelevant - by our own doing. Those who turn up their noses at anyone who cannot attend church at the "regular" time on Sunday morning cannot complain when attendance is down. Those who want more children in church need to get over the fact that they just aren't going to be there on Sunday mornings.<br />
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I remember when I was in high school (many, many years ago), there was a church that starting a Saturday evening service, aimed at young people on their way out for a Saturday night date. The idea was, that if you stay out too late to make it to church on Sunday morning (or because some had to work Sunday morning), that you could start your date with a 5:00 p.m. worship service, followed by dinner and a movie (or whatever your date was going to be). I remember thinking it was a great idea at the time, but have not found many churches willing to take on this kind of ministry. It is even more important today to look at options such as this. Worship is worship, whether it occurs on Sunday, or Saturday, or Wednesday - in the sanctuary, or the fellowship hall, or the pub down the street. God meets us where we are; why can't we as the church do the same for those who need to hear God's word?Rayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09774193422140227576noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6740128067494445069.post-82842311325778157772012-01-10T17:37:00.000-08:002012-01-10T18:02:49.327-08:00Welcome to the New Year!Here we are - 2012 - the year that may (or may not) have special significance (depending on your view of the Mayan calendar). It is the year of the presidential election, a Leap Year, and so much more. <div><br /></div><div>For many of us, it is a year filled with challenges, hopes, and maybe even a few fears. For one, we are getting older. With each year that passes past age 50, our bodies change, parts begin to show wear, and it seems like more sleep is needed just to keep up. </div><div><br /></div><div>For us in the church, it is a year filled with concern, with hope for the future, hope for the economy, and a desire to put the past behind us. Pastors who have trained to be full-time ministers are having to figure out how to deal with part-time employment, multiple jobs and/or churches, and congregations who are just as weary and unsure as we are. If your congregation left the ELCA, you might be feeling pretty good right now, but there are many in your congregation who are wondering if they did the right thing. If you congregation voted but did not leave, you are most likely dealing with a major split that will take years to heal. Even if your congregation did not vote and did not plan to leave, you have plenty of people who have friends and family who are suffering from a congregation that did split. The pain and fear are there, even if they did not experience it directly. </div><div><br /></div><div>Meanwhile, people, including pastors, are looking for employment. Many are working, but not at the jobs which they are trained for, or are working at jobs for which they have no passion just so they can pay the bills. For pastors, many are filling in as interim's, or as part-time pastors while they look for a call to full time ministry. Many of them have left congregations that they loved, but could not stay with because the were not willing to change church bodies. Some were forced out, some were moved out gently, some resigned when it became apparent that their staying would only prolong the suffering.</div><div><br /></div><div>This perfect storm of economy, politics, and church strife have turned the world upside down for many of us in the ministry. Some have been able to move to other areas of the country and be called to loving, healthy churches. A few have been able to retire or settle into interim positions which will lead them to retirement. Others are hanging on by doing whatever has to be done.</div><div><br /></div><div>For me, I am into my second year as a part-time interim while trying to make a home-based business fill the income gap. After a full year of this, I can say that it has helped, but it has not been enough. Trying to be a part-time pastor to a congregation that expects more that part-time availability is tough. Trying to pay the bills on a part-time pastor's salary is even tougher. Then, there is that economy issue - can't sell the house that we used to live in, the car needs work because of the extra miles I have to drive each week, gas prices are up, food prices are up, electric rates are going up, and making a dollar stretch gets hard and harder. </div><div><br /></div><div>As I look forward to 2012, I see that changes will have to be made. Do I go back to cooking? Can I find part-time work in computers? Can I somehow find another small congregation that is willing to join us in sharing a pastor's salary? Or is this the year that things settle down and the call process goes back to normal and maybe something new comes along? </div><div><br /></div><div>I don't know any of the answers; I am not sure I even know all of the questions, but I do know that 2012 will be an interesting year - because something has to change. I pray that as you begin 2012, you see the light that is Christ leading you through the dark times, and that as you move through the new year, you will shine your light for others as well. I hope that I can continue to shine my light for you as well. </div>Rayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09774193422140227576noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6740128067494445069.post-70700558426928833392011-09-02T19:29:00.000-07:002011-09-02T19:56:05.333-07:00Where has the time gone?It is hard to believe that is has been so long since I last posted anything. It has been a surprisingly busy summer. I had many plans for the summer - projects to do, fish to catch, and so many other things and here it is September and I still have most of those things on the to-do list!
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<br />I keep thinking that I would like to post here on a more regular basis, but that has not worked its way to the top of the list yet, either. Maybe, soon, but we'll see.
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<br />Doing part-time ministry, trying to run a part-time business, be a grand-father, husband, and so on takes more time that you might think. I did get to take my grand-daughter fishing once, we had the twins visit for a week, and have spent some time with the triplets, so it has not been a bad summer. I only wish I had finished more of my projects.
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<br />It has also been a good summer for the garden. It was our first garden in a new place, and I would have to rate it a success! We tilled new ground (with help from a neighbor), planted too much, and had a bumper crop! We have frozen green beans, canned tomatoes and juice, and the peach tree that we "saved" has produced several jars of Peach Jam, with more to come! It remains to be seen how long the okra and peppers will keep producing, and if we get any sweet potatoes (doubtful - the deer appear to be getting at them).
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<br />For now, it is time to re-evaluate the project list based on the fall ministry schedule and time available. Looking at the schedule for the next couple of months, there will be a lot of Bible Study, singing, eating, and planning for the next month of Bible Study, singing, eating, preaching, and teaching. All in all, not bad, but not much free time.
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<br />Good news - I have been able to spend some more time on Ham Radio. With much of what is going on with weather and other disasters, that has kept me in touch and possibly available to go and provide communications assistance. I have to finish an on-line FEMA course before I can be deployed (under new rules), but as soon as I can get a couple of free hours, I can knock that out.
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<br />Tomorrow is the annual Shelby Ham Fest - a chance to spend the day with other hams, see new gear, look over the flea market at used gear, and spend some time on the radio. A nice break from other activities, and a chance to catch up with some old friends. If you are at the Ham Fest tomorrow, give me a shout!
<br />Rayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09774193422140227576noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6740128067494445069.post-52428528100286079272011-04-22T07:48:00.000-07:002011-04-22T08:40:59.105-07:00The Great Three DaysToday is Good Friday. Not good because it is Friday; not good in the traditional sense of good by any means. We call it Good Friday (someone suggested that it may have origianally been God's Friday) because on this day, Jesus died on a cross. Certainly not something to be happy about.<br /><br />And yet, for many, it is a good day. No school, many have the day off from work - either because the office is closed or because they took a day off to be with the kids. For many, it is the start of a three or four day weekend (depending on if you live in a state where they traditionally take Easter Monday off). Good Friday may signal either the beginning or the end of spring break. Many would look at the day as very good.<br /><br />For those of us who still follow the traditional liturgical calendar of the church, today is the second day of three days in which we observe (maybe celebrate denotes more gaity than is called for) The Great Three Days - Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and the Easter Vigil. Three days at the end of our Lenten journey to ponder Christ last days.<br /><br />Maundy Thursday - the day of Christ' mandate (maundy from the Latin word mandate - a command - a new commandment) where Jesus says to his disciples, "A new commandment I give to you - love one another (John 13:34)." In observing this day, we also remember the last supper, and Holy Communion is a major part of this observance. In some ways, it is a celebration, but we also know that after this meal, Jesus goes to the garden to pray (so we sing, " Go to Dark Gethsemane (ELW 347)") and we recall that in the garden, Jesus is betrayed by Judas. Not much call to celebrate.<br /><br />Good Friday - after Jesus death and so-called trial, he is handed over to Pilate to be tortured and crucified. We, along with all of those in the couryard, call out, "Crucify Him!" For our sins, because of our broken relationship with God, Jesus has come to die on the cross - for us. For you; for me; he dies a painful, gruesome death and is laid in the tomb.<br /><br />The Easter Vigil - probably the least observed of the three days, but still held by many and making a comeback in some traditions, such as among us Lutherans. The vigil is a very old tradition, where we gather to wait for the resurrection. There are many readings, and much singing - much of it very solemn as we wait in the darkness and shadows. Then, it is midnight - early on the first day of the week, and we shift into celebration mode. The altar is reset, clothes are changed - to white or gold paraments, baptisms occur, we celebrate Christ victory over death.<br /><br />For many of us, this last observance has become Easter Sunrise service - for those of us who cannot stand the thought of being in church until 1:00 a.m. If we observe the vigil, we do so at a more "civilized" hour of about 7:00 p.m. rather than 10:00 p.m. and then return early on Easter morning.<br /><br />The question becomes, how is it that the three most important days in the church year are becoming more and more ignored? Is it because so many non-liturgical churches ignore them (as maybe being too Catholic)? Or is it that we have so lost the meaning of Christ death that it no longer matters to us? We joke about "sweet baby Jesus" via the movie Talledega Nights, but Christmas Eve worship attendance is typically much higher than Maundy Thursday and Good Friday combined. Are we somehow ashamed of our role in the death of Jesus and so we don't show our face in church on those nights to be reminded of our sinful selves - the very reason that Christ died for us? Or is it just that inconvenient to our schedules (clubs, ball games, TV schedule, etc.) to come to an evening worship service?<br /><br />Some of us pastor types have been having discussions about Maundy Thursday worship - do we do footwashing? Do we do a seder meal rather than Holy Communion? Or do we somehow combine the seder meal and communion into something that no one recognizes (see some other thoughts <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/on-faith/post/a-christian-passover/2011/04/20/AFZqzdCE_blog.html?hpid=z7">here</a>)? The question really comes down to what does it take to get people into church for Maundy Thursday? The answer cannot be that it is no longer relevant, because if the Three Great Days are no longer relevant, then Christ is no longer relevant. We cannot worship a Jesus who was raised from the dead on Easter Sunday if we don't kill him and bury him first. Jesus is only relevant if we participate in the whole story (see a thought provoking article <a href="http://www.firstthings.com/onthesquare/2011/04/hey-preacher">here</a>). Without Good Friday (and Maundy Thursday), what meaning does or can Easter have? How can we worship an empty cross without taking notice of why it is empty? <br /><br />Luther called this the theology of glory, and countered it with the theology of the cross. Without the cross, and Christ on it, Easter is empty. There is no reason to celebrate the resurrection if Jesus did not die. We need to be part of that death, we need to own our part in Jesus death. Only then is the resurrection relevant. Then can we come to Jesus in our suffering, knowing that he understands suffering. Only then can we come to Jesus in our dying, knowing that he understands death. Only then can we come to Jesus in our grief, and hear the promise of the resurreciton - that we too will be raised, by the same loving God who raised Jesus.Rayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09774193422140227576noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6740128067494445069.post-62369911246464503852011-04-14T12:09:00.000-07:002011-04-14T12:34:45.327-07:00Who am I?As we journey through Lent this year, my self-examination has led to the question, "Who am I?" I am many things - husband, father, son, brother, friend, and pastor. But in this day and time, I am also something quite undefined - a bi-vocational Lutheran pastor. I am not the only one, but I am certainly one of a small number of pastors who, because of various economic issues, finds themselves being only paid for a part-time call (something that used to be done mostly by retired pastors) and so must work another job of some kind. <br /><br />Unfortunately, there are not a lot of jobs that allow the flexibility in scheduling that most Lutheran churches expect of their pastors. For example, if they want the funeral on Tuesday afternoon, will they understand that Tuesday is my shift at the local fast food restaurant and adjust accordingly? So there are really two main issues here - how to divide ones workweek between two or more commitments and what kind of "second" job is appropriate for a pastor, especially a Lutheran pastor.<br /><br />Since I have a variety of job skills in my background, one might think that this would be pretty easy. I have maintained a part-time business for several years which includes comparing computers, designing web sites, and so on. It seems to make sense that I just keep doing that - and so I have. <br /><br />Which brings us back to the other issues - how does one divide ones time? How do you set priorities? How to advertise? Do you solicit business from congregation members? Do you refuse to do work for congregation members? Each of these questions has its own pros and cons and we don't have (at least in the Lutheran church) a manual with answers for these questions. In fact, we don't have any seminary classes or professors to refer to either.<br /><br />While I am not the only person facing this dilemma, I don't know of a support group for us either. It may be that this is where we need to visit with our fellow clergy in other denominations to see if they have guidelines or suggestions. The only thing I know for sure - Sunday morning happens every week and pretty much everyone in the congregation expects a sermon. No matter what the schedule for the week, there has to be some sermon prep time in it. Other than that, it seems that each week varies and usually works, although some deadlines do occur and require burning some midnight oil.<br /><br />As we come to the end of the Lenten journey, I find that I must find more time for the "second" job in order to make ends meet. A part-time salary just isn't enough. So, after the long hours of Holy Week which will be devoted to being a pastor, I must re-examine the schedule and priorities to see if I can really make enough money from the computer business to pay some bills. If not, I hear there is a new WalMart coming to town; maybe they would hire a part-time pastor who needs Sundays off?Rayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01698792931274993366noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6740128067494445069.post-73802398049874323122011-01-14T18:54:00.000-08:002011-04-14T12:07:44.041-07:00Steve Martin: Atheists Don't Have No Songs<iframe title="YouTube video player" width="640" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/CWlqpowKkBY" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br /><br />This is a wonderful video. This group (including Steve Martin) have wonderful harmony. They also present a message I am sure none of us think about. Even when we sing a hymn we don't know, or like very much, or when we sing a favorite hymn, do we realize what a gift it is? Probably not. For someone like me who grew up listening to southern gospel quartets, hymn singing has always been important. Until now, I am sure that I - like many of you - have taken for granted that we have such wonderful music to sing in church (and other places). We also have plenty of "good news" to sing about (not like the song). Sunday morning - sing - loud and clear, no matter what key, no matter how well you know or like the hymn, for in the singing, you are acknowledging the gift of song, the gift of good news, the gift of hymnwriters across the ages. And - give thanks that we have plenty of "good news" to sing about!Rayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01698792931274993366noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6740128067494445069.post-46474506403790063952010-10-22T08:54:00.000-07:002010-11-05T19:49:27.924-07:00A Special BaptismDuring ones journey as either a parent or as a pastor, there are a few special moments that make it all worthwhile. As a pastor, baptisms are always special moments - whether it is an infant, or a young child, or an adult. In Baptism, we join the fellowship of believers in a particular community, but more importantly, we become part of the family of God -brothers and sisters in Christ.<br /><br />Since I was baptised as an infant, I surely don't remember anything about my own baptism. As a parent, I remember the baptisms of my two children, though the only part I had in their baptism was to present them, and then raise them in the faith.<br /><br />When our son's twins were baptized, we were fairly new pastors and our participation in their baptism was <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">purely</span> as grandparents. We were there and participated with the rest of the family. We were very glad to be there and to be included, and we take seriously our duty as grandparents to help raise Kasey and <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">Daiton</span> (and their sister Tristan) in the faith, as best we can from 4 hours away.<br /><br />This past Sunday, though, was a little different. Ruth Ann and I together baptized the triplets - our <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">daughter's</span> babies. These were not our first baptisms as pastors, nor the first that we had done together, but it was a joy to baptize our grandchildren!<br /><br /><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5530903856431841698" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCCMUntD5yH5Arah69MgxiyeIghZOFr7MEIfr3I707yFAL3itK0WRcvnmTEu6Jj1aQMHSDc5hUDCHzy7sMK78JZp0cy31W4CWLdQh4CyuALBN6ZWEj6nxBbSfJ6lRpWBuD7UmJUGJkJ9I/s200/IMG_1096.jpg" /> As you can see, we all had our hands full! It was a very joyous occasion, and one that will remain a special memory. One of the things that makes it special is that since Ruth Ann and I no longer serve together at the same church, moments like these are rare and will become even <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">more so</span>. We certainly cannot arrange to be together for something like this very often, but I am very glad we were able to do it for this occasion.Rayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01698792931274993366noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6740128067494445069.post-73294703897709043032010-08-15T20:20:00.000-07:002010-08-15T20:38:14.092-07:00Return to the Gulf CoastThis week has been a time of vacation, rest and relaxation, and a return to the Gulf Coast. This has been our first trip down here in three years. In August of 2007, we packed up from internship and returned to Columbia for our last year of seminary. We have not had the opportunity to return since.<br /><br />Today, a friend at St. Paul's (our internship congregation) was ordained and we were invited. It was a good opportunity for us to come back, visit with old friends, and join with the members of St. Paul's in celebrating the ordination of Joy Blaylock. It was a wonderful time and we really enjoyed the opportunity to visit.<br /><br />On another note, we did something that we were not able to do the entire year that we were here for internship, nor while we were here the year before that as volunteers - we drove across the Hwy 90 bridge between Biloxi and Ocean Springs! If you were to look back at our internship blog and some of the first pictures we posted, you would see that the Hwy 90 bridge looked like a game of dominoes gone wrong. When we left here three years ago, they were still arguing over what kind of bridge to build as a replacement (4 lanes, 6 lanes, with pedestrian traffic, without, etc). Today we drove over a brand new 6 lane bridge, with pedestrain and bike lane. It was a wonderful experience! Much has happened on the Gulf Coast in the area of Katrina recovery, especially noticable to people like us who spent a lot of time being involved in the recover efforts.<br /><br />Tomorrow we head home. It has been a wonderful trip down memory lane, a new chapter in our lives and our relationship with those that we knew when we were interns, and a reuniting with friends - some old and some new. It has been good to see so much recovery, and sad to hear of situations that did not turn out so well. It was especailly sad to hear of the death of members of St. Paul's who were a part of our intership, but this is life. We will miss those people, but we remember their part in our intership. Special thanks to Garry and Brenda for hosting us, and to Joy for inviting us to be a part of her special day. Praise to God for all good things!!!Rayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01698792931274993366noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6740128067494445069.post-16296533601486939182010-05-29T11:16:00.000-07:002010-05-29T11:36:09.567-07:00New beginningsFrom a new clergy couple, serving as co-pastors, we now begin life as a clergy couple serving different congregations. As of May 24, Ruth Ann is serving a new call at Mt. Zion Lutheran Church in Richfield, NC. Life for us is changing once again.<br /><br />While many things remain the same - both work on Sunday, both on call 24/7, both have sermon and worship preparations to make during the week, many things are different. For one, we cannot operate on quite the same schedule. For example, as Ruth Ann buries a member of her new parish today, I am home housecleaning and working on tomorrow's sermon (and spending some time on the computer). Where for almost 6 years we have done almost everything together, now we have to learn to do some of things apart and on different schedules.<br /><br />In one way, this is a return to how things were before seminary, when I was traveling over 50% of the year. Our schedules only rarely coincided, and then only with great planning. We will have to recover that intentionality in planning our personal lives that has somewhat gone by the wayside. Instead of planning everything for the church and using what is left over for ourselves, we will now have to carve out space for ourselves in the midst of planning for church. It also means that our opportunities to worship together - even as worship leaders - will be few and far between.<br /><br />Being in separate places also creates issues with meals - how, when, and where do we eat? So far, we are managing to eat more meals together than apart, but we will have to go back to planning meals as to who is going to be available to cook. We are operating on different office hours, including some time at home for sermon prep so we can share our library (don't have duplicate commentaries), so scheduling study time and menus will have to happen soon.<br /><br />Life as a clergy couple has its ups and downs, and certainly adds some complications, but then it also has the plus side of truly understanding what it is like to be a pastor - the long, inconsistent hours, late night phone calls, early mornings at the hospital for surgery visits, and the deep frustrations when God's people don't act like God's people. <br /><br />For now, we will struggle along as we work out the new schedules and get used to having to prepare a sermon every week instead of every other week. We have to get used to saying "I" instead of "we" when talking about "the pastor(s)", and we have to go from sharing almost everything told to us so we can each be aware of situations in the congregation to sharing only public knowledge - even about members that we both know. <br /><br />Many changes in the works, but most certainly God is active and working in our lives. Some things change, others stay the same, but God remains constant. For this we give thanks, especially when so much else is up in the air. So begins the next chapter in our lives.Rayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01698792931274993366noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6740128067494445069.post-35745609278511568562010-03-29T18:13:00.001-07:002010-03-29T18:56:11.166-07:00Where does time go?It is discouraging to see that there has not been a post to the blog since Christmas! It has been a very busy time with many things going on. It was my intent to post more often during Lent, but that has not happened. <div><div><div><div><div><br /><div></div><div>One of the many things that has happened in recent weeks is the birth of three grandchildren. That's right, three! Our daughter had triplets on March 3. We were fortunate to be able to be present for their birth. After several days in the hospital, they are now home. Mother and babies are doing well. </div><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj87ekOKn9ZYTNw3zwLHQQ0NvQmW974HVv3htcFqKv6OURFuWvcrbgKLsCY3uV_RJ3L5cevoMjuq77GS9Mo4SzsD2xCSBo2zsIP2CwhhhJKHNcwYnWPk6LDL5JvEwvSSkqY2C0wOzAK4WA/s1600/DavidLee_19Mar10.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 150px; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5454237259748897218" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj87ekOKn9ZYTNw3zwLHQQ0NvQmW974HVv3htcFqKv6OURFuWvcrbgKLsCY3uV_RJ3L5cevoMjuq77GS9Mo4SzsD2xCSBo2zsIP2CwhhhJKHNcwYnWPk6LDL5JvEwvSSkqY2C0wOzAK4WA/s200/DavidLee_19Mar10.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUBW5lqzxOKJMZDb-0vwLeDdIlA3friv0RjXVZ6slspYJ9KjWLz5crgHilhOKjM0Ew-4IcymAJmuilFg8IavUrOpqByEV8ezdVui4SW8Y3YKNpQP3jka8qaP6yw2PnM1rH5dJVPVD0Lbw/s1600/Colton+Elijah_19Mar10.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 150px; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5454237251042254258" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUBW5lqzxOKJMZDb-0vwLeDdIlA3friv0RjXVZ6slspYJ9KjWLz5crgHilhOKjM0Ew-4IcymAJmuilFg8IavUrOpqByEV8ezdVui4SW8Y3YKNpQP3jka8qaP6yw2PnM1rH5dJVPVD0Lbw/s200/Colton+Elijah_19Mar10.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVnroF32r6asZdsS1of-LRZK3PkZ8e-QjrbCTwyBLPemwvMTFzKdKq3jPvbA_l1aVhk7ZP2Ko-ioczO2pbmfJaQLtX0_5KyrDN3MRbsRcl5yZHyl3wRRIQ3Vpt5TeKMEwkTElifL5y9GY/s1600/MaggieRose_19Mar10.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 150px; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5454237261501695970" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVnroF32r6asZdsS1of-LRZK3PkZ8e-QjrbCTwyBLPemwvMTFzKdKq3jPvbA_l1aVhk7ZP2Ko-ioczO2pbmfJaQLtX0_5KyrDN3MRbsRcl5yZHyl3wRRIQ3Vpt5TeKMEwkTElifL5y9GY/s200/MaggieRose_19Mar10.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><br /><div></div><div>Along with all of the other changes in our lives -seminary, internship, graduation, ordination, and so on - we have also had an explosion of grandchildren. In three years, both of our children have gotten married and had children. We have gone from non to six <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">grandchildren</span> in just three short years! Like our fast-paced journey to and through seminary, I don't necessarily recommend this method of gaining lots of grandchildren, but then, these sorts of things seem to happen to us. With twins in one family and triplets in the other, plus one - we have six wonderful grandchildren now.</div><br />Now that we are in Holy Week and my hope to blog during Lent is pretty well a lost cause, I hope to find more time to blog about grandchildren (after Easter).<br /><div></div><div> </div></div></div></div></div></div>Rayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01698792931274993366noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6740128067494445069.post-71094450017249500672009-12-24T22:07:00.000-08:002009-12-24T22:08:10.411-08:00Christmas Eve Sermon 2009Luke 2:11 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.<br /><br />When I hear those words from Luke 2:11, especially in the King James Version, I think of the Charlie Brown Christmas Special where Linus stands on the stage and recounts our Gospel text for the actors in the Christmas pageant. I hear the words in the voice of Linus as he reminds his friends of the true meaning of Christmas.<br /><br />We spend weeks and weeks getting ready. We clean the house and decorate, we shop and shop and shop, then we wrap and wrap and wrap. We cook and we bake and we plan. We work so hard at getting everything just right so that our friends and families will enjoy Christmas. But what is Christmas? What are we ready for?<br /><br />That is what has happened at the pageant – Lucy and others have planned and have these plans for a huge, elaborate pageant. Charlie Brown has been sent out to find a Christmas Tree. He brings back a small, pitiful looking tree and the others make fun of it – and of Charlie Brown. He can’t even bring back a decent tree! Then Linus reminds them – “For unto you is born this day in the city of David a savior, which is Christ the Lord.” The tree doesn’t matter, the size of the pageant doesn’t matter, nothing that we do matters – it is what God has done that matters.<br />We get so caught up in the preparations for Christmas, that we forget what we are celebrating. We forget that it is God’s gift to us that gives us reason to celebrate. It is God’s action, not ours, that is important. <br />As we hear the Christmas story – we hear about Mary, and about Joseph, and their journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem. We hear about the birth, and the angels and the shepherds, and we have Christmas pageants and nativity scenes depicting the story, with all the characters and all the animals, and the star – don’t forget the star! We make costumes and decide who will be shepherds and who will be angels and who will be wise men and we try to think of new and interesting ways to tell the story. We get caught up in making it special. We get caught up in the doing.<br /><br />“For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.” A gift is given. A gift from God, a gift of God, given to the people of God.<br /><br />Usually, when we receive a gift, we express gratitude for the gift – we say thank you, or we write a thank you card, or send a thank you email, or sometimes we even reciprocate with a gift of our own – another way of saying thank you. But how do we thank God for the gift that he gave us, in that stable long ago? What kind of thanks does God want for this gift? Where do we send the thank you card?<br /><br />The Christmas text is only the beginning of the story. It is the giving of the gift. Through the reading of the gospels we find out what this gift is all about. We find that through this gift, God is reconciling the world to himself. Through this gift, we learn what it is to be obedient to God. Through this gift, we see what it is to have compassion. Through this gift, we know what it is to be loved. Through this gift, we know what it is to be freed – from slavery, from sin, from the powers of evil. Through this gift, comes our salvation.<br /><br />In the end, this proclamation from the angels is not just about God’s gift to us, but also about how we give thanks to God for this gift. We don’t have an address for that thank you card because we aren’t meant to send on. Instead, we are to do as the angels did – proclaim the story! Tell others what God has done. The gift is not for us to keep to ourselves, but to be shared with all who will listen.<br /><br />“For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.” A gift – a gift to be shared. A gift that shows us what it is to be completely unselfish. A gift so big, so perfect, that it only gets better by sharing it with others. Pass the word around! Unto YOU is born this day in the city of David A SAVIOR, which is Christ the Lord – the messiah – God incarnate – the Word made Flesh. <br /><br />6For a child has been born for us, a son given to us; authority rests upon his shoulders; and he is named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.<br /><br />Celebrate! Sing Hosanna! Share the Good News with all the world! Christ the Lord is here! Amen.Rayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01698792931274993366noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6740128067494445069.post-19155499547379672752009-12-17T08:37:00.000-08:002009-12-17T08:49:45.032-08:00"There are so many hindrances and temptations of the devil and of the world that we often become weary and faint, and sometimes we also stumble. Therefore, the Sacrament is given as a daily pasture and sustenance, that faith may refresh and strengthen itself so that it will not fall back in such a battle but become ever stronger and stronger." From the Large Catechism Part V: The Sacrament of the Altar.<br /><br />A <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">FaceBook</span> friend posted this as his status today, and it struck me how appropriate these words were for today. We were having a discussion just yesterday about how hard we see Satan working in the world today, and here we are reminded - in Luther's words - about the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">temptations</span> of the devil and how weary we become.<br /><br />Here we are, approaching the 4<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">th</span> Sunday in Advent, preparing for Christmas Eve service and the celebration of the birth of Jesus, and Satan is working so hard to make us miss the whole point of what we celebrate. For we celebrate not a cute, cuddly baby born in a barn with cute, adorable animals, but the coming of God in the flesh - incarnate - not because it is "cute" but because we are such wretched sinners that we need God to be among us - the word made flesh, to show us how to live, and to die for our sins.<br /><br />As we celebrate Christmas, we should take a look at the temptations that we have let lead us astray - success, personal agendas, our need for power and control, money - and instead look at what we are called to give up. Jesus came to give up his life; what are you called to give up? In last Sunday's Gospel text, John calls on anyone who has two coats to give one away. Rather than looking at what you might get for Christmas this year, why not look at what you can give away instead? <br /><br />It is easy to fall into the temptations of the devil and the world - they look good, they feel good, but they are just that - temptations of the devil and the world. Look instead to the manger - look at what God gave us, look to the cross - look at what Jesus gave up.<br /><br />May you be blessed during this Advent season, and may this time give you the opportunity to look at your own life. See what you can give up, how you can help someone else, rather than looking to your own wish list for Christmas gifts.Rayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01698792931274993366noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6740128067494445069.post-24912159023224181512009-12-09T07:26:00.000-08:002009-12-09T07:37:37.653-08:00AventWhat does it mean to wait, and to watch, and to prepare for the coming of our Lord? Does it mean that it is time to push our own agenda? Or does it mean that it is time to take seriously our discipleship?<br /><br />These are issues that the church struggles with. These are issues that some people struggle with. They are also issues that some just shrug off, pushing their own agendas no matter what. The coming of the Lord is not something they either believe in or take seriously. Live for today, for tomorrow is someone else's problem.<br /><br />For some, Advent is a tired and worn out effort by the church to delay Christmas and to get people to give money to charity rather than to spend it on gifts. Advent just gets in their way. Some even wish the church would just drop Advent and start singing Christmas carols right after Halloween, just like the stores and radio stations have done this year. Do you ever wonder why our economy is in such trouble when businesses are actively competing with the church for your Christmas dollars?<br /><br />The church can no more stop celebrating Advent than they can stop celebrating Easter. Christ came, Christ died and was raised from the dead, Christ will come again. How can we take that statement of faith and ignore the part about Christ coming - the first time or the second time?<br /><br />Together with the all the church and all of the saints, both past and present, we shout, "Come Lord Jesus!"Rayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01698792931274993366noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6740128067494445069.post-29669008259395140542009-11-27T14:53:00.000-08:002009-11-27T15:03:51.523-08:00Happy ThanksgivingMinistry never slows down, never allows a lot of free time, and can at times, consume every waking hour. It has been like that lately. In spite of this, we take this time to be thankful - thankful for a couple of days off, thankful for time with family, thankful for an abundance of food, thankful for time to slow down and relax.<br /><br />We all have much to be thankful for - jobs, a place to live, food on the table, friends or relatives safely back from active duty in the Middle East, family, and so much more. We are <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">especially</span> thankful this year to have our nephew back home from his last tour, thankful to spend time with my sister and her husband, thankful for a weekend spend with the twins, thankful for Thanksgiving dinner with aunts and uncles and cousins and friends, thankful for our playful puppy.<br /><br />What are you thankful for this year? Think about it, post something if you don't mind sharing, and praise God for all that He has <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">given</span> you.Rayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01698792931274993366noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6740128067494445069.post-35288429976656779472009-10-28T15:46:00.000-07:002009-10-28T15:53:22.374-07:00A Sermon for Reformation SundayJeremiah 31:31–34<br />Psalm 46<br />Romans 3:19–28<br />John 8:31–36<br /><br />People of God, I have something to tell you this morning that you are not going to like. We are nothing but slaves – you and I – all of us – are slaves – we are all slaves – to sin, to the world, and as slaves, we are all condemned. None of us are worthy to be here, to come to the altar and receive the body and blood of Christ – none of us!!! <br /><br />We sin, we choose our own wants and desires over the needs of others. We hoard our time, our money, our family, our resources. Daily, we let people around the world starve. We even let our neighbors right here go hungry, go without food and shelter, even though we have enough – for ourselves, our families, and even enough to share.<br /><br />We demand that things be done the way that makes us happy, no matter what. Our happiness comes first – over and above the needs of others. We pay lip service to keeping the commandments, but don’t really care that we break them – daily. We don’t even pay lip service to keeping the laws of the land – like speed limits and traffic laws. How about the command of Jesus to love our neighbor? If they are good neighbors, we might at least try to like them, but if they cross us just once, we don’t even speak to them anymore. <br /><br />And yet, somehow, God sees fit to bless us anyway; sees fit to create a covenant with us, claiming us as his people; through the means of grace, God cleanses us, washes away our sin, frees us from our slavery, and justifies us by his grace, through his only son, Jesus.<br /><br />This is the mystery of salvation that Martin Luther struggled with so greatly. Luther could claim himself as a sinner, unworthy of any attention from God whatsoever. Luther understood the need to confess his sins and be forgiven, and his need to forgive others. Luther understood that he could not keep the law, no matter how hard he tried, no matter how hard he punished himself, no matter how hard he studied and prayer. But deep down, Luther also understood that through his baptism, through the covenant God made with his people, that is was God who had the last word.<br /><br />For all that we hear about Martin Luther and the Reformation of the church, we don’t often hear about Luther’s struggle in life – the same struggle that each of us has. We struggle daily with sin, our desire to be our own person, to do those things that satisfy ourselves, rather than those things that might satisfy God. We may not spend hours each day in confession as Luther did, but we certainly, at the end of the day, can look back and see those things that we are (or at least should be) ashamed of. We know our own imperfections, and even if we don’t there is surely someone who is willing to point them out for you.<br /><br />Luther understood all of this, but he also understood who and whose he was - a child of God. Luther, through much study, despair, and soul-searching, found that God had not abandoned him to slavery. Through Luther’s study of the writings of the apostle Paul, he realized that God had not just made a covenant with Israel, as we read about in the first lesson, but had indeed made a covenant with all of his people.<br /><br />If you will turn to page 1162 in the back of your hymnal, and read Luther’s response to the second article of the creed with me:<br /><br />"I believe that Jesus Christ, true God, begotten of the Father in eternity, and also a true human being, born of the virgin Mary, is my Lord. He has redeemed me, a lost and condemned human being. He has purchased and freed me from all sins, from death, and from the power of the devil, not with gold or silver but with his holy, precious blood and with his innocent suffering and death. He has done all this in order that I may belong to him, live under him in his kingdom, and serve him in eternal righteousness, innocence, and blessedness, just as he is risen from the dead and lives and rules eternally. This is most certainly true. (hold your finger in this page)<br />Here, we see that Luther found that his salvation, his redemption, was not dependent on his own actions, or even his own understanding, but completely dependent on what God has done, through Christ Jesus. As Paul wrote, “…since all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God; they are now justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus…” <br />Redemption – forgiveness – cleansing – freedom – all these gifts we receive through the actions of another, not through our actions, not through anything that we could possibly do, not through our own self-righteousness, but through the selfless act of Jesus, the messiah, on the cross. Through this one act, so Luther tells us, we are saved (Evangelical Lutheran Worship, p. 1162)."<br /><br />Now the question becomes, saved for what? Jesus did the hard work – we are forgiven and redeemed children of God. Now what?<br /><br />That seems to be the question that has plagued Christians ever since the Reformation. While Luther mourned the loss of unity, others reveled in it, even going so far as to split off again and again and again – any time they disagreed over something. Many of these dissenters would even point to Luther and say that he led the way, and that when we disagree on theology, or doctrine, or even the color of the carpet, we should pack up and leave, finding or creating a place where our viewpoint is accepted.<br /><br />I would imagine that if anyone actually asked Luther about this, it would be to find that Luther’s greatest regret was that the church had split, rather than worked toward reconciliation. Even today, almost 500 years later, we as Lutherans still look for the opportunity to reconcile with our sisters and brothers in other denominations. <br /><br />For Luther, the “now what” question had much more to do with this, how am I – sinner by birth and saint by the grace of God – to live a life that in some meaningful way shows God that I have accepted His gift of Grace and want to respond to it in such a way that it shows how much it means to me? How is it that I – a sinner – can live a life that shows that I am also worthy of being called a saint?<br /><br />If anyone understood how hard this would be, it was Luther. Luther most certainly knew that his justification by grace did not let him off the hook. How does one thank God for a gift this great? This wonderful? This unbelievably fantastic? Certainly not by saying, “Oh thanks” and then just going on with life like nothing had happened. This gift does come with a string attached – no, not something that we have to do in order to earn or keep it – but a string that ties us forever to Jesus, a connection that cannot do anything but change the very core of our being. Sure – we can try to ignore it, or even try to cut it, but there is a problem. You have been claimed through your baptism, and marked with the Cross of Christ forever. You are branded! That string won’t go away just because we don’t like it. You have been made holy. Turning back to page 1162, here is what Luther says in his response to the third article of the creed on being made Holy:<br /><br />"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 the one common, true faith. Daily in this Christian church the Holy Spirit abundantly forgives all sins – mine and those of all believers. On the last day the Holy Spirit will raise me and all the dead and will give to me and all believers in Christ eternal life. This is most certainly true (ELW, 1162)."<br /><br />Through the Holy Spirit, we – the church – this gathering of believers – we are called, enlightened, and made holy. Can you imagine? That is what happens to those who are redeemed by the Cross – we are made holy. <br /><br />We are called through the gospel to do as Jesus taught the disciples to do – to feed the hungry, care for the poor, to share the good news with all people. We are called to keep the commandments, especially the two great commandments – to love the Lord our God with all our heart and with all our soul and with all our mind, and to love our neighbor – just as much as we love ourselves. We are called to care for the widow and orphan, and all who are oppressed. We are called to give for the mission of the church – not as we want, but as the widow gave with her mite. We are called to follow Jesus – all the way to the cross. We are called, like Paul, to have our lives transformed, and to suffer for the sake of the gospel. We are called, to be Christ to one another. Not so that we will be saved, but because we have been saved – by faith, through, through God’s amazing grace. This is most certainly true. Amen.Rayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01698792931274993366noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6740128067494445069.post-37168786661629735472009-07-29T07:17:00.000-07:002009-07-29T07:51:38.530-07:00After the returnI've been back for two days now, and am still exhausted - too much driving and not enough sleep while I was in New Orleans. I would like to think I will get caught up soon, but as Rusty and his family is arriving tomorrow for a visit, and then we are keeping our granddaughter for the next week while we have Vacation Bible School, the chances are pretty slim that sleep will be any more plentiful for the next several days.<br /><br />As I read various posts of friends who were in New Orleans with their youth groups, and see pictures posted on FaceBook, I am in awe of all the people who were there and of all of the projects that were worked on. More info can be found at <a href="http://www.elca.org/Growing-In-Faith/Ministry/Youth-Ministry.aspx">http://www.elca.org/Growing-In-Faith/Ministry/Youth-Ministry.aspx</a><br /><br />For now, the memories of last week will feed sermons for several weeks, and hopefully vitalize our youth group into more servant activities. It was good to see many, many friends, but more importantly, it was good to see so many gathered to do God's work.Rayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01698792931274993366noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6740128067494445069.post-52112230210974094772009-07-27T20:33:00.001-07:002009-07-27T20:38:43.261-07:00The trip homeWell, after 15 hours on the road, three major thunderstorms, and a lot of miles, we pulled into the church parking lot at 2:30 a.m. today. I got home about 3:00 a.m. and did the minimum unpacking and went to bed and slept till almost noon. After waking up and unpacking, the rental van was returned and life began returning to normal with a trip to the grocery store.<br /><br />It is late and I am not quite recovered, so it is off to bed. In the next day or two I hope to upload a couple more pictures and final thoughts on the youth gathering. For the moment, just reading about all the various experiences via <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Facebook</span> tells me that pretty much everyone had a great time and really felt the impact of the Servant projects. Thanks to all who went, and all who planned. Thanks be to God for all of you!Rayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01698792931274993366noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6740128067494445069.post-33016681486634248422009-07-25T21:50:00.000-07:002009-07-25T22:02:55.355-07:00Day Four - Jesus, Justice, and JazzDay four - hard to believe that we have been here that long - it seems like just last night that we arrived, and now it is time to start packing up to head home.<br /><br />For breakfast this morning, we (and several hundred other Lutherans) went to <a href="http://www.cafedumonde.com/">Cafe Du Monde </a>for beignets and coffee ( or oj in a couple of cases). For our last dinner in New Orleans, we went to The Gumbo House for gumbo and bread pudding (at least, that is what I had). These are New Orleans treats that every visitor should try. The other is a good shrimp po' boy, but we took care of that on the way into town on Tuesday.<br /><br />The last night in the dome was wonderful, with great music and moving speakers, but it was made even better by the opportunity I had to reconnect with a seminary classmate who has been in Texas for the last year. In fact, I saw more friends from seminary this week that I have in the last six months! It was great - especailly to see some whose ministry has called them to places far away from the Carolinas. <br /><br />Our youth - and most of the youth here - have been deeply touched by this experience. They have seen a new side to poverty, to desparate situations, and realize anew how lucky they are and how much it touches other people to have even simple things done for them. This week has been full of amazing stories and events, capped off tonight by a visit from the mayor of New Orleans and a letter - sent by President Obama and read by Presiding Bishop Hanson. An exciting week; an opportunity to be a part of history; an opportunity to learn about serving others; an opportunity to grow in our faith. Thanks be to God!!!Rayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01698792931274993366noreply@blogger.com0