The One Thing...

We were going to be late for dinner. After 10 hours of driving the day before followed by six hours of navigating construction… we simply were not going to make a five p.m. dinner time – which is when our 97 year old friend Peg eats dinner. Could I bring something? I asked.

She said,“Absolutely not. Call me when you get to your hotel. I’ll have my friend pick up dinner.” Peggy had a plan B.

We ran into more highway delays, but by 6 p.m. we finally made it to our Airbnb – which turned out to be a townhouse on a busy street. My plan was for us to run in and change quickly – I’d brought a nice dress and thought we would freshen up a bit before going to Peg’s. But, there were no parking spots for blocks due to a local festival in town. And it was getting later…. One of my family said, “Maybe we should just go to Peg’s first?” I looked like a mess. But he was right. It was getting late. And we were hungry.

Meanwhile Peggy’s friend had trouble too – the Amish dinner she planned to pick up was all sold out. So – plan C - she picked up sandwiches at the local grocery store.

So, we went in our shorts and t-shirts and sat on elegant furniture that will one day be in a museum and ate chicken sandwiches out of a box. And Peggy was delighted.

It made me realize – again - that what I wore and what we ate were not the most important things. What was important was that we were together. What mattered was the relationship –  simply taking the time to listen to one another and care for each other.

This is what I think is happening in the Mary- Martha and Jesus story. Martha was doing exactly what she had been taught to do – she was cooking and cleaning and preparing for guests. That’s how she saw herself practicing hospitality.

Hospitality is an important cultural value – in Bible times and now. And there is absolutely nothing wrong with providing hospitality. It’s a good thing. This is what Abraham and Sarah provide for the three men who stop by their household. This is what the Good Samaritan does for the man lying on the side of the road. This is what Martha thought she was doing – and what her sister Mary was not doing. And so she complains to Jesus, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to do all the work by myself? Tell her then to help me.” 

It sounds like an honest complaint based on traditional values and traditional roles. But Jesus does not do what she wants. Instead, Jesus tells Martha that the problem is not that Mary is listening to him but that “you are worried and distracted by many things.”

Worry. Distraction. These are stronger forces than we often realize. In a sermon that I read by Debie Thomas, she calls it a spiritual problem and goes on explain that “the root meaning of the word ‘worry’ is ‘strangle’ or ‘seize by the throat and tear.’ The root meaning of the word “distraction” is ‘a separation or a dragging apart of something that should be whole.’ And then she says, “These are violent words. Words that wound and fracture.”1 I think she is right. Worry and distraction can lead us to speak and act in ways that do not reflect our best selves.   

When she complained to Jesus, Martha wasn’t operating out of love and kindness. She was so distracted by what she thought were her duties – and her anger at her sister not doing these duties – that she wasn’t able to pay attention to Jesus, listen to His words or show love by her actions. Instead, as Debie Thomas points out, all Martha could do was “question his love (‘Lord, do you not care?’), fixate on herself (‘My sister has left me to do all the work by myself’) and triangulate (‘Tell her then to help me.’) 1

This is not the condition or state of mind, heart and soul that Jesus calls us into.  Clearly, neither Martha nor we can focus on Jesus and his message if we are “worried and distracted by many things.”

Instead, Jesus tells Martha – and us: “there is need of only one thing.”

What is this “one thing?” This is what Jesus wants us to hear. Jesus tells parables about the one pearl of great price, the lost sheep, the lost son, the kingdom of God. And as Jesus taught, “‘For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life. ‘Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.”John 3:16-17 NRSVNE Jesus wants you to listen and to hear the extravagant love of God that is given – freely – for you. And Jesus wants you to fall as madly in love with Him as He loves you.

This is the message that Jesus wants Martha – and us – to hear. This is the message that Mary chose to sit at Jesus’ feet to hear. This is why Jesus commends her as choosing the better part – even though it went against the societal norms – women had not been allowed to sit and listen to rabbis. But Jesus made room for Mary – and for Martha and for you and for me and for all people. As the voice from heaven said at Jesus’ baptism, “Listen to him.” This is what God wants us to do because God wants us to hear how much Jesus loves you.

 “Listen to him.” Listen to Jesus. It sounds easy enough – but… it is sometimes hard to hear when there is so much “noise” and so many voices trying to get your attention to “do this” buy that, listen to this or that.” Like Martha, it’s so easy for us to get distracted, to become overwhelmed, and to stop listening to the one voice who wants only the best for you. For the one thing that Jesus wants from you - is a relationship…with you. Because, Jesus loves you.

So I wonder…what did Martha do? Did she stomp back into the kitchen muttering how unfair her life was? That’s what I’ve always assumed that she did. But maybe she stopped short – and saw the love in Jesus’ eyes and heard his words – not as a condemnation of her work – but rather as a release from the busyness and worry and distractions that troubled her. Maybe she heard the invitation to come and sit down and listen.  Maybe she said to Mary – “Move over, I want to listen too. It won’t hurt the stew to simmer awhile  – and I think we will have enough pita bread to go around. We don’t need those extra dishes I was going to prepare. We can always order take-out.” (Ok, she couldn’t order takeout).

We don’t know what happened next, but it is clear that Martha did listen to Jesus. For after their brother Lazarus died, it was Martha who, still showing hospitality, went out of the house and down the road to greet Jesus. And it was Martha who had a conversation with Jesus about her belief in the resurrection. And it was to Martha that Jesus said, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me, even though they die, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?’” John 11:25-26 At this, Martha makes one of the most profound statements of faith in the Bible. She replies, “Yes, Lord, I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, the one coming into the world.”John 11:27

Martha listened to Jesus and was filled with faith. It was that faith that gave her the courage to act with true hospitality – and to proclaim her faith to Jesus and to us.

Brothers and sisters, friends in Christ, hear the invitation of Jesus to listen and to hear the Good News of the one thing that is needed. Be filled with the Good News of God’s love and care – for you. For Jesus wants you to know that you – and your neighbor – are God’s beloved child – and that he wants a relationship with you because God is smitten with love for you.

So come. Come and fill your ears with this message of God’s good news. If you have been waiting for the time to come back into church – you are invited to come on back. Or listen online. Make it a habit to read or listen to God’s Good News every single day. Because you need to hear it. I need it. We need to hear the Good News of God to combat all of the bad news that surrounds us. This is why God invites you to listen to Him. Listen to Jesus. For you need to hear the Good News of Jesus that is given for you.

And then… Come and eat. Come and taste. The banquet is ready and is prepared for you by Jesus Christ. Come and be filled with Christ’s body and blood, the sacrament that strengthens and nourishes us.

It is only after you are reminded that God loves you with an extravagant grace and after you have been filled with God’s word and strengthened with Christ’s body and blood… that you and I are sent out. We are sent out to listen and see what God is doing in the world around us – and to discover how we can be a part of God’s loving and redeeming work in our world. Thanks be to God! Amen.

1https://asermonforeverysunday.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Debie-Thomas-6th-Sunday-after-Pentecost-7-17-2022.pdf  

 Pastor Pam Stalheim Lane                Faith-Lilac way Lutheran Church                            July 17, 2022

Sunday Sermon

One of the best parts of living in a major metropolitan area is the opportunity to see extraordinary people when we are hosting an event in town.  Business leaders, activists, and world leaders appear occasionally in the Twin Cities and we welcome them with a dose of Minnesota Nice.  Church leaders also appear in the Twin Cities as well.  On May 1, 2017 I had the opportunity to worship with church leaders who had gathered in Minneapolis for the National Workshop on Christian Unity.  That day was grey and cold and there was a light rain that afternoon and mixed with the light rain there were some little white specks that appeared so that Minnesota could uphold its reputation as the coldest state.  The worship service that night was for conference participants and it was also open to the general public.  It was quite an assembly as the heads of multiple denominations were represented including Bishop Eaton of the ELCA and there were leaders of synods and regions from a variety of denominations including from the Lutheran, Episcopal, Presbyterian, Methodist, and even Baptist traditions.  At the start of the service there was a procession of these leaders walking into the worship space with their long flowing vestments and some wearing really cool hats.  Watching the procession go right by me was the fulfillment of a church nerd’s dream.  The preacher that night was Michael Curry who is the presiding bishop of the Episcopal Church.  Curry had been elected presiding bishop two years earlier in 2015.  He is the first African American to serve in the role which is a big deal because The Episcopal Church is predominantly white just like the ELCA.  A year later Curry would become known to a larger audience as the preacher at the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle but the night I heard him preach he was still only famous to church nerds.  Bishop Curry gave a very impassioned sermon on the Good Samaritan and he framed his sermon in the context of the 2016 Presidential Election which had just occurred six months earlier.  Bishop Curry told us to think about who we voted for and then to imagine the opposition candidate as the Good Samaritan.  Republican voters were asked to see the Good Samaritan as being Hillary Clinton and Democratic voters were asked to see the Good Samaritan as being Donald Trump.  In a very divided country, it was an important and welcome message.  Rather than despising our opponents we should view them as being capable of not only doing good but being capable of helping us directly in a time of great need.  I left St. Mark’s Episcopal Cathedral that night in an upbeat mood and I was hopeful that our leaders could settle their differences and work for the common good.

Reflecting on Bishop Curry’s sermon from five years ago it is a bit discouraging that things are now even worse.  Our political differences are now even larger.  We lost over a million people due to COVID-19 and a just released National Academy of Sciences study has shown that one-third of the COVID-19 deaths in the United States could have been prevented with a universal healthcare system.[1]  Anyone who has stopped by a gas station or a grocery store knows that the cost of living has significantly increased and has not been accompanied by an increase in pay.  Gun violence is impacting our society and the mass shooting that occurred in the wealthy suburb of Highland Park, Illinois is proof that gun violence is not just confined to low-income neighborhoods.  So many bad things are happening at once so we are losing sight of the worldwide climate crisis as heat waves are becoming more common, Sydney Australia is flooded and a glacier just collapsed in the Italian Alps.  Right now, it feels like each and every one of us is the person who was beaten by robbers and who is laying alone on the side of the road.

Bishop Curry asked the assembly to view leaders like Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton as the Good Samaritan in this parable.  Five years later neither one of these individuals holds a public office in the United States but it is clear to me that our political leaders are filling the roles of the priest and the Levite in this parable.  The fact that our leaders continue to pass by on the other side and fail to address our problems is having consequences for all of society, but the impacts are felt most acutely by the poor and the oppressed.  I have not yet missed a meal or even a snack and I have freely traveled using both my bicycle and my car but those individuals who are low income are not so lucky and are having to make very difficult decisions about how to spend their funds in order to meet their basic needs and travel to work.  We also see this inequity in the impact that the recent Supreme Court cases will have as we move forward.  The overturning of the concealed handgun restrictions in New York will more severely impact low-income neighborhoods because areas which experience severe poverty are more likely to have higher crime rates.  The limitation of the EPA’s ability to regulate greenhouse gases will have a greater effect on low-income neighborhoods which are disproportionately impacted by pollution.  The overturning of Roe v. Wade will be felt more acutely by those of limited financial means because wealthier people will simply access abortion by traveling to a different state.  There are strong legal arguments on each side and that is why these cases were not unanimously decided.  We can quibble about the law and the facts but there is no dispute that the poor and the oppressed will suffer more consequences from these decisions and the general inaction of our politicians.  The poor are left to suffer while our leaders walk by on the other side of the road.

I recently took a class at Luther Seminary titled Ministry with Persons with Mental Illness and Their Families.  Our professor was Hollie Holt-Woehl who has served churches in this area including House of Hope.  She talked a bit about the topic of funding government programs for those with mental illness.  In her experience with her son who has special needs she has learned that advocates for those with mental illness are called to work very hard and very persistently with the government to obtain the best possible support for those with mental illness and to pray very hard for systems to change but that one also has to be prepared to be disappointed when the government funding for a program does not work out as anticipated.  That is where we are at right now in our nation.  We hope for the best but we must be prepared to accept disappointment.  Our leaders have consistently been walking by on the other side but that does not excuse us from engaging in the political process.  As Maynard Jackson the first African American mayor of Atlanta said in describing the Civil Rights movement, “Politics, although not perfect, was the best available nonviolent means of changing how we lived... Politics is not an end, it's a means to an end.”  There are ways for Christian leaders to be political without being partisan and in the coming election season I invite you to advocate for issues that are important to you and to this community and to help people to register to vote and encourage them to vote.  Greater participation in the political process amplifies the voices of the poor and the oppressed so that they are heard so that our leaders are less likely to walk by on the other side of the road.

There has been a lot of law in this sermon so I also need to point out the good news in this text as well.  The good news is that God does not let us remain abandoned on the road.  Even as the priest and the Levite walk by the Good Samaritan eventually appears.  The love that Jesus showed on the cross is so strong that even two thousand years later it continues to manifest in daily life.  The suffering has been great during the pandemic but the response of many has been compassionate and has addressed the very real issues of human need.  When people lost their jobs and businesses were damaged due to the impact of the uprising that accompanied the murder of George Floyd many people had nowhere to turn and it is amazing how quickly mutual aid groups formed in our community.  Many of these mutual aid organizations were based in churches around the Twin Cities, however they were not necessarily run by the churches.  People from the community identified an immediate need and started coordinating efforts to help others   Donations flowed in and needs were met as churches served as staging areas where goods could be collected and distributed.  During the tough times Good Samaritans emerge and people find ways to help each other as the hands that help us enable us to be the hands that help others.  As a church we are called to spread the Christian message of love and service so that nobody is left alone on the road.

I would love the chance to listen to Bishop Curry preach on this text again five years later to hear what words he would proclaim about it in light of our current situation.  We are called to study the word of God and listen to it being faithfully proclaimed by gifted individuals like Bishop Curry, and we also are called to not simply rely on our leaders but to use our own hands to meet the needs of our neighbors.  The problems facing the world and our society are so great right now that we cannot simply wait for our leaders to take action and that is why Jesus invites us to be a neighbor to our fellow humans and to God’s creation.  No matter how many times the priests and Levites pass by on the other side we know that the love of Christ empowers the actions of the Good Samaritans among us who bring healing and relief to those in our community who need it most.     

-         Vicar Kyle Anderson

[1] Sarah Elbeshbishi, “Lack of Universal Health Care Cost 300,000 American Lives in Pandemic, Study Shows,” https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/health/2022/06/23/universal-healthcare-save-american-lives-pandemic/7652206001/?gnt-cfr=1 (accessed July 6, 2022).

A New Creation

Today we conclude our series on Paul’s letter to the Galatians. A little background for today’s reading: Paul started this congregation of Gentile Christians – and then he went on to preach and teach elsewhere. But then other preachers came who taught that the Gentiles had to adopt the Jewish rites of circumcision and kosher diet in order to become fully part of God’s family. Paul is vehemently opposed to this. He writes that it is Christ who has come to fulfill the law and that it is by God’s love and grace and faith in Christ that all people – Jews and Greeks, slave and free, men and women, those who are circumcised and those who are not, -- are all made a part of God’s family. He concludes the letter with a personal note and a pastoral word for the people of Galatia and all Christians.  

A New Creation 

Today’s lesson made me think about moss. I know many people think about moss as a weed – but Robin Wall Kimmerer in her natural and cultural history book, Gathering Moss, suggests that we could learn a lot from mosses. She asks, “What is it that has enabled them to persist for 350 million years, through every kind of catastrophe, every climate change that’s ever happened on this planet, and what might we learn from that?”  She noticed that mosses are not solitary in nature but are dependent upon a web of relationships.  As mosses grow in the forest canopy, they use the trunks of trees as a foundation and they collect and store water. Then, she writes that “even without rainfall, the canopy mosses collect water and slowly drip it to the ground, keeping the soil moist for the growth of trees which in turn sustain the mosses.” She argues that some of the lessons that we can learn from mosses include: being small, giving more than you take, working with natural law, [and] sticking together. 1

These are good rules for us too. How do we live in community with one another and the world around us? It’s easy when everything goes well and everyone cooperates. But what do we do when someone breaks the rules?

Paul begins this last portion of the letter to the Galatians by addressing that question. How do you treat someone in your Christian community in whom you “detect a transgression?”  There may have been a particular person or grievance of the Galatians that Paul was addressing, but he doesn’t say who or what it is. Neither does he seem to be at all concerned with what or which transgression occurred. Instead, he is concerned about the way we as Christians respond to those who have done something wrong or hurtful. Paul says, “you who have received the Spirit should restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness.” Restoration and reconciliation is the goal – not punishment or shunning or excommunicating or even teaching a lesson to the one who erred.

Paul knows the Galatians – he spent a good deal of time with them and they seem like an earnest and good Christian community.  And this is why he is concerned. He’s concerned they may be tempted when dealing with someone who has made a mistake – maybe it was even huge transgression -- to judge and to compare themselves to this wayward soul. They might even be tempted to say, “well… at least I’m not as bad as…that person.”

But this is what Paul wants them and us not to do. This is why he says, “each must carry their own load.” If there is any comparing or judging to do – judge your own work on its own merits for on the last day we will each meet our maker. This sounds harsh, but thankfully, God has sent us a Savior, Jesus who promised to carry your load, your burdens – and gives us his light load in exchange.

This is why, rather than engage in these very human comparing and judging and self-justifying actions and attitudes, Paul urges the Galatians – and us --  to “bear one another’s burdens.”  This is the way of restoration. We are to bear the burden of another – as if it were our own burden, even our own transgression. In doing this, we are being Christ to our neighbor. For just as Christ has taken on our burden, we are to be as Christ and take on the burden of our neighbor.

This sounds hard – but it doesn’t have to be. Years ago, when I worked in Minneapolis in the inner city, I became friends with a woman named Mona. She taught me how to bear the burden of another. Mona volunteered with our Mom’s group which included many neighborhood women were living in poverty who had lots of problems. After the meeting they would often go to her and talk about their challenges. She would listen and pray with them.

Someone – maybe it was me - once asked her how she could listen to so many problems and not become overwhelmed by all of the burdens that were shared with her? Mona smiled and said, “I listen to their burdens and I pray with them. But I don’t keep the burdens. I give them to Christ.” And with that, she took her hands – which had been cupped together in the shape of a cross and raised them up over her head and released the burdens to God. Mona helped build Christian community – by giving the burdens that were shared with her – to Christ.

This is what we are called to do too. We do not need to be weighed down by our burdens or the burdens of our neighbor. Like my friend Mona, we can take on the cares and prayers and concerns of our neighbor – and then give them to Christ.  For together, in Christ, we are a new creation.  

We are a new creation that is bound together – not by our burdens – but by the life-giving love of Christ. For our part, we can strive to be more like Mona in listening to our neighbor and giving their burdens to Christ. We can also take a lesson from the mosses who live in relationship with one another and God’s created world. For God cares for all of God’s creation, sustaining the little moss on the rock and helping it to change and adapt to thrive in new environments and God cares for us too – molding us into a new creation to live in community with one another and all of God’s beloved world. Thanks be to God who loves us so. Amen.

Faith-Lilac Way Lutheran Church                        July 3, 2022                      Pastor Pam Stalheim Lane           

Christ Has Set You Free!

Freedom! I like that word. Don’t you?  Freedom!  Say it with me: FREEDOM! 

I turned on the radio and these are the words I heard. At first, I assumed it was a political rally or maybe a sermon on Galatians. But no. It was a bitcoin conference. The speaker was celebrating the freedom of cryptocurrency -  a digital currency like bitcoin that is independent – that is free - from any government or bank management. I don’t know much about bitcoin – but I do know the power of words.

Freedom is a powerful word. Freedom is a rallying cry that stirs our hearts and lifts our spirits. Freedom is powerful because we want to be free. Next weekend we will be celebrating our country’s Independence day – and our freedom as citizens. Today, with joy, we hear Paul proclaiming, “Christ has set you free.”

There are some similarities between Christian freedom – and the freedom of our country and even the freedom of bitcoin. In each case, there is a desire for being free FROM something. Cryptocurrency wants to be free from government or bank management (they aren’t doing so well now – which is why the report was on the news). On July 4th we celebrate the beginning of our country’s freedom from foreign rulers. And today in his letter to the Galatians, Paul is calling them and us to be free in Christ.

And then Paul writes, “do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.”No one wants to be a slave. But in the next 12 verses  -- verses that we didn’t read -- enslavement is what Paul argues will happen if the Galatians follow the traditional Jewish rites of circumcision and dietary laws. Those laws, he argues, had their time and place. But now, all people are welcome – men and women, people of all ages, every heritage and culture, every race, clan and tribe. In baptism into Christ we are all one and by his death and resurrection, Christ has set you’all free!

So what does freedom in Christ look like? I’m not the only one with this question. Inspired by this verse, the artist Paul Granlund created a sculpture that is located in downtown Minneapolis. A picture of it is printed on your bulletin cover. Take a look at it.  See how the people are emerging from the solid bronze box and stretching towards the sky – unbound from all the material that used to bind them. Perhaps this is what Christian freedom looks like –the liberty to embrace life and reach beyond the confines of all those things that would bind us.

But what does freedom taste like? Does it taste like fresh strawberries? OR is it as juicy as a watermelon? Is it crisp as a Honeycrisp apple or and mellow as a cantaloupe or honeydew.

 Paul says that freedom in Christ is sweet – and produces good fruit. And that fruit – is not self-indulgence or selfishness. Eating a whole watermelon at once by yourself would give you nothing but pain. In the same way, Paul says, if “you bite and devour one another, take care that you are not consumed by one another.” This is what happens when we abuse the gift of freedom that we are given. Paul also gives us a vice list of things to avoid. But I’m more interested in looking at how Christ calls us to live.

Freedom in Christ is meant to be lived as Christ Jesus would have us live –loving one another as Jesus loves us. Paul says be “slaves to one another.” This seems contradictory since he has just argued against slavery and for freedom. But the Message Bible’s translation is more helpful. It reads: “use your freedom to serve one another in love.”

Paul is describing a life of discipleship. This is a life that bears fruit.  He says the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Phew. That’s a lot. It can seem a bit overwhelming. When we shop for fruit, we can choose apples over oranges and grapes instead of pineapples, but we don’t get to choose which of the fruits of the Spirit we want. We don’t get to choose love, joy and peace and leave generosity, faithfulness and self-control on the shelf.  The fruits of the spirit are a package deal. This is what discipleship, being led by the Spirit, is all about. Not only are we freed by Christ FROM the power of evil and FROM the fear of death and despair. We are freed FOR a life of meaning, of purpose and of hope. We are freed to love our neighbor as Christ loves us. This is discipleship.

So how do we live a life of discipleship?  In a recent edition of Living Lutheran1, one writer said that she noticed that when she overwhelmed by the needs of the world around her and didn’t know where to start or what to do, she ended up doing nothing. She realized that she couldn’t do everything so she wanted to focus on one thing Her next question was: what would it be? And then she noticed that her children tended to go back to the toys and books that they loved – over and over again.

So she decided that the best place to focus her attention might be to first ask the question: “What do I love, and how can I use that love to serve others?” And she suggested we might try that too.

So, for example, if you love to cook perhaps you could make an extra meal and share it with a neighbor. Or, if you love to read – you could join our book club and foster a spirit of community or work with a reading buddies program.  Love to write or draw? You can send letters or cards to our shut-ins or your neighbors. Love to knit or crochet? We need more prayers shawls. Love to walk? Bring along a trash bag and clean up God’s good creation as you go. These are just a few ideas.

Alternatively, you could ask, “What breaks my heart – and how can I make a difference? How is God calling me to respond?  I remember Eleanor Bjorkquist once told me, “I know I can’t do everything, but what I can do is ‘feed people.’” So she was involved with Dinner at your Door. Other people continue that work now and still others have the same relationship with NEAR foodshelf and EveryMeal, the food program for school kids.

However, if nothing strikes a chord for you, or you find that you are no longer able to “do” as much as you used to – or you are limited by work or covid or other circumstances, then I invite you to pray. For prayer can be done anytime and anywhere. Pray for those who are in need of care, pray for the ministry of our church and the world around us – and pray for the Holy Spirit to lead you and us more deeply into a life of discipleship.

The good news is that the life of discipleship comes with the Holy Spirit to lead and guide us. Receive the fruits of the Spirit, the gifts of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. And remember: Christ has set us free!  Thanks be to God. Amen.

1 Guided by love to serve Growing together – May 2022 By Kimberly Knowle-Zeller May 3, 2022

Faith-Lilac Way Lutheran Church     June 26, 2022      Pastor Pam Stalheim Lane

Clothed with Christ, We are One

If you’ve ever been to Jay Cook State Park, you’ve probably walked over the swinging bridge. It doesn’t swing as much as it used to, but when we stopped there last week, because of the recent rains, the river was exuberantly rushing and churning over big rocks and sending sprays of mist into the air. It was breath-taking. After crossing the bridge, I scrambled up on top of the big rocks on the other side until I stood by the side of the river before the falls. It was spectacular. I was completely happy just looking at God’s creation. But then I heard something – so I turned around and saw a man gesturing and calling to me. He was on top of another rock but because of all the noise of the water hurling itself against the rocks, I couldn’t hear what he was saying. Then he started making the image of a camera. “Oh,” I thought, “he wants me to take his picture.” So, I started making my way to him. But when I got close, I finally heard what he wanted to say. “Give me your camera – and let me take your picture where you are standing. It will be a great shot!”   

And so I gave him my phone – and he took my picture. And then I offered to take a picture of him. Now it was his turn to be surprised – he didn’t expect me to reciprocate. But he smiled – and called his boys over to him – and they gave me their phone so I could take their picture on the same spot. 

Ordinarily, this might have been the end of the story – but I was curious about him and asked him his name – it was Paul. And then we got into a great conversation which was only able to take place because Paul – much like Paul the Apostle – was not concerned about the differences that might have kept us apart -- such as Covid, or gender or heritage. My ancestors were northern European. I didn’t ask – but I’m guessing his came from Africa. Instead, he was interested in what we had in common – such as admiring God’s beautiful creation.

I don’t know if the Paul that I met was Christian, but this is the image of Christian community that the Apostle Paul is writing about to the Galatians. “There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus.” Gal 3:23

Throughout much of the Hebrew Scriptures, what we call the “Old Testament,” the people of God, the Jewish people, maintained their faith and their identity by being a people set apart and ruled by the law. Paul’s word for the law is disciplinarian which can also be translated as teacher or babysitter. Remember how the class behaves when the teacher steps out of the room? Sometimes a disciplinarian, a teacher or a babysitter is needed. In the Hebrew Scriptures – and still today – the law functions to lead, teach and guide God’s people. It is a gift.

But Paul, a Jewish person himself and highly knowledgeable about the law, argues there is no longer a need for a disciplinarian – or a babysitter. Instead, since in baptism we are clothed with Christ, we are all one.

Unfortunately, Paul’s desire sometimes seems more aspirational than actual in our world today (and probably in Galatia too). Like the Galatians, we still make distinctions between people based on their heritage, economic status, gender, religion and politics, to name only a few of the categories that we put people into. In fact, some things in our world – such as some forms of media and politics -- seem to benefit and even thrive on sowing seeds of discord and division. As a result, it’s easy to get discouraged about how we can ever come together as one in Christ.

But what if we took another look at what it might mean for us to be “clothed with Christ” and to be “one” in Christ.

First of all, when Paul says we are “clothed in Christ,” he wasn’t assuming that we would put on Christ like a robe when we come into church and then discard it on the way out. We can’t just “put on” Christ like a new pair of shoes. Instead, Paul is expecting us to walk in those shoes every day until those shoes feel as if they are a part of our feet. This might mean that we feel the pinch of those shoes if we are not walking in the way of Jesus. But it will also mean that our feet will be protected and supported. Paul is not just wanting us to look good – he is looking for transformation to happen both in the way that we think and in the way that we act.

However, being “one” in Christ does not mean that we will all be exactly the same.  God’s creation is made up of diversity – and mutual dependance of one being upon another. The same is true about the gifts and talents of people. We need teachers and plumbers, farmers and engineers, artists and construction workers. I get energy from talking with people and engaging with them while other people would rather work alone on a physical project and still others would prefer to be in a group, like a choir.  It is clear that we need a variety of gifts and talents as part of the body of Christ but it is also true that we can be one in Christ even if our theology is different.

Two weeks ago, on Pentecost Sunday, when our church Council and Faith Practices Neighboring Practices team invited the leadership of Greater St. John’s Missionary Baptist church to share a meal and conversation with us, we did not know how it would go. Would we be able to have meaningful conversations or would we end up in sharing food but not ourselves? 

I am happy to report that the Holy Spirit is alive and well and was active in our conversation. We shared openly and honestly about the problems and challenges in the world, our community and our families.  I’m sure we don’t agree on everything but then even within our church we don’t agree on everything. But it was amazing at how much we found in common with one another simply by praying together, talking with one another and trusting the Holy Spirit who celebrates our diversity and yet makes us one in Christ Jesus. We also agreed that we want to do this again – and we want you all to be a part of the conversation.

 Brothers and sisters, siblings in Christ, we are one in Christ because the Holy Spirit works in us and through us. Much like the law – the disciplinarian, teacher and babysitter of the Hebrew Scriptures, the Holy Spirit is there to encourage, teach, comfort and challenge us. For just like a new pair of shoes needs to be worn in order to stretch, we need to continue to pray and to talk and to invite the Holy Spirit to transform us to be one in Christ. Thanks be to God.

Faith-Lilac Way Lutheran Church     June 19, 2022       Pastor Pam Stalheim Lane

Sunday Sermon

There is not any human language that adequately describes how the love within the Trinity is the source of God’s love for the whole world.  We know that God’s love is clearly present everywhere but the source of that love and how it spreads to all the people of the world is a mystery that we will likely never solve.  When I think about the mystery of love, I think back to the hit song The Power of Love by Huey Lewis and the News.  The song The Power of Love was featured in the movie Back to the Future.  Some of you may remember Back to the Future.  The movie starts in the 1980s which was the time when I was growing up and most of the action occurs in the 1950s before the main character Marty McFly returns back to 1985 at the end of the movie.  I will give you a spoiler here and tell you that love is what drives the action in the film.  Marty McFly must make sure that his parents fall in love and he realizes that if they do not fall in love in 1955 then he has no future in 1985.  It appears unlikely that Marty’s parents will fall in love but they do.  Love is something that just cannot be explained and this is reflected in the opening lyric of the song The Power of Love which is “The power of love is a curious thing.”  Later in the song is the line “But it might just save your life.”  Yes, we cannot explain love and we do not understand it.  However, this thing that we cannot explain actually saves our lives and makes them worth living. 

In my first semester of seminary, I learned the fancy word perichoresis.   Perichoresis is the theological term that describes the mutual indwelling of the three persons of the Trinity.  It has been described as an eternal dance of fellowship between the members of the Trinity.  Perichoresis is derived from the Greek words peri which means “around” and choreo which is “to go” or “come”.  God the Creator, Jesus the Savior, and the sustaining Holy Spirit are three individual persons but they are one in being and they dwell in each other and share an intimate friendship and this deep relationship and love between the three persons of the Trinity then manifests itself in our daily lives as the love that God has for the world.  The love between the persons of the Trinity is constantly flowing and so it may best represented by a circle similar to the circle that appears on the cover of today’s worship folder.  However, the love of the Trinity does not just remain in the circle of the Trinity but it spills out and spreads out all over the entire world.  As theologians we can spend a significant amount of time trying to analyze the intricacies of perichoresis.  Ultimately perichoresis cannot be adequately explained in human language as there are not words which can describe how the love within the Trinity is the source of God’s love for the whole world. 

Love is often expressed in relationships therefore looking at relationships may give us some insight into Trinitarian love.  God seeks to be in relationship with each and every one of us so the idea of perichoresis makes sense because if God is a God of relationships then relationships exist within the Godhead itself.  Relationships are the basis of our lives.  Yes, there are some hermits out there who live in isolation but even they live in relationship with the flora and fauna of God’s creation.  The reality is that humans are meant to live in community with each other.  God appears to us in relationships.  We see God in our families and in our community.  We are all created in the image of God and we see God in the face of our neighbors.  God is there in the work of healthcare professionals who heal and save lives.  God is there in the work of our teachers who are preparing our youth for future success.  God is there in the crying of the new born child who is just happy to have a chance at life despite being unaware of the challenges that face humanity.  Because God desires to be in relationship with all of God’s children we are invited into loving relationship with God.  God brings us into the circle of the Trinity and then never leaves us.  We are drawn into the loving circle of God and then this loving circle of God goes with us as we head out into the world each day.  The love of God dwells in us and we take the love of God to others through our relationships.    

Because we see God in people it is easy to become confused about the persons of the Trinity.  The Trinity is not a committee of three separate people.  According to the theologian Marcus Borg the early church fathers would have viewed the Trinity as one God who is known to us and speaks to us in three primary roles in which we experience God’s presence and God’s love.  God speaks to us in the Hebrew scriptures as the creator of the world and the God of Israel.  God is also known to Christians as Jesus Christ the Savior of the world.  Finally, God is also made known in the activity of the Holy Spirit.[1]  There are three different manifestations of the same God acting in the world so that we may experience God’s steadfast love.   

The idea of experiencing God through relationships would have been familiar to the disciples who were the original audience for today’s gospel text.  Through Scripture they were familiar with the God who delivered Israel from Egypt and who freely offered the people of Israel steadfast love and faithfulness despite their rebellion.  The disciples had experienced God incarnate as they witnessed first hand the miracles and the teaching that Jesus did in the name of God.  Now they are being introduced to the third manifestation of God.  Jesus makes it clear that the Spirit will always be with them.  Even though Jesus is leaving them the disciples will never be alone.  Jesus’ ongoing presence with the disciples will be made known to them through the coming Spirit who will guide them and lead them to see God in their neighbors.  The Spirit allows the disciples to show God’s love and bring hope to their community.  The Spirit will enable them to feed the hungry, heal the sick, and lift up the oppressed.  Even though the idea of the Trinity is difficult to comprehend it would have been clear to these disciples as they were continuing the ministry of Jesus that this Spirit that was with them and leading them was of the same character as the God of Israel whom they knew through Scripture and Jesus the Christ with whom they had traveled.  Because the members of the Trinity are fully in relationship with each other we are also able to experience God through relationships just as the disciples did.    

For my parents’ fiftieth wedding anniversary last summer we decided to give them a Storyworth account for one year.  Storyworth sends each of my parents a question each week and the questions can be kind of random and one week my dad was asked how he experienced Neil Armstrong’s moon landing.  My parents actually had their first date on July 19, 1969 and the moon landing happened the next evening July 20, 1969.  My father has always loved science fiction and the moon landing was actually the real thing.  My mother was working at the Tastee Freeze that night and rather than staying home and watching the moon landing on tv my dad went up to the Tastee Freeze to see my mom.  As my dad recalled in his story, he watched the moon landing on a small portable tv with the staff and customers who were there.  It is amazing when you think about all the random things that could have derailed any one of us from being here.  I think of Back to the Future and Marty McFly who successfully convinced his dad George not to stay home and watch the Saturday night science fiction show but instead to go to the school dance and stand up to the bully Biff Tannen and kiss Marty’s mom for the first time.  If my dad had watched the moon landing at home it is possible that I might not be here.  Fortunately for me I am the product of a beautiful loving relationship that started in the summer of 1969.  Ultimately all of us have been given the gift of life because of the loving relationship of the Trinity.  In the love of the Trinity God gives us the relationships which make our lives possible and enjoyable and it is this love that we feel as God accompanies us on our journey through life.

As Huey Lewis and the News told us the power of love is a curious thing.  We cannot explain why God loves us so much that God created us.  The doctrine of the Trinity is an attempt at explaining the unconditional love of God but like any human endeavor the Trinity can only explain so much and it does not completely reveal the mystery of God’s love.  The good news is that the love of God shared between Creator, Son, and Spirit is freely available and shared with each and every one of us in our relationship with God and in our relationships with each other.  We may not be able to explain it but it is clear that the love of God is present with us and saving us whether God’s love appears in the goodness of creation, on the cross at Calvary, or in our families and communities.  Yes, in the Trinity you feel the power of love.  

-         Vicar Kyle Anderson

[1] Marcus J. Borg, Speaking Christian: Why Christian Words Have Lost Their Meaning and Power – And How They Can Be Restored, (New York: Harper Collins, 2011), 214.

PENTECOST – The Holy Spirit and You

Today is Pentecost – the day we celebrate the Holy Spirit.

As Lutherans, we tend to focus more often on God the Father and Creator and on Jesus our Savior and Redeemer. Even in the Apostles creed, the Holy Spirit, the third person of the Trinity barely gets a mention. Perhaps this is because the Holy Spirit, the gift of Jesus to us, is harder to define and understand – in part because the Holy Spirit routinely colors outside the lines and is not bound by tradition or any rules that we may try to impose upon the Spirit. But just because we can’t understand the Holy Spirit doesn’t mean that we should ignore the Spirit or the role the Holy Spirit plays in our lives.  As Martin Luther recognized in his Small Catechism, the Holy Spirit is essential for our life of faith. The Holy Spirit has always been around.

The Holy Spirit was present in the beginning of creation as it moved over the waters. And the Holy Spirit was with the Israelites as they traveled across the desert to the Holy Land. And, as we heard in the Acts of the Apostles reading, sometimes the Holy Spirit shows up with powerful winds and flames of fire. No one was expecting that - but suddenly everyone hears the story of Jesus in their own language. and proclaims with joy and jubilation that Jesus is Lord.  Because the Holy Spirit cannot be contained or controlled, the Holy Spirit comes in ways that we don’t expect.

However, there is one place that Jesus promised that the Holy Spirit would be – and that is in the water and the Word of God when we are baptized in Christ’s name. At this time, we receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. You are “sealed with the Holy Spirit” -- and the Holy Spirit never leaves you. So, while we cannot understand the Holy Spirit, we know that we can count on the Holy Spirit to be present in our lives. 

So what does the Holy Spirit do? In baptism, the Holy Spirit calls and claims us as children of God.

Soon we will be baptizing Rosalyn Ramona… just as her parents Joey and Courtney were baptized and just their parents, and grandparents and great grandparents were baptized. In baptism, we receive the gift of the Holy Spirit, a gift which has been given since Jesus told his disciples to baptize in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. This gift of the Holy Spirit has been and continues to be given freely– and it is given for you too -- no matter who you are. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, each person is named and claimed, individually, as a child of God sealed by the Holy Spirit and marked with the cross of Christ forever. You are claimed as God’s child and God wants a relationship with each one of you.

I remember the first night that I was home with my first child. I was very nervous because – I was a sound sleeper. And I was afraid that I would not wake up when my baby cried. But you already know what happened, don’t you. Of course, the moment that he cried, I was not only up and awake but at his side. You know the cry of your baby. Or when you go to a crowded playground and a child cries out, “Mama,” or “Daddy” – lots of heads go up – but one person is running to that child.

That is the kind of relationship that God has with each of God’s beloved children. The apostle Paul urges us to call upon God as “Abba! Father!” just as Jesus did. For like Jesus, you are a child of God and God loves you and cares for you. Every day.

The Holy Spirit nurtures you in your relationship with God. And that is one of the reasons we gather in worship together. The Holy Spirit is present with us and supports us in our faith whenever two or more are gathered in the name of Christ. We do that in the church, at Bible camps, on mission trips and whenever we gather together.

The Holy Spirit also nurtures us in our daily life through our prayers, scripture reading and our devotions. Many of you do this already. But for those of you who do not, I encourage you to find simple ways to do that. For example, pray a prayer of thanks before you eat, a prayer of gratitude when you go to bed, a prayer asking for HELP any time of the day. The Holy Spirit hears your prayer. 

I also encourage you, Joey and Courtney, to make the sign of the cross on Rosy’s forehead every time you give her a bath, reminding her that she is a child of God. This works for everyone actually – whether you are at the sink, the tub or the shower. Make the sign of the cross on your forehead and say, “I am a child of God. God loves me.”

Finally, one more habit. The Holy Spirit speaks to us through the Scriptures, and so I encourage a daily habit of reading – even just a verse a day. Today there are so many options – little booklets but also devotions that will pop up in your email or on your phone. These are ways for you to welcome and engage with the Holy Spirit in your daily life.

The Holy Spirit also calls us to care for others who are hurting. Because the Holy Spirit calls us into relationship with Christ, when we suffer, Jesus Christ suffers and we do not feel alone. But, as it says in Romans, because we are in relationship with Christ, when Christ suffers, we too are called to “suffer with him.” 

But where, you may ask, is Christ suffering? Christ is suffering with those who are hurting.

 Christ is suffering with the people in Tulsa, Oklahoma where people died of gun violence at a medical center. And Christ is suffering with the people in Buffalo, New York who lost loved ones at a grocery store because of the color of their skin. And, Christ is grieving with the parents in Evolde, Texas after their children were killed while they were at school. These are not the only things for which Christ grieves. For wherever God’s children suffer… Christ suffers too and so do we.

So what do we do with a world that is so broken, that has such evil in it? Sometimes our world can feel overwhelming. But we can call upon God as Abba, Father, and ask Jesus to send the Holy Spirit to help us, lead us and transform our weary world.

And God hears our cry. And the Holy Spirit helps us to respond with prayers, with tears, … and with humble, loving, transforming actions.

I saw this happen during the pandemic when loved ones were stuck in nursing homes and care facilities. Some of you sent cards, others called on the phone, we delivered worship materials and some of you found creative ways to connect. For example, one day as I was visiting Ramona Anderson, Rosalyn’s great, great grandma, she told me that Joey and Kait had just visited her through the window. What joy that simple action made for her! The Holy Spirit is at work through you whenever you care for another child of God.

For this is what the Holy Spirit does –  the Holy Spirit shows us that God’s love is bigger than we can ever imagine – and that God loves you.  No matter what. Even when we make mistakes. Even when we hurt one another. Even when we feel as if the world is beyond repair. The Holy Spirit is there to forgive us and lead and guide us back into right relationship with God and with our neighbor. This is the work of the Spirit. Thanks be to God. Amen.

June 5, 2022          Faith-Lilac Way    Pastor Pam Stalheim Lane

Sunday Sermon

I graduated from high school on this day thirty years ago.  Graduations are times of transition as one chapter of life ends and another begins.  One unique thing about my high school graduation day is that I did not spend one minute of it in my home.  I woke up that morning on the campus of Eastern Illinois University which is the site of the Illinois High School Association state track finals.  Our team was one of many teams that stayed in the dormitories at the university.  My race was not until the second day of the meet so on the first day I was watching the competition and supporting my teammates.  Late in the afternoon a coach and the graduating seniors made the nearly two-hour trip back to our school in a van.  We arrived at the school about an hour before the graduation ceremony which gave us a chance to shower and change into our graduation regalia.  We then participated in the graduation ceremony and afterward we were allowed to have a few moments with friends and family before we were in the van to head back to the track meet.  We returned around midnight and I did not sleep well at all as I was still feeling the emotions of graduation and being nervous about my race the next day.  I ran my race and I did not do as well as I wanted.  I ran much slower than my qualifying time but as I left the track my disappointment was tempered somewhat by the fact that I had actually made it to the state finals after many years of disciplined running.  We returned home after the track meet and the next day was a Sunday and my parents hosted a graduation party in my honor.  It was a memorable afternoon spent with family and friends.  To this day I appreciate how loved and supported I am by friends and family.  I received numerous gifts and one of those gifts was a five-dollar laundry basket from Wal-Mart that is still in use today in my apartment.  The day after the party I showed up to work at Hardee’s fast-food restaurant which is where I would be employed until leaving for college at the end of the summer.  Despite my academic and athletic accomplishments which had just been celebrated I was starting at the bottom just like anyone else.  The only status that I had was that since I was eighteen, I was allowed to operate the beef slicer to make the roast beef sandwiches.

When I think back to that four-day period of thirty years ago it is very obvious that it was a time of transition.  I look back fondly at those days and I think about the lessons that I learned and how they shaped me into the person that I am today.  In the Ascension story it is obvious that the disciples are also at a transition point.  Jesus has risen from the dead which is good news however it is quite clear in this text that things were not going to return to how they were before.  When Jesus appeared on Easter evening the disciples originally thought that he was a ghost.  Today’s Gospel passage starts with Jesus telling the disciples that “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you.”  Jesus was definitely there and he had just eaten a piece of broiled fish so the disciples were probably somewhat confused that Jesus spoke to them as if he were already gone.  It is clear that the pre-Easter Jesus has not returned and that the nature of the relationship that the disciples will now have with Jesus is going to be quite different than what it was before.

Like any good educator Jesus gives the disciples the tools that they will need as they enter a rapidly changing world.  Being well prepared for the future means being prepared to deal with change because change is inevitable.  Our jobs do not stay the same as technology advances and economies are restructured.  Our relationships are often in flux as cherished loved ones pass on and new generations come into being.  We move into new homes and even if we stay in the same residence for many years, we see that our neighbors seem to be constantly moving in and out of the neighborhood.  Jesus prepares the disciples for the reality of a changing world by teaching them to turn to the scriptures for guidance.  Just as he did when he taught the travelers on the road to Emmaus Jesus makes it clear that he came not to abolish the law and the prophets but that he is the fulfillment of the scriptures.  In the law, the prophets, and the psalms of the Hebrew scriptures God promises faithful love to God’s people as well as justice and freedom for the oppressed.  We have the gift of scripture which is a resource to which we can always turn and in scripture we see that we worship a God who loves us so much that this God is present with us and shares our suffering as part of the work of saving the world.

Jesus is present not only in scripture but he is present everywhere.  Without the Ascension it is very possible that we would not be here today worshiping God.  In the ancient Middle East, each nation had a god and that god was generally thought to rule over a specific territory.  With the Ascension it is now clear that God is not limited to any one time or place.  The pre-Easter Jesus did many great miracles but even when he was walking on water, healing the sick, and feeding five thousand people Jesus appeared in one particular place at one particular time just like any human being.  After the Ascension Jesus is everywhere and Jesus can be experienced and known at any time and in any place.  Jesus is clear that he is the Lord of the entire world as he tells the disciples that they are to proclaim repentance and forgiveness of sins to all nations.  It is not only members of the nation of Israel but it is each and every nation all over the world that has the opportunity to experience the Risen Jesus.  The promise of God has always included repentance and forgiveness of sins.  When the Israelites rebelled against God the invitation to return to the Lord was always present.  Now these promises that were made to Israel are made to all of God’s children throughout the world.

After graduation the class scatters and everyone goes their separate ways.  Everyone takes the lessons that they learned with them to a new situation.  In some ways it is sad but moving on is inevitable and it is the only way that growth can occur.  The good news about Jesus spread because the apostles possessing what they learned from Jesus proclaimed to other nations the gifts of repentance and forgiveness.  The Kingdom of God grows through divine intervention but it is not a singular cosmic event like the Ascension that spreads the gospel but it is God working through individuals who share their experience of Christ’s love that allows people to experience the salvation promised to us in Jesus.

The Ascension story ends with Jesus blessing the disciples before being carried up into heaven.  The timing of this has always intrigued me.  Biblical scholars are certain of the common authorship of Luke and Acts.  In Acts we read that Jesus appeared over forty days between Resurrection and Ascension.  However, in Luke there is no mention of a time gap so it appears to me that on Easter night Jesus and the disciples made the two mile walk to Bethany where Jesus ascended into heaven.  There is no need to reconcile this discrepancy even though I am partial to the idea that on that first Easter Day everything happened including the empty tomb, the Resurrection appearances, and the Ascension.  I personally view the Crucifixion, Resurrection, and Ascension as one saving act that occurred in a three-day period.  In the end it does not matter whether the Ascension happened on Easter evening or forty days later.  Just as none of us remember the specifics of the algebra equations we solved or the essays that we wrote, we know that what matters is that we were prepared by our teachers to enter the world just as Jesus the Great Teacher prepared the disciples for the world that they would now face. 

Jesus blessed the disciples and after the Ascension the disciples continually worshiped God and blessed God in the temple.  I love that the Gospel of Luke ends in this way.  We have been blessed by God and saved by our Lord Jesus Christ.  Because we are blessed, we have the opportunity to share our blessings with others.  The things that we learned in school did not seem to have much meaning at the time.  However, the basic skills that we learned in school have the ability to change the world.  No matter what your job is the fundamentals like the basic math and communication skills that you learned allow you to accomplish your work in the world which brings meaning and purpose to you and to others.  The basics that we learned in school allow us to bring blessings to others as we all contribute to making our society function and hopefully make the world just a little bit better each day.

In the Ascension Jesus prepares not only his disciples but also those of us alive today to face the reality of life in a changing world.  Jesus is not only present in scripture but Jesus also fulfills scripture.  Jesus is not limited to one time and place but Jesus goes with us wherever we go which allows us to take the Gospel to new places.  The ability to take the Gospel to new places is a blessing and is possible only because we are blessed by God.  Whether you are graduating this year or you graduated thirty years ago or sixty years ago be assured that God is always with you and has prepared you for discipleship.

-         Vicar Kyle Anderson

Music is Our Response to God

Martin Luther once said, “Next to the Word of God, music deserves the highest praise. The gift of language combined with the gift of song was given to us that we should proclaim the Word of God through Music.” 1

And so today, we give thanks for the gift of music – and for the musicians that create it – and help us to sing too.

Although it may look effortless from the point of view of the pew, creating beautiful music may be fun but it isn’t automatic or easy. Instead, it’s like the young musician who said to the New York cab driver, “How do I get to Carnegie Hall?” The driver looked at earnest young student, smiled and said, “practice, practice, practice!” 

Creating beautiful music takes practice. I know from personal experience. I’ve also listened while Anne and Ann Marie have gone over notes with the choir. Some of those rhythms and harmonies aren’t obvious or easy. And, when Anne had the elementary students singing in Choristers, her patience routinely amazed me. She would encourage them to sing a little higher, listen more and despite the fact that clearly, singing wasn’t the greatest gift of every student, she never gave up on them. Instead, she instilled a love of music in them and a confidence that they could sing – and that God would be glorified.  

As I was preparing for today, I was reminded of a prayer that I prayed as a young musician – and maybe some of you have prayed or sung it too. It’s called “The Chorister’s Prayer.” It goes like this: “Bless, O Lord, us thy servants, who minister in thy temple. Grant that what we sing with our lips, we may believe in our hearts, and what we believe in our hearts, we may show forth in our lives. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.2

This is a very old prayer – some trace versions of it as far back as the 13th or 14th century. But what I love about it is that it speaks to a beautiful and timeless yearning to do more than sing beautiful words about God – even though the words themselves are often very meaningful and the music that carries them may be stirring or catchy or memorable. I know I’m going to be singing “This Little Light of Mine” all week long!  But the prayer goes even beyond the goal of leading the congregation and all those who hear in praise and adoration of God. The prayer is that in the act singing, the singer will be transformed in their hearts, minds and in the way they lead their lives.

Music can do this – and not just for the choir. Music has a way of getting under our skin. It finds pathways to the heart and to our lives where knowledge and reason cannot go.  But it isn’t just the music.  This is the work of the Holy Spirit. For like music, the Holy Spirit can go places and create hope into places that seem impossible.

As Jesus told the disciples in our Gospel, they did not need to fear – even though the world was looking pretty bleak. Remember, the ruling powers of both Rome and the church were conspiring against them and Jesus has told them that he is going away.  But Jesus told them not to fear because he was sending the Holy Spirit, the Advocate, to be with them.

The Holy Spirit – like music – comes with a breath, a wind – and it has the power to change, to transform what has been before. This was true in the days of the early church and this remains true today.  We don’t always understand how God can work for good in the midst of the mess of a world that we live in, the chaos and disfunction that we see. And yet… God hears our prayers. God hears your prayers.

And so, I invite you to join me in praying the Chorister’s prayer, and in making it your prayer. Let us pray:

Dear Lord, “Grant that what we sing with our lips, we may believe In our hearts, and what we believe in our hearts, we may show forth in our lives. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.”

1Martin Luther as quoted https://www.gethsemane-elca.org/worship-music]

2Chorister’s Prayer https://www.rscm.org.uk/our-resources/liturgy-worship/choristers-prayer/

May 22, 2022            Faith-Lilac Way Lutheran Church            Pastor Pam Stalheim Lane

Sunday Sermon

It is very important to follow any story to its final conclusion.  It is often not until the end of the story that we are able to put into proper context the things that occur earlier in the narrative.  I remember several years ago when Dan Brown’s books were all the rage and the source of some controversy.  The Da Vinci Code had just been made into a movie so I decided to read Angels and Demons which was the book that preceded the Da Vinci Code.  I remember reading about five hundred pages of Angels and Demons and I thought that it was a nice tour through Rome and featured some interesting history but it did not seem controversial.  I remember telling my wife that I did not understand why this book made people so upset.  She gave me this weird look and told me that we should talk again after I read the last one hundred pages.  I then proceeded to finish the book and the action obviously picked up as crazy things happened all the way to the end.  I remember that the views that I had of several characters changed in light of how the book ended.  I do not want to give you a spoiler but in particular there was one character who seemed like a pretty good guy who in the end was the most sinister character in the whole book.  By reading to the end, I was finally able to see why the book was so controversial and the ending caused me to reinterpret the earlier parts of the story.

The Book of Revelation is a text that needs to be read fully and completely to the end.  Revelation is a book of the Bible that is often referenced in popular culture.  When I hear a prediction or a proclamation based on Revelation, I tend to be pretty skeptical because it is often clear to me that the person has not read the story all the way to the end.  The chaos unleashed by the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, fierce battles fought by great armies, and the rapture of fortunate souls to heaven are some images of the end times that appear in popular culture.  However, if one reads to the end of the story, we have nothing of which to be afraid.  At the end of time God is not planning to subject the earth to devastation or destruction.  God is not planning on leaving any unfortunate souls behind.  The Book of Revelation comes to its conclusion with the holy city descending from heaven, God dwelling with us, and God renewing all of creation as all will drink from the spring of the water of life.  Do not be deceived.  Revelation actually concludes with a happy ending.

Just because the story of God as told in Revelation ends well does not mean that we can simply ignore the turmoil described in the book.  God is fighting a battle against Satan each and every day.  We are assured of God’s victory in the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, but that does not mean that the struggle of daily life is not real.  It is easy to despair as we see the pictures from the war in Ukraine and we cannot avoid seeing the terrible and real suffering that the people there are experiencing.  The impacts of this war are now starting to be felt everywhere.  People in neighboring countries now live in fear of Russian aggression.  People in countries which are food insecure will starve as Ukrainian grain exports are expected to sharply decrease.  Even in a relatively safe and wealthy country like the United States we see that sending weapons to arm the Ukrainians takes away money that could be devoted to social programs or to our crumbling infrastructure.  In addition to the war, we still have COVID-19 in our midst as the threat level has ticked up to yellow and something that did not exist two and a half years ago is now the third leading cause of death in the United States.  It is only May but the upcoming election season is a further reminder that many of those seeking political offices are more interested in their own self-interest than they are in serving the common good.  Yes, it is a bit depressing when you realize that human progress is not always a straight line to a better life for all of humanity but that history is often circular and involves us moving through cycles of good times and bad times.  Every day we live in the midst of the transition from the first heaven and earth to the new heaven and earth and we experience how painful this transition can be.  Yes, the times are difficult but this image of the new Jerusalem coming down out of heaven symbolizes that God is present with us during this time of transition just as God was present with the people of Israel in the wilderness, the exiles in Babylon, and the apostles who faced persecution.              

Dreams are a powerful way for people to maintain hope during difficult times.  As an example of apocalyptic literature Revelation is not merely a prediction of events to come but it is a revealing of God’s dream to us.  Many great theologians throughout history have boldly proclaimed their dreams.  The holy city in Revelation is an allusion to an earlier vision in the Hebrew Scriptures as the prophet Isaiah writes about a new heaven and a new earth as a time when there will be peace, justice, and prosperity.  In his classic The City of God Augustine writes of the new Jerusalem as being the place where the eternal truths of God are fully revealed.  In more modern times we have the dream of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. who spoke of a beloved community of economic and social justice in which all members are equal and are treated with dignity.  Throughout the generations the vision of the holy city in Revelation has always promised life, healing, reconciliation and justice.  In this dream we see what is important to God.  We see that God is not distant but instead desires to be with us as God wipes away our tears and offers us eternal life through the miracle of Resurrection.  Our God is a God who meets all of our spiritual and material needs.  Nobody is left thirsty as everyone is invited to drink from the water of life.  If we read all the way to the end of the story, we see that God’s vision of the future is not one of exclusion, death, and scarcity but that the new heaven and the new earth are part of a vision of inclusion, life, and abundance.

This vision of Revelation is not just a description of what God is doing but it is also an invitation for us to participate in God’s dream.  We are not taken away from this world to escape it but rather we are invited to enter into deeper relationships in our community.  In my view this vision of a new Jerusalem coming down out of heaven is so powerful because humans live in community with each other and through our relationships we support each other and improve the quality of each other’s lives.  We do not flee from our broken world but Jesus who is present in our midst works through us to build a more authentic community and society.

I am really glad that the actual ending of Revelation does not involve a glorious rapture into heaven.  I am not inspired by a God who simply whisks away the good people to heaven while leaving the rest of us behind to fend for ourselves.  A God that calls us into partnership and provides us with the opportunities that allow the love of Jesus to be experienced in this world is a God that inspires my trust and belief.  As I mentioned earlier Revelation is not merely a prediction of the future but it is a revealing of God’s promises.  It is clear in this vision that God is the divine actor who is bringing the new Jerusalem into being.  However, the renewing of creation and the coming of the holy city is not in my view a singular cosmic event.  I believe that God is present and inviting us to help create the holy city.  It is not solely human initiative but it is God working through humans which brings about the renewal of creation.  I recently heard a news story about a real estate developer in Ukraine who goes to the supermarket in Dnipro each day and buys baby formula and diapers which she then gives away for free to individuals and to mutual aid organizations.  On the visit featured in the news report she spent $750.  According to the reporter she goes virtually every day and she has spent thousands of dollars during the war.  As this woman proves it is possible in the midst of death to save lives.  During these turbulent times we may not always recognize it but the renewal of creation is occurring as God is working through us to make it happen.  

Read the story carefully and read it all the way to the end.  Yes, there are many twists and turns in the plot, however the vision presented in the Book of Revelation is not something that should scare us but rather it is something that we are invited to embrace.  When we read the story of God’s love in the Bible all the way to the very end, we see that God’s love is even more powerful and closer to us than what our limited minds can imagine.  Even in these turbulent and trying times we are comforted by the reality that God has a dream and that dream involves each and every one of us living in close relationship to God and to each other.  God continues to create new life in the midst of death and God invites every single one of us into God’s dream.

~ Vicar Kyle Anderson

I Am So Grateful…

What do you think of when you hear the word shepherd? Do you think of the Renaissance pastoral paintings of a shepherd playing his harp for the sheep? Or children dressed up in bathrobes and headpieces to tell the Christmas story?

But that is not what those who were gathered around Jesus would have heard when he said, “I am the Good Shepherd.” They would have been reminded of the shepherd David who became king and the prophies of a Shepherd/King to come. They would have heard the 23rd Psalm: “The Lord is my Shepherd.”

The Lord is my shepherd. When we, as people of faith, read or recite these words, we are making a personal confession. You and I are each saying, “The Lord is my shepherd.” The Psalm walks us through the ways the Lord shepherds us and ends with the proclamation, again personal, “I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”

Rev. Dr. Rolf Jacobson, a Hebrew scholar at Luther Seminary, said that, in the Hebrew, the words translated, “I will dwell” means “I will return and stay.”1 This is a statement of faith, trusting that it is the Lord who provides for each of us, walks with us– even through the deepest valley, honors us, forgives us, and pursues us with grace and mercy. This is what our Lord God has done for us.  How can we respond?

When you were growing up and you received a gift, your mother or someone in a mother or father role, probably told you: “Be sure you say: thank you.” Not only was it the right thing to do, saying thank you expresses gratitude.

About twenty years ago or so, neuroscientists started studying gratitude. They discovered when people express or receive gratitude, our brain releases dopamine and serotonin. And, we feel better. We feel joyful!.

Researcher Brené Brown wanted to discover the relationship between joy and gratitude. What she found, surprised her. Everyone she interviewed who was joyful, actively practiced gratitude. And, she said, it wasn’t just ‘attitude of gratitude,’ because she found that “attitude doesn’t always translate to action.”3 Instead, she found that the practice of gratitude is what made people joyful.”

So how does one “practice” gratitude? Brene Brown found that it could be writing in a gratitude journal or simply saying these four words out loud, “I am so grateful …” and then filling in the blank – and doing that every day. For herself, she said that she and her family, after saying grace at dinner, say one thing for which they are grateful. She says it has made a huge difference in their family life.

So what can be our response to Jesus, our Good Shepherd who has been revealed in the Psalm as one who provides for each one of us, cares for each one, and is with each one of us?  Today I would like to invite you to practice gratitude with me.

If you can, take a piece of paper or a post-it note and write: I am grateful for… and then write either Jesus for being your Good Shepherd, or God your creator or the Holy Spirit who walks beside you. That’s your first practice of gratitude: being grateful to God.

We are grateful that Jesus is our Good Shepherd. But we can also be grateful for the way God has provided for us. As Psalm says, “I shall not BE in want.” Like the shepherd who provides green pastures and still waters for the sheep, God provides food and drink for you too – and in abundance.

So   I invite you to write, “I am grateful for… “ and then write down one of your favorite foods or beverages. What marvelous food do you love to eat? Strawberries might be mine.  What do you love to drink? Water? wine ? coffee? Coke?

This is just the beginning of the gifts of God for which we can express our gratitude. Now I want you to think of a person, who is living, for whom you are grateful. Brene Brown says that in her family, on birthdays, everyone shares one gratitude for the birthday person.3 So think of someone, even better if it is someone that you will see today or will mail a card to today, and write, I am grateful for… and then fill in their name and one short reason why you are grateful for them. I invite you to give or send your post-it to that person later today.

Isn’t this fun?! There is so much for which we can be grateful. This is enough to make me joyful. And that’s another surprising thing that Brené Brown discovered: being joyful doesn’t make us grateful. It’s actually the other way around. As the Anglican brother David Steindl-Rast once said, “The root of joy is gratefulness...It is not joy that makes us grateful; it is gratitude that makes us joyful.”5 This is important for us to know because every day, every situation, is not joy-filled. We live in a world that is often troubled.

Psalm 23 speaks to that reality. We read that God provides protection and honor – a banquet table -- even in the midst of enemies.

Because we have enjoyed living in relative peace for so many years, I never thought much about what it would mean to be at a banquet in the midst of enemies. But now, with all of the fighting in the Ukraine… the word “enemy” doesn’t sound so strange anymore. My heart goes out to the Ukrainians and Russians who have family on both sides of the conflict. And, in our own country, within our community and even in families, divisiveness over so many issues can be sharp – and painful. But the question is the same – whether it is a personal or an international conflict: how do we live with gratitude in the midst of challenging times and places?

In her book, The Hiding Place, Cori ten Boom and her sister Betsy are sent to a concentration camp after hiding Jewish people from the Nazis. Their barracks was filthy and swarmed with fleas, and she wondered how they could possibly live in this place. But then she heard her sister Betsy praying in gratitude and giving thanks – for their Bible, for their fellow prisoners and … for the fleas.  At this, Cori objected, saying, “Betsie, there’s no way even God can make me grateful for a flea.” And yet, they discovered that because their barracks was filled with fleas, the guards did not come into their barracks to harass or hurt them. And so… Cori joined her sister in praying with thanks and gratitude for the fleas.6

God finds a way for us -- even in the darkest valley. And so, we take heart and have faith that God will find a way… even where seems to be no way. This is why we can proclaim with the Psalmist, “I will dwell in the house of the Lord, forever.”

As our Good Shepherd Jesus’ promises a little later in the Gospel of John, “In my Father’s house there are many rooms and I go to prepare a place for you.” Jesus has a place for you in the house of the Lord – forever.  

And to this, our response is gratitude. Even on the darkest day. For each day, God is with us. And so I encourage you to find a way – if you don’t already – to practice gratitude every day. It doesn’t have to be fancy. It can be a gratitude journal or a part of your morning and / or evening prayers. Or at your dinner table. Or just saying these four words, “I’m so grateful for… and then fill in the blank.” We have so much for which we can be grateful, our cup overflows. And for this, I am so grateful for our Good Shepherd Jesus.  Amen.

May 8, 2022                    Faith-Lilac Way Lutheran                 Pastor Pam Stalheim Lane

1 Rev. Dr. Rolf Jacobson January 24, 2022, ChurchAnew

2https://positivepsychology.com/neuroscience-of-gratitude/

3 https://goop.com/wellness/mindfulness/brene-brown-gratitude-practice

4Brene Brown,https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2IjSHUc7TXM  

5 David Steindl-Rast, Gratefulness, The Heart Of Prayer

6 Corrie ten Boom, The Hiding Place, 1974.

Called to Follow

The year was 1990. The Berlin Wall had fallen.  The formerly powerful East German leader Erich Honecker and his wife Margot, the powerful and ruthless East German Education Minister, were ousted from power and their gated community. They were homeless. Despite his wife’s initial misgivings, Pastor Uve Holmer and his wife and their family of 10 children, took the Honeckers into their home. They were not supporters of the Honeckers or the East German state. In fact, the state’s anti-religious policies that the Honeckers had enacted harmed their family and barred their children – all 10 of them – from going to college. And yet, Pastor Holmer felt called, by God, to practice what he preached.1

Ananias faced a similar dilemma. When God called him in a vision, Ananias, like Isaiah, immediately said, “Here I am!” But when he found out that the Lord was asking him to go and lay hands on Saul and bring him into his home, Ananias questioned the assignment.  “Really? This guy? But he has done evil things and plans to stop us from proclaiming your name. Surely, you don’t want me to heal him?”  But the Lord said, “Go.” And Ananias went. 

Ananias is not remembered as a great evangelist, preacher and teacher like Paul and Peter. His name is only mentioned one other time in the Bible, when Paul retells the story later in Acts. But because Ananias, listened to God and did the will of God, despite the potential risk to himself and against his own judgment, Saul was healed and baptized and became Paul, an apostle to the Gentiles and the Jewish people.

Ananias was devout and faithful and an example of how God uses ordinary faithful people to do God’s work in the world and to share God’s love and God’s story. And that is still true today.

Sometimes, like with Saul, the call story is dramatic. He is blinded and scales fall from his eyes when Ananias prays for him. Or like Peter, who is “re-called” by Jesus, and reassured that despite his denying Jesus, Jesus has not denied him.

But for many of us, our call to living as a Christian, as a baptized child of God is not as dramatic as Peter’s or Paul’s. And yet, your call to be a follower is no less a call from God. For all who are baptized in Christ are called to follow Jesus all the days of our lives. And, all of you who have brought your children for baptism, and all of you who have been sponsors or Godparents and all those who have been present in the congregation for a baptism, have vowed before God, to nurture, to support, and pray for the baptized children of God. It is our calling to teach and to share God’s word and God’s love with others. This is what God calls us to do.

Can you recall people in your life who have supported you in your faith? Can you recall times in which you have supported others in their faith? My grandmother was my babysitter when I was young and she loved to read Bible stories to me. Mrs. Olson, my Kindergarten Sunday School teacher, always encouraged me. Don, my Confirmation mentor, challenged me to read the prophets with an ear for the truth and the Good News. When a huge storm flattened his wheat crop, my father taught me the importance of trusting in God despite the evidence. My mother was an inspiration. And that is just the beginning of the people who have nurtured me. I’m guessing and hoping that you too have had people in your life who have encouraged you to listen to God’s word, to trust in the Holy Spirit and not to be afraid.

I also know that many of you have been encouragers of my faith – and I hope and pray that I have been an encourager of yours. For that is what we do in Christian community – we encourage one another to listen for the Word of God and will of God in our lives and then strive to follow where God leads. 

This week when I visited with David Bjorkquist in the hospital, he told me stories of people who had encouraged him in his faith over the last couple of years. He told about having coffee with his Catholic neighbor and puzzling together about issues of faith. And then he mentioned the scores of people who wrote on his caring bridge site and the cards he received and the encouragement – especially from a person from our congregation who visited him faithfully when he was in a care center– until the pandemic hit and he no longer could do so. David was also thankful for your prayers now as he is back in the hospital – and he is praying for you.

Another person who I visited recently told me of the encouragement she received from the phone calls and cards and worship materials that she received during the pandemic. Another told me of the strength that she felt, knowing that she was being lifted up by prayer.

These may seem like little actions. But each action, each prayer, makes a difference. Each action, each prayer knits together the community of faith that we share. Each telling of God’s story spreads and deepens the faith of another. It is our job to plant the seeds of faith, to nurture and to pray for one another.

We are called to share God’s Good News in a variety of ways and, like Ananias, we are called to follow where God’s Holy spirit leads us. However, not every action that we take in the name of Christ, and not every prayer we pray or every word we share brings about a transformation in another like the one that occurred with Saul. For while it is our calling to follow Jesus and to plant seeds of faith, God is the one who makes them grow.

After taking in the formerly powerful Erich and Margot Honecker, Pastor Holmer and his wife did their best to help their lodgers reflect critically on their situation, hoping to help them see the harm that they had caused and the alternative of living a life of faith. But after ten long weeks of caring for an ailing Erich, while protests were going on outside their doors from neighbors who wanted revenge and justice, the Honeckers were exiled to Chili because Erich was too sick to stand trial. Neither of the Honeckers were repentant and they never became Christians. Scales never fell from their eyes. So was Pastor Holmer’s act of courage a failure?

Looking back, retired pastor Holmer has no regrets. He remembers Erich Honecker as a sick man and quotes Martin Luther who said, “When my enemy is ill, he is no longer my enemy.”2  And then Holmer said, “On Sundays we pray to ‘forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who have sinned against us…’ Did we really want to pray that and not live it?”3

The Holy Spirit was still working – just not in the way that he had first hoped. The Holy Spirit did not magically transform the Honeckers but instead, it helped a pastor to forgive the harm that Erich and Margot Honecker had done – not to all of East Germany – but the harm that was done to him and to his family.

Brothers and sisters, friends in Christ, we cannot know how the Holy Spirit is working – but are called to trust that God is at work, in us and through us. And that by God’s grace – and not our power – Christ will redeem the whole world. Thanks be to God. Amen.