We've been reading and discussing the book Amish Grace in our adult Sunday school class. Amish Grace tells the story of a horrific incident in an Amish community in Pennsylvania and the response of the people there. In 2005 a non-Amish neighbor entered an Amish schoolhouse, released the boys and the adults and shot 10 girls, killing five, before killing himself. The murders shocked people across the nation. Before nightfall, however, several Amish people went to the home of the gunman's family offering them comfort and assuring them they held no grudges. Other Amish went to see the gunman's parents, expressing their sympathies and telling them all was forgiven. Word soon got out that the Amish had forgiven the gunman and everyone associated with him.
Many non-Amish people found this hard to understand. In our Sunday school class we, too, have struggled with their reaction of immediate forgiveness. Where was the anger, we have wondered; where was the outrage at such a heinous, unprovoked act? Was it right for them to forgive a person who had not repented? Can anyone living forgive someone for murder or does that right belong to the murdered alone? Some in the media and in our classroom questioned whether such quick forgiveness could be authentic. All of us have admitted we doubt we could have done the same.
The Amish were, in turn, surprised that the rest of the nation was surprised by their automatic response of forgiveness. In reply to queries they explained that forgiveness was a habit in their society, that forgiveness lay at the heart of Christian faith, and that children were taught from an early age to forgive. They never thought of doing anything else - which did not mean forgiveness was easy for them, but that it was not optional.
My husband and I had a group of church folks over to watch the Super Bowl - and, of course, the new commercials. The game was great, but we agreed that the commercials (other than Darth Vader) were a bit disappointing. It seemed every other one was for an upcoming movie and depicted cars racing down cities streets, things exploding, and tough looking men saying stuff like "this is how you get it done." Those commercials made quite a juxtaposition to our morning discussion of the Amish and their lifestyle - not engaging in society, no electricity, rejecting all violence.
No wonder we have a difficult time understanding why and how the Amish could so quickly forgive a murderer. The landscape of their lifestyle and that of ours are completely different. I don't mean to suggest that Amish life is utopia - I can't imagine it is. But neither are they bombarded with images of aliens invading the earth and necessitating a violent uprising from earthlings. They are not inundated with advertisements, movies, songs, and televisions shows which suggest the proper response to insult and injury is to destroy your adversary. They don't inhabit the same "culture of redemptive violence" that we do (term borrowed from Walter Wink). Forgiveness is foreign to the images of retaliation, trash talk and big guns that we encounter daily in our world.
What would our society be like if we took forgiveness as seriously as do the Amish? The world would not be perfect, nor would we be perfect. We would still find forgiveness hard to do and sometimes we would fail in our attempt. But I wonder if our neighborhoods, our homes, our nation might be less violent, less angry, less polarized if we did a better job of practicing what we preach regarding forgiveness.
"How many times must I forgive a person?" asked Peter, "as many as seven times?" "Not seven times," answered Jesus, "but seventy times seven." Until we lose count - that's how often we're expected to forgive. Are we up to the challenge? Might we try?
Still practicing and hoping to make it a habit,
Pastor Kris
Monday, February 7, 2011
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Heroes
Most people have heroes. Kids idolize popular singers and athletes, adults look up to people who excelled in their field or made a difference for good in world affairs. Heroes are important - they model ways for us to live, they inspire us with their achievements, they spur us to dream big and believe we can soar. Heroes show us that the world can become a better place through our actions and words, by the way we live our lives.
There are a few notable Christians who have become great heroes in our society. More often, heroes of today are people with incredible talent - in sports, in music, as actors. But every now and then a person will become beloved in the public's eye because of the way he or she has lived out the Christian faith. Mother Teresa was certainly one of those rare Christian heroes; people were drawn to her selfless giving and care for the poor and the sick. Another Christian hero, one of my own heroes in fact, is Martin Luther King, junior. Dr. King, however, was not always viewed in a positive light. During his lifetime, many people questioned his actions, his motives; many people were afraid of him and the change he represented.
For me, Dr. King is a hero, not only because he and his associates accomplished so much good in our society, but because of his commitment to follow Jesus regardless of the cost. In Luke 9, verses 23-24, Jesus tells his disciples: "If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will save it." Who lives by those words? To a large extent we have tamed the cross, made of it an ornament to hang on our walls or around our necks. A pretty cross suits us so much better than the idea of "losing our life" for Jesus' sake. We embrace decorative crosses, but bearing Jesus' cross and risking our lives... few of us are willing to do that.
Dr. King was willing to lose his life for Jesus' sake, to risk everything in faithfulness to God's Word and God's ways. He spoke a truth that many people did not want to hear; he responded with love to those who sought to harm him and silence him. He did not meet violence with more violence, but instead prayed for his adversaries. He taught others how to follow Jesus' command that we love our enemies. His actions show that he loved God more than he loved his own safety. I have always meant to live like that, but I have fallen short. Even so, Dr. King remains an inspiration to me, reminding me of what is possible.
Addressing this very subject, Dr. King wrote: "...we are gravely mistaken to think that Christianity protects us from the pain and agony of mortal existence. Christianity has always insisted that the cross we bear precedes the crown we wear. To be a Christian, one must take up his cross, with all of its difficulties and agonizing and tragedy-packed content, and carry it until that very cross leaves its mark upon us and redeems us to that more excellent way which comes only through suffering." (Martin Luther King, junior, Strength to Love, Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1963, p. 24-25)
If we are truly to love others, including those who hate us, we will encounter suffering. It is hard to accept suffering willingly, even for the sake of Jesus, our Lord. But it can be done. We have seen that - in Mother Teresa, in Martin Luther King junior. We can love Jesus and love our neighbor more than we love our own life and in doing so, glorify God.
May God embolden us in this day and time to live like our Christian heroes, to be willing to love others even when it hurts us, to put aside our own desires so we can embody the love and truth of Jesus. It could just be that, through us together, God will change the world for the better.
In God's peace... and justice.
Pastor Kris
There are a few notable Christians who have become great heroes in our society. More often, heroes of today are people with incredible talent - in sports, in music, as actors. But every now and then a person will become beloved in the public's eye because of the way he or she has lived out the Christian faith. Mother Teresa was certainly one of those rare Christian heroes; people were drawn to her selfless giving and care for the poor and the sick. Another Christian hero, one of my own heroes in fact, is Martin Luther King, junior. Dr. King, however, was not always viewed in a positive light. During his lifetime, many people questioned his actions, his motives; many people were afraid of him and the change he represented.
For me, Dr. King is a hero, not only because he and his associates accomplished so much good in our society, but because of his commitment to follow Jesus regardless of the cost. In Luke 9, verses 23-24, Jesus tells his disciples: "If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will save it." Who lives by those words? To a large extent we have tamed the cross, made of it an ornament to hang on our walls or around our necks. A pretty cross suits us so much better than the idea of "losing our life" for Jesus' sake. We embrace decorative crosses, but bearing Jesus' cross and risking our lives... few of us are willing to do that.
Dr. King was willing to lose his life for Jesus' sake, to risk everything in faithfulness to God's Word and God's ways. He spoke a truth that many people did not want to hear; he responded with love to those who sought to harm him and silence him. He did not meet violence with more violence, but instead prayed for his adversaries. He taught others how to follow Jesus' command that we love our enemies. His actions show that he loved God more than he loved his own safety. I have always meant to live like that, but I have fallen short. Even so, Dr. King remains an inspiration to me, reminding me of what is possible.
Addressing this very subject, Dr. King wrote: "...we are gravely mistaken to think that Christianity protects us from the pain and agony of mortal existence. Christianity has always insisted that the cross we bear precedes the crown we wear. To be a Christian, one must take up his cross, with all of its difficulties and agonizing and tragedy-packed content, and carry it until that very cross leaves its mark upon us and redeems us to that more excellent way which comes only through suffering." (Martin Luther King, junior, Strength to Love, Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1963, p. 24-25)
If we are truly to love others, including those who hate us, we will encounter suffering. It is hard to accept suffering willingly, even for the sake of Jesus, our Lord. But it can be done. We have seen that - in Mother Teresa, in Martin Luther King junior. We can love Jesus and love our neighbor more than we love our own life and in doing so, glorify God.
May God embolden us in this day and time to live like our Christian heroes, to be willing to love others even when it hurts us, to put aside our own desires so we can embody the love and truth of Jesus. It could just be that, through us together, God will change the world for the better.
In God's peace... and justice.
Pastor Kris
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
The River
Along the sides of the nave at Shepherd King - the area of the church where the people sit - are some beautiful stained glass windows. They are simple representations of Christian symbols in deep, rich colors. One depicts a manger, another the triumphant Lamb of God, and one shows a drop of water falling from a shell. Up front the baptismal font sits by the altar with the Paschal Candle beside it. Together they remind us that we have received everlasting life from Jesus, to whom we were forever joined in baptism.
Turn on the faucet and it comes out - clean, flowing water. You can get it cold or hot or in between. How many times a day do you use water - to bathe, to wash a piece of fruit, to drink? If the water is cut off for any reason we cannot remember NOT to turn the faucet on for 'this' or 'that' - to rinse out a cup, to splash our faces, to make the coffee. Most of us have spent all our lives trusting that water is as close as the nearest spigot.
They say that ancient peoples were often fearful of the ocean - such a huge expanse of water represented chaos and death for them. Without ocean-liners, submarines, or modern ships people in antiquity had little means for traveling across large bodies of water. A boat or a wooden ship would get them from one place to another, as long as the weather cooperated. But a storm could mean shipwreak and death. No wonder they thought of the ocean as mysterious and dangerous.
In the last couple of years many of the majestic old live oak trees in this area have been dying. That is due, in part, to the drought that gripped the region for several years. Some trees died outright from a lack of water. Others were weakened by the drought making them susceptible to disease. This Christmas as people in California were swamped by more rain than the earth and many communities could handle, we were yearning for a thundercloud to bring us precipitation. The midwest and northeast - as well as parts of the southeast - got buried under snow and still we were thirsty for moisture here in central and south Texas.
Water is a sign of life. We can't live without it, but we can't handle too much of it either. The human body is made up largely of water. A person can live much longer without food than without fresh water. We are attracted to water - in pools and lakes, for gardening and bathing - and we are cautious of water when heavy rains come or the water is deep and unknown.
This Sunday Jesus gets in the water with us. The Son of God lowers himself into the muddy waters of the Jordan River to be baptized. Why does he do this? He does not need to repent or be symbolically washed clean; Jesus is as clean morally and spiritually as a person can be. But we are not. We need baptism to wash off our self-righteousness, our envy of others, our mean-spiritedness. And Jesus has come to be with us, fully with us, so he too gets in the water - where we are - to undergo what we need and get to know us from the inside.
Come to the water of life this Sunday. Your Savior will be waiting down by the river to stand with you in life and in death, and to bring you into glory.
Pastor Kris
Turn on the faucet and it comes out - clean, flowing water. You can get it cold or hot or in between. How many times a day do you use water - to bathe, to wash a piece of fruit, to drink? If the water is cut off for any reason we cannot remember NOT to turn the faucet on for 'this' or 'that' - to rinse out a cup, to splash our faces, to make the coffee. Most of us have spent all our lives trusting that water is as close as the nearest spigot.
They say that ancient peoples were often fearful of the ocean - such a huge expanse of water represented chaos and death for them. Without ocean-liners, submarines, or modern ships people in antiquity had little means for traveling across large bodies of water. A boat or a wooden ship would get them from one place to another, as long as the weather cooperated. But a storm could mean shipwreak and death. No wonder they thought of the ocean as mysterious and dangerous.
In the last couple of years many of the majestic old live oak trees in this area have been dying. That is due, in part, to the drought that gripped the region for several years. Some trees died outright from a lack of water. Others were weakened by the drought making them susceptible to disease. This Christmas as people in California were swamped by more rain than the earth and many communities could handle, we were yearning for a thundercloud to bring us precipitation. The midwest and northeast - as well as parts of the southeast - got buried under snow and still we were thirsty for moisture here in central and south Texas.
Water is a sign of life. We can't live without it, but we can't handle too much of it either. The human body is made up largely of water. A person can live much longer without food than without fresh water. We are attracted to water - in pools and lakes, for gardening and bathing - and we are cautious of water when heavy rains come or the water is deep and unknown.
This Sunday Jesus gets in the water with us. The Son of God lowers himself into the muddy waters of the Jordan River to be baptized. Why does he do this? He does not need to repent or be symbolically washed clean; Jesus is as clean morally and spiritually as a person can be. But we are not. We need baptism to wash off our self-righteousness, our envy of others, our mean-spiritedness. And Jesus has come to be with us, fully with us, so he too gets in the water - where we are - to undergo what we need and get to know us from the inside.
Come to the water of life this Sunday. Your Savior will be waiting down by the river to stand with you in life and in death, and to bring you into glory.
Pastor Kris
Monday, December 20, 2010
Gifts
Christmas has changed over the years as our nation and its people have changed. We have become a much more prosperous nation in the last 50 years or so. These days we expect to have and do things that would have been luxuries back then - things like having a 32 inch, flat screen TV (or larger), eating out several times a week, owning enough clothes to over-run a good sized closet.
Long ago most children received only a stocking with things like a new pair of socks, a couple oranges and some candy at Christmas. When I was young we often got clothes for Christmas in addition to a few toys. The clothes were as exciting as the toys because we only received new clothes a few times a year -- Christmas, birthday, and back to school. Otherwise we kept wearing what we already had. But things have changed. Most of us buy new clothes when we need them (or want them). Most children already own lots of toys and games making it hard for parents and grandparents to find their kids that special gift at Christmas. We have plenty to eat all year round so nobody today wants to receive an orange and a few hard candies for the holidays.
What are the best gifts? For some families this year the best gift will be having a son or a daughter home on leave from the military. For others a great holiday would be having a clean bill of health. Two families in our community were able to move into an apartment in recent weeks - for them, having a home makes this Christmas special.
When we read the story in Luke 2 of Jesus' birth we remember that our Savior was born in a stable. His people were among those who worked every day to put food on the table; they had no luxuries. What toys he had as a child were probably made from scraps of wood by his father. Matthew's gospel tells us that shortly after Jesus was born the family had to flee to Egypt for safety. During his early years, then, Jesus and his family were refugees. At Christmas we celebrate Jesus' birth. What gifts are appropriate for us to exchange in honor of this baby?
Each Christmas my parents give a donation to charity in my honor. That is one of my favorite gifts; it doesn't fill up my closet or demand space on a wall and I feel great that someone's needs are being met. Here at Shepherd King we've been gathering furnishings for those two families who've just gotten an apartment - sheets, dishes, pillows, towels, mattresses. This kind of contribution can be made in someone's name as a "gift." Do you know someone who lost a loved one this year - a spouse or a child or a parent? Spending time with that person over the holidays would be a great gift to them and to yourself. Our quilters here at Shepherd King sold enough quilts this year to buy a cow, a sheep, several flocks of chickens and a goat for people in developing countries through ELCA good gifts. Wow - what a fantastic gift to give in honor of Jesus' birth!
The best gifts I have this year are a home in San Antonio with my husband and close proximity to my parents and siblings in Austin; I'll be able to spend Christmas with them and my nieces and nephews this year. The favorite gift I gave this year was to go Christmas caroling with people from the congregation last night to some of our elderly members who are confined to home. The singing is our gift to them; their smiles and kind words are a gift to us.
May you also give and receive some of these 'greater gifts' this year. After all, God started this tradition of gift-giving by sending God's Son who brought us peace, joy, love, hope and life.
Merry Christmas,
Pastor Kris
Long ago most children received only a stocking with things like a new pair of socks, a couple oranges and some candy at Christmas. When I was young we often got clothes for Christmas in addition to a few toys. The clothes were as exciting as the toys because we only received new clothes a few times a year -- Christmas, birthday, and back to school. Otherwise we kept wearing what we already had. But things have changed. Most of us buy new clothes when we need them (or want them). Most children already own lots of toys and games making it hard for parents and grandparents to find their kids that special gift at Christmas. We have plenty to eat all year round so nobody today wants to receive an orange and a few hard candies for the holidays.
What are the best gifts? For some families this year the best gift will be having a son or a daughter home on leave from the military. For others a great holiday would be having a clean bill of health. Two families in our community were able to move into an apartment in recent weeks - for them, having a home makes this Christmas special.
When we read the story in Luke 2 of Jesus' birth we remember that our Savior was born in a stable. His people were among those who worked every day to put food on the table; they had no luxuries. What toys he had as a child were probably made from scraps of wood by his father. Matthew's gospel tells us that shortly after Jesus was born the family had to flee to Egypt for safety. During his early years, then, Jesus and his family were refugees. At Christmas we celebrate Jesus' birth. What gifts are appropriate for us to exchange in honor of this baby?
Each Christmas my parents give a donation to charity in my honor. That is one of my favorite gifts; it doesn't fill up my closet or demand space on a wall and I feel great that someone's needs are being met. Here at Shepherd King we've been gathering furnishings for those two families who've just gotten an apartment - sheets, dishes, pillows, towels, mattresses. This kind of contribution can be made in someone's name as a "gift." Do you know someone who lost a loved one this year - a spouse or a child or a parent? Spending time with that person over the holidays would be a great gift to them and to yourself. Our quilters here at Shepherd King sold enough quilts this year to buy a cow, a sheep, several flocks of chickens and a goat for people in developing countries through ELCA good gifts. Wow - what a fantastic gift to give in honor of Jesus' birth!
The best gifts I have this year are a home in San Antonio with my husband and close proximity to my parents and siblings in Austin; I'll be able to spend Christmas with them and my nieces and nephews this year. The favorite gift I gave this year was to go Christmas caroling with people from the congregation last night to some of our elderly members who are confined to home. The singing is our gift to them; their smiles and kind words are a gift to us.
May you also give and receive some of these 'greater gifts' this year. After all, God started this tradition of gift-giving by sending God's Son who brought us peace, joy, love, hope and life.
Merry Christmas,
Pastor Kris
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Great Day
Wow! Wow, oh wow! We had a terrific day this past Sunday. Wow! On December 12th Shepherd King celebrated its 50th anniversary and what a tremendous party we had!
First of all, everything looked beautiful. So many people came out to help clean inside and out, plant new flowers, decorate, and set up tables for the lunch that the whole place was radiant. White roses on the altar and on each of the tables only made things more glorious. There were picture albums placed on the long, conference table for people to see; a harpist accompanied our meal. It couldn't possibly have been better.
Bishop Ray Tieman of the Southwestern Texas synod was our guest preacher (and he gave a fine sermon). He also led a Sunday school forum talking about some of the wonderful ministries in the ELCA. The nave was full of people as the service began with the handbell choir playing Vivaldi's "Gloria". Then we baptized the grandson of the first child baptized at Shepherd King 50 years ago and Peyton, the little one, was adorable. A dozen or more children came forward for the children's sermon and Pastor Braulick's grandchildren knew all the answers (imagine that).
The catered lunch was delicious! People had ample time to visit with one another and then we moved back to the sanctuary for the program. Council President Shirley Kearns introduced charter members, former council presidents and former pastors. Then we watched a wonderful slide show DVD of pictures from the past (thanks, Stephanie) which had people "ooo-ing," "ahhh-ing," and laughing. Pastor Huth, Shepherd King's founding pastor, spoke first sharing memories of the early days and provoking us to laughter many times. Then Pastor Braulick spoke, Pastor Kerns, and Pastor Jus. We sang hymns and heard stories of the good old days. Even when everything was over people lingered as though they couldn't bear to leave.
My thanks to everyone who worked so hard to put together this lovely 50th Anniversary celebration for the congregation. As we reviewed Shepherd King's history we were reminded that God is so good. When Pastor Huth arrived here in 1960 there was nothing but grass and some scraggly trees. Shepherd King originally met in a community hall at North Star Mall (which the mall manager, a Roman Catholic, arranged for us to use free of charge). From that small beginning God established a strong and faithful community of people where the gospel has been proclaimed, children have been raised in the faith, God has been glorified in music and prayer, the hungry have been fed, the poor have been clothed, and we have seen the grace of Jesus Christ alive in the world. What a wonderful day! Praise God for this fine group of people and for the life God gives to us all.
Pastor Kris
First of all, everything looked beautiful. So many people came out to help clean inside and out, plant new flowers, decorate, and set up tables for the lunch that the whole place was radiant. White roses on the altar and on each of the tables only made things more glorious. There were picture albums placed on the long, conference table for people to see; a harpist accompanied our meal. It couldn't possibly have been better.
Bishop Ray Tieman of the Southwestern Texas synod was our guest preacher (and he gave a fine sermon). He also led a Sunday school forum talking about some of the wonderful ministries in the ELCA. The nave was full of people as the service began with the handbell choir playing Vivaldi's "Gloria". Then we baptized the grandson of the first child baptized at Shepherd King 50 years ago and Peyton, the little one, was adorable. A dozen or more children came forward for the children's sermon and Pastor Braulick's grandchildren knew all the answers (imagine that).
The catered lunch was delicious! People had ample time to visit with one another and then we moved back to the sanctuary for the program. Council President Shirley Kearns introduced charter members, former council presidents and former pastors. Then we watched a wonderful slide show DVD of pictures from the past (thanks, Stephanie) which had people "ooo-ing," "ahhh-ing," and laughing. Pastor Huth, Shepherd King's founding pastor, spoke first sharing memories of the early days and provoking us to laughter many times. Then Pastor Braulick spoke, Pastor Kerns, and Pastor Jus. We sang hymns and heard stories of the good old days. Even when everything was over people lingered as though they couldn't bear to leave.
My thanks to everyone who worked so hard to put together this lovely 50th Anniversary celebration for the congregation. As we reviewed Shepherd King's history we were reminded that God is so good. When Pastor Huth arrived here in 1960 there was nothing but grass and some scraggly trees. Shepherd King originally met in a community hall at North Star Mall (which the mall manager, a Roman Catholic, arranged for us to use free of charge). From that small beginning God established a strong and faithful community of people where the gospel has been proclaimed, children have been raised in the faith, God has been glorified in music and prayer, the hungry have been fed, the poor have been clothed, and we have seen the grace of Jesus Christ alive in the world. What a wonderful day! Praise God for this fine group of people and for the life God gives to us all.
Pastor Kris
Monday, December 6, 2010
Advent and Anniversary
"O Lord how shall I meet thee, how welcome thee aright?" the old Advent hymn asks. During these four weeks before Christmas, the Church focuses on preparation. The world around us focuses on preparation, too, but secular preparation is mostly buying things, decorating, planning and fixing meals, and hosting parties. In the Church we ponder how to prepare ourselves for God's coming to earth. We take stock of how we are living and recommit ourselves to loving our neighbors as ourselves. We examine our hearts hoping to root out selfishness, pride, greed, envy, anger and embody God's kindness and graciousness instead. Each year this is our Advent project, making ourselves ready for the arrival of Jesus.
This year at Shepherd King the season of Advent includes a special event: our 50th Anniversary as a congregation. On Sunday, December 12, we will rejoice in 50 years of worship, learning, and service. The bishop of our local synod will be preaching, we will have a baptism, and after worship there will be a catered dinner followed by a program. The program will include a slide show of memories from years past, recollections from previous pastors, and hymns to sing. Shepherd King has been planning this observance for several years and soon the day will finally be here.
Along with our Advent preparations, then, we have been preparing for our 50th anniversary celebration. Last year we completely renovated the kitchen; last week we purchased new chairs for the fellowship hall. A committee has organized a "cross wall" on which crosses donated by members will hang. Others have spent hours going through pictures, transferring them to computer and adding appropriate music. New banners have been created to express our joy in God's goodness. With "company" coming this Sunday, members have come out to clean and decorate. New flowers were bought and planted in the front garden; floors and surfaces were scrubbed and cleaned; the sanctuary and fellowship hall were decorated for Christmas. We have been busy, busy, busy getting ready for the big day.
In some ways the preparations for our Anniversary mirror our preparations for Jesus' arrival. There is an aspect of thoroughness in each, of making ourselves spotless and beautiful for the grand occasion. There is humility in each - scrubbing bathroom floors on our knees and searching within for our own failings. Both are full of excitement and anticipation as the time approaches. And in each case we prepare with hope - hope for another 50 years of involvement in the ministry of Jesus, hope for genuine peace and wellbeing with Jesus' arrival. Indeed, our daily lives with their various occupations and responsibilities are intertwined with the story of God coming to earth as a little child. Jesus comes here, where we live, in the middle of our busy distractions, bringing us new life and everlasting love.
"O come, O come, Emmanuel," we sing during Advent, "and ransom captive Israel, that mourns in lonely exile here until the Son of God appear." The time is near, the time to "rejoice, rejoice." The holy child is coming; let us prepare to receive our friend and savior.
This year at Shepherd King the season of Advent includes a special event: our 50th Anniversary as a congregation. On Sunday, December 12, we will rejoice in 50 years of worship, learning, and service. The bishop of our local synod will be preaching, we will have a baptism, and after worship there will be a catered dinner followed by a program. The program will include a slide show of memories from years past, recollections from previous pastors, and hymns to sing. Shepherd King has been planning this observance for several years and soon the day will finally be here.
Along with our Advent preparations, then, we have been preparing for our 50th anniversary celebration. Last year we completely renovated the kitchen; last week we purchased new chairs for the fellowship hall. A committee has organized a "cross wall" on which crosses donated by members will hang. Others have spent hours going through pictures, transferring them to computer and adding appropriate music. New banners have been created to express our joy in God's goodness. With "company" coming this Sunday, members have come out to clean and decorate. New flowers were bought and planted in the front garden; floors and surfaces were scrubbed and cleaned; the sanctuary and fellowship hall were decorated for Christmas. We have been busy, busy, busy getting ready for the big day.
In some ways the preparations for our Anniversary mirror our preparations for Jesus' arrival. There is an aspect of thoroughness in each, of making ourselves spotless and beautiful for the grand occasion. There is humility in each - scrubbing bathroom floors on our knees and searching within for our own failings. Both are full of excitement and anticipation as the time approaches. And in each case we prepare with hope - hope for another 50 years of involvement in the ministry of Jesus, hope for genuine peace and wellbeing with Jesus' arrival. Indeed, our daily lives with their various occupations and responsibilities are intertwined with the story of God coming to earth as a little child. Jesus comes here, where we live, in the middle of our busy distractions, bringing us new life and everlasting love.
"O come, O come, Emmanuel," we sing during Advent, "and ransom captive Israel, that mourns in lonely exile here until the Son of God appear." The time is near, the time to "rejoice, rejoice." The holy child is coming; let us prepare to receive our friend and savior.
Monday, November 29, 2010
Thanks and Pie
Thanksgiving has come and gone - I hope you had a wonderful holiday. We celebrated in grand style at Shepherd King with worship on Wednesday night, Thanksgiving eve. Last year I started a new tradition here. Members are asked to bring a pie (preferably freshly baked) to Thanksgiving Eve worship. After the service we gather in the fellowship fall to sample each other's pies and enjoy fellowship. There were some delicious pies this year - in addition to my own home made pecan pie there were several apple, several pumpkin, a wonderful buttermilk chess pie (still warm), a chocolate pie, and a cherry pie. What a way to kick off the Thanksgiving weekend - with a pie fest! (And mother always told you not to eat your dessert first - hah!)
Gratitude ends up being our final act of worship in the liturgical church year. The Sunday after Thanksgiving is usually the first Sunday in Advent, and Advent begins a new church year. As children we are taught to say "thank you" and "please." Good manners go a long way to creating harmony in society. It's okay if our "thank yous" are mostly a habit, a response we make without much thought. But because saying "thank you" is something of a reflex it's good to have a day set aside for giving more thoughtful thanks.
We have so much for which to be grateful. We are a mobile society, able to travel a great distance in a short time which allows us to visit family and loved ones for a day or a long weekend. We have ample ways to stay in touch with those who live far from us. Most of us have plenty to eat, safe and comfortable homes, friends, freedom to pursue goals that are important to us, work to do, and time to rest. The world itself is a marvel in its scientific makeup and in its beauty. What a privilege to live as part of this wondrous creation. Do we say "thank you" often enough to the God who has blessed us with life?
On Thanksgiving Eve the people in worship had opportunity to voice their specific thanks. A blank sheet of paper was included in the bulletin and worshippers were asked to write a brief prayer of personal thanksgiving. The prayers were collected with the offering and read at the altar as the evening's prayers of the people. Here is a sample of those prayers: "I'm thankful for Jesus, toys, mice, my kitty, pumpkins, family, teachers..." "I'm very thankful for God being with me at all times..." "for the peace of God in the midst of trials and tribulatons..." "for a healthy family..." "for the hours and days spent with my grandchildren..." "for our nation..." "for my best friend..." "for the people of this congregation." There is always more to say, but with these words we tried to express our deep and abiding gratitude to God.
Thanks be to God for Jesus who redeems us and for people who walk with us. Thanks be to God for a past full of memories and a future full of hope. Thanks be to God for love and kindness, for justice and truth, for light in the darkness. Thanks be to God!
Pastor Kris
Gratitude ends up being our final act of worship in the liturgical church year. The Sunday after Thanksgiving is usually the first Sunday in Advent, and Advent begins a new church year. As children we are taught to say "thank you" and "please." Good manners go a long way to creating harmony in society. It's okay if our "thank yous" are mostly a habit, a response we make without much thought. But because saying "thank you" is something of a reflex it's good to have a day set aside for giving more thoughtful thanks.
We have so much for which to be grateful. We are a mobile society, able to travel a great distance in a short time which allows us to visit family and loved ones for a day or a long weekend. We have ample ways to stay in touch with those who live far from us. Most of us have plenty to eat, safe and comfortable homes, friends, freedom to pursue goals that are important to us, work to do, and time to rest. The world itself is a marvel in its scientific makeup and in its beauty. What a privilege to live as part of this wondrous creation. Do we say "thank you" often enough to the God who has blessed us with life?
On Thanksgiving Eve the people in worship had opportunity to voice their specific thanks. A blank sheet of paper was included in the bulletin and worshippers were asked to write a brief prayer of personal thanksgiving. The prayers were collected with the offering and read at the altar as the evening's prayers of the people. Here is a sample of those prayers: "I'm thankful for Jesus, toys, mice, my kitty, pumpkins, family, teachers..." "I'm very thankful for God being with me at all times..." "for the peace of God in the midst of trials and tribulatons..." "for a healthy family..." "for the hours and days spent with my grandchildren..." "for our nation..." "for my best friend..." "for the people of this congregation." There is always more to say, but with these words we tried to express our deep and abiding gratitude to God.
Thanks be to God for Jesus who redeems us and for people who walk with us. Thanks be to God for a past full of memories and a future full of hope. Thanks be to God for love and kindness, for justice and truth, for light in the darkness. Thanks be to God!
Pastor Kris
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