R2 News from Seminary

Moving on - a new blog

2008-11-21T21:34:00.003-05:00

Since we are no longer seminary students, we have decided that the blog needs a new name and theme. Come visit us at our new blog - http://r2ministrynotes.blogspot.com/

We hope to continue our blogging, but with an emphasis on ministry rather than the journey through seminary. Come join us!!!

More Ordination Photos

2008-11-02T20:36:00.005-05:00

We are finally getting around to sorting and printing some of the ordination photos. Here are a couple that we particularly like.

This one is where one of us is actually being ordained. There are several pastors here, all involved in the laying on of hands. Some were from close by; some were from far off; some had been our pastors; some had been our supervisors; some were bishops; others had only been ordained a few weeks longer than us. It was wonderful to have all of them there, as had others when they were ordained.

Here we are, fully ordained and having been announced by Bishop Bolick to the congregation.

We have now served a full two months, and are looking forward to many more.

A time of first

2008-10-28T16:58:00.005-04:00

We really have not forgotten about blogging, but we have been a little busy. We also cannot agree on a name for a new blog, so here is another post to this one.

Since our ordination, we have been doing a lot of things for the first time - first house we have bought in NC outside of Charlotte; led worship with communion for the first time; taken the confirmation class on a retreat for the first time; gone to our first homecoming at Becks; gone to First Call Theological Education for the first time; confirmed students for the first time; gone to our first BBQ festival; signed our names with the title Rev. for the first time; and many more that I can't even think of now.

If you haven't checked it out yet, Becks has a new website and there are several pictures of us posted there (along with many others, of course).

We have moved into our new house and much of our belongings are unpacked, but there are still several boxes to go - mostly in the office and garage. Smokey is settling in quite well and Sam, the neighbor's dog, has become a good playmate. Here is a picture of our new house.

That is all for now, but at least you know that we are still around and have not dropped off the face of the earth.

Ordination

2008-10-06T09:39:00.007-04:00

We are way behind in posting, or in deciding a direction for the blog, but here are some photos of our ordination. We were ordained September 3, 2008 by Bishop Leonard Bolick of the NC Synod, assisted by Bishop Herman Yoos of the SC Synod, who was also our preacher for the service. Thanks to the many of you who send cards and letters and emails, and especially to those who were able to attend. Your support has meant a lot over the last 4 years.

Ordination

2008-09-04T18:08:00.002-04:00

Well, it’s official. We are no longer seminarians, or even unemployed. We are now called and ordained ministers, pastors of Becks Lutheran Church in Lexington, NC. The worship service last night was an incredible experience. We aren’t entirely moved yet – that’s another story, which is a continuation of Ray’s last post. But for now, we have a temporary home near the church and are settling into life as pastors of this congregation.

While packing up things on my desk in Columbia, I came across a copy of the Final Exam for Ordained Ministry which one of our classmates brought to class during the last week or two of classes last spring. The author is unknown, so I can’t give credit where it is due.

I certainly am glad we didn’t actually have to take that exam, as it was two pages of questions like this: “2,500 riot crazed aborigines are storming the classroom. Calm them. You may use any language except Latin or Greek.”

Here’s another favorite: “Estimate the sociological problems which might accompany the end of the world. Construct an experiment to test your theory and then defend it.”

Finally, the extra credit question: “Define the universe. Describe your impact on it. Be specific and give three concrete examples.”

These would, of course, be impossible questions to answer. And I know that in the days ahead, we will be faced with questions and tasks and situations that would be impossible if we were left to our own devices.

That is why we give thanks for God’s presence with us on every step of this journey. We know that we have been called to a place which he has already prepared for us, a place where he is already at work among his people. And we know that we will never have to answer troubling or impossible questions like these without his guidance!

Update on the move

2008-08-27T23:10:00.002-04:00

You might think that being called as a pastor was the hard part and that moving would be the easy part, but you would be wrong - at least in our case. What has seemed to be a blessing for the past 4 years - owning a house a short walk from campus, is turning out to be a bit of a headache. With the downturn in the housing market, uncertainty in the economy, difficulties in the mortgage market, and everything else that seems to be going on, trying to move and buy a house while still owning a house is turning out to be difficult. Not impossible, but certainly not as smooth as we had hoped.

Today was appraisal day for our bridge loan. Our appraiser may be good at his job, but he spread enough doom and gloom about the current housing market to make one wonder if it is possible to sell a house at any price. We have not seen the appraisal yet, but he indicated that housing appraisals today are much lower than anyone expects. We'll just have to see.

On the other hand, we do have a place to stay, and we have begun moving things into the church office. Things will happen, we will still begin on September 1, but our move is postponed for a little while. In the meantime, we hope and pray that someone buys our house and/or that the appraisal is better than the dashed hopes the appraiser left us with.

In the meantime, Internet access is going to be limited to daytime working hours while we are in the office. Not that we have been posting very regularly lately anyway, but it may get worse before it gets better.

In the meantime, we are wondering about the future of the blog. We are soon to be ex-seminarians (sort of already are) as we will be ordained next week (we will post pictures!). What should the blogging future hold for us? A new blog more closely associated with the church? Individual blogs about ministry? If you have any ideas, let us know. We will be giving this some thought as well. While email is great, Facebook is fun, the blog is still our best way of letting you know what we are up to, as well as providing us an outlet for our thoughts.

We keep all in the path of Gustav in our prayers, and watch its path through the Gulf of Mexico. For all of our friends on the Gulf Coast, our prayers are with you. May God keep you safe.

More signs along the way...

2008-08-21T22:47:00.003-04:00

We have been on the road again this past week. From home to Taylorsville, NC where Ray preached and we attended a family reunion; then on to Lexington to move a few books into our new offices and continue house-hunting. Add in a quick side trip to Boone and we have seen lots of highways, back roads, and scenic byways this week.

More travels this week in North and South Carolina meant that we saw many more church signs! One of the first we saw was When things go wrong, don’t go with them.

Another sign that we noticed – just as we almost missed the turn we needed to take at a small crossroad in rural NC – If you are headed the wrong way, God allows U-turns.

I’ll include one more that we discussed for quite awhile after we saw it: God gives special grace when troubles we face. Like many of the signs we have seen, which I didn’t post here, this one presents a view of God and of the world that troubles me. Cute, it rhymes and all; but do we really believe that God will only dole out grace in metered doses just in time to cure specific problems – or do we believe that God has ALREADY given us all that we need and more?

Sorry, but the voice of our ethics professor still rings in my head on this subject. This sign is yet another symptom of a prevailing theology of scarcity in our culture rather than a theology of abundance. We typically want to hoard and guard all that we think we possess, rather than trusting in God’s providence and plan for all of creation and sharing generously with each other.

Seeing this sign makes we wonder all over again how I/we can reach people where they are and help them recognize and experience God’s abundant mercy and amazing grace.

Sewing, Babies, and Looking Ahead

2008-08-14T19:53:00.003-04:00

Some of my activities lately have brought back memories.

I’ve been doing some sewing recently, even though I hadn’t touched my sewing machine during the past four years at seminary. (Except, of course, to move it from place to place to place!) I’m sewing the crinoline which our daughter will wear under her wedding dress in just a few short weeks. This crinoline is a bouffant creation made of about 20 yards of taffeta and nylon netting. As I worked on it, I was both saddened and relieved that I hadn’t volunteered to create the actual wedding dress. But that would probably have been too stressful this summer amidst everything else that is going on - and a serious strain on my rusty sewing skills!

I couldn’t help but remember other sewing projects for her in years past: numerous costumes, a red flowered dress with lace trim, a navy plaid wool jumper, and a pink gingham sundress, among others. But the project I remember most comes from a summer long past, when between tending a new baby and her three year old brother, I was sewing white eyelet lace into her baptismal gown and matching bonnet.

I’ve also had the great joy this summer of spending time with our twin grandsons and their big sister. I must admit, I’ve never felt quite so outnumbered as when I’ve spent several hours alone with the twins! At 8 weeks old, they still stay where you put them, but they are certainly able to let you know if they aren’t happy about it. They are also starting to be much more alert – recognizing voices and smiling at those who love and care for them. I treasure this time with them, and it also reminds me of days long past, when their daddy and his sister were tiny. I felt just as helpless when they cried as I do now when these two do.

It’s hard to believe that so much time has passed! And yet we have come full circle from eyelet to netting; from babies to grandbabies. God has brought many changes into our lives, yet he remains a constant presence! People often ask us why we are entering ministry now, at this stage in our lives. All I can say is that God had other plans for us until now. We had children to raise; places to see; people to meet; and many, many things to do.

Now he has called us into another part of our journey, where I firmly believe there are plenty more things to be done. We look forward to our ministry with God's children in a new place!

Tires

2008-08-11T15:32:00.004-04:00

You ever have one of those stories that you can't quite tell, but also can't keep it to yourself? In our experience, these are usually "God stories;" times and places where the unexpected and too good to be true intersect. This is one of those stories.

Sunday was a pretty typical summer Sunday for us. One of us (occasionally both) have been preaching somewhere in North Carolina, South Carolina, or Georgia on any given weekend this summer. This Sunday, we were headed south - to Georgia. We had been there several times, sometimes together, a couple of times only one of us as the other preached at another church, so we were familiar with the drive.

We were running just a few minutes behind as we left the house, but we usually had a 15 minute cushion build into our schedule anyway. With high gas prices, we had been leaving a little bit early and driving about 65 mph instead of 72 mph. Even with leaving a few minutes late, we had plenty of time. As we headed around Columbia, traffic was light (as it usually is early on Sunday morning) and we were making good time. As we neared Orangeburg, the usual road noise of the front left tire changed slightly, and the car began pulling a little bit to the left.

We pulled off to the side of the read and saw that the tire seemed to be a little low. I pulled the emergency kit out of the back of the car and used the air compressor to pump the tire back up. Not that 12 volt compressors are very efficient, but in a few minutes the tire looked more normal and I was pretty sure we could get to the next gas station to finish filling it up. Wrong!

We drove about 2 miles down the road, and suddenly it sounded like we were driving on a gravel road - with the rocks bouncing up and hitting the floorboards of the car. What we were actually hearing was the tire disintegrating. Bits of rubber were coming off of the inside sidewall and flying everywhere. Very quickly, the tire went completely flat and starting flapping - just as I was pulling off onto the shoulder - again.

Needless to say, I was not dressed to change a tire. We have AAA, but we also did not have much spare time (not if we wanted to get the preacher to church on time). Fortunately, I did not have on my good suit - I had opted for something a little less formal because of the 90+ degree days we have been having. I took off my clerical shirt, laid a blanket that we carry out beside the front left tire, and starting looking for the necessary tools to change the tire.

I had never changed the tire on a PT Cruiser before, so it took me a couple of minutes to remember that the spare tire I was looking for was underneath the car. Then, it took a couple more minutes to figure out the mechanism that lowered and released the spare. Then came the fun job of breaking the lug nuts loose (with the factory supplied tire tool), removing the tire, installing the spare, and then tightening up the lug nuts so we could drive again. All during this, traffic was blowing by at 70+ mph and no one seemed to care how close they were to the shoulder, how fast they were going, or if there was any danger to the guy trying to change a tire on the side of the road.

I am a little out of practice at changing tires and probably won't have a NASCAR pit crew coming to recruit me any time soon, but I did get the tire changed in about 20 minutes. By the time I had everything back in the trunk, I was not happy with my fellow travelers - all those people who had passed by, not stopped to see if we needed help, or even moved over a line to give us some safe space. No police cars came by, no emergency road help, nobody. I changed the tire and was just glad that it had gone flat while we were both in the car, rather than when one of us was traveling alone.

Finally, back on the road, we arrived just as the organist was beginning the prelude. Since Ruth Ann was preaching, she went to get ready and I went to sit in the first row. All during the service, I alternated between being thankful that the mini-spare got us the rest of the way, wondering where I could get a new tire on Sunday afternoon, and being a bit miffed at all of the uncaring people who had zoomed past us while I was changing the tire.

At the end of the service, one of the couples we have gotten to know came up and said that Charlie would find us a place to get a tire and would take us out for lunch while it was being installed. Charlie and his wife led us to the nearest Wal-Mart (where else do you get a tire on Sunday?) and then took us to lunch. After an enjoyable lunch, we came back to Wal-Mart to find out that the tire they thought they had was defective and that our car was sitting right where we left it - still with the mini-spare on it. Turns out they needed to ask me a question, but that they had not called my cell phone. After a few frustrating minutes of clearing up the fact that I needed and wanted a tire, and whatever they had would work (no - I did not care what the tread pattern looked like), they finally got a tire and started the installation process (again).

All this time, Charlie and his wife insisted on waiting with us, and kept chatting with us about kids, grandkids, and various other things. Finally, we saw them drive our car out of the garage and bring the keys in. Charlie walked with me to the cash register to make sure our car was ready. Once we were assured that it was, and told how much, Charlie whips out his credit card to pay for our new tire. No amount of arguing from me was going to work, so I finally settled for saying "Thank You!"

We then headed for home - with full stomachs and a new tire - all paid for by our new friend, Charlie. And those thoughts about all those drivers who ignored our early morning troubles? Gone - replaced by the generosity of someone who just could not stand to see us have to pay for a new tire because we came to preach for his church that day.

We praise God for people like Charlie, and for those "God moments." And again to Charlie - we say "Thanks!"

Signs Along the Way

2008-08-08T21:15:00.005-04:00

We often notice church signs as we drive along. You know the kind with a big space for a temporary message to be added? We’ve been travelling quite a bit on two lane highways and back roads the last few weeks - we’ve been in four states to supply preach, visit family, attend the ordination of friends, continue the call process, and now to prepare to move – and much of that travel has not been by interstate. But there have been lots of churches along the way with these signs.

Sometimes, the messages on these signs make us smile; sometimes they make us think; sometimes the theology is troubling; often they become the topic of our conversation as we drive along. We are actually relieved that Becks Lutheran doesn’t have one of these signs, so we won’t become responsible for creating appropriate messages for one of those signs any time soon.

Some of our favorites recently include: You can’t alter your past but you can take your past to the altar and Even a fish can stay out of trouble if it keeps its mouth closed. Of course a perpetual favorite – which seems especially encouraging at this point in our journey is God won’t lead you anywhere he won’t keep you.

But I must admit, the one that caused us smiles and laughter as well as some more serious thought and conversation this week was one that read: Sign Broken – Message Inside. Clearly the sign wasn’t really broken, as the lettering was visible. But it did beckon to everyone that read it to come inside and hear the word of God proclaimed.

The signs are all there to get our attention, of course, but shouldn't they also invite us inside to hear the Good News? Could we expect any more from a message on a sign outside a church?

What’s your favorite sign message?

Ordination Announcement

2008-08-03T22:32:00.003-04:00

For all of you who have faithfully followed this four year journey, and for those who have joined in along the way, we have news to report. We have been called! We have been in discussion with Becks Lutheran Church in Lexington, NC since spring, and one week ago today, the congregation of Becks voted to call both of us as their new pastors.

Throughout this journey, you have prayed for us, encouraged us, supported us, and in every way possible, helped us through seminary, moving (multiple times), and in celebrating along the way. We now offer you the opportunity to celebrate with us once again. On September 3, we will be ordained as pastors of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (www.elca.org) and installed at Becks Lutheran Church (www.beckslutheranchurch.org).

With the counsel of the Holy Spirit,
and in joy and thanksgiving,
the North Carolina Synod of the
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
invites you to a
Service of Holy Communion
with the Rites of Ordination and Installation.
By the grace of God

and with the consent of God’s people,
Kenneth Raymond Sipe
and
Ruth Ann Sipe
will be ordained into the
Ministry of Word and Sacrament
in Christ’s holy catholic and apostolic Church
on
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
at
seven o’clock in the evening
at
Becks Lutheran Church
441 Becks Church Road
Lexington, North Carolina 27292
Your prayers and presence are requested.
Rostered leaders are invited to process;

the liturgical color is red.
A reception will follow the service.

Come and Eat!

2008-08-03T19:29:00.001-04:00

Sunday, August 3, 2008
Lectionary 18 / Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost

Isaiah 55:1-5
Psalm 145:8-9, 14-21 (Ps. 145:16)
Romans 9:1-5
Matthew 14:13-21

Sermon:
Come and eat! It’s free! How often do you hear that? Free food and drink? This is something that is almost unheard of in our society. There is plenty of food and drink, but there are also plenty of people who are trying to make money off of our need for food and drink. For the owners of restaurants or grocery stores, our need for food is their livelihood. We even pay for bottled water – which we can get out of the tap for almost free.

No – the offer of free food and drink in the Isaiah text is not something that we would expect to come across today. There is no free lunch, as the saying goes. In the business world, you pretty much know that when you are invited for a “free meal,” there are strings attached – something to buy and a sales pitch for desert. Even in some homeless shelters, the “free meal” is tied to certain rules – good behavior, attending Bible study or worship service, or giving up personal possessions, space, and sometimes – dignity. In our society today, there is rarely a “free lunch.”

Yet – God says – “come and eat; come and buy without money and without price.” Not only is this banquet free, but it cannot be bought. You cannot buy it – your money is no good - but you can have it. For those in our society that believe that anything is for sale – for the right price - this would come as a shock! You cannot buy this! But - - you can have it – for free – from your loving God.

God, through his prophet, offers – out of his abundant grace – food and drink – without cost. For the exiles that Isaiah is written for, this is like the manna sent from heaven to the Hebrews as they wandered in the wilderness after leaving Egypt. Israel is living in exile because they did not head God’s warning. Now, his prophets bring this offer – come – come and eat – come and eat without cost. God offers the gift of salvation to his chosen people – at no cost. They cannot buy it, they cannot work for it, and they cannot earn it. It is freely offered – to all.

This theme continues in our Gospel text. Jesus had just heard of the death of John the Baptist. On hearing this news, Jesus decided to get away for a little quiet time. Instead of finding a quiet place across the lake, he is faced with a crowd that has followed him from the towns. Jesus really just wants some time alone – a chance, maybe, to grieve for his cousin John. After all, John was there at the beginning of his ministry; John baptized Jesus! Hearing that John was dead had to painful - just as it would be to us to receive a phone call that a close friend - or a cousin that we had grown up with - had died. Jesus just wanted to be by himself; to grieve, to pray, and to rest. But that was not to be.

Here was this crowd – there were sick people among them, wanting to be healed. There were so many, all wanting to be near Jesus, to hear him speak, to be healed by his touch, to be comforted by his words. And Jesus had compassion on them. He healed and taught and comforted – even in the midst of his own sorrow. Instead of telling them to go away, he went among them and consoled them, touched them, offered whatever they needed.

Not only did Jesus heal, teach, and comfort them, he also fed them. Can you imagine 10,000 or so people showing up at your door and wanting dinner? That is what happened here. There were 5,000 men, plus women and children. It could have been closer to 20,000 people - we just don’t know, because they only report how many men were present. However many there were, they were all fed from a few loaves of bread and a couple of fish.

In our modern era, our society tends to believe in a theology of scarcity. We cannot imagine feeding 5,000 people; much less the 10,000 or more that were really there. We look at what we have, and think that we need more. We look at what is available, and are afraid there is not enough. We look at our cupboards and think we need more, so we rush out to the store to buy more. We look at our paycheck and think it is too small, so we fight our way up the ladder to a higher paid job where we can work longer hours and be more miserable – for the sake of a larger paycheck. We look at the oil situation and wonder how long it will last, but as long as we get ours, we don’t get too concerned. We believe that whoever has the most – and biggest – toys wins.

We live in a society where we are afraid to share what we have, out of fear of not having enough for ourselves. We do this when a homeless person knocks on our door looking for food. We do this when a panhandler on the street ask for some change. We do this when someone ask us at the gas station if we can help them buy enough gas to get to the next town. We do this in the grocery store when the person in front of us does not have enough money to buy the bread and milk they need for their family. We believe in scarcity – of money, of food, of time. Sharing is hard.

For many of us, just paying this months bills seems like enough of a challenge. Trying to pay someone else’s bills, or even part of it, just does not seem possible. Much less write a check to the church! We are afraid that if we give to someone else out of meager possessions or income, there won’t be enough left when we need it. If we have lunch for one, and someone else has nothing, we are afraid to share ours out of fear that we might go hungry.

But Jesus is giving us a very different message here. It is not about us – it is not about our grief, our desires, our hunger, what we think we need to make our lives better. It is not about scarcity. NO – it is about compassion; it is about doing for others – even when we are empty, and don’t feel that we have anything left to give. It is about abundance – the abundance that God provides to each one of us. Jesus completely disproves the theology of scarcity that motivates our society. He takes some bread and fish, he blesses them, he breaks them, and he gives them for all to eat. And all those people – however many there are – are filled. Not just fed – but filled! And – get this – there are leftovers!

Rather than listening to the disciples, who believed there could never be enough food out there in the middle of nowhere to feed this crowd, Jesus simply takes what they have, gives thanks, and feeds them. We, too, are like the disciples. We never think there is enough money, enough food, enough time. We spend our lives trying to overcome the fear that we might not have enough. And yet – God provides. God says, “come and eat – buy without money, without cost.” Jesus feeds the crowds with a few loaves of bread and a couple of fish. We come to the table, and we are fed with bread and wine – the body and blood of Christ. There is no shortage, there is no cost. Come – and eat – and be filled with the assurance that Christ died for your sins, and that you will be healed, and that you will be filled and sustained. We are fed; we are given in abundance; so that we too may be compassionate to others who are hungry, in need of healing, who need to be filled with the same love of God which has filled us. Come to the table and be filled. Come and partake of Gods abundant grace. Come – taste and see that the Lord is good.
Amen.

Contemplating the Kingdom of Heaven

2008-07-27T21:58:00.005-04:00

[Jesus] put before them another parable: "The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that someone took and sowed in his field; it is the smallest of all the seeds, but when it has grown it is the greatest of shrubs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches." He told them another parable: "The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed in with three measures of flour until all of it was leavened. The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which someone found and hid; then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls; on finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had and bought it. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was thrown into the sea and caught fish of every kind; when it was full, they drew it ashore, sat down, and put the good into baskets but threw out the bad. So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come out and separate the evil from the righteous and throw them into the furnace of fire, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Have you understood all this?" They answered, "Yes." And he said to them, "Therefore every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like the master of a household who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old." (Matthew 13:31-52 NRSV)

To understand the images in these parables almost requires that we think like first-century Israelites; that we know what they knew...

First the mustard seed and the ‘tree’ it produces: we shouldn’t be mislead by Jesus referring to the mustard plant as a tree – for it never grew to more than a shrub. An annual at that, which would wither and die at the end of the growing season. Those listening to Jesus might have been quite surprised that he would refer to a mustard plant as a tree. The importance of this image is not that a great tree like a mighty oak grew from this tiny seed, but the realization that the kingdom of heaven might not be any more obvious than a garden plant, yet the kingdom will come in God’s power and glory nevertheless!

Then the yeast – not the sanitized powder we know that comes from a packet purchased at the grocery store – but smelly, often moldy, fermenting left-over dough like a sourdough starter – this yeast was a symbol of corruption, something to be avoided by the Jews. Bread which was used in the temple at that time was unleavened – made without the corruption of such leaven. The woman in this text places her leaven in a large quantity of flour – as though she was planning to prepare bread for many, many people – yet the text does not say that she actually finished making that bread. Instead, the yeast is still at work to leaven the flour. In the same way, the kingdom is present now, hidden and working by unexpected and even scandalous means. It is recognized by only a few people, although it will be revealed to everyone in the future.

Both of these images tell something about the kingdom itself. The next two show us two very different ways of discovering it. The hidden treasure is found in a field – probably by someone plowing, intent on doing his regular work, who was not expecting anything special or unusual. He experienced great joy at finding this amazing treasure – and rushed off to do something about it, to claim it for himself.

In contrast, the pearl of great value is found by a merchant who has been searching long and hard for it. He knows what he is looking for, and yet he is still surprised when he finds it! But he too, is willing to give up everything else in order to buy this one pearl.

Isn’t it true that we know some people who are just living their lives, walking and working and not aware of anything missing in their lives? And they are joyfully amazed to discover God – as if he had not been there all along. We know other people who are clearly searching for something – for meaning and purpose, for love and a sense of belonging – who are equally surprised to discover that God is there for them, too. Whether we are surprised at our daily work or as a result of a search, these two images describe the response to the discovery of God! For neither the farmer plowing nor the merchant simply returns to their usual way of life after this tremendous discovery. Instead, they give up all that they have; change everything in their lives; in order to claim the treasure.

Jesus uses another image in this text - fish nets. These are often mentioned in the gospels – James and John were mending their nets when Jesus calls them to become disciples (Mark 1), Peter casts out his nets again when the risen Christ instructs him to and brings in a tremendous catch of fish (John 21). But this time, the parable says the net brings in fish of every kind. Only later are the bad ones sorted out from the good.

Jesus asked the disciples “Have you understood all this?” and they answered “Yes.” From the apostles, who often don’t seem to get it – there seems to be complete understanding on this subject! So do we get it?

I won’t claim to have complete understanding of the kingdom of God, but I do have a better understanding after spending time this week with this text (and a whole stack of commentaries!)
I have learned that the kingdom of heaven is revealed - in God’s own perfect time:

+ from the small and insignificant – like a mustard seed and the bush that grows from it;

+ from something regarded as unlikely or unclean – like the fermented leaven;

+ from the unexpected discovery – like the treasure found when we aren’t even looking;

+ from the hidden which has long been searched for – like the pearl of great value ;

+ from the nets full of every kind of fish – both good and evil; to be sorted later.

Tiny seeds, baking leaven, unlikely treasure, a single incredible pearl, fish nets full of fish…

Yes - we can understand this! We too are like the masters of a household who know where our treasure is. We can recall the stories of all that God has already done, marvel at what God is doing now, and trust in what God promises yet to do. You see, these images all point clearly to God's action in the world through Jesus Christ our Savior:

+ Jesus, born as a tiny, apparently insignificant baby in Bethlehem.

+ Jesus, who died a criminal’s death on a cross.

+ Jesus, who was raised to eternal life.

+ Jesus, who ascended to the right hand of God.

+ Jesus, who will come again to judge.

These images do reveal to us what the kingdom of heaven is truly like … new and old treasure indeed!

God's Timing

2008-07-16T23:06:00.008-04:00

So much has been happening so fast that I hardly know where to begin! First, I want to publically announce my excitement that Beth Wrenn from North Carolina has been elected president of the Churchwide Women of the ELCA! Beth is a dear friend and sister in Christ – I have served with her in the past on the North Carolina Women of the ELCA synodical board- and she has been very supportive as Ray and I have travelled this seminary journey. I am confident that she will do a superb job of leading the women’s organization through the next triennium!

Second, I am pleased to report that our call process is continuing to unfold. We met with the congregational council last week and they voted to recommend us to the congregation. We will be meeting with members of the congregation next week and they will be voting on whether or not to call us as their next pastors on Sunday, July 27. We are grateful that the process is proceeding on this path and pray for God’s guidance for the entire congregation and for both of us as this process draws nearer to completion.

Now for more on the topic of God's timing...

I remember – what seems like not so very long ago - telling Ray that I wished I could take a summer off from my business career: to stay home, spend more time with the kids, float in our backyard pool, read, garden a bit, tend the roses, knit, and just relax. It really does seem like a short time ago, but it was probably when our children were 8 and 11. They are now 28 and 31, so quite some time has passed since then!

As you might guess, I never got that long-ago summer off, but we have in many ways had most of this summer of transition “off”! Getting my summer off now includes having time for many of those same things – but now the time at home is spent preparing it to go on the market. Time with my children is spent helping our son and his wife with their daughter and newborn twin sons or helping our daughter plan and prepare for her September wedding.

We no longer have a backyard pool, but I still have plenty of reading to do. The garden consists of two tomato plants and a few flowers in pots that we can move when the time comes. The roses we tend are in the memorial garden on the seminary campus instead of our own backyard. I’ve been knitting and catching up on some sleep, but still not really relaxing.

I’m not sure exactly what all this says about God’s timing – apparently I didn’t need that long ago summer off as much as I thought. And apparently I did need this one to transition between life as a student and life as a parish pastor. Yet it seems that instead of savoring my summer off, I find myself looking forward – trying to imagine and prepare for the next step in our journey. Honestly, I probably would have done much the same thing twenty years ago.

Many of us are familiar with the words of Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 (NRSV) beginning: "For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven." The verses that follow are ones that we can probably all sing along to a familiar tune.

But now I find myself pondering some other verses in that same chapter. As I read these, I am reminded that it is important for each of us to have things to do, but that we should not forget what God has already done, is doing, and promises yet to do!

"I have seen the business that God has given to everyone to be busy with. He has made everything suitable for its time; moreover he has put a sense of past and future into their minds, yet they cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end. I know that there is nothing better for them than to be happy and enjoy themselves as long as they live; moreover, it is God's gift that all should eat and drink and take pleasure in all their toil. I know that whatever God does endures forever; nothing can be added to it, nor anything taken from it; God has done this, so that all should stand in awe before him." (Ecclesiastes 3:10-14, NRSV)

More side trips

2008-07-05T13:42:00.009-04:00

Last Sunday, I preached at a lovely country church outside of Guyton, Georgia. Ray and I took advantage of the necessary trip from Columbia to the Savannah area to spend a day or two away from home, relaxing. We had been to Savannah before, so we weren’t sure we wanted to spend much time in the city. Instead, we found a few places to visit that we hadn’t been before.

On Sunday afternoon, we went to Jerusalem Lutheran Church and the museum at New Ebenezer. For those who haven’t had the benefit of a course on the history of Lutheranism in North America at seminary, this was the home of the Salzburgers. These German Lutherans were refugees from their homeland, exiled out by their Catholic ruler, who became very early settlers in Georgia, with the first arriving in Savannah in 1734. The beautiful and amazingly bright and spacious brick church these settlers built near the banks of the Savannah River, in the 1760’s is still in use today. There is an active historical society which will help anyone who may be descendents of this historic colony to track their ancestry. There is also a family retreat center located nearby – all well worth a sidetrip for any history buffs, especially Lutheran ones!

We spent Monday exploring two historic forts in the area: Fort Jacks on, on the bank of the Savannah River, near the city; and Fort Pulaski, on Cockspur Island, where the Savannah River flows into the Atlantic Ocean. Built as part of the early coastal defense of the United States, both of these brick forts saw action during the Civil War.

We also ate lunch at a prime tourist spot which we saw on our way toward Fort Pulaski – Uncle Bubba’s Oyster House. Only after we were inside did we realize that this is owned by TV chef Paula Deen and her brother, Bubba. Great seafood, in a casual atmosphere, but a bit pricey even at lunch – it was our splurge for the trip. We had each had seafood salads and gumbo or crab stew, and shared a piece of incredible key lime pie.

Tuesday, on our way back to Columbia, we stopped to visit the rose gardens at Edisto Memorial Gardens. This park is located near the Edisto River in Orangeburg.
The rose gardens contain an overwhelming array of different varieties, from minis to tree roses; floribundas to hybrid teas – in every possible color. We really enjoyed our time there and picked out a few we would like to have in our own rose garden in the future.

I can’t help but wonder now that we are home from that sidetrip on our journey. We read in Exodus that the Israelites murmured as they wandered in the wilderness from Egypt to the Promised Land. Did they also enjoy some sidetrips and appreciate the scenery along the way?

Side Trips on the Journey

2008-06-29T21:17:00.008-04:00

One of the hobbies I have been able to spend a little more time with this summer has been Ham radio. On Saturday and Sunday (July 29/30) was an event called Field Day. This is an annual event (always the 4th weekend in June) and is a contest for Ham radio enthusiast to see how many radio contacts they can make under field conditions. For details, see the ARRL website here.

Last year, I was in Mobile, AL and had a brand new Ham license and attended my first field day. This year, I I went to field day with a brand new general class license, and as a member of a Columbia area Amataur Radio Club (MJARC). On Saturday morning, the local clubs set up antennas and equipment, and at 2:00 p.m. EDST, the contest began. I was helping with the 80 meter rig, and within the first couple of hours we had over 20 contacts with other contest stations in NC, SC, VA, GA, and TN. This next picture is of the tent where the 80 meter rig was set up and the antenna we used.

One of the premises of this contest is to communicate under "field" conditions, which means portable field antennas and radios operating only on battery power.

This antenna is a 10 meter setup, made from pieces salvaged from a grocery store display.

Field day is not only a chance to get out and spend some time playing with antennas and radios, it is also the annual event where local amateur radio clubs publicize amateur radio. In Columbia, we had several Scout groups (boys and girls) who came to visit, and some of them even got the opportunity to talk on the radio (supervised by a licensed operator). Others came to complete requirements for merit badges and such.

Each club has a public information officer (like Marvin here) whose job it is to help promote amateur radio to the general public. As most of you know, I go involved in amateur radio because of disaster preparedness, which was our internship project with LDR.

During disasters, such as tornadoes, hurricanes, forest fires, etc. amateur radio operators provide communications for disaster organizations such as LDR and The Red Cross. After Katrina, there were many areas across the Gulf Coast where cell phones towers and telephone lines were down for weeks. Amateur radio operators provided communications in these areas by relaying shelter information and supply list to relief agencies.

My hope, by being involved in amateur radio, my experience with LDR and the Red Cross, will be to help churches in the ELCA (particularly in the NC Synod) prepare for disasters in their congregations and to have their own amateur radio operators to help with communications during emergencies.

For any Hams that stumble on this page, catch me on Echolink (KI4UDZ) or on D-Star. I don't have an HF rig yet, but I usually am on Echolink a couple of times a week.

For anyone else who reads this, I hope you learn something. If you want more information, the ARRL site is the best place to start and will provide information to help you find a local club. Most clubs would love to help with a Scout program or to get involved with local emergency preparedness plans.

Still wandering

2008-06-26T10:36:00.003-04:00

Some time ago, I wrote about our habit of attending Sunday worship in different congregations to experience a variety of worship styles and settings. Well, that has continued, but in a different way.

Since graduation, Ray and I have either preached or led worship in six different churches, in three states. Some Sundays that means one of us preaches and the other does not; some Sundays, we both preach different services in the same place. A couple of Sundays, we have been in two entirely different places. We already have our schedules filled for most of July, continuing in this same pattern. I think we have officially become itinerant preachers!

The benefits of this (aside from some income from supply preaching fees) are that we are still experiencing worship in a variety of settings and we get to meet and worship with God’s people in different places. We gain helpful experience leading worship in a variety of places. We have been in small country churches and large city churches and everything in between. Another benefit for us is simply the practice and discipline of spending time in God’s word each week, so that we can proclaim it faithfully.

The downside of being non-ordained supply preachers is that these worship services do not include the celebration of the Eucharist. Fortunately, we have also been able to attend a number of other worship services in past weeks. We have attended the commissioning of an Associate in Ministry, two ordinations, a wedding in the seminary chapel, and worship at two different synod assemblies (North and South Carolina). Each of these has been truly a festival worship, with marvelous music and proclamation of the word and celebration of the Eucharist, so we have been regularly and joyously fed at the Lord’s Table.

We do hope and pray that we will soon have a call from a congregation, be planning our own ordination(s), and then be able to both preach and preside in our new home congregation. We look forward to the opportunity to settle into that place which God has already prepared. We know that the process continues to unfold according to his plan and perfect timing, but we cannot help but be anxious for this wandering to be over.

In the meantime, I need to get back to work on my sermon for this Sunday!

Opening the Book(s)

2008-06-16T22:32:00.004-04:00

There is an opportunity on campus this summer to take part in a reading and discussion group with two theology professors. I must confess that I did not even consider participating in the group! Partly because I didn’t want to commit to a particular schedule for reading, and partly because I couldn’t quite face scholarly discussion on the two commentaries on Romans that the group is reading – by Martin Luther and St. Augustine.

I’ll admit that I wasn’t ready for such heavy fare so soon after graduation, but that doesn’t mean that I’m not reading. I realized this evening that I had a book in progress in nearly every room of the house! Most of these are checked out from the campus library. I’m very grateful for “courtesy borrower” status which is available after graduation!

On the nightstand beside the bed, an Earlene Fowler murder mystery Tumbling Blocks. She’s one of my current favorite authors – each book in this series is named for a quilt pattern, and those quilt patterns or other folk arts are worked into each novel. (Don’t tell Ray – even though we just checked it out from the local public library, I’m already reading it for the second time!)

On my desk in the office, along with a Bible, various hymnals and a daily devotional, Reading the Bible Again for the First Time by Marcus Borg. I’ve made it through Part One, to page 57. While I don’t agree with everything he writes about the Bible, many of his insights ring true. I’ll keep on reading it, even though I occasionally put it down and walk away in frustration over something he writes!

On the end table in the living room, Doreen McFarlane’s book entitled Funerals with Today’s Families in Mind. I’ve previously read a companion book on weddings – this one also seemed like good preparation for parish ministry. Just started reading it this evening, but I’m nearly a third through. Practical suggestions; straight forward writing; and I’m sure I will find it helpful.

And on the kitchen table, a book from the Lutheran Voices series from Augsburg Fortress, which I’ve been carrying around for ‘waiting room reading’: Speaking of Trust: Conversing with Luther on the Sermon on the Mount, by Martin Marty. It’s a small book, and we own it, so it’s handy to carry in my purse and it doesn’t matter how long it takes me to finish. Besides, how can you go wrong with a book written by two Martins?!

Waiting for me on the bookshelf is a new book in the library Disaster Spiritual Care. I'm anxious to see what is included in this book that we didn't have available during our internship year with Lutheran Disaster Response.

Another book waiting for me is Opening the Book of Faith, which Augsburg Fortress was giving away at the North Carolina Synod Assembly. This is written to help all of us participate in the ELCA’s initiative, Book of Faith, which encourages all of us to open the scriptures and read them for ourselves.

So many options! What are you reading this summer?

Passing on Faith

2008-06-09T10:54:00.004-04:00

Matthew 9:9-13, 18-26 NRSV
9 As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax booth; and he said to him, "Follow me." And he got up and followed him. 10 And as he sat at dinner in the house, many tax collectors and sinners came and were sitting with him and his disciples. 11 When the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, "Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?" 12 But when he heard this, he said, "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. 13 Go and learn what this means, 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice.' For I have come to call not the righteous but sinners." 18 While he was saying these things to them, suddenly a leader of the synagogue came in and knelt before him, saying, "My daughter has just died; but come and lay your hand on her, and she will live." 19 And Jesus got up and followed him, with his disciples. 20 Then suddenly a woman who had been suffering from hemorrhages for twelve years came up behind him and touched the fringe of his cloak, 21 for she said to herself, "If I only touch his cloak, I will be made well." 22 Jesus turned, and seeing her he said, "Take heart, daughter; your faith has made you well." And instantly the woman was made well. 23 When Jesus came to the leader's house and saw the flute players and the crowd making a commotion, 24 he said, "Go away; for the girl is not dead but sleeping." And they laughed at him. 25 But when the crowd had been put outside, he went in and took her by the hand, and the girl got up. 26 And the report of this spread throughout that district.

Ray and I spent the last few days attending the North Carolina Synod Assembly, along with 774 of our brothers and sisters in Christ from across the state – and even a few from much farther away. The theme for this year’s assembly was: God’s work. Our hands. Passing on faith. There are some wonderful connections between that theme and today’s Gospel text.

We don’t know why Jesus picked right then to call Matthew – there aren’t many clues in the gospel. The chapters before this text, chapters five and six and seven and eight in the Gospel according to Matthew are not a story about how Jesus met Matthew and taught him or was recommended to him by another follower. Instead those chapters are about Jesus ministering to great crowd of people – teaching them in what we know as the Sermon on the Mount – and then performing many miracles; from healing a leper to calming a storm, from healing Peter’s mother-in-law to casting out demons. And the crowds are amazed by all that he has said and done.

Then suddenly, here in chapter 9, as Jesus continues his travels, he calls out to Matthew –a tax collector, a collaborator with the Roman government, an outcast among his own people. I can’t tell you how Matthew knew that he must simply get up and follow, but he did. Now I’ve changed jobs and moved a few times – it usually requires me a bit more conversation and preparation than that – but Matthew simply got up and followed Jesus.

This text doesn’t even tell us where dinner was held, or who the host was, but it does tell us who was on the guest list: all of those people who weren’t normally invited to a party at any of the ‘right homes.’ For this dinner party was a gathering of tax collectors and sinners, sitting right there with Jesus and his disciples.

The crowds had been amazed by what Jesus had said and done. The Pharisees were amazed, too, but not in quite the same way! They were not impressed by Jesus’ miracles, but instead were scandalized by the company he kept. And so Jesus takes the time to answer their questions. Or does he? He sends them back to the holy writings, to the prophet Hosea, to look for the answers to their questions.

Perhaps before that conversation was even completed to their satisfaction, Jesus is interrupted, by a leader of the synagogue, who is seeking his help. Jesus has been talking about how those who are sick need a physician. But the leader’s daughter isn’t sick – she is already dead. The other leaders of the synagogue probably would not approve of him asking Jesus for help, yet he comes to Jesus for help anyway. He is seeking help in a hopeless situation and Jesus simply gets up and follows him, with his disciples (probably Matthew, too) following along.

And on the way, he is interrupted yet again, this time by a woman who has been suffering from a hemorrhage for twelve years. This condition was not just painful or embarrassing. It made her unclean, an outcast from all of the people of Israel. Just as Jesus called Matthew, we read here that Jesus speaks to this desperate woman, encourages her, heals her, restores her to health, and restores her place in the community. And then he continues on his way, to home of the leader, to raise his daughter from the dead. Restoring her life, restoring her to her family.

Sometimes when I have had a busy week, I think I need to read texts like this and remember how busy Jesus was. He and his disciples sometimes didn’t even have time to eat a meal in peace. And Jesus often had to slip off before daylight to find time to pray.

Jesus was busy – doing God’s work. Remember that synod assembly theme? God’s work. Our hands. Passing on faith. Jesus was busy. Busy doing God’s work; showing God’s love; bringing the kingdom of God near; bringing people to faith in his Father, the Almighty God.

Like Matthew, we are called to follow. We are called to listen to Jesus’ words, and to witness his miracles in our lives and the lives of others. We are called in spite of the questions that we – like the Pharisees – always seem to have in abundance. And there is more – we are called to be his hands, doing his work, bringing the kingdom of God into the world now. In the words of the Great Commission, from Matthew 28, which was the gospel text just a few weeks ago…
8 And Jesus came and said to them…"19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you.”
That sounds to me like a clear command to each of us to do God’s work, with our hands, and to pass on the faith.

In his sermon at the closing worship service on Saturday morning, Bishop Leonard Bolick spoke about this year’s assembly theme. He reminded us that as we have been given the faith, we are to grow in faith, and in turn pass along the faith. As we live out our faith, our faith will grow and will be visible to those around us. This is the best way that we can pass along the faith to others – not just to the next generation, but to everyone we encounter in our daily lives.

This may sound like an overwhelming task – we may struggle with how to accomplish it all. This is why we need to remember that the Great Commission is not just an assignment, something we must accomplish on our own. Listen again to the promise Jesus made to the disciples – and to us: “And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age."

What a powerful promise. Jesus is with us always. Jesus is indeed with us. He comes to us in our very own tax booth, our workplaces and classrooms. Jesus is with us when we sit down at dinner. He calls all of us, the loveable and the unloved, to join him at the table. He comes to us in the bread and wine, body and blood, when we gather there.

Jesus is available even when others might be too busy. He will come with us when we need help in the hopeless times, when there is nowhere else to turn. Jesus will be there, to reassure us and restore us when we reach out with trembling fingers to touch the fringe of his cloak. Jesus will raise us up from the dead. Even when others might laugh, He will take our hand and restore us to life.

And just as in Matthew’s gospel, the report of all this will spread. And we will find that in spite of our fears or our questions, we are doing God’s work [with] Our hands. Passing on faith.

Time between the times

2008-05-31T18:07:00.004-04:00

It seems that we are indeed living in the time between the times. We are no longer students, yet we aren’t in a call yet. We’ve been reassured by a current seminary student that we are not unemployed. He told us that for the first two months, we are still on vacation – only then should we be concerned about being unemployed. I’m not sure about his definition, but I’ll take it for now.

It’s been a quiet and yet quite busy week. Last Sunday night, when I looked at the calendar for this week, I was a bit dismayed. There weren’t any classes, appointments, deadlines, or even work shifts scheduled! What would a week without any of those feel like?

There were still several books sitting on the shelf waiting to be read, and sermons to write for next week, so we weren't out of things to do, but the usual pace had certainly changed! It has been a good week to catch up some reading and study, and it has actually been pretty exhausting. In addition to picking up a few hours of work on campus, we have spent time tending the rose garden there and have completed – or at least begun - several long-postponed chores here at home. We have now installed the attic exhaust fan we purchased last fall, have a new electrical outlet on the back porch for the freezer, have shredded a couple of years’ worth of old files, and have begun the much dreaded process of painting the railings on our front and back porch and carport. Well, we haven’t actually painted anything yet… but we have been very busy scraping and scrubbing in preparation for the new paint!

The one good thing about hours spent with a putty knife or wire brush in your hands is that you have plenty of time to pray and to think and even begin to prepare a sermon. The bad thing is that you don’t have much to show for your time when you’re done! That sort of sums up how I feel about this whole week – I’ve been plenty busy, and have actually accomplished several tasks, but don’t have much to show for it, since the porch railings still need to be painted. Unless, of course, you count the four trash bags full of shredded paper still sitting in our office!

I am profoundly grateful that we are not judged according to what we are able to accomplish, but that God provides for all our needs - even our need to be busy and feel productive!

Don't Worry

2008-05-25T21:18:00.001-04:00

SECOND SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST
May 25, 2008 (Lectionary 8)
Isaiah 49:8-16a
Psalm 131 (2)1 Corinthians 4:1-5
Matthew 6:24-34

Matthew 6:24-34
‘No one can serve two masters; for a slave will either hate the one and love the other, or be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth. ‘Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And can any of you by worrying add a single hour to your span of life? And why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not clothed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? Therefore do not worry, saying, “What will we eat?” or “What will we drink?” or “What will we wear?” For it is the Gentiles who strive for all these things; and indeed your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. ‘So do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring worries of its own. Today’s trouble is enough for today.

No – I did not preach today, but what a wonderful text it would have been for a sermon – especially as a just graduated seminarian in that “in-between” time from graduation to first call. For most of us recently graduated seminarians, we are in that time where we are coming to the end of budgeted school expenses. Most have probably paid rent through the end of May (or in our case, house payment) and paid most of the monthly bills for May out of the last of the student loan money which is what we have been living on. For June, some of us have reserves to get by and some don’t. Some have to move by the end of May and others don’t. Our lives are unsettled because we don’t know what is in store. We know where we are assigned, but we still have to interview and work our way through the call process. But, for some of us, it feels like time is running out. Money is tight, we face the unknown, and we have too much free time on our hands.

The Gospel text to day is perfect for this time of uncertainty. Why worry? What are we to worry about? God has provided for us, just as He provides for the birds of the air. As the lilies of the field are clothed, so are we. Times are still uncertain, but we need only deal with it one day at a time – “Today’s trouble is enough for today.”

This is good news! We may not know how we are going to buy a tank of gas to drive to our interview, or how we will deal with July – should we still be in the call process, without any income, but we need not worry. Jesus tells us not to worry, tells us all that God has done for us, is doing for us, and promises yet to do for us.

Life for the next several weeks may not be easy, we may not know today how we will pay next months bills, but we know that God will provide – in some way. In conversations with classmates over the last week, it is already obvious that God works in ways that we cannot even begin to imagine. Each day brings wonders, surprises, and even miracles that we do not expect. Even a free meal after church today that was not expected becomes more than just an unexpected pleasure, and much more than a coincidence. Thanks be to God!

Me too!

2008-05-24T01:46:00.002-04:00

I know – my response is a bit slow, especially since Ruth Ann responded almost a week ago. In my defense, it has been a busy week and part of it was spent rebuilding our desktop computer, so I have not been doing much blogging or reading of blogs. The only reason I am doing this now is because it is one of those nights where sleep seems to be for everyone else.

The rules for this meme are fairly standard. Simply post the rules at the beginning of your post, answer the questions,, and tag five others to play along. Leave a comment on their blog to let them know that they need to visit yours for the rules, and of course, link back to the one who tagged you, in this case….me!

Ten years ago:

I was trying to remember today exactly where I was about 10 years ago. I guess I would have to check my passport, since in 1998 I was traveling internationally for Siemens and spent about 40 weeks of the year traveling somewhere, much of it to southeast Asia. May was a popular month for a visit down under, as well, so I could have been in Australia or New Zealand.

Five things on today’s “to do” list:

Well, it is 1:00 a.m., so which day? For Saturday, the list includes installing XP Service Pack 3 on a computer (a couple of hours, at least); walking through the campground inviting people to the lakeside church service on Sunday; possibly mowing the grass; ordering a new video card for a computer I am repairing; take Smokey for a walk (which actually happens most days, not just today).

Things I’d do if I was a billionaire:

I would have to agree with a few things Ruth Ann listed – paying off student loans would be high on the list – ours, our children’s, and our classmates; I would definitely be in favor of establishing a scholarship fund for second career seminarians (no – we don’t come with money in hand to pay for seminary and no – most of us do not/can not cash in retirement funds to pay for seminary); I would work with LDR to establish a way to provide better emergency housing and create volunteer centers that can be self-supporting long-term; and I would establish a fund to help churches set up food pantries and soup kitchens.

Three bad habits:

Staying up too late (I usually get a lot done, but it makes mornings an issue); eating habits (especially the scoop of ice cream during the news); spending too much time on the computer when I should be doing things like sleeping (which I probably could not do right now anyway).

Five places I’ve lived:

For how long? I have lived in Maryland, North Carolina (multiple times/places), South Carolina (Florence and Columbia), Illinois, and Washington D.C. I also have lived in some very fine hotels for up to three weeks at a time, in several countries around the world.

Five jobs I’ve had:

Considering that I have worked in multiple fields, it is hard to decide where to start. I have pumped gas, driven a tractor, managed a restaurant, owned my own business (twice), bagged groceries, welded, driven a tow-truck, flipped burgers, preached a few times, and spent 20+ years testing and designing hardware, writing software, installing systems and training customers – all in the electric utility industry.

I guess that is more than 5, but I would not know how to narrow it down without some parameters. All were interesting experiences, and many of those occasionally find their way into a sermon.

I really don’t have anyone to tag (most of the bloggers I know have already been tagged), but feel free to jump in if you read this and have not been tagged.

I've been tagged!

2008-05-19T16:32:00.004-04:00

As soon as I got one post done, I discovered that David had has tagged us with another meme. Here goes:

The rules for this meme are fairly standard. Simply post the rules at the beginning of your post, answer the questions,, and tag five others to play along. Leave a comment on their blog to let them know that they need to visit yours for the rules, and of course, link back to the one who tagged you, in this case….me!

Ten years ago:
I was working full time, completing my bachelor's degree in Business Administration, serving in a leadership role in our home congregation, volunteering as a Girl Scout troop leader and council trainer, preparing for our daughter's high school graduation, unpacking boxes in our new home, and getting very little sleep.

Five things on today’s “to do” list:
Tend the roses in the campus rose garden, go to the bookstore, fill out and submit an application for a part time job, wash dishes, and do laundry. So far they are all done except the laundry!

Things I’d do if I was a billionaire:
Pay off our mortgage and student loans (and our children's, too).
Establish a seminary scholarship specifically for second career seminarians!
Provide funding for a lodge at the camp my Girl Scout troop loved best.
I'm sure that's just a good start, but I'd have to think about what to do next!

Three bad habits:
Procrastinating and then having to finish projects at the last minute.
Eating too much - especially sweets.
Nibbling on my fingernails when I'm nervous.

Five places I’ve lived:
Does the month I spent in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania training for a new job count? I've actually lived in central Illinois and in the Southeast: Chenoa and Mahomet, Illinois among others. In Charlotte, North Carolina; Columbia, South Carolina; and Mobile, Alabama.

Five jobs I’ve had:
Wow - where to start? I've worked in several industries and had more job titles than I can count!
Babysitting, then hostess/cashier at my future in-law's restaurant.
Receptionist, then draftsman at a machine tool company.
Construction estimator and project manager for a glass contractor.
From customer service rep to materials manager at a machine tool manufacturer.
Most recently, student worker in the campus library and supply preacher in several congregations.

Now, I just have to figure out who to tag...

Trinity Sunday

2008-05-19T16:23:00.003-04:00

Since our approval essay last fall was written on the subject of the Holy Trinity, and mine included a sermon written on the lectionary texts for this year, it was rather ironic to be asked to supply preach this week. For the benefit of those who might have read my essay or heard my laments about writing that essay and sermon, I should report the following: Yes, I did use the exegetical work I had already done on those texts and No, I did not use the same sermon I had written last fall, but I did adapt portions of it.

Ray and I were both asked to supply preach Sunday for the congregation which was our field church during our junior and middler years, so we were familiar with the congregation and it was great fun to be back at Good Shepherd and greet many people we knew. Because they have three worship services – including two held at the same time (a traditional service in the sanctuary and a contemporary service in the fellowship hall) – it actually kept both of us quite busy!

The most unusual part of the day though, was leading worship there while the congregation’s senior pastor was being elected the new bishop of the South Carolina Synod! The fifth and final ballot was actually being held downtown at the assembly about the same time the worship service was taking place.

We are not likely to ever repeat that experience! I’m certainly glad that we included prayers for the Holy Spirit to guide the election process at the synod assembly in our prayers for the church. Please join me in continued prayers for the Bishop-elect of SC, the Rev. Dr. Herman Yoos. He has been an important mentor to us during our seminary process and we are certain that he will serve the synod well as their next bishop. We will also be praying for the entire congregation, as they certainly face many changes in the days, weeks, and months to come.

Graduation

2008-05-10T14:39:00.021-04:00

We really made it! Friday was graduation and we now have diplomas in hand. As you can see, the weather was perfect, plenty of people showed up (even the overflow room had overflow), and the ceremony was wonderful.

One of the highlights of graduation was hearing Dr. Ridenhour preach again. He had retired last year while we were on internship and we had missed having him on campus and occasionally preaching in Christ Chapel. Our class had decided to have him as our speaker for graduation, and he did not disappoint us. As always, his sermon was to the point, included law, but had clear, unambiguous gospel proclaimed as well. Would that we could always do so well.

There were plenty of photo ops at graduation as well - while we were robing, during the class photo, and then again afterwards. I am still sorting out photos from the last two days. On Thursday, it was Alumni Day here on campus, and so plenty of grads from previous years were here for lectures, workshops, and of course - food. There was an alumni luncheon, and then a picnic in the evening before the Baccalaureate service in Christ Chapel.

One of our activities here on campus has been the choir. The choir sang during the Baccalaureate Service (see photo below) and at graduation.

I think that even harder than knowing we are done with classes and it is time to move on, was the realization on Thursday evening that this would be the last time we would sing together as a choir in this place. It was also the last service in Christ Chapel for Rev. Michael Costello, who has served as an adjunct teacher of liturgical practicums and choirmaster. Michael graduated the spring before we began our internship, so we count him as friend, classmate, and instructor. We will miss our fellow choir members, and especially, hearing Michael on the organ (see right).

Michael leaves LTSS this next week, and we will all miss having him around, just as we will miss singing in the choir.

I suppose that over the next several days, it will sink in that our time here is done. Some classmates are headed off for vacations, some are packing up and heading home, some are hoping that a letter of call will come soon so they can move to a new place to begin their ministry. A few know where they are going and will soon be packing and headed off to new adventures. For all of us, the next time we gather in this place, it will be as alumni rather than as students. We will see each other at synod assemblies, or churchwide events, or maybe just on Facebook, but it will as former classmates, not someone that we will see on Tuesday morning in Lutheranism in North America class, or in choir, or at lunch, or in the library. The context will change, but the memories will remain.

As for us, we are in the hopeful waiting category, with several sermons to write in the next few weeks as we fill in for various pastors who are away on synod assembly or vacation, our out-of-town weddings. Good thing, too! Our A/C unit died this morning. Welcome back to the world of home ownership!

And now we rest

2008-05-02T20:21:00.005-04:00

We're done! Believe it or not, this journey that began four years ago is coming to a close, and soon a new one will begin. Today, we attended our last class and turned in our last paper as seminary students. As with our classmate, David, it has not really sunk in that on Monday there will be no classes, there are no more books that have to be read, and no more papers to write.

Instead, next week will be some rest, some yard work and house cleaning to prepare for guests on graduation day, and a few errands. On Thursday, the alumni come to campus for a full day of events (some of which include graduating seniors). Thursday evening is baccalaureate, and then Friday morning will be graduation. A long two days, and at the end of them, we will really be done - degrees in hand and everything.

It has been a long journey. Even though this blog has not existed for all four years, many of you who read this have followed our journey from the beginning; others have followed since we went to the Gulf Coast in December of 2005 and began the blog. It has been hard, it has been rewarding, is has been uplifting, and through it all - we continue to be blessed by God and led by the Holy Spirit.

One of the common questions throughout the seminary journey is, "Do you still feel called to ministry?" I think I can firmly state, that for both of us, this continues to be true and has not diminished over the entire four years. Our faith, your prayers, and God's steadfast love have sustained us over many hurdles and through many dark moments. And now - the day is at hand. On May 9, we will be graduates and waiting a call to be pastors.

Oh -you ask. How is the call process going? About the same. We have had a very busy schedule and not really available to do much. Once graduation is over, maybe things will start to roll along. A few preaching opportunities lie ahead of us, and the North Carolina Synod assembly is coming up, so we will be kept busy at least into June.

And now - time to put our feet up and spoil the dog some (he has missed us the last couple of weeks while we were typing our last papers).

The path of the labyrinth

2008-04-30T23:16:00.009-04:00

First, time for a quick progress report: We have only two more classes left; one tomorrow morning, then one Friday morning. I have four of the five final papers for the semester complete, one left to finish before Friday morning. That translates to 49 pages done, about 5 left to go!

Ray is still finishing one paper as I type this. We also still have to locate about 35 library books in the chaos of our office and get them turned in by Friday. Then we can begin preparations for our graduation celebration in earnest!

I took time out today to walk the prayer labyrinth on campus. The weather was cool, breezy, and sunny this morning, but half of the labyrinth lay in the shade of several large trees. Each time I turned and took a few steps, I moved from sunshine to shade and the breeze alternated between being at my back or on my face. Plus the labyrinth is placed between most of the buildings on campus and Main Street. So, while you are walking silently, you are surrounded by the sounds of birds singing and leaves rustling, and the traffic rushing by, and activity on the campus. Quite an amazing juxtaposition.

(For more information about the Trinity Labyrinth at LTSS, click on the photo!)

All in all, a marvelous and meaningful experience. Each time I do this - which is not as often as I would like - I am reminded of how similar a labyrinth is to our daily walk of faith. After all, in our daily life we are called to be in the world but not of the world. We can’t ever really block out the sounds of nature or other people.

In case you have never walked a labyrinth, a bit of explanation is probably necessary: unlike a maze, a labyrinth contains only one path. You don’t have to make decisions about which direction to walk; you simply follow the twisting path that lies in front of you. This pattern of the path allows you to spend time in prayer, instead of concentrating on where you are going.

What always fascinates me is that even after doing this several times, whenever I try to guess which way the path will turn next, I am rarely right. I'm learning that it doesn’t really pay to guess what is coming around the next turn. It is much simpler to trust that the path has already been planned out to take you to your destination, so that you can relax, follow the path, spend time in God’s presence, and savor the journey.

Also much like life, if I get distracted and raise my eyes away from path, I inevitably take a wrong turn. It is much simpler if I can stay focused on the path before me.

Finally, and also much like my everyday life - it is much easier to walk this stony path in practical, comfortable shoes!

Blessings on each of you in your journeys today. May you feel the sun and the breeze; may you hear the sounds of nature and of those around you, and may you always be wearing the appropriate shoes for the path you travel!

Seminary Meme

2008-04-22T23:55:00.007-04:00

No, it is not like we really have time to be posting here, but it does take our minds off of the many papers yet to write.

I have not gotten too involved in meme's (from Dictionary.com : –noun - a cultural item that is transmitted by repetition in a manner analogous to the biological transmission of genes), but this one seemed interesting - especially as it applies to life at seminary. The text below is from http://www.goingtoseminary.com/ (who knew - here I am almost done and I just found this website).

This Seminary Meme is part of a competition sponsored by Going to Seminary and Eisenbrauns. If you’d like to be entered, simply answer the 7 questions below and tag 5 other people. You’ll also need to post this paragraph (links included) with your answers as the links will be tracked back to your blog and will count as your “entry” into the competition. On April 30th, 2008, one blogger will be selected at random to win a $100 gift certificate to the Eisenbrauns online bookstore.

Please feel free to modify the question so as to make it appropriate to your situation as a pre-seminarian, seminarian, or seminary graduate (example given on first question).

1. Where do (will/did) you attend seminary?
2. What class do you think has most impacted your spiritual life?
3. What seminary professor has been the most influential while in seminary?
4. What is the greatest challenge you’ve faced in seminary?
5. What has been the greatest reward you’ve experienced in seminary?
6. What are your plans after seminary?
7. How many times have you been asked question #6?

Here are the answers for me:

1. Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary (LTSS)
2. Ethics
3. Tough question, but probably Dr. Ridenhour (homiletics professor, now retired)
4. Internship - being a student worker after many years in industry
5. Internship - this is what ministry in the parish will be like
6. Plans after seminary - not up to me - except to find the place that God has prepared for me/us to serve Him.
7. Hundreds, if not thousands during 4 years.

Tagging 5 people is a little tougher, since they need to be seminary students - David, Ruth Ann, Nathan, Carolyn, and Annette are the 5 seminary bloggers that I can think of.

I look forward to your answers, and I know that any of the 5 of us would love $100 worth of books!

How much?

2008-04-22T17:09:00.003-04:00

This little video was made by some of our classmates, and while made in the spirit of fun, does give you an idea of how much a 4 year seminary education costs.

Seeking the place

2008-04-20T15:19:00.003-04:00

Several people have asked us lately about how the call process is proceeding. That is a tricky question to answer, especially in a public forum, but I’ll try. Yes, we have been in conversation with the NC Synodical office; yes, our names and paperwork are with a congregation right now; and yes, this is potentially an opportunity for us to serve in ministry together. We are excited by the possibility of serving in one congregation – and I realized as we travelled – by the opportunity to return home to North Carolina.

I certainly can’t announce where that congregation is, but I can tell you that Ray and I met with their call committee earlier this weekend. We thoroughly enjoyed our time with the members of the call committee, in both a formal interview and more casual conversations over meals. We appreciated the opportunity to become acquainted with them, the local community, and their beautiful facility and grounds. The committee members were gracious hosts. We felt truly welcomed and engaged in what I think was a helpful conversation for all of us.

Ray and I have talked about how surprisingly relaxed we felt during our conversations this weekend. I attribute that both to the hospitality we experienced and to our faith that God has already prepared a place for us. Our job now is not to impress a call committee and convince them to hire us (like many job interviews), but rather to engage in honest dialogue so that we can all prayerfully discern together if this is the place where God intends for us to begin our ministry of word and sacrament.

It is far too soon to tell that for certain, but I am glad that the process has begun. The only real problem is that being involved in the call process and anticipating life after graduation makes it even harder to concentrate on the work that needs to be done in the next couple of weeks! Graduation is now less than three weeks away, but all of our homework is due by May 2, so that our grades can be completed before graduation day.

So now, I'd better get back to the books...

Commencement Contemplations

2008-04-09T19:29:00.003-04:00

The announcements went in the mail yesterday. It’s official – commencement is only a month away, on May 9!

Our friend and classmate, David, who commutes quite a long drive every day for classes, announced this afternoon that there are only 17 more days of classes – not that he’s counting or anything! (For more on his calculations about commuting, visit his blog.)

For now, I am just amazed how little time is left and how much work still remains to be done. It seems at bit, well, presumptuous to send out announcements about graduating, when I still wonder how we can possibly get everything done in time!

The To-Do list for just next week looks like this:

+ a 1000 word essay for Christian Ethics on offering advice to a parishioner troubled by her career as an engineer for a weapons manufacturer is due on Tuesday;

+ a one page paper written in response to the book Open Secrets is due in Lutheranism in North America – also on Tuesday;

+ a two page paper on the Lutheran doctrines concerning Mary, the mother of Jesus, is due for Ecumenical Theology on Wednesday;

+ the outline for the final research paper in Lutheranism in North America is due Thursday;

+ there are also several articles and two entire books which need to be read BEFORE these papers are written;

+ plus continuing the research and completing the reading for the final papers and book reports in all our courses.

Did I mention that income taxes are due on Tuesday?

It’s going to be a very BUSY 30 days….

Sermon for Third Sunday of Easter

2008-04-06T15:10:00.004-04:00

Acts 2:14a, 36-41
Psalm 116:1-4, 12-19 (Ps. 116:13)
1 Peter 1:17-23
Luke 24:13-35

The Road to Emmaus – how many times have we heard this story? It is one of those stories that we have heard so often that most of us can probably recite the major points from memory. The question is, have you heard it so many times that you don’t even think about it any more?

We have all heard the various explanations of the story, as well. We know that the location of Emmaus is not known. There are two or three possible locations, but not much proof to make it the town in the story. We know that this story is unique to the Gospel of Luke, and that Cleopas appears nowhere else – only here. We also know that Luke often uses food, and events surrounding meals to make his points. We also know that this story is very similar to Old Testament stories where strangers are entertained, only to later find out that they were angels! So what is new to tell about this story, here and now?

How about this - have you ever put yourself in to the story? Tried to get a new feel for one of the characters in the story? I would guess that the unnamed companion of Cleopas would be our place. We are not given this companion’s name, nor are we told if it is a man or woman! In fact, it has been speculated that this person’s name is not given precisely so that we can insert ourselves into the story!

Now - Imagine – you are the unnamed companion – you have just experienced what you feel has been the worst 48 hours of you life. After celebrating the Passover with your teacher and friends, you go out for a walk, and you are suddenly surrounded by soldiers as Jesus is arrested. Then, there is the trial, and the beating, and everyone is crying out for him to be crucified! Finally, Pilate gives in and Jesus is sent to the cross. Tensions are high, and anyone who was associated with Jesus is hiding in fear that they might be next. From a distance, you watch him die. He is taken down from the cross and put in the tomb just before the start of Shabbot – the Sabbath. From sundown to sundown, you hide, you try to pray – as a good Jew should, but you do so with a heavy heart. Your friend – the teacher, the prophet, who you thought was going to redeem Israel, is dead. Finally, Shabbot is over, but now it is dark and there is nothing you can do. Some of the women begin preparing spices and wrappings and other things so they can go to tomb first thing in the morning – to finish preparing the body, which they were prevented from doing during the Sabbath. Everyone else is still hiding, waiting till morning when they might be able to slip away without being noticed – or arrested.

Then, it is morning. Some of the women have already gone to the tomb. You and Cleopas decide that it is time to head for home, back to the life you gave up to follow this prophet, sure that things were about to change. Then suddenly – the women burst back into the room – “He is gone” they shout. “An angel told us that He is alive!”

Simon Peter – the one who had denied Jesus – ran to the tomb with some of the others, but came back to report that it was empty, and that he had seen no one. Now, you are going back home, not quite sure what to make of things but absolutely certain that the events of the last few days are not what you expected. Your hearts are heavy, and puzzled. As you walk along with Cleopas, a stranger begins asking questions, and you wonder, “How on earth can you have missed the biggest thing to have happened around here since the Romans took over Jerusalem?”

Then you begin telling your new companion about all the things that Jesus had done – his mighty deeds and profound words - and about your great expectations of what he was going to do – how he was going to save Israel! But now, he is dead, and his body is missing, and the women are talking about angels, and you are just tired and confused and on your way home to sort things out.

Then, this stranger begins to tell you – you who were there – about Jesus, and his ministry, and what the scriptures said about him and why he had to suffer and die. For someone who did not seem to know what had happened, he sure seems to know a lot of scripture to explain it! Then, just as you get home, the stranger heads on down the road, but you – being the good host that you are – call him back and suggest that he come home for supper. As you lay out supper, the stranger takes his place at the table and as soon as everything is ready, he takes the bread, he blesses it, and he then breaks it and gives you a piece. Suddenly - you realize that you have seen him do this before! This is Jesus – just as he was the last time you saw him, when he blessed bread, and broke it, and gave it to everyone to eat. Just as you realize who it is, He disappears! But you and Cleopas have shared this vision, this conversation, this revelation – Jesus is alive!!!

What a story! You have just been part of one the most told and re-told resurrection stories that we have. Just like the disciples – whom we are told “just didn’t get it” – we don’t get it either, until our eyes are opened. Jesus explains, very patiently and in great detail how all the scriptures foretell that Jesus will come to live among us, will teach us, and do mighty deeds, and then he must suffer and die. Jesus, and later Martin Luther, explains that all that we read in scripture is part of God’s plan for us, and that the key to the plan is that Christ, the Messiah, would come, and be rejected, and be put to death as were many of the great prophets of Israel. Christ leads us from the garden in Genesis to the Cross in Jerusalem; Christ leads us from the cross to meet the Holy Spirit which the Father has sent; Christ prepares us for the coming of the kingdom.

Now, imagine yourself in your daily lives. Imagine that a stranger comes up and ask, “what are you talking about?” We know the story; we can even place ourselves in the story and make it personal. How do we share it with others?

One of the commentary writers, in talking about this story, speaks of us as Easter people. We are just like Cleopas and his companion – and the rest of the disciples – we are “foolish” and “slow of heart to believe” but we keep trying. We may not fully understand this kingdom of God stuff, but we understand enough that we offer hospitality to the stranger – who turns out to be Jesus. We may not understand all that the prophets wrote about Jesus and why he must suffer and die – but we are here every week to learn more. We don’t understand the words of Jesus when he gave thanks, broke the bread, and gave it to his disciples and said “Take and Eat,” but we do it every week anyway. We know, as Easter people, that Jesus came and lived among us, that he suffered and died, that he was raised from the dead – so that somehow – through some miraculous work of God - we might have eternal life.

Now the question is, what do you do? A couple of weeks ago, we heard about Mary, who after seeing Jesus, ran to tell the others. Here, in this story, you and Cleopas do the same thing – you run to tell the others what you have seen. You run, because the news is so great. You run, because you can’t hold it in any longer – you have to tell someone! Anyone! Everyone! And so, you run back to Jerusalem – that place where it all started – and ended – and you tell the story. As Luke describes it – you tell the story of the mighty deeds and words of Jesus. You recount all that He has done – in your life, in the lives of the disciples, in the lives of those you know. You tell the story, and you tell it again, and again, and again. You tell it till you don’t think you can tell it anymore, then you tell it again.

In this story, in this walk to Emmaus, we hear this story acted out. We hear Jesus recount God’s salvation story so that the disciples may understand how God’s salvation really works – not by the sword, but by God’s redemption of the world – through the cross.

Here - we hear the story of what it really means for God to have sent His only Son to die on the cross, so that we who believe may have eternal life.

Here - we hear the story – so that we can run and tell it to others.

Here – we come to the table – to meet Jesus in the bread and wine.

Here – we are redeemed.

Thanks be to God!

Amen.

Thoughts for a rainy Saturday

2008-04-05T12:34:00.007-04:00

Today is one of those rainy Saturdays where you just don't feel like doing much - not that there are not plenty of things to do! There taxes to finish, a sermon for tomorrow morning, papers to write, and dozens of small household tasks that ought to be done; but somehow - looking out the window at the rain just sort of takes the urgency out of most of those task.

It also puts one into a contemplative mood - which is not bad for sermon writing if one can focus the contemplations only on things to do with the sermon. Unfortunately, that does not seem to be the case today (hence - an unexpected blog entry to clear out some of the extraneous thoughts). For example, in reading a friends blog entry from yesterday I remember yesterday, standing next to David and his daughters, and Ruth Ann, and about 30 classmates and professors as we all watched a video of Martin Luther King, Jr.'s I Have a Dream speech (link to this in David's post). It had been a long time since I had heard this speech (I may have heard it in 1963, but if you do the math - I wasn't very old) and I had forgotten just how powerful it was. In listening to it yesterday, I was struck both by its power, and by how much truth was in it (although most white, middle and upper class Americans would have denied it). The other thing that struck me is how true it is today - not as much for black Americans, but for those of other countries - particularly Hispanic countries. No - they are not being denied seating in a restaurant, or a bus seat, but they are still discriminated against - in language, and by our attitudes, and our jokes, by our dismissal of them as fellow human beings - focusing instead on their heritage, their possible lack of citizenship in this country, their lack of possessions. They are not like us - therefore they are not accepted.

Even in the neighborhood where we live, where the racial makeup is very mixed, there is mistrust of strangers, a desire to only have neighbors who are like us (middle class with upscale attitudes - no matter what skin color we have). We still claim that there are those who "do not fit" in the neighborhood - especially if they can't keep their grass neatly cut and trimmed. Discrimination is not gone - it has merely changed focus. Rather than skin color (although that still exists) there is much more focus on (against) the poor. Rather than feeling compassion, we feel disgust. We want them to have a place to live and be able to get a meal and health care - but not in our neighborhood. Low income housing, half-way houses, re-hab houses, soup kitchens, food pantries - they are all good things, but not here. Even a seminary in the neighborhood is not necessarily deemed a good thing for the neighborhood - they might attract homeless people looking for help!

I heard recently about a neighborhood that fought tooth and nail against a church that wished to expand their facility. The project would bring more traffic, and the larger church would create parking issues, and the addition of a food pantry would bring "undesirable" people into the neighborhood. Rather than "welcoming the stranger" we want to find somewhere else to send them. Rather than opening our homes and neighborhoods to help those struggling to pay for prescription medicines, food, basic shelter, we want to find ways to keep them out. Some neighborhoods put up fences; others hire security guards. Cities pass laws against pan-handling or loitering. We install alarm systems and put up signs. Anything to keep us from getting involved, from actually making a sandwich for a homeless person, or taking one of them to lunch with us, or encouraging our own church to open its doors as a soup kitchen or as a shelter or as a food pantry. Instead, we want "someone else" to do it.

The Gospel text this week is the Road to Emmaus story. Many of you know the story - two of the disciples, worn out and discouraged, are walking home to Emmaus. On the road, they meet a stranger and discuss with him the events surrounding Jesus suffering and death. The stranger then tells them all that the scriptures have to say about the coming of the Messiah. As they reach Emmaus, they invite the stranger to join them for supper. In the breaking of bread, Jesus reveals himself to them, as He does each time we celebrate the Eucharist.

As we welcome the stranger, we are reminded that the stranger may not always be who we think it is. There are many who believe they have unknowingly entertained angels, or even Christ himself. There are several Bible stories where angels are unknowingly shown hospitality. Jesus, in the Sermon on the Mount, tells those on His left and on His right - that they have or have not fed Him when He was hungry, or clothed Him when He was naked, or given Him drink when He was thirsty - for even as we do to the least of these - we do to Him.

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. did not take us to this biblical image - but he did call us - the people of God - to remember that we are all created equal - that we are to treat our brothers and sisters - all of them - with respect. This call, this dream - was not just an address to this nation, but to all who claim Christ as Lord and Savior - to the Church that is His body here on earth. Open your doors - feed the hungry - cloth the naked - and see Jesus in the breaking of bread.

Wonderful and Wandering Worship

2008-04-04T19:07:00.006-04:00

The weekly Eucharist service here on campus last night was wonderful! For those of you familiar with the new cranberry hymnal, Evangelical Lutheran Worship, we used Setting # 7. This worship setting, which can be sung entirely in Spanish, contains liturgical music with an Hispanic/Latino flair. While the melodies weren’t familiar to most of us, and the rhythms can admittedly be challenging for those of us who are stodgy German or Scandinavian Lutherans, the music was truly delightful to sing and a wonderful break from the routine. We also had the advantage of a small group of musicians, who are all students here on campus, who led the music. This group calls themselves Unexpected Harmony; they certainly did add an unexpected joy to our worship service.

Now on to the “wandering” part of this post: as seniors, we are not assigned to specific congregations in the area, as we were during our first two years of study. Ray and I have committed to regularly attending worship here on campus – both daily chapel services and the weekly Eucharist services – as part of our spiritual life and as a way of participating fully in the seminary community.

We are also intentionally using this year to worship on Sunday morning in different congregations around the area. Since we returned to campus last fall, we have had some opportunities to supply preach and to return to our home congregation, but most weeks we worship as visitors in a new congregation. This has given us the opportunity to experience worship in a wide variety of styles and worship spaces. These opportunities to visit have been very educational to us, as we get to experience firsthand how visitors are welcomed (even given gift bags or welcome kits) or virtually ignored; how clear the bulletins and worship instructions (both printed and verbal) are; what follow-up visitors receive (notes from the pastor or lay leaders); and whether or not we are remembered on a return visit a few weeks or even months later.

I know it sounds a bit like being a “secret shopper” or as though we are intentionally testing congregations or looking for weaknesses, but we really aren’t. You might be amazed at what kinds of things we have learned about how to welcome visitors well - and we know these experiences will certainly guide us in our future ministry.

Easter Morning

2008-03-23T22:03:00.001-04:00

“Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark (John 20:1)…” we gathered on a hilltop in a cemetery to worship and proclaim the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ!

It was dark and quite cold this morning at 7:00 am in Boone, NC when we joined with others for a community worship service. The sky in the east was just beginning to lighten and the wind grew even colder as worshippers drew close together to stay warm; but by the time we had prayed together, sung Jesus Christ is Risen Today, and heard this morning’s appointed text from the Gospel of John, the sky had grown much lighter. By the time the sermon ended, the bright sun was peeking over the top of the mountain to the east, and as we sang the final hymn, the sun was fully visible in the eastern sky!

What a glorious way to welcome the dawn and celebrate Jesus’ resurrection! I pray that each of you also had a blessed and joyous Easter. In the words of this morning’s preacher, “Let’s run” to proclaim this good news to others!

And now time to rest!

2008-03-15T22:48:00.004-04:00

It has been a busy week here on campus – or at least it has seemed so from our perspective. It has also been a week filled with cooking, with music, and with celebrating our (well, at least my) ethnic heritage.

This really all started last Friday, as we prepared salad, chicken noodle soup, and bread to serve dinner to a visiting choir that performed here on campus Friday evening. After dinner and some hurried clean-up, we enjoyed their concert of both traditional and modern music.

Seminary Days, a semi-annual event here on campus, was early this week. This is an opportunity for those who are considering attending school here to visit classes, learn about the campus, and meet faculty, staff, and students. One of the campus wide activities during this event is a dinner on the quad. So again we were cooking, to make a dessert to share.

We had a special group project due this week in our Lutheranism in North America course. Ray and I were both part of the group researching German Lutherans of the Midwest. By the time the presentation was done Tuesday – complete with a display of books and documents, typical German foods (including a homebaked Almond Kringle from our kitchen), and a lengthy Powerpoint – we were both exhausted from being Midwest Germans. Which does present a bit of a conundrum, because we are both at least partially of German descent, with ties to Lutheran churches in the Midwest!

More music came in the form of choir practice and two special pieces the choir sang during the weekly Eucharist service Thursday evening. (Thanks to a fellow student, we have a digital recording of both, so we got to hear them too!)

Then to wrap up the week, some friends on campus had an early St. Patrick’s Day celebration – including bagpipe music by one of our classmates! It was a real treat and quite an ending to the busy week. It also allowed me to celebrate the other half of my heritage by appreciating all things Irish!

Now we have a week off for Spring Break – which is really just a thinly masked opportunity to catch up some reading and other homework and hopefully some sleep!

Gulf Coast Recovery campaign begins

2008-03-04T15:28:00.003-05:00

While this may seem a bit unusual, for those of you who have followed this blog, and our journey, it should not surprise you in the least. Lutheran Disaster Response (LDR) is beginning their spring campaign for the Gulf Coast recovery from hurricanes Katrina and Rita. This will include over 1000 people who will assist as part of spring break, and the many, many others who have made trip after trip after trip to the Gulf Coast to assist since Katrina. We have met many who have gone at least once a year, sometimes 4 or more trips in a year, by themselves and with others, to help those with no other means of recovery.

For all those who were helped with funds from Katrina Aid Today, there at least that many more who did not qualify, or who still have needs. A friend recently returned from the Gulf Coast and was proud that their church group had completed two houses during their stay, but admitted that there were 10,000 more homes to be done. The only way it happens is one house, one family at a time.

For everyone who reads this, and has donated, and/or has given their time to the recovery of the Gulf Coast, we give thanks to God what you have done. For those who have not yet helped, this may be your opportunity.

If you are reading this blog for the first time, go to the beginning as we went to Mississippi just a few months after Katrina and read of the time we spent there. If you have questions or comments, feel free to post them here.

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March 4, 2008

Sisters and brothers in Christ,
When the 2005 hurricane season battered communities along the U.S. Gulf Coast, the response of Lutheran donors was amazing, even overwhelming. Through your support, Lutheran Disaster Response has played an integral role in the initial stages of recovery from these terrible disasters. But the work is far from over. Urban planners and other local officials estimate that recovery could continue for years to come. Now, we ask you to renew your commitment to the Gulf Coast by giving to an unprecedented second funding campaign.All gifts received through this campaign will support the work of local long-term recovery organizations, through staff expertise, volunteers, and other resources. What is a long-term recovery organization? In short, it is a not-for-profit organization formed as a sort of local response headquarters. By working with these committees, local leaders from any active response organization have the opportunity to contribute resources to a wider group and broaden their influence on community restoration. Through long-term recovery, all available resources are multiplied through the collaborative commitment of everyone involved.

To give a gift to the appeal or learn more, click here. Updates on the progress of the appeal, as well as success stories about long-term recovery, will also be posted so please check back regularly. Please share this message as broadly as you are able -- forward this e-mail to anyone who might be interested, post this information on your Web site or blog, share this message in your church bulletin or newsletter, tell others about your experience as a Lutheran Disaster Response volunteer. The response of the Lutheran community to this appeal will help to define our presence in the Gulf Coast recovery into the future.

In 2008, Lutheran Disaster Response celebrates 20 years of bringing help and hope to disaster survivors. Over those 20 years, Lutherans have earned the well-deserved reputation of being committed to the long-term needs of recovering communities from Grand Forks to Oklahoma City, eastern Pennsylvania to southern California, New York City and New Orleans. Thank you for your continued commitment to this amazing and life-changing ministry!

In service,

Rev. Kevin A. Massey
Acting Director

Lutheran Disaster Response
Bringing Help and Hope...
Phone: 773-380-2748
Fax: 773-380-2493
Visit us on the Web at www.ldr.org

Resting a While

2008-03-02T15:39:00.005-05:00

As you can tell from Ray’s recent post, it has been a busy weekend in our house. I must admit that I have quite willingly missed most of that busy-ness, as I answered a call to “Come away to a deserted place all by yourselves and rest a while.” (Mark 6:30, NRSV)

I journeyed this weekend with a small group from campus to the Snail’s Pace Retreat Center, in Saluda, North Carolina. I have often attended retreats in the past, but they were often really planning sessions or board meetings in disguise, so I have rarely been truly ‘on retreat.’

This weekend away was a delightful and restful time of worship, prayer, Bible study, and fellowship. The weather was wonderfully crisp and clear, so our group spent an entire afternoon outdoors, doing a bit of browsing in the shops of downtown Saluda and visiting the nearby Pearson Falls. I spent quite some time simply sitting on a bench near the falls, with my eyes closed, soaking up the warm sunshine and listening to the rush of the water. Ray would have called this my ‘lizard on a warm rock’ imitation!

We also had quiet solitary times for reading or napping. (One often leads to the other for me!) We also enjoyed the wonderful food prepared by the staff and the companionship of others visiting the retreat center. It was a wonderful restful and calming experience in the midst of a busy semester – and a welcome respite from concerns about the call process.

I can highly recommend this as a delightful place away from the routine for those who are weary! If you go, please give my greetings to Randy and Linda, the gracious and hospitable staff .

And the winner is..

2008-03-01T13:23:00.005-05:00

Last night the seminary community had a chili night - with a contest for the best in several categories. Now in some ways, my entering the chili contest might have been considered unfair, as I have been making chili longer than most of my classmates have been alive, and I have made chili professionally (my parents were in the restaurant business for many, many years). I probably have also made more gallons of chili than most people I know. All that said, I do enjoy making chili, and the fellowship of the night was great.

The categories for chili included Best Vegetarian, Best Beanless (meat only), Best w/Beans, Most Unusual, and Hottest. Now, I take my chili pretty seriously - beans and meat with lots of onion and green pepper. Spicy, but not too hot (or no one else in the family will eat it), not too thick and not too thin. Oh - and lots of tomatoes. Canned diced tomatoes work best, unless you just happen to have a bunch of fresh ones that need to be used, and you have the time to peel them (no tomato peel in my chili, thank you very much).

When I made chili in the restaurant, or even when I am in a hurry, I make chili with Bush's Chili Beans (no one else's will do). They are a good, canned bean and the seasoning is pretty good without being overpowering - which means you can add in your own special seasoning and still be able to taste it. These days, I prefer to make the chili from scratch - dried beans and all. I have also developed a taste for black beans, so my chili always has plenty of black beans in it, as well as kidney beans and pinto beans. For this batch, I started on Thursday evening, rinsing and soaking beans. I had to pick someone up at the airport around midnight, so about 1:30 a.m. I was able to give the beans one last rinse and turn the slow cooker on. By morning, the house smelled like beans and tomatoes. At lunchtime, I added cooked ground chuck (well seasoned, with onions, garlic, and green pepper) and more liquid. I like to use V8 juice along with tomatoes, because it adds a nice bit of flavor. During the afternoon, I stirred and adjusted the seasonings, adding chili powder, cumin, black pepper, red pepper, and something new this year - Smoky Tabasco sauce.

All in all, it was a great pot of chili. By starting with dried beans and using No-Salt-Added tomatoes, it was a low-sodium dish (important in our house), low-carb (also important) and high fiber (very important for those of us 50 and over). It also tasted great! The black beans not only add great flavor, but also are a nice contrast to the red kidney beans and tomatoes.

So how did my chili fair in the contest? Many people liked it, partly because it was not so hot as some others (hot should be added by each person to suite their own taste, not forced upon them). It, of course, did not win the vegetarian or beanless categories, but it did carry the day for most unusual. It was not the only chili there with black beans, but a couple of the others had corn added (corn is NOT something I want in my chili). Whatever the case, I was happy to have my chili recognized, but the best reward was that I brought home an almost empty pot, so someone thought it was good.

The best part of an evening like this is that it brings the community together for a very family-fun based evening of fellowship. Especially, at this time of life at seminary - first call for seniors, internship for middlers, CPE for juniors, mid-terms approaching for all - we all have plenty of stress in our lives. This was a great chance to just let go for a little while, and enjoy some time together.

Tonight's Evening News

2008-02-21T21:58:00.001-05:00

No omens in the night sky tonight. Just a pleasant dinner on campus with two of our classmates and the bishop of the North Carolina Synod of the ELCA. That’s right – we were invited to join Bishop Bolick for dinner tonight because we have been assigned to our home synod of North Carolina!!

We were very pleased to learn that we have been assigned to NC and have a chance to talk about what to expect during the call process. We certainly don’t have many details yet, but we have been told to expect that our paperwork could be sent out to some congregation(s) to consider in just a couple of weeks. The call process will begin in earnest then.

I still haven’t found the right graphic to illustrate this post, but I’m thinking about finding a nice garden flag with some North Carolina theme – maybe the Cape Hatteras lighthouse…

Eclipse

2008-02-20T23:40:00.004-05:00

Tonight was a lunar eclipse, one that was easily viewed in the South Eastern United States. For a great look at the timeline and other info on this eclipse, check out this article.

For a great interview about the eclipse, check out this video.

I have included a couple of pictures that I took, but they quality is not great – they are from my digital camera, handheld using the car for bracing. They do show a couple of stages of the eclipse. For us here in the SE, there will not be another eclipse that is this visible until at least 2010. Since tonight was very clear, it was a great night to be watching.

For an interesting article on the eclipse that saved Christopher Columbus, read this article.

For us, this eclipse was an omen of impending news – today was the announcement of the ELCA regional assignments for first call. We have been assigned to region 9, but will be another 24 hours before we know much more. Check back soon!

Monday Musings

2008-02-18T10:02:00.003-05:00

Dodge is off to a great 2008 season by winning the Great American Race – the Daytona 500. The new car (COT) made its debut at Daytona and the 2008 NASCAR season is off and running. And how about Toyota? Dodge placed first and second (Ryan Newman and Kurt Busch), but Toyota placed 3rd and 4th (Tony Steward and Kyle Busch)! Not bad for their second year in NASCAR.

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Gasoline prices have soared up again. I bought gas early last week (Monday or Tuesday) for $2.70 a gallon; by Saturday the same station was at $2.85 per gallon. We worry about stimulating the economy, and yet there are people who cannot afford to buy gas to get to work! The divide between the haves and have-nots grows every day. As one who definitely was on the “have” side a few years ago, but is now closer to the “have-not” side (life as a middle-aged student is definitely a different tax bracket than we were used to), this is pretty obvious. For most of us, we cannot see it. As long as our economic situation does not change, we think the world is OK. What happens, though, when your job depends on you having a car (because our public transportation is inadequate) and you cannot come up with gas money, on top of groceries and car insurance, and the other necessities of life? No – we do not have and are not guaranteed the “right to drive” in this country, but then, we make it so hard for those who need other options. Our streets are not pedestrian friendly, we only have bike lanes in the “nice” neighborhoods, and we as drivers do not show the proper respect to our neighbors on foot, or bicycles or mopeds – we just want them to get out of our way so we can get to where we are going. We even complain about the public transportation that we do have – busses that stop in front of us and block our travel lane. We even complain about the small percentage of our taxes that are used to support public transportation, and yet, most of us are not willing to car-pool or offer a ride to someone standing at a bus stop.

As a Lenten discipline, maybe we could just try being nicer while driving. No road rage, no yelling at other drivers, and maybe, just maybe, give the right-of-way to a pedestrian or bicyclist once in a while. If you are in a great mood, offer a ride to someone who is struggling to carry their groceries down the street.

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Tornadoes again – more tornadoes so far this winter than most of us remember in a long time. We offer prayers for those in Florida and Alabama, struck by tornadoes yesterday. May God bring you peace, and comfort you in your loss, and bring you volunteers who will help, and pray, and become a part of your life as you rebuild and repair.

If you wish to help out, contact your local Red Cross, or Lutheran Disaster Response, or check with any member organization of VOAD.

2008-02-12T22:11:00.002-05:00

From David at Here I Stand:

This meme has been making the rounds, and since I have little time for blogging today I will play along rather then publish another of my awe inspiring, inspirational posts. It is called the 1-2-3 Meme, and to play along one needs a book. Being that I am sitting in the seminary library right now, that shouldn’t be a problem. Here are the rules for the meme.

Pick up the nearest book of 123 pages or more. (No cheating!)
Find Page 123.
Find the first 5 sentences.
Post the next 3 sentences.
Tag 5 people
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The book I picked up is a textbook for Lutheranism in North America (sorry, it was the first book I could reach with at least 123 pages). The next 3 sentences are:

Shaking off the grief which had weighed on him after the death of his young bride, he [Samual Simon Schmucker] feverishly wrote letters to men who he knew to be supportes of the General Synod. "I have within the last six weeks written sixteen letters to different parts of our church," he wrote in his diary. There were letters to North Carolina, urging the synod to send delegates at the appointed time to Frederick, Maryland, in spite of the action of the Pennsylvania Ministerium.

(And we think there are issues in the Lutheran church today!)

Like David, I am a bit short on time (but this sounded like fun), so if you read this, consider yourself tagged.

Turning 50

2008-02-11T10:01:00.000-05:00

It seems that 1958 was one of those years - a lot of things began in 1958. From a recent mailing inviting us to join AARP was a list of celebrities who, along with AARP, turned 50 in 2008. In addition to that list, last night the Grammy Awards turned 50. This next Sunday, another major event turns 50, the Daytona 500. Why all this interest in things that turn 50 in 2008?

I guess it is because we both turn 50 this year, as well. In fact, Ruth Ann has already had her 50th birthday and mine is coming soon. We recently had a joint celebration, and had to work to convince the cake decorator that, Yes, we really did want the cake to say Birthdays (plural).

So, you might ask - if you have been following this blog for long, what is it like to turn 50 during the senior year of seminary? It is quite interesting, to say the least. While many of our classmates are straight out of college (expected to graduate at the ripe old age of 25 or 26), we also have several classmates who are about our age, or even older. Seminary is no longer full of 20 something men - it now includes men and women, from every age - straight out of college to a retired doctor who decided to come to seminary a week after closing his practice. About half of seminarians at Lutheran seminaries these days are second (or third or fourth) career and the rest come right out of college. Programs like Project Connect are helping to bring more young people to seminary, but more and more people seem to decide on a mid-life career change that includes going back to school - to become a chef, a pastor, a doctor, or something else that did not seem to be an option when they younger.

So yes, we are a bit preoccupied by the number 50 this year. Like everything else, we are thankful to reach the age of 50 in good health and to be able to attend seminary. We are thankful that so many have remembered us as we turn 50. And yes - we look forward to graduating this year - school is hard at 50!

As I turn 50, I have memories of reading Jimmy Buffett's book, A Pirate Looks at 50. I really enjoyed that book a few years ago - I think it is time to read it again.

What does Grace look like?

2008-02-07T21:47:00.000-05:00

The preacher at tonight’s Eucharist service on campus asked that question, then answered it with several examples he has seen recently in worship services. Those examples made me think of two places that Ray and I have been on recent Sunday mornings. We were asked to fill in at each of these churches over the past few weeks, while their pastors were on vacation.

(For those who want to know how we handle this – we just took turns. I preached and led worship twice in the city church, with Ray giving the children’s sermons; then he preached and led worship at the rural church. Guess that means it will be my turn to preach next!)

These two Lutheran churches are quite different: one is a stately brick church in a small Southern city, which recently celebrated its 125th anniversary; the other is an even older rustic, white-sided country church. One seems to have grown steadily and prospered throughout its existence; the other has had to struggle to survive, but now flourishes.

But they also have much in common. For God’s grace is clearly present in both places – in the worship services, in the fellowship the members share, and in the ministries they both provide to their communities!

I have had the opportunity in the past few years to learn a bit of the story of both places. The city church was started with only a few members – those in the community who were already Lutheran. The rural church has had its share of challenges - a previous pastor told me that he knew when he served there, that if attendance didn’t increase, the church might close. I have also been blessed to get to know some of the members - to hear stories of their lives and to share some of my stories with them.

What strikes me most is both how alive and alike these two congregations are! They are in different places, with different kinds of pastors, with their own unique challenges; yet God has been present with them and in their ministries; they grow and flourish and worship God and love and serve their neighbors. They have been blessed by God so that they can be a blessing to others (including visiting seminarians).

Grace looks like that to me!

Turning Pages

2008-01-24T20:26:00.000-05:00

The past two weeks have been filled with an excellent J-term class on Educational Ministry with Adults. Imagine an entire semester of coursework crammed into eight days of classes. With four books to read and five written assignments to complete, plus a class session to teach, we have spent most all of our time focused on this class. It has been a great course – one which I’m sure will have tremendous impact on our future ministry – but I’m glad to be done and have the weekend to relax before the regular semester starts next week.

In the meantime, I’ll take advantage of the breather to write about two books that Ray and I both read over break – we highly recommend both of them!

The first is Once Around the Track by Sharyn McCrumb. Ray and I have enjoyed many of her other books. Most of them are mysteries with an historical theme, set in the mountains of western North Carolina and eastern Tennessee – countryside which we know pretty well.This time, she has written a book of fiction about NASCAR, set in the town of Mooresville, North Carolina – which is just north of Charlotte. Ray’s a big NASCAR fan, the characters are bigger than life, the story is captivating, and the scenery is familiar – a winning combination! It should be available in your favorite local bookstore or public library.

The second book we took time to read while we were on vacation is Sunday by Sunda y which is written by a friend of ours from the seminary campus, Cristy Fossum. Sunday by Sunday is written as the journal of a woman, who is determined to grow old not-so-gracefully, but by living each day fully! Her journal entries reflect on her experiences with her family and friends, her life of faith, her experiences in worship, and the weekly lectionary texts from the Revised Common Lectionary (RCL). This is a work of fiction, but so true to life that it will make you laugh and cry – sometimes both at the same time. I am already waiting impatiently for the next volume to be published – hurry, Cristy!

If you can’t find this in a local bookstore, you can purchase it directly from the author’s website. I also understand that there will soon be a downloadable study guide available – this would make a great resource for a women’s study group. And after the past couple of weeks, I feel fully qualified to make that recommendation!

Living in the Eye of the Storm

2008-01-08T11:22:00.000-05:00

The last several weeks have passed by so quickly! I can hardly believe that Advent and Christmas are past and the New Year has arrived. Here we are in the season of Epiphany already! I hope that the anticipation of Advent and the joys of Christmas were blessings to others as they were for us. May we all continue to grow in our awareness of the active presence of God in our daily lives as we move into and through this Epiphany season in the weeks to come.

After worship on Christmas Eve, as we greeted the pastor, he asked us how we were doing in this in-between time – for as he knows, we are between semesters and between approval and call. We realized then that this is for us, in many ways, the eye of the storm. And given some of our unique experiences on our seminary journey, it seems like a very appropriate image!

The past semester has indeed passed like the front wall of a hurricane with its triple threats: the heavy rain of homework assignments; the high winds of the approval process, and the rising tides of anxiety as we felt like we were holding still and the storm was moving over/around/through/past us!

After the work for the semester was done and the quiet begun, we had another flurry of activity as we prepared for Christmas and accomplished some long-delayed household chores, like installing a new storm door before the cold winds invaded our home!

Now, we are experiencing a week of quiet rest and vacation, trying to fully enjoy this time away while still anticipating the return of the second wall of the storm. We are fully aware that the storm is not yet over. Our final semester of seminary will begin very soon, since we have enrolled in a J-term class which begins next Monday! This two week intensive course on educational ministry with adults will get our semester underway. Then at the end of January, the regular semester begins.

Along with the pounding rain of schoolwork, we face gusting winds again as the long anticipated assignment event occurs in late February and the process of being called to serve in a congregation begins. And I have no delusions about either of us remaining totally calm in the face of all this. In spite of our excitement at the prospect of graduating and accepting calls to serve and our faith that God is with us through every step of this journey, the tidal surge of anxiety will no doubt come as well!

For now, we are deliberately savoring this calm and peaceful vacation time, while preparing for the storm to return…

Life as a Senior

2007-11-20T15:50:00.000-05:00

Life as a senior - not that kind of senior, but a senior at seminary. While we are not too far away from qualifying for the senior discount at most restaurants, it is still a few years away.

Life as a senior at seminary has its own dynamic. It is both joyful (we are almost done) and frustrating (why do we have to come back?). Internship is a taste of what is to come, a chance to see and feel what vocation in Christ's church is really like, then they snatch us back and tell us to spend one more year in the classroom.

Is it the right thing to do? Probably, but I am having a little trouble seeing it, at least so far. The classes we are taking are great - a couple of them are courses I now wish I had been able to take before internship. I suppose that is the biggest point for making us come back - we now see the real value in these courses after internship whereas we probably would not have seen the value before.

Life as a senior in a Lutheran seminary also has its own unique struggles. Part of being a senior also means that there is another process going on at the same time as your classes. This process is called APPROVAL. Approval means writing an essay, meeting with two members of the faculty who point out all of the errors in your essay, and then they send you off to your candidacy committee so they can point out all of the things that they don't understand or agree with (sometimes the same things).

Once you are absolutely certain that you have not learned anything in your 3+ years of seminary, the committee takes a vote. If they vote yes, it means that you have been approved (assuming that you pass your remaining courses at seminary, of course). If they vote no, it either means that they think you need some specific training or that there is a major issue with your formulation of theology.

Fortunately - both of us have been approved. Not that this happened is a stress-free way. Not at all. But even with the stress, there has been affirmation of gifts, of those things that have been learned, and a few pointers at those areas for continued learning.

One of the things I think I have most learned in this time of seminary, and reflection, and interviewing, is that our faith life is a continuing process which never ends. Whether we are called to ordained service, or to wait tables, our faith is always growing, transforming who we are, and how we live. For some, this growth is seen in a more holistic person - a person with character - in all phases of their life. For others, this growth might seem more drastic - like suddenly going off to seminary. Whatever this growth looks like for you, realize that it is growth, that our faith is never stagnant, that our faith journey is just that - a never-ending journey.

This also is true of our learning - especially as pastors-to-be. I will never know the Bible well enough, or theology well enough, or church history well enough - to not continue to study and learn. This might be the biggest revelation of being a senior. When you first begin internship, you wonder if you know enough. As you continue your year in the church, you find out that you remember a lot more of your seminary education than you thought you did. By the end of internship, you feel pretty good about it, but you know that there are a few things you might want to learn a little more about. Then, after the first few weeks of senior classes, you realize that you don't know anything - that internship was full of mistakes that you did not even see, and that this is your last chance to learn from these people who are dedicated to turning out not just pastors, but good and faithful pastors for the church.

So, this is what it is like, being a senior. Ready to go, to be in ministry, but also aware that there is much to learn, and that it will still be that way on graduation day. We will have learned more by then, but also are aware that continuing education is something that we cannot take lightly (and should not take lightly).

And so, on this eve of Thanksgiving eve, these are my thoughts. Being approved this past weekend lightens the burden, but there are still papers to write, forms to fill out, and spring classes to consider. May your faith journey continue, and may your turkey be filling.

God meets us in the silence

2007-10-31T21:59:00.000-04:00

Amidst the craziness of everything, especially the senior year of seminary, it can be hard to find time for prayer and meditation. With approval panels, papers, first call forms, and everything else that happens, when do you slow down?

Fortunately, there are also options available here at the seminary to explore different spiritual disciplines. Spiritual direction and contemplative prayer are a couple of the options that I have been enjoying. As part of spiritual direction, we are reading Richard Foster's book, Celebration of Discipline. I just finished reading chapter 7, on the discipline of solitude. To hear God, sometimes we have to shut out the rest of the world, and just listen. It is not easy to do, especially finding the time, but it is worth it.

In group meetings, we use silence, a form of solitude, to gather our thoughts, to listen to the Holy Spirit, and to hear what God is telling us. While Monday has become a very long, full day, the last couple of hours of the day include a group spiritual direction session, followed by intercessory prayer. It makes for a full day, but in reality, these two hours are among the most relaxing of the week. Time spent in prayer and silence is refreshing, relaxing, and renewing.

The disciplines of silence and solitude, of time spent in intentional meditation, are ancient practices that are being recaptured by Christians. These disciplines are opportunities to find new ways of spending time in prayer and meditation, of allowing God to speak to us in a way that we might actually hear.

For me, this time has become something that I look forward to. Quiet contemplation, a quietly read Psalm, and community prayers help end my Monday. How do you find quiet time? When and where are you able to sit and listen to the Holy Spirit? If you answer no, might I suggest that you check out Foster's book, or find somewhere close by that offers contemplative prayer, or centering prayer, or another form of meditative prayer. One of these forms of prayer may be what you have been missing. Prayer, like other things in our lives, does not just happen - unless we are intentional about it. God meets me in the silence, and assures me that I am His. May He meet you there, also.

Weekends

2007-10-14T22:37:00.000-04:00

We often write about how much is going on with school or internship; schedules, deadlines, projects, and papers. Thought maybe I should write tonight about this weekend and what our time off is like. In spite of the hectic school schedule, we do try to spend time each weekend relaxing a bit and since we are not assigned to a field church this year, we have the option of worshiping where we wish on Sundays. Both seem like quite a luxury!

With last Monday-Wednesday off for Fall Break, we have actually had seven of the past nine days off, but most of them seem to have already vanished into distant memory! This weekend was a good mix of homework, household chores, worship, work, and relaxation - which really just means that we are starting out the new week already tired out...

Just to give you an idea of this weekend’s schedule: Saturday was spent doing household chores: bathing our dog Smokey, doing laundry, trimming some shrubs in the yard, and moving some boxes from our carport to more permanent storage. Last night, while Ray watched a NASCAR race on TV and worked on the computer, I did some reading for one of our classes (about 175 pages and I’m still not caught up!).

This morning, we attended worship at one of the many Lutheran congregations in the area (one of our friends is the new vicar there); then went out to lunch with our son, his wife, and our granddaughter. After lunch, we met our daughter and her fiance at the SC State Fair. We enjoyed a concert by Josh Turner, then spent a bit of time watching the delighted 3 year old ride carnival rides! Ray and I left all the “young’uns” at the midway and headed for home. After a quick supper, we went to the library on campus, where I worked the evening shift. Now we are back at home, with time to do a bit more reading (and perhaps another load of laundry) before we turn in for the night.

Where has the time gone?

2007-10-12T22:13:00.000-04:00

It is hard to believe that it has been so long since we have posted anything. Re-entry to seminary life has been more difficult than I had expected, especially the schedule.

Internship is preparation for ministry, and most Lutherans do their internship during the 3rd year of seminary, then come back to the seminary for the 4th year. This makes some sense, in that it gives us a chance to reflect on internship, ask questions about those things that came up during internship, and give us some time to get ready for first call. The disadvantage for those who opt to modify the schedule and do their internship during the 4th year is that they usually end up with several months of unemployment (or at least not church employment) while awaiting assignment. The disadvantage of the "normal" routine of 3rd year internship is the abrupt schedule changes, from school to internship, then internship back to school.

All this said, it is the last year of seminary, we are back in our house, back in classes, and well underway towards graduation. Unfortunately, one of the things that has suffered is keeping this blog updated. It has been almost a month since either of us posted anything. And yes, we really have been busy.

Our first several weeks back, we were busy unpacking, spending our weekends helping with the lake-side services and campground ministry, and trying to re-adjust to seminary life. We also went back to our campus jobs - Ruth in the library and me in the computer lab. I also inherited the student web site, which had crashed and had to be rebuilt. On top of all of this, we had to write approval essays. Well, enough of that. We have been busy, and not posting very regularly.

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You have probably noticed that the blog has a new look. Blogger has made some changes, and offered new templates, so I decided to try something new. I was not very happy with the way the blog was looking, and during one of the last changes, our picture went away. Now, with the new template, I was able to put it back and have more control over the look of the blog. Hope you like it.

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What else is going on? Well, we just had our fall break - a 5-day weekend! It was a nice break, but not all relaxation. Just as we were making our plans for the things we wanted to do, Rusty's laptop hard drive crashed, so we spent a lot of time recovering files. I had just had to replace my laptop, and am still getting files transferred over to it, so most of the first two days of our break was centered around computers - updates, backups, and repairs.

Another things that happened over break was that I had a chance to spend some time with a couple of friends and play with my new hobby some. There have been 2 ham fests in the area in the last 6 weeks, so I have gone to look (but with no money to spend) at ham radios, antennas, and other neat stuff. I now have (thanks to a friend) an antenna and a 10-foot pole so that I can get better signals on my radio. I just finished putting it together, and hopefully will get a chance to try it out soon. It seems that the adapter I bought was not the one I needed so I will have to find another one before I can make the final connections.

Enough for now, and I really do plan to get back into more of a routine of posting. Really.

Catching Up

2007-09-11T16:44:00.000-04:00

Sorry I haven’t posted in quite a long while. Somehow, unpacking boxes and writing the massive approval essay seemed to be more urgent for days, even weeks, at a time. Now, whether it is right or wrong, the essay is complete. We have unpacked almost all of the boxes, although we still need to empty out our storage unit. (Oh boy, more boxes and furniture to carry into and arrange in our little house!)

We also had a chance to get away this past weekend, as we participated in a retreat with other members of our class to ‘debrief’ on our internship. While many of us dreaded the weekend, it turned out to be a wonderful time away, filled with prayer and worship, sharing and storytelling, food and relaxation.

We were truly on retreat at the beach, with some free time to appreciate the wonder of God’s creation – the warmth of the sun and the power of the waves. We made time to pray and worship together, and most of all, to share stories. These stories weren’t really about our internships or the congregations that hosted us – in a very real way, they were simply about us and our experiences as we are in the process of becoming pastors.

Many of the stories shared were funny; some encouraging, and some not so. Sometimes we celebrated the times we got things right. Other times we commiserated over mistakes made. Always we experienced God’s presence.

Now we are back at home. Back at work, trying to catch up on all of the assigned reading. Back to look ahead to the next step in the process. There doesn't seem to be any time in this year's schedule to just enjoy being in the moment.

While it seems like this year of classes has just begun, we are already looking ahead to next year. We actually have a meeting this week on campus with four synodical bishops and other church leaders to talk about how the candidacy process is completed and the call process begins.

Hurricane Felix

2007-09-03T23:24:00.001-04:00

While Felix appears to be no threat to the US, it appears that it will be a major threat to Honduras and Nicaragua - countries in Central America that don't have the resources to deal with a major hit by a hurricane. For them, I offer this prayer, modified from the ELCA disaster site (http://www.elca.org/disaster/download/Litanyafterhurricanes.doc)

O God of mercy, look with pity upon all those who will be left homeless, bereft, in shock, in the wake of the Hurricanes Felix. God, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

Holy God, who fed your people in the wilderness, whose loving kindness is everlasting, lift the burdens of all who will be weary from the search for food, and refresh those who will be parched from thirst. God, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

O Source of all consolation, comfort with the sure sense of your presence all who feel forsaken, whose hope will be dried up. God, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

Heavenly Father, who sent your son to bring sight to the blind, hearing and healing to all who asked, open our ears to all cries of affliction, and through us provide healing and help. God, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

Merciful God, you ask us to cleanse our hearts, to loose the bonds of oppression, and to repair the ruins. Pour out upon us the Spirit of your love, so that we might pour
ourselves out for those affected by disaster so that they, too, will know your generous healing power. In the name of your Son, Jesus Christ, we pray.
Amen.

Epistle for Sunday

2007-08-31T21:02:00.001-04:00

Sunday is my turn to preach. Not that we spend a lot of time keeping track, but when someone ask, "would one of you preach on Sunday," we do try to take turns. Last year, just before we left on internship, Ruth Ann had the chance to preach at the lakeside service, so now it is my turn.

A suggestion was that I / we consider talking some about our internship on the Gulf Coast. As I thought about it, and read the text for Sunday, it seemed like a good idea. For example, here is the epistle for Sunday from the Revised Common Lectionary:

Hebrews 13:1 Let mutual love continue. 2 Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by doing that some have entertained angels without knowing it. 3 Remember those who are in prison, as though you were in prison with them; those who are being tortured, as though you yourselves were being tortured.1 4 Let marriage be held in honor by all, and let the marriage bed be kept undefiled; for God will judge fornicators and adulterers. 5 Keep your lives free from the love of money, and be content with what you have; for he has said, "I will never leave you or forsake you." 6 So we can say with confidence, "The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can anyone do to me?" 7 Remember your leaders, those who spoke the word of God to you; consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith. 8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.
Hebrews 13:15-16 15 Through him, then, let us continually offer a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that confess his name. 16 Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.

As internship was a lot about hospitality - the housing and feeding of volunteers, the rebuilding of homes and lives for those who live on the coast, the theme seemed to fit very well. Then, this evening, we received an email that seemed to nail the whole thing. Below is a poem, written by a women in Biloxi, MS. I hope the text will stay in the same format that it came in - a cross.

They Came

With warm hearts, they came.
With open arms, they came.
With helpful hands, they came.
With tools and toys, they came.
With bottled water, they came.
With loads of food, they came.
With free medicine, they came.
They left their homes, their jobs and their families.
They saved our lives and they healed our wounds.
They fed our hungry and they brought our clothes.
They cleared our land and they opened our roads.
They carried our burdens and they gave us strength.
They held our hands and they felt our pain.
They dried all our tears.
They showed compassion.
They calmed our fears.
They raised our spirits.
They rebuilt our homes.
They rebuilt our schools.
They taught our children.
They showed their faith.
They planted our gardens.
They raised our businesses.
They restored our lives.
They renewed our souls.
They touched our hearts.
They are called our heroes.
They are our volunteers.
They became our friends.
No one asked them, but still, they came.
They gave us courage to start life again.

This poem was written by Martha S. Boyce of Biloxi, MS, extending our deepest gratitude to the thousands of recovery responders and volunteers making the recovery of Mississippi possible. It will be permanently displayed in the Mississippi Renaissance Garden on the Mississippi Gulf Coast.
mboyce@msrengarden.org

Here are a couple of links about Martha and the Mississippi Renaissance Garden:

http://www.wlox.com/Global/story.asp?S=4015628

http://www.msrengarden.org/

Somehow, as this weekend is the first Sunday after the 2nd anniversary of Katrina, this will all somehow find its way into the sermon. It is certainly worth sharing here. As we remember the anniversary of Katrina, and of Sept. 11, and as we read the new reports coming in from the midwest where they have had all the flooding, or as you pass someone on the street, remember hospitality to the stranger.

Dizzy Schedule

2007-08-28T19:15:00.000-04:00

As of today, we have completed 5 days of the new semester, along with getting settled into our home, and trying to find a few hours to work and earn grocery money, as well. To say the least, the schedule is hectic, enough to make one dizzy.

On top of all of these other things, our approval essays are due next Tuesday. This essay will be the basis of our approval panel discussions with faculty here at seminary, and then again with our candidacy committee. This essay is about 20 pages long, including a sermon and some very deep, theological questions which must be answered.

Needless to say, all of this has impacted finding time to post to the blog, or send updates, or even talk to each other! We are working weekends on the lake, and I have been tasked with re-building the student web site for the seminary community. This web site has been interesting to work with, but also somewhat frustrating as it had crashed and had to be rebuilt from scratch. An interesting challenge, but not one I really have time for.

Being back at seminary is good, in fact, wonderful at times. Daily chapel is soothing, and refreshing, and calming in a time of chaos. Being back with friends (even though we left friends behind from internship) is also good, especially as we share experiences from our internships.

There was somewhere a false idea that the Senior year would not be as hard as some other semesters - not sure where I got that idea. It certainly is not true, especially not with all of the other demands on our time.

During a class discussion today, there was talk about finding those places where chronos (our time - linear time) meets with kairos (God's time - vertical time). Thinking back to internship, there were many of those times. I am sure that there will be many of those here as well, if only we can slow down to reflect on them occasionally.

Time to fix dinner, then translate some Greek (1 Cor 1:18-25). Then, maybe unpack another box...

On Going Home Again

2007-08-09T18:28:00.000-04:00

Apparently it is possible to go home again.

Thanks to a few members of the church, we got everything in our apartment packed and loaded last Wednesday. After some final cleaning on Thursday morning, we left Mobile, and arrived back at our home on Friday afternoon, spent the evening cleaning and then, with some more volunteer help, unloaded the truck Saturday morning. The rest of Saturday, most of Sunday, and a portion of each day so far this week have been spent unpacking and getting settled.

Perhaps the most challenging part of unpacking is trying to remember where we kept things before. “Where should we put the mixing bowls – in this cabinet or that one? Which closet did we keep the sleeping bags in?” Or even deciding if things SHOULD go back in the same places: “Should we rearrange the living room, or put the furniture exactly where it was before?”

Even Smokey, our much-loved mutt, seems to know that he is back at home and has re-discovered his favorite spots to nap!

We are also back at our same part-time jobs on campus – I work in the library and Ray in the computer lab. There is no lack of things to do to help prepare both for the fall semester, so we have both been spending a couple of hours each day at work. This seems to be a productive way to spend the hottest part of the day.

Even the weather seems to be conspiring to make us feel at home – but with current high temperatures in the triple-digits, the heat index here is even higher than Mobile has been for the past few weeks!

Thanks to everyone who has made the past year such an incredible experience and especially to all those who helped us with the move! Wish I could say we are finished, but we still have a storage unit to unpack.

We plan to wait until after this heat wave breaks, then take time to move those things back home again, too…

Q & A

2007-07-28T17:07:00.000-04:00

Some questions and comments we have heard lately:

“If we flunk you, can you stay another year?” (from members of our internship committees)
“Get ordained and come back!” (from LDR staff members)
“Aren’t you packed yet?” (from a friend in NC – you know who you are – almost two weeks ago!)
“It’s nice outside today. It’s only 88…” (this quite seriously from Ray, who hates hot weather – can you guess how hot it has been on other days recently?!?!)
“We miss you already!” (from many members of the congregation this last few weeks)
“How is the packing coming?” (from many people we have encountered this past week)

The answers (or retorts, depending on the situation) are something like this:

"No, we must return to school for our last year of studies."
"We’ll have to wait and see where God needs us to be next."
"NO, we haven’t even gotten our packing boxes out of the church attic yet."
"Yeh, at least it’s not over 95!"
"We will miss all of you, too!"

And finally:

"Well, we have really been busy with Red Cross disaster training courses, final internship evaluations, and other work to wrap up at the church and at LDR all week. We finally – this morning – retrieved our boxes from the attic at church.

AFTER worship and a farewell lunch tomorrow, we will finally begin actually packing boxes. Fortunately, we have been working on sorting out some things to donate to a local charity, cleaning out our desks at church, finishing up things in the frig, cleaning out the pantry, etc. I think what is left actually needs to be packed and loaded on the truck. We may just have to sort it all out at the other end of the move…"

Beginning of the End

2007-07-18T22:51:00.000-04:00

This is a time of transition for us as our internship year comes to an end. The schedule for these last couple of weeks in Mobile is very full! We need to finish a project or two at LDR and the church, write our final internship reports, have our last meetings with internship committees and other groups, preach our last sermons here, and hand over our files both places.

Some classmates told us they had deliberate time for “disengaging” before they left their internship congregations and returned to school. We, on the other hand, are running full tilt until the last possible moment. Another event for LDR this weekend, two Red Cross disaster volunteer trainings next week, etc. (Never mind the lengthy approval essay which still needs to be written by early September.)

After our last Sunday here, we will need to pack up our office and our apartment, so that we can load up the truck and move back before the school year begins. We already have our class schedules – now it is time to buy our books and settle into a different routine for the last year of our studies!

It has been both an exciting and challenging year and saying goodbye is difficult, because in many ways it feels like we just got settled in. But we know these transitions and farewells are part of the internship experience – preparation for arriving at a new call and practice for leaving well from one in the future…

Random Thoughts on Sunday evening

2007-07-01T22:30:00.000-04:00

Well, it seems it might be time to catch up. Rather than try to remember (and find time) to post multiple times on multiple topics, I’ll try to do several topics in one post (he says, trying to remember all the things that could have been earlier entries).

Summer – yes, it is summer in Mobile, and very hot. Looking at the temperatures for Mobile and other southern cities, they don’t seem very different, but if you can find and compare heat indexes, the true story comes out. We are coping, but I think acclamation would take a number of years.

Vacation – not only does this week bring us a holiday, but also vacation time. We will leave on Thursday for an escape to the mountains of North Carolina. Hopefully, cooler temperatures will prevail. The reason for going is my grandmothers’ 96th birthday. We hope there will be more, but we get together each year just in case there are not.

Internship – what a busy time! Our supervisor has been on vacation for the last three weeks, so we have been in charge. It has been a wonderful opportunity to experience ministry together, and to put to use the many skills we have accumulated. It has also been a time of finishing our LDR presentations and beginning to wrap up our Congregational Preparedness program so we can hand it over to someone else. Our last two presentations were to the Mobile District Attorney’s disaster response task force and to the South Baldwin Amateur Radio Club (SBARC). Both of these were interesting, as they were not congregations and were not presentations we instigated. In both cases, they invited us after hearing about us elsewhere.

One of the most interesting things out of the presentation and interaction with the DA’s office is that they have developed a preparedness program called Erik’s Shoebox. It is a great program to help people have important documents in a safe place and ready for evacuation. We are going to help LDR set up an Erik’s Shoebox day in Bayou la Batre later this month. Staff and volunteers from LDR will help residents photocopy and/or scan to CD important documents such as Driver’s License, Social Security card, titles to cars or homes, and other important papers that could be lost in a storm or that are needed to apply for aid after a storm.

Sunday after-the-sermon thoughts – today was my turn to preach, and Paul’s letter to the Galatians played heavily in my sermon. Various discussions this week played off the idea that our freedom in Christ (Gal 5:1) can somehow be tied to our freedom as Americans (being the Sunday before the 4th of July and all). I had trouble with this, even though I did write one version of a sermon that attempted to address that issue. The problem is, even though we are called to be radical disciples of Christ, and Christ has set us free so that we can be radical disciples of a radical Gospel, it has nothing to do with the freedoms we enjoy as Americans. Needless to say, my sermon focused more on being free in Christ so that we can be radical disciples. Someday, I will go back and explore the other sermon option, but on internship, while the supervisor is gone, was probably not the time to pit patriotism against discipleship. Or at, that was my decision on Saturday night.

Sleepless Night

2007-06-22T05:37:00.000-04:00

It may be because I drank too much iced tea when we ate dinner last night with the volunteers who are staying at the church this week, or because of physical aches and pains that sent me to the medicine cabinet a few minutes ago for a couple of Advil, but it is 4 am and I’m wide awake – which is really quite rare for me.

At any rate, my mind is racing, thinking about what I will say in my sermon this Sunday as we observe the Nativity of St. John the Baptist. I’m already thinking of this as a ‘special news broadcast’ in the middle of the 'regular programming' of the season of Pentecost – the many, many Sundays of green! I’m not sure yet what I will say, but as the sermon is beginning to take shape in my mind, I find myself looking back over the schedule for the last few weeks…

The last Sunday I preached here ‘at home’ – the last Sunday I even worshipped here ‘at home’! - was a month ago on Pentecost! Even though I have been very much on duty and at work for the last few weeks, many members of the congregation haven’t seen me, because I have been away the past three Sundays. This is what much of this year has been like.

After worshipping here on Pentecost, Ray and I were both out of town for three days, giving LDR presentations in another area of the state. We returned home overnight, to unpack, do laundry, and repack before traveling to the synod assembly. We were both away at the synod assembly on Trinity Sunday.

The following Sunday, I was assigned to preach at another congregation ‘over the bay,’ so I traveled on Sunday morning to worship and preach at both of the services of another congregation in this conference.

Last week, Ray and I split the travels. He traveled early in the week to give two more LDR presentations in the northern part of the state, while I traveled over the weekend to Hickory, North Carolina to attend the annual gathering of the NC Synodical Women’s Organization of the Women of the ELCA. It was a joy to join many of my friends for worship and study and fellowship at that event. I was able to thank the women's group personally for all their support of my seminary studies. (see my last post!) I also had responsibilities, as I presented two workshop sessions on our experience working and volunteering on the Gulf coast, providing information for those who might want to help organize groups from their congregations to come and volunteer.

These past four weeks have flown by, filled with a variety of activities for LDR and within the congregation, and this week, I’ll be back in the pulpit again here. Guess I’d better try again to go back to sleep now – I’ve got a sermon to work on later!

June udpate

2007-06-18T16:35:00.000-04:00

I know we have been very bad about updating the blog - just so much going on. Here is the article that I wrote for the July newsletters at both our home congregation and our seminary partner congregation. It will give you an idea of what the past few weeks have been like and wat we will be up to for the next couple of weeks.

It is time again for another installment of “Internship with Ray and Ruth Ann.” This time, though, Ruth Ann is out of town, so don’t blame her for anything I write.

We are beginning wind down mode at our internship site, but in some ways it feels more like windup mode. We are still doing Congregational Preparedness presentations for LDR, but we are trying to only finish the ones we have scheduled and then pass this job along to someone else. Winding down means a lot of presentations in the past few weeks. I have traveled over 1000 miles doing presentations in the past week, and Ruth Ann spent the weekend in Hickory, North Carolina presenting for the NC WELCA annual meeting.

In fact, we have traveled so much that we had to send our dog off for his summer vacation. Smokey spent the last few weeks with our daughter so we could travel without having to find someone to keep up with him. Now that we are down to a couple of presentations, Smokey is on his way home, traveling back with Ruth Ann. We will just about get settled in a routine, and then it will be time to pack and move.

The difficult part of winding down internship will be saying goodbyes. We have already heard members of the congregation here talk about missing us, and we still have a few weeks. I am sure we will hear a lot more of this as we closer to July 29th, which will be our last Sunday. We will certainly miss them, as well.

In the meantime, our supervising pastor is on vacation, and it is time to see if we have really learned anything in the past 10 months. For three weeks, Ruth Ann and I will preach, lead worship, visit shut-ins, make hospital visits, and anything else that comes up (plus 2 more presentations). Our supervisor is only a phone call away, and we certainly have pastors in the area that would help us out, but for the most part, we are on our own – a chance to see what our future ministry might look like.

We are very grateful for this year – all we have learned and the many experiences we have had. We are very much ready to go back to seminary, though. Not because we want to leave here, but because we are ready to finish seminary and be in our first call. In the meantime, I just have to remember where I put all those boxes…

Hello, Huricane Season!

2007-06-02T18:02:00.000-04:00

May has been a very busy month. VOAD meetings and conferences, synod assemblies, Congregational Preparedness presentations, getting ready for hurricane season, and on top of that – a wedding.

Hurricane season is officially here, with the second named Atlantic storm bringing much needed rain to Florida and Georgia. The arrival of hurricane season has also boosted our activities. More presentations and related activity in May than in other months, plus more travel, has kept us away from home many nights. June looks to be just as busy, except for the wedding.

About the wedding – our son was married in May, which also took a few days out of our schedule. The wedding was outdoors, and was wonderful. I’ll get a picture posted later.

We are currently in Atlanta at the Southeastern Synod Assembly (www.elca-ses.org) with our Lutheran Disaster Response display. We are here as seminary interns, as well as displaying for LDR.

In addition to the various things we are doing, here are links to a couple of articles that have been written by other people about things we are doing or are involved in.

Article about a group that worked here - http://www.thecolumbiastar.net/news/2007/0525/Education/017.html

Interview with Ruth Ann about Congregational Preparedness - http://www.decaturdaily.com/decaturdaily/religion/070526/disaster.shtml

That is all for now. More presentations to schedule and miles to drive as we wind down our internship. By the end of July, we will have preached another 6 or 8 sermons, presented to another dozen or so congregations, and begun packing to move back to seminary.

Words of Thanks

2007-05-23T19:22:00.000-04:00

One of the chores that had to be fit into our schedule the past few weeks has been applying for financial aid for the next school year. Many of you know the drill: prepare your tax returns, then complete innumerable forms while hoping that your application will be selected. I was very pleased to receive notification last week from the Women of the ELCA in North Carolina that I would be receiving the Rainbow Scholarship. The very next day, another phone call came to tell me that I was being awarded the Chilstrom Scholarship from the Women of the ELCA. While neither is huge scholarship, they will each help toward paying for tuition and living expenses for our final year of studies.

Here, in part, is my letter of thanks to the Women of the ELCA. One of the questions asked on the application is “Why should the organization invest in your education?”

As I noted in my application, this scholarship is not a new investment! I have been involved since the formation of the Women of the ELCA: as a participant and officer in my local congregational unit, as a conference leader, synodical committee member, editor of the North Carolina synodical newsletter the Carolina Vine, and a member of the SWO board. I have attended uncounted circle meetings, committee and board meetings, conference and SWO gatherings, Churchwide Triennial Conventions, and retreats. Each of those positions and every one of those events has provided me with opportunities to work, study, and be in community with other women of faith. Women of the ELCA have already invested significantly in my development as a leader and mentor for other women through that involvement.

The Women of the ELCA has – and continues to - provide for me exactly what the purpose statement proclaims, the mission areas support, and the current triennial theme celebrates: A loving and supportive community of faithful women, fostering my growth in faith, and encouraging me to respond to God’s grace through bold action!

Even though I am now unable to regularly attend the circle meetings at my home congregation, I am still able to be part of the community of women in this place and remain connected to the women in North Carolina, who have supported me on this journey with their words of encouragement, prayers, and with scholarship funds.

Blessings to all the women of the ELCA!

The Changing Face of Recovery

2007-05-05T11:20:00.000-04:00

When we first arrived in Mobile and began working as case managers, we attended a weekly resource meeting which was attended by representatives from a wide variety of agencies working locally. FEMA, Red Cross, Volunteers of America, and United Way, as well as several faith based organizations, especially Catholic, Mennonite, Methodist, and Lutheran agencies were all in conversation together.

It was important for them to meet each week because the available aid was changing so quickly, as new programs and funding became available. And of course, each new program came with its own set of eligibility criteria. My point is, the rapid change was caused by new and additional aid becoming available. Projections were that recovery in the Bayou La Batre area of south Alabama would take another 3+ years, with recovery in Mississippi and Louisiana taking far longer.

Now, sadly, only nine months later, we are already watching many of those programs run out of funds and shift focus or end completely. Resource meetings have become sporadic, as many of the people who were planning or attending have already left these agencies or left the area.

Much of the money that was allocated for southern Alabama has already been spent, while many, many homes still remain unrepaired. Deadlines are beginning to close in. For example, the final date to apply for Katrina aid is May 15. I admit, that deadline seems quite reasonable. It has now been 20 months – almost two years - since Katrina made landfall on the Gulf coast. Those who need recovery assistance have surely had an adequate opportunity to come forward and apply for help.

The much more difficult deadline for me to grasp is the one at the end of August. By that time, all those seeking government funds for assistance with the repair or replacement of their homes in Alabama must have not only applied for the assistance, but their cases must already be approved by the local Long Term Recovery Committee AND the repairs must already be completed AND all the bills submitted for payment. (Fortunately, that deadline has been extended for other areas even more severely affected in MS and LA.)

Now, the rush is on to submit all these cases to the LTRC and get the work done as quickly as possible. But many will not be completed by this deadline. So that means that many will be left hoping and praying for further assistance, primarily from the faith-based organizations like LDR. Fortunately, the end date for those who are receiving FEMA housing assistance has recently been extended into 2008 – so those most in need do have additional time to make repairs, find new jobs, and get back on their feet before they lose that assistance.

Unfortunately, while LDR has a commitment to remaining at work in an area until the recovery is complete, changes are already underway to reduce the expense of running the local office. Now, more than ever, our prayers, donations, and volunteer labor are needed to support the work of LDR and other agencies, so that they can continue to help the victims of Katrina.

Along the Way

2007-04-26T10:29:00.000-04:00

If internships have theme songs, ours should be “On the Road Again.” We just arrived back in Mobile late last Friday night after a weeklong trip to Atlanta and Columbia. This morning we are packing again – this time for a couple of days in Birmingham, where we will be giving two presentations on Congregational Preparedness.

I have lost track of the number of miles we have traveled, but I do know that so far, we have taught, studied, preached, led worship, or given LDR presentations in six states: Alabama, Mississippi, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Texas. We have also traveled through parts of Florida, Louisiana, and Tennessee.

The upside to this is that I have returned to hobby which I had mostly neglected for the past ten years or more: knitting. First I pulled out a couple of long unfinished projects and finished them. After finishing those, I gave myself permission to purchase some new yarn for a couple of projects. I even bought more yarn and made a few Christmas presents! I have now finished a child’s sweater, a shawl, a vest, several scarves, and three ponchos.

Most recently, I pulled out of the closet a container full of yarn that I had purchased several years ago for an afghan, found a different pattern, and am knitting myself a sweater. I’m only brave enough to tell this on myself now because the sweater is nearly finished! I’ve already finished the back and both sleeves. I’ll be working on the front as we travel the next few days.

The good news about this is that it means I’ve been able to accomplish something useful in the long hours spent riding along the highway while someone else (usually Ray) is driving. I’ve also put my knitting bag beside my favorite chair in the living room, so I can knit when I occasionally sit down to watch TV. Knitting has always been a calming activity for me, so I’m glad to be able to have time to enjoy it again!

I’m even planning the next project already! You see, I have a skein of lovely, soft lavender yarn that was given to me, but I can’t quite decide how to use it. I’ve been looking at it for several months now, trying to decide what to make. I’ll let you know what it turns into…

Easter Blessings

2007-04-09T14:37:00.000-04:00

It has been a very busy Lenten season for us. Holy Week especially was filled with a variety of worship opportunities which we helped lead: a healing service on Monday, Stations of the Cross on Tuesday, vespers on Wednesday, a communion service on Maundy Thursday, and a Tenebrae service on Good Friday. Several members of our internship congregation thanked us for our part in the different worship services, telling us how much they were moved by the services during Holy Week.

Finally, Easter Sunday arrived, complete with white paraments, lilies, and Handel’s “Hallelujah Chorus.” While I hesitate to claim that you can’t truly appreciate sunshine without knowing what storm clouds are, it does seem to be true that the joy of Easter – the triumphant glory of the Resurrection - is best experienced if one has spent some time contemplating the pain and passion of the crucifixion.

Perhaps the biggest challenge in celebrating Easter is realizing that it’s not just one blow-out day filled with flowers, colored eggs, and candy. Instead it is an entire season. The church traditionally allots several weeks for this, even though most of us usually return to our normal lives after just a day or two.

I want to pass along to you something from today’s edition of an email devotional that I receive regularly. It begins with the story of Jesus on the road to Emmaus from Luke 24:13-36, then concludes: “Here’s wishing a blessed…eye-opening, faith-confirming, community-gathering, Eucharist-receiving, story-telling … Easter season to each and every one of you!”

(If you would like more information about these daily devotions, go to:
http://www.covenantlutheran.org/devotions.html)

Morning Thoughts

2007-03-28T09:12:00.000-04:00

Today is the last day. The last day that we have to get up at 5:00 a.m. for morning Lenten services, that is. The practice here at our internship congregation has been to have 3 daily servcies for Advent and Lent - 6:30 a.m., 12:00 noon, and 6:30 p.m.

As for getting up at 5:00 a.m., those of you who know me know that this is a rare feat - I don't do mornings. It is not that I don't do them well, I just don't do them. I am the one who, when I was traveling the world, would sometimes stay up all night when I had to leave for the airport at 5:00 a.m. (knowing that I had a 12 hour flight during which I could sleep). Early mornings just are not my thing.

But there has been something about 6:30 a.m. Morning Prayer that has touched me. There is something about getting up and dressed, and being in the sanctuary as the sun comes up, praising God for the day to come. Morning Prayer at 9:00 a.m. might be just fine, but there is something powerful about Morning Prayer as the sun rises.

It is easy to understand why many cultures begin their day with prayer as the sun rises. It is not something we do often as Christians, except for those who still have a sunrise service on Easter Morning. It may be a practice that we should reclaim more often.

Try it sometime. Get up before the sun rises; take your favorite hymnal or devotional, and have morning prayer as the sun rises (for Lutherans, try LBW p. 161). Morning prayer, or devotions, become more powerful as we witness the wonder of God's creation at the same time. Whether it is watching the early morning rays of sunlight as they penetrate the stained class windows of the sanctuary, or watching them rise over the trees in the back yard, or come in the kitchen windows, pray as the sun arrives.

This is the day that the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it (Psalm 118:24 , NRSV).

Finally, a new post!

2007-03-25T22:41:00.000-04:00

Well, it happened again. I had about ½ of a post written, and then IE shut down on me (I know, I have said before that was going to write the post in Word, then cut and paste it into Blogger, but I was in a hurry…).

As I think I was writing, it is hard to believe that it has been so long since either of us has been able to post anything. I guess it just goes to show how busy Lent can be. In addition to usual business of Lent, we have had lots of volunteers come in (college spring breaks) plus we have both spent some time in Enterprise, AL. For an update on Enterprise and LDR, click here.

While I am sure that we did expect our internship to be somewhat unique, I am not sure that we expected it to be as different as it has been. We have learned a lot about disaster response – on many levels – and have learned a lot about the various organizations that help make things happen. For example, a year ago, I had no idea what VOAD stood for, or that I would have anything to do with it. VOAD stands for Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster and is one organization that we have become very familiar with. We attend both the Mobile County VOAD meetings on a regular basis, as well as the state VOAD meetings. We have even shared our work on Congregational Preparedness at these meetings.

In addition, a group at St. Paul’s have decided to get our HAM radio licenses so that we will have communications in case of another disaster here. We had classes so we could pass the test, bought radios, and now are having classes so that we can operate our new rigs. If you are interested, my call sign is KI4UDZ.

All this adds to the confusion that arises when someone ask, “What do you want to do after seminary?” The first answer is that we will go where God calls us; the second answer is that after this internship, it will probably be somewhere unique (or at least very interesting). Our candidacy committee recently sent representatives to visit with us, and I think they were overwhelmed with what they found here. I can imagine that most anyone would be – disaster response work is never easy. It certainly puts us in unique situation.

For the meantime, we pray for the strength and stamina to get through Easter; then we can take a few days off and recharge. Enterprise is about to enter a new phase where outside assistance such as LDR has been providing will be minimal, so we won’t be spending as much time traveling. On the other hand, internship is on the downhill side and we still have things to finish, goodbyes to prepare for, and packing to do. August will be here soon enough. Then we move and start a new adventure – that of senior seminarians.

Seeing God at Work

2007-03-06T13:37:00.000-05:00

A few weeks ago, Ray and I traveled to southeast Alabama to give two presentations on congregational disaster preparedness. One of those presentations was at a LC-MS congregation, Christ the King Lutheran Church, in Enterprise, Alabama.

As we do each time in our presentation, we explained what LDR is and described the work LDR is doing in Alabama, we discussed what kinds of disasters are mostly likely to occur in Alabama, and then talked about how congregations can help their members prepare individually, how the congregation can prepare to care for their members and their facility, and how the congregation can do ministry in the community following a disaster.

Less than three weeks later, we heard on the news of the devastating tornado which struck Enterprise. I know that both of us were struggling with our emotions and our memories of being at Christ the King as we listened to the news reports of the extensive damage to the community and the nine deaths – eight of which were students killed in the collapse of the local high school.

After several phone calls and emails within the LDR staff here in Alabama, I quickly packed a bag and drove to Enterprise to join other staff already on site. On a Sunday morning exactly three weeks after our presentation, I found myself worshipping at Christ the King and attending a special called meeting of the congregation to discuss their plans for ministry following the disaster.

I stayed for a day and a half, helping run the volunteer reception center as over 600 volunteers came into Enterprise to help with the cleanup and removal of debris in the first few days following the storm. I talked with many volunteers as they arrived to help, some from the community and some who had traveled much farther to be there. I also talked with the members of the congregation – especially those who were taking active roles in their newfound ministry to the community.

For this small Lutheran congregation, in the center of town, just a few short blocks from the heavily damaged high school and other devastated neighborhoods, surrounded by many much larger churches of other denominations, is taking an active role in the recovery of their community. While other churches are feeding and housing victims of the storm, Christ the King has been designated by the mayor as THE location for all volunteers to check in, so that they can be registered, receive safety training, and their hours of labor can be tracked, which is crucial to help the city reduce its emergency-related expenses.

While I know that the congregation did not have time to develop concrete plans after our presentation, I also know that our presence and our presentation did help make them more aware of LDR and of ways that the congregation could respond in the event of disaster.

I feel blessed to have had the opportunity to walk with them both before and after this event, and I know that I will be returning to continue to walk with them as the recovery process continues. A few nights spent sleeping on the nursery floor in my sleeping bag, and a couple days without a shower are a small price to pay for the opportunity to see God at work among his people!

New and Improved

2007-02-27T23:16:00.000-05:00

I know that I had a specific idea in mind when I first began the sign-in process tonight, but after fighting with Blogger and the requirement to change from the old Blogger sign-in and system to the new Google system, I have completely forgotten what it was. Change, especially a difficult change, can make you completely forget what you were going to do in the first place.

Why are we like that? Why is change so hard? Why do we fight it so much? I suppose that these are good subjects to reflect on in this season of Lent. Reflection, repentance, change. Lent is a time to reflect. It is a time to repent. Reflection and repentance should lead to change. But we usually do not want to change.

Change is one of those things - like death and taxes - that happens, whether we want it to or not. We are never ready for it, we usually fight it, and are never sure it was a good thing. Change is especially difficult when it is someone else's idea, rather than our own. We might diet if we want to improve our chances of fitting into last springs new suit, but not if the doctor tells us to. We might change how we perform a particular function if we decide that it might be easier another way, but not if someone else suggest it first. We might live differently if we thought we had something to gain, but not because God told us to. The 10 commandments might as well be the 10 impossible things that we'll never get around to, because they are just too hard (or the 10 suggestions, for similar reasons).

Reflection is hard because it causes us to examine ourselves. Why is learning a new system so hard? Why is creating a new user name and password so hard? If it was something new that I wanted to do, I would think nothing of creating a new log in and password, and reading the instructions to make it work more smoothly; but let Google force me into it and I want to fight it - one of the reasons I have ignored their suggestion for the past 4 months about switching over while it was optional - I had to wait until they forced it.

We are like this when it comes to examining our own lives. Why don't I treat people with more respect? Why do I not follow a healthier lifestyle and diet? Why can't I see that these things would be better for me? Because I am human; because I am a sinful creature who wants things my way.

During Lent, the challenge to each of us is to reflect, repent as needed, change as necessary. Most of all, ask forgiveness, and pray that we might become better creatures. We know that God will forgive us. Can we see that we need forgiveness and ask for it? Can we forgive ourselves? More reflection. And so the season of Lent.

Studying the Sermon on the Mount

2007-02-07T17:13:00.000-05:00

We have had an unusual opportunity for the past few weeks to study the Sermon on the Mount with Dr. James Bailey, Professor Emeritus of New Testament at Wartburg Seminary. He has been teaching a five-session class in three separate locations in the conference. In order to fit into our schedule, we have attended this class in two of the three locations over the past few weeks, so this has turned into not only an opportunity to study the Bible, but also an opportunity to get to know members of two local ELCA congregations better.

As part of last week’s lesson, we took a closer look at the Lord’s Prayer, which is at the center of the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew. At the conclusion of this session, we were asked to write our answers to one or both of these two questions.

From your experience, what does it mean to ask for “our daily bread”?
It means that we admit our dependence on God’s providence, that we take time to ask him for:
• the basic necessities of daily life
• the means and abilities to earn those essentials through our own work
• freedom from worry about the essentials for ourselves, so that we can really act and work in God’s kingdom here and now
• justice, that “all of us” might have the necessities and this same freedom from worry
• all of us to experience God’s gracious and abundant love!

From your experience, why is forgiveness so essential to our living?

I have shared my answer to the first question from my class notes and invite others to reply with their answers as well…

Work to be done

2007-01-28T18:46:00.000-05:00

It is my turn to post to the blog, so I have been told. The difficulty with this is that we have been so busy the past few weeks that it is hard for either one of us to find time. Since time has been the issue, let me catch you up with what is going on with internship.

After our trip to Texas (see On the Road Again), we came back to a funeral and a site visit from our seminary. Site visits are normal, expected, and so on, but they can also be intimidating, time consuming, and exhausting. Ours went well, but over the course of a week, it took several hours and phone calls to pick a date, set an agenda, notify everyone of the agenda, and then modify the agenda when someone was not going to be available. This happened a couple of weeks before. We returned from Texas Monday night, late, and then dealt with the funeral on Tuesday, then picked up our contextual education professor on Wednesday morning. Wednesday and Thursday were pretty much one meeting after another, with some driving in-between. By Friday, we were both exhausted, and still had sermons to write for Sunday. We also had 41 volunteers sleeping at the church and working for LDR. Friday afternoon sermon writing was interrupted to open the travel agency office as several people were trying to arrange (or re-arrange) their travel home.

By Monday, our normal day off, we might have rested, except that we had not really had a day at home for almost three weeks, and the apartment really needed cleaning and the cupboards were bare. That means that our day off was really as much or more work than a normal day! Much of the week was spent catching up on some things from the previous week, plus some planning based on suggestions made by our professor during the site visit.

For some reason, by the time we got to Friday again, we were heavily involved in doing some repairs around the church. With the number of volunteers we have staying with us, and the remodeling project that is almost finished, there always seems to be something that needs to be fixed or modified or replaced. Since we had no volunteers in this weekend, it seemed like a good time to get some of these items finished. Saturday (and some of Sunday afternoon) was spent going up and down a step ladder, installing new smoke alarms in the areas that the volunteers sleep, repairing a light fixture, finishing the battery replacement project for our emergency lighting and exit signs, and fixing a couple of door stops. All of this was followed by a couple of hours of cleaning (cleaning up after ourselves, and after volunteers, and after the sexton as well)

I suppose it is appropriate to follow up a post titled The House of God with one about the work done in and on the house of God. In small congregations, with a mostly older population, there are always things to fix and work to be done. One project begets another. There is always something to do. Lest we become bogged down in these projects, though, we must also remember that we (even lowly interns) are called to care for each other. This weekend is past; tonight a new group of volunteers arrive; tomorrow we travel upstate to learn how to handle facility closings in a pandemic. Chores need to be done, but life cannot be spent on them. The world calls; the people call; there is work to be done out there as well.

The House of God

2007-01-19T12:23:00.000-05:00

We often talk about the church building as the house of God. But how many times does the church building seem more like a sterile, empty building than a house? We usually think of a house as a place filled with a family, their belongings and their activities, but the church often stands empty and quiet for hours or even days at a time, we don’t bring in many personal belongings, we eat only the occasional meal there, and we treat at least parts of it as though they are too special or sacred to be used for routine activities.

I was struck the other afternoon by the image of the church as the house of God AND God’s people. With over forty volunteers living here this week, nearly every room in the building is filled with inflatable mattresses. Most are covered with a pillow and blankets. In every corner, there seems to be a suitcase, many open with personal belongings spilling out into an area around the bed. These beds are in all the classrooms, the church parlor, the choir room, and even in the sanctuary. Every room is filled with the signs of people who live, at least for a short time, together in this place.

By mid-afternoon, the church was mostly deserted with a meeting going on quietly in one room, and most of the volunteers out working on jobsites, but there was a flurry of activity in the kitchen – and the enticing aroma of dinner began to fill the entire building.

In that moment, the church really seemed like a home; a place where a family lives, eating together and sleeping under one roof. A home where the family takes turns using the available shower facilities. A home where you have to really look for a quiet corner if you want to sit quietly and read, or pray, or just think. A home filled with activity as later in the evening, music filled the choir room, the sounds of the television came from one room, and the sound of conversations mixed as dishes were washed and the kitchen was cleaned up, while others gathered around a table to play a board game. Outside, rain fell and a cold wind blew.

Inside, the building was filled with people, happy for the shelter from the cold, wet weather. People not afraid to use every room in the building. A family, truly at home, in the house of God. What a delightful concept.

On the Road Again!

2007-01-16T23:30:00.000-05:00

You might think that interns would stay close to home, preaching and teaching mostly in their internship congregation. But we seem to spend large portions of our time on the road. It felt like we had just gotten home from the Carolinas, but we were on the road again this weekend. We had an invitation from a classmate to visit her congregation and give a presentation on what LDR is doing on the Gulf coast. So, last Friday, we packed up the Cruiser and set out for Texas!

We made a stop in Slidell, Louisiana to visit the LDR site at Peace Lutheran. There is an amazing transformation taking place there – repairs to the flood damage in the church building, renovations and additions to house and feed about 90 volunteers at a time who come to work in the area. Pastor Barb and her congregation are doing great things – with the help of volunteers from all over the country.

We then drove through New Orleans for the first time since Katrina. Even from the interstate, the devastation was appalling. Block after block of stores, homes, and apartment buildings stand empty – with gaping holes in the roof or all the windows broken out. The parking lots are empty, the buildings dark and abandoned. Words fail me, but pictures wouldn’t do it justice, either.

As we drove through, a couple was being interviewed on the radio to talk about their experiences – their escape from New Orleans before Katrina, the months spent living with family in Baton Rouge, their return to New Orleans, the additional months spend trying to decide if their home could be repaired. Fortunately, their story has a happy ending. They had insurance and were able to locate a building contractor who could do the work for the amount the insurance company was willing to pay. Now they have just moved back into their home. Unfortunately, those stories are far too rare.

Thanks to Vicar Christi, Pastor Steve, and the wonderful people of St. Mark’s in Cuero, Texas, we had a great experience on the rest of our trip. We preached at both the Saturday evening and Sunday morning worship services, spent the Sunday school hour talking with the youth and adults about our internship experience at LDR, and following a potluck lunch, gave our congregational preparedness presentation.

Monday morning found us back on the road, heading east for Alabama. It was a long drive in the rain, but we stayed in front of the sleet and freezing rain that some areas were experiencing, so we arrived home safely and right on schedule – and ready for a good night’s sleep! After a morning off to catch up on laundry and chores, we were back to work, with a funeral to attend this afternoon and an LDR presentation tonight at a nearby congregation.

Coming Home

2007-01-02T19:26:00.000-05:00

Being in ministry (on internship or as a pastor) means that you don’t have Christmas off. On top of the decorating and shopping and baking and sending cards and wrapping gifts, we had many preparations at church. I taught adult Sunday school on the morning of December 24th (we were discussing the birth of Jesus as recorded in the second chapter of Luke); then assisted with worship for the fourth Sunday of Advent. After worship, the sanctuary underwent a transformation from the blue of Advent to the white of Christmas. A busy afternoon followed.

By evening, we were back at church again – to celebrate Christmas with a candlelight communion service. Home then to fix a late supper, finish the laundry, and pack. We left first thing in the morning to travel home to visit family for a few days. On our drive we listened to a variety of Christmas music on the radio. One holiday favorite kept repeating: “I’ll be home for Christmas.” We could identify with those lyrics as we sped along the highway on our way home to spend a week visiting with family and friends.

Before the end of the week arrived, though, I realized that I was ready to be home – back to my own pillow and bed and other familiar surroundings. But just as I said that to Ray, I realized that I wasn’t so sure where home is anymore! We call North Carolina home, but haven’t really lived there in over two years. We have library cards in two major cities, cars registered in two states, phone numbers in three area codes, and belongings in storage in one place and in an apartment over 500 miles away. You could say we have roots in one place, but are roosting in another.

Just as I began to be melancholy about not feeling like I can really call anywhere “home” anymore, I realized that this is a very real part of our seminary education. We haven’t just left behind too much stuff and our ties to one place, but have gained so much more. We have had the opportunity to learn so much, to meet so many people, and worship in so many different congregations and settings. We now have many new friends in several states just because of this amazing journey. We are becoming “at home” in many different places. Something tells me that this is a lesson God needed for us to learn…

I trust that God has a plan which he will reveal to us at just the right moment. Most of all, I know that we always have a home with him. In the meantime, I can’t begin to imagine where the path of this journey leads, but I do know that it felt good to be back in our apartment last night, and to be welcomed “home” by someone at church today!

A Time to Relax

2006-12-29T21:35:00.000-05:00

Wow! And I thought that end of semester finals were tough! As interns, we have just finished our first Advent/Christmas season where we not only attend more church services than usual - we are leading and/or preaching at those services! I did not know that a person could be so tired.

This is the comment that I left for Pastor David on his post at Postings from Prairie Hill. He has just completed his first season as a solo pastor; I guess his comments give me something to look forward to - being very tired!

Yet, it has been a time of great uplifting, as well. We each did things that we had not done before, such as three services each Wednesday of Advent, chanting Evening Prayer (LBW) for the first time, and multiple services on Christmas Eve. A lot of work - yes. A lot of planning - yes. A little nerve-wracking - at times. But oh so uplifting. Even the noontime service with only a few people - worth every minute.

In some ways, I look forward to the Lenten season where we have Wednesday services for 6 weeks instead of 3, but I also dread it. Twice as long - I have to believe that I will be twice as tired by the Monday after Easter; but if it is even half as uplifting as Advent has been, I believe I can make it through.

The season of Advent - the waiting, the anticipation, will be different from Lent, which is more reflective, but it is still a special time in the church, one which leads the preacher into a more contemplative time as he/she prepares for each service, each sermon. More time spent preparing, a feeling of being more prepared; a better connection with the word proclaimed and with the receiver of the word.

In the meantime, we are enjoying a few days off, time to have a late Christmas celebration with family, to have a little after-Christmas snow at Mom's (which we would not have in Mobile), and a chance to recharge before beginning the New Year. It is also a chance to connect with many whom we have not seen since we left on internship. Sunday will be at our home congregation in Charlotte, where we have not been since last Good Friday.

Time with family, time with friends, time to rest. Gifts from God, gifts to be treasured, gifts to be shared. May each of you have time to relax, and to recharge, and we wish each of you a most blessed New Year!

Merry Christmas

2006-12-23T16:27:00.000-05:00

To those who read this blog, but may not receive our email updates, we would like to wish each of you a Merry Christmas!

This picture is of Vicar Ray, who was the preacher at Bethel Lutheran in Biloxi last week. Bethel was nicely decorated and included their children's pageant during the worship service.

As we reach the end of the Advent season - our watching and waiting almost over - we anticipate the birth of the Christ child - the babe in the manger. We wait - because we know He is coming. We watch - for miracles do happen. We are breathless with anticipation - because we already know what His birth means, and where it will lead. We celebrate, because our Savior has come.

We wish you a very Merry and Holy Christmas season, filled with the warmth of time spent with family, and with the knowledge that Jesus has come, God become flesh, for you - and for us.

How real is your Christmas?

2006-12-18T18:42:00.000-05:00

An article caught my eye on one of the on-line news links a week or so ago. A story about the church in Alaska that was targeted by PETA because they advertised a “live nativity scene” prompted the following thoughts:

The question this raises – can you be convicted of being a Christian if your baby Jesus is plastic? Is your faith any more real than your animals? Is political correctness more important than truth? Just how real is your faith?

While I in no way want to suggest that using (or misusing) live animals just to make your nativity scene more realistic (there are many dangers – to both people and animals that are not given thorough consideration), it is an interesting parallel to our faith. How real is your faith? Is it a plastic doll, in a manger of straw? Or is it the son of God, the one who became flesh and lived among us? Is the whole manger scene too “real” for us? Or do we want it to be a “nice story” that we tell because it sounds good?

It reminds me of the old question (usually raised at Lent, not Advent), if you were put on trial for being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you? In this case, do our Advent practices prepare us for the coming of the Christ Child? Or for a holiday season of shopping and partying?

On Dec. 1, a new movie opened that re-tells the story, The Nativity Story. Having seen this movie, it is both a “feel-good” Christmas movie, and a realistic tale of what Mary and Joseph might have had to endure. It just might be a great way to celebrate the Advent season and begin the Christmas season…

On becoming an angel

2006-12-15T21:41:00.000-05:00

No, I don’t mean dressing up as a member of the heavenly host as part of a Sunday School Christmas pageant. Or even magically being transformed into a heavenly being after death. I’m thinking about being an angel, right here on earth.

At its most basic, ‘angel’ simply means ‘messenger.’ From malak in Hebrew to angelos in Greek, the Scriptures - both the Old and New Testaments - contain many stories about angels serving as messengers of God. Think of the beginning of the Gospel of Luke: the angel Gabriel appears to Zechariah to foretell the birth of John the Baptist; then later tells Mary that she will bear a son, the son of the Most High, to be named Jesus.

This week, I realized that I had become an angel – a messenger for God – for a woman in Bayou La Batre. The story begins a few weeks ago, when our congregation began collecting toys to give to children in the Bayou. After the pile of donated toy trucks, games, and baby dolls had begun to collect in the narthex, we realized that LDR was not planning to distribute Christmas gifts, so we didn’t have an automatic outlet for the items we had collected.

After a bit of research, I discovered that the Bayou La Batre police department was partnering with the local Lions club to distribute toys in this area that was hit so hard by Hurricane Katrina – and is recovering so slowly. I called their contact number and talked with a local woman who is helping to organize this project.

What does this have to do with being an angel, you ask? Well, after a couple of phone calls to her; to arrange delivery of toys and stuffed animals donated by members of our church, a local senior citizen’s group, and more toys purchased with funds that have been donated by individuals and congregations from all over the US, she told me this about the morning I first called her:

“You know, just that morning, I was sitting in my chair, praying to God, crying, and asking what we would do if we didn’t have enough toys for all the children that needed them. Then the phone rang, and it was you, and you told me that you had toys already gathered and were able to buy even more, once you knew what we needed…”

I had the joy of receiving that type of miracle several times last winter at the Distribution Center in Ocean Springs; but this time I realized that I had become an angel, a messenger of God, to this lovely woman who is working so hard to make Christmas merry for the children of Bayou La Batre. What an incredible experience!

She and I are both convinced now that somehow, there will be enough toys for the 600+ children that may not receive any gifts besides the ones this project can give to them...

Progress!

2006-12-02T17:58:00.000-05:00

To borrow a phrase from Garrison Keillor, “It’s been a busy week here in Mobile.” A significant part of internship is to complete a project in the internship setting – and of course write about it in a paper which is submitted to faculty on campus. Our project has grown out of our work with LDR. Since a major component of LDR’s plan for our work this year was congregational disaster preparedness, we selected this area for our project.

We have spent about half of each week in October and November reading and researching on this topic, compiling resources from LDR, other organizations like the American Red Cross and VOAD (Volunteer Organizations Active in Disaster), and government agencies including FEMA, Homeland Security, and the Department of Health and Human Services.

Using the information from all this research, we have compiled a CD of resources and prepared a presentation which can be given to congregations to help them plan and prepare for disasters BEFORE they occur.

Two big deadlines were on our calendar this week. First, we reported on our progress and gave our presentation for a group of LDR staff members here in Alabama. Second, after some quick revisions, we gave the presentation to members of our internship congregation. We really worked hard to get the information together and prepare the Powerpoint presentation and a script, so that we won’t leave out any important information. It was quite a relief to come home Thursday evening and relax because both of those initial presentations were done!!

We still need to make some additional revisions and complete a manual that congregational teams can use as a guide for preparations, but the bulk of the research is behind us. We are already in the process of contacting Lutheran congregations all over the state of Alabama and will begin traveling with the presentation soon.

But for now, our attention has shifted from LDR to the congregation. We are busy today preparing for the Adult Sunday school class and worship tomorrow, and the first midweek Advent worship this week. As I go back to work on my sermon for Wednesday, I'll leave you with these words - the first verse from "The Advent of Our God" (hymn #22 from the Lutheran Book of Worship, written by Charles Coffin.)

"The advent of our God shall be our theme for prayer;
Come, let us meet him on the road and place for him prepare."

Giving Thanks

2006-11-24T19:13:00.000-05:00

Some things I’m grateful for this Thanksgiving:

For not needing too many of the things that are safely stored in a warehouse in South Carolina, and for being able find - fairly quickly - the couple of things that we did need to retrieve while we were back on campus recently!

For the opportunity to visit with classmates and friends on campus at this point in our internship year. Sometimes we need to be reassured that we are not the only ones challenged by this process! The fellowship and community we find with our classmates and in the church are certainly signs of God’s grace.

For patient tenants, since the much-needed new dishwasher won’t fit without some modifications to the kitchen counters. (The previous owners didn’t plan ahead sufficiently when they remodeled the kitchen.) I am reminded of how often my plans don’t take into account the bigger picture or the long-term view.

For a precious two year old who reaches up her arms to me and says “I want to hold you.” She reminds me of how I reach out to God to be held and comforted, trusting that he will indeed reach down and pick me up and hold me close in love.

For children who are patient and generous even though some of our roles have been reversed. (Now we visit them when we are in town!) I suspect that “Honor your father and mother” has taken on a significantly new meaning.

For thirty years of marriage to a loving, supportive spouse who shares not only so much of my past but also looks forward with me to an exciting future as we continue to discern God’s plans and prepare for ordained ministry.

For friends and family who read this blog and stay in touch via phone or email, even though we are far away on internship. Your love, encouragement, and support make a huge difference.

This is certainly not an all-inclusive list, but simply things that came to mind as I contemplated the meaning of Thanksgiving this week. Hope we can each take time to contemplate the things - both large and small- that we are grateful for and give our heartfelt thanks to God.

The Shema

2006-11-19T15:19:00.000-05:00

I am not usually one to post full sermons, but this one received some strong (favorable) reaction, so I though I would post it for your reaction. As a student, it is always interesting to hear the reactions of others – to see if the same points that strike me affect others. The texts for this day are the LBW lectionary for the 24th Sunday in Pentecost.

Mark 12:28-31 28 One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, "Of all the commandments, which is the most important?" 29 "The most important one," answered Jesus, "is this: 'Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. {29 Or the Lord our God is one Lord} 30 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.' {30 Deut. 6:4,5} 31 The second is this: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' {31 Lev. 19:18} There is no commandment greater than these." (NIV)

In our Gospel text for today, Jesus is asked one of those questions – one of those questions that, under some circumstances, might be considered a trap. In this case, a scribe is actually agreeing with Jesus. He knows that Jesus has answered correctly – according to scripture, if not according to current politics. Since Jesus seems to be on a roll, the scribe asks him a question of his own – what is the greatest commandment?

Jesus, having been raised as a good Jewish boy, answered in the way he was taught – by reciting the Shema. Listen to this in Hebrew. Jesus may have said it in Hebrew, or in Greek, but most likely in Aramaic.

Sh'ma Yisrael, Adonai Elohaynu, Adonai Echad.

Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. (Deuteronomy 6:4 )

This is the beginning of the Shema.

Sh'ma Yisrael – Hear, O Israel –means to hear and listen, hear and obey.
Listen up! This is important!!!
This is important to hear – and to obey –
to not hear and obey is to imperil your very life!

Adonai Elohaynu – the LORD is our God
Not Baal, not the goddess – the great I AM is our God

Adonai Echad – the LORD alone
There is only one God, and Him alone do we serve.

The Shema was, and is, a profession of faith – to be taught in the synagogue, to be taught and recited at home, to be written on the hearts of each son and daughter of Israel. Not only on their hearts, but on their houses, and written on tiny scrolls and bound to their hands and forehead. The Shema is so important that every person who professed faith in the God of Israel was to know this, to memorize it, and to live by it.

The Shema includes two commandments – what Jesus calls the most important. The first is to love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. This command – to love with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, is a command to love with all of your being, all of your existence, all that you are. Nothing less is acceptable.

When Martin Luther first began visiting neighboring parishes, he discovered that no one knew the commandments – no one knew the creeds of the church – many did not know the Lord’s prayer. He wrote, in his preface to his Small Catechism:

"1] The deplorable, miserable condition which I discovered lately when I, too, was a visitor, has forced and urged me to prepare [publish] this Catechism, or Christian doctrine, in this small, plain, simple form.
2] Mercy! Good God! what manifold misery I beheld! The common people, especially in the villages, have no knowledge whatever of Christian doctrine, and, alas! many pastors are altogether incapable and incompetent to teach [so much so, that one is ashamed to speak of it]. 3] Nevertheless, all maintain that they are Christians, have been baptized and receive the [common] holy Sacraments. Yet they [do not understand and] cannot [even] recite either the Lord’s Prayer, or the Creed, or the Ten Commandments; they live like dumb brutes and irrational hogs; and yet, now that the Gospel has come, they have nicely learned to abuse all liberty like experts. "

This is the nicer part of what Luther wrote on the subject. Like the Shema, Luther wanted the basics of the Christian faith written in a simple way so that everyone could learn them, pastors could teach them in church, parents could teach them at home, so that all would know and live by the most basic of all Christian doctrines – the 10 commandments, the Creeds, and the Lord’s Prayer. For almost 500 years, Luther’s Small Catechism has been our way of writing God’s commands on our hearts, and on our doorframes, our way of binding the Word to our hands and our foreheads.

This first commandment – to love the LORD your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength – this is to know the commandments that God gave us, to remember all that God has done for us, to remember the covenant he made with Abraham.

The second commandment is to love your neighbor as yourself. This might be the more difficult of the two commandments. It brings up questions of who is our neighbor? Is it that guy next door who plays loud music all night? Is it the woman in the next apartment who always takes my parking space? Is it that co-worker that you just can’t seem to get along with?

How much do I love myself? If I don’t even like myself very much, how can I love my neighbor? If I don’t like my neighbor, how can I love him or her?

What does it mean to love my neighbor? Do I have to like them? Do I have to speak to them? If I just put on my best suit and find my neighbor out on the street, struggling to change a flat tire, do I have to stop and help them? If my neighbor needs money to pay a bill, do I have to help him? If my neighbor is starving and I have food, do I have to share?

These, and many other questions come up. What is the answer?

One of my jobs in my former life was as a customer service manager. As with any profession, there certain maxims that go with the job. In customer service, there are two rules: Rule number one – the customer is always right. Rule number two – if in doubt, see rule number one.

When Jesus talks about the Great Commandment, he gives it to us in a similar fashion. Rule number one: Love the LORD your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength. Rule number two: Love your neighbor as your self. If you don’t understand how to do this, see rule number one.

To love the LORD our God with all of our being is to love so much, that loving our neighbor is automatic. When we see someone in need, we reach out and help. When we see someone who is hungry, we feed him or her. When we see someone in need of clothing, we clothe him or her.

This is what Jesus meant when he told the scribe that he was not far from the kingdom of God. When this kind of love becomes automatic, when we help without asking why, when we give because we can, then – and only then – are we “not far from the kingdom of God.”

As we gather with family and friends today, and again on Thanksgiving Day, remember that God has commanded us to love him – with all of our being – and to love our neighbors as ourselves.

God does this because he first loved us – so much that he sent his only Son – Jesus – the messiah – to die on the cross for our sins, and to be raised up on the third day.

We can be thankful because God first loved us, came down and became flesh, and lived among us. We can be thankful because in the waters of baptism, we are washed clean, our sins forgiven. We can be thankful because we can come to this table, receive the body and blood of Christ Jesus, and be renewed. We can be thankful because of all that God has done for us – not be cause we deserve it; not because we asked for it; not because of anything we have done; but because God first loved us. Thanks be to God!

Lost in space...

2006-11-17T20:22:00.000-05:00

I tried to post to the blog the other day, but lost it between one mouse click and the next. It seems, that for as technical as I am, to be my curse to discover new ways of losing electronic documents in new and exciting ways.

The worst part of it is that I really don’t remember all of what I wrote. It was late, I was on my son’s computer, and when the words were deleted from the screen, they were apparently deleted from my brain as well. Based on conversation with another blogging friend, I will write post in a new way – they will be written in a Word document (with frequent saves) and then copied and pasted into the blog entry screen. This may take some of the challenge out of it, but it will hopefully remove some of the frustrations as well.

As to why I was trying to post the other night – mostly because it has been awhile. A couple of phone calls, a run-in with someone who reads the blog and commented that we had not posted anything new recently, and the realization that it is almost Thanksgiving and we have not done an update for a while. Yes – we have been busy. Our internship project has meshed well into a project we are doing with LDR – Congregational Preparedness, but it is also turning out to require a lot of time. While the terms of our project (as far as the seminary is concerned) are for us to finish it this year (before Aug 07), the reality is that we need to finish most of the work by the end of November (in just a couple of weeks).

The nature of our internship with LDR is that we are working in multiple departments, so that we gain experience in several areas of disaster response. For October and November, the focus has been on congregational preparedness – which is also our project. Hence, a lot of work has been done on the project. In addition, we are doing the first trial run of our presentation on congregational preparedness the week after Thanksgiving! That means that most of our research has to be done and our presentation has to be in a pretty complete first draft – Power Point slides, handouts, and all by Nov 28! The part of the project that goes to the seminary is a written paper discussion the project, how it went, results, etc. That part does not have to be done for a while, but since letters starting going out to congregations this week, asking them to let us come and do the presentation, we have to be ready to go soon.

I would like to think that once the presentation is ready, things will slow down a little, but the reality is that then we begin Advent, along with a new department at LDR, holiday preparations, etc., etc. We might even be doing some presentations in early December! I don’t think we will slow down again until next August – just in time to start classes again.

Saturday Reflections

2006-10-28T13:30:00.000-04:00

Officially, I am spending much of today preparing for tomorrow’s Adult Sunday School class. Right now, I’m taking a break from reviewing Christian history from Emperor Decius (about 249 CE) to Emperor Constantine and the Council of Nicea (325 CE).

It is a pretty typical Saturday. We both attended a meeting at church earlier this morning – today it was a First Communion training class for those who will come to the Lord’s Table for the first time next Sunday on All Saints’ Sunday - then spent a little bit of time with our supervising pastor reviewing the plans for worship tomorrow on Reformation Sunday and then the schedule for the next few days. After that we came home to work from here.

In case you are worried that our schedule is all work, let me clue you in – Ray is currently sitting on our deck reading a science fiction novel, with Smokey curled up by his feet, supervising the neighborhood. It is a beautiful fall day and we are enjoying having the windows open to let the fresh air and sunshine into the apartment.

It has been a busy week, with a large group of volunteers staying at the church. That means that after a day at the LDR office, we normally join the group for dinner and some fellowship; sometimes at the church, sometimes at a local restaurant. Of course, everyone needs to eat, but more importantly, it is a time of sharing.

We all come away at the end of the evening grateful for the work we are able to do, for the food and the fellowship, and for the opportunity to rest before the next day. We also gain a sense that the church is something larger than one congregation. Rather, it is something much larger - a community of believers that circle the globe and span across time. This Church, with a capital C, has the capacity to both touch individual lives and to transform the entire world. As the Body of Christ, we are indeed blessed – with God’s grace and love and with a sense of purpose. What we cannot begin to experience or accomplish alone, we can together, with God’s gracious help.

It has been a joy to experience the group this week. They are truly members of the body who have enjoyed being together, and it showed. They were enthusiastic and energetic, with some practical construction skills, from plumbing to painting. They have worked and played hard. I believe they will arrive home later today tired, but with a tremendous sense of accomplishment.

Does internship require 4 wheel drive?

2006-10-20T13:21:00.000-04:00

Seems that it might. After recent storms that brought five tornado warnings and heavy rain, this was the road to the LDR office where we are currently working. This photo was taken about 4 hours after the heavy rain moved away; earlier this same morning, there was about a foot of water on parts of this "road."

This is one of many instances that have convinced me that our Jeep is a good vehicle for our internship. There are many roads in this area that look like this, and it is good to be able to travel these roads with confidence, knowing that 4 wheel drive will get us back out!

Studying Again (or is it still?)

2006-10-17T21:22:00.000-04:00

A member of the congregation asked us the other day if we were studying or 'just working' this year, since we are on internship. Our first answer was that we are 'just' working at the church and at LDR, since we aren't officially taking any classes on campus. But a more accurate answer would be that we are also studying - and it's actually quite a wide range of subjects!

For example, we have taken Red Cross Shelter Management training along with members of the congregation, to learn how to run an emergency shelter in the church. We are also participating in an enrichment class for the confirmation age youth; where we are all learning basic Latin from a member of the congregation.

We are teaching a 10-12 week Adult Sunday School class on Early Church History. While we have each taken two semesters of church history, these were not the classes that either of us enjoyed the most or did the best in during our first two years of seminary, so we are doing quite a bit of studying to review each week in order to do a good job of teaching!

And, last but not least, we are also doing considerable research on disaster preparedness and response, as we begin to prepare the presentation we will be giving to churches all over Alabama for LDR on Congregational Preparedness. Much of this research is done over the internet while we are in the office, but we have also located several recent books on the subject.

Plus, we have some books on congregational ministry that we both want to read. So, in any spare time we have, you can likely find one or both of us with a book in hand as we continue our studies...

Traditions

2006-10-09T00:12:00.000-04:00

I’ve been thinking lately about traditions in the church. Not the core traditions of worship or liturgy, but matters of adiaphora – the things that can be changed from one place to another.

We attended the Fall Festival at our internship congregation today; seems that this is a tradition each year for kicking off their stewardship drive. The festival is a big lunch after church: hot dogs and bratwurst (cooked in beer and onions, of course, before they were grilled), plus an assortment of salads, side dishes, and desserts that members of the congregation brought to share. Now brats don’t say either ‘stewardship’ or ‘festival’ to me, but they do to members of this congregation – so what makes something a tradition?

Can it be just one or two occasions, or how many repetitions does it take? When is a tradition something that should be honored and continued, and when is it just an old habit that should be changed? And how can we tell the difference in the church?

I certainly don’t have the answers, but I do think it is important for a pastor-in-training to consider. After all, in a couple of years, I hope to be beginning my ministry in another congregation – which will probably already have its share of traditions. Some that I will want to embrace and unfortunately, some that I will very likely want to change. How does one go about learning the traditions of a congregation? And how do you begin to change them?

I suspect I will rely on my experience here during internship, and try to learn about and experience most (but probably not all) of the congregation’s traditions before I would attempt to make any major changes.

(I suddenly had the urge to go look for the lyrics to the song “Tradition” from Fiddler on the Roof! Interestingly, those lyrics only apply to the roles of the papa, mama, sons, and daughters of the Jewish family. Wonder what verses we could write for the Christian community?? The chorus, of course, would be: “The church, the church! Tradition!”)

All this has me thinking about the traditions of our home congregation – what has been the most meaningful to me at Incarnation, what I miss most after being away for over two years, and – especially now that our congregation has just this month merged to become part of two point parish with another quite different congregation – what I may never have the chance to experience in quite the same way again.

Monday musings

2006-09-25T21:23:00.000-04:00

I know, it's been over a month since I posted anything new. My calendar keeps reminding me that I should add some news for those who have been following our journey. Truth is, I'm not sure what to tell...

We are settled into our apartment (as I look around, the boxes that remain to be unpacked are my share of our home office) and learning our way around Mobile (it's about twice as big as Columbia, but only about half as big as Charlotte, so it's not at all overwhelming to us, but we certainly haven't seen it all yet). The big traffic jams all seem to occur on Airport Blvd, so if you can avoid that one street, traffic rarely slows you down significantly - except maybe in school zones first thing in the morning! We have found our way to the major hospitals to visit members of the congregation, and have found the essential post office, grocery store, pharmacy, etc.

There are some beautiful and quaint neighborhoods that I look forward to exploring when it gets a bit cooler. We've made one trip down to the beach and plan to go again when it is cooler. Detect a theme? The heat and humidity have sapped my energy. Most days since we have been here have topped 90 degrees. Just this past week it has finally dipped below 60 at night and highs are only forecast in the 80s. We will really enjoy being outside more after it cools down a bit!

Talked to someone on the phone today, explaining that Monday is our day off. "So what are you doing?" came the question. We then explained that we had a really exciting day planned: after doing some housework, we were going out to visit the local public library, pick up something at Radio Shack, find a Chinese buffet for a late lunch, then grocery shop. Later in the afternoon, we took Smokey across the street to the park for a walk. Quiet, relaxing, very normal day.

Some days are like that, others are much more busy. Our internship so far has been both exhilarating and exasperating; sometimes in the same day! We are pulled in two directions - responsibilities and activities at the church AND needs and meetings at LDR. We are trying to be good stewards of our time and of resources, especially since it's about a thirty minute drive between the two places. But so far, balance between the two has been very difficult to attain.

It's been important to set a schedule, so that that others will know when and where we will be and what we will be doing, yet it is very difficult to firm up that schedule, since there are conflicting demands. I know, normal experiences for an intern, typical too of a pastor's schedule. Yet the division of responsibilities makes it even harder, keeps me feeling scattered and disorganized. Those who know me, know that I don't like feeling that way, so I've not been very - shall I say happy ?- about the situation.

I'm praying that as the days and weeks turn into months, and we continue to settle into our duties, that we will be better able to balance the conflicting demands, because I know that all the needs, responsibilities, activities, and meetings won't go away! And I don't want them to, because they have also brought great joy. Visiting church members, preaching, helping with case work at LDR, and leading worship have all been great experiences - and I look forward to more of those opportunities as the year goes on.

Sticks and Stones

2006-09-16T23:05:00.000-04:00

NET Mark 7:15 "There is nothing outside of a person that can defile him by going into him. Rather, it is what comes out of a person that defiles him."

"Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me."

How many of us learned this when we were kids? Or taught it to our kids? Or Grandkids? It sounds good, and it may make us feel better at the time, but it really isn't true.

Too many people suffer from verbal abuse - kids, spouses, employees - at the hands of other kids, parents, spouses, in-laws, fellow employees, or bosses. The truth is, words can hurt. They hurt the one who hears them, and they hurt the one who says them.

The sad thing about words, is that we really can't take them back. We say we take them back; we really did not mean what we said. But once the words leave your mouth - they are out there - forever. You cannot take them back, make the other person un-hear them.

Jesus tells the Pharisees, and again later, his disciples, about this. The Pharisees have harassed Jesus and his followers about how they eat, how they do not follow the rituals for handwashing, and bowl washing, or anything of the rituals used to prepare one for eating. They defile the food they eat by eating with unclean hands.

Jesus tells them - it is not what you eat, or how you eat it, that makes you unclean - it is what comes out of you - what you say - what you do - that makes you unclean.

Words can hurt you - and the one to whom you say them. Those foul words that roll off the tongue so easily - they do defile you. They are unclean - and they came from within you. In fact, at this point, you might realize that those words you said may hurt you more than they hurt the person at whom you directed them.

How do we keep from doing this? Jesus gave us two commandments - love the Lord your God with all your heart, and all your mind, and all your soul, and love your neighbor as yourself. Let what comes out of you be love, which will not defile you. Let love be what others see in you, and receive from you, and be clean in heart and mind. Let the blood that Christ shed on the cross be the only ritual cleansing that you need, and the love that you share with others.

Katrina Anniversary

2006-08-28T22:14:00.000-04:00

Sunday, Sept 4, 2005 - the first Sunday after Katrina - I was preaching out at Lake Murray. The sermon included a description of the devastation Katrina left behind, at least what we knew from the news. I had not seen it, had no idea how bad it really was. But I knew that as Christians, we had to respond - with prayer, with food and water, with money, and with our own hands.

Fast forward to December 28 - we arrived in Ocean Springs, MS to spend the next 4 weeks as long term volunteers. We worked with other volunteers at Christus Victor Lutheran Church (http://www.christusvictor.com/ ), some days as many as 250 volunteers. We saw first hand the devastation on the Gulf Coast - clothes hanging 20 feet in the air on tree branches, house foundations or pilings with no house left, and we met many, many people who had no home, no food, and were fast running out of hope.

Fast forward again to this weekend. We participated in an anniversary commemoration at Bethel Lutheran Church in Biloxi, MS. We met several pastors who had lived through Katrina, who shared stories of the storm, and the first several weeks after Katrina. We heard several people remember friends and family who lost their lives, or their homes, to Katrina. We heard the fear in their voices when Ernesto was mentioned - no one was prepared for another storm - not even a small one. They know that the infrastructure is still fragile, they know that their FEMA trailers won't withstand much of a storm, and they don't have anything else.

Tonight, sitting in Mobile and knowing how much damage there was on the Gulf Coast, we watched the NBC anniversary special - which only covered New Orleans. What about the rest of the Gulf Coast? What about their stories? Even here in Alabama, there are families in FEMA trailers, trying to figure out how to rebuild. They had damage from Ivan, then Katrina destroyed what was left, then Rita rubbed salt in the wound.

Much has been done. One of the larger casinos is re-opening in Biloxi this weekend. While I am not a fan of legalized gambling, I am in favor of the hundreds of jobs that the opening brings. Driving through Long Beach and Biloxi yesterday, there are still many, many homes and businesses that have yet to be touched.

President Bush was in Biloxi today - a photo op as 40 families received new homes. We saw the Governor of Alabama last week - another photo op as another shrimp boat was launched in Bayou la Batre. Recovery is happening - a little bit each day, but only a small dent has been put into the recovery. LDR (www.ldr.org) is still predicting 8 years for recovery, and I believe that it is true. Much is left to be done, much help is needed. The saddest part about the anniversary is that most of the volunteer camps are closed due to a lack of volunteers. At the anniversary service in Biloxi, only one volunteer was present. Camp Victor only has a few volunteers; our own LDR site in Bayou la Batre has no volunteers, and none are expected until later in September.

Today, the Gulf Coast breathes a sigh of relief as Ernesto keeps turning more North and the track moves East. In the meantime, the recovery effort continues, one family at a time, one business at a time, a few volunteers at a time.

Food for Thought

2006-08-23T08:42:00.000-04:00

There have long been jokes about Lutherans and food, especially about the Norwegians and their lutefisk, the Germans and their beer, or coffee and jello salads at meetings and potlucks; plus comments like "If you serve food, they will come!" But I have realized that Ray and I have been assigned perhaps the only internship site where the majority of our meals will be at church!

You see, St Paul's provides meals for the volunteer work teams that stay at the church. If you bring a team to work, you can expect to be taken out for pizza the night you arrive, served southern fried chicken and biscuits one night, enjoy an Italian night (ranging from home made spaghetti to frozen lasagna), and go out to eat at a local seafood house one evening (that excursion is dutch treat). Plus, the church provides food for teams to prepare breakfasts, pack lunches for the work sites, and prepare their other evening meals themselves.

This all means that three to four nights a week we have meals with the mission teams as part of our internship! Add to that a get-aquainted dinner with our internship committee members, a welcome potluck with the entire congregation on our first Sunday here, a lovingly prepared funeral luncheon, and a Sunday lunch to celebrate a member's birthday and you will realize that we have eaten very well since we arrived two weeks ago! Plus, the vicars' office is next to the kitchen, so we often walk past tables and counters laden with breakfast, lunch, and snack goodies for the volunteers. What temptation!!

Many meals at the church may actually be a good thing, since our apartment kitchen is small and is equipped with an electric stove. Ray, the chief chef, is struggling to cook to his usual high standards in the challenging space. And I, chief bottlewasher, struggle to clean up the mess he sometimes creates...

I'm not sure what brought all this to mind - perhaps it was preaching Sunday on one of the John 6 texts where Jesus declares that he is the Bread of Life. I realized when I was preparing that I was struggling with explaining his statement that the one who comes to him will not hunger and the one who believes in him will not thirst (John 6:35), given our constant need to eat and drink; not only to sustain our bodies, but also to experience fellowship and strengthen our communities. And yes, I did get to the point of the text in the sermon: when Jesus tells us to come and to believe, he is inviting us into companionship with him in eternal life.

First Internship Sermon

2006-08-21T02:00:00.000-04:00

Well, we have both survived our first Sunday of preaching on internship. It was really interesting. The arrangement for us, since both of us serve the same congregation (as well as LDR), is that on the 3rd Sunday of each month, we both preach. One of us here; the other at one of the other Lutheran churches in the conference. In some ways, both of us preparing sermons at the same time is interesting; in other ways it is a royal pain.

It might be easy, even fun, if we were preaching on the same text, but we aren't. Our internship congregation does not use the revised common lectionary, but the rest of the congregations in the conference do. No matter what, we will most likely never preach on the same text (expect maybe advent and lent - I haven't checked those, yet).

We did spend time talking with each other about the text we had, and about what ideas for preaching struck us, but then it was down to writing two sermons that are completely different. In some ways, that might be better, since we each preaching to different congregations anyway. There is certainly no room to "share" sermons here, not that we do that anyway. Our styles are too different. I want a good set of notes; Ruth Ann wants a full script. Still, being able to share some research might be nice...

At any rate, we both preached today, and from reviews so far, we did OK. I believe our Homiletics professor would have heard the good news, and we both preached from the text for the day. We did read each others sermons this afternoon (after the preaching was over) and do some of our own review. We gave each other passing grades! Wednesday will be our review with our supervisor - so we'll have to wait to see how that goes.

One thing I re-discovered about circuit riding preachers this morning - allow plenty of time to get lost at least once. I drove about 25 miles and took one wrong turn about half way there. Fortunately, God was watching out for me and my wrong turn brought me right back to where I needed to be. Even with maps and good directions, there are still ambiguous road signs to deal with.

Next Sunday will be pretty easy - I just have to learn to chant a part of the liturgy that I have never done before. Oh - and begin our first week with LDR and start learning our roles there. One thing about internship - it will not be boring - not at all!!!

Photos of Internship

2006-08-17T18:23:00.000-04:00

For those of you who might wonder what a newly installed intern/vicar looks like, here are a couple of photos. Since I am usually the shutterbug, these are unusual in that I am in both of them. The congregation has their own photographer who has a very nice digital camera and loves to take pictures (sound familiar?). Guess I'll get a taste of my own medicine for a while.

The first picture is as we assembled for the beginning of our first service, where we were installed as Vicar Ray and Vicar Ruth Ann (that's going to take some getting used to...)

The next picture is of us and Pastor K. We are already becoming a well-known trio on the Gulf Coast as we attend meeting after meeting, with VOAD and LDR, as well as with other congregations in the area.

More later - time for dinner with the volunteers who are working here this week.

Prayer

2006-08-16T02:28:00.000-04:00

As you read our comments about moving and all of the various things God did (and is still doing) to make all of this work, I hope you realize how much prayer is a part of this. Ruth Ann wrote about our tire problems - nothing but prayer got us through that night. As I read a classmates blog:HERE I STAND: Pray Without Ceasing, I thought even more about prayer.

A friend recently emailed me and asked to pray for a friend (not uncommon). I replied that I would gladly do so, and then thought about it. Do people ask us to pray because they think seminarians know a better way to pray? Or is it because they think we need the practice? Or is their prayer life just not up to praying for someone else? David brings up a good point, in talking about Luther and his instructions to his friend the barber. Maybe as people ask us to pray, we should not only agree, but also offer instruction on how to pray for themselves.

Another thought about prayer is the question of "Does it really do any good?" or "Does God answer prayers?" A story to answer these questions. On Monday morning, we were enjoying our first day off as new interns. We were sitting down to breakfast, and I was thinking about all of the service requests we had put in. For almost a week, we had been trying to get our phone installed and working - without any success. We had put several maintenance request in with the apartment management - with no response. The final straw came Sunday night when our upstairs neighbor had problems with his washing machine, and we had water streaming down the hallway walls, out of light fixtures, etc. I called the emergency maintenance number (on my cell phone, since our land-line did not work) and tried to get them to come and clean up - no such luck.

So Monday, I was thinking about having to call the phone company, and the apartment manager, and how I was going to have to threaten them in order to get something done, when I thought - no, wait. Let's just pray about this and see what happens. I prayed for maintenance, and patience, and before I finished my breakfast, the phone man came and fixed our phone. Mid-morning, the pest control man came (not one I had called, but always a good idea). Then, by mid-afternoon, one of the apartment maintenance staff appeared, and fixed all of our known problems. So in response to the question of does prayer work, the answer is yes! Why the extra guy? Just to make a point. When asked about coincidence, one of our professors had remarked that once was coincidence, twice was something more, three times was a definite pattern. So the pest control guy was just to make sure that there was no question about my prayer having been answered.

Pray without ceasing, then give thanks that your prayer has been heard.

Thanks be to God!

Arrived

2006-08-12T13:04:00.000-04:00

Just as God led the people out of the wilderness to the promised land, so he brought us through packing, loading, long miles of driving and heavy rain, to our new home. I am reminded that when we pray the Lord's prayer, among other things, we pray for our daily bread and protection from evil, not an accumulation of goods or an easy journey!! This journey has NOT been uneventful, but God did bring us here safely! As an illustration, I'll tell a story about our travels.

We stopped at a rest area between Augusta and Atlanta to stretch and eat a picnic supper. When I got back in my car and pulled onto the highway, I realized that the car had suddenly developed a 'wobble' and was pulling to one side. We pulled over on the side of road to check the tires. I was fully expecting to see one completely flat, but they all appeared to be okay. It was already growing dark and we had about 100 miles to go before we would reach our destination for the night, so we pulled back onto the highway to continue on.

The wobble seemed to lessen as we reached highway speed. But I remained very conscious that there was likely a problem with a tire, so I kept both hands firmly on the steering wheel for the rest of our evening's journey and prayed fervently for safe travels.

We arrived at our hotel late that night. (We had made reservations in advance at a hotel that would accept our pet and traveling companion, Smokey.) In the process of parking the truck and shuttling us and our bags to our room, Ray drove the car briefly and decided that there was something seriously wrong - we wouldn't be able to continue in the morning until we had it repaired. So we both went to bed wondering how serious the problem was...

In the morning, after breakfast, Ray went back outside to look at the car, and in the daylight, he was able to see the problem with one of the front tires - the steel belt was coming loose. Fortunately, there was a tire shop nearby, so this was a relatively quick and inexpensive repair. But if the tire had blown while I was driving, it could have easily been disastrous.

So, I was reminded again of how God cares for us, and leads us on our journey. He didn't miraculously fix the tire, but I am certain that he intervened, holding that tire together as I drove, until we could have it repaired.

Of course, there are many more stories about our trip and unpacking that could be told. Ask one of us about the multiple rainstorms visible from the top of the bridge as we entered Mobile, or driving the truck in city traffic in the pouring rain, or the leaking bathroom sink, or the water pouring down from the ceiling shortly after we moved into our apartment...

Yes, I'm sensing a water theme in many of these experiences, but I'll have to consider them more before I can write about them!!

Good news, Bad news

2006-08-05T23:00:00.000-04:00

It's Saturday night. We are supposed to have most of our stuff loaded onto the truck, with Sunday afternoon being a finish-up time - take our bed apart and take the computer desk apart, and some cleaning. Instead, we only have a few items loaded.

Our hope for help in loading the truck seems to have been in vain. Our son was the only help that showed up. No one from campus, no one of the many other people who knew we were moving, no one. Then a big thunderstorm hit and it rained for hours. We needed the rain - we need a lot of rain, so I hate to complain about the rain, but loading furniture in a thunderstorm just doesn't work too well.

The good news is that we got rain, the truck that I have to drive several hundred miles is a great truck, and we know we will have more help Sunday afternoon. After another email to everyone on campus, there are already a couple of volunteers, plus Rusty, Lisa, Rhonda, and Chris will all be here. If the weather cooperates, we should be fine. It just means we have a lot more work to do tomorrow than we had planned, which means most of the cleaning gets moved to Monday morning. We HAVE to be on the road by noon - that deadline cannot shift by much or we don't get to our destination in time on Tuesday and we don't get unloaded and have any time to unpack. Internship begins with a Thursday morning meeting at 10:00 a.m. - whether we can find our clothes or not.

The very best news is that our house is rented! A new student, who is getting married soon, is renting the house. It will be their first home together. We are happy for them, and happy that the house will be taken care of. Thanks to everyone for all of your prayers and support during this long waiting period. It has certainly taken time, but everything is coming together, just as we knew it would.

God is good! Amen!!!

Reckless faith?

2006-07-31T21:50:00.000-04:00

A favorite quote of mine is one I discovered just before Ray and I began Summer Greek two years ago: "I love the recklessness of faith; first you leap and then you sprout wings." (William Sloane Coffin)

That quote describes so many steps on this journey. Quitting work to attend Greek, selling a house and moving near campus, taking out student loans to finance our education, volunteering on the Gulf coast last winter, and now packing up to move into an apartment we have not even seen...

Add to that the financial concerns of not having our house rented out, not knowing if we should leave extra 'stuff' here or move it into storage, etc. As we wrote in a recent email to many of our friends and family, and have discussed with one of our classmates here on campus, this uncertainty - or rather, the willingness to proceed in spite of the uncertainty - seems to be a major component of the internship experience and the whole seminary process. Sort of a test of your resolve - first you leave home and come to campus, then you leave campus and venture into the unknown again - knowing that you will be returning again in a year. Just the sheer logistics of moving repeatedly are enough to deter the faint-hearted!

So is it recklessness that brings us to this point, or is it faith? When should a sane, sensible person say "Enough!"? Or does faith enable us to leap and simply trust that the necessary wings will indeed sprout? How much are we responsible for and how much should we leave in God's hands?

Yesterday in worship, as the gospel was read and preached (the feeding of the 5,000 from John 6: 1-15), I was reminded again that the God who created the heavens and the earth, led his people through the wilderness, and sent his own Son to feed and heal and redeem - this same almighty God will lead us through our wildernesses and feed us and provide for us here on earth AND bring us to eternal life.

So, by the not-so-recklessness of faith, I'm back to packing boxes with a calm spirit, preparing for the move by doing the part that I can and awaiting God's action to take care of the rest.

Packing Blues

2006-07-29T21:28:00.000-04:00

This past week has been spent packing and moving things to storage. It has been hot (95 - 100 each day), so we have been moving during the mornings and packing in the afternoon and evening, as well as running errands and working on campus. It seems that no matter how much we pack, there is still at least that much more to do.

The heat is making it difficult to get enough done each day, so how are we going to be ready to move in another week? Somehow, it will happen. Rusty and Lisa were a big help today, and more help will appear as the week goes on. The bigger concern is that we still have not rented our house.

We have prayed for a renter, and many of you have joined us in those prayers. The problem with prayer is that God answers in his time, not ours. We are never patient enough, we want everything to happen now, on our timetable. These words come to mind:

Colossians 1:11-12 May you be made strong with all the strength that comes from his glorious power, and may you be prepared to endure everything with patience, while joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has enabled you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the light.

So we keep praying, and packing, and in 8 days, we get in the truck and drive off to internship. God's time, not ours. God's will, not ours.

Being 2 places at one time

2006-07-22T01:11:00.000-04:00

It has been a busy summer, with many opportunities for preaching and assisting at various churches. We have been to our home church, helped with the campground ministry out at the lake, been to our seminary partnership congregation, and preached a few times as supply while a pastor was on vacation.

The interesting part of this, as a couple that are both in seminary, is that we don't mind getting double-booked for a weekend. We do enjoy leading worship together when we can, but it is also interesting to do it separately - especially since we do it differently.

Quite often, when we are together, one of us will do the liturgy and the other will preach; sometimes we split it differently. On one occasion this summer, Ruth Ann sat and watched while I did everything (of course, she is going back to that same church this weekend by herself, which is why I did everything last time).

Our most interesting Sunday so far this summer might have been last Sunday. I had been asked to supply preach at a church way out in the country (by a classmate who had filled in there before, but was booked for last weekend elsewhere) and Ruth Ann was preaching out at the lake. I had never been to this church, and had only sort of met the pastor at a funeral, so I really did not expect anyone to know me, nor did I know what to expect. Turned out to be a wonderful congregation and a joy to be with. The real surprise was the email from the pastor after she returned from vacation, telling me how wonderful her worship committee thought I was, and then going on to tell me that she spent her vacation Sunday, at the lake, on a boat, listening to Ruth Ann preach!

The church is a small world; that is no surprise, but it still surprises us sometimes to find out just how small it is.

Sermon Writing

2006-07-20T11:29:00.000-04:00

I have been working on my sermon for Sunday and it is just not "gelling." Now, it's only Thursday morning - there is still plenty of time, so there is no reason to worry - yet. But I can't help thinking about why it won't gel.

Could it be because the gospel text for this Sunday is Mark chapter 6, verses 30-34 and 53-56? This gospel tells about the 12 apostles returning to gather with Jesus after being sent out to do ministry and their profound need for rest. Then it tells about the crowds following Jesus, seeking healing. What, you may ask, happened to verses 35-52? Good question! The left-out section in the middle is the Mark's telling of the feeding of the 5,000 and Jesus' walking on water and calming the storm. Two (or three) major miracle stories, probably kept to be told as separate gospel stories, on another day.

But what are we to make of these bits put together for today? I don't think I miss the story in the middle as much as I struggle for a cohesive meaning for the assembled text. There are so many possible directions to go with this text... our need for rest, our need to get together and tell the stories of what we have done and experienced, Jesus' compassion for the hungry and ailing multitude, or his tremendous power - those who simply touched the fringe of his cloak were healed (Mark 6:56).

Since I've just finished reading a book on 'a Sabbath way of life for those who serve God, the church, and the world,' The Sense of the Call, by Marva Dawn, the sermon will probably focus on our need to rest and be refreshed in order to be sent out again to work and witness. But the reality of our need to go to Jesus in prayer to tell him all we "have done and taught" (Mark 6:30) and to gather together to tell each other those stories is very powerful as well.

Guess that's what led me to this entry. May we each take time today to talk with Jesus AND to talk with each other about our lives - our work, our experiences, our needs, our hopes, and our dreams. That is the way we can help build up the community of believers, the church, the body of Christ.