“People, Look East”
A newer Advent hymn, found in our blue With One Voice worship books is “People, Look East”. That is a very different message than “Go West, Young Man” from American history. But that may be very appropriate for the season.
The advice to “Go West” was an encouragement to head in a direction that offered personal challenge and success, opportunity and risk.
To “Look East” is a reminder to observe the actions of God on our behalf. Look to Bethlehem in the East to be sure. But look East, away from personal actions, and see God’s provisions – Guest, Rose, Star, and Lord, as the hymn says.
Look East, and see the promised visitor of God, the one we decorate for during Advent.
Look East, for the growing promise of God’s bountiful gift, a Rose proclaiming beauty, but holding the blood-red color of the cost to God.
Look East, for the Star. Really? And you thought the wise ones from the East followed the star to the west. But we live in a different place and time; we are invited to shift our view from home and locality, from this Western nation, and look outside ourselves, strain our eyes and attention to see the Lord’s arrival outside our too often small world.
Look East, yes it is the Lord who comes. Not Santa down Santa Claus Lane, not our inflated credit cards bills, not our party invitations.
This Advent we are reminded once more of the ancient story, the even more ancient promise – Jesus is coming, God’s promise comes, the Lord draws our attention to the preparations and promises – the Advent of our God. “People, Look East”

November

November begins with a celebration of “All Saints” – either on the 1st day of the month or the 1st Sunday of the month.
“Saints” are a fading focus though in much of the Christian tradition, and I wonder how many of us are familiar with the concept of Saint. We Lutherans throw a monkey wrench into things as well, when we talk about every person as a Saint and Sinner.
So, is the first of the month a day to celebrate every one of us or something else?
Yes and no.
Saints have traditionally been exemplary Christians, persons whose sacrifice or service shines through history as an encouragement (judgment?) for us all. If you tour the ancient churches of Europe you see pictures and statues of faithful persons torn to shreds by lions or shot numerous times with arrows or, one of my favorites, a guy carrying his own decapitated head under his arm. Sounds more like Halloween than All Saints! But the idea is to emphasize faithfulness even unto death. What a challenge indeed!
In the Augsburg Confession, one of the key Lutheran theological documents, we claim saints as they strengthen our faithfulness. We do not pray to these saints for extra help, that is the relationship with have with Jesus. But we can indeed be thankful for guides and examples for our actions in life. Such roles can be fulfilled by the faithful deceased, but also faithful Christian folks all around us.
So, we can be Saint and Sinner – at times so faithful we can offer an example, at times needing others to get us back on track. And when we gather at the Communion Rail we remember the Saints above and the Saints at the rail with us, all dependent on the gracious gift of God, all fed by Christ, all led by the Holy Spirit to depart together and continue witnessing in our lives of faith!

Lutheran Note: October 31

This day is celebrated as the historic beginning of the Lutheran Reformation, the beginning of our religious testimony concerning the extent of God’s love, demonstrated on the cross by Christ. On October 31, 1517, Martin Luther pounded his “95 Theses” on the Wittenberg, Germany church door and the Christian faith was reinvigorated!
We have remembered Luther’s witness this month with our “History Hallway” exhibit of posters related to the Reformation, then on Sunday, October 28, at 4pm, we hosted a bi-lingual (German and English) worship service!

October

This month among Lutherans contains the celebration of the beginning of the Reformation on the last Sunday or last day. We will observe and participate in several events for the Reformation with a poster exhibit, Wednesday evening classes of Reformation persons and activities led by Bishop (emeritus) Mark Herbener, two worship services (one bilingual German/English), and a special choir program.
Martin Luther and his followers stressed the gift of salvation in Jesus Christ, won on the cross, opened to us in the witness of the Bible. You may find your faith stimulated by a discussion with other adults about these critical topics. Certainly, you should hear in October again and again the message of the cross – Christ’s gift of salvation (by grace through faith!), a gift opened to us in the Scriptures.

The heat has returned!
That certainly seems to be the weather forecast for the next several weeks. We may have enjoyed the lingering Spring-like temperatures well into July, but now it is time to get serious about Summer!
The heat has returned!
That is our hope as Christians each day. The Lord’s promises and blessings refresh us like the Spring, then the Holy Spirit enlivens our experience of God – in prayer, in worship, in regular Bible reading, in witness, in service, in living as God’s called child. Deep into what can be the Summer doldrums, the proverbial “lazy days of Summer,” I encourage you to experience the heat of the faith each day. Begin with a prayer to start your morning routine.
Luther had a nice Morning Prayer:

“I give thanks to you, heavenly Father,
through Jesus you dear Son, that you
have protected me through the night
from all harm and danger. I ask that you
would also protect me today from sin
and all evil, so that my life and actions
may please you. Into your hands I commend
myself: my body, my soul, and all
that is mine. Let your holy angel be with me,
so that the wicked foe may have
no power over me. Amen.”

Then Luther encouraged us “to go to your work joyfully.”
That is the best heat, the tolerable heat, the enlivening heat, we all need this Summer and truly each day of the year! Welcome to the blessings of Summer and our Savior!
The heat has returned!

Prayer and Performance 4

This Summer our Wednesday evenings have been blessed by times of Prayer and Performance. Beginning at 7:00pm, we have a service of Evening Prayer, inviting deeper prayers for special concerns as they are shared, then we move into a celebration of God’s gift of music.
We concluded as Jamie Ovcarik shared traditional, regional guitar. (With surprise guest -- Austin Ovcarik!)

Prayer and Performance 3

This Summer our Wednesday evenings are being blessed by times of Prayer and Performance.
Beginning at 7:00pm, we have a service of Evening Prayer, inviting deeper prayers for special concerns as they are shared, then we move into a celebration of God’s gift of music.
Brian Hehn led us in songs of Justice and Peace in “A Wee Sing” modeled after the Iona Community of Scotland.

Prayer and Performance 2

This Summer our Wednesday evenings are being blessed by times of Prayer and Performance.
Beginning at 7:00pm, we have a service of Evening Prayer, inviting deeper prayers for special concerns as they are shared, then we move into a celebration of God’s gift of music. Eve Hehn offered a wonderful Soprano selections around the theme: Despair, Love, Joy tonight.

Prayer and Performance

This Summer our Wednesday evenings are being blessed by times of Prayer and Performance.
Beginning at 7:00pm, we have a service of Evening Prayer, inviting deeper prayers for special concerns as they are shared, then we move into a celebration of God’s gift of music. Laura Onsgard began the series with a portion of her European piano competition program. Such an impressive display of her God-given talent.
Thanks, Laura!

Clothing Exchange, TODAY!

We are once again hosting the great “Clothing Exchange” event in the Parish Hall with the donations received the last week of May through June 1, and the clothing exchange itself occurring Today: Saturday, June 2. Persons can bring bags of outgrown and unwanted clothing in good shape to exchange for an empty bag. Today, folks return to fill those empty bags. Members of First United are providing empty plastic bags as well as paper grocery bags, baked goods for refreshments, clothing contributions, and volunteer time.

Pastoral Acts: 5/ 19

Funeral for Margaret Anne Belle Cheatham Luttrell (May 14, 1917 - May 16, 2012)
Margaret has been a member of First United for decades since childhood and recently returned to membership after a brief absence. She was an active senior who did not recover after hitting her head in a fall. She is survived by her son, Howard, and daughter, Pam, their spouses, her two grandchildren, and one great-grandson.

Receive her into the arms of your mercy, into the blessed rest of everlasting peace, and into the glorious company of the saints in light, O Lord. Amen

Ends and Beginnings

      May is the month for the last Spring planting, at least in Texas, as it will get just too hot to try and start a new plant. Also May can be the end of cool evenings and the continuation of warm nights and even beginning some of those hot evenings. In many households, this is the end of one school year and the start of Summer activities, as well as the beginning of plans for Fall attendance, perhaps in another school. For some this means the closing up of one house and heading for the lake or mountains.
      In church this month in 2012, we mark the end of the Easter Season and the beginning of Pentecost. One should not hastily say that it is also the end of a focus solely on Jesus and the beginning of single-minded concentration on the Holy Spirit and the Church (the Spirit’s creation). But it could be the end of a focus on the earthly Jesus and a beginning again to realize the empowerment that the risen Jesus gives his followers. In May, we are invited to end a focus on the great person Jesus was while he ministered on earth in First Century Palestine and refocus on the risen Christ who brings new beginnings – an Easter full of resurrection experiences and a Pentecost full of God’s power given into our lives. OK, and I will drag out Baptism too, an end to the impediment of sin, a beginning of new life that we can claim as we confess and receive forgiveness in church and in front of those we trespass against, as well as an end to the separation from those who have sinned against us as they confess to us and we begin a new relationship by forgiving them.
      May then is like that old camp ditty: “This is the song that never ends.” Christian have a faith life that never stops, each ending opens up a beginning, each confession frees for new life, each closure of a church season opens up an experience of another aspect of the Lord as well as an opportunity to know more about God for us!
      Here comes the end, welcome to the beginning; here comes the beginning, welcome to the end.

A Tweets Worth of Truth for April

Here it is.

If you want the basic faith story, if you want to cut to the chase, if you want the executive summary, if you want the tweet of Christianity, here it is: Maundy Thursday – Love, Good Friday – God’s love on the cross, Easter – Love breaks all boundaries.

In one week’s time, from Palm Sunday / Passion Sunday through Easter, we may participate in a month’s worth of services, but in that compact time, we have the entire Christian message that we will approach again and again for the next year, for a lifetime of Christian experience. Christmas is beautiful, but the story of God can get lost in the colorful festivities. During Holy Week, we strip away the decorations – Palm Branches and the Shouts of a celebratory parade give way to abandonment, Jesus loses friends and supporters, loses the support of the religious folks of his day, loses his clothing, loses his dignity, becomes the object of derision in a personal death parade, and then hangs limp on a rough, rugged cross that is declared finished only by Jesus’ death. Then the Saturday period of darkness, followed by the dawn of some new God thing, Easter, which takes awhile to sink in for those previous ardent followers. And permeating it all is love. Jesus loves those gathered at the Last Supper and gives them a loving gift – a foot-washing of service, a meal with eternal benefits, a gift in fact that instructs followers in service and love, a meal that encourages all with the promise that Jesus will be with them no matter what. And the “what“ follows close behind. Service is abandoned as Jesus is abandoned; the eternal promise of love from God is forgotten in the haste to get away. But remember the love is eternal, so Jesus makes the lonesome journey to the cross. And Jesus who has emptied himself in coming to Earth now releases the last little bit and gives and gives and gives until he is gone. And the explanations are quieted, suspended until Easter when the sunrise breaks through the darkness of confusion and begins to enlighten those hesitant followers.

April 1 and the following week: here it is. The whole journey – the message which has not changed in almost 2000 years: love, God’s love on the cross, love breaks all boundaries.

We March into Lent!

In elementary school they taught us that March comes in like a lion but goes out like a lamb. The teachers were trying to tell us something about the change in the weather, I think. But there was not always a very dramatic change in Texas during March; sometimes the years were more like 2012 with our warming February.

But that lion / lamb dichotomy might work for March as the long month of transition from Lent to Easter. During March we can focus on that Lenten Lion, that roaring power of Sin out there in the bush, that devouring power of Sin, that growl around us that threatens our relationships with God and our neighbor, that fearful noise that disquiets our relationships, that makes us fear God and our neighbor, and urges us to listen for enemies. That lion can also be an example of pride that helps us justify our actions that we know are wrong or at least divisive, as if our needs define what is right for ourselves and all those around, as if we are not called to love our neighbor as ourselves. Lions are impressive to be sure. They are the monarchs of the African plain. But they are bloody rulers, beautiful killers – hardly the best model for struggling Christian folks.

But, oh the lamb. The lamb is an interesting animal in the Bible. It can be a member of God’s flock – needing the Lord’s love and care. Yet, Jesus is also proclaimed, “Behold the Lamb of God!” God’s little lambs need protection from the roaring and threatening lion. God’s great Lamb, Jesus Christ, steps in, calls the lions by name, then offers his blood for ours. This Lamb of God goes uncomplaining to the cross, but in doing so shifts the world – fearful lambs are saved by the great, gracious Lamb of God! And we, whether leaning toward the model of the powerful lion or unsure like the lambs or a human combination of the two, are called during Lent to hear the voice of the Great Shepherd, himself the Lamb of God who draws us to the foot of the cross, accepts our uncertainty, then gives us an empty tomb and a full life in God’s Love.

Out with the lion. In with the lamb!

Some thoughts on Ash Wednesday

Ash Wednesday begins the Season of Lent, the time in the church year that focuses on human preparation for Holy Week and Easter. This preparation called the “Lenten Fast” could include prayer, repentance, donations, self-denial (giving something up for Lent).
Ash Wednesday is the first of forty days (you do not count Sunday in days of the season), the forty days reminding Christians of the number of days which Jesus spent fasting in the wilderness after his Baptism but before he began his earthly ministry. We do not count Sundays because every Sunday is a little Easter of celebration. The ashes of this first day of Lent represent mourning and repentance, setting a tone for the days that follow.

In past Lenten tradition, the somberness of the season meant that many Christians did not attend parties or family celebrations, including a virtual halt to weddings. Nowadays, we may attend celebrations, weddings are seldom delayed by planning couples, and, though prayer and repentance are encouraged by Lenten services, few follow a “Lenten Fast.” Today is a good time to review personal thoughts and inclinations, perhaps even take up some aspect of Lenten observation after a time of reflection and prayer.

This year at First United Lutheran Church, we will join with two other area Lutheran congregations for an Ash Wednesday service at 7:30pm, held here at First United. Choir members of First United will join with some from Bethany Church and Central Church in special music. The three pastors of these congregations will share leadership of the service.

Come on over tonight (February 22) to begin a Lenten journey!

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January: Not an End to Wellness

During 2011, I considered the topic of Wellness on a monthly basis. Now that we are moving into 2012, that does NOT mean we are moving out of Wellness. Rather, we will trust that the Lord will move us forward as persons of faith, persons challenged to be well in body and spirit. I am reminded of an old Christian song with the refrain “It is well, It is well, with my soul.”

In January, several Christian holidays reinforce our wellness: the year starts out with … New Year’s Day, but the 1st is also the Festival of the Name of Jesus. What a great way to start a new year – in the name of Jesus! We remember that Jesus’ earthly parents brought him to the temple for his naming ceremony. May we all head to worship on the 1st to call out to God so that we might be known by name as one of the Lord’s own throughout the new year.

On January 6th (the actual 12th Day of Christmas), the Church commemorates the Epiphany of Our Lord – “epiphany” meaning a “showing” or “revelation.” Jesus is revealed to the whole world (not just tiny Bethlehem) at Epiphany as the globe-hopping Magi finally arrive at the manger, and so we are too can be dazzled by the light of Christ!
The following season of Epiphany containing seven Sundays this year encourages Wellness to flow, Wellness for the entire Earth! Wellness continues to challenge us to rest in the Lord’s healing, and witness to the Lord’s deliverance.

Beginning January 18 with the Confession of Peter and closing on January 25 with the Conversion of Paul, many mark the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. Prayers arise for healing the divisions within the Christian Church, for wholeness and wellness among God’s own.