Happy 90th Birthday, First United Lutheran Church!

What a wonderful day celebrating God’s gracious work through First United Lutheran Church for the past 90 years! We started by reviewing the congregation’s history during the Sunday Morning Adult Study at 9:15am. An anniversary festival worship service followed in our 1963 building (the usual location where we meet!). The order of service included portions from the 1923 era, then the "new" book of the late 1950s, concluding with our current worship resource.
Then we recessed to the 1947 worship space (the current Parish Hall) for light refreshments and fellowship. Opportunities to view scenes from the past will be included. Special anniversary offerings were received and undesignated offerings were divided between White Rock Center of Hope, Mt. Olive Lutheran Church Food Pantry, and First United Lutheran Church.

First United Lutheran Church began from a group who started meeting in 1922 at First Baptist Church with SMU theological students leading worship until a full-time pastor could arrive. By late April 1923 a congregation was organized and a building purchased that Summer on Cole Avenue near Knox. The congregation remained vital but small, weathering the Great Depression, then relocating after World War II to minister to the growing area of Northeast Dallas, moving in a former military chapel in 1947 for a worship space. The congregation gathered an interesting mix of professionals, business folks, and persons in the construction industry, Swedish, Icelandic, and German immigrants, old time Lutherans and the recently interested. After raising a new building in 1963, the congregation became crucial in the start of several other area congregations (such as Bethany on Walnut Hill, King of Glory on LBJ, and St. Luke’s in Richardson) as the Lutheran church expanded in the Dallas area. After a challenging period, stability has returned in the new millennia and we are evaluating how we might best gather, grow, minister, and respond in the years ahead!

More Easter -- and no April Fooling!

Happy Easter for Seven More Weeks!

I always thought Christians had an advantage in celebrating Easter for another seven Sundays after Easter Sunday. And not just because the Easter candy is reduced in price at Walgreens and Target!
The real sweetness comes from realizing that the dramatic message of the resurrection has meaning not only for Jesus but for the followers of Jesus. So, we are not quite ready to let the wonder of Easter go. In the Sunday readings we discover the power of Easter in the early church, and we can discover the Easter power in our own lives. And not just because we too will be resurrected in the future. But right now, the power of Easter can promise hope, a hope greater than the oncoming Spring. God can raise our vision to see possibilities where we might see only dead-ends or tombs. It is interesting that Luke’s Gospel continues after the resurrection account with the risen Christ offering peace and blessing to his followers, and in their joy those first followers gathered together for worship. We still can gather for worship. We can still know greater joy because of the resurrection. We still receive blessings in this world from the risen Christ. We can know peace in a sometimes frantic world because of the resurrected Jesus.
So I invite you to worship. I invite you to consider blessings that are blooming in your lives. I invite you to know peace. I invite you to continue to share the joy of the Easter message.

I cannot leave this continent yet -- how about Turkey!

So, Sylvia and I decided to combine this Luther study time with a brief vacation in Turkey.

More on this fabulous time later!
But how about a delicious breakfast!

Time to Leave but who are these Mini Me Wannabes?

Luther can be found throughout Wittenberg. Go visit and soon!
Maybe you will spot the Martin Luther Minis.

Monday into the country

After Monday's class we headed out away from Wittenberg to visit a rural parish, Seyda. Such friendly people, so welcoming. It reminded me of my own early pastoral service at congregations in South Texas -- can you say Nordheim, Runge, Westhoff, Lindenau? This church was actually in existence in the time of Martin Luther, and was one visited prior to the introduction of the Small Catechism.

Even inside furnishings were so antique and yet so full of Gospel proclamation.

Sunday Go to Meeting then Go to Torgau

On Sunday, I worshiped for the second time in the main town church, where Luther preached most often in his lifetime. And what an amazing altar to view and receive communion before.

Then after lunch we headed for Torgau, assisting a local church in copying the whole Bible a sentence a person for 2013. The old castle stands firm, and here is where Luther's wife, Katie died. The women in our group gathered around her ancient grave marker.

Weekend to Wartburg and elsewhere

For the weekend, we took a break from classes and Wittenberg to explore other Luther sites.
So, it was off to the Wartburg Castle. On the way we stopped for a real German meal.

The Chilean told me I was not really trying!

Now we had the energy to climb up to the Wartburg!

Great display of artifacts.

Slippery going down hill as the ice began forming again, but I purchased some beautiful hand-painted eggs, depicting the castle and Luther's seal.

Luther in the Library

Wittenberg is undergoing renewal in preparation for the culmination of celebrations. And I hope more follow. In the midst of that, changes are occurring. the university has moved to nearby Halle, while the pastor's seminary will stay in Wartburg. The prized library is in transition but apparently will be relocated to the Castle Church at the edge of the old city of Wittenberg. In the meantime, we got to visit and view some of their rare books.

I particularly enjoyed seeing books that Martin Luther used, loaned, or took marginal notes on the pages.

Just a sampling

Classes, yes

Exchanging our stories and listening to the experiences of others.

We even rotated responsibility of meals by preparing one from our own cultures, enjoying Lutheran flavors from around the world. I decided to offer Tex-Mex fare! No pictures of that as I was hustling to feed twenty. And who knew that actually had avocados in Germany?

Start in a Luther Chapel

Right off the bat, I was informed that I volunteered for the first worship service to be led by participants.
Here I am in the small, VERY cold chapel where Luther frequently preached, preparing for my service. Although held in Germany the primary language for worship and the classes was English because of the international nature of the group -- Europeans, Asians, Africans, Americans (North and South).

First full day

This will not be daily but what a start. No class, but just breathing in the atmosphere -- the snowy atmosphere at that!

Russell in Lutherland

I landed in Berlin, where I was met by representatives of the Luther Study event.
This event is funded by the Lutheran World Federation to foster celebration of the 500th Anniversary of the Reformation by Lutherans around the world. I was one of three Americans, a Canadian, two Swedes, and then one pastor from each of Argentina, Chile, Denmark, Latvia, Ethiopia, Liberia, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Palestine, India, and Hong Kong. Two others were not able to make it.
We were hosted by a helpful German pastor and his assistant. Classes were led by three Lutheran professors -- two Germans and a Zimbabwean.

As I write this, I am anticipating my Wittenberg, Germany Seminar routine -- arriving in Berlin, traveling to Lutherstadt Wittenberg, being assigned a room, attending Worship on Sunday, and starting the classes. I can almost visualize that sequence of events even though it has yet to occur because I have experienced such seminars previously. Though, to be sure, none have offered the excitement of being held in the place where the Lutheran Reformation began almost 500 years ago.
The Wittenberg study also holds the prospect of surprises – who will join the group that gathers and what are their homelands, what different foods will be shared by the participants, what alternative Lutheran practices will be discussed, where will we go outside the city to discover more about the life of Luther, how has appreciation for Luther changed over the years, and how does it compare to the United States Lutherans?
Stay tuned!

Month of February

Four “secular” holidays occur this month – Ground Hog Day (a day for repetition and anticipation), the Super Bowl (a clash between two major powers), Valentine’s Day (a day for love), and Presidents’ Day (honoring our tradition of leaders). In addition, we churchy folks plunk another day right in the middle of this month with Ash Wednesday.

I believe Ash Wednesday is marked not only by the smudge of ashes on foreheads at worship, but Ash Wednesday is a day which includes repetition and anticipation, recognizes a clash between two powers, is a day for love, and honors our leaders.

Certainly the ancient Rite on Ash Wednesday of marking the sign of the cross dominates the day. But why mark this day? Is it merely going through the motions of an ancient practice, a repetition of the past? Or is this a repetition that recognizes that sin repeatedly enters our world, that we repeatedly remember its presence and persistence? And do we not anticipate our death and Christ’s triumph? That black cross admits death exists, but then proclaims the cross of Christ is greater and overcomes the threat of death.
This Ash Wednesday indeed marks the clash between two great powers – the fullness of God, demonstrated in Christ’s triumph, versus the opposing team of sin, death, and the devil. The best thing is that unlike the Super Bowl, we can already bet on a winner, count on Christ. Give us a “J;” give us a “E;” give us a “S;” give us a “U;” give us a “S.” What’s that spell? “Jesus” What’s that spell? The ultimate end of sin, death, and the devil.
And there is the ultimate expression of love. Instead of giving up on humans because of our shortcomings or failures, instead of just randomly firing at a special few with arrows of love, “God so loved the world that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” Love indeed!
And we are not left alone to figure this out by ourselves. We have a leader – that Jesus, whose cross marks our foreheads on Ash Wednesday, leads us from the worship service by sending the Holy Spirit into the world – teaching us, directing us, demonstrating the fullness of life, leading us now and into life eternal. Sure there are other leaders along the way – family, teachers, supervisors, presidents. But ultimately all, ALL, pale in comparison to Christ.

“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!)