The Lovely Bones movie

Yesterday, technically my day off, I went to see a movie that ostensibly dealt with a religious topic: life after death.
First off, the movie just tore my heart out. As the involved father of an out-going daughter (like the deceased movie narrator character), I was just deeply saddened by the harsh reality that is child abduction and murder. Peter Jackson successfully explored that and dissected the family fraying that could accompany it. (And I thought Wark Wahlberg was fine in the role, contrary to many critics.)
The heaven part, the unsettled spirit part convinced me much less. The whole "in between" place part was not successful for me, though it allowed the story to progress well. I must remember it is fiction, but for an America that is less and less connected to the church and its teachings, the "in between" could serve as a confusing after-death image. After leading over 60 funerals and having a personal relationship with the surviving families in almost all those situations, I believe that an "in between," even to pursue justice, is not the desire. What the faith allows us to say is that God is now in charge when all else is loss, guilt, gone, pain, sorrow. The world offers little consolation, an "in between" even less. I prefer to share I Corinthians 15:19 -- "If for this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied."

La Vida de Fe

January 25-27, I attended our annual Tri-Synodical Theological Conference in San Antonion, Texas. The Theme was "La Vida de Fe." These conference times are usually opportunities for reconnecting with pastor-professional contacts and clearing one's head to think about the forthcoming year, as well as listening to the topic presented. At First United Lutheran Church we are not currently involved in the main theme -- Latino ministry, but, after the presentation by a demographer, it is apparent that ready or not, we are challenged for Latino ministry. Texas is already "Minority Majority" -- that is, Anglos (aka Whites) are already a minority in the state when all the "minority" groups are added together. Add to that, the likelihood is that by 2020, Texas will be Latino majority and by 2050, the whole of the United States will be Latino majority. (I may not live to see that.) So, the presentations were good awakenings to key concepts and ideas about the Latino experience of the life of faith. Gracias!

One year and counting!

Well, I have been here a year today. My first anniversary.
Is the honeymoon over? More importantly am I prepared to work at making this relationship happen? Yes. Or as they said up north in my seminary days -- You Betcha, ya sure!
Here are some review items from the year:
We took a photo at the former church location on Cole Avenue for the 86th birthday of the congregation. A new Men-ghetti (Men Who Love Spaghetti) fellowship group was started. A few folks tried their building skills with a Habitat for Humanity house in Old Plano. We shared special worship services for Lent and Advent besides our regular Sunday morning celebration of prayer, singing, Scriptures, sermon, and communion. In addition, we celebrated two special German-language services for Mid-Summer and Reformation Sunday. And some seven languages infused our Pentecost celebration. For Thanksgiving we joined with two area Lutherans congregations for worship. We also hosted the synod-wide Reformation Day “Marty Party” on October 31.
We spruced up the building a bit, especially our long hallway. We offered film festivals of Bible-themed movies as well as the Life of Luther. I also started leading a Thursday morning Bible Study at the Classic Residences, a Senior High Rise nearby. Plus Confirmation classes were initiated.

I Timothy 1:5: “But the aim … is love that comes from a pure heart, a good conscience, and sincere faith.”

Happy First Anniversary, indeed!

Haiti News

Such tragic reports are coming out of Haiti -- the sheer number of deaths is almost overwhelming, almost unreal. Sometimes it helps to narrow to one person. In my case, I just heard about a young Lutheran seminary student, Benjamin Larson, killed while training lay people for leadership in the fledgling Haitian Lutheran Church. You can read more from CNN:
http://www.cnn.com/2010/US/01/14/haiti.seminarian.killed/index.html (You have to paste this link into your browser.)
Now I have connections -- he is about the same age as my oldest child; I am a pastor and still remember the excitement of internship and preparing for a first call; I now teach a class for lay leadership development.
Now I can connect with one of the thousands; now the thousands become more real.
How can our hearts reach out to even more families at the loss of many more young men, many more servants of God, many more mothers and fathers and children and ... ?

https://community.elca.org/NetCommunity/SSLPage.aspx?pid=538

Lord have mercy. Christ have mercy. The people of God have mercy.

Post-Christmas in Ireland

I took off for Ireland the Sunday after Christmas with wife, daughter, son, and mother-in-law in tow.
What a surprisingly wonderful country! Also, what a freezing cold country! (Coldest winter in a 100 years.) I enjoyed discovering so much. Perhaps I will comment more fully later, but for right now, I want to reflect on the "Celtic" cross.
Much has been made of its shape -- cross with round circle. Debate has been if that was a way to incorporate pre-Christian beliefs. But I want to say, I was amazed at its presence in the country. I saw ancient crosses (from about 1000 AD) through modern gravestones with the motif. I was especially impressed by the Monasterboice crosses I saw the first day in country. Photos are attached. Huge structures affirming the crucifixion, but other space with pictures of other Christian stories. Amazing design and execution. Enjoy the photos.

"Religious" Christmas Stamp

For the past several years, I have made it a point to ask for the "religious" Christmas stamp. I pick the Virgin and Child art rather than snow people or Christmas trees or antique toys or nutcrackers or whatever else is offered, even though those others can be cutely tempting. But I may have to be even more specific. For several years in the USA, postal customers wanting a "religious" holiday stamp in the Fall can/could select from Virgin and Child or EID or Hanukkah stamps. So, I think I will need to be even more vocal in my religious stamp preference and ask specifically for the Christian stamp! That could be a small witness to our special celebration.
Merry (almost) Christmas!

Advent, NOT Christmas

Here it is the second Wednesday in the Season of Advent. I am preparing for Evening Prayer and expect a small group to be present. I know I am supposed to focus on anticipation of Christ, the coming of the Lord. In other words, NO Christmas carols. Yet, it is the joy of Christmas I am looking forward to as well. What a great time to pull out all the Christian celebration and the secular world will even join in a little of it. So I wait -- but I want to get there -- part of that "proleptic eschatology" that my buddy Ryan Mills reminded me of. (Yes, he is a pastor, too.) Basically, it is the "already, but not yet" nature of the faith we have. All the promise is ours, but we we have not yet seen it all. That does not make it less true, just less realized. Ah, well, perhaps, I could at least put up this much Christmas decoration (my house would be on the right hand side -- that's where you want to be when it comes to God!).



(The red lights say "Ditto" in case it is not showing well.)

"The Blind Side"

"The Blind Side" : NOT a Thanksgiving turkey, but a Thanksgiving gift for the movie-going public.
What a warm, rich, challenging film for movie-goers this season -- and NO vampires!
I did not have great expectations of the film, but was deeply impressed by a tear-jerker film, which dealt with Southern racism, football frenzy, drug culture and its threat on poor families and young persons. What about those lost children that are "raised" in the middle of addicted parents and their pushers? How do they survive? Well, here is one story. Although a white family ultimately rescues the young man, he has independently developed skills that allow him to escape, to embrace the opportunity provided. One could only wish that situation for all children in such poverty and potential hopelessness.
Another noteworthy aspect of this film was the Christian faith that was just included as an obvious aspect of the family's life. No apologies; no creepiness; just a real faith lived out in the interaction with others. One hopes that good Christian folks would open the table of thanksgiving for even more unlikely characters -- not just in films but in everyday life.

Social Networking and the Church

Social Networking is what the church is all about -- from the time of Jesus calling the 12 Apostles as well as the numerous men, women, and children to his side during his earthly ministry, to the Pentecost celebration, to the work of Paul calling scattered races to believe. The church is in the social networking business. The challenge is how to make that happen in this time when so many other options abound. Sunday church, well done, is a great place to start.

Mighty Fortress LEGO-style

Yes, that great Lutheran festival of Reformation Day is approaching on October 31! And Luther has invaded even LEGO-world! (Check out his hammer as LEGO Luther is ready to post the 95 Theses again!)
Enjoy!