What Have We to Offer? (A word about Stewardship)

Hi! Pastor Doug here:

If you have figured out nothing else about me in this first year and a half we have shared in ministry together, you should have discovered this: I am continuously excited and charged up about sharing God’s word in worship, using the spoken word, (2 Timothy 3:16)  beautiful song, (Psalm 96:1)  and even compelling images (John 14:8-9)  to proclaim God’s love and faithfulness to us each and every Sunday. So it is fitting that this stewardship letter will revolve around one of my favorite stewardship songs, “What Have We to Offer,” written by Ray Makeever, one of the wonderful Lutheran hymn writers of today.

What have we to offer? What have we to share?

Coins from the coffer, hearts filled with care.

God will not falter; so let us dare lay it at the altar there.

We’re more than just occupants of this earth as God has blessed each of us with lavish gifts. (Deuteronomy 7:13)  So how then do we give thanks to God for all God’s abundance toward us? (1 Thessalonians 5:18) Financial support of God’s work in the world through God’s church can often be an afterthought, something to do if we find a little left over. It’s a good thing God doesn’t just toss us leftovers for our lives: instead he sent the Son to live among us, to suffer persecution and insult just like us, and die on a cross to bring salvation to us. (2 Peter 1:3)

So in this month of thanksgiving, take time to prayerfully consider what God has given you. (1 Thessalonians 5:17)  Then, think about how you can respond. The top section of the card included in this mailing allows you to make a covenant between you and God alone, a covenant that says “thank you” for all the rich blessings God has brought to your life. (Psalm 107:21-22)  Consider what percentage of your income you give as a thank-offering to God and then consider increasing that figure by one percent. For most of us that would be around $10 per week, the equivalent of a couple of beverages at your favorite java joint.

It may not sound like a lot, but think of it this way: that $10 per week would pay for our confirmation materials and curriculum for the entire year with a few bags of treats to spare. That same amount purchases the words we put on the screen each Sunday for 55 weeks. Also, $10 each week would fund our entire Vacation Bible School program this year.

God guides the leaders of the church to use these financial gifts with wisdom and thoughtfulness. (James 3:17)  With God leading the way, even when we make a mistake along the way it works out for the good of God’s people. “God will not falter; so let us dare lay it at the altar there.”

What have we to offer? What have we to bring?

Love, ripe with laughter; hope that we can sing;

dreams of what we’re after; promises of when. Lay it at the altar then.

So here we are at my favorite verse of this song—the one that begins to remind us that our lives as stewards are so much more than just the giving of our financial wealth. Even more importantly, we offer ourselves up to God to use us just as we are. Our loving hearts, our sense of humor, and our deep-seated hope that comes out in song are just but a few of the traits we possess that God will use to reach out to each other and to a world consumed with darkness. (Romans 8:28)  Our love, our laughter, and our hope is light to the world when we share it. Even the dreams we have for our lives—our families, our vocations, our communities, our church—are gifts from God as we imagine possibilities instead of impossibilities, abilities instead of shortcomings, and wholeness instead of brokenness.

Without our positive outlook and willingness to be vulnerable, we would never imagine that 14 of our youth could have the opportunity to worship, pray, and serve alongside 30,000 others with a common goal and common God. We would never enjoy the fellowship of Noodle Nights and Cribbage Games. We could not come together with God each Sunday to this place, (Hebrews 13:15)  built on the hopes and dreams of so many, to worship our God and receive Jesus’ body and blood in a loving and welcoming gathering of brothers and sisters in Christ.

We need your ideas; we need your dreams! (Job 33:15-18)  This is how God’s church truly grows into a community that cares for, enjoys, and loves one another more deeply and wholly. The church’s one foundation IS Jesus Christ its Lord, and we together are God’s living stones. (1 Peter 2) What can we build together? Let’s lay our hopes and dreams at the altar.

What have we to offer? What have we to give?

Eyes that are wide open; lies that we won’t live;

truth that must be spoken; justice somehow. Lay it at the altar now.

We know that because of the power of sin that this world isn’t a perfect place. People go hungry, some live on the streets, many are lonely, a few want to give up completely. We do need to keep our eyes wide open to see the poverty, both physical and spiritual, which is around us every day. We need to stop lying to ourselves that someone else will take care of the problems in the desire to free ourselves of any feelings of guilt and helplessness. Because Jesus reached out to the needy, the outcast, the broken, the lost, and the forgotten. (Matthew 25:35, Luke 14:13)  In our words of confession each week we pray that God will help us become less selfish and truly look out to help and heal our brothers and sisters in Christ who have lost their way in many ways.

We are God’s church that strives for justice on behalf of those who feel they have no voice. It is God’s mission through us to help provide for everyone’s daily bread, to help the homeless secure safe lodging, and to encourage those left behind to seek out opportunities to improve their place in this world. (Isaiah 58:6-10)  When we see injustice in the world, it is up to us as God’s people to seek just and fair solutions that bring wholeness and healing that breaks down the walls between people of all races, creeds, and classes. Only by working together with God’s guidance can we truly bring people in unity to God’s altar of grace and abundance.

What have we to offer?

What have we to give?

Lives we will live.

What happens if we dedicate our time, talents, treasure, and even our whole lives to God’s great purpose? God uses us—everything we have and everything that we are—in blessing us to be a blessing. (Genesis 12; Zechariah 8)  As we live in the world, we along with all of God’s people, in thanksgiving for all the gifts God has given us, can share in our own unique ways the love of God for God’s people. We can help deliver God’s daily bread and by doing so spread the gospel to all who are fed by God’s grace and mercy.

Stewardship isn’t a program and it’s not an annual appeal. It’s a way of living that all of us should willingly embrace as we grow in faith and love of God. (Proverbs 11:24)  Let’s all join in giving thanks and praise to the One who created and sustains us. Let’s share God’s great abundance with the world around us, right around the corner and all the way around the world. For the opportunity to do just that: Thanks be to God!

We are all blessed to be a blessing!

Living in God’s abundance,

Pastor Doug Holtz

What Have We to Offer, © 1982 by Ray Makeever, administered by Augsburg Fortress, Minneapolis. Reprinted by permission through OneLicense.net

Why just September 11?

Reflecting back thirteen years ago today, I too remember where I was at the moment we heard the news of the planes striking the World Trade Center. I was in the middle school band room in Trempealeau, Wisconsin, enjoying some time with students who had come to hang out before school. We had the television on CNN just like every morning, until something caught a student’s eye. We prayed in public school that morning. Who really cared about a lawsuit that day?

I can’t forget the Sunday following either. Our Redeemer Lutheran Church in La Crosse, Wisconsin, was absolutely packed that morning. Why? Because people were scared and looking for answers about a life-changing experience beyond the normal. And who wouldn’t want that? 

But the events of September 11, 2001, are hardly the most life-changing experience the world has known. Surely moments such as the day you bought your first car or house, your graduation day, your wedding day, or the birth of your children come to mind. 

Or perhaps the moment is more melancholy like the death of a loved one, the disintegration of a relationship, or other horrible tragedy.

But these still aren’t as life-changing as it gets.

For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 6:23 NRSV)

That’s right, a FREE GIFT is absolutely, positively, the most life-changing experience one can ever imagine! And we can't buy it or earn it, even though we've been programmed to believe that's the only way we ever get good things--and this is the GREATEST thing. Surely it must have a big price tag! It does, and the cost is crossed out in red ink (Christ's blood) and stamped "paid in full." We just believe.

And we can celebrate that free gift every Sunday in worship, when God comes to us in our hearing, our singing, our praying, and our eating and drinking. But it doesn’t just end on Sunday. Each and every day we are drowned to sin (all of us, talk about a disaster!) and raised to new life to face the day as God’s beloved children! 

So why not fill the chairs or pews in church on Sunday? Why not take time with the family at home each night to give thanks, be filled by the word of God, and pray knowing that God will hear? Jesus’ resurrection is more than enough reason to gather as families—both nuclear family and family of God—to give thanks for those things we celebrate as well as those we mourn, knowing that God says:

I am with you always, to the end of the age. (Matthew 28:20b NRSV)

What are we waiting for? Let's take seriously the fact that God wants to be in relationship with us. Let's take time to talk with God.

Give God the glory! Allelulia!

Easter: We Have to Remember the Backstory

Easter is a great day! It's the second most popular day in the church year, judging by attendance, and what a celebration it is! Women and girls wear their finest Easter dresses and bonnets, men might even wear a tie--or for those really trying to impress--a whole suit! Children arrive all fired up--not because of the resurrection of Jesus, but because of the sugar high they are riding after devouring generous gobs of chocolate they found in their Easter baskets!

Indeed it is a great day, but I feel sorry for those who miss the whole story. It's great to celebrate the risen Savior, but what does it truly mean if we don't remember his last meal, his last words, his brutal crucifixion. We couldn't have Easter Sunday without Maundy Thursday or Good Friday. And yet despite this, churches across the United States continue to see a decline in attendance during Holy Week. And that's a real shame.

Without coming face to face with our sin that put Jesus on the cross, it's hard to imagine why we need a Savior. Now I know in this politically correct age that we aren't supposed to ever feel bad about ourselves, let alone come together to face it with our brothers and sisters. But this is exactly what we need to realize this week: We need a Savior.

Somewhere along the line we started to believe that being happy was really the goal of life. And while our happiness is important, how do we ever strengthen our faith if everything is "fine"? What if we actually let ourselves feel all our emotions, the good and the bad. Only in that kind of honesty can we find deeper relationship with God and with each other.

So I know that Maundy Thursday and Good Friday aren't the most exciting and thrilling of all days in the church year. But these days are of absolute importance in knowing who we are in Christ Jesus. You see, the Easter promise actually begins unfolding when Jesus dies. Only in this most selfless act can we see just how much God loves us. Only when we approach the cross ourselves on Good Friday can we see the nails on the cross that remind us of the pain Jesus willingly endured so that we wouldn't have to.

I know the excuses: life is busy; it's impossible to attend worship more than once per week. But what about this week, when we remember everything Christ endured for us so that we might be saved from the wrath that we should receive? How better to prepare for Jesus'-and therefore our-victory over the grave?

Even if you don't worship during this Holy Week, it's important that you at least take time to thank God for sending God's Son to take your place on the cross. Because if we forget that then we miss the entire blessing that is Easter. Spend some time with God this week; God is more than ready to spend time with you!

God be with you. Always!

A Cause for Change

Hey there! Pastor Doug reporting from San Antonio, Texas, where the ELCA church developer conference is being held. Despite the lure of warm weather, we are engaged in learning how the church can truly grow!

One of the most important aspects of authentic church growth is ability to change. This doesn't promise that change will be easy or that there is some magic bullet that solves all problems. What is does lead us to is viewing what is important to God instead of what is important to us? Shouldn't these both be the same? Well, ideally, yes! But in reality we all have our comfort with things that don't necessarily build faith or hold relevance in God's mission to the world today. This may mean trading in our comfortable yet stagnant ways for something more challenging and yet far more valuable to the care and growth of God's kingdom.

Indeed I too have to let go of those things sacred to me (but not God) that hinder our journey of faith. There are exciting times ahead for all of us in the church as we lift up leaders and map the assets of the people in the parish. In this we hope to less try to force square pegs into round holes, but rather find opportunities in our ministry that fit the people we engage.

If you're up for it, this could be an incredibly rewarding journey!

In God's service,
pd

Looking Beyond the Obvious

Looking Beyond the Obvious

1 Samuel 16:1-13; Psalm 51:10-14

Pastor Doug Holtz

The people had been led by prophets.

     But now they have put down roots

          They wanted to be like the cool kids

              Just like their neighbors

                   They wanted a king

                        God told Samuel to give them what they wanted

                             And so he did—Saul

It went just fine for a while

     Wars were won; riches were collected

          But then Saul and his men became greedy

              Won the war, but kept the spoils for themselves

                   Kept the best cattle, sheep

                   Kept a few slaves as well

What is happening here?

God doesn’t make this easy

     Samuel: Last week told Eli he was through

          Then had to tell Saul he was through             

              A long journey to Bethlehem

                    Under the auspices of sharing sacrifice

                        There’s no big name flash here

                             One of the smallest villages in Israel

Surely there was some assistant to succeed Saul

God had other plans

Jesse’s boys came one by one

God rejects them all

     Imagine the disappointment

     Notice: rejected for this vocation

          Not rejected as people

              Not deemed worthless

                   Just not king material

Imagine Jesse standing there

Imagine Samuel: getting nervous

     What is God doing?

David is an afterthought

     Jesse remembers him

          The meek shepherd

              The musician out in the field playing harp

What do ya know!

     God is turning the world upside down again

          Using the world’s least to be the kingdom’s greatest

If we could only judge with these lenses

Instead of basing our decisions on first impressions and outward appearances

     The first televised Presidential election

          Nixon vs. Kennedy

              Pale, underweight from hospital stay

                   Nixon had no chance

Milli Vanilli

     Stand-ins for the real singers.

          Very popular

              Backlash was extreme

David not what everyone imagined as king

But that’s what God does

     He goes to the out of the way places

          Finds the ones who don’t fit the mold

              Uses people who we see as weak, or crude, or worthless

                   People like us.

I kind of look like a pastor

     Tall, handsome (well, reasonably)

          Even have a rather large noggin for the brains

     Yep, size 8 1/8 – find that in a regular store

But don’t let looks deceive you

     I’m the one who gets filled with doubt

          Whenever the smallest thing goes wrong

I know I’m not perfect

     But the way I’m wired

          It crushes me when I’m not

              I fight that every day

So it’s relief to me to realize David wasn’t perfect either

He made big mistakes, it’s the reason he wrote Psalm 51 as prayer

          He wrote this prayer after having relations with Bathsheba

              A military leader’s wife

                   She became pregnant

                        David had her husband killed

                             Hey, maybe we’re not so bad after all.

And despite all that

     God forgave David

          Repented of his evil ways,

              Turned back to God.

                   God used David for more greatness

God forgives us, even before we confess

     God will use us faults and all

          To bring God’s message to neighbors and friends

              Through the gifts God gave us to share

                   The gift of time

                        The gifts of talents and skills, unique in each of us

     So David’s prayer is ours too.

          A prayer we can lift every time and everywhere we go.

          Please pray the words of Psalm 51, our second lesson, together.

Create in me a clean heart, O God,

     and put a new and right spirit within me.

Do not cast me away from your presence,

     And do not take your Holy Spirit from me.

Restore to me the joy of your salvation,

     And sustain in me a willing spirit.

Then I will teach transgressors your ways,

     And sinners will return to you.

Deliver me from bloodshed, O God, O God of my salvation,

     And my tongue will sing aloud of your deliverance.

God has already delivered us

     We are washed by the cleansing of God’s word every day

          Through the body and blood of Christ.

              We too are renewed in the promises of baptism about to be shared

 So in response to God’s great love and mercy,

     We’re about to sing a song that reminds us of our hearts

          Created new every day.

              “God provides a brand new heart.”