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.”

A Calling for Us All

A Calling for Us All

1 Samuel 3:1-20

Pastor Doug Holtz

Hannah could not have children.

Hannah made vow to the Lord.

O Lord of hosts, if only you will look on the misery of your servant, and remember me, and not forget your servant, but will give to your servant a male child, then I will set him before you as one set apart until the day of his death. He shall drink neither wine nor intoxicants, and no razor shall touch his head.

When he was able to eat and drink on his own, she brought him to the temple, and gave him to the Lord. This is where Eli comes into the story.

Eli was the priest of the temple.

Usually the next in line for the priesthood would be his sons.

But they were “scoundrels.”

Sacrifice made.

          Servant stuck fork into the pot

                   All the meat that came with it was for the sons

Read 1 Samuel 3:1-10 (page 122, Spark Story Bible)

Only 10 years old!

          God could call any of you!

                   Maybe God already has

                             Felt you needed to help someone?

                             Had the feeling you needed to check on neighbor/relative?

Now for the part we don’t know well. We will have our reader come up and read the rest of our lesson.

Read 1 Samuel 3:11-20 NRSV

Imagine hearing those words as a young boy.

Samuel just lay there until morning

          Eyes wide open

                   Not the message one likes delivering

But it was Samuel’s to tell

          He lay awake all night thinking about it

          God’s sometimes gives us that task

                   God’s call is to work in changing human systems

                             That are broken

                             Taking the unpopular approach

So maybe we are all Samuel

          We think of ourselves as the last one God would ever call

                   Our weaknesses, our limitations, our deficiencies

                   That’s OK, Samuel too

                             Didn’t recognize the voice of God

Moses had many hesitations

                             Remember Jonah?

We as community can assist one another

          Samuel needed Eli

                   Help him realize God’s call

We sometimes need help hearing the call too.

          Maybe it’s that little bird whispering in your ear.

                   The nagging thought that refuses to go away.

                   That still, small voice that echoes in your mind.

          Maybe it’s something or someone

                   You see every day

                             That suddenly seems different

                                      Grabbing your attention

 And we are all called

          Not just pastors and other leaders

                   Vocation:

                             Parent, child, neighbor, sibling, spouse, citizen

Imagine the ways we might say: “Speak Lord, for your servant is listening”

          Imagine the gifts God has given you to use

                   Spiritual gifts inventory

                             Use gifts to be God’s people in God’s world

                   Administration – Artistry; Exhortation – Mercy

                   Faith – Service

                             60 questions

                                      Might be a surprise

                                                Might stir imagination

                                                           A still small voice

                                                                   A nagging inclination

As community. We should encourage, nudge, push, pray

          For each other. Together. Gifted.

                   Maybe we report. Respond to what we see

                             Even give each other a hard time.

It’s what community is all about

          Even God exists/functions in community

                   Father, Son, Holy Spirit

                             What makes us any different?

The church needs to be like Eli

          Encouraging all to hear the voice

                   Calling them into all they are created to be.

                   Help each other be truthful; Even when truth is hard to hear

What church do we want to be?

          One that shows Sunday morning

                   puts in its time; leaves for another week

          Or one that truly loves the neighbor

                   Praying for and speaking to the community

                             Letting people know of God’s love

                                      For the youngest, oldest, richest, poorest

                                                For people just like us

                                                          And completely different from us

God is calling each of us, and all of us together

          Will we answer the call? As brothers and sisters we can together.