All work and no play...

We all know the saying: "All work and no play, makes Johnny a dull boy."

But, not to worry-- we definitely do not have that problem here at Trinity these days! There is lots of play mixed in to our work...

In particular, Pr Rick and I have become quite the partners in crime when it comes to play at work. We have taken to pulling pranks on some of our co-workers and each other. Good, clean fun-- don't worry!

And the thing is, we wouldn't be able to do this, if things at Trinity weren't

good. Solid. If the staff didn't like each other or get along. If there wasn't trust. But, with joy in the workplace comes room for laughter and play.

I think I'd characterize the environment around here lately as: playful, good-spirited, and fun!

In the midst of busy fall schedules, hectic personal lives, and staff transition as Senior Pastor Steve Wold retired, the staff has been able to really enjoy themselves. I have been able to really enjoy myself!

And for this, I am truly THANKFUL!

Luther's Catholic Feud

How much do you know about Martin Luther?
How about Trinity Lutheran Church or small group ministry?

We created this game as part of the reformation party, and it now available to play with your friends and family. The top 25 small group leaders were surveyed. The top answers are on the board. Click the numbers to reveal the answers, or click the boxes to produce a "X"!

Let's play Luther's Catholic Feud!

www.trinitymhd.org/Fued

God, is that you?!

It's been a couple weeks now that we've been reading "Surprise Me." And it has proven to be just as delightful as I'd expected. But, Terry Esau, after 2 weeks into his experiment described in the book the tough question he was dealing with... How do you know which events in your life are of God? Which surprises are God's?

He asked this because of his fear that readers would take his book and turn it into a Prayer of Jabez, prosperity-gospel. He worried that people would see a "trivial train of 'blessings'" and assume that each $5 bill found on the ground, close parking space at the store, and rebate on the big item purchase we were going to make is all a result of God's surprising favor for us.

Is God in the mundane, sure. But we can never be sure what exactly IS or ISN'T of God.

So, what do we do with that?! (It's not very helpful, Mr. Esau!)

He encourages us to trust. To trust that God is in our lives helping us to be the best we can be. Is God there to make our business or bank account flourish? No, but God promises to be there to help US flourish... Living with that kind of trust is hard, though. And it is usually only with hindsight that we truly see which actions and opportunities in our life (however mundane or monumental) were of God.

So, we were asked the question-- which seemingly insignificant moment or event at the time turned out to be life-changing? A part of God's big plan to make us flourish in life and love and joy... Well, as I think back, there are lots of those moments:

• When I was in kindergarten, my parents wanted to sign me up for a summer school "camp;" my choices were like cheerleading or Spanish, and for whatever reason I chose Spanish... that seemingly random decision led to a love of the language which I later studied from 6th-12th grade, brought me to Spain in my senior year, allowed me to take on leadership roles in several mission events in Mexico during college, enabled me to study abroad in Spain and Mexico, minored in Spanish, and helped me use the language during internship where I even got to preach in Spanish. All because of a 6 year old's foray into Spanish one summer!
• While on a youth trip in the mountains in Wyoming, I was partnered to be "tent buddies" with a girl from my grade. She and I weren't exactly friends. But, through the course of the trip, we ended up leaving as best friends and she is one of my closest friends to this day!
• One evening during high school I was driving home with my youngest brother (who was in 8th grade at the time), and we were talking about school, friends, and life. When we got home, we stayed in the car to finish the conversation. We were discussing his plans for high school and future. We didn't know it at the time, but it ended up being a very important conversation-- not only in terms of high school selection, but also for our relationship.

See, God really does use small, singularly "insignificant" moments to do incredible things! Which shouldn't surprise us since God also seems to use seemingly insignificant people to do them! :)

Surprises

During Lent, a group of ladies began meeting for a Small Group "Sampler." Short term commitment, long term impact.

Well, our one-off, short-term group, morphed into another "Summer Sampler." Seems there's something to this relationship, faith-building together thing! :)

We decided that we wanted to gather to talk about where we see God active in our lives. We all shared that life gets busy, and we are pulled in so many directions that it is sometimes difficult to see the surprises God sends our way. So, I offered a suggestion to journey through Terry Esau's Surprise Me, a 30 day faith experiment. In his book, he decided to begin every day for a month with the prayer: SURPRISE ME, GOD! And the book is his observations, ruminations, and reflections. We are going through this book, journaling on our own, and gathering weekly in Bible study and prayer around where we see God surprising us.

Now, I have to admit. I hadn't been as disciplined in the daily reading and journaling as I'd hoped to have been. I went for several days without reading at all. But I kept the words, "Surprise Me" as a refrain, humming along between my conscious and subconscious...

And this may come as no shock, but God was there. Beginning to look for God and paying attention to where God is prompting and guiding has been a blessing. And where have those surprises come? Terry Esau describes it plainly: "What I'm saying is, surprises seem to be largely a product of our contact with people and God." It comes as no real shock that this Incarnate God of ours chooses to surprise us with love, mercy, joyfulness, and hope in and through our relationships with others.

I can't wait to see what the next days will bring, for me and my fellow "Samplers"... how will God surprise us next?

Opportunities

When I talk with my friends who are in their first calls, they are often startled to learn about the many "perks" my position has. The TiM program at Trinity allows me lots of additional continuing ed, learning, and support opportunities. Many of my friends barely get continuing ed, much less have a strong peer group and intentional monies and resources devoted to pastoral development and personal growth.

As a part of the TiM program we have been able to travel to the churches of our first-call colleagues in EaND synod, share meals together, attend convocations, and most recently travel to Holden Village. There at Holden we had the chance to worship, pray, sing, learn, eat, and play in community. The opportunity was once-in-a-lifetime.

Purple Mountain Majesty

Holden. Heaven smiled upon this place.

Nestled here in the Cascade Mountains is a place so beautiful, not 1000 words nor even my picture can capture it. A place majestic, and yet humble at the same time.

Mountains towering above me. Soil and rock tinged with copper. Stately pines climbing a hundred feet in the air, reaching towards the bright blue sky. Happy, bubbling water rushing to find a home in the lake below.

I'm so glad we've made it!

A fawn has just approached from behind. Trepidation in its gentle footsteps. Nibbling on the tall grasses. She looks up and sees me perched at the waters edge. She looks me in the eye. I try to convey that I am here in peace. She isn't scared off and continues to graze. Such elegance.

I'm so glad we've made it!

Holden.
Heaven smiled upon this place.

Water, Water, Everywhere...

I had never taken the train any long distance in my recorded memory. Making plans, I was excited about the adventure of a long train ride into the mountains. But, as our departure day neared, I became a little nervous. Because of flooding in western North Dakota, the train lines were shut down for the 3 weeks before our departure date. Will we be able to go? Will the trains be up and running by the time we need to leave?

Funny how I wasn't thinking too much about the people and towns actually being affected by the flooding. Nope, just about whether our travel plans would be secure...

Then we got the news that the tracks were open and that the trains were running again. We were on the first train heading west from Fargo. As the trip began, I was shocked by what I saw: water, water, everywhere... Church's Ferry, Devil's Lake... swallowed in water. And the farther west we went, the worse it got.

At times, all we could see in any direction was water. It was like the train was gliding on the water. In some places the tracks had been raised up from the water, and in others, dikes had been built up to protect the tracks. But there were moments when I looked down out the window, and I couldn't see anything but the water. The watery tracks plus the heavy train traffic (after it'd been shut down so long) caused us extensive delays. We lost a day because of it.

Days later, as we were readying ourselves to come back home, eastbound, we got the news that again the tracks were shut down. The levee in Minot was breached. Half the town was evacuated. Waters were over-taking much of the city and neighboring towns. Our first thoughts, though, were not: "Poor Minot; what will they do?" Instead they were, "How are we going to get home? What are we going to do?" The trains would only take us part-way through Montana, then what would we do?

Finally it hit me-- it really isn't that big of a mess. Not for us. Yes, an inconvenience. But, it could've been worse. Much worse. We could be in Minot. Our homes, schools, churches, parks, libraries, favorite restaurants... all in danger of being washed away in a tide of muddy waters.

Our drive home through eastern Montana and North Dakota was punctured by news stories from Minot and vistas of standing water all around. Water, water, everywhere...

I pray that in these devastating waters, peace can be found. That the waters of life and opportunity flow in and through these towns and peoples...

Fire, Smoke, and Celebration

This morning I woke up to the scent of woodfire smoke on my pillow. The lingering scent of the bonfire which began our Easter Vigil last night... And it struck me that that was the perfect way to wake up on Easter morning! There, with the scent of the fire still in my nostrils, on my hair, in my clothes, there to remind me of the celebration that had already begun.

Our Vigil worship began as most do, gathered around a fire as we christened a new Paschal Candle for the year whereon we processed into worship, following the light in the darkness, to hear stories of our faith, welcome the newly baptized while remembering our own baptisms, and celebrate a grace-filled meal around the altar. Rejoicing that the pain, darkness, chaos, bondage, and death we experience is defeated by the promise of healing, light, order, freedom and life of the resurrection!

HE IS RISEN!

HE IS RISEN, INDEED!!

ALLELUIA!!!

Your own child....

Preaching on the Sunday that your own child is baptized creates an interesting dynamic. I didn't think it would affect me the way it did, I had seen baptisms, performed baptisms, but making promises for your own child is a new experience. I had many emotions going into the service, and felt the best way to offer the sermon was in the form of a letter.

To the child I love:

On an occasion like today, when we gather together with a loving community of faith, and family and friends, those who live close and those who traveled a great distance, there is no better way to tell you how I feel, than in a message from my heart to yours. I loved you before you were born and my heart swells with pride everyday that we spend together.

I must admit that I know you won’t remember this day as you continue to grow older. You won’t remember the people sitting next to you. You won’t remember the baptismal celebration. You definitely won’t remember the sermon. But that doesn’t make today any less special. It is special because at this moment, you are surrounded by the grace and love, hope and promise of God’s presence. The presence I pray you always turn to in times of joy and sorrow. It is that presence that never leaves you or me.

In looking at your baptism, I acknowledge it is a strange way to show the world that you are claimed and anointed by God and a member of God’s family. You are drowned in water, cleansed from sin, and given an invisible sign of the cross on your forehead. Promises are made for you to be raised in the faith and taught the traditions and confess the creeds. You are encouraged to worship regularly, because even though your baptism makes you a new creation, you are captive to sin and cannot free yourself, and need to be reminded regularly of God’s forgiveness and grace in your life. You will make mistakes, you will fall down, but God has given you people like me to always walk with you, and to pick you up, to love you, to support you, and to encourage you. Baptism is a strange way to be connected to this family, I apologize that it is hard to understand, but it is a precious gift that I hope you will cherish as you grow in faith.

As I experienced the healing of the man born blind in John’s gospel, I want to show and tell you how this story has a profound connection to your life and baptism story. The man, who spends his days sitting alongside the road begging, doesn’t even ask for healing. He doesn’t utter one word, but still God chooses him to receive the miracle gift of sight. With a little holy spit to make mud, a tender touch, and a washing in the Pool of Siloam, the blind man is no longer blind. His life is now changed from this day forth. He will not return to his life of blindness, and doesn’t want to anyway.

Your baptism, dear child, is not your choice. Sorry, you don’t have any say in it. It’s not your pastor’s choice. It’s not Mom’s choice. It’s not Dad’s choice. Even if you are old enough to speak, and say you want to be baptized, this decision is out of your hands. Baptism is a gift given to you by God. You are chosen by God for healing, forgiveness, and redemption, without having to ask. God takes the holy waters of creation and with the Word, makes a sacrament of celebration. And in the baptismal waters, you are changed, you are transformed, from this day forth. You cannot return to your life before baptism, and I promise, along with your family of faith, that we will uphold you in this new life.

Even though the blind man doesn’t ask, his sight is transformed. He can see! He can give witness to the living God who stands in front of him. He proclaims the good news that God has given him his sight. He could boast in himself, his parents, or even the religious leaders. But this man boasts in God, and gives God the glory and the credit for this miracle. His neighbors can’t believe this is the same man, showing surprise and skepticism. The Pharisees question the legitimacy of this healing and investigate to confirm his story. His parents mistakenly kept quiet about his transformation for fear of being thrown out of the community. Through all of his trials, he continues to understand more about who healed him, and proclaim God’s presence in his life.

Precious little one, because you are graciously chosen first by God in your baptism, you have the duty and the joy to respond to God’s gift with praise and thanksgiving. You now can boast in God, and not in yourself, because it is God who shows you daily that your life is because of him. You will learn to love and forgive, and you will be loved and forgiven. You will treat your neighbors the way that God expects, including your neighbors that you don’t really like. You will seek justice and peace in this world, even when the world is surprised and skeptical at your actions.

Living out your baptismal promise will cause some to question you and investigate if your story is true. You will face trials that pull you from God, disasters that cannot be explained. Sickness that takes the life of a family member. Bullies that crush your self-worth. Job loss. Floods that threatened to destroy your home. People who hate and despise you. Mom and Dad who will set strict boundaries, who will make tough decisions that you don’t like, who will make mistakes in parenting, and who need your patience.

Martin Luther once said that parents are more important than bishops and pastors, because they have the majority of the time each week to teach faith to children. That is pretty big responsibility that you can help Mom and Dad with.

But through all of the trials you will face, through all of the mistakes you will make, all of the time others are at fault, remember that God has never left you. God sticks with you, makes you holy, washes the mud from your eyes, so that you can see the world more clearly. Only two verses from John’s story are about healing…the rest is the man being sent to live out his healing - showing his friends, family, and fellow beggars God’s good news. Displaying God’s work in his life. Your baptism is only a tiny fraction of your life, a fleeting moment, but living out your baptismal call, who and whose you are as God’s child, is what you are sent to do. Showing others God’s good news in your life of faith. Return to the promises of your baptism whenever you need the mud washed away.

I probably need to end this letter, because I have a habit of talking a bit too much. But I want you to know how much joy you bring me. Hold me in your heart, as you are held in mine. Little child, I am the light in your life, the light of the world. Do you believe in the Son of Man? You have now seen him… in fact he is the one speaking with you.

Yours truly,

Jesus

No, really... I LOVE you!

This is an excerpt from a sermon I gave this morning on John 3:16-17. It was inspired by watching the news and seeing so much hurt and pain in the world, and knowing that there are many out there who wonder just how much God loves them, and whether God's love extends beyond the boundaries we would set up for it.

So here we are. With a Bible verse, John 3:16, which we’ve known longer than probably any other Bible verse… “For God so loved the world that He gave his only begotten Son so that whoever believes in him will not perish, but have eternal life.” I mean, really? The whole world? Even those who don’t believe? Does God really love the whole world? That’s really where John 3:16 takes us, isn’t it? Just who does God really love?

If you have wrestled with this one, little verse, then you are in good company with people from all over the world, throughout all of Christian history. And in trying to parse out the verse, it has been the root cause of much division, abuse and harm. First of all, John 3:16 has been used as a weapon, all for the sake of ‘bringing people to believe.’ Seeing threats to believing in Jesus and therefore to eternal life and salvation everywhere, Christians engaged in the crusades, the Inquisition and witch trials, colonization with missionary underpinnings, and the Holocaust. All in the name of saving souls. Does God really love the whole world?

Not just that, though, but pervasive use of John 3:16 in modern Christianity has led to individualism and lessening concern for the suffering of this world. Reading John 3:16 closely has led to an excessive focus on individual salvation— am I saved? Do I know Jesus as my Lord and Savior? The role and place of the community, the common good, is always secondary, even incidental to a focus on the individual. (Tim Johnson) And also, if the over riding goal is to keep people from perishing in the life to come, then the problem of their perishing in this life due to lack of food or health care or a deteriorating environment seems unimportant. (Tim Johnson) Does God really love the whole world?

And that’s when I hope we hear the Good News in this frequently quoted verse: “For God so loved the world that He gave his only begotten Son so that whoever believes in him will not perish, but have eternal life.”… “God so loved the world…” Do you hear it? This isn’t a weapon, it’s a healing salve. It isn’t about individual salvation, it’s about the redemption of all of creation! We don’t ignore the suffering of this world to look only to the glory to come in the next, because God sent God’s only Son to THIS world, to save THIS world, because God loved THIS world. Here. Now. God SO loved the world! How much? So much? So much that God sent God’s Son to die. And, sent God’s Son to die for a world that didn’t know, understand, or even love Him. In fact, God sent his Son to die for a God-hating world, according to Professor David Lose.

We can’t always accept this truth. That God loves the world and everyone and everything in it. We need there to be conditions, because conditions give us the sense of control or order, even fairness. Does God really love the world ??

We bargain…
But, what about me, all the times I missed church, forgot to leave an offering, or ignored the homeless person on the street?
And God says, “No, really… I love you!”

But, what about your brother’s Jewish friend Joshua?
No, really… I love him.

But, what about Lindsay Lohan and Charlie Sheen, ever caught in self-destructive cycles of addiction?
No, really… I love her, and I love him.

But, what about Fred Phelps, the hate-mongering anti-gay pastor from Westboro Baptist who protests churches, plays, and military funerals?
“No, really… I even love him, too.” God says.

But, what about the peoples of Egypt, Tunisia, Bahrain, and Libya, and the oppressive governments they’re rebelling against?
No, really… I love them.

But, what about the director of FEMA after Katrina, or the CEO of BP after the Gulf Oil Spill, or the engineers at the nuclear power plant in Japan, the ruin of your beautiful earth?
No, really… I love them, too.

But, but… “No.” God stops us. “I really love you. All of you.”

Some days...

... not every day, but some days I really LOVE my job!!

I had one of those days yesterday. In some ways, it was an ordinary Sunday. But maybe that's why it was so great.

The day began with a nice worship service. Transfiguration... usually it's not one of my favs, because let's be honest-- it's a little weird. Mountain top visions of dead guys, faces shining, mystery... But you know, Colin preached an excellent sermon. About looking for glimpses of God, about finding holy instants in the midst of our daily life. It was also First Communion Sunday for our 5th graders, and about 40 kids came up to the altar with handmade ceramic chalices to get a glimpse of God in a holy meal. Pretty cool.

Then, after worship I had a final planning meeting for a big Global Hunger Meal we're hosting on Ash Wednesday. It's a big undertaking, and there were moments when I was nervous about

everything coming together just right, but with everyone's great ideas coming together the last two weeks, I am confident it's going to be a terrific event. I am really looking forward to it.

After that, I headed over to the high school for the middle school production of "Once Upon a Mattress." One of our youth, an 8th grader, was telling me about the show a few weeks ago, and asked me to come. So of course I had to! In fact, there were about a dozen church youth in the show. And let me tell you-- it was AMAAAAZING! I've never seen such an incredible middle school production. I enjoyed watching our kids, and afterwards I gave lots of hugs and hi-fives to kids and parents. So cool. As I was leaving, I walked out with our Youth Ministry Director, and I said to her, "It's so awesome that this is our job!" Without missing a beat, she replied, "I know!"

Such a satisfying, lovely day at work. What a blessing...