St. Urho

Part of my time here in the upper midwest has been about exploring my Scandinavian heritage. Growing up in North Carolina, there weren't many folks with Finnish & Swedish roots, like me.

And so, when we TiM pastors were in Menahga for a retreat, I just HAD ot stop by the larger-than-life statue of Finland's St. Urho.

After reading his story (check out the plaque), and calling my Finnish gramma to get her take on this grasshopper-killing hero, I started thinking...what is the deal with this guy?

Why do we need these larger-than-life heroes? What is so magnificent about a eprson that you'd want to make a 12-foot tall concrete 'replica' of him in all his glory?

I think part of it is that we like to think we're part of something epic & nobel - part of something bigger than our little lives.

But the thing is - we already are. We don't need giant St. Urho, as awesome as he is, to bring us into something bigger. We are already part of something epic & nobel - part of something bigger - because God has invited us in. In our baptisms, our little lives are added to the long list of stories in the Bible - it's Adam & Eve, Noah, Abraham, Ruth, Jonah, Jesus, St. Urho, and you & me!

& it's not because we're strong or descended from giant men who drove pests out of Finland with a pitchfork. We're part of something epic & noble that uses the weak, lowly, & humble to create a new world. We are saved, not by power and strength and giant pitchforks - we're saved, not by violence - but by the ultimate act of weakness, the ultimate act of nonviolence - the cross.

I still love St. Urho, cause he's kitchy and fun & part of my history, sort of. And really, look at him! How can you not think that big lovable Finn is just the greatest?!

But it's not the big things like St Urho, but the little things, that bring us into something great. It's the little candle I got at my baptism that reminds me that I am part of something bigger. Or it's turning to a hymn in the ELW and knowing that Lutherans all around the world are turning to that page and singing that song too.

We are a part of something epic & noble - part of something bigger - because God has invited us in - putting all of our little lives together to create a new world.

Posted by Marsha.

'Mobilizing' in DC

The centerpiece of the new mission statement that the Social Concerns Ministry Team is working on is our baptismal promise 'to strive for justice and peace in all the earth'. We hear that promise again at confirmation (which, at Trinity, was today), affirming that this is something we are committed to.

But it's tricky to figure out just how to go about actually doing this. How the heck are we supposed to strive for anything 'in all the earth'? The earth is a big place! We can get overwhelmed - and yet, this is a huge part of what Jesus was all about. So, where do we start?

I look for help. And one of the places I've found guidance is an organization called Sojourners (aka 'Sojo'). Since the '70s, they've hoped 'to articulate the biblical call to social justice, inspiring hope and building a movement to transform individuals, communities, the church, and the world.' They do this in lots of ways - a magazine, a website, and a strong presence in DC. I've interacted with them mostly thru their daily emails and blog entries. (www.sojo.net) They are aware of justice issues which we Christians might care about, and they let us know how we can help - whether that means emailing our representatives, preaching on or praying about a particular issue, or even going to Washington.

That's what I did last week as a part of my trip to the east coast. I attended Sojo's 'Mobilization to End Poverty' conference. The first day was full of fantastic speakers: Jim Wallis, dir of Sojo; David Lane, head of the ONE campaign; Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro of CT; several members of Obama's administration, and more. President Obama even sent us a video message!


The 2nd day of the Mobilization was our lobby day. I went with the MN delegation to Capitol Hill and met with staffers in Senator Klobuchar and Rep Peterson's offices. We talked about legislation that would commit to cutting the poverty rate in half by 2020. We also talked about the importance of foreign aid, even in the recession, as part of our commitment to love our neighbor and care for 'the least of these.' We also talked about the importance of health care reform this year, as health care is one of the leading causes of poverty in our country. It was a great experience to visit these offices and to see, first hand, that we Christians DO have important things to say to our government!

It was awesome to go to DC and do this, but you don't have to fly across country to make your voice heard. Emails and calls are surprisingly effective, and pretty easy, once you get the hang of it. The ELCA makes it even easier, w/ their great advocacy resources. Visit www.elca.org/advocacy to sign up for email alerts. They don't flood your inbox, but they'll let you know when there's an issues of 'justice & peace' that needs our attention. They'll let you know who to contact, and often provide a draft email.

We have important things to say as Christians - and DC will listen if we put ourselves out there!

posted by Marsha

pastor with a pedicure

I got a pedicure today. This is not something I typically do, but I’d been hoping to get one today. On this Maundy Thursday, this day when the Church remembers Jesus washing the disciples’ feet, I wanted to get my feet washed. I recognize that my actions are a bit ironic. Traditionally, the Church has recognized this as a day when Jesus gives us the command to "love one another" as he has loved us. (John 13:34). "Maundy", after all, comes from a Latin word meaning mandate or command. Traditionally, this has been a day when we in the church think about self-sacrifice and service. Followers of Jesus Christ are invited to consider how loving others is a central task of our lives. We receive a command to care for others and to love as Jesus loved. We are called to action for the sake of one another.

Yet, I also think Maundy Thursday is about experiencing God’s love for us. This is where my pedicure comes in. Jesus’ actions showed extravagant love towards his disciples. He became a like servant to them, caring for them in big ways. He graciously loved them. As I got my feet rubbed and scrubbed, I was reminded that God loves me very much. During my seminary training I was constantly reminded that in order to care for others, I first need to care for myself. The same goes for all of us. It’s okay to take time to love and care for ourselves. True, Jesus probably didn’t file down calluses or paint the disciples’ toes a pretty shade of pink, but he did love extravagantly. So today, even as I hear a command to love and care for others, I am also reminded of God’s love and care for me. I’m reminded that it’s okay for me (and all of us) to take time to love and care for ourselves. In the coming weeks, I’ll think of this every time I look down at my pretty pink toenails!

posted by Emmy

falling down and getting back up

Starting out on a walk at a park the other day, I noticed a child cross-country skiing up a small hill. Looking over a second later, I saw skis flailing in the air. I heard him calmly call, “Dad, Dad…Mom, Mom.” Making my way around the hill, I saw two adults some distance off. I figured the child must be okay. Going further, I saw him lying on the ground. His head faced down hill. He lay seemingly helpless like a turtle on its back. The boy’s skis continued to flail around, moving back and forth the in the air. “Dad, Dad…Mom, Mom” he called again. I chuckled at the sight before me.

And then, I started thinking. This is me: How often in my life do I cry out to God, “Dad, Dad…Mom, Mom…Help me. I’m stuck. I don’t know how to get up and get out of this situation.” Sometimes, I struggle with how to approach a ministry task in the church. Other times, I struggle with my own prayer and devotional life. The easy answer seems to be to sit and call to God, “Dad…Mom…Help me. I’m stuck.” I might even sit and mope for a while. Often in those moments, as I call out I feel like God isn’t responding. I feel that that boy lying seemingly helpless in a pile of snow.

Yet, in my better moments, I know that God is with me. The parents of that boy knew that he was fine, that he could probably get up on his own. With a little effort, with a little creative thinking, he would be able to get on his feet again. More often than not, I am able to deal with the struggles in my own life. With a little effort, with a little creative thinking, I will be able to get back on my feet again. God is with me, even if God doesn’t always intercede in the ways that I think God ought to. Sometimes, I just need to make an effort, to trust that God has gifted me and to get back up on my feet again.

How about you?

posted by Emmy

Sharing 'Doubt'

Yesterday I finally got around to seeing the movie 'Doubt' (it's at the cheap theater now - this is good). I was drawn to this film for obvious reasons - it's about a church, is critically acclaimed, and features fantastic actors: Philip Seymour Hoffman, Meryl Streep, & Amy Adams.

I recommend it. If you are at all interested in religion or stories that deal with moral ambiguity, then it will give you a lot to think about.

In the film there are several short clips of sermons given by Father Flynn (Hoffman). In the first, he talks about the way that hardship and shared experiences of fear and doubt bring people together. At the time of the film, the people had recently experienced the death of JFK, and he cites that as an example of the way that being unsettled together can form bonds that are hard to break.

Then, throughout the film, you watch doubt and fear tear a church community apart.

This begs the question: do our doubt and fear bring us together? or do they drive us apart?

I think it's both - either one - depending on how we use these things.

When we share our suffering, listen deeply to each other, and create safe space where we can share our feelings honestly, even about unsettling things like doubt and fear - then these troubling things can bring us together and make us stronger.

Instead, too often, we take our doubt and fear and hide them. We pretend to be sure of ourselves and certain of all kinds of things that we cannot ever truly know. And it can drive us apart.

My hope for the church - for Trinity and the church at large - is that it will be a place where we can share our doubt and fear with each other. I hope that we will ask each other how we're doing and take the time to listen, even when the answer is disturbing. And I challenge myself to be more open with my own doubts and fears.

Before I go, a disclaimer: I'm hesitant to recommend movies that criticize the church w/o acknowledging what a wonderful, world-changing place it can be. & I'm hesitant to recommend movies that criticize the Catholic church among Lutherans who can be a little too critical of Catholics in the first place So take the film with a grain of salt...

Enjoy the show! And let me know what your reactions are - I'd love to chat about it.

posted by Marsha.

Josh's Report from the Front

So my Spring break was in Mordor this year...which was pretty cool...I guess...

This is actually at Dunes National Park on Lake Michigan. Chicago is in the background.

Hey people,

It's pastor Josh here. If you couldn't tell from the picture above. I just got back from a little vacation time in Indiana. It was cool. A little too cool for a spring break destination maybe but it was an adventure nevertheless.

It all started when...

I parked my car in a place where I hoped it wouldn't get towed, tried to finish up a bunch of work that would allow me this Lenten escape and took the 3AM Amtrack train down to Chicago last Thursday. As I walked down Jackson during rush hour, looking up at the Sears Tower, sucking down a Jamba Juice, with my oversized duffle helping me to stand out in the stylish big city crowd, I thought about how cool I was and how jealous all the people back in Moorhead and Fargo would be about my big city living...and then I promptly, and like a confused country kid, got on the wrong transit train. Thankfully, somebody helped me out of the train and someone else helped me on one that would actually get me to Indiana, instead of whereever I was heading!

My brother met me at the stop in Indiana and whisked me off to the last evening of academia at Valparaiso before Spring break. Sam is a first year professor in Christ's College, Valpo's honors program. He is a part of a program for professors transitioning into their first professorships the same way I am a part of the TiM program at Trinity, transitioning into ministry. Both are two year programs and both are funded by the Lilly Foundation. (Somebody ought to write a story about us, don't you think? Or make a Disney movie...naw I guess that probably's asking for a little too much) Anyway, my brother took me to a lecture about Wendell Berry, led by a prof. from Hope College (where Christian musician Sufjan Stevens went). It was pretty good. But I was glad I wasn't in college or seminary anymore and could listen on my own time and not be thinking about what would be on the quiz.

Anyway, I had a great week down in Indiana. My parents and their dogs/my dogs were at my brother's too for the first few days I was there, and it was really good for us as a family to share some time together. We went to the Edvard Munch exhibit at the Chicago Institute of Art (one of my favorite places). I logged about three miles walking in the museum that day (I know because I have a pedometer as part of our church's "walking fast" this lent). Munch's amazing. He painted realities of relationships, city life, even death in some really surreal but powerful ways. And he was Norwegian so there's some cultural pride involved in my admiration for him. I'd like to blog more about his paintings and that exhibit if I get a chance.

And I'd like to blog about going to the chapel of the Resurrection and meeting my friend Darlene and how I found out she had been called to be the first female ELCA campus pastor at Valpo (a Missouri Synod school)... ahh the controversy. Sounds like she's doing great!

And then I'd like to blog more about my trip in my brother's new car (first new car ever for anyone in our family) and how we went to visit my friends who are pastors in Ohio and who now have a kid named Karl (Carl?) who is quite the one year old evangelist...

...And how we got in a big rig and hit the road as a traveling evangelical team.

But that didn't happen even though the pictures might make it seem possible...

And then I'd like to blog some more about going to ELCA headquarters on Thursday and seeing all the bishops there for their big conference and presenting some of my crazy innovative ideas for the ELCA to the Director of the Evangelical Outreach and Congregational Mission, and getting a tour of the facility.

That's me representing on Higgins Road. The Conference of Bishops was meeting in the room behind me.

And then I'd like to blog about blogging and how I wish I had more time to blog about all this stuff. But I'll get to it eventually. Right? We'll see, guys. This will do for the Cliff Notes version. Thanks for reading! Talk to you soon!--Josh

a holy experience

Sunday Morning: The Word of God was proclaimed. Babies were baptized. Communion was shared. I believe God was present at worship Sunday morning, it just didn’t feel like it to me. Most Sundays, even in the midst of leading worship, I’m able to worship at least in some way. I am able to feel God’s presence in some way. Sunday morning was not one of those days. Rather, I found myself distracted and worried about what was going on around me. Is the sermon going too long? Will the children knock over the Paschal candle during the Baptism? Am I going to run out of bread at Communion? These questions and other concerns ran through my head, keeping me from experiencing God in worship—keeping me from having an experience of the holy.

But, thankfully, I believe God isn’t confined to the walls of the church building.

Sunday Afternoon: God met me in a gymnasium (albeit converted into a recital hall) as I listened to seventy singers clothed in blue. The music I experienced during a choir concert washed over me and filled my soul, as only a Holy Spirit thing can do. Some of the music was familiar—old hymns in classic, rich arrangements. Other pieces were new to me. They made my foot tap in joy. I felt a smile come to my face as a deep male voice broke through the melody, as a high soprano voice sailed above the choir and as a brief sacred silence filled the air at the end of each piece. To try to describe my experience beyond this almost seems futile. After all, it was I believe an experience of God—an experience of the holy.

Thankfully, God meets us in all sorts of ways and in all sorts of places.

posted by Emmy.