A Dwelling Place for All

Is there a special place in your heart that your mind travels to when your soul needs a safe place to dwell?  When life has become too complicated and you long for a "simpler place in time?"  When I was younger, this special place was my grandparents' farm in Deforest, Wisconsin.  A quiet man of the earth, my grandfather raised pigs and grew field corn and tobacco.  My grandmother was gracious and always hospitable -  an amazing cook, a gifted quilter and seamstress, and an award-winning baker.  Their door was open to anyone in need of a meal or in need of good company.  The aroma of freshly baked bread and the warmth from the wood burning stove had a way of saying to every guest -  "Welcome,  take your coat off and stay a while."   As a teenager, and well into my adult years, a visit to my grandparents' was always a time of respite and renewal for me.

As the years moved on and my faith grew deeper, the Church became that special place in my heart.  The place I learned to turn to for security, friendship, and a sense of belonging.  The Church became that safe place for my soul to dwell.  In Psalm 23, David reflects on the wonderful assurances we have as God's people.  He ends the Psalm by proclaiming "I shall dwell in the House of the Lord my whole life long."  What a comfort. What a promise.  To dwell with God's people forever.  To be God's child forever.  To be redeemed.  To be assured of a place in God's House forever. What a treasure! The world may change.  Our lives may be uncertain at times, but we can be assured that we will always have the Church.  We will always have God's family to surround us. 

I cannot imagine my life without the Church and I give thanks to God that I don't have to.  The Church is my lifeline.  It's what sustains me.  It's where I get my strength and confidence to be a follower of Christ in the world.  As we prepare our hearts to make a commitment to our capital appeal, and prayerfully consider our gift, I invite you to reflect on how the Church has been a blessing on your life.  How the Church has changed your life.  And then, consider the generations to come who will need the Church.  And finally, consider this:  that well over half of our La Crosse community does not have a church home - a "dwelling place" where they can be surrounded by God's family.  What an opportunity for us to create a building that will warmly welcome the stranger.  And a building that will not only welcome the stranger, but a dwelling place that gently says "take your coat off and stay a while."

In Christ, Together We Grow.

In peace,

Cara H.

Money, money, money, money....MONEY

“Some people got to have it
Some people really need it
Listen to me y'all, do things, do things, do bad things with it
You wanna do things, do things, do things, good things with it”

As I’m writing this blog I’m listening to the O’Jays 1973 hit. As your read this blog, it may help to listen to it. {Turn it up!} Here’s a link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ll3uipTO-4A

Money. We do things with it. We do things for it. The Mean Green. The Almighty Dollar.

My financial adviser likes to quote Kahlil Gibran “ Money is like love; it kills slowly and painfully the one who withholds it, and it enlivens the other who turns it on his fellow man.”

Money is a medium by which we tell the world what we value, by how we acquire it and how we spend it– or to put it more simply – Every dollar you spend is a statement of your values. I learned that lesson the hard way. I let money control me, define my relationships, impact my work, occupy my thoughts, keep me from sleeping – then I realized I could control it and make it do what I wanted it to.

This is nothing new.

Jesus said in Matthew 6:21: Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.

Rick Warren wrote” If you show me how you spend your time and how you spend your money, I’ll show you what’s important in your life. No matter what you say is important—show me your schedule and your checkbook stubs and I’ll tell you what’s really important to you.”

James W Frick, the highly successful VP of Development for Notre Dame put it this way, “ Don’t tell me what your priorities are, show me how you spend your money and I’ll tell you what they are.”

Pointed, pithy comments.

Yes, we’re in a capital campaign to make some much-needed improvements to our congregational gathering place. That’s gonna take money. Everyone will make a decision about what they will contribute to the project. Does it align with your values? Is it important to you? Is it a priority? Wish you could give more? Then give more. I recently sold some old books I no longer had use for. Now I reclaimed some space, some other book collector is happy and I can make a donation to something I value. Win-Win.

“Don't let, don't let, don't let money rule you
For the love of money
Money can change people sometimes
Don't let, don't let, don't let money fool you
Money can fool people sometimes
People! Don't let money, don't let money change you,
it will keep on changing, changing up your mind.”

“For the Love of Money” Lyrics by Kenneth Gamble and Leon Huff

Lutheran Fourth of July

I didn't grow up Lutheran, so when I first started attending Lutheran services in graduate school, I sometimes got confused by what seemed to be normal to everyone else. I always sat next to my friend, conveniently the daughter of a bishop, who patiently answered my questions. The first time I saw Reformation Sunday on a bulletin, I asked what it meant.

"Just think of it as Lutheran fourth of July. We're independent from the Catholics, so we'll celebrate with big music. And probably a long sermon."

Not Catholic, loud music, long sermon. Ok. Check.

But this still wasn't satisfying for my ever-hungry brain. I've since read about Reformation in the Anchor Bible Dictionary, took Pastor Mark's Lutheran 101 class, dug around on the internet. Oh, and prayed, and talked with pastors here and elsewhere about the meaning and importance of Reformation. 

My conclusion now after this "research" and four years of Lutheran churches and a lot of thinking and soul searching?

Reformation Sunday IS a day to celebrate, hopefully with great music, and possibly with a long sermon. An annual viewing of the Reformation Polka may not hurt either. 

But, all joking aside,  it's a chance to celebrate grace. THAT's what this is really about, beyond the historical, political, social, economic, and religious ramifications of nailing the 95 theses. We don't need to earn grace--it is freely given to us, which changes everything. Grace gives us a chance to live differently because we don't have to earn God's favor, pay for indulgences, or live up to impossible expectations of an ever demanding God. And through all this, we are so deeply loved.  What a great thing to celebrate!

So, as we continue praying and walking and celebrating and working and living through Christ Together we Grow, I leave you with some questions to ponder.  How does grace change the way you live? What is God calling you to do because of this freedom? How can you share this good news, or explain why we celebrate Lutheran fourth of July, to the people in your life?

I invite you to pray over these questions and, as you're comfortable, to share responses here.

Blessings,

Rachel 

Living in the Moment……As Missionaries

We thank God for all of you. We never forget you when we pray to God. Your work is produced by your faith. Your service is the result of your love. 1 Thessalonians 1:2,3

These past few days, I’ve been thinking about the words Be Here Now, a popular saying in the ‘60s.  These words were used as a book title, a way of being, an Eastern mantra. Be Here Now became a popular slogan and general sign of peace. As the saying grew in popularity, it became a cliche and I questioned its multiple meanings.

Still, as this weekend’s Mission Fest approached, I found myself reflecting on being present in the here and now, on being mindful in the moment, and what this means in relation to living as missionaries and stewards of our ‘time and talents.’

During this past week, I received some calls/emails from a few folks who wanted to display and share their passions at our Mission Fest. These requests came a few weeks after the mailing of 50 participant invites. As our list of displayers grew, I found myself in awe of the many ways we each live out our calling to be Disciples in Christ and Messengers of Hope.

In the midst of our busy lives, with all the joys and challenges each day brings, we can and do find many ways in the present; to offer a hand up, to listen to a new acquaintance, to teach a lesson or share our faith, and sometimes challenge our own selves. By being mindful of our surroundings and present opportunities in the here and now, together we plant and help grow the seeds for a promising future. 

‘Many Hands, One Spirit’...now here’s a cliché which offers hope in the present… and promise for tomorrow. I hope you have the opportunity to visit our Mission Fest this weekend. If not, can you hear God’s whisper calling you?  Come and live out your passion. You are a missionary, here and now, just as you are.

Shalom,

Susan Moss

Together We Grow

These are the words to the opening hymn we are singing during the "In Christ, Together We Grow" appeal.  The words "Deus ibi est" are Latin and mean "God is present."  This weekend, our second weekend into our special worship series for the appeal, is "Music Weekend."  We celebrate with Faithlift, our Senior Choir and the Pre-K Sunday School choir.

Let's take a Lectio Divina approach to this blog entry.  Read each verse, one by one, slowly and out loud.  Read it over and over again.  Even sing it if you remember the tune.  Now, what words or images speak to you?  Why?  Feel free (in fact, we encourage you!) to discuss your thoughts in the comments section below.

"Together We Grow"

by Paul Sannerud & Dr. Gary Walth

Rooted in your sustaining Word,

Nourished by disciples true,

Our faith grows in your sunshine fair,

Our fellowship in you.

By your water, wine and wheat

We are sacrament’ly fed

With always enough for us to share,

Your eternal abundant bread.

Refrain:

Together we grow in fellowship,

Together we grow in love,

Together we grow in God’s redeeming grace,

In Christ together we grow.

Thankful hearts are humbled now

By the many saints around

We welcome, worship, work as one

To make your name renowned.

By welcoming the stranger we see

The image of your face.

By opening wide our welcome doors

We’re your earthly hands of grace.  (Refrain)

Built on visions, dreams, and hopes

For what-e’er our future’s charge,

Unite us in our love for you,

Our humble gifts enlarge.

We pray that we will always serve all

Others as you did best,

Those touched by our church will all proclaim

Surely “Deus ibi est.”  (Refrain)

Living Legacy

"The leader of the band is tired
And his eyes are growing old
But his blood runs through my instrument
And his song is in my soul
My life has been a poor attempt
To imitate the man
I'm just a living legacy
To the leader of the band"  -- Dan Fogelberg

One year ago today, my father passed away. It is a day filled with sadness for  his passing, thanksgiving for his life and assurance of the promise of resurrection in Christ.

I often have songs running through my head as I go about my daily tasks. The song "Leader of the Band" by Dan Fogelberg has been my internal soundtrack for the past week. The chorus is copied above. If you would like to listen to the rest of the song, just click on this link: Leader of the Band.

My dad was a kind and gentle man. People were fond of him from the moment he met them. A small town grocery store owner who enjoyed the daily conversations across the meat counter with friends and other residents of the town. 

Dad was dedicated to family and to his church. In fact, he was a founding member of Faith Lutheran Church in Durand and literally helped build that church, working days at the grocery store and evenings pounding nails and helping to raise the walls of this new house of faith. Our family income didn't allow for a large financial commitment to the building project, so my parents did what they could - when they could. This commitment last well beyond the building project as they both served on the church council, sang in the choir, taught Sunday School and served as the building custodians. 

My parents answered a call from God to help build a church - a house of worship and prayer. A place where faith would grow for generations to come. Their legacy is rooted in a love for God and family - a legacy that they have passed on to their children.

Before my dad died, I would joke with him about where the "Petersen Family Fortune" was buried. He told me that it was out in the yard somewhere and I should start digging - now! While there was no financial fortune to be found, my parents left me so much more than cash.

While Lori and I don't have a fortune to give to the building project at English, we will give what we can. Like my parents, we hear the call of God to build a home for faith that will serve many generations to come. 

I am so very grateful for all that my parents have passed on to me. 

I miss the "Leader of the Band" today and pray that the way I live my life is a worthy legacy to him.

Shalom,

Pastor Paul

In the Beginning

Those first famous words of the Bible epitomize amazing things yet to come. Each verse reveals more and more of our incredible beginnings. Our church begins a new chapter of our next beginning this week when our capital campaign kicks off. One thing is for sure -- we will not be same when this chapter ends. In the beginning we had a tired building needing repair. What is already written is the congregation sharing its vision for what it wants to be when the creating is over. It’s an amazing vision. The chapter continues with some people making advance pledges leading to the kickoff of the campaign this weekend. Then we have a celebration, thoughtful prayer, and at last pledging that will span three years. We will then gather again to celebrate the wonderful gifts our congregation has bestowed.

Take a deep breath, here we go – Together in Christ, we grow.

Peace,

Vicki Markussen

Vision Board President

http://www.englishlutheran.org/capitalappeal/