The Gift in Christmas

                                                                     

                                                  The Angel's Carol

One of the gifts I’ve received over the years is to realize the priceless importance of participating in those rituals and remembrances which nurture and enhance our spirits, our faith and our relationships.    

As we celebrate this Christmas Season in the midst of joyful blessings and sorrowful news, the Hope which inspires and sustains us lives on in the midst of these rituals and our relationships: 

………in our quiet moments spent with God, our prayers and worship shared in community, our relations with others, a lit candle, a favorite piece of music, a thought provoking read, a walk outdoors, reaching out to someone less fortunate, and being grateful for the people in your life, past and present.

That little baby born over 2000 years ago, Jesus ‘Yeshuah’, Emmanuel, El Shaddai, the Messiah, the Holy One, the Star of Jacob, who has been and is with you through all the rituals of your life: lives on and loves you perfectly, now, and forever and a day. 

God’s Gift to Us

The world was blessed long ago
with God’s gift to us of Love...
a guiding star, an angel choir
rejoicing from above.
All pointed to a tiny babe
born in a shepherd’s stall
a Saviour bringing peace on earth….
God With Us…Emmanuel.

For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given...and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Isaiah 9:6

May your 12 Days of Christmas be filled with the Love and Wonder of 'the babe born in a manger', the One who came for us so long ago!

Shalom,

Susan

To Encourage and Be Encouraged

        

                                                                       

With the tragic shootings last Friday in Connecticut, where so many lives were cut mercilessly short, I wondered whether to proceed with my originally intended blog. I decided since my focus would not change either way, to begin with my plan. 

A number of years ago while studying at Concordia University; our program had this one professor who seemed to model a rare and treasured gift. Treasured in that aside from his ability to see and seek out the true possibilities in others, he seemed to possess the gift of seeing Christ in others. Regardless of his own views, he understood and respectfully treated each person he encountered as a child of God. He was ‘present’ to who we were and to whom we were becoming. The manner in which he regarded his students and colleagues modeled the spirit of encouragement. His presence in our lives as well as his teachings left a lasting impact in the lives of many students. 

Merriam Webster Dictionary defines the verb ‘to encourage” as this: to inspire with courage, with spirit, and/or with hope. To encourage or to be encouraged can translate into many areas. Here’s a few: 

                    To offer a smile, a handshake

                    To welcome a stranger or someone new

                    To offer a pat on the back or message of congratulations.

                    To affirm your faith in someone through word or deed

                    To express gratitude for a person, a deed, a gift, this day, healing or

good health, and so much more

                    To accomplish a task or challenge, or to learn something new

                    To feel or sense God’s presence in your life.

                    To know you are loved and/or cared about by others and by God. 

    

  To encourage or be encouraged means cultivating and offering one another our presence, our compassion, a listening heart, prayers, forgiveness, mercy, respect and understanding. These traits of encouragement show up in different ways through our relationships at home, at work, in school, in public and in private, in our thoughts, our emotions, and our prayers.

Several years ago during my ministry as hospital Chaplain, I was periodically called to lead a weekend Worship Service.  These Services, while offered in the hospital Chapel, were also broadcast and made available in patient and waiting rooms, and in nursing stations. Most services usually included live organ music, yet sometimes I needed to improvise with a prerecorded hymn or song. The focus was always to offer some measure of healing and comfort to people spiritually, emotionally and physically: to offer some measure of encouragement. The challenge was in finding ways to share God’s presence and hope personally while delivering institutionally from one corner of a building.  One of the prerecorded songs I frequently played was ‘You Raise Me Up’ (link is above)  Just as this song speaks to the powerful impact of God’s presence in our daily lives; we, who were created by the same God, are also called to be messengers of hope and encouragement to one another.  

Spiritual and emotional encouragement can be expressed so many ways: in personal communications, through an ongoing relationship with God, an active faith, and a sense of gratitude (even in the midst of challenges).  ‘You Raise Me Up’ speaks not only to one’s connection with God; it also speaks to how we receive one another. Referring back to the professor I wrote of earlier, and to many others who have impacted my life both briefly and long term: I remain grateful for their honest encouragement. and hope in some way I have been able to offer the same to others.

To be encouraging, it’s important to be encouraged.  Each person, every soul needs to find that which encourages them. Relationships, community, music, nature, the arts, offering pastoral care, and my relationship with God are tools which inspire and encourage me.  What inspires you?    

                                            

And, how does ‘encouragement’ show up in the face of tragedies such as last Friday’s shootings in Connecticut, or any sudden or unwanted loss or challenge? I believe it shows up by how we live out our lives, by how we are present for one another, how we share our hopes, and how we live our faith in the midst of our humanness and in God’s Grace. 

Offering variations of encouragement and staying encouraged is an ongoing life process. We learn as we journey on and as we meet different people and find ourselves in varying circumstances.  In this Advent Season of Waiting, and as we celebrate the Birth of Jesus Christ, I encourage you to spend time with the God of Hope and Grace whose Spirit is the source of all encouragement….and then make time to encourage and share this Season with others.     

I've included two songs which speak of encouragement, personally and spiritually. If you can bypass the ads, the words are worth the listening.  Testify to Love and Breath of Heaven

Shalom,

Susan

Encouragement: With a C and an O

When I was part of Lutheran Campus Ministry, we developed a lot of traditions. They ranged from the sacredness of the sending Eucharist to the treasured fellowship of midweek meals to the downright inexplicable ceremonial smashing of the Easter pumpkin (please don't ask).

But a tradition that fell somewhere amongst these extremes was the showing of Clambake for Elvis' birthday. He is a King after all! And it doesn't fall THAT far after Christ the King Sunday. I treasure this tradition partly because of the people who shared it with me and memories of the delicious food. I appreciate that we could watch a movie purely for its ridiculousness and laugh at it and each other as we sang and danced along. Clambake is a classic, somewhat cheesy story, of a rich man who trades places with a poor man and they both learn stuff.

Yet oddly enough, there's also some gospel hidden beneath the pirouettes and unabashed cheesiness. It comes through (drumroll...):

The Confidence Song

Catchy, right? But in context, it's an example of encouragement. Elvis sings this to a little girl who is afraid to go down a slide when the other kids on the playground are making fun of her. Before long, all the adults are singing along with Elvis and the girl is happily sliding again and again.

We all know that life isn't the ideal of an Elvis movie with flashy cars on a sunny beach where people break into carefully choreographed song and dance every few minutes. But, just like the little girl, we all need encouragement every now and again; like Elvis we all have the power to give it. Not only do we have the power, but Jesus commands us to do so: "Love your neighbor as yourself."

How often have you been in a situation where a kind word would have made a difference? How often are you confident enough yourself to hear and trust Spirit nudgings to encourage others?

My prayer and challenge for you is to be open to seeing where those around you may need some encouragement. Is it the overwhelmed cashier who has heard too many complaints that day? Is it a child or a parent or a spouse who looks particularly exhausted? A colleague who is struggling with a project? Our college students at ELC who are stressed about final exams? Our church staff who have extra work during this already hectic season? There is much need for encouragement in our world, and so many ways to give it. It could be a smile, a friendly "hang in there" a card or quick email.

And if Spirit so moves, there is always Elvis too.

~Rachel

Encourage

[Tune]

In Medieval France the heart was the primary organ of the body and it was seen as one that was open and “porous”. The heart was not just a metaphor for love and spirit, but it was physiologically and theologically the center of the body and the location of the soul. Its purpose was to “exhale heat and spirit to the rest of the body”. We see this reflected in the words that have come down to us from that time - courage and, our word for this week - encourage.

When we encourage, we “hearten” – we make strong or give strength to another heart that may be in a weakened situation. What a wonderful image and what a fitting finale to our blogging series on faith practices.

Encouragement is easy. Tell someone they are doing well, that they will make it through a difficult place, that they are a blessing to your life. It’s easy  -- on the face of it.  BUT it can be very difficult as well. It means the focus is on the other person, it means you set aside whatever “advice” you think they need to hear, you resist the temptation to turn it into a story about you. You listen without judgment, you walk with them, share in their story. You set aside the pre-conceived notions you may have about their race, ethnicity, gender, age, economic status, sexual orientation, education and politics. Yes, especially that last one.

Encouragement does not mean we don’t hold each other accountable though. When you walk with someone it’s easier to ask the “ What would a follower of Christ do in this situation” question. Paul talks about this in his letter to the Philippians. He urges two women, who have apparently had some disagreement to have a difficult conversation. And he asks another person to help them.  Paul is direct, but he also takes care to note [in a letter likely to be read in public] the value of each person and their contributions to the community.

That’s how a strong community is built. One relationship at a time. One story at a time. One act of discipleship at a time. One prayer at a time. Each person valued for the heart they bring, each person “heartened” on their journey by others so that when we go out into the world for mission and ministry we take hands and stick together.

Dear God, let our relationships reflect the love, respect, and compassion we have experienced in you.

Amen. Amein. Ameen.

We cannot NOT serve.

The good thing about writing the blog for the last week of the month is that I get more time to think about the theme - this month it’s serve - longer than those who write earlier. Thinking is good, right? Here’s where I’m probably supposed to say that I don’t so much think as pray, meditate and contemplate. But I can’t, because I don’t. I think, and I mull.

And you’re going to have to stay with me here, this may seem disjointed, so you’ll have to make of it what you will.

We cannot not serve. Think about it. We can’t. We serve our families, our communities, and our country. We serve our customers and clients. We serve with our friends and colleagues, in organizations and charities. We have fun; do benefit walks or runs to serve a cause. Do you see where I’m going with this?

Whom or what we serve may be something or someone other than God. We serve to establish and deepen relationships, to make our live run more smoothly, to earn the means to support ourselves and our families, to help the symphony and the community theater continue to bring entertaining joy to us and to the community, to help the Boys and Girls Clubs continue to enrich the lives of kids. To bring Meals on Wheels to the homebound, and to help WAFER bring food to the need-bound. I hope you’re getting the idea.

There is a delightful play called The Servant of Two Masters. In it the hilariously opportunistic and confused servant Truffaldino represents his master Federigo - who is dead, killed in a dual by Florindo, his sister Beatrice’s lover - but is being impersonated by Beatrice come to claim the dowry of Clarice, newly betrothed to Silvio, whose hand in marriage had been originally promised to Federigo. Confused yet? Well, wait....

Enter Florindo, newly escaped from killing Federigo and seeking a servant. He encounters Truffaldino on an errand for his ‘master’ Federigo/Beatrice. Truffaldino accepts Florindo’s offer of employment, thinking that he’s clever, he can serve two masters, easily double his income, and therefore have the means to woo and win the hand Clarice’s maid, Smeraldino, whom he has recently chanced to meet and fallen in love with. Meantime, Federigo/Beatrice has abandon her disguise and been reunited with Florindo. In the manner of Shakespearean-era comedies there is an on-going series of comic mishaps and mix-ups, exposure and confession, before all’s well that end’s well and everyone is set to be happily married.

Well, almost everyone. When Florindo asks permission for his servant, Truffaldino, to marry Clarice’s maid, Smeraldino, Clarice says that’s impossible, because Smeraldino is promised to Beatrice/Federigo’s servant. Truffaldo, in order to marry Smeraldino, must confess that he is, also that servant. He is, indeed, a servant of two masters.

Jesus said no man can serve two masters. Remember that parable in Mark about the anxious rich man who ran up to Jesus and asked, “What must I do to inherit eternal life?” Yeah, he’d kept all the commandments all his life. Would that do it? And Jesus looked at him, and Mark tells us that Jesus loved him and said, “You lack one thing. Go, sell what you own and give the money to the poor and you will have treasure in heaven; then, come and follow me.” Shocked, the man turned and walked away, grieving, because he owned a lot.

Just as Truffaldo could not serve two masters and get his heart’s desire, that is, marry Smeraldino, the rich man in the parable could not serve two masters, wealth and God, and get his heart’s desire, that is, eternal life. Okay, so the analogy is a bit of a stretch. But not too much. Over and over Jesus talks about laying up treasures in heaven from the well-known fact: that we cannot serve two masters at the same time. Our commitment, our affections will be divided. We will always and ever fail one or the other. We will love the one, and hate the other, according to Scripture.

We tend to forget that in biblical idiom, to ‘hate’ can mean to love less. We see this in Matthew when Jesus says, ‘He who loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and he who loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.” Actually we can, and should, extend that to loving or valuing money, position, possessions, whatever, more than God. Jesus talks about taking up His cross to follow Him. Taking that whole section on riches, worth and value in context rather than pulling one or the other out of context, the implication, and the message to me is that we love our family, the gifts we’ve been given, what we have and enjoy. But we love God more.

Okay, now you’re wondering, ‘how’s she going to tie this all together?’ Frankly, I’m not sure, but I’m going to give it a shot.

Jesus said, “I came not to be served, but to serve.” So did we. We were born to serve. We cannot not serve. And, we cannot serve two masters. We have to choose which one we love most and give that Master our deepest commitment and love. Think about how much you love your parents, your spouse, your children. The affection you hold for your friends. The joy you find in the camaraderie of those who share your special interests. Then think about loving God more than any and all of those people. Putting Him before all of them and everything. Before your family, before your friends. Before your investments, you IRAs, your property. Before your pride, your ego, your prestige, your position. Whatever.

That’s how much God loves you. Loves me. Loves us.

In our twenty-first century literal minds we think choosing whom we will serve is an either/or situation. And it is. It’s also both/and. Jesus said that what we do for the least of humankind, we do for Him. We all want to do something noble, something magnificent and wonderful and become a great lion of God. Once in a while we have that opportunity. The trick is to not say no because it will interfere with your neatly, or not so neatly ordered life. I think it was John Lennon who said, “Life is what happens when you’re making other plans.”

Therefore, it seems to me that we do for Him is what we do when we go about our daily duties as they present themselves; seeing Jesus’ face in the faces of those we meet, and, hopefully, those we meet glimpsing Jesus in us. I try and I believe that sometimes I do meet and serve Jesus, and most often it is in the everydayness of everyday.

May your everyday be a sacred step on your journey in the mystery.

~ Janet

Faith In Action

Faith In Action

Writing this blog about Serving did not come easily to me.  I see the concept of serving as both all-encompassing, yet simple in practice.  I believe to serve another is at the crux of how we live out our lives and faith in community.  Jesus modeled what it means to serve one another. To serve speaks to how we view or understand ourselves in relationship to another.  It is how we put out faith in action and how we understand another in relationship to us.

So, how does the idea of Serving translate to the concept of putting our faith in action?  What if one has faith, yet does not know how s/he wants to serve?  What’s a person to do?  Or, let’s say you do know what you want to do, yet feel hesitant, due to anxiety, a seemingly full calendar, or you're just not sure you’re that equipped?  None of these are permanent roadblocks.  Here’s some thoughts to reflect on.

     *  First, PRAY…before you do anything!  Serving in faith, to benefit another, does not rely on your own power. It’s like filling up your car with gas. Try asking God to equip you, and then watch how the Holy Spirit fuels you up for serving.  If God is calling you to serve, and we are all called in some way, the Holy Spirit will lead you on.

*  Wanting to serve in a different way?  Or wanting to serve for the first time and not sure where to start? Talk with someone you trust, someone in your faith community, your clergy, or your family. Brainstorm ideas and try different venues until you find something that matches your gifts and passion…..and maybe even stretches you.  You just may uncover God-given gifts and talents you did not know you have!        

*   Look through your calendar and block off some time, weekly, monthly, something.  There’s an old cliché, 'if you do something 21 times it becomes a habit'.  If you aren’t already involved in service of some kind, start somewhere, and see over time how God is shaping you, your faith,  and your relationships in community! You might be in for a pleasant surprise.

*  Don’t short change yourself. Many folks make light of the services they do offer daily, weekly, monthly and so on; giving themselves the message that what they do is not enough or that it doesn’t make a difference. I invite you to let go of this thought. Whatever you do in faith to benefit another is meaningful and an act of service. We never know what seeds are planted when we reach out.  

*   While appreciation is always welcome, receiving a thank you or validation is not the purpose for reaching out to others.  Even still, we never know how the Holy Spirit will intercede when we place our acts of service in God’s hands.  For example….. Two of our wonderful volunteers at the local Warming Center for the Homeless are a retired couple who come weekly  to  welcome our guests. Last night we had a rowdy bunch waiting outside for the doors to open. It was one of the very few times we needed to ask our guests to lower the volume of their voices. Getting ready to make this request the third time, I felt a little frustrated. Opening the door to make my plea again,I was pleasantly surprised to find our homeless guests in a circle, praying for their friends who might not have shelter last night. Here is faith in action, fueled by the Holy Spirit.

I believe the Christian life flourishes in community with one another, in God.  Serving one another locally, and around our world, is a major cornerstone to strengthening and growing community.

And while my blog has not focused on the following reflection, it seems that reaching out to others is also a way of thanking God for the blessings of community and the ability to reach out. 

The Call

Shalom,

Susan

Serve: Listen to the ignored voices: Make a change

"So often people say we should be the "voice for the voiceless." That's not really true. Everyone has a voice. Which ones are we ignoring or refusing to hear? Really, it is among the marginalized, the forgotten, the voices that we choose not to hear that we can clearly see what God is up to."  ~ ELCA Bishop Mark Hanson

I love working with middle and high school and college students. In them, I see so much excitement, curiosity and unfiltered hunger for God. As I study the seven faith practices with younger Christians from around the world, I've noticed the pattern that faith practices are HARD. Study? Sounds too much like school. Prayer? Confusing and hard. Worship? Involves getting up early. Invite and encourage? Hard to do when you're shy and probably in need of encouragement yourself. Give? Who has money?

But service. THAT is something that sounds good. You get to be with your friends, feel good, have some variety, and maybe even use power tools or travel to cool places. Service. It's a safe starting point in learning to be Christian adults.

When I push people to answer why they do service, there is usually some squirming. But as they realize the connection with their faith, it gets exciting. Service is a way of showing God's love, of learning about the world around them, and about understanding what it means to be Christian. It lets them listen to people who depend on free meals to eat, build homes for those who lack them, paint schools to provide cheer in schools with daily weapon and drug tests--to make these students just like them feel more like valued human beings. They see what God is up to; they know what it's like to do God's work with their hands.

Our very own ELC Youth in Puerto Rico.

Is it possible to do service without being Christian? Sure. Are there advantages to service from a Christian lens? Absolutely: demonstrating the love we have been given, appreciating our blessings, feeling connected to God in a way that our souls so earnestly crave.

At the National Youth Gathering this past summer, Rachel Kurtz sang this song: Make a Change. This song captures a very human desire for our lives to be meaningful and of service to God. Let's go: let our lives make a difference, do some good here, make a change. Let's serve.

My prayer for you this week is that you may discern how God is calling you to serve. May you see what God is up to, and live into the promise that God takes us--as broken humanity--to take God's work into the world. May it be so.

Rachel