Go Therefore and … Get Members?

The church has a long history of tracking statistics. Those statistics have at times overshadowed
not only the mission and vision of the church, but also the Gospel. The temptation to confuse
discipleship with membership is a temptation for individuals, congregations, and the larger
church. While disciples can be members and vice versa, they are not interchangeable.
Both linguists and psychologists have argued that the terminology we use influences our
thought patterns. In light of this, do you think of yourself as a member or a disciple? How do
you mentally classify your life as a child of God?
When we think of ourselves as ‘members,’ we are more likely to treat the church as a club and
behave as consumers. In this model it is easy to compartmentalize our involvement to certain
places or times (like a local congregation on Sunday morning). Membership is often about
benefits and entitlement. Membership is usually defined by set parameters that serve as
minimum requirements for inclusion. For example, most congregations have written guidelines
regarding financial support and/or attendance. A membership mentality tends to focus on the
minimum expectations.
A disciple is a follower or one who learns. When we think of ourselves as ‘disciples’, it becomes
more difficult to compartmentalize involvement. Discipleship is nurtured by participation and
community. The local congregation is a place to gather with other believers as they too strive to
follow Christ. Discipleship sends us on a path that extends into infinity. There is no minimum or
maximum, but a journey through this pilgrimage on earth in relationship with God. That journey
of faith transforms our lives. Discipleship tends to focus on infinite hope given in Christ.
In Matthew 28:19, Jesus commissions the disciples to make disciples. He instructs them, “Go
therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the
Son and of the Holy Spirit,  20  and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you.
And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:19-20). Nowhere in
the Bible does it reference getting members to be on a list governed by minimal requirements.
In Acts we hear how the early Christians sought to fulfillment Christ’s command to make
disciples. “So those who welcomed his message were baptized, and that day about three
thousand persons were added.  42  They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and
fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.” (Acts 2:41-42) They practiced
discipleship. The message of Jesus Christ, crucified and risen, impacted their identities and lives.
Again in Acts, many were baptized, “and day by day the Lord added to their number those who
were being saved.” (Acts 2:47b). The numbers added were people given new life in Christ. The
numbers were men, women, and children whose lives were transformed and propelled onto a
new trajectory in faith. As the Apostle Paul would remind the believers in Corinth, “So if anyone
is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; look, new things have
come into being!” (2 Corinthians 5:17) Disciples came into being.

You are called to be disciples. You are called to make disciples. God sends the Holy Spirit to
gather you and all believers together to practice discipleship and live this pilgrimage on earth as
children of God. The grace and peace of God keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.

October 2025

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

Grace and peace to you from God our heavenly Father and Jesus Christ the Lord and Savior. Amen.

We live in a region in which the seasons are part of our experience of time. We watch leaves change color and fall. We watch the temperatures vacillate as they sojourn from one season to the next. We notice the leaves begin to change, the first frost, the tiny sprout of green peeking through the snow, the buds forming on trees, and the humidity getting stuck at a ridiculously high percentage. We may complain (about most of them), but we accept these changes as a part of nature’s cycles.

The cycle of the liturgical year is an ongoing reminder of the cycles of life in faith. As we enter October and begin to watch for the end of the Season after Pentecost (aka the long green season) we are nudged into change. We begin to look toward Advent and a new liturgical year.

Congregations also have seasons. Throughout the past Change can be exciting and change can be scary. God uses change to give growth.

Paul reminded the Ephesians,

6 I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. 7 So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth. 9 For we are God’s coworkers, working together; you are God’s field, God’s building. (Ephesians 3:6-7, 9)

He later expands the construction imagery describing the church as God’s building.

10 According to the grace of God given to me, like a wise master builder I laid a foundation, and someone else is building on it. Let each builder choose with care how to build on it. 11 For no one can lay any foundation other than the one that has been laid; that foundation is Jesus Christ. (Ephesians 3:10-11)

Whether the botany or construction imagery engages you more, the point remains the same: the church is dynamic and multifaceted. This often contradicts our own nostalgia which tries to memorialize a static, two-dimensional snapshot of the church. Bluntly stated, the church experiences change just as much as any other gathering of living creatures does.

At the end of the month, we will celebrate Reformation Sunday and witness six of our young disciples will make affirmation of their Baptisms. Even in the titles there are notes of change. Reformation Sunday celebrates a moment 508 years ago that set events into motion that forever changed the church on earth as experienced in the West. Affirmation of Baptism is a pivotal transition in the lives of young people and their families, mentors, and sponsors. They are publicly stating, “I believe.” That Sunday will also be my last Sunday leading worship. Next month you will welcome a new settled pastor and adapting to the changes that come from that transition.

Through all the changes you face personally, as families, as communities, as a congregation, God has made you a promise – the Holy Spirit will strengthen and guide you. As Moses was directed to say to the Israelites, so I now say to you:

24The Lord bless you and keep you;
25 the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you;
26 the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace. Amen. (Numbers 6:24-26)

In Christ,

Pastor Carla


					

	
	



				
				



			
	
			
			
		
	
	
	

		

			September 2025
		

	


			

			

11 He himself granted that some are apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers 12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, 13 until all of us come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to maturity,to the measure of the full stature of Christ. (Ephesians 4:11-13)





Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,





Grace and peace to you from God, our heavenly Father and Jesus Christ, the Lord and Savior. Amen.





At our ‘Backpack Blessing’ we will be asking for God’s blessing upon the items we use in everyday life in our various vocations. While working on announcements for Rally’s Sunday’s ‘Backpack Blessing,’ I was brainstorming for a title that invited wider participation. Unfortunately, the catchiest was “vocational baggage,” which, while literally accurate, carries a different connotation than I intended. Therefore, it is staying ‘Backpack Blessing’ with some extra writing to extend the invitation to everyone.





Students carry the tools required for their vocation as students in their backpacks. Most of us have some kind of bag that reflects our own daily vocation. Some of us have knitting bags, briefcases, laptop bags, duffle bags, sewing cases, purses, or phone cases. No matter the size, design, or heft, our bags are filled with the gifts and talents God gives us to equip us for ministry.





I confess, I like bags. My husband laughs at me because I have different bags for different circumstances (Sunday AM bag, confirmation bag, home communion bag, funeral bag). Each bag is ready to go for any particular responsibility in my vocation as a pastor. Then of course, there are the ‘bags’ I carry to fulfill my callings as wife, daughter, sister, aunt, and friend.





Many of us have multiple bags, either literally or figuratively, because we have multiple vocations. A laptop bag and diaper bag seem very different on the surface, but a new parent who works in technology does not want to misplace either. Each bag has its place and use. Just as each of us has various vocations, we also have the tools or gifts that God has given us to carry out those callings. We have what we need. God blesses our vocations and the tools given to us to fulfill them. God equips us and calls us to use those gifts to be a blessing to others.





While we bless backpacks at the beginning of the schoolyear, it is also a time to remember that God blesses all we are called to do. God blesses us in our daily lives. God blesses the tools we use in those vocations each day. No matter how big or small the bag may be, it is filled and blessed by God. Our daily use of those tools to shine Christ’s light and love glorifies God. As we celebrate the beginning of a new school year for our students, we also celebrate our diversity of vocations and the ‘equipment’ (gifts and talents) God provides that empower us to serve.





The grace and peace of God keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.





In Christ,





Pastor Carla

					

	
	



				
				



			
	
			
			
		
	
	
	

		

			August 2025: Be Still!
		

	


			

			

Be still, and know that I am God! 
I am exalted among the nations; 
I am exalted in the earth. 
(Psalm 46:10, NRSVue)





Grace and peace to you from God our heavenly Father and Jesus Christ the Lord and Savior. Amen.





I remember singing a choir anthem years ago based on Psalm 46. “Be still” was heavily repeated, especially in the soprano line. In retrospect, it was an interesting arrangement – there is something paradoxical about singing, “Be still!” with a crescendo.





As paradoxical as it may seem, how do we live out the command, “Be still and know that I am God” with gusto? It may be the ultimate example of active listening. The first challenge is to identify our own thoughts and preconceptions – that static that muddles our hearing. Once we name the crackling clamor within ourselves, we might have a shot at silencing it (or at least dialing down the volume).





On top of the noise we each carry, we also live in a pretty noisy world. There are countless voices vying for our attention, energy, and allegiance. We are constantly hearing messages about who we are (or can or should be). Weeding through (and out) the many messages we ‘hear’ each day can be daunting.





Recently, the weather mentioned a ‘derecho’ hitting South Dakota. Curiosity won. I googled what exactly a derecho was. This is the oversimplified definition. Apparently, it is a widespread, destructive storm system that can occur when multiple (already strong) storm systems are shoved together and propel forward as one mega system. Sometimes, all the ‘noise’ in our lives feels like a derecho. The distractions inside our minds and out in the world coalesce into a deafening cacophony.





Elijah waited for God’s voice to come to him while hiding from Jezabel and her cronies. 1 Kings relates Elijah’s experience of hearing a great wind, then an earthquake, and then a fire. In none of those three did God speak. God’s voice emerged out of sheer silence. Then Elijah relayed all the ‘other noises’ interfering with his hearing – his fears, his grief, his despair. And God spoke. God spoke a word of hope to Elijah out of the silence.





God is still speaking. Sometimes we need to wait patiently for the silence to emerge. There is a lot of noise in the world and in ourselves. Remember…God has the power to silence the noise. God’s voice does not become louder. God’s voice overcomes and conquers. That voice speaks hope to you. That voice claims you as God’s beloved child. Nothing can silence the hope spoken to you in Christ Jesus.





The grace and peace of God keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.






					

	
	



				
				



			
	
			
			
		
	
	
	

		

			July 2025
		

	


			

			





As servants of God, live as free people, yet do not use your freedom as a pretext for evil. (1 Peter 2:16)





They promise them freedom, but they themselves are slaves of corruption, for people are slaves to whatever masters them. (2 Peter 2:18)













Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,





“Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, who gave himself for our sins to set us free from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.” (Galatians 5:3-5)





This time of year, we always hear a lot of chatter about freedom. We celebrate our freedom as a nation. We tout our freedoms as citizens. Over the centuries, somehow the ideal of freedom has become uncomfortably close to synonymous with narcissistic entitlement. The idea of ‘freedom’ is often used to justify an attitude of “I can do whatever I want whenever I want to whomever I want.”





Luther would call that attitude the epitome of humans being in ‘bondage to sin.’ The author of 1 and 2 Peter would identify it as examples using freedom as “a pretext for evil” and people being “slaves to corruption.” The attitude that we are somehow more valuable than those around us is not freedom. Nor does any civil freedom, let alone divine freedom, grant us liberty to hold or defend such a perspective.





34 Jesus answered them (the Jews who had believed in him), “Very truly, I tell you, everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin. 35 The slave does not have a permanent place in the household; the son has a place there forever. 36So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed.” For Jesus, freedom was the equivalent to being righteous. Freedom was the result of being a child of God. For God’s Son, freedom necessitated Him to trust and obey.





Paul wrote to the church in Galatia, “For you were called to freedom, brothers and sisters, only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for self-indulgence, but through love become enslaved to one another. For the whole law is summed up in a single commandment, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”” (Galatians 5:13-14) True freedom calls us away from sin and into love. Christian freedom shifts our focus from ourselves toward others.





You are free indeed. Christ gave himself to free you from sin, death, and the devil. The Spirit calls you into love. You are free to love whenever, wherever, and whomever is placed before you. Christ gives you a permanent place in the household of God. You are God’s child. You are free to trust and obey God. The grace and peace of God which passes all understanding keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.





In Christ,





Pastor Carla










					

	
	



				
				



			
	
			
			
		
	
	
	

		

			‘Tis the Season to Sojourn
		

	


			

			

as submitted to PineandLakes Echo Journal, Forum Communications Company (506 James St, Brainerd, MN) for May 14, 2025 publication 





‘Tis the season of rebirth and transition. Geese have been flocking and honking. Long hibernating critters have been foraging. Schools are preparing for their long summer nap. Parents are preparing for graduations, end-of-year concerts, ceremonies, locker clean-up, and countless other end of the year activities. All while yards are being swept, perennials are popping up through the dirt, and trees are budding and spewing pollen. The world around us is changing. In reality it is not much different than any other day, but the outer transitions are more noticeable.





An old-fashioned but lovely word, sojourn, means to ‘temporarily stay’. Our journeys through this ‘pilgrimage on earth’, are a series of sojourns. Whether the sojourn is a community, a geographical location, a vocation, or a group of loved ones, none are permanent. As humans, we are constantly in a state of flux as is the world around us. We experience change.





The reality of being a ‘sojourner’ is splattered all over High School graduation. The sharp delineation of before and after graduation marks the abrupt conclusion of one sojourn and the onset of the next – all in under two hours. Graduations teem with joy, pride, tears, and anxiety. Parents are tasked at graduation to trust the foundation they have provided for their offspring over the previous years. For young adults to thrive in the world, they need both confidence in what they have learned and an openness to what they will learn.





Because the transition in the lives of graduates is so obvious, it also becomes a time when we are all reminded of ever-present transitions in our lives. Transitions are part and parcel of the journey. Transitions and change can be gradual, like those achy joints lingering a bit longer in the morning. Others can be more abrupt like a move, job change, death, or illness.  As we age, our needs and perspectives change. Comfort and hope come from knowing God’s will for us. Faith during transition comes from a sturdy foundation.





Paul wrote to the congregation in Corinth, “For no one can lay any foundation other than the one that has been laid; that foundation is Jesus Christ.” (1 Corinthians 3:11) As we transition through the sojourns along our journeys, we trust in the foundation that is Christ Jesus. As we witness various transitions in the lives of loves ones, we trust the foundation laid for them in Christ Jesus.  No matter how quickly or slowly our sojourns transform, the foundation remains the same. Our journeys are enriched by sojourning in community. We accompany one another. We remind one another of the foundation we have in Jesus.





Through all transitions, no matter how abrupt or gradual, you are guided by the power of the Holy Spirit. The awareness of God’s promises grants you hope and strength. No matter what kind of changes you are facing in your life here and now, God is with you. The peace of God which passes all understanding keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.

					

	
	



				
				



			
	
			
			
		
	
	
	

		

			June 2025
		

	


			

			

 “Come to me, all you who are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” (Matthew 11:28-30)





Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,





Grace and peace to you from God our heavenly Father and Jesus Christ the Lord and Savior. Amen.





It may be left over from our grade-school days, but many of us continue to equate summer as a time of rest and relaxation. As many of us have discovered as adults, relaxation can be hard work. Rest is not always easy. Even more of us probably consider rest a synonym for sleep (especially when we are not getting enough).





Oxford lists three common definitions for ‘rest’ when used as a noun.





    

  1. an instance or period of relaxing or ceasing to engage in strenuous or stressful activity.
    2. 




  2. music – an interval of silence of a specified duration.
    3. 




  3. an object that is used to support something.
    4. 






Each of these definitions gives insight into the ‘rest’ Jesus gives.





Sabbath rest is the intentional break in routine to experience mental, spiritual, emotional, and physical respite. Jesus does relieve us of the strain of daily activity. Luther describes Sabbath as time to “gladly hear and learn” God’s word. Rest can come as the daily stresses of life are set aside (however briefly) to focus on what God is doing and saying in our lives.





Jesus also gives intervals of silence. If anyone feels like thumbing through the hymnal, they might notice the rubrics (italicized in red) scattered throughout the liturgy calling for ‘silence for reflection.’ During and prior to prayers, following the sermon, in our daily prayers, and other random moments in life – Jesus gives us the space for silence. In a world full of noise, Jesus relieves us of life’s cacophony with intervals of quiet reflection. The Holy Spirit gives us the capability to pray “with sighs too deep for words” and commune with God in those silent spaces. Christ’s ‘rest’ allows us to know God is listening even when we do not have words to express ourselves.





Finally, God’s rest functions as a yoke. God carries our burdens and gives us strength. We ‘rest’ on God’s power. Our lives ‘rest’ in and on the love of God. Faith supports us through all things. We can be as certain as Paul was when he informed the Philippians, “I can do all things through him who strengthens me.” (Philippians 4:13) We can do all things, because Christ gives us rest – in every sense of the word.





The grace and peace of God keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.

					

	
	



				
				



			
	
			
			
		
	
	
	

		

			May 2025
		

	


			

			

3 For everything there is a season and a time for every matter under heaven:





2 a time to be born and a time to die;





a time to plant and a time to pluck up what is planted;
3 a time to kill and a time to heal; a time to break down and a time to build up;
4 a time to weep and a time to laugh; a time to mourn and a time to dance;
5 a time to throw away stones and a time to gather stones together; 





a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing;
6 a time to seek and a time to lose; a time to keep and a time to throw away;
7 a time to tear and a time to sew; a time to keep silent and a time to speak;
8 a time to love and a time to hate; a time for war and a time for peace. (Ecclesiastes 3:1-8)





Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,





Grace and peace from God our heavenly Father and Jesus Christ the Lord and Savior. Amen.





The words of Ecclesiastes 3 are familiar to many. If not from the Bible, then a generation and the two on either side of it know it from The Byrds. Attributed to King Solomon, known for his great wisdom, these words are a reflection of what we experience here on earth. It is a very poetic rendering of ‘life is not static’ and ‘change is a part of living’.





During May, we see gardens change (sometimes seemingly overnight), we prepare for students to graduate en masse, we witness  the change of season and weather (although in Minnesota that can happen several times in the course of one day), campgrounds begin to open, shops start to remove their ‘closed for the season’ signs, the orange cones and barricades take up residence on the roads, birds and butterflies migrate, other animals wake from hibernation, and countless other examples. There are signs of metamorphoses all around us this time of year. Through those signs, we are reminded that there is a time for everything under heaven. Every sign we witness has its own time.





The greatest metamorphosis we celebrate in the Spring is Christ’s death and resurrection. If we were to format it into the cadence of Ecclesiastes 3, it would read,





For everything there is a season and a time for every matter under heaven: a time to die and a time to rise.





This ‘time’ would not only refer to Christ’s death and resurrection, but also to your own. Day by day, you die to sin and rise to new life in Christ. That metamorphosis of grace, given to you in baptism, is one of your own. You were baptized into Christ’s resurrection. Each and every day, you experience that transformation that God’s forgiveness has on you. Each day, God forgives you. Every day, the Holy Spirit guides and comforts you.





We are also reminded that in the midst of change, there is a vital constant. “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” (Hebrews 13:8) Throughout all the changes around you, God remains faithful. Christ’s promises are forever and unchanging. God’s presence does not leave you. The Holy Spirit continues to dwell within you. The Lord continues to bless you, now and forever.





The grace and peace of God that surpasses all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.

					

	
	



				
				



			
	
			
			
		
	
	
	

		

			April 2025
		

	


			

			

So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; look, new things have come into being! (2 Corinthians 5:17)





Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,





Grace and peace to you from God our Father and Jesus Christ the Lord and Savior. Amen.





This time of year, in both the church year and the meteorological year, we are reminded of death and new life. We watch for those little green shoots to pop through the dirt (or decaying leaves or snow). We look for new buds on the trees. Farmers keep vigil over ewes and cows. The mornings are rich in the (mostly) sweet melodies of songbirds. And of course, critters awaken from long winter’s naps to wander the countryside looking for grub (often in the garbage cans of their human neighbors).  





All these signs of Spring also serve to remind us of new life. Whether it be in literal birth, rebirth, or awakening, we witness life arising in places that seem desolate and deserted. Energy springs forth from barrenness and stagnation. New life emerges amid remnants of death and decay.





We are baptized into Christ’s death and resurrection. God gives us new life each and every day. Paul reminded the Romans, “Therefore we were buried with him by baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we also might walk in newness of life.” (Romans 6:4) Our sinful self has died. We have been freed from our bondage to sin and raised in the image of Jesus Christ.





Freedom comes in the form of forgiveness. Luther’s remarks in his explanation to the benefits of the Lord’s Supper, “where there is forgiveness of sins, there is also life and salvation.” Christ makes us new by granting us life and salvation with the forgiveness of sin. Each day we undergo this transformation as we journey on this earth. We experience the death and rebirth of forgiveness.





Paul continued his advice, “So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.” (Romans 6:11) You live to God. You have been blessed with new life. Luther concludes his explanation to the Second Article (On Redemption) of the Apostles’ Creed, “He (Jesus) has done all this so that I may belong to him, live under him in his kingdom, and serve him in eternal righteousness, innocence, and blessedness, just as he is risen from the dead and lives and rules eternally. This is most certainly true.” Let us live new life in Christ, lives lived to God, now and forever. The grace and peace of God keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.

					

	
	



				
				



			
	
			
			
		
	
	
	

		

			March 2025
		

	


			

			

4 Now there are varieties of gifts but the same Spirit, 5 and there are varieties of services but the same Lord, 6 and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who activates all of them in everyone. 7 To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. (1 Corinthians 12:4-7)





Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,





Grace and peace from God our heavenly father and Jesus Christ the Lord and Savior. Amen.





During the season of Lent, we focus on the amazing gift of life Jesus gave for and to us. The musical Godspell has a haunting song titled, ‘By My Side.’ It refers to the disciples walking with Jesus toward Jerusalem, even before they knew where the journey would take them.





It also describes the journeys we take as disciples. Jesus walks by our side. We walk by Jesus’s side. We walk alongside one another. The term we commonly call this whole walk – ministry. Ministry is the technical term for those varied gifts and activities working together for the common good.





On Ash Wednesday, we gather to confess and receive absolution. We begin our Lenten journey by acknowledging not only our failings, but also our desperate need for God’s mercy. We mark our existence in a broken world. We also witness God’s zeal seen in Christ Jesus to bless the world with healing and wholeness.





Our Lenten Journey continues with Wednesday evening services using Holden Evening Prayer worship service. Holden Evening Prayer is, as the name suggests, a vesper (Latin for evening) service written by Marty Haugen while in residence at Holden Village in the mid-1980s. It takes the form and structure of the traditional Vespers liturgy and combines it with more modern language and musical composition.





As we once again lift our voices in familiar musical arrangement, we will delve into fundamental aspects of shared ministry. This Lent, the youth group will begin training as Peer Ministry Leaders. They will explore some of the fundamental gifts, services, and activities manifested among them. During Wednesdays in worship, we will be taking up this mantle and exploring some of the same Scripture and topics.





God has blessed Our Savior’s Lutheran with a variety of gifts, services, and activities. How is God activating and manifesting them among us for the common good? Where do we sense Jesus walking by our side? How are we walking alongside one another and the larger church?





These questions are best couched in prayer, Scripture, and reflection. None have easy answers, but all are part of the journey God calls us to travel together. Jesus takes us by the hand and walks by our side as we embark.





The grace and peace of God which surpasses all understanding keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.