Author: pastorcarla7

May 2023

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

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

Early in the Gospel according to John, Jesus imparts some new wisdom to a Samaritan woman. In response to her question regarding the ‘proper place’ to worship God, He informs her, 23 “But the hour is coming and is now here when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father seeks such as these to worship him. 24 God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.” (John 4:23-24)

The Samaritans and the Jews had very different opinions about how one ‘HAD’ to worship God. Those opinions solidified the numerous differences between them. Was it the argument about worship that truly separated them? Or did their cultural and economic differences fuel that disagreement about worship? Regardless of the ‘chicken and egg’ analysis, Jesus had something greater than their differences to give and to illuminate – the Spirit.

This conversation did not resolve the tension spawned by differences between all the people Jesus gathered to Himself. In fact, it has been purported that John included this incident precisely because the Early Christians were still getting hung up on their differences. The Apostle Paul wrote to the Corinthians, 12 “For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. 13 For in the one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and we were all made to drink of one Spirit.” (1 Corinthians 12:12-13) Those cultural and economic differences were still pulling at the Body of Christ. As human beings, one of our temptations is fear focusing solely on difference and losing sight of the unifying power of God. Another temptation is turning worship into something done for us rather than remembering that we are…

  1. worshipping God.
  2. embodying the Body of Christ here on earth.
  3. proclaiming the Gospel to the world and ourselves.

Worship is an extension of the Holy Spirit flowing out of us and out into the world. In a theological sense, the activity of worship binds us to Christ and to one another. Nowhere in worship is that reality  more evident than in the Sacrament of the Altar – we even call it ‘Holy Communion.’

In a practical sense, the executive committees chose to use settings each Sunday that bring together the traditions and the background of each congregation. Here are the most obvious examples you may (or may not) have noticed.

  • Despite Henrytown previously having Holy Communion only once a month, all three congregations decided to include it twice a month. Mabel First began the tradition of two Sundays in a row years ago, primarily due to the work schedules at Green Lea Senior Living. Representatives from all three congregations saw wisdom in that tradition, especially with so many more employers requiring weekend hours.
  • In choosing liturgical settings, we looked at the past few years of use in each congregation. MFL and Scheie had been using ELW (cranberry hymnal) Setting One for the past few years for Communion Sundays. MFL had the tradition of changing settings regularly. Scheie just purchased the ELW in summer of 2021. The only ELW liturgy Henrytown has used since acquiring it has been Setting Three. When the ELW was published, two Communion settings were carried over directly from the LBW (green hymnal) – LBW Settings One and Two became ELW Settings Three and Four. Therefore, it was decided to use Setting Three. Presumably this setting would be reasonably familiar to all three congregations.
  • Scheie and MFL have been using the Service of Word in the ELW for the past few years, whereas Henrytown was unfamiliar with it. Henrytown had used the Service of the Word and Prayer in WOV (blue hymnal) for several years as an alternative to exclusive use of Setting Three. Mabel and Scheie had used portions of the Service of Word and Prayer every so often in the past. There also was some crossover here between hymnals. The ELW ‘Canticle of Thanksgiving’ was the ‘Hymn of Praise’ in the WOV service. We have been using both services – MFL and Scheie have remembered (or relearned) WOV service parts and Henrytown has been learning the unfamiliar portions of the ELW service.
  • Hymns have been trickier. We are beginning a process of having representatives from each congregation go through hymns that hopefully moves us forward.

Working together as three congregations brought together by the Holy Spirit in this time and place is seen in our worship. We do drink of ‘one Spirit’ – the Holy Spirit. That Spirit brings us together as the Body of Christ regardless of denominational ties or the Holy Experiment.

We are discerning how God is calling us here and now. Despite being within a 27-mile circumference circle, each congregation is unique. This uniqueness is seen in worship, yet it is also in worship that we witness our unity. We try to do our best to ‘worship Him in spirit and truth.’ The beginning of Psalm 95 is an excellent synopsis of our motivation for worship. This is what the Spirit compels us to do in and through worship.

1 O come, let us sing to the Lord;
    let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation!
2 Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving;
    let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise!
3 For the Lord is a great God
    and a great King above all gods.
4 In his hand are the depths of the earth;
    the heights of the mountains are his also.
5 The sea is his, for he made it,
    and the dry land, which his hands have formed.

6 O come, let us worship and bow down;
    let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker!
7 For he is our God,
    and we are the people of his pasture
    and the sheep of his hand. (Psalm 95:1-7)

“May the God of steadfastness and encouragement grant you to live in harmony with one another, in accordance with Christ Jesus, so that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Romans 15:5-6) Amen.

April 2023

Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus,

who, though he was in the form of God,

did not regard equality with God

as something to be exploited, but emptied himself,

taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness.

And being found in human form, he humbled himself

and became obedient to the point of death—

even death on a cross. (Philippians 2:5-8)

Dear brothers & sisters in Christ,      

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

The oldest known ‘Christian’ hymn is thought to be found in Philippians 4. Many scholars believe that in this passage of his letter to the Philippians, Paul was reciting a known hymn used by early Christians during worship. It is believed that these words were not a new revelation to the congregation in Philippi, but a reminder of already familiar words of a beloved hymn.

Very few hymns are theologically sound. It is nearly impossible to compose a piece for congregational singing that concisely encompasses the whole of Christian theology within it.

Many 16th century passion cantatas and oratorios (such as Handle’s ‘Messiah’) did manage to incorporate an entire Gospel narrative. Few, if any, are adaptable for congregational singing. My sheet music for the ‘Messiah’ is 252 pages. Even if we managed to sing a page in 30 seconds – it would still take 2 hours. The soprano arias require a range much higher than comfortable (or possible) for most women while the bass range is just as strenuous for men.  In general, oratorios were commissioned for professional performance, intended for congregational listening, not singing. They do however convey the complete narrative of Christ’s life, death, and resurrection.

Facing far less than two hours and amateur vocalists, hymnwriters have a different goal than the Baroque oratorio composers. Hymns do not attempt to convey the entire story into one piece of music. Oftentimes hymns focus on the pathos of a moment within the common faith journey. They aim to evoke a certain emotional response from the singers and/or listeners. The aspiration of a hymn is often simply to nurture the faith of the believer. Hymns are aiming at bringing the hearer into an emotional bond with God and other believers. They aim to evoke a common emotion within the community of believers. Most hymns were not written with the intent to promote intellectual understanding of theological nuances.

The focus of this hymn recited in Philippians is to evoke awe – the awe inspired by the crux of the incarnation. Jesus came into this world. God came to earth in human form. He died a human death. The hymn is a poignant reminder that God is greater than all things. He willingly lived and died to give us eternal life. This hymn in Philippians is assigned to be read within the context of the whole passion. It summarizes the lengthy passion narratives in the Gospels. The last night and day of Christ’s life is the narrative of His exceptional obedience. This hymn reflects the epitome of what it means to be Christ during Holy Week.

It also reminds us as believers what Holy Week means. We seek to emulate that ‘mind’ of Christ. We seek to empty ourselves of pride and follow the Lord. God has made such an amazing sacrifice for us. He gave up His Son. He gave up His own life to become fully human while remaining fully divine. God experienced the suffering, pain, and isolation of death on our behalf. We are filled with awe, humility, and gratitude at the reminder of the work of God on that cross long ago. The work that God continues to this day in our lives and in the world.

God was able to use something as crude and disgusting as public execution to do His work. He used a despised form of punishment and humiliation to accomplish His Will. Crudely constructed wood was utilized by the Lord to bring about life for His people. God used what was ‘despised’ by the world to make you Holy and righteous in His sight.

March 2023

Text Box: Then he (Jesus) said to them all, “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. (Luke 9:23)

Dear brothers & sisters in Christ,       

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

Once again, Lent is quickly approaching. Ironically, Ash Wednesday coincides with Valentine’s Day this year. What greater love exists than the love of Christ given in absolution? “This is my body, given for you. This is my blood, shed for you for the forgiveness of sin.” The love shown in God’s gift of His Son surpasses all understanding.

As disciples, our lives emanate out of that amazing love. Discipleship is following Christ and spreading that love. It is not always easy. In fact, Jesus warned His disciples that it would rarely be easy. Various things in us and outside of us tempt us away from lives of discipleship. Life is full of challenges. We face these challenges with God’s help. We face these challenges and temptations with Christ Himself walking with us.

This year, our theme will be to explore some of the struggles of discipleship. Our Midweek Gospel canticle is ‘Take Up Your Cross, the Savior Said.’ We will hear from various witnesses to Christ’s crucifixion. Each week two soliloquys will react to an event described in the gospels. Following Jesus has always come with challenges. The struggles of generations past continue to speak to our own struggle to ‘take up the cross.’ We will conclude our service praying for God’s continued guidance through the challenges in our own lives of discipleship.

Each day, we begin anew, forgiven by the great love of Jesus. Each day, by the power of the Holy Spirit, we take up our cross and follow the one true God. Each and every day, the grace and peace of God which surpasses all understanding keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.

“Take up your cross,” the Savior said,
“If you would my disciple be;
Forsake the past, and come this day,
And humbly follow after me.” (Charles W. Everest, 1814-1877)

February 2023

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

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

Paul writes, “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)

Giftedness in the church on earth is not a problem. God abundantly blesses the church with a variety of gifts. The Holy Spirit continues to be vibrant in the church and in the world. There is no indication that the Holy Spirit is any less active than 2000 years ago. Yet how many of us consistently behave as though God’s presence and activity saturates our daily lives? Once we start to recognize how prevalent the Holy Spirit is among us and how abundant those gifts are, we face the challenge of discerning how God is calling us to use those gifts.

It can be easy to go down the rabbit hole of comparisons, but Church is not a competitive sport. The Holy Spirit guides individuals, congregations, and church bodies to proclaim the Gospel in their own time and place – using the gifts they are given. No congregation is identical to another, just as no two believers are identical. Each have their own identity and gifts. Each has a responsibility to identify their own giftedness and mission.

We live in an impatient world. It takes time and effort to identify the gifts God has given us and even more time to discern how to coordinate with one another for the sake of the Gospel. Paul describes the church as a body of many parts that function in unity for the sake of the whole body. A common complaint expressed by individuals dealing with chronic illness is the ‘betrayal’ of one’s body. The disconnect between the body and the mind is especially frustrating. Illness within the church can be described similarly. The Body of Christ is not a haphazard head of gifts and people – it is the saints called together for the sake of the Gospel.

The reformers defined church as the “congregation of saints” among whom “the Gospel is purely taught” and the “Sacraments are administered rightly.” Heavily influenced by Paul, the criteria (or non-negotiables) for unity were the centrality of the Gospel, Holy Baptism, and the Lord’s Supper. (Augsburg Confession, Article VII) Therein lies beauty in the work of the Holy Spirit. God takes a bunch of ragtag believers and creates the church. God guides us to discern how and to whom we are called to be the church in this time and place – and gives us the gifts and courage to do so.

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

March-April 2022

1I call upon you, O Lord; come quickly to me;

give ear to my voice when I call to you.
2Let my prayer be counted as incense before you,

and the lifting up of my hands as an evening sacrifice. (Psalm 141:1-2)

Dear brothers & sisters in Christ,                     

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

We all know that prayer is an essential aspect of Christian discipleship. Prayer is communication with God. We know that it needs to be part of our daily lives. Sometimes ‘knowing’ and ‘practicing’ are two very different things. We are not the first ones to live in the disparity of what we ‘know’ and what we ‘practice.’

We have the paradigm of Christ’s life, faith and obedience. Despite our own failings, we do have His example of perfection before us to offer us aspiration. Jesus taught His disciples to pray. Jesus spoke often with the Heavenly Father. His is the only utterly perfect union with God. Yet what he teaches and demonstrates to us, does give us the tools to aid us in our own practice.

Jesus has given us not only His own example, but also the examples of faithful witnesses through time and most importantly, the gift of the Holy Spirit. As Paul reminds the Romans, “Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but that very Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words.” God Himself helps us to pray as we ought.

The Old Testament is full of the prayers of people who sought to follow and obey God. There are prayers of thanksgiving and prayers of lament. The struggles and prayers of God’s people is illustrated in the books of Moses, history, wisdom, and the prophets.

God blesses us with the example of Paul & the other apostles in the New Testament. The Acts of the Apostles and the letters give us glimpses into the challenges that the earliest Christians faced and the activity of God that led them to overcome those challenges.

God has also blessed us the example of other witnesses who have gone before us. During the past 2000+ years of Christian history gives us stories of people who have sought to serve Christ through the turmoil and drudgery of their own lives. We have the witness of both those whom we have known personally and the stories of saints who have followed Christ long before us.

Our Lenten Midweek worship services will focus on prayer. Our time of worship will feature Holden Evening Prayer and the witness of five brothers and sisters in Christ better known for their lives of prayer. Each has at least one prayer that has been passed down through the generations. We will explore their witness and prayer as we lend our own practices of prayer to their words, melding their endeavors to ‘pray unceasingly’ with our own attempts to do the same.

During this solemn time of Lent, let us all join our prayers together in the Holy Spirit and raise our collective voices to God. The grace and peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ. Amen.

6Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6-7)

May-June 2022

5 Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” 6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7 If you know me, you will know my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.” (John 14:5-7)

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

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

Recently, I had part of a song stuck in my head. This is not uncommon, but the fact that this one was beneficial was. The chorus of Diana Ross’s goes, “Do you know where you’re goin’ to? Do you like the things that life is showin’ you? Where are you goin’ to? Do you know?” Albeit I doubt she was reflecting on church mission, it does apply. The answer to the reimagined question is, in a very Lutheran fashion, both ‘yes’ and ‘no.’

Ultimately, we do know where we are going. We are going with Christ. His death and resurrection demonstrate to us that we are, and always will be, secure in His loving embrace.

Like Thomas, we would like a few more details. It would be nice to have a roadmap rather than just the final destination. Or for those who haven’t used an actual map in a while, we want the ‘steps’ on GPS, not just that red location pin icon.

In Hebrews, Noah, Abraham, and Moses are all extolled for their obedience to God despite the odds. Noah built the ark and leaded up the animals. Abraham left his home to go to a land yet unseen. Moses returned to Egypt to lead the Israelites into the wilderness. None of them (or their wives or families) knew how their journeys would include or how they would conclude. Yet they left what was familiar and ventured into God’s plan.

The church does not have a detailed roadmap, as much as we would like one. The Holy Spirit is our guide, and the Spirit can seem like an ambiguous and complicated scamp. Jesus compared the Holy Spirit to the wind during his interaction with Nicodemus. “The windblows where it chooses, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.” (John 3:8) The Holy Spirit’s disregard for human paradigms can be disconcerting and even frustrating. God has this tendency to do things His way instead of ours.

The Spirit “calls, gathers, enlightens, and makes holy the whole Christian Church on earth.” (Luther, Small Catechism, Apostles’ Creed: article 3) The function of the Holy Spirit is to be our GPS system, our roadmap. However, the Spirit is not bound to guide us in the direction or by means of our desires. Using the GPS metaphor (or maybe beating the metaphor to death), God enters all the options, destination, route, and mode of transportation. Occasionally (but very rarely) do we get a glimpse of the route along the way.

The Spirit is also tasked with giving us hope along the route. As we travel by faith, not only do we trust God is leading us, but we trust that we will be strengthened for the journey. As we discern and travel on our journeys as congregations, we can pray with confidence that God guides us. With the Psalmist we declare, “He leads me in right paths for his name’s sake.” (Psalm 23:3b) God is our shepherd. The Holy Spirit does guide and strengthen us. Even if we are not sure where we are “goin’ to,” we are sure that God’s Will is (and always will be) done.

The peace which passes all understanding keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.

July-August 2022

4 There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. 5 There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. 6 There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work. 7 Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.

12 Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. (1 Corinthians 12:4-7, 12)

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

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

As we enter into the depths of the season after Pentecost (having earned the nickname ‘long green season’ by clergy and altar guilds) we have a chance to focus our attention on what it means to be the church on earth. The church began dramatically on that first Day of Pentecost. It has continued through persecutions, scandals, schisms, divisions, and trials as well as joyous conversions, world-wide expansion and welfare advancements.

Luther describes the Spirit “calls, gathers, enlightens, and makes holy” me and all believers. The Holy Spirit gathers us into the one body. The Holy Spirit transforms individual believers into the community of believers. Community is far from easy. The book of Acts chronicles both the triumphs and tribulations of the earliest Christians. Sometimes, they just did not want to be in community with one another. Being in community with one another was – and is – challenging.

The disciples throughout Acts dealt with disagreements and disparities over the direction of the church. The earliest congregations experienced dissension amongst themselves. The Holy Spirit blessed the church with the gift of variety. Each believer was unique and blessed with unique abilities, roles, and vocations within the community. Variety within the context of a still sinful world eventually leads to conflict. Reports of conflict often resulted in a Pauline letter. (Paul himself was not immune to conflict. He and Barnabas had a falling out over who to include on a mission trip.) Life in Christian community is demanding work.

In modern American (or Western) culture, faith is usually regarded by people as individual and private aspects of life. Unfortunately, that attitude is not support by Scripture. The Christian faith has a strong communal and public aspect. The Holy Spirit landed on all the apostles gathered in Jerusalem. They then proclaimed Christ to all the people gathered in Jerusalem. “Those who accepted his (Peter’s) message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.” All of this was out in public and brought people into fellowship with one another. The second chapter of Acts continues to describe how the apostles and the daily added new believers lived in community with one another.

The loss of our awareness and experience of Christian community is a hardly new. Throughout the centuries, Christians have experienced the dichotomy of personal and communal expressions of faith. Historical emphasis tends to resemble a pendulum between the two expressions. As Christianity became more socially acceptable, the emphasis swung toward the individual. During times of duress, it swung toward the communal. The monastic movement combined the two elements by forming small, reclusive communities.

In the 20th century, Bonhoeffer conducted an experiment while teaching on behalf of the Confessing Church’s concept underground seminary at Finkenwalde. While living in community and studying under the threat of arrest, Bonhoeffer attempted to initiate a modern style of monasticism. Influenced by both contextual and theological motives, this project sought to nurture intentional Christian community. (A Gestapo raid on the seminary concluded the project.) Bonhoeffer chronicled this project, along with his theological stance espousing the necessity of intentional Christian community, in his book, Life Together. A highlight of his proposal is that Christians need to be intentional about community precisely because it is challenging.

Community has always been challenging, is still challenging, and for as long as we are on this earth, it will always be challenging. Human beings tend to want more than just one commonality and where diversity of ideas, gifts, or talents arise, there is a push for conformity. Yet, to (very loosely) paraphrase Paul, a body consisting of only eyes, or only ears, or only arms, or (insert body part ad infinitum) is useless.

The Holy Spirit “calls, gathers, enlightens, and sanctifies” you. The Spirit places you in community. Jesus is the one ‘common’ element we share. We do not need anything else. Christ is enough. The Holy Spirit has blessed us with diverse gifts and diverse people. The very things that make community difficult for us as human beings are precisely what makes us strong as the church.

November-December 2022

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

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

As one liturgical year concludes and another begins, it is an opportune time to review the cycle of the church year. This cycle gives us a rhythm to guide us through the Biblical narrative and focus our attention on what God has and continues to do in the world.

Much in life is cyclical. Each year we go through the seasons of Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter. (In Minnesota, we can even go this cycle in the span of a few days.) Vegetation and animals go through life cycles of birth, growth, and death. Our own lives go through regular cycles as well as the overall human life cycle.

God’s Word also generates cycles in our lives. ”You have been born anew, not of perishable but of imperishable seed, through the living and enduring word of God.” (1 Peter 1:23) Forgiveness and repentance are cycles of death and renewal. God’s Word both creates and works on the cycles of our lives.

The church year reflects similar life cycles. Advent through Easter move us through the Biblical stories from the expectation of a coming Savior to birth to life and ministry to death to resurrection to ascension. This cycle takes us on a journey each year through the gift of God’s incarnate Word, Jesus Christ. Beginning with the Day of Pentecost we journey through the growth of the church on earth, and concluding with the reminder of who reigns over God’s church.

Even as we hear many of the same passages and hear familiar stories, we also hear with new ears each time because the cycle of the church year intersects with our own life cycles.  As we grow and experience different seasons in our own lives, those stories impact at varying points and speak to us in new ways. As all the cycles in life continue, God’s Word continues to intersect those cycles and transform the world and us.

SeasonSpecial day(s)date focus
Advent 4 Sundays prior to 12/25 Preparation for 1st & 2nd coming of Christ
Nativity of Our LordEveDecember 2412 daysBirth of Christ
 DayDecember 25  
Epiphany January 6 Arrival of Magi
Season after EpiphanyBaptism of Our Lord1st Sunday after Epiphany Jesus baptized
LentAsh Wednesday40 days prior to Easter w/o Sundays40 days + 6 SundaysRepentance
Holy WeekPalm/Passion SundaySunday before Easter Journey into Jerusalem – -to the cross
(Easter Triduum)Maundy ThursdayThursday before Easter3 daysLast Supper
 Good FridayFriday before Easter Crucifixion
 Easter VigilDay before Easter Tomb
Easter 1st Sunday after the Spring full moon after 3/2150 daysResurrection
 Pentecost50 days after Easter Coming of the Holy Spirit
Season after PentecostHoly Trinity Sunday  Doctrine of the Trinity
 Reformation SundaySunday before or on Oct. 31st Ideals of the Reformation
 All Saints DaySunday on or after Nov. 1st Communion of saints
 Christ the King SundayLast Sunday of the Church year Christ as king

September-October 2022

12 When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” (John 8:12)

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

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

A couple earworms were kind enough to embed themselves in my brain during my recent driving adventures. At first, they seemed very unrelated. One was a song from the 70s musical Godspell, while the other was an 80s pop hit by Mr. Mister. When they both got stuck on autorepeat in my brain, the similarities emerged.

The first verse of the Godspell tune are as follows, “Where are you going? Where are you going? Can you take me with you? For my hand is cold And needs warmth. Where are you going?” The song continues with the vocalist’s request and commitment to follow Jesus following being forgiven.

The chorus of the Mr. Mister song actually utilizes a phrase that should sound at least vaguely familiar, “kyrie eleison.” It is the same words we sing during the creatively titled, ‘Kyrie’ toward the beginning of worship. Translated from the Greek, it means, “Lord, have mercy.” The chorus goes, “Kyrie eleison, down the road that I must travel; Kyrie eleison, through the darkness of the night; Kyrie eleison, where I’m going, will you follow? Kyrie eleison, on a highway in the light” The vocalist asks for reassurance of God’s companionship in life.

Although coming from very different vantage points, both songs are making the same basic request most of us have deep down – God’s guidance, protection, forgiveness, and love as we journey through life. We experience God’s love and forgiveness. We experience the uncertainty of life on earth. We long for God’s presence in our lives. We pray for God’s presence in our lives.

Lives of following Jesus can be unpredictable and even daunting. Life is unpredictable and discipleship is risky. Most of the early disciples were martyred. Disciples are still martyred. Following Christ means taking risks for the sake of the other, loving as Christ loved, and asking for forgiveness when we fall short (and we will all fall short at times). We trust in God’s strength and guidance as we travel through life on this earth. We cling to the love and mercy shown us in Christ to carry us and propel us to live as His disciples.

This is just as true for congregations as any of us as individuals. Congregations face change and unpredictability. Congregations grieve and face anxiety. Congregations even make mistakes and sometimes sin. Constitutions or buildings do not insulate congregations from the realities of life. Jesus promised to be there if two or three were gathered, not transport us into a fantasy world. The promise is to be with us, forgive us, and strengthen and guide us as communities.

Let us pray: Lord, you have put us on a journey to which we cannot always see what lies ahead. Strengthen our faith to trust you undying presence that sustains us and guides us. Have mercy on us when we falter and uphold us when we feel like we are falling. Send your Holy Spirit to fill our hearts and minds that we may always walk with you in the light. Amen

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

December 2021

Joy to the World, the Lord is come! Let earth receive her King;
Let every heart prepare Him room, And Heaven and nature sing,
And Heaven and nature sing, And Heaven, and Heaven, and nature sing.

Joy to the World, the Savior reigns! Let men their songs employ;
While fields and floods, rocks, hills and plains Repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat the sounding joy, Repeat, repeat, the sounding joy.

He rules the world with truth and grace, And makes the nations prove
The glories of His righteousness, And wonders of His love,
And wonders of His love, And wonders, wonders, of His love.

Dear brothers & sisters in Christ,
Grace and peace to you from God our Father and Jesus Christ the Lord and Savior. Amen.
The coming of Christ is a joyous occasion for all of creation. The Son of God, the Messiah, the Christ (anointed one), comes into a broken world to save it. The words of the popular Advent hymn by Isaac Watts reflect that joy.
Henri Nouwen once described joy with the following words. “Joy is the experience of knowing that you are unconditionally loved and that nothing—sickness, failure, emotional distress, oppression, war, or even death—can take that love away.” No matter what circumstances surround us, God sent His Son into this world and into our lives to assure us of His unconditional love. The knowledge of that love fills us with the joy and strength to share it, and the news of Christ’s coming, with the rest of the world.
As we prepare to celebrate the birth of the Savior, our joy is made complete. We give thanks. We make God’s deeds known to the nations. We sing praises to the Lord, our God. We shout aloud and sing for joy. God is in our midst. Joy to the world! The Lord is come!
The grace and peace of God which surpasses all understanding keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.

In Christ,
Pastor Carla


4 And you will say in that day: Give thanks to the LORD, call on his name;
make known his deeds among the nations; proclaim that his name is exalted.
5 Sing praises to the LORD, for he has done gloriously; let this be known in all the earth.
6 Shout aloud and sing for joy, O royal Zion,
for great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel. (Isaiah 12:4-6)