I will lead the blind by a road they do not know;
by paths they have not known I will guide them.
I will turn the darkness before them into light,
    the rough places into level ground.
These are the things I will do,
    and I will not forsake them. (Isaiah 42:16)

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

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

The world is changing and has been changing. The church is in the same boat. In an ironic way, we are fortunate to be officially recognized as being in transition. As much as change causes anxiety, at least we can be up front about it. We are very aware that change is part of our existence.

It takes a ton of energy to hide the fact (or hide from the fact) that things are changing. Many congregations are exhausted by trying to return to a time that is never returning (and was probably not nearly as idyllic as the memories are). There are no magic bullets or programs that will turn back time. For that matter, as much as we honor our histories and learn from them, we are called to be the church now – in this time and place.

In June, I attended a mini-retreat introducing ‘Faith+Lead’, a ministry of Luther Seminary. The following are Six Commitments of the church as identified by Faith+Lead team. These ‘commitments’ are timely reminders of ‘non-negotiables’ for congregations in a changing religious climate. I noticed that these same commitments also highlight truths often taken for granted.

1. The Triune God is actively creating, reconciling, healing, and restoring the world.
2. God is with us in Jesus and invites us to join in what God is doing.
3. The gospel of Jesus Christ is a matter of life and death for the whole world.
4. The Holy Spirit gathers and sustains the local church—and will continue to do so.
5. God is the primary leader of the local church.
6. All Christians are called to follow Jesus by joining God’s work in daily life.

Anyone notice a common denominator in those commitments? (Hint: GOD) God is active. God is in charge. God is gathering. God is inviting. God is guiding. God is sustaining. God is empowering. God is inspiring. The non-negotiable for the Church (on earth and in heaven) is very simple – God is at the center. As simple as it is, it may be historically the most frequently forgotten characteristic of the church on earth.

I remember a family whose children (& later grandchildren) learned early on to make sure they were all in the car before mom left the church parking lot. Sometimes Christians try to drive off without God. It can be difficult to remember that not only should God be in the car, but also driving and navigating.

We are called to follow where God leads. Yes, the world changes. Yes, change impacts the church. Yes, we trust that God, who has promised to lead us, will actually do so. As the Hebrew congregations were reminded centuries ago, “Let us hold fast to the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who has promised is faithful.” (Hebrews 10:23)

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

15 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinegrower. ² He removes every branch in me that bears no fruit. Every branch that bears fruit he prunes to make it bear more fruit. ³ You have already been cleansed by the word that I have spoken to you. ⁴ Abide in me as I abide in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me. ⁵ I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing. (John 15:1-5)

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

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

I like gardening imagery and metaphors. Plants need roots and a stem/vine, to support leaves/fruit. Faith can be compared to a plant. We rely on God’s nourishment and the connection Christ has instituted in our lives. We abide in Christ and Christ abides in us. We are bound together. Jesus is our lifeline. We are fed with God’s word and nourished by the Holy Spirit. As the outer growth of the plant, we rely on the nourishment and energy infused in us through the roots and stem.

The image also works for the church as both local expressions of the Body of Christ and the Church universal. All those outer branches and leaves are interconnected and stem from one vine. All expressions of Christ’s church are fed by the Holy Spirit. Individually, each leaf may seem miniscule, but together they form a canopy. Likewise, each believer is integrated into the larger Body of Christ and together we form a canopy of blessing to the world.

Plants have life cycles. Spring brings new life – budding trees, blooming bulbs, sprouting seeds – all around us. It is also a reminder of the new life God gives us in Jesus Christ. Paul wrote to the Corinthians, “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) This also rings true for both individuals and communities alike.

You are in Christ. You are a new creation. This transformation occurs over and over throughout your life as a disciple. God is always forgiving and raising you up to new life. It is in that new life that we move forward, always trusting the power and mercy of God present and active in our own lives and in our communities. You are rooted in the love of God – now and forever. Amen.

4 I, therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beg you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, ² with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, ³ making every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace: ⁴ there is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope of your calling, ⁵ one Lord, one faith, one baptism, ⁶ one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all.

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 4:1-6, 11-14 NRSVue)

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

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

Congratulations in this exciting point in your congregational life. All three congregations passed the Parish Agreement at their respective annual meetings. We now step forward onto the next leg of our journey together. Like all things new and different, it will have moments of excitement and moments are anxiety. It is okay to be both excited and apprehensive. We haven’t done it this way before. We are heading into uncharted territory – that is both exhilarating and angst-ridden.

We remember we are part of a larger journey. While we are beginning a new leg of our journey, this journey was begun by others thousands of years ago. It is also a journey that will continue until the second coming of Christ. Many have journeyed prior to us. Many will journey after us. All of those journeys join together into a broader journey. “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.” (1 Corinthians 12:12) We all serve the common purpose of making disciples.

We also remember that God is in control. The prophet Isaiah delivered this promise the exiles, “I will lead the blind by a road they do not know; by paths they have not known I will guide them. I will turn the darkness before them into light, the rough places into level ground. These are the things I will do, and I will not forsake them.” (Isaiah 42:16) God makes that same promise to this new parish. Our prayer that ‘God’s will be done’ applies just as much to our ministry together as it does in our individual lives or the world.

Recently someone was describing ropes she had strung throughout their home when her husband lost his sight. These ropes helped guide him and remember where he was and how to get where he was going. They gave him a sense of independence and confidence. In many ways, God gives us ropes to grasp when we feel like we are unsure or apprehensive about where we are or where we are going. The most obvious examples of those ropes are the Holy Spirit, community, and God’s Word. Together we are guided by God along this journey.

We also remember that we are blessed to be a blessing. All three congregations have been blessed for the purpose “to equip the larger body for the work of ministry, for the building up of the body of Christ.” All of the individuals within the three congregations have been blessed for that same purpose. God blesses us with ropes to guide us. God gives us the strength and courage to follow where God leads us. God fills us with the Holy Spirit. God feeds and nourishes us all as we journey together. Together we proclaim Christ’s love and hope.

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

1 ^3bWhat has come into being ⁴ in him was life, and the life was the light of all people. ⁵ The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overtake it.

⁶ There was a man sent from God whose name was John. ⁷ He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. ⁸ He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light.  (John 1:3b-8)

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

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

The season of Epiphany plays with the imagery of light to illuminate our awareness of Christ. At times the imagery of light is more literal. The magi follow a star in search of the anointed one. The heavens are ripped apart at the Baptism of Jesus. Jesus is transfigured into a glowing figure in front of the disciples on the mountain top. Other instances, the image is more figurative. Jesus calls the disciples and illuminates them with a peek at His mission. Jesus teaches with an authority that had not been previously heard – shining a new reality into Scripture.

The image of light denotes revelation – knowing Jesus Christ. The imagery of light also illuminates our lives with the revelation of God in Christ Jesus. God’s light shines into our own darkness as well as the darkness of the world around us. We get to see God.

John had a clear-cut trajectory to his life. He was to go out into the wilderness, dress like a prophet (camel’s hair), eat like a prophet (locusts and wild honey), baptize, preach, and be martyred. That is what worked in his context. People flocked to him in part because he reminded them of stories they had heard about the prophets of old. Most of us would not be able to pull off that look. I personally can handle the baptizing and preaching, but would prefer to take a pass on the rest. It also highly doubtful that anyone would listen to someone who went around dressed and acting like John did back then. Connotations have changed.

Just because we live in a different context, does not mean we are off the hook. We are still called to testify to the light. Jesus tells us, “¹⁶ In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.” We are called to testify to the light by using the gifts each of us has and in the context we live. Our voices join with other believers. We raise our voices and our acts of love; together we testify to the light of the world. We illuminate the darkness with the light of Christ.

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

A voice cries out: “In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord;
    make straight in the desert a highway for our God.
⁴ Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low;
the uneven ground shall become level, and the rough places a plain.
⁵ Then the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together,
    for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.” (Isaiah 40:3-5)

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 Autumn moves into full swing, sometimes events more closely resemble a stampeding mob than moments of enjoyment. As a society (at least according to our retail shops) we are always looking for the next big thing. Today’s holiday is tomorrow’s clearance deal. At times it can seem like we are rushing so fast toward the next event, we miss the joy of the present moment.

The season of Advent is designed to slow us down to prepare us for the greatest gift – the coming of the Messiah. This year we do run into a bit of an issue with the fourth Sunday of Advent falling on December 24^th, but we still have a few weeks to prepare our hearts and minds for the coming of the Christ. During this time, we call our attention to the amazing gift God gives the world in revealing His glory to us in the form of His Son. We call our attention to God making a new covenant with humanity.

“And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14) We are witnesses to this amazing blessing. We have heard the good news. We have seen the glory. God took on human form to facilitate reconciliation. God mends the brokenness in our lives with grace and love. Jesus comes to repair the cracks and chasms between the world and God.

We prepare by declaring the works of God and proclaiming Christ in our words and actions. God calls us to help prepare not only ourselves, but the world, for His coming. “How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of the messenger who announces peace, who brings good news, who announces salvation, who says to Zion, “Your God reigns.”” (Isaiah 52:7).

We join our voices and actions with those of the angels, the shepherds, Anna, Simeon, the magi, John the Baptist, the disciples, and all the saints to “Sing a new song to the Lord, who has done  marvelous things” (Psalm 98:1a). This is part and parcel of preparing ourselves and the world for the coming of the kingdom. We share the Good News we have received. We shout it from the mountains and the plains, “Jesus Christ is come!”

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

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

A source of joy for many of us is the changing of seasons. We see the change of season all around the natural world. It reminds us of the constant cycle of life. We associate different activities with different seasons. It may currently be football, raking, volleyball, hunting, harvest, &/or a host of other ‘seasons,’ depending upon your preference (or your child(ren)’s or spouse’s preference).

The Church year has similar seasons. We mark the cycle of the life of the church on earth in our worship. Currently we are still in the ‘long, green season,’ also known as Pentecost. At the end of the church year, we begin the cycle again with Advent.

Our individual lives also have seasons. We mark milestones within those seasons as grow older. We naturally have different interests and priorities during different seasons. We associate different activities with different seasons. Sarah and Abraham notwithstanding, very few couples over eighty would be ecstatic about an unplanned pregnancy of their own – shocked, but probably not overjoyed. It is not an activity they were expecting in that particular season of their lives. By the same token, very few people in their mid-twenties would be excited to move into a retirement community.

Congregations, denominations, and the larger church also have seasons. Unfortunately, these seasons are most evident after the fact. In the meantime, we walk by faith. “For everything there is a season and a time for every matter under heaven.” Through every season, we trust that God is guiding us. God will be with us through this season and the next, just as our ancestors were led by God’s hand in seasons past.

“Let us hold fast to the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who has promised is faithful.” (Hebrews 10:23) These words to the Hebrews many seasons ago, continue to be relevant in our season. We hold fast to the One who is faithful. We trust in God’s promise – now and forever – in every season.

¹I, therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beg you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, ² with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, ³ making every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace: ⁴ there is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope of your calling, ⁵ one Lord, one faith, one baptism, ⁶ one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all. (Ephesians 4:1-6)

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

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

The early church gathering in Ephesus faced challenges. They were floundering in the tension between the societal structures around them and following Jesus. Paul addresses them with encouragement in the form of a reminder of their calling. They were called by the Holy Spirit into the Body of Christ. That same Spirit gathered them into community, guided and empowered them, and made them righteous in the sight of God. The reality of being the Church, the community of believers in Christ, supersedes any human paradigm.

Recently, a respected colleague posted a lament concerning the challenges present in the church today. Citing decreasing attendance and financial support as well as changing attitudes of people regarding the functional and cultural relevance of the church in society and in families, he posed a question regarding the activity of the Holy Spirit in the church today.

Is the Holy Spirit still active in the church today? Yes, I firmly believe that the Holy Spirit continues to “call, gather, enlighten, and make holy the whole Christian Church.” (Luther, Small Catechism, Article 3) I also recognize that it does not have to look the same as it did in the past. It is reasonable to expect the Holy Spirit can adapt to any challenges to “call, gather, enlighten, and sanctify the whole Christian Church.” It is unreasonable to expect the Holy Spirit to sanction any construct that limits or prohibits God’s activity.

Paul’s reminder to the Ephesians still applies to us today. Our calling as children of God supersedes all else. Though the particulars of our challenges may differ from the congregation in Ephesus, we also flounder in the tension between societal constructs and our identity as disciples. As we live in that tension, we pray for the wisdom, strength, and courage of the Holy Spirit. During this time of ‘Holy Experiment,’ we have been discerning the opportunities the Spirit has in store for us.

The elected leadership at Henrytown, Mabel First, and Scheie Lutheran have committed to exploring adaptive paradigms for the sake of the Gospel. This summer, we will be intentionally exploring options to formalize a mutually beneficial agreement between the three congregations. We continue to ask for your prayers and input.

Our mutual calling is to proclaim Christ in this time and place. By the power of the Spirit, we face the challenges of our context together. The hope of this calling relies on “one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all.”

The Spirit continues to work in and among us. God sends the Holy Spirit will guide us to “walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which” we “have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love.”

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. (Romans 15:13) Amen.

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 16^th 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.

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.