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Ash Wednesday
(February 9, 2005)
by Kathryn Sime
ELCA World Hunger Appeal
For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
—Matthew 6:21
The letters come every day—regretfully, far too many for me
to respond to personally. They come attached to gifts for the
ELCA World Hunger Appeal. Whether scrawled on memo paper or
typed carefully on stationery, the notes describe the giver’s
prayers and hopes for their gift to our church’s hunger and
disaster ministry.
One letter caught me by surprise. Linda, a grandmother, wrote
with a gift in honor of her nine-year-old granddaughter Holly’s
birthday. The note said that Holly had asked her grandmother for
a gift to help other children. Instead of a gift that only Holly
could enjoy, she asked her grandmother for a birthday gift that
could help other children. While it couldn’t be unwrapped or
shared with friends, Holly’s birthday gift was truly special.
Instead of a board game or new clothes, Holly’s present from her
grandmother was school supplies for children in refugee camps,
and play areas free from landmines for children in war-ravaged
countries.
What generosity from a nine-year-old! I thank God for Holly’s
parents and grandparents, for her pastor and Sunday school
teachers—for all who must have taught Holly about the
differences between needing and wanting and the differences
between our earthly treasures and those treasures of our heart.
I don’t know how long Holly thought about her birthday request
to her grandmother, but I haven’t stopped thinking about this
special gift of her heart.
(Inspired by Matthew 6: 21)
The
First Sunday in Lent (February 13, 2005)
by Marilyn R. Olson
Division for Higher Education and Schools
As a seminary student preparing for rostered ministry in the
ELCA, I was privileged to serve at Genesis House, a house of
safety and hospitality for women engaged in prostitution. More
than 90 percent were drug addicts; almost 100 percent had been
sexually molested as children. In society’s eyes, they were
sinners and women of little worth.
One morning I was followed through the house by a woman I did
not know who seemed quite upset. “I said ‘Hello’ to you back
there and you ignored me!” she shouted. Of course, I apologized
immediately. We began to talk. When she learned I was a
volunteer, she sneered “Oh! You’re one of those rich ladies from
the suburbs, aren’t you?” Before I could respond that I was in
fact a poor seminary student, she looked me straight in the eye
and said in a quiet yet firm voice filled with conviction,
“Well! It really doesn’t matter where you’re from or who you
are, you are always welcome here!”
In that moment, in those words of welcome, I realized that
she had forgiven me for my transgressions—my sins of privilege
and power. I was freely accepted. How many of us would utter
such words of welcome and forgiveness to someone like her—an
addict and a prostitute?
I pray that our ELCA college students and all those who
minister in their communities will encounter God’s grace and
forgiveness in unexpected places, as I did that day. (Inspired
by today’s readings)
The Second Sunday in Lent (February 20, 2005)
by Stephen Nelson
Division for Global Mission
God so loved the world, and so do we. John 3:16 speaks of
God’s love and action to redeem the world and all humanity. It
only follows that those who stake their lives on God’s promises
will also love the world God loves. And we do so gladly, whether
in our home communities or around the world.
In 2004 the ELCA Division for Global Mission appointed
approximately 150 new mission personnel for service.
Pastor David and Carla Schick left congregational ministry in
California to begin ministering among a diverse population in an
international congregation in Slovakia. In this congregation
there are representatives from European, American, Asian, and
African countries. Schick says, “Every Sunday the world comes
together at Bratislava International Church as members of the
student, educator, refugee, diplomatic, business, tourist, and
local communities gather in worship. It is exciting to be
leading a congregation with such incredible mission potential.”
Beth Wolslegel learned of God’s love for the world through
her congregation and mission trips to Peru and Mexico. Upon
graduation from college with a degree in special education, Beth
sought out an opportunity for service in God’s world through the
ELCA Young Adults in Global Mission program. Now in Bangalore,
India, Beth works at Liza’s Home for girls and women with both
mental and physical disabilities. Liza’s Home also hosts a
preschool program for children three to six years old from the
neighboring slum and has assisted living facilities for elder
women.
God so loved the world, and we give thanks for people who
give themselves in service to the world God loves.
(Inspired by John 3:16)
The
Third Sunday in Lent (February 27, 2005)
by Belletech Deressa
Divison for Global Mission
Water of Life and Water for Life
At this time of the Lenten season, we remember the crucified
Christ who came to the world to give us water of life through
his precious life. The text for this week also reminds us of the
significance of water for life, and for sustainable living. For
millions of people around the world, access to water, especially
clean water, is limited.
In 1992, as part of my responsibility to monitor projects
funded by the ELCA World Hunger Appeal, I visited the northern
part of Ethiopia, a semi-arid region often hit by drought. Due
to deforestation and traditional farming systems, the land is
now arid—rivers have dried up, and people and animals suffer
from lack of water.
In a community I visited, the Ethiopian Evangelical Church
Mekane Yesus and The Lutheran World Federation have dug wells
and constructed dams. Near one of the wells I met a beautiful
young shepherd girl bundled up in traditional cotton clothes
giving water to her sheep. There were more than twenty sheep,
but she was getting water from the well and giving it to the
sheep in groups of five at a time. She comes to the well three
times a day to give her sheep water. I was very impressed with
this young girl and wondered if she attended school. She said,
“No. I look after my sheep. I cannot go to school because I am
responsible for the sheep. They need green grass; they need
water; they have to be protected from thieves and wild animals.”
She told our group that this well provides the only water for
her community.
Like a shepherd girl who gives water to her sheep, Christ
came to give us living water and died for us on the cross.
(Inspired by John 4:10–13)
The
Fourth Sunday in Lent (March 6, 2005)
by Carol Henke
Division for Higher Education and Schools
Several years ago as I was about to undergo major surgery, my
pastor encouraged me to think of my favorite picture of Jesus.
Without hesitation I envisioned the picture of Jesus as the good
shepherd and the words of Psalm 23.
To understand this psalm, we have to understand what a
shepherd’s daily work involves. Sheep are helpless, just as I
felt years ago facing surgery, and just as our children and
teachers sometimes feel. The helplessness of a sheep is
especially apparent when it accidentally rolls on its back. A
sheep in that position cannot get up by itself. The shepherd
must rescue it before a predator makes it lunch!
Often children come to school feeling powerless. They are
like sheep on their backs, unable to get up without help.
Parents, grandparents, sisters, brothers, or even their teachers
cannot always help set them free from their heavy burdens. But
Jesus can! Jesus, our good shepherd, comes to our children and
teachers through Word and Sacrament. Here we experience the
green pastures and quiet waters with which our souls are
nourished.
In this Lenten season, we focus on the Good Shepherd, who
laid down his life to rescue us. In our schools, we gather to
worship a living and risen Jesus, our good shepherd, who cares
for us each day.
(Inspired by Psalm 23)
The
Fifth Sunday in Lent (March 13, 2005)
by Ray Gottschling
Division for Outreach
“Son of man, can these dry bones live?” “O, dry bones, hear
the word of the Lord.”
Richard Franks heard the word of the Lord and was ordained at
62, an age when most folks are making plans to retire and take
life easy. He and his wife, both with Ph.D.’s, had long teaching
careers and had lived and worked in academic centers in
metropolitan areas. His first call papers read: “Interested in
redevelopment.”
First Lutheran in Bryan, a small town in the northwest corner
of Ohio, was in desperate need of redevelopment. After some
serious conflict, First Lutheran had been without a pastor for
two years. Many members had transferred to other congregations.
Many pastoral candidates had refused to even interview. Richard
Franks and his wife, Betty, heard the word of the Lord to come
to First Lutheran.
Since then, both Richard and First Lutheran have come alive.
Worship is vibrant with Pastor Franks often composing a hymn for
the day. His degree is in music, and those well-honed gifts are
now transforming the worship life of First Lutheran. Tutoring
and feeding programs have been started with the help of an ELCA
hunger grant. Membership is growing. The facility now reflects
the care of a people who love their Lord and their congregation.
There is a sparkle in Pastor Frank’s eyes and a sparkle in
First Lutheran’s life. The word of the Lord has had its way, and
dry bones are indeed living!
(Inspired by Ezekiel 37:1-14)
The Sunday of the Passion—Palm Sunday (March 20, 2005)
by Sonia Solomonson
The Lutheran magazine
“Tears streamed down my cheeks as I read your article,” said
one letter writer. “Thank you,” many letters said, “Thank you
for writing the story of your father’s last days in hospice and
his dying. I’m in the process of dodging cancer,” said another,
“and it’s helpful to be given an example in dying well.” Still
another said, “You took me to the bedside of many dying members
and, ultimately, to my grandfather’s and the chance to do more
of my own grief work.”
Verse four of this Isaiah text stands out to me because of
what our staff does at The Lutheran magazine: “The Lord God has
given me the tongue of a teacher, that I may know how to sustain
the weary with a word.”
Each month our staff hopes to sustain the weary with a word.
We share our stories of dying and rising. We choose stories that
we hope will, in the words of our mission statement, “Nurture
awareness of Christ’s presence in our lives and the world and
challenge us to bring Gods grace and care to all.”
We know that each of us has brokenness in our lives. We have
illness, broken relationships, pain, unemployment, fears,
unfulfilled dreams, and a variety of things that wear us down.
Christ came into our lives that we might have life abundant and
that we might know the boundless depth of God’s love for us.
We hope our words may continue to inspire, support and
encourage the broken and the weary. (Inspired by Isaiah
50:4-9a)
Easter Day (March
27, 2005)
by Joanne Chadwick
Commission for Women
We arrived at the Lutheran Church of the Reformation in Beit
Jala having received permission from the Israeli Defense Forces
to worship.
This otherwise bustling Palestinian city was a ghost town.
The streets are littered with debris. The town was under a
24-hour curfew. All inhabitants are, essentially, under house
arrest. There are no people in the streets. Our cars are the
only ones.
As we approach the church. people peek out their windows, but
the church is empty.
Soon, two young men come through the deserted streets and
climb the bell tower. They ring the church bells. The bells ring
loud and long. When the bells stop, the quiet is broken by tanks
coming.
The silence is also broken by 40 courageous people who risk
safety to join us in worship. Outside we hear the rumbling of
the tanks. I wonder whether they will again knock down the gate
of the newly completed retreat and conference center—a center
dedicated to promoting understanding among all of Abraham’s
children—Christians, Jews, and Muslims. The tanks pass us by.
Inside, we celebrate the Eucharist and listen to the
proclamation of the Word: “Christ is risen! Christ is risen
indeed!”
In the midst of desperation and seeming hopelessness, the
proclamation of the resurrection resurrects hope for Palestinian
Christians and for their visitors. We came to express our
solidarity with people living under the yoke of a dehumanizing
occupation. We left unbelievably moved by this community’s
living witness to God’s love. In the midst of suffering, they
dare to cry, with a hope grounded in profound faith: “Christ is
risen! Christ is risen indeed!”
(Inspired by today's readings)
The
Second Sunday of Easter (April 3, 2005)
by Richard Bruesehoff
Division for Ministry
This Jesus God raised up, and of that all of us are
witnesses. —Acts 2:32
The bar was set high right from the beginning! God raised
Jesus from death. And, as if we had seen it ourselves, we are
eyewitnesses to this life-giving event. God has entrusted this
story to us.
Of course, it’s important to know the story of Jesus’
ministry of mercy and justice, his arrest, execution, and
resurrection. It becomes our story as we echo Luther’s
confidence that God has done this for me! But, like the account
of any eyewitness, it is not complete until I have told the
story.
My friend Pete taught me something about being this kind of
eyewitness. Pete is active in his congregation, and never shy to
tell others about it. But Pete is also a good ear-witness! He
not only knows how to speak, but also when to listen. One of his
co-workers, angry at God and the whole world, began to entrust
Pete with his middle-of-the-night hopes and fears. Pete knew no
pastor would be able to get close to this co-worker any time
soon. But Pete also knew this was a time for nothing less than
the story of God’s life-giving power. Pete’s plea, on behalf of
his friend was “I’m the only pastor he has right now. God help
me!”
Pete kept the bar high. Of that I have been a witness!
(Inspired by Acts 2:32)
The
Third Sunday of Easter (April 10, 2005)
by Ann Hafften
Division for Global Mission
American Lutherans are often surprised at the news that there
are Arab Palestinians who are Christian, who are Lutheran.
Sometimes Americans ask the Palestinian Lutherans, “When did
you convert to Christianity?” or “When did your family become
Christian?” And the Palestinian will playfully answer: “On
Pentecost!” The book of Acts tells us that following Peter’s
first sermon 3,000 people were converted to Christ. Among those
were “Arabs,” and Christians have been a faithful community
throughout in the Middle East since then.
The Lutherans of Palestine celebrate God’s love in Jesus!
They witness to Christ by providing vital education and health
ministries. And Lutheran leaders speak out boldly for peace with
justice. They are passionate about the injustice of life under
an illegal occupation.
The history of Lutherans in the Holy Land goes back 150 years
and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land
(ELCJHL) was formed in 1959. The church’s 2000 members are in
six congregations, located in Bethlehem, Beit Jala, Beit Sahour,
Ramallah, Jerusalem, and Amman (Jordan).
These congregations work hard to serve their struggling
communities. Five of them operate schools that serve children
from all denominations, and about 30 percent of the students are
Muslim. Too often checkpoints and curfews restrict movement in
and among the West Bank communities, severely hampering the
congregations’ ability to carry out their ministries. However,
rather than give in to defeat or bitter partisanship,
Palestinian Lutherans persist in their call to peacemaking. Both
the Palestinians and the international Lutherans who live and
work among that community provide a radiant witness to grace in
the midst of conflict.
(Inspired by Acts 2:14a, 36-41)
The
Fourth Sunday of Easter (April 17, 2005)
by Ed Kruse
Division for Congregational Ministries
Have you seen folks who just love to give? It is delightful
to watch them. It is inspiring to listen to them. If you take
your time when you’re with them, you might get a glimpse of God.
Barb loves to give. In a store, she says, “This will look
nice on Lily.” While reading the travel section of the paper,
she announces, “I think I’ll give Mom a trip.” At a restaurant
she notes, “Frances does a lot at the church. I want to give her
a nice evening out.” When she thinks about her job, she thinks
of her co-workers, “Cheryl did a good job. I think I’ll get a
box of her favorite candy and take it in tomorrow.”
All giving is a gift from God. It is a spiritual gift and a
lifestyle we can choose. Such giving is not pretentious. Barb
does not give to impress anyone. She does not give to get
recognition. She does not expect anything in return. When she
gives, she glorifies God and builds up the body of Christ.
When I met Barb, she was a single mother raising three boys
on a subsistence income. Yet she gave all eight of her siblings
and their children a gift every Christmas and a card on each
birthday. Barb gives behind the scenes to many others in her
large extended family. She gives generously to her church. She
continually looks for places to give.
Barb also gave me the gift of this story. I now give it to
you in the name of Jesus.
(Inspired by today’s readings)
The
Fifth Sunday of Easter (April 24, 2005)
by Ruth Reko
Division for Church in Society
Stones and rocks become fortresses in times of need.
Thousands of people everyday are sheltered in dwelling places
built of stones and bricks and wood by Lutheran social ministry
organizations.
Wilma shattered her hip and soon found herself living at a
Lutheran nursing facility. She shared her thanks for the gentle
blending of physical, emotional and spiritual care she received
in a note to staff: “Sometimes at night as I’ve laid in bed I’ve
felt as though God has gathered His choice servants from all
over the globe to meet here to minister God’s healing and love
to us who are under this roof.”
Congregations partner with social ministry organizations to
offer fortresses in time of need. A Bantu family with father,
mother, and four children came to live in Florida, fleeing
violent political and religious persecution. Volunteers and
agency staff welcomed this family with open arms at the airport.
In less than a year Sharif, the father, has found full-time
work, the older children are in school, and the parents are
learning English.
Eric has lived most of his life in dwellings provided by a
Lutheran organization which serves over 2000 people with
disabilities here and abroad. Eric has cerebral palsy and uses a
wheel chair. He loves his room in the family-like group home
where his computer lets him contact people who share his
interests in cars and geography. Eric cherishes the staff
members who provide this supportive place.
(Inspired by today's readings)
The
Sixth Sunday of Easter (May 1, 2005)
by Tim Frakes
Department for Communication
My feet hurt, and I still hadn’t found the “Aereopagus,“ the
place where the Apostle Paul delivered his famous defense of the
faith to the Athenians in Athens. My guide book didn’t mention
it. It wasn’t on the tourist map.
I was in Athens recording video footage for a new ELCA Mosaic
Television video titled “The Life of Apostle Paul with Rick
Steves.” Our script followed the story of Paul as recorded in
the Book of Acts. I needed to record the place where Paul
matched wits with the debating elite of the ancient world.
There are lots of famous places in Athens including the
Acropolis, and they were all marked on the map. I couldn’t
believe that no one but me was interested in such a famous
place. Finally, after much walking, I came across a discreet
bronze plaque at the base of a hill beneath the Acropolis. There
it was! Scrambling up a treacherous set of worn, stone steps to
the top of the hill, I expected to find a statue of Paul, or a
church dedicated to his honor. Instead, all I found was an
empty, rock-strewn hilltop. No church. No statue. Just the wind
and the rocks and a few Athenians walking their dogs. The view
of the city was beautiful, so I recorded some footage and
trudged back to my hotel.
We tend to think of Paul’s address to the Athenians as an
important moment in the life of the early church. But the
Athenians didn’t think much of Paul. “What does this babbler
want to say?” the text tells us. A few Athenians responded, but
most just walked away.
The Apostle Paul, however, went on to greater things. He
never let a set back stop him from pressing forward. In the end,
just like my trek up Mars Hill, Paul’s efforts were worth it.
(Inspired by Acts 17:22-31)
The
Seventh Sunday of Easter (May 8, 2005)
by Wendy Scherer
Division for Higher Education and Schools
“Why do you stand looking up toward heaven?”
A student I know loves to talk about the life to come. She
sings about it, prays for it, longs for it in a way uncommon for
others her age. We’ve discussed this, and she is resolute in her
conviction that this present life is virtually meaningless when
considered alongside that glorious life which will follow. She
doesn’t even see much point in enjoying this life to the
fullest, so fervent is her desire for that “perfect union with
Jesus.” But I wish more for this student. I wish for her the
truly abundant life which is already hers, in the very real
presence of Christ—here and now.
“Why do you stand looking up toward heaven?”
The disciples must have wondered where Jesus had gone. More
importantly, when was he coming back? They wouldn’t have to wait
very long to find out. “This Jesus…will come in the same way as
you saw him go into heaven.” Indeed he did, in the descent of
the Spirit upon the disciples at Pentecost. Now he would be with
them forever.
“Why do you stand looking up toward heaven?”
Jesus’ Spirit has been given to us, and dwells with us now—no
need to wait, or wonder, or look to the life to come as though
this present one is worthless. We have only to look around us—at
one another, at ourselves—to see the face of Christ.
(Inspired by Acts 1:6-14)
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Scripture quotations are taken from the New Revised Standard Version
Bible, © 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the
National council of the Churches of Christ in the USA and used by
permission.
Please contact the editor with questions, comments,
or corrections:
E-mail:
wendy.mccredie@elca.org
Phone: 800.638.3522 ext. 2565
© 2005 Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. Produced by the ELCA
Department for Communication, 8765 West Higgins Road, Chicago, IL 60631;
800.638.3522. Photocopy permission granted to ELCA congregations.
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