Tuesday, November 27, 2012

Some things never change

This past weekend, we headed up to Michigan to spend Thanksgiving with my wife's family. While we were back in the place of our youth (Lisa and I both grew up in the Detroit area) we got together with our college friends. This get-together is an annual event, and has been going on for nearly 30 years! My wife and I both graduated from Central Michigan University. We belonged to a folk group that was a part of the church we attended while there. From that group, there are five couples that make up this annual gathering. In fact, Lisa's roommate and my roommate got married as well! We have grown in numbers, as our children have become a part of our time together.

When we get together, it is as if time had stood still - we pick up right where we left off the last time we were together. As soon as I am greeted at the door of our hosts, I know I am among good friends who know me well, and I can be me. Do you know what I mean? Those people know me, and we have been through so much together. And even though we are MUCH older than when we first met, it is as as if things haven't changed.

And yet, things HAVE changed. We remember each other as college kids, wondering what the future would hold for us. Conversations used to be about wedding plans, babies on the way, buying a first car, a first house. That progressed on to schooling for the kids, aging parents, college for the kids and THEIR wedding plans. This year, we talked about retirement plans. Who would have thought back when we were studying for final exams at CMU that we would be, some day, sitting around talking retirement plans? By the way, I am not planning to retire any time soon - we just bought a new house!

Some things never change. And some things do. Isn't this true in our faith journey? Last Sunday, we heard the Lord God say, "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end." (Revelation 1) God is - always has been, and always will be. And even when things change in our lives, God is. The truth is God loves us. The truth is that this love will never end. This will never change. We never know what tomorrow will bring, let alone today. But today, tomorrow, just like yesterday, God is with us. It is good to know some things never change.

Tuesday, November 20, 2012

Happy Thanksgiving!

This week's posting is taken from a sermon by Pastor Vince Gerhardy of St Paul's Lutheran Church, Caboolture, Australia

Now thank we all our God
with hearts and hands and voices
who wondrous things has done,
in whom the world rejoices
who from our mother's arms
has blessed us on our way
with countless gifts of love,
and still is ours today.


A favorite hymn for a Thanksgiving Festival is ‘Now thank we all our God’. It’s a wonderful hymn of thanks that highlights God's love and care for each of us along life’s journey. From the moment we are born into the world ‘he has blessed us on our way with countless gifts of love and still is our today.’


This is one of the great hymns in the Christian Church. It's a hymn that fits almost any occasion. It is sung at weddings, at funerals, at dedications, on occasions as we have today. The hymn written 368 years ago is saturated with praise and thanks to God. You get the impression that the author, Martin Rinckart, must have experienced so many good things in his life, and had so many good things going for him, that he couldn’t help but give thanks and praise to God for all the good that God had shown toward him.

But let me tell you a little about Martin Rinckart, which I believe, makes this hymn even greater and more meaningful. Martin Rinckart (born 1586) was the son of a poor coppersmith. Because of his talent in music and through hard work, he went to university at Leipzig. In 1617 at the age of 31 he became the Lutheran pastor to the people of Eilenburg, in Saxony, Germany. At about the same time as he arrived in Eilenburg The Thirty Years War began and the Swedish army advanced through Saxony devastating the surrounding countryside. Refugees started to flood into the walled town for safety. Overcrowding, poor sanitation and a shortage of food created many problems. A terrible plague (the bubonic plague) broke out among the people. Other ministers in the town left or fell ill and died; the whole town council except for three died; some 8,000 people died.

People were always at Rinckart’s door and he gave away almost everything he had, even the rations for his own family. In one year (1637) he is said to have conducted funerals for more than 4,000 people who died from the dreaded fever. Even though Rinckart was in daily contact with those who fell ill and died, he remained in good health and was able to keep on caring for those suffering, dying and grieving.

To add to the suffering of the people of Eilenburg the town was raided and sacked first by the catholic Austrians and then the Lutheran Swedes. In spite of all this devastation and senseless death, it would not surprise us to hear that Rinckart had lost his faith in the love of God, questioned where God was during all this, and why did he allow so much suffering not only in the town of Eilenburg but throughout Germany - one third of German towns were destroyed and the male population was halved.

But he didn’t. He didn’t focus on the losses and devastation he had seen or the sadness that filled his heart over the loss of so many friends or the brutal killing of his parishioners including women and children at the hands of marauding armies. Instead he focused on the God of grace who faithfully keeps his promises, especially when the cruelty and barbarism of humanity takes control and life on a personal level is taking some unexpected turns. The people he loved should have been able to live at peace but instead heartache and suffering was all they felt. It was in the middle of wars and plagues that Rinckart penned a poem ‘Now thank we all our God’. It was soon put to music.

As peace was restored this hymn was adopted all over Germany as a solemn expression of thanksgiving for the end of so much bloodshed. In homes it was sung before meals as a grace. Nothing could be more moving than these words which sprung from the heart of a very grateful man and sung by people who had lost much but could still raise their voices in a song of thanksgiving to God.

 


 


Tuesday, November 13, 2012

My Church


My Church

There is an old hymn entitled "My Church! My Church! My Dear Old Church!" You won't find it in the new hymnals today, but I heard mention of it by those who have been Lutheran longer than me (that is a nice way of saying "older than me" don't you think?).  The song was published in the book The Way of Salvation in the Lutheran Church by GH Gerberding in 1887.

Here is the first of its seven verses:
My Church! my Church! my dear old Church!
My fathers' and my own!
On Prophets and Apostles built,
And Christ the Corner-stone!
All else beside, by storm or tide
May yet be overthrown;
But not my Church, my dear old Church,
My fathers' and my own!

What makes a church "My Church?" At what point in the relationship do we claim the church ours? And let me be clear that what I am talking about is not the church catholic or even our denomination or branch of the Lutheran faith. I am talking about the church I attend, am a member of, and where I worship.

First of all, and most important, it is God's church, not ours. We are called to be stewards of it, just like everything else God has given us. But it still belongs to God. So I must be careful when I say "My Church!" As the second line of the hymn states - "My father's and my own!" The church belongs to God.

Somewhere along the way, we first attended this church. Either it was as a visitor, or as a child brought to church by a parent or parents. I had a young man in a previous church tell me that growing up he had a drug problem. He said, "Yeah, my parents drug me to church." One way or another, we got here. And for a period of time, we were considered visitors. Through a class and possibly a transfer of membership, we were welcomed in as members. Is that when the church became ours? Or does the church become ours when we join in a group, participate in a choir or ensemble, attend a Bible study? Or does the church become ours when we get our offering envelopes and give to support its mission and ministry.

As a new pastor at the church, I shared on my first Sunday that the guest has become the host. I had been welcomed as a guest, and given a great welcome by the Call Committee, Council and members of the church. The congregation voted, and I was called to come to serve as pastor. I accepted that call. Then that first weekend of worship came, and now I had become a part of the church. This is now my church. And yet, I too must remember that it is not solely my church, but God's church.

I believe we claim the church to be ours when we see ourselves as the host and not the guest. My hope is that the church, Epiphany Lutheran Church is considered by those of us who call it "Our Church" can be a place of joy and welcome. I pray that we can be "Lutheran Proud, but not too proud" (I saw this on a t-shirt at the National Youth Gathering earlier this summer) and share with others "our church." I hope and pray that, together, we continue to take ownership of the care and leadership of that which God has entrusted to us. I hope and pray that through the mission and ministry of Epiphany Lutheran Church, God is glorified, and that, together, we will love Jesus by serving others. 

My church. Our church. God's church.

 

Tuesday, November 6, 2012

Choices


Today is Election Day, November 6, 2012. FINALLY! All the campaigning is done, and now it is time to make some decisions. Some choices are easy - you made up your mind a long time ago, and now you know who you will choose. Others - it may be a bit more challenging. But still, you have a choice, and the choices you make do make a difference.

As a church-goer, there are choices to be made as well. It begins on the weekend. The first choice you make is am I going to go to church? Am I going to set aside an hour of the 168 hours God has given me this week to give thanks and praise to God?” Sorry for the sarcastic tone, but I thought I would put things in perspective and show my bias. Still, you have a choice. Surveys state that over 40 percent of Americans SAY they go to church every week, but the actual numbers of those who attend are closer to 25 percent. We have good intentions, but sometimes the choice to do something else with that hour takes precedence. Should I stay or should I go? 

Once you do make the decision to go to church (personally, I believe this is the right choice!), the next questions are which service and what campus? Epiphany has six worship services to choose from every weekend. Factors you may consider in making your choice include: Traditional or contemporary; Far Hills or Austin Campus; Pastor Sara or Pastor Charlie preaching. You may consider all of these options, or you may be a creature of habit and attend the service you always attend. The choice you make may also be determined by your participation in the service as a leader, usher, choir member, etc. More choices! You decide. The choice is yours.

So, once you have decided you are going to church, and have picked the service to attend, you still have decisions to make. Where are you going to park? Will you get there early, or just before the service starts? Will you take extra time to go to Sunday School? Once at church, are you going to greet that person you do not know? Are you going to talk to that person on the other side of the church who you disagree with, and have avoided for months? Are you going to sit in the same pew/seat you always sit in, and scowl if someone has gotten there before you? Are you going to greet those who come and sit nearby? Are you going to participate in worship, sing at the top of your lungs, respond with gusto, or are you going to sit back and observe? When it comes time to pass the peace, will you greet only your friends, or will you go outside your comfort zone and greet the stranger, welcome the visitor, and extend a hand to that so-and-so who doesn't see things your way? When the offering plate comes by, will you support the mission and ministry of the church, or will you let others cover that for now? Will you take the words at the end of the service to heart, and strive to "Go in peace and serve the Lord" in the days to come? Will you look at the list of activities, studies and outreach opportunities available at Epiphany, and consider participating in the mission and ministry in the coming week? So many choices.

In considering all these choices, remember these words of Jesus: "You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit--fruit that will last." (John 15:16a). In the waters of baptism, God's choice is made, and God chooses you! You are a child of God, not because of the choices you make, but by the choice God has made. In response to this good news, may the choices we make be our thank you to God for what God has given us. And may we be aware that the choices we make bear witness to others what this good news means to us. The choices we make can open the door for the stranger, the visitor, or the one who is looking to get back to church where a warm welcome is needed. The choices we make can and DO make a difference.

So many choices.