Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas to you and yours!  My hope for you is that the true joy of Christmas fill your hearts and your homes.

From Eugene Peterson's transliteration of the Bible "The Message" - Luke 2

 About that time Caesar Augustus ordered a census to be taken throughout the Empire. This was the first census when Quirinius was governor of Syria. Everyone had to travel to his own ancestral hometown to be accounted for. So Joseph went from the Galilean town of Nazareth up to Bethlehem in Judah, David’s town, for the census. As a descendant of David, he had to go there. He went with Mary, his fiancée, who was pregnant.

While they were there, the time came for her to give birth. She gave birth to a son, her firstborn. She wrapped him in a blanket and laid him in a manger, because there was no room in the hostel.

There were sheepherders camping in the neighborhood. They had set night watches over their sheep. 

Suddenly, God’s angel stood among them and God’s glory blazed around them. They were terrified. The angel said, “Don’t be afraid. I’m here to announce a great and joyful event that is meant for everybody, worldwide: A Savior has just been born in David’s town, a Savior who is Messiah and Master. This is what you’re to look for: a baby wrapped in a blanket and lying in a manger.”

At once the angel was joined by a huge angelic choir singing God’s praises:

Glory to God in the heavenly heights,

As the angel choir withdrew into heaven, the sheepherders talked it over. “Let’s get over to Bethlehem as fast as we can and see for ourselves what God has revealed to us.” They left, running, and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in the manger. Seeing was believing. They told everyone they met what the angels had said about this child. All who heard the sheepherders were impressed.

Mary kept all these things to herself, holding them dear, deep within herself. The sheepherders returned and let loose, glorifying and praising God for everything they had heard and seen. It turned out exactly the way they’d been told!

This season of preparation for the coming of the Christ child has been filled with wonderful programs and activities here at Epiphany. I am thankful for all the volunteers and staff who have worked so hard in putting these events together and carrying them through. A couple of these events I have captured in pictures and put them in slideshows. I hope you enjoy these as much I enjoyed putting them together. Consider these a special Christmas gift for you.

No Room in the Inn - Nativity Set Display



Wise Guys and Starry Skies - Children's Christmas Musical




AND one final video I came across just before worship on Christmas Eve - I am pretty sure you will enjoy this!




Merry Christmas!

Peace,

Pastor Charlie

Christmas Is Coming!

This week, I share with you a poem -
“Twas the Night Before Christmas” 
re-written by Pastor Herb Brokering.  

‘Twas the night before Christmas and all through the earth,

every creature was stirring for a new baby birth.

The people were looking straight up and then down,

to the left and the right, in the country and town.

Some faces were watching far out in the sky

believing God’s Son would be coming by.

The Wise men were searching the heavens with care,

hunting signs of God’s love in the stars up there.

The Bethlehem children were snug in their beds;

they had dreams of olives and figs in their heads.

Shepherds were tired, weary and beat –

Their sheep had just “baaaed” their last sleepy bleat.

When up in the air there rose such a clatter,

they looked up and saw angels and said, “What is the matter?”

Up on their feet they stood straight and tall

to see hundreds of angels and hear angels call.

It sounded like glory and looked bright as can be,

it was hard to believe and so hard to see.

When what to wondering eyes should appear;

glory, glory around them so loud and so near.

It happened so sudden, it happened so quick!

Was it real? Was it true or was it a trick?!

More rapid than eagles, the shepherds came,

they found Mary and Joseph, and whispered His name.

It was Jesus, Jehovah, Messiah, the Son,

Emmanuel, the Lord – He is the one

And each one to their knees they fell down to the ground;

how good to receive the one they had found.

So up to the hillsides their running feet flew,

with their eyes full of Jesus and their hearts now like new!

Faraway, Wise men stood on a roof

searching the stars for Biblical proof.

“There, there!” each one shouted, “Out in the East!”

and mounted with speed their two-humped beasts.

They were filled with questions from head to toe,

asking” Where is the new king, we truly must know.

And three kinds of gifts they piled on camel’s back;

gold, frankincense, and myrrh in a sweet smelling pack.

Their eyes how they twinkled, big and red like a cherry

when down in the hay was a child beside Mary.

The king’s silent faces were stiff for awhile;

then, slowly their cheeks turned into a smile.

They saw God had given His Son to the earth;

they took up God’s gift and put theirs down on the earth.

They had nothing to do and nothing to say.

It was truly God’s world and this was God’s day!

The king with the gold had a little round tummy.

The Frankincense king smelled yummy, yum, yummy.

The presence of myrrh was in a small can.

Mary would put it on Jesus when he was a man.

The child blinked and turned his head and the kings,

they knew they had nothing to dread.

They spoke not a word, they headed for home, so

thankful to God that he surely had come.

Christ on earth; old things we like new –

Now people could see what God can do.

When people laugh or cry, get born or die,

 God’s glory is near and Jesus will come by.

It is the night before Christmas from the ground to the sky

and Jesus our brother will always come by.

So we know and you know that God is in sight.

Good morning to all and to all a good night!

Snow

The first significant snowfall of the year came last Friday, as predicted. The coming storm was incentive for me to take care of an item on my "to do" list that kept being moved to later - getting the snow blower fixed! Our snow blower has served me well over the past few years, and I had the habit in our former neighborhood of using the machine on not just our sidewalk and drive, but the neighbors as well. There is a sense of accomplishment when you are clearing the snow. And maybe a bit of my "state up north" roots come into play - I enjoy being out in the snow.

Well, the old snow blower has blown its last snow - time for a new machine. I sent a message to my wife that the old machine was finished, and that a new snow blower was what we needed. She knew I wouldn't wait long to get a new one!  It is now in the garage, and worked well in clearing off the drive!

I am not the only one in the house that appreciates the snow. Our Golden Retriever Maggie LOVES the snow, and would spend all day playing in it, chasing snowballs through it, or laying on it for hours on end.

She will get frustrated with us when we won't come out and play with her. I put together a time lapse of the snow on our porch on Friday - eight hours of snow in 2 minutes. In the video you will see Maggie out and about a few times during the day!

The snow is beautiful, especially with the Christmas decorations. The lights shimmering off the snow and the decorations covering the displays add a wonderful dimension to the season. And I know there are many students and teachers who rejoiced at the news of the first snow day of the year!

Now I am well aware that not everyone enjoys the snow. I am aware that many really didn't care for the snow that caused their cars to go in unintended directions. There were a lot of fender-benders on Friday, making the beauty of the snow very difficult to appreciate. The snow caused many to change plans or cancel activities. And there are those who have inadequate shelter or no shelter at all, and the cold and wet weather makes things that much more difficult and unbearable.

Whether you like it or not, snow happens (at least here in the climate in which we live). We can watch the weather, check the radar, pray for snow or no snow, do a snow day ritual (our kids used to have a ritual for hopefully guaranteeing a snow day - pajamas inside out and backwards, an ice cube on the porch, and a snow day dance), and many other things. God only knows what affect these might have on the weather. And yet, it comes.

There is a wonderful balance God has given us - the warmth of summer, the dry days and wet rains, the beauty of the seasons. And there are times of severe weather and times of drought. There are times of extreme heat and bitter cold. Whether we like it or not! But God is good. The creation will lay dormant for the coming months, and will once again bring forth new life in the spring. Of this we can be assured. So if you don't care for the snow - know that it will not last forever. I know that I will not make those who hate the snow lovers of the white stuff by my words. But may we find beauty in the creation God has given us.

Anyone need their driveway cleared? 

Peace,

Pastor Charlie

Did You See the End of that Game?

This past Saturday was the day of the annual match-up between the Ohio State Buckeyes and the Michigan Wolverines. My Dad attended Michigan before being drafted to serve in the Navy in World War II. Even though he only attended for one year, he was a devout fan of the team up north! His passion for the game has been passed on to me, and I look forward to the rivalry every year. However, the way the Wolverines have been playing this year, as well as the way the Buckeyes have been playing this year, I held out little hope for my boys.


www.annarbor.com

Well, it was quite a game, wasn't it? And even though Michigan did not win the game (and many of you have been kind enough to remind me of that important fact), I was thankful that it wasn't a lopsided game, and it lived up to the hype of being one of the great rivalries of all time. When I came to church on Saturday Night for worship, I had several conversations before and after about the game, and many were willing to share their opinion on whether the Michigan coach made the right call at the end to go for the win instead of a tie. It was a great game.

As I prepared to head home from church that night, my son called and asked me if I had just seen the end of the Alabama/Auburn game. Even though I had just gotten a scoring update on my phone (yes, I am fairly - some would say overly connected to my phone for information), I had not heard any of the details. My son filled me in on the unlikely ending of a very exciting game. When I got home, Lisa and I watched the highlights of the game. What a finish to that game - Alabama was ahead until the final minute of the game, and ended up loosing in the last second on a wild play.  It was a great game!  When I got to church on Sunday, I had many more conversations about BOTH games, and talk about who will play for the National Championship. Most of these conversations began with the question, "Did you see the games?"

I am going to make a bit of a stretch here, so stay with me if you will. I see some correlation between the conversations and the Christmas story we will hear in the coming days. The shepherds are in their fields, doing their job. They become witnesses of some incredible things - one angel, then an army of angels announcing the birth of the Messiah, and then the baby in a manger who is the one foretold by the heavenly host. These shepherds are witnesses to something incredible. They are then transformed into evangelists who go out and share the good news of what they have heard and seen.

From Luke 2 - selected verses (Revised Standard Version): 
And the angel said to them, “Be not afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy which will come to all the people; for to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord....

When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” And they went with haste, and found Mary and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger. 

en.wikipedia.org

And when they saw it they made known the saying which had been told them concerning this child; and all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them...  And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.

When we see something incredible, wonderful, exciting or life-changing, it is hard to keep it to ourselves. We want to share the good news. We want others to experience what we have experienced. I can understand why those who watched the football games wanting to share with others. I can also understand why the shepherds were so willing to share what they had heard and seen.

The question is I have for you is how do you share the blessings of God, which at times can be incredible, wonderful, exciting or life-changing? What have you heard and seen? May we find opportunity to share the news with others, so they, too may come to know this One who comes to save us - Christ the Lord.

Peace,
Pastor Charlie

Happy Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours. I hope and pray the day brings you time of joy, comfort and time with those who are special to you. I hope you have time to pause and give thanks for the blessings God has bestowed upon you and yours.  

Thanksgiving is a two-fold process – it is about being thankful for the gift, AND giving thanks to the giver! 

There is a special place in my heart for Thanksgiving, for my ancestor, John Howland, was on the Mayflower. In fact, he is best known in history books as the young man who was blown overboard during a storm while crossing the Atlantic. He was rescued by way of an anchor rope. Some say I inherited his coordination (or lack thereof).

When we think of the first Thanksgiving, we picture a celebration that is warm and cozy, with a lavish spread and over-indulgence as we know Thanksgiving to be today. But these images are not so true. After two months of confinement on the Mayflower, the pilgrims anticipated the balmy weather of Virginia, which they had been told to expect. However, already weakened from the voyage, they landed in a bitter winter storm in  December, 1620.  

They arrived in New England with only enough food to make it through the first winter. They planted a communal garden in the summer but the settlers didn't know how to plant Indian corn and the crop was small. In November of 1621, more pilgrims arrived without adequate provisions. Governor William Bradford was worried when he calculated that there was only enough food for six months if everyone took half their rations. 

After a second hard winter, another ship arrived in May of 1622, with seven more pilgrims and some letters, but no food! The food supply was almost gone and the people were starving. People began stealing from the community garden. The communal garden idea wasn't working. Another ship arrived later in 1622 with some food, but not much. The daily ration was down to a quarter-pound of bread a day.

Yet another winter passed, and in 1623, the settlers decided to parcel out the land to individual families and let the families tend their crops. When they planted their seeds, they were deeply concerned about the success of the gardens. Governor Bradford noted that they really meant it when the prayed for their daily bread! 

In the autumn of 1623, the harvest of the pilgrims private gardens was now a great success. In this spirit of deep gratitude to God, Governor Bradford declared a day of Thanksgiving. A time of Thanksgiving? Of the eighteen wives on the Mayflower, only five remained alive for that first Thanksgiving Day three years later, in November, 1623. The children fared a little better, but only because, in many cases, their mothers made the supreme sacrifice. Only one half of the ship's original roster survived to eat that first meal of Thanksgiving!

So, although we may picture a well-fed people, surrounding a festive, food-fare, it is better for us to recall that this first Thanksgiving Day was an act of praise and gratitude to God:

    For a little bread instead of none!

    For a slim hold on life in place of death!

    For a glimmer of hope in an otherwise uncertain future!

It was not what they hoped for, but God was with them, and they thanked God for all that was good.

And on that first Thanksgiving, the Pilgrims placed on their plates five kernels of corn to remember the great suffering of the first settlers, the severe rationing that they suffered through. Yes, they remembered to say Thank You!

What are you thankful for? Do you find it difficult to give thanks in all circumstances?  I encourage you to pause, reflect, and rejoice in what blessings God gives you this day. When all is prepared, and you gather together with loved ones, take a moment, and say thanks. Thank God for all that he has given us. For all that is good is a gift from God!  

Peace - and Happy Thanksgiving!  

Pastor Charlie

Musical Medley

For this week's entry, some song selections from the acapella group, Straight No Chaser.  Lisa and I enjoyed their concert last weekend.  What is so wonderful about their music is their ability to work together to make one beautiful sound. Always looking for the sermon material in every day life, I am reminded of St. Paul's words to the Corinthians (this is from Eugene Peterson's transliteration, "The Message" - 1 Corinthians 12 - selected verses):

God’s various gifts are handed out everywhere; but they all originate in God’s Spirit. God’s various ministries are carried out everywhere; but they all originate in God’s Spirit. God’s various expressions of power are in action everywhere; but God himself is behind it all. Each person is given something to do that shows who God is: Everyone gets in on it, everyone benefits. All kinds of things are handed out by the Spirit, and to all kinds of people! All these gifts have a common origin, but are handed out one by one by the one Spirit of God. He decides who gets what, and when.

You can easily enough see how this kind of thing works by looking no further than your own body. Your body has many parts—limbs, organs, cells—but no matter how many parts you can name, you’re still one body. It’s exactly the same with Christ. By means of his one Spirit, we all said good-bye to our partial and piecemeal lives. We each used to independently call our own shots, but then we entered into a large and integrated life in which he has the final say in everything. (This is what we proclaimed in word and action when we were baptized.) 

Each of us is now a part of his resurrection body, refreshed and sustained at one fountain—his Spirit—where we all come to drink. The old labels we once used to identify ourselves—labels like Jew or Greek, slave or free—are no longer useful. We need something larger, more comprehensive.

I want you to think about how all this makes you more significant, not less. A body isn’t just a single part blown up into something huge. It’s all the different-but-similar parts arranged and functioning together. As it is, we see that God has carefully placed each part of the body right where he wanted it.

But I also want you to think about how this keeps your significance from getting blown up into self-importance. For no matter how significant you are, it is only because of what you are a part of.   The way God designed our bodies is a model for understanding our lives together as a church: every part dependent on every other part, the parts we mention and the parts we don’t, the parts we see and the parts we don’t. If one part hurts, every other part is involved in the hurt, and in the healing. If one part flourishes, every other part enters into the exuberance.

We are gifted with different skills, abilities and talents that, when used in collaboration with others in the body of Christ, beautiful things can happen!

The group Straight No Chaser is made up of 10 guys who met at Indiana University and started a group while on campus back in the mid 90's. In 2008, a video of one of their Christmas songs went "viral" and a recording company picked them up. Now they tour quite a bit, and have some great songs with incredible harmony. What was fun to see in person was how much they seem to love what they are doing.  It shows through in their music.  

Here are some of my favorites.

And this is the video that has come to define the group.


Have a wonderful week!

Peace,
Pastor Charlie

Fellowship

There is nothing like taking time to sit down to visit with friends and loved ones. Unfortunately, we don't often find the time in our packed schedules to do that. I find it hard to put on my calendar time for fellowship, but when it happens, I find it to be a blessing beyond measure.

This past Sunday at Epiphany was Stewardship Sunday. This year, we introduced a new program called "New Consecration Sunday." Since we worship on Saturday too, we changed it to "Consecration Weekend." Pastor Steve Kimm from Peace Lutheran Church in Beavercreek preached and led us through the process of filling out our Estimate of Giving cards at the Far Hills campus, and I led the program at the Austin campus. Being a new program, I confess I was anxious about how the program would be received, what the response would be, and hopeful that all the pieces of the worship and celebration would come together as planned. I give thanks to God for a wonderful group of volunteers and staff members who stepped up to help out this past weekend. What a blessing they all are!

One of the key elements of this stewardship program is a celebration meal after each service. Well, a congregation that worships six times on a weekend makes this a logistics challenge (as someone once told me, we don't have problems, we have opportunities!). To make this happen, we had desserts available for the Saturday Night worshippers and breakfast/brunch available for the Sunday service attenders. Would we have enough food? Would the food be warm? Would there be room for everyone to sit? What about those coming to the last service - would they eat before the service? These are the questions that kept me up at night (I don't remember covering ANY of these questions in seminary!). Thanks to the army of volunteers and the Little Miami River Catering Company, I found that I had nothing to fear. We had plenty of food for Saturday Night and for Sunday Morning at BOTH campuses. Attendance was up, the food was delicious, and the response of the congregation toward giving for the coming year looks very positive.

All that was great. But the one aspect I overlooked is the importance of fellowship. With our worship schedule, as well as our own personal schedules, our time at church on a Saturday or Sunday is somewhat limited to worship and education times. Then we head out the door to the next item on the agenda. What I experienced this past weekend was the joy of fellowship. We took the time to sit down and share a meal together and to visit. No set agenda. No topic for discussion. Nothing but food and fellowship.

When I was done with worship and the breakfast at our Austin campus, I came up to the Far Hills campus to check on things. When I entered the gathering space, I saw people lingering after their meal visiting with one another, and enjoying the time and space. This was a good hour after the service they attended was over. How great to see the community taking time to be together. The comment I heard from so many was, "We need to do this more often." How true.  How true.

We are called to community. We are called to be the body of Christ.

Selected verses from Romans 12:

As in one body we have many members, and not all the members have the same function,  so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually we are members one of another... Let love be genuine; hate what is evil, hold fast to what is good;  love one another with mutual affection; outdo one another in showing honor.  Do not lag in zeal, be ardent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in suffering, persevere in prayer.  Contribute to the needs of the saints; extend hospitality to strangers. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them.  Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep.  Live in harmony with one another... Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Thank God for the community of saints.  Thank God for fellowship. 

Peace,

Pastor Charlie

Autumn

This past weekend, we traveled north to Cleveland to see our children and celebrate our daughter's birthday. While it was a rainy, cold weekend on the lake, the colors of the trees and fields were breathtaking. God has an incredible array of colors that are on display this time of year. 

So I thought I would gather some pictures together and some music and put together a celebration of the season. The images used in this slideshow (outside of four or five that I took) come from the web site "The Big Picture." This site is hosted by the Boston Globe newspaper. Every week or so, the web site posts pictures focusing on a season, an event, a group of people or a place that is timely. The images are fantastic - I often find myself saying, "I wish I could take pictures like that." The web site address is: http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/

The music for the video is a song by William Ackerman called "The Visiting."  I think the song fits the images well.

Thank God for the beauty of creation!

Peace,

Pastor Charlie

A Great Cloud of Witnesses

This past weekend, I participated/attended seven worship services.  In addition to the five wonderful Reformation services at Epiphany Lutheran Church in Centerville (if you haven't been there I strongly encourage you to check it out some time), I was at Wittenberg University for the installation of Bishop of the Southern Ohio Synod Suzanne Dillahunt on Saturday morning, and at Trinity Lutheran Seminary for the installation of President Rick Barger on Sunday night. It was a great weekend of Word and Sacrament.

While I was looking forward to the services (I do love worship), I was not expecting to be so moved by gathering with the many classmates, colleagues, teachers and friends who worshiped with me. At Bishop Dillahunt's installation, I joined in with dozens of my colleagues who processed for the service.

Entering Weaver Chapel

I had the opportunity to visit with many who serve congregations throughout the synod and share with them our mutual joys and challenges in our settings. We sang with great gusto in the entryway of Weaver Chapel waiting for our time to enter, and realized we were a couple of beats ahead of the organist when we finally entered.

"The Church's One Foundation"

Dr Wally Taylor

                         

Dr. Wally Taylor preached an incredible sermon (he was my New Testament teacher in seminary - a brilliant scholar and great orator), and the music was so very good. Both Bishop Mark Hanson (his final official act as Presiding Bishop of the ELCA) and Bishop Elizabeth Eaton (newly elected Presiding Bishop of the ELCA) led the installation service. I am thankful for their willingness and ability to share the duty so graciously.  (more pictures can be found at the Southern Ohio Synod Facebook page)

Left to Right - Bishops Eaton, Dillahunt and Hanson 

 
After the service at Wittenberg University, I headed home for five wonderful services at Epiphany Lutheran Church. Our worship services were great Reformation celebrations, filled with great music, red balloons, joy and celebration. I wore my Reformation Socks - my aunts bought them for me in Germany years ago - there is writing on the socks that read "Here I Stand." You can only wear those once a year! The choir led the congregation in an anthem together with a brass quartet, and we sang "A Mighty Fortress" that lifted us up and led us out filled with joy. Larry and Cindy Hoffsis provided us with decorations and wonderful artifacts from Germany, including an old German Bible, maps and artwork. What a festive day.

On Sunday evening, Lisa and I headed over to Trinity Lutheran Seminary for the installation of Rick Barger as the fourth president of Trinity Lutheran Seminary. Bishop Dillahunt presided, and Bishop Eaton preached. President Barger was a classmate of mine - just a year ahead of me in seminary. I am excited about his leadership and his dedication to the institution, but more so than that, his faithful devotion to the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Bishop Eaton

Dr. Rick Barger

(Pictures by my colleague and friend - Pastor Aaron Layne)

It has been many years since I have seen some of my seminary professors, and I was moved to tears when I recognized one after another. We all have gotten older. My Old Testament professor, who can barely walk, was ushered to communion by my Church History professor - hand in hand, these two men who nurtured me in my faith formation approached the altar to be nurtured by Jesus' precious gift. Another Old Testament professor shuffled to his seat, and I could still see the glint of joy and serendipity in his eye. I got a chance to speak with former President Fred Meuser, who over the years has become a mentor and friend. At the young age of 90, he still finds opportunities to preach and teach. And a couple rows in front of us, youth from my previous congregation, together with their faithful leaders joined in the celebration.  And in the midst of that holy place where I "heard the wonder of the Word," the saints who have gone before us were there with us at the gathering place at the altar as we gathered with the communion of saints to share the feast. 

Together with so many classmates and colleagues, friends and loved ones, this weekend I believe I caught a glimpse of heaven. I communed with the saints. I worshiped with the witnesses who have molded, encouraged and nurtured me, as well as some I have had the opportunity to nurture. This is the Kingdom of God.

Hebrews 12:1  "Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us."


After this weekend, I am ready to run the race!




Peace,
Pastor Charlie

Martin Luther Moments

This coming Sunday is Reformation Sunday. On October 31, 1517, Martin Luther posted 95 statements for debate (theses) on the church door in Wittenberg, Germany. This is the date attributed as the beginning of the Protestant Reformation. Martin Luther was a prominent force in reformation, and he was also a prolific writer, gifted preacher and teacher, and writer of many hymns. And though Luther balked at the idea of having the church be named after him, he did have some wonderful words to share.  Here are some quotes I gathered from numerous sources of quotes attributed to Martin Luther:

• “Hier stehe ich; Here I stand; I can do no other. God help me. Amen!”

•  “Music is the art of the prophets and the gift of God.”

•  “Our Lord has written the promise of resurrection, not in books alone, but in every leaf in springtime.”

• “You are not only responsible for what you say, but also for what you do not say.”

• “Whatever your heart clings to and confides in, that is really your God.”

• "Let the wife make the husband glad to come home, and let him make her sorry to see him leave."

• "To be a Christian without prayer is no more possible than to be alive without breathing."

• "I have no pleasure in any man who despises music. It is no invention of ours: it is a gift of God. I place it next to theology. Satan hates music: he knows how it drives the evil spirit out of us."

• "Even if I knew that tomorrow the world would go to pieces, I would still plant my apple tree."

• “If you are not allowed to laugh in heaven, I don't want to go there”

• “Faith is a living and unshakable confidence, a belief in the grace of God so assured that a man would die a thousand deaths for its sake”

• “Beautiful music is the art of the prophets that can calm the agitations of the soul; it is one of the most magnificent and delightful presents God has given us”

• “The Bible is the cradle wherein Christ is laid.”

• "I have held many things in my hands, and I have lost them all; but whatever I have placed in God's hands, that I still possess."

• "Pray, and let God worry."

• "God writes the Gospel not in the Bible alone, but also on trees, and in the flowers and clouds and stars."

• "Be a sinner and sin boldly, but more strongly have faith and rejoice in Christ."

• "You should not believe your conscience and your feelings more than the word which the Lord who receives sinners preaches to you."

• "If you young fellows were wise, the devil couldn't do anything to you, but since you aren't wise, you need us who are old."

• "When I am angry I can pray well and preach well."

• "Grant that I may not pray alone with the mouth; help me that I may pray from the depths of my heart."

• "Peace is more important than all justice; and peace was not made for the sake of justice, but justice for the sake of peace."

• “Whoever drinks beer, he is quick to sleep; whoever sleeps long, does not sin; whoever does not sin, enters Heaven! Thus, let us drink beer!”

    Finally, what I like to call the Lutheran Fight Song:  A Mighty Fortress

        A mighty fortress is our God,
        a sword and shield victorious;

        he breaks the cruel oppressor's rod

        and wins salvation glorious.

        The old satanic foe

        has sworn to work us woe!

        With craft and dreadful might

        he arms himself to fight.

        On earth he has no equal.

       No strength of ours can match his might!

        We would be lost, rejected.

        But now a champion comes to fight,

        whom God himself elected.

        You ask who this may be?

        The Lord of hosts is he!

        Christ Jesus, mighty Lord,

        God's only Son, adored.

        He holds the field victorious.

       Though hordes of devils fill the land

        all threat'ning to devour us,

        we tremble not, unmoved we stand;

        they cannot overpow'r us.

        Let this world's tyrant rage;

        in battle we'll engage!

        His might is doomed to fail;

        God's judgment must prevail!

        One little word subdues him.

       God's Word forever shall abide,

        no thanks to foes, who fear it;

        for God himself fights by our side

        with weapons of the Spirit.

        Were they to take our house,

        goods, honor, child, or spouse,

        though life be wrenched away,

        they cannot win the day.

        The kingdom's ours forever!

Text © 1978 Lutheran Book of Worship, admin. Augsburg Fortress.

Text: Martin Luther, 1483-1546; tr. Lutheran Book of Worship

A video to send us on our way - a version of "A Mighty Fortress" by Chris Rice

Peace,

Pastor Charlie

Blessing of the Animals

Earlier this month we gathered for a special service of blessing for pets and their owners. Many churches hold a service of blessing for animals around the beginning of October in honor of St. Francis of Assisi. According to the American Catholic web site, stories abound of how St. Francis of Assisi (1182-1226) could communicate with animals and felt at one with all creation. Here is just one of many the stories that were first recorded by Thomas of Celano during the 13th century. —retold by John Feister 

St. Francis Preaches to the Birds

Father Francis and his companions were making a trip through the Spoleto Valley near the town of Bevagna. Suddenly, Francis spotted a great number of birds of all varieties. There were doves, crows and all sorts of birds. Swept up in the moment, Francis left his friends in the road and ran after the birds, who patiently waited for him. He greeted them in his usual way, expecting them to scurry off into the air as he spoke. But they moved not.

Filled with awe, he asked them if they would stay awhile and listen to the Word of God. He said to them: “My brother and sister birds, you should praise your Creator and always love him: He gave you feathers for clothes, wings to fly and all other things that you need. It is God who made you noble among all creatures, making your home in thin, pure air. Without sowing or reaping, you receive God’s guidance and protection.”

At this the birds began to spread their wings, stretch their necks and gaze at Francis, rejoicing and praising God in a wonderful way according to their nature. Francis then walked right through the middle of them, turned around and came back, touching their heads and bodies with his tunic.

Then he gave them his blessing, making the sign of the cross over them. At that they flew off and Francis, rejoicing and giving thanks to God, went on his way.

Later, Francis wondered aloud to his companions why he had never preached to birds before. And from that day on, Francis made it his habit to solicitously invoke all birds, all animals and reptiles to praise and love their Creator. And many times during Francis’ life there were remarkable events of Francis speaking to the animals. There was even a time when St. Francis quieted a flock of noisy birds that were interrupting a religious ceremony! Much to the wonder of all present, the birds remained quiet until Francis’ sermon was complete.  (http://www.americancatholic.org/features/francis/stories.asp)

As we gathered with our dogs and they received a blessing, we also received a blessing as caretakers. The joy and love was tangible that day. God blesses us in many ways - this service brought that to light.

Here is a slideshow I put together from the service - thanks to Pastor Sara for her leadership and coordination of our worship.

Peace,

Pastor Charlie

The Installation of the Presiding Bishop

On Saturday, October 5th, Elizabeth Eaton was installed as the presiding bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. For this week's blog, I want to share with you a couple of links to introduce you to our new presiding bishop. The first is an interview with the Chicago news program before her installation.

This next link is from a blog written by Bishop Jim Gonia of the Rocky Mountain Synod. He shared reflections of the installation service.  (click on the underlined item below)

Bishop Jim Gonia: Glorious!

Finally, here is a link to the webcast of the installation.



Please join with me in praying for Bishop Eaton and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, that we will work together in proclaiming the good news of Jesus Christ for all to hear!

Peace,

Pastor Charlie

Dependent

This past weekend, our son Andrew came home for a visit.  Andrew graduated from Ohio Northern University with a Pharmacy degree back in May and is now gainfully employed by CVS Pharmacy in the Cleveland area.  He brought home with him his 5 month old Newfoundlander puppy, Enzo. Enzo weighs in at 53 pounds - he will gain another 80 to 90 pounds in the coming months!  Enzo and our Golden Retriever Maggie had a great time playing in the back yard and around the house. Even at 5 months, Enzo is not the fastest dog in the world; he kind of lopes when he runs, and he is growing into his legs. Maggie ran circles around him in the back yard, and both were worn out when the day was done.

 

It was great to have the boys home!  Two things that struck me when they were here. First of all, I observed first-hand my son caring for this animal that is dependent on him for care, food, guidance and love. Enzo is Andrew's responsibility, and it was a blessing to see him in that role. This young man my wife and I raised and nurtured is now the one who nurtures. Yes, I know some day it will be babies instead of dogs, but one thing at a time!

 

The second observation is that this was the first time my son came for a visit and he left without asking for, or me offering him money! Our dependent has become independent (and there was much rejoicing!). I believe that both parties are thankful this. And even though it is not a big thing, it is a transition in our lives. We have all gone through it, haven't we? 

 

And yet I know there may come a day when I may become the one dependent on my son. Many of us have gone through this as well, haven't we? Both Mom and Dad became dependent on my brothers and me. It was not something that we planned on, but rather it became a necessity, and I am thankful that my brothers and I were able to provide the care and assistance they needed in their final days (especially grateful to my brother who lived within a few miles of them their final days and gave much time and loving care for them). I am well aware that our children watched us as we cared for our parents, knowing that this may be their charge in the DISTANT future.

 

In caring for those dependent on us, we provide a model for their role to be the caregivers and nurturers. God provides parents and people for us who are authorities in our lives so that we might be cared for, as well as models for how to care for others. In God's great love for us, we have a model of unconditional love, care and support. Through our caring for others, we are given the opportunity to share God's love. It is the circle of life, the community of family and friends that give us a glimpse of God's love in action.

 

Ever dependent on God, may we be instruments of God's love to those who are dependent on us.

 

Peace,

Pastor Charlie

 

Something Beautiful

Earlier this week, Lisa and I attended a concert at Centerville High School sponsored by the Miami Valley Concert Association. At the concert we saw many Epiphany members there. and I came to find that many of the board members of the association are Epiphany members! The event began with two songs by the school's a cappella group, Forte'.  The group has won many awards and accolades over the years for their sound and blend. It was great to see several kids from Epiphany in the group, as well as others who were in our summer musical this year. We love a cappella groups, and we were not disappointed.

Next on the program was the group Tonic Sol Fa. The four man a cappella group from Minnesota has been together since 2000, and they provided a great evening of music and conversation. I want to share with you a couple of their songs in this week's blog.  The first is entitled, "Grace." With a title like that, any good Lutheran pastor is bound to love it!

The song that I enjoyed the most from the concert was "Something Beautiful." Here are the lyrics:

She’ll find a treasure in a thrift store

Something someone else threw out

And she’ll take it back home with her

And work a miracle somehow

What was junk then becomes

Something Beautiful

I felt like Jesus wouldn’t want me

That’s how lost I thought I was

When forgiveness seemed beyond me

So unworthy of love

But even in me she’s finding

Something Beautiful

She takes the lost and the broken

She finds a way to make them shine

I don’t know how she does it

But she does it every time

She says the difference

Between what we see and what might be

Is such a fine line

Oh there’s nothing that can’t be

Something Beautiful

So unworthy of love

But even in me she’s finding

Something Beautiful

She says the difference

Between what we see and what might be

Is such a fine line

To her there’s nothing that can’t be

Something Beautiful

Oh there’s nothing that can’t be

Something Beautiful

Here is the video

The good news is that God finds in you and in me something beautiful. Out of great love for you and for me, Jesus died and rose again so that we might be, in God's eyes, beautiful. Forgiven. Worthy. Made whole.

I believe we are called do the same - to look at our neighbors, our friends, our loved ones, and even those it may be difficult to love, and see in them something beautiful.

Peace,
Pastor Charlie

Dancing in the Aisles

Have you been to worship at Epiphany’s Austin Campus lately?  It’s located south of Centerville on the corners of Social Row and Sheehan Road, and it was opened about three years ago. We are blessed to have two campuses for worship and ministry. Over the past few months, I have noticed an increase in the number of young children at the worship services there. I’m quite pleased to say that I have noticed more and more families worshiping together at ALL our services - it is great to see. The Austin Campus, in particular, is filled with many children and teen-agers, sometimes making up half of the participants in worship. 

I truly believe that when we provide an environment for kids to participate in worship, to feel welcomed and happy in worship, we are creating good habits that last a lifetime. And when we see the church filled with all ages – couples, singles, families, empty-nesters - we get a glimpse of the kingdom of God. When I see young children coming to worship, I see our young brothers and sisters in Christ who we welcomed when they were baptized, and who we promised to support and nurture in their faith journey. This past Sunday at the Austin Campus, it was a blessing to see children dancing in the aisles!  A few young girls seated in the front row with their families moved away from their seats and danced to the music. I will tell you that I was tempted to join them, but if you have ever seen me dance, you would agree it was best to not join in (know your gifts!). Their joy and celebration tied into the Gospel lesson for Sunday so well - "...there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents." (Luke 15:10)

When I stepped out to get a drink of water after my sermon, I walked past the nursery, which was empty except for the nursery attendant. I am thankful that we have safe place where children can go if they need to be out of worship for a time, and some children did go into the nursery later in the service.  But what a joy to see that the parents felt their kids were welcomed to join in church, and because of it, we were blessed.  

After worship on Sunday, a friend of mine shared this link to a weblog on his Facebook page. The timing was perfect.  I share it with you here (click on the picture below).

Thank you, dear children, for sharing your joy with us. Maybe next time, I will have to join in the dance!

Peace,

Pastor Charlie