Israel - the Trip of A Lifetime

Back in March 2010, my wife and I took the trip of a lifetime - Israel! I had always dreamed of going to the Holy Land, but there were always reasons NOT to go. Some of those reasons were the cost, safety concerns, kids at home and schedules that were too full. I also wasn't sure how to go about coordinating a trip like this, so I put it off.

When I was at camp a few summers ago, I talked with a colleague and dear friend who has made the pilgrimage nine times during his ministry. He encouraged me to give it a try, and connected me with the tour group he had used every time. The ball was rolling, and things fell in to place, and we finally made it to Israel.

For me, the greatest part of it all was experiencing the places where Jesus walked, as well as the tribes of Israel, Peter and Paul, and so many more. The rich history is overwhelming, and the sites are spectacular. The scripture came alive for me in seeing the walls of Jerusalem, the Sea of Galilee, the Garden of Gethsemane, the Dead Sea and so much more. Every day was a new adventure. So many memories, and so many pictures!

In the coming weeks (my entries here for August), I want to share some of those memories with you. I will add some pictures as well, so you can get a glimpse of what we saw. I will share with you our journeys in the rolling hills and farmland of northern Israel, the deserted wilderness of the area around the Dead Sea, and the splendor of Jerusalem, old and new.

I have an ulterior motive here - I plan to go again, and I encourage you to consider joining me. A journey to the Holy Land is a spiritual Pilgrimage that every Christian should make at least once in a lifetime.  There the Bible comes alive with names and events we have been hearing about all our lives.  It brings a new richness as we walk where Jesus walked. And to share this spiritual experience with others is an even more enriching indeed.  It creates a unique fellowship.  It is a journey that is to be treasured forever.

The trip is scheduled for October 28th through November 6, 2014.

Questions you may ask:
Is it safe?
I was surprised how safe it was.  We never felt we were in an unsafe place. I realized after a short time there that this is not a deserted land, but a place where people live and work and play every day. There is plenty of security everywhere you go, and the tour guides are in constant communications with the Israeli officials, so any areas that are of concern are avoided.

Is there a lot of walking?
I am not going to lie - there is a good bit of walking, but I never felt exhausted or overly strained when we finished each day.

What do I need to travel to Israel?
A passport is needed. No other documents, no additional shots, etc. There are plenty of stores to buy whatever you might forget. A water bottle is a must, so you don't get dehydrated. 

How long of a flight is it?
The flight from New York is about 10 hours.

Will we be with other groups?
Most likely we will. This was a joy on our trip to meet people from other parts of the country who are members of various denominations.

Who will lead the tour?
The tour group I will be using is called Nawas Travel. Many of my colleagues have used this group with great success. We will have a local guide who is licensed by Israel to serve as a guide.

What is the weather like?
A bit warmer than we have here in early November. Depending on where we are traveling, the temperature can vary from low 60's to mid 80's.

What is the food like?
Very good - a lot of fresh produce. There will be many opportunities to try the local fare, as well as our fix of Western food as well.  Breakfast and Dinner is provided each day as part of the tour. 

Do they speak English in Israel?
Yes. Although it is not their first language, we had no trouble with language barriers.

How well do I need to know my Bible?
Not to worry. Whether you are a Bible scholar or don't know where you last put your Bible, you will be just fine. I plan to lead some Bible studies before we go to prepare the group for the trip.

If you are interested in finding out more about the trip, let me know and I will forward information to you.

Peace,

Pastor Charlie

Anniversaries

On Sunday, August 4th, we will celebrate our daughter and son-in-law's first wedding anniversary. Lisa and I were talking about how busy things were last year at this time as we were getting ready for the big event! There were meals and transportation and hotels to coordinate for family and friends, tuxes and dresses to pick up and try on, details with the wedding ceremony, vendors to contact and a house to clean and so much more. It was a great event, and we cherish the memories of that day. We give thanks for the love Bethany and Brad have found in each other, and how God has blessed them as a couple, now joined as one.







We will be celebrating another anniversary on Sunday - Lisa and I were married 29 years ago on 08/04/84. I figured that would be a date I wouldn't easily forget! While the memories are not as fresh in my mind as Bethany and Brad's wedding, I remember that day fondly. I look back at those pictures and realize more and more how young we were, and quickly the years have passed.



Anniversaries are great opportunities to remember and rejoice. But anniversaries mark just one day on a lifelong journey. The time and energy and cost (ah yes, the cost) that go into such an event are daunting, to say the least. But it is just one day. I believe the joy we find in anniversaries are much greater when the results of the event have brought us happiness and wholeness over the years since the event.

I give thanks for the 29 years my wife and I have had as husband and wife, and hope and pray my children will find happiness and wholeness in their lives too. I look forward to celebrating many more anniversaries on the day we share with our kids. And I am confident Bethany and Brad won't forget our anniversary date either!

It is not so much the events in life, but the journey that make life meaningful and complete. That is what I shared with Bethany and Brad on their wedding day. Enjoy the journey, and may God continue to bless us along the way!

Peace,

Pastor Charlie

God's Promise

 It is in Christ that we find out who we are and what we are living for. Long before we first heard of Christ and got our hopes up, he had his eye on us, had designs on us for glorious living, part of the overall purpose he is working out in everything and everyone. (Ephesians 1:11-12 – the Message)

God made you to be in a relationship with him and he was prepared to do anything to preserve and restore that relationship if need be - even if it meant letting his Son, Jesus, suffer and die for you. He makes us a new creation. He says, ‘Long before you were even a "twinkle in my eye", I made sure through Jesus that you would always be in my eye, in my love, living as my child. Always. I planned that first. And then I made everything else.’

You were not a footnote to whatever year you were born. Your birth into this world was a great day of celebration for God. At that moment the one he had planned since before the creation of the world—you—came into the creation he had prepared for you. When a new baby is born this isn’t an afterthought on God's part. He might have waited thousands of years (and we think nine months is a long time to wait) but that new life is all part of God's eternal plan.

This whole concept is mind bending in the least. It is an attempt at seeing God’s plans for us and all creation from a distance. I know we can’t do this to any great extent – certainly not see the big picture as God does. But it does help to know that in spite of all the disasters that might hit us and the world around us, these things are not outside his control. In view of the big picture of things he can use all this to bring blessing and a stronger relationship with him.

You and I are always first in God's eyes. Paul makes it quite plain to his Ephesian friends that even before the world was created God placed us in a relationship with him because of his love for us. Because of ‘his glorious grace’ he was ready to do whatever was needed to rebuild his relationship with each one of us. As far as God is concerned, you are number one.

A reminder of this fact is our baptism. This past Sunday, we gathered around the baptismal font and celebrated the baptism of Grayson, just six months old. There is nothing I enjoy more than a baptism, for in that moment, we get a glimpse of the gift of pure grace, and the promise of God's unconditional love. 
God marks us with Jesus’ cross in our baptism. God gives us his name in our baptism and publicly declares, "Long before you entered this world, I planned you as mine, and then I made the world, and the family, and the community to place you in.
But you have failed? Your sin has mucked up my plans.
I forgive you. I forgive you.
I love you now in the same way I loved you before the world was created and always will love you.
When you live in a way that reflects my love and my goodness, that is me, my Spirit, working in you. Your goodness doesn't earn you any special place in my plans. It is my Spirit strengthening and guiding you to be the person whom I always planned you to be!"


It’s all a matter of perspective. Three people were visiting and viewing the Grand Canyon - an artist, a pastor, and a cowboy. As they stood on the edge of that massive geological marvel, each one responded with a cry of exclamation.

The artist said, "Ah, what a beautiful scene to paint!"
The minister cried, "What a beautiful example of the handiwork of God!"
The cowboy mused, "What a terrible place to lose a cow!"


The cowboy could only see the problems the Grand Canyon placed in front of him. Sometimes we are the same. It’s easy to be a pessimist.


Look at the bigger picture and see the beauty of his love, his never-ending faithfulness, his forgiveness, and total commitment to each of us. 

Every now and then we have to step back and look at the bigger picture. In the whirl of daily living and the many problems and issues that confront us and challenge our self-worth we need to step back and look at where we fit into God’s plan.


Step back for a moment and remind yourself that you were planned by God before the creation of the world. His love for you has never wavered. And as we look at the cross we see that same commitment to each of us today as back then.

Some people talk about ‘destiny’ or ‘fate’ or ‘good luck’ or ‘bad luck’ as if things happen in our lives randomly without any order. It’s as if things just happen. It’s as if there was no controlling power. It’s like reading ‘Your week by the stars’ in the paper and saying that things happen because your star sign says they will. That is so far from what God says to us through the Scriptures. Paul does talk about ‘destiny’. Our destiny as God’s own dear children is to walk with Jesus, to enjoy his grace and forgiveness, and finally enter our eternal home in heaven. There is nothing left to good luck or chance here. God has made sure of this through the death and resurrection Jesus. We have the power and love of God at our disposal.

Peace,

Pastor Charlie

(excerpts for this week's blog from a sermon by Pastor Vince Gerhardy)

Rejoicing Together

God has so arranged the body, giving the greater honor to the inferior member, that there may be no dissension within the body, but the members may have the same care for one another. If one member suffers, all suffer together with it; if one member is honored, all rejoice together with it.  (I Corinthians 12:24-26, New Revised Standard Version)

We as a church do a very good job of praying for each other in times of need. Our prayer chain is full of names and concerns of people who have are hurting, suffering, and mourning. We place our cares and concerns at the foot of the cross, asking for God to provide comforting, healing and wholeness, and seek God’s direction for how we can be of help to those in need. I believe it is good for us to do so. Even if it may seem at times our prayers go unanswered, or the answers we get are not what we want to hear, we place what is on our hearts before God, for there is comfort in knowing God is with us, and those for whom we pray. And I believe God does hear our prayers, and answers our prayers. I also know that there is great comfort and power in knowing that others are praying for you. And I do believe God still works miracles (ever see the birth of a child?). If it is on your heart, lift it up to God. As St. Paul writes to the church in Corinth, “If one member suffers, all suffer together with it.”

We do good job of praying for those in need. But how often are our prayers filled with prayers of thanksgiving and rejoicing. In the passage above, St. Paul says if one member of the church (the body of Christ) is honored, all rejoice together with it. I remember a time a few years ago when we had several prayer requests before the congregation I served of people who were hurting. It seemed as if every day there was another concern to share. As we were sending out another round of prayer requests, I received word that two members of the congregation, John and Betty, were engaged. The two had both lost their spouses years before to illness, and had been living alone for quite some time. They were both active in the church, and everyone knew them well. I asked that we put this good news on the prayer chain immediately. How important it is to share in the suffering, but also to share in the rejoicing.

Soon after we started the prayer chain for John and Betty, I received a call from a member of the church. She thought it was a joke, and refused to pass the message along until she was sure it was true. You see, John always served as an usher at church, and during the service, he would wander the building to make sure no one came in to steal a purse or a coat. Betty, on the other hand, sat in the third pew every Sunday and took copious notes of the sermon. The two were never seen together, and no one in the church even knew they were dating! Talk about your miracles! Well, I assured the member that the rumor was true, and that in the midst of all the suffering, this was good news to share.

John and Betty were married and had many blessed years together. And with John and Betty, we rejoiced!

If it is on your heart, lift it to God, and may we live our lives in community, bearing one another’s sorrows, and celebrating in each other’s joys!

A different translation (paraphrase) of the passage:

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.  (I Corinthians 12:25-26, The Message)

Peace,

Pastor Charlie

Variations on a Theme

Music is a wonderful gift that can be shared in many different ways. In the summer musical at Epiphany, "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat" this is played out. In telling the story of Joseph and his 11 brothers, Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice use a variety of musical styles -there is rock, calypso, western and even some "Charleston" thrown in for good measure! I have been listening to the music of the show a lot the past few weeks as my wife, Lisa is one of the band members, so she has been practicing for weeks at home, and I have stopped in at a few rehearsals to see things progress. The music is great, the message is solid and the show is a lot of fun. You don't want to miss it!

(I wanted to make sure I got in one more shameless promotion for the show!)

The same message can be shared differently through some variations on the theme. I thought I would make this a musical montage this week with an example of this using the song, "Somewhere Over the Rainbow." For many of us, the first time we heard this was in the 1939 movie "Wizard of Oz" (the same year "Gone with the Wind" was released). Here is Judy Garland and Toto too! We grew up with this song, sang it in school music classes, and it was one of those songs everyone knew.

In the 1990s, a Hawaiian singer by the name of Israel "IZ" Kamakawiwoʻole' redorded a version of the song. I remember first hearing it on a TV commercial. In doing some research, I have found that this version of the song has been used in dozens of commercials. Because of this song, I purchased other songs by this artist. Here is his version. I am sure it will sound familiar.

A couple years ago, in preparing a slideshow for a friend's funeral, a family member gave me a recording of the song done by Eva Cassidy. I had never heard of this artist before, but when I heard this voice, I knew I wanted to hear more. 

Judy Garland, Eva Cassidy and Israel "IZ" Kamakawiwoʻole have all passed away, but their music lives on.

One final entry into this montage is by a favorite group of mine, The Piano Guys. As a former cello player, I love to listen and to watch these guys play their instruments, and where they find places to play them.  

Thank God for the gift of music. There are a variety of gifts, but the same Spirit!

Peace,

Pastor Charlie

Freedom

Happy 4th!

This week we will celebrate our nation's 237th birthday with parades, food and fireworks and more, celebrating that we live in the land of the free. We give thanks for all who have made this freedom possible. I will join many in giving thanks this holiday for those who have given so that we might have this freedom. I will especially remember my Dad who served in the Navy in World War II. In honor of him, the Naval Hymn.

As baptized children of God, we are given the gift of freedom through God's great love for us. God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life (John 3:16).

I encourage you this Independence Day to celebrate the freedom God has given us through Jesus Christ.  For Freedom, Christ has set us Free! (Galatians 5:1).

Peace,

Pastor Charlie

Belonging

This past Sunday, one of the lessons in worship was from St. Paul's letter to the Galatians. In It, Paul encouraged the church in Galatia to look beyond their differences that excluded - Jew or Greek, slave or free, male or female - and focus instead on what unified them - all clothed in Christ in baptism. Because of our baptism, Paul says, we belong to God. Because of baptism, we are heirs of God. Because of baptism, there is a place we belong. And we all want to belong. One of the reasons we join clubs, teams, organizations, even churches is so we can belong.

Later Sunday, after church was done, I joined in with many others to build the set for our upcoming musical, "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat." It was my first experience in this process, and what a process it was. There were power tools and saws hard at work, things to be moved out of closets, dark covers to be hung on the windows, props to be made, and a lot of people to make it happen. Besides doing my best "Tim the Toolman Taylor" imitation with the power drill, I took a few pictures. More on that later. What struck me about the process was the organization that went into it. There was a lot to do, and I believe everyone there felt they belonged. 

This isn't evident only in the building of the set, but the whole drama ministry that has developed over the past 20 years at Epiphany Lutheran Church. I never had the privilege of meeting Kay Wean, but I am benefitting from her legacy and vision. From what I understand, Kay found a place for every person who tried out for a drama under her direction. That continues today. This sometimes meant splitting some parts, adding a new character and double casting many roles in the shows. Everyone belongs. Kay passed away two years ago after a battle with cancer, but what she established continues. 

Kay's daughters have taken the lead directing shows here at Epiphany this past year - Kandis did a phenomenal job leading the Children's Christmas Program, and Megan is directing Joseph with great energy and joy. I believe neither of them are trying to be just like Mom, but they are using the gifts given them by God and nurtured by Mom and others to carry forward. They are not alone. I see Kay's fingerprints on many who are a part of this ministry. Many belong because they were encouraged to belong.

The wonderful thing about the body of Christ is that we are all members, yet unique in our gifts. The musical talent, the vision of the set design, the technical team that work lights and sound, the costume creators, the publicity and marketing team, the production team, the drama ministry team, and, of course, the cast and crew all have a part to play. All belong. 

As we were finishing up the stage, one of the young boys from the cast who was helping his dad build the stage all of the sudden realized that he was going to be on that stage for the show. After several weeks of practicing on floors marked with tape, now there is a stage. His eyes lit up as he looked at the stage and he asked me, "Are we going to be up there?" I told him he would. He asked, "Can I walk on it?" 

"Yes. Yes you can." He was, and IS so excited. He feels he belongs. I can't wait to see him in the show, along with all the others. 

Children of God using their gifts. That's what it's all about. One gift I received I had the opportunity to use on Sunday. The gift is a timer for my camera - a Fathers Day gift from my kids. With it, I can set up my camera to take a picture every few seconds, minutes or hours. I used it to take some 2100 pictures Sunday (one every six seconds) to put together a time lapsed video of the process. Enjoy.

Thanks to all of you for making Lisa and me feel WE belong.  

Peace,

Pastor Charlie