Dear Family in Christ,

Luke 2:6-7 “While they were there, the time came for her to deliver her child. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him bands of cloth, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.”

    If not already the Christmas tree will soon be up and decorated. Perhaps like ours, each ornament represents a story, a memory, or just a gift that ties these moments with similar moments in the past. The stockings will get filled with treats and goodies. You may already be into several weeks of listening to Christmas carols being joyfully sung, right alongside the secular Christmas music that have become a staple of the season. Traditions will be reenacted in homes and churches, with family and friends, with hot chocolate and cookies. We will gather together on Christmas day to celebrate something truly remarkable. The moment where our God came into this world in an entirely new way. In Jesus, which means “The Lord Saves”
    In the Gospel of Luke the birth of Jesus is preceded by dreams, visits from angels, and songs. For those involved, there was a great deal of anticipation built up. There is for any family desiring to add a child to their family, though not all happen through such miraculous means and get angels to announce and explain the significance to us. Even without such divine fanfare, we all have our stories of how our families came to grow.
    I remember being in the room for the birth of each of our children. I also remember much of our journeys to get to those rooms. Isaac was 13 days overdue, and we were in fact in two different rooms, because on our first trip progress stopped. So they sent us home where we rested and ended up going back within a few hours. I remember the doctor holding him up and declaring “It’s a boy” and Sarah and I saying, “He is Isaac.” Two years later we would be back on that floor of the hospital, only a few days overdue this time. They had barely given Sarah the epidural when she declared, “I think this baby is coming.” With a flurry of staff running about, that time the doctor had barely gotten her gloves on before she was lifting up our little girl. The doctor wanted me to have the honor of declaring to Sarah who this was, and frazzled I gave her middle name first, “Grace! Oh I, uh, Zoe, it’s Zoe!” I sputtered. Whether through birth or through adoption when families grow we remember those remarkable occasions with our stories.
    With all the fanfare leading up to the birth, and quite a bit of fanfare to follow (the shepherds will see the sky filled with angels!), the actual birth story of Jesus is recorded by the author of the Gospel in these two sentences of Luke 2:6-7. In light of everything else, and in the way we celebrate this moment still to this day, it really is quite unremarkable. Jesus is born, swaddled, and given a place to rest, because being born takes a lot out of an infant. Just like all the rest of us who have come into the world, like me and Sarah, and our children, we were born, swaddled, and given some time to rest. Then for the next several years were vulnerable and dependent on our families to take care of us. That is how God came to be “The Lord Saves”, by going through the fulness of our experience, so no part of being human is ever apart from God’s redemption. That from first crying breath to last dying gasp, nothing is beyond God’s scope of salvation. It is a beautiful remarkable reminder of how God works in even the messy unremarkable normality of the natural parts of our lives.
    While we celebrate this special day with our traditions and our families and our friends, may we also take the knowledge into our daily lives that God saves through the mundane not just the miraculous.

Sincerely,
Pastor Jarrod

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"Distraction" by user: Underminingme Original Image retrieved June 13, 2018 from Flickr.  Used under Creative Commons License

Dear Family in Christ,
    I grew up around computers. When I was a kid we had a Commodore 64, and almost every Christmas we would get a computer game as a gift. As we grew up so did our computers and our needs. We eventually got one that was “IBM-Compatible”, then we got one with a modem so dad could log in to work from home, and we could get online. In high school I saved up my money and bought my own (used) laptop, which made it most of the way through college. Then with advice from my brother, I built my own computer from the ground up. Finally in seminary after getting locked out of some of my programs because after various upgrades I learned to install a whole new operating system.
    Did that paragraph above sound like a foreign language? Does the idea of tearing apart a computer in both hardware (physical stuff) and software (the programming stuff) sound intimidating to you? Here is a confession, every time I did any of those things for the first time, it was terrifying, but also often times thrilling as well. I was always afraid I would mess something up so spectacularly that the computer would no longer work. Now that I have worked on them a few times, it isn’t that scary.
    In Luke 11:1 after seeing and hearing Jesus pray, one of the disciples asks, “Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples.” Prayer is one of those things that, like computers over the last few decades, we have lived around a good portion of our lives. However, it remains one of the practices of discipleship that continues to intimidate Christians because we haven’t just tinkered with it. In the following verses in Luke, Jesus goes on to teach his disciples what we call “The Lord’s Prayer”. Notice, he doesn’t reprimand the disciples for their little faith, nor rebuke them for being grown men who don’t know how to pray. He doesn’t consider it a dumb question or a sign of weak faith. He teaches them this prayer first. In some sense this makes it a “primer prayer”, one to get you started. There are many more ways to pray, there are many things to pray about, there is still only one God to which we pray though. Prayers can be about seeking God, asking for healing or needs to be met, questioning God, or giving thanks, or simply conversing with God.
    Luther’s Small Catechism contains some additional prayers that can help improve your prayer practice if you have trouble finding the words. The small catechism is in the back of our new hymnals, and the Morning, Evening, and Table Blessings start on page 1166. These will give you a solid foundation in prayer, as well as create a natural rhythm for you to build upon.
Our learning committee met a while back and selected a few video courses from Luther Seminary for us to use as a congregation. This fall we will begin having classes to watch, discuss, and start practicing prayer in our lives. Next year Bishop Beaudoin has called a year of prayer, so this will help us get prepared for participating in this larger pull towards discipleship in our synod.

Godspeed,
Pastor Jarrod

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Image retrieved 9/13/2017: ​By John Snyder (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

After the tragic events in Paris social media lit up with the hashtag #PrayforParis, images of the Eiffel Tower as part of a peace symbol abounded, and many pictures bore the blue, white, and red of France's flag.  As with any movement there have been counterpoints.  Where was the public outcry for victims in Beirut?  What about those in Africa only a few months ago?  What about the victims of violence done on our behalf?  Which are all good questions to ponder.  I don't know that it should stop us from trying to show solidarity, but it is a sobering reminder that our solidarity is needed for others as well.

Another peculiar response that I have seen is one urging people to stop praying for Paris.  It was not an unexpected response when I was witnessing it from those who were atheists.  It was unexpected when I began to see the Dalai Lama telling people not to pray.  A religious leader of a faith that does usually pray.  He is quoted in several news outlets citing that terrorism is a problem created by humans and we should deal with it ourselves.  Huffington Post at least finishes out the quote with the Dalai Lama saying, "We cannot solve this problem only through prayers."

Perhaps he was just speaking in a shocking manner to stir people to action, or perhaps the purpose of prayer is just that different between our religions and I am just ignorant to that.  However, to urge people to stop praying and do something (as the atheist suggested) or because it is a problem of our creation (as the Dalai Lama suggested) misrepresents what prayer is actually about, at least from a Christian perspective.  Prayer is not about getting our wishes granted.

Now, I also have seen the televangelists proclaim, "Just pray and God will give you a better life" and heard people say, "I prayed real hard and God gave me a house and two cars."  I call BS, that is not Christian prayer.  God is not a gumball machine that you plug a prayer into turn the handle and get what you want.  In some cases a car, in other cases an end to terrorism.

Prayer is conversation and relationship.  Christians are called to pray, and the detractors about #PrayforParis are right to call us out on not being so public in praying for others.  Our prayers are not just meant to be a few words we throw up to God and then continue to do nothing active about it.  Our prayers are meant to change us, to remind us who we belong to, and that our God loves this world, and praying should inspire us to love that world too.  Praying doesn't mean we are incapable of doing anything else, how would we feed ourselves if "prayed without ceasing" (1 Thessalonians 5:17)?  That exhortation comes after the admonishment to encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, never repay evil for evil, and seek to always do good.  Prayer is meant to strengthen us for the work we are already to be doing.  Let's be honest, we all need a little extra strength when it comes to the temptation to repay evil with more evil.

So keep praying, for Paris, for Beirut, for Iraq, for Kenya, for victims of Daesh, for those sucked into Daesh themselves, for us, and for all the world.  Keep praying, AND keep doing your part to spread love not hate.

At a camp I worked at they had appropriated the traditional Hindu greeting, "Namaste" (Nah-mah-stay).  Which roughly translated means, "I greet the divine in you."  It was a nice way to remind one another that we believe God's Holy Spirit dwells within one another.  As Lutherans we believe that God promises the presence of His Holy Spirit in our baptism as an unearned gift.  Similarly, when we participate in Holy Communion, when we consume the bread and the wine, we believe we are taking in the body and blood of Jesus through, with, and under those earthly elements.  So we can say Jesus lives in us and we in Him.  I believe that since we believe in the Trinity there is no harm in using either phrase interchangeably, but I am sure someone can point out a heresy in that.  The point is, we as Christians, believe that God has oddly enough chosen to reside also within us.  The mere fleshy bags of meat and bone and organs that we are.  So we expect to see Him in ourselves, and in other Christians.  This is an understanding that the whole world actually pretty consistently adheres to, and therefore holds accountable to as well.  That is why it is so offensive even to non-Christians when Christians behave in ways that are not at all like Christ.  Ironically it is insulting to even non-Christians for someone to foist blatant sinfulness upon Jesus, which we all do every time any one of us sins.  We know that Jesus is big enough to take it, and loves us enough to not shut us out of living the better life he desires for us.  So this life we live in the divine, and with the divine, is what drives us and defines us as Christians.  So it is perfectly appropriate for us greet, seek, and lift up the divine we see in one another.

It's just that Jesus is never one for sticking to boundaries.  He is His Father's Son after all.  Keep God in an Ark, that won't do, keep him in a temple, that won't do either...  Jesus waltzed through the lines in the sand between Jews and Samaritans, Israelites and Romans, Hebrews and Tax Collectors, Woman and Man.  He defended adulterers, healed slaves and children of the enemy/occupying force/Romans, and fed people without checking their ID.  All people were valued and honored on no more merit than they simply existed.  It makes sense, if God created everything, everything is of God, and God loves it all.

So recently, I have seen Christ in some non-Christians.  They would probably balk at my saying that, and they are welcome to do so, it doesn't make it less true for me.  There is an atheist man in Colorado who has been guarding a local AME Church, so people can worship in peace.  It is noble for him to give his time to do so, he may see it as a patriotic duty or simply a duty to his fellow man, and it is.  I see it as greater still, because let's be honest, he is willing to put his life on the line, to put his body in front of bullets or bombs for others.  John 15:13 reads, "No one has greater love than this, to lay one's life down for one's friends."  We say God is love, love is what this man is doing, so I see God in him, even if does not.

During the Baltimore riots citizens lined up to protect the police. Admittedly some of these people probably are actually Christians, but some are not.  Once again these people are willing to put themselves in harms way, for the sake of other people they probably did not know.  I see Jesus in their willingness to protect those who some would view as an occupying force in these circumstances.

After the shooting in Charleston, several black churches were burned down.  A coalition of young Muslims raised  over $100,000 dollars to help rebuild the churches.  They would certainly site other inspiration for their action, even the simple statement that "All houses of worship are sanctuaries..." is a noble enough reason.  Yet I see Christ in their willingness to give of their own money to make better lives for people who believe in something different than they do themselves.

So for myself and my fellow Christians, I ask this, "How am I showing others Christ in who I am and what I do?"  For my fellow non-Christians, thank you for continually holding us accountable to and reminding us that we are called to live like the Jesus Christ that we say we live in and lives in us.

The Sunday following the shooting of 9 black church goers in Charleston, S.C., was hard for me to get through.  I am not sure which emotions that were running through me were throwing me off the most; the sadness for the families of these people who had just lost loved ones in senseless violence, the disappointment that there is still so much racial tension in my country, the anger that someone would do such a thing, the violation that a Bible study in a church was desecrated, the resignation that this was not the first and probably not the last we'll see of this sort of thing, or a myriad of other thoughts and emotions that were rolling inside me.  I was able to hold it enough at bay to function, but not far enough to be numb.  I didn't want to be numb to it, and I still don't.  I posted the sermon I preached that morning without even listening to it first, just unedited and raw.

What got me through the service was our liturgy, that's the church-y word for the form of our worship service.  (It has roots in laos - the people (also laity) and ergos - works, so worship is the work of the people.)  This congregation still uses the green Lutheran Book of Worship (aka LBW), which I grew up using.  I have used these same words over a thousand times in my life, but on this recent Father's day they spoke to me in ways I needed to hear.  The opening of our communion setting is a call and response between a minister and the congregation it goes as follows:
In peace let us pray to the Lord
Lord have mercy
For the peace from above and for our salvation let us pray to the Lord
Lord have mercy
For the peace of the whole world, for the well-being of the Church of God, and for the unity of all, let us pray to the Lord
Lord have mercy
For this holy house, and for all who offer here their worship and praise, let us pray to the Lord
Lord have mercy
Help, save, comfort, and defend us, gracious Lord
Amen


I was having trouble finding words, and here we were with words of prayer for peace.  Week after week we acknowledge our need for God's intervention in our lives, for peace, for our well-being, with these words and it really hit home for me that Sunday.  I almost choked as I chanted out the last line, "Help, save, comfort, and defend us, gracious Lord." because I, like many others, was reeling from this horrific event that happened in a sanctuary.  Where was their defense?  Why weren't they saved from this?  Where is the comfort for their families?  Where is the peace?

I realize any attempt I make to answer any of those questions will simply appear trite or defensive.  So I won't even try, I will only point you to the answers of the families.  The answer the families of the victims gave speak the truth in the face of insecurity, hatred, and violence.  They forgave the murderer of their loved ones, and prayed he may receive God's mercy.  That is where God is in the midst of all these terrible and tragic things we do to one another.

So we will continue to speak these words, or words like them.  They are the work of the people, and there is much work to be done as we wait for the kingdom of God, where we won't have to pray in hope of these things, but have them for all people.  Until then, we will continue to speak up, stand up, and do this work.  The work that has been God's mission for his church in all ages, and continues in our traditions today.  For peace.  Lord have mercy.

We didn't have a soccer program in my school growing up.  I knew that some of my cousins played it, but beyond the general idea, I had no clue.  Obviously you want to try and kick the ball into your opponent's goal, and you can't use your hands unless you are the goalie, but that's about what I know.  I went to soccer camp at Mowana for a couple years simply because it sounded fun, other than those two weeks, I never played on a team.  So my knowledge of the sport is still very limited.  In light of recent events one things that I learned and stuck with me has been on my mind a lot: the goalie's uniform.

After seeing some professional soccer, I wondered why the goalies wore outfits different than the rest of their team.  The reason I found out is rather simple.  It catches your eye.  So when an opponent is trying to kick the ball into the goal away from the goalie, their eyes are instead pulled to where the goalie is, and increases the chance they will kick towards the goalie.

The recent events I am referring to are not in fact the US Women's win in the World Cup. (But congratulations to them!)  I am referring instead to some of the big news after the shooting of 9 black church goers in Bible study at "Mother" AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina.  There has been a great deal of uproar about the confederate flag not being lowered at the memorial nearby, when the state flag and the American flag both were.

Since then major retailers have stopped selling it, as many view it as a symbol of racism.  Then there are others who claim it is a symbol of their heritage.  I will admit my bias, having grown up in Ohio, I connect it with the Civil War, and thereby the reason the southern states wanted to secede.  They wanted states' sovereignty to rule higher than federal sovereignty, and the primary reason that came into question was over slavery.  I think many take pride in our country's founding, which was rebellious itself, and see it as just a symbol of being a rebel.  While it was not the official flag of the Confederacy, it has become a shorthand symbol for its entirety.  Which seems to me would also include the assassination of the United States President Abraham Lincoln, by one John Wilkes Booth.  I would think that fact might cause some to reconsider using it as a symbol of being a rebellious American.

 Regardless, sometimes the meaning of words or symbols get so changed by their cultural use, there is no reclaiming them.  The swastika is an ancient symbol that was used in Buddhism and Hinduism as well as within other cultural movements that meant luck or success.  Nowadays it is tied with the Nazi regime of World War II and used by white supremacist groups to show hatred towards Jews, Blacks, and everyone different than themselves.  It is unlikely it will ever bear meaning beyond hate.  The same is true for the Confederate flag or rebel flag or stars and bars, however one wants to name it.

The whole argument over banning it though, which I agree with in most cases, has gotten a little out of hand.  I feel while there is reason to pull it down, that it has been a distraction from the real goal.  It is easy to attack a flag, it is much harder to attack the racism that is still a part of our society.  We cannot allow ourselves to feel like bringing down a flag is a success, when there is so much work that needs to be done.  So much so I honestly don't know really where to begin, other than to get our eyes off the bright colors of a flag and fix them more firmly on our goal, seeing all people as God's children.

What would your answer be if I were to ask you, "Which piece of punctuation in the English language has the most power?"  You might think it would be the exclamation point "!", it is used to show excitement or yelling or imperative commands. STOP!  If I really wanted to emphasize that, I just need to add a few more, STOP!!!

Although, maybe you would come to the conclusion that it is the more often used period ".".  Just that little tiny dot at the end of a sentence.  It tells you though that the thought has ended.  Although if we use a few together the thought leaves you hanging...  Still. if. I. use. it. like. this.  You probably just added a pause after each word.

What if I told you I think the question mark is the piece of punctuation that holds the most power?  Would you think I am silly?  Would you think I am wrong?  When we use the question mark, we are not really in a position of power.  If you have to stop to ask for directions, you have to admit you don't know where you are.  If you ask a question you have to admit that you don't know the answer.  If you ask for help, you have to admit you cannot do it on your own.  It makes us vulnerable.

However, there is real power in being vulnerable, because it opens us up.  It opens us up to getting directions, answers, and help certainly.  It also opens us up to really being...well...human beings.  In those moments where we have to ask questions, there is the possibility that we won't get what we need, directions, answers, or help. Perhaps the answer will even hurt, "Can you still love me after that?", "Will he survive?", "Why didn't I listen to her?"

It really leaves power out of our hands rather than in them, but a question demands a response.  Yes, sometimes the response is no answer, or an answer we cannot handle, but those are responses nonetheless. Sometimes though, a simple question can stir great action.  Our small congregation in the middle of rural Ohio managed to construct and collect more than 300 personal care kits to help people in Nepal.  That is a third of amount the international organization we were helping was able to send to Nepal initially.  It all started with the question of, "Can we do something to help the people of Nepal?"

So I leave you with these two questions:

• What question do you have that will make a positive impact on the lives of others?
• What is keeping you from asking it?
  

For more on the power of vulnerability watch Brene Brown's TED talk