"Outrageous."

Outrageous, Shameful, he forgot Treasonous, and it is all three. Perhaps 110% tax on any bonuses paid to executives in any institution that receives TARP money is in order. As coffin put it, with all the debate on a minimum wage there is more than enough need to discuss a maximum wage.

That's President Barack Obama's one-word reaction to a report that Wall Street employees got more than $18 billion in bonuses last year.[...]

Said Obama: "That is the height of irresponsibility. It is shameful."

The president said he and new Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner will have direct conversations with corporate leaders to make the point. Obama said there is a time for corporate leaders to make profits and get paid bonuses but now is "not that time."

Happy 510th Birthday, Morning Star

Let us all raise our glasses in a toast to Katie Luther, wife of Martin Luther, strength, support, organizer and love of his life. An example of a strong woman who brought an equality to their marriage that was an example to others during the time of the reformation. She was also known to make one of the best Dunkel ales around.

If you have 27 minutes, this youtube on Katie Luther is very good: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P4h6NoxNhmE

The First Lady of the Reformation by Gaylin Schmeling.

Katherine von Bora is the best known woman of the Reformation because she was Luther's wife. While Katherine has been eclipsed in history by the great fame of her husband, she was far from a wallflower. She was a rock of support at her husband's side throughout their married life. Katherine was born in January of 1499, and at the age of ten she was placed in the nunnery at Nimschen near Grimma when her father remarried.

In the 1520s the writings of Luther began to infiltrate the nunnery. The message of salvation through faith alone in Christ brought comfort and peace to the sisters' hearts. A number of them turned to Luther for advice and he counseled escape, which was shortly accomplished. On April 7, 1523, Katherine and the other sisters reached Wittenberg. Luther felt responsible for finding suitable mates for the former nuns and managed for the most part, but this was not the case in Katherine's situation. This may be due to the fact that she had her eye on Luther. In any event Luther and Katie were married in June of 1525. Their relationship probably was not the most romantic at the start, yet years later Luther would declare, "I would not exchange Katie for France or Venice, because God has given her to me, and other women have worse faults.

"With this marriage the Black Cloister of Wittenberg became the first Lutheran parsonage. With marriage came also an entirely different lifestyle for Luther. Katherine brought order out of chaos at the Black Cloister. Not only did she provide a clean house and a made bed, which were an unknown luxury for the unmarried Luther, but she also brought about financial responsibility. She kept Luther from giving away everything they had and she put the household on a budget. Katherine helped support the household by managing a farm and a brewery. It was not long before Martin and Katherine had still more responsibility. Within eight years they became the parents of six children. Three sons and three daughters were born to this union. They also raised a number of orphaned relatives.

Katherine was a faithful wife to Luther. In times of sickness she was his compassionate nurse. In Luther's dark periods burdened down by the struggles of life, Katie was able to comfort him with that same long hidden Gospel treasure that God through Luther had restored to the world. Katie was indeed Luther's faithful rib. Katherine saw the death of her beloved husband in 1546 and outlived him by six years. In the summer of 1552 the plague broke out in Wittenberg. By fall Katie decided they had to leave. On the way the horses became frightened and bolted. Katie jumped from the wagon and was seriously injured. For months she lay suffering and finally died in the Lord on December 20, 1552.

One of the greatest legacies the church has received from the marriage of Martin and Katherine Luther is the Lutheran parsonage. The Luther home became the example for future Lutheran parsonages and Lutheran homes in general. The Luther house was given to hospitality. It was filled with children, students, and relatives. There was always a place for those in need. It was a place of culture and music and of joy and happiness.This heritage continued even in the Lutheran Church in America. The early Lutheran parsonages were shelters for the needy, inns for travelers, and centers of culture. Frontier parsonages such as the home of Elisabeth and Ulrik Koren were a great blessing to the Lutheran Church. May the Lutheran home and parsonage always be a place of hospitality. This is the legacy of Katie Luther, the first lady of the Reformation.

Schools can expel students that seem gay, appeals court rules

In a shameful mark on the name Lutheran, the following AP story was picked up by www.rawstory.com today. Remember, whenever you draw a line in the sand, Jesus is on the other side of the line.

A California appeals court ruled Monday that a Christian high school can expel students perceived to be lesbians, upholding a 2008 lower court ruling that there were "no triable" elements to the case.

The 4th District Court of Appeal in Riverside on Monday upheld California Lutheran High School's right as a private, religious organization to exclude students based on sexual orientation. The ruling was released late Tuesday.

full article at: http://rawstory.com/news/2008/Court_Christian_school_can_expel_lesbian_0128.html

the naked pastor

This is from http://www.nakedpastor.com/ which is a wonderful site, filled with original thought provoking "cartoons." If you use some of his stuff, all he asks is that you buy him a beer.

4th Sunday after Epiphany

Mark 1:21-28

What are you doing here?
--came the scream of those who knew
--knew
----of this teacher
--------in fear
Why have you come
--at this time
--------and in this place
--to
the ones who know not who you are
or could care less?
Jesus. You are wasting your time
--on these souls who come here only to play
-------at religion
-----------life
play
--as if they think they know what they are doing
play
--as if they think they care
with that look of astonishment on their faces
--they pay you honor
but we know
--we know
-----who
---------is in charge here
-----who
---------calls the shots
---------and controls the lives
---------and allows them to play at their games
-----------that they think is life
it all works so well
this game
----life
------religion
So what have you to do with us
--Jesus of Nazareth?
Would you destroy all this?
Would you destroy the life these people have built
------------just for your kingdom?
Jesus!
--you are getting too close
--this is not the game we expected
--(silence)
but where are we to go
------Holy One
do you really think they will follow you?
and the people were amazed
--at the new teaching
----and authority
------that even the unclean spirits obey

The Conversion of St. Paul

Luke 21:10-19

In the name of Christ
We will all be remembered
not because of our greatness
but because
the little we have done
was in the name of Christ
When all the world comes crashing
down on all sides
even then
they will know
what we did was in the Name of Christ
When great armies come
and take the land
with power and might
they will know
what we did was in the Name of Christ
When all others fall away
and we stay
in love
they will know
what we did was in the Name of Christ
And in the end
Paul looked back
and saw the word of Christ
Spread throughout the land
unbounded by the divisions that power makes
and knew
what was done was in the Name of Christ

Coincidence?

Sunday February 1st, Deuteronomy 18: 18 I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers. And I will put my words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I command him. The prophet comes from the people. The special character of a prophet is that he or she is chosen by God and the words they speak also come from God. There have been many throughout history that claim to do just that. There are many today who in one way or another also lay claim to speak the word of God. Do they speak a word of love and grace? Do they speak a word of forgiveness? Do they speak for the needs of the least, lost or lonely? Or do they speak of power and maintaining the political status quo? If it is status quo they are after, they don’t speak for God. In the Gospel for today, God’s word brought healing, most often that healing had social and economic manifestations. If it was only the body that Jesus healed, he would have lived to a ripe old age. Already the powers that be are massing against new agenda that may help those on the bottom of the economic ladder. Preachers who truly preach the gospel usually end up looking for other congregations. Coincidence? I think not.

threats

Monday February 2nd, Deuteronomy 18: 20 But the prophet who presumes to speak a word in my name that I have not commanded him to speak, or who speaks in the name of other gods, that same prophet shall die.' Even God has lightened up the threats in post resurrection times. Those who preach prosperity gospel or the law on us and then do not die untimely, and in many cases, they prosper. The world and large congregations are their reward. The prophets of God have always spoken over against the powers that be, in favor of the needs of the least, the lost, and the lonely, and often find themselves in that rank and file.

what are you willing to do?

Tuesday February 3rd, 1 Corinthians 8: 11 Christ gave up his life for that person. Wouldn't you at least be willing to give up going to dinner for him--because, as you say, it doesn't really make any difference? But it does make a difference if you hurt your friend terribly, risking his eternal ruin! The unfortunate tendency throughout history is for individuals to turn their focus inward toward their individual rights and away from the needs of the community. The whole “government is not the solution, the government is the problem” focus of the last several decades is an example. It denies the fact that, in essence, we are the government and our abdication of that responsibility does not usher in some great society, but rather open the gates to the robber barons of the late 20th and early 21st century. Our children may not exactly thank us as they pay off the debt. In a Christian society there would be no need for taxes because every individual would gladly give, to the best of their ability, for the needs of the whole. We all know in real life it doesn’t work that way. In reality everyone tries to get by with contributing the least they can get away with for the needs of the whole while padding the needs of the one. In the midst of all the greed going around, personal, corporate, and governmental, we are called through scripture to set aside some of our desires for the sake of the whole. Christ gave his life. What are you willing to do?

a differant reality

Wednesday February 4th, 1 Corinthians 8: 12 When you hurt your friend, you hurt Christ. A free meal here and there isn't worth it at the cost of even one of these "weak ones." 13 So, never go to these idol-tainted meals if there's any chance it will trip up one of your brothers or sisters. That which you do onto the least of these, you do onto me is the way Jesus put it. We have seen how tax cuts for the rich and benefit cuts for the poor may have been good for a few, but the other 99.9% of us didn’t do so well. Now is the time to go the other direction and the pushback will be mighty. The temptation is that we too can be part of the 0.1% is great, and many have succumbed to its allure in the past. Christ calls us to a different reality. Christ calls us to a world of us, not me. It is a call for all of us, rich and poor, to live our lives as the generous and grace filled children of God for all the children of God, anything less is only slow suicide.

time management

Thursday February 5th, Mark 1: 21 They went to Capernaum, and when the Sabbath came, Jesus went into the synagogue and began to teach. 22 The people were amazed at his teaching, because he taught them as one who had authority, not as the teachers of the law. Jesus was not talking about head knowledge; he was talking from heart knowledge. I can teach you about God but I cannot bring you into a relationship with God, that one is up to you and Jesus. Like any relationship it takes work, and attending worship when convenient won’t make it anymore than talking to your spouse whenever you get around to it will work for long. We put our time and our energy into what is important to us. If you did a time management schedule for one month, how much would God get? What have you done today to build that relationship?

Holy, Holy, Unholy

Friday February 6th, Mark 1: 23 Just then a man in their synagogue who was possessed by an evil spirit cried out, 24 "What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God!" The unholy one encounters the Holy one in the Holy place. Sometimes it is good to remind ourselves that it is not just “us and God” up in the ether somewhere floating in bliss as the whole world goes to hell in a hand basket. There are others to contend with. The evil spirits knew who Jesus was long before Peter ever exclaimed; “you are the Christ the son of the living God.” The evil within each of us keeps us at bay with the Holy one lest we are tempted to be more than merely occasional worship attenders. We don’t talk much about evil spirits in our day and age. We talk about personal responsibility; a person is bad because they choose to be bad is how the common wisdom goes. It gives us a little breathing room from the reality of our existence. If only we can point the finger at someone else, perhaps Jesus won’t notice our own denial. Jesus had a way of seeing a child of God in everyone. Perhaps we should try that a bit more, starting with ourselves.

wow, something new

Saturday February 7th, Mark 1: 25 "Be quiet!" said Jesus sternly. "Come out of him!" 26 The evil spirit shook the man violently and came out of him with a shriek. 27 The people were all so amazed that they asked each other, "What is this? A new teaching—and with authority! He even gives orders to evil spirits and they obey him." Jesus didn’t kick the evil man out of the synagogue; he kicked the evil spirit out of the man and welcomed the man into the community of faith. His concern was for who the person was, a child of God, not who he seemed to be, an evil possessed person. The small healing that day was the demon possessed man, the larger healing was the community who had labeled his as such. Perhaps our calling is to do the same in our congregations and in the world. In another place Jesus told us to love our enemies.

Thank You Lord

Thank you Lord Jesus, and may your blessings be with President Barack Obama today and in the years to come

3rd Sunday after Epiphany

Mark 1:14-20

The time is fulfilled
--into this world
--------ripped apart
--by timelessness entering in
comes the news
the time is fulfilled
(repent)
and with that this carpenter from Nazareth
reaches in into this place
--and time
and calls out to
come
--follow me
Simon and Andrew
--drop
--the net of labor
toiled over by so many
in favor of wonders
--at hand
(repent)
leaving behind a life
looked down on by some
--and admired by others
for one of joy
and lust for the many headed wonder of newness
out of the heat
(and believe)
--of this world
and into the perceived pursuit
-- of all that is wonder
-- -- -- joy
-- --- -- -- peace
joined by others
who only make
-- the fever pitch of excitement
-- -- closer to a reality only dreamed of
(in)
with little thought
to the demands
-- that would be placed on them by love
as they tried to present
(the Gospel)
the good news

I will not be shaken

Sunday January 25th, Psalm 62: God is my rock and my salvation, my stronghold; I will not be shaken. In the midst of difficulties that come your way in life, there is one thing we can hold onto, Christ. All the advice, self-help, supplements, and gurus, though not bad, never seem to cut the mustard. That doesn't mean that walking with Christ will result in everything working out as we want it. It does mean that where ever we are in life, Christ is there with us. The common saying, "God never gives you more than you can handle," is a comfort only for the person saying it. Those hearing it often see their life falling apart and this saying leads them to believe it is all a dirty rotten gift from God. Life sometimes hands us some pretty rotten stuff, and to be honest, there are times when we contribute to the trouble we find ourselves in. In the midst of that, you are not alone. You are surrounded by the children of God and supported by God who is your rock and salvation. Let the people in and hold fast to God. It won't make all the bad stuff go away but it will keep you grounded on that rock of love.

Our God view affects our world view

Monday January 26th, Jonah 1: 1 One day long ago, GOD's Word came to Jonah, Amittai's son: 2 "Up on your feet and on your way to the big city of Nineveh! Preach to them. They're in a bad way and I can't ignore it any longer." 3 But Jonah got up and went the other direction to Tarshish, running away from GOD. Nineveh is an ancient city near the present town of Mosul in Iraq. Jonah did not want to go there. He did not like the people in Nineveh and they most likely would not have liked him. Sometimes God leads us to places and to do things we don’t want to do. It is not about mean, it is about growth. God had compassion for all of creation, including this little part. Jonah could only see what he thought he saw and was not able to see the potential God could see. Sometimes we need to follow God’s leading in spite of our opinions. What if we say all of creation as a gift from God? With that image of God, could you invade Gaza? Iraq? Lob missiles into Israel? Our God view affects our world view. Thus far in the history of humanity we have been a dismal failure in this area, perhaps hope is on the way.

You are going, you decide how

Tuesday January 27th, Jonah 1: The men tried rowing back to shore. They made no headway. The storm only got worse and worse, wild and raging. 14 Then they prayed to GOD, "O GOD don’t let us drown because of this man's life, and don't blame us for his death. You are GOD. Do what you think is best." 15 They took Jonah and threw him overboard. Immediately the sea was quieted down. 16 The sailors were impressed, no longer terrified by the sea, but in awe of GOD. They worshiped GOD, offered a sacrifice, and made vows. 17 Then GOD assigned a huge fish to swallow Jonah. Jonah was in the fish's belly three days and nights. Keep in mind, Jonah was going where God wanted him to go whether he wanted to go there or not and the others in the boat were beginning to learn something about this God they didn’t know very well. When we follow God’s leading there is salvation all around. Now the fish thing, it makes a good story. When it comes to fish, people are always making good stories. The point is that even nature responds when God’s love shows up. Jonah got to Nineveh after three days and Nineveh experienced new life, Jonah experienced new life (eventually) and even the sea was revived. Jesus rose from the grave after three days and the world experienced new life, the children of God experienced new life, and all of creation was revived. God does that. God brings new life. When you follow God’s leading you begin to see it all around.

something to tell the kids

Wednesday January 28th, Jonah 1: 10 Then GOD spoke to the fish, and it vomited up Jonah on the seashore. 1 Next, GOD spoke to Jonah a second time: 2 "Up on your feet and on your way to the big city of Nineveh! Preach to them. They're in a bad way and I can't ignore it any longer." 3 This time Jonah started off straight for Nineveh, obeying GOD's orders to the letter. Sometimes it takes an experience we can’t forget. Some hear the still small voice of God, others require a 2x4 upside the head. It might take a lifetime, but eventually everyone goes in the direction God wants us to go. Sometimes these unforgettable experiences are thrust upon us as a gift. But most often we have a tendency to create some interesting predicaments for ourselves. God works through them also. If we would just do what God wants us to do life would be a lot easier. But as we look back over our life, we see that God can even take our detours and turn them into ministry and a good story. When you retell it, make sure the fish stays the same size as the original.

What smells?

Thursday January 29th, Jonah 1: 5 The people of Nineveh listened, and trusted God. They proclaimed a citywide fast and dressed in burlap to show their repentance. Everyone did it--rich and poor, famous and obscure, leaders and followers. Wow, Jonah did a great job……or perhaps was it God. We often tend to take the credit when things go well and place the blame on God when they do not go well. As we read on we see the Jonah was still not happy, in fact he was downright angry. God continued to work with him, just like God continues to work with us. What God seeks is loving relationships, between you and I, between we and our enemies, between humanity and God, and between humanity and the rest of creation. We tend to pursue our kind of justice, which often smacks of revenge. In the end, it is God who wins. We might as well go with it sooner than later. You will find that if you follow God’s plan from the beginning, you will smell less like fish when you get to where you have been called.

Jesus loves the little fishes

Friday January 30th, Mark 1 : 16 As Jesus walked beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. 17 "Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will make you fishers of men." 18 At once they left their nets and followed him. What is this, a new kind of fishing? A new kind of pocket fisherman? This is not the kind of fishing with a hook and just the right bait to get people to bite and then pull them in where they get fried. This fishing is good for the fish, all kinds of fish, and above all, the bycatch is welcome. I get a kick out of the fish wars on cars. One will have the Christian symbol for fish. Another car will have one with feet. Yet another one will have the Christian fish eating the one with feet. God’s version would have fish, fish with feet, fish with pierced fins, fish with scales and fish without scales, all kinds of fish swimming together. Jesus loves all kinds of fish.

time to go fishing

Saturday January 31st, Mark 1: 19 When he had gone a little farther, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John in a boat, preparing their nets. 20 Without delay he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed him. When you hear the call of God, it is time to get going. The followers of Jesus did not wait to figure things out, make plans, contingency plans, committee plans and procedures, they acted. When confronted with the love of Christ, we too are called to act. The act we are called to do is to share the good news. We all tell others about the love of our God every day, sometimes through our words, most often through our deeds. Who have you told today, and how?

Repairing middle class key to recovery by John Havelock

Public discussion of complex, derivative financial instruments and other arcane issues has made the current financial mess seem complicated beyond the understanding of the average citizen. The murky currents in the financial mire are indeed complex but how we managed to wade into this swamp is quite simple. Think of the fable of the goose that laid golden eggs and the moral we draw from it.

The American domestic economy is not unlike a business. The owner can take a certain amount out of the business each year as profit, but if he takes too much out for his personal enrichment, cutting his employees' salaries and borrowing money for the business but lining his own pocket, the business will end up in ruin.

For the last several decades, we have read about boy wonders making millions or billions in the financial markets. Less reported, thousands of others in positions of economic power cleaned up at comparable rates. With ownership severed from management, effective checks on executive compensation dwindled. Year after year, we have yawned over published data showing that an ever larger share of the nation's wealth, billions upon billions, went to a fraction of 1 percent of the population, ignoring the dire consequences for our economy and our society.

Over the same period, the real income of Everyman, the wage earner representative of the bottom 60 percent, was stagnant or dropped. Notwithstanding the implications of this trend, the advertising industry, movies and TV, and the president with his "ownership society" insisted on telling Everyman that he should buy a new house, new car, plasma TV, four-wheeler and other newly established necessities of life. Consumer credit, bending established rules, has beckoned Everyman into the lifestyle he might have maintained had his income continued to rise. Instead it was squeezed down.

Understandably, with aggressive marketing by credit card and mortgage companies, personal debt soared into the trillions as Everyman kept up by borrowing at usurious rates without comparable income. Out of this system, the rich were getting even richer but on money that Everyman did not have but only promised to pay.

The American economic system depends on a growing middle class, producing more and spending more. The more Everyman earns the more he buys and, to a point, more profits can be taken. By taking too much out of the system, the financial elites wrecked it, killing the goose that laid golden eggs.

When the worst economic fires have been dampened, the country must turn to long-term solutions. The remedies will likely come from the committee to address the future of the middle class, established without much fanfare by the president-elect. There is always some clucking about the creation of a study committee, commonly used as a method of putting off a problem. And indeed, the economic problems that must be addressed up front are so urgent as to push all else off the page. But beyond these crises of the moment, the committee's topic, the restoration of America's middle class, is the long-term policy cure required to put America back on the track to greatness.

How does the country put Everyman's income back on the gently rising track that he enjoyed from the end of World War II to the early '80s? The share taken by financial elites must be brought back to a level of reason. Runaway compensation and the building of economic and social dynasties can be checked by returning to the tax policies that prevailed during the Eisenhower administration. New revenue can be reallocated to cover health care and retirement deficits, incidentally making our industries more competitive internationally.

Federal leadership in promoting accessible, quality education is essential to optimize human resources and make real middle-class dreams of equal opportunity. Of course there's more, but the president-elect has put his finger on the root cause of our problem by pointing to the repair of the damaged middle class as the post-crisis priority.

Alaskan Death Penalty

The subject of the death penalty has again reared it's ugly head in our state capitol of Juneau. The local newspaper has started a poll. You can go to www.juneauempire.com and express yourself. The question can be found at the bottom of the page. There is also a place to express your feelings more completely on the link that asks you to explain your answer further. The following is my expanded explination.

The following is an excerpt from the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America social statement on the death penalty. For the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, following Jesus leads to a commitment to restorative justice. This commitment means addressing the hurt of each person whose life has been touched by violent crime. Restorative justice makes the community safer for all.

It is because of this church's ministry with and to people affected by violent crime that we oppose the death penalty. Executions focus on the convicted murderer, providing very little for the victim's family or anyone else whose life has been touched by the crime. Capital punishment focuses on retribution, sometimes reflecting a spirit of vengeance. Executions do not restore broken society and can actually work counter to restoration.

This church recognizes the need to protect society from people who endanger that society: removing offenders from the general population, placing them in a secure facility, and denying them the possibility of committing further crime (i.e., incapacitating them). Our challenge is to incapacitate offenders in a manner that limits violence, and holds open the possibility of conversion and restoration.

The full statement can be found at: http://www.elca.org/What-We-Believe/Social-Issues/Social-Statements/Death-Penalty.aspx

I personally do not believe the state has the authority to take the life of another. Before becoming a pastor I worked in juvenile corrections, I am fully aware of the difficulties of working with troubled individuals and am fully aware that those for whom the death penalty is an option have often left a trail of violence and victims. What the death penalty fails to address is perpetrator is often a victim of social injustice whose death does nothing to help build a better society. The deterrent argument, the strongest in the pro-death penalty’s list of justifications, has been proven to be of no significant worth and in some cases produces counter results.

Pastor Dan Bollerud
Christ Our Savior Lutheran, Anchorage
bollerud@gci.net

Confession of Peter

Matthew 16:13-19

There comes a time
when we must make a stand
when we must be who we are
and why
A time
when for one brief moment
all else ceases to be important
and that something more in life
that is at stake
takes center stage
At those times
Those moments
life swings through gentle arcs
to some other point
to some other time
and life goes on
except for that point
around which all of life swings
all of life lives
that time spoken to by Peter
For us all
Who do you say I am
Who in all that is
do you say I am
Who in all of time
do you say I am
Peter answered
The center point shifted
Life became somehow new
You are the Christ
The Son of the living God

2nd Sunday after Epiphany

John 1:43-51

The Joy, the Excitement was there that day
As they decided to come
And follow this Jesus on his mission
That was understood by none

With many wonders seen in that day
By those who would like to see
And the thrill of a new life to live
As Jesus said follow me

So Philip decided to follow
And Andrew and Peter too
Proclaiming this Jesus as the Son of God
And pledging his will to do

With a flurry of excitement
Of wonders n’er before seen
They set off to follow Jesus
And the dream that Israel dreamed

There will be many signs and wonders
As the heavens open wide
And heavenly beings traveling
From over the other side

You believe now because you see things
You do not understand
But life is not always wonder
For the followers of the Son of Man

So come now and follow me
Said Jesus to the three
In a life that is lived for others
And helping the world to see

God is always listening

Sunday January 18th, Psalm 139: LORD, You have searched me and known me. You know when I sit down and when I stand up; You understand my thoughts from far away. When we are called to pray unceasingly we sometimes get the miss notion that in doing so we will somehow get God’s attention. The truth is that God is already ever present in our existence. God is present not just with the words we say or the conscious silent prayers we offer, but God actively knows our thoughts, spoken or unspoken, conscious or unconscious, the good, the bad and the ugly, our dreams, our limits, both real and imagined, all of us. It is all there offered up to a God who actively seeks us out and loves us in spite of the good, the bad and the ugly, and some of our dreams and self imposed limits. Our reaching out to God is in response to a God who already knows us intimately and has already reached out to us. Often the answer to prayer is God’s understanding of us, and yes, that can be a bit scary from time to time.

Where can I hide with God inside?

Monday January 19th, Psalm 139: Where can I go to escape Your Spirit? Where can I flee from Your presence? If I go up to heaven, You are there; if I make my bed in Sheol, You are there. If I live at the eastern horizon or settle at the western limits, even there Your hand will lead me; Your right hand will hold on to me. There is no place in the physical universe, no place in our mental universe, no place in our spiritual existence that is beyond the reach of God. Where we are at, God is there also. God is calling you and has a path, a hope, a dream for you in your life. I have never met anyone who has not taken a few detours in life, and many avoid the path set before them altogether. When we do find ourselves on that path however, we notice things like the days seem somehow brighter, life seems to have more meaning and others respond in ways that make you feel good inside, which is the same as feeling God inside. When we leave the path, it is not that things go wrong for us, it just seems like something is missing. That is when God finds you in some faraway place and ushers you back toward the path. Consciously or unconsciously you can run, but you can’t hide. God loves you and will not give up on you.

no more solo's

Tuesday January 20th 1 Samuel 3: 7 Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD : The word of the LORD had not yet been revealed to him. 8 The LORD called Samuel a third time, and Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, "Here I am; you called me." Then Eli realized that the LORD was calling the boy. 9 So Eli told Samuel, "Go and lie down, and if he calls you, say, 'Speak, LORD, for your servant is listening.' The Lord may have spoken directly to Samuel, but it was Eli that helped it make sense of what was happening. So it is with us. God speaks to many, if not all of us, it is just that most of us don’t know it. It is though the other saints in the world that we begin to make sense out of that calling. Listen to the saints in your life, what are they saying to you? Through their voice, what do you feel called to do? Most of the time it takes a community to discern the voice of God in our lives. Solo Christianity is more about keeping your mind closed than your ears and hearts and souls open. Today we begin a new era in government. Today we put an end to decades of rugged individualism and the “government is the problem” which were nothing more than ponzi schemes to let the rich get richer at the expense of the rest of the world, and usher in an era where the government “is us.” My prayers and blessings go with the new administration, it will be tough. Those who have held the strings to the money and power and the no bid contracts will not easily let go, but it is the time for the collective us to let our voices be heard and our prayers be known in the land.

Are you Listening

Wednesday January 21st 1 Samuel 3: 10 The LORD came and stood there, calling as at the other times, "Samuel! Samuel!" Then Samuel said, "Speak, for your servant is listening." After Samuel realized that it was God who was calling, Samuel responded. Eli played his part by sharing a bit of wisdom about God. That is when the magic starts. Most of the time communication between God and us is a one way street, God is talking to us and trying to get our attention. Sometimes it is two one way streets, God is talking to us and trying to get our attention and we are too busy talking past God, telling God and the world what we think God would tell us if God were as smart as we were. But then, once in a while, we open our hearts and say hello, I’m listening. That is when the wonderful begins. The key is listening. And often, as in Samuel’s case, it takes a community.

Just filling Holes

Thursday January 22nd, 1 Corinthians 6: 12You may say, "I am allowed to do anything." But I reply, "Not everything is good for you." And even though "I am allowed to do anything," I must not become a slave to anything. It is the American dream to be free to do whatever you darn well please. It is of course just a pipe dream. You can be your own person and there are still rules to follow. No one can make it on their own, we are all interdependent. In the end we all serve something in life whether that something be God, or money or power or order or job or security etc. In the end it is not a matter of if you are a slave but rather what or who you serve. Down through history there have been those who live the illusion of making it on their own for short periods of time but even the greatest maverick in the end faces what life is all about. You are however free to choose. You can choose to follow God now and enjoy a lifelong loving relationship with the creator of all, or you can choose to fight that until the end, seeking your own satisfaction in life. Both lives end up in the same place, it’s just that one was surrounded by the love of God and the other was trying to plug that empty hole while pretending it was not there.

Love yet?

Friday January 23rd, John 1: 43 The next day Jesus decided to leave for Galilee. Finding Philip, he said to him, "Follow me." 44 Philip, like Andrew and Peter, was from the town of Bethsaida. 45 Philip found Nathanael and told him, "We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote—Jesus of Nazareth, When you find the “way” you get excited about it and tell others. Philip had little preparation, no seminary, no Bible study leader, no proven skills, just a love of the Lord. When the call came, he could think of nothing else. When the Lord calls you, you can think of nothing else. Have you fallen in love with the Lord yet? If not, you might want to let go of a little of that control.

Can anything good come from Nazareth!?!

Saturday January 24th, John 1: 46 "Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?" Nathanael asked. "Come and see," said Philip. 47 When Jesus saw Nathanael approaching, he said of him, "Here is a true Israelite, in whom there is nothing false." 48 "How do you know me?" Nathanael asked. Jesus answered, "I saw you while you were still under the fig tree before Philip called you." 49 Then Nathanael declared, "Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel." Nathanael didn’t much like the idea of anyone of importance coming from the little town of Nazareth. Nazareth was a small town on the wrong side of the tracks, no matter what direction you came from, a stone’s throw from the mighty and magnificent Sepphoris. He had some preconceived ideas about the Nazareth and was not about to let go of them. God has a way of pushing us on our preconceived ideas most of the time. A great deal of Jesus’ ministry was pushing on our preconceived ideas. What are your preconceived ideas that are holding you back from following the Messiah? Which of your assumptions are simply disguised fears? Let God in and be surprised.

Lutherans Worship at Jesus' Baptism Site, Leaders Meet King

January 7, 2009

AMMAN, Jordan ELCA) -- About 60 people, including about 10 bishops of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada (ELCIC), worshipped at the site of Jesus' Baptism on the banks of the Jordan River on the Feast of the Epiphany, Jan. 6. Joining the bishops were members of Good Shepherd Evangelical Lutheran Church, Amman, a congregation of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land (ELCJHL).

Epiphany is a Christian commemoration of the visit by the three wise men or magi to the infant Jesus.

His Majesty King Abdullah II of Jordan gave land at the site to the ELCJHL, which plans to build a chapel and retreat center, said the Rev. Munib A. Younan, ELCJHL bishop.

The Rev. Mark S. Hanson, ELCA presiding bishop and president of the Lutheran World Federation, said the baptismal site "will be a site of renewal of our Christian faith and our baptismal vocation to establish peace with justice first here in the Holy Land." He said the site reminds Christians to be peacemakers, especially while the conflict in Gaza continues.

Worshipping at the historic site on Epiphany is a reminder "of the gifts of forgiveness and salvation we receive through our Baptisms," said the Rev. Susan C. Johnson, ELCIC national bishop.

"We thank our Lord and Savior for the gift of peace that we are asked to share, especially during time of conflict in Gaza. May this site and the remembrance of our Lord's Baptism continue to help strengthen us to be peacemakers in our world."

In remarks to media before the service, Younan thanked the king for the gift. "We are a church that wants to serve justice," Younan said. "We want all violence in Gaza to end. We want the occupation to end.

We want to live in peace and justice in a two-state solution." Jerusalem should be a shared city for all people, he said.

Hanson, Johnson and Younan also shared a 20-minute private audience in Amman with His Majesty King Abdullah II. They discussed the future of Jerusalem as a shared city with universal access to Holy sites; the king's commitment to the continued presence of Arab Christians in the Middle East; improved relationships between Christians and Muslims; and the urgent need to end the conflict in Gaza and respond to the humanitarian crisis, Hanson said. The king suggested continuing the conversation when he visits the United States in February to meet the new U.S. president, Barack Obama, the ELCA presiding bishop added.

The North American Lutheran bishops, spouses and staff left Jordan and traveled into Israel to Jerusalem, where they joined several other bishops from both churches. Forty-five bishops are in Israel Jan. 6-13 for their annual academy, a time for theological study and reflection. The bishops have planned a series of meetings with religious, political and community leaders in Israel and the West Bank. Some ELCA bishops canceled plans to join the academy because of the fighting in Gaza.

In opening remarks Jan. 6, the Rev. Dean Nelson, bishop, ELCA Southwest California Synod, Glendale, said the bishops' visit has three purposes: to support and encourage the ELCJHL, to learn what living in the region is like for Israelis and Palestinians, and to advocate for peace for all people. Later the same evening, some bishops, spouses and staff attended an Orthodox Christmas celebration in Bethlehem.

The North American Lutheran bishops' visit has gained greater visibility because of fighting in Gaza between Israel and Hamas, compounded by rapidly declining living conditions for local residents. Since the fighting began right after Christmas, nearly 600 people have died, many of whom are Palestinian civilians.

Lutherans call for cease-fire

The following article was in the Jerusalem Post, the heading is still there but unable to pull it up. I found it in the JP through the America-Israel Chamber of Comerce Chicago.
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=JPost/JPArticle/ShowFull&cid=1231167283392

Dozens of American and Canadian Lutheran bishops arrived in Jerusalem on Tuesday for their annual Academy, a meeting for theological discussion.

Planned many months in advance, they gathered in the shadow of the war in Gaza.
Bishop Mark Hanson, presiding bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, called for a cease-fire ahead of his visit, urging "officials of both parties to the conflict to... refrain from all violent acts, which only bring destruction and tragedy, and urge them instead to work to resolve their differences through peaceful and nonviolent means," the church said in a statement.

The church believed "a cessation of all hostilities and a return to negotiations is important," and is "interested in a permanent two-state solution," explained ELCA spokesman John Brooks.

The delegation of 40 bishops from the ELCA and five bishops from the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada is here "primarily to show support for and encourage our sisters and brothers" in the local branch of the church, according to ELCA spokesman John Brooks.

The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land has just 2,000 members in five congregations in the West Bank and one in Amman. Indeed, the precariousness of the Christian minorities within the Arab towns will be a major focus of the Academy.

The bishops were invited by the local branch "to come walk with them in this difficult time," Rev. Robert Smith, continental desk director for Europe and the Middle East in the ELCA's department of global mission, told the Chicago Tribune on Monday.

"With the decline of Palestinian Christian communities in the land where Jesus was born, died and resurrected, that call is not something we can ignore," Smith said.

The leaders of the two churches are slated to meet with government officials, including President Shimon Peres and Chief Rabbis Shlomo Amar and Yona Metzger.

According to Dany Haimovich, head of the Israeli Center for Jewish-Christian Cooperation and Friendship, the visit is a sign that the Lutheran World Federation, and particularly the American and Canadian churches, "respect the State of Israel and the moderate side of the Palestinian Authority."

According to Haimovich, the government should learn from the visit "that developing and helping the Christian community in Israel is a top priority for encouraging support for Israel in the Christian world. It's crucial for advancing the interests of the Jewish people and the State of Israel."

Opening Litany

Pastor: We gather as God's community around the waters of new life. The word of God comes to us through the prophet Ezekiel: "I will take you from the nations, and gather you from all the countries, and bring you into your own land. I will sprinkle clean water upon you, and you shall be clean."

Congregation: "I will give you a new heart. I will put my spirit within you. You shall live in the land that I gave to your ancestors; and you shall be my people, and I will be your God."

Pastor: In the sacrament of Holy Baptism we are set free from the power of sin and death and are joined to the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Just as God's faithful people have always gathered in the name of God, we gather at the waters of life and remember the strong name of our God who creates life, Jesus who calls us to new life, and the Holy Spirit who sustains life! Here we are reborn children of God and welcomed into the family of believers, the Body of Christ, the church.

Congregation: Through baptism, we are ushered into the family of God where we find forgiveness of sins and the gift of the Holy Spirit and eternal life.

Pastor: You have all been called to a life of active grace by participating as sojourners at Christ Our Savior Lutheran Church where we are inspired by God’s love to Praise, Nurture and Serve. As we gather in this community we come together to Praise God in worship, song and prayer, delight in the diversity of all of God’s children, support one another through the love of Christ, gather to grow through God’s grace and reach out, serve, and incite miracles. Will you live out these signs of the Kingdom in your life? If so, please respond, "We will!"

Congregation: "We will!" And we give thanks for the gift of new life. We welcome one another and commit ourselves to growing in faith with each other. After Jesus was baptized, as he was praying, the sky opened up and the Holy Spirit, like a dove descending, came down on him. And along with the Spirit, a voice: "You are my Child, chosen and marked by my love, pride of my life." Today, God reminds us of that claim on our lives as the Children of God. We have been marked by love and set apart for a life of service in this world. We pledge ourselves to be faithful friends and fellow sojourners as we journey together in this adventure called life.

Pastor: Let us remember our promise to one another

Congregation: We welcome you to the Lord’s family; we receive you as fellow members of the Body of Christ and worker with us in the Kingdom of God. We are the collective voice of God saying, you are our sisters and brothers, whom we love; with you we are well pleased, and with you we will journey through life together in Christ. We will always welcome you as a fellow sojourner as we live out God’s calling for our lives through our combined ministries at Christ Our Savior Lutheran Church.

Please help in our ministry

If you have found some good in these postings over the years, please consider a donation to the ministry of Christ Our Savior Lutheran Church. If you click on this link: http://www.coslc.ws/giving.htm and follow the paypal instructions we would greatly appreciate your donation to our ministry.

Thank You
Pastor Dan

Mark 1:4-11 Baptism of our Lord

1st Sunday after Epiphany

As one possessed
----he stood there
in rags
----the mere shadow of what a man should be
Animated
----with no thought
--------as to what the world would say
--------about
--------this gaunt human form
Thundering
----the Message of Life
------------to come
----to a world in death
with all the water
------------swirling
--------about his feet
------------and the rocks
------------of this created
------------universe
Proclaiming the call
----not to himself
But to one
----vague
--------someone
----who was to come
------------someday
until
----Breaking through the reeds
----that separate
the Calm
----of the land living its own
from the Mayhem
--------of the future glimpse
--------at this rivers edge
Came
----no one of note
to heed the call
--------to come
------------to
----------------the water
--------and live
And As The Water Broke
------------With New Life
The Heavens Opened
With a Voice
--------from beyond time
“This Is My Son”
----Rippled Through The Existence of All That Was
----------------and Is
as
----the cooing harmonies of a dove
----------------descend
--------------------upon the shoulder
----of the Christ to be
“Whom I Love”
as the Heavens came crashing
-----------------back together
----on a world
----unruffled
that would never be the same

Wanna Dance?

Sunday January 11th, Genesis 1: 1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. This is a statement of faith. What follows in the rest of the first creation story in the first chapter of Genesis, is the worship of the one who brought creation into being. For some what follows is a litmus test for proper faith. The real question being asked is whether what follows verse one is science or worship. The fundamentalists would say they are the same, which means that scientifically they must dance around the view of earth as a flat land floating in a sea of chaos and covered by a dome around which the sun and moon traveled and light came through the holes in the dome at night (stars) and sometimes water came through (rain). I would rather see the whole thing as a statement of faith followed by the worship of the creator. Letting science deal with the how does not shake my faith, it fills it with wonder. The scientific view changes through time, so does the theological understanding. Even in times of change and discord it is not a threat, it is a dance, and when science in its fullness, and theology in its fullness embrace one another, in their fullness, the dance is beautiful.

did you feel that vibration?

Monday January 12th, Genesis 1: 2 Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. 3 And God said, Another translation of “formless and empty” is total chaos. Into this nothingness, this chaos, God spoke. String theory tells us the all matter is made up of vibrating strings of energy. Curious thing this, perhaps all we are observing is a bit of what happens when God speaks. John puts it this way, in the beginning was the word and the word was God and the word was with God. All that vibrating energy, taking the shape of matter, taking the shape of our world and one another, is in essence, God. Perhaps when we grasp that we will treat not only one another, but the world a bit better.

build a better world, not a better bomb

Tuesday January 13th, Acts 19: Paul traveled through the interior provinces. Finally, he came to Ephesus, where he found several believers. 2 "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?" he asked them. "No," they replied, "we don't know what you mean. We haven't even heard that there is a Holy Spirit." OK, they need to go back and take confirmation all over again. What is interesting is that their belief is not questioned. For Paul their belief was what was important, the rest was just housekeeping. Perhaps we could benefit from such an open approach when talking about other believers. There is this unholy tendency to think that we somehow have the "truth" and that others are wrong. We tend to fight wars and commit unspeakable acts to maintain the "truth" about religion; which really makes it more about us than about God. In the kingdom there are many rooms, maybe we need to focus more on faith and take care of what we feel are important details later. Perhaps in this world if we could see the spark of God in each individual we would start putting as much effort into getting along as we do into war. the Mideast might be a very different place today should that happen and Hamas and Israel could work on building a better world rather than on building better rockets and bombs.

Holy Spirit ride of your life

Wednesday January 14th, Acts 19: 5 As soon as they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 6 Then when Paul laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in other tongues and prophesied. 7 There were about twelve men in all. The Holy Spirit is manifest in many ways. To the people of Ephesus, speaking in tongues was one of the important ways to manifest the Holy Spirit. For others it may be in teaching, preaching, showing kindness, giving generously or any of the many gifts mentioned by Paul in 1st Corinthians 12 & 13. The important thing is the response of the followers. Let’s do it!!!! When the spirit leads you, are you ready to go do it!?! Do you ponder and wander and wait for the second and third time to get tapped by the Spirit, or do you jump in and go for the full ride? If you are the type that ponders and wanders, do you ever wonder what you have missed? Ever wonder what opportunities have passed by while you are weighing the options? Next time you get an inkling, jump! And hang on for the Holy Spirit ride of your life.

Will you jump?

Thursday January 15th, Mark 1: 4 And so John came, baptizing in the desert region and preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 5 The whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem went out to him. Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River. John offered them the hope of turning their life around and finding in that stream a connection to that vast flowing life in God. For many, life was filled with lots of questions and few answers. When they came to John they did not find answers, they found a journey. What they found was not someone to fix their problems, but someone to help them face their problems. Sometimes in facing our problems we can find answers. Sometimes all we find is awareness. And we always find we do not journey alone. John called them to repent; Jesus calls them to receive forgiveness and life eternal. What questions will you face today? What journey is Jesus calling you to? Will you jump in the water or stand on the banks and watch? Come to the waters and live!

Join the journey

Friday January 16th, Mark 1: 7And this was his message: "After me will come one more powerful than I, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. 8I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit." Child of God, you have been sealed by the Holy Spirit and marked with the Cross of Christ forever. The Holy Spirit points us to the love of Christ. We find it in our hearts, and then we turn and find it in the hearts of others. We welcome you to the Lord’s family; we receive you as fellow members of the Body of Christ, and workers with us in the Kingdome of God. We are the collective voice of God saying, you are our brothers and sisters, whom we love; with you we are well pleased, and with you we will journey through life together, brothers and sisters in Christ. We welcome you as a fellow sojourners as we live out God’s calling for our lives at this time through our combined ministries in the Kingdom of God. There is no greater gift we can give others than to join in the journey.

go live it!!

Saturday January 17th, Mark 1: 9 At that time Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. 10 As Jesus was coming up out of the water, he saw heaven being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. 11 And a voice came from heaven: "You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased." Think of this scene every time someone is baptized, or as Luther points out, every time the water hits your face in the morning and you remember your baptism. Imagine the heavens breaking open and the thunderous word, “This is my child whom I love and with whom I am well pleased.” Is it any different from the voice that created all that exist from the “formless and void”? What can God create in you today? Go live it!!!!

Letter from Rev. Mark Hanson, Presiding Bishop of the ELCA

December 31, 2008

Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ:

"For all the boots of the tramping warriors and all the garments rolled in blood shall be burned as fuel for the fire. For a child has been born for us, a son given to us; authority rests upon his shoulders; and he is named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. His authority shall grow continually, and there shall be endless peace for the throne of David and his kingdom. He will establish and uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time onward and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this." (Isaiah 9:5-7)

In this New Year, we turn again to the Lord of hosts -- praying urgently for the justice, righteousness and peace hailed by the birth of the newborn babe in the manger, the humble child, the Prince of Peace.

In these days of terrible violence, death and destruction in Gaza and southern Israel, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) joins its voice with all in the region and around the world who call for an immediate ceasefire. The continuing loss of life, infliction of serious injury and devastation of property will only deepen hatred and divisions, and will serve no good end. Lamenting the recent escalation of violence, only negotiations, leading to a two-state solution, will bring about a durable peace with justice for both Israelis and Palestinians.

The ELCA and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada (ELCIC) are carefully monitoring events in the region as their bishops prepare for their upcoming Academy visit, the planning for which began two years ago. Bishops of both churches have met several times this week by phone, and are united in their assessment that the trip is timelier than ever and should proceed. In keeping with the 2005 ELCA "Churchwide Strategy for Engagement in Israel and Palestine," the trip emphasizes accompaniment with its Lutheran partners in the region, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land (ELCJHL) and The Lutheran World Federation (LWF). In this very difficult time, the bishops hope that their presence can be a source of comfort to these partners and manifest support for these ministries.

ELCA congregations are invited to join with the Patriarchs and Heads of Churches in Jerusalem, including Bishop Munib Younan of the ELCJHL, who have called for this Sunday, January 4, to be "a day for justice and peace in the land of peace." The ELCA joins them in calling upon, "officials of both parties to the conflict to ... refrain from all violent acts, which only bring destruction and tragedy, and urge them instead to work to resolve their differences through peaceful and non-violent means." And the ELCA joins them in praying, "for the victims, the wounded and the broken-hearted. May the Lord God Almighty grant all those who have lost loved ones consolation and patience. We pray for all those living in panic and fear, that God may bless them with calm, tranquility and true peace."

The ELCA and ELCIC bishops invite the continuing prayers of their church members for building peace among Christians, Jews and Muslims and all of the region's peoples. On behalf of their churches, the bishops offer to their Christian sisters and brothers and to all people affected by the conflict, their steadfast support and their efforts and prayers for peace to prevail and healing to begin.

The Rev. Mark S. Hanson
Presiding Bishop
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
www.elca.org/bishopstatement