10W for May 6th in the Narrative Lectionary, The Trouble with Tribbles and Thessalonian

The following is a 10 minute worship for May 6th in the Narrative Lectionary, The Trouble with Tribbles and Thessalonians, . You can either listen on the flash player below or download it to your favorite music program to sync with your mp3 player by clicking on "DOWNLOAD" or play it on your smartphone's music player by clicking PLAY. You now also have the option of receiving these notices each week and on festival days by signing up for the 10W constant contact email list on the 10W blog or on your phone by texting 10W to 22828. The song for the day is,"Let us Go to the House of the Lord" by the Jay Beech Band from the CD "Everyone Who is Thirsty, Come"  which can be purchased HERE  

10W for May 6th the 5th Sunday of Easter, I am the Vine

The following is a 10 minute worship for May 6th the 5th Sunday of Easter, I am the Vine. You can either listen on the flash player below or download it to your favorite music program to sync with your mp3 player by clicking on "DOWNLOAD" or play it on your smartphone's music player by clicking PLAY. You now also have the option of receiving these notices each week and on festival days by signing up for the 10W constant contact email list on the 10W blog or on your phone by texting 10W to 22828. The song for the day is,"Let the Vineyards be Fruitful, Lord" by the Jay Beech Band from the CD "Everyone Who is Thirsty, Come" which can be purchased HERE  

10W for May 1st, the Festival of Phillip and James Apostles

The following is a 10 minute worship for May 1st, the Festival of Phillip and James Apostles. You can either listen on the flash player below or download it to your favorite music program to sync with your mp3 player by clicking on "DOWNLOAD" or play it on your smartphone's music player by clicking PLAY. You now also have the option of receiving these notices each week and on festival days by signing up for the 10W constant contact email list on the 10W blog or on your phone by texting 10W to 22828. The song for the day is,"You Are My Life" by Arlen Salte and the Break Forth Band from the CD Break Forth Vol 3 which can be purchased HERE  

Poem for 5th Sunday after Easter John 15:1-8

Every line in his face

in wandering arcs

tells of a story

marked in time

a story of life

not always easy

and a time

we wished

would not have to have been

back then

before we reached that threshold

beyond which

we dared not to venture

Each line

now marks the focus

of grandchildren on his knee

hanging on every word

silence

and look

that tells with joy

and thankfulness

of when we stepped

beyond our comfort

a time

when we stepped into fear

with only the hand of Christ

to keep us from falling back

a time

without which

life would lose its meaning

its life

pack it up

Sunday May 6^th, Acts 8: ²⁶Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, "Go south to the road—the desert road—that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza." ²⁷So he started out, and on his way he met an Ethiopian eunuch, an important official in charge of all the treasury of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians.  When the Spirit says go, you had better be packed and ready, because off you go.  In Acts the disciples were charged with spreading the Good News beginning in Jerusalem, or close to home, then Judea or next door to home, and then the Samaria or those sort of like us that we consider enemies of our home and then on to the ends of the earth.  In this story the Spirit intercedes to make the ends of the earth, and with it in the minds of some, the ends of humanity, happen.  Not only was Ethiopia far enough away to where they didn’t even know enough to call them either friend or enemy, but this particular Ethiopian was a Eunuch in the court of the Queen.  A Eunuch, come on God what the hell do you think you are doing to us?  Well, God does know what God is doing to us and what God is doing is saving us from our tendency to categorize others and even pretend to judge we believe belong in hell and who don’t.   God is serious about this ends of the earth thing in Acts.  This end of the earth thing pushes us both geographically and with our own sensitivities, or should we say insensitivities.  When God created the world and called it good, that is exactly what God meant to say and that is exactly what we are called to live out in our calling to be the children of God.  You are sent from Jerusalem, or close to home, then Judea or next door to home, and then the Samaria or to those sort of like us but that we consider enemies of our home and then on to the ends of the earth.  And when the Spirit says Go!!!! You better be packed and ready!!!

our self-imposed limitations

Monday May 7^th, Acts 8: ³⁶As they traveled along the road, they came to some water and the eunuch said, "Look, here is water. Why shouldn't I be baptized?" ³⁸And he gave orders to stop the chariot. Then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water and Philip baptized him.  No preparation, no belonging to a church, no profession of faith, no born again experience, no category on the ELCA form A or any other denominational reporting form, just “Wow, Water, why shouldn’t I be baptized.”  God leaves no doubt that there is only one answer and that is to do it.  You are called to be my messengers from Jerusalem, or close to home, then Judea or next door to home, and then the Samaria or those sort of like us that we consider enemies of our home and then on to the ends of the earth.  For Phillip, this was considered the ends of the earth.    That is how the spirit calls us to react to that wild, out of control, loving, and all inclusive spirit of God.  We are called to reach out to the ends of the earth.   For some that means an Ethiopian Eunuch who is seeking the Lord.  In Anchorage that included the passing of Prop 5 which would add LGBT to the existing anti-discrimination ordinance.    Many churches fought for its passage, they were the ones who got the end of the earth calling in Acts.  Many churches fought against its passage, they were the ones who don’t quite trust the spirit of God to lead them.  Don’t worry, when anti-discrimination does become law, the spirit will lead us on to the next of our self-imposed limitations with the call to tear down those walls also.  

the end is the beginning

Tuesday May 8^th, Acts 8: ³⁹When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord suddenly took Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him again, but went on his way rejoicing. ⁴⁰Philip, however, appeared at Azotus and traveled about, preaching the gospel in all the towns until he reached Caesarea.  No time for reflection, no time to change your mind either.  Philip finds himself moved from the Philistine area in the southern Gaza to the northern Gaza area of Azotus and then he travels either up the coast to Herod’s town of Caesarea by the sea or north of the Galilee to Caesarea Philippi.  The love of God is as wide as the East is from the West, and now apparently as deep as the South is from the North.  This is not accidental, this is the ever expanding world of the Grace of God that we are called to be a part of.  Where would the ends of the earth be for us today?? Would it be limited to earth, galaxy, solar system?  These stories tell us that the only limit to God’s love are the limits you and I place on our discovering of that love that already exists beyond any limitation any of place, ever!!!!   Whenever you think you see the end, it is just the beginning. 

in the "Mean" time

Wednesday May 9^th, 1 John 4: ⁷Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.  O that we really believed this and acted upon it.  I get a kick out of the literalists who want to quote chapter and verse to support hatred in God’s name.  It requires amazing mental gymnastics and total misuse of scripture, but if the fear and hatred is deep enough, they can find a way.  I get a kick out of it, but it is more like a kick in the head.  It is amazing to watch, but oh so sad in reality and humanity has been doing it since Cain and Able.   I also get a kick out of Coffin’s comment in “letters to a young doubter” where he recalls asking the head of a “Jesus” group on campus how their prayer list differed little from their shit list.  All too often that is the case.  As humans we love to judge others as less than ourselves out of fear and then attribute some Biblical quote to justify our hatred.  We are not called to judge others as less than, we are called to love others as created in the image of God.  Judging is easy, judging is fun, judging is empowering, but alas, in the end judging is God’s, and God already answered that question by sending Jesus to forgive the sins of all.  Name someone who doesn’t love.  Those terrorists…. They most likely have families they love, so do most of the others we might be brave enough to mention.  I have met a few who don’t love, they do exist.  Bottom line, God loves them and they just haven’t figured it out yet.  In the end, all will succumb to the love of God and end up in the sweet bye and bye.   It is God’s providence to accomplish such.  In the meantime, and I do mean “mean” time, we all have to face the fact that the biggest obstacle to God’s love is one part of God’s creation not being able to grasps the God loves the other part of creation that God created and called good.  

respond

Thursday May 10^th, 1 John 4:  ¹³We know that we live in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. ¹⁴And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. ¹⁵If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in him and he in God. ¹⁶And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. Wow, if “anyone” acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God??????  For some that should strike up the feeling that the Bible is way too inclusive.  The next thing you know, God will extend the time limit on that way beyond our comfort level.  What if heaven was not complete until the likes of Adolf Hitler finally succumbed to the love of God????  That would mean that God’s love can also be for us.  I believe people do go to hell.  I believe that God so loves humanity that we are even granted that freedom, we are just not left there.  We are not left alone in our own self-imposed hell in this world or in the next.  The seeking God of love will seek us out and love us until we turn, tears in our eyes, and respond to that love.  

pruning

Friday May 11^th, John 15: ¹"I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. ²He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. I need to lose 40 pounds.  Step one is to admit that I am overweight.  There are other things about myself that would be best if they were changed also, I will not mention them here.  We are always in the process of pruning, cutting this back, encouraging growth here, discouraging this from taking over our self.  We get that.  All too often when we read these texts however we think the pruning is cutting out the other person, rather than the God guided refining of the self.  Perhaps what we most need pruned is our desire to prune the other.  Sometimes the pruning is in the form of excluding the other.  Other times it is trying to be in charge of what the other must do.  Either way, it is about the other.  God calls us to go under the pruning hook of the spirit until we are truly able to love one another.  

clear the brush

Saturday May 12^th, John 15:   ⁵"I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. ⁶If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned.  What part of your life remains outside of God and God’s control??  It won’t be forever, God will change that.  God will prune and perfect you in this life and in the next.  You have a choice.  Do you want to live as a child of God now, fully aware of God’s blessing, or do you want to waste your whole life on some illusion and change it later?  As far as choices go, we all have that one.  Eventually all the dead wood in our lives will be stripped away and thrown into the purifying fire.  It is when the brush is cleared from our eyes that we are more able to see God in our lives.  

April 24th 2012
Acts 14:8-18 Paul and Barnabas heal a man in a town called Lystra, the townspeople are so surprised that they claim them to be Gods, (Zeus and Hermes to be exact). They go all the way to throwing them a parade before Paul and Barnabas are able to get them to listen to their claims not to be Gods.
How often do we hear or see something that confirms are preconceived notions about people, the world, and the way things work, and once that notion is confirmed we shut ourselves off to anymore info, because we "understand" it. Think of the Disciples, how often did they find themselves confused by Christ's actions because they assumed that Jesus was following their plan on how things were going to work out. Too often we read the Bible waiting for it to confirm what we already believe, then close ourselves off to anything that might challenge those beliefs. The Bible and Christ should challenge you, that is a good thing, that is how you grow in your faith and truly live in relationship in Christ.

10W for April 29th, The 4th Sunday of Easter NL, Paul in Lystra

The following is a 10 minute worship for April 29th, The 4th Sunday of Easter NL, Paul in Lystra. You can either listen on the flash player below or download it to your favorite music program to sync with your mp3 player by clicking on "DOWNLOAD" or play it on your smartphone's music player by clicking PLAY. You now also have the option of receiving these notices each week and on festival days by signing up for the 10W constant contact email list on the 10W blog or on your phone by texting 10W to 22828. The song for the day is,"Traveling on for Jesus" by Kate and Anna McGarrigle from the CD "Kate and Anna McGarrigle"  which can be purchased HERE 

10W for April 29th, The 4th Sunday of Easter, Calling all sheep.

The following is a 10 minute worship for April 29th, The 4th Sunday of Easter, Calling all sheep. You can either listen on the flash player below or download it to your favorite music program to sync with your mp3 player by clicking on "DOWNLOAD" or play it on your smartphone's music player by clicking PLAY. You now also have the option of receiving these notices each week and on festival days by signing up for the 10W constant contact email list on the 10W blog or on your phone by texting 10W to 22828. The song for the day is,"The Lord is my Shepherd" by Keith Green from the CD, "The Ministry Years, Vol 2"  which can be purchased HERE

Poem for John 10

The small child

ran gently

into the arms of her mother

and felt the comfort

--the warmth

the love that is in those arms

the love

--that cared that night

--when dreaming seemed

----so real

--the caring that went on

----into the night

in the love that was felt

and reads

--not one

but two, three, four, five, six

books

when the night is already late

and the milk tipped over

----somehow

----at supper

these arms that offer security

--suspended there

in a crowed of strangers

all too busy

--in their own worlds

to notice or care about one so small

these arms of security

I can hang onto

And see these worlds

----and yet know

I am safe in my world

--(the good shepherd lays down his life)

within these arms

I know this

and I can sleep now

in peace

--(for His sheep)

because I know

these arms will be there

tomorrow

Sunday April 29^th, Psalm 23: The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not be in want. A shepherd is one who watches out for the sheep. The sheep, and that would be you and I, are the ones who tend to wander. We wander out of stupidity, we wander out of curiosity, we wander out of willfulness, and sometimes we wander just for the hell of it to see what will happen.  In this psalm of comfort we hear that even when we wander, we don’t wander alone, the Lord is watching out for us. In that we can put our hope and faith and find comfort. Even when we wander off, the good shepherd is there to bring us back into the community, back into the fold. No matter where we go in life, no matter how far we wander, no matter how much we might try to deny the shepherds existence, the good shepherd is there, always watching out for us and working us back into the fold. That is what grace looks like in action. The reason we are in the fold, and/or brought back to the fold is so the Shepherd can move us onto new pastures.  It is the new pastures in life that help us grow.  This is called mission because in these new pastures we meet new people who we help grow, and in the process find ourselves growing even more because of our interaction with them.  The purpose of Grace is mission and the message of mission is Grace.  Of this the world, and our ever hungry souls, have great need.  

Monday April 30^th, Psalm 23: He makes me lie down in green pastures, and leads me beside quiet waters. He restores my soul and guides me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake. There is a restoring that goes on in the presence of the Lord. We were created and called good in the beginning and when we get askew, which is all of us some of the time and most of us most of the time, we are re-created through the love of Christ.  When we gather in the word, when we hear the stories, when we feel the presence of a loving community, we are refreshed, restored, reborn and recreated in the image of God. Sometimes we like to take our own paths in life and claim them as the Lord’s path; when we do, we find a community broken, restoration broken, anger grows, selfishness and war break out as self-defeating self-defense moves. When we again look to the Lord and the ways of the Lord, we find a grace filled community filled with healing and wholeness and calling us back to the commandment of God to love one another as we have been loved by God.  It is in loving others, loving God and loving self that we find the paths of righteousness.  It is a true righteousness that comes from God and lives in harmony in the company of our brothers and sisters and friends and enemies. The righteousness that comes from the self, self-righteousness lives alone in a world of conflict and points to what others are doing wrong in its Oh not so humble opinion. The path of righteousness that comes from God is the path that leads through brokenness to wholeness and a peace that can only come from God. 

Tuesday May 1^st, Psalm 23: You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and love will follow us all the days of our lives and we will dwell in the house of the LORD forever. "War is the coward's escape from the problems of peace" Thomas Mann. All too often we rush headlong into battle and conflict rather than into negotiation, conversation and justice.  To be honest, there is more money to be made in war than in peace, at least for the well-connected and morally bankrupt.  But it is a path that eventually leads to the whole world being bankrupt both morally and financially.  The world now faces the devastation, economically, socially, and politically, that this headlong rush to war can bring to the generations that follow such cowardly greed and self-righteousness.  In contrast, the Lord sets us down in the presence of our enemies at a table. As we gather to eat, the underlying premise is that we are all the children of God gathered around the God’s table, with God as the silent listener of every conversation. Our task in life is not to pull one over on our enemies, or get the better of our enemies, or experience the joy of having a snit fit with our enemies, our task is to recognize that out enemies are our brothers and sisters at the table of God.  Our job is to find out how to get along. It all starts with recognizing and respecting the other as a child of God. It is then the real work starts.  Those who cowardly avoid military service only to send other sons and daughters don’t have the stomach for the real work and operate only out of fear.  Our task, out of love for God and love for our Brothers and Sisters, and the ones trying to solve problems with war, is to stop them in the name of the God who created us all and called us good.  

Wednesday May 2^nd, John 10: 11 "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. Jesus came into the room where the disciples were hiding and breathed on them the Holy Spirit and gave them the commission that as the Father had sent him, so too they were now sent. That same commission extends to us all. As the Father had sent Christ, so now we are sent.  For the disciples it was beginning in Jerusalem, to Judea and Samaria and on to the rest of the world.  For us it is beginning in our home community, to the neighboring community, to the unclean and unfriendly community just outside our doorstep and on to the ends of the earth.  It is our calling, we are sent.  We are sent into the world to bring the good news, the healing, the wholeness, the reconciliation and the gift of forgiveness that comes from our loving God. We are all at the same time, sheep and shepherds, both seeking and being sought. The shepherd is willing to give his or her all for those being shepherded. That is both our blessing and our calling. Feel the breath on your neck and get up and go.

Thursday May 3^rd, John 10: 12 The hired hand is not the shepherd who owns the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. 13 The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. The hired hand, who is in it only for the money, turns and runs when the going gets tough, and leaves the sheep at the mercy of the wolves. It is all too common a sight. Pension funds being raided or underpaid, CEO’s with multi-million bonuses while the corporations they lead getting bailed out by the working poor.  Corporations moving offices off shore to avoid taxes and regulations, while holding contracts paid by the taxes of you and I.  We see union busting and blaming while corporate downsizing provides the cash flow to keep the bonuses and stock prices going.  All is done in the name of making a buck. All is done at the expense of the sheep.  With the push of the tea party the sheep are even cheering on the slaughter of the sheep.  Jesus calls us to a different image, one where there is a loving concern for the sheep, a desire for what is best for the many, not just profitable for the few. Being a child of God is more than just a day job, it’s a committed life. The commitment is to the Creator, the Creature, and the Creation, not the self.  It all goes back to the garden and that tree of knowledge thing.  It is not about us singular, it is about us as the whole family of God.  

Friday May 4^th, John 10: 14 "I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me— 15  just as the Father knows me and I know the Father. As we are known and loved by Jesus, so we are called to get to know other sheep and to learn to be loving towards these other sheep.   Caring is more than just saying “I’ll pray for you,” it is actually about praying for them in words, and then following that up with deeds.  In our church we have prayer cards that are sent out each week to those people in the congregation are praying for.  It is not the end, but it is a good start.  There are times however when one’s prayer list is not much different from ones shit list. It is usually when we find ourselves praying that the other would see things our way.  Those prayers are more about our self-interests than about the person we are praying for.  Being a shepherd is about knowing the other well enough to truly pray for them. It is in praying and knowing well enough to know what to pray for even before the conversation that is the mark of a loving, caring shepherd. That kind of knowing presupposes relationship, and relationships take work, caring, and love, and most of all ……. Prayer.

Saturday May 5^th, John 10: 16 I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd. The early church depicted in Acts was a church that was beginning to grasp the idea that the mission of grace begins in Jerusalem, (at home and in the comfort of knowing) and then goes to Judea (next to home, and close enough to have an understanding) and Samaria (those people you might think you know, but really can’t stand) and on to the ends of the earth (which with scientific discovery is an ever changing proposition).  The church later held onto the idea that the earth was the center of the universe and that the sun revolved around us. Those who taught to the contrary we chastised and excommunicated from the church, for which in some cases the Roman church has apologized. Lest we be too judgmental it is good to realize that we too tend to think that the universe revolves around us. It always is easier to see oneself as right, and those who opposed your viewpoint as wrong.  Our children, whose brains are different than ours, are more able to function in the world of dichotomy.   They, more than we are able to conclude that though we and the other may differ, we may also both be, to a certain extent, right, even when the conclusions appear to be at polar opposites. Some of the worst atrocities in the world have been committed in the name of god. I use a small “g” because any atrocities committed in the name of god must assume that god is not grand enough to love all of humanity. It is only our “little god” of self-interest. Jesus lets us know that there is more to this world, more to the family of God, more to our brothers and sisters in Christ than seems reasonable by our perception. In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth, all of it, everyone in it, begins the scriptures. It is from that basis that we are called as the children of God to love all creation. There is no axis of evil save that which wishes to judge others as such. To accept the notion of Islamic terrorists is to also accept the notion that those who would use any means, including torture, are terrorists also.  To accept them as Samaritans means that we don’t particularly like what they are doing, or maybe even who they are, but they are our brothers in Christ, with a Capitol “C” which rhymes with “G” and is our God.  Anything else is just lower case.  

10W for April 25th, St. Mark Evangelists

The following is a 10 minute worship for April 25th, St. Mark Evangelists. You can either listen on the flash player below or download it to your favorite music program to sync with your mp3 player by clicking on "DOWNLOAD" or play it on your smartphone's music player by clicking PLAY. You now also have the option of receiving these notices each week and on festival days by signing up for the 10W constant contact email list on the 10W blog or on your phone by texting 10W to 22828. The song for the day is,"Baptized" by NiNa from the CD "I Am Your Child"  which can be purchased HERE

Poem for April 25th St. Mark, Evangelist Mark 1:1-15

Prepare the way
Prepare the way of the Lord
was the call
Prepare
and make ready for what will be
----(the time has come)
make ready for the son of God
in the flesh
in the world
living among the people
you and I
who long so to hear the news
who long so to see the doves
descending on the one
God sent
to save
Prepare
----(the Kingdom of God)
the way of the Lord
the one for whom the prophets foretold
the one for whom John foretold
has come
and had defeated the one
who would being death
----(is near)
the message is told
and the time is now new
time for the whole world to change
from what it was
----(Repent)
to what it is in Christ
New
and alive
God has loved the people
God has loved the nations
and sent
the one foretold
----(and believe)
who would save the people
from their sins
----(the Good News)
this Christ
the Son of God

10W for April 22nd, E3 Narrative Lectionary, Antioch and Beyond

The following is a 10 minute worship for April 22nd, the 3rd Sunday in Easter in the Narrative Lectionary, Antioch and beyond. You can either listen on the flash player below or download it to your favorite music program to sync with your mp3 player by clicking on "DOWNLOAD" or play it on your smartphone's music player by clicking PLAY. You now also have the option of receiving these notices each week and on festival days by signing up for the 10W constant contact email list on the 10W blog or on your phone by texting 10W to 22828. The song for the day is,"Send Us Out" by Dakota Road from the CD, "Build Up" which can be purchased HERE

10W for April 22nd, E3, Walk On

The following is a 10 minute worship for April 22nd, The 3rd Sunday of Easter, Walk On. You can either listen on the flash player below or download it to your favorite music program to sync with your mp3 player by clicking on "DOWNLOAD" or play it on your smartphone's music player by clicking PLAY. You now also have the option of receiving these notices each week and on festival days by signing up for the 10W constant contact email list on the 10W blog or on your phone by texting 10W to 22828. The song for the day is,"Walk On" by Ruthie Foster from the CD "Runaway Soul" which can be purchased HERE

Poem for 3rd Sunday of Easter, Luke 24

Among the living

stands one

who was

--and is

The Christ who came

to bring life

--only to taste death

Lives

Among our doubts

------and fears

--and hopes

that what we have heard is true

Christ Lives

amid the power structures

--that do not at all find

-----------surprises

----------------all that appealing

Christ lives

That we may know that

which has been said

--from the beginning,

God looked and said

--it is good.

Christ lives!

Opening Litany based on Psalm 4

Pastor: Answer me when I call to you O Lord, give me relief from my distress

Congregation; Have mercy on me O God and hear my prayer.


Pastor: How long will the people of God turn glory into shame? How long will they love delusions and run after false gods? Know my children that the LORD has set you apart and called you as faithful servants.

Congregation: I will live my life knowing that the Lord hears me when I call.


Pastor: Live in awe of the Lord and do not knowingly sin. In the silence of the evening, search your hearts and know that you are a child of God.

Congregation: We will offer our lives and our trust as a righteous offering unto the Lord.


Pastor: Many spend their lives and energies asking, “Who will bring us prosperity?” If you want riches, let the light of God’s love shine upon you.

Congregation: Fill my heart with joy O Lord, for that is the abundance I seek.


Pastor: In peace I will lie down and sleep this night.

Congregation: For the Lord alone will make us dwell in safety.

gift

Sunday April 22nd, Psalm 4: O Lord you have put gladness in our hearts more than when grain and wine abound. We will both lie down and sleep in peace; for you alone, O LORD, make us lie down in safety. After all the hurrying around in life, we sometimes get to the point where we stop struggling to put out own stamp on life and let God be in charge. It is then we begin to see the riches that have been given to us from the very beginning. It is good to be thankful and live thankfully. All too often we are only thankful only for the frosting in life, not the main course. It is when we realize that God has given us all that we have, when we realize that all of life is a gift from God and that all that we have is given by grace, that we can live with gladness in our hearts. It is not just the frosting; it is the cake, and more often than not, the meat and potatoes, the everyday life where the true blessings lay. It is when we slow down and look around, spend time seeing the sights, looking at the details, nourishing the relationships, that we truly see the hand of God in our lives. Some say it is a gift that comes with age; others say it comes with trauma. God calls you to live it now. May you relish this gift today.

cookies

Monday April 23rd, 1 John 3: 1 What marvelous love the Father has extended to us! Just look at it--we're called children of God! That's who we really are. I love my children. But to be honest, there are days I wonder why. As they get older and on their own it becomes easier, but even now there are those phone calls and those days….. The bottom line however, I love them. That is just who I am. We are called the children of God. I am sure there are lots of times when God is pretty disappointed, or at least just wants to go on vacation and get away from us all. I wouldn’t blame God for a little vacation time now and then. God loves us anyway. That is who God is. We are the children of God because we are loved and we are loved because we are the children of God. We don’t earn that love any more than our children “earn” our love. That is a good thing for them and a good thing for us. Don’t forget Mother’s day or Father’s day, it comes every Sunday when we gather, hear words of forgiveness, words of Good News and hope, offer thanks and some understanding of how to do better and are fed. There are times when I think Chocolate chip cookies and a glass of milk might be a better symbol for communion. This is my love poured out for you, welcome to the kitchen of God, smell the smells, feel the warmth, taste the goodness, comfort food, comfort love, comfort Gospel. Take and eat in remembrance..

slop

Tuesday April 24th, 1 John 3: 6 No one who lives deeply in Christ makes a practice of sin. None of those who do practice sin have taken a good look at Christ. They've got him all backwards. Sin is not based on a list of do’s and don’ts, sin is that which separates us from God. It may or may not include the Ten Commandments but the Ten Commandments surely do not include all the ways we manage to separate ourselves from God. When we find ourselves separated, as did the prodigal son at the pig trough, know that God is waiting right there for us, eyes searching the horizon waiting for some sign of our return. Even the pig troughs of life do not separate us from the love of God. God’s love is always there. It is just that all that smelly slop makes it hard for Us to see that love being poured out for us. The slop gets in our eyes, clouds our vision, the smell dulls our senses and hampers our ability to take in the beauty of God that surrounds us. Rest assured, even standing in the middle of that slop, stinking to high heaven, God is right there with us telling us we are loved and calling us home to take a bath. It’s called grace.

truth

Wednesday April 25th, 1 John 3: 7 So, my dear children, don't let anyone divert you from the truth. It's the person who acts right who is right, just as we see it lived out in our righteous Messiah. Truth is not just a set of facts that we can memorize and know, rather truth is the relationships in which we live. To live in the truth does not mean that we always do everything right, or that we even should do everything “right,” or that we always live happy lives or that we are successful etc. etc. etc. Living in truth means that we live knowing we are loved by God and that nothing we have done, are doing, or will do can break that bond of love, at least from God’s side. Living that truth is being in love with God and knowing you are loved by God. Don’t let anyone, or any doctrine, or any rules, or temptations, or any church, divert you from that truth. Know, deep down in your very being that you live in God’s love each and every moment of your life. We are simply called to live out of that love.

bejeebers

Thursday April 26th, Luke 24: 36 While they were still talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, "Peace be with you." 37 They were startled and frightened, thinking they saw a ghost. 38 He said to them, "Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds? 39 Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself. The truth is that Jesus always comes to where we are in our lives, even if that where happens to be in hiding because of fear. When Jesus comes, he brings peace, shalom. When Jesus came to the disciples they were afraid for their lives. That is sometimes the case with us also. It is almost comical to imagine the disciples hiding in a room, doors locked, afraid there will be “that” knock on the door, when all of a sudden, without a knock, someone is standing in their midst breathing down their necks. Oh, Jesus, you scared me, was most likely the most common response. Jesus comes to where we are however to calm our fears and sometimes to scare the bejeebers out of us and get us moving forward to do our job. No matter what is going on in our lives, the one thing we can be assured of is that we are never alone. The God of love is always by our side uttering words of shalom and moving us forward.

fish

Friday April 27th, Luke 24: 40 When he had said this, he showed them his hands and feet. 41 And while they still did not believe it because of joy and amazement, he asked them, "Do you have anything here to eat?" 42 They gave him a piece of broiled fish, 43 and he took it and ate it in their presence. The story of the fish was meant to show that Jesus was not just an illusion or a ghost, but real flesh and blood. It is also a good metaphor for life as a follower of Christ. First, sit down and have a bite to eat together. Look around and know you are not alone; you are surrounded by the love of God in the presence of your brothers and sisters in Christ. From this point the disciples were sent out into the world to spread the good news. It just took a little motivation to get them moving. The Good news is not, “you can be saved if you…………….., it is, “you are saved because Christ already did……………. Now that you don’t have to do anything, what are you going to do? I suggest you sit down, eat with friends, and then go into the world and spread the good news.

key

Saturday April 28th, Luke 24: 45 Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. 46 He told them, "This is what is written: The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, 47 and repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. 48 You are witnesses of these things. All of scripture is to be seen through the lens of the empty tomb. God has been reconciling us with the love of God since the beginning of time, and will continue long after time is no more. All those things that seem like rules and laws are simply props to help us understand this love of God that does not need those props. Through all the stories in the Old Testament runs that thread of God’s faithfulness, and often times, human folly. Through all the stories in the New Testament runs the thread of God’s faithfulness and plan for the salvation of all creation. God loves us!! Understand that, and you hold the key to scripture.

Fear that blinds

As I read my father's posts on the disciples living in fear following his death, I am reminded again of how living in fear can keep us from fully experiencing God's love. When I was a freshman in college I chose to get a tattoo. I found a good place and went to check it out. As I am standing in the store looking at the choices, the owner of the place walks in. He was without doubt the scariest looking person I have ever seen. 6'6'' covered in tattoos, and judging from his beard a fan of "ZZ Top". He was the perfect representation of the kind of person you wouldn't want to meet in a dark alley. Six weeks later I went back to get my tattoo, this time I had a guest my Aunt. My Aunt Sandy was a chaplain, and had always wanted to see someone get a tattoo, so she wanted to come along. As he was giving me my tattoo, this intimidating man and my Aunt begin to talk. When he found out what she did he lit up. He told her how he had two children and had been wanting to get them baptized. While I was afraid, I could not see the love of Christ in this man's heart. Fear blinds us, and makes us hide, hide from the gift of God that challenges us, hide from the responsibility we have to share that gift with all we meet. Don't let fear blind you, come out from hiding and see the glory of a grace filled world.  

I wanted to take this opportunity to introduce myself. My name is Levi Bollerud, I am the son of Pastor Dan and I will be joining him on this blog. I am a recent graduate of Luther Seminary and I am awaiting a call. Though I lack my father's experience, I hope I share the same passion. As I am new at this, any comments are more than welcome. God bless, and peace.

Levi Bollerud

10W for April 15th 2nd Sunday of Easter NL, Resurrection in Jerusalem.

The following is a 10 minute worship for April 15th 2nd Sunday of Easter NL, Resurrection in Jerusalem. You can either listen on the flash player below or download it to your favorite music program to sync with your mp3 player by clicking on "DOWNLOAD" or play it on your smartphone's music player by clicking PLAY. You now also have the option of receiving these notices each week and on festival days by signing up for the 10W constant contact email list on the 10W blog or on your phone by texting 10W to 22828. The song for the day is,"The Healing Hand of Jesus" by the Jay Beech Band from the CD "Everyone Who is Thirsty, Come" which can be purchased HERE

10W for April 15th, 2nd Sunday of Easter, spurring doubts.

The following is a 10 minute worship for April 15th, 2nd Sunday of Easter, spurring doubts. You can either listen on the flash player below or download it to your favorite music program to sync with your mp3 player by clicking on "DOWNLOAD" or play it on your smartphone's music player by clicking PLAY. You now also have the option of receiving these notices each week and on festival days by signing up for the 10W constant contact email list on the 10W blog or on your phone by texting 10W to 22828. The song for the day is,"Precious Lord, Take My Hand" by Ashley Cleveland from the CD "Men and Angels Say"  which can be purchased HERE

Poem for 2nd Sunday in Easter John 20:19-31

I sit in darkness
late at night
the kids are asleep
quiet now
--after a day of fun
oblivious to the adult world
--as we have made it
of war and hate
and children very much like themselves
loved very much like themselves
without enough
--of their share
--to survive
I want to venture out
To help in this world
--of too much
----and not enough
but I often find myself
----------hiding
here in the darkness
----------comfort
-------------safety
of my own walls
when
--into this sanctuary
--of my
------awareness fear
comes a voice
----(peace)
of disturbing comfort
that seeks to destroy
------------my little kingdom
-------of what
--------------can
------------------I
--------------------do
-----------------------anyway walls
I am heralded again
----(peace)
from that voice of life
----(be with you)
I long to
--but wish not
------------hear
peace
in the midst of your world
and because of it
as the words still ring
------in my mind
I remember the one who came
To make all things new
And I long
--for that contact
that would take me by the hand
and lead me
--down the path of what will be
lead me
----(as the Father sent me)
somehow to show
--that Christ lives
show it to others
------and myself
Help me Lord to do thy will
----(I send you)
today

go

Sunday April 15th, John 20: 19 On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you…. OK, Easter has happened, the resurrection is a reality and now that you don’t have to do anything what are you going to do? If you are like the disciples following that first Easter you would hid away in fear, hoping beyond hope that you would not be next to be arrested and executed. Jesus had other ideas for the disciples. Jesus has other ideas for us also. Jesus idea is for the disciples and for you and I to go. Go, out into the world. Go, out among the people. Remember what Jesus said to the women at the tomb? “Go tell the disciples I will meet them in Galilee, I will be out ahead of them in the world, I will be out ahead of them in life, I will be out ahead of them when they interact with friends, family, work and world. Hiding behind the doors in the upper room or in the church building or behind our walls of piety is not what the call is about. The call is about getting out there and being the church in the world. It is a world that needs you. It is a world that needs grace. It is a world in which Christ lives already, waiting for you to show up and do and be your part. Peace be with you…. Now Go!!

they are not forgiven

Monday April 16th, John 20: 21 Again Jesus said, "Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you." 22 And with that he breathed on them and said, "Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive anyone his sins, they are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven." OK, now that you don’t have to do anything what are you going to do? Jesus message of “Peace be with you” is quickly followed by “now get out there and forgive.” Along with this comes the warning of what happens if you do not offer forgiveness. Do you want to live in a world where there is not forgiveness? Do you want your children to live in such a world? It doesn’t take long out in the world, listening to people, to find that your brothers and sisters need that forgiveness as much as you need them to be forgiven. If we look deep enough, we all need that forgiveness. All too often we skip along the surface of life not looking too deep, spending our time on sports, fashion and fun. If pressed we all know that if we look down, just under the ice in our veins, there is all that garbage we might have to acknowledge and look at. Forgiveness and acceptance thaws that ice in our veins and allows the garbage to be taken care of, allows lives to be cleaned, allows hearts to be whole. It is a process that is not without pain. Now that we don’t have to do anything, go in peace, forgive, and be the body of Christ in the world.

Peace a boo

Tuesday April 17th, John 20: 26 A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you!" The disciples, like you and I most of the time, are still sitting around in the process of getting ready to go out there into the Galilee, the world in which we live, and bring the good news. Now that we don’t have to do anything, most of us are choosing to do nothing. Then on the other hand some of us are very busy holding meetings, or studying the situation, or studying the Bible, or playing church or something, anything except getting out there where Jesus is, in the Galilee, in our world out ahead of us waiting. Jesus comes to the ones out there in the world as Jesus comes to us with the message that the kingdom is near. What Jesus does is to urge us to get together out there in our world, in the Galilee and know we are not alone. Jesus has already been, and already is there. The ground is fertile waiting for both the “us” and the “them” to grow. We are holding seeds in our hands. Now that we don’t have to do anything are we going to study those seeds or plant them?

doubts

Wednesday April 18th, John 20: " 27 Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe." 28 Thomas said to him, "My Lord and my God!" 29 Then Jesus told him, "Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed." Now that we don’t have to do anything, and realize that we haven’t done anything, we can either get out there into the Galilee, the world, and plant those seeds or blame someone else for not planting those seeds in our hands. The disciples give us a good example. Unfortunately it is an example of what not to do.. They stood there and blamed Thomas. He will forevermore be the example of doubt in the world of people themselves are held up inside the four walls of Christian churches waiting for someone else to blame for not being out there in the Galilee. Doubt however, rather than being something antithetical to faith is the essence of faith. Doubt is the ants in the pants of faith, it gets it up and moving (Buechner, Wishful thinking). Perhaps it was Thomas’ doubt that got the disciples up and moving and out into the world. Thomas traveled further than any of the other disciples, establishing churches in India and there are even some reports of his traveling as far as present day China. Perhaps it is our doubts that will be the true blessing that will get us to leave the four walls of our comfort zone and go to where Jesus is waiting for us to bring the good news, in the Galilee, which is another way of saying out in our world.