Two months later... And the countdown's begun

Helllllooooooo again! It's hard to believe that two months have gone by since either Pastor Brian or I have managed to write anything for this SOV Pastors' Blog - it's not for lack of interesting things to write about - that I can guarantee.
So - I'm moving. My husband and I have accepted a call to serve together as co-pastors of Christ the King Lutheran Church in Bozeman, Montana. It's a move back to the Montana Synod for me, and a return to northern climes for both of us (I am so NOT a desert flower!). While we are excited about working together and living in a smaller town, the move is not without its sadness and anxieties. It's rarely easy to leave a congregation - lots of goodbyes, ministries left ongoing, plans left untried or unfulfilled. And so to the people who are Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran Church, I say "thank you" and "keep up the good ministry."
On the personal, household side, moving is turning out to be quite the adventure. We're had a garage sale last Saturday as another attempt to reduce the amount of stuff that will be arriving in Bozeman with our names on it. The moving truck arrives tomorrow morning, and then the only "stuff" left in the house will be what's going in the cars with us. Five pets included. (Anybody interested in borrowing 2 cats for 6-7 months or so? Send me an email ASAP!!)

This may be the last post on this blog. We'll see. So, before I shut it down (and hopefully start a new one in a month or so): Thanks for reading!

Forget the doggy in the window...

Forget the doggy in the window - the question now is "how much is that used cooking oil out by the dumpster?" Today's New York Times has a great article about grease stealing! Of all things! While I understand the frustration of restaurant owners and contracted grease-picker-uppers, I have to admit it kind of makes me glad that used fryer oil is such a hot commodity. After all, there's a constant supply, and it's about time we started to get a little more creative.

Over and over again I hear people say things about "defending our way of life," though really I think they're saying they want our lifestyle defended -cheap food, goods and fuel, an abundance of whatever we want, however we want, whenever we want it.
Politicians and others seem loathe to even suggest that there might need to be a change in the American lifestyle. But honestly, America, are you kidding?! The rate of consumption in our culture is simply not sustainable. Perhaps it's time we ALL started getting a little more realistic. And creative. If not for the sake of our neighbor (which is where Jesus would point us, I believe), then for the sake of ourselves.

Book Group Picks Title for June

The "new" Book Group here at Shepherd of the Valley met for the second time last night, for very fun and stimulating conversation. We discussed Rob Bell's Velvet Elvis, which everyone seemed to enjoy a great deal - I think it's a fun read, and helpful for conversation among Christians of differing traditions. (At the end of May we discussed The Irrresistible Revolution by Shaine Claiborne).

And a new book was chosen to discuss in June (on Wednesday, the 25th, at 7p.m.): The Centered Life, by Jack Fortin. While the first 2 selections are available at your regular Borders or Barnes & Noble, this one will most likely need to be ordered, from amazon, or from Augsburg Fortress, the publishing house of the ELCA.

This book examines the "myth of the balanced life" and is designed to help individuals and communities of faith connect Sunday to Monday. It's not a long or complicated book, but it might change the way you think about how your life is organized and where God is calling you in your life (Marting Luther's understanding of "vocation").

Order a copy and join the conversation!

ELCA has new web site!

The ELCA (Evangelical Lutheran Church in America) has a new web site up at elca.org. It's much more inviting than the last one. Of course, those of us accustomed to finding things on the old one may still go back to it, since it's still up at archive.elca.org - helpful.
ALSO, Kelly Fryer, author of a bunch of helpful books, has a FABULOUS post on her blog about the new ELCA presence on the web.

A long time coming...

Read this article in today's New York Times. It reminds me of how short my own attention span is when it comes to world events, even when I have a close tie to them.
I lived in Northern Ireland for a year from August 1995-1996, and have been back several times since, including a 3-4 month visit in 2001 and for a week last summer.

Peace is not to be taken for granted in our world. Keep praying.

May 10 is World Fair Trade Day - and Mothers Day offers a perfect opportunity to stock up on Fair Trade coffee and chocolate. How we shop and what we purchase makes a difference in the world - we are far more connected than most of us realize.

Areopagus thoughts...

Now and then I take a few minutes to read other thought-provoking blogs (I hope our blog is thought-provoking, at least some of the time!).
Anyway - read this great post on the Sarcastic Lutheran blog. A warning now: sometimes the Saracastic Lutheran uses language that might offend more sensitive types - a little sharp and salty, perhaps.
Don't let that stop you from getting the point.
Happy reading! And thinking! And talking about what you've read and thought!

PS - Tonight we launch the SOV Book Group with conversation about Shane Claiborne's The Irresistible Revolution: Living as an Ordinary Radical. The conversation starts at 7pm. You're welcome to join us. And next month: Velvet Elvis, by Rob Bell.

Earth Day 2008

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth...

I can think of no better reason to take care of them.

Food and Famine

Here at SOV we are still recovering a little from last weekend's fabulous celebrations of the congregation's 50th Anniversary. I hope to write more about that later.
But for today, a couple of links, about food production and how we humans really are dependent on other creatures and our environment for our survival. I think it's easy to forget that sometimes, when we can get just about any fruit regardless of season, and can get a lot of it wrapped in plastic.
First: My Dad is a commercial beekeeper. He called me yesterday to let me know that their local ABC affiliate (KOMO TV in Seattle) had called to ask him about bees and how so many hives are dying. A reporter interviewed him, and it was on the news last night. It's interesting, and the ramifications of bees getting wiped out could be serious.
Second: Today's New York Times has an interesting article about how the drought in Australia is causing a global shortage of rice. The shortage has led to riots, hoarding, and concerns about social/economic stability in several countries around the world. I've even begun to notice stories about U.S. food prices on the news here. Have you noticed how the "regular" price of a box of cereal has gone up lately?
Perhaps it's time for us to take even more seriously our call to feed the hungry and clothe the naked. And to remember that the Lord's Prayer is a communal prayer. Give US this day OUR daily bread.

Alive to die no more

The following is this past Tuesday's God Pause devotion from Luther Seminary. The associated text is Psalm 16. It's been making me think. I hope you enjoy it:

Jesus Christ raised from the dead is an unsolvable problem for us. The reality of Easter is an omnipresent threat to our security and way of life. It means, in the words of author Philip Yancey, that "He's out there somewhere." What makes this matter all the more dire is that "He cannot die again ... " (Romans 6:9).
Consequently, Jesus has us cornered, without any possibility of us getting rid of him, pushing him out to Golgotha and crucifying him all over again. He can't die again, and this means that his unyielding will to forgive sinners cannot die either. What are we to do with such a God? It seems as if there is only one option available. In the end we may just have to look to him in faith, realizing that he is Lord of all things, including us!
Lord Jesus, create us anew in faith, content to be your creatures. Amen.

Daniel Shaw, chaplain
Camp Gargoyle, Al Asad, Iraq
Master of Divinity, 2002

Alleluia! Christ is risen!

Good thing for me that the season of Easter lasts for 50 days. Plenty of time for alleluias.



We had a good day of celebration here at SOV on Sunday. We had to start the sunrise service a little later than the 6am scheduled start: the sun wasn't up enough yet for us to see. So, we got to start "early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark." All good. Even for those of us who are most definitely NOT early birds.


Resurrection day is my favorite day of the year, and gives meaning and purpose to the rest of the days.


I hope you had a blessed Resurrection day yourself, and that the joy of Easter is lingering into the week.


Alleluia! Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia!

80 degrees and sunny. And somber.

"Happy death day" was the salutation in an email from my brother-in-law today. I think the irony was intended. (He's a pastor, too).
It's Good Friday, which seems to be a pretty difficult day for a lot of people. The fact that it's 80 degrees and sunny and spring break don't make it any easier.
I know, you're thinking, "What - they're not clamoring to fill the pews and hear about Jesus' trial and sentence to death, and then his gruesome dying on the cross?"
But today matters. I so wish that everyone who's planning to be here on Sunday morning would make it to worship tonight. Easter doesn't make sense without Good Friday. In fact, the "Great Three Days," or Triduum, began at sundown yesterday and end tomorrow night (when Easter begins), and they are all one service, liturgically speaking. There's no resurrection without the cross, without death, first. Hard, but true.

Lord Jesus Christ,

as we kneel at the foot of your cross,

help us to see and know your love for us,

so that we may place at your feet

all that we have and are.

Crucified savior, naked God,

you hang disgraced and powerless.

Grieving, we dare to hope,

as we wait at the cross

with your mother and your friend.

The night of betrayal

Today is Maundy Thursday - when we remember how Jesus took the role of a servant and washed his disciples' feet, then gave them a new commandment (mandatum, hence "Maundy") to love one another. It's also when Jesus told his disciples to eat the bread- his body- and drink the cup - his blood of the new covenant- "in remembrance of me."

Here at SOV we've got a "Living Lord's Supper" tonight, thanks to our Liturgical Drama team. It's always interesting to see "regular" congregation members play the parts of Jesus and his disciples: Peter-the-denier, Judas-the-betrayer, etc..

After all, tonight is "the night in which he was betrayed." Even though I say or hear those words weekly during Holy Communion, I don't often stop to think about what they're saying. In the night in which Jesus was betrayed... He was betrayed, after all. And it was an inside job.

Watch this!

Have you watched the Story of Stuff yet? If not, sit back, turn up the sound, and watch this20-minute video. Please.

And then, after you watch the video, check out their blog, too.

Listening

A wise member of my congregation told me on Sunday that she's trying to listen more. Really listen. I don't know if this is a Lenten discipline for her, or a New Year's resolution that's lasting, but it is a worthy goal, either way.
My latest coffee cup from Starbucks agrees. (Their cups have "The Way I See It" - thoughts on various aspects of life from a whole bunch of different folks - printed on the side. Of course they've also got this disclaimer: This is the author's opinion, not necessarily that of Starbucks.) Anyway, this made me think:

You can learn a lot more from listening than you can from talking. Find
someone with whom you don't agree in the slightest and ask them to explain
themselves at length. Then take a seat, shut your mouth, and don't argue back.
It's physically impossible to listen with your mouth open. - John Moe, Radio host and author of Conservatize Me.

I wonder how different the world would be if we all actually listened to each other, so everyone would be heard.

I got an email today from the National Religious Campaign Against Torture. Here it is:

Dear Friends:
An important vote is going to take place tomorrow, Wednesday, February 13.
The Senate will decide whether we stop the CIA's use of "enhanced interrogation techniques" -- or as we would call them, torture.
Section 327 of the Intelligence Authorization Conference Report (H.R. 2082), would prohibit the CIA from using abusive interrogation techniques (such as waterboarding) by requiring the CIA to comply with the Army Field Manual while conducting interrogations.
The Army Field Manual prohibits torture and cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment.Please call your Senators now -- and urge them to support Section 327 of the Intelligence Authorization conference report. Call the Capitol switchboard at 202-224-3121 and ask to be connected to your Senators' offices. You can also go to the NRCAT website (http://www.tortureisamoralissue.org/) and click on the link in the upper right red box. It will take you to a page that makes it easy to email your Senators.
This is the most important anti-torture legislation now before Congress with a real chance of passage. (The House has already passed this bill.) Every phone call counts.Thank you for all that you do to end U.S.-sponsored torture.
Sincerely,
Linda Gustitus, NRCAT President

PS - I'll be emailing my senators.

Ash Wednesday

Today is Ash Wednesday, the beginning of the season of Lent. We "celebrate" Ash Wednesday by gathering for worship and confessing our sin. We receive the "imposition of ashes" on our foreheads. Often the ashes are from the burning of the previous year's Palm Sunday branches. (More on Palm Sunday when we get there.)

"Okay, Pastor Lindean. It's Lent. So what does it actually MEAN?" I hear you saying.
So...
Since the early church, Christians have marked the seven weeks before Easter as a time of penitence and spiritual self-examination. Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of the season. While a lot of us don't see a lot of ashes on a regular basis in the middle of a desert city like Phoenix, the ashes have a dual significance. First, ashes are an ancient (Old Testament) symbol of sadness and humility. In the midst of all his troubles, Job cried out to God from the ash heap.
Second, ashes are a reminder of our mortality. Our bodies and material possessions will, eventually, turn to dust and ashes. The cross of ashes on our foreheads is a reminder that we dare not trust in things that crumble. "Remember you are dust, and to dust you shall return."

Lots of folks talk about "giving something up for Lent." That's not a bad idea, especially since we live with so much excess and instant gratification. It's also not required. I've been known (along with lots of others) to ADD something for Lent - adding special times of prayer and devotions, giving special offerings (which might require giving something up in order to have the money to give away), more meaningful time with family or friends.

Maybe one way to think of Lent is as an exercise in perspective. Lent lasts for forty days (it doesn't include Sundays, which are always "little Easters.") Jesus spent forty days in the wilderness.
During Lent we see just how fragile we are. We can be reminded of our weakness (Why is it so hard to quit drinking coffee or Diet Coke? Or to actually give to everyone who asks? Or forgive as we've been forgiven?). We are reminded of God's graciousness - there is real forgiveness with this God whose Son died on the cross. We are encouraged to LIVE what we BELIEVE with renewed focus. The disciplines of Lent are sometimes listed as prayer, fasting and works of love - not a bad way to live.

Memento, homo, quia pulvis es, et in pulverem reverteris.
Remember, human, that you are dust, and to dust you will return.

Scripture as teacher

I read an interesting book earlier this week: More Ready Than You Realize- The Power of Everyday Conversations, by Brian McLaren. I'll say more about it in a couple of weeks when we get a little farther on in our exploration of six marks of discipleship, and talk about reconciling relationships or "spiritual friendships."

The book is based on an exchange of emails that McLaren had with a young woman he met at the church he pastored. She was, at the time, what many would call a "seeker."

In one series of emails, she asked questions about the Bible, and why it's so hard to make sense of so much of it.

I think McLaren's response is great:

"In spite of the fact that the Bible was written a long time ago and far away by many different writers in many different cultures, arising among people whose lives were radically different from our own, it still yields wisdom and insight and challenge and perspective to people today, so that we can find it abundantly 'worthwhile to dig through the Bible.'

"I suppose here, as in many places in life, our problem is one of expectations. We are used to people writing for us. Newspapers and popular magazines pitch at an eighth grade reading leve, easy for all of us. Textbooks are generally written not only by knowledgeable people, but by skilled educators who pay attention to our learning styles, attention spans, and format preferences. Popular novels (the ones most of us read, if we read them at all) are written to be popular, and that means easy for us, accessible to us. We assume, if the Bible is in any way inspired, that the Holy Spirit would be so kind and considerate as to similarly gear it exclusively to us. Reasonable enough... at first glance. But think again. If the Bible were written for twenty-first century readers, how would it have come accross to its original hearers, or hearers in the sixth century BC, or eighth century AD, or fourteenth century AD? And, assuming the world is still spinning, how would a style and form targeted on a primitive twenty-first century demographic cohort feel for advanced readers in the twenty-ninth century?

"It is hard for us, spoiled as we are by being marketing targets, but the Bible asks us to rise above our narrow parochial tastes. It asks us to learn, to understand, to imaginatively enter an alien geography (Jerusalem, Nineveh, Bethany, Bethlehem), alien economies (denarii, talents, shekels), alien cultures, and social structures (polygamy, patriarchy, monarchy, tribal confederation, slavery, arranged marriages). It asks us to stop absolutizing our perspective and, instead, to see our modern or postmodern viewpoints simply as views from a point - limited, contigent, changing, not privileged. In so doing, the very form of the Bible begins yeaching us something about humility and about opening our minds to new perspectives.

"This humility and open-mindedness are exactly what we need in order to become the kinds of friends people like [this seeker] need."

What do you think?

Daily Bible Reading

This week marks the half way point of the launch "Living Discipleship." Of course, there is no end to actually living the life of discipleship for those of us who call ourselves Christian. Discipline is hard, though, so we shouldn't be too surprised when we fall off the bike now and then. We need to remember to get back on, though, too.

So - how's daily Bible reading going for you and your household? Are you reading on your own? Did you start with Genesis 1:1? Are you trying to do devotions as a family? Did you scoff at the suggestion?

Leave your comments - let's talk about what's working and not working for this community.



Personally - besides the Luther Seminary "God Pause" devotion that gets emailed to me every day, I am working through Matthew's Gospel during the day and at night doing a short devotion written by Eugene Peterson, and using his paraphrase of the Bible, called "The Message."

Daily Prayer

"Living Discipleship," our pastoral initiative for 2008, is now underway. My colleague, Brian, preached about Daily Prayer last Sunday. For those of you who are embracing the six marks of discipleship, I hope that your experience of this first emphasis on prayer this week is going well.
In addition to my own prayers, and shared prayer-time with my husband, there are several other resources I use each day. I find they help me get out of my own little life and expand my perspective. One of these resources is the ELCA's Prayer Ventures, which I have emailed to me every day. I'm also going to add Prayer Ventures to the sidebar to the right of these posts.
Today's prayer is very simple, and yet profound: Pray for the courage and strength to live in ways that honor the image of God in all people.
Imagine, remembering that ALL people bear God's image, and living accordingly. And then imagine if all of us managed to do that. The world would change. I know my life would certainly be different. And most probably better.

Real Justice

I haven't got time to write much right now...
BUT - today's God Pause devotion from Luther Seminary is excellent. Here it is:

Monday, 1/7/2008
Isaiah 42:1-9
In a post-Sept. 11 world, we may have a very warped view of justice. We expect the authorities to catch Osama bin Laden and make him pay for his crime. Television relentlessly airs stories about a search for someone who has killed an attractive female. We understand these "catching the criminal" efforts as doing justice.

But more than likely the prophet had a very different understanding of justice. His understanding was not "retribution" but "distribution." Around the world, in areas where the church is growing, people understand justice as fairness. Justice is distributing the goods fairly. Here the prophet's idea lives!

Isaiah's warning applies to us in this country, where the gap between wealthy and poor grows bigger. The servant community's task is to establish justice, not pray for retribution. A true justice department has as much to do with banking, business and trade agreements as with courts, jails and law enforcement.

O God, show us what fairness is. Amen.

Harry Mueller
Reformation Lutheran Church, St. Paul, Minn.
Master of Divinity , 1972


Isaiah 42:1-9 (NRSV)1 Here is my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen, in whom my soul delights; I have put my spirit upon him; he will bring forth justice to the nations.
2 He will not cry or lift up his voice, or make it heard in the street;
3 a bruised reed he will not break, and a dimly burning wick he will not quench; he will faithfully bring forth justice.
4 He will not grow faint or be crushed until he has established justice in the earth; and the coastlands wait for his teaching.
5 Thus says God, the Lord, who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread out the earth and what comes from it, who gives breath to the people upon it and spirit to those who walk in it:
6 I am the Lord, I have called you in righteousness, I have taken you by the hand and kept you; I have given you as a covenant to the people, a light to the nations,
7 to open the eyes that are blind, to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon, from the prison those who sit in darkness.
8 I am the Lord, that is my name; my glory I give to no other, nor my praise to idols.
9 See, the former things have come to pass, and new things I now declare; before they spring forth, I tell you of them.