Choose to hope

“We could choose to despair over the problems of the world. We could choose to be silent about the injustices we see. We could choose to close our eyes to the pain of others and become more isolated and insular as the threats of the economy loom.

“Or we could choose to hope. We could choose to speak. We could choose to see the brokenness—remembering that wounds are also doors for opportunity, for transformation, reconciliation, and healing. We could choose to take the chaos that lies before us, and use it to be creative, to reshape a world in which people are more valuable than money.”

I read this quotation as I was exploring the World Hunger page on the ELCA website the other day. These words, spoken at the opening of a fundraiser for the World Hunger Appeal, struck me as very simple and very wise words—words to ponder in our hearts as we enter into this Advent season. These weeks leading up to Christmas will not be like other years. Usually this is a time of conspicuous consumption and excess. Rather than being about the coming of Christ into the world, it is too often about us and all of the “stuff” we want. Our behavior during this season too often makes the discrepancy between rich and poor all that much more apparent, but we don’t want to see it. We want only to see the pretty lights and shiny presents with our name on them.

What makes it possible to comprehend the words in the quotation is the promise of Advent, the coming of Emmanuel, God with us. In his weakness, in his vulnerability as an infant laid in a manger, and then as a homeless, crucified, and resurrected man, Jesus showed the power of God to heal, reconcile, and transform not only us, but all of creation—even death. We do not need to try to prove to anyone or anything that we are powerful or mighty or important, whether it’s through violent means or by outspending our neighbor, especially when what our neighbor actually needs is food on the table or a warm coat. As people of faith, we do not need a lot of “stuff’ to give us our identity. We have our identity in Christ Jesus, who walked humbly and poured himself out for the sake of the world. Through his brokenness, we are healed. Through the power of God’s love for us, we are empowered to live as people of hope, as Christ’s Body in the world.

As we enter into Advent, I invite you to immerse yourself in Scripture and hymnody that recalls the agony and expectation of those who waited for and then experienced the coming of the Messiah into the world. I invite you to immerse yourself in prayer that recalls how we still wait in agony and expectation for the fulfillment of God’s promises, for that time when there will be no more suffering, no more tears, no more war. And in the meantime, I invite you to celebrate Advent and Christmas differently this year, by giving to those who have too little, rather than by giving more to those who already have plenty. I invite you to consider giving to the ELCA World Hunger Appeal or to Lutheran Disaster Relief. Gifts can be given in honor or in memory of people you love, and cards can be sent to them letting them know you’ve made a donation in their name. There are local charities as well, such as our own hunger ministry, the Sharing Place.

In this chaotic time of economic turmoil, the poorest among us are suffering the most. Let us not despair, but begin to live a new way. Christ called us to be salt and light for the world, and that is what we are.

Treasure & Heart

This is a very challenging time to be thinking about financial stewardship in the congregation. Yet nearly every congregation has their annual stewardship campaign in the fall, so we are not alone in having to face this challenge during what some are calling an unprecedented economic crisis. What has been happening on Wall Street and in the housing market has left those “in the know” completely stymied as to what might happen next or how the situation will right itself. It has left the rest of us confused and worried. It’s scary, especially as the cost of just about everything is going up, up, up. So, with some understandable apprehension and with greater faith in a God who provides, we will face this challenge in the coming weeks as we prayerfully make our financial pledges for 2009.

Jesus told his disciples, “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” We often think of that statement in reverse, that where our heart is, our treasure will go. But that’s not Jesus’ point. His point is not that we decide first what we love and therefore what we will devote our resources to. Rather, we follow his example by giving what we have away for his sake, and by doing so, our hearts and our love follow. It’s a harder way, a narrower way. It’s easy to give to people and causes that we have decided are worthwhile. It’s more difficult to give for Jesus’ sake, without hope of reward or benefit. It is more difficult to give a “first fruit” offering to the church than it is to give out of what’s left over after everything else we want is taken care of. But the Gospel is unambiguous. Jesus wants everything we call our own to be used for God’s greater purpose. Jesus calls us to make such sacrifices and bids us to follow him in the way of giving.
As we think about the church’s budget, we often ask ourselves how much it will cost to keep the lights on and heat the building. The answer to these questions is a dollar amount. I would like us to ask instead: Why will we keep the lights on, and why will the heat be turned up this year? The answers to these questions will reflect our priorities and our mission. They will be based on our gratitude for all the blessings we have been given.

As Nathan and I consider our 2009 pledge, we are struggling, as I know many of you are, to decide how to cut our expenses, how to save, how to pay back our student loans, how to care for Theo, and how to give in the way we believe Christ is commanding us to give.

May our faith in a God of love and abundance guide our discernment and give us the courage to risk greater, larger, more abundant giving this year, in Christ’s name and for the sake of the world.

Rally Day picnic photos!

God Bless

Now that Theo is born, and he travels with me in his stroller or baby carrier, I get another even more stirring and moving response. When I go for walks with him, people look at him, smile, and say “Awww.” Then they look at me and say “God bless”. Now, people have said “God bless” to me before, especially during allergy season when I sneeze constantly. But this feels different. It’s not an automatic, rote response. It is heartfelt and genuine. When it is spoken, there is eye contact, there is human connection. There is a knowing, loving look in their eyes, which is a blessing in itself.

God bless. It is part prayer, part proclamation. It is a prayer that this new life will be blessed, healthy, and strong. It is also a proclamation of what is: New life, and life itself, is a gift from God.

God bless. What if we said this tiny prayer to one another as we shared the Peace during the liturgy, giving thanks for the gift of our life together and praying for a blessed future? What if these two powerful words were to become a refrain of St. Paul @ 125, as we honor the past and ask God to make our future one of abundance and grace and passionate discipleship?

God bless us with new ministries in our community and new members to join in our service. God bless the Sharing Place, St. Paul Center for Caring, and our partners in the community. God bless all God’s people with discernment and wisdom. God bless us with compassion. God bless us with renewed vision and energy. God bless us so that we might be a blessing to others.

We can call on God’s name and pray these prayers because God does bless us through the love God shows for us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us and for our salvation (Romans 5:8–9). As we go forward into the fall and beyond, let’s keep our eyes on the risen Christ who is our hope, our nourishment, and our life, so that we will know we are blessed, and so that we know in whose name we pray, “God bless.”

In Christ,

Pastor Jessica

Holy Communion & Christian education

Every Sunday: Holy Communion at 10 am, Christian education at 11:30 am

Sharing Place Hunger Ministry

Last two Saturdays of each month, 8 am to noon: Sharing Place hunger ministry