A Backwards Christmas

One of the highlights of this weekend was the children’s Sunday School Christmas Program, presented during the 5pm Saturday worship service. The children were well-prepared and filled with excitement for telling the story. Over 500 people were present as the story of Christ’s birth was told backwards – yes, backwards. The plot of the program’s story goes like this: some of the characters, the Magi specifically, need to leave the Christmas program early, and ask the director if they can tell the story backwards. The director agrees, the story begins with the visit of the Magi, and unfolds – backwards - from there.

It was a wonderful reminder of how many things in life come to us kind of backwards: decisions and family responsibilities for instance. Then again, there are things that occur in life – sickness, loss, unexpected changes - that suddenly turn everything else backwards. In fact, the Christmas story itself is about what happens when God does amazing and unexpected things, and turns backwards and upside-down the lives of Mary & Joseph, shepherds & Magi, humans schemes, and logical expectations, and comes to be with us as Emmanuel – God-with-us. Come to think of it, it is the very backwards nature of this Story that, from beginning to end, truly makes it “Good News.”

Prayer:
Gracious God, thank you for the children who lead us by telling the Story, your Story, with genuineness and joy. Bless all of your people with your presence so that we might grow in grace and faith even when things in life seem backwards and turned around. Out of our confusion, bring your order and peace, and shine around us the Light of your presence. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Anything but Boring

Some people believe that Church Council meetings and Congregational meetings are boring. Some find them unimportant. Others believe that meetings bring out the worst in all of us. And for still others, meetings are one of the necessary evils of the church’s bureaucracy.

Some of that may be true. In some places, people may use these meetings as occasions to fight about anything – from the color of carpeting to the number of pickle forks that have disappeared from the kitchen!

But I must say that here at Bethlehem, congregational meetings are quite amazing and are always opportunities for the working of the Holy Spirit!

Acts 15 describes one of the first church meetings, held in Jerusalem. The agenda was of monumental importance: whether or not Gentiles had to become Jews before they became Christians. The answer of course, was no! And in the account of that meeting, we hear that people presented their testimony, listened to one another and to the Holy Spirit, and then took action.

At Bethlehem’s semi-annual meeting today, huge decisions were made. The congregation approved a million-dollar budget, as well as the provision to proceed with unplanned, yet necessary repair of our roof. Many leaders had done their homework to prepare for this meeting. We began with prayer. People listened, asked wise questions, then took action. And God’s mission, I believe, was well served. No fighting. No unnecessary red tape. Nothing boring about it!

Prayer:
Gracious Father, we pray for your holy catholic church. Fill it with all truth and peace. Where it is corrupt, purify it; where it is in error, direct it; where in anything it is amiss, reform it; where it is right, strengthen it; where it is in need, provide for it; where it is divided, reunite it; for the sake of Jesus Christ, your Son, our Lord. Amen. (ELW, p. 73)

Light for This Darkness

Today is the First Sunday in Advent, and the 6 inches of snow that fell on Saturday have now made it rather difficult to put up my outside Christmas lights. You need to know how surprising it is for me even to have this thought, because for a long time I have been a purist about Advent and Christmas: save the lights and the celebration for the 12 days of Christmas and keep the Advent “decorating” to a minimum. But I’ve found that as I get older, I’m much less zealous about certain things (and I pray for the grace to discern the things about which I must remain zealous!) One of the things that have shifted in my mind has to do with lights in Advent. Life is filled with much night: the loss of those we love, the death of dreams, the persistent sinfulness that permeates our hearts and minds, the needs and troubles of people we meet or know. The lights of Advent are a powerful statement of hope and trust that the light of Jesus Christ will continue to shine to overcome the nighttime of our spirits and of our world. And when we light those lights in our yards, in our homes, or in worship, it is a powerful statement that we are siding with the Light and taking up the call to shine Christ’s Light for all we’re worth.

Tonight Bethlehem hosted a fabulous concert by the Great River Chorale, Cantabile Girls’ Chorus, and the Central Minnesota Youth Chorale. Because Saturday’s concert was snowed out, it was a packed house with 650 people welcomed to this event; and I wish that many, many more might have experienced our sanctuary during the last song. The room was darkened, but shining in the night were the 4 candles on stands in the front, the first candle high on the Advent wreath, and the hand candles of nearly 200 singers in every aisle, their song coming to us in “surround sound.” Their song is my prayer as this Advent season begins:


"Night of Silence" by Dan Kantor, arr. John Ferguson
Cold are the people, winter of life; we tremble in shadows this cold endless night.
Frozen in the snow lie roses sleeping, flowers that will echo the sunrise.
Fire of hope is our only warmth; weary, its flame will be dying soon.

Voice in the distance, call in the night, on wind you enfold us, you speak of the light.
Gentle on the ear you whisper softly, rumors of a dawn so embracing,
breathless love awaits darkened souls, soon will we know of the morning.

Spirit among us, shine like the Star, your light that guides shepherds & kings from afar.
Shimmer in the sky so empty, lonely, rising in the warmth of your Son’s love,
Star unknowing of night and day, Spirit we wait for your loving Son.

Naming the Days

The big shopping day has passed, and it appears that we’ve begun the season when our days are named according to the level of our retail shopping. We hope for a “Black Friday” – so that financial books come out “in the black” and not “in the red.” Tomorrow is “Cyber Monday” because of all of the online shopping predicted to take place. Soon we can look forward to “Green Monday” as shoppers make one last surge to grab up Christmas gifts and Christmas bargains. Today it seems our days are numbered and named according to our spending.

The church has another way: Every moment of every day is noticed and numbered by the One who has given it to us – God the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth. WE are named by the One who reigned from a cross on that “Good Friday” – Jesus Christ, – and who marks us with that cross in Baptism. And we are called by the Holy Spirit who gives us true joy, not in seeing how much we can pile up for ourselves, but in discovering the joy that is known in serving the neighbor.

At Bethlehem this past week, there have been telling signs of Christ’s rule over the lives of disciples here: a meal served on Thanksgiving Day to 175 new Americans; and still on the pews in our worship space – some of the 510 quilts made by the Mission Work Day Quilters to share locally and around the globe.

On the Sunday of Christ the King, we look to the promised day when “the kingdom of this world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Messiah, and he will reign forever and ever.” Rev. 11:15 NRSV

And we pray:
O God, our true life, to serve you is freedom, and to know you is unending joy. We worship you, we glorify you, we give thanks to you for your great glory. Abide with us, reign in us, and make this world into a fit habitation for your divine majesty, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

(ELW, Prayer of the Day – Christ the King)

Generously Living as Disciple with Whatever I Have

I’ve always appreciated Ken Medema’s profound lyrics and powerful music. The songs from the new CD “Stories to Tell & Gifts to Share” (part of the new ELCA stewardship resources) have connected with and challenged me especially during the past few weeks. Here’s another – most fitting for this week when our congregation is thinking about what it means to be “Generously Living as Disciples” and as our nation approaches Thanksgiving Day.

“Whatever I Have”
Grateful Living

Just suppose I find myself on a crowded, city street,
begging for subsistence amid the sound of rushing feet.
Or suppose I find myself in a lonely prison cell.
Could I say from deep inside I am glad for all is well? Refrain

Refrain:
Whatever I have or have not; whatever I am or am not,
I can make it through anything now in the One who makes me who I am.

Just suppose I find myself in the lap of luxury,
In a mansion on a hill or a yacht upon the sea;
In the halls of greed and power, where temptation grows each day.
Would my every step announce I could give this all away? Refrain

Just suppose I find myself far away from home and friends,
In a desert with no path on a night that never ends.
Or suppose I find I’m caught by a greed that won’t let go.
Could I raise my voice and say for all the world to know: Refrain

We are Changed for Good

We’re in the midst of a three-week series, Generously Living as Disciples. Yes, that would be the fall stewardship emphasis; but I have to say that this is anything but a typical “stewardship emphasis.” This week, the sermon took the form of a chancel drama, written by my colleague, Pastor Steve Cook. “The Day Love Came Home” is a delightful, powerful, and humorous telling of the story of Zacchaeus. Ed & Solveig Krafnik portrayed Zac Zacchaeus and his wife, Betty, and gave us a glimpse into what the conversation might have been like the night Zacchaeus repented, gave away half of their possessions, settled fourfold with anyone with whom he had a issue, and welcomed to their house Jesus and the disciples! Following the drama, Roger Fink, Dave Kvaas, and Brenda Handel-Johnson offered the following song by Ken Medema:

Changed for Good
1. No more watching from the top of a tree; no more watching from a distance to see;
love is here and love is calling to me; I’m being changed for good.

2. Light the lamps and let the party begin; open doors and let the people come in.
I am miles away from where I have been. I’m being changed for good.

Refrain:
Here’s my promise, here’s my vow: things are changing, starting now;
I was lost, now I’m found, go and tell everybody in town.

3. Time to break the chains that bound me so long.
There’s no way that I can right all my wrongs.
Here I start and if it takes my life long, I’m being changed for good.

The song’s been going through my mind all week., also reminding me of what Luther says about the significance of Baptism for daily life: “It signifies that the old person in us with all its sins and evil desires is to be drowned and die through daily sorrow for sin and through repentance, and on the other hand that daily a new person is to come forth and rise up to live before God in righteousness and purity forever.” ELW, p. 1165.

Welcome to a new day, friends!


Changed for Good, Words & Music by Ken Medema. Copyright ã2007, Ken Medema Music/ASCAP/Brier Patch Music. All rights reserved. International copyright secured. Member CCLI. This song is included in a CD called “Stories to Tell & Gifts to Share.”

All Saints Day Connects Saints Across Time & Place

All Saints Day is one of my favorite days of the church year, and this year was no exception. Bethlehem All Ages Orchestra played at 9:00, and the Choir sang Brahm’s How Lovely Is Thy Dwelling Place from the “Requiem.” At 11:00 the Ensemble and Band had me so caught up in praise that I lost where we were at the end of worship! At all of the worship services on this weekend, we celebrate the baptized people of God, past and present, who make up the body of Christ. On the bulletin cover, in the shape of a cross, are listed the names of all who have been welcomed into the body of Christ in the Sacrament of Holy Baptism this year. And surrounding them are printed the names of all who have joined what we call “the Church Triumphant” this past year. How moving and emotional it is to name each of these dear brothers and sisters in the Prayer of the Church as we all, with their families, give thanks for their lives! It is a powerful reminder of how we are connected to the saints of all times!
At the same time, this is a day to remember that we are connected to the saints of all places. Saturday night brought home that experience as 40 people gathered with our friends from Bethlehem in the Holy Land, who had prepared a fabulous Middle East dinner. Following the meal, they told about the hardships they endure as Palestinian Christians, how because of where they were born, their family now has to live separately (in Jerusalem and in Bethlehem). They told about how the economy of Bethlehem is being devastated by the wall, and they expressed their concerns for the way that this impossible living situation is driving so many Palestinian Christians to leave the city of Bethlehem, the place of Christ’s birth. But above all, what we heard from these courageous Christians was their hope in Jesus Christ and their determination to work for the good of the people and the city that is central to the faith of Christians around the world. They said that it’s not the stones of the city that are important – the place of Christ’s birth will not change; but it is the “living stones,” the people there, about whom they are concerned.
I am proud of the work that the ELCA is doing in partnership with Christians in the Holy Land; there is a wealth of information on the ELCA web site - ELCA.org

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside very weight and sin that clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfector of our faith, who for the sake of the joy that was set before him endured the cross, disregarding its shame, and has taken his sear at the right hand of the throne of God..” Hebrews 12:1-2a