Prayer

Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but that very Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words. And God, who searches the heart, knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.  Romans 8:26-27

Being deeply rooted in prayer in powerful. I'm looking forward to the Faith Formation Forum this Sunday at 8:45 AM. The topic is The Power of Prayer.  Lynn Fry has planned well for our time together.  After an introduction and a few words from me, we will be invited to take part in various forms of prayer together. Certainly the hour together centered around this topic will be meaningful. It is also hoped that our encounter will stir us into wanting to explore the rich and diverse discipline of prayer as key to a faithful and fruitful life as a child of God. I encourage you to come on Sunday and invite a friend or neighbor to join you (and with us).

This is a statue of Martin Luther in the yard of Luther Place Memorial Lutheran Church in Washington DC.  I visited there this past Tuesday to gather information for a bus day trip to DC I'd like to arrange for our congregation sometime in the next year. Luther Place Memorial Church is well known for their ministry with the surrounding community as they address issues of homelessness, hunger, and advocacy.

If you can guess where I took this picture, let me know. It was taken on the same day as my visit to Luther Place Memorial Church.

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Sixth Sunday of Easter

May 25, 2014

Prayer of the Day

Almighty and ever-living God, 

you hold together all things in heaven and on earth. 

In your great mercy receive the prayers of all your children, 

and give to all the world the Spirit of your truth and peace, 

through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, 

who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, 

one God, now and forever.  Amen

Readings

Acts 17:22-31

Psalm 66:8-20

1 Peter 3:13-22

John 14:15-21

Spirituality and Religion

While worship is the central activity of our Sunday mornings as a congregation, we also have a wonderful opportunity to avail ourselves of time together in conversation and learning. At 8:45 AM each Sunday, consider taking part in Faith Formation. There are classes for all ages and room for more of you. Below is a brief article submitted by Brenda Hefner that highlights what is going on in the fellowship hall each Sunday:

The Faith Formation Forum is starting a 7-week session using the Animate Faith DVD program.  This promises to be not just your usual Sunday School class.  The materials are designed to raise questions, flip established answers and assumptions upside down, and to stick in your head for months and even years to come.  Session guides include Nadia Bolz-Weber and other contemporary Christian theologians who are challenging us to think in new ways. 

In week one, we heard Brian McLaren say “Sometimes, when I hear people speak about God, I feel like an atheist.  The God they speak of I don’t believe in: a God who loves Christians but hates Muslims; or a God who pours luxuries on the rich but consigns the poor to poverty; or a God who cares about human souls but doesn’t care about conserving and protecting our beautiful, fragile planet.  So if you ask me, “Is God real?” I first have to ask, “Which God are we talking about? And what do you mean by God?”


This Sunday, we explore the topic of “Religion: Spirituality is Not Enough” by Lillian Daniel.  In 2011, Lillian wrote an online devotional called “Spiritual But Not Religious: Stop Boring Me” that went viral.  It drew strong agreement from some, vehement disagreement from others.  View it at Spiritual but not Religious.

Don’t miss this opportunity at 8:45 AM in the Fellowship Hall!  (Coffee and Tea provided)

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Fifth Sunday of Easter

May 18, 2014

Prayer of the Day

Almighty God, your Sun Jesus Christ is the way, the truth, and the life. 

Give us grace to love one another, 

to follow in the way of his commandments, 

and to share his risen life with all the world, 

for he lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, 

one God, now and forever.  Amen

Readings

Acts 7:55-60

Psalm 31:1-5, 15-16

1 Peter 2:2-10

John 14: 1-14

Jesus Gate

Jesus declares: I am the gate. Whoever enters by me will be saved, and will come in and go out and find pasture. [John 10:9] To what extent, do you suppose, is this a scandal? Perhaps at first hearing, this claim sounds comforting and gracious. Upon further reflection, however, maybe it comes off as exclusive and even pretentious. Naturally, you and I wound never admit to that in the context of community. Maybe, though, we are reserving a bit of skepticism or even suspicion when we consider the implications of what Jesus says here. Can't we just co-exist, as the bumper sticker exhorts? Why is it necessary to be so specific? 

Elsewhere, Jesus claims to be the way, the truth, and the life. "Nobody comes to the Father except through me." [see John 14:6ff] 

Or, consider this one from the gospel according to Matthew: "For the gate is narrow and the road is hard that leads to life, and there are few who find it." [ see Matthew 7:13-14]

I suspect on this "Good Shepherd Sunday" we would rather focus on Jesus as the Good Shepherd rather than Jesus as the gate. It sure would be more fun to preach! Imagining Jesus as a kindly shepherd is comforting in stressful times. (Besides, wouldn't it be more in keeping with the theme of Mother's Day?)

Take a few moments to read over the scripture passages cited below. What do you think? How does it feel to be compared to sheep? Are we willing to live by the vision set before us? Can we make it our own?

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FOURTH SUNDAY OF EASTER

May 11, 2014

Prayer of the Day

O God our shepherd, 

you know your sheep by name 

and lead us to safety through the valleys of death. 

Guide us by your voice, 

that we may walk in certainty and security 

to the joyous feast prepared in your house, 

through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, 

who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, 

one God, now and forever.

Readings

Acts 2:42-47

Psalm 23

1 Peter 2:19-25

John 10:1-10

Hearts Burning

by Janet Brooks Gerloff

It must have been a difficult walk. It was a seven-mile trek that Cleopas and a companion made together on that first day of the week. It was "that" day. It was the day of the resurrection of Jesus. Cleopas (not one of the headliner disciples) had decided to leave Jerusalem. He and his traveling partner were debriefing the events of the weekend.

"While they were talking and discussing, Jesus himself came near and went with them, but their eyes were kept from recognizing him."  [Luke 24:15-16]

Jesus wasn't invisible. The two simply didn't know that it was Jesus. He must have looked like anyone else you might run into while on a walk from Jerusalem to Emmaus. Jesus was traveling incognito.

How much like Cleopas and his companion are we? Do we recognize Jesus in our midst? Can we see Jesus in our fellow travelers? Do we notice Jesus in our neighbor? Is Jesus recognizable in the other, the different, the unfamiliar, the outsider, the immigrant, the lonely, the least?

Maybe our expectations are setting us up for disappointment. What do you think? Where do you recognize Jesus these days? Where do you think he shows up to encounter us?

The gospel reading for this coming Sunday, the third Sunday of Easter, is Luke 24:36b-48. Take some time to read over the passage in the days ahead. Pretend you are the travel companion of Cleopas.  What do you see? What do you hear? What do you say? What do you confess?

Rembrandt, Supper at Emmaus (1628)

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Third Sunday of Easter

May 4, 2014

Prayer of the Day

O God, your Son makes himself known 

to all his disciples 

in the breaking of bread. 

Open the eyes of our faith, 

that we may see him in his redeeming work, 

who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, 

one God, now and forever.

Readings
Acts 2:14a, 36–41

Psalm 116:1–4, 12–19

1 Peter 1:17–23

Luke 24:13–35

Good Friday

From the Isenheim Altarpiece by Matthias Grunewald, 1512-1516

Maundy Thursday

Do you normally attend worship on Maundy Thursday? For whatever reason, chances are pretty good that many of you don't. Maybe you already were at worship this past Sunday, and you're planning to be in worship on Good Friday. Plans are set for Easter, of course. Why bother with Maundy Thursday?

Well, let me share with you something I've been thinking and praying about. There is this word, "Maundy" that we use to describe this Thursday. Let's just say it. It's one of those churchy words that we use that we assume everyone understands. It is probably not a very accurate assumption. Maundy is a Latin word that means command.  We read in John 13:34 that Jesus gives us a new commandment, mandatum novum, to love one another.  Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another.

Jesus gave us an example of what this love looks like. It takes the form of humble service. Jesus washed the feet of his disciples to demonstrate what loving service to one another looks like. Take some time between now and Thursday evening to read John 13.  A representative group has agreed to participate in foot washing this year in the context of our Maundy Thursday liturgy.

I'm looking forward to seeing you at our Maundy Thursday service . . . and Good Friday service . . . and Easter service.  This is Holy Week for a reason. It's about Passion, Love, and Life. Come and see. Behold the cross. You won't regret time spent in the presence of these holy things in God's holy house, in the midst of God's holy people.

Peace be with you.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Dietrich Bonhoeffer

February 4, 1906 - April 9, 1945

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies.” (Luke 6:28) 

Jesus speaks of enemies, that is, of those who will remain our enemies, unmoved by our love; those who do not forgive us anything when we have forgiven them everything; those who hate us when we love them; those who insult us all the more, the more we serve them. “In return for my love they accuse me, even the more we serve them” (Ps. 109:4). But love must not ask if it is being returned. Instead, it seeks those who need it. But who needs love more than they who live in hate without any love? Who, therefore, is more worthy of my love than my foe? Where is love praised more splendidly than amidst love’s enemies? 

This love knows no difference among diverse kinds of enemies, except that the more animosity the enemy has, the more my love is required. No matter whether it is a political or religious enemy, they can all expect only undivided love from Jesus’ followers. This love recognizes no inner conflict within myself, even between my being a private person and my being an officeholder. In both cases I can be only one who follows Jesus, or I am no follower of Jesus at all. I am asked, how does this love act? Jesus says: bless them do good to them, pray for them without condition, without regard for who they are.
“Love your enemies."* 

*Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Discipleship (Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 2001) p. 139

Dietrich Bonhoeffer on a weekend getaway 

with confirmands of Zion's Church congregation (1932)