Thursday, October 10, 2013

Director for Evangelical Mission - Nice title, but what is it?


In the current configuration of the staff of the Southeastern Minnesota Synod, three of us serve as assistants to Bishop Delzer.  Two have titles that clearly explain their role.

Rev. Linda Gunderson works with congregations in the call process, with candidates as they work their way through the seminary system, with newly ordained pastors as they receive continuing education for the first three years of their ministry, with the planning the synod’s Theological Conference for leaders.  Her title clearly describes her role: Director for Rostered Leadership.

Karen Gieseke helps congregations rethink ways of passing on the faith between generations.  She has wonderful conversations surrounding confirmation, Sunday School, Bible Studies, and family faith activities.   Her title clearly describes her role: Director for Family Ministry.

My title sounds a bit more obscure: Director for Evangelical Mission.  Evangelical Mission sounds important, but what role does that play?
 
I have been called by the Churchwide expression of the ELCA to serve on Bishop Delzer’s staff.  As an official member of the Churchwide staff, I provide a bridge between what happens on national and local levels.  I serve under the supervision of both Bishop Delzer and the Congregational and Synodical Mission division of the ELCA.  My position is not unique: nearly every synod in the ELCA has a Director for Evangelical Mission (DEM).

I have three major roles on the synod (and Churchwide) staff.  I am the point person for working with new congregations.  This is the portion of the position which I’d been a part of prior to coming onto Bishop Delzer’s staff full time.  I work with the New Ministry Table to identify new ministry areas and oversee & assist these ministries as they get started.  The New Ministry Table is forming three sub-tables to do this work: African Ministry, Latino Ministry, and Area Mission Strategies (working with churches in certain areas to determine the possibility of something new).  In the past few years six South Sudanese/Ethiopian ministries have emerged in our synod.  Many other exciting conversations are underway!

I have the responsibility of working with congregations in times of renewal (and in this fast changing world, every congregation is in a time of renewal!).  I am a part of the Congregational Renewal Table, which promotes mission minded congregations, encourages congregations to collaborate in ministry, and facilitate renewal through providing mentors for congregations.  This table has led the wonderful Excelling in Mission events for the past few years and looks forward to working with many congregations, discerning God’s call for the future.

New and renewing congregations do not exist in a vacuum.  It takes a lot of support to keep things moving forward in mission.  The third role of a DEM is to work with the Mission Support table to help provide the resources to allow God’s work to be done throughout the synod.  There is great wisdom in including Mission Support in the DEM role.  The New Ministry and Congregational Renewal Tables abound in exciting stories of what God does throughout the synod.  This passion for mission spills over to the Mission Support table as they bring people on board to support this great mission.

New Starts. Congregational Renewal.  Mission Support.  My title may not be as clear, but my role is quite specific.

 

Thursday, August 29, 2013

The dream is still a dream


Right at this time of year, in the fall of 1976, I got on a school bus to head across Des Moines to my first day of kindergarten.  Since I had been open-enrolled I didn’t know anyone in that room the first day.  My neighbors all went to the school close to my house.  In that classroom I found that some of my classmates had pink skin like mine.  Others had dark skin and cool hair (this was the day of big afros).  As a kindergartner none of that mattered.  I just wanted to find friends to play with!

At the time I didn’t realize what it meant for a school to be 'integrated.'  My new school resided in a predominantly African-American part of town and housed kindergarten through 3rd grade.  Across Des Moines sat Perkins Elementary in a mainly white neighborhood with 4th through 6th grade.  Busses took kids from one neighborhood to the other, ensuring that black and white kids sat next to each other in the classroom.  The full name of the school: Martin Luther King Jr. Elementary School. 

A scant 13 years before Martin Luther King Jr. had proclaimed his dream, “I have a dream
that one day in Alabama … little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers.”  Dr. King proclaimed that dream in the midst of a divided nation, with African Americans not welcome in many parts of the country.  To many it seemed like only a dream.  I didn’t live in Alabama, but by 1976 that integration had started to come to Iowa!

Barely eight years before I walked into that kindergarten classroom James Earl Ray had assassinated Dr. King.  Racial tensions still embroiled much of the country.  People felt scared…hurt…disillusioned. 

In 1976 I knew nothing of all these recent events.  I was just a kid in kindergarten, and little kids are open to playing with anyone who comes along.  I grew up in a world that, at least publically, celebrated racial tolerance. 

I have lived my life in a post-Civil Rights era.  A part of me wants to say, “Race is no longer an issue in this country.  Can’t we just get over it?”  But then Trayvon Martin is killed by George Zimmerman and the racial divide explodes once again, reminding us that we do not yet live in Dr. King’s (or God’s) dream world.   I can’t just pretend that generations of blatant racism has come to an end.  This week the nation remembered the march on Washington that occurred fifty years ago.  While that’s before my time, many people still living remember it well.  The turbulent events of the Civil Rights movement still shape people's experience of the world.  In historical terms our country is still pretty new with the racial equality conversation. 

We have a long way to go.  We live in a world where African-Americans are more likely to be stopped by police, more likely to be ‘watched closely’ while shopping, more likely to be imprisoned for a crime (even compared to other ethnicities committing the same offense).  We live in a world where people hold their purses closer when an African-American walks by or where people lock their car doors when driving through an African-American part of town. 

It’s time for a change!  It’s time to recognize that the color of our skin doesn’t reflect our character…it reflects the God that works as a brilliant artist, creating a wide variety of hues to cover people’s bodies.  It’s time to treat each other as fellow members of God’s creation, not as a sub-group that is somehow different than ‘us.’   Those who live in 'ethnic enclaves (and many small Minnesota towns qualify, including Eyota which is 98.9% white) have the obligation to find ways for our children to interact with people of other races, else they grow up with an 'us vs. them' mentality.   It's a lot easier to tell jokes about 'those people' if you don't know them personally!  God calls us to rise above all that.  We are one in God's family.  People are people, no matter how much pigment they have in their skin!

And when this happens, and when we allow freedom ring, when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God's children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual:
Free at last! Free at last!
Thank God Almighty, we are free at last!

Tuesday, August 20, 2013

Called by God? What does THAT mean?


In last week’s letter to my congregation I included these words:

Bishop-Elect Steve Delzer has asked me to come onto his staff full time as the Director for Evangelical Mission of the Southeastern Minnesota Synod. After much prayer and discernment I felt called to accept this position.

Pastors use language like this all the time.  In college I told folks that I felt ‘called’ to become a pastor.  After graduating from seminary I felt ‘called’ to serve St. Paul Lutheran Church in Benson, IL.  Ten years ago I told the people of St. Paul that I felt ‘called’ to move to Eyota, MN.   

What’s up with all this talk of being ‘called’?  Did God get me on the phone to tell me what to do?  Did I hear voices from the sky or have grand visions?  Nope! 

My ‘call’ to the position of Director for Evangelical Mission on Bishop Delzer’s staff began about five years ago.  It came while having breakfast with Mary Sue Dreier one morning.  Mary Sue was one of the pastors at People of Hope Lutheran Church in Rochester when I first moved to Eyota, and at the time was pursuing her PhD in Missional Theology (she’s now a professor at Southern Seminary).   As we caught up on things, she looked me in the eye and said, “Pete, you have a lot of gifts that can be used beyond a single congregation.  Have you thought of working on a synod staff or at the ELCA churchwide offices?”   At that point I hadn’t ever considered it.  I viewed myself as a parish pastor and figured I’d serve congregations my whole career.

That one conversation got my mind whirling.  Did God use Mary Sue to get me thinking about a new direction for my life?  I spent a lot of time in prayer about it.  Mary Sue sent me information on Doctoral programs at Luther Seminary with the idea that a doctorate could help prepare me for work beyond the local congregation.  I didn’t quite know what to do.

About four and a half years ago I sat having lunch with Bishop Usgaard as we discussed the possibility of Peace Lutheran Church moving forward into a building project (we still worshipped in the gym at that point).  Finances were the hang-up.  Peace needed to be self-sufficient to be able to build and four years ago we were not!  Despite much growth, the congregation still depended on outside monies to pay the bills.  At the end of the meal Huck looked me in the eye and said, “Pete, we have a new position opening on my staff.  We need someone to work with new ministries.  You have the experience and skills to do it.  What if the synod contracted with your congregation to ‘use’ part of your time?  The congregation would then be able to go ahead and build, and the synod would have a person working with new ministries who has been a part of new ministries.  What do you think?”  I couldn’t help but think of my conversation with Mary Sue.  God seemed to have come full circle.

The relationship with the synod has been a blessing for Peace Lutheran Church.  The building that we are in would be here was it not for that synod contract! 

I entered my new role of Mission Director with a bit of trepidation.  Soon after starting I met with several groups of Sudanese immigrants who were trying to connect with host congregations. I worked hard (without much luck) to try to figure out the ‘blueprint’ that I should follow to make things work smoothly.  Someone finally said, “Pete, just do whatever you think works best.”  I had freedom…and used it! 

As I’ve reflected on these past four years as the synod’s part time Mission Director, I’ve found that the role uses my gifts well.  I’m very much a ‘big picture’ guy, and this position allows me to meet with passionate leaders, prayerfully dream about the possibilities of God’s future, and find creative ways to get there. 

By the time Bishop-elect Delzer asked if I would serve on his staff I’d already spent a lot of time in prayer about whether I felt ‘called’ to this position.  I had many people encouraging me to do it.  I knew that my gifts fit well with the job description and I knew that I would love it. 

That’s how the ‘call’ process has worked over and over in my life.  People have planted seeds and encouraged me to go in a new direction.  Something in me feels a nudge that I can’t ignore.  When the ‘inner call’ is confirmed by the ‘outer call,’ that’s when things tend to move quickly. 

People have told me to do many crazy things that I never considered.  Not every voice I hear is from God!  I have had many ‘nudges’ that led nowhere.   Not every idea I think up is from God!

God did what it took to prepare me for this moment in my ministry, not with visions and thunderous voices, but with the encouragement and support of others and with ‘timely coincidences’ that worked to confirm that God had a hand in it all.  God tugged at my heart and led me to this new place.

So, I feel ‘called by God’ to serve in this new position.  I’m excited about the possibilities that God has in store for me even as I lament the fact that I no longer get to serve as the pastor at Peace Lutheran Church. 

Somewhere out there God is preparing (with gentle nudges and encouragement) to ‘call’ a new pastor to serve at Peace. 

Thursday, August 15, 2013

A New Call


The folks at Peace Lutheran Church received this letter from me yesterday.
 

Dear members and friends of Peace Lutheran Church,

I came to serve as the pastor at Peace 10 years ago this November. In those years much has changed, but one thing has remained constant: God has been in our midst, guiding this ministry.

Next month my time at Peace will come to an end. Bishop-Elect Steve Delzer has asked me to come onto his staff full time as the Director for Evangelical Mission of the Southeastern Minnesota Synod. After much prayer and discernment I felt called to accept this position, which will retain the area of 'New Ministries' that I have been covering for the past four years and expand to include 'Revitalizing Congregations' and 'Stewardship.'

Effective September 15th, 2013, I will resign as pastor of Peace Lutheran Church to accept a call to serve God in this new way.

God remains in our midst, guiding this ministry. This congregation has never been about Pastor Peter Reuss. Our focus has been on Jesus...and it will remain that way. Pastors come and go. God does not.

Every pastor brings different gifts to a congregation. A new pastor will not be just like me, and that is a good thing. They will come with their own gifts and talents that God will use to lead the community of faith. You are in good hands: God's hands.

Since the synod office is in Rochester my family will not be moving from Eyota (I get to join many of you on the morning commute), but Shannon, Ben, and I will transfer our membership to a new church home. This is normal and expected of all pastors who accept new calls. I will likely see many of you around town, but you will no longer talk to me as 'your pastor.' I will just be 'Pete, the guy who lives in Eyota,' and if asked about things going on at Peace I will have no opinion. All this allows Peace to fully look ahead to the future and not simply to the past.

I thank you all for the support you have shown for me and my family over these past ten years. You have been a blessing to us in many ways.

May God bless you as you move forward in faith,

Your servant in Christ,

Pastor Pete 

Wednesday, July 31, 2013

Struggles With Porn - Likely This Means You!


Some troubling statistics:

·         40 million US adults regularly visit internet porn sites (that’s nearly 17% of the population)

·         35% of ALL internet downloads are pornography

·         Every second 28,258 internet users are viewing porn

·         12% of all websites are pornographic

We live in a world awash in images of sex.   What used to be relegated to girlie magazine subscriptions has burst onto the internet.  People used to have to go out of their way to find pornographic images.  With the internet they are just a click away…and sometimes they can be found without even looking for them. 

We have this image of the ‘dirty old men’ in their basements feeding their addictions, but the truth is much more troubling.

·         One in three porn users is a woman

·         47% of Christians say that porn is a major problem in their home

Think about that number.  47%!  And that’s just the families that realize there is a problem.  I’d argue that a very significant number of families don’t even know there is an issue in their household.  When we talk about porn use, we’re not talking about ‘those people’ out there.  We’re talking about people of faith.  We’re talking about people at your church.  Likely, we’re talking about YOU! 

Pornography an issue that drives a wedge between us and God.  You know it’s wrong, but you just can’t help yourself.  Porn use results in significant feelings of guilt…but its addictive nature brings you back for more.  It makes us feel unworthy of God, yet we don’t seem to be able to do a thing about it.

Sadly, most people feel that they could never admit to their problem.  They look at other ‘good church’ people and wish they could ‘be strong like them.’  They try to fight the addiction on their own, and the lack of control only serves to ‘prove’ that they are not faithful followers of Jesus.  What we need to realize is that most people around us fight the same battle.  We are not alone.  We are not hopeless.  We are broken people who need help.  I think Jesus came for people like that!

It’s the silent nature of porn that proves the most destructive, but we need not be alone!  An enormous first step is to admit to someone that there is a problem.  It’s hard but it makes all the difference in the world.  When we have someone else ‘in the know’ we have a support group…not someone to yell at us, but someone to hold us accountable to do what we want to do in the first place.

If you struggle with porn, find someone you trust and tell them about it.  Let them help you!  If you find your spouse has issues with porn, don’t kill them!  Support them.  Help them through it.  Don’t be afraid to ask blunt questions of those you love.  Perhaps you can help support them in their times of trial.   Don’t do it to judge them…do it to help!

A VERY helpful website for tips and help is www.xxxchurch.com.  It abounds in stories of normal people of faith struggling just like you.  If you don’t know where to start, it’s a great place to take the first step. 

There is hope!  Jesus came to die for porn users that they might have forgiveness (yes, that means you too).  Jesus spent his time with the ‘unworthy’ of his society.  Jesus hasn’t given up on you…but Jesus doesn’t want you to fight alone either!

It breaks my heart to know how often people wander from the faith because they feel too ‘dirty’ to be redeemed.  Let’s bring porn use out of the closet and deal with it face to face.  You are not alone!

Tuesday, July 16, 2013

A Needed Time for Quiet and Reflection


Last week I returned from vacation and hit the ground running!

·         I got home and headed right to the office to finish prepping things for Sunday worship.

·         On the day that we returned by aunt and grandma stopped by for a bit to pick up my uncle (who’d joined us at the lake).

·         Later that evening some good friends of ours from Illinois came for the weekend.  Thankfully the house was clean before we left for vacation!

·         Our cat developed a bladder infection, leading to many loads of laundry, carpet shampooing, trips to the vet, and administering antibiotics twice a day.

·         I had the usual fun of bill paying and budgeting after being gone for a couple weeks.

·         Shannon ended up going for her monthly chemo not just on Wednesday (all day), but also on Friday (since she had an allergic reaction to the drug…see last week’s blog post).  She then began her ‘sleepy time’ which hits after each treatment.

·         Shannon’s business launched a new website (which had been in the works since last fall), which meant many calls to our web developer to work out the bugs.

·         A magazine ad for Shannon’s business got goofed up, meaning that I had to coordinate the corrections between a graphic designer here, the magazine, and the manufacturer in Hong Kong.

·         The yard and garden made me feel guilty every time I looked at them since I didn’t have time to mow the lawn or pull weeds.

·         In the midst of it all, Shannon and I celebrated our 20th anniversary.

Too much!  I simply ran from one thing to another, shifting gears without a clutch.  Things felt out of control.  I tried to take some time for daily devotions, but they often got hurried because there ‘was so much to do.’

Then on Thursday evening I came to Peace for the new weekly ‘Gathering for Music and Prayer.’  It took a bit, but I found that I could live in that moment.  The world slowed down.  I joined in singing simple songs.  I heard Scripture.  I enjoyed moments of silence where I could focus on God’s presence.  I lit a candle, remembering what God has done in my life.  I prayed for friends, family, and neighbors.  For the first time all week, I felt a sense of peace.  Simply setting aside a block of time where I knew I couldn’t do anything else made a huge difference.  The craziness of life re-emerged when I walked out the door, but I felt able to entrust it all to God.

I enjoy a busy schedule, but sometimes things get to be a bit much even for me.  Quiet time with God brings perspective to a crazy life.  God remains in control.  I can fall into God’s loving arms and know that everything will be ok.  I am thankful that Carol Purcell and Brenda Szuberski have decided to coordinate the ‘Gathering for Music and Prayer.’  I got to come, not as the pastor to lead things, but as a fellow traveler on the journey of faith.  I highly recommend it!  Thursdays at 8:00 at Peace!

Thursday, July 11, 2013

God's Work...Carla and Heather's Hands


Yesterday I saw God at work!

Shannon and I celebrated our 20th anniversary. While some couples go away to remote,
romantic locations, we had other ideas.  We got to spend the whole day ay Mayo Clinic (who can beat that for romance)!  Shannon had a day of lab draws, doctor’s appointments, and chemo.  We’ve endured this kind of regimen for over nine years now (nearly half of our married life) and we understand the routine of it all.  In many ways yesterday was just another Mayo day, but who wants to ‘celebrate’ 20 years of marriage by receiving a drug that basically poisons the body to fight cancer cells?     It has a way of sucking the joy out of an anniversary day!

From time to time the reality of what Shannon endures hits home.  Battling cancer is no picnic.  Yesterday the ‘routine’ of her chemo got disrupted when she started to have an allergic reaction to the drug (let me tell you, that got the chemo nurses moving in a hurry!).  While they anticipated that over time she would build an allergy to it, we had hoped that she could hold out for more treatments.  This means that instead of an outpatient chemo day where they give it to her in a quick 30 minutes she will now have to be admitted to the hospital and get the same drug administered over 24 hour period to sneak it in without her immune system noticing.  Just what we wanted to hear…more time at Mayo.  Lovely. 

In the midst of the downer of a day we received a ray of sunshine.  When the nurse brought Shannon back to receive her treatment we were taken to a room in the far corner of the chemo ward.  Usually Shannon just gets a chair surrounded by many others.  We relished the idea of getting a quiet room of our own.  When we got there, we were greeted by a “Happy 20th Anniversary” sign on the wall, beautiful flowers and snacks on the bedside stand, and even ‘spa socks’ for Shannon to cuddle into.  Seriously!  Who gets to have happy surprises on Gonda 10??  Chemo wards are usually not the place for them. 

The nurse initially assumed that I had orchestrated the whole thing and was quite surprised when my eyes grew large in shock.   After asking around, we found out that some ‘elves’ had come by earlier that morning to drop things off (the only ID we had was that they were ‘Mayo nurses from some other area).  Someone from the ward took the time to set it all up (including the sign on the wall).  A lot of work and planning went into the whole thing.  I was floored!

After some crack investigative work, I was able to pin down two culprits: Carla Brunsvold and Heather Ohl.  The two of you may have simply thought that you were doing a kind deed, but God used your hands yesterday.  A little light shone into a pretty crappy situation.  I still smile when I remember it.  Your act of caring will live on in ‘Reuss lore’ for many years.

Thank you Carla and Heather.  Thank you God for using them in such a cool way.

Tuesday, June 18, 2013

All are welcome? Really?

This past Saturday I headed down to Iowa for my cousin’s wedding.  It’s been a while since I attended a full Catholic wedding and I couldn’t help but compare the hour long service to the Lutheran version that takes half that time.  I followed along with the unwritten words of the liturgy quite well, though the slight differences made me realize that I needed to speak my portions quietly so I didn’t stand out! 

In many ways I felt right at home in that worship service…at least until the time for communion arrived.  As is tradition, the priest informed the congregation that only members of the Catholic Church were welcome to come and receive the body and blood of Christ.  Others could come for a blessing, but that’s all.  His words quickly made me feel like a second class citizen, unwelcome to join in an important part of the service.  As a person firmly grounded in faith it annoyed me a bit (I’ll get over it!), but I wonder how others interpreted the exclusion.  What about those who struggled in faith and wondered if this Jesus really could love them?  The message came through loud and clear: you are not good enough to receive this!

Ironically, the Jesus present in that mass is that one who said, “This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.”  People who have failed God are the ones who most need to come to the altar and receive Jesus’ body and blood.  I can’t think of a single person in that building who did not need that word spoken to them!

The church is not an exclusive club that only offers ‘benefits’ to those who deserve them.  The Jesus who comes to us in the mass is the one who ate with prostitutes and other ‘undesirables.’  Jesus came bringing hope and forgiveness to many that the good ‘church folk’ wanted nothing to do with.  Jesus didn’t wait until people acted right or until they joined the right synagogue.  Jesus welcomed them where they were and invited them to follow Him.  Jesus healed…forgave…loved!

We have a Lord who stands with arms outstretched, ready to welcome ALL people.  It’s not our job to serve as gatekeepers to decide who is worthy to receive God’s gifts.  Our task is to proclaim and model that love that God has for this world.

How can God’s church live out that kind of radical hospitality?  We begin with words, proclaiming God’s call to ALL people.  These words from a Catholic parish in Daytona say it well:

We extend a special welcome to those who are single, married, divorced, gay, filthy rich, dirt poor, yo no habla Ingles. We extend a special welcome to those who are crying new-borns, skinny as a rail or could afford to lose a few pounds.

We welcome you if you can sing like Andrea Bocelli or like our pastor who can’t carry a note in a bucket. You’re welcome here if you’re “just browsing,” just woke up or just got out of jail. We don’t care if you’re more Catholic than the Pope, or haven’t been in church since little Joey’s Baptism.

We extend a special welcome to those who are over 60 but not grown up yet, and to teenagers who are growing up too fast. We welcome soccer moms, NASCAR dads, starving artists, tree-huggers, latte-sippers, vegetarians, junk-food eaters. We welcome those who are in recovery or still addicted. We welcome you if you’re having problems or you’re down in the dumps or if you don’t like “organized religion,” we’ve been there too.

If you blew all your offering money at the dog track, you’re welcome here. We offer a special welcome to those who think the earth is flat, work too hard, don’t work, can’t spell, or because grandma is in town and wanted to go to church.

We welcome those who are inked, pierced or both. We offer a special welcome to those who could use a prayer right now, had religion shoved down your throat as a kid or got lost in traffic and wound up here by mistake. We welcome tourists, seekers and doubters, bleeding hearts … and you!

These are great words, but we can’t stop there.  Our call as followers of Jesus is to ‘be Christ’ to those around us, and that means welcoming all to fully participate in what God does in the world.  My congregation will always have an open table for communion.  Jesus is the host…we simply give what Jesus has already given to us: forgiveness of sins, life, and salvation!  To those ‘on the fringes’ and wondering if this Jesus can be for them, we loudly proclaim, “Given and shed FOR YOU!”  No prerequisites…just a loving God coming to work in the lives of God’s children!

Tuesday, June 11, 2013

We have a new bishop!


This past weekend I got to be at the assembly that elected Rev. Steve Delzer as the new bishop of
the Southeastern Minnesota Synod, replacing Bishop Usgaard who has served for 12 years.  God’s hand led the whole process.

We have a weird way of electing a bishop!  There is no campaigning, no yard signs or buttons, no election committees or campaign coordinators.   People do not announce their candidacy at press conferences.  Pollsters do not test the waters to find the leading candidates.  Instead, people talk, pray, and seek God’s guidance.

Last winter churches raised up the names of potential nominees.  Here at Peace we nominated Rev. Linda Gunderson because we sensed a spirit of mission in her and thought she would make an awesome bishop.  Christ the King in Mankato nominated me.  Those names then went to the conference assemblies with each assembly passing along three names to be a part of some question and answer forums.  Neither Linda nor I had our names passed on.  While the snarky side of me felt quite annoyed that Linda’s name didn’t get passed along (and I suspect that synod-wide she would have been one of the top vote getters, but didn’t break the top three in any one conference), I had to trust that God works even in goofy processes.

Chad Ohl and I went to one of the forums held in Chatfield to hear these nominees speak.  Neither of us came away with a sense that one person seemed ‘destined’ for the position.  As I talked to others in the days leading up to the assembly I heard very conflicting thoughts.  Nobody had any sense of who would be elected.

The assembly spent significant time in prayer as we voted.  On the first ballot any pastor in the ELCA could be nominated, and over 50 people were (including Linda and me).  After some people took their names off the ballot we voted again, shrinking the field to seven (all from the bishop’s forums).  The next ballot took it down to four, with those four addressing the assembly.  As soon as Pastor Delzer finished speaking, the contingent from Peace turned to each other and commented, “There is your next bishop.”  Something in his words resonated with us.  A process that began without a clear leader ended emphatically with Pastor Delzer receiving nearly 65% of the final vote.  

God works in the process!  There is a lot of ‘if only’ conversation going on.  If only more people could have been a part of the forums.  If only someone had more clearly answered a question at a forum.  If only more people had worked behind the scenes to talk about ‘their candidate.’  If only one of the final four had done a ‘better job’ in their speech.  A lot of things couple have happened, but perhaps the Holy Spirit actually led the process…which is what we prayed for all along!

Starting this fall we will welcome Bishop Steve Delzer.  I worked closely with Steve and the South Sudanese ministry that is at Our Savior’s in Faribault.  He brings a love for the church and an openness to new ideas to the bishop’s office.  Please keep him in your prayers as he spends the summer assembling a staff and preparing for his new role.  God worked among us to raise him into this new place.  May God bless him as he does God’s work in leading the Southeastern Minnesota Synod.

Click here for more information on your new bishop!

Tuesday, June 4, 2013

We Will No Longer be a Welcoming Church


Some interesting thoughts from Rev. Dr. Robert Moss at Lutheran Church of the Master in Lakewood, CO.    At my congregation we are getting much better about welcoming…but how are we at inviting?



We’ve decided to quit being a welcoming church. No kidding. We’re giving it up. It won’t be easy, but we’re committed to it. We’ll have to do it in stages, easing our folks into it step by step. We’ll have to deal with the fear of something new, the challenge of venturing into the unknown. But we’ll do it. It will take motivation, leadership, and constant reminders. But most importantly, it will take total commitment in embracing a new focus.

Like so many churches, we’ve sunk an amazing amount of time and energy into becoming a welcoming church. We changed worship styles, we trained greeters and ushers, we wore name tags, we percolated coffee, we went to workshops on hospitality, we put our friendliest people in the most prominent places on Sunday mornings. But we’ve realized we’ve been misplacing our emphasis. So we’re no longer going to do it.

Here’s what we’re doing instead. We are becoming an Inviting Church. That’s different. You see, “welcoming” from a missional perspective is passive. It denotes waiting for visitors and guests to drop by. When they do, we attempt treat them very well and do everything possible to make them comfortable. We’ll be willing to change who we are. We’ll follow particular formats that have proven to be more welcoming to new people. We’ll do whatever it takes to have them come back the next Sunday, even if they shouldn’t. Welcoming is about us, not about them.

“Inviting,” however, is different. That means we leave the comfort of our congregational home-court advantage. The main activity doesn’t happen in our worship space when people drop in, but in the neighborhood when we go out. It isn’t so much welcoming them into our place, but going out into their place and meeting them there.

Even that warrants a significant caveat. This is not just another gimmick to get people into the church. The foundation of this isn’t an attempt to bolster declining membership rolls and make a better parochial report to the bishop. No, it goes much deeper than that. It starts with who God has called us to be as church. It involves discovering our gifts and purpose. And it mandates joining God at work in the world. This isn’t about getting the world into God’s church; it’s about getting the church into God’s world.

If you’ve read any postings on this blog before, you know that God’s mission is what we are to be about. Everything comes from that—including the identity of the church. We exist as church only because God has a mission. Our purpose, our very identity, is called forth out of God’s loving care and redemptive activity in creation. We are steeped in God’s mission. We are drenched through baptism into this essential character of God. God is at work in the world, and creates, calls, and equips the church specifically for that work.

Each congregation has a purpose within God’s mission. Each congregation has particular gifts. Each congregation reveals the life-giving reign of God in unique ways. No congregation is everything to everyone. But every congregation is something to someone. Who can know God through your worship style? Who can experience forgiveness and grace through your congregational community? Who needs the gifts you have to offer? Who can offer gifts you need? Knowing those things, when in conversation over the backyard fence about their pain in losing a loved one, it would be natural then to invite that neighbor to your congregation’s grief support group that has made such a difference for many others. When in the employee lunch room chatting about the pressures of our jobs, it would fit to invite that co-worker to your congregation’s spiritual direction group for professionals. When sharing the struggles of parenthood with a friend while waiting for your kids to come out of school, it would make sense to invite their whole family to your cross-generational faith development where you have gained so much guidance from other parents. While paying for a car repair, your long-time mechanic lets slip that she has lost her faith, it would easily flow for you to invite her to join you (and all the other doubters who will gather this Sunday) in worship.

Welcoming involves hoping whoever happens to find you will join. Inviting involves sharing God’s specific gifts—made real in your congregation—in the world.

The blog can be viewed at http://daelcarev.wordpress.com/2013/03/12/we-will-no-longer-be-a-welcoming-church/.

Tuesday, May 28, 2013

Memorial Day Reflections


Yesterday I was blessed to have the opportunity to join the Eyota American Legion Post 551 in providing brief Memorial Day ceremonies at several local cemeteries.   It was a time to reflect on the sacrifices that our service men and women have made for our nation.  Here were my words:

We gather together today to honor those who have served our nation, those who have given of
themselves, sacrificing their time, their careers, and their families to stand in the gap to defend our freedom.  This is a day for thanking those veterans who live among us, those who were discharged from the service with honor and distinction.  We are honored to have some of these veterans with us this morning.

But today is also a day to remember those veterans who do not live among us…those who now rest in these graves and in graves throughout our world…those whose service ended with a bullet…or grenade...a mortar…a roadside bomb...or other tragic end.  These did not serve for a few years and move on in life.  No, they sacrificed everything for the cause of freedom.  They left behind wives and husbands, children and neighbors and friends.  Today, we honor them and vow to remember what they have done.

Gracious God, on this Memorial Day weekend, we remember and give thanks for those who have given their lives in the service of our country. When the need was greatest, they stepped forward and did their duty to defend the freedoms that we enjoy, and to win the same for others. O God, you yourself have taught us that no love is greater than that which gives itself for another. These honored dead gave the most precious gift they had, life itself, for loved ones and neighbors, for comrades and country – and for us. Help us to honor their memory by caring for the family members they have left behind, by ensuring that their wounded comrades are properly cared for, by being watchful caretakers of the freedoms for which they gave their lives, and by demanding that no other young men and women follow them to a soldier’s grave unless the reason is worthy and the cause is just. Holy One, help us to remember that freedom is not free. There are times when its cost is, indeed, dear. Never let us forget those who paid so terrible a price to ensure that freedom would be our legacy. Though their names may fade with the passing of generations, may we never forget what they have done. Help us to be worthy of their sacrifice, O God, help us to be worthy. Amen.

(Prayer in final paragraph from United Church of Christ, Worship Ways, Vol. 7, No. 3)

Tuesday, May 21, 2013

Letter to God


Dear God –

Why?

In this world we do a pretty good job of destroying each other’s lives.   Mass killings have
become the norm.  Civil war rages in Syria, killing tens of thousands.  Roadside bombs still explode in Iraq.  Drone strikes take the lives of the ‘target’ and all around them.  It’s easy to explain these by talking of ‘sin.’  We live in a world where you give us the freedom to hurt each other.   People suffer because other people cause pain.   Cause and effect.  I get that.

Then come tornadoes like the one that slammed through Moore on Monday.  Dozens lost their lives, including children hiding in the basement of a school.  Many more recover from injuries the tornado caused.  Entire areas of town have been obliterated: homes lost, school destroyed, businesses no longer exist.  How do we explain these things? 

The American cliché is to blame these events on things like ‘homosexuality’ or ‘abortion.’  People want a quick and easy answer…and scapegoat.  They say, “If only we could be a holy land then these things wouldn’t happen.”  Back in your son Jesus’ day the Pharisees thought the same thing, but Jesus didn’t exactly agree with them! I’d argue that the sin of greed runs much more rampant in our land, but nobody seems to blame that.    It hits too close to home.

These simplistic answers take away the theological challenge of the whole event.  If you are all powerful (and we claim that you are) you could have stopped the tornado, right?  If you didn’t choose to stop it that means that you chose to allow the tornado to rip through Moore!  Stories have begun to surface of people who were miraculously saved.  They credit you for doing something to protect them in times of danger.  But God, what about those who died?  I find it hard to believe that you would go out of your way to protect one person while standing idle while the swirling winds took another’s life.  I don’t get it.   I join the writer of the Psalms, “My soul is in deep anguish.  How long, Lord, how long?” 

I have to admit that now that the destruction has come it’s becoming easier to see you at work.  I see you in the rescue workers, desperately seeking for survivors.  You are in the people of the Red Cross, providing food and shelter to your people in need.  You are in the crisis counselors who speak to the suffering.  You are anonymous people all over Moore who provide a shoulder to cry on.  You are in the people throughout the world who send money to help rebuild.   You are at work in the prayers of people near and far who reach out to those in Moore.

Why?  I could go on for hours, argue point after point, and in the end I won’t have an answer.  I’m simply left with your mercy, your love for your children, and the salvation that you promise through Jesus.  Even the pain of death is not final, for you are the one who conquered death forever.

May you use us to care for those in need in these dark days.  Comfort those in pain.  Feed those who hunger.  Clothe those who lost everything.   You work in the midst of a world of destruction.  Care for your people, Lord.

Your son,
Pete

Wednesday, May 15, 2013

Life's Markers


Any journey has markers along the way to help me know where I stand.

The drive to our cabin takes about 3 ½ hours, but I mentally break it up into three sections.  My first goal is to get to the Cities…then I look for the Famous Dave’s just past the Cities.  When I get to Famous Dave’s I don’t stop the car (unless traffic is backed up!).  It’s not the end of the journey…it’s just a marker on the road top let me know where I stand.

When starting a 5K race I don’t have the finish line in mind right from the starting gun.  I focus on the first mile…then the second…then the third.  I have a goal in mind for each portion of the race that will lead me to the proper finish.   I don’t get to the first mile marker and take a seat!  It’s not the end of the journey…just a marker in the race.

At this time of year in 1989 I prepared to graduate from high school.  With my classmates I reflected on where we’d been together.  Sappy songs and sentiments abounded.  Yet once I graduated from high school I went back to school once again.  That fall I enrolled at Northwestern University and started all over again.  Four years later I again prepared to graduate, and once again I prepared to go back to school, this time at Luther Seminary.  Each graduation held a moment of importance, but I did not stop my learning!  I didn’t graduate and stop my school career.  They weren’t the end of the journey…just a marker on the path to becoming a pastor.

Nearly 20 years ago Shannon and I stood at an altar, pledging our lives to each other in marriage.   We’d had a year of dating and a year of engagement to prepare us for that moment.  It’s now been two decades of ‘better or worse’ and we’ve been blessed to spend time with each other.  I didn’t walk out of the marriage service to head off to live my own life.  It wasn’t the end of the journey with Shannon…just an important step on the path of our life together.

In the spring of 1971 my parents brought me to a church and presented me for baptism.  That began a life of faith that continues to this day.  I’ve had many important markers on that journey of faith, but it’s a faith that continues to this day.  At no time have I felt like I’d ‘arrived’ in faith.  I never got to a plateau where I felt like my faith felt complete.  My journey with my God continues every day.  It’s a relationship that began in baptism and will never end for eternity. 

In 8th grade I joined my fellow classmates in standing in front of a congregation, claiming the promises made to me in baptism, but that moment came as simply another step in a long journey of faith.

This coming Sunday eleven young men and women from Peace will come together to stand before the community of faith.  They will make promises…and they will hear God’s promises to them.  They have had the opportunity to spend the past few months in deep reflection on their faith.  They’ve talked with a parent about Jesus, creation, the Holy Spirit, prayer, Holy Baptism, Holy Communion, and Scripture.  They’ve taken the time to put their faith into words, explaining it both in a paper and in a conversation with me. 

This process comes as a step on their journey of faith.  They don’t have faith all figured out, though they have a better understanding of where they are in this moment of faith.  Life’s challenges will arise and impact their faith journey.  Commitment Sunday is not the end of a journey…just a marker in the relationship with God.

Tuesday, May 7, 2013

Nurturing Faith in a Congregation - More than just another Bible Study


When I picture people who are ‘nurturing faith’ I usually picture a group of folks sitting in a circle, sharing Scripture and talking about how it connects with daily life.  

The good people of Peace Lutheran Church have shown me that it’s that…and much, much  more!

A couple weeks ago Peace provided some surveys for folks in an attempt to see how well we are living up to our Mission Statement: The mission of Peace Lutheran Church is to call people to Christ, nurture them into the faith, and send them out in witness and service.

Last fall we did away with Sunday School and replaced it with more family activities.  We added some Wednesday night events for elementary and Middle School youth.  In the midst of change we felt it especially important to check in and see how well we’re accomplishing our goals.

People’s responses showed four main areas where they felt that God works through Peace to nurture their faith.  Faith is nurtured in worship, in community, in family events, and in age specific events.  Not every person experiences God in the same way.  A variety of ministry opportunities provides the best way to impact the lives of faith of the most people.

Here is our proposal for future ministry based on these responses.  How might these themes fit your ministry?
 

Nurturing Faith in Worship

Worship is at the heart of Peace’s ministry.  It is a time for families of all kinds to gather together to encounter the living God and grow in faith.  Peace is intentional about including all ages in the service.  The lessons and sermons are presented in a format that provides Biblical background to the stories, proclaims the grace of God, and helps people find ways of turning their faith into action.

Nurturing Faith in Community

The Christian life was never intended to be a solo exercise.  Faith is nurtured as people have an opportunity to get to know others and build relationships with them, providing a strong basis of support in the faith.  The Hospitality time following worship is an essential portion of this community building.  Other community building activities such as game nights, bowling trips, meals, campfires, Christmas decorating, and other events provide the people of Peace with the opportunities to grow close together as a community.

Nurturing Faith in Families

Research shows that the faith of children is significantly impacted by the involvement of adults in their faith formation.  In Livin’ the Faith (9th grade or higher) and First Communion (2nd grade) Peace has a history of successful youth/parent activities.  We will build upon that by providing additional times for youth and parents to come together to learn about important aspects of the faith.  Providing a regular schedule will ensure that no group ‘falls through the cracks’ and misses an essential portion of their faith formation.  Many of these times will be held on Sunday mornings at 10:30 in the separate classroom (to not conflict with Hospitality time).

The full list:

·         Using the Jesus Storybook Bible (one time, Kindergarten)

·         First Communion (two times, 2nd grade)

·         Using the Bible (two times, 3rd grade) – they will receive a NIrV version of the Bible at this time.

·         Prayer (two times, 5th grade)

·         Using a Study Bible (one time, 6th grade) – they will receive a Study Bible at this time

·         Human Sexuality (two times, 7th grade)

·         Livin’ the Faith (nine times, 9th grade or above)

 
Nurturing Faith in Specific Age Groups

There can be great benefit in gathering people together in specific age groups to provide time for faith formation and community building.   For five weeks in the fall and four weeks in the winter Peace will take time on Wednesday evenings to provide faith building activities for the following groups:

·         Pre-K

·         Early Elementary

·         Upper Elementary

·         Middle School

·         High School

·         Adult

The Middle School and High School youth will have additional activities planned:

·         Cardboard Box City in October

·         Waterpark trip in December

·         Rochester Supernight in February

·         Mt. Olympus in the Dells in August

·         On overnight mission trip in the summer

Vacation Bible School provides a time for 3 year olds through 5th graders to gather together to grow in faith.