Public & Accountable...I Need That!

This morning my alarm went off at 5:30.  I groggily reached over to shut it off, and then lay quietly in the dark.  What kind of crazy person willingly gets up at 5:30?  I lay under the warm blankets, quite tempted to just stay put.  I had a zillion reasons to just go back to sleep.  Temptation surrounded me.  It took every ounce of energy to throw aside the sheets and meet the cold air.

What motivated me to actually move?  Wednesday morning is basketball morning here in Eyota.  I join a group of guys who hit the gym at 6:00 and play for an hour.  It keeps me in shape, but that’s not what got me out of bed.  I love the game, but could easily talk myself out of it in the darkness of 5:30.  I got up because people expected me to.  I’ve committed to get myself on the court by 6:00.  It’s not that anyone forces me to do anything that I don’t want to do.  I’m publically accountable for my actions.  Those expectations supported my decision to do what I knew I wanted to do: get up!  At 5:30 in the morning, with excuses swirling, I needed those expectations.

Last January I committed to reading through the entire Bible in 2011.  I’d made the attempt before and failed. It’s easy to get behind and find 1001 excuses why it’s not worth the effort.  Reading through the Bible in a year takes serious commitment.

I’m pleased to report that I made it!  I got into a routine of getting up a few minutes early and heading right for the Bible.  At times I lacked the motivation to keep charging along, but every time that happened I remembered my public promise to finish it.  If I quit I wouldn’t just let myself down…I’d have to admit to others that I didn’t do what I wanted to do.   The excuses faded away.  I kept going and finished what I started.

Now, as the calendar has flipped over to 2012, I find myself in a bit of a bind.  I had plans of continuing with morning devotions…but the excuses have found their way back into my life.  I haven’t had that public accountability…and I’ve slacked.  It’s not that I need others to force me to do something I hate…I need others to support me to do what I want to do!  I can work through all kinds of excuses on my own, but those excuses sound pretty lame when I try to explain them to someone else.

So it looks like I need to be public and accountable again!  Starting tomorrow morning, I plan to take 5 to 10 minutes each morning in Bible reading and prayer.  It won’t be a ‘through the year’ kind of thing.  I want to be able to focus on smaller passages and ponder them more deeply.  I will begin with the Gospel of Matthew, reading a portion, imagining what it would be like to be in the story, and asking God what it might mean for my life.  It’s something I enjoy, but apparently I need the support of others to get it done.

For me, this is the church at its best…supporting each other as we grow in faith.  As God’s people we can help each other in so many ways: devotions, prayer, diet, exercise, getting enough sleep, cutting back on work, putting in enough work, keeping the house clean, quitting smoking, cutting back (or stopping) drinking…the list can go on and on.  The Holy Spirit works through others to support us.  In what areas might some sort of public accountability help in your life?  You are not alone!  Let God work through others to help you do what you know you want (or need) to do!

A Little Christmas Honesty

Have a holly, jolly Christmas;
It's the best time of the year
I don't know if there'll be snow
but have a cup of cheer
Have a holly, jolly Christmas;
And when you walk down the street
Say Hello to friends you know
and everyone you meet.



Oh Ho the mistletoe
hung where you can see;
Somebody waits for you;
Kiss her once for me
Have a holly jolly Christmas
and in case you didn't hear
Oh by golly have a holly jolly Xmas this year

These classic words clearly explain the expected Christmas mood.  This is a season for love, joy, and family.  It’s a time to be merry and excited about life.  It’s a time for warm, cozy feelings.  We expect our days to be merry and bright.

It can be hard to live up to those high expectations.   The truth for many people is that Christmas becomes a time of disappointment, anxiety, and depression.    

A number of years ago I found myself leading a Christmas service at a funeral home.   It wasn’t a time to talk about ‘a cup of cheer’!  For those who have lost loved ones, Christmas abounds in loneliness.  Memories of those who no longer gather around the Christmas tree bring tears to people’s eyes. 

Many families get together to celebrate Christmas.  Quite often these Christmas gatherings produce more anxiety and hurt feelings than ‘comfort and joy.’  People who avoid each other all year long suddenly sit together expecting everyone to be happy.  It doesn’t happen.  Old resentments bubble over (or simmer under the surface).  People wonder, “Why can’t I have a NORMAL family?”  Perhaps this family anxiety IS normal!!

Many people will spend Christmas alone, far from family and friends.  They will feel that ‘everyone is happy except me.’ 

Some couples will acutely feel the pain of infertility as they imagine presents for little ones under a tree.  “If only we had children to celebrate with.”

Some divorced families will experience the frustration of the battle over ‘who gets the kids on Christmas Eve.’

How do we learn to manage expectations?  We SO want Christmas to be perfect in every way.  We want happiness and joy at every turn.  Let’s be honest with ourselves: Christmas doesn’t always live up to the hype.

We live in a broken world.  We live in a world where relationships are strained, where death rips people away, where loneliness abounds.   We can’t just wish someone ‘Merry Christmas’ and expect all that pain to go away.

2000 years ago God chose to come into this broken world.  His parents had to leave home to travel to Bethlehem.  They couldn’t even find a decent place to spend the night.   The baby Jesus entered that anxiety to bring hope.

God lives among us even as we suffer.  As we focus on the Christ who came to live with us, we can look at the Christmas season with honesty.  Jesus did not come to have it be ‘perfect.’  Jesus came to live with us, wherever we might find ourselves.

This Christmas, feel free to lay before your newborn king your joys & sorrows, your excitement & pain, your contentment & loneliness. 

Welcome to the manger!  Unto us a child has been born!

Together Before God's Throne

After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands.  And they cried out in a loud voice: “Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.”  Revelation 7:9-10

Last Wednesday night I got to be part of a counter cultural activity. 

The middle school youth from Peace meet at Arbor Gardens (Eyota’s senior living apartment building) for their youth ministry activities.  Every week we take some time to enjoy some activities with the residents of the apartments.  We often play games, but last Wednesday I decided that it could be fun to have some ‘reminiscing’ time.  Instead of just DOING things together, what would it be like to TALK with each other? 

We spent the time answering questions like “What is the most interesting place you’ve ever visited,” “What is your favorite parade,” and “What is the favorite gift that you have ever received?”  I was nervous as we started.  Talking sounded like a great idea in theory, but what if everyone felt too uncomfortable to get into it?  What if the youth found the whole exercise to be ‘stupid’?  What if the seniors got annoyed by the squirreliness of 6^th grade girls?  What if the two age groups didn’t know what to do with each other?  I prepared for disaster. 

To my amazement, both groups, young and old, thoroughly enjoyed the conversation.  The kids enthusiastically answered the questions (and had to be encouraged to pipe down a bit) and seemed to enjoy the senior’s answers (they were VERY intrigued by the woman who had travelled to many places in the world).  The seniors had fun pondering the questions…and smiled at the energy that the kids brought.

When you think about it, how often does something like this happen?  We live in a culture that divides us based on age, race, political preference, income level, or profession.  We watch news shows that agree with our perspective on the world.  We surround ourselves with people like us…people who agree with us…people with similar life experiences as us.   We worship with people who look like us…who worship like us…who live like us.  We don’t often experience the diversity of God’s creation.

As Revelation reminds us, as we stand before God’s throne we don’t simply join with people just like us.  We join with young and old.  We join with people who speak English, Spanish, German, French, Mandarin, and Dinka.  We join with people with light skin…and with people of all shades of brown.  We join with people who live in large houses and people who live in mud huts.  We join a diverse family of faith in praising God!

Last Wednesday’s youth event at Arbor Gardens was just a taste of what God has in store for us.   I felt blessed to watch as 8^th grade boys and 75 year old women shared their very different life experiences.  Each came with different perspectives on life…perspectives that are important to hear.

The church is one of the last places where generations still meet together.  In that diversity, God gives us glimpses of that final day as we all join before God’s holy throne, praising God!

How can we all learn to step out of our comfort zones to encounter people of vastly different ages, cultures, languages, or colors?  We’ll find that if we take the ’risk’ we will be blessed to get to know some wonderfully different people.

Running for fun...and service!

Early last week I was out doing some jogging on a beautiful fall day.  I thought back to the Gladiolus Days 5K run that I'd run in St. Charles in late August.  I’d started slowly that day and had WAY too much energy for the final ‘kick.’ I knew I could do better!  I wanted another chance to push myself harder, but I assumed that the 5K race season had ended. I felt bummed.

The next morning I received an e-mail from Sheila Mix asking me to sponsor her team in last Saturday’s Lupus Foundation run / walk. Lupus is a long-term autoimmune disorder that may affect the skin, joints, kidneys, brain, and other organs. It’s something that may flare up once and never show up again…or it may keep attacking the body. My mother died of lupus in 1979, with her body basically ‘rejecting’ her kidneys as if they were transplants. There is no known cure. Sheila and her family looked for support for their team of walkers and runners as they worked to raise money for lupus research.

In an instant, two things came together for me: the desire to run another 5K…and the desire to find a cure for lupus. Instead of donating to Sheila’s team, I decided to form my own! Ben and I signed up and had a GREAT time running.  I got off to a good start and held my own throughout the race!  Out of 42 people, Ben finished 4^th and I was 9^th!   Just as importantly, people signed on to sponsor our running, raising over $100 for lupus research.

I got to do something that I enjoy to raise money for what I care about. Pretty good combination!  I think that’s what’s called ‘using your gifts to serve God!’

No pain…no gain.  When I’m running, a little pain helps!  It shows that I’m pushing my body to grow stronger.   I’ve definitely felt pain in the past 6 months as I’ve gotten back into shape…but it’s been worth it.

No pain…no gain.  Does the same theory apply to a life of faith?  Not always.  God gives us all unique gifts and passions that can be used in God’s service.  Last weekend I took a passion (running) and used it to raise money for something I found very worthwhile.  Every week I take a love of public speaking and use it to preach.  I take an excitement for God’s work in the world and I use it to help African ministries get started.  These things bring energy and joy to my life…not pain! 

Life in God’s service need not be misery!  God has given you gifts, passions, and abilities that you can use in God’s service…to help people in need…to tell people about God’s love for them…to teach the faith…to be a leader.  Use them...and enjoy the results!

Pete the African?

My ancestors have been in America for a long time.  The earliest ones, the Owings, came from England in the 1600’s and settled in Maryland.   In the late 1800’s the Reusses came over from Germany to New York and Virginia.  The Englehardts and the Dodds came to this new world from the same countries.  My mother was German and English.  My father is German and English.  I am German and English.  This past week, I was reminded that my family is a bit bigger than that.  I have brothers from South Sudan.  I have sisters from Ethiopia.  I have relatives in Liberia.  I am part of an amazing family.

At the end of last week I travelled to Chicago for the ELCA’s African National Summit.  Most people probably notice that I’m a bit ‘pale’ to be called African, but in my role as Mission Director of the Southeastern Minnesota Synod, I travelled to the event with ten men and women from South Sudan. 

I had an amazing experience.  Worship with people born and raised in Africa is powerful.  The room filled with the thumping beat of drums, the clapping of hands, and the dancing of feet.  I got caught up in the experience as together we praised God.  Even I ‘danced’ in worship.

The stories of the African people broke my heart.   These aren’t people who decided to come to American because it sounded like a great place to live!  They fled civil war and persecution in places like Sudan, Liberia, and Ethiopia.  They told of family members killed before their eyes…tanks and planes wiping out entire villages…machine guns going off in the middle of worship services…hunger…thirst…refugee camps…despair.  The people I met left the African refugee camps for a nation that they did not know and a language they struggled with.  They came to America with only the clothes on their backs and have worked hard to make lives for themselves.  They took the jobs they can find, often very physically demanding ones that pay very low wages (would you like to work in a slaughterhouse for $11 an hour?).  People look down on them for their accents, for the color of their skin, and for their poverty.  I can’t imagine living the life that they have endured. 

As the African National Summit unfolded, I was constantly reminded of the unity that I have with ‘these people.’  On the surface we seem so different.  I grew up on different continent.  I had an easy childhood.  I have not known the suffering that they have experienced.  I’ve never feared for my life or wondered if I would have food to eat.  I speak English with only a ‘Minnesooota’ accent.  My skin is lily white. 

Differences abound, but in Jesus Christ we are one.  The same Lord who died for me also died for ‘them.’  In Jesus there is no ‘us’ and ‘them.’  We’re just ‘us.’  The South Sudanese have welcomed me as one of their own family and work to teach me their languages.  When I hear news reports of fighting in South Sudan, I no longer breeze over it, thinking, “It’s just another war in Africa.”  No, the people being killed are friends and relatives of people I know.  Their suffering now impacts my life.   These are my brothers and sisters in faith.

Our culture tends to separate people based on things that divide us. Christians have a different approach!  We come together around the thing that unites us: Jesus Christ!  It doesn’t matter whether a person is born in Africa, Asia, Europe, or America.  In Christ, we are family.

I am German and English, but I have brothers and sisters in Africa.  What a great family!

Faith: Running with Others

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, ² fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. ³ Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

Hebrews 12:1-3

This past spring I got back into running with a goal in mind: I wanted to put in a good showing at the Eyota Days 5K road race.  It took a few months of training to get in shape, but by the middle of July I felt pretty good.  Ben and I ran the 5K trail several times prior to the race.  By race day, I was ready to go!

After the Eyota Days race, I grew busy…it got hot…I was out of town…(excuses…excuses…).  My running regimen disappeared for a while, so when Ben asked if I would run with him in St. Charles’ Gladiolus Days race, I wasn’t so sure.  I’d done some running, but nothing near the 3 miles that the race required.  After putting off a decision for a while, on Thursday I finally decided to bite the bullet.  My goal…to finish!

On Saturday morning I lined up with all the other crazy runners.  As the gun sounded I found a comfortable pace and plodded along, winding through the streets of St. Charles.  At about the halfway point of the race I found myself in a ‘gap.’  I had a few runners in my sights ahead of me.  I couldn’t sense anyone behind me.  I ran alone and felt myself fading.  I didn’t have the energy to catch the person ahead of me.  I soon heard the footsteps of someone coming up from behind.  I’d fallen back.  As the runner moved to pass me, something in me clicked.  I wasn’t about to let someone blow by me!  As he moved by me, I picked up the pace to keep up.  Before long I started to pull away from him, but he hurried to keep up.  For the last 1 ½ miles of the race, the two of us ran side by side.  When one person fell behind, he’d kick it in gear to catch back up again.  Together we moved up on the pack and, one by one, we passed the runners ahead of us.  On the home stretch I was able to blow by the winner of the 12 and under girl’s division (so yes, I AM faster than a 12 year old girl!  Barely!).

Had I run the second half of the race alone, I know that would have faded back into the pack.  Once I had someone to run with, I found extra energy.  I had someone to keep up with!  After the race I tracked my fellow runner down and thanked him for ‘picking me up.’  He had a funny response, “I was just trying to run your pace and keep up.”  He pushed me.  I pushed him.  Together, we finished strong.  He helped me to do what I wanted to do all along…run well!

That race is a microcosm of my life of faith.  When I feel ‘alone’ in faith, it’s easy to fade...to lose motivation.  A few years ago I tried (on my own) to read the Bible in a year.  I didn’t come close to making it!  This year we have a group of people all doing it at once.  As of today, I’m up to date!  They are helping me to do what I want to do.  God continually puts people in my life to ‘push’ me in my faith life.  They challenge me to be the person I want to be.  They remind me of the goodness of our Lord. 

I need others to help to throw off everything that hinders me and the sin that so easily entangles me.  They run with me as together we fix our eyes on Jesus.

A life of Christian faith isn’t a solo journey!  Others run with us.  Thank God!

God, the cancer is back!

Dear God,

My wife Shannon’s ovarian cancer is back.  It never really went away, did it?  Last November the oncologist couldn’t see any cancer, so Shannon was taken off of chemo.  She’s had a great eight months of gaining strength, getting to travel and enjoying life.  We knew that it wouldn’t last.  Deep down, we’ve been expecting this cancer to return.

This cancer has put my family on a roller coaster over the years.  God, I thank you that you helped Shannon to notice those lumps back in 2004.  You gave her an excellent surgeon who cleaned out the cancer and prepared her for chemo.  That first chemo was nasty stuff, but we had great hopes that you would use it to make the cancer go away forever.  It didn’t.  Six months after that chemo regimen ended the cancer returned.   Another surgery and more nasty chemo followed.  Again we hoped that the cancer would go away.  It didn’t. 

Lord, I can never forget the conversation with her oncologist after the cancer returned that second time.  She explained that Shannon had a type of cancer that was resistant to the standard therapies.  The oncologist told us that Shannon didn’t have many options remaining.  There were just a few experimental therapies available for her type of cancer.  None of them had a track record of getting rid of cancer.  They sometimes slowed its growth. That was the best that could be offered at the time.  It didn’t sound good.

I admit that when that happened I was pretty scared.  My mother died when I was in second grade.  It seemed likely that my family history would repeat itself.  In the midst of that dark time, you taught me something very important.  I learned to live in the moment.  Every time that I looked into the future I only saw darkness.  I didn’t want to lose my wife!  I learned that I can’t live life like that.  I learned to pay attention to the present, to enjoy the time that I had with Shannon.  The darkness lifted and we learned to live with cancer.

Lord, you’ve worked miracles with her chemotherapy.  One treatment that normally only worked for people for a few months before becoming ineffective kept the cancer at bay for over a year.  Another treatment that was only expected to keep the cancer from growing actually diminished the tumor to the point where they couldn’t see it anymore.  The number of options for treating the cancer continues to grow.  You are giving great wisdom to people who work to find an effective cure to this awful disease.  Thank you!

Now that the cancer is back, I will need help in prioritizing things in life.   The chemo will sap Shannon’s energy, and I will need to set aside those frivolous things which take so much of my time and energy.  You’ve helped me to it before…help me again!  Cancer has a way of cutting through the clutter and helping me see what’s essential in life.

You have given Shannon strength to deal with over seven years of cancer.  Shannon’s mom has endured something like seventeen years of fighting ovarian cancer…and she’s back in treatments again.  The two of them share the same oncologist…the same cancer…and now the same chemo schedule.  Mother and daughter will sit side by side on Mayo Clinic’s Gonda 10.  Help them to strengthen each other as they live with ovarian cancer.

God, you have walked with my family through this whole cancer journey.  Give Shannon and her mom the strength to live with the chemo.  Give their oncologist wisdom to find the most effective treatments.  Give the researchers wisdom as they explore ways to battle cancer.  Give me energy to handle my added responsibilities around the home.

We put ourselves in your hands, Lord.  What else can we do?  Thank you for being with us through this whole ordeal.

 

Pete

Living in the Past?

Last week, while on vacation in Virginia, I entered the realm of the 1700’s.  Colonial Williamsburg has been rebuilt to look much like it would have looked around the year 1776.  For a time, Williamsburg was the capital of Virginia, and when we toured governor’s palace and the state capital building the tour guide took us back in time, reflecting on important points in Williamsburg’s history.  Colonial Williamsburg goes out of its way to make sure that the experience is as authentic as possible.  Everyone working at Colonial Williamsburg dresses in clothes from the period.  We watched the blacksmith make nails that would be used in building construction.  The shoe maker made shoes for the workers, using original tools to hammer the shoe nails into place.  The wig maker dusted the wigs that the ‘gentry’ wore.  We were fortunate to be in Williamsburg on a reenactment weekend, so the town teemed with ‘Redcoats’ who captured the town.  As a history buff, I soaked it all in.   Life has changed so much since the 1770’s.  We no longer have slaves doing our work.  We no longer put lead powder on open sores to help them heal.  We no longer have governors appointed by a far off king.  We no longer draw water from wells and use outhouses!  While I enjoyed living in the 1770’s for a day, I’m glad that I don’t live in them!  The past remains the past.  We can’t go back and live in it again.

Last month I had the pleasure of meeting Tom Gillaspy, the demographer for the State of Minnesota.  It was fascinating to hear him talk about the changes that are taking place around us.  We live in a state (and nation) that is aging.  The number of retired people will soon expand greatly.  The population continues to grow more and more diverse.  The day when ‘minorities’ outnumber the ‘majority’ is just over the horizon (if there are more minorities, might we have to call it something else??).  Mr. Gillaspy talked about the changing work force as well.  While many jobs were lost due to the recession, he pointed out that many of the jobs lost won’t come back when the recession ends.  Some jobs just won’t exist anymore.  Jobs that can be automated (even in check out lanes!) are going away.  People long for the day when manufacturing jobs abounded, but factories are now run by machines and not people.  As much as we might wish that we could bring back the past, we can’t do it.  Times have changed.  There’s no going back.  It will never be 1980 again!

There’s something in all of us that longs for the past.  We look at the ‘Good Old Days’ (usually from when we were young) and wish they could return.  Complaining about how life has changed from those days has become a favorite pastime for many! 

The church is one place where people want to relive the past.  Many people want their churches to look just as they did 20…30…40…or 50 years ago.  I hear people talk about the days when churches were filled every week, when Sunday Schools burst at the seams, when the church held a central place in society.  Like it or not, those days have come and gone.  Church attendance in ALL denominations had dropped significantly in the past decades.  Some throw up their hands in despair, saying, “People just don’t care about God like we used to.” 

I disagree!  We live in 2011, not 1776, 1950, or 1980.  We live in exciting days to be God’s people!  The world has changed…we have the opportunity as God’s people to adapt to these changes.  The Gospel we proclaim does not change, but the WAY that we proclaim it adapts to fit the current era.  How might the Holy Spirit lead us out of our desires for the past into God’s future?

Getting This Temple Moving!

Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.

1 Corinthians 6:19-20

I sit way too much!  I spend countless hours in front of this computer.  Cookies that find their way into the church office stand no chance!  When I was younger, my body could handle all that.  No longer!  Even though I played basketball a couple times a week, in the past year I found myself attracted to ‘comfort band’ pants…ones with elastic that let me delude myself I was the same size as I’d always been.  Something had to give!

Because of this, a few months ago I set a goal: to run in the Eyota Days 5K road race in July.  For experienced runners, a simple 5K is just a warm up.  For those of us who haven’t run that far in years…challenges abounded.  I’ve run off and on (mostly off) over the past years.  Even when I did run, the runs were short and intense.  I had to find a way to slow down and stretch the run to be able to survive a full 5K (which amounts to 3.1 miles).  I don’t think that I’d run that far since my high school cross country days (and I only ran cross country back then because my basketball coach made me!).

In April I finally strapped on my running shoes and dragged myself out of the house.  It took all my energy just to breathe!    I found myself walking for a while because my lungs just couldn’t take it.  I’d stagger home feeling miserable.

 After running for a few weeks, my lungs felt better … but my legs gave out.  It felt like I had lead weights dragging along under me.  I again had to walk a bit to allow them to rest.  I could barely take it!

Suddenly, a few weeks ago, everything seemed to fall into place.  For the first time in my life I began to understand the ‘second wind’ that many runners talk about.  Breathing now comes easily.  My legs continue to gain strength.  When I run, I enter a ‘zone’ where I can just keep chugging along for quite some time.   I know that I’m not breaking any world’s records, but I’m getting into shape.   

God has given me this body to care for!  I’m finally taking that seriously.

Who wants to join me in the Eyota Days 5K on Friday, July 15^th (or, if you’re from out of town, who will get themselves into shape for a 5K where you live!)?   

Not the same...and that's OK!

There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work. (1 Corinthians 12:4-6)

There’s nothing like variety to keep things interesting!

Last Friday and Saturday I joined with Curt Olson, Davina Knuth-Sorom, and Sara Knuth (FYI, her name does NOT end in an ‘H’!) at our Synod Assembly** in Rochester.  We spent two days with over 500 other Lutherans from southeastern Minnesota (and around the world).  As we met, I marveled at the wonderful diversity in the body of Christ!

We joined with people from large, urban churches … and small, rural churches.  We talked to people who preferred worshipping with organs … and people who prefer guitars and drums.  I saw pastors who are comfortable wearing full robes and stoles for worship … and pastors who are comfortable in jeans.  We chatted with people passionate about caring for the poor… and people passionate about proclaiming Jesus to people with no church homes.  We heard from people from Sudan … Norway … Tanzania … Colombia … and even a man from Guyana!  There were moments that were quite serious … and moments that were very light hearted and goofy (guess which ones I was in charge of!). 

We do not live a cookie-cutter faith.  The Assembly brought together people who live out their lives faith in a wide variety of ways.  God doesn’t make all people exactly the same, so why should God make all churches exactly the same?

It can be tempting to see the world only through our own eyes.  Sometimes we assume that everyone should think like we do.  If something is good for us, then it must be good for everyone.  That’s not the case!  God has created us with different passions, different abilities, different interests, and different preferences.   

Our Lutheran heritage proclaims this.  One of our basic Lutheran documents (the Augsburg Confession) proclaims:

For it is sufficient for the true unity of the Christian church that the Gospel be preached in conformity with a pure understanding of it and that the sacraments be administered in accordance with the divine Word.

I thank God for the amazing diversity of our church.  I am a part, not just of a congregation in Eyota, but of a wide body of believers with a wide range of styles.  I long for the day when Christians can celebrate that diversity without demanding that others do things the ‘right’ way. 

**What is a Synod?  It’s a fancy word that means “A bunch of churches together.”   I have no idea why we use such odd words…I guess we prefer ‘churchy’ words because they sound impressive!  A Synod Assembly is an annual meeting of all the churches in the synod (in this case, the Southeastern Minnesota Synod).

Worship or Sports? Or....

Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. (Exodus 20:8)

Sunday morning has become a battleground in Minnesota (and throughout this nation). 

Coaches of youth wrestling and youth basketball feel the squeeze for gym space.  They want to see their children grow in talent and experience, so they schedule tournaments for one of the only times that the gyms are free: Sundays!  The tournaments often take up much of the day, so they begin as early as possible to get people on the road home.  Sunday morning becomes a time for sports.  But what about worship?

Preachers insist that Sunday morning is God’s time!  They rail against a culture that would willingly pull people away from worship for something as ‘trivial’ as a sport.  They ask, “Ultimately, what is more important?  Jesus…or a three point shot?”  They quote the commandments, “You shall have no other gods before me,” and “Remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy.”   They say, “Thirty years ago this wasn’t an issue!  Those evil sports are destroying the church.”  But are sports actually destroying faith?

The battle lines are drawn and many families find themselves squeezed between the two.  Parents realize that faith development is important to their kids and that worship and Sunday education times are crucial to that growth.  Parents also realize that sports are important to the life development of their kids.  While 99.9% of the kids won’t become professionals, sports teach many important life lessons, including winning/losing, teamwork, and physical fitness.  Faith is good. Sports are good.  What is a parent to do?

Last Wednesday night at our Lenten service Curt Olson (D-E varsity wrestling coach and Peace Education Team Leader) talked about his involvement in the Northland Youth Wrestling Association.   This coming weekend wrestlers from all over the state will come to Rochester for their state tournament.  Because of the sheer size of the event it begins on Thursday and runs through Sunday.  Several years ago the decision was made to include a small worship service on Sunday morning.  At first, a few people showed up at the end of a bleacher.  Over the years the worship service has grown, now needing its own room!  God AND sports, not one or the other.

The reality of life is that tournaments WILL happen on Sundays.  No amount of pontificating by preachers will stop that, but does it need to be worship OR sports?  What would it look like to add a service to the tournament schedule?  It could be something as simple as a prayer, Bible reading, and brief message.   The message could come from a coach or other sports role model who could talk about how God has worked in their life.  It wouldn’t take a lot of work to coordinate.  Even if 10 people came, I’d call that a huge success. 

God is good.  Sports are good.  Loving one does not mean that you have to hate the other.  It’s possible to worship and play on the same day.  How might you work with your youth sports leaders to make this a reality?