Always Being Made New

"So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation:

everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new!" 

There's much to be written regarding the gifts of the ELCA Churchwide Assembly which met in Pittsburgh last week.  As a voting member of the Central States Synod (Kansas and Missouri) I spent the week awe-struck by the energy, faithfulness, peacefulness, and hope witnessed at the assembly.  Hope for what God is doing in the world right now.  Hope for what will be that continues to be unknown and yet unnamed.

If I could sit down with you, I'd share with you about the almost 1,000 people from all walks of life and all across the country gathering for worship daily, lifting voices in song and prayer, sitting in the silence, seeing and hearing the diversity of all God's people called to preach and preside.  

I'd also share with you the beauty of celebrating in song.  Four-part harmony among Lutherans is as close as you get to the heavenly choirs of angels.  

And the dancing - a congo line with bishops, pastors, youth, the young and old, moving and shaking and singing, "Come, Come, Come Holy Spirit, Come!"  

And of course, I couldn't pass up the opportunity to tell you about the cookies!  Oh, the cookies!  440 dozen a day to be precise.  The Pennsylvania women of the ELCA know a thing or two about hospitality, and the need for sugar after a long day of working. 

I'd also share passionately my pride in the ELCA for making a statement about criminal justice, in hearing the cries of the oppressed and offering our voices into the conversation and inviting our congregations into places of learning and engagement with those in the criminal justice system.  

I'd invite you to join the ELCA in moving forward with conversations on ministering to same-gender couples and families.  

I'd tell you of the wonderful resource the ELCA published this year, "The Prayerbook for the Armed Services" and encourage you to share the book with military men and women and their families.  And then to join in prayer for those who serve our country.  

I'd invite you to give - give to World Hunger, Lutheran Disaster Response, Global Missions, and the Malaria Campaign, just to name a few of the amazing demonstrations of the church at work in the world.  We listened to a man from Malaysia who learned of the love of Jesus from an ELCA missionary.  

I'd tell you about the young adults who shared their voice and who raised their voices in support of youth and young adult ministries.  

One cannot forget the election of Bishop Elizabeth Eaton and the gratitude and graciousness displayed between Bishop Hanson and Bishop Eaton; two very fine leaders whose commitment to the Gospel of Jesus Christ leads this church into the heart of a world in need.    

I'd also share that this assembly was the first to have a representative of a non-Abrahamic faith invited to share a welcome.  A Sikh man eloquently spoke of the hope he felt after the shooting in Oak Creek, Wisconsin and that the first group to reach out to the Sikh community was the ELCA with a letter from Bishop Hanson.  

I'd tell you that God is indeed doing a new thing among us and that YOU are a part of that new thing.

  

Perhaps most importantly, I'd tell you about a line.  Walking in line to receive the gifts of God in bread and wine.  One morning as I walked towards the front to receive communion during the daily worship, I stood behind a father with his 7 month-old daughter and a family with their toddler son.  I'd tell you that in those two children and in their families, I saw the reason why we gathered this week.  I saw in that young baby girl and that toddler boy that the church will be here for them.  The church is here for them now to receive God's free gifts and to know that they are loved.  And the church will be there for them to share their God-given gifts and to provide them with a community that rolls up their sleeves, stands on the side of justice and peace, hears the cries of the oppressed, and believes that God is making all things new.  

Come, Come, Come Holy Spirit, Come.  

A Pastor's Distraction

It's not every Sunday that the pastor walks into the sanctuary to be met by a life-size, cardboard boat. 

A life-size cardboard boat perfectly situated in the center of the sanctuary blocking any chance of anyone coming to the communion table.

A life-size cardboard boat about to set sail for the upcoming week of Vacation Bible School.

Of course I had been warned about the boat.  A warning that included: "We'll have to be flexible with communion this morning, pastor."

Upon entering the sanctuary, I could hear the gospel text laughing at me:  "You are worried and distracted by many things."

It was fitting that the gospel for the day told of Mary and Martha and the visit of Jesus to their home.  There was Martha keeping busy, being distracted by the many things she needed to accomplish to offer hospitality to her guest.  Jesus of all guests!  Of course she was busy and distracted. 

And then there was her sister, Mary.  Mary who sat at the feet of Jesus to listen.  To be.  To know that she is loved precisely because of whose she is, not what she does. 

So what about my distraction - a life-size cardboard boat in the sanctuary!
 
I wondered if anyone would hear a word of the readings, the sermon, or follow the hymns for the day.  I wondered if the eyes of children and adults would drift from the cross to the boat, the cross to the boat....

Now, I love surprises.  I love being reminded that worship is never about perfection or neatness or being well-planned. 

I love that God comes to us precisely in the midst of our distractions. 

So give me a boat any Sunday.  Give me the reminders that Jesus breaks into our lives whether we're ready or not.  Whether we think we're worthy or not.  Whether we're distracted or not. 

So there we were, a community full of hope and excitement for the upcoming week.  A community with lots of talent and creativity.  And a large boat.

And we gave thanks to God.  We worshipped.  We prayed.  We sang.  We broke bread. 

Thanks to the large, boat, the words of institution were offered in the aisle.  I stood among the people, right in the midst of them.  I looked to my left and to my right and saw God's people hungry for a word of grace.  I lifted the bread and remembered Jesus on the night in which he was betrayed.  I lifted the bread and knew that the breaking of the bread was for each of us gathered that morning.  I lifted the wine and heard the words that each of our sins are forgiven. 

Right there in the center of our worship space, God broke into our lives and handed each of us strength for the journey, hope for the day, and grace beyond compare. 

One by one families and children and adults came forward to receive the bread. 
The body of Christ. Given for you.

One by one families and children and adults came forward to drink the wine.
The blood of Christ.  Shed for you. 

We weren't at the rail receiving communion as usual, rather we were at the back of the sanctuary, surrounded by God's people and one large boat.

I, for one, am glad for distractions, such as a boat, that force us out of our usual way of doing things and into the embrace of the One who has no boundaries.  The reminder that just when we think we have this whole church and faith life figured out, God breaks in with a presence so powerful that we have no other response but to say, Amen.   

The One about Love

"I like love."

The words spoken by a seminary professor were in response to hearing the engagement news for Stephen and I a few years ago.  We smiled because of course we were in love and we were infatuated with love as well.  And with each other.

"I like love."

Yes, I like love too and I hear those words when I'm with couples and families and children who are in the midst of life and love.  Stephen and I are at a mere 10 months of marriage (just over a month of actually being in the same place together) and we still very much "like love."

We took our time in planning the wedding and dreaming about what the day and our marriage would look like.  Full of love of course.  We dreamed big and then scaled down.  We reveled in the kind wishes of family and friends.  We smiled a lot.  We pictured ourselves as a couple growing old together.

In the midst of the planning and the long distance and the worries, I would remember words spoken to me by a colleague and friend when I was interning in Milwaukee.  As the vicar (fancy word for intern) I was invited to assist at the blessing of a marriage for Seth and Art.

Seth and Art - two people who just exude life and love and laughs.  Two people madly in love.  Two people committed to one another.  Seth who introduced himself to me very early on and invited me to join in the (non-existent) liturgical dance group at the church.  I knew right from the start I wanted to be a part of their day.  

It had just been about a month since I began serving and living among the people of Lake Park Lutheran and I was quite humbled and honored to be a part of their special day of love.  As we were gathering on the day of the wedding, Pr. David said to me,

"Now, Kim, when you are a pastor and presiding at a wedding and the bride and the bride's mother are stressed to the max and everything has to be perfect and the bride wants to make sure the day is the most perfect day, you remember Seth and Art.  You remember how much they had to work for their love.  You remember."  

And remember I do.  For just as much as I like love, I like love for all people.  All.
 

A Parsonage Prayer

The smell of fresh paint and vinegar-washed cabinets. 
The wood floor polished.
The carpets newly cleaned and devoid of any mark or blemish.
Possibility and creativity at every corner. 

A new home ready. 

This week my husband, Stephen, and I will officially move in to the parsonage owned by the church he will be serving.  It will be our first home together.  Our first parsonage living experience.  Our first venture into creating sacred space together. 

We are ready and anxious and excited.  We've dreamed of what we'll place on the walls, how we'll decorate, where our treasures will be stored, and where we'll collapse for Sabbath rest.  I can picture the hanging baskets and the green grass, neighborhood cookouts, and lazy days on the porch.  Yet, as I think to the future, our future, I also can't help but to listen to the voices and history of the past.  The previous pastors and their families.  The memories.  The stories.  The history. 

If only the walls could talk.

Stephen and I are just one family in a long line of pastors who have moved to this town and this particular house to serve a particular people of Cole Camp, Missouri. 

If only the walls could talk. 

I enter the house and feel the weight of responsibility.  The call to be faithful residents of this home.  The call to recognize the gift of living among a people and being called to love in community.  I see pictures placed on the walls.  I imagine the stains and tears and heartaches that occurred and have been woven into the very fabric of the house.  I hear the voices of joy and laughter.  I see the kitchen table and the meals shared.  I ache for the losses experienced and the long nights praying for the community.  I hear the whispers and hushed voices of sleepovers. 

If only the walls could talk. 

This home that we will make our own will also make us into a family.  This home will be our shelter and refuge.  This home has stories to share and secrets to hide.

As I walk through the halls and imagine our future, I hear the faint whisper of a prayer, a prayer from the parsonage itself, a prayer to make a home and to honor the space:

To the residents of S. Hickory Street, 

This is your house now.  This is your home.  

You have the keys and the freedom to decorate, design and plant.  You will make a home among these walls and in this community.  You will wake up each morning to the bells of the neighboring church and be reminded that you are not alone; there are others who are hear to walk this life of ministry with you.  You will look out your front window and see the park - the park where children come to play, the park where people without a home find some shelter, and the park where birthdays are celebrated.  You will see the neighborhood cats and wonder how on earth one small town can have so many cats.  Oh, the cats!  

This is your house now.  This is your home.  

Remember, you are only one family following a long line of others who have made their home here.  Others will come.  Be gentle with the place and with yourself.  Don't take anything too seriously - this house has been through a lot.  Just as you will know where the floors creak and the door won't shut properly, this home, too, knows years worth of creaks and cracks, joys and sorrows.  

This is your house now.  This is your home.  

You are blessed to be among these people.  Remember that you are not alone.  There are prayers and possibilities behind each cabinet and within each wall.  So too must you pray for those who have come before you and those who are to come.  So too must you pray for the people who come to your door.  

This is your house now.  This is your home.  

Know that it welcomes you and calls you to welcome others.

The Blessings of Children

Perhaps it's just me.

Or maybe down deep it's the reason all pastors become pastors (besides a call from God of course).

The children.  Oh, the children!

The children!  Their willingness to ask questions about God.  Their curiosity.  Their love.  Their hands open to receive God's gift of bread and wine.  Their laughter and tears.  The children who draw pictures of what God looks like and pictures of the pastor.  The children who know that church is a safe place.  The children who are not afraid to come forward in church and know that they are valued and loved.

For a while we didn't hear too many children in worship.

When we offered silence for prayers, we had silence.

When we took time to reflect on our sins, silence.

When the sermon was preached, silence.

These days we no longer have silence during the prayers or during the sermon.  We hear the laughter and cries of children who are just coming to know their own voices, who are eager to share with the world.  We hear the echo of "Amens" and "Alleluias!"  We hear questions about whether they can go to the nursery or visit with their friends.  We hear about snack time.  We have visitors up and down the aisles.  We have children.  We have life.

I look out at the congregation each and every Sunday and I give thanks.  I offer God's words of grace and love and know that the children, too, offer their voices in worship, offer words of God's grace and love.

You see, pastors need children in worship to remind them over and over again that this worship thing isn't about us.  Ever.  It's not about me.

It's about God.  It's about the Gospel.  The good news of Jesus Christ who lived, died and rose for us.  Each of us.  It's about community.  All of us.  Each and every one of us.  It's about blessing.

One of our spunky two-year-olds taught me a lesson about blessing.  This red-headed two-year-old comes to the communion table with her hands covering her forehead.  She knows I'm going to give her a blessing so she keeps her hands on her forehead.  Each Sunday, week after week, blessings are given to the children and this two-year-old, without a doubt, would cry each week upon feeling the blessing. Slowly, though, the cries have abated, but the hands still come up.  But I am not be deterred - blessing she will receive!

A few weeks ago her mother sent me an email and shared that even though her daughter refuses the blessing at church she appears to know its meaning and value since at home she places her hands on her mother and says, "Bless."

Bless.

Even at two years old, even with placing her hands on her forehead to avoid the blessing, each and every Sunday, even then, she knows the power of a blessing.  She knows that it's not about her.  She shows us that ultimately God blesses us despite our best efforts to keep the blessing away.

We can't get away from God's blessings.  We can't miss the blessings of God.  They are all around us - from the youngest to the oldest and everyone in between.  So next time you hear the delighted sound of a child, remember how blessed we are to be in community.  Together.  Blessed.

Packing Prayers

May and August are special times in the life of the seminary.  For Trinity Lutheran Seminary students, transitions are a part of life in community.  Come every May and August you'll find moving vans, trucks, cars packed-to-the brim and excitement in the air for the upcoming year.

In August some students are new to the community and wondering what this seminary-thing is all about.  Others are returning from a summer serving as a hospital chaplain or a year-long internship.  And some have remained in the community.  Nevertheless, newness and hope run rampant.

And lots of moving.  Lots of boxes.  And those darn three-flights of stairs.

There's something in the air come August that signals to people - "Come and help move boxes!"  With the sight of a moving truck, people come.  Returning students and their families know what it is to move, over and over again.  Returning students know what it is to have the load lightened.  Returning students know that beer and pizza often come after hours of moving boxes.

The seminary community knows how to welcome.

I remember conversations with new students; many didn't even remember the names of those who had come to lend a hand.  It was all just too much.  But people were there to make the transition a bit easier.  My friend, Derek, always seemed to have a sixth sense of just when someone would need help moving.  I think he helped move every seminarian and their families one year.  It's just what you do in community.

Moving in the summer in Ohio may not be at the top of any one's list.  But with many hands and water and laughter, the job gets done.  And community is built.  One box at a time.    

That's why this past May graduation weekend at Trinity and with the moving of my husband to Missouri, I knew we were in good company.  I had witnessed countless moves, helped countless students, moved myself, and now finally, was moving my husband.

In the same way that a community knows how to welcome, they know how to say goodbye - one box at a time.  Step-by-step.  Lots of laughter.  And lots of pizza and beer.

The appointed time came for the loading of Stephen's boxes and furniture.  One by one our friends came.  Their spouses and their children too.  Another lesson in community - everyone has a place.  Even three-year-old Conner wanted to make sure he could carry Mr. Stephen's things, "What can I carry?"

In less time than it would have taken just Stephen and I we had the truck packed.  Box by box.  Step by step.  Community at its finest.

I think of all the people who come to the seminary and all the people who leave.  And all their boxes.  All the hands that carry and lighten the load.  Trinity's mission statement says that the seminary forms leaders for Christ's church at work in the world.  I, for one, know that there are church leaders scattered throughout the US and the world who are serving God's people - one step at a time, lightening the load for others, and sharing lots of laughs.

I learned lots of helpful and insightful lessons in seminary, and even some not-so-helpful things, but perhaps most importantly, that which will carry me through ministry and transitions, blessings and challenges, will be the gift of moving and carrying boxes for others.  Knowing how to welcome and how to say goodbye.

Unexpected Blessings

Life is full of the unexpected. 

You're going to be a pastor.
No, not me!

Your step-dad and father will die before you turn 30.
Impossible.

You're going to serve in The Gambia, West Africa for 2 years.
Where in the world is The Gambia? 

You'll be called to be a pastor in Missouri.
Missouri?  Really?

You'll fall in love and marry another pastor.
A clergy couple?  No way!

You'll be engaged in a long-distance relationship and marriage for over 2 years.
You've got to be kidding me.  Married couples live together.

Yet, here I am.  Living in Missouri, a pastor, married, and now anxiously awaiting the day when 2 years and 4 months of a long-distance relationship comes to an end.

My husband, Stephen, graduates from seminary this Saturday.  Three years ago I took my turn robed in cap and gown walking along Main Street with cars honking and family cheering.  Now it's Stephen's turn. 

Graduation is exciting and hopeful.
But so is living together. 
So is being married in the same state.
Or so I've heard. 

Once Stephen graduates we're packing up and starting our life together.  Nine months after our wedding day.  Now granted we have seen each other, and we've talked on the phone every day but 2 during these two years.  But we've missed out on the day-to-day living.  Until now. 

We did it.  Thanks to God.  Thanks to family and friends and time at the farmers' market.  Thanks to skype. 

I'm no expert on relationships but these last two years have provided time for reflection on what's worked for Stephen and I over the distance.  It hasn't been always easy or fun or loving.  There have been many tears.  And frustrations.  And silence.  But also lots of laughs.  And wonderful hugs upon first seeing each other after some time away. 

We learned the important of date nights across the distance.  Date nights over skype eating dinner together and recapping our days.  Date nights going for a walk with phone in hand.  Date nights watching Modern Family together (of course only taking during the commercials!)  What was important was that we set aside time for each other.  Together. 

We remembered the joy in receiving snail mail.  We poured our feelings and love and frustrations on pen and paper.  We saw glimpses of places visited and people met through postcards and pictures.  We took the time to mull over our words and see our writing.  I love talking with the older members in the congregation I serve and their stories of letters collected and saved from years of separated relationships due to military service.  Stephen and I too now have a history of the early years of our relationship. 

We continually gave thanks for family and friends.  Whether it was a late night tearful call to my mom or the middle of the day calls from friends to say hello, we were loved.  And never alone. 

We move forward together, Stephen and I, strengthened and hopeful.  And thankful for the unexpected encounters and experiences to come.