On a beautiful spring day, sunny and bring, Pastor Jean and I go to hang out Sugar Creek Bible Camp, at our synod’s Spring Theological Conference, connecting with colleagues and enjoying the camp setting.

(By the way, later this afternoon we found out we have another young “Bible camper” for this summer, bringing us up to 25 for the year, busting our budget! Hey, isn’t that a GREAT problem to have???)

But back to the conference. Before the program, several ministries shared a bit. Pastor Ben Morris thanked the synod for embracing campus ministry and making it happen (and another by-the-way – Our Savior’s is a leader in supporting campus ministry, so thanks to you all for making ministry happen on college campuses in La Crosse.)

Then there was Pastor Dave Bersagel, our former pastor. He stood up, and declared, “World hunger. Sheep.” And sat down. He made his point – we all knew about the sheep project for Synod Assembly – each plywood sheep brought to assembly represents $500 toward the World Hunger Appeal). Now, it’s time for us at Our Savior’s to get to work and get our sheep in line! (And yet another by-the-way – Our Savior’s was fourth in the synod last year in support for the work against hunger, and that does NOT include the food pantry and the summer lunch program. So thank you yet again for your ministry on behalf of those in hunger.)

And finally, a chaplain from the Wisconsin National Guard made a pitch for pastors to consider becoming a chaplain in the Guard. Great idea! Don’t you think Pastor Jean would look good in fatigues?

Seriously, that’s not happening. But he share something interesting. He said that hears a constant theme from soldiers, typically younger men and women – “I believe, but I don’t belong.” He said, “My response to that is, ‘If you believe, then you already belong.’

“If you believe, then you already belong.”

Great words for those who have found the institution of the church to be less than helpful. They understand the presence of God, perhaps even Jesus. They know that God is active in their lives, and to some extent they might even have a sense of what it means to be a disciple of Jesus. For whatever reason (and there are a lot of possibilities) the just don’t see the church as being a place where their faith can be nurtured and their discipleship strengthened. And they don’t see the community in the church as a community they need to belong to. So, they believe, they just don’t belong.

The chaplain’s response, however, redefines the conversation. This is not about the church, as in “Our Savior’s,” or any other congregational body. It’s about something bigger. It’s about Jesus. Or more properly, it’s about the Body of Christ.

“If you believe, then you already belong.”

Those who profess faith in Jesus have experienced something. “No one can say ‘Jesus is Lord’ except by the Holy Spirit” (1 Corinthians 12:3b). We can’t profess faith without the Holy Spirit working in our lives.

But…the Holy Spirit is hardly satisfied with me, all by myself, off on my own. And so the Holy Spirit connects me with others, weaving me into the fabric of the Body of Christ, so that, whether I realize it or not, “I belong.”

Which means, for the young soldier, or the college student, or the young adults in our midst, “If you believe, you belong.” And not just the young folk – the older folk too – all ages. Young, old, and everything in between, “If you believe, you belong.”

Realize it or not, like it or not, “You belong.” Not because you choose to belong, or did the right stuff, or signed the right papers. You belong because the Holy Spirit has embraced you and connected you with the community, with the Body of Christ.

Now, I know – I’m probably preaching to the choir on this one. But hear me out on this.

We know that we belong. Most of us, maybe all, are members of Our Savior’s, or another congregation. We are a part of an outward sign of our unity in the gospel, gathered by the Holy Spirit in the community of the faithful, woven into the Body of Christ. We gather with others around the Word and the Sacraments, we find our life and hope in the crucified and risen Jesus, and we work together to proclaim good news to a broken world. Together – we belong!

But what if something happened, and you become immensely disillusioned with congregational life. What if you decided to leave the congregation, even formally cutting ties? God forbid, of course, but it does happen…what then?

Sorry, you’re not getting off that easily. If you believe, you still belong!

No, perhaps not to the congregation, but the congregation is not the point. We don’t gather together each week in worship, we don’t teach and sing, feed and sew, for the purpose of bringing glory and honor to Our Savior’s. We do it for Jesus!

The point is very simple – what we do as disciples is not about us (as individuals), nor is it about us (the congregation.) Rather, it is about us – the Body of Christ!

Or more simply, its about Jesus!

Someone once said that the church (and the congregation), does not have a mission. God does. We have a role in that mission.

We have that role, not because we are incorporated under the laws of the State of Wisconsin. We have it because are a part of the Body of Christ. That role, that calling, that “belonging” transcends our organizational lines. It is what we have, and in the end, it focuses us on what we are – mission. We are mission because we are the Body of Christ, and we are the Body of Christ because we belong.

And we belong simply because we believe.

Believe it, or not.

Occasionally I come across an article that intrigues me enough to hang on it. That happened again last week, as on CNN.com I read an article on “elevation.” No, I’m not talking about floating in air, or mountain climbing, or fear of heights. This is about something much bigger.

So for starters, I invite you to check out the article. And in true “Trinitarian” fashion, I’ll even give you three openings to read the article. I am aware that you might just decide to skip my reflection. After all, I’m hardly at the level of published authors! Still, once you’ve read the article, I invite you back. It might help you understand where I am coming from, or maybe you will be able to point out how wrong I am. Regardless, read the article!

So here’s your first chance…you can find the article right here: https://www.cnn.com/2018/04/06/europe/pope-elevation/index.html

Now that you have read he article and have returned, or just decided to stick with me, let’s move on. The article explores the phenomenon known as “elevation,” where an individual observes an act of genuine kindness, an act of care from one person to another. The author’s interest was piqued after seeing Pope Francis offering a blessing, first to an older gentleman, then to a younger child, both in wheel chairs. He realized that while something might have happened to them, something definitely happened to him. He was filled with a strange, hard-to-define emotion. Wondering what was going on, he began to search. What he found was that when we observe an act of kindness to others, we ourselves are “elevated” to do something similar. That is to say, witnessing others making a difference leads us to want to do the same.

Even more than that, he says, “the sentiment I felt may be more common than you think, and it can be very contagious.”

Its also rather historical. Thomas Jefferson first identified “elevation,” and explored its dynamics. Primitive in his understanding, perhaps, but Jefferson’s observation is quite profound. You see an event, you have a physical reaction, you experience the motivation to do something similar, and as a result you are uplifted and feel a new sense of optimism. The key, however, is not that you simply feel good – it compels you to want to DO something.

The article digs a little deeper into all of this, so if you haven’t read it yet, here’s your second chance…go read the article, and then come on back!

[Pause for you to read the article…or skip on to the next paragraph!]

Interestingly (for me, at least), the article seems to occasionally dart into the spiritual, and then back out again. It’s as if the author knows that on one level this can be explained by psychology, that this is a psychological phenomenon, a facet of human behavior. And I suppose that, to a certain extent, that is true. This is about behavior, and it has psychological elements – maybe even a lot of them.

But at the same time the author seems aware that there’s something more, that somewhere in all of this, God is at work.

Psychology and human behavior? Probably.

The work of the Holy Spirit? Definitely!

This “elevation” concept affirms that what I do to help someone quite likely makes a difference in their life. My care and concern, my act of kindness, my reaching out to touch their life, my lifting up of their dignity and worth – all of this impacts the life of the other person.

On a deeper level, however, “elevation” says there is more. There is you, the observer, you the one who sees what I am doing, regardless of whether I realize you are watching. You, witnessing what I am doing, do more than merely note my actions. YOU are changed by what I do for someone else, even when I am unaware that are even there. That I can make a difference in the life of the one whom I care for makes sense. But what sense is there in thinking that I touch you, even when I am unaware you even exist?

Unless, of course, I had a little help. Like the Holy Spirit.

So, off I go into the world, seeking to change the life of the one whom I care for, never imagining the impact I have on others. And then, when others are “elevated” to do likewise, I have an indirect impact on even more. Think of the exponential increase in lives touched, changed, and renewed.

And that is the power of witness. Or more properly, the power of witness in the hands of the Holy Spirit. Really, it works!

This past Sunday our text in worship was Luke 24:36b-48. The passage ends with Jesus sending out his disciples to proclaim the good news. Jesus reminds them of the revelation of Holy Scripture, which points us to God’s work of new life in the cross and the empty tomb. And then, in the next verse, just beyond Sunday’s reading, Jesus tells them to wait for the Spirit. Why? Because, it is really the Holy Spirit at work.

But while it is the Spirit’s work, the Spirit works through you and me. The Spirit uses our witness, and then works in the lives of those who see us making a difference, changing them too into “difference makers.”

So here’s my point: Go out into the world to make a difference, but just know that you may very well be making a bigger difference than you ever imagined. Know that even small acts of kindness and care for others, in the hands of the Holy Spirit, might just make a saint or two!

Or, as the article ends: “It’s not a new thing under the sun, but maybe each generation needs to learn the lesson again: Edicts and rules may keep us from behaving like devils, but if you want us to be saints, it helps to show us how.”

And so, if you have not yet read the article, here’s your third chance. Read it. And then, in Biblical language, go and do likewise!

Lots of things in the news lately – from turmoil in Washington to elections to another storm in the northeast to bombings in Texas. But nothing has captured the attention of the nation like shootings in schools. And in the aftermath of the Parkland shooting in Florida, students have led the way to challenge the status quo on gun control, and have challenged us as adults to do more than talk.

The most recent shooting is, however, different. For me, at least. The shooting in Maryland earlier this week, which left the shooter dead and two students hurt (including one who is not expected to survive), is personal. That high school is two miles from the first church my Dad served in his ministry. In fact, my mother taught in that school (OK, that was over 60 years ago, but it was that school!). I wasn’t born there – I was born six months after my parents moved to New York City – but there is still a sense of belonging and connection. Lexington Park is a naval town, so there has been a lot of turnover and change, and a visit there ten years ago was a visit to a different community than my parents knew. But it was still Lexington Park. And today it is experiencing a lot of brokenness.

What’s the significance? I know our world is broken. We see it all the time. From shootings and international tensions, to hunger and poverty, to illness and natural disasters, there’s plenty of hurt and pain out there. And it’s easy to see – its all around. Just not here. Its always out there, somewhere else.

But the shooting in Lexington Park makes this different. This time it is MY world that is broken. Not some unknown place in Florida, or a city in a state I’ve never visited (Austin). No, I never lived there, and Lexington Park has changed, but there is still the possibility that one of the victims, one of the students now traumatized by a shooting in his or her own school, or even the perpetrator, is the grandchild of a couple my Dad married. Or maybe they attend the church my Dad served. This time it’s personal.

Not that I should really need Lexington Park to see personal brokenness. I might like to think that all is well, but my own corner of the world has its own brokenness. I’ve got my fears and anxieties, failures and sinfulness. Like everyone else, I work hard to hide my flaws, and I pretend all is well. It isn’t. I need something, anything, that can redeem the broken world around me, and restore my weary soul.

But Lexington Park blows up my illusion that somehow all that big time brokenness is someone else’s problem. It couldn’t happen here, it doesn’t really affect me, it’s just something I see in the news. Lexington Park makes it really apparent – it is not just the world around me that is broken, it is my world – and it is me – that is broken. And broken as I am, broken as my world is, I really do desperately need my world, MY WORLD, to be redeemed. And my soul restored. Big time!

That is what next week, Holy Week, is about. It is about God acting, in a deeply mystical, spiritual, and sacrificial way, to redeem a broken world. To take a world that is full of sin, ugliness, pain and sorrow, and to redeem it and make it holy again. And as God does that, God restores broken people – people in Florida, Austin, Lexington Park, even in Washington. Even me.

The importance of Lexington Park, for me at least, is the reminder that just as the brokenness really hits home, so does the gift of grace. God’s gift of grace and life in the crucified Jesus is about me and real life. Its not an abstract, theological construct, or something for people far, far away. It is about local stuff, it is about me. It exposes my fears and my vulnerabilities. It calls me to accountability for the times – the many times – I have failed to live faithfully.

Yet the cross doesn’t stop there. Yes, it exposes and calls to me accountability, but it also embraces and holds me. As I shudder, filled with anxiety, apprehension, and uncertainty, the cross comforts me, rekindles in me God’s gifts of life, and then challenges me to live life faithfully. I am sent out as a disciple of the one who has given me new life. I go out into the world filled with confidence, not in myself, but in Jesus working in and through me.

That’s why next week is not just about remembering events almost 2000 years ago on the other side of the planet. Its about what is happening right here – in the places in the headlines, and in other places that rarely make the news. Even in West Salem.

For me, that’s what Lexington Park .makes crystal clear You may not have such a place, but you do have such a Savior. Embraced by the cross, may you too be comforted, rekindled and challenged. And my you too go out with confidence, as a faithful disciple of the crucified – and risen – Jesus!

It’s February 13…Mardi Gras…Fat Tuesday…and two things have not escaped my attention.

First, it’s been over six weeks since my last reflection. Sorry about that. It’s been a long six weeks, as the winter has worn on. Cold – really cold at times, along with a particularly nasty flu season. And busy – lots to do with annual meeting, and other sundry items. But more on that in a moment.

The other thing I can’t help but notice is that if today, February 13, is Mardi Gras, then tomorrow, February 14 – Valentine’s Day – is Ash Wednesday. Yes, indeed. The day of valentines, loves, flowers, and candy is also the day of ashes. Yipee…

But at least we can have some fun today. So, if you haven’t taken the time today to celebrate to excess, to revel in all that Lent is not, you still have some time. Not a lot, but if you hurry…

After all, the fun stops tomorrow. Ashes, no alleluias (we “buried” them in worship on Sunday), and a journey focused on the cross, don’t make for much of a party.

But wait, tomorrow is Valentine’s Day. February 14. So, there is that. We can, for a moment, or maybe for more than a moment, forget about the bleakness of Lent and instead imagine that all is really quite well, and that the power of romantic love can triumph over all things. After all, isn’t love the greatest emotion around?

Of course, it is! Love is greater than all else. And that’s why the meaning of tomorrow, Valentine’s Day, is wrapped up in a kiss.

And that’s why the meaning of tomorrow, Ash Wednesday, is wrapped up in a kiss.

Come again?

Valentine’s makes sense. Whether it is a tender kiss between spouses or romantic loves, or the gentle kiss of a parent to a child, the kiss is an intimate expression of something really deep. Psychologists tell us that the kiss is a most profound expression of our connection to another human being. For whatever reason, the kiss triggers in us powerful feelings of caring and belonging. In a kiss I express a profound and deep sense of security, even as I receive the same in return. Awesome stuff!

And so Valentine’s Day, with the flowers and candy adding to the moment, really can be wrapped up in a simple kiss, in that act of affection that becomes the emotional embrace that binds us together.

Not only powerful, but heavy too!

With all that, it would seem reasonable to spend our time tomorrow focusing on the gift of love and affection. What else could be of such importance?

Well, how about love and affection? Only this time, of a different sort.

So, let’s go with February 14, this time as Ash Wednesday. And keep the kiss. Not the kiss of a spouse or lover, not even the kiss of a parent or child. This kiss is deeper. This is the kiss of a good and gracious God.

Ash Wednesday marks a moment in time, both for Jesus, and for us. Each week, as we hear the story of Jesus in the Gospel readings, we walk the story that begins at Christmas and ends with the joy and wonder of Easter. Ash Wednesday is when the story turns and Jesus begins to make his way to Jerusalem, and then to the cross On the cross, Jesus will take upon himself all of our failure, brokenness, sin, and vulnerability. That, by the way, is the point of the cross. Yes, Jesus suffers greatly and dies on the cross, but many people have died agonizing deaths. The difference with Jesus is that he carries all of our stuff with him, and in fact, carries all of the agony of the world on his shoulders. That’s is what the cross is about. And that journey begins tomorrow. February 14. Ash Wednesday.

But that journey is also our journey. Through Lent we walk with Jesus, recognizing our weakness, and coming to grips with our need for something beyond ourselves. Our need for the gifts of the crucified Jesus. In the journey of Lent I am reminded of how truly broken and vulnerable I am.

All of that makes for a gloomy time. Lent is not much of a party!

But Ash Wednesday…and Lent…is about a kiss. It’s about God’s kiss through Jesus. For in the midst of all my failure, brokenness, sin, and vulnerability, the kiss of God through Jesus renews and restores me. The crucified Jesus takes from me all that weighs me down, and revives my life.

That’s what I need – now and, well, always. But especially now. Remember? It’s been a long six weeks. The winter has been hectic and wearing on me. So now, today (Mardi Gras) and again tomorrow (Ash Wednesday) and Thursday…Friday…and on and on…I need that kiss. More than even the powerful romance of Valentine’s Day, I need the kiss of Jesus, the kiss of life!

So, what about you? I invite you to ponder...what is weighing on you these days, that you need the kiss of God through Jesus? Where is your need, your brokenness, your vulnerability? Where have you failed, and desperately need the embrace of a loving God?

And then think back…when have you already been kissed by God? When, in a big – or small – moment, did the kiss of God lift you to new life?

Or when, looking back, did God’s kiss restore you, and you only realized that gift in hindsight?

Looking ahead…looking back…God’s kiss, in the crucified Jesus is the kiss of life!

That’s why, in the end, it’s not just Valentine’s Day or Ash Wednesday that is wrapped up in a kiss. It’s today, tomorrow, and everyday.

Let’s start with the obvious – it’s 9:30 PM or so, on New Year’s Eve. So…Happy New Year! Whenever you read this, let me wish you a wondrous 2018!

That said, it’s a bit of a deja vu moment. Heard that before? Happy New Year? May the new year be a great one for you? Yep – again…here we are again. New Year’s Eve. Another year down, the next ready to roll. And the good wishes are flowing.

I checked – almost exactly 365 days ago, to the hour, I wrote a reflections. I lamented the hoopla over a new year, and all the seemingly endless – and usually unfulfilled wishes that the next year would somehow be a great one, that the turn of the calendar would the difference.

Eh, well…maybe…

Or maybe not. So, how did 2017 work out for you? Good? Bad? Ugly? Of course, we all have our ups and downs, our good times and tough times. For most of us, we can probably make a list – the good and not so good – a bit of each. For some, 2017 might have ended up as a year to forget, or at least to leave behind as quickly as possible, hoping that 2018 will be better. And for a few, it can’t possibly be worse!

Beyond our own individual lives, there are the big issues in the world around us. The news today reported a former chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff lamenting that we are closer to war with North Korea than ever. Would such a war include nuclear weapons?

And then the seemingly endless parade of sexual misconduct cases impacting politics, entertainment, sports, and business. Necessary, and critical to get this out in the open, to make changes, to ensure that this comes to a stop – now! No more sweeping it under the rug, but a bummer nonetheless. We have to deal with this, but still makes for a painful and challenging time.

And then there’s the violence. Another shooting, an ambush really, of a sheriff’s deputy in Colorado.

Or the tragedy of the apartment fire in New York yesterday. Will this never end?

And how about the political climate? Republican or Democrat – or Independent, you just can’t like the atmosphere right now.

So, there you go. 2017. The year for which so many had such high hopes.

But don’t fret. There’s 2018, right on the horizon, another year in which to hope. Another year to eagerly await. Another year that will be better, because, well, it just has to be.

Or not.

So what are we to do? Chalk it up to fate, and enter the year with fear and foreboding?

Hardly! No, I’m not into a sort of “polyanna-ish” approach to the new year. Just because “the sun will come out, tomorrow…,” a la Annie, doesn’t mean much of anything.

What does mean something is the Child in the manger. I said that last year, on the cusp of 2017. And no matter how the year turned out, it remains true. The Child in the manger makes the difference. It’s the Child, it’s Jesus who transforms our world. The mystery, the marvel, is that Jesus doesn’t suddenly make all warm and fuzzy, wonderful and delightful. In fact, the presence of Jesus is most profound in the midst of challenges, brokenness, even darkness.

There, in the worst of our times, Jesus – the crucified and risen Jesus – brings us life and future! I said that a year ago, and it’s still true, even more for me today. Jesus is the gift of life that continues to embrace me – and you – giving us the assurance that the new year will be a blessing, no matter what the year brings!

Earlier today we worshiped, with Jake Iliff (as part of his Senior Exit Project), sharing the message. Jake shared the story of a nursing home resident who considered everyone she met a blessing. What would happen to us if we lived our lives that way, intentionally looking for the blessings that surround us? What would happen if we entered 2018 with an eye to blessings, even ones that are harder to see?

Or put another way, what if I looked at 2018 as a gift of God’s grace, and recognized that the Child of the manger, who becomes the crucified and risen Jesus, transforms our world even in the most fearful and anxious of times. What if I entered the new year expecting not brokenness or simply “happy times,” but instead expecting – and looking for blessings, real blessings. Blessings, in the people God places in my presence. Blessings, in the opportunities (and maybe even the challenges) that come my way. Blessings, in knowing that no matter what, I am a baptized child of God, connected to the Child of the manger, but even more connected to the crucified Jesus (Romans 6:3-5). What if I just entered the year confident that God is at work, and that I am incredibly blessed simply because I have Jesus, or more properly, Jesus has me?

Perhaps, there with Child and the cross he bears, I see a new year that is filled with hope and promise. Hope and promise guaranteed and assured by the one who has shattered the darkest of the dark, with the light that the darkness cannot overcome (John 1:1-5).

And just maybe that allows me to enter the year with confidence, and at the end of year, to look back and see God’s hand, no matter what the year brings!

So, Happy New Year ! And, in the word’s of Tiny Tim, “God bless us, every one!”

Look and see – in the Child, in the Christ of the cross and the empty tomb, in Jesus, it really is true!

I’ve struggled with a reflections this week, especially as the controversies surrounding sexual misconduct have swirled in our culture.  I’m not a victim, and it seems a bit disingenuous to imagine I have something to say, when I really do not deeply understand the hurt and pain of sexual misconduct.  Still, it is around us, and it is evil.  So as I explore, please “cut me some slack.”  I am trying!

I took a look, and almost exactly a year ago (368 days to be precise), I wrote a reflections that spoke of my not being ready for Christmas, yet I also pondered that perhaps that is what Christmas is about – coming in the midst of lives that are not ready. 

So, how about this year?  Ready?

Better, I suppose, but really, how much better can we be?  For the last month or so it seems that all we have heard about is sexual misconduct, from entertainers and industry heavies, to athletes and business leaders, to politicians of both parties.  Even as I write this we are digesting the results of the special Senate election in Alabama, dominated by allegations of sexual misconduct, this time involving underage girls. 

Of course, the accusations, and in a number of cases, the admission of guilt, are deeply troubling.  It is (or it sure ought to be) self-evident that these acts, this behavior, is unacceptable to anyone.  Period.  There should be no need for discussion or debate.  This kind of stuff is simply wrong, with no justification, and no exception.

So, there you go.  Merry Christmas! 

But maybe there is something here that connects with Christmas, and perhaps there is a deeper – and broader – issue at stake.  No, I don’t mean that there is something more than sexual misconduct to consider – rather, I mean that the sexual misconduct hits something even more profound than what might immediately come to mind.

To do that let’s turn to Scripture…and let’s start at the beginning.  In Genesis.

So God created humankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.  Genesis 1:27

Here we are, at the conclusion of the creation story.  All is done, all has been prepared, and now God acts to bring life to humanity.  But notice first, that God creates them, that is “man and woman,” in God’s own image. 

Newsflash – God is NOT a guy!  God creates men and women in the image of God. 

But more than that, God creates humanity, men and women, in God’s own image.  That is to say, humanity – men and women – you and I – bear something of God’s presence in ourselves.  We are created as unique creatures, but we share something in common – we share something divine.  We share God’s image. 

Mystical, mysterious, perhaps even a bit perplexing, but there it is – we share something we bear – and that is a precious gift of God.

It is that gift which challenges us so deeply in the midst of the current wave of sexual misconduct revelations.  Misconduct against another human being robs that person of God given dignity.  These acts do violence against them, against God’s image in them, and against God too!

Those who have stepped forward, and many. many others in our world who have yet to speak, are not mere victims (though they are that).  They are children of God, created in God’s image, who have been violated.  And that is why there can be no tolerance for behavior like this – it strikes at the very heart of who and what people are, and at the very gift of God in their lives. 

But not just the victims of sexual misconduct.  All those who have been treated as less than the image of God.  Victims of bullying, those attacked and persecuted because of their race, religious belief, or sexual orientation, or just those who think differently than others.

And that brings us to Christmas.  We were created in God’s image – that’s the message of Genesis.  But our sinfulness, our brokenness, has pushed aside that image, and worked on our own image.  Our own image, centered in ourselves. 

In the fullness of time, therefore, God chose to act.  Beginning with the child in the manger, beginning with Christmas, God acted to restore God’s image in humankind.  This time, however, God didn’t create – God “re-created” through the cross and the empty tomb of Jesus.  God acts to restore our hope, and renew us in God’s own image.  This image is the image of sacrifice, of God’s gift of life through the death of Jesus.  It is an image of forgiveness and redemption.

But not an image of “don’t sweat it, it’s OK, you’re off the hook.”  The image of the cross and the empty tomb frees us to be bold, to step forward to make a difference in the world, and especially in the lives of those who have been violated.  The image sends us forth to change the world in the name of Jesus!

So…for those who have experienced the violation, especially of sexual misconduct, speak up – know that it will be difficult, but know that you are not alone.  God is with you – and I need to be there too – standing by your side!

For those who have not experienced violation (that’s me), listen, listen carefully, and take the stand with those who have endured the deep and cutting pain of violation.

And for those who have done what should never have been done, who have recently, or once upon a time, in whatever way it happened, violated the image of God in another person, this too is your moment.  Be really bold – step forward, own up to what you have done, acknowledge your failings.  But as you do that, know that the image is yours too – and in that image of the cross and empty tomb, you are forgiven and redeemed, but even more than that you are freed to live differently. 

And for all of us, in the midst of the dampened holiday season, remember what I said last year –

Christmas doesn’t happen because you and I make it happen.  It happens in spite of us.  It happens because it is more than the story of Jesus – Christmas, in a very mystical way, is Jesus – Christmas is Jesus in our world, at work in our lives, and that is not about you and me – it’s about Jesus!

 So as the days draw closer, get ready.  Get the stuff done that needs to be done, and be open to the gift of the child.  But most of all let go of Christmas and let Christ make it happen.  

The Christ of healing, wholeness, redemption, and renewal.  The Christ who changes us, so we can change the world!

As the weeks of November slip on by, time grows shorter. Christmas will be here before you know it.

So, do you have your Christmas shopping done? Have you figured out just what perfect item will bring joy to the hearts of those you love? Or what perfect item will score brownie points with those you need to impress?

And have you made your list yet – no, not your gift list – your list of “to do’s” in the midst of a hectic December? Shopping, decorating, parties, travel plans, and all the rest…

This is supposed to be the “most wonderful time of the year,” and a time to refresh and renew ourselves. Good luck with that! Too much to do, too many things to take care of, and way too much stress to handle.

And for what? So we can open gifts, some of which will be appreciated, some of which will last only a short time, and most of which will be long forgotten by the time we do this again next year.

And then the bills. Remember, you need to pay for all this. The bills will come due. And while you may be OK, all budgeted and ready, not everyone has it all set. For many, January is “the time of reckoning.”

All of this begins with Black Friday. You know, the shopping day after Thanksgiving, the day that has slowly seeped back into Thursday, with stores not content to open early on Friday – now they need to open late on Thanksgiving. So you can have your turkey and the rest of the feast, enjoy a couple of games, and then dash off to get started on the Black Friday specials. You can fight the crowd and get the great deal. All part of relaxing, family time together. Enjoy!

With all that in mind, I want to commend one of our national retailers, one that sends me e-mail advertisements. This retailer cares – deeply. They understand the stress of the season, and especially of Black Friday. And so they have reached out to me, with an answer to my troubles, a solution to my shopping dilemma.

The e-mail I received last week read, “How do you avoid stress on Black Friday?  Start NOW!”

There you go. Stressed out? Need new life and hope in the midst of darker days that overwhelm us? Shop more, and do it sooner! Black Friday must give way, not to a new way of living, but to…more of the same, and quicker too!

Like a person with an itch, the solution is to itch more, and sooner. That way we satisfy our itch, and all will be well…right?

Or not. Itches don’t get better, not by itching anyway. Temporary relief usually only means more misery in the near future. So, if the challenge is stress on Black Friday, is the answer to get an early start, shop now, and feed the itch? Is the answer “more…and sooner?”

The problem is really rooted in our consumer culture. We need more, and we need it now. We measure our “fulfillment” in life, with how full our life is with things. The stuff under the tree makes, not only for a “merry Christmas,” but for a satisfied life. If you don’t have the toys, how can you experience the joys?

But remember, the toys are consumable. That is to say, they break, they wear out, they outlive their usefulness, and in the end, they are tossed aside. They end up in the trash, or the attic. Mortal stuff, made by mortals, is still mortal. Moreover, mortal stuff, made by mortals, can hardly take mortals beyond where they are. In other words, the toys we make (and buy) can hardly be expected to rescue us from all the crummy stuff of our existence. If life is what I want, life in the midst of a hectic, fearful, sometimes overwhelming world, the toys under the tree just don’t have what it takes.

So, skip shopping early and often as a solution to the stress of the season. Instead, do something radical. Embrace Christmas – the real thing. And what is that? Christmas is about a world that is not joyful, that is not full of real life. A world that is broken and fearful. A world that can’t find or create the hope it needs.

But Christmas is also about God’s response to brokenness, fear, and hopelessness. That’s why we gather in worship on Christmas Eve, completing the journey to the manger at Bethlehem, coming face to face with something incredibly mysterious – the presence of God, right here, in our midst, in the person of the child Jesus. And then we continue to walk with Jesus as he makes his way to the cross, to the place and the moment when the powers of this world, the powers of sin and death are overcome and life is restored.

Christmas, you see, is about what GOD is doing. It’s not about the toys, the parties, and the decorations. It’s not about the expectations that our society places upon us, that this should be a wonderful time, and if it isn’t, well then, you must be doing something wrong. In the end, that is what really stresses us out. This is supposed to be the “most wonderful time of the year,” and if it isn’t, failure! So, work hard, spend lots, and stress out to make “the most wonderful time of the year.” Except, that doesn’t work.

Only God makes it work. Only the child, the gift, the journey, and in the end, the cross.

So here’s the point. The answer to the stress of the season is not more shopping, more hard work, and sooner. The answer is turning around. Let go of Christmas. Don’t try to “make” Christmas work. Let God do that.

In the meantime, find real ways to allow the season to unfold around you. Take time, real time, for the people in your life. Consider how real relationships are not created by the price tag on the gift.

But most of all, take – and make – the time to see God at work in the season, to see God’s gifts of life in the Christ child. Make time for worship, discover the joy of generously gifting real gifts of life to those who have little or nothing (watch the December newsletter for ways to do that). Make the commitment to make this Christmas about “God at work in the world” and “God at work in you!”

And as you are embraced by the Christ child, relax – for there, is real stress relief!

About a week ago I took Rebecca to school. After dropping her off, I went through the school complex on Mark Street, turning west onto East Avenue, toward the church. It was a foggy morning, and all around was gray and gloom.

But as I headed down East Avenue, I looked up. The fog hugged the earth, and not far above the blue sky was struggling to break out. The sun, however, above the fog line, was bright. And looking a bit further down the street I could see the sun shining off the cross at the top of the church steeple. What a great image – the sun, the light, the gift of hope, shining brighly, even amidst the gray and gloom of the fog. There it was – my next reflection. Hey, almost writes itself.

Except for one thing. I did this already. I’m sure of it. And arriving at the office, I checked, and there it was – way back in January of 2014. Pretty much the same message.

Bummer. So much for that idea.

But after a week of mulling it over, I wondered. Maybe there is something here. You know, like, how almost four years later the light still shines, the cross still beams out hope, or something like that. After all, isn’t the world pretty much as messed up as it was four years ago? We had problems then, we have problems now, and I think its a pretty fair guess we will have problems four years from now. Right?

So there it is – the cross, the light, the hope – it remains, even after four years, and even into an uncertain future.

Good stuff! It’s a wrap – I like it.

And so, this morning, I took Rebecca to school again, turned onto Mark Street, and then East Avenue, eager to get to the office and throw down my thoughts.

As I headed down East Avenue, however, I noticed something. No, not the fog – that’s gone, for today at least. No, I saw something else. I saw to the right the construction zone for the addition to the Middle School, complete with tractors and lifts, stacks of material, temporary office trailers, fencing to separate the work area, and inside that fence, a lot of people at work.

And out of the corner of my eye, to the left, was a truck, right in the middle of Lincoln Avenue, blocking traffic, and no driver in sight – probably over checking out where he (or maybe she) was to go.

And dead ahead a section of road, asphalt torn up, now dirt, and a bit rough.

Lots of dirt and grime, unfinished construction, a seemingly chaotic scene, with piles of all sorts of things, all sorts of places. A work zone – a place buzzing with activity – a place of change, and lots of it.

But like the fog a week ago, something else. High above, there was the cross. Again.

OK, so I like what I had. The fog remains. It sticks around, and then just when we think life is clear again, it pops back into our lives. Yet also the cross, the beacon, the light, the hope, we needed it then, we need it now, and hey, we’ve go it. The transforming power of the crucified and risen Jesus remains!

That same transforming power is not just there in the midst of our fog – its also there in the midst of all the busyness and chaos of life. The hustle and bustle buzz around us, distracting us and sometimes diverting our attention from what is really important. Even overwhelming us, too much to handle, and we are frozen in place, unable to react and respond to what life throws at us.

Yet, the cross – remember? There it is, again, towering over the increasingly busy and frantic world. The cross, beaming with light, life, and hope.

Just like it did four years ago, and will continue four years from now, and on and on.

I don’t know about you, but both the fog and the construction zone work for me. I’m in a fog a lot – I don’t have answers to a lot of things. In the midst of an increasingly complicated world I need to be a wise parent, a supportive spouse, and a helpful son, while at the same time maintaining my own balance as a person. And that’s not to say anything about a confused political scene, fears of nuclear weapons, and wondering what terror act will happen next. Too much, it seems sometimes, and the fog gets deeper.

And then, in a changing world, how do Pastor Jean and I figure out new ways to do ministry? Pastoral work has always been a challenge, but these days – just what do we do as the world spins faster and faster – and out of control (or at least out of my control)? More fog!

But not only fog – distractions too. Lots of things to grab our our attention. Within the midst of our abundance, with so many toys and other treasures, we are nonetheless fearful and uncertain. We have so much…yet we feel threatened, ready to circle the wagons. So much for focusing on faithful living!

Fog and distractions…gray, gloomy and diverting…but wait, look again – there it is – the cross! The cross, beaming light above the fog and the distractions. The cross, proclaiming life in the midst of gloom and diversions. The cross, filling us with hope even as the fog seems to thicken and the hectic pace of life threatens to run me over. The cross, embracing us and holding us!

And a future – a future grounded in and empowered by the crucified and risen Jesus.

Pop quiz – remember the great eclipse of 2017? You remember, it was in all the papers…

Seriously, of course we remember it – after all, it was only five weeks ago. We witnessed one of those rare moments that stir excitement and imagination. And it won’t happen again, at least in the United States, until 2024, and then not again until 2045. If I life to be 85, I will only see two more total eclipses. That’s makes it quite remarkable.

But since then. Since the eclipse, wow! Harvey, Irma, Maria – devastating Texas, Florida, the Caribbean. And earthquakes – three of them – in Mexico. Doesn’t all that make the eclipse an almost distant memory?

More importantly, what in the world is happening?

For some, these events have provided the proof that the end is near. In fact, one so-called Christian prognosticator scoured the Bible, figured out all the hidden meanings, calculated the dates, and the declared that he had it pegged. September 23rd.

Oops! Not this time…

But while I can pretty much dismiss predictions of our world’s demise based on a really faulty reading of the Bible, I can’t ignore the reality of these overwhelming acts of nature that profoundly impact life. And while you and I are on the sidelines for hurricanes and earthquakes (this time anyway), they still make a difference, and not just adding a dime or two to the price of gas. They make a difference because we witness an awesome power that is destructive and does not discriminate. If you are in its path, you are its victim.

Of course, while the hurricanes and the earthquakes get all the press, there are other disasters out there. The infant victim of SIDS; the young adult accident victim; the children caught up in a broken marriage; the family struggling to pay bills; the nursing home resident feeling forgotten; the cancer patient wondering if this begins a painful, downward spiral. All disasters in their own right, and all threatening to make someone a victim.

Nature…conflicts…illness…decisive twists of fate…even simple, everyday life…just too much to handle.

And yet, in the midst of the past five weeks, I’ve been reflecting on two small, simple moments. The first came from Houston, from Harvey. Did you hear about the guy who seems to be of rather simple means and limited resources, and who was concerned about the family piano? He returned to his home, still with three feet of water in the house, to see how the piano was. And there, surrounded by flood waters, he played the piano.

You can check out the story right here: time.com/4924517/houston-man-piano-texas-floods/

And then, a few days later, on Sunday, September 3rd, I headed off to church, and in the morning sun, the remains of morning dew highlighted the almost perfect spider web on our planter in the front yard. As Rebecca and I started down the street we saw another web, glistening as the sun struck the dew on the web, this time on the mailbox. And then we saw another…and another…and another. All the way to church we sought out, and we found, these momentary glimpses of beauty. Simple, yet profound examples of the handiwork of nature.

Hurricanes and earthquakes rage, yet music and glistening webs also speak.

Now, let’s keep this in perspective – in the right perspective. A few notes on a partially submerged piano, and the glistening of spider webs hardly make up for the destructive power of hurricanes and earthquakes. They don’t, because they can’t. But they also don’t, because they don’t need to.

Music and glistening beauty are not what life is about. They are intriguing, they are wondrous, they are even perhaps a bit magical. But they are not life. Not by themselves. Instead, they are signs. They point us to something more. They point us to life.

But the life they point us to is not merely a pretty scene or a poignant moment. Instead, these moments are brief glimpses that remind us that there is more than death, destruction, chaos, and tragedy. They remind us that God is at work, somewhere, somehow.

But where? And how?

Right here, in the midst of hurricanes and earthquakes, broken relationships and broken dreams. Even as grief and sorrow hold us tightly, and fear and uncertainty take their toll. While the grind of every day life grinds us down, God is at work – right here!

And how? In Jesus. Plain and simple. In Jesus, in his death and resurrection, accomplished 2000 years ago, yet nonetheless right here – God is at work in our lives. God is at work bringing life, hope, and most of all, a future, and with a future, we have confidence. Not in ourselves, not even in the world around us, but in God’s promises.

We have that future because in his death and resurrection Jesus destroys the powers that threaten us, including the power of death. Even as the world around us seems to be falling apart, even as we wonder if the world really is coming to an end, we nonetheless have confidence in the future, because that future is in the hands of Jesus.

And that takes us back to the words of Scripture. While some read the Bible, desperately seeking clues to mysteries and hidden messages, we read the Bible differently. Not as a book of rules, or advice on now to live the good life, or a roadmap to success. Instead, Scripture is the revelation of God’s action in our world, proclaiming to us again and again that it is God who brings hope – and God who assures our future!

So enjoy the music, even the spider webs. Enjoy the small moments of wonder and joy that brighten our lives. Know that God is present, that the sometimes ugliness of life is not all there is.

But know too that there is something bigger at play. There is the cross and the empty tomb. There is hope and a future. There is Jesus.

As I start these reflections, I’m talking about labor, work. If you are retired, please read on. This is about you too!

It’s 10:20 PM, and I’m out on the deck, enjoying a cool evening. Even cooler evenings are coming, so for the moment I will relish the deck, the screening that restrains the bugs, and the comfortably cool air.

Of course, I am thankful to a good and gracious God for the gift of this evening. For life, of course, but also for the beautiful evening I have had to enjoy. God is good!

But as I enjoy the evening, and I appropriately give thanks to God for all of this moment, I am also aware that while God is the giver of ALL that I have, God has worked in ways that sometime confound me, sometimes amaze me, and sometimes elude me. That is to say, God works in ways that are sometimes not as easy to see, or at times that are easy to see, but for which God’s hand is harder to spot. The deck is one of them.

Five years today we were close to accepting the call to Our Savior’s, moving to West Salem, and buying this house. At that moment our deck existed, I think, but on an unfinished home that we had not yet even seen. Which brings me to my point – I enjoy this deck, a gift of God, but a gift that God brought through the hands of a builder. The builder (Mike Reschke, with some help from Boston Goodenough), served as the hands of God, in order to provide us with this gift of God’s grace.

But not only the deck. A little over two years ago we had Jim Quamme add the screening and vinyl windows – and that made the deck something we could use even on the buggiest of evenings. God at work again, at work through Jim and Dave, his assistant.

But, didn’t I pay for the house, the deck, the screens, and the windows?

Sure I did. But I paid for it with cash (with some help from the bank), earned by my work, but my work accomplished with the abilities and time that God gave to me. What I gave for the house wasn’t really from me. It came from the hand of a generous God.

Moreover, Mike and Boston, Jim and Dave, didn’t need to build a house we treasure, and a deck we love. Yet, they did, and in doing so they provided both for our need for housing, but also our need for a place to relax, refresh and re-create. All of that – the protection, the place for renewal, the sheer joy of it all – all of that is part of God’s work in our lives. So whether they realized it or not, they were making God’s stuff happen, even as they were engaging in their every-day lives.

God’s work, their hands.

On the eve of Labor Day, perhaps that’s a good spot to land. God’s work, our hands.

Tomorrow is a day off. We enjoy a holiday, maybe take care of a few things around the house, perhaps a cookout. Labor Day. A day with no “labor.”

I get it. I like days off. We need them. We all need a time to “re-create” ourselves apart from that which consumes us – our jobs, our careers – that which sometimes even begins to define who we are.

So, for starters, you are not your job, don’t let it eat you up, and make sure you find time to “re-create” who you really are.

And who are you really? Do this. Go into the bathroom, and look in the mirror. Then splash yourself with water and look again. That is what you are. A baptized child of God, splashed with the water of baptism. But mysteriously, that water, splashed and dried long ago, remains wet. It remains wet because its more than water – it is water with God’s Word. Each day, as we live in both the rhythm and the tension of faith, we live out our baptism. Our baptism, water and God’s word proclaimed through the crucified and risen Jesus, continues to renew us even today. That’s what you are. Not your job, not your career, not your daily grind. You are a baptized child of God, and – this is important – a disciple of that same Jesus.

But as a disciple you have tasks, callings. And one of them is your job, your career, even your daily grind. Consider for a moment how many people are touched by your work. Customers, clients, colleagues, students – how many people’s lives are impacted by what you do every day? Now, consider how you are there because God has placed you there to make that difference. Yes, you are paid for your work. But God places your there not for a paycheck, but to be a difference maker in the world.

Just like Mike and Boston, Jim and Dave, have made a difference in our lives.

Doing God’s work with your hands.

So let me offer three things to ponder:

1. As Labor Day dawns upon us, consider for a moment how God is at work through your hands. Regardless of how glamorous, or how “vital” your work might seem, how is God making a difference through you? Picture the people you impact.

2. Consider too, how your job might be connected to your calling as a baptized child of God, and a disciple of Jesus? How can your job be part of a “sacred” calling?

3. When Pastor Jean and I took the call to Our Savior’s, we pondered a way to connect with folk, by meeting people at their work place (when possible, or elsewhere if need be), to learn about their work, what they do, and how it makes a difference in the lives of others. Most of all, to reflect on how God is at work in their work. Or, how they do “God’s work with their hands.” We really haven’t figured out a good way (yet) to do that, but we would love to chat with you about your work. So, if this intrigues you, let me know. Let’s get together – soon – and have that conversation.

Finally, for the retirees, and anyone else not employed outside the home – this isn’t about what you do for a paycheck, it’s about all of life’s work. Remember, this is rooted in our baptism. It’s about our entire life as baptized children of God. Paycheck or not, you too do “God’s work with your hands.” Everyday. Everyday, you too make a difference.