Welcome to Detroit! was the refrain we heard throughout the day from EVERYone and the city seems genuinely excited about the arrival of over 30,000 ELCA youth and adult leaders. First Lutheran gathered at 4:00 AM for a journey that would begin a bit later than expected, but we eventually made up time. Our bus drivers, Jay and Deborah got us to Milwaukee and then to Detroit safely.
It turns out the Hilton Garden Inn is within shouting distance of Ford Field. We couldn't be more fortunate! While many other groups leave the nightly event with anywhere from 20 minutes to a full hour of travel to their hotel we walk two blocks to our nice clean rooms.
So... good travel, and fortunate lodging. Let me get to the fun stuff!
This is my third National Youth Gathering and first in six years. And let me say, the energy level of so many people, from the huge crowds on sidewalks to the huge lines to eat to the crowded elevators - all with people asking, "where are you from?" and slapping high fives to strangers and dancing in the aisles... it's unlike any other event.
For our first night at Ford Field, it was an experience of acclimation. All of us were getting used to what it all was. Where does one eat? Sit? Do I HAVE to raise my arms during this song? Do I have to sing that one? Can I be this silly? I sense our kids were taking it all in. I already loved seeing the bonds they are choosing to make with each other and truly look forward to what this group will be like by Sunday.
Tonight we heard from our Presiding Bishop, Elizabeth Eaton, as well as Bishop Creiss who is the local Bishop in Detroit. They both offered a brief welcome. We also heard from Mikka McCracken who serves as program director for ELCA World Hunger. She shared that Americans waste the equivalent of enough food to fill Ford Field 282 times. She challenged us to consider hunger as a problem grounded in inequality, not scarcity. She suggests we have enough food to feed the world. We simply do not value women enough, nor do we advocate politically as we could. Women in water scarce areas of the world walk an average of 3.7 miles per day - every day - to retrieve water which means they cannot hold a job. It also take time away from parenting. The push, therefore, is for us all to support the "Walk for Water" project whcih seeks to raise $500,000. And... there is a matching gift from an ELCA couple, so if we reach the goal, we'll hit $1 million.
The final, and most powerful speaker of the night was Dr. Luke Powery who teaches preaching at Duke University. Dr. Powery spoke powerfully toward explaining the meaning behind our Gathering theme: "Rise Up Together". I'll summarize... We have come to Detroit to proclaim resurrection. Our theme text is the last parts of Mark, which leave the women at the tomb feeling terror and amazement. But, as Dr. Powery said, "the only thing worse than a scared disciple is a silent one." If we truly believe resurrection has happened, then we have come to Detroit to claim that resurrection matters to this city and its people. "When we rise up to serve and accompany and proclaim, we kill all the isms that bring death: racism, homophobism, classism... when we rise up, we tell Hell to go to Hell. When we rise up, we build bridges, bring hope, and say yes to hope, life and love." He was a powerful preache that all our kids responded to.
There was a moment in the event when a girl artistically represented the perspective of those who are asked "Why?" Why are you choosing to miss practices or games if you're in a Summer league? Why are you missing work? Why are you going to Detroit? Why do you do Church stuff? The 15 kids who are here mostly don't know why they are here, to be honest. Their answers on Wednesday are "to see a new city" "to have fun" and also "to do some service." But I don't think they need to know. Yet. That their parents and pastors pushed them into this is OK. Their presence reflects the values of their families. I am deeply thankful for the financial/time/spiritual commitment these kids and their families have given to a 5 day trip that it isn't easy or obvious as to "Why?" they would do it. I believe God is leading us here. And that is reason enough.
Tomorrow includes our "Proclaim Story Day" when we gather all afternoon with all the participants from the La Crosse Area Synod for worship and a curriculum (that's more fun than 'curriculum' makes it out to be). We'll also have some time to walk around a bit, eat some Greek food and attend another event at the end of the day at Fiord Field. It shoud be great!
Wednesday, July 15, 2015
Thursday, June 5, 2014
Philippians Hymn June 1, 2014
Carla
and I were in Boston last weekend for our nephew’s high school graduation. It was great. I’d never been there before, and as I did a little research,
I found that if you only have a day, you have to do the Freedom Trail. Many of you may know by now I was a history
major in college. I read big thick
boring biographies and history books for fun. And so this was right up my alley. We saw the USS Constitution, Old Ironsides, which 200 years
ago led the Navy to its upset victory against Great Britain.
And not
just so that people of today can see where Samuel Adams and the parents of
Benjamin Franklin are buried.
Seeing these thin stone tablets stuck in the ground without much
planning, and how they’re all leaning this way and that, and seeing how the
centuries have worn away the engraving… it can be easy to let the modern city
that has grown around these cemeteries make you forget the original context of
this area… but those graveyards keep it real. On the stones you see most people didn’t get past 40 years
old. Lots of kids didn’t reach
10. And, of course, on each stone
was not only the name and dates of birth and death, but an epitaph. “Devoted mother and loving wife.” “faithful servant of God and one of
public spirit.” You know there are
some great epitaphs of famous people, too. Mel Blanc, the creator of Bugs Bunny; his gravestone says,
“That’s All Folks”.
Merv Griffin,
the TV icon, his says, “I Will Not Be Right Back After This Message.” People like Thomas Jefferson needed
more space for their epitaph.
“Author of the Declaration of Independence, of the Statute of Virginia
for Religious Freedom and Father of the University of Virginia.” An epitaph is
typically written in stone, so you can’t get too wordy most of the time. An obituary boils down a person’s life
into a couple paragraphs. But an
epitaph is just one word or phrase.
What would yours be? Freda
Benton’s stone says, “Granny chick”.
William Hahn's says, “I told you I was sick.”
Or would yours include your most
important relationship: devoted wife, husband, parent. Maybe you’d list your work like Thomas
Jefferson. Or a quote you liked to
say that reveals a lot about your way of looking at life. I know some of you have already bought
your stone and thought through this.
But for most of us, this seems hard to do: describing ourself with just
one word or phrase.
Could
you do it for God? Maybe not an epitaph, because of course, Jesus doesn't stay dead. But could you describe all that God is about with just one word? Creator, omnipotent, omnipresent... Hope, Peace, Love? St. Paul, in
this letter to the Philippians tries to get at the heart of who God is, so that
he may explain what our hearts and minds could be capable of. Paul would not begin to list God’s
accomplishments like Thomas Jefferson.
He would not name God’s greatest quote. But, with one word he’d be able to lift up God’s sense of
humor. He’d be able to get at God’s
occupation. And with that one word
he would explain how God relates to every daughter and Son on earth. Describe God with one word or phrase:
Paul would say “Grace”. Grace
requires a sense of humor. Grace
is what God does. And grace is how
God relates to all of us. Though
guilty of sins galore, we are saved through his love and mercy. That’s grace. Who was Mel Blanc: the Man of 1,000 voices. Who was Thomas Jefferson? He can be identified by documents he
wrote. Who is God? 1 John says God is love. But grace takes that definition a step
further. Grace refers to the kind
of love that persists through everything… even death.
Paul
tells the Philippians, “have that same kind of love. Do nothing from selfish conceit, but in humility regard others
as better than yourselves. Let
each of you look not to your own interests but to the interests of others. Let the same mind be in you that was in
Christ Jesus.” We are baptized
into Christ. Into his death. Into his resurrection. And here, Paul says that means we are
put in Christ’s very mind. “Let
the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus.” He finishes this portion of his letter by saying, “for it is
God who is at work in you, enabling you both to will and to work for his good
pleasure.” We are in Christ and
God is in us. We celebrate that
every week at communion. That we
are all one together and together we are in Christ.
So,
how might that affect our actions?
This is a letter about attitude as much as anything else. And attitude affects action. This is not just a letter trying to
teach these people in Philippi how to think. Paul is not trying to get them to wrap their minds around
the truth that they are in Christ and God is in them. Paul wants them to take on Christ’s attitude knowing that
attitude affects us one way or the other.
Just
think of the different mindsets people have, and how it affects their work, and
their lives. All week we’ve been
hearing those blue angel jets overhead as they've been practicing for the Air Show this weekend.
Do you think jet pilots have a certain kind of attitude, typically? Did Tom Cruise and Val Kilmer teach us
nothing in Top Gun?
To fly a plane
like the Blue Angels do, you need to have a certain kind of attitude. Confidence, a desire to be precise. Or to be a surgeon. We have a neighbor who is a
cardiothoracic surgeon. And
there’s a certain attitude that one must have when taking the heart of a living
human being and attempting to fix it, while also trying to not kill the
person. My attitude in an
operating room would dwell on the don’t mess up, more than the “I’m saving this
guy”. Teachers need an attitude of
kindness, clarity of direction, and a passion for educating. Entrepreneurs have an attitude that
says, “I can., I will.” Attitude
affects actions. Wake up groggy
and spill some milk and you’re unable to find your backpack. You put your, “It’s going to be a bad
day” attitude on and you are just a joy to be around. Put on a thankful attitude and you come across to other
people much differently.
Now,
this sermon could devolve right now into a fluffy, “Keep your chin up” sermon
where I say Jesus wants you to have a happy attitude. Stay positive.
But that’s not the attitude Paul has in mind. Is God always happy?
Is God always positive? No. So there must be space for other feelings. Remember, the one word Paul would use
for God is, “Grace”. That’s the
kind of attitude Christians are called to have at all times and in all
places. We are called to be
gracious. Sadness, grief, illness
and even depression happen. It’s
not about cheering up. Having an
attitude of Grace persists through every broken part of life. Prosperity, joy, perhaps even wealth
and good fortune may happen for you.
For many of us that is true.
And we are easily tricked into thinking those are life’s goals. “Have an attitude that achieves those
goals.” Is what the world tells us to do.
But grace moves us to not prosper only for our own sake; but to share
our joy, and our wealth, and to worship the one responsible for our good
fortune. Grace tempers our
accomplishments and carries us through our failures. A gracious attitude moves us to selflessness: regarding
others as better than ourselves, looking to the interests of others.
To
carry his point home, Paul invokes a well-known hymn of his day, “Though Christ was in the form of God,
he did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, but emptied
himself, taking the form of a slave.”
In Christ, we are capable of that kind of attitude: to not regard our
forgiven status as something to be exploited, but to empty ourselves for the
sake of others. Gracious. TBTG. Amen. Thursday, March 27, 2014
Fourth Station: Jesus is Denied by Peter
Now Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard. One of the maids came over to him and said, "You too were with Jesus the Galilean." But he denied it in front of everyone, saying, "I do not know what you are talking about!" As he went out to the gate, another girl saw him and said to those who were there, "This man was with Jesus the Nazorean." Again he denied it with an oath, "I do not know the man!" A little later the bystanders came over and said to Peter, "Surely you too are one of them; even your speech gives you away." At that he began to curse and to swear, "I do not know the man." And immediately a cock crowed. Then Peter remembered the word that Jesus had spoken: "Before the cock crows you will deny me three times." He went out and began to weep bitterly.
Sixth Station: Jesus is Scourged and Crowned with Thorns
Then Pilate took Jesus and had him scourged. And the soldiers wove a crown out of thorns and placed it on his head, and clothed him in a purple cloak, and they came to him and said,"Hail, King of the Jews!" And they struck him repeatedly.
Station 4&6 March 26, 2014
There
is an enormous difference between practice and performance. Between getting it done without
pressure vs. making it happen
at crunch time. I’ve watched a lot of basketball this past week. I played in high school, and as I watch these guys and girls shooting free throws toward the end of a game, it’s amazing to me. There will be an 80% free throw shooter who gets to the line at the end of a game, needing to make at least one out of two. And he misses both. He probably makes 20 or 30 in a row in practice. But when he’s tired, fearful of missing… of letting his teammates down, when he hears the cat calls of the fans of the other team, and them waving behind the basket… he misses and I think, yeah, I think I would too. Or he makes it and I’m amazed at his focus. Or… I was in drama in high school, too. And we’d practice our lines thousands of times. Thousands. To the point where all throughout a day, those lines would pop up in my consciousness. I can still recite some of my lines from when I was Mark Twain 20 years ago. But it’s funny how when you put 500 people in a room to watch you say those memorized lines, how different they come out. Or don’t come out. Or, you study for a test and you’ve got it cold. But then comes that quiet room, you, your pencil, and that test. Sometimes, the numbers or words or facts just flit away. Whether you’ve prepared a proposal at work, practiced a song for hours, or made yourself emotionally ready for a difficult situation, there is always an enormous difference between practice and performance. And that’s what the story of Peter is about.
at crunch time. I’ve watched a lot of basketball this past week. I played in high school, and as I watch these guys and girls shooting free throws toward the end of a game, it’s amazing to me. There will be an 80% free throw shooter who gets to the line at the end of a game, needing to make at least one out of two. And he misses both. He probably makes 20 or 30 in a row in practice. But when he’s tired, fearful of missing… of letting his teammates down, when he hears the cat calls of the fans of the other team, and them waving behind the basket… he misses and I think, yeah, I think I would too. Or he makes it and I’m amazed at his focus. Or… I was in drama in high school, too. And we’d practice our lines thousands of times. Thousands. To the point where all throughout a day, those lines would pop up in my consciousness. I can still recite some of my lines from when I was Mark Twain 20 years ago. But it’s funny how when you put 500 people in a room to watch you say those memorized lines, how different they come out. Or don’t come out. Or, you study for a test and you’ve got it cold. But then comes that quiet room, you, your pencil, and that test. Sometimes, the numbers or words or facts just flit away. Whether you’ve prepared a proposal at work, practiced a song for hours, or made yourself emotionally ready for a difficult situation, there is always an enormous difference between practice and performance. And that’s what the story of Peter is about.
In
chapter 16 of Matthew’s gospel, Jesus and his disciples come into the district
of Caesarea Philippi and Jesus sits them down and asks them a question. “Who do people say that the Son of Man
is?”
I imagine a kind of classroom
feel here or maybe a staff meeting.
Anyone, anyone? And they
said things like, “Some say John the Baptist, but others Elijah, and still
others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”
But then Jesus got to the tougher question. “Who do you say that I am?” And Peter speaks up like the head of the class man that he
is. “Oooh, oooh, “You are the
Messiah, the Son of the Living God!”
And Jesus said, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed
this to you, but my Father in heaven.
And I tell you Simon, you are Peter – that is Petros – which means rock
– and on this rock I will build my church and the gates of Hell shall not prevail
against it. I will give you the
keys of the Kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind or loose on earth will be
bound or loosed in heaven.”
I imagine a kind of classroom
feel here or maybe a staff meeting.
Anyone, anyone? And they
said things like, “Some say John the Baptist, but others Elijah, and still
others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”
But then Jesus got to the tougher question. “Who do you say that I am?” And Peter speaks up like the head of the class man that he
is. “Oooh, oooh, “You are the
Messiah, the Son of the Living God!”
And Jesus said, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed
this to you, but my Father in heaven.
And I tell you Simon, you are Peter – that is Petros – which means rock
– and on this rock I will build my church and the gates of Hell shall not prevail
against it. I will give you the
keys of the Kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind or loose on earth will be
bound or loosed in heaven.” 
Jesus
gives Simon a nickname. You’re the
Rock. And that’s what the gospel
writers typically call him. That’s
what history knows him by… his nickname: Rock. St. Rock, Minnesota – pretty town. St. Rock’s Basilica in Rome. For proclaiming this revelation that Jesus is the Messiah,
Son of the Living God, Simon son of Jonah gets as amazing a job offer as anyone
has ever gotten. On you I’ll build
my church. I’ll give you the keys
to the kingdom and whatever you judge to be done or not done, well, that’s what
the rules will be in heaven.
Whoa. You know sometimes,
I’ve talked about Mary the Mother of God as though she is the most faithful
person in Scripture, so willingly open to bearing the Son of God. Or Martha as she grieves the death of
her brother Lazarus, she is still able to faithfully say to Jesus, “You are the
Messiah; the Son of God, the one coming into the world.” But neither of them are rewarded with
the keys to the Kingdom. With the
ability to set the boundaries of what shall be done or not done on earth and
then also in heaven. So, Peter
must be so very exceptionally faithful.
Well,
he was when being faithful was safe and easy. In class with his fellow disciples, Peter shines. He knows the answers. But when the rubber hits the road, or
as a teacher of mine liked to say, “you’re tied to the train tracks and the
train is coming. What do you
really believe?” And when we get
to that moment for Peter, as Jesus has been handed over to the authorities and
is obviously in great danger of being executed… which usually also brings about
the execution of such a person’s followers… When the context of Peter’s faith
changes from practice to showtime, Peter shrinks. He doesn’t clank a free throw, here. He shoots three airballs. He forgets his lines. The Rock crumbles. Peter denies even knowing Jesus, much
less following him.
As we continue our journey through the stations of cross, we come to the 6th
station where Jesus, having been found guilty of nothing in particular, but
guilty nonetheless, Jesus is then processed – you could say. And being processed in this case means
a flogging, humiliation and a beating.
Marla Meyer makes these words and images come alive by offering this
station that has a feel to it. You
can feel the cloth and the crown, which is appropriate because this part of
John’s gospel is written in such a way as to connect with our physical
bodies. John wants us to know this
hurt for Jesus. It hurt his bones,
his skin, his human body. But
these verses from John also show us how Jesus was tortured emotionally. At
their worst soldiers have been known throughout time for mistaking their duty
for privileged power, especially soldiers who occupy a rival nation. Whether it’s been Americans in Iraq
desecrating dead enemies, or the British raping the innocents of Scotland, or
the Romans burning the villages of the Gauls after defeating them… soldiers can
give in to hatred instead of dwelling on their opportunity to serve. These Roman soldiers hated the
Jews. Jesus bears the brunt of
their hatred as they don’t just flog and beat him. They belittle him.
They mock him. A crown that
will make its wearer bleed. A
cloak that would like putting a prom dress on a homeless person. It’s mean.
What
hurts worse? Physical brutality or
emotional warfare? I’m not sure
there is a right answer. Actually,
I think what John is trying to get across is that Jesus endured the full range
of abuse: all kinds. He is immune
to nothing. He chooses to
experience all of it. Without
saying one word. Without crying
out ‘uncle’ or in his case, ‘Father”.
Jesus
endures the power of words… from these soldiers, from the lack of words Peter
offers, from false testimony about him in front of the Sanhedrin. Because as much as I like to dwell on
me and how I am just like the soldiers… this station (like all the others)
isn’t about me or us. First and
foremost it’s about Jesus. It’s
about what he went through so that we can believe that God truly lived as one
of us… enduring the worst we do to each other… it’s about Jesus going through
all of it SO THAT we would believe, feel his love recognize he didn’t just do
it to prove how tough he is. He
did it so that we would feel loved by him. Which changes the way we live. It changes the way we die; and don’t stay dead. When we recognize how loved we are, we
are changed… Thanks be to God.
Thursday, March 13, 2014
Friday, July 12, 2013
Ten Years Ago Today
Ten years ago today, July 12, 2003, was a Saturday. After three and a half years of undergrad in Minneapolis, six months of 'in-between' time in Athens, Georgia, chasing my future wife, and four years at seminary in Columbia, South Carolina, I found myself deposited in a wonderful little country church outside the greater metropolitan area of Cashton, Wisconsin. The last few months had been stressful, to say the least. In March I had been drafted into Region 5 of the ELCA which includes Wisconsin, Iowa and Illinois. For my wife of less than a year, there were tears (which meant that for me there were tears, too). Soon thereafter, I learned that the La Crosse Area Synod got dibs on me and that there was just one or maybe two possibilities for me in the whole synod. Bishop April Larson assured us that we'd love what she had in mind... but she couldn't tell us yet. Secrets about our future don't go well with my lovely bride, so the Bishop's office became VERY familiar with Carla's voice. May 31 - the date when we had to move out of student housing - was coming soon and we had not so much as a clue as to where we'd interview, much less be called. But by the second week of June we visited this little town east of La Crosse and within days we accepted a call to the 3 point parish of Cashton. Their pastor of ten years, Greg Geier, had been discerning his own departure the last couple months (hence the inability of the Bishop to tell us what was or was not happening) and the moment he left would be the moment I started. In fact, on July 12, 2003, Greg was one of the exhorters at my ordination.
Before I even began serving as their Pastor, I already had a pastoral choice to make. Where to be ordained? None of the three congregations that make up the 3 Point Parish are large enough to support their own Pastor. They had been sharing for something like 70 years, so these kinds of issues were nothing new. But typically, events like these were held at Trinity - the 'in town' church across from the parsonage. I decided, however, to honor Immanuel with this celebration. I figured it wouldn't hurt to get the members there on my side however I could. Besides, it's beautiful. Inside and out from the dark wood furniture to the altar mural with Jesus lifting Peter from sinking into the water... from the windows to the graveyard just outside its doors. It was a typically warm, July day. There was no air conditioning, except for the wind. It smelled fresh and grassy. It was sunny outside. All in all, it was an idyllic spot for one of the most formational moments of my life.
Worship on that Saturday was everything it's supposed to be. And trust me, recently graduated seminarians know exactly what it is supposed to be. I wonder now what those who were there thought of all the special music, words and rites. I remember seeing more than a dozen future colleagues process in to Immanuel's (everybody in Cashton called it the 'Moen' church, but I refused. With a name like 'Immanuel' which means, God with us, why would you call it anything else?) sanctuary robed in red stoles and feeling amazed that the time had actually come for me to serve the Church. As worship went on, I heard it all. Any cold feet or sense of dread had been expressed the night before. This was a day to fully embrace the burden and joy of the mantel about to be given me. After the stole was given, other clergy who were present laid their hands on me. And it felt heavy. After the entire ritual was complete, I felt different, because my life had changed. I had truly been set apart to do church work.
The first task for an ordained pastor in the Lutheran Church is to preside over communion. To be clear, I graduated in the top 5% of my high school class. I received a 4 year President's Scholarship to Augsburg College. And I passed seminary (it's a pass/fail system in seminary... 'P' for Pastor;). But for the life of me I couldn't remember the words of institution at my own ordination. I hacked that prayer up so bad that I actually wondered whether Bishop Larson may just break in and perform a 're-do'. But she didn't. And no one (OK, hardly anyone) laughed at me. And I think Jesus still showed up, even, despite me.
Ten years into this ordination that began so beautifully, so powerfully and so full of mistakes, I see that little has changed for me. I still lead worship in a beautiful setting, God still displays unbelievable love and grace for me and those I love and God still shows up constantly despite me. I have spent the day remembering and writing down some of my most memorable moments in ministry. From bats in Trinity's belfry to water coming into my office from leaks in the roof. From the organ mysteriously dying at Trinity on Christmas Eve (it did get resuscitated just in time) to dramatically lowering the veil on First's window Easter morning... at least partially lowering. There are many moments in ministry to remember, but mostly I think of the people. I continue to be amazed at how God grows people into my own heart. Little people, old people, smart famers and ditzy professionals. Being a Pastor, more than anything, has meant loving people in the name of Jesus. And I have been given the ability to love, for which I am VERY thankful. If I were to die tomorrow, I would consider my ministry a success. If I am to live many more years, I will always thank God for my first ten years!
Before I even began serving as their Pastor, I already had a pastoral choice to make. Where to be ordained? None of the three congregations that make up the 3 Point Parish are large enough to support their own Pastor. They had been sharing for something like 70 years, so these kinds of issues were nothing new. But typically, events like these were held at Trinity - the 'in town' church across from the parsonage. I decided, however, to honor Immanuel with this celebration. I figured it wouldn't hurt to get the members there on my side however I could. Besides, it's beautiful. Inside and out from the dark wood furniture to the altar mural with Jesus lifting Peter from sinking into the water... from the windows to the graveyard just outside its doors. It was a typically warm, July day. There was no air conditioning, except for the wind. It smelled fresh and grassy. It was sunny outside. All in all, it was an idyllic spot for one of the most formational moments of my life.
Worship on that Saturday was everything it's supposed to be. And trust me, recently graduated seminarians know exactly what it is supposed to be. I wonder now what those who were there thought of all the special music, words and rites. I remember seeing more than a dozen future colleagues process in to Immanuel's (everybody in Cashton called it the 'Moen' church, but I refused. With a name like 'Immanuel' which means, God with us, why would you call it anything else?) sanctuary robed in red stoles and feeling amazed that the time had actually come for me to serve the Church. As worship went on, I heard it all. Any cold feet or sense of dread had been expressed the night before. This was a day to fully embrace the burden and joy of the mantel about to be given me. After the stole was given, other clergy who were present laid their hands on me. And it felt heavy. After the entire ritual was complete, I felt different, because my life had changed. I had truly been set apart to do church work.
The first task for an ordained pastor in the Lutheran Church is to preside over communion. To be clear, I graduated in the top 5% of my high school class. I received a 4 year President's Scholarship to Augsburg College. And I passed seminary (it's a pass/fail system in seminary... 'P' for Pastor;). But for the life of me I couldn't remember the words of institution at my own ordination. I hacked that prayer up so bad that I actually wondered whether Bishop Larson may just break in and perform a 're-do'. But she didn't. And no one (OK, hardly anyone) laughed at me. And I think Jesus still showed up, even, despite me.
Ten years into this ordination that began so beautifully, so powerfully and so full of mistakes, I see that little has changed for me. I still lead worship in a beautiful setting, God still displays unbelievable love and grace for me and those I love and God still shows up constantly despite me. I have spent the day remembering and writing down some of my most memorable moments in ministry. From bats in Trinity's belfry to water coming into my office from leaks in the roof. From the organ mysteriously dying at Trinity on Christmas Eve (it did get resuscitated just in time) to dramatically lowering the veil on First's window Easter morning... at least partially lowering. There are many moments in ministry to remember, but mostly I think of the people. I continue to be amazed at how God grows people into my own heart. Little people, old people, smart famers and ditzy professionals. Being a Pastor, more than anything, has meant loving people in the name of Jesus. And I have been given the ability to love, for which I am VERY thankful. If I were to die tomorrow, I would consider my ministry a success. If I am to live many more years, I will always thank God for my first ten years!
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