January 1
And be thankful
Colossians 3:15b
“And be thankful .” We’ve heard this read a few times in worship of late. Colossians 3:12-17 was one of the readings on Sunday, as well as the scripture we read at the wedding of Bob and Susan Baker Hathaway on Friday.
This is a great wedding text, as well as a wonderful text here at the end of the year, and now the beginning of the New Year.
Take a look at these words, they are printed below today’s devotion.
What wonderful words for us as we venture into 2025!
Let me focus on that shortest of sentences; “And be thankful.”
Take a look at the gifts God has poured out for you. Start with the great Christmas gift of the Christ Child. Consider the abiding gift of God’s love that has washed over you. Rejoice in the enduring gift of God’s call for you to live every moment in God’s loving presence.
I think I will turn to Colossians 3 a number of times in the weeks to come, there is a lot there for us.
May you have a blessed New Year, and may we be bathed in gratitude and joy. Pastor Phil
Colossians 3:12-17
As God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience.
Bear with one another and, if anyone has a complaint against another, forgive each other; just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.
Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.
And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in the one body.
And be thankful.
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly; teach and admonish one another in all wisdom; and with gratitude in your hearts sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to God.
And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
The Ninth Day of Christmas
January 2
In the time of King Herod,
after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea,
wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, asking,
“Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews?
For we observed his star at its rising,
and have come to pay him homage.”
Matthew 2:1-2
On Sunday, we will jump ahead a day, and mark Epiphany, which is actually January 6th. On Epiphany we hear the story of the wise men and their quest for the Christ Child.
As we venture into 2025, it is interesting to consider these strange visitors to Bethlehem.
One question that comes to mind as I consider the Magi:
What hopes and dreams moved these visitors to make their visit?
As we contemplate what moved them to make that dangerous journey, we might want to consider our own hopes and dreams. How they are shaped by the story of the Gospel - the story of Christmas and Easter and everything in between and everything before and after.
That’s a lot.
The incarnation - God’s visit to earth as this human one - is so spectacular, it inspires one to consider everything, before and after and ever-after.
Jesus’ call to follow; as well as his cross and resurrection - shape our hopes and dreams, and bear promise to every corner of your life.
I suspect that it is wise to touch base with this wonder as we look ahead to 2025.
Merry Christmas, (9th day) Pastor Phil
The Tenth Day of Christmas
January 3
“Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews?
For we observed his star at its rising,
and have come to pay him homage.”
Matthew 2:2
I am sharing a Christmas Eve reflection which also fits for Epiphany.
This is from ‘At the Edge of the Enclosure’ a web site prepared by Episcopal priest, Suzanne Guthrie. Each week she publishes a “Self-Guided Retreat” reflecting on the Gospel reading for Sunday.
She includes art, poetry and commentary. It can be quite interesting. Click here if you would like to see… http://www.edgeofenclosure.org/thenativityabc.html
This is from "Meditation One - The First Star" in her Christmas post…
In Russia, the custom exists of fasting [on the Christmas vigil] until the first star appears. This brings to mind both the star which led the magi to Bethlehem and Christ who is the true light.
May this day also be a day of fast in our souls: let us abstain from all bad or useless thoughts and speech, and await in silence and composure the savior who is coming to us.
Darkness falls.
Soon the first star will rise and mark, according to the church calendar, the start of the great feast of Christmas.
With the rising of this star, may the light of our Lord rise for us…
-A monk of the Eastern church
quoted from A Christmas Sourcebook, Liturgy Training Publication
May the first star you see tonight, or any night, for that matter, give rise to gratitude to God for the star which led the magi and for the Christ who is the true light.
A Blessed Tenth Day of Christmas, Pastor Phil
The Eleventh Day of Christmas
January 4
Magi from the East came to Jerusalem,
asking, “Where is the child
who has been born king of the Jews?
Matthew 2:1-2
A blessed Saturday to you. I hope you can join us for worship tomorrow. We will mark Epiphany, the visit of the Magi…
Here is a prayer from a few years ago offered by Rev. Steve Garnaas-Holmes.
Magi from the East came to Jerusalem,
asking, “Where is the child
who has been born king of the Jews?
—Matthew 2.1-2
The magi did not find the holy child in Jerusalem,
but among peasants, in a little town like all the towns
they had just passed through.
On my morning walk the icy rain whispered,
the dead leaves under the ice proclaimed,
my breath shone.
What if the divine unveiling awaits you,
the revelation ready to astound you
in every little ordinary thing?
A plant on a windowsill,
a child in the hallway may reveal to you
what words can’t convey.
Not spoken but given,
not a theorem but a presence,
not wisdom but being.
For Jesus it was lilies, and birds,
a stranger’s daughter, muddy Jordan water
and the air above the water.
What if glory hides, poorly disguised,
in a stone, a door, a question,
a word, a look, a silence?
Your heart is already searching,
the world is already holy,
the child is already here.
__________________
Steve Garnaas-Holmes
Unfolding Light
www.unfoldinglight.net
Published January 6, 2023
Twelfth Day of Christmas
Epiphany
January 5
I hope you can join us as, with the Magi, we pay him homage…
Worship at 9:00. The service will be posted online.
The Prayer of the Day
O God,
on this day
you revealed your Son to the nations
by the leading of a star.
Lead us now by faith
to know your presence in our lives,
and bring us at last
to the full vision of your glory,
through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and forever.
Amen
January 6
Epiphany
“I will bless those who bless you;
…and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”
Genesis 12:3
Another Epiphany prayer from Unfolding Light.
On this day of Epiphany, we give thanks that God has extended to us Gentiles, the promises given to Abraham, Sarah and the chosen people. On Epiphany, we give thanks that God has adopted us into the community of God’s people, blessed to be a blessing.
Beloved,
you have revealed yourself to the world in Christ.
Now reveal yourself in me.
May your grace shine in me.
May my love be a guiding star for others.
May my words and deeds show forth
the reign of your mercy and justice.
With humility and generosity
may I offer the gifts you have given me.
The treasure chest of my soul I open
to you and to the world.
As magi knelt and honored you,
I give you my life.
May I be a revelation of your strong, tender love,
your astounding grace,
your faithful presence.
Star of God, shine in me.
__________________
Steve Garnaas-Holmes
Unfolding Light
www.unfoldinglight.net
January 4, 2024
January 7
Arise, shine; for your light has come,
and the glory of the LORD has risen upon you.
Isaiah 60:1
This Connections is from four years ago. During the 12 days of Christmas Connections included many liturgies and prayers that I had encountered when planning worship, the sort of poems and writing that you might not often see.
This Litany bears fitting words for us as we venture into the season of Epiphany. This season is a time to celebrate that the gift of the Christ Child which we celebrate at Christmas, is a gift given for not only for the Jews, God’s Chosen people, but for all God’s world.
There is indeed, darkness that threatens us all, yet for God, “the night is as bright as the day.”
May God’s love light the way for you this Epiphany.
Peace, Pastor Phil
Litany of Assurance: Your Light Has Come
Words of Assurance. (inspired by Psalm 139:11-12, Isaiah 60:1)
Hear the good news of the psalmist’s proclamation:
If I say, “Surely the darkness will overwhelm me,
And the light around me will be night,”
Even the darkness is not dark to God,
and the night is as bright as the day.
Our God who promised never to leave us or forsake us
HAS come to us in Jesus Christ
who binds up the brokenhearted.
heals all our infirmities,
and relieves our burden of sin.
So arise, shine; for your light has come,
And the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.
Thanks be to God!
~ from Advent Longing for the Light of Healing, posted on the Presbyterian Church USA website. To see the whole service, click here: http://www.pcusa.org/resource/advent-healing/
January 8
The voice of the LORD is a powerful voice
Psalm 29:4
Our Psalm for Sunday, Psalm 29, will serve as our Call to Worship
Psalm 29
Ascribe to the LORD, you gods,
ascribe to the LORD glory and strength.
Ascribe to the LORD the glory due God's name;
worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness.
The voice of the LORD is upon the waters; the God of glory thunders;
the LORD is upon the mighty waters.
The voice of the LORD is a powerful voice;
the voice of the LORD is a voice of splendor.
The voice of the LORD breaks the cedar trees;
the LORD breaks the cedars of Lebanon;
the LORD makes Lebanon skip like a calf,
and Mount Hermon like a young wild ox.
The voice of the LORD
bursts forth in lightning flashes.
The voice of the LORD shakes the wilderness;
the LORD shakes the wilderness of Kadesh.
The voice of the LORD makes the oak trees writhe and strips the forests bare.
And in the temple of the LORD all are crying, "Glory!"
The LORD sits enthroned above the flood;
the LORD sits enthroned as king forevermore.
O LORD, give strength to your people;
give them, O LORD, the blessings of peace.
I liked the reflection on Psalm 29 provided by Pastor Cory Driver for the Luther Seminary daily devotion.
‘There are, of course, multiple aspects to speech. There’s the content—the actual words that are said. But then there are also the aspects of the voice: deep or high pitched, resonant, gravelly, whispery, loud or soft. After a long time, a phone call from a loved one makes us exclaim, “It’s so good to hear your voice!” irrespective of the actual words uttered. Before I see my kids’ faces or even understand their words, as my children call to me from another room, I can anticipate their emotions based on the sounds of their voices. The psalmist calls worshippers to recognize the aspects of God’s voice. The voice of the LORD is powerful and majestic. It breaks the cedars, flashes flames, shakes the wilderness, and causes the deer to give birth or oaks to swirl. Even aside from divine words, God’s voice itself gives strength to the people and provides a blessing of peace (v11).’
Prayer: ‘Speaking God, help us to hear and recognize your voice. Please speak a little louder. We seek the comfort of your voice! Amen.’
I think often of the comment that the Bible is so very difficult to read, we need to read it together. When we gather around God’s word, for worship, for study, for prayer, we are tuning our ears (and our hearts) to hear “The voice of the LORD.”
May you hear clearly, God’s word: “You are my beloved.”
Pastor Phil
January 9
Have you not known? Have you not heard?
The LORD is the everlasting God,
the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He does not faint or grow weary;
his understanding is unsearchable.
Isaiah 40:28
I love when a snowy morning is followed by lots of sunshine. The sun seems to bear as much promise as it does warmth. I can’t quite tell yet, but soon I suspect, it will become clear that the days are getting longer.
As surely as the sun rises, as surely as the days will continue to get longer each day until late June, that surely, God loves you.
This prayer has me thinking about the sun, the stars and God’s promises:
Creator of the stars of night,
bless the long hours of this night
with the warmth of your presence.
Come to all who suffer in any way.
Grant rest to the weary,
freedom to those who are burdened,
and bright hope to those who despair.
Strengthen us as we await your coming once again,
through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.
Amen.
(Blue Christmas: A Service of Night Prayer for the Winter Solstice)
Blessings, Pastor Phil
January 10
The LORD is near to the brokenhearted,
and saves the crushed in spirit.
Psalm 34:18
In the face of the devastating fires in California, our ELCA is responding, working through the Southwest California Synod, the Pacifica Synod and other partners there. If you would care to give a gift to Lutheran Disaster Response through Trinity, simply write LDR on the memo of a check to Trinity.
Here are a few words from an email I received yesterday from LDR:
As Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton said in her statement about the wildfires, "The prophet Isaiah writes that even when fires rage, the final word is faith, not fear. God redeems us and calls us by name to be agents of healing and hope, even amid staggering loss. In faith, we respond through prayer, accompaniment and action."
Lutheran Disaster Response is coordinating with the Southwest California Synod and Pacifica Synod to assess the needs of people impacted by the wildfires. We will work with them to address immediate needs amid the destruction and assist with recovery efforts for months and years to come.
It wasn’t that long ago that we were praying for homeowners and firefighters in the forest next door, and now we offer these prayers on behalf of neighbors who live a bit farther away.
As we pray for protection and refuge, may you know that Christ bears God’s love to each of us carrying whatever burdens we bear.
Blessings, Pastor Phil
In Time of Wildfires:
Holy God, in you alone we find safety and shelter.
Be a sure refuge to all suffering from wildfires.
Grant courage, protection, and favorable weather
to firefighters and emergency responders;
embrace with supportive communities
all who are newly displaced or homeless;
comfort those grieving all that has been destroyed
and give patience to those who are anxious,
not knowing when relief will come.
Heal your whole creation,
that out of flame and ashes
new growth will spring forth.
We pray through Jesus Christ,
our life and our strength.
Amen.
All Creation Sings, a supplemental hymnal published by Augsburg
January 11
John answered all of them by saying,
“I baptize you with water;
but one who is more powerful than I is coming;
I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandals.
He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.”
Luke 3:16
Tomorrow - the First Sunday after Epiphany - we mark as “Baptism of Our Lord” Sunday.
I do not recall where I ran across this introduction from an Orthodox Liturgy. I set it aside for today without adequate notes. I probably assumed I would remember. Ha!
This was accompanied by the quote from Athanasius of Alexandria, who is one of the Church Fathers, and a very important theologian in developing the doctrine of the Trinity and in the founding of the Nicene Creed. (We mark the 1,700th anniversary of he First Council of Nicaea, which met from May until the end of July 325.)
Blessings to you on this Saturday, I hope you can join us for worship tomorrow. Pastor Phil
Today the Lord comes to be baptized,
so that humankind may be lifted up;
today the one who never has to bow
inclines himself before his servant
so that he may release our chains;
Today we have acquired the kingdom of heaven:
indeed, the kingdom of heaven that has no end.
-excerpt, Orthodox Liturgy, Feast of the Theophany
The Father is the Spring,
the Son is called the stream
and we are said to drink the Spirit.
- Athanasius c.293-373 Ad Serapionem 1:9
The Baptism of Our Lord
January 12
I hope you can join in worship here at 9:00
The service is posted on the Trinity website.
The Prayer of the Day
Almighty God,
you anointed Jesus at his baptism
with the Holy Spirit
and revealed him as your beloved Son.
Keep all who are born of water and the Spirit
faithful in your service,
that we may rejoice to be called children of God,
through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and forever.
Amen.
January 13
And the one who was seated on the throne said,
“See, I am making all things new.”
Revelation 21:5
This was in the Women of the ELCA daily devotion a week ago Sunday, and I planned to share it Friday. On Friday I posted the note about our response to the fires in California, and how gifts to Lutheran Disaster Response can help.
Blessings to you today, Pastor Phil
Giving The Usual?
How do you imagine the three wise men decided on those particular gifts to offer? Do you suppose these were the usual baby presents or do you think the wise men decided what their offerings would be after much thought, prayer and discussion together?
What about you? When you offer a gift, is it “the usual” – the same two, five, or ten dollars you’ve always put into the basket – or is your gift the product of thoughtful, prayerful discussion and decision?
We all know something is “the usual” when it would feel a little odd to do something new. But doing something new is what God is all about; God makes all things new (Revelation 21:5).
And so, let’s put away “the usual” and do something new. Let’s prayerfully discuss and decide together what our offerings should be, just as the Magi did before they gave so generously to the infant Christ.
This message is excerpted from “How much thought do you put into a gift?” by Audrey Novak Riley from the December 29, 2018, blog of the Women of the ELCA. The post Giving the usual? appeared first on Women of the ELCA.
January 14
Great are the works of the LORD,
studied by all who delight in them.
Psalm 111:1-2
This past Sunday we worshiped at one of our sister Montana Synod Congregations. The ELCA congregation in White Sulphur Springs Montana is made up of the Presbyterian and Lutheran congregations there. It is named the Yoked Parish.
They have a neat sign outside their church of a yoke, with both the Presbyterian and Lutheran Church logos. I like that.
They have both the Presbyterian hymnal and the ELW in the pews.
This season they are using the Presbyterian hymnal and liturgy.
We greatly enjoyed worship with the faithful gathered there. A man in his 80’s was baptized, which was a highlight for all of us.
Pastor Wenda Fry has been serving them since 2017. Wenda, her husband Mark, and I were seminary classmates, (in fact, we were neighbors our senior year).
As we headed in to the church from the parking lot, Pastor Fry stepped out the door and called out that they didn’t accept people like me and I had to leave.
The Yoked Parish is a smaller congregation, and it was fairly obvious that we were visitors. The people were very welcoming. I hope that we are similarly welcoming to those who join us for worship.
I want to share with you the Prayer after Communion that we used, I assume it is from the Presbyterian tradition:
We praise and thank you, Lord God,
for the majesty of your work,
the wisdom of your word,
and the generosity of your grace.
Let the gifts of our lives bear witness
to your goodness and mercy,
your faithfulness and justice,
and your steadfast love for all.
Amen.
Psalm 111
Blessings to you today, Pastor Phil
January 15
The LORD is near to the brokenhearted,
and saves the crushed in spirit.
Psalm 34:18
Here is a prayer from the Methodist Book of Worship. I like how it points us to Jesus’ grief at the loss of his friend Lazarus, as a touchpoint for us in our griefs and sorrows…
Jesus our Friend,
you wept at the grave of Lazarus,
you know all our sorrows.
Behold our tears, and bind up the wounds of our hearts.
Through the mystery of your cross,
bring us into closer communion with you
and with one another.
Raise us from death into life.
And grant, in your mercy,
that with our loved one who has gone before us,
we may come to live, with you, and with all whom we love,
in that home that you have prepared for us.
Amen
God’s blessings be with you today, Pastor Phil
January 16
But now thus says the LORD,
he who created you, O Jacob,
he who formed you, O Israel:
Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;
I have called you by name, you are mine.
Isaiah 43:1
Father Gregory Boyle is a Catholic priest who has founded a life-giving ministry with people in East Los Angeles. He helps people leave the violence and hopelessness of drugs and gangs that have impacted their community.
Fr. Boyle tells wonderful stories of the ways God is at work in these people’s lives. Many of these tales will bring tears to your eyes, and many can inspire us to consider the breadth of God’s love, the call to forgiveness and the wonder of each and every person.
In an interview with Kate Bowler, Fr. Boyle says that their ministry embraces two principles. One is “everybody’s unshakably good.” The second is “we belong to each other.”
He told of speaking at a big event in Los Angeles, and sharing these principles. He was asked if “every vexing complex social dilemma would disappear if we embrace those two?”
He answered “yes, I do.” Then, he says: “the whole audience, a huge auditorium burst into laughter, which kind of startled me. And then I said, yes, I do. And I do.”
I think that the laughter was surprise that this man who is anything but unsophisticated or naive, articulated such a simple belief. He deals with gangs and drugs and violence and despair and seemingly impossibly intractable problems. And he believes these principles can heal us.
“Everybody’s unshakably good and we belong to each other…”
The Gospel is the gift of Jesus giving God’s own love for you and for all, because of your unshakeable goodness. And yes, this Good News forms us into a community of beloveds who belong to one another and are sent to serve this whole world that God loves.
I am so glad to be with you in this amazing story! Pastor Phil
January 17
“For God alone my soul waits in silence,
for my hope is from him.”
Psalm 62:5
This is from the devotion I prepared a year ago for the Luther Seminary daily devotions called GodPause. It was published on Martin Luther King Day, which is on January 20th this year. Blessings to you today. Pastor Phil
In his book, Churches and the Crisis of Decline, Dr. Andrew Root suggests that Martin Luther King, Jr.’s nonviolent resistance was a “waiting with the world.” The psalmist calls us to a similar waiting.
Some have argued that Dr. King’s assertion that “the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice” is naive. Dr. Root contends that what these critics fail to realize is that MLK trusted that God does the bending.
The psalmist commends a similar trust:
“On God rests my deliverance and my honor;
my mighty rock, my refuge is in God.”
Waiting can feel like an overly passive posture in light of all we face. We are wise to listen to the psalmist who implores us to trust the one who is faithful.
Prayer
O God, we wait for you. Shape our waiting with the Word of your faithfulness and make us faithful bearers of your love—toward one another and toward all whom you love. Amen.
January 18
Jesus did this, the first of his signs,
in Cana of Galilee,
and revealed his glory;
and his disciples believed in him.
John 2:11
I hope you can stay warm today, and that you can join us for worship tomorrow. Tomorrow’s service will be live-streamed, the link will be sent in Sunday’s Connections.
Here is a reflection on our 2nd Sunday after Epiphany Gospel reading.
Peace, Pastor Phil
“They have no wine.”
“So what?”
“Do whatever he tells you.”
From that instant she left it to him.
To us:
“do whatever he says:
“Love God,
love your neighbor,
make a home for the Spirit.”
We hope to.
Let us leave
everything for you, Lord.
We want to trust you the way Mary did.
Please,
we are water.
Turn us into wine.
Copyright © 2025, Anne M. Osdieck. All rights reserved.
Permission is hereby granted to reproduce for personal or parish use.
The Second Sunday after Epiphany
January 19
I hope you can join in worship here at 9:00
The service is posted online.
The Prayer of the Day
Lord God, source of every blessing,
you showed forth your glory and led many to faith
by the works of your Son,
who brought gladness and salvation to his people.
Transform us by the Spirit of his love,
that we may find our life together in him,
Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.
Amen.
January 20
I really liked Pastor Steve Garnaas-Holmes offering for Martin Luther King jr. Day, and I thought I would share it with you.
Blessings to today. Pastor Phil
Dearly Beloved,
Grace and Peace to you.
The Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr.
Between a president who recently died
and one about to begin
we remember a man who was never president.
(We notice the harmonies, and the dissonances.)
See how our choices matter—
not our position, nor our power, but our character.
We remember Martin, who was famous,
and in his name thousands more who were not,
but just as brave and merciful and mighty.
We remember all those who were peacemakers,
the nonviolent seekers of justice who have gone before,
and those who are now among us, without office.
We give thanks for those who stood against injustice,
who faced violence, hatred and anger with gentle courage,
and we pray for that spirit as well:
that we will not walk with the haughty and the cruel,
that we will be truthful and kind,
that we confront the power to exclude with the power to love.
With blessed leaders showing us the way,
we pray that we will choose love over fear,
generosity over selfishness, service over supremacy.
We give thanks for the saints who have gone before,
link arms with the saints who risk even now,
and with their song in our throats, we carry on.
Deep Blessings,
Pastor Steve
__________________
Steve Garnaas-Holmes
Unfolding Light
January 21
My heart is steadfast, O God,
my heart is steadfast.
Psalm 57:7
This prayer was included in the Montana Synod weekly announcements yesterday. I thought I would share it with you here. Rev. Howard Thurman was an important religious leader, teacher and thinker of the middle twentieth century. Wikipedia says he “was an American author, philosopher, theologian, Christian mystic, educator, and civil rights leader.”
Blessings to you today, Pastor Phil
In Honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day
Gracious and Merciful God,
"Grant that I may pass through the coming year with a faithful heart.
There will be much to test me and to make weak my strength before the year ends. In my confusion I shall often say the word that is not true and do the thing of which I am ashamed. There will be errors of the mind and great inaccuracies of judgment which shall render me the victim of my own stupidities. In seeking the light, I shall again and again find myself walking in darkness. I shall mistake my light for Your light and I shall shrink from the responsibility of the choice I make. All of these things, and more, will be true for me because I have not yet learned how to keep my hand in Your hand.
Nevertheless, grant that I may pass through the coming year with a faithful heart. May I never give the approval of my heart to error, to falseness, to weakness, to vainglory, to sin. Though my days be marked with failures, stumblings, fallings, let my spirit be free so that You may take it and redeem my moments in all the ways my needs reveal. Give me the quiet assurance of Your love and Your presence.
Grant that I may pass through the coming year with a faithful heart."
Howard Thurman, spiritual advisor to Martin Luther King Jr., from
Meditations of the Heart (2022), 66-67.
January 22
“You have heard that it was said,
‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’
But I say to you,
Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,
so that you may be children of your Father in heaven…
Matthew 5:43-45a
This week of Martin Luther King Day, let us consider some of his wise words.
In his quest to shape the “Beloved Community”, ML King turned to those incredibly challenging words Jesus speaks to us in Matthew:
“Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you…”
I once heard a preacher offer an intriguing criticism of our worship services. She said, essentially:
‘I wonder why we so rarely - if at all - hear prayers for our
enemies during the Prayers of the Church at worship.
Jesus told us to, and it seems to me we should do as he said…’
Interesting…
Have you ever had an adversary in your life, and prayed for that one? Have you ever consciously and with purpose and love, prayed for the person who bothers you most? What might happen if you did?
Here is Martin Luther King:
“Now, there is a final reason I think that Jesus says, ‘Love your enemies.’
It is this: that love has within it a redemptive power.
And there is a power there that eventually transforms individuals.
…It is redemptive, and this is why Jesus says love.
There’s something about love that builds up and is creative.
There is something about hate that tears down and is destructive.
So love your enemies.”
Matin Luther King jr.
May God’s love build us up as a community of faith, and may God’s constructive work in you be a blessing to all.
Peace, Pastor Phil
January 23
He is the head of the body, the church;
he is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead,
so that he might come to have first place in everything.
For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell…
Colossians 1:18-19
In our Wednesday Noon class, we are looking at the book of Colossians. Many scholars believe that verses 15-20 of the first chapter are from an early Christian hymn.
As we talked about this in class, I recalled that we sang the hymn “All Are Welcome” this past Sunday. It is written by Marty Haugen, the composer of the Holden Evening Prayer service.
As we sang, I thought about how these verses could be read as a devotion, and could give rise to interesting conversation and contemplation of what God has done for us in Jesus Christ.
One line that might be a gift to us in this time and place is from the first stanza:
“…here the the love of Christ shall end divisions:
All are welcome, all are welcome,
all are welcome in this place."
What an interesting gift this hymn suggests. That Christ’s love would end divisions. May it be so!
May we find unity in Christ, and joy in serving, Pastor Phil
January 24
On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee,
and the mother of Jesus was there.
John 2:1 3:
In August, my favorite writer of devotions, Mary Luti, had this gem.
I wish I had shared it a bit closer to our reading this text last Sunday…
Blessings to you this weekend, Pastor Phil
Out of the House Mary Luti
On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. Jesus and his disciples had also been invited. When the wine gave out, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.” Jesus replied, “Woman, what concern is that to us? My hour has not yet come.” His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.” - John 2:1-5
They have no wine. That’s all Mary says after noticing the lack. Could she be more indirect?
Jesus knows what she wants him to do, but he’s reluctant to start doing things that have consequences. The wine she wants him to make will be free to the guests, but it could cost him plenty. He demurs.
She ignores him and marches right over to the serving table as if he’d said no problem instead of no way. Do whatever he tells you, she says. She once said a risky yes to an angel; she’s not about to take no for an answer from him.
Because they have no wine.
It’s human history she’s talking about, life’s disappointed guests milling around with empty glasses from time immemorial. She’s done waiting. It’s time for the mighty to fall, the poor to get justice, the best wine to flow. Three Persian potentates once knelt before him. Why is he still nailing cabinets in Nazareth?
He gives in, makes liquid heaven in preposterous quantities, and squanders it on us, the undeserving, who can’t distinguish rotgut from Rothschild.
It’s a new party now. He’s out of the house, loosed on the world, the wastrel we need him to be.
(Thank you, Mary.)
Prayer
God of the good stuff, when we think we’re not ready to do your works, send Mary to tell us, “They have no wine.” Get us out of the house.
January 25
There is one body and one Spirit,
just as you were called to the one hope of your calling,
one Lord, one faith, one baptism,
one God and Father of all,
who is above all and through all and in all.
Ephesians 4:4-5
The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity runs from January 18-25. For many reasons, we do not often gather together for a service during this week. I understand why, and at the same time I wish we still did mark this week.
Let us join together to pray for unity in our congregation, our Synod, our ELCA, as well as unity between our many traditions and unity in our nation as well.
Here is a prayer I set aside years ago, my notes say it is from the - from the Week of Prayer for World Peace, 1978.
Lord, we pray for the power to be gentle,
the strength to be forgiving,
the patience to be understanding,
and the endurance to accept the consequences
of holding to what we believe to be right.
May we put our trust in the power of good to overcome evil
and the power of love to overcome hatred.
We pray for the vision to see and the faith to believe
in a world emancipated from violence.
Help us to devote our whole life, thought and energy
to the task of making peace,
praying always for the inspiration and the power
to fulfill the destiny for which we were created.
- from the Week of Prayer for World Peace, 1978
To that I would like to add my Amen.
Blessings, Pastor Phil
Third Sunday After Epiphany
January 26
I hope you can join us for worship today at 9:00 a.m.
The Congregational Meeting will follow the service today.
The service is posted online, click here.
The service will be live-streamed, you can watch it, click here.
The Prayer of the Day
Blessed Lord God,
you have caused the holy scriptures to be written
for the nourishment of your people.
Grant that we may hear them, read,
mark, learn, and inwardly digest them,
that, comforted by your promises,
we may embrace and forever hold fast
to the hope of eternal life,
through your Son,
Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
January 27
[Jesus] stood up to read, and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written…
Luke 4:17
In our Gospel reading yesterday, we heard about Jesus reading and preaching in the synagogue in his home town. I like the insight from Will Willimon [go ahead, pick on me some more for quoting him!] that the Bible is difficult to read. So difficult, that we read it in community. Yes, we read alone for devotions and personal study, but in large part, the Bible is a book for the community to read and interpret together.
This pattern goes back to Jesus and beyond, much further back. Our Old Testament reading yesterday told of Ezra and Nehemiah doing the same thing with the people:
“So they read from the book, from the law of God, with interpretation. They gave the sense, so that the people understood the reading.”
Nehemiah 8:8
In the Large Catechism, Martin Luther addressed the third commandment: “Remember the Sabbath Day and keep it holy.” More than anything else, he saw this as a call to attend to and hear God’s word. He contended that it is a terrible thing to suffer from 'a famine of hearing God’s word.' Luther understood that our task is not to make the day holy, but that we are to hear God's Word, and be made holy by God's love and grace.
And so, I say, listen up, God has plenty to say to you.
Pax, Pastor Phil
January 28
I’m sorry this is late. Believe it or not, I was a bit surprised when no devotion arrived in my email this morning. I was pretty sure I had prepared something.
Alas…
This is a devotion from Steve Garnaas-Holmes I set aside some time ago…
Dearly Beloved,
Grace and Peace to you.
God, give me the gift of true hope:
not optimistic speculation,
not desperately wishing you would intervene,
nor some smug assumption
things will turn out as I want them to;
but deep trust in the grace at the heart of all things,
and, releasing all attachment to outcomes,
acting with faith and courage in harmony with that grace.
Amen.
Deep Blessings,
Pastor Steve
__________________
Steve Garnaas-Holmes
Unfolding Light
www.unfoldinglight.net
January 29
But strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness,
and all these things will be given to you as well.
Mathew 6:33
Yesterday, was the feast day of St. Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274). He was a scholar who is considered one of the great theologians of the Church. While the fact is that Martin Luther contended against much of the philosophy that undergirded his teaching, he is still an important teacher and Saint of the Church.
This prayer by Thomas Aquinas brings to mind a line I set aside years ago:
"I realize,” writes Reinhold Niebuhr, "that the only time the church is really sufferable is when it is at prayer. When it talks, it claims too much for itself."
I consider that a nice reminder that our faithfulness, our prayers and our love for God’s children are most important.
Let us pray:
Grant me, my God
a mind to know you,
a heart to seek you,
wisdom to find you,
conduct that pleases you,
perseverance to wait for you,
and the hope of embracing you
when everything ends.
- Thomas Aquinas
January 30
Let your steadfast love, O LORD, be upon us,
even as we hope in you.
Psalm 33:22
Our Transition Committee had their first meeting last night. Let us keep them in our prayers as they work to guide us faithfully through the transitions God has in store for us.
I sent a note to the Council yesterday, and said to them: As we pray for the Transition Committee, as we pray for our congregation, as we pray that our future transitions can lead us into a great place; let us also pray for our ELCA, our Montana Synod, and all of God’s Church in the world.
Blessings to you all, Pastor Phil
This prayer was used by the Transition Committee last night as they began their work:
Lord God,
you have called your servants
to ventures of which we cannot see the ending,
by paths as yet untrodden,
through perils unknown.
Give us faith to go out with good courage,
not knowing where we go,
but only that your hand is leading us
and your love supporting us;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen
From the ELW, pg. 304 - it’s in our hymnal a couple other times…
January 31
I will praise the LORD as long as I live;
I will sing praises to my God all my life long.
Psalm 146:2
This is an excerpt from a Trinity Newsletter article I wrote several years ago:
In some traditions, the Sundays of this season of Epiphany (as well as the Sundays after Pentecost) are known as “Sundays in Ordinary Time.”
Interesting.
I suspect that most all of us would suggest that these are not ordinary times, and, I guess, they are not. I just received something in the mail that claims that we live in the end times.
Ordinary Time. Time of Crisis. End Times. New Beginning. Maybe all of the above.
This we know for sure, these are times washed in the presence and love of God. This is, in part, the theme of the season of Epiphany. God has appeared in our midst, and this is a gift God has given for all people.
It might be odd to suggest this, but, for us, this extraordinary, amazing gift of God’s presence in our lives is as ordinary as can be.
Ordinary Time.
We will begin our Lenten observance that leads us to the cross on March 5th.
(That means we leave Ordinary Time until June, after Easter and Pentecost.)
In these ordinary days, may you walk confidently in the grace of God, grace which has made the most amazing of gifts, commonplace and ordinary.
Peace to you, Pastor Phil