Connections June
2021
2021
June 1
I thank my God every time I remember you,
constantly praying with joy
in every one of my prayers for all of you,
because of your sharing in the gospel…
Philippians 1:3-5
We just returned from a trip to Iowa and Minnesota. We saw our daughter Susie, and other members of our family. It was great to be together again, it was good to get away, and it is also very nice to be back home.
As we enter the month of June, it looks like summer is here. I pray that our school children have a good summer break, that our Confirmands going to Christikon later this month have a life-giving week, and that we can enjoy some of the great things summer has in store for us all.
I checked my collection of quotes for mention of “home.”
Abraham Joshua Heschel, a very wise 20th century American rabbi said this:
“Prayer is not a stratagem for occasional use, a refuge to resort to now and then. It is rather like an established residence for the innermost self. All things have a home: the bird has a nest, the fox has a hole, the bee has a hive. A soul without prayer is a soul without a home.”
Let us all remember to pray. Let us pray for our Church, our country, for peace in Jerusalem and throughout the world. Let us pray that we might be blessed to be a blessing.
I pray that in the midst of your summer wanderings, we will be able to gather together here at Trinity for worship, and, finding a home in God’s grace, we will be enriched for the journey…
Peace to you, Pastor Phil
June 2
I thank my God every time I remember you,
constantly praying with joy
in every one of my prayers for all of you,
because of your sharing in the gospel…
Philippians 1:3-5
When we gather for worship on Sunday, (SUMMER SCHEDULE! Sunday Worship at 9:00 a.m., Wednesday evening at 7 - tonight!!) we will include the passing of the offering plate during the service.
I suspect that this is significant. We have done a wonderful job of financially supporting Trinity, and our congregation’s ministries during this past year. The pandemic has not hindered our giving. Yet. Our giving is a part of our worship of God. We give in response to God’s generosity to us.
I am grateful for so many things, and Trinity’s generosity is one of those gifts that brings joy.
As we place our offerings in the offering plate on Sunday - (if you give electronically, I want to encourage you to bring your offering envelope - write “Electronic Giving” (or some such thing) on the envelope and place it in the plate) - let us remember that our giving is an act of worship. Giving is a part of our praise of God, and expression of gratitude for all God has poured out for us.
Peace to you, Pastor Phil
June 3
I thank my God every time I remember you,
constantly praying with joy
in every one of my prayers for all of you,
because of your sharing in the gospel…
Philippians 1:3-5
We had a very nice “first Wednesday evening service of the summer” last night. I think BASICS had as many participants as I’ve ever seen. In fact, they outnumbered the congregation.
If you can’t make it to Sunday worship, I encourage you to join us on Wednesdays.
For our Gospel story on Sunday, we will return to the Gospel of Mark. (Our Gospel readings from now until Advent will primarily be from Mark.) On Sunday, we will listen as Jesus has two encounters with religious leaders of Jesus’ day, contending over observance of the Sabbath.
There are so many insights from this passage.
Here is one.
The Sabbath command, is a gift. A gift that enriches life, and helps to connect you with the God who loves you.
I like this line from OT professor, Dr. Rolf Jacobson:
“Sabbath worship is something that God does for us, not something that we do for God. God regularized the intrusion of the Sabbath in order to have a regular worship time in which to work on us.” – Rolf Jacobson
Interesting. God working on us.
In worship, and throughout our lives! Blessings, Pastor Phil
I hope to see you at worship on Sunday
June 4
I thank my God every time I remember you,
constantly praying with joy
in every one of my prayers for all of you,
because of your sharing in the gospel…
Philippians 1:3-5
I had a friend who would often have rather elaborate stories about the travails he was experiencing with his cars. It could be kind of… funny.
I’m having some “car woes” presently, and it isn’t funny at all! Ha!
I sort of like the phrase: “first world problems”. That helps put things in perspective, doesn’t it? This is a problem for someone wealthy enough to have cars.
And yet, it is a problem. It does throw things off for me.
As we encounter the frustrations of life that are not that significant. As we deal with first world problems, it might be life-giving to see these challenges as an opportunity to give thanks for all the good gifts we have, and the privileges we enjoy.
That is easy to type on the keyboard, a bit more difficult when I’m riding my bike up a hill in 93 degree weather, making my 3rd trip to the repair shop, contemplating paying for the tow truck and on and on and on and on…
Two verses come to mind:
I Timothy 6:6: “Of course, there is great gain in godliness combined with contentment…”
2 Peter 3:18: “But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ…”
I like the insight that if self-help books really worked, there would only be one of them. Actual improvement of our selves is rather elusive. My car woes are a simple inconvenience, this is true. They surely give me space for anger and other destructive responses. They can also help me get in shape, as I bike to and from the church, and maybe, by the power of the Holy Spirit, I might have an opportunity to grow in gratitude and joy.
But first, I’d like to get my car back!
Ha!
Blessings to you, Pastor Phil
June 5
Then [Jesus] said to them,
“The sabbath was made for humankind,
and not humankind for the sabbath…”
Mark 2:27
Tomorrow, we will hear from the Gospel of Mark. Two instances of Jesus and the religious authorities contending with one another over the meaning of Sabbath, over the use of the law.
I have read all sorts of interesting people reflecting on the the value of Sabbath, of setting aside time, of rest from our labor, of listening for God’s voice, of getting out of the rat race and connecting with God.
I have heard many stories from farm families, how they rarely ever worked on a Sunday. (They would only work a Sunday when the weather and crops demanded it.) I suspect that this could be a rigid, lifeless rule following. Yet I’ve never heard it told that way. The Sabbath was experienced as a gifted break in the week. Twentieth century rabbi and theologian, Abraham Joshua Heschel, says this about the Sabbath.
"There is a realm of time
where the goal is
not to have but to be,
not to own but to give,
not to control, but to share.”
Perhaps we could take a closer look at the Sabbath command, and find that here, God has quite a gift in store for you.
Peace to you, Pastor Phil
June 6
Second Sunday after Pentecost
Then [Jesus] said to them,
“The sabbath was made for humankind,
and not humankind for the sabbath…”
Mark 2:27
The Prayer of the Day for today is:
Almighty and ever-living God,
throughout time you free the oppressed, heal the sick,
and make whole all that you have made.
Look with compassion on the world wounded by sin,
and by your power restore us to wholeness of life,
through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.
Amen.
A blessed Sabbath day to you. Pastor Phil
June 7
Then [Jesus] said to them,
“The sabbath was made for humankind,
and not humankind for the sabbath…”
Mark 2:27
Many of our teachers have great insight into Sabbath…
I truly want to challenge us all to observe the Sabbath. This challenge is not intended to inspire feelings of guilt - not at all. This challenge is invitation to connect with the God who loves you.
June 8
[Jesus] said,
"The kingdom of God is as if
someone would scatter seed on the ground,
and would sleep and rise night and day,
and the seed would sprout and grow,
he does not know how.”
Mark 4:26-27
As Spring is springing all around us, we turn to parables of planting and growth on Sunday.
“The seed sprouts and grow, we do not know how,” Jesus suggests.
Of course, in this day and age, we sort of assume that we do know how. We have unlocked many mysteries of science. These insights can often make us lose track of the mystery and wonder of life and of our world. An important philosopher of the 21st century speaks of this as an age of “disenchantment.”
The Gospel of Mark has a theme of secrecy and disclosure:
“Then Jesus ordered them to tell no one…”
And yet, we are told, and we do learn of the Gospel.
While our knowledge can cause disenchantment, the Gospel of Jesus Christ invites you to be re-enchanted by the great love of God.
As you enjoy this springtime weather, may we join together in wonder at God’s creation, and give thanks to God for this goodness that overflows to all the world.
Peace to you, Pastor Phil
June 9
[Jesus] also said,
“With what can we compare the kingdom of God,
or what parable will we use for it?
It is like a mustard seed…”
Mark 4:30-31a
The parable of the mustard seed is one of the many stories of Jesus that bears different meanings, depending on the angle you take for it to work on you.
Yes, one basic reading is that big things come from small beginnings. Except.
Except we might hear something quite different, when we take note of the fact that Jesus is talking about mustard.
This is not a plant that people would purposely put in their gardens. It is a bit like the chokecherry in my back yard that we can’t quite eradicate. It keeps springing up where we don’t want it to be, and we have little to no control over it.
"The kingdom of God is as if someone would scatter seed… and the seed would sprout and grow, he does not know how.”
“With what can we compare the kingdom of God?”
Our not knowing might be an important part of the kingdom.
Of course, our knowing is important too.
What don’t you know, that it is maybe ok not to know, but also helpful to know that God knows?
I think that could be a life-giving question to ponder.
God knows - God knows you, God knows your concerns and hopes and dreams and joys and sorrows. God knows.
That’s nice to know.
Peace to you, Pastor Phil
June 10
You have turned my mourning into dancing;
you have taken off my sackcloth
and clothed me with joy,
Psalm 30:11
Here is the daily devotion today from the Women of the ELCA, “Daily Grace”. I thought this was nice:
Last week, I woke up in a surly mood. You know the kind—when you open your eyes and just think “*%&(@%!” for no apparent reason. My whole day looked to be doomed with this black cloud of surliness … until I walked out the front door of my New York City apartment building.
As I emerged onto the busy sidewalk, I was accosted by an enormous cloud of soap bubbles. Swatting through the blizzard, I looked up the street and saw a woman walking away, pushing a stroller. Sticking out of the buggy was a tiny arm holding a battery-powered bubble machine that was exploding shiny spheres all over the mob of similarly surly morning commuters. Squeals of laughter echoed from the stroller.
I watched as people stopped, looked up from their intense sidewalk stares and began to smile. The world tends to beat that childlike wonder out of us. Then all of a sudden we wake up surly, mad at the world or perhaps ourselves, for no reason.
The good news is that it doesn’t take that much to remember: a smile, a kind gesture, a little child with a bubble machine. In a split second, our joy emerges like the morning sun over the horizon.
This message is an excerpt from “Soap angels” by Susan Sparks in the January/February 2021 issue of Gather magazine.
June 11
This is the day that the LORD has made;
let us rejoice and be glad in it.
Psalm 118:24
Today is June 11th, which is our daughter Susie’s birthday.
As many of you know, our children are adopted. We met Susie the next day - a Friday - and, of course, our lives have not been the same since that first wild weekend with her.
Many things in our lives are marked “before and after.”
Before God gave us this wonderful gift of being her parents, and after.
I suspect that this can be some of the appeal of a sort of Christianity that declares that on “this day” I became a Christian. It is nice for something so very important in our lives to have an anniversary or birthdate.
Of course, for some, there is a clear day. (The Apostle Paul knew such a day on the road to Damascus.) For many of us, it is not a day, but a life lived in the gift of the Good News of the Gospel. Baptized as a child, there is - in a way - no before and after. (Not one that we can remember anyway.) Unless you consider the last time you returned to God in repentance, to receive afresh, God’s great love for you.
However we get here, we are invited to rejoice in each day. (Of course, that has its own complexities, doesn’t it? A friend says something to the effect that “some days, the best thing about it, is that it ended.” Even those days are washed in the presence and love of God.)
In this beautiful new day, may we give thanks for gifts given, rejoice in God’s wonderful creation, and know this love that transforms all of life.
Peace to you, Pastor Phil
June 12
Then [Jesus] said to them,
“The sabbath was made for humankind,
and not humankind for the sabbath…”
Mark 2:27
A robin is outside, singing at the top of her lungs. (Or his lungs, I didn’t get the robin’s name.) It is wonderful, and, after a while, it might be a bit annoying. Ha!
I suspect, that if I am my best self, that loud signing is a delight.
Did I mention that it is loud? Like, really, really loud?
Many things in life are like that. Not simply good, but mixed.
Did I say many things? It might be more accurate to suggest that most every single thing is mixed.
I delight in the beautiful weather this morning, while sharing concern about the possibility of drought. We rejoice at the promise of resurrection, while grieving the necessity of the promise.
The early reformers developed a way of speaking about the Christian life. We are “Simul Justus et Peccator” - that is to say, we are simultaneously justified and sinner. We are, at our very best, forgiven sinners. Theologians will talk about the “simul character of life.” Life as those who belong to God through Jesus Christ, has within it, an aspect of simultaneousness.
Blessings are often mixed, life is mixed, and God is love.
Perhaps that is why the robin sings so joyously!
Peace to you, Pastor Phil
June 13
Third Sunday after Pentecost
The Prayer of the Day for today is:
O God, you are the tree of life,
offering shelter to all the world.
Graft us into yourself and nurture our growth,
that we may bear your truth and love to those in need,
through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.
Amen
A blessed Sabbath day to you. Pastor Phil
June 14
And they were filled with great awe and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?”
Mark 4:41
This coming Sunday we hear the story of Jesus calming the sea. The entire passage - Mark 4:35-41 - has so much for us to consider… In fact, I will include it here…
When evening had come, Jesus said to the disciples, “Let us go across to the other side.” And leaving the crowd behind, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. Other boats were with him. A great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that the boat was already being swamped. But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion; and they woke him up and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” He woke up and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” Then the wind ceased, and there was a dead calm. He said to them, “Why are you afraid? Have you still no faith?” And they were filled with great awe and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?”
Might waves crashing around their boat mirror some of the disruptions in our own lives? Might the disciples question “do you not care?” speak to our own laments? Can you note the ways Jesus might still step in and calm the storms of our lives?
This story bears many important questions for us.
“Who then is this?”
This is a wonderful question for this week, as well as for your entire life.
May you know Christ’s presence in the midst of the storm (or heat) and may you know God’s call for you to live always in God’s good care.
Peace to you, Pastor Phil
A blessed Flag Day to you. -
A prayer from The Prayer Book for Armed Services
Lord of all the worlds, guide this nation by your Spirit to go forward in justice and freedom. Give to all our people the blessings of well-being and harmony, but above all things give us faith in you, that our nation may bring glory to your name and blessings to all peoples, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.
June 15
I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that has been given you in Christ Jesus
I Corinthians 1:4
So often, I find myself giving thanks for one or another of you being a part of this congregation. Trinity Lutheran Church is quite a gift to me, and to so many others. So, I Cor 1:4 is a verse that comes to mind when I want to write about our congregation happenings. “I give thanks to my God always for you…”
Jane Peterson has joined us as Church secretary for the summer. She is a family friend of the McAdoo’s. Jane graduated in 2020 from Stetson College in DeLand, Florida. (Go Hatters!) She majored in Religious Studies with a minor in Theatre Arts. Jane grew up in Minot, N.D. where her parents still reside.
Thank you to Jane for joining us this summer!
I encourage you to stop by and introduce yourself to her sometime, I know you will enjoy Jane, and I also know that she will be enriched the more of you she gets to know.
Beginning tomorrow - if we don’t all melt - I will be sending the daily devotion using Constant Contact. So, it may be a bit different. Please let me know if you don’t receive Wednesday’s edition of Trinity Connections.
Worship tomorrow evening at 7:00 - in the shade…
June 16
“I know your works—your love, faith, service, and patient endurance…”
Revelation 2:19a
As I mentioned in Connections yesterday, I am sending this using Constant Contact. This should be helpful for us all. We will be able to better send Newsletters, and other communication.
I liked this reflection by Anthony Robinson from two weeks ago. (He writes for the UCC Daily Devotion. https://www.ucc.org/daily-devotional/) He is a church consultant, so he visits many congregations. I am heartened by his words, perhaps you will be too.
Peace to you, Pastor Phil
Church: You’re Amazing by Anthony Robinson | published on Jun 2, 2021
I know your deeds, your love and faith, your service and perseverance, and that you are now doing more than you did at first. – Revelation 2:19 (NIV)
These aren’t easy times to be the church, are they? …
…So here’s a word of encouragement and appreciation for you and your church. “I know your deeds, your love and faith, your service and perseverance…” God is watching, and God sees that you are amazing. Really.
I get to work with all sorts of congregations all across the country. I am regularly stunned. Stunned at their incredible faithfulness, at the love I witness, at the acts of service and the amazing perseverance of the church and the people of the church. …we too often overlook the goodness and faithfulness unfolding week by week in our own congregations.
But in every congregation I work with, I notice love and faith, service and perseverance. I see the poor fed, the children taught, adults seeking deeper lives, strangers welcomed, love lived, and God praised. Church, you’re amazing.
Prayer
Lord, open the eyes of our hearts to see the faithfulness and goodness right in our midst, and to praise you for it.
June 17
Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind:
‘Who is this that darkens counsel
by words without knowledge?…”
Job 38:1-2
It is striking to consider how often God contends with God’s own people in texts like this one from Job. How did we ever get the notion that in the Old Testament, God is some punishing, angry deity?
I think of this because I love that opening line from our first reading for Sunday; Job 38.
“Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind: ‘Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge?’…” Not only is this a great line to toss off in friendly banter - “As the scriptures say; ‘Who is this who darkens counsel…’!” - it also reveals to us a God who does not simply pronounce things from on high, with no regard for us.
God contends with us, who contend with life, and contend with the author of life…
I suspect that our walk in God’s grace can - at times - be deepened when we turn to God with our laments. Of course, we don’t stay in a state of despair, we move forward, but honest lament may help facilitate that movement.
On Sunday we hear from Mark 4 - Jesus calming the storm. The disciples in the boat feared for their lives, and woke Jesus, saying: "Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?”
When he had calmed the storm, Jesus says: "Why are you afraid? Have you still no faith?”
Perhaps, more than a reprimand, Jesus is following an ancient biblical tradition; contending with the disciples, and inviting them to look back and see that they were always in God’s care.
I may be afraid, my song right now might be a lament, but I also know, that someday, I may well look back and know I was never alone in this journey.
Peace to you, Pastor Phil
June 18
A great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat,
so that the boat was already being swamped.
But [Jesus] was in the stern, asleep on the cushion…”
Mark 4:37-38a
On Sunday we hear of Jesus calming the storm. This has to be a favorite Bible story of many children. They know well the feeling of not being in control, and I suspect they can relate well to the disciples in their fear.
This story holds so many, many insights into our life with Christ. While the disciples are battling the waves, and fear for their lives, Jesus is asleep in the boat. When they give up hope, they awaken him to complain that he is sleeping while they are perishing.
Here is an interesting question: "Why wake him?"
Do they want to be sure he is cognizant of all that is going on as they perish?
Or, do they, in the back of their minds, have a sense, or a hope that somehow, Jesus can do something about the storm?
I wonder.
What I am thinking about right now, is the fact that while the disciples are sure all is lost, Jesus does not share their perspective at all. He is asleep, confident the boat will carry them all to shore.
How often might it be the case, that it is actually good news that Jesus does not share our perspective?
Might our prayer - "thy kingdom come, thy will be done" be an invitation to set aside our own perspective, and to see things from God's point of view? (2 Corinthians 5:13)
How might that new perspective change and shape our lives?
May you see God's great love for you and for the world, always.
Peace to you, Pastor Phil
June 19
Here is a prayer inspired by our Gospel reading for tomorrow…
Loving Through the Storm
(inspired by Mark 4:35-41)
The worst storms, Jesus, are the ones caused
by our fear,
when we grow afraid of losing our power,
or we grow suspicious of the power of others,
when we refuse to acknowledge your mysterious authority;
Yet, it's in the storm that we find our capacity to love.
In releasing our weak claim to power
and opening to your reign,
we discover a new way of seeing ourselves -
as called and useful and beloved -
and the other, whoever they may be -
as dignified and precious and beloved.
Here in the storm, Jesus, we need you, and we need each other,
and the love you give us to share,
leads us through sacrifice and self-giving
to peace and calm,
if only we will loose our hold on fear.
Amen.
— written by John van de Laar. Posted on his website Sacredise.com
June 20
4th Sunday After Pentecost
Worship with Holy Communion this morning at 9:00, in the sanctuary.
I hope to see you in worship.
Blessings, Pastor Phil
Today’s service will be posted on this web site.
The Prayer of the Day for today:
O God of creation,
eternal majesty,
you preside over land and sea,
sunshine and storm.
By your strength pilot us,
by your power preserve us,
by your wisdom instruct us,
and by your hand protect us,
through Jesus Christ,
our Savior and Lord.
Amen.
June 21
So then you are no longer strangers and aliens,
but you are citizens with the saints
and also members of the household of God…
Ephesians 2:19
Today is the summer solstice. The longest day of the year.
There are some retailers who are making today into some sort of online shopping event.
OK
It might be more fitting to go on a picnic, but shopping is always an option, isn’t it?
I think often of a comment I heard from Dr. Martha Stortz - (Dr. Stortz teaches at Augsburg College in MN. She is a theologian and ethicist who speaks passionately about life lived in the light of the Gospel.) - I’m sure I’ve shared it a number of times…
In speaking about how materialism harms us and our communities, she said: “we’ve been rendered consumers in an economy, rather than citizens in a society.”
That touches on many, many aspects of our Christian life, doesn’t it?
Consumers have a single focus, themselves, and how to feed their wants and needs.
Christian citizenship grants us different concerns and an outward focus. We are centered in God’s love, called to live out forgiveness and to give ourselves in care for others.
A blessed longest day of the year, may you find opportunities for citizenship!
Peace to you, Pastor Phil
June 22
This is the day that the LORD has made;
let us rejoice and be glad in it.
Psalm 118:24
Is there anything more wonderful than a beautiful June day in Sheridan? The longest day of the year was sure a wonderful one here. WOW!
Of course, for a rancher or gardener who desperately needs water for their fields, it was another disappointing day.
So many things depend on your perspective…
I knew a pastor who joked that the only time he prayed about the weather was on the Sunday of the Church picnic. (He could be a bit of a curmudgeon, and he was suggesting that then he prayed for rain, since he disliked such events in the great outdoors.)
I really like this phrase from the prayers of the Church in the Holden Evening Prayer service:
“Grant weather that nourishes all of creation.”
Yes.
Our prayers about the weather might be quite multi-faceted as we note how important the weather is to so many of our lives.
May God grant weather the nourishes us all, may God watch over those who rely on the weather, may God grant weather that helps to make the forests more resistant to fire and more…
Enjoy these beautiful days, and may we rejoice in the goodness of God.
Peace to you, Pastor Phil
June 23
For as all die in Adam,
so all will be made alive in Christ.
I Corinthians 15:22
I cannot stop thinking about some podcasts I’ve listened to over the last few weeks. Some guys I enjoy, sharing how they fell out of faith. A “deconstruction” they called it.
This deconstruction seemed to be grounded in a failure of scripture to live up to the parameters that they had been taught was the foundation for believing them…
A theology professor said that the reason to study theology, is that bad theology hurts people. We’ve all seen the truth of that, haven’t we?
The foundation of your faith is Jesus.
Not some theory about Jesus, or about the word of God, nor even some theory about the cross.
Jesus.
That’s it. That’s good theology.
The one who was born in Bethlehem, lived and taught and healed and loved, and then suffered, died and rose again. Will Willimon (Methodist preacher, professor and bishop) described Jesus this way: as one - “who lived briefly, died violently, rose unexpectedly.”
You have been united to this one, and he now lives in you.
Good news for life.
Peace to you, Phil
June 24
We want you to know, brothers and sisters, about the grace of God that has been granted to the churches of Macedonia; for during a severe ordeal of affliction, their abundant joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part.
2 Corinthians 8:1-2
I sometimes listen to a daily prayer podcast called pray-as-you-go. (pray-as-you-go.org) It provides a simple meditation each day, from the Ignatian spiritual tradition. On the web site it says: “Lasting between ten and thirteen minutes, it combines music, scripture and some questions for reflection.”
Last week, the scripture text that was shared was from 2 Corinthians 8. One of the questions offered was this: “How does this idea of giving money in order to become more closely united to others make you feel?”
That was striking to me. I have not thought of our giving as a bridge to unity with those whom we are helping. I suspect that one could benefit from considering our giving from this vantage point.
I believe that Trinity can be very proud of our generosity. (Thank you to those who help to serve on our weeks we provide for Lunch Together!) I am grateful that we as a congregation are leaders in our Synod in giving to ELCA World Hunger.
Consider this - our giving is more than aid to those in need. It is a way for us to be more closely united - to those in need - and, I believe, to one another.
A few days ago I quoted from I Corinthians 1:4: “I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that has been given you in Christ Jesus.”
Trinity’s generosity is a deep source of gratitude.
Thank you, Pastor Phil
June 25
Praise the LORD!
Praise the LORD from the heavens;
praise him in the heights!
…Wild animals and all cattle,
creeping things and flying birds!
Psalm 148:1, 10
The other day I saw a robin perched on a wire, reflecting the morning sunlight. The red of the robin almost looked like fire.
There is amazing beauty all around us. Most every robin has that capacity to reflect the light that way, and we tend to take them for granted.
We could scold ourselves for not noticing the wonders all around us, or we could - without guilt and shame, but with delighted wonder - remind one another to take note of the gifts we have all around us.
While noting the gifts, let me remind you of this:
You, too, are a wonderful gift.
You, too, can reflect the light of Christ in wonderful ways!
Peace to you, Pastor Phil
Today - Friday - there are a few folks getting together on Friday mornings at 9:00 or so to do some yard work and other tasks on the Church grounds. All are welcome!
June 26
I will exalt you, O LORD, because you have lifted me up
and have not let my enemies triumph over me.
Psalm 30:1
I have preached on a Psalm only a few times. The Psalms strike me as gifts that are more for contemplation than preaching.
I suspect that one of the best gifts the Psalms bear to us is that their poetry can help to give voice to our own prayers.
Tomorrow in worship we proclaim Psalm 30. This is a beautiful Psalm of praise, that engages disappointment and promise.
This line might be good for us all to know by heart:
“Weeping spends the night, but joy comes in the morning.”
We all experience times of weeping, and the ancient words of this Psalm promise that our tears do not tell the entire story. Like God’s wrath, weeping is short, God’s favor lasts a lifetime.
May these words of praise accompany you today, and always.
Peace to you, Pastor Phil
PSALM 30
I will exalt you, O LORD, because you have lifted me up
and have not let my enemies triumph over me.
O LORD my God, I cried out to you,
and you restored me to health.
You brought me up, O LORD, from the dead;
you restored my life as I was going down to the grave.
Sing praise to the LORD, all you faithful;
give thanks in holy remembrance.
God's wrath is short; God's favor lasts a lifetime.
Weeping spends the night, but joy comes in the morning.
While I felt secure, I said, "I shall never be disturbed.
You, LORD, with your favor, made me as strong as the mountains."
Then you hid your face, and I was filled with fear.
I cried to you, O LORD; I pleaded with my Lord, saying,
"What profit is there in my blood, if I go down to the pit?
Will the dust praise you or declare your faithfulness?
Hear, O LORD, and have mercy upon me; O LORD, be my helper.”
You have turned my wailing into dancing;
you have put off my sackcloth and clothed me with joy.
Therefore my heart sings to you without ceasing;
O LORD my God, I will give you thanks forever.
June 28
For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven,
and do not return there until they have watered the earth,
making it bring forth and sprout,
giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater,
so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth;
it shall not return to me empty,
but it shall accomplish that which I purpose,
and succeed in the thing for which I sent it.
Isaiah 55:10-11
The rain the past couple of days is so very welcome, I hardly notice that it has put a damper on some of our plans.
It is interesting how our life circumstance shapes our noticing. When drought is threatening, we begin to look at the weather forecast and hope for rain.
I suspect that drought can help us to remember that all we have - all we are - every single good - is a gift from God.
May God continue to shower us with every good thing, and as we venture ahead to the fourth of July, may we be filled with gratitude, may we give thanks for our country, pray for our leaders, and seek to be good neighbors and faithful citizens.
Peace to you this week, Pastor Phil
June 29
I thank my God every time I remember you,
constantly praying with joy
in every one of my prayers for all of you,
because of your sharing in the gospel
from the first day until now.
Philippians 1:3-5
“The Church is the gathering or assembly of all believers wherever the Gospel is preached in its purity and the Holy Sacraments are administered according to the Gospel.” This is from the Lutheran Confessions - Article 7 of The Augsburg Confession.
When we speak of the Church - we speak of the gathering of God’s people in Christ, of a community of believers. We need community. One of the great joys following the pandemic has been the ability to once again, gather together.
I am praying for each and every one of you, and hope that as we come back together, we might have a renewed sense of the importance of this gathering of saints.
May your Fourth of July gatherings be a time of renewal of connections, and joy in one another.
Peace to you, Pastor Phil
June 30
This Spirit he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
Titus 3:6-7
One of the joys of my calling, is that I get to learn so many of the stories of your lives.
Last night I got to be part of an excellent Stewardship meeting. At one point, we broke into small groups and talked about how we developed our attitudes toward money.
The conversation was illuminating.
Later, as we reflected on this in the larger group, one person remarked that it was a bit daunting to share these stories. Perhaps that was because these stories about money, were about more than money, they were about our lives.
When we are invited to give an offering to our Church, our generous response is an act of worship. It is a giving of ourselves.
The direction I want to go here, is this: Your story - the story and stories of your life - are united to the story of Jesus, who gave himself for you. Your story includes the infinite love of God, who has called and redeemed you and sent you into this day.
May you know well, that God is with you today, and working through you, to make God’s loving grace present in your world.
Peace to you, Pastor Phil