May '24
May 1
“As the Father has loved me,
so I have loved you;
abide in my love.”
John 15:9
Imagine if you were to live your life with these words of Jesus sounding in your ears. "As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you..." What a word of comfort and promise and life this is for us all!
Jesus' invitation; "abide in my love" sounds like the 'icing on the cake' for God's people, doesn't it?
As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; abide in my love."
One preacher wrote that on this coming Sunday:
"...if nothing else, every one in our congregation should leave worship having heard: 'I am someone Jesus loves.'"
Indeed.
May you hear it today as well, you truly are beloved by Jesus!
Peace, Pastor Phil
May 2
“I have called you friends…”
Matthew 5:15b
Do we usually send these Connections at 6 A.M.? Not p.m.?
Reminder: Sunday May 5th we will have a potluck following worship to wish the Thoma’s Godspeed.
I shared this prayer with Laura the other day, and she said I should share it with you.
Blessings to you today, Pastor Phil
Dear God,
I am so afraid to open my clenched fists!
Who will I be when I have nothing left to hold on to?
Who will I be when I stand before you with empty hands?
Please help me to gradually open my hands
and to discover that I am not what I own,
but what you want to give me.
And what you want to give me is love —
unconditional,
everlasting
love.
Amen.
May 3
“You did not choose me but I chose you.
And I appointed you to go and bear fruit,
fruit that will last…”
John 15:16a
When Jesus declares that he has chosen you, it is sure and certain. You belong to God, and this is God’s doing. It is done.
This is great Good News, and it is more. You are given a calling and a purpose. You are a friend of Jesus, you belong to God, and all that you do and all that you are is lived in response to this gift.
For some reason I think of a story I heard years ago. There is a Jewish parable or fable - it might be a whimsical story, or possibly somewhat bitter.
It goes something like this:
Way back in time, before Abraham, God decided to make one nation God’s Chosen People. God went to each of the nations one after another - (this is a Jewish way of seeing the story) - all the other nations were wise enough to turn it down. They knew that being God’s chosen people would bear with it such a high cost, that they did not want the burden. Abraham was not so wise, and he accepted the call to be God’s chosen.
Here is my point today.
You are God’s chosen.
This is great Good News.
This Good News also demands a response, and might well bear a cost for you. We might be wise to reflect on the cost, for Jesus, for God, and for you and me.
May you take note of the cost, embrace the call, and find delight in the serving!
Peace, Pastor Phil
May 4
I have said these things to you so that my joy may be in you,
and that your joy may be complete.
John 15:
A blessed Saturday to you.
A Prayer grounded in tomorrow’s Gospel reading:
Your love, O God,
is revealed among us
in the gift of your Son Jesus,
who laid down his life
and bestows on us
the joy of abiding in your love.
Baptized into Christ
we pray that through the witness we bear
you will bring forth fruit that will last
and teach us, God of love,
how to love one another.
We ask this through Christ,
with whom you have raised us up in baptism,
the Lord who lives and reigns with you
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God for ever and ever.
Amen.
From Prayers for Sunday and Seasons, Year B, Peter J. Scagnelli, LTP, 1992.
Peace, Pastor Phil
Sixth Sunday of Easter
May 5
I hope to see you in worship today.
The Service will be posted online.
The Prayer of the Day:
O God,
you have prepared for those who love
you joys beyond understanding.
Pour into our hearts such love for you that,
loving you above all things,
we may obtain your promises,
which exceed all we can desire;
through Jesus Christ, your Son and our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and forever.
Amen.
May 6
“No one has greater love than this,
to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.
You are my friends if you do what I command you.”
John 15:13-14
Yesterday in worship we heard Jesus call each one of us his friend. Some time ago I set aside this quote from the book Resident Aliens, a book which was first published some 35 years ago. The writers sought to inspire the Church to see that we live in the world but our primary inspiration is not any goals we might set, but simply the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. This makes life an adventure. This quote is commentary on yesterday’s Gospel reading:
In a way, although Jesus unburdened the disciples
of so much of the baggage the world considers essential,
he did not relieve them of all burdens.
He relieved them of false baggage
so he could lay upon them even more demanding burdens.
For in laying upon them the necessity to trust
not their possessions but only him,
Jesus showed them that here was a journey which
…we have no clear idea of what our end will be
except that it shall be, in some form,
true and complete friendship with God.
- Stanley Hauerwas and William Willimon
As unburdened ones, burdened by the great gift of life in Christ, may you know God’s presence today.
Peace, Pastor Phil
May 7
“You are my friends…”
John 15:14a
Here is another quote, this is from Simone Weil, a French philosopher and mystic.
Nothing human
keeps our gaze ever more firmly on God,
than friendship for the friends of God.
- Simone Weil
I like how this assertion calls us to relationship with one another, and names those who belong to God, as fellow “friends of God.”
Blessings to you fellow friend of God!
Pax, Pastor Phil
May 8
“…I have called you friends…”
John 15:15b
Jesus calls you friend, calls us friends, and he incorporates us into God’s community of love. This means that we belong to one another and to everyone who belongs to God.
Here is another quote, that we will be considering during our Wednesday Noon class today…
To be a Christian means to belong to a community.
Just as in the New Testament the term "saint"
does not occur in the singular but always in the plural,
so it is impossible to be a Christian in splendid isolation.
. . . Indeed, we are called to community
but the community which God's call establishes
is a community for the world.
The church exists not for itself
but for the service of the world.
We belong to the church
only if we lose ourselves in service to humankind.
- George Forell “How to Speak About God in a Pluralistic World”
What a wonderful concluding line, that we are church when we lose ourselves in service. This serving takes on so many different forms! May God help you to see opportunities for service today, that is, may God help you to love others in whatever ways possible, in all that you do…
Blessings to you, Pastor Phil
May 9
“You will be my witnesses in Jerusalem,
in all Judea and Samaria,
and to the ends of the earth.””
Acts 1:8
Today is Ascension Day.
The book of Acts tells us that forty days after Easter, Jesus ascended into heaven. In her reflection on Ascension Day texts, Suzanne Guthrie quoted from the second stanza of the hymn; “Alleluia! Sing to Jesus.” It is hymn number 392 in the ELW.
This verse understands Jesus’ ascension to mean, not that Jesus has gone away from us, but that he is now eternally present to us in all times and places.
A blessed Ascension Day to you,
Pastor Phil
Alleluia! Not as orphans are we left in sorrow now;
Alleluia! He is near us, faith believes, nor questions how:
though the cloud from sight received him,
when the forty days were o’er,
shall our hearts forget his promise,
"I am with you evermore"?
William Chatterton Dix (1837-1898)
May 10
While he was blessing them,
he withdrew from them and was carried up into heaven
Luke 24:51
On Sunday, we will turn to the lessons for Ascension Day.
I find it a bit surprising when theologians suggest that the ascension is quite an important episode in the entire story of Jesus.
One of the deep gifts of the Gospel is the promise that Jesus is with you right now. This presence is made possible by Jesus ascending to God the Father. From his place at the Father's right hand, Jesus is able to be with you, through the power of the Holy Spirit.
The Ascension compels us to look - not upward - but forward.
In Jesus, God calls you forward to bear the resurrection hope of God’s love to all the world.
Blessings to you, Pastor Phil
May 11
The grass withers, the flower fades;
but the word of our God will stand forever.
Isaiah 40:8
Today we will gather for our Outdoor Cleanup Day!
If you cannot join us, please pray that we have an enjoyable and productive time!
I googled “prayer for lawns”, and although I did not find a good prayer that involved lawn care and pulling weeds, I did encounter a number of nice prayers giving thanks for God’s creation.
Here is a prayer by Walter Rauschenbusch, who was a New York Baptist Pastor who lived from 1861 –1918. Among many things, he is known as the father of the Social Gospel…
This Prayer of Thanksgiving is also called “The Beauty of Nature”
O God, we thank you for this earth, our home;
For the wide sky and the blessed sun,
For the salt sea and the running water,
For the everlasting hills
And the never-resting winds,
For trees and the common grass underfoot.
We thank you for our senses
By which we hear the songs of birds,
And see the splendor of the summer fields,
And taste of the autumn fruits,
And rejoice in the feel of the snow,
And smell the breath of the spring.
Grant us a heart wide open to all this beauty;
And save our souls from being so blind
That we pass unseeing
When even the common thorn bush
Is aflame with your glory,
O God our creator,
Who lives and reigns forever and ever.
Walter Rauschenbusch,
The Seventh Sunday of Easter
Ascension of Our Lord
May 12
On this Seventh Sunday of Easter, we are marking the Ascension of Our Lord. I hope to see you at 9:00 worship this morning.
The Prayer of the Day:
Almighty God,
your blessed Son,
our Savior Jesus Christ,
ascended far above all heavens
that he might fill all things.
Mercifully give us faith to trust that,
as he promised,
he abides with us on earth to the end of time,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and forever. Amen.
May 13
I have said these things to you so that my joy may be in you,
and that your joy may be complete.
John 15:11
On Sunday we will celebrate Pentecost - (remember to wear red!), we will also celebrate our two High School graduates, Helyn Gnehm and Kamy Michilena.
I like this blessing for the Easter season. I thought I would share it with you this last Monday of the season of Easter:
Alleluia! Christ is risen!
Christ is risen indeed! Alleluia!
The God of resurrection power,
the Christ of unending joy,
and the Spirit of Easter hope
☩ bless you now and always.
Amen.
Peace, Pastor Phil
May 14
You cause the grass to grow for the cattle,
and plants for people to use,
to bring forth food from the earth,
and wine to gladden the human heart,
oil to make the face shine,
and bread to strengthen the human heart...
Psalm 104:14-15
It seems safe to say that Spring has sprung.
Of course, now that I've written this, it will probably snow sometime soon…
Here is a prayer I saw when preparing the Saturday Connections. I set it aside to share with you this week.
Thanksgiving for Gardens
God of grace, in the story of creation,
you made the earth a garden
and entrusted it to us to till and to keep,
a place of peace and beauty
where we could walk with you.
In the story of redemption,
the one who died for us was buried in a garden,
and there you raised him up
to greet us with new hope and risen life.
In the story of the Church,
you tend us as a garden,
a place of careful pruning and abundant harvest,
where we can work with you.
Meet us, we pray,
in all the gardens where we go
for nourishment, refreshment and prayer,
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
© The Anglican Church of Australia
https://acen.anglicancommunion.org/media/61558/Thanksgiving-Collect-Intercessions-Garden-theme.pdf
Blessings to you, Pastor Phil
May 15
“Jerusalem, Jerusalem,
the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it!
How often have I desired to gather your children together
as a hen gathers her brood under her wings,
and you were not willing!”
Luke 13:34
I liked the WELCA devotion from this past Sunday. It was written by Pastor Miriam Schmidt, who serves our congregation in Big Sky, Montana. She also serves with me on the board for Christikon. Miriam preached here a good while ago when she was serving the ELCA as a Young Adults in Global Mission (YAGM) missionary and regional director.
I think this is a wise invitation to look at our images for God, and how the image of God our mother might shape our understanding of who God is for us, and how this might shape our vision of who we are as well.
Peace to you today, Pastor Phil
God Our Mother
In many Christian churches, we do not spend much time imagining God as our mother. We spend plenty of time praying to God as our father, and for a good number of folk, this familiar name is satisfactory.
Yet I wonder if mothers – of whatever kind – would benefit at least sometimes from a God who is our mother, too? A mother who holds us in all our messy, imperfect mothering and loves us still. A mother who births us and feeds us and nurtures us in a way no human mother (ourselves included) ever can. If we pray to a God who is not only like a father, but also like a mother, perhaps we can learn to give ourselves and the other mothers in our lives a little more grace. Perhaps we can let go of the Christ-like expectations we put on mothers – others and ourselves. Perhaps we can let God in Christ be Savior and Mother to us, who are only and always human.
This message is excerpted from “The mess of mothering” by Pastor Miriam Schmidt in the May 2016 Gather magazine. Today is the Seventh Sunday of Easter. Today is Mother’s Day.
May 16
“No, this is what was spoken through the prophet Joel:
‘In the last days it will be, God declares,
that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh,
and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
and your young men shall see visions,
and your old men shall dream dreams…’”
Acts 2:16-17
Sunday is Pentecost I want to encourage you to consider wearing red for Pentecost Sunday.
In an article on the festival of Pentecost, “Pentecost: When Christians Dream,” Dr. Matthew Skinner offered some wonderful insights. He begins: “Please don't refer to Pentecost as "the birthday of the church." The day is much more interesting -- and risky -- than that.” (I have often referred to it as "the birthday of the church” but tend not of late…)
He suggests that while this holy day is a time to recall the past, it is also time to take note of God’s present activity in and through us as well as our future calling.
I really like this insight from his essay. You can read the entire article click here.
https://day1.org/articles/5d9b820ef71918cdf2002e58/matt_skinner_pentecost_when_christians_dream
Pentecost is an invitation to dream.
For when a community of faith quits dreaming dreams,
it has little to offer either its members or the wider world.
…these dreams involve adopting
a new perspective on what's possible,
rousing our creativity to free us from conventional expectations.
They help us see that maybe what we thought was outlandish
actually lies within reach.
Matthew Skinner Pentecost: When Christians Dream
A few questions for you:
What is possible? What does God invite us to stretch ourselves to accomplish on God’s behalf? Whom might the Spirit call to bear God’s creative and redeeming Word to the world?
Blessings to you today, Pastor Phil
May 17
The hand of the LORD came upon me,
and he brought me out by the spirit of the LORD
and set me down in the middle of a valley;
it was full of bones.
Ezekiel 37:1
On Pentecost Sunday we will hear from the prophet Ezekiel, the story of God telling the prophet to preach to the valley of the dry bones.
The hand of the LORD came upon me, and he brought me out by the spirit of the LORD and set me down in the middle of a valley;
it was full of bones.
…He said to me, “Mortal, can these bones live?”
I answered, “O Lord GOD, you know.”
Then he said to me, “Prophesy to these bones, and say to them:
O dry bones, hear the word of the LORD.
Thus says the Lord GOD to these bones:
I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live.
…and you shall know that I am the LORD.”
So often we look around and conclude that all is lost. At times, this is more than simply defeatism. Often, things do go badly, and we lament our circumstances.
Ezekiel proclaims the God of resurrection. We belong to a God who will be present to bring life to places in our world that might best be described as a valley of dry bones.
Can these bones live?
O Lord God, only you would think that there is the possibility of life here.
And only God can save us.
In Pentecost, in the giving of the Spirit, God gives resurrection life to us all, and sends us out to bear this life to all the places of dry bones and lost dreams.
Blessings, Pastor Phil
May 18
And you shall know that I am the LORD,
when I open your graves,
and bring you up from your graves,
O my people.
Ezekiel 37:13
Tomorrow is Pentecost Sunday, you are encouraged to wear red.
Here is a prayer for tomorrow:
Creator Spirit and Giver of life,
make the dry, bleached bones of our lives
live and breathe and grow again
as you did of old.
Pour out your Spirit upon the whole creation.
Come in rushing wind and flashing fire
to turn the sin and sorrow within us
into faith, power, and delight. Amen.
Reproduced from Revised Common Lectionary Prayers copyright © 2002 Consultation on Common Texts admin. Augsburg Fortress.
Pentecost Sunday
May 19
The service will be posted online.
The Prayer of the Day:
Mighty God,
you breathe life into our bones,
and your Spirit brings truth to the world.
Send us this Spirit,
transform us by your truth,
and give us language to proclaim your gospel,
through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord,
who lives and reigns with you
and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and forever.
Amen.
May 20
[Jesus said,] “When the Advocate comes,
whom I will send to you from the Father,
the Spirit of truth who comes from the Father,
he will testify on my behalf.
John 15:26
I liked a comment I read last week by New Testament scholar Dr. Ginger Barfield. She said that when preaching about Pentecost, one was tempted to “…make the sermon a witness to something that happened.”
That is to say, the significance of celebrating Pentecost is not that something took place way back when, 50 days after the resurrection. The celebration of Pentecost is a rejoicing in what the giving of the Holy Spirit means for today, and for our future.
God has gifted you with the Holy Spirit, and God has called you to join the Disciples in lives of love and service.
Yes, this reality is related to what took place… “something that happened.”
It is also grounded in the Good News that Christ is present with you now, and will be with you always through God’s Holy Spirit.
Interesting. Next Sunday is Trinity Sunday!
Blessings to you, Pastor Phil
May 21
Bless the LORD, O my soul,
and all that is within me,
bless his holy name.
Psalm 103:1
I prepared a devotion for today, and thought I had posted it to be sent this morning.
Alas!
I think about the time when I was in about 9th grade, and we went on a Confirmation retreat. For the opening meal, we had forgotten to say grace beforehand. The pastor led us in prayer afterwards instead.
He opened with Psalm 103 "All that is within me, praise God's holy name."
I thought that was funny, and so I share that story as my way of apologizing for not sending today's Connection until now.
God's blessings to you today, Pastor Phil
May 22
It is good to give thanks to the LORD,
to sing praises to your name, O Most High;
to declare your steadfast love in the morning,
and your faithfulness by night
Psalm 92:1-2
My friend and friend of Trinity, Rev. Lewis Shepherd, shared this prayer with me the other day, and I thought I would pass it on to you. This is from the 1928 Book of Common Prayer, Lewis says this is a favorite prayer to start the day…
O Lord, our Heavenly Father, Almighty and everlasting God,
who hast safely brought us to the beginning of this day;
Defend us in the same with thy mighty power;
and grant that this day we fall into no sin,
neither run into any danger;
but that all our doings,
being ordered by thy governance
may be righteous in thy sight;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
May God, who has brought you to this new day, send you out in joy!
Peace, Pastor Phil
May 23
[Jesus said,]
“Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world
to condemn the world,
but in order that the world might be saved through him.”
John 3:17
We will hear from the 3rd chapter of the Gospel of John this coming Sunday, which we mark as Trinity Sunday.
John 3:16 is a favorite verse for many, and among the best known of passages. John 3:17 is pretty great as well: “Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.”
I think of the passage from Ezekiel that proclaims God’s invitation to repentance, and speaks God’s wish: “For I have no pleasure in the death of anyone, says the Lord GOD. Turn, then, and live.”
There are some out there who seem not to understand that God’s desire for all of God’s creation is life and salvation.
I suspect that as those redeemed by God, we are called to join God in love for the world and a desire for all to know God’s grace and life.
Peace, Pastor Phil
May 24
Like good stewards of the manifold grace of God,
serve one another with whatever gift each of you has received
I Peter 4:10
The ELCA magazine, Living Lutheran, had a feature for a while that invited members of congregations to share what being Lutheran meant to them. I set aside a very interesting answer one person offered to the question: “What does it mean? (To live Lutheran, that is!)”
Living Lutheran means two things which have been a constant for me from then until now.
Questions. Lots and lots of questions.
And grace. Sheer undeserved, overwhelming, unstinting grace.
The questions, of course, include both the ones I ask and the ones asked of me. I grew up being asked versions of the quintessential Lutheran question: “What does this mean?”
May you live with lots of questions whose answer is, in one way or another, “Jesus.” And may that life giving answer lead to the grace of God and joy in God’s love.
Have a blessed weekend! Pastor Phil
May 25
Four years ago yesterday, our daughter Susie graduated from Luther College with a degree in Environmental Studies. Today she graduates from Bethel University with a Masters in Counseling.
As you can imagine, we are very proud of Susie, and excited to see her career unfold. I am grateful to Trinity for the nurture of her faith and life that she has received here, and know that your prayers have often sustained her in her journey.
So, let me say it again thank you thank you! Pastor Phil
Here is a prayer for Trinity Sunday, which is tomorrow:
Holy God,
the earth is full of the glory of your love.
May we your children, born of the Spirit,
so bear witness to your Son Jesus Christ, crucified and risen,
that all the world may believe and have eternal life
through the One who saves,
Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
now and for ever. Amen.
Reproduced from Revised Common Lectionary Prayers copyright © 2002 Consultation on Common Texts admin. Augsburg Fortress.
Trinity Sunday
May 26
Today is Trinity Sunday, I hope you can be here for worship.
The service will be posted online.
The Prayer of the Day:
Almighty Creator and ever-living God:
we worship your glory, eternal Three-in-One,
and we praise your power, majestic One-in-Three.
Keep us steadfast in this faith,
defend us in all adversity,
and bring us at last into your presence,
where you live in endless joy and love,
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,
one God, now and forever.
Amen.
May 27
A blessed Memorial Day to you.
Here is a fitting prayer for Memorial Day from our Evangelical Lutheran Worship Prayer Book for the Armed Services.
Those who have given their lives
Eternal God,
we give thanks for all those who have shown the greatest love
by laying down their lives for others.
We especially thank you for those in our military throughout history
who have sacrificed their lives for their fellow citizens
and for us who came after.
As we remember their service,
keep us mindful of all those for whom this day is a burden,
and send your spirit of comfort to them.
Be present with all the women and men
who are serving in the military today.
Let them live for the peace known only from you.
Help us to be worthy of their legacy,
and keep us mindful of their service,
that in all things we may live our lives
in praise and thanksgiving to you;
through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.
From Evangelical Lutheran Worship Prayer Book for the Armed Services (Augsburg Fortress, 2013), p. 65.
May 28
Some friends play at friendship
but a true friend sticks closer than one’s nearest kin.
Proverbs 18:24
I am not certain where I first ran across this Liturgy for Feasting with Friends, but it is thought provoking and delightful. One could, perhaps, use these words at a picnic or family gathering…
In celebrating this feast
we declare that evil and death, suffering and loss,
sorrow and tears, will not have the final word.
But the joy of fellowship, and the welcome
and comfort of friends new and old,
and the celebration of these blessings of
food and drink and conversation and laughter
are the true evidences of things eternal,
and are the first fruits of that great glad joy
that is to come and that will be unending.
So let our feast this day be joined
to those sure victories secured by Christ,
Let it be to us know a delight, and a glad foretaste of his eternal kingdom.
Bless us, 0 Lord, in this feast.
excerpt from "A Liturgy for Feasting with Friends" from Every Moment Holy by Douglas McKelvey
May 29
Beloved, let us love one another,
because love is from God;
everyone who loves is born of God
and knows God
I John 4:7
I was looking back at previous Connections. Today I want his one from a few years ago:
A poet and writer asks the question: “what are people for?”
His question is an examination of why we exist. He is asking: What is our purpose in life?
I like this line from Martin Luther:
Faith brings you to Christ
and makes him your own
with all that he has;
love gives you to your neighbor
with all that you have.
Martin Luther
What are we for? For love. Receiving love from God. Sharing love with the world.
May you know God’s love today, Pastor Phil
May 30
Observe the sabbath day and keep it holy,
as the Lord your God commanded you.
Deuteronomy 5:12
On Sunday we will hear the story of Jesus contending about the sabbath with his adversaries.
Many of us have stories of a different day, when the sabbath was observed more faithfully. Many of those stories find great hypocrisy, and a sense of relief that we have left those days behind.
And yet…
The Sabbath can be a great gift. Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel was a 20th century American rabbi who wrote eloquently about the gift of sabbath. Here is an inspiring insight:
"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."
I would like to encourage you to consider the ways in which God’s call to observe sabbath time might enrich our communities and our lives.
Blessings, Pastor Phil
May 31
For just as the body is one and has many members,
and all the members of the body, though many, are one body,
so it is with Christ.
I Corinthians 12:12
Our Montana Synod Assembly begins today. Please pray for our bishop Laurie Jungling as she leads our congregations in this gathering.
I know I’ve shared this often. It is a line from E. Stanley Jones, who was a Methodist missionary and bishop:
Every person who belongs to Christ,
belongs to every person who belongs to Christ.
I think this is simple and profound. Our belonging to one another is a great gift, and a wonderful responsibility. I am proud that Trinity is a generous supporter of our Synod, and that we join together with other ELCA congregations and members to support Lutheran World Relief, ELCA World Hunger, Global Refuge and many other worthy endeavors to spread God’s love and care.
Peace to you, Pastor Phil