An Attitude of Gratitude

Reformation Sunday – Jeremiah 31 and Luke 19

Children’s Time – God is continually working to re-form us into people who know we belong to each other. 

“I will put my law (my torah) within them, and I will write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people… they shall all know me, from the least to the greatest… I will remember their sin no more.”

 

We walk around with stories inside us and we are constant storytellers.

The first books of the Bible, the Torah, are full of stories. Over and over, people try to communicate God’s deep love, God’s presence, God’s way through all kinds of diverse stories, but there are lots of other stories going on in our heads at the very same time.

I wonder what ours are?

 

What are the dominant stories running through our heads about these days?

This week, I was at a meeting where one of our members said several times that we are part of an aging congregation. It was said with that concerned tone of voice, and repeated several times as if I wasn’t taking in the gravity of the comment, and I couldn’t help but think two things at once.. and one thing later. I thought in response… well, I don’t know for sure but I can think of a significant number of young families and young adults who continue to participate regularly here and at least half of our Council leadership is in their 50s or younger. Do we see them? Do we allow them to be the leaders in our minds and in our midst?

And at the very same time, I thought of everyone who is 65+ in this congregation and I thought, yes, we’re aging… and aren’t we blessed to be aging because the alternative is being dead.

 

Maybe that sounds like a strong defensive reaction to this comment, but lately, I’m convinced that the stories we tell ourselves are incredibly powerful and they matter. Are we as we age going to dismiss the importance of the gifts that we bring? Are we going to fixate on what we have lost? I hope not. We live in a demographically aging city and state, so those who come to be a part of this ministry are likely to be retired/visibly aging. How do we keep centered in and give thanks for all the gifts that are present here even as we experience significant change and transition?

 

Reformation Sunday is a day to look backward in thanksgiving for how God has led and guided. It’s a day to notice God’s constant re-forming work on us in the present. It’s a day when we look to the future letting go of our fearful stories and remembering who goes with us into the future—who goes along with us each step into the unknown. And Jeremiah reassures us that we have a deep and good vision about where we’re headed. I don’t know how Jeremiah did this since he wrote these words from the depths of exile. He was left behind, but somehow he could express the truth that we’re headed into a future where we can expect to be in deeper relationship with a deeply loving God, where we’ll know God even better and no broken thinking or actions will be in the way of having a beautiful and good relationship. It will be joyful.

 

I did some reading on joy this week from the new encyclopedia on emotions by Brené Brown called Atlas of the Heart. Turns out, “joy” is the most vulnerable emotion and humans aren’t too comfortable generally with vulnerability and so we are quick to move into something called “Foreboding Joy.” Here’s what Brené writes about that… “If you’re afraid to lean into good news, wonderful moments, and joy—if you find yourself waiting for the other shoe to drop—you are not alone. It’s called “foreboding joy” and most of us experience it…

 

Foreboding joy is one of those practically universal experiences that everyone thinks of as something only they do… when we lose tolerance for vulnerability, joy becomes foreboding… We are terrified of being blindsided by pain, so we practice tragedy and trauma. But there’s a huge cost. 

When we push away joy, we squander the goodness that we need to build resilience, strength and courage.

The good news? In our research we found that everyone who showed a deep capacity for joy had one thing in common: They practiced gratitude. In the midst of joy, there’s often a quiver, a shudder of vulnerability. Rather than using that as a warning sign to practice imagining the worst-case scenario, the people who lean into joy use the quiver as a reminder to practice gratitude.                                    Brené Brown, Atlas of the Heart, p. 215

 

What a beautiful and powerful reminder.

 

And that leads me to Zacchaeus who wanted to get a look at Jesus. No one was making space for Zacchaeus to see. They had already labeled him as “not one of us” long ago. After all, he was a tax collector, becoming rich and you know what that means (--off the backs of the poor).

Who knows why he caught Jesus’ eye but maybe it was the sycamore or maybe it was something Jesus saw in him—after all, Zacchaeus’ name means “Pure in Heart.”

So Jesus says to Zacchaeus, “Come down because I’m going to be your guest.” And Zacchaeus was filled with joy to welcome Jesus.

 

Everyone else was not filled with joy.

They had long ago labeled Zacchaeus as a sinner and said as much to his face, and in front of all those critics, Zacchaeus said who he really was—pure in heart, generous to a fault. 

“If I have defrauded anyone of anything, I’ll pay back four times as much.”

You know, it makes you wonder if he had ever defrauded anyone of anything? But if he did, he was going to return it extravagantly.

 

And this moment of knowing that to Jesus, he belonged, was salvation for Zacchaeus. No longer considered an outcast, no longer lost, grounded in relationship with Jesus who saw him and centered him, Zacchaeus was saved.. and I would imagine, many others were saved too—through the sharing, through the joy of this story told for ages and ages.

 

There are two county commissioners who are also women of color in the state of Minnesota. Just two. They are Angela Conley and Irene Fernando who both serve districts of Hennepin County. They were two of the speakers in a five-person panel who spoke to rostered leaders of the Minneapolis and Saint Paul Area Synods this week, and here is what Commissioner Fernando said to us—this is a difficult, divisive political time but you, people of faith, you have such a bigger vision to draw on. You have deeper grounding as you go about your daily lives. You, of all people, who come together across differences for a deeper sense of the shared values we all bring, you have this gift and you need to use it. We are planted in a time and place, in daily lives, where we are with those who desperately need to see us living out whatever faith, hope and joy we can remember to share. We can absolutely practice gratitude, not only for our own sakes but for those of our neighbors. We have this capacity because it is written on our hearts, because Jesus visits our own homes and regularly reminds us, you belong. May it fill us with joy that no one can take away.

 

 

Bravely Moving Forward

Genesis 32: 22-31 and Luke 18: 1-8   

If you do not have a six-year-old in your household right now, you might not be familiar with the PBSKids program Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum. In it, Xavier & friends time travel to meet real-life superheroes from history and the show caught my attention for a moment this week when Xavier & friends were visiting a child-version of Harriet Tubman. This was the part of the dialog that I overheard. The kids are meeting with Harriet as the sun sets and the moon rises--“But Harriet, if you are free, why did you come back??” 

Harriet answers--“Because there are so many people who are not free, so I come back to help them.”

“That sounds dangerous!”

“It is, but it’s the right thing to do. I’ve already saved my brothers. Today, it’s my parents.”

“Aren’t you scared?”
“Of course I am. Fear reminds us to look out for danger, but real courage is bravely moving forward, even when you’re scared.”[1]

Harriet Tubman, Helen Keller, Maria Tallchief, Ruby Bridges… these and so many more people have walked in the way of the widow from Jesus’ story. Put off, the widow kept coming. Asking for justice over and over again. She persisted.

And finally, this unjust judge gave her what she wanted, just to get rid of her.

 

But God is the opposite. God is listening. God quickly grants justice.

Even though we sometimes describe God as a “judge,” God’s righteousness and values are more like the widow’s way. God helps over and over. God restores, heals, brings goodness… and yet, Jesus asks, “And yet, when I come among you… will I find faith?”

 

It’s a weighty question.

When will justice come? Can we cling to faith even while we don’t yet see everything coming together into harmony? Are we willing to receive God’s gift of faith and nurture it and live immersed in it, even when things are scary and overwhelming?

 

Fear has its role—it “reminds us to look out for danger, but real courage is bravely moving forward, even when you’re scared.”

 

Today, you are all invited to participate in a conversation together that will help this congregation bravely move forward. Leaders cannot move a congregation without its buy-in and consent. The body of Christ cannot operate without all the parts of that body sharing from their gifts and perspectives. Today, your Council leaders are going to ask you to respond to questions in a really accessible way about our real feelings, values and ideas as a community. They are going to make it easy to participate, and we hope that many of you will participate. 

 

Many of you are aware that throughout this year, there have been many signs of vitality—Abundance Kitchen is buzzing with tenants on the weekdays, our church building received its historical designation, the Create Sabbatical Summer featured abundant care and hospitality at funerals, honored guest preachers, and hosted several meaningful family and neighbor events. More recently, Godly Play, Deep Dive Confirmation and Four12 Youth group began again; eight leaders attended an inspiring Vitality 101 training and we hosted another Marathon picnic—but at the very same time as all these good things are happening, the congregation is in a serious financial crisis. Yes, it’s true, the congregation has experienced deficits regularly for 70 years, so in one way, financial challenges are nothing new.

But in this third year of Covid, we are also clear that we are not immune from a whole cultural shift away from congregations. People have left and they are not coming back.

We are in a new time, and we who are in the room and joining in the livestream—we are the ones who remain to support this wonderful shared ministry.

 

There are at least two ways to address a financial crisis, and we are not always of one mind about the best way forward. One way to correct a financial crisis where expenses exceed income is to cut expenses. 

Your Council leaders are hearing questions like—do we need to move into a part-time pastor model of ministry, do we need to consider the sale of our building? They are very big questions that would fundamentally change ministry at Christ, and we cannot move forward without everyone giving their best sense of the values and vision that should guide the decisions that will need to be made over the next years.

 

Another obvious way to correct the problem is to increase income. This happens because we look around and say, “We are not going to allow this building that has such a unique and valuable location to crumble away.” “We value the ministry that we do and that our pastor leads and serves faithfully.” “We are grateful for our talented staff who bring in contributing partners, produce communications, provide beautiful music.” And we ask ourselves, am I giving my very best gift? Am I invested in the present and future of Christ on Capitol Hill? Am I giving the gift that is going to lift up and support all that is becoming new in this place? As you are able to give from what God has given you, your investment here will change your life.

Jesus so beautifully puts it this way, “Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”

I’m putting all this information in front of you because we need you in on the conversation today. Also, you’ll be receiving an invitation in the coming weeks from Christ’s Stewardship team to consider your intended giving for 2023, but honestly, we ought not wait until 2023.
If we believe that Christ on Capitol Hill is still a vital ministry that God wants to exist, it’s time to be like Jacob, to look to God and wrestle a blessing that will invigorate our shared life. If we think there is a reason (or maybe many reasons) why Christ on Capitol Hill is here for good in this time and place, it’s time to pray for guidance to God, the persistent widow who keeps asking for justice for the most vulnerable ones that this ministry supports. I have faith that God is by no means done with this congregation. Even if we might feel lost in grief, even if we limp, God is ready to help. God is ready to open us to new possibilities. As we look back on the history of Christ Lutheran, we can see so much evidence of how our forebears persisted when things were tough, and even now, “real courage is bravely moving forward, even [if we’re]  scared.”[2]

May God grant us this kind of courage. May God give us persistent faith. And God help us as we gracefully let go of who we used to be… and invest in this time when God is making us new.

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[1] https://pbskids.org/xavier/videos

[2] https://pbskids.org/xavier/videos

Love & Rage, Seeds & Singing

 O Lord, how long shall I cry for help, and you will not listen? Or cry to you "Violence!" and you will not save? Why do you make me see wrongdoing and look at trouble? Destruction and violence are before me; strife and contention arise. [Your Torah—your Word, your Way—is failing] and justice never prevails. The wicked surround the righteous— therefore judgment comes forth perverted.  – Hab 1: 2-4

We listen in this week as Habakkuk cries out to God in rage at the way people around him are suffering.
It’s love for people that drives his rage. God, how can you let people suffer like this? It’s like we’re just fish, swept up in a net and they’re eating us for lunch! Habakkuk is angry at all these violations of his values and even goes so far as to call God a failure. And then, God responds. God reassures that although everything is hard right now, and will even get harder, everything will end well. This is the vision. God’s reign and reality might not be arriving as quickly as people would like…. But watch for it, wait for it. The end will be good, worth waiting for… it's a vision to make very clear to everyone, even those running quickly by. Habakkuk decides to do just that—hold on to trust a little while longer.
The prophet sings this song at the end of this very short booklet.

 

When I heard this message^, 

I felt weak from fear,
    and my lips quivered.
My bones seemed to melt,
    and I stumbled around.
But I will patiently wait.
Someday those vicious enemies
    will be struck by disaster.

¹⁷ Fig trees may no longer bloom,
    or vineyards produce grapes;
olive trees may be fruitless,
    and harvest time a failure;
sheep pens may be empty,
    and cattle stalls vacant—
¹⁸ but I will still celebrate
because the Lord God
    is my Savior.
¹⁹ The Lord gives me strength.
He makes my feet as sure
    as those of a deer,
and he helps me stand
    on the mountains.

It’s a vision for all the weary ones, as we run step after step in this marathon of life, and this vision is to NOT GIVE UP in God’s never-ending love, to keep faith. Although the arc of the universe seems incredibly long, we can trust God that it bends toward mercy for all those pressed down.
Oppression will cease!

In the late night on Fridays, I have been watching the series Rings of Power, an epic drama is set thousands of years before the events of J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. It takes viewers back to an era in which great powers were forged, kingdoms rose to glory and fell to ruin, unlikely heroes were tested, hope hung by the finest of threads. Beginning in a time of relative peace, the series follows an ensemble cast of characters, both familiar and new, as they confront the long-feared re-emergence of evil to Middle-earth. It’s hard to wait as the story slowly unfolds, but we have no choice but to wait for the next bit of story.

 

In last week’s episode, things looked just as bleak as the situation Habakkuk describes. A tiny remnant of people are trapped in a tower and enemies are close. The remnant is almost ready to give in to despair. One voice reminds them that it is worth staying together to the very end.

In another scene, humble small creatures called Harfoots are on a terribly dangerous journey and a young girl, Poppy, sings to help them along their way. It’s a song very similar to the song of trust at the end of Habakkuk.

 

Poppy sings about this trip, where they trade all they’ve known for the unknown ahead.

Of drink I have little

And food I have less

My strength tells me no

But the path demands yes

My legs are so short and the way is so long

I’ve no rest nor comfort

No comfort but song

 

Sing to me sing to me lands far away
Oh rise up and guide me this wandering day
Please promise to find me this wandering day

At last comes their answer
Through cold and through frost
That not all who wonder or wander are lost
No matter the sorrow
No matter the cost
That not all who wonder or wander are lost[1]

 

A team of leaders from Christ gathered yesterday in a Synod-led workshop called Vitality 101. We gathered on behalf of this congregation and with the hope to bring the learning to you all.
Why are you here, the Synod leaders asked and each of us responded.
I said, “Well… in spite of the fact that there are many signs of vitality at Christ on Capitol Hill, in this third year of the pandemic, we’re experiencing a serious financial crisis. Also, many people have used the pandemic as a reason to say goodbye. We miss them. We feel the loss.” Those gathered from other congregations shared that they are worried too about people who have left and what the future will bring. With Habakkuk, we cried out to God. It seems like everything is failing! Together over the next six hours, though, we remembered. We are not alone. We were able to name some of the many things that are hopeful and encouraging about ministry in this place and time. We also practiced answering the Five Whys—going deeper and deeper into the question, “Why is Christ on Capitol Hill here?” What are the values that we’re aspiring to live out here? How do we listen even more deeply because each of you is here for a reason. We want all of you to be part of this vision conversation in two weeks. 

 

The prophet Habakkuk chose faith in spite of the present challenging circumstances and we can, too.
So often, like the original followers of Jesus, we doubt we can do it. We feel like we need way more than what is already here. Jesus invites us today to remember the vision of the tiny seeds already here, already rooted, already growing. If you can’t see reason for hope quite yet… wait for it. Christ is truly present and is on the way. Like brave Habakkuk, you can place your trust in God and be part of the vision that is still coming into being. It’s so true… not all who wonder or wander are lost… and we can keep singing the vision into being all along the way.

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[1] Howard Shore and Bear Mccreary composed the song This Wandering Day for the series Rings of Power together.