a good day

Yesterday I attended the Hein-Fry Lectures at Luther Seminary with a congregation member (and the VP of the Synod). The lectures were excellent. The first two from Chilstrom and Anderson were more remedial, but Mark Hanson (though he repeated information from previous talks) was again right on. I do hope that his theology and evangelical nature will be caught by the church at large. If you have the 'in' at Luther Seminary (Grads can use their e-mail login) access the lectures at Inside Luther and give them a glance.

What I continue to hear, and want to believe, is that the ELCA is a church with a lot of hope. Hanson said that a guy from the Lily Foundation said that the ELCA is THE mainline denomination poised well for success. He also quoted a book saying that it is a farce that the mainline denominations have a 'death date'--a time when they will exist no more.

The bummer part of the day is that I didn't get to touch base with Mo and Jo. :)

In my life I wanted to reflect that I have an unsettled feeling as I work with the worship resources I have at my disposal. Since my start date I have felt that what I have to use is not getting the job done (sorry that this sounds crass) that I hope. What I mean is that it does not accurately (enough) express they way I want congregation members to experience God in worship.

I am sure that part of my problem is that I don't always feel that I have the exact 'impromptu' or prepared words to share that extra inspiration. Either in a sermon or as an intro to a liturgy piece. But I have also been feeling that we are not being transformed in the right ways by the liturgy.

In the Easter Season I am introducing Now The Feast and Celebration. I am producing one bulletin for all 8 weeks (is 8 right?) and will put the readings clumped together (Week 1; week 2) I am also going to use the 'Shape of the Rite' Explanations from Renewing Worship (i.e. greeting--the presiding minister and the assembly greet each other in the name of the triune God). I hope this connects artistically as well as logically.

But you know what I am thinking? I wonder if an association of pastors, artists, theologians, whatever couldn't write some unique (yet common language, not necessarily using IT IS INDEED RIGHT AND SALUTARY) Eucharistic prayers, etc...that could really be powerful and surprising. I have acquired a great international piece that is incredible.

Ok, so the big word for all of this is AUTHENTIC. It is pretty much every other word that comes out of my very wise wife's mouth when she speaks of the church. As I enter into some of the Emerging Church and Pomo church dialog I realize that this is a huge component. I have a feeling most of my congregation does not feel this way, but I have been pushed by a few congregation members to make this connection. One has used words like 'fun church' or said they don't want it to be a downer (which it really isn't), but what they are really searching for, I think, is an authentic experience with Jesus Christ.

This is very hard to do. I have two last thoughts. I think this happens a lot around the font and the table. I think this happens in a community that is truly in dialog and prayer together, as in they really do lift one another up in prayer.

Ok, done for now. 0 comments means I am barking up the wrong tree. Paz

aaahhh, the flu

The flu has been a nice addition to my schedule the last 18 hours or so. Of course it hit the wife a bit harder...

We would covet your prayer today (Wed.) as I try to get newsletter stuff out, plan confirmation and Bible Study, and hope for a voice to lead Holden Evening Prayer. Of course losing a few days is hard, but during Lent, well, I guess you end up winging or punting...Paz

case studies

In Confessions class in sem. we were given case studies at the end of the year to write on as part of the final. I remember very specifically one of the questions being a baptism request from a parent with no intention of following through on any promises made to teach the child the creeds, etc...

I received a call this past week about baptizing the baby of a neighbor who lives right next to the church. We are having a discussion tomorrow morning and I have been thinking all weekend about how this will go. I feel a hard balance between being inviting, yet letting them know that it would be wonderful for the mother and child to join our community of faith. I don't think the answer is saying 'no' to doing the baptism, but I will ask some serious questions about why non-active parents are interested in baptizing their baby.

___
Have I mentioned that the YMCA near us in Red Wing is wonderful? Of course it is a beautiful building and all, but they are doing and being what the church is all about. Let me explain...in the Evangelizing Church (A Lutheran Contribution), they take the traditional Word and Sacrament and transform it into Word, Sacrament, and Christian Community. They do this for some good reason and it is explained well in the book...this YMCA is a tight community and people really bond around the realm of caring for the body and soul. The staff they have there are welcoming and encouraging and most of the regulars know each other. What the Y surrounds itself around is people concerned for their health, but the conversations I have heard wander into all realms of life.

I am smashed by the parallels and the jealousy (honestly!) I feel by the environment they can create. Why is it that when I think about the church I feel three things. 1)there is this type of potential for the church, and 2)it could never be like this because church politics are rooted so deep we could never simply rally around one thing--the gospel, and 3)I question whether we have the energy to share love in Christ that we do for staying in shape.

That said, I love observing at the Y, and I think I like tha anonymity I feel there. Though, slowly as I get to meeting a few people they ask what I do and so that cat is partly out of the bag. I just hope they don't act wierd talking to me when they find out I am a pastor, unlike the dental hygenist this week--what do you say to a pastor anyways...???

Case studies...aahhh...

Paz

storm

Well, we have gotten some snow lately. My home town of Rice Lake saw about 20". We only have between 8-12, but it was a nice reminder that spring doesn't start officially for a week. The storm was actually kind of fun!

that light

I have good memories of Lent growing up--if that is something I can say. I like lent to this day--if that is somethings I can say. I think ministry drives me to lent--if that is something I can say.

When I was a kid, in my home church, on Good Friday, they performed a liturgical move to this day that I cannot figure out. After the altar was stripped they liturgicalizers that be would darken the lights in the whole sanctuary and then lights in the form of a cross would light up from somewhere. I remember checking later on in life and not being able to figure out how, from the fancy altar and backdrop, there came these lights. Well, they're memorable moments anyways. I also remember them acting out the passion play and making thunder by shaking and hitting a piece of sheet metal. I wasn't big on THe Passion of the Christ, but there is somethings about Holy Week that draws me deeply in. I suppose after 4 years of seminary I should know what that is, huh?

I like lent because it is honest. It is simple. It is bare. It is fair and proportional to life (at least honest to the human situation). It is palpable (as a tribute to Ross).

And yes, ministry drives me to lent. I am not sure if you understand what I mean when I write 'stripped bare' but that is what ministry does to me. Because, you see, I think people know when I say things or teach things I don't mean. I think people know when I am tired. I think they know when I am blowing smoke or making smoke. I think what I mean is that even when I am trying my best I am driven to the point every day when I feel that I have to pray, "dear God, what was that? Might you use that to touch lives?" I have mentioned this before, but it is worth saying again--the deepest challenge of pastoral ministry from my perspective is that you are asked to do a wide breadth of tasks, some, truthfully that you are not very good at. AND that taked a lot of trust and faith to keep plugging forward. Truth told, you give it all you got, and then you pray there is more than you got.

All in all I am starting to presume (as I read what I write) that one can develop an ego problem in ministry. There is a lot written about dominating personality/ego, but what about when, in any vocational situation, you happen to lose part of 'the self'--?

Ok, this is all very honest, but that is what lent does, right? Some eat fish sandwiches at Mc D's, and some get honest. I am excited to see how this will emerge into some good insight. And yes, I already miss the mountains after only two weeks.