Pentecost

Today is Pentecost, the church festival celebrating the giving of the Holy Spirit, recorded in Acts 2. It's a great day to give thanks for the ongoing work of the Spirit among us, that same Spirit that was poured out on each of us in our baptism.


"In the last days it will be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh..." (Acts 2:17, quoting Joel 2:28).




The Pentecost by Alexander Sadoyan


God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, as you sent upon the disciples the promised gift of the Holy Spirit, look upon your Church and open our hearts to the power of the Spirit. Kindle in us the fire of your love, and strengthen our lives for service in your kingdom; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen (Lutheran Book of Worship).

Easter worship in the graveyard

As I mentioned, the folks of Trinity tried something new this year to celebrate the Resurrection of our Lord, worshiping in the Concord Cemetery for their Easter sunrise service.

As the bulletin said, "We gather this morning in the place of death to celebrate God's gift of life eternal. The grave does not get this last word!"





The opening reading was perfect: Elijah and the valley of dry bones from Ezekiel 37.

We had some time to wander around the cemetery for quiet contemplation among the graves. Many folks, of course, have family and friends buried here. I don't, but I happen to find cemeteries fascinating, so I just kept an eye out for anything interesting.

Here are the oldest dates I found: John and Adeline Chase, born in 1795 and 1798, respectively.








We also had a "roll call of our beloved departed," a time when each of us just named one or two loved ones who have gone before us to eternal life and were on our minds that day.

We read the resurrection story from Matthew's gospel, prayed, and sang a few songs with guitar accompaniment. Most attendees of the sunrise service later attend 9:00 worship as well, so Pastor Chris gave a short meditation rather than the same sermon twice.





There were about 70 people there for this grand experiment on a chilly morning...not bad for a congregation whose average worship attendance is 80-something. I think it was twice as many as Pastor Chris expected!

It was a powerful way to come together and proclaim Christ's victory over death! And apparently it even made the local paper.





After this early worship, many of us returned to the church, where the ladies were cooking up a breakfast feast. And a clever message greeted us from the sign, as usual.

Holy Week highlights

The holy chaos of Holy Week is over, and it was a wonderful experience. I spent Palm Sunday and Maundy Thursday at Grace and had a great time doing first communion instruction with them...more on that soon.

On Good Friday, we did a Stations of the Cross service at First in the morning. It was quiet and contemplative, a good way to start the day.





Then we had community Good Friday worship in the evening, involving almost all the internship congregations. It's been hosted by different churches in recent years, and this year it was at First. It was a wonderful experience to serve with almost all my pastors together, and to enjoy the gifts of so many different soloists and choirs.

To celebrate the Resurrection of Our Lord, I started with sunrise worship with the Trinity folks, this year at the cemetery...more on that soon. Then I worshiped with the people of Gol, and hit both of their Easter breakfasts in between, of course.

After worship I stopped at First again to meet my supervisor for a nursing home visit, and here's the transformation from Good Friday to Easter. I love the spring flowers!





Meanwhile, I have plenty of less-than-holy chaos to clean up at home. After the craziness of the last couple weeks, my sorely neglected sanctuary is in danger of becoming a biohazard. The kitchen table is just the tip of the iceberg, so thank goodness for a low-key post-Easter week!

Christ is risen!

He is risen indeed! Alleluia!




The Easter lily cross that is a beautiful tradition at my home church, Bethlehem Lutheran.


Happy and blessed Easter to you!

Holy Week: Vigil of Easter

The Easter vigil is one of the church's central festivals. It has fallen out of practice in many areas, but a revival seems to be underway. It is a powerful liturgy that recalls the history of salvation and marks Christ's passage from death to life. More information here, here, and here.




Women Arriving at the Tomb by He Qi


Old Testament readings and responses:
(The * marks readings which are to be included even if others are omitted.)

• Creation* from Genesis 1-2 (response: from Psalm 136)
  
• Flood from Genesis 7, 8, and 9 (response: Psalm 46)
  
• Testing of Abraham from Genesis 22 (response: Psalm 16)
  
• Deliverance at the Red Sea* from Exodus 14 and 15 (response: from Exodus 15)
  
• Salvation freely offered to all* from Isaiah 55 (response: from Isaiah 12)
  
• The wisdom of God from Proverbs 8 and 9 (response: Psalm 19)
  
• A new heart and a new spirit from Ezekiel 36 (response: Psalms 42-43)
  
• Valley of dry bones from Ezekiel 37 (response: Psalm 143)
  
• The gathering of God's people from Zephaniah 3 (response: Psalm 98)
  
• The deliverance of Jonah from Jonah 1-2 (response: from Jonah 2)
  
• Clothed in garments of salvation from Isaiah 61 (response: from Deuteronomy 32)
  
• Deliverance from the fiery furnace* from Daniel 3 (response: from an apocryphal piece called the Prayer of Azariah and the Song of the Three)
  

New Testament reading: Romans 6:3-11

Gospel reading: John 20:1-18




The Empty Tomb by He Qi


Eternal giver of life and light, this holy night shines with the radiance of the risen Christ. Renew your church with the Spirit given us in baptism, that we may worship you in sincerity and truth and may shine as a light in the world, through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

Holy Week: Good Friday

Lectionary texts:
Isaiah 52:13—53:12
Psalm 22
Hebrews 10:16–25
Hebrews 4:14–16; 5:7–9 (Alternate)
John 18:1—19:42

We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you. By your holy cross you have redeemed the world. (Good Friday liturgy)




Icon of the crucifixion of Christ.
Check out this site for fascinating info on how to read the details.


Almighty God, we ask you to look with mercy on your family, for whom our Lord Jesus Christ was willing to be betrayed and to be given over to the hands of sinners and to suffer death on the cross; who now lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

Holy Week: Maundy Thursday

Lectionary texts:
Exodus 12:1–4[5–10] 11–14
Psalm 116:1–2, 12–19
1 Corinthians 11:23–26
John 13:1–17, 31b–35


"I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another." (John 13:34-35)




Le lavement des pieds (Washing of the feet) by Corinne Vonaesch


Holy God, source of all love, on the night of his betrayal, Jesus gave his disciples a new commandment: To love one another as he had loved them. By your Holy Spirit write this commandment in our hearts; through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

Holy Week: Wednesday

Lectionary texts:
Isaiah 50:4–9a
Psalm 70
Hebrews 12:1–3
John 13:21–32


"Very truly, I tell you, one of you will betray me."
"Lord, who is it?"
(John 13:21, 25)





Almighty God, your Son our Savior suffered at human hands and endured the shame of the cross. Grant that we may walk in the way of his cross and find it the way of life and peace; through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Holy Week: Tuesday

Lectionary texts:
Isaiah 49:1–7
Psalm 71:1–14
1 Corinthians 1:18–31
John 12:20–36

"Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there will my servant be also." (John 12:26)





Lord Jesus, you have called us to follow you. Grant that our love may not grow cold in your service, and that we may not fail or deny you in the hour of trial. Amen.

Holy Week: Monday

Lectionary texts:
Isaiah 42:1–9
Psalm 36:5–11
Hebrews 9:11–15
John 12:1–11

"Jesus said, 'Leave her alone. She bought it so that she might keep it for the day of my burial. You always have the poor with you, but you do not always have me.'" (John 12:7-8)





O God, your Son chose the path which led to pain before joy and the cross before glory. Plant his cross in our hearts, so that in its power and love we may come at last to joy and glory; through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Holy Week: Palm Sunday / Sunday of the Passion

It's Sunday of the Split Identity. We shout "Hosanna!" at the beginning of worship, and "Crucify him!" shortly thereafter. Not totally unlike our ever-imperfect discipleship, is it?



Entree a Jerusalem by Macha Chmakoff


Lectionary texts:
Matthew 21:1-11 (processional gospel with palm branches)
Isaiah 50:4-9a
Psalm 31:9-16
Philippians 2:5-11
Matthew 26:14 - 27:66


"Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord....Who is this?" (Matthew 21:9-10)

Ash Wednesday

Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return.



(Photo from Google images.)


The season of Lent began today with the observance of Ash Wednesday. It seems no matter how late it is (and it can only be one day later than it is this year), it always sneaks up on me.

I participated in worship at First Lutheran this evening (part of the chancel is pictured below). Now my nails are stained with ashes from smudging foreheads with the sign of God's mercy. Surely there is meaning in both smudged cross and and stained hands.





"Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin....Create in me a clean heart, O God, and put a new and right spirit within me." (Psalm 51)

Weekly beauty: Epiphany

Fridays are "weekly beauty" day, but I'm getting this one in under the wire while it's actually still Epiphany. This festival commemorates the visit of the magi to Jesus, and is also associated with the wedding at Cana and Jesus' baptism by John (both of which point to the beginning of Jesus' public ministry).

This year I celebrated with Evening Prayer at First Lutheran. Last year my friend Rachel and I were herding our preschool "sheep" during the Sunday school Epiphany pageant (which replaces a Christmas pageant) at the Lutheran Church of the Resurrection. They missed their big entrance and arrival at the manger because they all needed a bathroom break, so they straggled in during the next song. So it goes.

So, for your weekly beauty: a beautiful icon of the magi and a medley of "God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen" and "We Three Kings" by the Barenaked Ladies and Sarah McLachlan, which I have probably listened to 3,196 times over the last several weeks.

Merry Christmas!

Unto us a child is born!

Wishing you peace and joy now and in the new year!

Merry Christmas!





Nativite a la mandorle jaune (Nativity with a yellow mandorla) by Macha Chmakoff

All Saints Day

Today is All Saints Day, one of my favorite festivals of the church. Two aspects make it especially meaningful to me.

First, I consider it a time to celebrate the “great cloud of witnesses” mentioned in Hebrews 12:1—all who persevere in the faith and pass it along to those who come after them. The “saints” we commemorate are not just people who have lived exceptional lives, but all of God’s people who have “fought the good fight…finished the race…kept the faith” (1 Timothy 4:7).

Second, All Saints Day is a time to lay claim to God’s greatest promises, and to bask in their glow. Revelation 21 is a favorite of mine: “See, the home of God is among mortals….he will wipe every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; mourning and crying and pain will be no more, for the first things have passed away.” God gives us sure and certain hope that death, painful as it is now, will not have the final word!

Thanks be to God for the great promises in which we stand, and for all who have nurtured our faith in these promises. And thanks be to God for you--my own cloud of witnesses!


P.S. This is (more or less) the column I wrote for my internship churches' November newsletters. Apologies to those who get to enjoy it twice, but I did mean it both times. :-)

Theological polka

Reformation Day is here, so it's time to celebrate in style...polka style! Check out the ever-fabulous Reformation Polka.





If you're unfamiliar with Martin Luther's life and work (or want a refresher), you can find a line-by-line explanation of the song lyrics at this site.

The church is in always in need of reformation, of course, as we must be constantly vigilant about our faithfulness to the biblical witness and the leading of the Holy Spirit. So, in that spirit, here is a prayer for the church, from Evangelical Lutheran Worship (among many other sources).

Gracious Father, we pray for your holy catholic church. Fill it with all truth and peace. Where it is corrupt, purify it; where it is in error, direct it; where in anything it is amiss, reform it; where it is right, strengthen it; where it is in need, provide for it; where it is divided, reunite it; for the sake of Jesus Christ, your Son, our Lord. Amen.

Weekly beauty: A very present help in trouble

Reformation Day is coming up on Sunday. It is tradition in many Lutheran congregations to sing Martin Luther's hymn, "A Mighty Fortress," on this auspicious occasion (sometimes with fierce debate over the tune).

This hymn is based on Psalm 46:

God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change,
though the mountains shake in the heart of the sea;
though its waters roar and foam,
though the mountains tremble with its tumult.
There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
the holy habitation of the Most High.
God is in the midst of the city; it shall not be moved;
God will help it when the morning dawns.
The nations are in an uproar, the kingdoms totter;
he utters his voice, the earth melts.
The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge.
Come, behold the works of the Lord;
see what desolations he has brought on the earth.
He makes wars cease to the end of the earth;
he breaks the bow, and shatters the spear;
he burns the shields with fire.
"Be still, and know that I am God!
I am exalted among the nations, I am exalted in the earth."
The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge.

God is indeed our refuge and strength, a mighty fortress, now as always. So, for your listening (or singing along) enjoyment, here's a YouTube version of the hymn, with old-school lyrics because that's all I could find.