A Place at the Table

Feb. 27, 2022 Transfiguration Sunday

Posted on February 27, 2022 by megganmanlove

Prayer of the Day

Holy God, mighty and immortal, you are beyond our knowing, yet we see your glory in the face of Jesus Christ. Transform us into the likeness of your Son, who renewed our humanity so that we may share in his divinity, Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

Amen.

Exodus 34:29-35

²⁹Moses came down from Mount Sinai. As he came down from the mountain with the two tablets of the covenant in his hand, Moses did not know that the skin of his face shone because he had been talking with God. ³⁰When Aaron and all the Israelites saw Moses, the skin of his face was shining, and they were afraid to come near him. ³¹But Moses called to them; and Aaron and all the leaders of the congregation returned to him, and Moses spoke with them. ³²Afterward all the Israelites came near, and he gave them in commandment all that the Lord had spoken with him on Mount Sinai. ³³When Moses had finished speaking with them, he put a veil on his face; ³⁴but whenever Moses went in before the Lord to speak with him, he would take the veil off, until he came out; and when he came out, and told the Israelites what he had been commanded, ³⁵the Israelites would see the face of Moses, that the skin of his face was shining; and Moses would put the veil on his face again, until he went in to speak with him.

Psalm 99

¹The Lord is king; let the ^| people tremble.
The Lord is enthroned upon the cherubim; let ^| the earth shake.
²The Lord, ^| great in Zion,
is high a- ^| bove all peoples.
³Let them confess God’s name, which is ^| great and awesome;
God is the ^| Holy One.
⁴O mighty king, lover of justice, you have es- ^| tablished equity;
you have executed justice and righteous- ^| ness in Jacob.
⁵Proclaim the greatness of the Lord and fall down be- ^| fore God’s footstool;
God is the ^| Holy One.
⁶Moses and Aaron among your priests, and Samuel among those who call upon your ^|name, O Lord,
they called upon you, and you ^| answered them,
⁷you spoke to them out of the pil- ^| lar of cloud;
they kept your testimonies and the decree ^| that you gave them.
⁸O Lord our God, you answered ^| them indeed;
you were a God who forgave them, yet punished them for their ^| evil deeds.
⁹Proclaim the greatness of the Lord and worship upon God’s ^| holy hill;
for the Lord our God is the ^| Holy One.

2 Corinthians 3:12–4:2

¹²Since, then, we have such a hope, we act with great boldness, ¹³not like Moses, who put a veil over his face to keep the people of Israel from gazing at the end of the glory that was being set aside. ¹⁴But their minds were hardened. Indeed, to this very day, when they hear the reading of the old covenant, that same veil is still there, since only in Christ is it set aside. ¹⁵Indeed, to this very day whenever Moses is read, a veil lies over their minds; ¹⁶but when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. ¹⁷Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. ¹⁸And all of us, with unveiled faces, seeing the glory of the Lord as though reflected in a mirror, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another; for this comes from the Lord, the Spirit.

^4:1Therefore, since it is by God’s mercy that we are engaged in this ministry, we do not lose heart. ²We have renounced the shameful things that one hides; we refuse to practice cunning or to falsify God’s word; but by the open statement of the truth we commend ourselves to the conscience of everyone in the sight of God.

Luke 9:28-36

²⁸Now about eight days after these sayings Jesus took with him Peter and John and James, and went up on the mountain to pray. ²⁹And while he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became dazzling white. ³⁰Suddenly they saw two men, Moses and Elijah, talking to him. ³¹They appeared in glory and were speaking of his departure, which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem. ³²Now Peter and his companions were weighed down with sleep; but since they had stayed awake, they saw his glory and the two men who stood with him. ³³Just as they were leaving him, Peter said to Jesus, “Master, it is good for us to be here; let us make three dwellings, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah”—not knowing what he said. ³⁴While he was saying this, a cloud came and overshadowed them; and they were terrified as they entered the cloud. ³⁵Then from the cloud came a voice that said, “This is my Son, my Chosen; listen to him!” ³⁶When the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. And they kept silent and in those days told no one any of the things they had seen.

Transfiguration of Christ, detail – Early 17th c. Icon, Benaki Museum, Athens, Greece

Sermon – Meggan Manlove

There are years, like this year, when I really appreciate Transfiguration Sunday. For weeks, we have been listening in as Jesus teaches. His teachings are challenging, dangerous to him and his followers, and frankly it is sometimes hard to grasp what exactly the goal is. What does the reign of God look like? Then, just as we are about to start the 40 days of Lent and the journey towards Jerusalem, Jesus says, let me give you a glimpse of glory, a real glimpse of the foretaste of the feast to come, something that will sustain you for the road ahead. Sustenance for the road ahead sounds pretty good to me this week.

I hope most of us have had those experiences; a place or time when we have seen a glimpse of Jesus’ glory. Where and when have you had a foretaste of the feast to come? Maybe you felt near the presence of God in the midst of grief, upheld by all your sisters and brothers in Christ. Perhaps you experienced the glory of God on a literal mountaintop, looking out over a breathtaking vista, or maybe it was another natural wonder like the ocean or a canyon.

I think about the ways I felt cared for by this congregation in December 2020 when my dad was dying in Mesa and we were still quite locked down due to the pandemic. The actual verb I would use to describe that time is that you carried me.

I also think of the group of colleagues and mentors who I met with in Northeast Iowa during my first six years in public ministry. We met each Tuesday for an in-depth text study, studying together the scripture passages on which we would preach. But we also met for pizza, beer, and conversation each Friday. I brought every problem a first-call pastor could face to that group and my stories were all met with love and understanding. We did not agree on everything, but I could bring my full self-there and I knew it to be a safe and holy space. There too I got glimpses of the promised feast.

I think of paddling canoes through the Boundary Waters of Northern Minnesota/Ontario at dawn and hearing the call of a loon. I can see vistas of the old beautiful Black Hills where I grew up. I remember the panoramic views from the peaks of the Absoraka-Beartooth Wilderness in Montana and driving and hiking through the valleys of the Sawtooth and White Cloud ranges here in Idaho–all places I have glimpsed God’s glory.

Jesus takes Peter, James, and John up on a mountain. They will experience something completely new. There on the mountain, Jesus is transfigured—his clothes become a blinding white. Then Moses and Elijah appear out of nowhere and start talking with Jesus. It is so amazing, so terrifying, that Peter does not know what to say.

Still, he likes it enough to try to hold on to it—perhaps even make some booths to keep them there. But before he can start building, a cloud descends upon them, and out of the cloud the voice of God is heard: “This is my Son, my Chosen; listen to him!”

This has got to be one of the top ten ecstatic events in the whole Bible. It sounds a lot like the time God spoke to Moses on Mount Sinai or the time God whispered to Elijah on Mount Horeb. Here are the two biggest figures in the Old Testament—Moses, who represents the Law, and Elijah, who represents the prophets—now speaking with Jesus. But God also has something to say.

God has spoken before in Luke. At Jesus’ baptism, a voice from heaven said, “You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.” It was after that event that Jesus began his ministry of teaching and healing. Now, God speaks again, and it is after this encounter that Jesus sets his face to Jerusalem. It is in this encounter with God that Jesus is empowered and commissioned again for his God-given ministry.

When the cloud disappears, Elijah and Moses are gone. No one is left but Jesus. The experience is over as quickly as it began. Jesus remains with them, but not the glorious Jesus, arrayed in dazzling white. No, this is the man with whom the disciples ate and slept.

From the very beginning, Jesus is true God and true man. From the beginning, he is filled with glory—the very glory of God. But that glory of the father is a glory we cannot bear. Moses knew that. When he asked to see God’s glory, God answered, “No one shall see me and live.” So, God put on flesh; God became known in a way we could see. At the Transfiguration, Moses finally does get his wish: he looks directly into the face of God—God’s face revealed in Jesus.

We live by faith—faith that is strengthened by those transfiguration moments—but also faith that, even in the everyday moments, senses that God is present and at work in the world. We live by faith—faith that trusts that God is present in the midst of our sorrow and in the ordinary parts of our lives.

For me, the greatest glimpses of God’s glory, the best foretastes of the feast to come, have occurred when I was at a place apart. Because I worked at Camp Christikon in very formative years, my 20s, the glimpses I received then still shape me. Christikon, nestled in the big beautiful Absorka Mountains north of Yellowstone National Park, is primarily a hiking camp for junior and senior high school kids.

Our director Bob Quam was intent on creating intentional Christian community, full of encounters with the natural world, work, play, prayer, worship. Central to life at Christikon were stories. Bob Quam talked about the “old, old story” of which we were still a part–the story of homecoming from exile and life from death, the story of love embodied and outpoured in Jesus for the sake of the world, the story of the wedding feast at the end of time which we could taste now in the body and blood of Christ, as well as other elaborate meals Bob prepared regularly for his staff.

Part of why I encourage youth and adults from this congregation to attend Luther Heights Bible Camp is to have some of the experience I had at camp. If we truly believe that the gospel can transform lives and communities down here in the literal valley, it’s helpful to have had a glimpse of God’s glory, of the feast, of the kingdom, even if we have to go away to get those glimpses. Our intergenerational church campout, while not a full week, has frequently done the same thing as summer camp–given us a glimpse of God’s glory.

Camps often get critiqued as being retreats from the real world or a bubble that serves to protect participants from the outside world. My dad, who thought and wrote a lot about camping ministries, suggested that the camp community is the real world in that it is closer to the world as it should be, as God intended it to be. He wrote, “We have seen a glimpse of the kingdom. We have seen a bit of life as it should be. Working together, we create places where people can come, learn, and go out into the world to make it as it should be.”

We don’t remember our own mountain top experiences to indulge in nostalgia. Nostalgia can be a dangerous form of remembering that steals the pleasure out of the present. But there is a place for remembering and giving thanks for people and places through whom God has worked in your lives. Our Psalm helps us remember almost every week. Before we join together in the Lord’s Prayer, the long prayer I speak is all about remembering. And at the heart of that prayer, we recall Jesus telling his disciples, when they gather to eat the bread and drink the wine, to do it “in remembrance of me.”

Down the mountain, we hold on to God’s vision of glory and wholeness and peace. Even standing smack-dab in the middle of brokenness, in the middle of a world experiencing violence, we hold on to God, we call upon God, we behave as if God’s new world of wholeness is on the way, and we are sustained by the glimpses that we have seen already: those moments when people are healed and comforted, those times when violence gives way to reconciliation and selfishness gives way to love, those moments when whole communities reach out and care for one another.

We praise God for moments of grace—moments when it all comes together. And we praise God for the promise that all of our moments are upheld by the abiding presence of God.

Jesus came down that mount of Transfiguration. His disciples followed him on a journey of transformation. Together they experienced the heights and the depths of our experience. Jesus knows us in the very depths of our souls and loves us still—we can live in faith and hope. Not because we have it all together, but because God is here.

Prayers of Intercession (from Sundays and Seasons)

The prayers are prepared locally for each occasion. The following examples may be adapted or used as appropriate.

The Spirit of the Lord is poured out upon us in abundance; so we are bold to pray for the church, the world, and all that God has made.

A brief silence.

Transform us by your greatness, O God. Send us down the mountain to share joy with all people. Make us agents of change, confident that your hope will vanquish despair and your goodness will conquer evil. God of grace,

hear our prayer.

The mountains and valleys sing your praise. Dazzle us with your presence in every landscape: bluffs built by ancient glaciers, canyons carved by flowing rivers, flat horizons with uninterrupted views, and sands shaped by ocean tides. God of grace,

hear our prayer.

You love justice and establish equity. Strengthen leaders of local governments, community nonprofits, and grassroots campaigns. Bless them with gifts of integrity, creativity, and sound conscience. Build up safe and joyful communities where all people may thrive. God of grace,

hear our prayer.

Heal those who are in distress (especially). Give patience to those waiting for answers. Grant hope to those who have reached the limits of treatment. Give compassionate hearts to those who accompany loved ones through illness and uncertainty. God of grace,

hear our prayer.

Today we shout alleluia from the mountaintop; this week we enter the wilderness of Lent. Bless all who prepare and lead us in worship during this change of season: pastors, deacons, musicians, and all who contribute to our worship life (especially). God of grace,

hear our prayer.

With deep sadness that we pray for peace and for the people of Ukraine. God who sees the weakness in acts of naked aggression; God who feels the fear in moments of acute helplessness: cure this warring madness, and shield all who fall in harm’s way. Leach the poison from the mind that thinks strength is shown in a bullying force. And may an equal strength in solidarity give resolve to those whose aim is to protect, and respect, not just the ones we call our own, but all with whom we can share a better, more peaceful world. (from the Corymeela Community)

hear our prayer.

Blessed are they who listened to Christ’s voice in this life and now rest with him (especially). Transform us from glory into glory, and give us your peace, that we do not lose heart. God of grace,

hear our prayer.

Since we have such great hope in your promises, O God, we lift these and all of our prayers to you in confidence and faith; through Jesus Christ our Savior.

Amen.

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Feb. 20, 2022

Posted on February 20, 2022 by megganmanlove

Prayer of the Day

O Lord Jesus, make us instruments of your peace, that where there is hatred, we may sow love, where there is injury, pardon, and where there is despair, hope. Grant, O divine master, that we may seek to console, to understand, and to love in your name, for you live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

Genesis 45:3-11, 15

³Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph. Is my father still alive?” But his brothers could not answer him, so dismayed were they at his presence.
⁴Then Joseph said to his brothers, “Come closer to me.” And they came closer. He said, “I am your brother, Joseph, whom you sold into Egypt. ⁵And now do not be distressed, or angry with yourselves, because you sold me here; for God sent me before you to preserve life. ⁶For the famine has been in the land these two years; and there are five more years in which there will be neither plowing nor harvest. ⁷God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant on earth, and to keep alive for you many survivors. ⁸So it was not you who sent me here, but God; he has made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house and ruler over all the land of Egypt. ⁹Hurry and go up to my father and say to him, ‘Thus says your son Joseph, God has made me lord of all Egypt; come down to me, do not delay. ¹⁰You shall settle in the land of Goshen, and you shall be near me, you and your children and your children’s children, as well as your flocks, your herds, and all that you have. ¹¹I will provide for you there—since there are five more years of famine to come—so that you and your household, and all that you have, will not come to poverty.’ ” ¹⁵And he kissed all his brothers and wept upon them; and after that his brothers talked with him.

Psalm 37:1-11, 39-40

¹Do not be provoked by ^| evildoers;
do not be jealous of those ^| who do wrong.
²For they shall soon wither ^| like the grass,
and like the green grass ^| fade away.
³Put your trust in the Lord^| and do good;
dwell in the land and ^| find safe pasture.
⁴Take delight ^| in the Lord,
who shall give you your ^| heart’s desire.
⁵Commit your way to the Lord; put your trust ^| in the Lord,
and see what ^| God will do.
⁶The Lord will make your vindication as clear ^| as the light
and the justice of your case like the ^| noonday sun.
⁷Be still before the Lord and wait ^| patiently.
Do not be provoked by the one who prospers, the one who succeeds in ^| evil schemes.
⁸Refrain from anger, leave ^| rage alone;
do not be provoked; it leads on- ^| ly to evil.
⁹For evildoers shall ^| be cut off,
but those who hope in the Lord shall pos- ^| sess the land.
¹⁰In a little while the wicked shall ^| be no more;
even if you search out their place, they will ^| not be there.
¹¹But the lowly shall pos- ^| sess the land;
they will delight in abun- ^| dance of peace.
³⁹But the deliverance of the righteous comes from ^| you, O Lord;
you are their stronghold in ^| time of trouble.
⁴⁰You, O Lord, will help them and ^| rescue them;
you will rescue them from the wicked and deliver them, because in you ^| they seek refuge.

1 Corinthians 15:35-38, 42-50

³⁵But someone will ask, “How are the dead raised? With what kind of body do they come?” ³⁶Fool! What you sow does not come to life unless it dies. ³⁷And as for what you sow, you do not sow the body that is to be, but a bare seed, perhaps of wheat or of some other grain. ³⁸But God gives it a body as he has chosen, and to each kind of seed its own body.
⁴²So it is with the resurrection of the dead. What is sown is perishable, what is raised is imperishable. ⁴³It is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness, it is raised in power. ⁴⁴It is sown a physical body, it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a physical body, there is also a spiritual body. ⁴⁵Thus it is written, “The first man, Adam, became a living being”; the last Adam became a life-giving spirit. ⁴⁶But it is not the spiritual that is first, but the physical, and then the spiritual. ⁴⁷The first man was from the earth, a man of dust; the second man is from heaven. ⁴⁸As was the man of dust, so are those who are of the dust; and as is the man of heaven, so are those who are of heaven. ⁴⁹Just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we will also bear the image of the man of heaven.
⁵⁰What I am saying, brothers and sisters, is this: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable.

Luke 6:27-38

[Jesus said:] ²⁷“But I say to you that listen, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, ²⁸bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. ²⁹If anyone strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also; and from anyone who takes away your coat do not withhold even your shirt. ³⁰Give to everyone who begs from you; and if anyone takes away your goods, do not ask for them again. ³¹Do to others as you would have them do to you.
³²“If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. ³³If you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. ³⁴If you lend to those from whom you hope to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to receive as much again. ³⁵But love your enemies, do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return. Your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High; for he is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked. ³⁶Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.
³⁷“Do not judge, and you will not be judged; do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven; ³⁸give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap; for the measure you give will be the measure you get back.”

Prayers for Reconciliation (after WW II Bombings) – Reconciliation Church, Dresden, Germany

Sermon – Pastor Meggan Manlove

Today’s gospel text from Luke has often been misused in the past, especially by the church. It became a word preached to slaves in order to keep them in their place. This same scripture has been preached or quoted to others in abusive relationships, convincing abused spouses to stay in their homes rather than flee. Jesus never intended his words to be applied against the oppressed.

The other background to this text in our moment in history, is the great resignation we are currently witnessing. The reasons people are quitting their jobs are probably as unique as each individual. You all probably know someone who retired early, has contemplated quitting, has taken a break, or has switched jobs or careers. One thread is that wages are not keeping up with the costs of living, particularly when it comes to housing. Employees also want more flexibility, more time with their families, a better quality of life. Many people are saying goodbye to companies who seem to prioritize profits over people. I don’t know where the great resignation will lead us as a country, but I think it’s a stirred up a conversation worth having.

And I would hate for someone considering leaving a job where they are not valued to say to himself, “well I can’t afford rent but maybe I shouldn’t advocate for myself because in Luke chapter 6 Jesus tells me to turn to other cheek and to give both my coat and shirt away.” That may be an extreme reading of this text, but biblical interpretation can be a slippery slope and it’s good to beware of where people could slide in reading this often misinterpreted text.

So, if Jesus never intended his words to applied against the oppressed, what is the goal of his words? What are we supposed to do with such a text? One scholar summed up Jesus’ words this way, “You know the system this world runs on? It is all based on keeping score. If anyone injures you, you retaliate and injure him. And what about the positive relationships in your lives? There, too, it’s all about keeping score. Someone gives you a gift, you give one in return. Someone invites you to his house for dinner, you reciprocate. But what credit is there in that for you?” Jesus asks.

Three times Jesus asks, “What credit is it to you if you love someone who loves you, if you do good to someone who does good to you, if you lend to someone who will later lend something to you?” The Greek word translated as “credit” is charis, which most often is translated as “grace.” So, we could paraphrase these verses to ask, “What grace is that of ours to love just those who love us, or do good to those who do good to us, or lend to those who can lend us something back in return?”

What Jesus calls on his disciples to do is “keep score no more.” To trust the God who pulled a paradigm shift on the cross, settling a whole world’s “old scores” then and there, and then tearing up the ledger.

Jesus is continuing to paint a picture of his promised future—painting a picture of what the world could look like if some norms were completely overturned. But he does more than paint a picture of the promised future. Jesus envisions, desires, wants, wishes, and wills it into his current context. The promised future is breaking into the present.

Jesus’ alternative is not sheer possibility but aggressive actions to undermine hostility and violence. He taught a new response to hostility. Jesus’ teachings to his disciples call for imaginative, aggressive, but non-violent responses to the problems that have born such bitter fruit in our own time.

It’s true that this is hard teaching, as is much of the gospel itself. Still, we believe that through Christ, transformation is possible. We just keep asking ourselves and one another, how do we live our lives responding with grace, forgiveness, and nonviolence, instead of reacting with words or actions that seek to answer hurt with more hurt? Instead of keeping score.

Nelson Mandela spent 27 years in prison in South Africa. His life after prison could have been one of vengeance or retribution. He had the ultimate score to settle, if he wanted to. Instead, he created the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. It was hard painful work done that did not ignore past injustices but did help his country move forward.

I think Mandela’s experience and transformation must have threads of similarity to Joseph, the character in our reading from the book of Genesis. Joseph was born to Jacob and Rachel. He was his father’s eleventh son. As a boy, Joseph received an elegant coat from his father. He also dreamed that the sun, moon, and eleven stars bowed down before him, which indicated that someday Joseph’s family members would bow down before him. His brothers became jealous, sold the boy into slavery in Egypt, and placed blood on his elegant coat to deceive their father into thinking that Joseph was dead.

In Egypt Joseph rose to a position of influence, but he was imprisoned on false charges of making advances on the wife of Potiphar, his master. We do not know how long he was in prison. After interpreting Pharaoh’s dreams which portended famine, he was released and given responsibility for Egypt’s food stores. When famine struck, Joseph’s brothers came to Egypt for food. Joseph disguised his identity, held one of his brothers hostage in prison, and demanded that the rest of them bring their youngest brother Benjamin to Egypt. Joseph also put his brothers’ money back in their sacks of grain. When they returned Joseph revealed his identity, our passage today, and brought his father Jacob to live in Egypt.

As I said earlier, part of why these are hard texts is that we know they have been used, both Jesus’ words and Joseph’s story, to silence the victimized so that others are not inconvenienced by their difficult stories. The words of scripture have been used to actively encourage vulnerable people to stay in abusive environments and relationships. Those are, to put it clearly, abuses of scripture and the name of Christ.

I think one way that the Joseph story can help us read scripture more faithfully, is by simply paying attention to who is doing the speaking. Can you imagine if the words had come out of one of the brother’s mouths? What if Joseph had simply revealed himself and then his brother Simeon had said, “Yes. God’s plan was for us to sell you into slavery so that you could save our family today.” Or what if Mandala’s original enemies had said, “See, 27 years in prison was for good, to prepare you to lead when you finally got out.” Or what if a CEO says to someone, “If we had always paid you a living wage, instead of protecting my bonuses and stocks, you never would have left and found a different career.”

Instead, it is the victim, Joseph, who gets to make the claims about God working through all of this activity. Joseph is ready, after so many years, to forgive, to keep score no more. Joseph is the one who is able to say that God has been with him and his brothers and now it is time to reconcile and move forward. There is forgiveness and grace.

We can never tell someone who has suffered a great evil at the hands of others that God is bringing good out of the tragedy. If it is going to happen at all, the victims must discover for themselves that God has somehow created something new out of their suffering, that out of their survival God’s grace can even provide food to save someone else from famine.

What is essential to both Mandela and Joseph’s stories is that they remembered who they were or, more accurately, they remembered whose they were. When the teachings of the Sermon on the Plain are not grounded in our identity as God’s children, they become an onerous list of ethical demands that do not further justice and wholeness. When the disciple, then and now, understands her actions as flowing out of God’s abundance, to which she belongs, and which belongs to her, turning the other cheek becomes an act of resistance to evil that has the power to transform others and the world.

Faith in Jesus Christ is far more than giving cognitive assent to doctrines. The Creed, the prayers, the words in the hymns we sing are all important. They all are helpful tools in understanding this long narrative of which we are a part. But in the end, this faith is a way of life, a way that is contrary to our own inclinations. To answer hurt with forgiveness is plausible only because the resurrected Christ is our strength.

Prayers of Intercession (Sundays and Seasons)

The prayers are prepared locally for each occasion. The following examples may be adapted or used as appropriate.

The Spirit of the Lord is poured out upon us in abundance; so we are bold to pray for the church, the world, and all that God has made.

A brief silence.

You teach us to love our neighbors and enemies alike. Encourage your church to follow the leading of your love, especially when it is risky or difficult. Help us to show mercy just as we have first received mercy. God of grace,

hear our prayer.

Nurture fields that lie dormant, resting until it is time to bloom again. Bless farmers and all who cultivate fields and urban gardens. Give favorable weather for planting. Bring forth from buried seed an abundant harvest, and guard against famine and disease. God of grace,

hear our prayer.

Look upon our world with mercy, that we delight in an abundance of peace. Protect all whose lives are marred by war and civil unrest. Release political prisoners and amplify the voices that challenge us to seek forgiveness and pursue nonviolence. God of grace,

hear our prayer.

Your people cry out for mercy. Console hearts that long for forgiveness. Mend broken relationships. Heal bodies that suffer chronic pain or illness. Strengthen and deliver all whose spirits are troubled (especially). God of grace,

hear our prayer.

You bind us together into one family. Teach us to forgive one another and to resolve conflicts with humility and patience. Bless families of all shapes and sizes, and show love to those who are lonely or grieving. God of grace,

hear our prayer.

Here other intercessions may be offered.

We praise you for the saints who have inherited the fullness of your kingdom (especially). As you have raised them to imperishable and eternal life, sustain us in faith by the promise of resurrection. God of grace,

hear our prayer.

Since we have such great hope in your promises, O God, we lift these and all of our prayers to you in confidence and faith; through Jesus Christ our Savior.

Amen.

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Feb. 13, 2022

Posted on February 13, 2022 by megganmanlove

Prayer of the Day

Living God, in Christ you make all things new. Transform the poverty of our nature by the riches of your grace, and in the renewal of our lives make known your glory, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.

Amen.

Jeremiah 17:5-10

⁵Thus says the Lord:
Cursed are those who trust in mere mortals
and make mere flesh their strength,
whose hearts turn away from the Lord.
⁶They shall be like a shrub in the desert,
and shall not see when relief comes.
They shall live in the parched places of the wilderness,
in an uninhabited salt land.

⁷Blessed are those who trust in the Lord,
whose trust is the Lord.
⁸They shall be like a tree planted by water,
sending out its roots by the stream.
It shall not fear when heat comes,
and its leaves shall stay green;
in the year of drought it is not anxious,
and it does not cease to bear fruit.

⁹The heart is devious above all else;
it is perverse—
who can understand it?
¹⁰I the Lord test the mind
and search the heart,
to give to all according to their ways,
according to the fruit of their doings.

Psalm 1

¹Happy are they who have not walked in the counsel ^| of the wicked,
nor lingered in the way of sinners, nor sat in the seats ^| of the scornful!
²Their delight is in the law ^| of the Lord,
and they meditate on God’s teaching ^| day and night.
³They are like trees planted by streams of water, bearing fruit in due season, with leaves that ^| do not wither;
everything they ^| do shall prosper.
⁴It is not so ^| with the wicked;
they are like chaff which the wind ^| blows away.
⁵Therefore the wicked shall not stand upright when ^| judgment comes,
nor the sinner in the council ^| of the righteous.
⁶For the Lord knows the way ^| of the righteous,
but the way of the wicked shall ^| be destroyed.

1 Corinthians 15:12-20

¹²Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say there is no resurrection of the dead? ¹³If there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised; ¹⁴and if Christ has not been raised, then our proclamation has been in vain and your faith has been in vain. ¹⁵We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified of God that he raised Christ—whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised. ¹⁶For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised. ¹⁷If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. ¹⁸Then those also who have died in Christ have perished. ¹⁹If for this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied.
²⁰But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have died.

Luke 6:17-26

¹⁷[Jesus] came down with [the twelve] and stood on a level place, with a great crowd of his disciples and a great multitude of people from all Judea, Jerusalem, and the coast of Tyre and Sidon.¹⁸They had come to hear him and to be healed of their diseases; and those who were troubled with unclean spirits were cured. ¹⁹And all in the crowd were trying to touch him, for power came out from him and healed all of them.
²⁰Then he looked up at his disciples and said:
“Blessed are you who are poor,
for yours is the kingdom of God.
²¹“Blessed are you who are hungry now,
for you will be filled.
“Blessed are you who weep now,
for you will laugh.
²²“Blessed are you when people hate you, and when they exclude you, revile you, and defame you on account of the Son of Man. ²³Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, for surely your reward is great in heaven; for that is what their ancestors did to the prophets.
²⁴“But woe to you who are rich,
for you have received your consolation.
²⁵“Woe to you who are full now,
for you will be hungry.
“Woe to you who are laughing now,
for you will mourn and weep.
²⁶“Woe to you when all speak well of you, for that is what their ancestors did to the false prophets.”

The Bread Line – Franklin D. Roosevelt Memorial – D.C.

Sermon – Pastor Meggan Manlove

Jesus’ Sermon on the Plain today is introduced with a powerful description of Jesus’ healing work. Multitudes are gathered from near and far, representing many people. They recognized Jesus’ power and they have come to hear him and be healed: “All in the crowd were trying to touch him.” And, the author tells us, Jesus healed all of them. Then Jesus speaks.

With his words, Jesus is redefining, both now and for the future, the way the world works. He is replacing common representations of the world with new ones.

We might need to be reminded that Jesus’ claims clearly do not represent conventional wisdom. Is not wealth a sign of God’s blessing? How then can the poor be declared fortunate, and the wealthy be warned of God’s curse?

Jesus’ vision of the new world today is about all the final things. And yet, Jesus’ vision it is not relegated to the future. The end has already arrived, and the values Jesus asserts reflect this new era. In other words, Jesus’ teaching is meant to jolt his audience, including us, into new perceptions of God’s liberating goal.

Jesus’ beatitudes and woes are words of hope and comfort to people like those who have already been the recipients of Jesus’ ministry: lepers, sinners, the demonized, tax collectors, women. Those people may be unacceptable in the world they live in, but they are embraced and restored in the new world Jesus proclaims and embodies.

Let me be clear, there is no idealization of poverty in our story. Instead, Jesus describes the new world, the kingdom of God, as a place where poverty is absent.

The new world and the values it embodies will catch unawares those who measure their lives by the old order. Those rooted in the old order will find their sense of well-being and self-assurance is grounded in false values.

The “wealth gap,” “food deserts,” the “education gap,” the “health gap,” and other gaps and failures around the globe mark the two sides of the blessings and woes. It’s the gap we are called to address by this passage for God’s sake and our own. It’s what children of God do and what they repent of not having done, confident that God gives new opportunities to live with generosity and attention.

There is no one big sweeping way for one of us to help usher in God’s reign right now. Only Jesus can do that. So, in the already but not yet time, the reversal and reordering happens in small ways in various context. Like the Fall Crop Hunger Walk, the Souper Bowl of Caring has an inspiring, though more recent, origin story, that illustrates what this reordering might look like.

In 1990, this simple prayer was said, “Lord, even as we enjoy the Super Bowl football game, help us be mindful of those who are without a bowl of soup to eat.” The prayer was delivered during a worship service at Spring Valley Presbyeterian Church in Columbia, SC led by Brad Smith, who was serving as a seminary intern at the time.

This gave birth to an idea. Why not harness the energy and enthusiasm of the Super Bowl weekend, a time when people come together for football and food, to unite the country for a higher good? Church groups could collect dollars in soup pots and canned food for those in need and every dollar and food donation could go directly to a local charity of their choice. Now people of all ages tackle hunger to help support local food scarcity.

Is this movement changing the world? Doubtful. But on a day when so much money is on display during one football game, the Souper Bowl of Caring is a reminder that there are simultaneously people experiencing poverty and hunger in our own community. What’s more, the systems that support the NFL Super Bowl are tied to the reason we have a Souper Bowl of Caring.

Giving people access to food is a great start. Linking harm and harm to change our world so no one needs a free can of food is when we know the kingdom of God has fully arrived. We are here muddling in the already and not yet time and that’s okay. It’s okay as long as we keep muddling.

There remain plenty of roadblocks to our moving forward, as many today as in Jesus’ day. So much around us encourages us to break the first commandment and make an idol of money. We spiritualize the poor and tell one another that something good coming for the poor….in heaven). We convince ourselves that someone else is fixing our economic system or helping those with less. Or we put our heads in the sand and believe that economic disparity is happening somewhere else, not in our community.

It’s not like any of our disregard is new. Jesus talked about all these problems a lot. Consider the rich man and Lazarus in Luke 16 or the man who would build two barns in Luke 12. Riches distract these men from heeding the ways of God and lead people away from life with God now and in the hereafter.

The first beatitude describes a way of life, and we, who are not poor–not really–run to the version of the beatitudes in Matthew’s Gospel in relief. There Jesus says “blessed are the poor in spirit.” But our preference for Matthew says much more about us than about the words of Jesus. The poor are those whose desperate need and inability to help themselves have driven them to turn to God for their hope.

Gustavo Gutierrez has commented that, “God has preferential love for the poor not because they are necessarily better than others, morally or religiously, but simply because they are poor and living in an inhuman situation that is contrary to God’s will. The ultimate basis for the privileged position of the poor is not in the poor themselves but in God, in the gratuitousness and universality of God’s agapeic love.”

The beatitudes are promises to those who are suffering in this world that God still sees them, loves them, and is intent on their thriving. Jesus’ words are also warning calls to his hearers. They are called to live with attention and generosity toward their neighbors, even as God is attentive and generous.

Because we are not poor, the first beatitude either mystifies us or leaves us feeling guilt rather than joy. Our pride and our ability to provide for ourselves have blocked the channels of blessing. But we don’t have to stay there. After all, God has invited us into that work. Some days that is exhausting and overwhelming and other days it can only be described as, yes, a blessing, a real deep embodied blessing, not a hashtag blessed.

The topography of our scene today is noteworthy for what it might mean in our own lives. Jesus went up to the mountain and then came down. What was he doing on the mountain? Praying. In our passage today, there is a clear bridge between Jesus’ prayer and his ministry. The purpose of his retreat on the mountain was explicitly to pray. The outcomes of his vigil is twofold: he discerns God’s will regarding the selection of the apostles and he is empowered for divine service. Jesus’ prayer solidifies his relationship to God the Father and strengthens him for ministry. Prayer transformed Jesus.

Those of us who plan worship hope prayer does the same thing for those of us gathered together in person or online. If you turn to page 105 in the front of your hymnal you will see on the bottom of the page the list of things we pray for together each Sunday. That list reflects today’s beatitudes and woes. The prayers are meant to be part of our dialogue with God, but they are also meant to stir each one of us up. They are, like the Apostle’s Creed, a statement of faith, of what it means to follow Jesus out of this space.

If you turn back to page 93 you will see our entire worship service outlined. At the very end is the Sending and bolded in that section is the Blessing. There were various parts of worship that were dropped as we pivoted to online worship and then came back to shorter in-person services, but never the prayers of intercession and never the blessing. At the end of every worship service, we are sent to the continue our participation in God’s mission. With the blessing of God, we go out to live as Christ’s body in the world. Amen.

Prayers of Intercession

The Spirit of the Lord is poured out upon us in abundance; so we are bold to pray for the church, the world, and all that God has made.

A brief silence.

Blessed are those whose trust is in you. Strengthen the faith of those who profess your name and bring reassurance to those who doubt or fear. Through your church speak continued blessing into the world. God of grace,

hear our prayer.

Those who trust in you are like trees planted by streams of water. Bless fruit trees with an abundant harvest. Protect rainforests from destruction. Restore land that has eroded after deforestation. Resurrect woodlands after forest fires. God of grace,

hear our prayer.

Search the hearts of those who govern, that they lead with humility. Inspire leaders to collaborate on policies that protect people and the planet. Sustain truth-tellers and social movements that challenge society to become more honest and just. God of grace,

hear our prayer.

Send your blessings of mercy upon those who long for consolation. Tend to those struggling with poverty, unemployment, or uncertainty. Provide for all who are hungry. Console those who face persecution. Grant peace to all who suffer (especially). God of grace,

hear our prayer.

Renew this congregation in our shared mission. As we plan and dream for the future you are preparing, inspire us by the examples of Martin Luther and all the reformers. Bless new projects and new ministry partnerships. God of grace,

hear our prayer.

Here other intercessions may be offered.

Christ is raised from the dead, and so we cling to the hope of the resurrection. We praise you for the lives of the saints who lived and died in the hope of eternal life with you (especially). God of grace,

hear our prayer.

Since we have such great hope in your promises, O God, we lift these and all of our prayers to you in confidence and faith; through Jesus Christ our Savior.

Amen.

Posted in Sermons, Trinity Lutheran | Leave a comment

Feb. 6, 2022

Posted on February 12, 2022 by megganmanlove

Prayer of the Day

Most holy God, the earth is filled with your glory, and before you angels and saints stand in awe. Enlarge our vision to see your power at work in the world, and by your grace make us heralds of your Son, Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.

Amen.

Isaiah 6:1-8 [9-13]

¹In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lofty; and the hem of his robe filled the temple. ²Seraphs were in attendance above him; each had six wings: with two they covered their faces, and with two they covered their feet, and with two they flew. ³And one called to another and said:
“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts;
the whole earth is full of his glory.”
⁴The pivots on the thresholds shook at the voices of those who called, and the house filled with smoke. ⁵And I said: “Woe is me! I am lost, for I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips; yet my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!”
⁶Then one of the seraphs flew to me, holding a live coal that had been taken from the altar with a pair of tongs. ⁷The seraph touched my mouth with it and said: “Now that this has touched your lips, your guilt has departed and your sin is blotted out.” ⁸Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” And I said, “Here am I; send me!” [⁹And he said, “Go and say to this people:
‘Keep listening, but do not comprehend;
keep looking, but do not understand.’
¹⁰Make the mind of this people dull,
and stop their ears,
and shut their eyes,
so that they may not look with their eyes,
and listen with their ears,
and comprehend with their minds,
and turn and be healed.”
¹¹Then I said, “How long, O Lord?” And he said:
“Until cities lie waste
without inhabitant,
and houses without people,
and the land is utterly desolate;
¹²until the Lord sends everyone far away,
and vast is the emptiness in the midst of the land.
¹³Even if a tenth part remain in it,
it will be burned again,
like a terebinth or an oak
whose stump remains standing
when it is felled.”
The holy seed is its stump.

Psalm 138

¹I will give thanks to you, O Lord, with ^| my whole heart;
before the gods I will ^| sing your praise.
²I will bow down toward your holy temple and praise your name, because of your steadfast ^| love and faithfulness;
for you have glorified your name and your word a- ^| bove all things.
³When I called, you ^| answered me;
you increased my ^| strength within me.
⁴All the rulers of the earth will praise ^| you, O Lord,
when they have heard the words ^| of your mouth.
⁵They will sing of the ways ^| of the Lord,
that great is the glory ^| of the Lord.
⁶The Lord is high, yet cares ^| for the lowly,
perceiving the haughty ^| from afar.
⁷Though I walk in the midst of trouble, you ^| keep me safe;
you stretch forth your hand against the fury of my enemies; your right ^| hand shall save me.
⁸You will make good your pur- ^| pose for me;
O Lord, your steadfast love endures forever; do not abandon the works ^| of your hands.

1 Corinthians 15:1-11

¹Now I would remind you, brothers and sisters, of the good news that I proclaimed to you, which you in turn received, in which also you stand, ²through which also you are being saved, if you hold firmly to the message that I proclaimed to you—unless you have come to believe in vain.
³For I handed on to you as of first importance what I in turn had received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures, ⁴and that he was buried, and that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the scriptures, ⁵and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. ⁶Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers and sisters at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have died. ⁷Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. ⁸Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me. ⁹For I am the least of the apostles, unfit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. ¹⁰But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me has not been in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them—though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me. ¹¹Whether then it was I or they, so we proclaim and so you have come to believe.

Luke 5:1-11

¹Once while Jesus was standing beside the lake of Gennesaret, and the crowd was pressing in on him to hear the word of God, ²he saw two boats there at the shore of the lake; the fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets. ³He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little way from the shore. Then he sat down and taught the crowds from the boat. ⁴When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch.” ⁵Simon answered, “Master, we have worked all night long but have caught nothing. Yet if you say so, I will let down the nets.” ⁶When they had done this, they caught so many fish that their nets were beginning to break. ⁷So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both boats, so that they began to sink. ⁸But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Go away from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man!” ⁹For he and all who were with him were amazed at the catch of fish that they had taken; ¹⁰and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. Then Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching people.” ¹¹When they had brought their boats to shore, they left everything and followed him.

Artist John August Swanson (1938-2021) next to his *Cast Your Nets*

Sermon – Pastor Meggan Manlove

Nets breaking and boats sinking; the mention of these two images is enough for me to recall today’s gospel story–the calling of the first disciples. The crowd of spectators and the men scrambling to haul in the fish awaken the senses. Jesus is well into his ministry in Galilee. Though not welcomed in his own home, Jesus has healed people suffering from demons and diseases and delivered a sermon in the synagogue.

It is noteworthy that Jesus recruits his first disciples in the midst of their workplace –the Sea of Galilee. The call to follow Jesus might occur in a place of worship but clearly that is not a requirement. The men are washing their nets after a night of unsuccessful fishing. There is nothing outstanding about the setting until Jesus appears. He has been healing and teaching and at the center of his ministry is his Word, and the calling of the disciples continues this theme. He teaches the crowd from the boat and then tells Peter to put out his nets into the deep water. Peter trusts Jesus’ words, albeit a little begrudgingly, and lets down the nets, against all reason.

Reason probably told Peter, an experienced fisherman, that Jesus’ instructions were foolish. The best place and time to catch fish is near the shore in the morning or evening, yet Jesus commands Peter to cast the nets into the deep waters at midday and Peter obeys. Peter knew enough about Jesus’ ministry to be open to possibilities. And Jesus provides an abundance of fish after a night of empty nets. Abundance and new life accompany the Word in Jesus’ work in Galilee. Scrambling in the boat, the first disciples get a glimpse of Jesus’ power. He is obviously more than just a savvy fisherman.

Peter is made aware of more than Jesus’ power. Peter recognizes his own sinfulness. He falls at Jesus’ knees and says, “Go away from me Lord, for I am a sinful man!” The prophet Isaiah had a similar response. He says, “Woe is me! I am lost, for I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips; yet my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!”

There is a famous saying, I really tried to find the source but was unsuccessful, God does not call the equipped. God equips the called. Reflecting on the call stories of this week, someone compared them to a conversation between Frodo and Gandolf in Lord of the Rings. Frodo says, “I wish the ring had never come to me. I wish none of this had happened.” Gandolf replies, “So do all who live to see such times, but it’s not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us.”

So, thank goodness God equips the called rather than calling those already equipped. We are living in a time of so much loss, grief, uncertainty, and doubt. We might think this is not for me. I’m not the right person for this! This is not what I learned in Sunday School or from my early teachers or from my parents. This is not what I thought it would look like to follow Jesus. This is not what it has been. And yet, this is where we are.

In the same way that God never accepts the protests from the called ones like Isaiah, Peter, or so many others who have gone before us, God gives us what we need to do what is needed. God has given you what you need to do what is needed. God may not have burned your mouth with a hot coal, but God has made you enough – enough for this moment in this place at this time. What will we do with the time that has been given to us?

This is the guidance for discipleship that Jesus gives throughout his ministry–don’t be afraid; leave everything and follow me. The disciples make it look quite easy. They had heard about Jesus and then saw him perform a miracle. Of course they followed him.

When I was a first-year counselor at a Lutheran camp in Montana, that first phrase become essential to my sanity; “Do not be afraid.” Who could imagine how easy it is to forget those words and the promise that we know accompanies them, “I will be with you always.” First year counselors need a good deal of grace. Certainly, they need grace while learning the mechanics like cooking over open stoves and learning hiking routes.

More than any other time in rhythm of camp life, I needed to be reminded of Christ’s accompaniment during Bible Studies. I was 18 with two weeks of staff training, no seminary training. What questions will engage these campers, what passages will help them make connections with their own lives, how long should I let them be silent before moving on, what can I do to help them open up? About the middle of the week, I was often ready to throw my hands up, frustrated with my inadequacies as a counselor.

In the middle of every week, we worshiped using Compline, prayer at the close of the day, right out of the old green hymnal but also in the ELWs in our pews. As we read and sang the service I was comforted by the five scripture verses in the service that we read every week– God’s Word –

Bend your necks to my yoke, and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble-hearted;

set your troubled hearts at rest, and banish your fears;

nothing can separate us from the love of Christ; cast all your cares on him, for you are his charge;

you are in our midst, O Lord, and you have named us yours; do not forsake us, O Lord our God.”

We were all reminded that we were not alone. Christ Jesus was with each of us, equipping us for the little corner of ministry that was ours. I was not walking beside Jesus in Galilee, but the Holy Spirit was certainly in our midst. I was not alone in my ministry as a camp counselor. The burden was off. But my role was important. I was needed as part of the community. I was called but did not need to be afraid. God was equipping me along the way.

Jesus did not give up on his disciples when they fell short. And we can take hope from that. They doubted, ignored, and betrayed him, but they also learned from him, spread the good news, cured diseases, and identified him as the Messiah, the healer of the world.

Our life of discipleship is also full of starts and pauses, tripping and getting back up. In the end we must remember that it is not all about us. We are not called to be God’s children because of qualifications, character or potential, because we are already equipped. God’s call is unpredictable and unmerited. Once we are called, the Holy Spirit works through us.

I want to experience Jesus’ Word in a setting like that shore in Galilee, in which he and his Word are so clearly present. Thank goodness for tangible gifts that we share, the holy sacraments. Like today’s gospel lesson, Jesus’ Word is central to both. The gifts of Baptism do not come through water alone–the gift comes through the water and the Word. The Word holds the same role in the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper.

Jesus gives us tangible gifts in the sacraments of Baptism and the Lord’s Supper if we trust his words. Peter trusted Jesus and threw his nets into the sea. Jesus promises we will hear the Word in the sacraments. God intercedes through the word with the water, bread, and wine and forgives our sins and gives healing and wholeness. God gives abundant life, as abundant as that catch of fish. Through the Word and bread and wine, the Holy Spirit equips us still today.

Prayers of Intercession

The Spirit of the Lord is poured out upon us in abundance; so we are bold to pray for the church, the world, and all that God has made.

A brief silence.

Equip your church to proclaim the good news that we have first received: the forgiveness and grace shown to us through Jesus Christ. Send us out as apostles, sharing the hope of your salvation with a waiting world. God of grace,

hear our prayer.

Holy are you, O God of hosts. Heaven and earth are filled with your glory. Reveal your splendor in fiery sunsets and in deep blue twilights. Teach us to recognize you in the beauty of our natural world. God of grace,

hear our prayer.

Soften the hearts of rulers and governments that they perceive and tend to the needs of their people. Remove corruption and the impulse toward violence. Protect first responders and military personnel who risk their lives in service of others. God of grace,

hear our prayer.

Your steadfast love endures forever; do not abandon those who look to you for hope and healing. Bless doctors, nurses, social workers, therapists, and all caregivers. Draw near to those who are scared, sick, or in pain (especially). God of grace,

hear our prayer.

The disciples received help from partners as they brought in an abundant catch of fish. So strengthen this congregation’s partnerships with community organizations and ministries (especially). Multiply our shared efforts and bring joy to our relationships. God of grace,

hear our prayer.

Here other intercessions may be offered.

We give thanks for our ancestors in faith who boldly answered your call. By their example give us courage to live in faith and to proclaim your mercy until the day that you gather us into your glory. God of grace,

hear our prayer.

Since we have such great hope in your promises, O God, we lift these and all of our prayers to you in confidence and faith; through Jesus Christ our Savior.

Amen.

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What Have We Learned

Posted on February 10, 2022 by megganmanlove

February column for Trinity’s Epistle/Newsletter. Previously published on tvprays.org.

Friends in Christ,

I read an article online that encouraged congregations to not let the current moment pass by before taking some time to reflect on what we have learned during the last year (or two). Here’s a share-out from meetings/gatherings during January, 2022 at Trinity:

Worship Altar Guild and Music

We’ve become adaptable

Things can be simpler

Communion adaptations have gone well

We are now ready to bring back some things

Gospel and Growth

We need repeated, frequent contact with God and our church family; that contact was maintained through online worship and Zoom classes; we pay closer attention to worship when we are here in person, so that makes us appreciate in-person worship even more. We have taken time to get better acquainted with each other and, seeing fewer people around to get things done, we feel a higher level of responsibility to do things. We appreciate how many people it takes to make things happen. The Advent Daily Devotion showed people are increasingly willing to be transparent and vulnerable in the stories they tell.

Stewardship

We have learned that this congregation has great generosity and faithfulness; we have weathered the loss of some core members and have gained new members; this has worked out better than we had anticipated; despite a long period without in-person worship in the sanctuary, giving has continued. Despite everything feeling off-balance initially, members have been resilient and adaptable. Liturgical worship surprisingly lends itself to online participatory worship experience; perhaps changing the liturgical setting several times each year helped prepare worshipers for having a “the same but different” worship experience online. If we pulled the tvprays.org devotions authored by Trinity members, we could gauge ways the church was addressing the pandemic.

Monday Morning Study Group

Don’t take anything for granted. We can learn new things like Zoom and technology can keep us connected from others near and far away. It’s different, but one can created new relationships with people you have never met in person using technology. The importance of working highspeed internet for all households. We’ve become a church without walls and there are benefits to online church for real people. It was important to use hard copy/paper communication with people without internet. Consistently doing in-depth assessment of who is connected and who is in danger of falling through the cracks was crucial. The deep importance of feeling community-but that takes work-and we have been willing to do that work. Being isolated gives us time to be reflective; we’re more capable of enduring isolation than we had imagined. Online giving is great and we hope it continues.

Church Council

The church of Jesus was not about brick-and-mortar 2000 years ago; being online and outdoors and doing many things differently feels more like being the church of Jesus. We have had to deal with changes, on almost a week-to-week basis, and have become more accepting of change because of this; we have adjusted well, despite our desire to have things be the way they used to be. We have become more open to the perspectives of others. We have a sense of just how long a year can feel. We have named what is hard and learned to celebrate what we have accomplished. We used the strengths we already had such as respect for others, dignity, and creativity. Our concept of what a healthy congregation should look like (full sanctuary; full offering plate) has been altered; we are healthier than preconceived notions indicate.

Your Turn

Call me or a council member, email, write a letter, share in Facebook comments or in the comments on my blog (megganmanlove.com). What have YOU learned or what do you think WE have learned these past two years?

Peace,

Pastor Meggan

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TLC 2021 – Trinity New Hope

Posted on January 28, 2022 by megganmanlove

Trinity New Hope’s tagline is “Help and hope for those in need.” That’s what we do! We are very proud of the numerous families we have been able to help this year, including assisting several families transition from homelessness to a clean, safe home in which to live. Trinity members have participated by helping to provide furniture, appliances, cleaning supplies, and holiday gifts for our tenants.

Since Trinity New Hope is a 501(C)(3) non-profit corporation, we are eligible to receive donations. In 2021 Trinity New Hope participated in the Home Partnership Foundation’s Avenues for Hope housing campaign, which raised $17,900. We exceeded our fundraising goal of $15,000 and received donations from more than a dozen different states! Our goal is to use part of the funds raised to improve our property’s landscaping. We used the Avenues for Hope funds raised in 2020 to complete the construction this year of a maintenance shop on the Trinity New Hope land, which provides space for a workshop for our maintenance staff and a place to store maintenance tools and materials.

Trinity New Hope’s 16 single family homes are overseen by our amazing staff: Tami Romine (property manager) and Steve Van Atter (maintenance manager). If you see these fine individuals, please thank them for their excellent work!

The Board of Directors is proud of the difference that Trinity New Hope is making in Nampa. If you have a heart forthis ministry, please contact Pastor Meggan or any board member. There are many opportunities to volunteer, and we would welcome you to the team.

The Board of Directors, Trinity New Hope

(Pastor Meggan Manlove, Tami McHugh, Cathy Winwood, Judy Kellar, Andrew Hanson, John Hergert, Shelly Regis, Debra Harris, Carl Radke, and Tom Dale)

Posted in Housing, Trinity Lutheran | Leave a comment

Jan. 23, 2022

Posted on January 23, 2022 by megganmanlove

Prayer of the Day

Blessed Lord God, you have caused the holy scriptures to be written for the nourishment of your people. Grant that we may hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them, that, comforted by your promises, we may embrace and forever hold fast to the hope of eternal life, through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.Amen.

Nehemiah 8:1-3, 5-6, 8-10

¹All the people [of Israel] gathered together into the square before the Water Gate. They told the scribe Ezra to bring the book of the law of Moses, which the Lord had given to Israel. ²Accordingly, the priest Ezra brought the law before the assembly, both men and women and all who could hear with understanding. This was on the first day of the seventh month. ³He read from it facing the square before the Water Gate from early morning until midday, in the presence of the men and the women and those who could understand; and the ears of all the people were attentive to the book of the law. ⁵And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people, for he was standing above all the people; and when he opened it, all the people stood up. ⁶Then Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God, and all the people answered, “Amen, Amen,” lifting up their hands. Then they bowed their heads and worshiped the Lord with their faces to the ground. ⁸So they read from the book, from the law of God, with interpretation. They gave the sense, so that the people understood the reading.
⁹And Nehemiah, who was the governor, and Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people, “This day is holy to the Lord your God; do not mourn or weep.” For all the people wept when they heard the words of the law. ¹⁰Then he said to them, “Go your way, eat the fat and drink sweet wine and send portions of them to those for whom nothing is prepared, for this day is holy to our Lord; and do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”

Psalm 19

¹The heavens are telling the glory of God; and the firmament proclaims his handiwork.

²Day to day pours forth speech, and night to night declares knowledge.

³There is no speech, nor are there words; their voice is not heard;

⁴yet their voice goes out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In the heavens he has set a tent for the sun,

⁵which comes out like a bridegroom from his wedding canopy, and like a strong man runs its course with joy.

⁶Its rising is from the end of the heavens, and its circuit to the end of them; and nothing is hid from its heat.

⁷The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul; the decrees of the Lordare sure, making wise the simple;

⁸the precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is clear, enlightening the eyes;

⁹the fear of the Lord is pure, enduring forever; the ordinances of the Lordare true and righteous altogether.

¹⁰More to be desired are they than gold, even much fine gold; sweeter also than honey, and drippings of the honeycomb.

¹¹Moreover by them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward.

¹²But who can detect their errors? Clear me from hidden faults.

¹³Keep back your servant also from the insolent; do not let them have dominion over me. Then I shall be blameless, and innocent of great transgression.

¹⁴Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable to you, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.

1 Corinthians 12:12-31a

¹²For 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. ¹³For in the one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and we were all made to drink of one Spirit.
¹⁴Indeed, the body does not consist of one member but of many. ¹⁵If the foot would say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. ¹⁶And if the ear would say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. ¹⁷If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole body were hearing, where would the sense of smell be? ¹⁸But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. ¹⁹If all were a single member, where would the body be? ²⁰As it is, there are many members, yet one body. ²¹The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you,” nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” ²²On the contrary, the members of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, ²³and those members of the body that we think less honorable we clothe with greater honor, and our less respectable members are treated with greater respect; ²⁴whereas our more respectable members do not need this. But God has so arranged the body, giving the greater honor to the inferior member, ²⁵that there may be no dissension within the body, but the members may have the same care for one another. ²⁶If one member suffers, all suffer together with it; if one member is honored, all rejoice together with it.
²⁷Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it. ²⁸And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers; then deeds of power, then gifts of healing, forms of assistance, forms of leadership, various kinds of tongues. ²⁹Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? ³⁰Do all possess gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret? ^31aBut strive for the greater gifts.

Luke 4:14-21

¹⁴Then Jesus, filled with the power of the Spirit, returned to Galilee, and a report about him spread through all the surrounding country. ¹⁵He began to teach in their synagogues and was praised by everyone.

¹⁶When he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, he went to the synagogue on the sabbath day, as was his custom. He stood up to read, ¹⁷and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written:
¹⁸“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because he has anointed me
to bring good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives
and recovery of sight to the blind,
to let the oppressed go free,
¹⁹to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”
²⁰And he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down. The eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. ²¹Then he began to say to them, “Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.”

Scroll of Isaiah from Qumran – Museum of Israel, Jerusalem

Sermon – Pastor Meggan Manlove

When we think about scripture passages that describe Jesus’ identity, his vision for his ministry here on earth, we have some real gems to choose from. He ate with tax collectors, cast out demons, washed his disciples’ feet, taught with parables like The Good Samaritan and The Prodigal Son. But today, on his return to his hometown of Nazareth, Jesus gives his inauguration speech.

Inaugural addresses are important. Presidents of this country use them to announce their priorities for the next four years. It’s more than priorities, it is a vision for what this country can and should be. Second-inaugurals have a storied history. The most famous is probably President Lincoln’s. He used his second inaugural address to do something no president had ever done before–speak in critical terms of the nation–in order to name the evil of slavery, the toll it had exacted in human flesh and warfare, and the need to stay the course and resolve both the war and its cause.

Jesus was first baptized in the Jordan River and then whisked away to the wilderness where he was tempted by Satan. After the temptations he returned to Galilee, to Nazareth, his hometown. All along, including our story today, the Holy Spirit has been the driver. Jesus was a devout Jew and so he went to the synagogue on the Sabbath. The story finally slows down here. Jesus arose to read. The book of Isaiah was given to him. Jesus opened the scroll and read. Then he gave his inaugural address. He laid out for the people in the synagogue his platform for ministry.

There is nothing surprising. Parts of the sermon echo the song his mother Mary sang when Gabriel told her who she would give birth to Jesus. The mighty one “has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts. He has brought down the powerful from their thrones, and lifted up the lowly; he has filled the hungry with good things, and sent the rich away empty.”

After Jesus is finished reading from Isaiah, he says: “Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” The fulfillment of what? “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”

Jesus announces the fulfillment of Isaiah’s vision. It is a radical and powerful word. It is a message of spiritual nurture. It is a message of healing for everyone who is broken by sin or death. Salvation and healing are for all people to be sure. But there is more. It is also message of radical liberation. These are words of justice, or care for the real, physical, and social needs of the world.

One of the most radical signs of that liberation is Jesus’ proclamation of “the year of the Lord’s favor.” Behind this phrase is the Old Testament concept of the year of jubilee. It is described in the book of Leviticus. The jubilee year, the year of the Lord’s favor, was one of the most radical laws of Scripture. Every 50^th year was to be a jubilee year, a year in which all land was returned free to the original owners and slaves were released. Imagine it—a clean slate.

The law protected the poor from their two greatest threats: the loss of land and the loss of freedom. We don’t have to stretch our imaginations to see how radical a vision this is. Simply imagine if there had been a year of jubilee in 2008 or 2009 in this country. In ancient Israel, the jubilee year was a hope for many. It was a challenge to all private ownership rights. It was an affirmation that God owns the land and that God’s economy supersedes human economies.

Now Jesus proclaims that his ministry is like the year of jubilee. “He has sent me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”

I must admit that with my own frustration with the pandemic, the toll the past few years has had on so many people’s mental health, and daily conversations about exhaustion, every fiber in my body wants to spiritualize this text. In other words, I want to talk about the things we are emotionally captive to, how we are metaphorically blind, even how we might be spiritually poor. But if you look at Jesus’ ministry, the way he follows up his inaugural address with other actions and words, that is not a faithful reading or hearing of his first big speech. It is purely about those who never get to take up space in the center of the page, those whose voices, stories, and beings are instead relegated to the margins.

And so, we might ask, is his message good news or not so good new for those of us gathered at Trinity in Nampa, Idaho in 2022? We are not the richest of the rich. Nor are we truly poor. Most of our stories fall in the center of the page.

Maybe we read Jesus’ speech faithfully by acknowledging that we are not Jesus’ primary audience, at least for this inaugural address. It does not mean that we cannot listen in. It does not mean that there is no good news for us from Jesus. It simply means that he is addressing here those who are truly poor, and held physically captive, and literally blind. He is speaking to those who are marginalized by society, both then and now.

We might feel powerless in hearing Jesus’ vision cast. We are not his central audience, but what can we do to help bring about the redistribution of wealth, to move people from the margins to the center of the page? It was an odd experience to have this text in front of me while reading about the Idaho legislatures’ proposals to impact our economy. I scoffed at them giving rebates connected to income taxes instead of doing the more complicated work of reforming property tax code or giving relief through sales tax. But did I call or email our legislators? I confess I did not. But maybe some of you did.

Our own budget, which we will vote on at next week’s annual meeting, is one of many ways we articulate our mission for ourselves and the broader community. If you want to see what an organization values, look at how they spend time and money. We thank those of you showing up to ask questions and think critically about how our budget and spending matches our vision and mission. That is a gift. And others of you gift us with financial record keeping and auditing. Thank you.

In addition to our budget and time, we have our space. We have taken some good steps to take away barriers for people who are differently abled. What about people of color or people whose first language is not English? What do we need to keep doing or change to make sure our language, our songs, our physical spaces follow our guiding principle that all are welcome? What barriers are there? What can we change so that those on the margins feel welcome in our spaces? Some of you are particular gifted, because of your life experiences or just how you came out of the womb, to ask and answer these kinds of questions.

There are others on the margins. Last spring our church council talked about the need to create safe spaces in Nampa for LGBTQ youth and young adults. I was given the blessing to be open for where we might feel the Spirit nudging. After planting many seeds last summer, in what felt like a fruitless endeavor, an invitation came for conversation this week. The same Holy Spirit there at the beginning of Jesus’ ministry is with us still.

We gathered here may not be Jesus’ primary audience. But we can listen in. And we can follow him to the margins. The vision he paints is vast and can be overwhelming, which is why I love that it is paired with Paul’s image of the body. The body metaphor in today’s text from First Corinthians is nonhierarchical, which is crucial. Every appendage, no matter the size or function, is crucial. And there is great variety in body parts and gifts. Jesus’ vision requires that variety.

It is a lot, and the work will never be done until as we say, Christ will come again. In the mix of grief and tragedy and cynicism we live with hope. We have an ultimate hope in the triumph of God’s purposes and an everyday hope. In his explanation of the Lord’s Prayer, Martin Luther lays this open. We pray, “Thy kingdom come.” What does this mean? God’s kingdom comes indeed without our praying for it, but we ask in this prayer that it may come also to us.”

What’s more? We pray that we might help the kingdom break into the world here and now. We are a people of faith who have heard Jesus’ inaugural address. We know that we that we are drenched in God’s goodness and mercy. We respond to Jesus’ love as a community of faith.

Prayers of Intercession (from Sundays and Seasons)

The prayers are prepared locally for each occasion. The following examples may be adapted or used as appropriate.

The Spirit of the Lord is poured out upon us in abundance; so we are bold to pray for the church, the world, and all that God has made.

A brief silence.You reveal yourself to us in the reading of scripture. Fulfill your word through the faithful witness of your church. Send us out to bring your liberating good news to all people. God of grace,hear our prayer.

All creation proclaims your handiwork. Teach us to love the intricate and beautiful bodies that you have created. Bless tiny insects, enormous whales, and every creature in between. Sustain species at risk of extinction. God of grace,hear our prayer.

You desire that there be no dissension among us. Where we are divided in our society, nation, or world, come quickly to reunite us into one body. Ease conflict, dispel violence, and bring an end to war. God of grace,hear our prayer.

Anoint with your Spirit all who seek your favor. Grant provision and justice for people living in poverty, people living with disability, those living with pain, or those living under oppression (especially). God of grace,hear our prayer.

Build up the body of Christ in this place. Bless the variety of ministries in this congregation (especially). Empower us to freely welcome and deeply value each person who enters into worship and ministry among us. God of grace,hear our prayer.

Here other intercessions may be offered.In thanksgiving we lift before you the saints for whom the promise of salvation has now been fulfilled. Tend to those who mourn (especially). Bring us together in your everlasting glory. God of grace,hear our prayer.

Since we have such great hope in your promises, O God, we lift these and all of our prayers to you in confidence and faith; through Jesus Christ our Savior.Amen.

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TLC 2021 – President’s Report

Posted on January 22, 2022 by megganmanlove

Mission Statement: Trinity Lutheran Church is a place to congregate, refresh the faithful, and reach out with Word and service to others through the Holy Gospel. —December 3, 1978

Dear members and friends of Trinity Lutheran Church,

Throughout the pandemic, the council has been committed to ensuring that Trinity Lutheran Church continues to worship weekly. This time last year, our weekly worship opportunities were being streamed from Pastor’s phone. Due to the leadership of the CoVid Task Force and their safety protocols, many of our members can meet in person each Sunday. Additionally, our new cameras and sound system have improved the quality of our online services. We owe a debt of gratitude to Bryce Quarve, for his work getting our system installed. I’d also like to thank David Sheriff, Pat Cosgrove and Larry Mills for their contributions to this project. It’s empowered us to better serve members who do not feel safe coming in person at this time.

In 2021, we reinstated many of the things that were lost to us in 2020. We have in person Sunday School. It’s been delightful to spend time together at events like the church camp out, Advent Soup Suppers, and the Christmas pageant. We’ve also continued some of the outdoor services we liked from 2020 like the pet blessing service.

We’ve planted trees, celebrated confirmations, grieved losses and welcomed new faces. We’ve continued to show up for one another, continued to give, continued to serve. In the midst of a turbulent year, I am astounded by how life and ministry continue to happen in this place. Thank you for embodying a tenacious hope both in the God we confess and the value of this community.

I would like to thank Lloyd Kellar and Peggy Miller for their years of service in managing TLC’s finances. I am immensely grateful for their faithfulness over the years. As you move into new adventures, I want to acknowledge and honor how much time and effort you have put in over the years. Thank you for your service.

I would also like to thank the CoVid Task Force, Church Council and Pastor Meggan for their service this year. It is difficult to make decisions in polarizing times when answers are few and far between. I am grateful for your dedication and leadership in the face of uncertainty. I am proud of you. It has been an honor to serve alongside you.

With gratitude,

Sarah Henthorn

2021 Church Council President

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TLC 2021 – Pastor’s Report

Posted on January 21, 2022 by megganmanlove

¹⁹ I am about to do a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert. (Isaiah 43:19)

The verse from Isaiah 43 is my annual report thread. The structure for the report is our church council’s goals for 2021. I hope to give an overview of how God continues to do something new through and with the congregation of Trinity Lutheran, Nampa.

Plan for a Safe Return: Our Covid Task Force and Church Council have continued to balance our physical, mental, and spiritual health in their discussions and decision making. The work has felt both heavy and holy. It has been a gift to share this work. In the end, return may not have been the best word. We have not so much returned to what we had but started writing a brand-new chapter together.

Worship Weekly: Our leadership is grateful for the congregation’s flexibility and openness. We started with small groups in the sanctuary, moved to occasional worship on the patio, then came inside when it got too hot and covid numbers went down. You adapted at every step, and we continued to hear the Word of God and offer prayers and praises. We streamed the whole time and now both our streaming and sound system are vastly improved. I want to again thank Bryce Quarve for leading those improvements and for training our tech team. I also want to thank our Worship Altar Guild and Music Team for their ideas, guidance, and work. One silver-lining of the pandemic, evidenced at Ashes on the Go, Pet Blessing, and Longest Night, is that we like worshiping outdoors, at least for special occasions.

Financial Stability: Thank you for continuing to give financially. I am grateful that we were able to take away barriers to giving and for the way our congregation responded. This year we also undertook some important transitions in personnel. After many years as Treasurer, Lloyd Kellar began passing the baton to Karissa Armbrust. Peggy Miller was our Financial Secretary for several years and when she stepped down, the position was filled by Kristina Radke. Thanks to all four of these individuals for their service: past, present, and future.

Communication and Connectedness: When I consider how we remained connected in this unusual year, I remember the work of our Gospel and Growth Team (connecting us to one another), Church in Community Team (connecting us to our community), and Office Administrator Bob Cola (keeping communication flowing between the office, congregation, and larger community). I also think of the countless phone calls made and cards sent by all of you. These will never be recorded, but they made a huge difference in people’s lives and in our collective spirit. Thank you.

What’s Next: I am a little shy about making grand predictions after the last two years. And yet, I am personally looking forward to taking the tape off the pews, taking seven youth to the ELCA Youth Gathering in Minneapolis in July, continuing to teach and preach, welcoming new guests and members, welcoming new colleagues to serve in our cluster congregations, and discovering with you what the Holy Spirit is calling us into next.

Pastor Meggan Manlove

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TLC 2021 – Stewardship

Posted on January 20, 2022 by megganmanlove

STEWARDSHIP

In 2021 we welcomed Brandon Ziemer as a new member to the team and Sarah Henthorn as Church Council liaison. While Stewardship is so much more than just the period each fall when a church asks its members to make financial commitments, we did, of course, conduct a “fall financial campaign”. We created a six-minute video presentation which was posted to the church website, with links emailed to members. It was also shown in the Koinonia Room after church on several Sundays, allowing those without internet to view it. Here is a link to this video: https://bit.ly/TLCFall21 We are so grateful to the 38 households which, in these uncertain times, committed to give $101,020.00 in 2022. We also appreciate the households which do not pledge but always give faithfully. As a follow up on giving, we are grateful to Tammy Torrey for asking us to share something Bob had written in 2005; this inspiring story about Trinity member Effie Richmond was the December 18^th entry in the Advent Daily Devotional booklet. You can re-read this in your booklet or watch it on YouTube.

https://bit.ly/BobEffieDevo

Yet “stewardship” is much bigger than the pledge drive. The broader perspective is this: Christians acknowledge that all we are and have are gifts from God. This concept permeates our daily decisions about how we use our time, what we do with our stuff, how we care for our bodies and our world, and how we share our giftedness (both within our church and in the world beyond the narthex doors.) “Year-Round-Stewardship” is how Trinity addresses stewardship in daily life. For example, living with uncertainty is hard on our bodies and on our minds; this ripples into our relationships at home and in the community. Realizing this, we spent several months encouraging people to take breaks from the stress of uncertainty. We asked people, by engaging their five senses, to transport themselves to places of calm, if only for a few moments at a time. We encouraged using physical activity or meditation (or whatever made sense to the individual) to return to what is positive and life-giving.

We also celebrated the generosity of our member, supporting fundraisers such as God’s Global Barnyard (ELCA World Hunger) and Idaho Gives (Trinity Community Gardens, Learning Peace: A Camp for Kids, and Luther Heights Bible Camp) in the spring, the yard sale (National Youth Gathering in Minneapolis) in the summer, and Avenues for Hope (Trinity New Hope housing) in the winter.

With in-person worship resuming in June, the need for volunteers was immediate. We asked people to complete “time and talent sheets”, and 52 people responded, providing us with names of those willing to help in a variety of ways.

Advent Conspiracy was highlighted twice in 2021. In April, we encouraged people to start working on Christmas projects early. In November, the tenets of Give More, Spend Less, Worship Fully and Love All were incorporated into Zoom chats with Pastor and Adult Forum. August was all about our stewardship of youth. We highlighted the school supplies collected for Duck Valley students, our Sunday School, Luther Heights Bible Camp, and the upcoming ELCA National Youth Gathering.

We continue to encourage people to give in a variety of ways, including through practices we found helpful while not worshiping in person and “dropping an envelope in the offering plate” was not possible. These other ways included online giving, using your bank’s bill-pay system, mailing checks to the church, and qualified charitable donations from IRAs. At present, we have about 30 households using one of these methods.

Phil Cronk, Sarah Henthorn, Penelope Smith, Brandon Ziemer

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Prayer of the Day

Exodus 34:29-35

Psalm 99

2 Corinthians 3:12–4:2

Luke 9:28-36

Sermon – Meggan Manlove

Prayers of Intercession (from Sundays and Seasons)

Prayer of the Day

Genesis 45:3-11, 15

Psalm 37:1-11, 39-40

1 Corinthians 15:35-38, 42-50

Luke 6:27-38

Sermon – Pastor Meggan Manlove

Prayers of Intercession (Sundays and Seasons)

Prayer of the Day

Jeremiah 17:5-10

Psalm 1

1 Corinthians 15:12-20

Luke 6:17-26

Sermon – Pastor Meggan Manlove

Prayers of Intercession

Prayer of the Day

Isaiah 6:1-8 [9-13]

Psalm 138

1 Corinthians 15:1-11

Luke 5:1-11

Sermon – Pastor Meggan Manlove

Prayers of Intercession

Prayer of the Day

Nehemiah 8:1-3, 5-6, 8-10

Psalm 19

1 Corinthians 12:12-31a

Luke 4:14-21

Sermon – Pastor Meggan Manlove

Prayers of Intercession (from Sundays and Seasons)

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