April 12, 2020 (Easter Sunday)

Posted on April 12, 2020 by megganmanlove

Prayer of the Day

God of mercy, we no longer look for Jesus among the dead, for he is alive and has become the Lord of life. Increase in our minds and hearts the risen life we share with Christ, and help us to grow as your people toward the fullness of eternal life with you, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen. (ELW p. 32)

Acts 10:34-43

34 Then Peter began to speak to them: ‘I truly understand that God shows no partiality, 35but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him. 36You know the message he sent to the people of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ–he is Lord of all. 37That message spread throughout Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John announced: 38how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power; how he went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. 39We are witnesses to all that he did both in Judea and in Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging him on a tree; 40but God raised him on the third day and allowed him to appear, 41not to all the people but to us who were chosen by God as witnesses, and who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. 42He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one ordained by God as judge of the living and the dead. 43All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.’

Psalm 118:1-2, 14-24

1 O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his steadfast love endures forever! 2 Let Israel say, “His steadfast love endures forever.”

14 The Lord is my strength and my might; he has become my salvation. 15 There are glad songs of victory in the tents of the righteous: “The right hand of the Lord does valiantly; 16 the right hand of the Lord is exalted; the right hand of the Lord does valiantly.” 17 I shall not die, but I shall live, and recount the deeds of the Lord. 18 The Lord has punished me severely, but he did not give me over to death. 19 Open to me the gates of righteousness, that I may enter through them and give thanks to the Lord. 20 This is the gate of the Lord; the righteous shall enter through it. 21 I thank you that you have answered me and have become my salvation. 22 The stone that the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone. 23 This is the Lord’s doing; it is marvelous in our eyes. 24 This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.

Colossians 3:1-4

1 So if you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth, 3 for you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ who is your life is revealed, then you also will be revealed with him in glory.

Matthew 28:1-10

1 After the sabbath, as the first day of the week was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb. 2 And suddenly there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord, descending from heaven, came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. 3 His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow. 4 For fear of him the guards shook and became like dead men. 5 But the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid; I know that you are looking for Jesus who was crucified. 6 He is not here; for he has been raised, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay. 7 Then go quickly and tell his disciples, “He has been raised from the dead, and indeed he is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see him.’ This is my message for you.” 8 So they left the tomb quickly with fear and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples. 9 Suddenly Jesus met them and said, “Greetings!” And they came to him, took hold of his feet, and worshiped him. 10 Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.”

Meggan Manlove, TLC – April 12, 2020

Every Ash Wednesday, I mark your foreheads with ashes in the sign of the cross. I take time to point out that one of the reasons we use ashes is because they remind us of our mortality. In my adult lifetime, I have never before experienced a Lent when the global population was so obviously facing our mortality together. We may have begun the Season of Lent by giving some things up voluntarily. But we ended in collective and communal grief for lives and experiences that have been lost or will be lost.

Holy Week itself has been abnormal. Usually this is one of my favorite weeks to wonder in and out of the sanctuary. Members of our altar guild put in hours behind the scenes this week preparing. There is the altar to set for Maundy Thursday. There are bowls and towels for foot washing. The cloth on our suspended cross gets changed from purple to black for Good Friday. And the smells—oil for anointing, candles burning, and of course Easter lilies. I missed all of that this Holy Week. So much has changed for this week, in our daily routines, in our life as citizens of this world.

But today is Easter, and we get to celebrate together what has not changed. And what has not changed is that Jesus has been raised from the dead. The tomb is not only open. It is empty. Jesus is going ahead of us and so we can proclaim, He is risen indeed. Alleluia.

This Easter, I am not going to try to pretend that the four gospel writers do not have their own way of telling the story of Jesus resurrection. And I am not going to hide my delight that this is Matthew’s year.

I love different aspects of all four of the gospels and one of the things I love about Matthew is how he remembered to draw in the natural world. Matthew’s gospel is the one that includes a star leading Magi from the East to the infant Jesus. Matthew’s gospel includes Jesus giving his long sermon specifically from a mountain. Matthew’s gospel is the one that includes an earthquake at Jesus’ death. And Matthew’s gospel has an earthquake at the resurrection too.

I will admit that until this year I did not have a lot of empathy for those guards appointed to Jesus’s tomb. That changed this year. The earthquake Idaho experiences was downright frightening. It would have welcomed a messenger from God telling me to not be afraid, though I might have rolled my eyes.

When we want to talk about life being difficult, we turn to the metaphor of an earthquake. We say things like, “It feels like the ground beneath me has shifted.” That’s what the COVID-19 pandemic has done. There are so many aspects of our lives that have changed in the past few weeks. So much has shifted. It makes sense that rolling a stone away from the already empty tomb would cause an earthquake, cause the earth to shift. The world would not be the same after Jesus’ resurrection.

God chose to resurrect Jesus knowing our human need for it.  Without it, doubts flourish.  God knew that we are like the Pharisees who always asked for one more sign from Jesus to prove himself.  Knowing this, God raised Jesus from the dead.  It’s as if he said, “See, what he was telling you is true.  Nothing can separate you from my love.  I do not lurk at a distance, ready to pounce on you when you fail.  Instead, I walk with you, giving as much as I dare.  Look at Jesus and know that everything he said is true.”

The earthquake at Jesus’ death caused rocks to split.  Tombs were opened and bodies of saints were raised.  There is no question about who will roll the stone away.  When the two Marys go to the tomb there is a great earthquake; “for an angel of the Lord, descending from heaven, came and rolled back the stone and sat on it.”  The guards shook and became like dead man.  The resurrection is an earth-shaking event.

There is more to this angel that rolls back the stone.  There is a fabulous painting that depicts Matthew’s resurrection story.  In the painting the two Marys are looking up the angel who is sitting on a big bolder.  He is looking at them with an expression that says, “Well, what did you expect?  He told you he would be raised from the dead.  He has gone ahead of you.”

The angel speaks to the women with familiar words, “Do not be afraid.”  I could have preached an entire sermon on those four words; how desperately we need to hear the imperative: “Do not be afraid” or “You there. Stop being afraid.” Reject your current state of fear for the angel is bringing you news of great joy.

The angel tells them Jesus has been raised and that they should tell the disciples that Jesus is going ahead to Galilee, where the disciples will see him.  The empty tomb is not the end of the story.  Jesus told his disciples earlier, “But after I am raised up, I will go ahead of you to Galilee.”  The angel reminds us of that promise and sends the women to a task of calling the scattered disciples to Galilee. The women go with a mixture of feelings appropriate to the perception of this awesome, earth shaking reality—both fear and joy. The women become witnesses and agents of the resurrection.

“They will see me in Galilee.”  The promise of the story invites us to a community where tragedy turns to comedy, where things are all shook up.  Death no longer holds us.  The corrosive crust of our sins is shattered through the forgiveness that comes in the community gathered around bread and wine, where Jesus himself has promised to be.  The resurrection is about the invitation to gather in this forgiving community.  Only the one who has died because of us and who is raised by God has the power to stand among us and say, “Rejoice!  Do not be afraid.  Go tell my sisters and brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.”

For us today, as for the women at the tomb, Jesus’ promise means that he goes ahead of us to lead us into the world–into a transformative way of life that testifies to the power of resurrection wherever we live.  Jesus is going ahead–not going away.  The empty tomb does not signify absence but presence: it announces the Resurrected One’s presence on the road ahead.

We are to look for experiences of the resurrection presence not only in Galilee but also in Nampa, Boise, the entire Treasure Valley–on all the roads of our lives.  Resurrection means that Jesus, the Living One, goes ahead of us.  Jesus can be found only when we experience that he is ahead of us and that he opens up a future for us.  He transforms our community of followers into courageous witnesses to Jesus’ presence.

What will this community look like?  What does it mean to experience the resurrection?  I find it helpful to return to the beginning of the Sermon on the Mount, in which Jesus speaks of both guideposts and promises. I preached on the Beatitudes the first Sunday in February in our sanctuary. For me, facing the pandemic, experiencing the earth beneath me shifting, today the Beatitudes sound like something we will all be able to relate to a whole new way.

Blessed are the poor in spirit.  Blessed are those who mourn.

Blessed are the meek.  Blessed are those who hunger and search for righteousness.

Blessed are those who show mercy.  Blessed are the pure in heart.

There can be no doubt in my mind that Jesus both walks with us and is ahead of us on this particular Easter Day. And in that we can find deep hope.

Resurrection means that Jesus transforms our community into courageous witnesses to Jesus’ presence.  The resurrection is manifest in the community of Jesus disciples.  They walked through the door into a new world suddenly full of hope and possibility.  Frightened, discouraged, grieving men and women somehow were transformed into brave, hopeful, loving bearers of good news. Amen.

Prayers of Intercession  (adapted from Sundays and Seasons by Keaton Woodcook)

Uplifted by the promised hope of healing and resurrection, we join the people of God in all times and places in praying for the church, the world, and all who are in need.

A brief silence.

God of resurrection, from the very beginning you give the church the gift of women as your witnesses: as preachers, teachers, and leaders. Open our ears to their proclamation this day and always. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

All your creation praises you—the earth hums, the seas pulse, the stars shine, and the galaxies whirl in glorious harmonies to honor you. Let us hear and blend our voices in the song. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

The countries of the world experience disunity and conflict; even amid a global crisis we set our minds on fear and greed rather than on your rule of justice and steadfast love. Convict the hearts of our leaders and persuade them to choose human life over profit or power. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

We still weep with those who weep, and mourn with those who mourn. Cradle the fearful, the suffering, and the dying, assuring them of your loving presence, especially those lives threatened or claimed by COVID-19. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

Bless the creative service of worship leaders this day: musicians, worship assistants, preachers, readers, and all others who provide welcome and hospitality in the midst of homebound isolation and distress. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

Risen Lord, you went ahead of us into the grave and defeated the powers of evil. We remember those who have died. Inspire us to live our lives in this resurrection hope and draw us to you in our final days. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

With bold confidence in your love, almighty God, we place all for whom we pray into your eternal care; through Christ our Lord.

Amen.

 

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Prayer Walk

Posted on April 11, 2020 by megganmanlove

My deepest thanks to my colleague and friend Casey Cross, Young Disciples Minister at Hope Lutheran Church, Eagle, for adapting this for the Confirmation Co-op Students and Families for Holy Week 2020. I will admit that I was not too keen on participating on my own, but I got a nudge from another colleague last night, the weather is beautiful on this Holy Saturday in Nampa, and I needed to stretch my legs. It should not surprise me that it ended up being a very good experience. I hope this becomes a helpful meditation for my readers during the Season of Easter. Maybe you will take the prayer to the streets of your community (on foot, by car, or in your mind).

Home – The Lord’s Prayer
Begin at your “home base” together praying your preferred version of the Lord’s

Pray together.

Place of Healing – Merciful God, your healing power is everywhere about us. Strengthen those who work among the sick; give them courage and confidence in all they do. Encourage them when their efforts seem futile or when death prevails. Increase their trust in your power even to overcome death and pain and crying. May they be thankful for every sign of health you give, and humble before the mystery of your healing grace…. (ELW Pastoral Care, page 194)

I had my annual physical via telehealth this week through Saltzer. Giving thanks for my doctor who put me at ease and told me how to get tested for COVID-19 if I ever feel symptomatic.

Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.

Place of Leadership – We remember in our prayers civil servants, legislators and politicians and pray their work, deliberations and decisions consider the diversity of humanity, factors that contribute to communities flourishing and the well-being of people with critical needs (ELCA Prayer Ventures September 2016).

Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.

Place of Education – God of wisdom, you have created us with the tools we need to learn, grow, and understand. We thank you for the gifts of education and educators. Encourage our educators at this time of uncertainty as they see their vocation in a new way. Energize students to explore, imagine, create, and continue to learn, no matter the circumstances. Keep our spaces for learning safe, healthy, and open for all to boldly ask questions and seek answers.

Nampa High School

Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.

Faith Community – Gathering God, like a mother hen you gather us under your sheltering wings. Though we cannot gather in one location as we are used to, we remain under your wing. It is you that bring us together beyond space and time. Guide us as we explore new ways to be community together, remembering that you – not a building – are what unite us and hold us together through it all.

Trinity and Grace have shared an Easter Vigil since 2011–not this year. Giving thanks for our partnership through the years.

Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.

Prayers for the World – You may wish to end your walk together at home, with this prayer for the world.

Every nation has been affected by the far-reaching impacts and loss of life from the coronavirus pandemic. Pray for all countries and for cooperation between nations, our global siblings in Christ, and especially for the health and care of those who are most vulnerable ― elders, people of all ages with severe chronic conditions, and those who suffer poverty and lack of medical care (ELCA Prayer Ventures April 2020).

Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.
Other Options – Feel free to include some or all of these to your list of prayer petitions, walk, and/or site visits.

Senior Community

Prayers for all the seniors who do not have this as a place to gather right now

Closed Business

“Essential” Place of Business

Giving thanks for amazing customer service at Mountain West Bank, as Trinity New Hope affordable housing and Trinity Lutheran applied through them for the Paycheck Protection Program.

A “Non-Essential” Place You Miss

(Like a movie theater, park, etc.)

A Local Park or Outdoor Recreation Site

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What Our Bodies Are Saying

Posted on April 6, 2020 by megganmanlove

A facilitator of a Facebook group for church leaders posed this question last week: What are your affirmations about who God is that is life-giving and uplifting in these times?

My response was “God cares about physical bodies.” Now, living in the Great Basin for the past ten years has taught me that some Christians might read that answer and think I am referring to the purity culture. That is not where I am going, and one way my readers can know that is because my scripture of choice is not a go-to passage for the purity culture. Instead, it is about God’s love and God knowing and creating us as physical creatures. I love all of Psalm 139, but this week I have especially been remembering these verses.

Psalm 139:13-17

For it was you who formed my inward parts;
you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.
Wonderful are your works;
that I know very well.
   My frame was not hidden from you,
when I was being made in secret,
intricately woven in the depths of the earth.
Your eyes beheld my unformed substance.
In your book were written
all the days that were formed for me,
when none of them as yet existed.
How weighty to me are your thoughts, O God!
How vast is the sum of them!

We are, each one of us, created by God. We are beloved. What is more, with the incarnation, God being born in human form, God through Jesus knows what it is like to be embodied. I have to say that a pandemic makes me appreciate the incarnation in brand new ways, and I already had a healthy appreciation for Immanuel, God is with us. All of this is the biblical and theological groundwork for the following suggestions for my parishioners and all the people I care about.

If the first day/weeks of the COVID-19 were figuring out how to help my Lutheran congregation in Southwest Idaho keep worshiping God, then the next chapter was learning all about what pastoral care looks like during the pandemic. It meant changing my expectations for myself (I can no longer go to hospitals and homes and sit with people). My first parishioner has been hospitalized (not with COVID-19) and it is so hard. I feel helpless, even though I know I am not. I have made the mental adjustments. I have reasoned that if phone calls, emails, cards, and Marco Polo messages from friends across the town and across the country have buoyed me in the past few weeks, why would the same not be true for my parishioners?

What I have spent even more time learning about and considering is how all of our bodies are absorbing or coping with the stress and grief in our lives. Some of us already know people who have died from the virus. Others of us are so far grieving the loss of the way things were. We are grieving the loss of human interaction and the needed physical touch that comes with it. We are grieving cancelled events and gatherings. Sometimes I judge these feelings in myself, “those are not big problems compared to actual death Meggan” and yet I know that if a parishioner judged his own grief I would say, “those are still your real feelings and they are valid.” Here is a link from the Harvard Business Review, to an article about the grief we are experiencing that has been making the rounds on social media: That Discomfort You Are Feeling is Grief.

People who specialize in trauma have become lifelines for how to make our way through this chapter. I can sense in myself the toll of everything. I am not as productive as I would like to be. I need more refueling, whether it comes in the form of hydration, conversations, sleep, things that make me laugh, or prayer. I also need to get rid of the stress  hormone, cortisol. What was hammered home to me in every Zoom Meeting/Webinar/Conversation I have had about this is that more exercise is good right now. It is not just good; it’s crucial. If I do not get rid of that hormone walking around my neighborhood, chances are I might release it in a conversation with an innocent parishioner/relative/friend/colleague.

One of the things we have worked on in my congregation over the last five years is weaving the language of stewardship into all of our ministry. Certainly we are called to be good stewards of our financial resources, something I will surely return to in a future blog. But as followers of Jesus Christ we are called to be stewards of so much more: the natural world, the resources passed down from past generations, our time, our relationships, and yes, our bodies. And if we neglect our bodies we are not much good stewarding anything else and we will not be ready emotionally to care for the people who die during this chapter or care for those left behind to mourn.

So I implore all of us to do the following:

  • Build up or nurture circles of support. Use the telephone, video chat, pen and paper.
  • Get some exercise every day. More is better. Get rid of that cortisol.
  • Get enough sleep and keep eating a nutritious diet.
  • Change expectations for productivity–you will not be as productive during this time and that is okay.

In my attempts to prepare to provide pastoral care over the phone, I have been familiarizing myself with the plethora of prayers in my Evangelical Lutheran Worship Pastoral Care book. Here is one for times of trauma:

Let us pray. Our Lord and our God, grant us grace to know your love  in whatever we face. Give us patience and thankfulness even in our pain, anxiety, or loss; and move us with compassion and tenderness for our afflicted neighbors; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

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April 5, 2020 (Palm Sunday)

Posted on April 5, 2020 by megganmanlove

Excerpts from Palm Sunday Worship Service, created by congregations in the ELCA Treasure Valley Cluster

You can find the entire worship service here via YouTube here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0eGHU4humn8&t=233s

 

MATTHEW 21:1-11 (Processional Gospel)

When they had come near Jerusalem and had reached Bethphage, at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, ‘Go into the village ahead of you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her; untie them and bring them to me. If anyone says anything to you, just say this, “The Lord needs them.” And he will send them immediately.’ This took place to fulfil what had been spoken through the prophet, saying,
‘Tell the daughter of Zion,
Look, your king is coming to you,
humble, and mounted on a donkey,
and on a colt, the foal of a donkey.’
The disciples went and did as Jesus had directed them; they brought the donkey and the colt, and put their cloaks on them, and he sat on them. A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. The crowds that went ahead of him and that followed were shouting,
‘Hosanna to the Son of David!
Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!
Hosanna in the highest heaven!’
When he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was in turmoil, asking, ‘Who is this?’ The crowds were saying, ‘This is the prophet Jesus from Nazareth in Galilee.’

PRAYER OF THE DAY                                                                                 Faith, Caldwell

Merciful Savior, it is our privilege and delight to be in your presence and to bring our praises and worship to you. You are our teacher and our friend; our rock and our hope; our strength and our light. We celebrate your arrival in Jerusalem; we anticipate the agony that is before you; we await your victory over death. Grant that we might walk this journey alongside you as faithful disciples, rather than as participants of the fickle crowd. Amen.

PSALM 31                                                                                                     Immanuel, Boise

Refrain: Oh Lord, be my rock and safety.

In You, O Lord I take refuge; let me never be put to shame.

In your justice, rescue me, oh my faithful Lord, in your hands I commend my spirit.

I place my trust in you, Lord; in your hands is my destiny.

Let your face shine upon your servant, Lord, in your hands I will place my life.

REFLECTION                                                                                                        Immanuel, Boise

When Jesus arrived in Jerusalem on that first Palm Sunday, he was welcomed by a cheering crowd, waving their palm branches and shouting “Hosanna,”
which means “help,” “rescue” or “save us.”

Last week, another crowd gathered, waving not palm branches but American flags, as a Navy hospital ship entered the NY harbor.
They, too, were there to welcome what had come to give help and rescue,
to save patients who might otherwise face long delays  because of hospitals overwhelmed with Covid-19 patients.

That ship and another like it in Los Angeles, are both marked with the symbol of our faith—the cross. One named “Comfort” and the other named “Mercy.”

Comfort and Mercy. That’s what those crowds lining the streets of Jerusalem saw in Jesus. That’s what he had shown them from the very beginning:
From his words in the Sermon on the Mount, “Blessed are you who are poor in spirit, blessed are you who mourn.”
To his feeding of those whose stomachs growled with hunger.
To his healing of those who were sick and dying.

Jesus entered fully into the suffering of those he met.  And then he went further.
Even when the shouts of “hosanna” faded away.
Even when the once-adoring crowds turned on him.
Even when that last week must have felt like a whole year to him.
Even then, he was wiling to endure the suffering that led to death on the cross, so that he might bring Comfort and Mercy to the whole world—even to us today.

That’s the kind of Savior we worship.
One who comes down, even now, in these sad and fearful days we are living in.
To meet us in our brokenness, and rescue us from our pain.
To lift us from despair to hope, from death to life.
To give us comfort and mercy.

A READING FROM PHILIPPIANS 2:5-11                                               Trinity, Nampa

Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus,
who, though he was in the form of God,
did not regard equality with God
as something to be exploited,
but emptied himself,
taking the form of a slave,
being born in human likeness.
And being found in human form,
   he humbled himself
and became obedient to the point of death—
even death on a cross.

Therefore God also highly exalted him
and gave him the name
that is above every name,
so that at the name of Jesus
every knee should bend,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue should confess
that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.

REFLECTION

Trinity, Nampa

Holy Week begins with a procession, but this procession is not what it appears to be. It is so much more.

Some scholars say that two processions entered Jerusalem on that first Palm Sunday. Jesus’ was not the only Triumphal Entry. Every year, the Roman governor of Judea would ride up to Jerusalem from his coastal residence in the west. He wanted to be present in the city for the Passover, the Jewish festival that swelled Jerusalem’s population from its usual 50,000 to at least 200,000.

The governor would come in all of his imperial majesty to remind the Jewish pilgrims that Rome was in charge. They could commemorate an ancient victory against Egypt if they wanted to. However, real present-day resistance would be futile. Rome was watching.

As Pilate clanged and crashed his imperial way into Jerusalem from the west, Jesus approached from the east. He looked, by contrast, ragtag and absurd. His was the procession of the ridiculous, the powerless, and the explicitly vulnerable.

Jesus rode the most unthreatening and most un-military mount imaginable: a female nursing donkey with her little colt trotting along beside her. The prophet Zechariah predicted the ride of a king “on a colt, the foal of a donkey.” He would be the nonviolent king who would “command peace to the nations.”

Like the contrast in the two processions central to Palm Sunday, the hymn in Philippians 2 portrays a different kind of power. In Jesus, God takes on human form. But rather than insisting on obedience or seducing them, Jesus instead literally “pours himself out,” and takes the form that perhaps is most undesirable—that of a slave: powerless.

The power of Jesus Christ is not power-over. Instead it is love, compassion, mercy and companionship alongside. The goal in all of this, it seems, is for God not to take from humanity but to bless it, to be our companion, to know what it is to be human, even when we are powerless, suffering, lonely, afraid. God not only knows us, the hymn says, God, through Jesus, can suffer with us.

PRAYERS                                                                                     Grace, Mountain Home

Turning our hearts to God who is gracious and merciful, we pray for the church, the world, and all who are in need.

God of mercy, awaken your church to new proclamations of your faithfulness. By your Spirit, give us bold and joyful words to speak, that we sustain the weary with the message of your redemption. Hear us, O God,

Your mercy is great.

God of mercy, quiet the earth where it trembles and shakes. Protect vulnerable ecosystems, threatened habitats, and endangered species. Prosper the work of scientists, engineers, and researchers who find ways to restore creation to health and wholeness. Hear us, O God,

Your mercy is great.

God of mercy, drive away fear and anger that cause us to turn against one another. Give courage to leaders who seek liberation for the oppressed. Bring peace and hope to those who are in prison and those who face execution. Hear us, O God,

Your mercy is great.

God of mercy, send your saving help to all who suffer abuse, insult, discrimination, or contempt. Heal the wounded. Comfort the dying and the lonely. Bring peace to those suffering chronic or terminal illness and to those separated from loved ones. Tend to all who cry out for relief especially those we name before you. Hear us, O God,

Your mercy is great.

God of mercy, we pray for all who will prepare and lead worship in new and different ways during this Holy Week. In all things, show us the ways that you call us to die to self, to live for you, and to give of ourselves for the sake of others. Hear us, O God,

Your mercy is great.

God of mercy, when we breathe our last, you raise us to eternal life. With all your witnesses in heaven and on earth, let us boldly confess the name of Jesus Christ, our resurrection and our hope. Hear us, O God,

Your mercy is great.

According to your steadfast love, O God, hear these and all our prayers as we commend them to you; through Christ our Lord who taught us to pray…

 

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Lent – April 1

Posted on April 1, 2020 by megganmanlove

Wednesday night, April 1, we encourage all members of Trinity Lutheran Church, Nampa to pray this devotional at 7pm. You may wish to light a candle as a way of inviting the light of Christ into your sacred space.

(Thanks to Sharon Jones for contributing to this devotion)

Our theme for midweek Lent evening prayer is Open our Lives.

Photograph by Trinity member Mary Braudrick

March 4 was “Open our Eyes.”

March 11 was “Open our Hands.”

March 18 was “Open our Ears.”

March 25 was “Open our Hearts.”

April 1 is “Open our Lives.”

Psalm 141 (Song of Forgiveness and Protection)

1 I call upon you, O Lord; come quickly to me;
give ear to my voice when I call to you.
2 Let my prayer be counted as incense before you,
and the lifting up of my hands as an evening sacrifice.

3 Set a guard over my mouth, O Lord;
keep watch over the door of my lips.
4 Do not turn my heart to any evil,
to busy myself with wicked deeds
in company with those who work iniquity;
do not let me eat of their delicacies.

5 Let the righteous strike me;
let the faithful correct me.
Never let the oil of the wicked anoint my head,
for my prayer is continually against their wicked deeds.
6 When they are given over to those who shall condemn them,
then they shall learn that my words were pleasant.
7 Like a rock that one breaks apart and shatters on the land,
so shall their bones be strewn at the mouth of Sheol.

8 But my eyes are turned towards you, O God, my Lord;
in you I seek refuge; do not leave me defenceless.
9 Keep me from the trap that they have laid for me,
and from the snares of evildoers.
10 Let the wicked fall into their own nets,
while I alone escape.

Litany (Sundays and Seasons)

When our lives are joyous and laughter abounds, Christ is dwelling there.

When the news is grim and we have nowhere to turn, Christ is dwelling there.

In the water and word, the bread and wine, Christ is dwelling there.

In our life and our death, in the new life to come, Christ is dwelling there.

Prayer

Open our lives, Lord, to reflect your glory. Lead us to the cross, to the grave, to the empty tomb, and into the world as imitators of Christ. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

Readings

Deuteronomy 30:15-20

15 See, I have set before you today life and prosperity, death and adversity. 16If you obey the commandments of the Lord your God that I am commanding you today, by loving the Lord your God, walking in his ways, and observing his commandments, decrees, and ordinances, then you shall live and become numerous, and the Lord your God will bless you in the land that you are entering to possess. 17But if your heart turns away and you do not hear, but are led astray to bow down to other gods and serve them, 18I declare to you today that you shall perish; you shall not live long in the land that you are crossing the Jordan to enter and possess. 19I call heaven and earth to witness against you today that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Choose life so that you and your descendants may live, 20loving the Lord your God, obeying him, and holding fast to him; for that means life to you and length of days, so that you may live in the land that the Lord swore to give to your ancestors, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.

Galatians 2:15-21

15 We ourselves are Jews by birth and not Gentile sinners; 16yet we know that a person is justified not by the works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ. And we have come to believe in Christ Jesus, so that we might be justified by faith in Christ, and not by doing the works of the law, because no one will be justified by the works of the law. 17But if, in our effort to be justified in Christ, we ourselves have been found to be sinners, is Christ then a servant of sin? Certainly not! 18But if I build up again the very things that I once tore down, then I demonstrate that I am a transgressor. 19For through the law I died to the law, so that I might live to God. I have been crucified with Christ; 20and it is no longer I who live, but it is Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.21I do not nullify the grace of God; for if justification comes through the law, then Christ died for nothing.

Reflection by Trinity Member Sharon Jones

When My Heart and Eyes Were Opened

When I was 13 years old I went to a church camp in McCall, Quaker Hill.. That is when I was touched by God. The music and the love of Christ came into my heart. The youth pastor and music director was a big influence on the youth in that camp. I lived that life until I was about 18, then I took a different path, for about thirteen years or so.  Oh, I went to church off and on, but was not a faithful servant

A neighbor, or should I say angel invited me to church, the other Lutheran church.   My life changed slowly to an active life centered in Christ. You might say my eyes were open again, and they have stayed that way for the last forty years.  My heart belongs to Christ now.  He has blessed me beyond my wildest imagination.

I came to Trinity in 1997.  We had been to the wedding of one of Trinity’s members sons and my daughter’s best friend.  It was held at the Catholic church, Father John was  officiating, with Pastor Eric Wilson Wieberg, from Trinity.  When Kristi started down the aisle  Pastor Eric held up a sign that said, ‘it is about time’. I turned to my husband and said that is our new church.  It has been twenty three years since I came to Trinity. My eyes and heart were first opened at 13.

There is a God Wink to this story, one of our members’ sister is married to the brother of that young man who was the youth pastor and music director at  Quaker Hill camp.

I love God, I love this church and I love everyone of you.

-Sharon

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Waiting for Morning

Posted on March 31, 2020 by megganmanlove

(Originally posted on tvprays.org)

1 Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord.
2   Lord, hear my voice!
Let your ears be attentive
to the voice of my supplications!

3 If you, O Lord, should mark iniquities,
Lord, who could stand?
4 But there is forgiveness with you,
so that you may be revered.

5 I wait for the Lord, my soul waits,
and in his word I hope;
6 my soul waits for the Lord
more than those who watch for the morning,
more than those who watch for the morning.

7 O Israel, hope in the Lord!
For with the Lord there is steadfast love,
and with him is great power to redeem.
8 It is he who will redeem Israel
from all its iniquities.

My adrenaline has carried me through the past two weeks, for the most part. But in the last few days, certain pieces of music have led me to weep, not cry, but weep. It is hard to say exactly why I am crying, but I have decided to not, for once, overanalyze. Instead I am letting the feelings come.

I grieve for people who have died. I mourn for friends who have lost jobs or whose job searches have become more difficult because of the pandemic. I worry about people experiencing homelessness and how they will be kept safe. I grieve the list of cancelled gatherings, which keeps growing. All of them were chances to learn new things, meet new people, and have new adventures. I grieve not seeing so many people I love in person.  I enjoy the time alone, but I miss hugs and human touch given by parishioners and my circle of friends

Each time a have a big long cry it really does feel like it’s coming “out of the depths,” as the psalmist says. Does the Lord hear our voices? We trust that it is true, even when the Lord feels far away. And we wait for the Lord; how honest that feels to me in some moments. I wait for the Lord to intervene, to protect, to heal, to comfort, to give wisdom and guidance and rest.

Whenever I pray a lament psalm, I am thankful for the turn the psalmist makes. I am not sure I could make the turn on my own. Lament is rarely siloed. It is accompanied by acts of remembrance like, “For with the Lord there is steadfast love, and with him is great power to redeem.” The Lord has loved, redeemed, and delivered Israel in the past and psalmist trusts that God will stay true to God’s character. Hope remains because we also can trust God’s character to remain steadfast.

I do not mean to make this a simple linear journey: lament, remembrance, hope. It is cyclical and, depending on the person, the cycle may run several times within an hour. But for me there is comfort in not being the first or the last person who needs to cry out to God. I will not stay in lament but some time there is truthful. Lament was a part of our tradition, long before the current pandemic. Perhaps this will be a time to reclaim it individually and communally.

Prayer

Lord Christ, you came into the world as one of us, and suffered as we do. As we go through the trials of life, help us to realize that you are with us at all times and in all things; that we have no secrets from you; and that your loving grace enfolds us for eternity. In the security of your embrace we pray. Amen. (ELW p. 84)

 

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March 29, 2020

Posted on March 29, 2020 by megganmanlove

Prayer of the Day

Almighty God, your Son came into the world to free us all from sin and death. Breathe upon us the power of your Spirit, that we may be raised to new life in Christ and serve you in righteousness all our days, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen. (ELW p. 28)

Ezekiel 37:1-14

37The hand of the Lord came upon me, and he brought me out by the spirit of the Lord and set me down in the middle of a valley; it was full of bones. 2He led me all round them; there were very many lying in the valley, and they were very dry. 3He said to me, ‘Mortal, can these bones live?’ I answered, ‘O Lord God, you know.’ 4Then he said to me, ‘Prophesy to these bones, and say to them: O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord. 5Thus says the Lord God to these bones: I will cause breathto enter you, and you shall live. 6I will lay sinews on you, and will cause flesh to come upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and you shall live; and you shall know that I am the Lord.’

7 So I prophesied as I had been commanded; and as I prophesied, suddenly there was a noise, a rattling, and the bones came together, bone to its bone. 8I looked, and there were sinews on them, and flesh had come upon them, and skin had covered them; but there was no breath in them. 9Then he said to me, ‘Prophesy to the breath, prophesy, mortal, and say to the breath: Thus says the Lord God: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live.’10I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived, and stood on their feet, a vast multitude.

11 Then he said to me, ‘Mortal, these bones are the whole house of Israel. They say, “Our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost; we are cut off completely.” 12Therefore prophesy, and say to them, Thus says the Lord God: I am going to open your graves, and bring you up from your graves, O my people; and I will bring you back to the land of Israel.13And you shall know that I am the Lord, when I open your graves, and bring you up from your graves, O my people. 14I will put my spirit within you, and you shall live, and I will place you on your own soil; then you shall know that I, the Lord, have spoken and will act, says the Lord.’

Valley of the Dry Bones by James Nesbitt

Psalm 130

1 Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord.
2   Lord, hear my voice!
Let your ears be attentive
to the voice of my supplications!


3 If you, O Lord, should mark iniquities,
Lord, who could stand?
4 But there is forgiveness with you,
so that you may be revered.


5 I wait for the Lord, my soul waits,
and in his word I hope;
6 my soul waits for the Lord
more than those who watch for the morning,
more than those who watch for the morning.


7 O Israel, hope in the Lord!
For with the Lord there is steadfast love,
and with him is great power to redeem.
8 It is he who will redeem Israel
from all its iniquities.

Romans 8:6-11

6To set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. 7For this reason the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law—indeed it cannot, 8and those who are in the flesh cannot please God.

9 But you are not in the flesh; you are in the Spirit, since the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. 10But if Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness. 11If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will give life to your mortal bodies also through his Spirit that dwells in you.

John 11:1-45

11Now a certain man was ill, Lazarus of Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. 2Mary was the one who anointed the Lord with perfume and wiped his feet with her hair; her brother Lazarus was ill. 3So the sisters sent a message to Jesus, ‘Lord, he whom you love is ill.’ 4But when Jesus heard it, he said, ‘This illness does not lead to death; rather it is for God’s glory, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it.’ 5Accordingly, though Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus, 6after having heard that Lazarus was ill, he stayed two days longer in the place where he was.

7 Then after this he said to the disciples, ‘Let us go to Judea again.’ 8The disciples said to him, ‘Rabbi, the Jews were just now trying to stone you, and are you going there again?’ 9Jesus answered, ‘Are there not twelve hours of daylight? Those who walk during the day do not stumble, because they see the light of this world. 10But those who walk at night stumble, because the light is not in them.’ 11After saying this, he told them, ‘Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I am going there to awaken him.’ 12The disciples said to him, ‘Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will be all right.’ 13Jesus, however, had been speaking about his death, but they thought that he was referring merely to sleep. 14Then Jesus told them plainly, ‘Lazarus is dead. 15For your sake I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.’ 16Thomas, who was called the Twin, said to his fellow-disciples, ‘Let us also go, that we may die with him.’

17 When Jesus arrived, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days. 18Now Bethany was near Jerusalem, some two milesaway, 19and many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to console them about their brother. 20When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met him, while Mary stayed at home. 21Martha said to Jesus, ‘Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. 22But even now I know that God will give you whatever you ask of him.’ 23Jesus said to her, ‘Your brother will rise again.’ 24Martha said to him, ‘I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.’ 25Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me, even though they die, will live, 26and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?’ 27She said to him, ‘Yes, Lord, I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, the one coming into the world.’

28 When she had said this, she went back and called her sister Mary, and told her privately, ‘The Teacher is here and is calling for you.’ 29And when she heard it, she got up quickly and went to him. 30Now Jesus had not yet come to the village, but was still at the place where Martha had met him. 31The Jews who were with her in the house, consoling her, saw Mary get up quickly and go out. They followed her because they thought that she was going to the tomb to weep there. 32When Mary came where Jesus was and saw him, she knelt at his feet and said to him, ‘Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.’ 33When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her also weeping, he was greatly disturbed in spirit and deeply moved. 34He said, ‘Where have you laid him?’ They said to him, ‘Lord, come and see.’ 35Jesus began to weep.36So the Jews said, ‘See how he loved him!’ 37But some of them said, ‘Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying?’

38 Then Jesus, again greatly disturbed, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone was lying against it. 39Jesus said, ‘Take away the stone.’ Martha, the sister of the dead man, said to him, ‘Lord, already there is a stench because he has been dead for four days.’ 40Jesus said to her, ‘Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?’ 41So they took away the stone. And Jesus looked upwards and said, ‘Father, I thank you for having heard me. 42I knew that you always hear me, but I have said this for the sake of the crowd standing here, so that they may believe that you sent me.’ 43When he had said this, he cried with a loud voice, ‘Lazarus, come out!’ 44The dead man came out, his hands and feet bound with strips of cloth, and his face wrapped in a cloth. Jesus said to them, ‘Unbind him, and let him go.’

45 Many of the Jews therefore, who had come with Mary and had seen what Jesus did, believed in him.

Sermon – Meggan Manlove

Dear friends in Christ, grace to you and peace from God our Father and Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

I’ve always loved the story of the dry bones.  Many of us hearing today’s reading from Ezekiel, that rich and vivid story about the valley of dry bones, instantly remember the old African American spiritual: “Them Bones, Them Bones, Them Dry Bones.”  There can be little wonder why it emerged out of the experience of African Americans in the southern United States. It welled up from the midst of a people trapped in that dark period of our history when slavery still prevailed.  Whites stole the labor of captive Africans, who as slaves mostly embraced the Christian religion of their masters.

It is easy to understand why those who had, against their wills, been removed to North America found in the stirring words of Ezekiel great cause for hope. They translated that imagery into a song. The song, in turn, could help them walk as human beings in the cotton fields of oppression. They understood the experience of Ezekiel’s people.

The Israelites of old, Ezekiel’s audience, were also a people enslaved by foreign masters. They had been forcibly removed from their native land into exile.  They were far from their beloved home, compelled to toil in the service of a conquering empire. Though alive, they felt like they were dead. They were a people without hope. Like a nation of dry bones, they cried out in their misery as all oppressed people must. Israel cries out, “Our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost; we are cut off completely.”

It is no wonder that so many of us who follow the same three-year cycle of scripture readings were drawn to the valley of dry bones this week. Not being able to gather together in person, in a church building or anywhere else, we resonate with the exiles. Here in Idaho, we had our first reported Coronavirus deaths this past week. Though it’s true that people continue to die by many other means, these deaths bring the world-wide pandemic closer to our doorsteps. And woven into all of this is a new kind of communal stress—a weight that we are sometimes aware of and sometimes not, but which has us saying things like, “I have started regulating how much news I take in. Why do I need more sleep? I am sad for our world.” We are all experiencing grief in real time, mourning the loss of life as we knew it. We are also experiencing what is called anticipatory grief; our body is anticipating grief for what we will lose individually and communally.  All of that impacts our capacity for hope.

So, let’s return to the prophet Ezekiel and his imaginative vision. It is, after all, a vision given for a people who have lost heart, who are suffering a death of the spirit, a living death in exile in a foreign land. Their temple has been destroyed, their holy city plundered, their leaders maimed and put in chains, their soldiers put to the sword, their young men and women either killed or dragged off into a foreign land. Ezekiel witnesses the soul of his people gradually wither and die, becoming as lifeless as a valley of dry bones.

Ezekiel’s vision begins when God transports the prophet by means of the Spirit and brings him to a valley. Pay attention to the role of Spirit in this story. The valley is full of bones, which have lain on the ground long enough to be stripped of their flesh and dried by the sun.  A valley of dry bones, of dead warriors is a shameful image.  Bones left unattended, bones not gathered up and cared for by the family were disgraced.

God asks the prophet if the bones can be made to live again.  His response is the only line of his own in the story–the only line in which he breaks from narrating and speaks his mind.  “O Lord God, you know,” he replies.  Ezekiel knows that only God can answer the question.

Ezekiel prophesies and the bones begin to array themselves with flesh.  “There was a noise, a rattling, and the bones came together, bone to its bone.  I looked and there were sinews on them, and flesh had come upon them, and skin had covered them; but there was no breath in them.” Then the wind/spirit enters the bones and supplies the life-breath that reanimates them.  Bones and sinews were repaired, but the work is not complete without the Spirit of God–God’s breath which gives life, as it did at the beginning of creation when God breathed into the first human being.

God will give the house of Israel a new heart and a new spirit.  Israel’s heart has become like stone, like bones dried up, and God will replace it with one of flesh.  The restoration of Israel will be like that of the bones’, not complete until God’s spirit enters in and generates faithful obedience.  There is breath and new creation for the Israelites.

Ezekiel prophesies to the breath and the slain bodies “lived, and stood on their feet.”  We know that the pieces never get put back together in the same way.  God’s people are going back to the land of Israel, back to their own soil, but their relationship with God is changed.  “You shall know that I am the Lord … you shall know that I, the Lord, have spoken and will act,” God says.

This vision reminds every generation that God not only gives life but restores life. This vision reminds every generation that death will not have the last word, even when all signs of life have been taken away. This vision reminds every generation that God is the Creator of life.

Our call then is to welcome God’s breath of life.  As change occurs, it is our responsibility to tune our senses to how the Holy Spirit is and could be working in our community and world, even during an international pandemic.  Restoration of life for Israel was not simply a return to a corrected state of pre-exilic life.  Ezekiel’s prophecy was restoration to the knowledge of and trust in God.  But this knowledge and trust were not former things.  Israel would know God’s faithfulness to God’s promises, which creates new life.  The valley of dry bones illuminates God’s actions, God’s heart, and God transforming death into life.

In scripture this morning we hear that Jesus is the resurrection and the life.  When I hear that God has the power to bring Lazarus back to life, when I hear that God has the power to breathe life into skeletons in the desert, I know that God has the power to breathe life into our valley.

This year, my Lenten devotional has been Luke Powery’s book, “Were You There: Lenten Reflections on the Spirituals.” We had no idea on Ash Wednesday that we would be sheltering in place on the Fifth Sunday in Lent. When I started reading devotionals based on the Spirituals, I had no idea how deeply they would resonate with our current circumstances. I do not want to equate the pandemic with the institution of slavery. At the same time, I do believe that we can learn something powerful about suffering and faith and hope from the people who wrote and sang the Spirituals.

In his preface to the book, Powery writes, “Suffering is always present like the paparazzi. It seems to stalk its human prey. Suffering is a part of the broken, sin-sick world. And if there is a theo-musical genre that reminds us of this, it is the Spirituals. They are musical memorabilia created on the anvil of misery by enslaved Blacks. They are sorrow songs. They are suffering songs. However, to sing can be a sting to the reality of suffering. It can be a sign of hope and the presence of God in the midst of agony. This is why they are called the ‘Spirituals” because they are the Spirit’s song and the Spirit will not be stopped and will blow through every season of life, even liturgical seasons like Lent.”

May we trust this day that the Spirit of God will not be stopped in the Treasure Valley, in our state, and around the world. God’s spirit/breath has been creating new life since the dawn of creation. There is every reason to believe that the Spirit’s work will continue, new life will come forth. In this particular moment, we may need to take a cue from those who composed the Spirituals. We may need to be singing sorrow songs. Even so, we can trust that the Spirit is working through our sorrow. As Powery says, “to sing can be a sting to the reality of suffering. So, let our songs be signs of hope and witness to God’s love in our lives.

Prayers of Intercession (written by Trinity member Steve VanAtter)

With the whole people of God our Creator, in the name of Jesus Christ, let us pray for the church, those in need, and all of creation.

Let us pray for the church universal, its ministry to all of creation and the mission of the gospel to all people. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

For the well being of your creation, for rain, for sunshine, for the life giving water and nutrients you provide that helps creation bloom and thrive. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

For peace and justice around the world to all people, especially those that suffer from economic disadvantages, political abuse and corruption, famine and war. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

For those in authority, that why will remember the weak and make decisions that will serve the least among us and not their own political and economic self interests. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

For the poor, oppressed, sick, bereaved, and lonely. Lift them up and comfort them. Bring them wholeness and abundant life. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

For all who suffer in body, mind, or spirit. Up lift them and give them strength to live in dignity. Give them a sense of well being and joy. Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.

For the congregation of Trinity Lutheran Church, that we will see the glory of your creation and experience love from those around us. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

Lord God, you are the giver of life to all things, we ask for guidance, compassion, love, and healing for all of your creation.

We give thanks for your saints (especially). Join us together with them as your children in this world and the next. Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.

According to your steadfast love, O God, hear these and all our prayers as we commend them to you; through Christ our Lord. Amen.

A Spiritual, for your listening pleasure:

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Lent – March 25

Posted on March 25, 2020 by megganmanlove

Wednesday night, March 25, we encourage all members of Trinity Lutheran Church, Nampa to pray this devotional at 7pm. You may wish to light a candle as a way of inviting the light of Christ into your sacred space.

Our theme for midweek Lent evening prayer is Open our Lives.

Photograph by Trinity member Mary Braudrick

March 4 was “Open our Eyes.”

March 11 was “Open our Hands.”

March 18 was “Open our Ears.”

March 25 is “Open our Hearts.”

Psalm 141 (Song of Forgiveness and Protection)

1 I call upon you, O Lord; come quickly to me;
give ear to my voice when I call to you.
2 Let my prayer be counted as incense before you,
and the lifting up of my hands as an evening sacrifice.

3 Set a guard over my mouth, O Lord;
keep watch over the door of my lips.
4 Do not turn my heart to any evil,
to busy myself with wicked deeds
in company with those who work iniquity;
do not let me eat of their delicacies.

5 Let the righteous strike me;
let the faithful correct me.
Never let the oil of the wicked anoint my head,
for my prayer is continually against their wicked deeds.
6 When they are given over to those who shall condemn them,
then they shall learn that my words were pleasant.
7 Like a rock that one breaks apart and shatters on the land,
so shall their bones be strewn at the mouth of Sheol.

8 But my eyes are turned towards you, O God, my Lord;
in you I seek refuge; do not leave me defenceless.
9 Keep me from the trap that they have laid for me,
and from the snares of evildoers.
10 Let the wicked fall into their own nets,
while I alone escape.

Litany (Sundays and Seasons)

Open our hearts, Lord, to behold your laws. Teach us to walk in your commandments.

Grant us grace to know and understand your will, for all that we are in body and soul is a gift from you.

Lord, you are the everlasting Truth, the one who speaks the words of eternal life.

Open our hearts, Lord, to behold your laws. Teach us to walk in your commandments.

(Based on Thomas à Kempis, 1380–1471, The Imitation of Christ, trans. Richard Whitford, ca. 1530)

Prayer (Sundays and Seasons)

Open our hearts, Lord, and fill us with your love. Grant us strength and courage, remove our hard-heartedness, and turn us always to you. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

Readings

2 Corinthians 6:1-13

6As we work together with him, we urge you also not to accept the grace of God in vain. 2For he says,
‘At an acceptable time I have listened to you,
and on a day of salvation I have helped you.’
See, now is the acceptable time; see, now is the day of salvation! 3We are putting no obstacle in anyone’s way, so that no fault may be found with our ministry, 4but as servants of God we have commended ourselves in every way: through great endurance, in afflictions, hardships, calamities, 5beatings, imprisonments, riots, labours, sleepless nights, hunger; 6by purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, holiness of spirit, genuine love, 7truthful speech, and the power of God; with the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and for the left; 8in honour and dishonour, in ill repute and good repute. We are treated as impostors, and yet are true; 9as unknown, and yet are well known; as dying, and see—we are alive; as punished, and yet not killed; 10as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing everything.

11 We have spoken frankly to you Corinthians; our heart is wide open to you. 12There is no restriction in our affections, but only in yours. 13In return—I speak as to children—open wide your hearts also.

Acts 16:11-15

11 We set sail from Troas and took a straight course to Samothrace, the following day to Neapolis, 12and from there to Philippi, which is a leading city of the district of Macedonia and a Roman colony. We remained in this city for some days. 13On the sabbath day we went outside the gate by the river, where we supposed there was a place of prayer; and we sat down and spoke to the women who had gathered there. 14A certain woman named Lydia, a worshipper of God, was listening to us; she was from the city of Thyatira and a dealer in purple cloth. The Lord opened her heart to listen eagerly to what was said by Paul. 15When she and her household were baptized, she urged us, saying, ‘If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come and stay at my home.’ And she prevailed upon us.

Open Hearts

What do loving hearts look like during a pandemic when we are asked to practice physical distancing? Love looks like an empty sanctuary, because when we do not gather in large groups we do not put one another at risk and we slow down the spread of the virus, which in turn helps everyone working in healthcare.

Love looks like an empty church

Love looks like participating in the census online so that dollars are allocated correctly, so that infrastructures can serve the people.

Love looks like brightening up your corner of the world with some color, using a coloring book or Chalking the Walk.

Love looks like sending cards to people in your lives who may be isolated or overwhelmed.

Prayer

O God, from whom come all holy desires, all good counsels, and all just works: give to us, your servants, that peace which the world cannot give, that our hearts may be set to obey your commandments; and also that we, being defended from the fear of our enemies, may live in peace and quietness; through Jesus Christ our Savior, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, God forever. Amen. (ELW p. 317)

Lord’s Prayer

Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins
as we forgive those
who sin against us.
Save us from the time of trial
and deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power,
and the glory are yours,
now and forever. Amen.
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Finding Our Way

Posted on March 24, 2020 by megganmanlove

April Newsletter Column

Dear Friends in Christ,

As I sat down to write my April column for the Epistle, these words of the Apostle Paul washed over me: “For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then we will see face to face. Now I know only in part; then I will know fully, even as I have been fully known. And now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; and the greatest of these is love.” (1 Cor. 13:12-13).

One could make a pretty good argument right now that hope is the greatest but I know that love has been the strongest guidepost and will remain so for me and our congregational leadership. Love is why we suspended in-person gatherings, including worship. Love is why people are calling one another and checking in with one another. Love is why so many of us are learning new technologies that help us stay connected in this digital age. Love is why we are finding new ways to care for our neighbors (those next door and those across the globe). Most important, God’s love for us is something we can continue to depend on.

Love will continue to guide our discernment. Our council will meet via Zoom Meeting on Monday, March 30. We will make final plans for Holy Week (more inside this Epistle) and the Season of Easter. Please know, I am planning ahead as though we will be in this for a while. The other ELCA Treasure Valley Cluster leaders and I have a  deep love for one another and for the Body of Christ that is our cluster. We are trying new ways to be church together (more inside the Epistle).

Know that God’s deep abiding love for the entire cosmos is not going to waver. It is a love that is steadfast and abundant, both personal and far-reaching. It continues to free us both from something (shame, guilt, participation in unjust systems) and for something (love of our neighbors, transforming the world into God’s reign). Thanks for your companionship and prayers as we navigate together through this pandemic.

Peace, Pastor Meggan

 

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Outdoor Ministries and Zoom

Posted on March 23, 2020 by megganmanlove

Who would have thought that a bunch of camp professionals helped prepare me to serve my congregation in a time of physical distancing? I’m not sure I would have. My council’s executive committee decided to cancel in-person gatherings through March 31 on March 13. The first thing I did on March 14 was purchase a Zoom account for myself. I was pretty sure we would use Facebook Live for worship since our congregation has a decent following and presence on Facebook. But what about small group gatherings and meetings and other random conversations? I knew of no better tool than Zoom meeting and the reason I knew about Zoom was because of my two terms on the Lutheran Outdoor Ministries (LOM) board of directors.

I always thought it was a bit fun and funny that it was outdoor ministry professionals who taught me the most about technology over the past eight years, everything from Dropbox (a while ago) to Zoom to Google Drive. It is funny, of course, because these are the same professionals who know the great value in getting unplugged. I make a huge push every summer to get all the kids (plus a good number of adults) from my congregation to Luther Heights Bible Camp. There are lots of reasons for my push, most important being the value in spending a week in intentional Christian Community. But I also know that one week being unplugged does them well. The youth know it too. On more than one ride home I have heard, “I love being unplugged. But there’s no way I can do it on my own.”

When I first served on the LOM board we used conference calls. You might think that an introvert like me would like those because there was no eye-contact. But being introverted is only one part of my identity. I am also the person who reads the room. I was told once, during an Emotional Intelligence training, that you could tell the temperature of the room by the look on my face. (I have no poker face). I don’t try to read the room; it’s just something I do instinctively and when I can’t, like when I’m on a conference phone call, it drives me crazy. So I absolutely loved when our board president introduced us to Zoom.

A few years later, when tasked with leading the search committee for Luther Height’s new executive director, I asked our synod if we could use their account. We drew together members from Nampa to American Falls. Geographic representation was key in gaining the trust of our loyal constituency. But some of us had never met until our first meeting. If I had not been able to read people’s facial expressions and body language it would have taken us all much longer to gel. Video conferencing was pure gift.

There are a few more things I really appreciate about Zoom, especially right now. One is that even though I have written a great deal about reading body language, my members who do not have computers or internet can still join in. Every time I send a link I specify that they can also call in with  a flip phone or land line. Finally, at least with the subscription, so far the connections have been quite stable, with is impressive considering how much traffic Zoom has right now.

I do not want to put Outdoor Ministry people up on a pedestal for their use of technology. I know that a variety of networks and coalitions of church people have been using video conferencing for a long time to do ministry. I just love that I was introduced to the technology by people who 1) have understand small-group ministry for forever, 2) who continually lift up whatever young adults bring to the table (which has included new ways of connecting through technology), and 3) who are the same people who would tell me to get off of all my devices and go get some Vitamin D.

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