A Place at the Table

Last night at our midweek Lent service I read Isaiah 55:1-13, another of the required readings for the Easter Vigil Service. (Here are verses 10-13, “10 For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return there until they have watered the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, 11 so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and succeed in the thing for which I sent it. 12 For you shall go out in joy, and be led back in peace; the mountains and the hills before you shall burst into song, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands. 13 Instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress; instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle; and it shall be to the Lord for a memorial, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.”)

 Snow and rain in Stanley, Idaho, Sept. 2017.

I then read a reflection on verses 10-13 and finally asked people to answer this question, What gives you hope?  Here is a sampling of responses:

People helping each other in need–food, shelter, visiting the sick, mentoring youth and others.

Hospitals–going to one everyday–I see how families receive hope from doctors and prayers.

In places like Trinity, all over the world, scattered but there.  God’s love….

In the everyday small acts of kindness and in the way people draw together in times of crisis or catastrophe.

That God loves us, sin and all. Every day is a treasure.

I see hope when high school students in Florida are willing to demonstrate for change that may improve their safety. And when women are brave enough to speak up about being assaulted or being treated unfairly.

The different agencies and individuals who help the homeless and people in need.

Refugee Community in Boise.

The snow covered mountains.

The miracle of a new born baby.

The kindness people show each other even if they don’t know each other very well.

We have kids in Florida that have taken a stand.

Experience hope in the miracle of medicine to heal cancer and other diseases.

In the establishment of families.

My children.

My neighbors.

New Food Pantry at Good News Community Church.

I see hope in the youth that are going to the ELCA Youth Gathering this summer and also the youth that have made a stand and are working for change in light of the school shooting.

Teachers being kind and helpful to their students.

Our grandchildren’ outlook.

Last night we continued our journey to the Easter Vigil by hearing the story of God delivering the Israelites from Pharaoh and the Egyptian army, ending with Prophet Miriam praising God with song and dance.

I shared a reflection by Princeton Professor Yolanda Pierce.

Then I asked people to reflect on a time when they had known God’s presence (or recognized it in hindsight).

This year for our midweek Lent worship services, we at Trinity Lutheran in Nampa, Idaho are journeying towards the Easter by reading through the Easter Vigil texts. We began this week with the creation story from Genesis 1.

I read a devotion by Richard Rohr and then posed this question, “What difference does it make that God calls creation good?”  Here is a sampling of answers:

It is encouraging and uplifting, moves me forward rather than making me pause and wonder and look back.

That what was created by God is Good–We can make it bad.

Affirmation, comes to mind, of birth, death, resurrection, forgiveness of sin. It’s all good.

This is good is a positive statement and a direction

We need to have good in our lives to keep going.

Who would want to worship a creator who created “bad” stuff through violence!? One who uses love and goodness is worthy of being worshipped.

God’s goodness drives all things.

It makes all the difference in the world. With God we have good, we see good. Without Him we see only darkness.

It is freedom to be fully ones self, to be whole.

The alpha and omega.

Without the beginning, where would we be now.

A creation that is good is a reason to hope for good in the world and work for restoration of creation in the face of destruction.

A more accurate description would be, what gives me joy, but I have started listening to the podcast “Pop Culture Happy Hour,” which usually ends with a piece called “What’s Making Us Happy.”  So, in preparation for this coming Sunday’s annual meeting I have been thinking about what phrases make me happy when I hear them said by Trinity members and friends.  Here they are:

“It’s okay to let that [program/ministry] die.”  We trust that resurrection comes after death, not just on Easter.  Sometimes a ministry simply runs its course and that is okay. We are awake to how and where God might be doing the next thing.

“I love being the church with the garden and the houses.”  So, this may seem insignificant until you learn that Trinity New Hope affordable housing and Trinity Community Gardens have not existed without some pain and loss. I thank my predecessor pastors and past church leadership for helping create the congregational personality that allowed these two entities to begin and eventually thrive.

“Did you hear what [fill in the name of any toddler] said during worship?”  I am so happy that we embrace kids being part of worship life. They are not shushed or sent away. Adults understand their restlessness and want to be part of the village that helps raise them.  Kids at Trinity have lots of adopted aunts and uncles and grandparents.

“We could try this [program/ministry/music] for a season.”  The people of Trinity Lutheran seem open to just about anything.  One wise member looks around the room at the beginning of meetings to make sure some level headed people are present; her way of making sure we do not try something too outrageous. I am so thankful to one of my predecessors who introduced a wide variety of songs and liturgical settings at Trinity.  He fostered this culture of learning and growing and transforming.

“Thank you.” We have a very healthy habit of thanking people regularly.

“I love seeing the guests–every week there are guests!”  Yes, we should have guests.  Idaho has been named the fastest growing state (based on percentages) and a great deal of that growth is happening in Canyon County.  Even in 2018, with church attendance still declining nation-wide, it would be weird if new people were not visiting Trinity.  But I do not take for granted that the members and friends of Trinity will be excited about guests.

“Pastor, do you have any books about …?” I hauled many books from South Dakota to Iowa to Idaho and have purchased more in the last seven years. It makes me happy that we are a congregation full of life-long learners. I have loaned Biblical commentaries, history books by Pelikan, my biography of Bonhoeffer (the Schlingensiepen one), and many others.

“Sit here while we pray for you.”  I am a private introvert who likes to analyze and process and make sense of problems. Yes, I like the idea of prayer and I do pray, but people praying for me, aloud, with me still in the room, that is a growing area.  This is one of the most uncomfortable, destabilizing, humbling, awesome, life-giving phrases said to me by our parishioners.

Thanks again to ELCA World Hunger for the Advent Series they wrote for 2017, inspired by Rory Cooney’s hymn Canticle of the Turning, an interpretation of Mary’s Magnificat.

We completed our mid-week Advent series Dec. 20 by hearing Howard Thurman’s reflection on Christmas:

When the song of the angels is stilled,

When the star in the sky is gone,

When the kings and princes are home,

When the shepherds are back with their flocks,

The work of Christmas begins:

To find the lost,

To heal the broken,

To feed the hungry,

To release the prisoner,

To rebuilt the nations,

To bring peace among the people,

To make music in the heart.

People reflected on these questions: How can or has our Advent journey prepared us for “the work of Christmas” year-round?

The Advent journey has enabled me to connect with my congregation and have a fuller sense of spiritual connection.

Through the garden that provides food for the hungry.

Advent is to remind us of God’s love that we need to share with our neighbors and all those close to us.

We just need to be still and listen with our hearts.

By learning about Jesus; Sharing soup suppers with everyone; Preparing the food baskets; Fixing the baskets for Trinity New Hope; We need to remember that these things need to be done year-round.

Giving and care for those in need, hands prepared to help, willing to wait.

We are reminded we are God’s people and we are called to serve others.

The message of Advent calls us to action throughout the year, to be advocates for social justice where we live, worship, work and vote.

Advent stresses patient waiting—reminding us to keep working but to be patient until we see results.

Advent is a time of waiting in expectation of great things to come.  This reminds me to remain hopeful for the future and look for goodness in the world.

Working together as a family unit and by helping one another this world is turning!

I believe it brings the church members closer forming memories and relationships which help them go out and help the community.

To prepare our hearts and minds to remember the feeling we experience year-round.

We continued our Advent series, The World is About to Turn, on Dec. 13 asking how we have acted as “screening committee,” denying the worth of the people God might work through in our community or church?  How can we remain open to God at work among and through everyone we meet?  Read worshipers’ responses below.

Sometimes we made judgments about people based on what they wear, the car they drive, or the house they live in.  We assume that if they “have less” than we do that they have little to offer.  This results in missed opportunities for leadership.  It may be as simple as not inviting a new person to church because we assume they won’t be interested or have nothing to offer.  This results in many missed opportunities to share God’s love and abundance.

Not valuing differences, having an answer before the question is asked.

We reach out to all.  We are intergenerational.

From another church: Not supporting programs brought up by members to help the community provide more support.

There are many paths to enlightenment.  I encourage all to travel and celebrate all who travel.

I think we act as screening committees in our congregation when we are introduced to new ideas.

Sometimes we “screen” out of fear or maybe an idea sounds too big to carry out.  But when we have faith we can make big things happen.

Each individual has a power to spread to God’s love and work in our community.

By having some people’s opinion being more important than others by virtue of wealth, social skills, or occupation.

Having power is being acknowledged, accepted as a credible source of opinion or information, and being respected.  Sadly, it means that we’re judged by our appearance before our words are heard.

People are so quick to criticize what kinds of food are purchased using the SNAP benefit—“They” should not be allowed to buy….  Lack empathy.  Seeing SNAP beneficiaries as less than.

One of the things I love about Trinity is that we don’t screen—everyone is free and welcome to participate, lead, attend, contribute, benefit and share as they wish.  Encouragement is abundant as well as support when we need it.

Be honest, fair, and open minded.

In the church, I think each one of us has power.  Each time we welcome someone with a smile, help someone follow the bulletin, cook a meal, exhibit patience—we represent Jesus.  Now that’s what I call power.

Maybe by not listening to their message—by not recognizing who they really are.

We judge by outside appearance—thinking wrongly about a person’s potential to give and serve.  God can use EVERYONE to show his love.

Ignoring the homeless.  Blaming the poor for being poor.

Trinity is involved in helping our community here in Nampa as well as our world community.  How this is by being out working with the people whether one on one or being a part of a larger group to make people’s lives better.

This year at Trinity Lutheran Church, Nampa our Midweek Advent series is based on the hymn Canticle of the Turning, based on Mary’s Magnificat.  This week we heard from Isaiah Chapter 40:

“A voice cries out:
‘In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord,
make straight in the desert a highway for our God.'” (Isaiah 40:3)

We asked members of the assembly to share voices they hear crying out.  People interpreted the question differently but the answers were wonderful to read.  Here is a sampling of responses:

Voices of the lonely, who feel isolated

Women who have been sexually abused

Refugees who need a new place to call home

Black Lives Matter

#MeToo

“dreamers”

The Native Americans throughout the United States crying out to care of the earth

The women who have been brave enough to bring powerful males to be accountable for their actions

Women who have experienced harassment

Those without adequate food or fresh water

Those in war-torn areas

Those suffering from natural disasters

Those who have been treated unfairly

The newest generation of “Green” voices calling for us all to live simpler and sustainable lives, in reverence of the earth and its creator

We hear too many voices—so we need to pray for discernment to listen to those which speak truth and challenge us to live out God’s love in our words and deeds

The church active in the local community

Those in poverty

Those being persecuted

War-torn countries

Oppressed People

Warnings about climate change

Black Lives Matter

Political Prisoners

Mentally Ill

Children