Claimed, gathered and sent

On Friday mornings, at CPE, I have a Bible study with the residents of one of the memory support areas of a retirement community. Today was the best ever. I had such a sense of God's presence with us. People that normally are not engaged in the singing were singing their hearts out. There was even joy in their eyes. The lesson was from Psalm 30 in The Message translation. Psalm 30 1 I give you all the credit, God— you got me out of that mess, you didn't let my foes gloat. 2-3 God, my God, I yelled for help and you put me together. God, you pulled me out of the grave, gave me another chance at life when I was down-and-out. 4-5 All you saints! Sing your hearts out to God! Thank him to his face! He gets angry once in a while, but across a lifetime there is only love. The nights of crying your eyes out give way to days of laughter. 6-7 When things were going great I crowed, "I've got it ma

Reform #4 from the 16th century. Public Education Available for All In Luther’s time, education was not for the common person. There were two classes, the learned and the unlearned. With the reformation and reorganization of the church, the educational system was also reorganized. As early as 1520 ( Address to the Christian Nobility ), Luther proposed that education should be for everyone, including the poor and girls. It was no longer only for the rich or for those going into the ministry or law. Luther saw that educated leaders and citizens, clergy and laity were essential for society to function. Education and the ability to read books were a way to learn of Christ . Books became a means of evangelism. One must be educated in order to read them however. Public schools did not originate here in America, but are something we can give thanks for from the 16th century reformers. picture

I have learned a lesson this week. In my hurry to visit family for the holidays, I decided to leave the laptop at home. The semester is done, I really wouldn't need it, right? Wrong!! It happens that in talking with a pastor friend, he asked me to preach this Sunday at his church. I brought no commentaries, laptop, or preaching preparation aids of any kind. Thankfully, the public library is open for a little longer and I've been able to access some fine online helps. I will be preaching on the gospel text in Luke 2 on Jesus' presentation in the temple. Unlike myself, Anna and Simeon were prepared. They waited faithfully for God to fulfill his promise of a Savior and Messiah with hearts open and ready for whatever God planned. Several things have struck me in reading the text. The first is the evident work of the Holy Spirit in the lives of Simeon and Anna. Look at this snippet from the text regarding Simeon's watchful attitude, "...looking forward to the consolati

There are differing opinions on the war in Iraq. Please read this short post on Jim Wallis' "God's Politics" blog. Let us keep God's church in Iraq in prayer as they generously, lavishly spread the seed of the Word as today's gospel declared. Lord in your mercy... Picture from flickr .

Acts 1:8 provides Jesus’ last words to his followers. He exemplified promotion of vision. Kouzes and Posner suggest “Five Practices of Exemplary Leadership” (Kouzes & Posner, 2002, p. 13), we see in Christ also. They are (1) model the way, (2) inspire a shared vision, (3) challenge the process, (4) enable others to act, and (5) encourage the heart. (Kouzes & Posner, p. 13). Leaders must model the way since “People first follow the person, then the plan” (Kouzes & Posner, 2002, p. 15). Jesus said, “I am the way and the truth and the life .” (John 14:6, Today’s New International Version). Jesus modeled the way. Jesus is the way. Leaders inspire a shared vision by, “…gaz[ing] across the horizon of time, imagining the attractive opportunities … when they and their constituents arrive at a distant destination” (Kouzes & Posner, 2002, p. 15). Jesus prayed, “That they may be one as we are one…so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know th

Yesterday was our granddaughter, Grace's 4th birthday. Before church yesterday she was excitedly talking with a friend and asked her if she wanted to come to church and Sunday school with her. The girl asked her mom, and they both came. My daughter reported that Sarah's friend loved Sunday school. It is so easy for children to share with their friends about that which excites them. What is our problem? "The wolf shall live with the lamb, the leopard shall lie down with the kid, the calf and the lion and the fatling together, and a little child shall lead them" (Is 11:6).