Claimed, gathered and sent

This past Sunday I preached the following message at Bender's Lutheran Church, the rural church that I've been working in a few hours a week. The holy gospel according to Mark. 38 As he taught, he said, "Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around in long robes, and to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces, 39 and to have the best seats in the synagogues and places of honor at banquets! 40 They devour widows' houses and for the sake of appearance say long prayers. They will receive the greater condemnation." 41 He sat down opposite the treasury, and watched the crowd putting money into the treasury. Many rich people put in large sums. 42 A poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which are worth a penny. 43 Then he called his disciples and said to them, "Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the treasury. 44 For all of them have contributed out of their ...

Since I last posted, much has happened. Through one of my classes I spend several hours a week with a wonderful rural congregation and their pastor. The pastor and her family were away this weekend, so I had the opportunity to supply preach and conduct a service of the Word. Here is the passage and following that is the text of my sermon. Enjoy! John 8:31-36 31 Then Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him, “If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples; 32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.” 33 They answered him, “We are descendants of Abraham and have never been slaves to anyone. What do you mean by saying, ‘You will be made free’?” 34 Jesus answered them, “Very truly, I tell you, everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin. 35 The slave does not have a permanent place in the household; the son has a place there forever. 36 So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed. As Americans, freedom is a concept we’re very famili...

I read the following tonight during my devotions using Minister's Prayer Book by John W. Doberstein. Each day of the week is devoted to a different aspect of ministry. Tuesday concerns the minister's life. One of the reflections included for today was written by Kierkegaard (pictured at right). I found it very thought provoking and sobering. Order the parsons to be silent on Sundays. What is there left? The essential things remain: their lives, the daily life with which the parsons preach.Would you, then, get the impression by watching them, that it was Christianity they were preaching? By God's grace, may our lives speak of the life of Christ and him crucified, buried, and raised. Picture from Encarta

Thanks to Rev Abi for this morning's prayer. Lord, Come be the salt in our life that we then can be the salt in other’s lives. Lord, Teach us how to not be stumbling blocks in the little one’s lives. Lord, teach us to accept each other even though we are different in our practices and our form of worship and church government. Lord, Teach us to be the salt that this world needs. Lord, help us in our walk to be your disciples. Lord remind us it is for such a time as this that you have called us to be your disciples, to spread the salt of your grace and love in this world. Lord remind us to spread your hope in a world that sometimes feels hopeless. Amen flickr photo

I read the following tonight for my own night prayer. God spoke to me so profoundly through the words that I practiced lectio divina (meditative reading) with them. I was brought to a place of feeling like a lost little girl being shown the way home. It's from the book Thomas Merton: A Book of Hours, edited by Kathleen Deignan, pp. 66-67. And he called out to me from his own immense depths. Silence Litany Teach me to go to this country beyond words and beyond names. Teach me to pray on this side of the frontier, here where these woods are. I need to be led by you. I need my heart to be moved by you. I need my soul to be made clean by your prayer. I need my will to be made strong by you. I need the world to be saved and changed by you. I need you for all those who suffer, who are in prison, in danger, in sorrow. I need you for all the crazy people. I need your healing hand to work always in my life. I need you to make me, as you made your Son, a hea...