Dear friends,
I have just returned from a week of camp with 17 confirmation students. I’m exhausted – exhilarated and so impressed with the young people of Abiding Love. I’m certain that our youth were the best ones at Ebert Ranch Camp! (Besides our 17 there, we had two at Camp Chrysalis!) Christian camping has a long heritage among our Lutheran Church. Almost every pastor you talk with will have had a significant camping experience from their youth. Somehow, the out of doors, the intense expressions of love, the excellent leadership, music and worship all seems to touch the very spirit of all who gather.
Just ask Ben about the leap of faith – or Audrey about the high ropes. Better yet, talk with Josh about the horses or Emma about the meal prayers. There are so many stories to tell! Give thanks to God for our camping association, Cross Trails Ministry and for our excellent youth! It’s going to take me a year to recover, but I can’t wait till next summer!
As always,
Love Pastor Lynnae
Thursday, July 24, 2008
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
Bring Your Neighbor to Church!
"Then someone came to him and said, “Teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life?” And he said to him, “Why do you ask me about what is good? There is only one who is good. If you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments.” He said to him, “Which ones?” And Jesus said, “You shall not murder; You shall not commit adultery; You shall not steal; You shall not bear false witness; Honor your father and mother; also, You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” (Matthew 19:16-19 NRSV)
This Sunday we Celebrate Bring Your Neighbor to Church, but actually EVERY Sunday is Bring Your Neighbor to Church! And, every Sunday is a Celebration. While it may be a bit uncomfortable and even down right scary to invite your neighbor – since you are Lutheran and all, it is really quite easy. The postcard invitation that we’ve handed out the last two Sundays - makes it really easy. All you really have to do is to share your excitement about the life you have and the church you belong to. Tell your story. That’s really all you have to do. Start with a sentence like…
“I love Abiding Love because….”
Or “I have learned through my life that I need Abiding Love because…”
There are many people who know God but don’t know of a church home that they can belong to. Don’t be afraid to share your story!
See you in church!
Pastor Lynnae
This Sunday we Celebrate Bring Your Neighbor to Church, but actually EVERY Sunday is Bring Your Neighbor to Church! And, every Sunday is a Celebration. While it may be a bit uncomfortable and even down right scary to invite your neighbor – since you are Lutheran and all, it is really quite easy. The postcard invitation that we’ve handed out the last two Sundays - makes it really easy. All you really have to do is to share your excitement about the life you have and the church you belong to. Tell your story. That’s really all you have to do. Start with a sentence like…
“I love Abiding Love because….”
Or “I have learned through my life that I need Abiding Love because…”
There are many people who know God but don’t know of a church home that they can belong to. Don’t be afraid to share your story!
See you in church!
Pastor Lynnae
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Cool, Clear, Water
We had a nice rain yesterday. It wasn’t a great amount, but it watered the grass and cooled the temperatures. We need rain, yet we still have water at our tap, pools to jump in and sprinkler systems that work.
I had a small taste of what it might be like without water. While in Ethiopia, I journeyed through land that had no rain for over three years. Their rivers are dried up and they have never had running water or sewer systems or even seen a swimming pool. Each morning our tour group was given a big plastic bottle of water. We brushed our teeth with it, drank it, washed our eyes with it and when the bottle was empty our driver would hand it out the window to one of the children running beside the bus – who gladly took even an empty water bottle.
There is a real tension for me, as I don’t want to give up my easy access to water. I was jubilant over the bubbling water of the tap at my apartment and even over powerful flush toilets! But I do want to share, to help the poor and to see everyone live a standard life, such as I have. I know that it doesn’t make sense to send water to Ethiopia, but I could do something to help make water flow. I’m going to continue to tell of the things that I experienced on my trip and I hope that together we will find ways to live out the gospel in all lands, our own and away.
I pray that God will use me to tell the story, to share of the need and to dream of a vision of change. Pastor Fetter had this bible verse on his day calendar:
“When the poor and needy seek water, and there is none, and their tongue faileth for thirst, I the LORD will hear them, I the God of Israel will not forsake them. I will open rivers in high places, and fountains in the midst of the valleys: I will make the wilderness a pool of water, and the dry land springs of water.” Isaiah 41:17-18
Pastor Lynnae
I had a small taste of what it might be like without water. While in Ethiopia, I journeyed through land that had no rain for over three years. Their rivers are dried up and they have never had running water or sewer systems or even seen a swimming pool. Each morning our tour group was given a big plastic bottle of water. We brushed our teeth with it, drank it, washed our eyes with it and when the bottle was empty our driver would hand it out the window to one of the children running beside the bus – who gladly took even an empty water bottle.
There is a real tension for me, as I don’t want to give up my easy access to water. I was jubilant over the bubbling water of the tap at my apartment and even over powerful flush toilets! But I do want to share, to help the poor and to see everyone live a standard life, such as I have. I know that it doesn’t make sense to send water to Ethiopia, but I could do something to help make water flow. I’m going to continue to tell of the things that I experienced on my trip and I hope that together we will find ways to live out the gospel in all lands, our own and away.
I pray that God will use me to tell the story, to share of the need and to dream of a vision of change. Pastor Fetter had this bible verse on his day calendar:
“When the poor and needy seek water, and there is none, and their tongue faileth for thirst, I the LORD will hear them, I the God of Israel will not forsake them. I will open rivers in high places, and fountains in the midst of the valleys: I will make the wilderness a pool of water, and the dry land springs of water.” Isaiah 41:17-18
Pastor Lynnae
Thursday, June 12, 2008
Pray for Rain, and Clean Water!
From Pastor Lynnae’s blog—
www.triptoethiopia.blogspot.com
Friday, June 6, 2008
Dear All,
What a wonderful trip we are having. It has rained every day but one, and that is so good. The poverty that we see is overwhelming. I cannot believe how much they need clean water! We are in Gondar and have visited many different places; churches, castles, hospitals, seen the Galeda baboons!!! and so much incredible scenery! I've taken gobs of pictures!
Please continue to pray for the people of Ethiopia - for rain and for clean water. There have been many problems with electricity and even with running water in the different hotels so I am not sure when we will be able to write again!
May the blessings of God shower upon you,
Pastor Lynnae
www.triptoethiopia.blogspot.com
Friday, June 6, 2008
Dear All,
What a wonderful trip we are having. It has rained every day but one, and that is so good. The poverty that we see is overwhelming. I cannot believe how much they need clean water! We are in Gondar and have visited many different places; churches, castles, hospitals, seen the Galeda baboons!!! and so much incredible scenery! I've taken gobs of pictures!
Please continue to pray for the people of Ethiopia - for rain and for clean water. There have been many problems with electricity and even with running water in the different hotels so I am not sure when we will be able to write again!
May the blessings of God shower upon you,
Pastor Lynnae
Thursday, May 29, 2008
triptoethiopia.blogspot.com
Dear Friends,
On May 31st I take off for Ethiopia! The shots are all taken and the passports and visas secured! The scheduled itinerary is posted on my blogspot (triptoethiopia.blogspot.com) and hopefully I will be able to update you of the journey whenever there is electricity – and a computer! I have put together a devotional booklet that you can pick up in the church office if you would like to ‘pray along the way’!
In the book of Psalms there is a prophesy that the “People of Ethiopia will stretch out their hands to God”. Together we stretch out our hands in prayer and friendship.
Please pray for the group and for the people of Ethiopia, one of the poorest countries of the world, as we learn about their faith and their courage.
Pastor Lynnae
On May 31st I take off for Ethiopia! The shots are all taken and the passports and visas secured! The scheduled itinerary is posted on my blogspot (triptoethiopia.blogspot.com) and hopefully I will be able to update you of the journey whenever there is electricity – and a computer! I have put together a devotional booklet that you can pick up in the church office if you would like to ‘pray along the way’!
In the book of Psalms there is a prophesy that the “People of Ethiopia will stretch out their hands to God”. Together we stretch out our hands in prayer and friendship.
Please pray for the group and for the people of Ethiopia, one of the poorest countries of the world, as we learn about their faith and their courage.
Pastor Lynnae
Thursday, May 15, 2008
“Summer is the growing time of the light, seed, play, and wonder.” Sundays and Seasons, 2008
This past Sunday we celebrated Pentecost. Pentecost is the season of green. Not, ‘green’ as in the popular sense of the word. You know, living green today means living environmentally sound and savvy. Living green in a liturgical sense is also living environmentally sound and savvy and sanctified. We are made holy as we live in ‘ordinary time’. These are the days that we learn of what it means to live out the gospel. It is about learning how to be a disciple of Jesus. At Pentecost the Holy Spirit came and touched the disciples, stirring up in them a longing for the holy and thus began the journey to our completeness. Oh, that we were all green!
Pastor Lynnae
♥ ♥ ♥
Pastor Lynnae
♥ ♥ ♥
Thursday, May 1, 2008
"Notes for My Family"
Last year I attended a retreat for new pastors. It was one of those mandatory things that I drag my feet and or arrive kicking and screaming to! Anyway, it was an entire three day event on ‘Stewardship’. I was pretty sure that I had ‘been there and done that’! Anyway, what do they know about my personal financial situation? As always, I ended up learning A LOT!
One of the best gifts of the weekend was a little handout, booklet-style, called: Notes for My Family. It was a document that included; funeral plans, important documents, insurance policies, assets lists and a host of other important information. It took me a while to complete, but I finished it and told my parents and my sister of the booklet. If something unexpected should happen to me, my family now knows that contained within this booklet is all the information of where to find everything and just exactly what I would like done at a funeral or memorial service. I keep the booklet in the same place and they know where to look. The booklet can be downloaded from the World Wide Web at:
http://www.elca.org/FO/notes.pdf
If you would like to have even more detailed information for a funeral or memorial service, you can always give the church your ideas/instructions for us to maintain in your family file.
I expect to keep kicking, screaming and dragging to things that are good for me, and I expect to keep learning for a long time, but just in case…..I have Notes for My Family.
Pastor Lynnae
One of the best gifts of the weekend was a little handout, booklet-style, called: Notes for My Family. It was a document that included; funeral plans, important documents, insurance policies, assets lists and a host of other important information. It took me a while to complete, but I finished it and told my parents and my sister of the booklet. If something unexpected should happen to me, my family now knows that contained within this booklet is all the information of where to find everything and just exactly what I would like done at a funeral or memorial service. I keep the booklet in the same place and they know where to look. The booklet can be downloaded from the World Wide Web at:
http://www.elca.org/FO/notes.pdf
If you would like to have even more detailed information for a funeral or memorial service, you can always give the church your ideas/instructions for us to maintain in your family file.
I expect to keep kicking, screaming and dragging to things that are good for me, and I expect to keep learning for a long time, but just in case…..I have Notes for My Family.
Pastor Lynnae
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