About Forgiveness...

Through the centuries, Christians have trod through days with the weight of ‘true repentance and confession’ being some impossible prerequisite for forgiveness. Thankfully, God’s grace and forgiveness is available for all because of God’s love, not because of our sincerity in being ‘truly   sorry’. We could never be ‘sorry’ enough, however, the act of confession is a rite that opens up our heart and mind to honesty and truthfulness before our loving God. By letting God know how our hearts are changed or our minds are convicted by the awareness of our need for God’s purifying and transformative forgiveness, we learn more and more about God and about ourselves.

The Lutheran church believes and practices both public or corporate confession (like we have in worship) and private confession. While we do not practice private confession as an obligation, we do recognize the need that some may have to sit down with another in the faith to have a witness to their lament and to have a word of absolution or grace proclaimed aloud. Private confession is always available, but will most especially be available in this time of the  series ‘Amazing Grace: Lessons on Transformative Forgiveness’. If you should desire to participate in Private  Confession with one of the pastors, please call either Pastor Lynnae or Pastor Brad or the church office to set up an appointment – 892-4040.

With abiding love,
Pastor Lynnae

Bishop Hanson

This past weekend we elected a Bishop! Ray Tiemann was elected for a third term as the Bishop of the Southwestern Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. What was most notable at this meeting was the worship and leadership of our church-wide (national) Bishop, Mark Hanson. Bishop Hanson was inspiring and affirming. I want to share just a bit from his report to the assembly.

Bishop Hanson began by reminding us that as Lutherans in the ELCA we are members of a ‘richly diverse, pluralistic church’! But just as soon as he made us feel good with this announcement, he warned us of an epidemic sweeping the nation. He said that the latest disease of the ELCA is – NASTALGIA. You know that unhealthy desire to return to the ‘old ways’ and to desire that so much – that you no longer live in a mission context. Now, he warned, ‘nostalgia’ is not the same as a ‘memory’.  A memory is that which lifts up and reminds a person of their roots, but, what is most important about our roots as Lutherans is that we are “deeply rooted in always being made new”! Bishop Hanson reminded us that in Luther’s introduction to the Letter to the Romans, he wrote:

“ Faith is a living, daring confidence on God's grace, so sure and certain that a man would stake his life on it a thousand times. This confidence in God's grace and knowledge of it makes men glad and bold and happy in dealing with God and all His creatures; and this is the work of the Holy Ghost in faith. Hence a man is ready and glad, without compulsion, to do good to everyone, to serve everyone, to suffer everything, in love and praise to God, who has shown him this grace; and thus it is impossible to separate works from faith, quite as impossible as to separate heat and light from fire. Beware, therefore, of your own false notions and of the idle talkers, who would be wise enough to make decisions about faith and good works, and yet are the greatest fools. Pray God to work faith in you; else you will remain forever without faith, whatever you think or do.”

May we always live with a daring confidence in God’s grace!

With Abiding Love,
Pastor Lynnae

The Journey of Lent

I found it easier to wait through the journey of Lent when I was a child!
Often our Lenten services at Trinity Lutheran in Yankton, SD were dramas or plays that introduced me to the people that Jesus knew in his last days on earth. As a child, I felt that I was actually meeting them and I felt like I understood what their acceptance or rejection of Jesus was all about. Now, even though I’ve studied and dramatized the characters myself, I feel as though I’m far from understanding their plight. When I was a child, it made perfect sense that rabbits and chicks and butterflies represented Easter! Now, I find myself struggling to explain their role for the season.

I found it easier to wait through the journey of Lent in the chosen-frozen land!
Lent was the coldest and darkest time of the year in South Dakota. Winter coats, boots, hats and mittens were second skin in February and March. The days that were so short seemed to drag as we awaited the tiniest sign that spring may actually arrive. Daffodils and tulips would sometimes push up through the snow and we would celebrate! The discipline of surviving another winter fit Lent as the discipline of worship, study and prayer marked each Wednesday evening. This year, I actually never wore my winter coat and certainly not my parka. I seem to make the difference between ‘winter’ and ‘spring’ by whether I need to wear socks or be barefoot in my shoes! It is difficult to ‘feel’ that old Lenten winter calendar while here in the south.

I found it easier to wait through the journey of Lent.

Lent really isn’t about waiting for spring and it isn’t about being able to truly understand the characters. Lent is a time to pause and recall the teachings of Jesus – the teachings that led him to the cross. Being able to journey through Lent with a community of believers - makes it truly about God’s history and story of Jesus life, death and resurrection. Most of the time, getting there, is half the journey.  This Lent we have experienced the parables of Jesus as a way of understanding the way in which Jesus wanted us to walk. I offer many thanks to the Parable Players who so faithfully ‘acted’ out the stories. 

May you know the mystery, the symbolism and the child like joy of Holy Week and Easter.

Blessings

Genesis 12: 2 "I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing.” 

Blessings are almost a lost art. When we sneeze, one will say ‘bless you’ and we say ‘thanks’. But, for the most part we don’t often bless one another. Blessings are gifts. They are precious and they are echoes of love. John O’Donohue wrote a book of Blessings called: To Bless the Space Between Us. 

How much we think about the space between us is interesting. Mostly, we think we are supposed to protect our space, or create space. I’m intrigued by the idea of ‘blessing the space’ that is between you and me. That would be safe, and warm, and maybe even holy. As Pastor Brad and I are preaching through the season of Epiphany, we are trying to shine light upon the ways in which God comes close to us and I know that the clearest way is through our friendships. 

Now, it is one thing to bless the space between those whose names that I know for that is comfortable and almost gracious. It is another thing entirely to bless the space between ourselves and those that we do not know, don’t recognize and maybe even can’t imagine. I see the volunteers at the Food Pantry do this all the time! To give a hand, offer a smile, and silently say a prayer for them – that is to bless them. 

God first promised to bless Abraham and then challenged him with the charge to bless others. This too is our promise and charge. May you be blessed to be a blessing. 

Pastor Lynnae

Christmas

“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above.”   James 1:17

It is interesting how as the years go by, I don’t all that much care about Christmas gifts any more. As a child, I loved unwrapping the many surprises that would be found under the tree; a doll, a cradle, a book. As a teenager I was just sure that I needed all sorts of things; a typewriter, a Carpenter’s record album, a Partridge Family poster! These days, I can’t even make a list of what I need or want! In fact, while I love GIVING gifts, the ones that I give are usually very utilitarian or just plain silly. I’m giving my brother in law license plates for his golf cart. WHAT! – who needs license plates for their golf cart?

Mostly, I want to spend time with family and friends. While that doesn’t seem like a great deal, the truth is, it’s not as easy as it should be. We are scattered about the country. We are busy and scheduled to the fullest. We don’t prioritize one another.

 
If we could focus upon the scripture from James, maybe the stress and need for perfection of the holidays would diminish. Really, every good gift is from above. May you tell yourself that God loves you and that love is the greatest of all gifts.

 Merry Christmas and Blessed New Year!

With abiding love,

Pastor Lynnae

Moving the Furniture.

Growing up, my family had a couch that was a favorite. Everyone fought to get the corner seat that was closest to the TV! After many years the corner seat got flat and there were even a few lumps and some poky springs! By angling the couch in a new way, the best seat became the center! My mom loved moving the furniture!

I took a church architecture class while in seminary. One of the books we read was ‘Moving the Furniture’ by William Seth Adams (the instructor!). It was an interesting book that challenged the student to move themselves along with the furniture into some new configuration. It’s intent is to “change” opinion and practice!

I’ve never let it be a secret that I LOVE change! I really do! I find change exciting and full of possibilities. 

We’re really moving the furniture at Abiding Love. Not literally, but figuratively. We are welcoming Pastor Brad Highum as our Associate Pastor on Dec. 1, 2011. We are transitioning with Ashley Dellagiacoma as she moves out of working with Youth and Education but remains with us as our seminarian, with Abiding Love as her teaching

congregation. This means that Ashley will spend around 5 hours a week with us in ministry as a field for learning, but she will no longer be in the office focused on our Youth and Education programs. 

Along with those changes, we are working with Heimsath Architects on our Abiding Love Mater Plan for refurbishing and renewing the Fetter Activity Center and the Children’s Center! Soon the entire congregation will be invited to walk about the grounds and help imagine ‘moving the furniture’! I’ve had several couches since that favorite old family one and yet I still love moving them around! 

With abiding love,

Pastor  Lynnae

"Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?”  Luke 10:36

Times are hard. More and more people seem to be ‘falling among thieves’ as the man in the Good Samaritan story of the Gospel of Luke. Prayers and emotional support are one way of ‘binding up the wounds’ of those in need. We also are given the opportunity to offer financial help.  One way is with the South Austin Assistance Ministry (SAAM), of which Abiding Love participates with donations and representation. SAAM is one way in which those neighbors that show up, out of the blue, are referred for financial assistance. This charitable organization relieves us of the background checks, verification and just plain old banking.

On the other hand, members of our own congregation, when in need, are helped with the Abiding Love Good Samaritan Fund. This fund is accessed by me, the Senior Pastor. Of course, this isn’t cut and dried. There are times when I break my own rules and give some money to those that just walk in off the streets. Sometimes, as Pastor Fetter used to say “we error on the side of grace”.

We don’t send members of Abiding Love to SAAM, we assist them directly. This month we have given over $800 to help those sitting next to us in our pews. As of writing this article, we have $293 left in our Good Sam Fund. Please help your neighbors. Indicate on your offering envelope any gifts that you offer to ‘Good Sam’.

With abiding love,
Pastor Lynnae