There is a lot of it, over nothing.
Sometimes there is no need of any more of it.
It just sounds bad.
Ado.

It’s just a little itty-bitty three-letter word.
When we make mountains out of molehills, maybe that’s ado.
(I may have prompted you readers to do a Wikipedia search now).
When we are with others who have a much deeper threshold for anxiety, or ado, it can be frustrating. “I’m freaking out! Join me!”

Our head sometimes isn’t in synch with our gut.
We know what God would say to us, yet we try to trust our own power to figure things out.
God knows our inclination and continues to love us regardless.
He even had the perfect remedy for our ado – Jesus. He was a big ado!
Turned the world upside down, he did.
Changes the course of human history.
Christians should make a bigger, happier, more confident “ado” about the One who gives life, love and salvation unconditionally.

Pastor Art Originally posted in January 2019

That’s a tongue-in-cheek title, my siblings in Christ. Alternatively, I could have led with “could it be that we are actually God’s holy people?” Answer: “YA THINK?!??.” Of course we are. His holiness has been imparted to us, even in our sinful nature. It is not haughtiness to believe that in our hearts. We are impactful, alive, when we give God the credit and honor due His name for creating us to be His holy people. Scripture confirms that; our Eucharistic prayer echoes it.

We were not created to be in retreat mode. Exiled? Yes. The Old Testament bears witness to what happens when God’s holy people lose their way. They forget who and whose they are. They forget how extraordinary they are! Fearfully and wonderfully made, we are. When we believe that in ourselves, that wonderful sense of self as God’s most beloved creatures, then we can offer that to lost souls. I believe all of us in this nation see the dire straights and consequences of living lives that don’t recognize the holy. There is reverence, kindness, gentleness and love when you see and hear about holy moments. It is in us. What is lacking is the relationship building, the follow-through, the connection to a people of God in Christ Jesus. A spiritual community. I pray that maybe, just maybe – one person at a time if we have to, one holy moment at a time if we must – we can reclaim the importance of church and faith community. We can re-tradition the glory days of society, circa 1946-1963. Not completely, of course, but in a new way that proclaims hope – and the possibility of holiness in us. God’s unconditional love is the glue, the key that unlocks the door to the kingdom of God.

Pastor Art

On this day in history, January 27, 1866, the Atlantic Cable was completed, establishing communication by telegraph between England and the United States.  It’s hard to imagine what a wonder that must have been!  

Perhaps the wonder of it is lost to those of us who share instant communication on our cell phones.  We can text; we can face time.   It doesn’t matter where we are.  We can hear the voice and see the face of the one we wish to contact.   Imagine how unbelievable that would have sounded in 1866 when that simple telegraph message was a “modern miracle.”  Actually, I’m thinking of how unbelievable it would have been to me, not so many years ago.

If we just need to share information, like “the meeting is at 2:00 on Tuesday,” then technology is all we need.  But real communication takes more than technology.  It takes a readiness to listen before we respond.  It takes a willingness to build a bridge of understanding between two people.  This is true whether we are physically present with each other or using the means of technology.

The New Testament letter from James to God’s people reads, “Remember this, my dear brothers!  Everyone must be quick to listen, but slow to speak and slow to become angry.”  James 1:19

Our most instant communication is and always has been our prayer to our Father God.  We need only to think the word, to call to him in our need.  He hears, he listens.  There is no technology or lack of technology to slow down the transmission.  Whether you’re a “techie” or shun all this “new-fangled stuff,” your prayers are heard immediately by the loving God who is always present with you.  Now that is a miracle beyond our understanding!

And so, my friends, I pray that we will communicate with one another, openly and lovingly.  And, that we will communicate with our God constantly, accepting his unconditional love and sharing it with our brothers and sisters.

Peace,
Judy

I will just guess that you or your children or grandchildren have spent time on a Merry-Go-Round. Sometimes there are ornate looking benches to sit on in the continued circles over and over. Also, of course, the horses or other animals which we know go up and down. They, too, can be quite colorful and ornate. Music is played and the “ride” continues with a circular motion around a fixed center and with rhythmic ups and downs. Mankind is rather like the parts of the Merry-Go-Round to me. Some folks seem to us, to just sit in one position through life and just glide along. Others seem to be on the outside of the circular ride, waving to others as they go round and round, no cares, no worries. Then there are the ups and downs, which resembles many of us.  Sometimes we are smiling and singing along and waving as we glide through life, and then the down spiral happens.  The bumps of ups and downs seem to go on and on. Many plead to get off the ride of LIFE, others pray for a chance to just coast along on the bench.

No matter where you are on the Merry-Go-Round of LIFE, waving as you watch others, gliding along carefree for a while, or struggling with more ups and downs than you can count, God is with you! Isn’t that beautiful? Our Heavenly Father loves us unconditionally and is with you on every curve, every up and down, every smile, wave, and glide of our ride on earth. Deuteronomy 31:8“It is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.” Trust in His promises. He is always with you.  Find the joy in your ride with Him.

Jill

Have you ever heard of “event boundaries”. I hadn’t until I read an article in the AARP magazine about this very topic. Of course, since the article was featured in that publication, it was focusing on senior citizens. The article discussed the memory problems many of us experience every day and went on to describe research indicating much of what we experience in not loss of memory at all. It is a situation where we experience “event boundaries”. Event boundaries are the points where continuous experiences are divided into distinct events in memory and cognition.

The piece used the example of our inability to go from one room to another and remember why we went into the second room. I’m sure we have all experienced this. I can recall it happening to me all my life, not just as I have gotten older. We all probably solved this problem quickly by returning to the first room which would trigger our memory as a reminder why we went elsewhere.

 We were not aware this frequent occurrence had a name. It was discovered this was happening as our brains got acclimated to the first room and its surroundings and when we went elsewhere, our brains immediately begin focusing on the new surroundings forgetting the “event” from which we had just come. The first event (the first room) had been interrupted when we entered a new boundary (the second room).

After reading this I was somewhat relieved to know there was a reason for this clearly aggravating issue. I assumed it was not all attributed to old age since I had experienced this my whole life, but of course I imagined it was getting worse as my mind and body aged.

How blessed are we God does not have “event boundaries” when it comes to His unconditional love for us. He does not forget about us when another issue needs attention. God is always available to guide us, strengthen us, help us, uphold us and, teach us to be more like Him. He does not go on to another problem and forget about us, leaving us to flail around, searching for answers.

God is an ever-present help in our time of trouble. Psalm 46

Remember this as we go through our lives. If we believe God is our Savior and ask for His help, He will not be interrupted, but always be there for us. Thanks be to God!

Patty

Well, it used to be. January scared me. For almost 30 years of my professional career, January was the start of the new work year. Yeah, I know that January has been the start of the new year for a long time. However, my work revolved around legislative sessions that began on the first Wednesday after the first Monday of January.  

For the first six years, I was an elected State Representative from the town of Colchester. For the next 20+ years, I was a lobbyist representing a wide variety of clients from all aspects of life in Vermont.  Every other year brought new legislators and new legislation which I was expected to meet and learn. 

January could be daunting for me with a long, long “to do” list. One year I felt so overwhelmed. There were so many meetings and events scheduled that I didn’t think that I could do it. Plus, I had a family to consider. I realized that only complete and utter surrender to a power greater than myself would get me through the month. 

To that end, I read and studied the third step of AA every night for the whole month of January. Maybe I should have been able to get the message sooner, but I needed to reinforce the words of surrender every day. AA’s third step is all about surrendering to a Higher Power. My Higher Power is God. 

I trusted that God would be with me during my day, offering guidance when I didn’t know which direction to take. Trusting in God’s timing is a fundamental aspect of my spiritual journey. I often desired immediate solutions to my problems. However, God’s timing is perfect, and His ways are higher than my ways. When I trust in His timing, I acknowledge that He knows what is best for me and that He will provide for me in His perfect timing. 

Then January became February, and the world was still turning, and my life was in balance because I trusted in God’s unconditional love for me. The same unconditional love He has for you. 

Today I am amazed that January is almost over. Where does the time go? 

Terri 

Someone in Sunday school asked, “How do you know if you have the Holy Spirit?” There was a pause before the teacher explained, “Have you ever felt really good inside? Then you have the Holy Spirit.”  I wasn’t satisfied by that, and have wondered about the Holy Spirit ever since.

In confirmation class we studied the Apostles’ Creed and Luther’s explanation including these words: “I believe that I cannot by my own reason or strength believe in Jesus Christ, my Lord, or come to Him; but the Holy Spirit has called me by the Gospel, enlightened me with His gifts, sanctified and kept me in the true faith.” I can’t remember, however, what the Pastor taught about that explanation.

Lutherans just don’t talk much about the Holy Spirit. I certainly didn’t as a pastor, so there’s no fault at all on the part of my Sunday School teacher or pastor years ago. Nevertheless, the question continues to tumble in my mind: “How do you know if you have the Holy Spirit?”

Maybe 20 years later I ran into Lutheran Charismatics, people who were positive they knew all about the Holy Spirit. For them, if you have the Holy Spirit, you can speak in tongues. And if you can’t speak in tongues, you have no claim to authority and cannot correctly interpret Scripture. Since that approach was divisive in every congregation where I witnessed it, I decided that couldn’t be right. But what should I say about the Holy Spirit? I’ll write more about it next week.

Read Isaiah 11:2 and remember: God loves YOU unconditionally.

Wayne

Funny saying – “Out of Sorts”, what does it mean? Kind of sad? Kind of angry? Kind of miserable? Out of place? Maybe feeling some of all these emotions?

Many years ago, I found a greeting card with a funny little character on the front wearing a very disgruntled face. The greeting read: “I’m not mad, I’m out of sorts.” When you opened the card, the answer was “Please send sorts.” I laugh right out loud whenever I read that card.

I never mailed the card to anyone. I keep it as a reminder that I can’t always identify what emotions are dogging my days. I can just be out of sorts. When that happens, I turn my life and my will over to the care and keeping of a loving God (once again and again).

God, who loves me unconditionally, who loves you unconditionally, has an unlimited supply of “sorts” and sends them lavishly whenever asked. We are blessed!

Terri Originally posted in January 2019

I was lying awake one night thinking, “What would it be like to read the story of Jesus for the first time? What if I read the Gospel of Mark having no knowledge of Jesus? How would that affect me?”

I don’t have an answer. I searched my mind attempting to recall how the story of Jesus first had its impact on me. I remember as a child hearing the passion story read on Good Friday and trying to figure out why this terrible thing was happening to Jesus. My childish mind was convinced that he must have done something wrong to make God so angry at him. I thought it might have to do with his prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane. “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will” (Matthew 26:39).

And yet . . .

Here I am a Christian. I don’t have an awareness of one day coming to faith in Christ. I know that some people think that means I’m not really a Christian, but I am. Somehow in my very struggling with what Jesus was about I was a Christian. That story told in the Gospels worked on me even if I didn’t understand it.

I rarely read Scriptures for answers. Maybe that’s why my blogs don’t have a lot of answers. I read to listen to whatever is there whether I understand it or not. The Holy Spirit has a way of getting through to us even when we’re lying awake pondering the imponderables.

Read Matthew 26:36-46 and remember: God loves YOU unconditionally.

Wayne Originally posted March 2019

The inauguration of Donald Trump as the 47^th president of the United States is scheduled to take place today on the West Front of the United States Capitol.  The swearing in ceremony will be followed by the inaugural luncheon, a parade, and culminate with inaugural balls in the evening.  This is a monumental moment, even if it is not the candidate you voted for.  Today, for the 60^th time in our country’s history, we inaugurate a new president.

While the speeches are made and flags are flying, remember this is a time for prayer.  Join today in praying for our nation and our new president.  As Paul wrote to Timothy, “ Therefore I exhort . . . that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made . . . for kings and for all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life . . . for this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior.”  1 Timothy 2:1-3.

While times change, they are still so much the same.  Always there are troubles, challenges, wars, storms, sickness and discord among the people.  Always we have a desperate need for our strongest leader, our Almighty Father.  I am reminded of the hymn, “God Bless Our Native Land” by Charles T. Brooks, 1812-1883, and John S. Dwight, 1813-1893.  I hope you enjoy the rendition I have included today, performed in July 2020 during the Covid epidemic.   The text remains pertinent in every time and every age.

Together we seek out the unconditional love offered to us by our almighty and heavenly father.

“God bless our native land; firm may it ever stand
through storm and night.
When the wild tempests rave, Ruler of wind and wave,
do thou our country save by Thy great might.

So shall our prayers arise to God above the skies,”
on whom we wait.
Thou who art ever nigh, guarding with watchful eye,
to thee aloud we cry:  God save the state.”

Judy