The Last 4 Months

After a four month break it’s time to get posting again. In the past four months a few life changes have occurred. Aaron and I graduated in May, led a mission trip to North Carolina in June. We were ordained, moved to South Dakota and installed shortly thereafter. It’s been an amazing summer to say the least. I have been moved to tears over excitement and joy as well as fear and doubts.

I am already falling in love with the members and staff of, Lutheran Church of Our Redeemer, the congregation where I’ve been called to serve. I never pictured myself in a large place, yet there are over 3000 members and I have been repeatedly amazed by the relationships I’ve begun in a place this size. I never imagined I’d live in a town of 200, but I live in Toronto, South Dakota a town so small it doesn’t even have a traffic light yet I live in a house with 4 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms and over 2400 sq. feet. Size is definitely juxtaposed from what I had imagined. At this time last year I envisioned I’d be serving a small congregation and living in an apartment in a city, and I currently have a call at a large congregation and live in a large house in eastern South Dakota.

So far, my biggest joys have come during my hospital visitations. There’s something about walking into a hospital room, introducing myself and connecting with a member in a way that would otherwise take years. Something about the stress, uncertainty and boredom of hospital stays helps folks reach out and open up. At some point these past four months someone told me that it’s amazing when you walk into a hospital room and realize you’re only one of the pastors walking in…there are others from days gone by, good ones and bad ones, but all called to ministry and they’re there in the room with you. I’ve felt that amazing presence numerous times.

Some of my biggest anxieties come from being a member of pastoral team of three. I only preach about once a month and fall programming isn’t underway yet, so there’s a lot of office time without a lot of interaction with people. Also, the other two pastors have been handling things they had already planned on. My first wedding isn’t until November and my first baptism was this past Sunday. On the flip side, it is helpful and a privilege to work with the other two pastors. They are opposites in many ways, but both have been called to walk in this place at this time and both reach different members of the congregation with their styles and beliefs.

Overall, I’m doing well. It’s about the time for homesickness to be settling in and I can feel it coming on already. I can’t wait for the fall to begin. I’ll be teaching 6th grade confirmation, as well as an adult study focused on the catechism and Lutheran history plus youth groups will be up and running and we’ll begin another worship service. Life outside work is good too. It’s great to have Audra
(Aaron’s sister) and her family so close and we’ve been able to see our friends in Sioux Falls a few times. Most nights Aaron and I kick back and watch tv – we finally have cable so we’re watching way too much tv. Well, it’s time to get to another meeting, the fifth one today.

Letter from a Pastor for the September Newsletter

When the horses of Pharaoh with his chariots and his chariot drivers went into the sea, the Lord brought back the waters of the sea upon them; but the Israelites walked through the sea on dry ground. Then the prophet Miriam, Aaron’s sister, took a tambourine in her hand; and all the women went out after her with tambourines and with dancing. And Miriam sang to them: “Sing to the Lord, for he has triumphed gloriously; horse and rider he has thrown into the sea.” – Exodus 15.19-21

In the early days as intern pastor at Augustana College in Sioux Falls my supervisor asked me to pick a passage of scripture to guide me through the year. I choose the Exodus 15:19-21. These days I find myself echoing Miriam’s song of praise. Thankfully, God has brought me through four years of seminary and a move over 1000 miles to Lutheran Church of Our Redeemer where I sing and dance full of praise for God’s protection and guidance.

The account of the Israelites and Egyptians has always intrigued me. One of my earliest childhood memories involves my family gathering in the family room with bowls of popcorn to watch the annual broadcast of the Ten Commandments with Charlton Heston as Moses. Later, Disney’s Prince of Egypt peaked my interest enough to reread the story in Exodus where I discovered a good deal inconsistencies between the scriptures and the films.

This began my interest in the dynamics between popular culture’s presentation of the Bible and the scriptures themselves. The journey has been interesting to say the least. In my experience “God helps those who help themselves” seems to be the most common misquoted saying. It is actually quote from Ben Franklin, a deist, even though it is often attributed to the Bible. In fact, the Bible turns this so-called wisdom on its head. The Israelites were freed because God intervened on their behalf. They were powerless against their Egyptian captors and could not free themselves. Does this sound familiar? Have you ever admitted that you’re in bondage to sin and cannot free yourself? Again and again, God acts to free those who cannot free themselves. God frees the Israelites, and God frees you. Go, sing and dance.

Peace be yours!

Check out Exodus 1-15 and Romans 5:6-8 for more thought provoking verses.