Personal

Anniversary

/ The Pastor / 6 Comments

It’s hard to believe that our (mine and Connie’s) big weekend was only four years ago.  Four years ago today friends and family from all over came for a long weekend.  The festivities started on a Friday with my ordination (by that time I had been serving at Salem for about a month).  Representatives from Salem made the 2 1/2 hour trip up to Dawson to be there for the ordination service as well.  The council president processed in with Salem’s processional cross and recessed out with it (I had heard of that idea from a classmate of mine).  My grandma read scripture (she said she was almost in tears as she read, which misted up my eyes).  My mom and dad presented my stole to Bishop Jon (a stole my mom had specially made for me). Then Bishop Jon did something that I will always remember.  After the pastors came forward to lay hands on me, Bishop Jon invited my family to come forward to do the same thing.  It was such a powerful moment for me.  It wasn’t just one select person laying hands on me, but the Church; the community of believers; my family.  I will forever remember that moment and day.

But I would be in a lot of trouble if I did not mention the BIG part of the fun weekend.  July 2 is my ordination anniversary, but July 3 is my wedding anniversary (4 years married to my lovely bride).  Like I said…it was a big and fun weekend.  Connie figured that since family was coming for the wedding anyway that we might as well have my ordination that same weekend.  And of all the people involved, I think my mom was the happiest about that arrangement.  Since my mom really didn’t have much to do with the wedding planning, my mom took charge of my ordination planning (I planned the worship and mom took everything else).  And my mom did a great job.  Before the service, my folks hosted a BBQ at the house and after the worship service, mom arranged a ice cream social outside the church on the sidewalk.  Leave it to my mom to get creative like that.

But as I look back…the past four years have flown right by.  Connie and I have had some wonderful moments here and we can definitely see having many more years of wonderful moments here in Jackson.  We have made some lifelong friends here and the longer we are here the more Jackson feels like home.

How many more years will we be here?  That’s a tough question to answer.  The litmus test for me is this:  Does God have work for me to do here?  And as of now the answer is “Yes”.  So with that I continue my ministry and our life here in Jackson at Salem and Belmont Lutheran Churches.  And hopefully…in a year…you will find me writing about a wonderful five years of ministry here in Jackson, MN.

-edh-

It’s official…I’m here!

/ The Pastor / 3 Comments

I have officially moved my blog from Typepad to here (WordPress).  I guess my decision came a little faster than I thought, but I feel good about it and I am ready to continue my blogging ministry here.  As I said before I am still tinkering with the design so I would appreciate any feedback you can give me. 

Thanks for putting up with the changes and I hope you continue to stop by.

Take care and God bless.

-edh-

And we are off…

/ The Pastor / 2 Comments

Well…here I am…my first post written here at WordPress.  It feels weird to be writing here considering thefact that I have been with Typepad for over two years.  But I still have not “officially” moved here yet, but it is looking like I will.  I am still calling WordPress my “lake cabin”…for the time being. 

I think I have the blogroll completed and my favorite websites done.  I am still tinkering with the design yet.  So far I am liking what I am seeing with WordPress…and the best thing is that it is free (unlike Typepad).  I know Typepad is doing some work upgrading their site, and maybe I am just impatient during this time.  But it also might be that I can still do my ministry in the blogosphere without paying for a blogging service.  So I guess you can call my move here good stewardship (leave it to a pastor to find something theological in nearly everything).

Ramp project
The ramp project here at Salem is off and running.  The contractor arrived yesterday (Monday) and removed the railings.  Today they are tearing down the windbreak wall near the main door (I will post some pictures later).  I knew this project was coming for some time, but part of me was feeling a little nervous and uneasy as they started “destroying” the ramp.  Doesn’t make sense does it? 

So…with all this going on we are in the process of transforming the fellowship hall (downstairs) into a makeshift sanctuary.  And we kickoff our worship move this Sunday with our congregational meeting and potluck.  It is bad enough being upstairs in worship smelling the food that is downstairs.  Now we will be within 10 feet of the food.  Can you say “distraction”?

Well…I think that will do it for my first WordPress post.  I will be deciding by the end of the week if I will be making this move permanent.  But like I said it is looking like this will be my new home.  I apologize for the inconvenience.  It is like changing ones email address and asking people to change their contact information for you.  Anyway…thanks for stopping by over here and I hope to “see” you soon.

Take care.

-edh-

Not so concerned…

/ The Pastor / 4 Comments

…I know, I know…the night is still young, but it seems that the serious stuff is done. But I also know that some of the worst storms have come during the night hours. So I will keep praying…and thanking God for getting us through the afternoon. God is indeed awesome…there is no question. I just don’t want to let my guard down and start relying on my own power; thinking that I don’t need God.

“God…help me not to grow complacent. I don’t want this lull to be an excuse for me to turn away from you; to stop relying on you. I need you through the storms and the calm. In Christ’s name I pray, AMEN!”

-edh-

Getting a little concerned — UPDATE

/ The Pastor

As of 2:45pm, the severe weather as drifted just to the west of Jackson, but my wife is in the midst of the storms up where she works in the Windom area.  So far things are going alright, but we still have a long night ahead of us.  Thank you all for your prayers.

-edh-

Getting a little concerned

/ The Pastor / 2 Comments

For the past few days, the "weather experts" have been forecasting severe weather to hit SW MN today; into tonight and tomorrow morning.  Normally I get excited about thunderstorms but I am not excited today.  I am actually getting a little concerned.  My wife called me from work this morning and said that in Lakefield, MN (10 miles NW of Jackson) there are a number of storm chasers from Oklahoma waiting for the tornado outbreak that is expected to hit our area.  These people are the serious chasers, so when they come to your area, it means they expect something big.

The logical and faithful thing to do is pray for God's protection as these storms develop and rumble ever closer.  But yet I find myself thinking of the worst.  I am worried about my wife who is in Windom (20 miles away).  I am worried about my friends and parishioners (Jenna and her dad are traveling to Sioux Falls today).  I am worried about our house and all the stuff we have.  I am worried about the church building (if anything, I hope the sanctuary ramp is destroyed but the building spared.  The ramp is coming out anyway).  Basically…I am worried.  Please pray for all those in the path of these storms. 

I know we have an almighty God who is in control.  I know we have a loving God who wants nothing but the best for us.  I know we have a God who will never leave us.  And even though I am worried about what the day may bring; whether it is a devastating tornado or minor storm damage, I know God will be with us through it all.  But I still cannot help but be a little concerned.  "Oh God…I believe, help my unbelief."

-edh-

Bird man of Jackson

/ The Pastor / 5 Comments

Believe me…I don't embrace this title, but I can't help but chuckle after our little visitor this afternoon…

Connie and I were in the kitchen getting ready do some grilling for supper when I heard a strange noise by our main door (from the kitchen there is a door that leads to three steps that takes you down to a landing.  A left turn takes you outside and a right turn leads you down into the basement).  When I opened the kitchen door to investigate the strange noise…low and behold…there was a bird trying to get out.  Of course my first response was to slam the door to prevent the bird from coming into the main part of the house.  That reaction caused my wife to get a little excited; thinking someone was trying to break into our house to kill us.  But after I assured her that the bird was not going to peck us to death, I entered the landing area to open the outside door.  That, of course, freaked the bird out and it headed downstairs to the basement.  What happened next can only be described as a wild chase trying to convince my feathered visitor that I meant it no harm.  I can't believe it would not trust me.  Eventually I chased it up stairs where Connie had the outside door open and our flying friend found its way to freedom.

[Later that evening]

Connie and I were sitting on the couch watching the news when we started recalling our wild bird adventure.  She then said, "I suppose you have a blog post for tomorrow".  I hadn't really thought about it but now I did.  Later in the evening Connie said, "I think I have an anology for you about the bird.  The bird is like us trying to find our way to freedom and God is trying to guide us to freedom.  Just like the bird who didn't trust you, we often don't trust that God has our best interests at heart.  But all God wants is for us to enjoy freedom…just like what you wanted for that bird." 

Wow…I think my wife is on to something here.  I think she should have a blog as well. 

-edh-

A random but fun meme

/ The Pastor / 4 Comments

David at Here I Stand has tagged me and the rules for this meme are fairly standard.  Simply post the rules at the beginning of your post and answer the questions and tag five others to play along.  Leave a comment on their blog to let them know they need to visit your blog for the rules.  And…of course…link back to the one who tagged you (in this case it is your truly). 

So here we go…

Ten years ago:
I was working for my dad at his Chrysler dealership (I had left my job at Camp Onomia Outdoor Ministries in October of 1997).  I was living in my own (small) house enjoying being back in my home town.  The plan at the time was for me to learn the family business and take over for my dad someday.  Little did I know, at the time, that God was grooming me for something else (I was less than two years away from my call to go to seminary).

Five things on today’s to-do list:
(1) Find some interesting article for a discussion group I am in with a couple friends of mine.  We just recently finished reading the "Ragamuffin Gospel" by Brennan Manning and now we are trying to decide on another book.
(2) Send some birthday cards and a couple thank you cards.
(3) Update my blog
(4) Work on my Sketek Lutheran Ministries staff training session
(5) Think about how our fellowship hall is going to be transformed into our summer worship space.

Things I’d do if I was a billionaire:
This is a tough one but here are just a few things I would do (but not limited to these).
(1) Tithe!
(2) Pay off the education of all my cousins and family members.
(3) Set up a campership fund for Shetek Lutheran Ministries.
(4) Buy a lake cabin (and a boat).
(5) Put some away for retirement

Three bad habits:
(1) I spend "too much time" on the computer.
(2) I’ve been known to procrastinate.
(3) I sometimes have a tendency to bounce from one uncompleted project to another in the matter of seconds/minutes (maybe this is part of my procrastination problem)

Five places I’ve lived:
(1) St. Paul, MN — While I was going to seminary
(2) Mount Vernon, WA — Where I did my internship
(3) Dawson, MN — My hometown
(4) Onamia, MN — Where I served as a program director at Camp Onomia (and "no"…Onomia/Onamia is not misspelled)
(5) Fargo, ND — My sister and I lived here during our final year in college.

Five jobs – plus 1 – I’ve had (the "plus 1" is MY addition):
(1) Car salesman (in Dawson)
(2) Grounds crew (at seminary)
(3) Youth director (during my first 2 years of seminary)
(4) Bible camp program director (at Camp Onomia)
(5) Pro shop attendant (during high school)
(6) Pastor (Now)

Five people I am tagging:
(1) The Lutheran Zephyr
(2) Unlikely Banter
(3) Proclaiming Softly
(4) Postings from Pastor Brad
(5) And like David, I am going to include anyone else who is interested.  Just let me know so I can pop over and check out your list.

Enjoy!

-edh-

A mighty wind (and I am not talking about me)

/ The Pastor / 4 Comments

Grown up
I don’t know if this will make a lot of sense to people, but part of me feels more "grown up" now.  Allow me to explain…

…my wife is the stage manger for a musical that is being put on by a couple churches in town.  The musical is called "The First Actions Heroes".  I don’t know much about the musical, but based on what my wife is doing behind the scenes, it looks like it is going to be good.  Anyway, my wife needed a prop built…a light pole.  So we started brainstorming.  I had a couple 2x4s in the garage so we thought we could use them along with a old cardboard carpet roll tube.  But one thing was missing…I didn’t own a saw.  Well…I do now.  When we were at Menard’s this past weekend my wife said something to me that I think most guys would love to hear, "Honey, I think you should buy a circular saw."  WHOO HOO!  Power tools!  So I bought a Black n Decker circular saw.  And for some strange reason I feel more "grown up" now.  Combine that with the fact I bought a cordless drill a couple weeks earlier…well…I really feel "grown up".  (WHOO HOO! Did I mention I have pool tools?)

Marathon update
This past Saturday I ran my longest run to date…8 miles.  Part of me was excited to see how I would last and another part of me was a little nervous.  I was a little nervous because of a nagging voice in the back of my brain that tells me to be careful of injuries.  Would my legs hold up?  They did and I felt great afterward.  Praise be to God!  This Saturday I have a 9 mile run and the following week is 10 miles.  Then I drop down for a week to rest before increasing my mileage some more.  Starting June 1 I begin the official marathon training program.  Up to then I am simply in a mileage build up program to prepare me for the longer run I will have this summer. 

Without God, there is no way I could do what I am doing.  It sounds strange to say that God is helping me train for such a grueling race, but I don’t feel I am doing this alone.  Whatever God’s purpose is, I am in this for the long haul…and so far I am feeling great.

Pentecost Sunday
There is a verse from Acts 2 that always makes me smile.  Maybe you know what I am referring to.  The Holy Spirit comes over the disciples and they start speaking in the various languages of the people: "Amazed and perplex, they (the crowd) asked one another, ‘What does this mean?’ Some, however, made fun of them (the disciples) and said, ‘They have had too much wine.’  Then Peter stood up with the eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd, ‘Fellow Jews all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say.  These men are not drunk, as you suppose.  It’s only nine in the morning…"  But if it were 3 in the afternoon, then we might have a different story 🙂

So in that "spirit", allow me to suggest a couple possible sermon titles for this week:
(1) High on God
(2) Drunk on the Holy Spirit
(3) No whining [get it?  wine-ing]
(4) God has good breath – no breath mint needed
(5) God breaks wind [this is my favorite]
Any other suggestions?

On that note…it time to accomplish something this morning.  God bless you on this beautiful spring day and may you sense the Mighty Wind (Holy Spirit) "blowing" in your life.  Take care.

-edh-

Sunday morning prayer

/ The Pastor / 7 Comments

Happy Sunday morning to you all…and what a beautiful day it is…finally…

…first off, I am sorry that I have been so absent these past couple weeks.  It never seems to fail, that when May rolls around things start picking up again until school is done.  Also, last Sunday we (Salem) participated in a "Thanksgiving and Retiring Rite" for the Lutheran Book of Worship.  The service went well, but things did not really set in with me until this past week when I was removing all the LBWs and WOV (With One Voice) hymnals out.  It felt a little surreal.

Today at Salem is Dedication Sunday for our NEW hymnals…the Evangelical Lutheran Worship (ELW/cranberry hymnals).  Today will mark a new chapter in our worship life.  It may also mark a time of new controversy as I know some people (a minority of people) are not in favor of these new books.  But my prayer is that over time, they will grow to understand that we do not worship books, but rather we worship an awesome God through Jesus Christ our Lord.  It will take some time getting used to the "new" page numbers (i.e. the Brief Order of Confession and Forgiveness is not on page 77 but on page 147).  I wonder if I will instinctively turn to pg. 77 this morning.  It will also take some time getting used to hymn numbers in the 800s.

But I also feel fortunate because I do not have to say "good bye" completely to the LBW.  Belmont Lutheran Church (the other congregation I serve) still uses the LBW.  Now I just have to stay focused; trying to keep the two worship services straight in my head (I wonder if I will ask Belmont to turn to pg 147 for the Brief Order of Confession and Forgiveness).

In any case, I am looking forward to worship this morning.  I am not sure what it will bring (but then again do I ever know).  But one thing I do know…is that my prayer will be that everything we do today (and everyday) be to the GLORY OF GOD and not to us.  And that also happens to be my sermon focus:  What does it mean to glorify God — with the scripture reference the Gospel text from John 17:1-11.

So with that, let’s pray together…
O Lord our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the world.  I can’t help but think of that Psalm today, O God.  When I think of all you have created and all you have done, you are still mindful of us.  You still remember us.  You still care for us.  Within this massive creation you know our needs, you give us daily bread and you love us as if each one of us were the only person in the world.  But if that was not enough, you sent you one and only Son, Jesus Christ to die and rise from the grave so we may have life. It is for these reasons (and many more) that all praise, honor and GLORY belongs to you.  O Lord our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the world.  Amen

God’s blessings to you this day and always.  Take care.
-edh-