Worship

Monday morning check in — Romans and the Ramp project

/ The Pastor / 3 Comments

Worship
Yesterday was our first worship service in the fellowship hall.  I wasn’t sure what kind of turn out we would get but the basement was full.  But in all honesty it WAS congregational meeting day (with a potluck).  I guess next week will really tell the story.

We do have some bugs to work out though.  Our sound wasn’t the best so we need to do some tinkering this week to fix some bugs.  But worship was fun and “different”.  The setting seemed cozy and intimate.  It made me think of the Church in the first century when people met in homes.  It think it is going to be very strange to move up stairs after being in such a cozy place for a while.  Most people are going to be thankful to be in the sanctuary, but after one Sunday in the fellowship hall, I am liking the closeness while we worship.  It makes me feel more connected with the people.  I wish there was a way I could close off the back half of the sanctuary without getting myself into too much trouble.  There is definitely something to the worship intimacy thing.

Ramp project
Things are moving alone quite nicely.  Today they are putting up the forms and hopefully will be pouring cement tomorrow.  The joke is that since the contractor is moving along like he is, that we will be back in the sanctuary this Sunday.  Of course that is not the case.  We are still looking at August as our move back in date.  Check back soon for some up-to-date pictures of our “little” project.

Sermon
I have added a new page at the top of my blog titled “Sermons”.  I will be adding sermons there periodically; ones that strike me and stand our for me.  This past week is one such example.  I preached on the Romans 6:1-11 text about dying and rising with Christ.  Our “old” life dying to sin and a “new” life rising with Christ.  This text always seems to strike me in a new a different way each time.  Yesterday I used the illustration of our ramp construction project to talk about letting go of the “old” to embrace the “new”; when the new (ramp) comes, the old (ramp) will soon be forgotten.  I don’t pretend to think the sermon was anything spectacular…it just struck a cord with me yesterday.  So take it as it is.

With that I say to you “God bless and have a great day!”

-edh-

The “experiment”

/ The Pastor / 4 Comments

In my post “Thursday coffee shop ponderings on Friday” I mentioned an experiment I was doing this past weekend.  According to my worship attendance stats (Yes, I keep worship attendance stats…I’m such a dork, I know) average worship attendance drops by about 13 when I am gone.  First let me assure you that I do not believe in the least that people skip worship when I am gone because they can’t stand to hear anyone but me.  I am not that full of myself.  My theory is that people skip because they think they “can get away with it” since I am not there to notice.  It sounds silly, but I think that is the mentality. 

Anyway…

This past weekend I was gone at the synod assembly and I did not tell the congregation I was going to be gone (except for the council and my deacons).  The experiment was to see if people would show up in my absence.

Well…

Worship attendance was way down.  I either need a new theory or the council and my deacons snitched.  I think I am going to vote for the latter.

-edh-

Thursday coffee shop ponderings on Friday

/ The Pastor / 4 Comments

I thought maybe I would head to my favorite coffee shop yesterday (Thursday), but I never made it.  Since I was not writing a sermon this week, everything got thrown off.  I did make it today, though, but I am sitting at home right now enjoying my coffee.  And get this…I while ago I wrote a tongue-in-check post about my Coffee Choices total being $6.66.  Well…today is Friday the 13th and my Coffee Choices total was $6.66…and it is always a different combination of stuff.   Weird.

Anyway…today I head to Gustavus Adolphus College (GAC) for the SW MN Synod Assembly.  Things start at 3:30pm and I should be home sometime Sunday afternoon.  A good friend of mine over at the "other" Lutheran church down the block is leading worship for me on Sunday.  Through my attendance tracking program I have on my computer I have noticed that when I am gone average worship attendance goes down by about 13 people.  So last week I didn't tell the congregation I was going to be gone.  Of course my council and deacons know I am going to be gone, but it is not widely known.  I am curious what the worship attendance will be.  I'll let you know on Monday how my "experiment" goes.

But before I take my leave of you to do my run and pack for the weekend, I want to share with you something that I have been reading.  The other day I started reading The Living Word: A Theological Study of Preaching and the Church by Gustaf Wingren.  I read this book in my second year preaching class in seminary and decided to tackle it again.  So far I have not been disappointed.  Here's a quote from the first chapter that caught my attention and served as an excellent reminder of what we, as preachers, are called to do:

"The Lutheran assertion that we have just now mentioned, that preaching, in so far as it is Biblical preaching, is God's own speech to people, is very difficult to maintain in practice.  Instead it is very easy to slip into the idea that preaching is only speech about God.  Such a slip, once made, gradually alters the picture of God, so that he becomes the far-off deistic God who is remote from the preached word and is only spoken about as we speak about someone who is absent…God is creative and near simply by speaking his Word." (pg. 19 & 20)

It makes me wonder how many times I have "slipped".  But to get the full flavor of what Wingren is talking about you really need to dive into this book yourself.

With that, I take my leave of you.  I am not sure if I will have time and/or access to stop back during the weekend.  In case I don't…I hope and pray you have a blessed weekend (one without rain).  Take care and God bless.

-edh-

Sunday morning prayer – Pentecost Day

/ The Pastor

Happy Pentecost Day (and Mother’s Day)!

Asking and receiving
Last night, while watching the news, I said to my wife that I had forgotten to pick up some candy at the store when we where there earlier.  The candy basket that I have for my children’s lessons was nearly empty…not enough for the kids on Sunday.  So I started thinking that if I got going early enough, I could stop at the store on my way out to Belmont for worship.  The problem was that there was no guarantee I would remember to stop at the store.  Well…this morning when I went up to the sanctuary to prepare for worship; there on the counter in the sacristy was my children’s lesson basket…filled with candy.  Wow…ask and you shall receive.  "Thanks, God."

A realization
I realized yesterday that I must be pretty serious about this marathon I am going to run in October.  Yesterday (Saturday, May 10) was to be my 9 mile run day.  My day was already pretty busy so my window of time to run was fairly small, but when it came time to run it was raining lightly.  Since I didn’t have time to wait I still got ready and ended up running in the rain for a few miles.  I guess I AM serious about this running thing.  And you know…it was kind of nice (in a weird sort of way) to run in the rain.

Prayer
Today we recognize and celebrate the giving of the Holy Spirit to those first disciples and to us.  We thank God for His presence in our lives.  We thank Jesus for not leaving us orphaned.  We thank the Holy Spirit for the gift of faith.  But let us not forget to thank our mothers today.  But don’t forget those women (who may not be "mothers") for playing a motherly role in your life (or the lives of others).  They deserve thanks as well.  So with all that in mind, let’s pray…

Good, gracious and loving God, you came to those first disciples on that first Pentecost Day in power and authority.  You gave them courage to boldly proclaim the Good News of Jesus dying and rising that we may live.  They announced forgiveness.  They announced Truth.  They proclaimed life.  Lord God, we pray for that same boldness; for that same Spirit to fill our hearts so we may be courageous in a world that demands much from us.  We pray for courage so others may come to know you through our words and deeds.  And, God…we thank you for loving us through mothers, whether they be biological or others who serve as a mother for us.  Mothers are indeed a gift from you.  Thank you, God.  We pray this through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord…Amen.

God bless and take care!
-edh-

Mother’s Day

/ The Pastor / 8 Comments

I have a question…

…Sunday is Mother’s Day (as if anyone needs to be reminded) AND it is Pentecost Sunday.  But Pentecost aside, how do you treat Mother’s Day in worship?  I have heard sermons on Mother’s Day that were about mothers and I left wondering if this day (and Father’s Day) were days where we can give Jesus a break and preach about someone else.

Now…with it being Pentecost this Sunday do you try to work in mothers someplace into the Pentecost story or do you lay aside the Pentecost text completely or what?

For me…this is want I am doing:  I am preaching on the Acts 2 text were the disciples are filled with the Holy Spirit and start preaching in the native tongue of the people gathered.  Actually, my main point is talked about more in my previous post titled "Desperate".  Later in the service I will have a special recognition of the mothers and offer a prayer for them.  After worship, all mothers will be presented with a red carnation.  And that is Mother’s Day at Salem.  Am I dissing mothers too much by not preaching about mothers?

I want to make sure mothers are honored on Mother’s Day.  After all…they deserve it (especially my mother) but I don’t want to neglect the preaching of the gospel either.  I know there is probably a way to work both into a sermon, but with the text on Sunday…that is not the direction I was drawn.  What are you doing in worship?  How "should" mothers be honored?

-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-

Tired and excited

/ The Pastor / 3 Comments

Greetings and salutations (or "hallucinations" as my custodian likes to joke).

I had a very fun and very busy weekend this past weekend.  Because of that I did not get my normal "Sunday Morning Prayer" posted.  I will be resuming that this Sunday.

This past weekend, my wife and I along with two other couples (plus a baby) packed a van and traveled down to Iowa to the Amana Colonies (follow the link to see for yourself…it was really neat).  We had some great German food (and of course some great German beer).  We walked through some really neat stores and had breakfast at an old stone hearth bakery.  Needless to say I took a "tiny" step back in my marathon training.  Oh well…I will get back on track this week.

In any case, the weekend was a great little break for me.  This Lenten season has been an extremely busy and tiring one for me…on so many levels.  Please don’t get me wrong here though…I don’t mean to wine with a sob story, but I am tired…and excited.  You see…Holy Week and Easter is what keeps me going.  This is the time of the year that gives me so much energy.  I am going to prepare hard for this joyous time of the year.  I am going to give all I have (and then some).  We are going to praise God for the gift of life we have in Jesus Christ like there is no tomorrow. 

In a way…I am running a marathon and am sprinting to the finish line.  The adrenaline is pumping and I am ready to "finish" hard…but…

…after I finish this "marathon"…after Easter is done I will be crashing hard for a couple weeks to recover and re-fuel.  Frankly…I will need a break.  So please excuse me if I don’t post as much as I normally do until after Easter.  With my energy reserves running low, I need to focus on what I need to do here.  I love leading worship during Holy Week and Easter and love preaching during this time even more.  It is such a powerful time for me (and my wife).  I know I will have the strength I need (thanks be to God), but I need to focus on my church family here.  I will be stopping by to visit the blogs I normally read, but I need to take a break from writing for a little bit, but with a periodic post from time to time as energy and time allow.

So in the mean time, God bless you as you prepare (however that may look for you) for Holy Week and Easter.  And may we all basket in the glow of God’s awesome glory.

Praise be to God…always and forever!
-edh-

Sermon delivery

/ The Pastor / 10 Comments

This Sunday (for the second Sunday in a row) I am using a preaching-from-notes style instead of the full manuscript style.  Part of me feels a little guilty – that I am not spending enough time in sermon prep.  But another part of me feels a little more free – more free to allow the Spirit to guide me when I preach the sermon.  I think I am still doing the same amount of sermon prep but the actual preparation is different.  Maybe that is what is causing me to feel this way.

Then there is another part of me that feels a little guilty that I am not producing a manuscript for people to take home or a manuscript for my sermons blog.  But then there is still another part of me that says the sermon is an event, not something tangible that you can hold in your hands.  The sermon is something that happens on Sunday that (hopefully) causes a change in people’s hearts that in turns helps them live the Gospel for others in their daily lives.

With all these "parts of me" it is a wonder I get anything done.  Can anyone out there relate to this?  What are your feelings on the "sermon event"?  Am I silly for feeling guilty?

Right now the feeling of freedom is overriding my feeling of guilt.  I think it is because I am looking more forward to preaching this sermon because of that freedom.  I am not being "tied" to some pre-written words on a piece of paper. 

I don’t know…does this make any sense?

-edh-

Evangelical Lutheran Worship

/ The Pastor / 9 Comments

I have a question to throw out into the blogosphere…

…At our annual meeting a couple weeks ago Salem approved the purchase of the new Evangelical Lutheran Worship (ELW) hymnals.  Along with that (of course) are a number of other worship resources (such as a guitar version that I found).  My question for anyone who reads this is post is this:  If you are using the ELW, how did you go about dedicating them?  Even if you are not using them, do you have any thoughts or suggestions for me?  My worship/Music team and I are beginning to brainstorm some ideas along with seeking some input from people/congregations that are currently using the ELW.  Right now we are planning on dedicating the ELWs sometime in April.

Some of you have already left comments on things you are doing to INTRODUCE the ELWs to your congregation…for that I say thank you.  I have printed those comments off for my Worship/Music team to consider.  But if you have any other thoughts on INTRODUCING the ELW, I am ready and willing to listen.

I know this will be a big transition for Salem, but from comments I have been hearing, people are more than ready.  My only prayer is for those who are silently upset about the move.  I pray that they can find it in themselves to voice their concerns to the Worship/Music team, the council or to me so we can have a fruitful and healthy dialog.  As I said last week in worship…"Worship is not contained to a place, date, book or style.  Worship is what we bring…giving thanks and praise to God."

So with that…I am preparing to hit the "place order" button…Here we go…

Take care and God bless!
-edh-

Monday morning check in

/ The Pastor / 6 Comments

Annual meeting:  Yesterday (Jan. 27) Salem held it’s annual meeting.  Normally our meetings are pretty quick(20 minutes tops)…with very little on the agenda, but this year was different.  Agenda items included: (1) Consider to approve purchase of new ELWs; (2) Budget (of course); (3) Consider to approve bid for new ramp that leads to the sanctuary; (4) Discussion of moving to twice a month communion; among some other items on the agenda.  I looked back in my worship attendance records and normally we average 75 on annual meeting Sunday…yesterday we had 92.  Considering the agenda items I am not surprised.

But everything went great…there was great discussion, excellent questions, and concerns were voiced.  In the end, the congregation approved the purchase of the new ELW (Evangelical Lutheran Worship – the new hymnals recently released) and there was basically no concerns about moving to twice a month communion.  The bid for the ramp had some discussion but, once again, in the end the bid was approved.  I was very impressed with our congregational president and the discussion that took place.  I hope and pray people felt that their voice was heard.

Now the tough work begins…implementing the new hymnals and our major building project this spring or summer.

Evangelism class:  Today is going to be a day of preparation for an evangelism class I am teaching.  The class is at the First Call Theological Retreat at Shalom Hill Farm near Windom, MN.  This will be the first time I have lead a class like this for a bunch of pastors (first call) and it is a little unnerving, but exciting at the same time.  My class starts at 4pm so please say a little prayer for me as I teach. 

"Winter break":  We are currently receiving a "winter break".  The temperatures are expected to rise into the 40s before taking a nose dive Tuesday night.  By Wednesday morning it is expected to be -14 degrees with a wind chill around -40.  Almost an 80 degree differential…you got to love Minnesota.

I guess the lesson to be learned here is to take advantage of every moment, because you never know when you will get another one (or at least a warm one).  Was that too deep for a Monday? 🙂

Have a super start to your week and God bless!

-edh-