I’ve made a habit of scrolling through Pinterest. Usually, the pins (posts on Pinterest) I’m looking at are just ideas for my house and garden - things I can add to my list of never-ending renovation projects that will inevitably cost more money and time. Every once in a while, something slips through the algorithm and there is a random unrelated pin. 

This week, a pin popped up about Halloween candy. Someone had this great idea she would teach all the neighborhood kids about generosity by donating to charity instead of buying candy to hand out. When the costumed kiddos came to the door, she would hand them a little card explaining her donation.

Normally, I wouldn’t give a post like this much head-space. I don’t have kids and I don’t get many trick-or-treaters, so I’m not too worried about what my candy expenditure is or isn’t saying about how we think about our giving. But I work for a church and something about this person’s method immediately struck me the wrong way.

When I think of giving, I think of giving out of my abundance. I’m glad to give because I have been given enough to share. God didn’t give me my gifts to teach me any sort of lesson about giving - God gave all of our gifts freely to use as we wish. 

As I think about trick-or-treating as a five-year-old, I’d be a little miffed if I invested the effort to walk my short legs up to someone’s door and got a card my parents had to help me understand. If anything, the lesson I might take away is that for me to be generous, something I was expecting has to be taken away. 

The truth is so different - I’m so grateful for everything I have. I’m well-fed; I have a roof over my head; I get to work at a place I love. I know there are people who don’t have as much and I’m glad to give to organizations that help make the world a better place. I also get excited to give to places where I participate or partake regularly. Perhaps when I am called to give, that is how God is providing for others, too.

In the case of trick-or-treating, maybe a more effective idea would be to give candy and a donation. Maybe there could even be a call to action with the address of a charity where I could choose to share my excess candy. This might send the message that there is plenty to share and I could choose to share out of my abundance.

What are you grateful for? How do you share from your abundance? We continue to explore these ideas as we discuss how we are Rooted in Faith, Hope, and Love.

Yours in Christ, 

John Johns, Music Director

Reformation Sunday is next week (Sunday, October 30.) If you’re a lifelong Lutheran, you’ve been celebrating Reformation for as long as you’ve been coming to church. You might even think of it as a feast day as important as Christmas and Easter - so it might be the only day you see some of those folks who pack into church just a few times a year.

For those of us who have come to the Lutheran denomination from other places, Reformation is more of a mystery. We find out we’re supposed to wear red (sometimes by showing up in the wrong color the first time we’re here), we hear quite a bit about indulgences, and we know that Martin Luther, working from within the Catholic Church, had enough complaints to post 95 talking points on the wooden doors of his nearest cathedral.

My journey began in the Roman Catholic church, went through the Episcopal church, and has found me at Lord of Life for the past eight years. I like to think this gives me a perspective I can share with other people who have also come from other denominations; and now that I’m an “insider” I can talk about how the Reformation set us apart from other churches and how that makes Lord of Life and our own brand of Lutheranism feel so different from other communities.

Getting beyond the basics, I like to compare the difference between the Lutheran Church and the Roman Catholic church to the differences in the messages of Peter and Paul. 

Peter was the insider. One of the original 12 apostles. Jesus’ right-hand man and the first pope. He also got chastised a bit by Jesus for making some very mortal human decisions. We only get two books in the Bible attributed to Peter. His message focuses on doing things the right way to be saved, an earthly inheritance in the kingdom, having early Christians separated from the “gentiles,” and that the flock of Israel is God’s representation in the world.

Paul was the outsider and took not only a new Christian identity, but the role of Evangelist who spread the Christian faith in the world. We attribute thirteen books of the Bible to Paul. His message focuses on our salvation coming through our faith instead of what we do, the promise of a heavenly position in God’s kingdom, all people being part of the Body of Christ, and that everyone is a representative of God.

Even though the BIble adopted much more of Paul’s writing, the Catholic Church ended up resembling a lot more of Peter’s ideology: rule-based, exclusive for the worthy few, us vs. them.

Martin Luther’s Reformation helped us look at things in the more broad ways that Paul did as he spread Jesus’ word to the growing church. He welcomed everyone to the table the way we do each Sunday morning. He celebrated everyone’s faith together and asked them to worship in their own language instead of the ancient Latin the Catholics had been using for 1,500 years. He reminded us we are all worthy to be saved because Jesus has already said we are - we don’t need a church to tell us whether or not we can be included.

This is the kind of Christianity we celebrate at Lord of Life this Reformation. No exceptions. No expectations. No exclusions.

Yours in Christ, 

John Johns

While every day is a gift, some days land in our lives with more gravity than others. I’m writing on one such day.

During the morning Bible study at church, I was continually distracted by a preschool class down the hall breaking into their morning routine, which I can only believe was “free-range preschool exploration of everything in the room” time. It was thrilling to listen to the chorus of toys, games, chatter, and more in a concert of chaos. One of the children must have discovered an accordion on a music shelf. It’s unique moan undergirded the noise with a heart-warming drone. The sustained clamor and infectious joy were a gift.

On the same day, I spent most of the afternoon in one of our local intensive care units with a family who was making hard decisions. With the lights dimmed, we moved between bedside prayers and silence. In the hush of that holy space, we shared a lifetime of stories peppered with laughter and tears. Through the beeps and tweaks of life-sustaining machines, we gave thanks for the caring and attentive staff, technology, our histories, and God’s palpable presence. Each were a gift.

That evening, I met one last time with a young couple who will be married in the coming weeks. As we stood in the outdoor worship space, they imagined the space filled with family and friends gathered to celebrate with them, as they declare their love and commit their lives to one another. Leaves were swirling everywhere as an autumn storm rolled in. Those few minutes with them were a gift.

In between these moments, there were church staff conversations, worship planning moments, phone calls and texts, photocopying, and sweeping up some broken glass in the hallway. These too were each a gift.

Our Wednesday morning Bible study is currently working our way through David Lose’s Making Sense of the Christian Faith. Each week, we explore one of the basics of Christian faith, including creation, sin, covenant, atonement, and others. 

This week, we focused our discussions on “Incarnation,” which literally means “embodied in flesh.” Our talk about Incarnation in church circles is about God’s Word (Jesus) becoming flesh and living among us. Read John 1:1-18.

During our class, we talked about the audacity of God becoming a human! That was far beyond what any respectable god at that time would have done. Jesus lived fully into his humanity by experiencing birth and death as a person. We wondered about how he may have been tempted, frustrated, and enraged. The Bible tells us that Jesus was active in moments of teaching and learning. He was present for bedside prayers and moments of death. He shared in joy with wedding couples. What a gift to know that Jesus has been where we are and continues to be with us.

Trusting that God continues to dwell among us, Canadian songwriter Bruce Cockburn calls us to be attentive.

     In this cold commodity culture
    Where you lay your money down
    It's hard to even notice
    That all this earth is hallowed ground
    Harder still to feel it
    Basic as a breath
    Love is stronger than darkness
    Love is stronger than death

The Gift by Bruce Cockburn 

© 1988 Golden Mountain Music Corp. (SOCAN)

Every day, wherever we go and whatever we do, we are immersed in the presence of God. The Spirit of God fuels and encourages us, while stories of Jesus’ life remind us that he knows the human experience. Pay attention to your life and give thanks. It is a gift.

Thrilled to share the journey with you,

Pastor Lowell

Boxes of all sizes, bags filled to overflowing, and truck’s full of generous donations just kept coming. From Sunday afternoon through late on Thursday evening, they filled every nook and cranny of available space at Lord of Life. Each day, I would think about how we could possibly sort through it all. How do you price thousands of items to sell in a week? Would we have enough volunteers to do it all? What happens if it doesn’t sell? What’s the right pricing to make the most for the youth but still have it all go?

I confess that I am not always good at listening to the “do not worry” verses in the Bible, especially when I like to work a plan or when there are factors I can’t control. I can lose sleep at night thinking about the “what if’s” or completely miss a great song on the radio because my thoughts are replaying every scenario of possibilities.

Oh, how I wish I could get those hours back these past few weeks because God had it all under control. I’m getting teary-eyed as I write thinking of the holy moments that happened as everyone pulled together toward a common goal for good. Hearts and minds toward one thing, toward one good purpose - our youth. We served and grew together.

I think of the people who do not have kids directly involved in the youth program who were there sorting, pricing, and working the sale. Or the grandma who signed up to help for a few hours and kept coming back day after day. Or the past organizers who had certainly “done their time” with this massive project but still showed up to help and guide. The people who said “yes” when I asked if they could load their trucks on a beautiful Saturday afternoon to take the leftovers to Goodwill and St. Vincent. The family that volunteered to take all the videos, DVDs, and books that didn’t sell to Half Price Books to get a few more dollars for our youth. And of course, there were the homemade cookies for working volunteers because someone wanted to help but couldn’t physically be there.

There were so many holy moments that could get lost in the worry of getting things done. Catching up with old friends and meeting new. Finding common interests in the wide array of books or items that reminded us of our childhood. Appreciating the beautiful soul that bought all the vases to bring flowers to hospice patients or the dog rescuer who was delighted to find dog cages and the woman who left her phone number so she could pick up all the leftover blankets for a homeless shelter.

Please know that this blog is not meant to give anyone guilt for not being there. Life is busy and it was a weekend full of band competitions, scouting events, and other commitments. All good stuff! I pray that  you,wherever you were and whatever you were doing, found just a little time not to worry and truly see how God intertwines our lives for community and purpose.

There are holy moments all around. How can you be intentional today in finding those moments? How can you be present with those around you, and give your worry to God?

Join me in saying a prayer of thanks for the $6200 raised for our youth and the hands and hearts that made it possible! Money that will be used so they can go out into the world to serve others and grow in their faith through mission projects and the 2024 National Youth Gathering in New Orleans. I can’t wait to see how God continues to work through us. More holy moments to come!

God’s peace always,

Angie Seiller

Director of Faith Formation

A few weeks ago, I went to my first FC Cincinnati game. It was a thrill and delight to be caught up in the momentum of the tens of thousands cheering and the non-stop percussion ensemble leading a “massive wall of noise and color” in the Bailey bleachers as fuel for the frantic scramble back and forth on the pitch.

Although the Charlotte club had control of the ball almost twice as much, Cincinnati was able to make their shots on goal count for a win, 2-0. Thirty-eight minutes into play, FC Cincinnati defender and Lakota West graduate, Nick Hagglund scored the first goal of the game. As we cheered and high-fived, I couldn’t help but mention, “That is a bunch of effort for one point!” So much running, kicking, jumping, falling, and body slamming for a single point on the board. One. Single. Point.

Our culture often celebrates more. We cheer for the biggest, richest, and most famous. We honor the smartest, the most creative, and the ones who excel. We even say that “the one with the most points, credits, and toys wins.” Too often, we underestimate the power of one.

This past Sunday, Sarah Davis shared stories about the impact that the Fringe Coffee House is making in the greater Hamilton area. One opportunity, one job, one set of keys, one moment of trust all help make a dramatic shift possible. One cup of coffee can lead to life-changing conversations. One Alcoholics Anonymous meeting can be a first step toward restoration.

But one isn’t always good news. We’ve been on the giving and receiving end of some bad ones. One sneer. One rumor. One breakup. One lie. One biased law. One theft. One accident. One assumption. One accusation. One diagnosis. One event gone wrong. Numero uno can deliver a devastating blow.

Thankfully, Jesus is the master of transforming the bad into something good. Recognizing a moment of debilitating remorse, he spoke one word of forgiveness that set Zacchaeus free. With one touch, he brought healing to a woman who had suffered for years. Jesus spoke about the value of one lost coin and sheep that were worth finding. With one look, he offered compassion to the multitudes and after blessing one boy’s sack lunch, Jesus fed the hillside. 

At the end of his earthly life, one cross led Jesus to one empty tomb, who now leads us with an enduring promise, “I am with you always, to the end of the age.” In hope, we join the voices of millions, saying, “Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!”

God continues to meet us as we receive one nibble of bread and one sip of wine that fill us with nourishing grace. Wherever we are, we have the ability to connect to the Creator of the universe as we pray the prayer that Jesus taught. The Spirit of God continues to be on the move and reminds us not to diminish the transformative power of one.

I look forward to being with you as we celebrate the One who brings us together as one people. Until then, may you be reminded of this great Love, today. 

We are one in the Spirit,

Pastor Lowell

On Sunday, October 5, 2014, I was sitting in a pew, participating in worship in a way I rarely experience. I’m used to being at the piano - I’ve been worshiping that way since I was a kid, so sitting in the pew gave me a new perspective. This was my first Sunday at Lord of Life, and before I jumped into leading rehearsals and using my Sunday morning brain space to think about what notes I needed to play and who I needed to cue next, I was allowed to sit and watch and find out for myself how Lord of Life comes alive each week.

My previous church experiences left me with moments of doubt. Not so much in God - I believe in God. And Jesus. But sometimes it seems like the theological structure of the Christian church is a barrier to doing the work we’re being called to do - specifically, to love each other. And the hierarchical structure demands that pastors and bishops have answers and authority. So when people ask difficult questions, they answer with hard and fast “black and white” principles that end up hurting some people.

You can imagine how refreshing it was when Pastor Lowell’s sermon on my very first Sunday ended with “I don’t have all the answers, but we’re on this journey together.”

Huh.

I know there is comfort in having someone tell you that there are simple truths and that all your questions have answers. But after a lifetime of having those “truths” or beliefs fall apart under pressure or apply more to some people than others, I feel much better thinking of Christianity less as a set of beliefs and more as a way of life. Jesus, himself, said, “I am the way.” He also said to stop getting caught up in all the laws of the church and focus on loving each other. 

I’ve been reading a book by Brian McLaren called Do I Stay Christian? This book isn’t for everybody. It says a lot of things that are difficult to hear. He explores some of the ideas I’ve discussed here about faith and beliefs, and many more. I was surprised when he quoted Frederick Douglass using words that could easily apply today:

The church regards religion simply as a form of worship, an empty ceremony, and not a vital principle, requiring active benevolence, justice, love, and goodwill towards humanity… A worship that can be conducted by persons who refuse to give shelter to the houseless, to give bread to the hungry, clothing to the naked, and who enjoin obedience to a law forbidding these acts of mercy, is a curse, not a blessing to humankind…

I’m grateful that Lord of Life is so good at overcoming the shortcomings of many Christian churches. But I’m always trying to stay aware that what we sing and say in worship continues to inspire us to follow the way of Jesus.

What other ways would you like to see us follow Jesus’ way?

Yours on the journey,

John Johns