I had forgotten the hours of fun my girls had with three green plastic bins until we were moving things in the garage. These bins were big enough to fit a 5- and 7-year-old comfortably as a pretend pool for hours of water fun. With the hose, some cups, and sometimes bubbles, they could enjoy a hot summer afternoon with such innocence, laughter, and imagination. Who needed a big fancy pool when you had green tubs?

So many memories of my childhood and our girls’ summers of playing outside, staying up late to catch fireflies or playing games in the street with the neighborhood kids or having “reading club” in the backyard with a blanket and snacks. No cares in the world and such an innocence in life.

I realize how fortunate we were that summers were carefree and filled with fun. As we got to know the Family Promise families that LOL was home to for a week, my prayer was that these precious children’s summer memories would be of blowing bubbles, sharing popsicles, the awesome playground (or park as they called it), and their dad throwing frisbee with them. Their parents were sheltering and loving them through these summer days even amid their own worries and overwhelming challenges.

It can be so easy to be mired down by the divisions in the world, of unrealized dreams, of financial or medical concerns, and the weight of everyday life. Maybe your summer memories were not as idyllic. Adult concerns or past experiences outweigh the faith and innocence of experiencing life as a child. As people of faith, we can learn something from them. Perhaps, as we pray, grow to trust in God and allow the Holy Spirit to work in our lives, life’s challenges will not seem as insurmountable. We can find faith and assurance in our heavenly Father through childlike faith and wonder. This trust frees us to love others and ourselves as Jesus loves and cares for us. 

What can you see this summer through the eyes of a child? What summer memory can you recreate, or can you create a new memory? Can we set aside moments to rest in innocence and delight in God’s creation and even share it with others? Maybe it can’t be a gorgeous, big pool but soaking your feet in a green bucket of hose water or enjoying a popsicle with someone that needs that moment as much as you do.

Praying with you that the child in our hearts finds the rest and wonder of summer days and God’s unending love and grace.

God’s peace always,

Angie Seiller, Director of Faith Formation

Summer fruit… Is there anything better to help you cool down on a sticky Southern Ohio June afternoon? Sure, jumping into a pool will do the trick, but when splashing isn’t an option, summer fruit can help you tackle the heat in big and beautiful ways.

A cold, delicious grape popping in your mouth can transport you out of the heat. A bowlful of chilled watermelon has the power to replenish a dehydrated spirit. And fresh peaches? They are the best!

Don’t get me talking about strawberries, cherries, blackberries, or other fresh-picked produce still warm from the sun when you eat it. Yum! Isn’t it amazing that something so small can make such a big impact?

Galatians tells us about another tasty and replenishing treat. “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control” (Galatians 5:22-23). These are big concepts of life, which are often doled out in small but mighty nibbles of goodness.

God has a habit of using little things to do big stuff. Mustard seeds, drops of water, and morsels of bread bring about transformation. A kiss or touch breaks down barriers of shame and guilt. A dash of salt adds flavor to an entire dish and watch out when someone lights a lamp and puts it up on a lampstand. It gives light to the whole house! That doesn’t begin to mention a flower, a boy’s sack lunch, a pinch of yeast, a coin, or a baby.

I witnessed some fruitful ministry moments this week. While hosting Family Promise, one of our guests was celebrating his eighth birthday and one of our volunteers bought him a celebratory balloon, followed by several of the other hosts jumping into a marathon game of Uno helping to make his birthday a little more special.

A first-time worship guest received a warm greeting even before entering the building, which set the tone for the day.

Our open invitation to Holy Communion helped healing begin for a disenfranchised worship guest who has been hurt by the church.

A volunteer spent an evening pulling weeds in the labyrinth, so the path would be clear for those who want to walk and pray on our property.

Staff rallied around someone who was processing the death of a close friend when they stopped by the church office. The small gestures of a tissue to wipe away tears and a hug brought comfort in a moment of pain.

In these early days of summer, keep your eyes and heart open to notice the little things. All around us every day, there are brief moments when God carries out holy actions. It is here that our living God continues to do some of the best teaching about grace and hope. Far too often, we miss it.

When the Holy Spirit gives you a nudge to reach out, speak up, or spring into action, do it. Your small act or word in Jesus’ name might bring refreshment and hope.

Taste and see that the Lord is good!

Pastor Lowell

It must be summer in Ohio. All the roads are filled with orange barrels and signs that read “Road Closed – Take Detour” or “Lane closed ahead – Merge” or “Reduce speed – workers ahead.” We moan and groan as we maneuver around the barrels and signs and continue our way – a bit behind schedule and probably frustrated that we are being inconvenienced by the changes in our normal/daily routines.

We are also faced with these “orange barrels” and “roadblocks” in our daily lives. Illness of a family member or ourselves, a failed relationship, financial setbacks, the death of someone close to us. When we hit these roadblocks, where do we go? Who do we reach out to? How do we cope with these detours from our normal life?

We can try to pull ourselves together, but many times we are too tired mentally and physically. Perhaps, we cannot see our way clear and lose our way. It is often only when we come to recognize that we can’t fix what is wrong in our lives or the world that we turn to the God of Hope. Romans 15:13 gives us a word of assurance saying, “May the God of Hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”

We can wait, hoping that things will change. But we can find ourselves anxious, as we wait not sure what will happen next. Will things change for the better or only get worse? Philippians 4:6-9 says, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus… And the God of peace will be with you.” Dwelling on the bad won’t help us feel good, but if we go to the God of Peace, we can find a quiet place of rest and peace. 

We can also look to others to help, comfort us, and support us. When we find that help or comfort or support from others, it is because of God’s activity. 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 reminds us that God is the Source. “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.” We can trust God to supply the comfort we need. 

Here at Lord of Life, we have members who have trained to be that source of support and comfort. They are our Stephen Ministers. They are here to provide one-to-one care to those experiencing a difficult time in life, such as grief, divorce, job loss, chronic or terminal illness, or relocation. They share a passion for bringing Christ’s love and care to our LOL members during a time of need.

What are your “orange barrels?” Remember that where we find them, God is always with us, standing beside us, holding us up, and giving us the comfort, hope, and peace that we need to move forward. You may find a word of hope through prayer, fellowship with others, or through the work of individuals within our church such as Pastor Lowell and our Stephen Ministers. And who knows? You may even be that hope and peace for someone else who is struggling.

This summer, be patient with yourself and others. The barrels and barriers in your way may slow you down, but they don't block the love of God. 

Yours in Christ,

Denise Krallman, Council President

We put a lot of stock in our mission statement. Specifically, we put a lot of stock in the phrase, “with all people.” If you think about it, the rest of the words are just churchy fluff. “God’s love in Jesus Christ” is the obvious way to end it. “Live, share, and celebrate?” Those are catch-all verbs. They can mean anything we want them to mean.

What is unique about Lord of Life is that when we say “with all people,” there are truly no caveats. It isn’t “all are welcome … as long as they believe in Jesus” or “all are welcome … as long as they act a certain way.” We practice what we preach when it comes to race, economic status, people in the LGBTQ+ community, and people of different religions and beliefs.

Now that it is 2022, I’d love to think this is the low-hanging fruit. That these are the simple things that everyone is obviously doing because it is just so easy. The truth is that people are still cast out of faith communities for any of those reasons and sometimes even less. Lord of Life is at the forefront of Radical Hospitality, and there is still one more group we don’t think about when we list all the people we welcome. 

Many of you have already heard the faith journey I shared during our Service of Reconciliation and Healing for Pride Month on June 8. If you haven’t yet, you can watch it here beginning at about 45:40: Service of Reconciliation and Healing. During my reflection, I shared that I had a father who threatened to kill me as I was coming to terms with my sexuality, how I didn’t feel welcome in my home church growing up, and that in my next church, I felt tentatively welcomed, but that ultimately there were still bullies there and the welcome I received didn’t extend to protection from harm. I finally found real welcome and allies at Lord of Life.

I know what you’re thinking: “John - you’ve already established that Lord of Life is cool. Why do you have to keep giving us examples?” 

Well, here is where the next step in Radical Hospitality comes in. A lot of people have hurt me in the past. If we welcome all people, and one of those people who has hurt me walks in the door to church, what is the right response? This isn’t nearly as simple as welcoming the marginalized. I’m talking about welcoming abusers. People who have used prejudice to make life difficult for others. But I could just as easily be talking about felons or addicts. People who didn’t hurt me, but whom some might argue have made poor decisions for themselves and other people. 

There are so many examples in the Gospels of Jesus welcoming marginalized people to the table: tax collectors, women, children, lepers, prostitutes, the list goes on and on. Most radically, at the end of Luke’s Gospel, Jesus tells the thief who is being crucified next to him that he will be with him in Paradise. In the Book of Acts, instead of being angry at the captors who have beaten and imprisoned him, Paul prays to convert them to Christianity and welcome them into the church. 

If we follow the examples of the Bible, we take a step beyond the hospitality we already share with all people and extend forgiveness to those who have wronged us so they can join or re-join the community. Does that mean I’m going to let myself get hurt again? No, I’m going to use the opportunity to better protect myself, and have faith that my community will stand with me. Is Radical Hospitality risk-free? No. Life with Jesus is not risk-free. Paradise is a future promise, not a current reality. We have to be part of the change to bring it around.

Yours in Christ,

John Johns

I had to go to my 5th-grade brother’s church as I was growing up. When I say church, it was his room with a pulpit made of a nightstand with a trash can then a board game on top. The cross was made of hot wheel tracks and his stole of toilet paper. He loved Jesus and the church early. Being the younger sister who certainly was not thrilled that I needed to go to a second service in a week, I tried questioning his motives behind the offering. My mom assured me that he gave it to our real church. I could not get out of going. My parents who were life-long, church-going Lutherans, could not have been prouder of him.

Their pride and love never wavered, but sadly the church did not feel the same way. Our family’s journey of the rejection of the church when he came out as a gay man is one of incredible love by the people who knew him, and immense grief caused by the church we loved. It is a long story, too long to tell in a blog, but the end of the story for him, our family, and ultimately the ELCA church is one of the light of Christ shining through the darkness. God never left us and love won.

So please bear with me as I talk about Pride again. I know some may be tired of hearing it. “Why can’t they just live their lives quietly and not make a big show of who they are?” is what I have heard many times. It’s difficult to fully understand the fear and isolation that comes when sexual orientation or gender identity isn’t considered the norm. Pride is about loving and claiming who you are and no longer being afraid. We are ALL made in God’s image. I am incredibly thankful and proud that we celebrate this at Lord of Life and share this message loudly and frequently.

Unfortunately, there are still mountains of hurt and rejection from the Christian community. “LGBTQ youth are more than four times as likely to attempt suicide than their peers. They are not inherently prone to suicide risk because of their sexual orientation or gender identity, but rather placed at high risk because of how they are mistreated and stigmatized in society” (The Trevor Project www.thetrevorproject.org). We can’t sit idly by. We must act. Lives depend on it.

This past week, we experienced a myriad of emotions at Hamilton Pride and at the multi-denominational Service of Reconciliation and Healing. We heard heartbreaking stories of rejection by the church, but we also experienced a real sense of hope as we gathered to begin healing. People felt the line begin to blur. The church who had drawn a line to keep people out were now standing with Jesus on the other side. The Holy Spirit is changing hearts and minds. As John Johns, Lord of Life Music Director, so eloquently reflected at the service, there is a difference between “loving the sinner, not the sin” and truly being an ally in the love of Christ. If you couldn’t be at the service, I encourage you to give yourself the gift of experiencing it. Watch the whole service or John’s testimony begins around 45:40 //fb.watch/dxGBEaoV9l/ or www.youtube.com/watch?v=-BV9EOm31HI.

When asked which commandment is greatest, Jesus responds, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments” (Matthew 22:37-40).

There are countless things in the world that we can’t fix. This one could truly be easy, just love! How can you love in Pride month and beyond?

Living, sharing, and celebrating with all people God’s love in Jesus Christ,

Angie Seiller, Director of Faith Formation

My husband Greg and I took a small road trip over the Memorial Day weekend.  I know many families who follow the same rule we do regarding car radio play: it’s the driver’s choice.  This is how I found myself listening to a recap of the recent golf tournament (yawn). However, the commentator included a charming story of his young son’s first performance at his school’s year-end celebration. His son was struck with crippling stage fright. The commentator managed to get his son’s attention and they shared a smile. His son visibly relaxed, although he didn’t manage to sing a single note. Afterward, the commentator told his son the story of his own first school performance where he bolted off stage and didn’t stop running until he hit the playground fence. After a rough start to public performance, he now talks about sports in front of people for a living. His son understood that his performance today wasn’t a big deal, and didn’t define him forever. What a good parent, and a good storyteller. I could feel the little boy’s anxiety as he looked out on the crowd, and I could feel the parent feel his son’s anxiety and his own resolve to help his son feel better and learn from the experience.

What a great feeling, knowing someone is there for you, ready to connect with you and walk alongside you when you’re in a vulnerable moment. Maybe you’ve never experienced stage fright, but we’ve all had moments when we are vulnerable and would welcome support. As Christians, we are called to do this. Paul writes, “Bear one another’s burdens, and in this way, you will fulfill the law of Christ.” Galatians 6:2 

This Saturday, members of Lord of Life and several other area churches are participating in the Hamilton PRIDE March and Festival. PRIDE commemorates the 1969 Stonewall riots and the pursuit of equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning, intersex, and asexual (LGBTQIA+) individuals. We will join our friends and neighbors as they are vulnerable and courageous as they celebrate their identities. We will listen as they share their stories. On Wednesday, June 8, at 7 pm, we are hosting a service of reconciliation and healing, where we will acknowledge those moments when we, the Christian church, didn’t step up to share the burdens of the LGBTQIA+ community, and even added to it with our animosity.

I am grateful to be part of a congregation that seeks out and advocates for the vulnerable. “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.” Matthew 25:40

Yours in Christ,

Cara Hasselbeck