I once attended a youth conference where the speaker began his talk with an invitation for the gathered youth. He asked them to look at their adult leader and make some promises about their weekend together. “Turn to your pastor, youth worker, or adult volunteer and repeat after me...”

Dear loving adult,
Thank you for bringing me here this weekend.
I promise to pay attention.
I promise to be kind to others.
And I promise not to remove things from my hotel room –
towels, sheets, televisions, couches, or anything else that should stay in my room.
And I promise to get the recommended ten hours of sleep each night of this conference. Amen!

All of these statements were said with a dose of humor, beginning with promises that were obtainable and then moving to those that were completely absurd. By the end of the list, everyone knew these latter promises were a joke.

We learn at a young age that promises are not a joke. It is important to make promises that we can keep. We promise to be nice to others on the playground. We promise to share our things when neighbors come over to play. We promise to listen to the babysitter when our parent/guardian is out for the evening. We work hard to stick to our word and keep our promises. They provide hopes for us and for those to whom we make the promise. 

But it doesn’t take long for our selfishness to get in the way. We begin to reconfigure our promises so that they meet our needs or we set aside what we’ve promised, altogether. At other times, circumstances change and, for whatever reason, we can’t hold up our end of the promise. We quickly learn that promises are hard to keep.

Childhood promises and adult commitments may fail us, but week after week we are rooted in the promises of God – the One who will not fail us. Worship, the Bible, and the world around us invite us to hear God’s promises for forgiveness, healing, strength, wholeness, community, new life, unconditional love, and much more. There is also a promise of being with us no matter what life brings. We heard it in worship, this past Sunday:

Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;
I have called you by name, you are mine. 
When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;
and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you;
when you walk through fire you shall not be burned,
and the flame shall not consume you. 
For I am the Lord your God,
the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.  Isaiah 43:1-3

In the midst of overwhelming waters and consuming fires, God calls us by name and promises to be with us. This is not a fleeting promise, but one to which we can cling. The writer of Hebrews (10:23) says it this way:

Let us hold fast to the confession of our hope without wavering, for [God] who has promised is faithful.

In the upcoming months, you’ll have the opportunity to explore God’s promises through the many stories and parables in the Gospel according to Luke. Please seize the opportunities in worship, Bible studies, and personal devotional moments to hear the promises of God and be renewed. 

With hope in the Promise,

Pastor Lowell

This blog by Elise Seyfried was originally published in Living Lutheran, January 3, 2019.

When I was a child, I needed a night-light and open bedroom door to let in light from the hallway so I could fall asleep. Even then, the remaining shadowy corners of my room frightened me with visions of ghosts lurking behind the rocking chair or in the closet. Fear of darkness is common among small children. Most people outgrow their fear; some—like me—never do.

For many in the Northern Hemisphere, January trudges on, marked by darkness. We dread the season of early sunsets and try not to drive, or even walk, outdoors after daylight has vanished. We hesitate to venture out at night because it’s hard to see who (or what) awaits us. The cold, bleak, dark winter is a time to endure, not enjoy. We despise the obscurity of night.

I also hate to be “in the dark” about things I don’t understand. From trigonometry to repairing malfunctioning appliances to grasping weighty philosophical concepts, I’m endlessly frustrated by the limits of my comprehension. In the darkness, the unknown often feels like the unknowable. I struggle toward a light-bulb moment when all will come clear. (Most of the time, it seems I’m struggling in vain.) Many of us fear what we cannot understand.

I wonder: Why does there need to be darkness at all?

In Isaiah 60:1-5, the prophet Isaiah acknowledges the “thick darkness” that covers us and the earth. He recognizes people are downhearted, desperate for light. But Isaiah points them (and us) to something truly wonderful—Jesus the light, dispelling darkness with the “brightness of [his] dawn.” In John 1, too, we read that Jesus outshines the darkness. Both readings teach that we need not be terrified of the dark. Instead we can be at peace in darkness, confident Jesus is near.

Can we step out in faith, even in the dark, when we can’t see the way forward? We can. We have God’s assurance that we do not walk alone.

This first month of the new year, however dark it might feel, symbolizes the coming of Christ into a world that has been waiting in fear and ignorance, a world reaching for hope and enlightenment.

Do we understand right away? Of course not. We are so accustomed to cowering in the shadows we don’t even recognize beautiful, grace-filled light when we see it. In Luke 4:14-21, Jesus is in his hometown synagogue and proclaims himself as the fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecies. The darkness of poverty, imprisonment, blindness and oppression—all banished. Good news indeed, yet Jesus’ friends and neighbors fail to comprehend his message. Nevertheless, our Lord shines on, patiently helping them—and us—understand. Miracle by miracle, lesson by lesson, healing by healing, God’s glory is revealed.

Can we step out in faith, even in the dark, when we can’t see the way forward? We can. We have God’s assurance that we do not walk alone. Again, from Isaiah 43:1-7: “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you. … Do not fear, for I am with you.”

Is the dark still a fearful place for me? Yes, I must admit. I will never love the evening the way I love the morning. Yet I am reassured by Scripture that the God who stays with me is far greater than any darkness I face. Grounded by this knowledge, I can approach the long winter with joyful expectation. At last it’s dawning on me: spring is coming. The light, the warmth always comes. For me. For all of us.

Thanks be to God!

Elise Seyfried

Elise Seyfried is a freelance writer whose work has been published in The Philadelphia Inquirer, Guideposts and many other publications. She is author of three books of humorous spiritual essays and director of spiritual formation for an ELCA congregation in Oreland, PA.

Happy New Year! Even if you aren’t the type of person who makes resolutions or sets goals for the new year, I have a hunch that you have some hopes as you set your heart and mind on the next twelve months.

On New Year’s Day, our senior high students settled into the church for a 12-hour lock-in. It was an opportunity at the beginning of a new year to gather for an overnight filled with games, worship, connection, food, and maybe even a little sleep.

Part of our worship moment was spent looking back at the past year and trying to come up with one defining word. Here are some of the words our teens used to summarize 2018.

Relentless. Unsettled. Messy.
Healing. Dysfunctional. Revolutionary.
Burdened. Change. Rollercoaster.
Melancholy. Learning. Disquieting.
Confusing. Tragedy. Blessings.
Frustrating. Unharmonious.
Tumultuous. Work. Discovery.

As you can see, it was a year with mixed emotions and experiences. The politics of national government, international affairs, and social issues collided with friendships and dating relationships. There was pressure to keep up with classmates and meet family expectations. Busy calendars bulged even more when the demands of extra-curriculars, work, and college visits were added. In addition, remember that these youth are part of our congregation. Whatever we experienced this year as a faith community, they did, too.

We also spent time looking to the future. On the threshold of a brand new year, they shared a word about the coming twelve months.

Overwhelmed. Growth. Uncertainty.
Important. Terrified. Hope.
Peace. Joy. Pressure.
Prepare. Improvement. Busy.
Aware. Simple. Unpredictable.
Relief. Excitement. Crazy.

How are you approaching this year? Is there a word that comes to mind? Are you hopeful and grateful or hopeless and anxious? Do you think it will be a year stacked with goodness or loaded with burdens? Is your glass half full or half empty as you jump into January?

God has a word for us. “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid…for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you” Deuteronomy 31:6 (NIV). Long ago, this passage was written as a word of encouragement when Moses was handing leadership over to Joshua and God’s people were stepping into new territory. They didn’t know what the future would hold, but were reminded of God’s loving and guiding presence.

As we step into a new year and make plans for renewal and/or transformation, God goes with us. None of us knows what this will year hold, but we go forward in confidence with God and with one another!

Trusting the Word!

Pastor Lowell

We are so grateful for the many ways you have served and participated in life and ministry at Lord of Life throughout the past year. We thank God for each of you and the numerous ways that you generously share your lives for God’s mission here, in our community, and throughout the world.

As we enter get ready to jump into a new year of growing in faith, we pray that the Spirit of God will continue to bring us health, joy, and peace as we remain rooted in the promises of Jesus.

We’re too busy right now – someone else is going to have to change it for us.

How many musicians does it take to put music together for Christmas? Too many to count. Seriously, right now I’m still trying to put a list together because so many people have given their time during this already busy season to add to the music during our worship moments. Megan, Eden, and Naaman have played oboe, flute, and handbells during all three of our mid-week Advent worship services. A whole load of children and adults lifted their voices during our instant Christmas pageant. Kelly and Brian sang and played violin during our Blue Christmas worship. And five groups of musicians have rehearsed on four different days of the week in preparation for Christmas Eve, which is just a few days away! Children's Choir, Youth Band, Adult Choir, Grace Notes and Handbells are all excited to offer music during our 6, 8, and 11 pm worship moments. 

From my bench, I also see the flurry of non-musical activity happening around us - people are decorating, making sure our printed materials are ready, filling and re-filling candles with oil, cleaning and re-cleaning our busily used spaces. What a gift it is for so many people to be generous with their time and talents so that our time together during the Christmas season is extra special. 

Thank you everyone for continuing to offer your gifts. I'm excited to worship with you all in the coming days!

John

“The main reason for going to church is not to get our needs met; the main reason, the most important reason, for going to church is to worship God.” - Mark Allan Powell, Giving To God

Did that quote smack you in the face? It was a real wake up call to me when I read it for the first time. I remember when our family left our previous congregation and were searching for a new congregation; we had a checklist of what we wanted in a new congregation: a strong youth program, contemporary praise music, a welcoming atmosphere, and within a twenty-minute drive of home. There is nothing wrong with wanting to find a worship community in which you feel welcomed to worship, but how often do we think about church as either an obligation or a place where we go to get what we need?

What would happen if we began to look at worship as our opportunity to turn total control of our lives over to God? What if the collection of offering during our service was not thought of paying the church’s bills, but a chance to show God how grateful we are for all which we have been entrusted? What if leading Sunday School was not fulfilling an obligation, but a chance to give our time to God’s work in the heart of our youth? What if recycling was not a hassle, but a chance to give respect to God’s creation? How we envision what we give (stewardship) shapes our attitudes toward God and the world. It puts God first and gives us the opportunity to serve God out of thankfulness and respect.

During my time at Lord of Life, I am tasked with designing and implementing an internship project that will give me a chance to grow in leadership skills, as well as benefit the on-going ministry of the congregation. During Pastor Lucas’ time at Lord of Life, he helped to start the Stephen Ministry group, which continues to provide meaningful one-to-one care for people in times of emotional need. I would like to focus my project on a re-envisioning of what “stewardship” means and how it is lived out at Lord of Life.

I will not be able to tackle this project on my own, so I am putting an invitation out to each and every one of you! Would you be interested in serving on a team that will spend the next several months putting together a road map for how we can re-envision stewardship at Lord of Life? This team will be working toward a two-year implementation plan that will move the congregation toward a better realization of how stewardship is a daily part of our lives and a way that we worship God daily. Team members will not be responsible for implementing the road map, but after creating it, if they want to serve, it would be encouraged. If you are interested in being a part of this team, and assisting me with my internship project, please reach out to me as soon as possible, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

“Each of your must give as you have made up your mind, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” - 2 Corinthians 9:7

Corey