My polling place at Union Elementary in West Chester is usually buzzing on election day. There isn’t a line out the door or around the building, but the turnout is strong, especially in years when there is a presidential election. Historically, during my brief fifteen minutes on the campus, I see a steady stream of people flowing into the building with many voters pausing to greet neighbors and connect with friends. From time to time, I even bump into someone from Lord of Life. It is encouraging to be part of the energy and enthusiasm around making a difference.

On election night, as polls close in Kentucky, Indiana, and Ohio, it is fun—and a little stressful—to watch the results roll in for local, state, and national contests. It continues to amaze me that a vote cast earlier in the day or during the early voting season makes an immediate impact! Even though I imagine that there may be some elections that will be unresolved for several days in our upcoming election, every vote matters.

We don’t always get instant results in the same way. You may have heard that we’re collecting autumn leaves from our yards to be dumped on the Lord of Life community garden. Later this fall, those will be tilled into the soil and will provide essential nutrients for garden vegetables in the future. The future! 

A big part of what happens at Lord of Life is future-focused. We gather for worship and hear the promises of Jesus that not only impact our current situation, but also create a trajectory for where we are headed in the months and years ahead. Sometimes, we don’t see any immediate results. Reconciliation takes time. Forgiveness is a process. Generosity takes a lifetime to cultivate. Loving your neighbor as yourself can be long and tedious work, especially if you don’t much care for your neighbor or have difficulty seeing the value and beauty in yourself. 

Ministry outcomes can be slow, too. You might faithfully have your dollars pulled from your bank account or place them in the offering plate, but might not see any immediate return, since they help pay for the copier, snow removal, coffee supplies, insurance, youth retreats, as well as staffing and worship supplies. You might volunteer and serve with our Family Promise guests next week, but there is a good chance that you won’t develop a deep and enduring relationship with them. You might sit on the floor and read a book to a child in the fellowship hall during a learning moment on a Sunday morning, but won’t see that seed of faith sprout in that young heart and mind for years. You might prepare food for a funeral luncheon without ever having an awareness of the solace it will provide for the tough days of grief ahead.

Beyond our view and understanding, God promises that growth is happening! The apostle Paul writes, “I pray that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith, as you are being rooted and grounded in love” (Ephesians 3:17). Our roots are plunging deep and holding firm as God helps us grow in faith. Our trunks are strengthening and pushing upward as God urges us forward in hope. Rooted and grounded in God, our lives branch out as the love of Christ grows through us and extends to the world. We are growing in God!

Thank you for being part of what God is doing in and through us! Plan now to be part of Celebration Sunday on November 17. We’ll say “Thank You” to God for all that we have, elect some new leadership, and vote on our mission spending plan for 2025. Nominee and mission spending plan information is available in the gathering space.

Growing with you,

Pastor Lowell Michelson

This week marks Reformation Sunday, a time we commemorate the thoughtful, courageous, and defiant acts of Martin Luther and other reformers who, like the Psalmist in Psalm 46, trusted in God's steadfast love even when the earth gave way and the mountains fell into the heart of the sea. They challenged the status quo and reshaped the course of Christianity. This Reformation Sunday happens to coincide with the month I’m celebrating my 10-year anniversary at Lord of Life, and I’m filled with gratitude for the outpouring of love I’ve received over the last few days from all of you.

Over the past decade, I've witnessed firsthand the transformative power of faith within our community. Our church, embracing some of the most basic ideals of universal salvation in Luther’s Small Catechism, welcomes people from all walks of life, regardless of their background, sexual orientation, or beliefs. I’ve watched how this inclusivity has helped people find a loving Jesus at Lord of Life over the past 10 years - some people who had otherwise felt that they or their loved ones had been excluded by churches in the past. Most importantly, even though we don’t all agree with each other, we still love each other as members of Christ’s body. Our commitment to open dialogue is something I deeply cherish.
Reformation Sunday reminds us that questioning and challenging established norms can lead to profound growth and renewal. Martin Luther's bold actions sparked a movement that emphasized the importance of individual faith and direct access to God's grace, much like Jesus's words in John 8:31-36, "So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed." Similarly, our church encourages critical thinking and exploration of a living scripture, empowering individuals to form their own understanding of faith.

One of the core tenets of Lutheranism is the concept of "sola gratia" – salvation by grace alone. This belief, echoed in Romans 3:19-28, underscores the idea that we are saved not by our own merit, for "all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God," but by the unearned love and mercy of God. In a world obsessed with achievement and self-worth, this message of grace is so liberating. It reminds us that we are all equally deserving of God's love.

We strive to live out this message of grace in tangible ways. It is evident in the way our leadership works to fulfill our mission without being bogged down by the interpersonal conflicts that plague other churches. And by working together, our faith is not confined to the walls of the church but should inspire us to work towards a more just and compassionate world, reflecting the true freedom found in Christ.

Over the past 10 years, I've had the privilege of witnessing countless acts of kindness and compassion within our community. I've seen people come together to support those in need, offer forgiveness and reconciliation, and celebrate life's joys and challenges. These experiences have deepened my faith and strengthened my commitment to Lord of Life.

As we celebrate Reformation Sunday, I'm reminded of the ongoing need for reform and renewal within the church and the world. We must continue to challenge injustice, promote inclusivity, and extend grace to all. I'm grateful to be part of a community that embraces these values and strives to live out the true meaning of Christianity.

Here's to many more years of growth, service, and celebration together. Happy Reformation Sunday!

John Johns, Music Director

As I was volunteering at the Board of Elections for early voting this week, I noticed a bit of commotion as someone was trying to pull a big, old car into a parking spot where it couldn’t really fit. We waved the driver over to a larger parking spot and helped him park. It turns out that it was a 76 old man who was coming to vote for the first time. He had come with his daughter who had encouraged him that it was never too late to do something so important. We all clapped for him, and he just beamed. As he was leaving, he assured us that we would see him again at the next election.

The day before this, I returned from spending the weekend with 15 of our Jr. High youth at our fall retreat. We have several new 6th graders that had taken a big step to be there. Our theme was discipleship. Some youth were new to this idea and others were living it out through their actions but not really understanding the deeper meaning.

We explored Luke 14:25-33 and Matthew 10:34-39. These passages show that the idea of discipleship is a difficult one. Jesus tells his believers that they must hate their fathers and mothers to be his disciples, and they must pick up and carry His cross. He says he does not come to bring peace but a sword. Ouch, those seem like big, scary undertakings.

Thankfully, being a follower of Jesus, does not mean “hating” your mother and father, but it is more than saying you are a follower of Jesus. We find peace in our relationship with Jesus but it may cause conflict in other areas of our lives when we proclaim that we are a follower.

Jesus asks that we put our love for Him above worldly things and put that faith into action. We can tell our story of faith, we can serve, and we can stand for justice and mercy. Jesus has chosen us to be His disciples. Jesus believes that we have it within us to do His work through our hands. And if Jesus believes in us, we can believe in ourselves. Jesus trusts us to be a disciple in the best way we can. Jesus didn't choose people who were already perfect and had their lives together. He chose people who struggled and sinned, like you and me.

I am thankful that the youth had the courage to come this past weekend to begin their journey of discipleship. However, if they get lost along the way, or take a detour, or wait to really dig in until they are 76, they are always welcome.

Where are you as a follower of Jesus? Are you taking risks to learn, evaluate priorities, share your story, or act in His love? Are you on a quieter, reflective, prayerful journey? Do you need to take the first step? Pick up a devotion book at church, join a Bible study, serve, or give to hurricane relief; there are many baby steps.

No matter where you are or what you are doing, God can use you to spread His life changing message of love and hope. We all need it.

Following Jesus with you,
Angie Seiller, Director of Faith Formation

I was a quiet kid and do not remember voicing a lot of my questions out loud because I was too shy to do so. When I started working at a Bible camp, I was reminded just how many questions kids ask. They are not afraid to think about God and the world around them, like “Why is the sky blue? How did God make all of us so unique? What does God look like? How did Jesus heal and help people?”

Witnessing this as an adult reminded me to not be afraid to ask about those complicated questions that I keep to myself. “How do we include all people in the church? Why do we worship the way we do? How can God be everywhere?”

One of my favorite hymns called “Ask the Complicated Questions” from the All Creation Sings hymn book has a verse that goes as follows:

“Ask the complicated questions.
Do not fear to be found out;
for our God makes strong our weakness,
forging faith in fires of doubt.”

This verse is a reminder that God is among us amid all the complicated questions. The psalms are filled with lament, praise, and thanksgiving, but are also filled with the Psalmists asking God a lot of hard questions, wrestling, and wondering. Psalm 13:1 says, “How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me?”

The gospels are filled with the disciples asking Jesus lots of questions, wrestling, and wondering too. Matthew 24:3 says, “What will be the sign of your coming and the end of age?” Peter asks Jesus in Matthew 19:27, “We have left everything to follow you! What then will there be for us?” Often, Jesus does not give a straightforward answer. However, the disciples are never discouraged nor do they stop asking Jesus lots of questions.

You may have been taught that questions, especially about our faith and God, are bad. When we ask questions, it is not about having all the correct answers. Scripture reminds us that our questions are encouraged. Asking questions about our journey of faith means we are thinking deeply about the world around us and want to continue to learn. God can handle all our questions, even the hard ones.

As you continue to wrestle, I encourage you not to be afraid of those hard questions and to be comforted that even amid your questioning God is present.

Faithfully questioning,
Pastor Nicole

You’ve heard the phrase before. This three-word admonition is shared as soothing balm following a tense or difficult moment, but often has the opposite effect. Rather than offering comfort, it stirs up irritation. When my car runs out of gas, when I have bounced a check, or missed an important appointment, please don’t demean me by suggesting that out of the trials of unpredictable or irresponsible living there may come a nugget of wisdom. “Live and learn” often lands on our ears as a reprimand of sorts with a silver lining.

But what if we hear it as something else? What if we embrace living and learning as a declaration of a vibrant Christian life? It isn’t an admonition, but a sustained promise of who and how we hope to be.

We live and learn when we pause to listen to the joys and sorrows of a child.
We live and learn when we look for the lonely and isolated.
We live and learn when we engage in Bible reading and study with others.
We live and learn when we meet one another in worship moments.
We live and learn when we serve our neighbors in need.
We live and learn when we wrestle with complicated issues of race and culture.
We live and learn when we engage in hard conversations to understand one another.
We live and learn when we respond with gratitude.

We can’t help but live and learn as people of faith. It is who we were created to be.

“Hear, O Israel: The Lord is our God, the Lord alone. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might. Keep these words that I am commanding you today in your heart. Recite them to your children and talk about them when you are at home and when you are away, when you lie down and when you rise. Bind them as a sign on your hand, fix them as an emblem on your forehead, and write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.” Deuteronomy 6:4-9

From the earliest pages of Scripture, God’s people were instructed to put their faith into action, as a way of sharing God’s goodness with the world. “Listen, obey, talk, and write. At home and beyond, love God with your whole being.” Ours is not a stagnant faith, but one that is always growing as we live and learn the ways of Christ.

Lord of Life takes this command seriously by making life-long learning a priority. That’s right. Preschool kids, children, youth, teenagers, college students, newlyweds, mid-lifers, retired folks, and centenarians are all active learners at Lord of Life.

As you continue to fill your calendar with autumn activities, I encourage you to make room to continue living and learning in the faith. Spend time reading the Bible. Sign up for a daily email devotion. Consider stepping into a teaching role with Sunday School. Be a mentor with our teens. Plug into a Bible study. Read a book and wonder how it stretches your journey of faith. Pray for all in need. Commit to being generous with your finances. Step up to serving. Show up for worship. Jesus will meet you here.

Living and learning in hope,
Pastor Lowell

Several years ago I drove to Chillicothe, Ohio to meet my mother-in-law and grandmother-in-law (Brian’s mom and grandma) at a funeral home. No one had died. In fact, everyone was in perfect health and as far as we knew, there was nothing for us to be worried about. We sat with a funeral director and pre-planned everything from caskets to flower arrangements, and later, without the funeral director, I talked them through scripture passages and music.

What a gift it was a few years later when Brian’s grandma passed away and the difficult work of planning the service was already done. There were no difficult conversations about whether she would prefer this or that service that the funeral home provides. Those questions were all answered. No one had to pick from a list of sad hymns that might be appropriate or say, “what was that song she always used to sing to us at bedtime?” We had it all written down.

Most funeral homes are willing to pre-plan the funeral home parts of a funeral with you, and I encourage anyone to do that. But that’s not the part of the process that sits on my mind most days. What I would really love for everyone to do is make an appointment with Pastor Lowell or myself to sit down with planning resources and plan the liturgy for your Celebration of Life.

We have lists of scriptures and hymns that are traditional for memorials, and we love to discuss other readings and songs that are meaningful for you. Do you want to celebrate Holy Communion? Are there any other special things that you want to have happen during your celebration? The more you share about what those parts of worship mean for you, the more we can create a cohesive and memorable service.

Sometimes you’ll stop me after worship and say “I want that song for my funeral …” I really want to remember that for you. If you’re telling me on Sunday morning, though, there is a good chance that the next day I’ll remember you told me there was a song you liked, and I won’t remember which one. This is a great start, but having everything on paper is better.

When the day finally comes and your family is sitting with us to put everything together, their grief makes it difficult to make decisions. The thing is, we’re grieving, too, and we’re doing everything we can to stay strong for you because we love you and want to celebrate you in the most beautiful way we can. It would be amazing if you can help us do that for you.

Loving you on the journey,
John

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