In all the Gospels, the Disciples’ encounters with the resurrected Jesus have a common theme: skepticism. In today’s Gospel lesson Jesus doesn’t try to reason with the Disciples, instead he allows them to experience their resurrected teacher. Encountering Jesus in the everyday experience of their life helps them move from skepticism to trust. In today’s world we may be even more skeptical than the Disciples, having learned to be distrustful through countless interaction with scammers seeking to take advantage of our trust. So how do we overcome our skepticism? In the same way: encountering the Risen Christ. While we don’t sit down to a meal with Jesus, we do interact with our neighbors & friends in moments of caring, listening, forgiveness, and joy that are reflections of Resurrection.

Throughout the year we are hearing from members of the Bethlehem Community as an opportunity to hear how God's Story has resonated with our neighbor and hopefully finding some resonance between our story and theirs. This month, Bill Vossler shares his story of finding resonance with God’s Story again after 18 years away from religion. Bill’s childhood church experience was filled with shame and guilt for sins he didn’t even understand. When his mother remarried, his step-grandmother added to Bill’s fear of God’s wrath and shame for sins of his father (and grandfather, and great-grandfather). Leaving his ancestral hometown and congregation behind Bill didn’t step foot in a church again, except to play basketball, for 18 years until he married Nikki Rajala. Bill started attending Bethlehem with Nikki and found a very different faith community. A community that welcomed Bill just as he was, for who he was and one that focused more attention on God’s love for humanity than the hellfire & brimstone of the apocalypse. We hope that some small part of the Story of God at work in Bill’s life finds resonance with Your Story so that we all might better connect with God and our community!

It’s Easter you know the story. At least you think you do?!? Pastor Chad, has a reminder that even though we think we know the story the details escape us. But are the details important or do they just get in the way? The Gospels all share the same lesson for us told in different ways. The Good News of Easter is that God has not given up on the world. The death sentence Jesus received for opposing the power structure of this world could have been the end of the story. But the Resurrection is a reminder that God’s love for us is so great that even death cannot defeat it! The Resurrection both acknowledges the suffering of this weary world and enables us to move forward into God’s vision for the world to find hope overflowing.    

Our journey through Lent continues to explore the theme: “Hope-Full in a Weary World.” Living in a Weary World is not a ‘new thing’ the people of Jesus’ time were also weary. They were weary of Roman occupation and hoped Jesus would be the King to overthrow Caesar’s Empire. But time and again Jesus showed he was a different kind of King with a different kind of Kingdom. Palm Sunday marks the beginning of Holy Week. We know the story of Holy Week, we know that Jesus wouldn’t defeat the Empire, rather that he would be falsely-accused, mocked, beaten, and executed by the powerful leaders of his own community. We know that he would be betrayed by one friend, denied by another and abandoned by all of them. We know that the cheers of the crowd welcoming Jesus to Jerusalem would days later turn to shouts for his death. Where is the Hope in these stories? Pastor Stephanie helps us remember that we can view our life as Hope-Full. Hope is found in the love Jesus showed for us all on the Cross. Knowing that he was about to be betrayed by Judas, denied by Peter, and abandoned by the rest of the disciples, Jesus’ love was so great he ate the Last Supper with them. Jesus asked God to forgive those shouting for his death. And Jesus defeated an even greater oppressor than Caesar: sin & death! And therein lies the Hope for that weary world and for ours!

We wrap up our exploration of our theme for Lent “Hope-Full in a Weary World” by looking at Authenticity. In this week’s Gospel Jesus says we are salt and we are light. What?!? It’s not an easy metaphor to understand. Maybe a first-hand experience of the metaphor will help. Matt Metz joins Pastor Chad “In the Kitchen” for an encounter with one part of this metaphor. NOTE: This segment may have been filmed on April 1st! Today we often see our identity tied to things that can change. Your identity as a Project Manager goes away when your department is downsized. Your identity as an athlete lasts only as long as you remain injury-free. Your identity as a wife dissolves along with your marriage in the divorce. Jesus says we ARE salt and light for the world, it’s not something we can become and therefor unbecome. It is part of our identity as children of God that cannot be taken away by circumstances of the world. Our authentic selves boil down to what remains unchanged: we are here to bring out the flavors and colors of God in a world that is worn and weary. It is in that unchanging Authenticity we find Hope!

We continue our exploration of our theme for Lent “Hope-Full in a Weary World” by looking at Wholeness. In this week’s Gospel we hear the story of a woman who had been hunched over for 18 years before Jesus healed her. Pastor Stephanie speaks about Wholeness as being in balance Physically, Emotionally, Mentally and Spiritually. Too often we think of that our lives are missing a piece that is preventing our Wholeness. Pastor Stephanie has had people tell her depression is just a Jesus-sized hole in your heart and that “with Jesus” you will be whistling and dancing your way through life. From a perspective that is Hope-Full we understand that Jesus is not missing from our heart whenever we are depressed or grieving or burnt-out or physically broken. In trusting the promise of God to be with us always we can recognize our Wholeness and find Hope in this weary world! 

We continue our exploration of our theme for Lent “Hope-Full in a Weary World” by looking at Rest. Everyone’s life experience is different but we all know the weight of our unique burdens in life. Pastor Chad uses an egg to illustrate the impact of stress on our fragile lives.  When we are weary from the weight of the world bearing down on us it is important to find rest. Not necessarily the “do nothing but sit by the pool” of Spring Break but true rest that we find with God. Recalling Jesus’ encounter with Martha & Mary Pastor Chad invites us to be like Mary and find rest in listening. Engaging in active listening to God, to others, to creation and to yourself will help you discover the presence of God in a way that gives rest to your soul. True rest is found by paying attention to that which brings you and those around you life, peace, and ultimately hope in this weary world! 

We continue our exploration of our theme for Lent “Hope-Full in a Weary World” by looking at Civility. In life we often have a difference of opinion with our neighbors, like during football season when, somehow, our loved ones are donning a cheesehead! In her role as a military chaplain Pastor Stephanie works with a whole Battalion of soldiers with differing faith and world views. As a Chaplain her duty is not to convert soldiers to her faith but rather support each individual in their own beliefs. While working to provide faith growth opportunities for Muslims, Mormons, and even Wiccans she has learned a great deal about the world around her and even deepened her own Lutheran understanding of the Christian faith. Pastor Stephanie reminds us that a key to civility is seeing others as we see ourselves, we are both beloved children of God. Interacting with our neighbors, even the Packers Fans, with Civility helps us all see the world as a little more Hope-Full!

We start our exploration of our theme for Lent “Hope-Full in a Weary World” by looking at Certainty. Pastor Chad reminds us that no matter how much we crave certainty in our lives, there is really no such thing! All too often we think faith is about certainty, that what we believe must be reduced to right or wrong, good or evil, black or white. The problem is that to maintain that level of certainty, we need to shut out others who think differently, we need to fight against anything and anyone who disagrees, and that is the opposite of what God is calling us to do! Faith isn’t about certainty; it is about hope! Hope is active, moving, changing, growing. Hope invites the Holy Spirit to work among us in new & surprising ways! Seeing the world as Hope-Full, reveals only one thing is certain God’s unending love for all of us!

Throughout the year we are hearing from members of the Bethlehem Community as an opportunity to hear how God's Story has resonated with our neighbor and hopefully finding some resonance between our story and theirs. This month, Eric Kuehl shares his story of finding resonance with God’s Story and with Your Story in community. Growing up in a conservative church in a small town in Minnesota Eric had a specific picture of God and of community that was shaped by his community. As Eric’s career and life path took him far away from that community his image of God and community changed as he encountered communities very different from home. The stories of friends helped expand his understanding of God, the people that God loves and even himself.  One constant in Eric’s life has been a love for agriculture and those who have committed their life to feeding their neighbors. Eric’s vocation has allowed him to continue to connect with farmers and even advocate for them with legislators. This connection includes understanding the struggles with depression and the high rate of suicide among farmers. We hope that some small part of the Story of God at work in Eric’s life finds resonance with Your Story so that we might better connect with God and our community!