Crossroads at the Empty Tomb

 

Service is viewable at:

 

I never really thought about Easter or the empty tomb being a crossroads moment until this year. Maybe it’s because of our Lenten theme or maybe it’s because of the difficult year we’ve all faced in light of the pandemic or maybe because Mark saw it this way. There is something vastly different about the way Mark tells the resurrection story, and you can tell that it was viewed as odd by others from pretty early on. If you look in your Bible, you will see what is considered the original ending of Mark (16:8a) followed by “the shorter ending” (16:8b) and “the longer ending” (16:9-20). Mark’s original ending is abrupt and awkward, and to me, these additions seem an attempt to sanitize that. If Mark’s ending is a bit messy, I assume there’s a reason for that… and the reason might be you! So join us on Easter Sunday (whether online or in person) to hear the Resurrection according to Mark and see why!

 Join us to Worship Where You Are this Sunday at 9AM & 11AM or for our in-person SONrise Services at 9AM & 11AM (sign up details below).  The scriptures for this Easter Sunday are 1 Corinthians 15:51-57 and Mark 16:1-8.  Bring an empty cross, butterfly, egg or Easter lily to your home altar as a symbol of the resurrection and the crossroads presented by the empty tomb. 

We give thanks to WWYA Worship Leaders, Ralph & Ellie Erchinger.  As we celebrate Holy Communion, remember to make or buy bread and wine/juice.

The Ultimate Crossroad - Palm/Passion Sunday

 

Service can be seen at YouTube link:

 

This week Jesus finds himself at the ultimate crossroads – the cross itself. We begin the day with palms and conclude with the passion. We move from shouting “Hosanna!” to crying “Crucify Him!” It is a day when our expectations of the Messiah we want and the Messiah we most desperately need collide at this crossroads. We may wonder which way to follow, but Jesus does not.  Join us as we hear a dramatic telling of Mark’s Gospel – how Jesus stayed true to God’s mission all the way to the cross and through it showed the world that “truly this man was God’s son!”

 

The scriptures for this Palm/Passion Sunday are Mark 11:1-11, Psalm 31:6-16, and Mark 14:1-15:47. Bring a cross to your home altar to remind you of Jesus’ willingness to follow the way of God at the ultimate crossroad. As we prepare for Holy Week and Easter, you may pick up palms as well as consecrated elements for Maundy Thursday & Easter Sunday at the church this Saturday 10:00-11:30. 

We give thanks to this week’s WWYA Worship Leaders, Mike and Cheryl Wendling; Davis and Ed Perron; Dan, Henrik and Caleb Koellhofer; Deb Reswik-Hilton; Sujan Sirivella; Kevin McClure; Sara Burden-McClure; Robert Gonzalez; and Jeff Buchle (who played roles and helped behnd the scenes), Production Crew, and Musicians.

Grace at the Crossroads

Service can be seen at YouTube link:

 

 

In this week’s Worship Where You Are sermon, guest preacher Pastor Dave Seddelmeyer asks us to get in touch with our feelings.  What feelings have you had throughout Lent? Are there certain feelings we are “supposed to have?”  Do we have different feelings or heightened feelings this Lent in particular? Our scripture for this Sunday is well known and gives us a hint at one feeling we experience that just might surprise us.  Join us this Sunday to see what it is!

Covenant at the Temple

Service can be seen at YouTube link:

 

 

Throughout Lent we have been hearing the covenant stories from the Old Testament – Noah and the rainbow, Abraham & Sarah and numerous-as-the –stars descendants. This week we hear the story of the Ten Commandments. The word commandment is pretty off-putting for most of us I imagine, but when we remember these Ten Commandments are really the Third Covenant, perhaps that might shift how we view them - as relational rather than legal, as affirmations rather than demands, as a promise rather than simply a list of prohibitions. I really struggle with the commandment to honor the Sabbath. I know – I’m a pastor… I should have that one covered, but I don’t. Honestly, I have a lot of guilt about that… so shifting my focus from commandment to covenant helps! It helps me remember that God gave us the Sabbath as a gift not an obligation so that we could be in deeper relationship with our Creator not check some spiritual box. If you haven’t taken time to rest in God for a few weeks because of COVID chaos or  snow-magedon side effects or superfluous screen time, join us for a little R&R with Worship Where You Are or take a little time to do a walking meditation or hum a hymn on your back porch. Rest in God and God’s promise: I am your God and you are my people!

Crossroads Confession

Service can be seen at YouTube link:

 https://youtu.be/y1dSyvkveNw

After Peter correctly confesses Jesus as the Messiah, Jesus tells his disciples what this means and what lies ahead for him in Jerusalem - that he will be rejected and killed and after three days rise again.  Peter's initial response demonstrates the crossroads at which we as people of faith often find ourselves: the Jesus we want is at a crossroads with the Jesus we get, the kingdoms of the world are at cross purposes with the kingdom of God, and our way often collides with the Lord's Way.  Yet, Jesus meets us in these moments of tension, continuing the invitation to follow as His disciples, and on the cross he shows us the only way to salvation.

Crossroads of the Kingdom

Sundays Video can be seen on youtube link: 

https://youtu.be/tG0JN0gRwdU

Wow! What a week! As a native Austinite I must say, “We just aren’t made for this stuff!”  Sometimes I feel like that as a Christian too. How about you? Discipleship is hard, especially when it comes to the disciplines of Lent, even more so in the midst of a pandemic. It feels a bit like we are at a crossroads – wondering which way to go, certain that we will fail, yet desperate to be faithful followers. And perhaps that is the key to remember not just this Lent but every Lent. We are followers, not leaders. We follow Christ, who himself has faced these very crossroads, shows us the way, and saves us each time we fail, falter, or fumble.

Covenant at the Crossroads

Video of this podcast can be seen on Youtube at:

https://youtu.be/rJ0nmwVDu9c

The reading for today is Joel 2:1-2, 12-17

the Gospel is: Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21

Transfiguration Sunday:

You are able to watch the service on Youtube at Link:

https://youtu.be/NcLWLvGR8xc

As church festivals go, Transfiguration Sunday does not get as much clout as Christmas or Easter, yet it is an important day in the church as we turn from the light of Epiphany to the wilderness of Lent (which begins with Ash Wednesday, February 17th). It sits at an intersection of these two larger church seasons taking on (poignantly) a cruciform shape. Still, sometimes it is difficult to discern the purpose of Transfiguration. Christmas is about the birth of Christ as one of us. Easter is about the resurrection of Christ to save us. What is Transfiguration for? Maybe Transfiguration is about seeing Christ and seeing ourselves through his light.

Souper Service

Video Service can be viewed on You Tube at:

 https://youtu.be/MCQU1dnIjRg

Yes, it’s Super Bowl Sunday, and I imagine the festivities will not look exactly like they usually do. Yet, if you’re house is like ours, food will still be part of the fun! Did you know that on an average Super Bowl Sunday Americans consume 30,000,000 pounds of pretzels, chips, popcorn, and nuts? Meanwhile, Texas is ranked 2nd in the U.S. for food insecurity. This is undoubtedly more problematic in this pandemic year. Years ago a church youth group started the Souper Bowl of Caring in response to this disparity, and it stuck! 

 As we listen to the Gospel text about the healing of Simon Peter’s mother-in-law this Sunday, perhaps we will be inspired by her response of service, leading to our own Souper Service! Throughout February we will be collecting items for Austin City Lutherans (ACL) Bread for All Food Pantry (see below for requested items). As you are snacking this weekend or throughout the week remember those who are going without and do some Souper Service like Peter’s mother-in-law!

Forming Faith From Roots to Fruit.

You can watch the full video service on YouTube Here:  https://youtu.be/zyXPrZOlajk

On the surface of things 2020 would not seem a year where there would be much excitement in our ministry, but as I flip through the pages of our Annual Report I am blown away by the way God’s work is flourishing even in the midst of a pandemic! I hope you will join us for the Annual Meeting on January 31st at 12PM. While we can’t serve you BBQ like we did last year for our first annual “meat”ing, you are welcome to BYOB (Bring Your Own BBQ)! While we can’t gather together physically, we can gather together virtually to give thanks for all that God is doing in our midst and through our congregation. Come and See how God is Growing a Generous Faith right before our very eyes!