Your Faith Journey - Finding God Through Words, Song and Praise

This past week in our Bible study we looked at the First lesson from Amos and the Gospel lesson from Mark. It took some processing to find some good news in these passages. The people of Israel were not listening to God, not measuring up and they were going into exile. Then we hear what happened to John the Baptist after he had been arrested. He was beheaded.

Would it have been better for me to have chosen other lessons? People are headed into exile and beheading is pretty gruesome. The other interesting thing in our Gospel lesson is that Jesus doesn't say a word. Mark is finishing a story that he started in his first chapter.

We don't always like to hear these stories. Many of you may choose not to read or watch stories like this. Unfortunately, it is reality. How many times do we read about the Israelites going into exile? As human beings we have continued this cycle of connecting with God in Jesus Christ and then human nature takes over and God's definition of mercy and justice begins to fade. From my point of view, I am seeing this continue in our country today.

God's mercy and justice is not about the I, but the "we". The ten commandments are about living in relationship with God and each other. It doesn't mean that individuals are not important, but it does mean that living in community is about making sure our neighbor is taken care of. God's mercy and justice is not about power and control, but about love and respect for all people.

In our welcoming statement we specifically name age, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity, marital status, neurodivergent status, faith background, political leanings, or mental, intellectual or physical ability and these are still places where people are discriminated against in churches, families, workplaces and in the community. I believe God's definition of mercy and justice is for all people regardless of anything in these areas of our lives. There are leaders, companies, foundations and courts who seem to have different ideas than we might on God's understanding of mercy and justice for all people regardless.

The fact that we have a welcoming statement that states that we are always working on overcoming these prejudices in our congregation, what are we called to do about it outside our doors? When the voices are becoming stronger to take us backwards, we need to be asking ourselves, what is our voice saying? We have these words in our welcoming statement, what is our action and voice saying to support these claims?

Now after reading these lesson today from Amos and Mark, we can easily think that it is easier to stay quiet. We can easily think that it is easier not to rock the boat. Now I don't think by speaking out we would literally be beheaded, but figuratively this could happen.

Meridian Pride day is coming up on August 10. There are already negative comments on the township website regarding this. We are having an ecumenical worship service at 11:00 am that day at the pavilion across from the farmer's market. The service will include a lament about LGBTQIA+ people feeling like "other" in churches today. At our planning meeting on Thursday, we decided to request a police presence, just in case.

I believe God is setting a plumb line, as we heard about in Amos this morning, in the midst of the turmoil in our country today. How does Faith Lutheran Church measure up against the plumb line? Amos, shepherd from the southern kingdom, the non-professional prophet has been called by God to the northern kingdom to prophesy. Prophets did not always have good news for the people, they usually were pointing out how God was not happy. In this case Amos was even talking to a different kingdom about how they did not measure up to what God expected. God used the plumb line to point this out.

The priest of Bethel, Amaziah, was offended as he was basically being told that he wasn't doing his job. Of course, he ran to King Jeroboam saying that Amos was plotting to get rid of him and he's doing it as an insider. Amaziah told Jeroboam that Amos' words would destroy the country. Amos was telling the people that Jeroboam would be killed, and the people would go into exile.

Amos' only come back was that God told him to say these words. As you can imagine, most prophets were not well liked. Not one of the prophets that we read out about in the bible ever became rich or really seemed to have much to live on. It doesn't mean that they starved, but were never popular.

God said that this was the last straw for the Israelites, but the good news is that even though they went into exile and eventually came out, God never left them. I don't believe God has ever said that God didn't love the children God created. There are always times that God is not happy with them.

Amos stepped out courageously believing that he was doing what God called him to do. God chose Amos a common ordinary shepherd to give this message to the Israel people. Just as God chose John the Baptist. Here was a guy who lived out in the wilderness and in today's world would not fit in very well with church people. God called him to preach repentance and even baptize Jesus. The church leaders didn't like him as in a sense he was saying that they were not getting God's message across to the people.

In today's Gospel lesson we see what happened to this prophet John. He was beheaded. How many of us are signing up to be a prophet? Not all of us are called to do what Amos and John were called to do, but in some respect we are called to be God's prophets.

Pastors are in a precarious situation as we are called to minister to all people in our congregations even though not everyone may agree on things. What I like to do is ask the questions. I cannot answer them for any of you.

So where does this leave us? First of all, the good news is that God was with the Isarel people, God was with Amos, God was with John the Baptist and his followers. God is with each one of us even when some are called to speak the hard words. Since we have stated that we welcome all people, the only way that all can feel welcome is that we stand up to the injustices against all. By having this welcoming statement, we are called to do our best to live up to God's definition of mercy and justice for all.

Too often today, it becomes easier to define for ourselves what God's definition of mercy and justice for all people are, depending on what makes us comfortable. As people of God, as followers of Jesus, sometimes we are called to share what we understand God's definition of God's mercy and justice for all is. We will not always be well received.

I believe in the coming months, Faith may be called to be speaking the truth as we understand it. Through this time of transition, we are still called to speak God's word of truth and love. Sometimes it may sound different than other churches and groups.

We have stated in our welcoming statement what we believe God's kingdom looks like. This means that we are called to speak for those who are experiencing injustices, for those who are not being heard. Even though this may not be easy, God walks with us, and God's spirit will give us the words to be the prophets that we are called to be.

Let us pray: God of mercy and injustice, Just as you called Amos and John the Baptist to speak the hard words, sometimes you call us to do it also. It is not something most of us would sign up for. We thank you that even when you call us to do the tough work for you, that you walk beside us and your Spirit will give us the words. We stand ready while holding your hand to be the prophets that you call us to be. Amen

This is a special musical presentation of Kingsfold with Elaine Harrison, Brenda Kopf, Matt Schnizlein and Addie Thompson on Handbells and Kathy Richardson on Piano at Faith Lutheran Church in Okemos, Michigan

After one of our pastors left back home, I tried to fill in some of the gaps. I was home from college and had a great deal of energy. The council president sat me down and said that sometimes when you are from the church, it can be difficult for people to see where you are now as they may only remember you as you were growing up. Thus, maybe I should back off.

So, I can relate at least a little bit to where Jesus was coming from. Jesus and his disciples had come back to Nazareth where Jesus had grown up. On the sabbath, Jesus began to teach in the synagogue. Many who were there were astounded. They were wondering where and when did he learn all of this. What deeds of power were being done by his hands!

Then they began to think, now wait a minute, is this not the carpenter's son, the son of Mary and brother of James, Joses, Judas and Simon. His sisters are here too. This is the only places that Jesus' brothers were named and that there is a mention of sisters. The person who is not mentioned is Joseph, his earthly father. This may have been to reemphasize the fact that Mary had been a teenager when she had Jesus as well as the fact that Joseph was not the biological father.

One minute the people were astounded, the next they were taking offense that Jesus was trying to be a leader in the Jewish faith in his hometown. Jesus said, "Prophets are not without honor, except in their hometown, and among their family and in their own house." So, Jesus was now identifying himself also as a prophet." Someone who speaks for God and reminds them of God's message.

As they would not accept him and his teaching, he was not able to do a lot of ministry there. Although, he was able to lay hands on a few sick people and cure them. Jesus was amazed at the unbelief of the people in his hometown. This must have disappointed Jesus. Here were the people that he grew up with and they were rejecting him. That can hurt.

The people in his hometown and his family missed out on so much. I wonder what they were scared of. They were allowing what they knew of Jesus' family and childhood to cloud their ability to learn and receive what Jesus had to offer in the present. It clouded their ability to see and embrace who Jesus had become. Jesus had grown as a person, but it seemed the people in his hometown and his family were stuck in an image of Jesus from his childhood, as opposed to a person that had matured and come into more of their authentic self.

As human beings, it is easy for us to get stuck and hold on to things that really are not pertinent today. I believe God is trying to reshape the church. We have a new commission in the ELCA that has begun this work, but that will take years to process and formulate a new structure. There are many churches, not Faith, that expect to only be able to pay a pastor full time for a few more years. There are a few who are able to see this reality, but there are many who are not.

One of my colleagues in Pennsylvania said his church uses $50,000 a year from their memorial/endowment fund to maintain their budget. They have 200,000 left and they are painting the inside of the church and talk about doing fund raisers. The treasurer continues to point out the financial issues, but the leadership does not want to deal with it.

We at Faith, have a wonderful facility, but we know it takes a fair amount of money to keep it going. Our mortgage is gone, and we are down two staff people at the present time. Anxiety levels are up, but God has blessed us with so many gifts. Sometimes anxiety can become baggage too and get in the way of using the gifts God has given us.

I continue to see God working here at Faith. People are pulling together to continue to do ministry. Once again I believe we need to breathe and just deal with what is necessary right now at this time.

As we move on in our Gospel lesson, Jesus may be challenging us to look at how we do ministry. Now, I will be the first one to say that we need a plan, a structure in which to work, but not a complicated one. This is still a time for us to look at how we operate and to ask God how to make our ministries even more effective in order to glorify God.

Jesus called his twelve disciples together and began to send them out two by two, and gave them authority over the unclean spirits. He ordered them to take nothing for their journey, except a staff; no bread, no bag, no money in their belts; but to wear sandals and not two tunics. A pretty stripped down version for traveling through the villages. Jesus gave them authority over unclean spirits.

They went out and proclaimed that all should repent. The disciples were able to cast out many demons, and anointed the sick with oil and cured them. If people did not welcome them and/or refused to hear them, Jesus told them to shake the dust off their feet and leave.

The disciples were not out saying, because you have been healed, we need to see you at the synagogue. Their mission was to connect with the people and meet the needs that they could meet. For them it was going out and sharing their authentic self with people.

Jesus knew what he had taught them while they had been together. He didn't hold an extra training session for hours on end, he just sent them out to do what he had already taught them to do. In order for this ministry to happen it didn't take a complicated system or structure. They just went.

My philosophy has always been that we need a game plan that is flexible. I believe Jesus calls us to have a user-friendly structure that supports the ministries that we are called to do. The council, here at Faith will be working on this. So, are we to wait for the restructuring of our ministries? Of course not.

We have two ministries that time and energy are focused on. I have no doubts God is calling us to do these ministries. But yet how are they technically connected to the church? Also, as important and effective as they are, they still do not connect us directly with the community. Jesus sent his disciples to go out and be with the people. I believe that is what our challenge is here at Faith. How can we connect with people directly in our neighborhood?

Jesus is calling us today to try and let go of our baggage. This is our hard set expectations. This is our digging in our heels to change. The church is never going to be what it used to be. Actually, it will be something new and exciting. People are connecting to the spiritual part of their lives in different ways today. It doe not always include a church building. Thus, I believe Jesus is calling us to connect with people outside the doors of our church.

In the past, social issues have taken Faith outside the doors and still does today. Today we are reminded that we are called to take what we have been taught and go out and share it. Jesus authorizes us as his disciples. There will be people who do not want to hear what is good news for us. That is okay. Jesus says move on.

We are called to identify what our baggage is and get rid of it. Jesus felt an urgency to get out his message and ministry. This is even after he was rejected in his home town. The urgency has not stopped. Jesus challenges us to go out and connect with people with the message of God's love and acceptance.

Let us pray, Jesus, we do not understand all of the changes that are taking place today in the church and outside of it. What people used to be interested in has changed. We ask that the Spirit would first of all help us identify the baggage that we need to get rid of in order to be ready to go outside the doors of this building and then remind us that you have given us the authority to go out and share the good news of your love and acceptance.

In Jesus' name, Amen

The last time I was here, 2 weeks ago, I announced that I would not be putting my name in as a candidate for your next pastor. Pam is no longer working here, and Connie finished her time with us. Everyone take a deep breath.

This is a lot to process all at one time. We hear in the Bible that God never gives us more than we can handle, but really? People leaving involves grief and so often we choose not to talk about it. Yet, in order to move forward eventually as human beings, in order to bring health and stability back into balance, we do need to at least acknowledge it.

Grief is real and yet slippery as everyone experiences it differently and this includes groups. I am wondering if part of the struggle of grief is that it involves change. When we acknowledge it, it means we have to do something different to fill the holes that need to be filled and then a new plan developed in order to move forward.

Our leadership has been working on this. To fill the Administrative Assistant/Secretary position we began posting this job soon after Connie announced her pending departure. We have updated the job description and responsibilities. It also gives us time to ask the question whether the hours were enough to do the job as well as other challenges that Connie had. Thank you to the volunteers who have stepped up to assist us in the office and temporarily fill this hole. When the E-News came through on Friday, I was thankful, and I did like how it was done Randy.

I will be meeting with John McCrackin regarding VBS. Yes, there were preparations in progress, and now we will develop a plan to continue those preparations. We are hoping others will step forward to assist us in providing this ministry for our children. St. Paul's in East Lansing is joining us this year and we are inviting the community children also.

Through all of this grief, this leaving, all different feelings are produced, such as anger and anxiety. This is all transition or liminal space. A space where we can't see what is ahead and are called to refocus or recenter and deal with what is in front of us now. It calls us to turn to God and believe that God is faithful and hasn't just left us with a flat tire and says I'll just watch how you do with this time in the life of your community of faith.

Some of the leave taking may have been in the back of your mind for a while, other leave taking may have seemed abrupt and not planned on. Whether we like to hear it and I don't always like to, God allows things to happen in God's time. Then I believe God says to us are you going to turn to me or try and do this all on your own. As Christians, of course we know in our hearts that we need to turn to God in Jesus Christ. As human beings though, we would like to do it our own way.

This is the history of God's people. Twice in the Old Testament we hear of God's people being in exile as they tried to figure it out on their own. In our first reading for today we hear from the prophet Jeremiah reminding the Hebrew people that God is faithful. He probably wrote these lamentations right before God's people were exiled to Babylon.

I turn to our first reading today to remind us that God is faithful and that we can depend on God. This is also part of the history of God's people that God never left them. God sent people such as Jeremiah and so many others to first of all say that God would be with them and then we can see throughout all of history that this was true. Second of all to remind the Hebrew people as we ourselves that God continually waits for us to say hey God, we have a flat tire, can you please give us some guidance?

Jeremiah writes to the Hebrew people and tells them that God's steadfast love never ends and neither does God's mercy. This is often difficult to hear in the midst of transition and change. This is the kind of ministry that I have been doing and where I am at in my life. Grief and leave taking is tiring and involves change.

Jeremiah in this passage says that one should wait quietly. Most of us do not do well at this. I am always planning ahead. I have also learned that planning too far ahead does not always work. God may be telling all of us to take time to breathe and be quiet. Give all of our anger and anxiety to God. Directing it at people is the easy thing to do. Sometimes giving it to God is the hard thing to do.

God has a plan for Faith Lutheran Church. I will continue to say this until I leave, and that date is not on the calendar yet. What I have learned is that sometimes God is waiting for certain things to happen before one can see a little further into the future.

Jeremiah says that God does not willingly afflict or grieve anyone, but I believe God allows things to happen in order for us to depend more on God. So, through this time of grief/leave taking when we feel anger or anxiety, ask yourself, what is it that I don't like about this situation? Is my anger directed at a person? Is my anger toward this person helping me or the situation? Are we able to put it in the form of an "I" statement? First tell God when you feel angry and then ask God what to do with this anger. Holding on to anger is a health hazard. Anger is a real emotion and needs to be expressed in the healthiest way possible.

When we feel anxiety it is often because we feel that we no longer have control. We do know that we don't have control over people or situations, but we like to think that we do. Not knowing the future creates anxiety if we are trying to see through our eyes, this is when we can easily feel helpless.

It is when we look toward the future through God's eyes our anxiety level can go down as we are not relying on ourselves. God in Jesus Christ says to us look at what you see in front of you, deal with that today. Jeremiah reminds us that God is faithful, God's steadfast love and mercy never end. It is when we give our anger and anxiety over to God in Jesus Christ that we will be able to see God's new mercies every day. It is when we have those flat tires and choose to turn to God in Jesus Christ for guidance.

God will provide for Faith Lutheran Church what is needed at the time it is needed, but it may not look like what we expected. That is when in faith we say:

Great is thy faithfulness, Great is thy faithfulness!

Morning by morning; new mercies I see;

All I have needed thy hand hath provided;

Great is thy faithfulness, Lord, unto thee.

Let us pray: Gracious God we thank you for your faithfulness. When we have those flat tires in life, may your Holy Spirit point us to you. You know we would like to figure it out on our own, but we have seen through history and in our own lives that this does not work. Today we hold on to your promise that Jeremiah reminded us of, you are faithful and your steadfast love and mercies never end. We turn our anger and anxiety over to you and ask for your guidance during this time of transition. In Jesus name'. Amen

This is a special musical presentation of When Peace like a River at Faith Lutheran Church in Okemos, Michigan

This is a special musical presentation of Nearer, My God to Thee by Bob Borcherding on fiddle at Faith Lutheran Church in Okemos, Michigan

This is a special musical presentation of Amazing Grace by Bob Borcherding on fiddle at Faith Lutheran Church in Okemos, Michigan

This is a special musical presentation of Sing Out To God by the Summer Choir at Faith Lutheran Church in Okemos, Michigan

Sometimes I don't like the way that the kingdom of God grows. But what is the kingdom of God? It is the place where God reigns or is in charge. I appreciate how Luther it explains it as heavenly and earthly. As people of God, we have one foot in each. Here on earth, we try and practice how we will live in the heavenly kingdom.

Growth in the kingdom of God doesn't happen the way that I would like it to. I often get angry and feel uncomfortable as it grows. It doesn't happen fast enough and then when it does, it is not always what I expected.

In Mark the kingdom of God is described as something mysterious. It is often described as something that does not make sense. It also takes our control out of the mix. Now it is really frustrating.

I have found that I can have everything planned out in my head and then when I try and put it together it doesn't always work. Then when one piece falls into place it is time to move full speed ahead. I have often said to God, Hey what were you thinking?

We can experience this in our individual lives and in groups we are members of or even our church. The place and family in which we gather around God in Jesus Christ. This transition process that we are in is not always easy. There is never a clear road map and in my experience things never fully happen in our time. I then often say to God, Hey what are you up to now?

This is the seventh transition process that I have been involved with and every single one has been different. What I have found, is that God is looking for things to happen before God is ready to say, here is your next pastor. I am not making this up, this is what I have experienced and observed.

The transition process is almost like a trust exercise with God. Are you going to trust that I, meaning God, have things under control? God asks us to deal with things as they occur, when we don't, they keep coming back. I am sure that many of you have experienced this in your own lives. If there is something that is not working, it doesn't go away, it just continues to present itself.

We can keep burying it or face it. In reality as human beings we each have things in our lives that we are called to change in order to be healthier disciples for Jesus. I don't always want to. I can easily volunteer for too many things. Many of us know what that feels like. We don't give ourselves permission enough to say no. Only we ourselves can do that.

This is part of what I am talking about in describing the kingdom of God as something mysterious and not making sense. Those of us who are doers often think if we don't do it, it won't get done. That is true. Either someone will pick it up, if we say no or it won't get done. We often find out it is not the end of the world.

Then there are those of us who want to control how something is done. This is one way you can make sure that no one else may want to do it. In most cases there is no one right way of doing anything. I have learned that if I am not in charge to just go with it. That is not always easy, but it is the healthiest.

In our Gospel lesson today, we have Jesus telling two parables about the kingdom of God. In the first one Jesus is describing the wonders of growth when a seed is scattered on the ground and by the next morning it begins to sprout. The person scattered the seed and while they were sleeping it began to sprout. The person had nothing to do with the growth. Jesus explains that the earth produces of itself. First the stalk, then the head, then the full grain in the head.

When the grain is ripe, at once they go in with the sickle to harvest the grain. We all wish it were that easy. I believe what Jesus might be saying here, yes we have a part in the growth, but we don't have control over it. For those of you who have planted anything, you can prepare the soil, do the planting, water and pull the weeds, but you do not have a guarantee what your harvest will look like. Every year is a different year. Sometimes a decent yield, sometimes not much and other times, what do you do with all of it.

All we can do is what is in our control, preparing the soil, planting the seed, watering and pulling the weeds. Then we wait and see. Sometimes it is frustrating and other times we enjoy our yield. Human nature doesn't do to well with this.

Jesus is describing the kingdom of God. We all have a role to play, but what are not responsible for the growth. As much as we would like to control how things go, the more we find out we don't have control. This is where our anger and frustration come in.

In the next parable, I believe Jesus is trying to give hope. He talks about a mustard seed. Mustard seeds were not the most popular plant. It is the smallest seed, but can grow up to 9 feet. Most likely the Jewish people did not grow this in their garden. Yet, Jesus says that it grows up and becomes the greatest of all the shrubs and puts forth large branches. The birds of the air make nests in its shade.

I wonder if Jesus could be trying to tell us that even when things seem out of control and dark that there is hope that that the kingdom of God can still grow into what God wants. A place where people can come and feel safe, secure, and welcomed. A place where the kingdom of God continues to be truthfully preached.

The kingdom of God is not something that we can just hold on to. The more we try and mold it into what we want, the less it may look like the kingdom that Jesus is describing. When we feel uncomfortable we do try and hold on tighter as this is what we do as human beings.

In all of the transitions that I have been through, each time I have needed to relearn some of this letting go. When I come into a new church I have a plan. I continue to adjust it but sometimes, I have to let it go because as it wasn't God's plan. That frustrates me. But then, I hear these parables today and am reminded, I am not in control. God in Jesus Christ is.

Unfortunately, this desire to be in control and want it our way produces strong feelings. Some of these feelings hurt and cause ripples in our relationships. Then I am reminded by friends that transitions are about journeying together, through joyful times and the frustrating times. When we look back we realize some things could have been done differently and said differently, but we can't go back and redo it. What we can do is realize that we are human beings and feelings can cause us to say and do things that can be received as hurtful. This is when reconciliation is needed

Being a part of the kingdom of God is not easy. There are times in my life that I have thought about taking a vacation from church. What would that look like? We all know people who choose to do this and never have come back. The Bible has stories about God's people being in community. God's guidelines are about how to live in community.

We find that it is not easy. There are people that are difficult to get along with and don't do what we expect them to. We get angry and uncomfortable. In reality, at times it is not fun.

Jesus is saying to us today, God's kingdom is not for the faint of heart. It is not about us running God's kingdom. We are called to be planters and nurturers, but we are not responsible for the harvest. That's God's business.

Jesus is saying, as frustrating as it sometimes is, growth will come. It will not come if we try and control it. I know this, but I have to be reminded. We all have different roles to play at different times in our lives in the kingdom of God.

Jesus challenges us today to trust God with the growth of the kingdom. Every day we are called to submit our control to God in Jesus Christ, and we don't always want to. I know I don't, it means it is not about me.

Paul encourages us in our 2nd lesson to let Christ's love urge us on living and working in the kingdom. Regard no one from a human point of view. When we are in Christ, we are constantly being renewed, some of the old passes away and the new comes. This is what the kingdom of God looks like.

Let us pray: Gracious God, you call us to live and work in your kingdom. As human beings we often struggle with letting you be in control. We want things to happen our way. When they don't, we get angry and feel uncomfortable. Today in Jesus' parables we have been reminded that you will take care of the growth in the kingdom in your time and not ours. We are sorry for often getting in the way. Today we renew our trust and hope in you as we submit our wills to you and believe that you are growing the kingdom in your time. In Jesus' name. Amen