A prayer for us

Susie shared this prayer with me on my Facebook wall.  It is from the ELCA and really speaks to where we are right now.

God of all wisdom, sometimes I want answers even when they can’t yet be known. Fill me with a deeper understanding so that I can rest in the knowledge of your love no matter what lies ahead. When I don’t know what may come, help me to trust that you will be there for me, prompting my words and actions. Amen.

Another "why" in the road

It has been a couple of weeks since my meeting with the candidacy committee and I am indeed faced with another test of my patience and of my ability to stay faithful to God's calling for me.  Due to a variety of circumstances the candidacy committee wants me to wait a year before being admitted to the program. 

First, I am entering this program from a different direction than most.  In most cases, a parish will have a vacancy and lift an individual from their congregation up for candidacy.   In my case I have been identified as a potential candidate without having a parish in need of someone from this program. There is currently no parish in our synod with a vacancy who is prepared to accept a TEEM candidate.

Secondly, they would like for me to spend this time in doing more spiritual discernment.  I have yet to receive the official entrance decision from the committee.  Once I have it I will have a better understanding of the next steps in the process.  I have been assigned a relator/accompanier who will assist me through the necessary steps for admission.

I would be lying if I didn't say I am somewhat disappointed but I have concluded that this is just another "why?" to be answered and that this further discernment will better prepare me for the life of ministry.  I am faithful to His call and look forward to the road ahead and all it has in store for not only me but for both Susie and I.  She has very much been my support and my encourager and I thank God for putting her in my life.  Please continue to pray for us and ask that we allow God to continue to be our leader on this journey.

Please pray for me

I am leaving today for Spokane and my final candidacy interview. The emotions of excited anticipation, nervous anxiety, and of extreme happiness are all flowing through me.

This is a huge step in fulfilling a call which began nearly forty years ago. Looking back, I can see the many forks on my path and the difficult decisions which I faced, and I realize they were all in preparation for the road ahead.

God has been with me every step of the way and I am confident he will continue along my side as I move forward. I look forward to the future with great anticipation and am anxious for God's plan for me to be more fully revealed in the weeks and months ahead. May God's blessings go with me and his presence surround me today, tomorrow, and always.

Big week

This is a big week for me. My candidacy interview is Friday in Spokane. I am very excited for this step and what lies ahead.

Psych Evaluation complete

Home from Kennewick. Two long days, but I think my psych evaluation went pretty well. I am ready for the next step, my candidacy interview on May 9.

Parish site revealed

The Bishop notified me today of the parish site he has in mind for me pending their approval and the outcome of my candidacy interview and psych evaluation.  Once those are done I will reveal the location. Please pray all goes well.

Gospel messsage from today

I was given the privilege of leading worship today.  What follows is the message I presented: 

Gospel Message

04/06/2014

John 11:1-44

Please pray with me.  May the words of my mouth and the meditation of our hearts together be pleasing to you, oh God!  Amen

Over the past several weeks I have been reading and ‘studying up’ on many subjects in preparation for beginning seminary studies.  One of the books I have been reading is a study of the Gospels.  This book focuses on the origination, authorship, translation and interpretation of the four Gospels. 

Interestingly, well to me anyway, is one of the beliefs about the authorship of the Gospel of John.  Many scholars and theologians, including Martin Luther, present compelling arguments that the author could have been Lazarus, the subject of our Gospel lesson today. 

Let’s take a look at this Gospel lesson.  Initially we hear that a man is ill.  It is Lazarus of Bethany, the brother of Mary and Martha.  We remember that Mary was the one who anointed Jesus feet.  Both Mary and Martha are distraught over the death of their brother and send for Jesus.  The message to Jesus is, “the one your love is ill”.  The writer of John is often referred to as the beloved disciple or the one who Jesus loved. And on several occasions we hear in John of the love Jesus had for Lazarus.

Upon hearing of Lazarus illness, Jesus’ response is to say that the illness is not fatal, but it he is ill so that God may be glorified.  So Jesus was not in a hurry to go to Lazarus. 

My grandmother made the best yeast rolls.  Her rolls were always a focus of meals at her house.  When asked about the secret to making great yeast rolls, she would reply, “There are two important ingredients—patience and timing—“.  You see the rolls had to be placed on the counter to raise to just the right level before they were placed in the oven to bake.  They then had to be left in the oven for just the right amount of time in order to bake completely.  Taken out too soon and they would be doughy, left too long and they would become hockey pucks.  Grandma knew the ‘right’ time to put the rolls in the oven and the ‘right’ time to take them out.

 

The disciples must have been really confused by Jesus lax attitude about going to the aid of his friend.  However, Jesus knew there would be a ‘right’ time to go to Lazarus and when that time came he went with his disciples back to Judea.  Despite the warnings from his disciples that there were those there in Judea who wanted him stoned.  In verses nine and ten we hear, Jesus answer, "Are there not twelve hours of daylight? Those who walk during the day do not stumble, because they see the light of this world. But those who walk at night stumble, because the light is not in them."  Suggesting to them that He was the light which would keep them safe though they were heading into darkness.

Thomas, also known as the Twin, shows his understanding in saying in verse 16, “Let us also go, that we may die with him.”  In this Thomas was not referring to Lazarus but to Jesus.  Thomas understands the mounting danger which faces Jesus and all of them.  So why go at all.  If Jesus truly had the power to heal, he could do it from anywhere.  He really did not need to go to Lazarus in order to heal him.  He went partly as a way to prepare his followers for the persecution they would endure after his ascension. 

You see it was all about the proper timing.  Jesus knew that in order for his followers to believe, the timing needed to be right.  In raising Lazarus, Jesus demonstrates that he is the resurrection and the life.  There is something important to understand here.  Rabbinic beliefs were that the soul hovers over the body for three days and then departs when decomposition sets in.  The Gospel writer’s point here is that only a genuine miracle could account for Lazarus being brought back to life.

There is also importance in the family of Lazarus, for he, Mary, Mary and Martha were from a prominent Jewish family.  This allowed for there to be much interest in Lazarus death and many Jews came to comfort the sisters.  Who would also be witness to Jesus raising Lazarus.

 When Martha hears that Jesus is coming we hear she goes running to meet Him.  Upon reaching him, Martha, maybe somewhat frustrated, tells Jesus if he had arrived earlier, her brother may still be alive. But she follows her frustration with a statement of faith by saying to Jesus, “Now that you are here it will all be OK.  Because I know God will give you whatever you ask.” And Jesus reassures her saying, “Your brother will rise again.” 

Martha’s interpretation of this was to say, “I know he will rise in the last day.” to which Jesus replies, “I am the resurrection and the life.  Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die.”  He then challenges her by saying, “Do you believe this?”.  Martha responded yes.

“Do you believe this?!”  Do you have yes response?  We confess it in worship, we state it in our prayer, do we live it in our heart, and do we put action to it in our daily lives?

Belief causes the Christian to say Amen, we need to witness.

     Conviction causes the Christian to get up and witness.
Belief causes the Christian to have pity for the lost.
     Conviction causes the Christian to stop at nothing for the lost.
Belief causes the Christian to promise God they will share.
     Conviction causes the Christian to repent and be faithful.
Belief causes the Christian to know what needs done.
     Conviction causes the Christian to do it.

The Gospel goes on to tell us when Martha summoned Mary to Jesus, she came immediately.  She had an immediate need to see Him, to mourn with Him, to allow Him to comfort her.  He was deeply moved by her sorrow. In fact he was moved to tears.  Even the Jews were moved by his display of emotion and his deep love for Lazarus.  Others could not understand why the one who had healed the blind could not save his friend.  To them we say stay tuned!

He seeks out the place where Lazarus has been entombed.  Going to this place he asks for the stone covering the tomb to be removed.  Martha reminds him that by this time there would be a stench from the decaying body.  To which Jesus responds, “Did I not tell you if you believed you would see the glory of God?”

Jesus then prayed loudly so that all of those standing around would know that He had been sent by God.  He then ordered Lazarus to come out of the tomb.  When he did Lazarus, bound in linen strips, wrapped in cloth, came out, and Jesus said, “Unbind him, him and let him go.”

 Like Mary and Martha, there is no reason to believe he doesn’t do the same for us.  When we are hurting, he is hurting, when we cry he cries.  Not only does he mourn and weep with us but he takes all of the sorrow and pain away. 

What we don’t read on our gospel today is what comes in Chapter 12 (and we read it because we didn’t hear enough gospel today.)  We learn that great crowds gathered.  We read in verses 9-11, “When the great crowd of the Jews learned that he was there, they came not only because of Jesus but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. So the chief priests planned to put Lazarus to death as well, since it was on account of him that many of the Jews were deserting and were believing in Jesus. 

The story of Lazarus is only found in the Gospel of John.  Unlike the other three gospels this account comes right before the passion story.  In the synoptic gospels we find the destruction of the temple prior to the passion narrative.

Some scholars believe it was placed here as a pre-telling of the Passion and that it was the raising of Lazarus which angered Caiaphas, leading to the crucifixion of Jesus.

 
And the conclusion about authorship about this Gospel.  It remains unknown.  There is certainly strong evidence it could have been Lazarus.  Beloved by Jesus, played a major role in converting Jews to followers, and became a precursor to the Passion story.

Today we heard a story of great love, we saw the very human Jesus weep at the loss of his dear friend.  And we saw the revelation of the very God Jesus in bringing his friend back to life. Now what lies ahead?

 

What we do know is in the coming two weeks we will witness the greatest act of love in human history.  Jesus, the man, rides triumphantly into Jerusalem,

to the shouts and praises of the masses,

only to be betrayed…arrested…condemned…and crucified.

No greater sacrifice of love has ever been given for you…for me…and for all people.  And it’s a story which doesn’t end there, Lazarus foretold us of the rest of the story.  Jesus is coming back, he is rising so that our life does not end in death but in life with Him in heaven.

Interview date is set

Today I submitted the last of my paperwork prior to my psych profile and interview with the candidacy committee.  Both dates are set  April 15 & 16th is my psych profile in Kennewick, WA and on May 9 is the date for my interview with the candidacy committee.  Please keep me in your prayers as I prepare mentally for these next steps. 

Also, if you are in Twin, I am preaching Sunday at Our Savior, please accept my invitation to attend at 9:30am.  Now I need to get back to working on my message for Sunday.  Blessings.

A busy week

This past week I have been very busy in preparing for my candidacy interview which will be in early May.  My official application was submitted on Tuesday.  The next couple of days was spent in writing and editing my entrance essay.  It was submitted on Friday. 

My next step will be the psychological profile on April 14 & 15 in Kennewick, WA.  I received the initial forms for the profile today.  Wow, they want to know a lot of stuff.  God has been with me as I have stepped through this process and continues to assure me that I am on the right path.

A day of study

Today I spent studying the first few chapters of The Gospels and Jesus by Graham Stanton.  This is part of the Oxford Bible Series and serves as textbook for one of the classes I will be taking in seminary.  I am trying to get a jump on some of the required reading. 

This book offers a good foundation of the Gospel's authorship, the context in which they were written, and several perspectives on how the writers formulated their presentation of the Gospels. I am also gaining insight on the comparatives drawn between each Gospel.

It's really amazing, I am finding myself  seeking more information.  It seems the more I learn the more I want to know.

And it begins

The bishop and I have met and he has indicated that the candidacy committee will meet in mid-May.  The program officially starts in October.  While I am anxious to get started in the program I will need to be patient while he works to finds a parish for me to serve.

In preparation for beginning the TEEM program with the guidance of the bishop I have begun a self-directed reading and study routine.  This week I have finished reading Healthy Congregations by Peter L. Steinke and Reading the Bible with Martin Luther by Timothy J. Wengert.  I have found both books informational and helpful. 

Having led my current congregation through some difficult times over the past three years, I was relieved to find, in Steinke’s book, that much of what we had been through was similar to many congregations.  It was good to learn that much of what we did to move ourselves forward was similar to what was recommended in the book.  The lessons I learned and the experiences I had during my time as congregational president will serve me well as I move towards ordination and in serving my future congregations.

From the book by Wengert I received a basic overview of Luther’s interpretation of scripture.  This book has motivated me to learn more of Luther and how his teaching motivated the reformation and our understanding of scriptures.

Next up will be a couple of more books by Steinke and a continuation of Mark Allan Powell’s book, Giving to God.  God has called me and I have answered.

My Journey Begins

Greetings to you all,

I have decided to create this blog in order to share my journey as I prepare for ministry.  For those who are not aware of my decision to pursue ordination I have included a Facebook post I made in January.

"Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect." Romans 12:2 ESV

As most of you know, I have been searching for what it is God wants me to be doing with my life and recently I may have finally received those long awaited answers. I will be applying to the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America’s (ELCA) Theological Education for Emerging Ministries (TEEM) program. It is a program for second career, older individuals who seek to become ordained as ministers in the ELCA. It is a three year program where I would be assigned to serve a parish while I am doing the coursework to become ordained. Most of the coursework would be online and the rest I would do in short (three one-week sessions annually) at Pacific Lutheran Seminary in Berkeley, CA. During this time I could be assigned a parish anywhere in Idaho or Eastern Washington. At the conclusion of the three years I would be eligible for call anywhere the ELCA would want to place me.

This is indeed an exciting, slightly scary time for both Susie and me. It would mean on the short term Susie and I may be separated while I do my coursework and serve a parish. But God has indeed transformed our minds as we anticipate these changes in our lives. We have come to understand after much discernment and prayer that this is the path to which God is leading us. While the unknown is frightening, Susie supports this completely which means the world to me. I could not do this without her love and support. I would also ask you, my friends, to pray for us as I go through the admissions process and that I would be accepted into the program.

The lyrics to the song "Here I am Lord" have held special meaning for me for a long time and are especially meaningful now that I have made this decision. 

I, the Lord of sea and sky,
I have heard My people cry.
All who dwell in dark and sin,
My hand will save.
I who made the stars of night,
I will make their darkness bright.
Who will bear My light to them?
Whom shall I send?

 

Here I am Lord, Is it I Lord?
I have heard You calling in the night.
I will go Lord, if You lead me.
I will hold Your people in my heart.

 

I, the Lord of snow and rain,
I have born my peoples pain.
I have wept for love of them, They turn away.
I will break their hearts of stone,
Give them hearts for love alone.
I will speak My word to them,
Whom shall I send?

 

Here I am Lord, Is it I Lord?
I have heard You calling in the night.
I will go Lord, if You lead me.
I will hold Your people in my heart.

 

I, the Lord of wind and flame,
I will tend the poor and lame.
I will set a feast for them,
My hand will save
Finest bread I will provide,
Till their hearts be satisfied.
I will give My life to them,
Whom shall I send?

 

Here I am Lord, Is it I Lord?
I have heard You calling in the night.
I will go Lord, if You lead me.
I will hold Your people in my heart.

 

God has called me here and I hope you will follow me as I journey forward on this path.  The road ahead is exciting and I do look forward to all it has to offer.  There will surely be times of great joy and times of frustration and doubt, however, I am prepared to meet all with perseverance and God's grace.  To aid me along my travels I would ask you for your continued prayers.