When I Was a Child I Thought Like a Child

When I Was a Child I Thought Like a Child

Today’s Word from Pastor Jim…

This is a photo from worship last Sunday. Cooper and Brooks are cousins, they also happen to be my grandsons. Cooper and Brooks, moved by the Holy Spirit, or restlessness, decided to dance to the closing hymn. They had much to celebrate, they made it through the entire service without leaving and there were cinnamon rolls waiting in the coffee hour. Sitting through the service is no small feat for three and four-year-olds. So as the congregation sang Hank Williams’ “I Saw the Light,” they let loose in some ecstatic dancing. Their Norwegian sense of rhythm and their lack of inhibition led to a precious memory.

When I was a child, I thought like a child.

One of the great joys of having grandchildren nearby and having the Trinity Preschoolers in our building is the opportunity to observe the playful innocence of childhood. Children live in the moment. In the morning they worry little about the evening, or tomorrow or retirement. They are not checking emails, text messages or stock market reports. They put their faith in mom or dad, or their teachers and they play, they sing, they dance. Pretense? They are not yet self-conscious, so if they want to run around in diapers, they do just that. Here are the newly baptized at the after party.

“When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child; when I became an adult, I put an end to childish ways.” Those are the words of the Apostle Paul as he encouraged the Christians in Corinth to conduct themselves in a more mature way. Immaturity can be cute in toddlers and annoying in adults. But perhaps by suppressing the child in us, we are in fact robbing ourselves of joy and relying too much on our own merits. I might ask, do you regret the times you danced, or the times that appearances and maturity kept your from dancing?

Paul encouraged Christians to act like grownups and Jesus encouraged us to have faith like a child. So, which is it? Of course, it is both. We should display a certain maturity especially in our interactions with one another; we should be patient, kind and forgiving, while holding our tantrums to a minimum. But unbridled maturity, without the spontaneity of youth is not good either. And when it comes to faith, a childlike faith is the only one that can sustain us through the pitfalls of this life. A simple faith that does not require all the answers, absolute certainty, or intellectual assent. A childlike faith recognizes that we are simple creatures, we had nothing to do with our arrival on earth and we will have nothing to do with what happens to us when we leave this earth. A childlike faith understands that we are one hundred percent dependent on others for our life and our salvation.

I hope that we can reignite the wonder of childhood, to embrace joy, to dance when we feel like dancing, to laugh for no reason, to smile at every stranger, to think the best of everyone, and to eat dessert first. I hope that we can take the calling of God very seriously, our shared work is important, the world needs good people and good deeds. I hope that we can take our work seriously, while having the wisdom to not take ourselves too seriously.

Let’s display maturity, but let’s also dance in church; both to the glory of God!

One day closer,
Pastor Jim
[email protected]

SUMMER SURVEYS: The Best is Yet to Come

SUMMER SURVEYS: The Best is Yet to Come

Today’s Word from Pastor Jim…

We hope that you will join in with the Church Council this Summer as we talk about the future of our beloved Trinity Lutheran Church. In preparation for a new five-year plan, we will be talking together and listening to each other.

Each week there will be a short list of questions for you to consider. You will receive them by email, which you may reply to with your responses. Or CLICK HERE to be taken to an online survey form or reply on the form below.

A steering committee from the Church Council will read every response. We will also have copies of the questions in coffee hour. It is our hope that you will enjoy time around the tables to discuss the questions before placing your responses in a collection box.

The questions for conversation this week:
1. What brought you to TLC?
2. What keeps you at TLC?
3. What do you most appreciate about TLC?

In the weeks that follow we will be considering many topics including: the Culture of our Church, Social/Fellowship events, Worship and Music, Educational programs, Service/Outreach opportunities, and Staffing.
Those who prepare for the future are more likely to thrive. We believe that God wants TLC to thrive—we are after all Blessed to Be a Blessing!

I look forward to seeing you this Sunday.
Pastor Jim

A Ship Set Sail

A Ship Set Sail

Today’s Word from Pastor Jim…

There was a ship preparing to leave the dock for a voyage upon the open sea. Those departing gathered on the deck for the sail away, leaning against the rails of the great liner, hoping to catch a final glimpse of the loved ones who would be joining them later. On the shore they waved goodbye, blew kisses, and shed more than a few tears.

Parting is inescapable. Parting is common to all humans.

Shakespeare wrote the words for Juliet to speak:
“Parting is such sweet sorrow. That I shall say good night till it be morrow.”

We part to say goodnight, never really knowing when or if we will see our dear ones again.

The ship begins to move; the cords that tethered her to this world are released. As she pulls from the dock, the faces grow dim, the waving hands grow indistinguishable as the distance lengthens, and soon the ship crests the horizon. Soon she is totally out of sight.

The dock slowly empties, there are errands to run and homework to complete, families return to their homes, lives, and routines. Life goes on, but is never the same. There is now an empty chair at the table and a void that cannot, will not, ever be filled.

On the new horizon a new shore becomes visible; the ship is approaching land, those on deck gaze forward to see the unfolding of a long-promised reunion. Soon they see them, waving from the shore, waiting for their arrival, tears of joy in their eyes. Their faces are recognizable now. It seemed like only yesterday when they broke bread and drank wine together, when they held hands as death drew close. It seemed like only yesterday, that those on shore were on the open ocean, standing on the deck, parting one world and arriving in another.

“Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and earth had passed away… and I heard a loud voice from the throne saying: ‘See now God’s home is with people, he will dwell with them, they will be his people and God himself will be with them; he will wipe every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; mourning and crying and pain will be no more, for the first things have passed away… I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning, and the end.” A vision of heaven from Revelation 21.

I was on the ferry last week. We have so many in our parish who are in hospice care, dying, fleeing from, or leaning into death. I dozed off for a few minutes. I was startled from my brief slumber by familiar words: “We are arriving at our destination; please gather your personal belongings and prepare to disembark.”

For a moment I imagined arriving at the other shore, with no possessions, no worries, no schedules, leaning into the light of eternal life, being reunited with my father and mother and others that I have waved goodbye to. We are all in that ferry line, waiting to depart, not far behind those who have gone before us.

One ferry, maybe two, a few months or a few decades; the time will pass quickly, and we will go home. We will not long to go back; we will not cry over work left undone. Regrets and shame will be gone. We will be finally at peace.

There was a ship preparing to leave the dock for an unknown voyage upon the open sea. The ship has come for you or me. I will see you on the dock, I will see you on the deck, I will wave to you from the shore. I am not sure what waits for us, but I am sure that I will see you on the other side.

Living into the mystery, I am your,
Pastor Jim

[email protected]

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Remember that we have changed to our summer schedule with worship services at 8:00 & 10:00 a.m.

A Festive, Joyful Sunday at TLC!

A Festive, Joyful Sunday at TLC!

Today’s Word from Pastor Jim…Join us June 11th for worship this Sunday at 8 & 10 a.m.
This Sunday will be marked by Joy!

Come out to worship, fellowship, and celebrate!

The service will feature beautiful, uplifting music by our fantastic TLC musicians.

There will be cinnamon rolls in the Coffee Hour.

There will be a 97th Birthday Celebration for Trudy Martin at coffee hour. When asked what she wanted for her 97th birthday, Trudy said she wanted to come home to TLC. Bring a card! Bring your well wishes.

And it will be my profound privilege to officiate at the Baptism of my youngest two grandchildren! Ava Grace McNany and Hudson James Knoblauch will be baptized at 10 am. Hudson will be baptized at the same font where his mother was baptized 32 years ago.

See you Sunday!
Pastor Jim

[email protected]
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CREATION’S CORNER #5: Nature Deficit Disorder

CREATION’S CORNER #5: Nature Deficit Disorder

Many of us live in an artificial world of our own making.

We have shaped our lives in ways that intentionally or otherwise isolate us from natural Creation that God has called us to “know” and to serve.

Our homes are warm and well insulated. The sounds of the spring birds praising their creator are damped out. Our surrounding yards are largely devoid of native species.

We tend manicured European lawn grass to the exclusion of native species which are deemed unwelcome by our homeowner association that dictates what can and cannot be planted. We are notified by the HOA if our lawn exceeds the required 3 inch maximum in length.

We often isolate ourselves from His Creation that He has instructed us to keep.

What about Creation’s fruitfulness?

Do we know our non-human neighbors? For many of us, we do not even “know” our human neighbors let along the banquet table of astounding abundance in God’s natural garden surrounding us.

If you build it, they will come! Is it time to plant a garden instead of mowing so much lawn? Creation is waiting. Your lives will be enriched as you open your eyes to the wonders of God’s bountiful creation. It is spring planting time!

But for others of us at TLC the days of planting are in the rear-view mirror. We are living day by day and doing our best to rejoice and serve our Lord in the present.

For us, perhaps the short walk to enjoy the amazing beauty of the “Octopus Tree” the oldest (900-year-old) tree at Deception Pass State Park or an evening to gaze upon the heavens as they declare the glory of God is about all that is possible.

The Whidbey Island banquet table is full for us to savor. For each of us, we will be richly blessed as we join Creation’s symphony of praise – and don’t forget to Thank God for His rich blessings!

Thanks for reading.

— Joe Sheldon

P.S. Direct comments to [email protected]