Trinity | Trinity Lutheran Church

Moving On, Moving Out

Jun 5, 2020 | Pastor Jim's Blog

Today’s Word from Rev. David Bieniek…

A few weeks ago, Pastor Jim asked us to pause his sermon and make a list of all the places we have ever lived. It was quite a task. I believe that I have lived in 38 places, in my 57 years. When you take into account that in the last 20 years, I have only lived in three places, that means in the first part of my life I moved almost every year. That is a lot of moving.

You would think I would have less stuff, but unfortunately, I just needed bigger moving trucks. But each time we moved, we had to decide what to take with us and what to leave behind. As we move through this pandemic time and begin moving out into the public again, what will we take with us?

Many of us have been doing more cooking at home, resurrecting old favorites, savoring comfort food, or exploring new recipes and tastes. I was watching a program the other night where the chef talked about how baking had helped him after his wife had died. There was something about measuring, kneading, and waiting that helped him move through his grief. Will we cook and eat together, will we remember recipes of old, and try things that are new?

Many of us have re-engaged old hobbies. I am working on a 30-year-old project of painting a nativity set that was given to me in 1990. (I’m determined to get it done by Christmas!) Some people have picked up musical instruments; other built model rockets, gardened, hiked, or detailed cars. Maybe you have discovered new hobbies. We have filled our time with things that bring us joy. Will we still make time to carry those hobbies and projects with us, and do what brings us joy?

All of us have have learned to be with each other in different ways. Some of us have Zoomed, FaceTimed, Teamed, or Hungout. We have connected with old friends and family. We have worshiped online, built our home altars, and prayed in new ways. It does not take the place of being together in person, but it does ease the sting. Others of us have re-learned the art of letter writing, sending greeting cards and postcards, or even calling people on the phone when they cross your mind. Will we carry that on with us, as we leave our isolation?

In this time, we found time… The song “The Cat’s in the Cradle” tells of a father who never found time for his son, and consequently the son eventually could not “find the time” for his father when he needed him in old age. In this period of isolation, we have been given the gift of time. We might need to learn to use it better, but we do have time for family, for friends, for neighbors, and for God.
We still don’t know what this new reality will look like. The reality is that we NEVER know what tomorrow will look like. But maybe we can remember the lessons from the last 3 or 4 months, treasure our loved ones, treasure our new-found or reclaimed adventures, and give the gift of time.

“For in everything, there is a season…” Ecclesiastes 8:1

Rev. Dave Bieniek

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We Are Protestants

Jun 4, 2020 | Pastor Jim's Blog

Today’s Word from Pastor Jim…

Lutherans are Protestants. We come out of the Protestant Reformation. Martin Luther and others protested against the Church of the Holy Roman Empire. In the Dark Ages, the Roman Catholic Church was the only Church in Europe. It was fueled by the offerings of peasants. Meanwhile, the Church owned ¼ of all the property in Western Europe. The peasants, who were mostly illiterate, were oppressed and controlled by the Church. Superstition and fear were the primary tools used to keep the people in line, and to keep the money coming into the Church coffers.

Martin Luther’s 95 Theses would lead to widespread protests and calls for reform. The reformation was dangerous; people died, churches were destroyed, political careers were ruined, and families were torn apart. Forced to go into hiding, Luther narrowly escaped arrest and execution. The labor pains of change come with considerable risks.

We are Protestants. The Lutheran Church was birthed in the fires of protests, in a call for change and in the firm belief that God was leading us out of oppression and into freedom. The death of old institutions does not come easy. Those who benefit from the privilege and comfort of the old will fight to preserve their position. Change, protest, a demand for justice, every voice given the chance to be heard, all people are created equal; on these foundations the United States of America was founded. The Boston Tea Party, Women’s Suffrage, the Civil Rights Movement, the ordination of women, same-sex marriage; every reformation is dangerous and painful. But allowing a cancerous rot to infect the body unchecked, ensures the ultimate destruction of the body.

We are Protestants, and there is only one way out of this mess. That is to make our protests known, and to move forward, reforming systems of oppression, seeking justice for all people, while exorcising the demons of slavery and confronting our own racism, as we hold firm to the teachings of Jesus. We are Protestants. It is a part of our DNA. I support those who peacefully protest, the midwives and prophets who offer us the opportunity to reform.

Don’t let this chaos break your spirit, for these are the labor pains of change. Be of good heart, be brave, hold on to hope, and marvel at the good work that the Holy Spirit is up to in our time.

We are Protestants, and we are one day closer to an end of this crisis.

Much love,

Pastor Jim

To make a donation to Trinity, follow this link: https://trinitylutheranfreeland.org/give/

The Valley of the Shadow of Death

Jun 3, 2020 | Pastor Jim's Blog

Today’s Word from Pastor Tom Kidd…

I believe if I had a child or a grandchild of color, I would be fearful. As I write these words, as a white man of privilege, I am afraid. Afraid and growingly aware of how I have failed to appreciate the difference between white privilege and black experience. I say that, having grown up attending integrated schools, my high school was 50% non-white. I lived in the East Bay neighborhoods of Oakland and Berkeley. My last parish had a strong, though not large, African American influence. My professional life has consistently and actively participated in issues of inclusion with regard to racial bias. At any time over the last 50 years, if asked, I would have loudly and clearly declared, with a nod toward humility, that I was honestly trying to live my life colorblind.

And then I watched George Floyd die and I realized that, despite all my socially liberal inclinations, I am so lacking in reconciling my white privilege with the black experience. It made me sick. And sad. I could not watch it without weeping. It is not necessary for me to replay for you his last words; you have heard them, and if you haven’t, you need to, at least once. As if to confirm my angst, I received an email from a sister of faith who expressed fear for her children and grandchildren, that they could be the next victim. It is clear to me that if I was in Mr. Floyd’s situation, I would not have died because of police abuse. That is the advantage of white privilege.

“Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death
I will fear no evil. For thou art with me. Thy rod and thy staff protect me.”

As I type these familiar words from the 23rd Psalm, two thoughts strike me. The somewhat silly first thought is, I cannot recite the 23rd Psalm without doing it in the King’s language. Secondly, we do not willingly go into the valley. We like mountaintops for our domicile construction. From ancient castles to modern day-dream homes, looking for a site with a view, we choose to build up high if at all possible. The ancient wisdom was clear – from on high we can see whoever approaches, it is easier to defend, no one can sneak up on us. It is riskier in the valley; one is more vulnerable. You can more easily die down there. But there is one large problem with mountaintop living… nothing grows up there. It is sterile. It is in the valley that water flows, grass grows, and life is verdant. But we can die in the valley, literally and metaphorically.

Jesus does not extol the merits of mountaintop living. God calls us into the valley where we will have no choice but to experience the messiness of life. Life in the valley, where our mistakes, bad decisions, vulnerabilities and flaws will be far more difficult to conceal. So, in the valley we experience death, but it is in the valley where we live believing in the power of resurrection. We model God’s love by being examples of flawed people who God joyfully raises up to go try again. People who trust in Easter are not as afraid of life’s Good Fridays. We might climb up for the periodic view, but we walk triumphantly with Jesus, and each other, through the valley of the shadow of death.

We love living on Whidbey Island with all of its advantages. The list is long and legitimate as to our appreciation for this place. I believe there is a danger, though, in that this can too easily become mountaintop living, a place generally safe from the vagaries of life in the valley. My purpose in beginning with George Floyd’s tragic and unnecessary death was not to get lost in politics, or issues of abuse of power or, as some are inclined, to reduce everything to “blue vs. red.” No, rather to invite us, as people of faith trusting in God’s love and Jesus’ example, to enter into the valley of difficult conversation around the realities of white privilege versus black experience. We have pew brothers and sisters who are praying there is a community of faith that is willing to meet them there.

God’s peace be upon you, one day closer,
Pastor Tom

As if she were reading Pastor Tom’s missive, Carrie Newcomer says, “Even in the darkest places, we are met by unexpected light, grace and help, honorable companions, and occasionally a miracle.” Hate need not be part of the journey.

Follow this link for my version of her song, I Heard an Owl Call Last Night from Carrie’s album “The Gathering of Spirits.”

– Karl Olsen

A Gift from God

Jun 2, 2020 | Pastor Jim's Blog

Today’s Word from Pastor Jim…

Five weeks after his birth, I finally got the green light to visit my youngest daughter and to hold my little grandson, Brooks. What a joy to touch his tender skin, to hear his little baby sounds, to change his diaper and to strap him into a front pack for a walk around the neighborhood. Brooks rolled his eyes when I sang to him, allaying any fears that his hearing was impaired, and confirming that he could already differentiate between music and noise.

Every baby is a miracle. Every baby is a gift from God. Holding a baby has a way of putting life into perspective. Babies remind us where we came from. We can see in them our own image, the beginning of our story; we were once fragile and totally dependent on others. The reality, of course, is that we are still fragile and totally dependent on others.

As we were changing a diaper and admiring this little gift from God, Emily reminded me that babies cannot breathe out of their mouths, and they are legally blind and colorblind. As the news from Minnesota and across the country kept coming in, I could not help but think how much better the world would be if we would just stay baby-like and remain colorblind. Then perhaps the dream of Martin Luther King Jr. would come true and children would “not be judged by the color of their skin but the content of their character.”

But being colorblind should not be the goal. The eyes that God masterfully created for us have some 7 million cones to help us determine color and detail. God could have designed us differently. We could have all been colorblind, or we could have all been the same color. Uniformity was never a part of creation. God engineered the eyes in such a way that we would have the ability to see as God sees. To see the colors of the rainbow, and the pigmented skin of humans, as a beautiful gift of diversity. To give thanks for the variety of humans, as we marvel at the colors of flowers in the garden.

Racism is a sin. Bigotry and hate are signs of a fallen humanity. Sin is always accompanied by natural consequences. The sins of the parents are visited on the third and fourth generation of those who follow. We have not yet escaped the sins of those who founded our country on the backs of slaves. The shackles still bind us, the sins of the past bind us with cables and pull us back into the tribalism of our history. When one part of the body suffers, we all suffer. We are rendered legally blind when we fail to see past the color of one’s skin.

I held my grandson for the first time this week. What kind of a world will we leave to his generation? “Red or yellow, black or white, they are precious in his sight, Jesus loves the little children of the world.” Can we love our neighbor? Can we break the curse? In 1619, “20 and odd” enslaved Africans were brought to the Virginia colony, and humanity has been suffering ever since.

May it stop now. May it stop with us.

One day closer.

Love, Pastor Jim

Lament and Celebration

Jun 1, 2020 | Pastor Jim's Blog

Today’s Word by Karl Olsen, TLC Minister of Music…

For some reason, I was up at 4:00 Saturday morning. Heading outside to let my tea steep, it seemed a good time to count my blessings. A warm bed (now only half full), a healthy family, the beautiful woods, a job I love (and still get to spend time at). Then there were the clouds moving overhead, carrying signs of both the promised sunrise and the promised rain.

And, birds.

We have been busy protecting the blueberries from them, but as with most mornings, they were noisy–busy waking up the kids and talking about worms and bugs and why the neighbors are soooo loud! They were spectacular in their morning songs, accompanied by the wind coming up from the southwest. A glorious start to the day!

Look up the hymns All Creatures, Worship God Most High, or All Things Bright and Beautiful, or When Morning Gilds the Skies for images of beauty and wonder and praise for all God’s creation. There are many other hymns of praise. It is good to spend time there.

Last time I wrote, I mentioned the Lament section of the hymnal. Short, but packed with trials, energy and sorrow. Perhaps it’s not “good” to spend time there, but in this life, and especially during this pandemic, it is important. Hymns like In Deepest Night and When Pain of the World Surrounds Us tell our story, and the story of our neighbors near and far.

Today, Monday, June 1, a number of faith leaders, supported by the U.S. Conference of Mayors, have declared this to be a National Day of Mourning and Lament, to recognize and hold in our hearts the more than 100,000 people of this land who have died due to COVID-19. You may have seen the video posted last night. It is sobering.

We also recognize those communities that have been hit disproportionately hard by this virus—the elderly, the poor and people of color, and pray that we may find it in our hearts and national conscience to repair the inequities that have led to this situation and bring us all into wholeness in the sight of God.

At noon today, we are invited to join others in taking a moment to remember those who will not return to the family table, who will not make it to retirement, or who will not grow into their full adulthood due to this disease. Their presence is deeply missed by so many families. We are encouraged to light a candle or sing a hymn or say a prayer and ring bells—all so that we might grieve their loss and celebrate their lives. And with God, we can always celebrate as we remember.

The birds heralded the morning, even as I pondered lament. The Jewish people in concentration camps, even as they shook their fists and railed against God for what had befallen them, took time to sing their prayers and praises to God. As people of faith, we remember, we grieve and we sing praise. As I said in my song during yesterday’s communion time, “I have faith that God, through me and you, is making all things new.” And, I do.

So be well, remember, love, grieve, celebrate. I will light a candle and ring a bell today, and see you behind your mask at Payless, even as we are one day closer to being together again at TLC.

Love and blessings,
Karl

Here are two songs from TLC members, one of assurance, and one of praise, by Arne Bergstrom and Jana Szabo. It is Well With My Soul, a traditional hymn, and Oh My Soul, by Casting Crowns. Enjoy.