May 25, 2022 | Pastor Jim's Blog
Today’s Word from Sheila Weidendorf…
As many of you know, I live betwixt two worlds—between my very beautiful life here on Whidbey Island and my very beautiful life in Rajasthan, India. The scales are currently in Whidbey’s favor in terms of time—most of my time is spent here and I am truly thankful for this amazing place. Whidbey Island is a an out-of-time, out-of-space crucible for healing. I have seen it time and time again—people are magically, mystically called to the island and then experience great life transformation.
But even though I only spend a little time each year in India (until I move there!), a huge part of my heart and soul lives there ALL the time. And I often feel more at home in India than I do in the U.S., in many ways. This makes my life itself a rather liminal experience. Am I here or there? Both? Neither? Just where is the I AM that I evidently am?
I really do try to live each day as present as possible to the moment—and place—in which I find myself. Wherever I go, after all, there I am. And each moment is its own beautiful truth, and nothing is ever gained by lamentation. Remaining present to each day, each moment, each breath is a way to live meditatively—whether the meditation of the moment is tears, or laughter, or music, or silence. Everything is holy, after all, and everything can be a prayer.
As challenging as it can be to live this simultaneous and seemingly dual reality, this “liminal life” comes with a beautiful invitation to pay deep attention to what “is” in every moment. It is an invitation to live in the grace of accepting each moment as it comes, wherever I find myself. For me, this kind of living is closely related to the call of Jesus to be in–and not of–the world. I don’t think this is in any way a negation of our earthly existence. After all, this earth is beautiful, and we ourselves are part and parcel of God’s creation.
And life here in God’s creation is indeed a gift. At the present stage of our biological and spiritual evolution–there is no living without a body and without some set of earthly circumstances. To simply be here is to be of God. So, what’s the problem with being “of the world?”
Perhaps “worldliness” can be related to emotional states, at least for a minute and for the sake of making a point. Emotions are neither good nor bad–they just ARE. And we are certainly entitled to our feelings, are we not? After all, there is a time for everything under the sun–rejoicing, lamenting, bliss, sorrow, and certainly righteous indignation too when facing down injustice. But our emotions are to be felt, considered as gateways of understanding ourselves and each other; our emotions are NOT to become our masters! Of what use is obeisance to a fleeting and temporary master?!?
Likewise, our earthly journeys, victories, follies, and the rest. Here we are, inheritors and stewards of all of God’s creation, with our families and our societies and cultural backdrops and religious contexts. Fine! But ARE we any of those things? Really? Perhaps the mandate to be in and not of the world is more an invitation to remember that we are spiritual beings, souls enfleshed for a time here on Earth. We are here to learn, to grow, to live, to love–and then to leave it all behind as Paster Jim so marvelously discussed with us this past Sunday!
So perhaps being not OF the world is an invitation to remain ever open to possibility, a reminder that our attachments are temporary bondage to temporal realities– sometimes beautiful, sometimes terrible, but always fleeting and illusory. But if we can walk the path beneath our feet fully, remembering that we are children of God, all, we can walk in delight, sharing our hearts and our God-given light and not worry ourselves over much about the rest of it. We can then be free to accept this gift of life on God’s green Earth, remain in gratitude for whatever comes our way, remain free from attachment to any particular outcome, do our work, shine our individual and collective Light, then be ready to leave any and all things behind as our soul’s path rises up to meet our feet, whether while here on Earth or when it comes time to meet our Maker.
In this way, it really doesn’t matter where we are. Am I in India? On Whidbey Island? It matters not. What matters is that I at least try to live authentically, to learn to love and love and love more and more deeply and cast that net far. What matters is that we live from the inside out–NOT the other way around! That’s what it means to not be OF this world–it means that we maintain our integrity and our equilibrium regardless of the vicissitudes of the world, regardless which political party takes power, regardless what evil befalls. We are not THAT. We remain whole, beautiful, loved and loving children of God.
I want to share today a song from one of my all-time favorite artists, Joan Armatrading. It’s called, “In These Times.” Essentially, she is singing the central truth of all times, of all contexts, for all people: In these (or any!) times when there is so much cause for despair, what we need is simply more love. As God loves us, let us be Lovers in this world. So be it.
Click HERE to watch a video of Joan Armatrading’s song.
With love,
Sheila
May 24, 2022 | Pastor Jim's Blog
Today’s Word from Pastor Jim…
Your support for TLC puts you on the frontline locally, nationally, and internationally. You are there on Whidbey Island supporting our neighbors who are hungry, cold, homeless, grieving, or in need of counseling. TLC supports most every non-profit on South Whidbey and many in Central and North Whidbey.
Habitat for Humanity on Whidbey started at TLC. Helping Hand receives free office space and support from TLC. Our local foodbanks, Good Cheer and Gifts from the Heart, rely on our support. We support Island Senior Resources, Ryan’s House, Mother Mentors, PFLAG, Young Life, Friends of Friends, Compass Health, Hearts and Hammers, Readiness to Learn, and the list goes on and on. You are there!
You are there! Through TLC you provide firewood to those who are cold, quilts to those who are distressed, and through Enso House, comfort to the dying.
We support two nursing homes, Camp Lutherwood, the Lutheran Compass Center in Seattle, Lutheran Social Services, Holden Village, and Lutheran Campus Ministry.
You are there! You are in Jerusalem through our support of the Augusta Victoria Hospital. You are present in the Eastern European war where TLC has forwarded more than $80,000 for refugee relief. Your gifts changed lives in Bihar, India. Our giving to the ELCA Disaster Relief brings aid to people in this country and throughout the globe.
You are there! Because of the hundreds of thousands of dollars that we have given to ELCA World Hunger, we can say with certainty that there are people alive today who would not have been alive without our gifts.
You are there! You are present on a dozen college campuses this fall providing scholarship support to 33 students. You are there as your staff provides counseling to the larger community, support at times of loss, and leadership in efforts for the common good.
You are there! You are present as our campus is used by non-profits and support groups each month.
I thank you for your generous support and love! Since this pandemic began in March 2020, we have given away more than $1,000 a day — every day — no holidays or vacations.
This is YOUR CHURCH — This is TLC. Blessed to be a Blessing!
We are making a difference in the world.
If someone asks you about your church — you can begin by simply saying…
“We are there!”
See you in church!
Pastor Jim
May 21, 2022 | Pastor Jim's Blog
Today’s Word from Pastor Jim…
Martin Luther taught that we are baptized into the priesthood. We are followers of Jesus not just on Sunday morning, but Monday through Saturday as well. We carry the name of Jesus; we are Christians. Your daily work is no less important than mine. God will open the doors for ministry for you, at work, at play, at Payless, and Useless Bay.
I opened the mail in January to find that I had been summoned for Jury Duty. My two-week stint would be conveniently scheduled for Holy Week. That did not seem practical to me. I asked to be excused or rescheduled. The Superior Court in Coupeville granted my deferral and assigned me two weeks in May.
On Tuesday, May 17 I arrived at Superior Court at 8:15 am. There were 55 potential jurors for a trial that was about to begin. We spent the day being ushered in and out of the courtroom.
Lawyers for the State and the Defense asked probing questions. “How would you define reckless?” “What does reasonable doubt mean to you?” “Have you ever been arrested?” “Are you aware of your own biases?” It was a fascinating study in human nature, an interesting insight into our judicial system, and an opportunity for community service.
At the end of the day, at 4:00 p.m., I was released from service. Who wants a seemingly self-righteous religious person sitting in judgement of them? There were many blessings on that Tuesday in Coupeville. But by far, the most inspiring was seeing Judge Carolyn Cliff in action. She was the consummate professional, prepared and ready. She was clear and direct. But she was also patient and kind. She lovingly and gracefully guided jurors through the day. There were no professions of faith from Judge Cliff, but it was clear to me that her faith guided her.
Judge Cliff and husband Butch are in church at TLC every week. Butch has given his life in service to God and country. I see them every week in their assigned seats. And every week at the end of the service they are sent out from God’s sanctuary to a world that needs them. They are members of the priesthood of Jesus Christ. They are the hands and feet of Jesus in the world.
I was so proud, sitting behind my mask and hoping not to be asked any hard questions. I was so proud of the way that Judge Cliff served and modeled the Christian lifestyle. St. Francis said, “Preach the Gospel at all times. When necessary, use words.”
Thank you, my friends Carolyn and Butch, for inspiring me to be a part of the Priesthood of all believers. May we all find our place of service this week and always.
-Painting by Byron Birdsall-
May 20, 2022 | Pastor Jim's Blog
Today’s Word from Pastor Jim…
One of the cornerstone, earth shaking, teachings of Martin Luther is that of the Priesthood of all believers.
What is a priest? A priest is one who is ordained to do God’s work. A priest takes vows; a priest wakes up each day knowing that holy work awaits them. Priests are the hands and feet of Jesus in the world; called and chosen.
In Luther’s day the Church’s teaching was quite clear. The priests did God’s work in the world, and the rest of the people did what they had to do to survive, to put food on the table, and to support the priests and nuns who did holy work.
The mundane, unclean, and unappreciated work of the lay people was a necessary evil; it was a curse of the fall in the garden of Eden. As a punishment for original sin, you will get no rest; you will labor and toil, doing secular work until the day you die.
Luther turned Christianity upside down by teaching that the priests and nuns were NO MORE important in God’s eyes than the blacksmith, the farmer, the mother, and the teacher.
Luther’s teaching on the priesthood of all believers tells us that in Baptism we are ordained, ordained by GOD, to do the holy and sacred work of God.
Every morning I rise and come to work as your pastor and someone needs me. I am needed to make coffee: to turn on the lights, to open the doors of the church, to move tables and chairs, and occasionally to plunge the toilet.
My work is no different from those in schools or office buildings across the island.
Each day people come to me needing prayer or a shoulder to cry on. Each day people COME TO YOU needing someone to listen, someone to care, someone to remind them that they are not alone.
Every day I seek to do my work to the glory of God; it is God’s work and my hands.
Every day you go places where I cannot go; your children and grandchildren need your love; your co-workers and neighbors need to hear words of hope. This is holy work.
I need you to build the planes that I fly in; this is holy work done to God’s glory. We need teachers who care. We need politicians who work for the common good. We need bakers and tellers and ferry workers.
You are the hands and feet of Christ; you were ordained in baptism to faithfully serve in your vocation. Whatever that vocation is, it is important to your neighbor, to the functioning of society, to the abundant life of our shared community.
Your vocation is YOUR ministry and, in that place, you are a priest. When parenting has you at wits end, remember that you were called and chosen for moments like this.
When your clients, co-workers, or customers are wearing you down and trying your patience, touch the water, make the sign of the cross, and remember that you were ordained as a priest.
Tomorrow, I will continue this thought by sharing a story from the past week. I was privileged to observe one of our own, as she lived out her calling to follow Jesus in daily life.
One day closer,
Pastor Jim
To make a donation to Trinity, go to https://trinitylutheranfreeland.org/give
May 19, 2022 | Pastor Jim's Blog
Today’s Word from Pastor Tom…
When he died, I grieved. He was my favorite author. The genius of Pat Conroy as a storyteller was evident from the very beginning. One of his first books, “The Water is Wide,” was made into a movie, “Conrack,” starring John Voight. His training as a school teacher quickly gave way to his life as an author. A number of his literary works lent themselves to the big screen, “The Great Santini,” and “Prince of Tides,” are two of the more well known.
I suspect one of the reasons I was so taken by his writing was that everything he wrote was at least semi-autobiographical. Oh my goodness, talk about a dysfunctional family. It was shortly after I had finished my last graduate program (M.S. in Marriage and Family Therapy, 1987) that I became infatuated with his works. His family was a case study of how broken lives find a way to not only survive, but to carve out a place of meaning, maybe even purpose. For the record, “dysfunctional,” used to be an adjective to describe broken family systems. Now it is viewed as a synonym, i.e., if you have a family, it is in some way dysfunctional.
My appreciation for Conroy’s writing was occurring about the same time Brenda and I were experiencing a growing passion for the setting of much of his writing, the low country of South Carolina. The whole coastline, from Myrtle Beach in the north to Daufuskie Island (just north of Savannah, Georgia) in the south, held for us a growing affection which led to a number of trips. To this day Charleston, S.C., is our favorite city in the U.S. We always live with the hope that one day we will return. We once considered this area as a possible retirement site, but the barriers were too high.
The Family of Israel, as recorded in the scriptures, with a 2,000-year history, certainly meets the criteria for a dysfunctional family. OMG! Take for example the time of Moses and the post Egyptian wanderings in the wilderness. A scouting team is sent out by Moses to bring back a report of the land God had promised to Abraham and his descendants. (Numbers 13-14). A land of milk and honey was the report, great news! But then the nuclear deterrent for moving forward was dropped by some in the scouting party… “They are Nephilim, we are like grasshoppers!” That is, the occupants of the promised land were too tall. Nephilim was the name of a group of pre-history giants who were demigods, the offspring of sons of gods who married the daughters of men (see Genesis 6).
It did not matter that the two leaders of the scouting team, Caleb and Joshua, argued for proceeding, “We can do it! We can take the land!” The naysayers appealed to the basic fear we all have of “Too…” That is, it is too difficult, too challenging, too tall, too much money… the list goes on. God had it with Israel. They were sentenced to 40 years in the Wilderness because they refused to believe that God would be faithful and gift them with victory despite how tall their enemies. Only when the doubting generation dies off will God start again with granting victory to a new generation.
l am praying for our next generation to stand tall in the face of reported “Nephilim.” For example: another racist mass shooting in Buffalo; a very short Nephilim ordering an invading army into Ukraine; a growing polarization of our political system for solely the purpose of gaining and exercising power; a world seemingly blowing up with the realities of climate change… the list goes on and on. Sometimes I fear my generation has just acquiesced to this as our reality. The problems are too tall, too embedded into our culture, too overwhelming… just simply too much. I pray this isn’t true, but may God grant strength and vision to the next generation to move beyond the dominion of our fears.
Conroy’s “The River is Wide,” is about descendants of slaves who never left Daufuskie Island because they couldn’t swim and the water was too wide. Their teacher, Conroy, earned the trust of the parents and took their children, (the next generation), to the other side to experience another life. Such a metaphor. To reach for something new we must be willing to let go of something old.
Jesus has already taken us to the other side; we are already citizens of this new Kingdom of God. To love and forgive and generously share is how we make that Kingdom known. I am grateful to be about this new life with you. You remind me always of the hope we have in God’s promise revealed in Jesus. Nothing’s too tall.
In peace and love,
Pastor Tom
May 7, 2022 | Pastor Jim's Blog
Today’s Word from Pastor Jim…
I attended a conference this past week with ELCA pastors from across the country. Our national ELCA Bishop, Elizabeth Eaton, was in attendance. Our Lutheran Disaster Relief partners were present and happy to see us. Trinity Lutheran Church on Whidbey Island by itself has given nearly 4% of all the money that the ELCA has raised for Eastern Europe/Ukraine Relief.
It was a great week to connect with colleagues after two years of Zoom meetings. I had the opportunity to have dinner with the President of Luther Seminary, and enjoyed another dinner with a prominent ELCA pastor from the Midwest. Sharing the journey in these pandemic days is important. As is often the case, the most valuable moments take place over coffee or dinner.
The theme of the conference was anxiety. This was much better than a conference a decade ago where a theologian talked about “hell” for 8 hours. I had a better understanding of hell after those sessions, or at least purgatory. There were some valuable takeaways from the initial sessions:
| 1. |
Anxiety puts one in a false reality. |
| 2. |
Anxiety does not know what to do with laughter. |
| 3. |
What someone else thinks about you is none of your business unless they want you to know it. |
That night I had my lifelong nightmare. I was in college, the semester was about to end, and I had not been to class in a very long time. My assignments were not up to date, I had waited too long, I needed to drop the course (too late), and I needed to talk to the professor.
I woke up having sweat out. TMI.
There are many reasons for anxiety these days. We carry a heavy load. We are anxious about the political realities in our country, the war in Ukraine, the drought in the Southwest, and the downturn in our 401K. We worry about children and grandchildren, we wait nervously for medical test results, our bodies are aging, and I can’t remember the other one.
Anxiety takes us to a false reality. We begin to think that plane travel is dangerous, we believe in conspiracy theories, we imagine that we are not safe on Whidbey Island. There are many real problems in the world and in our nation, but most of them are entirely out of our control. Managing anxiety is about accessing the danger of perceived threats, taking steps to address those things that are in our control, and trusting God for the rest.
None of us are in a position to stop the war in Eastern Europe. We will not be joining the fight, we cannot control Putin or manage military strategy, but we can support the plight of the refugees. We will do our part to come alongside of those who are suffering. Your generosity has already eased the overwhelming burden of the displaced.
Tomorrow is Mother’s Day. I would encourage you to come to church and be uplifted by songs of hope and words of grace. Get some balance in your life and be with people who are trying to live and love and follow Jesus.
One day closer,
Pastor Jim
