Aug 17, 2024 | Pastor Jim's Blog
Today’s Word from Pastor Jim…
“Very truly, I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains just a single grain, but if it dies it bears much fruit.” The words of Jesus in the Gospel of John.
She was old, parts of her were just worn out. She had served well, the children who played with her had grown old now and had children of their own. She was old, had run the race, had kept the faith, and her very existence was compromised. When the big wind finally came, every ounce of her frame was strained. She had in younger years withstood greater force, but this time was just too much. She was old and down she came.
On the hillside above Trinity Lutheran Church lay the remains of an old tree. The tire swing that thrilled the young was long gone and so was she. The clean up crew backed up their trucks and out came the chainsaws. With little regard to her place in our community, she was loaded up and carted off, now little more than firewood to provide warmth when the winter winds return to her Whidbey Island home.
Her demise was not unexpected, we knew this day would come, but in the office, there was a sense of sadness. The view out the window had lost some of its charm. The weeks slipped by, and we thought of her less. Life has a way of moving on, our calendars filled, and the landscape faded again into a backdrop of green. I walked toward my car after an emotionally draining week. Three funerals were on the schedule, two more deaths had just occurred, it is the rhythm of an aging community. It was then that I was visited by hope, by mystery, by something beyond our understanding. The grassy hillside which had been occupied by a single, aged, majestic elder had now given way to three hundred new tree starts. It the face of loss, new life had taken root.
We see in a mirror dimly. We experience life only from a human perspective. In God’s created order, death never gets the last word, death leads to resurrection. With our final breath we will be reborn, nothing to fear, all the old trees before us have made it to the other side and so will we.
”Lo! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed.” The words of the Apostle Paul.
One beggar telling another beggar where to find bread, I am your,
Pastor Jim
If you would like to email Pastor Jim direct please send a note to: [email protected]
Aug 10, 2024 | Pastor Jim's Blog, Uncategorized
Today’s Word from Pastor Jim…
What is the connection between the money in the offering plate and abundant life? There are many answers to that question.
Your offerings to the church have a positive effect upon neighbors far and near. Their quality of their life is enhanced. They experience a more abundant life because you cared enough to give.
In the Middle East, Palestinians receive much needed medical care at the Augusta Victoria Hospital. You are there!
On Whidbey Island, your neighbors receive food and assistance from Good Cheer and Gifts from the Heart. You are there!
When natural disasters, wildfires, and famines strike anywhere in the world we are able to reach those in need, thanks to our partnership with Compassion International, ELCA Disaster Relief and Lutheran World Relief. You are there!
We are partners with the Bethany Nursing Homes in Everett and the Josephine Caring Community in Stanwood. Both provide non-profit Senior Care in the Lutheran tradition of caring for our neighbors. You are there!
You are in downtown Seattle supporting the work of the Lutheran Compass Center, Lutheran Community Services and our own ministry called His Hands Extended.
Young people in our community are cared for by Young Life, Ryan’s House and Readiness to Learn. With your offerings to TLC, you are there.
When your Whidbey neighbors need assistance, you are there. Our gifts support Friends of Friends, Helping Hand, Whidbey Island Nourishes and the Tiny House community in Langley.
This fall Trinty will support more than 40 students as they pursue their higher education goals at universities, colleges and trade schools. 21 of those students are TLC members. You are there as our future leaders go off to school.
In Guatemala, Trinity is a primary supporter of a program that repatriates young Guatemalans who were sent back from the Southern border of the United States. You are there, helping them to build a life in their own communities.
From college campuses to disaster sites around the world, thanks to your offerings to TLC, you are there.
What is the connection between money in the plate and abundant life?
We are blessed to be a blessing. God has blessed us beyond measure and God expects us to share from our abundance. We are blessed as we open our hearts, minds and checkbooks to God’s work in the world. Generous people lead abundant lives.
So, thank you for being there. Thank you for supporting TLC and the many benevolent causes that we support together. We can’t solve all the problems of the world, but we are making a difference!
Blessed to be a Blessing!
Pastor Jim
If you would like to email Pastor Jim direct please send a note to: [email protected]
Aug 3, 2024 | Pastor Jim's Blog
Today’s Word from Pastor Jim…
For the better part of 50 years Steve Martin has tickled our funny bones on stage and screen. Martin became our favorite “Wild and Crazy Guy” as he entertained millions with a unique combination of music, dance, and slapstick. His movie roles touched our hearts while giving us a brief vacation from everyday life. Very few entertainers in our lifetime have enjoyed the staying power of Steve Martin. Martin was and is beloved by generations of fans.
At home, it was not so simple. In a recent Apple TV documentary Martin reflected upon his relationship with father and his father’s disdain for his career choices saying, “I always thought my father was a little embarrassed by me. He couldn’t quite be proud of an unconventional showbiz act that he didn’t quite understand.”
Relationships between parents and children tend to be complicated. The magic and mystery begin with a borning cry. Quite suddenly, our hearts are taken over by love. We are not sure how this works, how a helpless seven-pound bundle from heaven captivates us. We don’t love others less; there is simply a whole new supply of love. We love our children and grandchildren, and that love makes us very vulnerable. Over a period of years, we need to make an uncertain and sometimes painful transition. Ideally a child will move from total dependence to independence, or at least a perceived independence.
Martin Luther, the great Protestant reformer, was born on November 10, 1483, in Eisleben, Germany. His parents Margarethe and Hans worked very hard to care for their family and to provide some security in the closing years of Europe’s “dark ages.” Hans was an ambitious man, and he had plans for his firstborn son. He made every sacrifice necessary to assure that his son would have a better life than his own, paving the way for young Martin Luther to be a lawyer. Hans sent his son to Latin School where he would study grammar, rhetoric and logic. In 1501 Martin enrolled at the University of Erfurt. He earned his master’s degree in 1505 and was off to Law School. Everything was going according to Han’s plan, until it wasn’t.
Martin Luther sensed a call from God to the Priesthood and dropped out of Law School. His father was furious over what he saw as a waste of Luther’s education. His father would never really understand this perceived betrayal. The tale of two Martins, one who changed the world, and one who became wildly successful entertaining the world. Two Martins whose life choices bewildered their fathers.
Change is constant and can be hard to understand. The world and American culture have changed drastically. The internet, social media, and the pandemic have disrupted the life that many of us had known; the cultural landscape of today is mostly unrecognizable to the children of the 1950’s or 60’s. Our children and grandchildren must find their way, it is our job to love them and encourage them as they do so. If we reflect upon our own journeys to maturity, I am guessing that many of our choices were bewildering to our parents.
46 years ago, the songwriter Billy Joel put it this way:
“I don’t need you to worry for me ’cause I’m alright,
I don’t want you to tell me it’s time to come home,
I don’t care what you say anymore this is my life,
Go ahead with your own life leave me alone.”
Each generation must find their own way. When your children or grandchildren change their names, their pronouns, or their gender identification you don’t really need to understand or approve, you just need to love them. They are after all, a slightly larger version of the seven pounds of flesh that stole your heart all those years ago. When your children or grandchildren come out of the closet or announce their career as a gamer or TicTok influencer, just remember the tale of two Martins. In the end, we only have two choices: Love them or lose them. Love them or lose them, it is that simple.
Living in the midst of a shifting culture is not easy. Parents today join the choir of previous generations. Their exasperated cry endures; “Kids today.” Love them or lose them. It is not easy, but it is just that simple.
One beggar, telling another beggar where to find bread, I am your,
Pastor Jim
If you would like to email Pastor Jim direct please send a note to: [email protected]
Jul 27, 2024 | Pastor Jim's Blog
Today’s Word from Pastor Jim…
This simple confession of faith is the first to be recorded among humans. Our first story is one of creation. It is a true story; however, it is not a scientific account of God’s activity. Seven days, seven 24-hour periods, is hardly sufficient for a creation that is both complex and far from complete. The created universe and planet earth is currently “under construction.” You and I are “under construction.” God is not finished with the cosmos or with you.
The closing verses of the Bible capture the ongoing nature of creation, the voice of God saying, “Behold, I make all things new.” The Bible begins by confessing that creation was intentional not accidental. Intelligent life acted with purpose and resolution, bringing order out of chaos, as a beautiful but mysterious world took shape.
“So God created humans in his image,
in the image of God he created them;
male and female he created them.” Genesis 1:27
Humans were created in the image of God. The confession of faith known as the Apostle’s Creed begins with the words, “I believe in God, the Father almighty, the creator of heaven and earth.” Humans were created in the image of God, but in our attempt to understand or explain God, we have mistakenly created God in our own image. God cannot be contained in human constructs; we are talking about the Master of the Universe here. God is love, yes! God is truth, yes! God is eternal, yes! But our perceived familiarity with the Almighty is flawed, we simply do not have the knowledge base or capacity to comprehend God.
The Bible is clear that God is intimately acquainted with us, but we see in a mirror dimly. God’s action and God’s silence remain mysterious to us. God created humans in his image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. But gender language fails us, gender language has misled and harmed us. God is not male or female, God created males and females. God is not a particular race; God created all races. Christians have a particular voice in the choir of humanity, but we do not have the corner on the market of truth. Wherever truth is found in religion, science, philosophy, literature or art, it comes as a revelation from our creator. There is no truth apart from God.
A wise Jewish man once said to me, “The question Jim, is not: who am I? The question is: who am I standing before?” May we treasure our place in God’s created order and may we embrace the humility appropriate for mere creatures.
In the beginning God created. In my beginning, without my participation, consultation or approval, God gave me the gift of life. In the ongoing creation, God will make all things new. When my time here is complete, I can trust the one who I will never fully comprehend.
One beggar, telling another beggar where to find bread, I am your,
Pastor Jim
If you would like to email Pastor Jim direct please send a note to: [email protected]
Jul 20, 2024 | Pastor Jim's Blog
Today’s Word from Pastor Jim…
In the second chapter of our first human story, in the Genesis of human history, as God was bringing this wonderful world into existence, it was clear that there was a problem with creation. “God said, ‘It is not good that the man should be alone.’” The man created in the image of God, was surrounded with the wonders of nature, pure water in the streams and seas, air untouched by pollution, majestic mountains towering toward heaven, and verdant valleys blooming with wildflowers. It was unspoiled and beautiful; and it was not enough.
“It is not good that the man should be alone.” Recognizing the problem, God began to create an amazing array of animals, birds, and fish of the sea. The man took part in creation, not the engineering or assembly, but God gave the man power to name each of the animals. It was unspoiled and it was beautiful; and it was still not enough. The man took great joy in playing fetch with his dog, and he wondered why the feline that he had named assumed that she was created in the image of God. So many animals, yet none would be a real partner for the man. It was then that God created the woman, and the rest as they say, is history.
I was reading an article last week about our aging population. The geriatric doctor’s thesis was that there are three things that largely determine the quality of our lives as we age. The first is the importance of a healthy diet. Fresh fruit, fresh vegetables and less processed food make for a healthier human body. The second is exercise. We do not need to train to be a Navy Seal, but we should keep moving, walking 30 minutes a day. The final key to aging with grace is socialization.
Humans were created to be in relationship with God, with creation, and with each other. Last Sunday, I noticed with fresh eyes the joyful socialization taking place at TLC. People were sharing stories, laughing, wiping tears from their eyes, and eating cinnamon rolls while sharing the joys and sorrows of island life. When we put ourselves in the path of the Gospel by showing up at church, we are not just nurtured by music, prayers and marginal sermons. We are touched by the human spirit. We interact with people who care and are reminded of our shared journey. Many times in my ministry I have had dear parishioners say, “Pastor this is the only time all week that I am physically touched. Don’t quit hugging us.”
Those who show up on Sunday depend on you to show up, to listen, to care, and to honor others with your time. It is not good that we should be alone. God calls us to be together. God calls us to a ministry of presence. This Sunday when you put on your Trinity tee shirt and drive down Highway 525 to worship, sing and pray, don’t forget to punch the clock for Jesus. Engage in the critical ministry that God has entrusted to you, the ministry of socialization that will allow you and others to age gracefully and experience the abundant life that God desires for you.
I will end with a few inspirational quotes:
“What love we’ve given, we’ll have forever. What love we fail to give, will be lost for all eternity.” – Leo Buscaglia
“Since you get more joy out of giving joy to others, you should put a good deal of thought into the happiness that you are able to give.” – Eleanor Roosevelt
“It was only a sunny smile, and little it cost in the giving, but like morning light it scattered the night and made the day worth living.” – F. Scott Fitzgerald
“One of the most sincere forms of respect is actually listening to what another has to say.” – Bryant H. McGill
“The art of conversation lies in listening.” – Malcom Forbes
“Listening is being able to be changed by the other person.” – Alan Alda
“When people talk, listen completely. Most people never listen.” – Ernest Hemingway
“Most people do not listen with the intent to understand; they listen with the intent to reply.” – Stephen R. Covey
“Wisdom is the reward you get for a lifetime of listening when you’d have preferred to talk.” – Doug Larson
It is not good that we should be alone. One beggar telling another beggar where to find bread, I am your,
Pastor Jim
If you would like to email Pastor Jim direct please send a note to: [email protected]
Jul 6, 2024 | Pastor Jim's Blog
Today’s Word from Pastor Jim…
She made the routine journey from Maple Ridge to Rite Aid without any problems. Patiently she waited in line, purse in one hand and a cane in the other. She approached the counter, her prescriptions were filled, she presented her insurance card and the kind cashier smiled. She owed an additional $96. Reaching for her wallet the man behind her spoke up. “I have this. We will just add it to my bill.” She was overcome with joy, not so much at saving the $96, but overjoyed by an unexpected kindness. In a world where bad news overshadows everyday goodness it served as a good reminder that most people are good. Theologically speaking, I suppose I should say that most people are mostly good.
The Apostle Paul wrote these words in his letter to the church in Rome, “God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
Could it be that we are inherently good and flawed at the same time? Saint and sinner wrapped up in one human package. Martin Luther understood and taught that we are simultaneously saint and sinner. Try as we may, we cannot escape the reality that humans are “simul Justus et peccator.” Luther wrote these words: “Thus a Christian man (or woman) is righteous and a sinner at the same time, holy and profane, an enemy of God and a child of God.”
I believe that most people are good, regardless of their religion, race, culture or orientation. People of all nations and tribes want to love and be loved, they desire good for their families and their communities, they move peaceably through the days and years of their lives obeying laws and respecting their neighbors. Regardless of the news cycle, we generally move from home to Payless, the Post Office, Church, and the ferry without any real fear for our safety. I believe that most people are good, and those who are not so good are typically products of their raising. Broken angry people were often raised by broken angry people. There are exceptions, but I believe that most people are good.
I believe that we are inherently good and flawed at the same time. How might this statement of honesty inform our daily living? Well, if all humans are inherently good and flawed at the same time, then it makes sense that we would adjust our expectations of those we love and live with. Nobody is perfect. Inherently good, but inherently flawed, that is what we are. The Apostle Paul again: “For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I do.” Romans 7:19
So perhaps we could cut each other a break, be a little more understanding of our neighbor’s flaws, and more generous with our forgiveness and understanding. Equally important, perhaps we could cut ourselves a break for being human. If all humans are inherently good and inherently flawed, then you should also not expect perfection from the one who looks back at you in the mirror.
He paid her prescription bill which renewed her hope for humanity and put a smile on her face. I believe that you are mostly good, so go out there today and spread a little random kindness. It will put a smile on your face as well.
One flawed human telling other flawed humans where to find bread, I am your,
Pastor Jim
If you would like to email Pastor Jim direct please send a note to: [email protected]
