A Part of the Lifecycle

A Part of the Lifecycle

Today’s Word from Pastor Jim…

Sometimes I have serious conversations with God; beyond prayer, I find myself offering some advice. Sounds arrogant, does it not? I was never all that successful in school, not the most accomplished in my class, in fact, until spellchecker came along I could not even spell accomplished. Despite all that, I sometimes feel the need to guide God by offering a perspective that God might not have had time to consider. At times I just can’t make heads or tails of the workings of this world and the seemingly random nature of cancer, bad luck, or calamity. At times, I am not sure that God is working or listening.

On Tuesday I was hanging out with my grandsons. After they had spent most of the day playing outside and exhausting themselves, we sat down to rest and watch a nature show. We found ourselves on Safari in Africa. At five years of age, Cam is a student of nature. He has learned a lot by watching the series, “Wild Kratts.” As the Safari scene changed, a hyena started chasing down an antelope, hoping to have a little lunch. I said, “I don’t like hyenas, do you?” Cam said, “No, but all creatures are cool, Bapa. It is just a part of the lifecycle, all a part of the food chain.”

He was right, of course; it is all a part of a wonderful world and a created order that is mostly beyond my comprehension. The crossover to the daily struggle of humans is apparent. We do not understand the inner workings of God, we do not understand much of what happens in life, especially the random misfortune of family or friends. I was with a family preparing for the funeral of a man who had died suddenly and seemingly way too young. He was 60 years old and appeared to be fine, and then his heart just stopped. His daughter was eight months pregnant, and she was questioning me about God’s place in all of this. I said that I could explain neither God’s action or inaction. I could not defend the one who needs no defense from human cross-examinations. I did ask her if she was ready to give birth. Of course she was, all mothers are ready and uncomfortable by eight months. If the baby was to be born healthy and happy, would you give birth tomorrow? She said, “yes.” I asked her if she thought the baby would feel cheated by not having a full nine months in the womb. Emerging to a better world, would the baby desire to go back to the womb? She did not imagine that the baby would mind coming out early.

We see in a mirror dimly now. We have a limited perspective on life, creation, and death. Our eyes cannot see beyond the womb of planet earth. There is more, I am sure that there is more. I don’t expect to comprehend it, or even to appreciate it now, but someday, perhaps it will all come into focus.

Until then, I will journey on in faith. A simple man without a lot of answers. “No, I don’t like hyenas Bapa, but all creatures are cool. It is just a part of the lifecycle, all a part of the food chain.”

Much love to you all,
Pastor Jim

Staying Connected

Staying Connected

Today’s Word from Pastor Jim…

Our staff made a promise to you 455 days ago. Our promise, at the beginning of the pandemic, was that we would stay connected though we were apart. We would continue to be the church together. We promised to produce content every day: content that would be published in emails, on Facebook, and on our website. For 455 days we have produced some 550 posts, songs, updates, and games. For 65 straight weeks we have produced online worship to inspire and encourage people near and far. Just last week we heard from LaNoir Brown in Crossville, Illinois, population 600. LaNoir told us that our online worship and daily emails have been a lifesaver for her. LaNoir will celebrate her 101st birthday next month.

Our staff made a promise to you 455 days ago. Now that we are approaching our 9th in-person service back on our campus, we will be scaling back a little in our daily writing. We will break the streak on Friday, June 11th. Going forward we will be sending out content about four times a week. We will continue to produce online worship for the next couple of weeks, and then we will begin streaming our worship services live at 8:00 am each Sunday. The live stream worship will then be available for access at your convenience.

I want to thank our writers: Pastor Dennis, Pastor Eric, Rev. Dave Bieniek, Cam Castle, Kelsi Lindus, Denise Wilson, Susan Shira, Mark Winslow, Felicia Lindus, Laura Canby, Arne Bergstrom, Deacon (Old McDonald had a farm) Amy, Pastor Tom Kidd, Sheila Weidendorf, and Karl Olsen.

Finally, I want to thank you! Thank you for reading and worshiping. Thank you for your love and support. Thank you for your good attitude and your encouragement.

Life is returning to a new normal; we were blessed to journey through this pandemic together in the relative safety of Whidbey Island. We have been blessed; never in isolation, we have been blessed to be a blessing to others.

We made a promise to you 455 days ago, never imagining that this crisis would last this long. We made a promise then and we make a promise now. We are in this together; we will carry each other, and together we will carry strangers. We are not signing off; we are simply cutting back a little that we might focus on our shared life.

One day closer,
Pastor Jim

Down the Hall and Out the Door Vol. 5

Down the Hall and Out the Door Vol. 5

Today’s Word from Felicia Lindus…

Last Thursday night we had an outdoor graduation (of course!) for 10 students. Under blue skies and some wind (for an air of authenticity) we celebrated our students and this unusual year.

As graduation began, I shared a few words of thanks:

Reflections on 2021

WELL – It’s been quite a year, hasn’t it…

We are so thankful!

Thank you to all of our preschool families:
o We are grateful to all of you for trusting us to keep your children safe
o For following the health department guidelines that we were required to implement
o For tolerating the dirty children we sent home day after day after day
o AND the loads of laundry….
o For supporting our efforts as we learned new ways to teach, in all kinds of spaces and all kinds of weather

Thank you to the staff of Trinity Preschool:
o Work was harder this year, but everyone hung in, worked together and laughed at the adventure
o Special thanks go to Teacher Michelle for the vision of “The Meadow” and all of her efforts last spring and summer to make it a usable space for us to play and learn
o Special thanks to Teacher Melissa – Melissa will be moving on to new work adventures in the coming year – we have loved working and learning with you for the past 2 years
o Special thanks to Teacher Kim for investing energy in learning to use the Brightwheel app as an effective communication tool and for ALL. THE. AMAZING. PICTURES!
o Special thanks to teacher Amy for ALL. THE. ANIMALS. We got to have hands on experience with goats, chickens and pigs thanks to teacher Amy!

Thank you to the leadership of Trinity Lutheran Church:
o To Pastor Jim for encouraging us to consider what we could make work this year, and then supporting the vision while we spent money all summer preparing to open
o Thank to Mr. Karl for being willing to bring his guitar and his umbrella wherever we were so the kids could sing and dance
o Thank you to a host of strong, and tall individuals who kept our Meadow tent standing through rain and wind so that we would have dry work space in each of our outdoor locations

Thank you to the members of this congregation:
o We received financial support from many of you. This helped to offset the ongoing expenses of maintaining COVID protocols
o We are grateful to all of you who offered prayers and kind words to encourage us during this year. Our spirits were lifted and our hearts full thanks for your support

So – there were many challenges this year, but there were also many blessings.

Here are a few things we learned:
o Kids are tougher than adults: We CAN weather the weather and the kids did it with grace
o Kids have a lot to teach us about how to adapt to new circumstances with a smile on our face
o Rain suits make the slides VERY FAST!
o Hand warmers are great in our pockets, but too hot when tucked up our sleeves
o Wind is the greatest weather challenge for preschool projects – and this night is no exception
o There are no anti-fog products that keep face shields clear in wet western Washington weather
o This was the healthiest school year ever – few colds, no flu, no strep throat and no COVID
o Your children’s smiles and enthusiasm made the hardest days worth the effort
o Jesus said “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and all your mind, and love your neighbor as yourself.” Kindness is the most important lesson we hope we taught your children this year….

We ended our celebration with a visit from the Kona Shave Ice Truck. It was a sweet end to this memorable year.

Happy Summer
Felicia

Making a Difference

Making a Difference

Today’s Word from Arne Bergstrom…

I spent 35 years working in international community development and disaster response with the Christian organizations World Vision and World Relief. It was a calling to be the hands, feet, and voice of God to suffering people in our world. We lived 10 years overseas in the Philippines, Papua New Guinea, and Sudan. We developed projects to help the poorest of the poor in rural villages and urban centers around the world. I have spent much of my time with the people of Asia, Africa, and Eastern Europe that have no hope that their world would ever change for the better. I have responded to some of the worst human disasters with Vietnamese boat people, on the Thai – Cambodia border refugee camps, famine in East Africa, genocide in Rwanda, and war in Eastern Europe. These experiences were overwhelming for me as there was so much need and limited resources and opportunities for change.

I came upon a story by Loren Eiseley that became such a source of hope and encouragement for me. A young father brought his little girl to the beach. There had been a high tide and storm the night before. The beach was full of thousands of sea stars that had washed up on the beach. It was clear that they were in danger with the low tide and hot sun. The little girl began picking up a sea star and throwing it back in the water. She continued walking down the beach throwing sea stars in the water. A man passing by said to her “Little girl, why are you doing this? Look at the beach. You can’t save all these sea stars. You can’t begin to make a difference.” The little girl was puzzled for a moment. She bent down, picked up a sea star, and threw it in the water. “Well,” she said, “I made a difference for that one!”

We can make a difference in this world each day. There is so much need that it can be overwhelming. Mother Theresa reminds us that God does not call us to be successful, but to be faithful. We can make a difference to the people we meet each day with words of encouragement and affirmation. We can help groups helping the homeless and feeding those in need by volunteering or offering financial support. We can support organizations working internationally in communities and areas of disasters with food and shelter. We can make a difference each day with the “sea stars” we meet along the path of the Gospel.

Arne Bergstrom

New Beginnings, Bittersweet Endings

New Beginnings, Bittersweet Endings

Today’s Word from Pastor Jim…

It was a beautiful Thursday afternoon on Whidbey Island. June had arrived, the sun-bathed green landscapes were accented by blooming flowers and the ever present yellow of scotch broom. In a brief four-hour period, I would take part in, and witness, new beginnings and bittersweet endings.

My arrival at the wedding site brought warm greetings and lavish hospitality. There would be time for celebration, but I had to be all business in my business suit and clerical collar. There were a dozen little details that had to be addressed if the ceremony was to come off without blemish. Photographers, DJs, mothers, a groom with his father, the wedding party, and two, cute as could be, flower girls were assembled and in position. It was time to start. All I needed was the bride and her father. How long they had dreamed of this walk down the aisle.

When she answered my call and emerged from the dressing room, she was resplendent, glowing, wearing a gown that had graced her mother’s wedding, a gown that her grandmother’s imagination had called out of lifeless bolts of material decades ago. Weddings were rarely emotional early in my career, but with three daughters, and having made that slow walk down the aisle with my little girl on my arm, I am now prone to tears at most weddings.

The wedding came off without a hitch. It was a magical day on a dock, the end of one chapter, and the beginning of a lifetime of new beginnings.

The wedding was over, the license was signed, and I was off to the Trinity Preschool Graduation. The ten who were graduating had weathered the pandemic school year, and now walked the aisle as Pomp and Circumstance played. Parents, grandparents, and siblings held cell phones to capture the moment for posterity. Though they had practiced earlier in the day, the mostly 5-year-olds acted like 5-year-olds; as if to say, that it was perfectly controlled chaos, just as it should have been. Teacher Michelle interviewed each student, as the gathered guests gained some insight to the Preschool experience. Much like the NFL draft, there was an announcement that informed the adoring family members and friends of what kindergarten team the new graduates would be a part of next fall.

The students, many of whom had been with us since they were two years old, would not be returning. They would be moving on; we would not see their smiling faces or bandage their skinned knees anymore. My grandson Camden was among the graduates. He will no longer bounce into my office and up into my lap three days a week. Next fall, when the preschoolers sing in the meadow at the end of the school day, there will be no one for me to pick up. Bittersweet indeed.

The graduation came off without a hitch. It was a magical evening that ended with the students lined up for shaved ice treats. It was the 35th Graduation of the Trinity Preschool, the end of one chapter and the beginning of a lifetime of new beginnings.

Savor each day my friends, savor each day.
Love, Pastor Jim

The New Kid

The New Kid

Today’s Word from Deacon Amy…

Have you ever been the new kid? It can be pretty overwhelming. My daughter, Ava, finally got to bring her new kid home this week. You might remember me writing about this little goat a few weeks ago when Ava was trying to choose a name for him. After reviewing several name suggestions from her friends and from all of you, she decided to call him Tucker. We think it suits him well.

Tucker is the newest new kid on our farm. Over the years we’ve brought several new critters home to our little farm, and I can tell you that the excitement never gets old. I can also tell you that each introduction is unique. While the animals tend to share some common responses to their new homes, each one reacts to the new situation in their own way.

Some seem to settle right in with no adjustment period at all. Some take their time exploring their new surroundings and meeting each new pasture-mate. Some, like little Tucker, are more cautious. He is timid around the bigger goats, and keeps his distance. We’ve had other animals react the same way, and they always end up finding their place in the herd. Sometimes it just takes a little while.

So, we’ve been doing our best to help with the adjustment. We kept him in an enclosed pen within the field for the first 24 hours, but we didn’t leave him there alone. First, we watched the other goats interact with him, and chose a gentle goat to be his roommate for the night. When we came out the next morning, the two of them were snuggled up together. After this first adjustment period, we let him out in the field with the rest of the herd. He still kept his distance during the day, but he was moving around eating, drinking, and behaving like a goat. At night, we still put him in the enclosed pen just to make sure he’s safe. Tonight, he’s with a new roommate. We’re hoping that she will help him to adjust even more.

We know it won’t be very long before he fits right in with the rest of the herd. He just needs a little extra support to help him get there, and we’re happy to offer that for him.

Sometimes we all need a little extra support. We all need to know that there is someone watching over us, and caring for us. Jesus reminded us that we are never alone. “And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:20.

When we’re feeling like the new kid, when we’re facing challenges and new situations, we need to remember that there is always someone looking out for us. Just like little Tucker, we’ll find our place in the herd. The Spirit will be with us as we make our way and adjust to whatever might come our way.

Deacon Amy

P.S. Tucker’s ears are green in the picture because he just got his identification tattoos. The ink will wear off soon.