What's the difference.....

 Recently I bought a new car.  I hate spending that kind of money, and I needed a new car.  I just wanted to get it over with.  I was going to go in, drive the car I had researched, get in and get out with the new car.  I don't do these things often, so how was I to know this would take the better part of an afternoon.

While sitting with the people as we were working on the financing, I was asked an interesting question.  Because my "occupation" was listed on the form, the man asked me, what kind of minister was I?  I guess I could have answered that in many ways, but I simply answered Lutheran.  I found out his children attended a parochial school and therefore he had some experience with the Lutheran tradition. I was going to let it go at that, until he asked me--what is the difference between Missouri Synod and Wisconsin Synod?

He knew all Lutherans weren't the same: Lutheran isn't Lutheran isn't Lutheran.  And at the same time, he didn't know that the ELCA (Evangelical Lutheran Church in America) existed. 

So I told him, "I don't know all the differences between Missouri and Wisconsin, but I'm a minister in a different Lutheran branch--we are the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.  To my surprise, or not, he had never heard of this.  So he asked me what made us different?

I did the easy answers, and the most obvious--though we know there are many.  I told him first, I would not be accepted as a pastor in the Missouri or Wisconsin traditions--this authority is only granted to men. I told him that the communion table is open, that anyone can receive communion without being a member or receiving prior permission from the pastor. I said there is some difference in how we understand scripture and said a little more about that. 

So anyone can come?  I said absolutely, everyone is welcome.  We believe all creation is created by

God and therefore worthy of God.  He said, everyone?  I said yes, everyone. We strive to welcome all people. He asked a few more questions and then I did say to him, yes, we welcome all people and families--including those who are in same gendered relationships and those whose gender identity is not what some traditionally understand. 

I was ready for the backlash. Another worker came in and the man I was talking to said, Julie is a Lutheran pastor and her church welcome people in same gendered relationships, all people. This prompted the conversation of how this other person had not been in church in a very long time because his tradition didn't accept him and he felt the judgement. I shared that I understand because not everyone even in our church would be "accepting" but at the same time as the church we believe God is for all people, and in the words of the youth we heard on Sunday, all people belong! 

It became a wonderful conversation (as I waited for my car paperwork to be done!). I gave him my card, told him yes, there is an ELCA congregation in his town, but they are also welcome at Ascension anytime.

My point is this--you never know when you will have the opportunity to tell people about a Jesus who laid down his life for the world, the whole world; to tell people that God loves everyone, to tell them there is a place for you at Jesus' table.  Christ's world is not one for only the privileged, powerful and the ones that fit a certain mold.  

One of the greatest hymns we sing is I love to Tell the Story... because it says both these things in the song--

I love to tell the story to those who know it best! AND I love to tell the story for some have never heard! 

What would you tell people about Jesus? 

Pastor Julie Bailey

Hearing what isn't said

 I have two distinct memories of listening to someone else preaching--one is sort of funny and off the wall.  

I was attending a worship service at a church--it was a really hard week of seminary, and I probably would have preferred to stay in bed and definitely not be around people!  But I went to a congregation I had been to before, and usually there weren't many I knew there. I heard the pastor preach--and I can't tell you today what he said--but the songs and the preaching spoke directly to whatever my struggle was at that time. A friend of mine was also there and she asked if I wanted to do lunch after and I agreed.  During lunch, I talked with her about the service, how I am so glad the Spirit forced me out of bed, and I went on to say all the things this pastor had said that helped. After a while, Margie said to me, I don't know what you were listening to, but I didn't hear any of that!

The other memory is in a preaching class and one of my classmates brought in an old record player that I remember from my younger years. It was like a yellow suitcase, and you opened it up and it played albums. I think he played Tradition from Fiddler on the Roof--but all I heard in my head was Shaun Cassidy singing Da Doo Ron Ron--which I had played over and over on my record player.  I heard nothing the classmate preached about.

Whether you realize it or not, these things happen to all of us.  Some example leads us to a memory of the past that gets in our mind, and we lose focus for a bit--maybe we get back to listening, maybe not. Maybe there is a word that triggers us or a phrase that we hear and just get the feels--good, bad, angry, hurt. Or the preacher brings up something that we disagree with, with the preacher and yes, even disagree with Jesus about. When these things happen, we don't really hear what is being said, we hear what we think we hear.  

I do believe that this is partly the work of the Spirit. I needed to hear those words of the Spirit that week I went to worship. I believe the Spirit spoke to me as I needed to hear. But I also know sometimes I get in my own way.  I hear words like "stay in your lane"--which is a trigger for me, and I shut down. Some of us hear of current events that are splitting countries, family and friends, and fail to listen to the full message--we have already jumped to a conclusion. Sometimes we look at a sermon as the pastor telling us what we need to do, and other times it is simply a challenge for us to think and reflect. 

As one who writes at least one sermon a week, and generally more than that--this is some of the pressure. God created the whole world, not just the church. But I know that if I speak to situations in the world, that is under God's authority, someone is going to accuse me of being too political.  Years ago someone accused me of preaching one of the platforms from one of the major political parties. When I asked what it was that I said it was feed the hungry. I tried hard not to laugh, but I did say something like well we better talk with them because they stole the words of Jesus and are preaching his platform!

We are about to engage in the holiest week of the church year, beginning with Palm/Passion Sunday. Jesus will ride into Jerusalem like a king, like political leaders of the day--but not quite. He won't come in on a strong horse, but a common donkey. And it won't take long before he is approached by church and political leaders for the things he is saying that they don't like, that offend them, that are threatening. There will be shouts of Crucify him, let the criminal go free. There will be those who say nothing, and maybe a few who will say under their breath so no one hears and can call them out, maybe he is the Son of God. Those who said I will follow wherever you go will instead deny and hide from authorities. 

I tend to look at preaching as part of a conversation--beginning with God conversing with me throughout the week through the assigned readings and the experiences of the week, through prayer and the Spirit as the message is formatted, and then with the congregation as we preach together. I love conversation afterwards, what did you mean by this.  One man in a former congregation gave me one of the best compliments I think I have ever heard--he came to my office after worship and said, "I hated your sermon, and it was the best sermon you have ever preached." 

When I worked for the synod office, I often had one shot to preach a sermon to that congregation, to that group of people. If it was a good one, yeah.  If not, I was known as a bad preacher. I trust in our relationship together there is grace for our preaching together. I also know some struggle with offering that grace. 

So when you hear a sermon, especially one that you don't like, it offends you, or the like, ask yourself what you think was the point of the sermon.  (I used to have youth do sermon notes, and what they thought I was preaching about and what I thought I was preaching about were often two different things--maybe we can institute that for all). Have conversation with the pastor or with others, not just those who you know will think the same as you, but I would be thrilled if through the week people would say in the sermon you said x and I wonder xyz. Go back and read the text and see if they strayed in a way you don't understand. Spend time questioning yourself, reflecting, getting into the Word yourself.  Preaching is for the community; it is not just a spectator sport.  And know that it might be you heard something that wasn't said.

But hear these words--Jesus loves you as you are! Jesus isn't finished with you yet.  Love God, love your neighbor-period. Jesus is with you always!  I hope you heard these words right!

What does the Scripture actually say? What does this reveal to us about the God we confess?

 A couple weeks ago I preached a sermon that shared some alarming statistics.

One of the questions was about how often one reads the Bible in a year apart from being in worship or at a church event where it is mandated (I would guess this would be like devotions in a meeting, not necessarily a Bible study.) The research showed:

        27% Never
        14% less than once a year
        9% one or two times a year
----------------------------------------------------

50% of people reported that they read the Bible less than two times per year!

Of the other 50%, 

        8% three or four times a year
        7% once a month
        8% once a week
        14% four times a week
        13% every day

My question is, how can we really know what the Bible says if we don't actually read the Bible ourselves?  How many of us have heard someone say--the Bible says.  I learned growing up that the Bible says God helps those who help themselves--later I found out that is nowhere in the Bible, and God actually is available to help those who can't help themselves. 

We may have heard money is the root of all evil.  This is a little closer to what the Bible says, but there is a significant different--the Bible says--the LOVE of money is the root of all evil.  See the difference?

Love the sinner, hate the sin?  God won't give you more than you can handle?  Cleanliness is next to Godliness?

How can we truly discern God's will for us if we don't know what the Bible actually says?  If the Bible  reveals to us who God is, if it is the cradle that holds the Christ, it would benefit us to know what the Bible actually says.

It is hard to get into the habit of reading scripture. However, the discipline is important for those of us who follow Christ.  To make it easier, I want to start recording a reading from scripture every day--where we will read through an entire book of the Bible.  We aren't going to pick and choose what we like or those passages that are easy.  We will read through parts that are hard to hear, that we may not understand, and let those sit with us as they are.

I am beginning with 1 John--partly because it is February, and 1 John talks a lot about love (Valentine's day and such).  I began to post on our YouTube channel on February 1, 2025, and will continue to post daily. This is also one of my favorite books in scripture and probably one of my favorite verses is in chapter 4.

May you be opened to hear the Word of God!

Pastor Julie

Join our YouTube Channel at (21) Ascension Lutheran Church - YouTube

February 1, 2025   https://youtu.be/1uaF54AYS0c

February 2, 2025  https://youtu.be/Wc90P999--o

February 3, 2025  https://youtu.be/FMPKz_gPqXk

There are Two sides to Every Story

 False.  There are not two sides, at least in most cases there are multiple sides to every story.  I remember on a youth event many years ago I went to have dinner with my family while the other adult leader had dinner with the youth at the event.  When I returned, four of the children wanted to be the first to tell me what happened.  Even though they were describing the same event, they all had a different take--and I am sure none of them told me the WHOLE story.

In the past weeks, I have heard this a lot--there are two sides to every story--and it seems like the other side is the one that wants to prove the other is wrong.  Just because there are two sides to the story does not mean both or either are right.  

In my ministry, I have served with people who were alive during WWII and who served in Germany, and who lived in Germany.  I know from history the atrocities of Hitler, and I heard stories of those who lived in Germany at the time that roads were being fixed and things seemed to prosper.  Are both true.  I have no reason to doubt it--but roads being fixed and prosperity will never be the "other side of the story" to justify the holocaust.  No matter what, the Holocaust was evil!  

In our world today, at least in our country, we believe we have the right to free speech.  I am not a history major or a constitutional expert, but I do remember something about this from learning.  But free speech is not the other side of the story for hateful speech of racism, classism, sexicism--hate speech is hate speech and there are consequences to that--no matter what the other side of the story is.  Politicians, no matter how great we believe their policies are need to be held accountable to hate speech.  Leaders need to be held accountable. 

Calling someone out in truth is not defaming someone--it is naming the wrong, calling out the ignorance--of your not knowing.  Denial or continuing to say hateful things or blame others as the other side of the story is no longer ignorance--for now you know and must be held accountable.  

We are about to celebrate one of the most joy filled and holy times of the year as we remember the joy of Jesus coming to earth.  We celebrate the joy.  But there is another side of the story--Herod was threatened.  King Herod did not find joy in the coming of a king, or even the prospect of a coming king.  It is his side of the story that led the magi not to return as he had asked.  It was his side of the story that led Mary and Joseph to flee and become refugees in another country because their lives were being threatened.  Both sides of the story are true, but one is faithful.  One is a story of love and the other of fear.  1 John 4:18 says there is no fear in love.  

We face many issues in our daily lives where there are two sides to the stories--but generally one is more faithful to the love Jesus commands.  We can even make difficult decisions about issues while being faithful to love.  

A few years ago in public someone called me frustrating.  I have lived with the impact of that for years.  I have learned to embrace this, but I would call it more of an agitator or challenger.  Jesus has called me not to ignore or be passive about harmful speech directed toward anyone, or anything that does not further the mission of God.  The ways things have always been, the way we learned them as children, or the way we witness leaders and personalities on TV must be called out, addressed, named in order to make a difference. We must realize there are consequences to these actions, and learn from them to be better.  God is with us.  Let us live as if each person we encountered was Christ.  

On the Eve of Thanksgiving

As we gather with family and friends, please hold these things in prayer- 

1.Those who are alone without anyone to share the holiday with. Give thanks for places like the East Side Soup Kitchen and for those who choose to spend part of their giving thanks with people they may not even know. 

2. For those whose thanksgiving meal does not consist of the abundance many of our tables will present. 3. For those of whom this Thanksgiving memory is not one of joy but a day of mourning--the native people whom inhabited this land before Europeans came and took the land by force. 

It is important to remember the true history--as one member of the congregation told me, history is taught so we don't repeat it. I would add we have to teach the true history for that to happen. 

I am saddened greatly as I recall my learning of history as a child. I grew up in Nebraska, so the movement west was a central part of our Nebraska history. Although we discussed the native people, they were depicted as savage and murderers; whereas the European settlers were depicted as peaceful, cooperative, generous. It didn't even cross my mind that as settlers claimed their land, others were displaced, often by force. I have to wonder if we realize that we are part of history that continues to repeat itself around the world. 

I would encourage you to spend some of your holiday researching the truth. And with thanksgiving, let's give thanks for all perspectives, for all people, that together we will live in unity with our diversity recognized as a gift. 

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/blogs/national-museum-american-indian/2022/11/23/thanksgiving-from-an-indigenous-perspective/

 https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2023/11/22/thanksgiving-story-native-american-

history/71563811007/ https://www.bing.com/videos/riverview/relatedvideo?q=thanksgiving+from+an+indigenous+perspective&mid=704730C4D2363576FC47704730C4D2363576FC47&FORM=VIRE

Alleluia! Christ is Risen!

 

It is about one week post Easter.  I loved the worship space when we entered on Sunday--the flowers up front, the butterflies that signal new life, the people!  Mostly I loved saying and singing Alleluia.  

As we come into the second week of Easter, I am just as excited.  New life is here and now.

When I was growing up, I think I believed Jesus died so I would go to heaven.  What I did and said probably was my way of ensuring I would go to heaven.  I was taught, whether intentionally or not that faith is something we have here to go to heaven in the future.  We focused on "Jesus died for our sins."   I don't really remember when that changed.  Yes, Jesus died for our sins, but the dramatic, hopefilled, eternal truth is Jesus is risen!

I am rarely concerned about heaven.  I trust the words of Jesus and believe that Jesus will come and take me to the place where he has led the way when my time comes.  I have all the faith in the world that my parents, my brother, grandparents, friends, colleague and parishioners are with Jesus in heaven.  It isn't up to me--for we are made right with God by grace, a free gift--and I can not earn it, not even if I believe hard enough.

Resurrection faith is important here and now. It is the promise of forgiveness and the strength to forgive.  It is the promise that in the midst of everything in the world that is tragic, there is still hope because of Jesus.  It is the promise that failure does not have the last word, death does not have the last word.  

May we not forget as we live day by day, Alleluia!  Christ is Risen.

I am Ready for Easter--I think!

 I was planning on reviewing my sermon, and going to bed.  I think I'm ready for tomorrow--for the celebration of Easter.  It was a good Holy Week but I am ready for the celebration of resurrection. 

Or am I?  Because resurrection means new life, it means things don't aways appear as I expect, and my old and comfortable ways may not be the way to new life. Resurrection means that I stop returning to the tomb where my guilt was laid to rest, once and for all by Jesus Christ.  

This week has been a tough week.  As those of you who know me, it isn't because it was Holy Week and as a pastor one of my "busiest."  You see, I have known for a long time about this week coming, so it has been in the making for quite some time.  Worship planning has been done for weeks, and all I needed to do was listen to the Holy Spirit as they revealed to me what to proclaim.  

This is a tough week because so much has been out of my control. Doctors appointments are leading to more doctor appointments, messing with plans I had already made, and leading me into some of those unknowns that we all fear.  Because of who I am and my need to plan, I immediately got coverage for when I know I will need to be off. Things I had hoped to do and people I had planned to visit didn't happen, and I have guilt about all that.  I leave for vacation in a week, and there is so much that needs to be done before I go.

I worshiped Thursday night with joy as we celebrated the love that Jesus has for us, in the breaking of bread and the washing of feet.  I worshiped Friday recalling how Jesus suffered, died and was buried; offering himself in love for us. 

And I prepared today for the sermon tomorrow, when we will shout Alleluia, Christ is Risen. I am ready to sing the Easter songs, because it is the resurrection of Christ where we find the hope and strength to deal with whatever comes our way.  Here is an excerpt from the sermon for tomorrow:

This is not an assurance that nothing can go wrong, because things will go wrong.  It isn’t assured that everything will turn out for the best, because if we were honest, we know that isn’t true.  It is assurance that whatever happens to us, whatever our day may hold, God has the power to strengthen us and uphold us, that whatever we must face, we do not face it alone.  Nothing, absolutely nothing we encounter is stronger than God’s love, and ultimately God has the final word.  The final word over sin, and the final word over death.  Christ is alive, death could not hold him.

As I go to bed, I will rest in the assurance of God's love and grace made known to us in the resurrection of Jesus.  

May we all sleep this Easter Eve in the promise of our Lord Jesus Christ, encountering Jesus along our journey.