ELCA Blogs

John Wertz, Blacksburg, VA

Warm-up Question

We all make mistakes. Share one excellent mistake you have made and what you learned from the experience.

A Mother’s Forgiveness

In December 2012, Josh Brent, an offensive linemen with the Dallas Cowboys, got into his car after a night of drinking and was involved in a one car accident. His passenger, Jerry Brown, Jr., a teammate and Josh’s best friend, was killed in the crash. At the time of the accident, Josh’s blood alcohol level was .018 – twice the legal limit. He was eventually convicted of intoxicated manslaughter and served 180 days in jail and was sentenced to 10 years of probation. In June 2014, Josh was released from jail and in early September, he was conditionally reinstated by the National Football League and given a 10 game suspension. If all goes as planned, Josh will return to the football field a mere two years after his deadly accident.

While some people were outraged that Josh didn’t serve more time in jail and other people were surprised that the NFL would allow him to return to the field at all, Stacey Jackson, the mother of Jerry Brown, Jr., announced that she was “very happy Josh has been reinstated with the Dallas Cowboys!” Shortly after the accident, Jackson publicly stated that she had forgiven Josh and that she hoped others, including the Dallas Cowboys would do the same. At Josh’s sentencing, she asked the court for leniency saying, Josh is “still responsible, but you can’t go on in life holding a grudge. We all make mistakes.” When the news of his reinstatement was made public, she affirmed her forgiveness and her hope that Josh would be given the opportunity to rebuild his life. “My beautiful son”, she said, “is in Heaven now, and Josh has to be given a chance to live his life and do something for someone else! We all make mistakes, and we all have an entrance date and an exit day. Although I miss Jerry every day, I know he would be very happy that Josh has another chance to play football!”

Discussion Questions

Do you think the NFL should have reinstated Josh Brent?
How do you think you would have reacted if you had been Stacey Jackson?
According to Mothers Against Drunk Driving, over 300,000 people drive drunk each day. To combat this problem, some people are proposing blood alcohol concentration (BAC) testers be added to all automobiles. How would you feel about having to pass a BAC test each time you needed to start your car? What arguments could you make for and against this requirement?

Lectionary 24

Genesis 50:15-21

Romans 14:1-12

Matthew 18:21-35

(Text links are to Oremus Bible Browser. Oremus Bible Browser is not affiliated with or supported by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. You can find the calendar of readings for Year C at Lectionary Readings.)

For lectionary humor and insight, check the weekly comic Agnus Day.

Gospel Reflection

shutterstock_205370161edit When Peter asks, “Lord, . . . how often should I forgive. As many as seven times?” (Mt 18:21) It appears that Peter is hoping Jesus will give him a clear, definitive answer. It appears that he is hoping Jesus will say something like “You must forgive offenses one to six, but once you reach offense number seven, then withholding forgiveness is perfectly acceptable.” Instead of providing a simplistic black and white answer, Jesus responds “seventy-seven times” and offers Peter a parable that demonstrates God’s generous forgiveness, the difficulty we have in extending forgiveness to others and the call we have to model God’s forgiveness in our relationships with others.

As the parable begins, we see a king ready to settle his accounts. We see a slave facing a debt that is impossibly large and we see a king ready to take the steps necessary to secure repayment. The order is given for the slave, his family and all his possessions be sold, but then something remarkable happens. The slave asks for patience and mercy and out of pity, the king forgives the debt. While the king doesn’t specifically say to the slave, ‘Go and do likewise’, it is clear that the king expects his generous forgiveness to be reflected in the life of his servant. Shortly after receiving this generous act of forgiveness, however, the slave finds himself on the other side of the equation. A debt is owed to him, mercy is requested, but unlike the king, this slave refuses to extend forgiveness. When the king finds out, he is furious. How could one receive mercy and forgiveness and not share mercy and forgiveness with others?

We too have received a generous gift of forgiveness from our King. In the waters of baptism, we are washed in the generous promise that thanks to Jesus’ death and resurrection our debt of sin is paid. Like the slave, the question for us is “How will we respond to this generous gift?” Will we receive God’s gift of forgiveness, yet refuse to share it or will we receive God’s gift of forgiveness and build on that gift to extend God’s forgiveness generously and freely to those around us?

Discussion Questions

What would the world be like if there was a law that said you only had to forgive the same person seven times in a lifetime?
Think of the last time someone forgave you. How did it make you feel to be forgiven? What difference did that forgiveness make in your life?
What are ways that you can draw on the strength of God’s forgiveness to help you forgive others?

Activity Suggestions

Using the Confession and Forgiveness in the ELW (pg. 98) as a model, work as a group to write a prayer of confession that relates specifically to your life. Ask if your prayer can be used in Sunday worship or just use it in a service with your group.
Try adding the phrase “I forgive you” to your life. When someone says, “I’m sorry.” Reply “I forgive you” instead of saying “Ok” or “Thanks”. Pay attention and see how it feels to actually say “I forgive you” to another person

Closing Prayer

Merciful God, in the waters of baptism, you connect us to the promise of forgiveness and new life. Help us receive your forgiveness in our lives and to know the good news that your ability to forgive is greater than our ability to sin. Inspire us to offer mercy and forgiveness to the people in our lives. Amen.

Megan Brandsrud

In May, a series of 9 wildfires broke out in San Diego County, Calif. Severe Santa Ana wind conditions and a heat wave played contributing factors in the spreading of the fires. By the time all of the fires were contained, more than 29,000 acres of land had been burned.

Through an initial $10,500 commitment from Lutheran Disaster Response, Lutheran Social Services of the Southwest, Lutheran Social Services of Southern California and Inter-Lutheran Emergency Response Team are working together on the Long-Term Recovery Committee to provide assistance in the area impacted by the wildfires.

Long-Term Recovery Committees are essential in the aftermath of a disaster to help impacted communities recover, rebuild and adjust to their “new normal.” Long-Term Recovery Committees provide a place for people who were impacted by disaster to ask questions and get connected with necessary resources for their recovery. The Long-Term Recovery Committee in San Diego County will help people who have been impacted by providing resources for needs that are not met by insurance coverage to assist in rebuilding.

The wildfires not only caused property damage—they caused environmental damage. Rebuilding and new growth will be a long process. We keep the community of San Diego County in our prayers and we walk with them on their recovery journey.

Beyoncé and Jay-Z brought their show to Chicago’s Soldier Field recently. Friends who went said it was fabulous. Most of the tickets were in the $250 range. Teenaged “sneakerheads” think nothing about spending the same amount―or more―on a pair of Lebron James signature shoes. And for the first time since 2003, teen spending on food, Starbucks being their favorite, has eclipsed spending on clothing.

Taking Stock.When I hear numbers like these, I’m convinced that the life-defining experience of the ELCA Youth Gathering is a bargain.While we can’t compete with Beyoncé and Jay-Z, the evening main stage events at the Gathering are, for many teens, the first time they will experience a Christian rock band – live, or hear a world-renowned speaker – in person, or celebrate Holy Communion with thousands of their peers – in the flesh. That experience alone is priceless. But wait, there’s more.

Young people who attend the Gathering will also spend a day offering their service in and around Detroit, an act of love in Christ’s name. Some will board up blighted homes to create safer environments in which families can live, work and play. Other ELCA youth will be planting and/or weeding urban gardens and meeting the people who depend on the gardens for their very existence. Some young people will work with Detroiters who are recycling abandoned tires from city streets, repurposing them into welcome mats and flip-flops. Some youth will work side-by-side with Detroit school students as part of a summer reading program. Still others will be helping to transform neighborhoods from urban bleak to urban chic by working with local artists to enliven neighborhoods through art.

On another day at the Gathering, congregations will gather as synods. Call this day a fan club meeting, or a block party, or a synod meetup. On that day young people will tell stories – God’s story (as told in the Gospel of Mark), their story, our story. They might even hear their bishop’s story, as she or he will be with them the whole time. Who wouldn’t like to hear about their bishop’s confirmation experience or see his or her photo? By the time the Synod Day ends, youth will be able to tell a story that transcends personality to reflect God’s profound truth about who they are and who others are in Christ.

The third program day is like a day at a carnival with a purpose. Sound strange? Just ask the young people who have sat at the edge of the high=ropes platform, 25 feet off the floor, pondering the risks God is asking them to take for the sake of their faith. Or talk to the kids
who chatted with Lutheran Men in Mission as they waited for the bumper boats about the “bumper” that God promises us, always protecting us from fear and death. Or the great faith conversations the foursomes had on the ninth hole of the mini golf course about being claimed by God no matter how many times we miss the mark. Rather than politicians trying to get your attention as you walk the 500,000-square-foot grounds, at our carnival youth get the attention of representatives from ELCA colleges and universities, or find out what ELCA Advocacy staff are doing in Washington, D.C. The opportunities are endless.

Before I end this blog post, I want to highlight the Community Life opportunities at this Gathering, a bargain at any price. While Detroit spans over

142.9 square miles, the downtown area is rather compact. Whether youth are at the Cobo Convention Center or Ford Field, or walking along the Riverwalk, there will be music and activities they can enjoy together with existing and new friends.

Five stadium shows, a day of service, a carnival with a purpose, and a host of other activities. If you are a savvy shopper who knows the value of a dollar and the value of a life-defining experience, you definitely will want to register a group for the Gathering in Detroit next summer. Take it from one who has been privileged to witness the Holy Spirit change and direct the lives of thousands of teenagers through five previous Gatherings. What your young people will take away is priceless. I encourage your congregation to do whatever it can to give them the experience of a lifetime.

Mary Minette, Director of Environmental Advocacy

”Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, who for the sake of the joy that was set before him endured the cross, disregarding its shame, and has taken his seat at the right hand of the throne of God.”

Hebrews 12:1

On September 21, 2014, hundreds of thousands – perhaps even millions – of people are expected to gather in New York City for what may be the largest march to date on climate change. During the upcoming People’s Climate March, marchers will be asking global leaders, who will meet at the United Nations later that week, to take this issue seriously and to pledge themselves to action on this critical issue that threatens our children’s future and the future of God’s creation.

I’m planning to be there, along with thousands of other people of faith, because I see climate change as a threat to the future of God’s creation and the lives of all those to come. God created the earth and called on us to take care of it and Jesus called on us to care for our neighbors, whoever and wherever they may be. Stewardship and love of neighbor demand that we act on climate change: ours is the first generation to feel the impacts of a changing climate in the form of more extreme weather and rising sea levels, and ours is the last generation with a chance to do something to stop it.

When I first heard about the march, I was skeptical–I struggled with the idea of thousands of people traveling to New York, emitting carbon into the atmosphere, for a single day’s event. But we are at a critical moment on a critical issue, and maybe this march will mark a beginning. My hope is that this will be the day that turns the tide and changes the hearts and minds of the cloud of witnesses that surround us, and marks the new beginning we need if we are to protect God’s creation for our children and their children.

This past week the New York Times reported that the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the group of scientists that periodically comes together to report on the latest science on climate change, will release the final part of its Fifth Assessment report next month. For the first time, this report will include the word “irreversible.” The draft report outlines a sobering reality – unless all countries act very soon and very deliberately to reduce emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases, some of the worst predictions of prior reports will occur; melting ice sheets in the Arctic will raise sea levels by as much as 23 feet, global production of staple grains will see significant drops, and extreme weather events such as heat waves and flooding rains will happen with increased frequency.

In the face of these sobering predictions, some may lose hope. Some may continue to deny, saying it will never happen, believing that it can never happen. But we are people of faith and hope, and we know that we can change our ways, and we can prepare for this challenging future. And so we march, before the great cloud of witnesses, to demonstrate God’s love and hope for each of us and for the world. We march, marked by the cross, saved by grace, out of love for our neighbors and God’s earth.

If you would like to join us in the People’s Climate March, you can sign up on our ELCA Google Form!

Want to learn more about ELCA’s commitment to advocating for public policy that supports the care for creation?

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Megan Brandsrud

September is National Disaster Preparedness Month, and what better way for us to celebrate than to announce our newCongregational Disaster Preparedness Guidebook!

disaster preparedness guidebook

As the introduction in the guide says, “The purpose of this guidebook is to help congregations take some basic and important steps toward resiliency and intentionality in response to disaster so that they will be better able to serve their communities when disasters strike.”

Categorized into sections, the guidebook provides a step-by-step approach to creating a comprehensive disaster response plan for your congregation.

Section 1: “Developing a Congregational Preparedness Plan” – Using corresponding worksheets, this section provides congregations a process for creating their unique preparedness plan.
Section 2: “Response” – This section addresses how congregations, communities and individuals achieve a “new normal” after a disaster through long-term recovery.
Section 3 and 4: “Emotional and Spiritual Care” and “Worship in times of disaster” – These sections provide tools for spiritual leaders and recognizes that the church is called to provide care through prayer and worship.
Section 5: Glossary – The final section provides a glossary of terms, additional resources and the worksheets that are used throughout the guidebook.

This guidebook is a valuable resource for all congregations, even those who have not experienced a disaster first-hand. It is never known when a natural or human-caused disaster could impact your community, but people will turn to the church for answers, whether you are ready or not. By developing a plan, congregations are prepared and able to share the message of God’s gift of hope and promise of new life in the midst of a disaster or crisis.

“We developed this guidebook because we realized it would be helpful for a congregation to have not only the information of how to prepare and respond to a disaster, but some practical ways they could do so,” said Pastor Michael Stadie, program director of Lutheran Disaster Response – U.S. “This is the first comprehensive book from Lutheran Disaster Response that covers these topics and also provides worksheets to walk a congregation through the process of disaster preparedness. We are pleased to make this free download available not only to ELCA congregations but to anyone who has an interest in helping their house of worship.”

To download the guide in its entirety, please click here. To view and download specific sections of the guide, please visitLutheran Disaster Response Resources and click on the “General” tab.

September 14, 2014–A Mother’s Forgiveness

Long-term recovery in progress following spring wildfires in California

The experience alone is priceless

Living Earth Reflections: This month we march out of love for our neighbors and God’s earth

Celebrating Disaster Preparedness Month with new Congregational Disaster Preparedness Guidebook