ELCA World Hunger supports ministries around the world and here in the United States that are committed to ending hunger and poverty for good. Nothing quite captures the stories of God’s work in these communities quite like videos where viewers can hear directly from the participants and leaders.

Videos are also great tools for education forums, temple talks or Sunday School. To help with this, we have put together video discussion guides on ELCA World Hunger’s two newest videos: “Robyn’s Story” from Massachusetts and “Kanchan’s Story” from India.

Each guide features discussion questions and an outline of a “think-pair-share” model for conversation that can deepen your time together. Each guide also features snippets from ELCA social teaching documents that can help your group connect the stories in the videos with their Lutheran faith.

The guides are designed for study group sessions of up to 45 minutes, though they can be adapted for shorter sessions. The information in them can also be used to guide short temple talks to highlight the work our church supports together through ELCA World Hunger.

Robyn’s Story – Northampton, Massachusetts

Hunger and poverty are symptoms of a deeper brokenness within communities that leaves many of our neighbors without access to the resources they need. Ending hunger in the long-term means both providing food now – and restoring supportive, mutual relationships for the future. At Cathedral in the Night, a ministry supported by ELCA World Hunger, guests come together for worship, prayer and food to be fed spiritually and physically.

In this video, military veteran Robyn describes how the community at Cathedral in the Night has helped him rediscover and grow his gifts. In the process, he is able to meet his needs and emerge as a leader within the community.

This video discussion guide focuses on Robyn’s story and the challenges faced by many military veterans, who are often denied access to the services and support they need to thrive after their service.

Kanchan’s Story – Madhya Pradesh, India

Hunger and overall health are closely tied together. Without sufficient nutrition, children, especially, are at much higher risk of illness and death. Without sufficient healthcare, illness and injury can take time away from work and other productive activities, putting families at higher risk of hunger. Through Padhar Hospital’s Tripti project, healthcare professionals and community members are working together to end this cycle for good.

Kanchan, one of the participants in the project, shares how the project helped her get the care she needed for her son and learn how to best care for him. The video also features staff from the project sharing what their work means for the community at large.

This video discussion guide focuses on the connections between health, education and hunger by diving deeply into Kanchan’s story and the Tripti project – and helps study groups discern together the tremendous impact ministries focused on health can have.

You can find both of these guides – and other video discussion guides – at ELCA.org/hunger/resources#Stories.

For questions on the video discussion guides or other ELCA World Hunger resources, please contact Ryan Cumming, program director of hunger education, at Ryan.Cumming@ELCA.org.

Bob Chell, Sioux Falls, SD

 Warm-up Question

Talk about a time you saw someone in a group you were part of exercise leadership in a surprising and positive way.

Failing Up

In a post on the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) website, Colleen Wearn ponders whether we are raising a generation of students who are tremendously accomplished but terrified of failure.  In contrast to orchestrating student’s success from day one (and thus making it difficult for them to deal with failure down the line), she suggests that we would do better to encourage students to adopt a mindset around the paradigm of “try, fail, repeat.”  She says, “We need to let go of the urge to ensure their success, and instead create more opportunities for them to take on real challenges, with real possibility of failure.”

NOLS trains leaders along this model. It’s interesting that this non- religious group is utilizing the leadership method Jesus advocates when he says, “the last shall be first” or “pick up your cross and follow me.”

Discussion Questions

• If you were a part of this hike how would you feel about the NOLS leader when you arrived at the Swedish border? How about when you arrived at camp at midnight?
• How do you know when to let people fail when you are a leader?
• When has failing taught you a great life lesson?

Eighteenth Sunday after Pentecost

(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 B at Lectionary Readings

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

Gospel Reflection

What does it mean to follow Jesus, to take seriously what he says about taking up a cross, loving one’s neighbor, being the servant of all? This is the question Christians have been asking since the beginning.

The early Christians were a squabbling group of folks! As they struggled to determine and discern just what it meant to follow Jesus: Did men need to be circumcised?  Could Christians eat pork or were they to keep Kosher and follow the Jewish dietary laws? Could Gentiles, non-Jews become Christ followers?

The book of Acts, which tells the story of the early church, is pretty much one big dysfunctional church fight. In its earliest days Christians sometimes worried more  about who’s in the kingdom and who’s out of the kingdom than what it means to follow Jesus day by day.

That’s not much different than today, when Christians argue among themselves about whether we should be baptized as children,  what faith says about sexuality and gender issues, when life begins, who can be a pastor, or which political candidate aligns with Christian values.

Focusing on these questions or the behavior of other’s allows us to avoid the things Jesus asked us to do; exhibit leadership by service to others.  It is easy to focus on sin,  particularly somebody else’s, when the sad truth is that none of us have done it all right. Jesus told the disciples they must lose their lives to find them and pick up their cross to follow him.

Now, having just heard that, the disciples are squabbling about who’s best. It isn’t until the end of the gospel story, when Jesus is crucified and then raised from the dead, that the disciples begin to understand what Jesus was telling them all along.

What they thought was the end was really the beginning. They finally began to understand who Jesus was, who they were, and what they were to do with the rest of their lives.

This is a place we know—when the bottom has dropped out, when our lives are a mess, when our faith is wavering and our hope is diminishing. From the first birthday party we weren’t invited to, through Mom and Dad’s arguing voices as we tried to go to sleep, to our own fears and failures in relationships, the classroom, and other competitions.  We’ve all experienced the deep pain of failure, whether it was our parent’s divorce, humiliation in athletic competition or failing grades.

Sometimes what we perceive as terrible endings are really new beginnings. Not wonderful beginnings, or exciting beginnings. In the news story for today the new beginning was born out of deep exhaustion. For the disciples it meant persecution and even death.

Jesus didn’t ask his disciples to quit sinning but to follow him.  He asks the same of us.

It isn’t a failing grade, defeat or divorce which prevent us moving forward. It’s the grief and guilt, the anger and resentment, the what ifs and the woulda, coulda, shoulda questions that lead us into despair.

Jesus is much more interested in what lies in your future than your past. And he promises to walk with you every step of the way, to meet you at the border when you’re five miles deep into the wrong direction.  And when our life’s journey is over we’ll learn again that what we perceive as an ending is actually the great beginning of what God has in store for us.

Discussion Questions

• Can you think of someone in the Bible who failed before they succeeded?
• Tell about a time you witnessed someone leading by serving.
• Can you think of anyone in the Bible who did not fail before they succeeded?
• What does it mean to you, and to your life, that it’s so much easier to find examples of failed leaders in the Bible?

Activity Suggestions

Think about a time in your life from the past when you were depressed or despondent. Did God meet you there? How did you get through that time? Was God part of the healing? If so, how? Share a part of your story with others in the group if you want to.

Talk, as a group, about why it is so difficult to discern God’s presence in our lives in those places we are currently struggling. Is this normal?

What does faith look like when our world is falling apart?

Closing Prayer

God, you know our deepest fears, our great regrets and how lost we sometimes feel. Help us to feel your presence in our hearts and not just in our heads. Fill us with your Holy Spirit. Give us confidence and courage when we are lost and guide us through the pain back to your promises. We pray in Jesus name.  Amen.

Issue 60 of Administration Matters

A statement from the ELCA presiding bishop addressing our call to care for creation

Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) members pray and care for God’s marvelous creation every day. We also join the global Christian community each Sept. 1 to Oct. 4 to mark the Season of Creation. >More

Religion and politics

It is important for each congregation and its leaders to understand what political activity is permissible to maintain the congregation’s tax exemption. ELCAvotes is an initiative to expand the role of the church in encouraging faithful and non-partisan voter participation by providing faith-based resources around voting. As a leader in your ministry, make sure you know what to say and do to protect yourself, your congregation and your nonprofit status. Learn from an expert in the webinar “Religion & Politics.”

Hurricane season is here. Are you ready?

If there is any good news, it’s that hurricanes are one of the few disasters that come with advance notice. Take the time now to prepare both your property and congregation for what may happen. >More

Separate incorporation

When a mission entity operates as a body distinct from the church, it is a good idea to review the following list of potential reasons to separately incorporate that entity to protect both parties. >More

Leave roof work to the pros

Although a roof repair may look like a simple thing, and you may be tempted to save some money, it’s best to leave the roof work to the pros. That realization may save you and perhaps others from serious injury. >More

Jen Krausz, Bethlehem, PA

Warm-up Question

Have you ever had to give up something to practice your faith? If so, what was it? What is the most significant thing you can imagine being willing to give up for your faith?

Give it Up?

The Chinese government under President Xi Jinping has intensified pressure on Christians this year, demolishing hundreds of large and small Christian church buildings without notice to church caretakers, seizing Bibles, and removing crosses from buildings. In Beijing, 47 places of worship released a joint statement that they had faced “unprecedented” harassment since February, and some Christians have begun to hold their services in secret rather than in church buildings or known house churches, many of which have been shut down by local governments across China.

Some areas have banned Communist Party members and children from attending services, and one township has even encouraged Christians to remove posters of Jesus and replace them with portraits of Xi. One pastor said that hundreds of his church’s members were questioned individually about their faith. Others said their churches were raided or watched by surveillance, and members were interrogated by government officials.

Muslim places of worship have also had their crescents removed, and the Chinese government declared that Buddhist monks in Tibet could not reincarnate unless they had permission from the government before they died.

China is estimated to have 67 million Christians, and that number is expected to become the largest Christian population of any nation in the next few years. Religious freedom was written into the Chinese constitution in 1982, but various government administrations have used rules about development rights and patriotism to restrict those freedoms since then.

Xi’s current campaign seeks to merge Christianity and other religions with “Chinese characteristics” like loyalty to the Communist Party and to weaken suspected ties with the West.  International Christian Concern, a watchdog group, has criticized China for cracking down on churches. “Despite their best efforts to intimidate the Church with actions like this, the government cannot destroy the faith and resilience of Chinese Christians.”

Discussion Questions

• What aspects of Christianity do you think most threaten a communist government? Why is Christianity not compatible with a totalitarian form of government?
• What other consequences do you think Chinese Christians might face for practicing their faith openly?
• How does practicing their faith in secret square up against Paul’s words in Romans 13 about submitting to governing authorities? Do you think it is ever okay biblically to break the laws of your nation?
• How might American Christians support their brothers and sisters in Christ who are being persecuted around the world? (One idea is below)

Seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost

Isaiah 50:4-9a

James 3:1-12

Mark 8:27-38

(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 B at Lectionary Readings

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

Gospel Reflection

This passage gives the disciples some bitter pills to swallow. Their beloved leader tells them he’s going to suffer and die in humiliating fashion. Then he says they should do the same if they really want to follow him. Don’t think for a second that your reaction would be much different than Peter’s when he tries to tell Jesus not to say things like that. Just about anyone would try to reassure Jesus that it can’t be all that bad.

In our American society, where any restriction of religious freedom is likely to come from peer pressure rather than from laws or governmental actions, it’s easy to forget that other countries don’t have nearly the same freedom to follow their Savior that we do.

Just as Jesus faced persecution and death for telling people how to know God, his disciples who took up the call to share the good news were also persecuted, and many of them were martyred for their refusal to give up their faith.

That persecution has caused Christians to suffer in some parts of the world ever since. We do not have to worry about much more than people making fun of our faith or, in rare cases, not wanting to associate with us because we are Christians. But we need to remember and pray for those who face the very real possibility that their church may not be standing tomorrow, or that they may be put in jail, tortured, or killed for their Christian faith.

But even though we don’t face terrible persecution, Jesus makes it clear that he asks us in some way to “deny” ourselves and take up a cross of suffering in order to follow him. That may not be a message churches preach too often, but it is a reality of our faith when we pursue it as God wants us to.

Chinese Christians know well what it is all too easy to forget in America: this life, our earthly existence, is not all there is, and our physical body in this physical world is not the most important part of our reality. If we don’t nurture our souls—and denying ourselves to follow Jesus is one part of doing that—we miss out on something Jesus considers essential to our lives.

It is significant that Jesus doesn’t ask us to do anything that he did not do himself. When we do take up our cross, we are following him and living as he lived, which often involves serving others the way he served us. He asks us to do so because it helps us know him better and because we can help others know him through these experiences as well.

And whatever suffering we face for Jesus, as he promises in Matthew 28.we can be sure that he is with us always.

Discussion Questions

• How do these verses impact your desire to practice your faith? Does the fear of suffering make you unsure about following Jesus, or does the possibility of adversity motivate you to strengthen your faith?
• What would your reaction be if you woke up tomorrow and your church had been destroyed?
• What do you think would have to change for America to restrict religious freedom? Do you think that could ever happen?
• Does knowing that Jesus will be with you in times of suffering make a difference in your willingness

Activity Suggestions

Open Doors USA has a form on their site which allows you to write a letter of encouragement to a persecuted Christian somewhere in the world. Your group can write individual letters, work in small groups, or draft a letter from the group as a whole that the group leader can submit online or mail to the address on the site. Other organizations like Voice of the Martyrs also encourage letter-writing to those being persecuted.

Closing Prayer

Dear Lord, We pray for all those Christians who face real and terrible consequences for their faith. Please give them your peace as they face turmoil and danger because of their trust in you. Above all, give them and us the joy of knowing you are with us when we suffer in any way because of our faith. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

I was born into a dying church.

My parents and grandparents were born into a wider church in the United States that was growing and thriving, but for as long as I can remember the mainline church in this country has been dying.

A story that always helps me frame this reality is found in Mark 5: 21-43.

The Word

In this passage, a man – Jairus –  tells Jesus that his daughter is dying and Jesus goes with him to his house. On the way, a member of Jairus’s house comes and tells Jesus and Jairus that his daughter has died.

Jesus says. “Do not be afraid, just believe.”

When Jesus got to the place where the little girl was, he insisted that the child was “not dead, but asleep”. Jesus took her by the hand and said “Little girl, get up!”.

And she did.

Young Adults at the annual Lutheran Student Movement meeting over New Years

The Reality

I wonder if Jesus might say the same about our church right now. I wonder if he would say that, though dying, we are not dead – but asleep.

It seems poignant that the character in the story who is raised from the dead is a little girl. Her youth and gender made her pretty voiceless in society, but Jesus works through her to perform one of his greatest miracles. Jesus shows us that her story is important.

I don’t for a minute believe that it’s coincidence.

It’s almost as if God knew we’d need the stories and voices of young people to upend the power structures and assumptions of the world. It’s almost as if the stories of the young are presented over and over in the Bible because God knew we’d need them to discover the truth about ourselves and God and the world around us.

It’s as if God knew young people can help the church “get up”.

Volunteers with the ELCA Young Adults in Global Mission Program

The Response

That’s why I’m excited about this blog.

The Young Adults of this church have stories to tell. The Young Adults of the ELCA have stories about this church – of love and lament, of death and resurrection. We have stories about God – of knowing and doubt. We have stories about ourselves – of discovery and rejection and fervent hope.

We have stories of faith.

Historically, the voices of young people have been quashed by the power of institutions and folks who are “more established” and who “know better”, but I hope and believe that the ELCA, like Jesus, believes that the Spirit of God shows up just as fully in the young as the not-so-young.

So this blog will be a place that young people can share their stories. A place where they can help the church wake up. I hope that these stories help equip young adult groups and not-so-young adult groups with material for further theological reflection, conversation, and prayer.

Faye, a young adult and 2018 Summer Intern with ELCA Global Church Sponsorship

Graduated members of Lutheran Campus Ministry at University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill

Each post will include a story from a Young Adult, a bible passage, and some reflection questions or links to more educational materials.

The Call

Young people associated with the ELCA today found their way into a church in decline. They have never seen an institutional church that was growing, thriving, and fearless.

But it was also Jesus who said in John 20:29, “Because you have seen, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

So many Young Adults believe in the ministry of this church in all its fullness, even if they have never seen it. They believe in a radical God who recognizes the church isn’t dead, but a God who also won’t leave us asleep.

Join Young Adult Ministries in this blog and on Facebook, twitter, and Instagram @ELCAYoungAdults to hear God speak new life through the stories of young people.

Come hear the stories of young adults who, with Jesus, are calling us – the church – to “get up”.

– Savanna

Bible Passages:

Mark 5: 21 – 43

John 20:29

Processing Questions:

1. Where have you seen death and new life in your community? Ministry context? In your own life?
2. What are some stories of young people in the Bible that have inspired you? What is meaningful about them? What about stories of young people in your life or the wider world?
3. What do you hear God saying in the Bible about the contribution of young people to ministry?
4. What do you hear God saying about your contribution to God’s family and church?
5. In what ways so you think the church needs to “get up”? How have you vocalized / acted on that? How have your actions been met by others in the church or the world around you?

Savanna is Program Director for ELCA Young Adult Ministries at the ELCA Churchwide Office in Chicago, IL. She has given workshops and presentations around the country to ELCA and ecumenical groups about Young Adult culture and empowerment in the church. She recently spoke at the 2018 ELCA Youth Gathering in Houston, TX. She is passionate about helping young people seek the Divine in themselves and pushing the church to equip, amplify, and respect the voices of young leaders. She loves banana pudding, the Clemson tigers, and memorizing poems.

Herb Wounded Head, Brooking, SD

Warm-up Questions

• When’s the last time you had a disagreement? How did you resolve your disagreement, if at all?
• How does it feel when you have a disagreement with someone you respect?

Maverick

This past week, one of the United States’ long time Senators, John McCain passed away. He was an Arizona congressman for over 30 years until his death. He was also a Prisoner of War in Vietnam for 5 1/2 years and experienced torture and wounds that left him with lifelong disabilities.

John McCain has been termed a “maverick” by his peers. He often took stances that were in disagreement with the Republican Party to which he belonged. But he was also a staunch conservative known for taking hard stances on issues in opposition to the Democratic Party as well. McCain was someone who would also change his mind, which, in this day and age, seems a rare trait. Not that you don’t want to stand by your principles, but in the realm of politics, it’s important to be able to find consensus and understanding in order to get things accomplished.

McCain was known as a hard fighter in his personal and professional life, but he was also a man on principle and integrity. Read the following article to get a glimpse of the man who prepared for his own funeral by asking some of his former opponents in the political arena to eulogize him.

https://www.cnn.com/2018/08/28/politics/john-mccain-barack-obama-george-bush-memorial-service/index.html

Steve Duprey, a longtime friend and advisor to the senator, says McCain is “an example to America that differences in political views and contests shouldn’t be so important that we lose our common bonds and the civility that is, or used to be, a hallmark of American democracy…”

Discussion Questions

• How can we strengthen our bonds in a time when we, as a society, are so polarized in our differences?
• How can we bring healing and civility to our national conversations?

Sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost

Isaiah 35:4-7a

James 2:1-10 [11-13] 14-17

Mark 7:24-37

(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 B at Lectionary Readings

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

Gospel Reflection

There are two healing stories in this Gospel reading. In the first Jesus heals a Syrophoenician woman’s daughter who is possessed by a demon. In the second Jesus heals a deaf man who had a speech impediment. We will focus our attention to the first healing story.

Jesus’ initial treatment of the woman is a bit jarring, as he compares her to dogs which sit under the table to eat the children’s crumbs. It’s important to note that this isn’t a family dog to which Jesus is referring. The term was usually used as an insult toward those regarded as less than worthy. The woman is a Gentile, an outsider who comes to Jesus’ feet and begs for Jesus to heal her daughter. Jesus treats her as such, as an outsider, an “other” who has no business being there.

One would expect the woman to walk away—hurt, insulted and cast away by Jesus. But she does something remarkable. She uses Jesus’ insult as a way to turn the Lord’s favor to her direction. “Sir, even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.” In a sense, she uses the insult against her as a way to engage the challenge posed by Jesus. She has confidence in what the Lord can do and poses a challenge back to Jesus that sets herself on equal ground with those whom Jesus is with in the house. Jesus is moved by her argument, changes his mind and heals the woman’s daughter.

There are two barriers broken here:  The first, that she is a woman. The second, that she is a Gentile. The miracle overcomes prejudice and boundaries that separate Jesus and the woman.

Discussion Questions

• How do you overcome prejudices that people have about you?
• How do you overcome prejudices that you have about others?
• In what ways can we all heal our nation by treating each other as being on equal ground?

Activity Suggestions

As this may be one of your first meetings as a group this year, and there may be some new members among the group, it would be a good time to do the icebreaker, “Two truths and a lie.” Have everyone go around the group and share their name, and three things about themselves with one of the things being untrue. Have the group vote on which of the things is a lie. This will help the group learn a little bit about each other as well as break down prejudices of what we think we know about one another.

Closing Prayer

God of surprises, we are much quicker to limit your care than you are to offer it.  You push us to expand the boundaries of our community and welcome those with whom we feel we have little in common.  Make us bold to stand against division and quick to seek reconciliation.  We pray through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

Today’s post is by Talitha Duckworth. Tali is a member of New Joy Lutheran Church in Westfield, Indiana, and is entering her sophomore year of high school. 

LSM stands for Lutheran Summer Music and it is an extraordinary ministry that I was able to be a part of this past summer. This month-long summer camp was an eye-opening faith experience that I will remember for years. While I was there, I built friendships that will last a lifetime.

I have so many favorite parts of LSM that I would not be able to choose just one. Worship was one highlight. I loved morning and evening prayer every day as it was a calm and optimistic way of starting and ending the day. I also very much enjoyed Sunday eucharist. I was on the Worship Team, so every Sunday I would participate in worship leadership (communion server or assisting minister).

At LSM, a good part of each day is spent in music rehearsals. I was involved in band, orchestra, jazz band and a brass quintet. Each rehearsal was about an hour long; this could sometimes be tiring as I was a  trumpet player. But due to this intense rehearsal schedule, I was able to build my endurance and become a better trumpet player.

I think the coolest part of LSM was it being held at the amazing Valparaiso University chapel. Saying this as a pastor’s kid might be slightly biased, but it was amazing how the space would resonate after the organ played a massive chord or how the sun would be reaching through the stained glass on Sunday mornings. It was a beautiful sight. I had the pleasure of being the assisting minister on the final Sunday, an experience I will always remember. Standing in front of hundreds of people reading prayers and distributing communion gave me a feeling of joy I will never forget.

Both my experience in band and the beauty of the chapel combined in another amazing memory I had: playing Lincolnshire Posy, a piece for wind band by Percy Grainger. Playing this piece moved me and empowered me. If you have not heard this piece, go listen to it after you read this because the second movement gives you chills when it is played just right. I had the privilege of playing the trumpet solo in that movement and playing it in the chapel made it even more special. You could hear the chords ring for what felt like minutes after the release. I had this same feeling when in orchestra we played the final movement from the Firebird Suite by Igor Stravinsky. The final chords were so epic; it seemed that they would ring forever, giving this sensation at the end of the piece that was extraordinary.

I am glad for this opportunity to share a bit about this amazing experience. You can learn more at lsmacademy.org.

Photos: Tali Duckworth. Above Right:Serving as Assisting Minister for Worship. Above Left:Quintet Performance. Below:With other worship leaders at the Chapel of the Resurrection on the campus of Valparaiso University. 

Brian Hiortdahl, Overland Park, KS

Warm-up Question

What is inside you?

It’s What’s Inside That Counts

Scientists at MIT have developed a prototype “GPS” for locating things inside the human body with a marker that can be swallowed instead of surgically implanted.  It is hoped that this technology can eventually be refined to a level of accuracy which can be used reliably to detect tumors and inform cancer treatments:

www.cnet.com/news/scientists-have-developed-a-gps-system-that-can-track-inside-the-human-body/

Discussion Questions

• Why do you think is it easier for us to locate and track items and movements outside the human body than inside it?
• What are the potential benefits and potential drawbacks of this technology?
• If there were a GPS inside you to map your thoughts and feelings, whom would you trust to use it?

Fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost

(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 B at Lectionary Readings

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

Gospel Reflection

The Pharisees worked hard to transform the ordinary into the sacred, to make everything in daily life holy and acceptable to God.  This involved rituals to change “unclean” into “clean” and common into special.  One of many ways they did this was with carefully prescribed washings of utensils and hands before eating, which was only to be shared with others who were faithful enough to eat only “clean” foods prepared and served in “clean” vessels.  At its best, this practice was a careful way of honoring God; at its worst, it divided people, diminishing some while making others feel superior.  Jesus sees and names a sad hypocrisy beneath the shiny exterior of this practice.  Clean hands don’t excuse dirty hearts.

As usual, Jesus turns everyone’s thinking inside out:  Listen to me, all of you, and understand:  there is nothing outside a person that by going in can defile, but the things that come out are what defile.  The real threats to our relationship status with God aren’t germs or forbidden foods or other people’s opinions or anything else outside of us; the real threats are the sins festering in the heart that leak out of us in unholy words and actions.  (Jesus pushes this so far with his disciples that some verses are omitted from polite worship…read and visualize verses 18 & 19!)  Washing the dishes properly to be right with God is like trying to fight cancer by wearing nicer clothes—or like trying to improve my own life by controlling someone else’s behavior.  It’s not really getting at the problem.

Centuries before this gospel episode, God told Samuel:  the LORD does not see as mortals see; they look on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart (1 Samuel  16:7). That’s where Jesus is focused.  And as the scientists at MIT can tell you, it is much easier to track and treat things outside the human body than inside it.

But remember the good news from recent readings in John 6!  We already have an ingestible treatment for the diseases of the human heart – the flesh and blood of Christ in the common looking bread and wine of Holy Communion.  Through our mouths (and also ears), God gets inside us to diagnose and overcome the real threats to our well-being.  Jesus turns what everyone assumed completely inside out:  we are most threatened by what is inside coming out, and we are healed and saved by what is outside going in.

Discussion Questions

• Discuss this quote from Jaroslav Pelikan: “Tradition is the living faith of the dead.  Traditionalism is the dead faith of the living.”
• What religious traditions or practices draw you closer to God?   Which ones get in the way?
• Identify some well-intentioned ideas that end up separating and hurting people.
• Where do you see hypocrisy in yourself?

Activity Suggestions

• Spend time in silent prayer as a group, with each person quietly examining her/his own heart.  Silently invite Jesus to heal and cleanse specific things inside you.
• Invite a medical professional to talk about new technologies and how they can either bless or backfire.  Are there parallels in church life?
• As a group, identify one Christian practice that annoys you or seems stupid.  Research and learn about how it started and the good intentions originally behind it.
• Write a thank you note to the people in your church who prepare Communion – and always in clean cups

Closing Prayer

Wise and loving Jesus, enter our hearts and minds and bloodstreams.  Heal what is unhealthy, cleanse what is dirty, remove what is harmful, mend what is broken, and strengthen all that is good, so that what comes out of us in words and actions is your love and grace.  Amen

The following guest post from Alaide Vilchis Ibarra, program director, migration policy, for ELCA Advocacy, describes a proposed rule change that will have a dramatic effect on some of our most vulnerable neighbors.

While my husband worked at a small nonprofit and I went to school, we used the Affordable Care Act (ACA) subsidies to be able to afford his health insurance. Not having to choose between his health and other indispensable items made a difference for our family at a pivotal time when we needed support. As I write this, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is considering proposing a rule change that would harm families that have accessed public benefits, just like my family once did.

This expected rule will raise barriers for people to obtain and maintain legal immigration status in the U.S. if they or their dependents access public benefits such as Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), Affordable Care Act (ACA) insurance subsidies, and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Historically, the U.S. government has restricted immigration applications if they determined an immigrant would be a “public charge,” that is, if they would likely depend on cash assistance or long-term medical care. This rule change will greatly expand this definition to harm people whose dependents, including U.S. citizen children, have had to access public benefits.

As a church, the ELCA has long advocated for healthcare for vulnerable populations, SNAP, and WIC. As people of faith, we have ministries across the country that accompany people that will be hurt by this rule. Families that we worship alongside and minister to have to choose between accessing support for food security and good health or leaving their family vulnerable to separation, a choice no family should have to make.

Programs like WIC and SNAP are vital safety nets for families and often provide the short-term support they need to get through hard economic times. These programs have proven effective in ensuring that families and individuals can avoid long-term poverty and hunger. As people of faith in God’s promise of a world without hunger, Lutherans have long been at the frontlines of providing relief to people living in poverty and food insecurity. But we also believe that one of the core responsibilities of government is ensuring that all people have what they need for healthy lives. In the ELCA’s social statement on economic life, Sufficient, Sustainable Livelihood for All, our church calls for “scrutiny of how specific policies and practices affect people and nations that are the poorest, and changes to make policies of economic growth, trade, and investment more beneficial to those who are poor.”

Scrutiny of this proposed rule change clearly points to the negative impact it will have on people in our communities and congregations who are hungry and in need of assistance.

What can people of faith do?

After the rule is published, there will be a small period for the public to send comments to oppose this rule. The number and content of comments submitted during this period will impact whether the proposed rule is revised. We can make a difference.

If you are participate in a hungry-related ministry, think about how this proposed change might affect you or your community. Then, follow ELCA Advocacy and ELCA World Hunger on social media to receive instructions when the rule change is issued and the comment period begins.

ELCA Advocacy:

Facebook: ELCA Advocacy

Twitter: @ELCAAdvocacy

Advocacy e-alerts: Sign up here.

ELCA World Hunger:

Facebook: ELCA World Hunger

Twitter: @ELCAWorldHunger

By speaking up, people of faith can work together toward a just world where all are fed.

From July 23-26, 2018, the “Hearts, Hands, Voices” event was held on the campus of Valparaiso University in Valparaiso, Indiana. This continuing education event was a joint venture between the Association of Lutheran Church Musicians (ALCM) and the ELCA. Two attendees of this event, one a first-time attendee from North Dakota and the other, a long-time member of ALCM from Pennsylvania, share with us how these days were formative for their music ministry.

Chad Svenby serves as Director of Worship and Music Ministry at Lutheran Church of the Cross in West Fargo, ND

The Hearts, Hands, Voices event was the first ALCM event I have attended. I came away from the week re-energized for the work that I do as a worship and music director. I enjoyed the opportunity to connect with other music leaders about the role and importance of music in worship, as well as our shared challenges and successes.

The group learning sessions were very informative and helpful. My church offers contemporary worship services so I found the inclusion of sessions related to presenting music in that type of setting to be a great addition. Throughout the event, participants were given access to a wide variety of materials and resources related to music leadership and worship planning. There were several that were of interest to me, such as the Musicians Guide to Evangelical Lutheran Worship, that I will be acquiring and using in my own planning.

I appreciated that this conference was tied in to the last week of the Lutheran Summer Music program that took place at Valparaiso University during the month of July. It was a joy to see so many of the next generation of music leaders developing and sharing their talents. A highlight of the week was the hymn festival on Wednesday evening, an inspirational and moving event. The performances reaffirmed in me the power and beauty of music and the impact it can have on the worship experience of an individual or congregation.

I left this event feeling invigorated and proud of the work I and others do as music leaders. I was challenged to develop new ideas and improve upon how music is presented to the members of my congregation. And I left feeling blessed that I am able to share the power and beauty of music with others.

Karen Eddinger serves as Minister of Music at Trinity Lutheran Church in Reading, Pennsylvania.

Another conference?  Having served churches as a Minister of Music for more than forty years, what could this event offer other than a break from the day-to-day routine of church work and an opportunity to meet or reconnect with colleagues? From my first step into the Chapel of Resurrection at Valparaiso University, the answer was that this was going to be an exceptional experience. The concurrent programming of this ALCM event with the last week of the Lutheran Summer Music program united the hearts, hands, and voices of several generations of musicians. From the opening Eucharist, through Morning Prayer, Night Prayer, and the hymn festival, these LSM students lifted our worship to new heights as we together praised God through the gift of music.

Group learning sessions both affirmed what was already known and reminded us of what was once learned but perhaps forgotten over the years. Growth happened when we were stretched beyond our comfort zones. How hard is it to play a shaker? In a robust 6/8 tempo, much harder than it looks!  How humbling to be a “trained” musician who just can’t do it! Paperless music (singing without printed scores) is a perfectionist’s nightmare! But from my struggle came the startling insight of how congregational members may feel when asked to sing something new. (For more about the practice of singing “paperlessly,” visit Music That Makes Community).

One of the greatest treasures of such an event was meeting fellow worship leaders. Sharing with one another our varied styles of worship, creative juices begin to flow; a breath is taken, spirits are renewed, and excitement is generated as we make plans for the coming year.  Another conference? Yes, please!