In this new series by guest writer Ethan Bergman, we will consider the 5 P’s of gardening – planning, planting, perspiring, picking, and putting to bed – over the course of the next few months. Ethan is a Master of Divinity student in the Distributive Learning program at Luther Seminary, St. Paul, Minn. Bergman is also the associate dean in the College of Education and Professional Studies and professor of food science and nutrition at Central Washington University, Ellensburg. He was named CWU Distinguished University Professor in 2001-2002 and was named by the Washington State Dietetic Association as Outstanding Registered Dietitian of the Year in 2000. He is a past delegate and past President of the American Dietetic Association as well as speaker of the Academy’s House of Delegates. He has served on the Academy’s Educator’s Task Force on Education Reform in Dietetics Education and on the Evidence-Based Practice Committee. Bergman earned his doctorate from Washington State University.

Pointing Forward

I’ve always loved Ecclesiastes 3. Maybe that is because I am a big Simon and Garfunkel fan. Or, maybe I am a Simon and Garfunkel fan because I love Ecclesiastes 3. In any case, by quoting Ecclesiastes 3 in their cover of the Pete Seeger song “Turn, Turn, Turn,” Simon and Garfunkel point out that there is a time for everything. That includes planting and harvesting. Seeds are planted, and the fruits of those seeds are harvested. But there is a lot of time leading up to that planting; and there is a lot of time between planting and harvesting. And there is time after the harvest.

So let’s consider the 5 P’s of gardening:

Planning

Planting

Perspiring

Picking, and

Putting to bed

So what time is it now? It is time to plan your garden!

Independent seeds professional Ed Merrell has offered his seasonal tips for gardening on the ELCA World Hunger blog for Fall and Spring.  Building on Ed’s work, here are some more questions to help guide your gardening.

Why do I want to grow a garden?

It takes a lot of time. You hear people say, if you factored in the time it takes, it is much cheaper to buy produce in the store. But then you hear others say, it is so great to get your hands in the dirt and help make things grow. From a spiritual perspective, it is wonderful to participate in growing food that helps meet the needs of those around us.  It is always awe-inspiring for me to participate in the miraculous rhythm of plant and garden growth.

What is the growing season in my area?

The Old Farmer’s Almanac has a wonderful website that provides you with specific information for your growing season that is precise and detailed.

When should I start seeds inside or plant outside?

Check out what I discovered about planting dates for Ellensburg, Washington. If you don’t live in Ellensburg, not to worry. It specializes the information for your local climate.  Here’s the link: http://www.almanac.com/gardening/planting-dates/WA/Ellensburg. This site provides exact information about when I should plant different produce. For example, if I wanted to plant Swiss chard in Ellensburg, Washington (and who doesn’t want to plant Swiss Chard!), I could get it started inside in mid-April, plant it outside the first of May, and harvest it throughout the winter.

What grows well in my area/climate?

Every climate has limits related to what grows well. I live in a dry climate in central Washington state. I have apple, cherry, pear, and prune trees in my yard. The neighbors would laugh if I planted an orange tree. It gets too cold in the winter. See the site above for more detailed information.

How much space do I have?

When you consider early, indoor starts, you will need to determine how much indoor space you might want to dedicate to indoor planting, germination, and early growth.  Also, keep in mind how much space you have outdoors and how you can best use that space. You may want to think of crops that work well together, as well as what crops may be planted multiple times during the growing season.

What am I growing for my own use and what will I plan to donate to a local food bank or pantry?

Call your local food bank to determine what produce they distribute well to their customers before you plan and plant your garden. That way, you can set aside enough space for the well-distributed produce that you plan to donate. If your church has a food pantry, ask some of the participants in that ministry what fresh produce they would like to see on the shelves.

Linking Back

Now let’s link back to what we produced from last year. As Ecclesiastes 3 and Simon and Garfunkel remind us, there is a time to harvest. If we had a good harvest of potatoes and onions from last season, how might we use that in our meal preparations today? We could store our potatoes and onions in a cool dark closet throughout the winter.

If you are looking for a recipe, here is an idea from the publication, Cooking Light: Mashed Potato Soup!  It is healthy and nourishing, tastes great and is quick to make. It takes about 30 minutes to produce from beginning to end. You can also specialize it with toppings, such as green onions or grated cheese. Hold the bacon and substitute vegetable stock for chicken stock for lacto-ovo vegetarians, and substitute pureed silken tofu for the yogurt for those who follow a vegan diet. See the full recipe below.

If you grew garlic and thyme in your garden, you could also use those in this recipe. We grow our herbs in pots on our patio. We also arrange them in a fashion that reminds us of another Simon and Garfunkel song, “Scarborough Fair” – “parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme!”

Until next time, remember,

There is a Time for Everything, and a Season for Every Activity Under Heaven. Ecclesiastes 3:1

Mashed Potato Soup Recipe

Ingredients

Cooking spray

3/4 cup chopped onion

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 thyme sprig

1 (25-ounce) package unsalted chicken stock

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 (24-ounce) package refrigerated mashed potatoes

1/4 cup plain 2% reduced-fat Greek yogurt

2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill

1/3 cup sliced green onion tops

1.5 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (about 1/3 cup)

3 bacon slices, cooked and crumbled

Preparation

1. Heat a Dutch oven over medium heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add onion; cook 8 minutes or until tender, stirring frequently. Add garlic and thyme; cook 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Add stock; simmer 20 minutes. Remove and discard thyme sprig. Place half of stock mixture in a blender. Remove center piece of blender lid (to allow steam to escape); secure blender lid on blender. Place a clean towel over opening in blender lid (to avoid splatters). Blend until smooth. Pour into a large bowl. Repeat procedure with remaining stock mixture.
2. Return stock mixture to pan; add pepper and potatoes, stirring with a whisk until combined. Bring to a simmer; cook 5 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in yogurt and dill. Ladle into serving bowls; top with green onions, cheese, and crumbled bacon.

Yield: 

Serves 6 (serving size: 1 cup soup, about 1 tablespoon cheese, 1 1/2 teaspoons bacon, and about 2 1/2 teaspoons green onions)

Total time: 30 Minutes

Nutritional Information (per serving)

Calories 200

Fat 9.7 g

Saturated fat 5.8 g

Monounsaturated fat 1.4 g

Polyunsaturated fat 0.3 g

Protein 10 g

Carbohydrate 19 g

Fiber 2 g

Cholesterol 31 mg

Iron 1 mg

Sodium 588 mg

Calcium 117 mg

 

 

 

 

This is roughly the sermon preached by the Rev. Meredith Harber during the Lutheran-led worship for the 61^st session of the U.N. Commission on the Status of Women Ecumenical Women’s worship on March 14, 2017. Since sermons are lived experiences where the Holy Spirit shows up in her glorious and gracious way, these words aren’t verbatim. This sermon is based on Esther 4:16.

When I was 22 years old, I worked for an elementary school. One of my kids from the school invited me to come have dinner with her family. While her mother was working in the kitchen to finish dinner, I sat with my student’s grandma. In our general introductions, grandma learned my name and then asked me if I had a husband. I generally use humor in these situations, so I said, “No, no. Husbands are a LOT of work and I don’t want to deal with that!” She laughed and agreed, but she persisted. “Why don’t you have a husband?” she asked, with concern painted across her face. I said, “Well, I’m young and I don’t want to rush into anything.” She said, “Yes, you’re young, but you’re fat. And no man is going to want a fat wife. And really, you’re not that young.”

This moment has stuck with me over the last eight years, because this moment captured a feeling that I and many other women experience on a regular basis. My identity was attached to a husband – or my lack of a husband – and to my age and to my weight and to any other outside factor. Anyone else ever have that experience of being reduced to labels and property, rather than to be seen for your whole personhood?

This morning, we heard a bit of the story from Esther, specifically Esther 4:16 that says, “Go, gather together all the Jews who are in Susa, and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my attendants will fast as you do. When this is done, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish.” If you haven’t spent time with Esther, I invite you to do so, because she is a fierce woman. This one verse may not seem like much, but this one verse is the turning point in Esther’s story from powerless to powerful.

See, Esther was as powerless as she could possibly be. She was born a girl, to parents who both died in her childhood, leaving her as an orphan. When her uncle, Mordechai, adopted her, she became a tool for him to accomplish his political goals. She was also prejudiced against for her religion and culture as a Jew. King Ahasuerus, the ruler of the land, put out a call for the prettiest virgins to come present themselves to be considered for the king’s harem. Mordechai sent Esther to be reviewed for her beauty and virginity, and she was eventually chosen. She was sent by a man to be chosen by a man to be a sex slave.

Esther was labeled as property by the men in her life. Girl, orphan, Jew, sex slave. She was as powerless as she could be.

But see, Esther wasn’t just someone’s ward or someone’s sex toy. Esther was someone. She worked her way up through the harem, building relationships with those in power, to become the queen of the whole land. She was always powerful, despite the labels placed on her that tried to tell the world – and Esther – that she was worthless.

She was God’s someone.

The beauty of Esther’s story is that while she had harsh words from those around her about who she was and was not, the ultimate word from our God is that we are God’s someone.

YOU, dear friends, are God’s someones.

YOU are powerful beyond belief.

YOU, whether you’re …
old
young
skinny
fat
unmarried
divorced
widowed
married to your husband or wife or partner
a mother
an auntie
a stepmother
painfully childless
happily childless

YOU, no matter your …
race
socio-economic status
religion or denomination
gender identity
assigned place in society

YOU, dear friends, are God’s someones. And YOU, as God’s someones, are powerful beyond belief. Thanks be to God. Amen.

Jennifer Kirkby is a member of the ELCA Young Adult Cohort and Eben Ezer Lutheran Church in Oaks, Oklahoma. 

In preparing for the trip to the 61^st U.N. Commission on the Status of Women (UN CSW 61), some thoughts would keep coming to mind: How will what is learned from this experience influence my work? How can I share with my church and community? How can I share with the team I work with on a daily basis? In this extraordinary space, there are signs of God’s work all around us, and as I hear the stories, it will become more clear for not just myself but also for all those in attendance what they will be led to do after this experience.

My maternal grandma’s face keeps popping up in my head when I hear the words “care giver,” “care work,” “domestic” and “economic impact of women.” As my grandma aged and was looking at how she was going to support herself in her later years, she was told she did not work enough in her lifetime to receive any Social Security benefits. The amount of money that she received was dependent on her husband’s work and the fact that she was his caregiver. Her worth in dollars was tied to her marital status and caring for him; therefore, it was deemed that she could receive an income. I remember thinking, as a kid, how could they say she has not worked enough? My grandma was always busy, working and taking care of someone else’s needs. She raised seven kids and helped raise several grandchildren, myself included. The regular income she worked for in her lifetime was for cooking, cleaning and caretaking jobs for a local school, children’s home and local people. As kids, if we wanted extra money for special events, she was the first one to tell us we needed to work for it, and she would take us to pick strawberries, wild blackberries, wild onions and walnuts to sell. Many times my grandma did those same things for extra money for gas, food or personal-care needs. Other times when she would need money, she would make pies. I would go door to door and sell the pies.

Looking back, I would give anything to have those times again, to be able to say,  Grandma, you have worked too hard, let me care for you, tell me what you need. She was a strong, Cherokee woman. She was a fighter, and she had great faith. She had faith that her Lord and Savior would provide for her family. She had faith that she would be taken care of despite her struggles, and she had faith that these values would live on in her family.

Throughout my time here, I carry her with me; I carry her spirit and her dreams of independence. There are many stories like this and many more that have not been told. Thank you to ELCA World Hunger, The Lutheran World Federation, and Ecumenical Women for advocating for women to be recognized for their work and contributions. I am honored to be here with such phenomenal women who use their gifts selflessly to make the world a better place for women and children.

 

Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.  1 Peter 4:10

 

Today’s post is from Renee Hermanson, Worship Committee member at St. Mark’s Lutheran in Aurora, CO.

 

The soaring arches in the large sanctuary of St. Mark’s Lutheran Church in Aurora, Colorado, reach high above the long rows of pews to focus on the chancel’s wide stone altar and brilliant stained glass window. Such elegance seems out of place in the surrounding neighborhood of modest tract homes and the nearby mini-mall, all showing their age. 

The population of this congregation, like many across the country, is also showing its age, as younger members move away or change churches, and older ones slow down and retire from active participation, then move to care centers or leave this life. The still active and able members give selflessly to help the congregation serve those whom Jesus loves and welcomes. Through providing spaces for AA meetings, offering once-a-week Food Bank distribution, serving a free Wednesday night supper and hosting special events for the neighborhood, St. Mark’s imposing building has become a symbol of service and welcome where people have found hope and belonging in a neighborhood that is home for several immigrant communities as well as people experiencing homelessness.

This outreach has brought a more diverse group of people into the congregation. For some, —perhaps most —of those who have become a part of the St. Mark’s family, the whole church culture is an entirely new experience. For others, who come from a different branch of Christianity, the message is familiar, but the form of worship is not. These people follow along as best they can, but they may wonder why we sing so many prayers and those hard-to-sing hymns.

To help these people —and others as well—the St. Mark’s worship committee decided to provide some Lessons in Lutheranism in two places — the Sunday bulletin and the monthly newsletter. Each week the Hymn Notes item in the bulletin provides both a “what” in a short history of one of the hymns and a “why” that shows its relationship to the day’s text and/or the Liturgical Calendar. The Worship Matters column that appears each month in The Messenger describes and explains the “what’s” and “whys” of the liturgical seasons, symbols, and practices of worship.

The response has been positive, as much from the established members as from newer ones. The articles are researched and written by a member of the committee, but could be done by another member or the pastor. Aside from having a general understanding of Lutheran doctrine and practice, the only requisite is a few hours a month to research and write the short items. A wealth of information can be found in books and articles on Christian/Lutheran symbols, festivals and traditions found in most church libraries, and on the Internet —on the ELCA Worship committee and hymn history sites.

As we enter into this observance of the 500th anniversary of the Reformation, this kind of review and education might help any congregation enrich its worship experience.

 

 

Marit Johnson is the current Lutheran Volunteer Corps member serving as the Assistant for the Justice for Women Program at the ELCA churchwide offices in Chicago.

A kaleidoscope of color is streaming in from the stained-glass windows of the Church Center of the United Nations. The warmth of this light fills the room and the hearts of those singing, “Bambelela! Bambelela! – Never give up! Never give up!”

“Bambelela” is a South African song that our delegation Lutheran World Federation chose to match our given chapel text from Esther. Esther never gave up in protecting and advocating for her people. At times, gender-justice work seems overwhelming. This year is the 61st session of the U.N. Commission on the Status of Women. Sometimes it feels appropriate to ask, “How much progress has been made in these 61 years?”

In his opening remarks on the theme of women’s economic empowerment to the General Assembly, Secretary General Antonio Guterres said, “Empowerment is about breaking structural barriers.” He continued by saying, “Women’s rights are human rights and attacks on women are attacks on all of us.”

We are all part of the body of Christ. When we harm one member, we harm us all. Gender-justice work is a marathon. As we move forward, we remember those who came before us. We think of those who will come after us. And we think of all of those that we are held accountable to in this work, and we remember that we carry hope in Christ Jesus and his love for all.

Bambelela! Never give up. Amen.

Bambelela, Bambelela,

Oh, Bambelela, Bambelela
Bambe, Bambe, Bambe, Bambe, Bambe
Oh, Bambe, Bambelela

Never give up, Never give up,
Oh, Never give up, Never give up
Never, Never, Never, Never, Never
Oh, Never, Never give up

ELCA World Hunger is excited to welcome back Ed Merrell as a guest blogger. Ed previously wrote a series of Fall tips for your garden for the ELCA World Hunger blog.

Ed is an Independent Seeds Professional. He engages with seed-centric charity organizations and other agricultural groups. In this capacity, he applies his extensive seed industry skills and experience to provide relevant information and solutions.

His 35+ year career in the vegetable and flower seed industry included plant breeding to develop new and improved varieties, domestic and international seed production, quality assurance and seed testing, seed processing plant operation, and quality information systems. Ed is a member of Advent Lutheran Church (ELCA) in Morgan Hill, Calif. This post also appeared in the Spring 2017 issue of Seeds for the Parish.

After a long winter of colder temperatures, gray skies, and hopefully sufficient rain and snow to replenish the earth, many of us are looking forward to longer days and our next gardening season! Here are some tips for a bountiful, healthy community garden:

1. Start planning early.

When snow still covers the ground and spring seems so far away, it’s great time to plan your first or next community garden! Aim to be ready before your first sowing date. Visit ELCA.org/hunger/resources to download ELCA World Hunger’s “Community Gardens How-To Guide,” filled with tips from community gardeners across the ELCA. Click on the “Hunger Ed” tab to download or order the guide.

2. Has your community garden vision changed?

Were you able to accomplish what was planned? By matching your communities’ needs with your resources, the gardeners and the community will be energized. Not too small a garden that may not keep everyone engaged, not too large a garden that may be frustrating, but just right!

3. Get the word out!

Notify all your gardeners that the planting season is coming, and they can help prepare. Form a team to review last year’s garden, decide what to continue and what to change.  Last season’s planting map will help you rotate crops effectively. Maybe you want to build or repair raised beds, trellises, or compost bins. Another team can assess the garden’s fertility and add soil amendments and fertilizer as needed.

4. Extend invitations

Recruit new gardeners and/or new partners for the coming season. More hands make lighter work, expand what the garden can produce, and grow enduring friendships.

5. What new vegetables are you longing to try?

Seed companies introduce new varieties every year. Explore online, see what’s new or request a catalog to enjoy the photos and descriptions. Did you know that there are seed exchange libraries and seed swaps? A seed library is a place where community members can get seeds for free or for a nominal fee and is run for the public benefit. Seed swaps are events where gardeners meet to exchange seeds. Maybe there’s one in your area, and you can find just the variety you want.

6. What to plant really early?

Use hot caps, row covers, or mulch to expand your planting window. These products hold heat from the sun and enable germination and growth to occur even when it is otherwise too cold to plant outside.

7. Ask an expert

Remember to tap other resources. Local cooperative extension services and Master Gardeners can provide advice on soil fertility, plant varieties adapted to your area and pest control.  Garden supply stores may donate tools or supplies, if you ask them.

8. Expand your planting ideas

What about flowers? They bring color to a garden and, when picked, they brighten homes and places of worship.

9. Is your garden space committed for the long haul?

If your community garden space will be available for years to come, consider planting fruit trees and berry bushes. They do require space to grow, maintenance such as pruning, and it may be a few years until they bear fruit. However, once established, they will produce for many seasons.

10. Is there a quiet place in your garden?

A comfortable bench set in a quiet spot in the garden can be a perfect place for meditation and prayer. Gardeners may rest from their labors and visit with others. Perhaps install a trellis with climbing plants for some shade.

For more information, get a copy of ELCA World Hunger’s Community Gardens How-To Guide.

Now that you have everything ready, it’s time to plant!

 

The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) is committed to supporting policies that safeguard God’s creation, address the impacts of climate change on our most vulnerable brothers and sisters, and fulfill our moral obligation to future generations. Because of these commitments, ELCA Advocacy is deeply concerned about the White House’s executive action taken on March 28, 2017 to eradicate our nation’s progress in combating climate change. 

All children of God have a responsibility to be caretakers of our natural world and to preserve our ecosystems for future generations. In striving for climate justice, we understand that the burden of environmental degradation, pollution, and lack of access to resources falls disproportionately on marginalized communities. Therefore, we must cultivate and maintain a healthy and abundant planet that meets the needs of current and future generations.

The ELCA is mindful of the economic challenges faced as individuals and communities transition from employment based on fossil fuels to renewable energy sources. Any action taken to address climate change must also ensure sufficient and sustainable livelihood for all people.

We call upon the Administration to re-examine its actions under this executive order and to proceed with extreme caution. We also call upon the Administration to remain true to its stated commitment of protecting the environment and to base all actions on principles of stewardship, sustainability, and justice.

---

For more information on ELCA Advocacy’s commitment to caring for God’s creation, visit ELCA.org/advocacy.

Jen Krausz–Bethlehem, PA

 

Warm-up Question

What is appealing about fantasy books and movies (or for younger kids, fairy tales)?

Second Chance

Disney’s live-action remake of Beauty and the Beast has surpassed last year’s Finding Dory, which earned $135 million, to take in $170 million in the U.S. on its opening

weekend, making it the top-grossing G- or PG-rated movie opener ever. The movie broke other box office records as well, becoming the highest opening for a movie so far in 2017 and the best March release ever. It is also the seventh top-grossing opening weekend for a movie of all time.

Disney has made several of its animated classics into live-action movies in recent years, including Alice in Wonderland, Cinderella, Maleficent, and “The Jungle Book. Upcoming planned releases include Dumbo, Mulan, The Lion King, and Aladdin, among others.

“Nostalgia is a very powerful driver for these films,” Disney head of distribution Dave Hollis said. “What’s exciting here is there is an opportunity to see these beloved stories in a way that’s never been seen before, but you get to build that on the foundation of something that’s very familiar.”

“But you don’t get to $170 million because of nostalgia,” Hollis added. “You have to ultimately make these movies great.” In addition to the record-breaking domestic release, the movie also made another $180 million around the world, and is expected to top $1 billion globally by the end of its run.

The movie featured songs from the original and starred Emma Watson as Belle. It beat out Kong: Skull Island, Logan, Get Out, and The Shack, all of which had debuted in previous weeks. The film follows the story of Belle, an independent, literate woman (who in this version is also an inventor), as she tries to protect her father from the Beast, who she doesn’t know is a prince, cursed by a witch for not being kind to her.

Discussion Questions

• Have you seen “Beauty and the Beast”? What did you think of it? Give a brief review.
• What is your favorite kind of movie? Why do you like them?
• The Beast is seeking redemption for wrong actions in his past. Do you think people deserve a second chance when they mistreat others? Why or why not?
• How was the Beast’s punishment appropriate to his actions? How would the world be different if people’s outward appearance reflected their inner character? Would you wish for such a world? Why or why not?

Fifth Sunday in Lent

Ezekiel 37:1-14

Romans 8:6-11

John 11:1-45

(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

Not only was Jesus’ raising of Lazarus a huge miracle that showed many people he was sent by God, but it also had a profound impact on Lazarus. Lazarus had a second chance at life on Earth—an opportunity that few people get.

The miracle of Lazarus is multi-pronged and has layers of meaning that don’t become clear to Jesus’ followers until after Jesus’ death and resurrection. Looking at Lazarus from beyond the resurrection, it becomes clear that Jesus is sending a message, not only about God’s sovereignty, but about how we are all dead, in a manner of speaking, because of our sins.

Just as Lazarus needed Jesus to raise him up to a new chance at life, we need Jesus to raise us out of the death that our sin brings. We may not all be physically dead, but without Jesus we are spiritually dead and in need of new life.

The difference between the redemption Jesus offered and that of the Beast in the movie is that we don’t need to—actually, we can’t—earn the redemption Jesus offers. No matter how well our inner character develops, no matter how much we mature, and no matter how many people we get to love us (show our love to), we will all “fall short of the glory of God,” as Romans 3:23 makes clear.

The Beast needed to earn Belle’s love to redeem his beastly state and make him human again, but Jesus has redeemed us from our fallen state; we need only receive that redemption and new life in faithful trust. There is a shadow of self-sacrifice and grace in many fairy tale stories that gives a glimpse of the real thing, and it is often what touches us in these stories and makes them great.

Discussion Questions

• Have you ever tried to earn God’s favor? How did that go?
• Do you believe Jesus can redeem the things that are broken in your life? Why or why not? Are you willing to let him redeem you?
• What does a redeemed life look like? What possibilities can become real when sins are redeemed?
• Lazarus was physically healed from his illness and brought back to life. What spiritual sickness(es) do you need healing from in order to find new life in Christ?

Activity Suggestions

If your church will let you, host a church-wide movie night where you show one of the following movies that have themes of self-sacrifice or redemption:

Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe

Ice Age (the original one)

Superman

Beauty and the Beast (the animated version)

After the movie, lead a brief discussion into the self-sacrifice/redemption aspect of the movie and how that parallels Christ’s actions for us. Sometimes a concrete example like a movie can help people understand the theology of redemption better.

Closing Prayer

Lord God, thank you for your gift of redemption that allows us to know you personally and removes the obstacle of sin from our relationship. Help us to share this good news with others so they can come to know you, too. In Jesus’ name we pray, amen.

 

Today’s post is from Scott Weidler, who served for 21 years as Program Director for Worship and Music of the ELCA, and who currently lives in Toronto.

 

I remember when I first realized that prayer is as much about listening to God as it is speaking to God. In other words, I remember the first time I experienced real silence.

The Three Days (Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and the Vigil of Easter) are the most important days and liturgies for any Christian, but for an over-eager graduate student in the first year of my master’s program in liturgical studies at the University of Notre Dame, I was over the top in anticipation of what all I would experience. But I never imagined what would be most transformative.

I was a part-time church musician at a wonderful, local Lutheran congregation, with its own rich traditions of worship and music, but I knew that what was going to happen in the Basilica of the Sacred Heart on campus was like nothing I had experienced before, so I adjusted my schedule to attend all the liturgies that I could.

It was Good Friday and we had a noon service at my church. The Good Friday liturgy at Sacred Heart was at 3 p.m. – a traditional time for Roman Catholics, I learned – the hour at which Jesus died. I also learned that the basilica would be packed, and I should arrive very early. Early? On Good Friday? This Lutheran found that hard to believe, but I did dash across town and campus, arriving an hour early. Plenty of time, I assured myself. I opened the doors and I heard nothing. I was convinced I was the first person to arrive. Obviously, I had over-estimated what arriving early meant. Much to my amazement, the basilica was already packed to overflowing. People were everywhere. In the overflowing pews. Sitting on the floor in the side aisles. Perched on the steps around the tabernacle and flowing clear back into the Lady Chapel.

What struck me most was the silence. The utter and complete lack of sound. The communal breath that one could only sense. The power of prayer, even if unfamiliar to me, permeating every being in that room.

Silence. Together. As the body of Christ. It taught me something about how we gather for worship. It taught me a lot about prayer. It was truly a transformative experience that shaped me forever.

 

 

 

Definition

Lent is the forty-day season (excluding Sundays) of penitence and preparation for the Three Days of Holy Week and Easter.

A Very Brief History

The term “Lent” originally comes from the Anglo-Saxon word “lencten” which means “spring.” This is the time, in the Northern Hemisphere, when the days are lengthening. The season began as period of fasting leading up to the Vigil of Easter. Catechumens, those preparing for baptism at Easter, would fast and spend days in intense preparation. For those that were already baptized, Lent was a period to be renewed in their faith by studying the Bible, the Creed and the Lord’s Prayer.

Although it was originally only a two-day period of preparation, Lent became a three-week preparatory period in the middle of the fourth century and then this was further expanded into six-weeks, or forty days. By the end of the fifth century, there was a desire to exclude Sundays from Lent since Sundays are always celebrated as feasts of the Resurrection. Thus Lent begins not on Sunday, but on Ash Wednesday.

The current practice of forty days of Lent recall Jesus’ forty-day fast in the wilderness after his Baptism (Matthew 4:2, Luke 4:1-2) as well as Moses’ forty-day fast on Mount Sinai (Exodus 34:28).

A Few Notes on Current Practice

• The appointed liturgical color for Lent is purple because purple has long been associated with royalty. In this case, Christ reigns from a cross.
• Currently, the ancient understanding of Lent as both a time for baptismal preparation and baptismal renewal is being rediscovered in Lutheran rites and practice. Many congregations hold mid-week services during Lent and a baptismal renewal theme is particularly appropriate for these.
• Many congregations refrain from speaking or singing the word “alleluia” during Lent. “Burying” the alleluia occurs at the conclusion of worship on Transfiguration Sunday and it is restored at either the Vigil of Easter or Easter Sunday. A Lenten acclamation replaces the alleluia verse in preparation for hearing the Gospel (See ELW pg. 103 for one example). For more on this practice, see the FAQ, “Why don’t we use alleluias during Lent?”