Heather Hansen

Warm-up Question

When have you been a part of a decision that seemed unfair?  How did that feel?  What made it seem unfair?

• Bonus Warm-up Activity–Come prepared with enough prizes (like a candy bar or treat of some kind that everyone would like) to give to each person in the group.  Ask for volunteers (to equal about ¼ of the group) to do 10 minutes of jumping jacks and tell them that you will give them a prize for finishing that is worthy of their time and activity.  Allow them to jump for 3 minutes then recruit the same number of volunteers you did before to join them.  Tell them that they will also receive a prize that is worthy of their time and activity.  Wait three more minutes and recruit a third group, and finally with one minute left recruit a final group.  Once the 10 minutes is up, have them line up in order of who came into the activity with one minute left to the ones who jumped for 10 minutes.  Give each person in the line the exact same reward, then have them return to their places.

What is Fair?

When I was in high school, I was blessed with parents who both had good, full-time jobs that allowed us to have everything we needed and still prepare a little for the future.  However, while they did have a little beyond basic needs, the “extra” in the budget was still not going to be enough for my full college tuition.  My parents made too much money for need-based scholarships but did not make enough to pay for the whole four years.  I had a highly praised resume and applied for almost every scholarship I could.  Since I applied to a very competitive state school, I did not receive any scholarships. I was SO CLOSE!

While I was disappointed, I accepted it fairly well until I started finding out about the scholarships a number of my friends were receiving.  A large number of my friends had parents who made a lot more money than mine.  In many cases, their resumes were slightly less accomplished and often a few grade points below mine.  However, they WERE getting generous scholarships.  I was hurt and confused and didn’t understand why because they had more money and their qualifications, while good, were not necessarily as impressive as mine.  Then I learned that because of affirmative action, there were numerous scholarships available to them which were not available to me since I was in the white majority.

I have to admit, unfortunately, that it took me a long time to truly understand and become more compassionate about this seemingly “unfair” event in my life.  However, through stories in scripture – like the parable of the lost son and the parable of the vineyard workers – and through the wise teaching and mentoring of compassionate pastors, leaders and very patient friends, I was finally able to see that this was a case of equity and not of equality.

Discussion Questions

• Have you ever experienced something that seemed unfair or “unequal” to you?  How did you feel?
• Have you ever experienced something that you felt was just or right, but others argued that it was unfair?  How did you feel?
• What are other examples in our world of issues that people fight about as to whether they are just or unjust; fair or unfair?
• Recent Supreme Court rulings (Students For Fair Admission vs Harvard and SFFA vs UNC) have called into question many affirmative action programs in higher education.  What do you think of that change?

Seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost

Jonah 3:10—4:11

Philippians 1:21-30

Matthew 20:1-16

(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 A at Lectionary Readings.)

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

Gospel Reflection

This week’s gospel is a story about a group of workers recruited by a landowner to work in his fields.  In the end, some of those workers feel they have been treated unfairly.  They have put in a full day’s work, while another group of workers only put in an hour or two.  Yet they all got the same pay. The landowner reminds the workers that he is not obligated to pay anyone any more than what is “right,” which he did.  He pays the early workers the normal daily wage, but chooses to be generous to those who start later.  

We don’t really know the circumstances of the workers in the marketplace that day.  Perhaps they all gathered early in the morning, and some received jobs while others did not.  So, when the landowner came back and saw there were people not working, he gave them an opportunity too, so they could take care of their families. Perhaps their jobs finished early and they had worked early, but were also finished early, which would not allow them to make what they needed.  

Of course, it’s possible that some of them were lazy,  slept in,  and took advantage of a generous man.  However, it seems unlikely that the entire group of workers left in the center of town were late only because they were “lazy.”  Generally, most people who come to work come because they need to.

This story doesn’t really differ from the experiences of people in our own time, does it?  I can think of a number of examples like this in my own community that are almost exactly like this.  I live in San Antonio, where there are a large number of people who come into the country looking for work from Mexico and all parts of Latin America.  They risk their lives to come to a place that might provide a little more money, safety, or opportunity for them and their families.

There are also people in my city who have lived here for generations but have only been able to find work that pays a minimum wage and not a living wage.  In these cases, their children also have to work as soon as they are old enough to support their family, and the younger ones often care for even younger children while the older members of the family work.  They are caught in a cycle of poverty that feels impossible to break out of.

Education is one way people break out of poverty.  But it is hard to succeed if you do not have a parent at home to supervise you.  Furthermore, an older child who has to care for siblings or work in the community before school, after school and late into the night, is less likely to succeed.  Even if a person wants  to succeed, they must overcome greater obstacles  than a person like me.  Even though I didn’t have a lot of extra money growing up, I had what I needed and then some.  I also had the opportunity to use my time to do extracurricular activities and outside learning with my family, which contributed to my performance in school. 

In the U.S. according to a study by the children’s defense fund, in 2021, at least 1 in 5 Black children were poor in 42 states and the District of Columbia; Hispanic children, in 36 states; and American Indian/Alaska Native children, in 29 states. Not one state had a white child poverty rate above 20%.

When I listen to the story of the parable in the vineyard and compare it to the stories of poverty in our own culture today, it helps me understand why I didn’t get those scholarships in high school.  More importantly, it teaches me to love with the compassion of Christ.  The workers in the morning were paid “what is right.”  Perhaps the landowner recognized the plight of the later workers and wanted to give them equal opportunity.  To do so required him to pay more than what was the appropriate hourly wage.  But what a gift to receive what you need when you otherwise would not!  

God’s sense of justice and fairness does not always look just or fair to us because we are often unable to see with the same compassion, generosity and understanding.  Thank goodness we believe in a God that looks past that and gives what is “right” to all people.

Discussion Questions

• What were your first reactions when you heard the story of the workers in the vineyard?  What did you feel in your gut or your heart?
• Did those feelings or reactions change after comparing the story to the ways that we live today?
• What does this story inspire you to see differently or to learn about in order to show the kind of justice and equity that God shows?

Activity Suggestion

Watch the following video about the disparity in equity that still exists today in our culture.  What would the members of your group do in response to the leader’s questions?  Talk about what it would feel like to step forward or stand still.

https://www.facebook.com/SuitsforSeniors/videos/2320068121629302/

Closing Prayer

Compassionate God, help us to look around and find ways to be compassionate.  Teach us that we should only look at what’s in another person’s bowl to make sure they have enough, and not just to see if the distribution is fair or equal.  Teach us to see the best in our neighbor, to recognize when things are unjust, and to work for sharing your grace and abundance with others.  Finally, God, may we rejoice and celebrate the gift of your boundless grace, which you bestow in gracious and loving measure to all people, saint and sinner.

Amen.

 

Following are updates shared from submissions of the Lutheran Office for World Community and state public policy offices (sppos) in the ELCA Advocacy Network this month. Full list and map of sppos available.

 

U.N. | CALIFORNIA  | COLORADO | MINNESOTA | OHIO | PENNSYLVANIA | TEXAS | WASHINGTON | WISCONSIN

 

Lutheran Office for World Community (LOWC), United Nations, New York, N.Y. – ELCA.org/lowc

Christine Mangale, Director

Events

LOWC co-hosted a mini-series of events over the summer focused on the rights of migrants and refugees. These events included:

1. “Confronting Anti-Blackness in Global Migration” with Black Alliance for Just Immigration (BAJI)and ELCA. The event was held on May 30 at the Church Center for the UN; Rev. Lamont Wells and LOWC staff presented. Event was held during the Permanent Forum on People of African Descent (PFPAD), which was in its second session at the United Nations.
2. “Commemoration of the World Refugee Day” (June 8), virtual event co-hosted by the NGO C, including the LWF (who is co-chair of this committee).
3. “World Refugee Day- Renewing Passion and Reclaiming Resilience” Freedom Dreams from the Margins Event held on June 20 at the Church Center for the UN. This event was co-hosted by Samuel DeWitt Proctor Conference (SDPC,) ELCA, LWF and Ecumenical Women.

High Level Political Forum updates

The High-Level Political Forum (HLPF) is the voluntary reporting mechanism for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The theme of the July 10-19, 2023 session of the HLPF was, “Accelerating the Recovery from the Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) and the Full Implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development at all levels.” The session reviewed in-depth sustainable Development Goals: 6 on clean water and sanitation, 7 on affordable and clean energy, 9 on industry, innovation and infrastructure, 11 on sustainable cities and communities, and 17 on partnerships for the Goals.

ELCA/ LWF was represented at the HLPF by staff of the Lutheran Office for World Community in New York, staff of ELCA World Hunger, ELCA Advocacy office in Washington DC and a young adult delegation from the United States. Unfortunately, a LWF delegate from Liberia who works on the “waking the giant” initiative was denied a visa to enter the US for these meetings. Visa denial in the US is a rapidly increasing reality faced by civil society groups and organizations engaging with the UN.

The SDGs are at their halfway point in their 15-year mandate and at their current course they will not be achieved in any context. Rapid acceleration is required to meet any of the targets under each of the goals. The LWF has a unique opportunity to push this agenda forward; especially giving its links to climate and human rights policy areas. Further support from a potentially reaffirmed mandate from the LWF assembly in September 2023 is a big opportunity for accelerating and amplifying this area of our work together.

 

California

Lutheran Office of Public Policy – California (LOPP-CA) – lutheranpublicpolicyca.org

Regina Banks, Director

Movement in CA Legislature

The California legislature is reconvening from their summer recess, so the final push to get remaining bills across the finish line has commenced. The Lutheran Office of Public Policy, California (LOPP-CA) is working with our partner coalitions and organizations to pass legislation covering issue areas spanning affordable housing, worker and family protections, and environmental justice. Of LOPP-CA’s priority bills, two remain moving through the process. Those bills are SB 4 (Wiener), Affordable Housing on Faith and Higher Education Lands Act, and AB 249 (Holden), school lead testing and clean up. SB 4 was passed by the California legislature on September 8, and is expected to be signed by the governor soon.

Another bill, AB 660 (Irwin), which would have required food date label reform, was made into a 2-year bill, so it will be considered in next year’s legislative session.

State Budget Summary

Key efforts were impacted by the budget this year, which was unavoidable given the $31.5 billion shortfall. Funds have been shifted to bonds or delayed to future years. The tax credits for low-income households didn’t make it this year (though, there is still hope for some of that within SB 220). Environmental issues took a hit, and a lot will be riding on a climate bond. However, a lot of programs were also spared, and funding increased in some critical areas, such as flood resilience. Other bills that will require appropriations of some kind are still moving, but any major piece of spending legislation will face difficulty.

 

Colorado

Lutheran Advocacy Ministry Colorado (LAM-CO) – lam-co.org

Peter Severson, Director

Two Propositions on Fall Ballot

Coloradans will be voting on two statewide propositions this fall:

• Proposition HH is a measure to use some of the state’s surplus revenue – as defined by Colorado’s Taxpayer Bill of Rights (TABOR) – to provide property tax relief to homes and businesses instead of doling out the excess funds as income tax reductions or refunds.
• Proposition II would allow Colorado to retain in excess tobacco tax revenue dedicated to preschools that has been collected under Proposition EE, which was passed by voters in 2020.
  • The Blue Book estimated $186.5 million would be collected, but $208 million was actually collected; TABOR requires the amount in excess of the initial estimate to be refunded to tobacco retailers and the tax rate lowered in subsequent years unless Prop II is approved.

Lutheran Advocacy will be producing a Voter Guide with information about each of these propositions in the coming weeks. Look for our guide to be available online and in print soon!

Proposed Evolution of Lutheran Advocacy Office

The leadership of the Rocky Mountain Synod ELCA and the Episcopal Diocese of Colorado are currently in conversation about creating a joint Lutheran-Episcopal advocacy office for Colorado. Such an office would represent a new phase of evolution for Lutheran Advocacy Ministry Colorado, which has been advocating in our state since 1984.

The proposed office would advocate on behalf of both denominations’ theological and social teaching and would be accountable to (and supported by) congregations from each. Keep an eye out for more information about this dynamic proposal in the coming months.

 

Minnesota

Lutheran Advocacy Minnesota (LA-MN) – lutheranadvocacymn.org

Tammy Walhof, Director

Forum on Sacred Settlements (or Sacred Tiny Home Communities

How do we cultivate communities for those experiencing homelessness? What is the “Communities First” model? How are we called to support Sacred Settlements in Duluth?

These were questions explored at a well-attended forum Sunday, Aug. 13, at Trinity Lutheran of Duluth. People of many denominations and nonprofits gathered to explore the research-based model, and learn from the experiences of the Settled staff, advocates, friends, and the Sacred Settlement at Mosaic Community (St. Paul).

The Northeastern Minnesota Synod Assembly has passed a resolution endorsing the Sacred Settlements concept, supporting the legislation, and committing to both learning about homelessness & exploring the creation of Sacred Settlements. This forum was the next step for Duluth Community.

Minnesota Court Strikes Down Tenant Protection

Eviction actions by landlords follow tenants for years, making it difficult to find new housing. We have worked with the Homes for All Coalition since 2019 to ensure that such a mark does not remain on the tenant’s record if they win the court judgement. It passed the legislature in 2023 as part of a broader tenant reform package.

However, we learned that this provision was recently ruled unconstitutional, with the court claiming it is “contrary to the rules of public access.” The disappointing ruling came as a surprise to Homes for All, and the legislative bill authors, as we did not know it was being challenged. We are now exploring what kind of word changes might be acceptable.

 

Ohio

Hunger Network in Ohio – hungernetohio.com

Deacon Nick Bates, Director

August Special Election

In early May, Ohio politicians voted to create an August special election to end majority rule in Ohio in hopes that a low turnout would allow them to sneak this issue past voters. With more than 3 million Ohioans showing up (38% voter turnout) Ohioans voted to protect our right to hold political corruption in check.

Issue 1 would have blocked citizen-initiated referendums by increasing signature requirements, eliminating a 10-day window to fix technical mistakes, and would have allowed 40% of voters to silence the will of 60%. Ohioans came through and defeated Issue 1 by a 57%-43% margin – protecting Ohio from more political corruption and cronyism.

Our right to the ballot is essential for our advocacy work to fight for a day when all shall receive their daily bread. Read more about Issue 1 in this Op-ed by Deacon Nick Bates that was published in the Columbus Dispatch less than two weeks before the election.

Service Learning Camps

Throughout the summer, the Hunger Network joined Service-Learning Camps through the Northwestern Ohio Synod and taught about advocacy and our Church’s role in creating systemic change. The foundation of Service-Learning Camps is that “learning is just as important as the service.” During these sessions, Hunger Network led the youth in a light-hearted and fun simulation with deep lessons that connect to the root causes of poverty – including racism, classism, wealth disparity, and many other issues. We had a lot of fun hearing the reflections of young people in our church and are excited to see them lead our communities toward a world where all shall receive their daily bread!

If your youth group is interested in participating in our simulation, please contact us at Nick@hungernetohio.com and we can set something up!

 

Pennsylvania

Lutheran Advocacy Ministry in Pennsylvania (LAMPa) – lutheranadvocacypa.org

Tracey DePasquale, Director

New Staff

Lutheran Advocacy Ministry in Pennsylvania(LAMPa) is pleased to welcome the Rev. Erin Jones as our Communications and Advocacy Engagement Manager.

Jones is an ELCA pastor serving in Southwestern Pennsylvania Synod since 2018, brings experience in advocacy, communications and ecumenical community-building justice work to the position.

“I’m beyond happy that Pastor Erin said, ‘Yes’ to this new call,” said LAMPa Director Tracey DePasquale.  The role itself is new, and the search was extensive, “In the process,” DePasquale said, “we were blessed to meet people with an incredible variety of gifts who are seeking to live out their faith in transformative ways. It’s a big job, requiring a challenging set of skills to find in one person.

Jones’ work will take her to Harrisburg and beyond, DePasquale said, as her work supports and equips the church’s advocacy across the Commonwealth.  LAMPa staff, including an incoming hunger advocacy fellow, plan to visit with ministries in each of Pennsylvania’s seven synods in the coming months.  Jones will get a running start in the role, which begins Aug. 28, as she has been serving on LAMPa’s policy council and active with the ELCA’s advocacy for years.

“I’m so excited to come on board as staff with LAMPa!” Jones said. “My faith is deeply shaped by the way I and the Church show up in the public sphere. The more engaged I am in justice work, advocating for policies that feed and house and affirm others, the more connected I feel to God’s vision of the kin-dom.” Read more.

Texas

Texas Impact – texasimpact.org

Bee Morehead, Director

Education Policy in Special Session

The Texas Legislature is in-between their 140-day regular session and multiple summer special sessions. The special session this fall will address school funding and private school vouchers. Texas Impact is preparing Texans of faith for the conversations through a new “Public School Defenders” program.

The Texas Impact Weekly Witness podcast series is hosting a legislative wrap-up series with elected representatives and an August “Houston Faith Votes” campaign. Elected officials and faith leaders will discuss the importance of civic engagement and tools for how local congregations can mobilize their communities. Bishop Mike Rinehart was one of the featured speakers.

Bishops Pen Letter

The three Texas Lutheran Bishops also penned a letter urging Texas to end the Operation Lone Star militarization of the border with Mexico. Texas Impact also hosted a webinar with authors of the Dignity Act, Rep. Veronica Escobar and Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar discussing immigration reform.

Washington

Faith Action Network – fanwa.org

Elise DeGooyer, Executive Director

Board Retreat

This summer we had our annual board-staff visioning retreat in June, hosted at one of our advocating faith communities, Dai Bai Zan Cho Bo Zen Temple (Chobo-ji) in Seattle. Our hybrid retreat allowed us to consider together the changes since FAN was founded 12 years ago, the current context that provides new challenges and opportunities for our multifaith-based movement, and possible priorities for FAN. As we discussed and prepared for this coming year, we reinvigorated our commitment to take on what will be another crucial year of advocacy.

Summer Advocacy Focus

Our policy attention this summer has included how federal legislation will impact our local communities, especially the Farm Bill and any requirements that might limit access for people who rely on Supplemental Food Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. We look forward to welcoming our ELCA Hunger Advocacy Fellow, Tomo Duke in September to help further these efforts.

Cluster Meetings

We are also planning geographical cluster meetings around our state. In each meeting, community partners will have the chance to strengthen their relationships for local and statewide advocacy and build solidarity with one another for the year ahead.

Wisconsin

The Lutheran Office for Public Policy in Wisconsin – loppw.org

Rev. Cindy Crane, Directory

Raise the Age

Republican bill authors made a draft of their bill known to the Raise the Age steering team and anticipate introducing it in September.  This bill proposes returning 17-year-old youth to the juvenile justice system.

Immigration

ELCA Program Director for Migration Policy, Giovana Oaxaca, advised the Lutheran Office of Public Policy in Wisconsin(LOPPW) on advocacy for the Protect-Vulnerable-Immigrant-Youth-Act-of-2023,which would help ensure access to vital protections for young immigrant survivors of trafficking, abuse, domestic violence, and other harms.  The act would also ease backlogs in the EB-4 category and free up visas for people such as religious workers, while allowing the children to continue life in the United States as lawful permanent residents.

We received this information in response to a request we made about advocacy for church workers to gain permanent residency more quickly.  LOPPW was also in contact with Senator Tammy Baldwin’s office about individual church work.

Youth

LOPPW led two workshops on advocacy at the tri-synod youth conference including the La Crosse Area Synod (LAS), Northwest Synod of Wisconsin (NWSW), and the Northern Great Lakes Synod (NGLS) in River Falls.  Many of the youth also enjoyed ELCA sunglasses from our DC office, as the above photo attests.

Hunger Storytelling Event

Rev. Walter Baires from the South-Central Synod of Wisconsin (SCSW), Cindy Dobberke from the Greater Milwaukee Synod (GMS), Meg Finerty and Rev. Kathryn Ingbritsen from La Crosse Area Synod (LAS), and Deb Martin from the East-Central Synod of Wisconsin (ECSW) were supported by an ELCA World Hunger grant to organize two evenings of advice on how to craft, record, and edit your story about hunger. LOPPW led a presentation on the second evening.

Those recordings can be found here (use password “0?&b$Mz8” to access), and here (use password “G!6fit*.” to access.

 

 

 

Issue 89 of Administration Matters

Register Sept. 15 for the 2024 Youth Gathering and related events!

Registration opens at noon on Sept. 15 for the ELCA Youth Gathering and Young Adult Gathering, taking place in New Orleans, La., July 16-20, 2024, and for the two pre-events: the Multicultural Youth Leadership Event (MYLE) and the tAble, for youth living with disabilities, both July 13-16, 2024. We’re thrilled to be back in such a vibrant city, filled with history, great food and inspiring music. This cycle we’re excited to announce that we will waive the pre-event registration fee for the first 1,000 people who register for the MYLE and the first 200 who register for the tAble.

To learn more, visit elca.org/Gathering. If you have any questions, email gathering@elca.org. We’ll see you in the bayou!

Update your Portico benefits enrollment

This August the board of trustees for Portico Benefit Services approved rate and benefit changes for 2024. Sponsoring organizations and plan members have been notified by email. If your organization provides Portico benefits, visit EmployerLink to review your organization’s Decision Guide and Custom Comparison Report. Then, from Oct. 2 to Oct. 13, select your organization’s 2024 ELCA-Primary health benefit. >More

Laws and rights for employers and employees

Q. I recently read that my congregation needs to put up posters explaining certain laws to the staff. Where can I get more information?
A. Here and at the ELCA’s legal page.

What’s Your Church’s Money Story?

Now that your congregation has passed the midpoint of 2023, this is a good time to examine your financial health. Many congregations are experiencing their first full year in a post-pandemic environment. How do your organization’s finances look today? >More

Don’t Be Left in the Cold — Inspect Your Heating Boiler

One of the biggest risks of boiler heating systems is that some problem might escalate the internal pressure to a point where the boiler explodes. This not only results in major physical damage to the facility but can be life-threatening if your members or employees are in the building. With proper maintenance you can greatly reduce the risk of this occurring. >More

Each month ELCA Worship highlights resources and events from other organizations and institutions. These Lutheran and ecumenical partner organizations work alongside the ELCA to support worship leaders, worship planners, musicians, and all who care about the worship of the church.

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Association of Lutheran Church Musicians

ALCM nurtures and equips musicians to serve and lead the church’s song.

One-day local workshops for church musicians to learn new skills, share best practices, build relationships and support systems, and introduce others to the ALCM Community. Workshops are scheduled all across the country.  Sign up for upcoming events.

 

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Lutheran Summer Music Academy and Festival

Nominate students for Lutheran Summer Music

It’s not too soon to nominate a student for LSM 2024. With enrollment for next summer already over 50% full, it will be important for interested students to apply early! Know a high school student who would benefit from the life-giving and joyful musical community at LSM? Nominate them today or contact admissions@lutheransummermusic.org for more information. LSM 2024 takes place at Valparaiso University from June 30 through July 28, 2024.

 

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Calvin Institute of Christian Worship

An interdisciplinary study and ministry center that promotes the scholarly study of the theology, history, and practice of Christian worship and the renewal of worship in worshiping communities across North America and beyond.

The Vital Worship, Vital Preaching Grants Program at the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship is designed to foster, strengthen and sustain well-grounded worship in congregations Grants to worshiping communities stimulate thoughtful and energetic work that will result in worship services that exhibit renewed creativity, theological integrity, and relevance. Learn more about Worshiping Communities Grants. The next deadline for proposals is October 15. Future dates include Feb. 15 and June 15, 2024.

 

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Music that Makes Community

Music that Makes Community practices communal song-sharing that inspires deep spiritual connection, brave shared leadership, and sparks the possibility of transformation in our world.

As Music that Makes Community plans future offerings and resources, we invite you to answer the question, “What do you need?” through a short survey we’re offering until the end of September. As musicians, clergy, community leaders, composers, and organizers, we know you are listening deeply to your community and context. We want you to know we’re also listening and eager to hear how MMC’s programming might find deeper resonance!

As always, find upcoming MMC offerings on our website calendar. Morning Grounding has resumed, and there are workshops, webinars, and retreats offering resources for your congregation, as well as spaces for rest and renewal.

 

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Augsburg Fortress Events and Resources

Augsburg Fortress is an imprint of 1517 Media, the publishing ministry of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America

Gather Together: 8 Intergenerational Events to Explore All Creation Sings provides opportunities for children, youth, and adults to come together around topics of worship, images for God, being a global church, experiencing life transitions, creation care, and more! Enjoy coming together as a faith community for learning and fellowship with this new and timely resource.

 

 

 

 

Don Holmstrom, Blacksburg, VA

Warm-up Question

How would you define “forgiveness” if you could not use the word “forgive?”

Forgiving Sins

A middle-aged man named Charlie Ryder grew up in Ireland, the son of an alcoholic father.  As a boy, his father verbally and emotionally abused him, leaving young Charlie with low self-esteem and deep depression.

As a teenager, Charlie started his journey to find healing.  In college, he attended Alateen, a 12-step program for young people whose lives were affected by a family member’s alcoholism.  “Alateen,” Charlie says, “gave me a safe space to open up and share honestly about the shame and humiliation I’d felt growing up.”  He began to find peace.   

To completely heal, Charlie decided he would need to forgive his dad.  But how?  He could easily list things “that he hated about his dad.”  But for what was he grateful?  He thought of ways his dad had shown his love, including giving his son “pocket money,” as well as money for Christmas and birthdays.  

But a more important realization for Charlie was discovering his father’s history.  His father grew up in a family of alcoholism.  Both of his father’s  parents were alcoholics.  His father, also, suffered from depression.  Upon learning this, Charlie, for the first time, felt compassion for his dad.  

A few years ago, Charlie and his sister visited his dad in the hospital.  His father was dying.  Near the end of their visit, Charlie’s father took his children’s hands and expressed regret for what he had done.  His final words to them were, “I’m sorry.”  Charlie responded, “We love you, dad.”

At that moment, Charlie says, he knew he had truly forgiven his father “for harming me as a child.”  And then Charlie offers this insight, “Forgiveness is a very personal journey but it can be a wonderful act of self-love.”

Discussion Questions

Can you remember a time you were forgiven for something you had done or failed to do?  How about a time when you forgave someone else?  What did forgiveness feel like?  

Sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost

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 A at Lectionary Readings.)

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

Gospel Reflection

This Matthew text starts with a famous question from Peter and an equally famous response from Jesus.  Then Jesus tells a parable illustrating forgiveness and judgment.

Peter’s question to Jesus might imply that the apostle is uneasy with the notion of forgiveness being unlimited.  Let’s just get by with as little forgiveness of others as we can, Peter seems to say. 

Jesus answers:  Not a handful of times should we forgive, but over and over and over again!  (Note that “seven” is a “holy” number in the scriptural world.  “Seventy-seven” indicates unlimitedness.)

But the parable that Jesus tells also seems to imply a catch: repentance must come before forgiveness.  In fact, every time we pray the Lord’s Prayer we evoke this idea of repentance before forgiveness: “Forgive our sins as we forgive those who sin against us.”  Do you see such a connection between repentance and forgiveness?  

On the cross, Jesus says, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”  Does this imply that repentance must come before forgiveness?  Or is forgiveness a free gift, no strings attached?

Discussion Questions

• Who is forgiveness for:  the perpetrator, the victim, or both?  How would Charlie Ryder answer this question?
• Where is God in the process of forgiveness?

Activity Suggestions

• Write down the word FORGIVENESS on a sheet of paper or white board.  Using each letter of forgiveness, jot down a word that begins with that letter and is connected to forgiveness.  (Ex.  “F” is for “freeing.”)
• Read aloud the Old Testament text assigned for today.  It’s the conclusion of the long story of Jospeh and his brothers.  You’ll recall that his brothers sold Joseph into slavery.  But because of Joseph’s perseverance and God’s great love for him, he ends up becoming a revered leader in Egypt.  What happens to Joseph and his family due to the power of forgiveness?     

Closing Prayer

Gracious God, through your great love and grace, you continually forgive our sins and bring us to new life.  Help us to receive forgiveness with grace and humility.  And give us the strength and courage, O God, to forgive others as we have been forgiven.  Amen.

 

by Rev. Jonathan Vehar

Every three years in the days leading up to the ELCA Youth Gathering a unique event takes place that gathers young people together for worship, service, and fellowship. And if you’re thinking, “isn’t that what the Youth Gathering does?”, you’d be right. But what makes The tAble exceptional is that it brings together youth who have a shared experience of living with a disability. We know that every youth who comes to The tAble brings their own story, struggles, triumphs, and ways that they experience the world around them. But they also share an identity as a child of God who has created them to be fully themselves. They discover a sense of belonging, knowing that others who are there get the part of their story that isn’t translatable to the able-bodied world.

The biggest challenge that the tAble faces is that only a fraction of the young people in our churches who live with a disability even know about it. But you can help by spreading the word that such a community exists. And then being creative to make it possible to be at the tAble, where a place is waiting. Find out more at www.elca.org/gathering.

“The Season of Creation is a splendid opportunity for Christians around the world to embody the communion for which we human earthlings are created, and to do so in the quest for lifeways that build justice among people and allow Earth’s web of life to flourish,” said the Rev. Dr. Cynthia D. Moe-Lobeda, Director of the Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary’s Center for Climate Justice and Faith. The celebration spans Sept. 1 through Oct. 4, shaped as an annual season instrumentally by the World Council of Churches, and is a time for Christians to come together to care for our common home (more).

In interwoven global awareness, local action and prayer, many of us are seeking to embody communion for the sake of God’s good creation. “Time after time a new report, study or press conference calls a ‘code red’ for our planet,” observes Christine Moffett, ELCA Program Director for Environment and Energy. “It is time for less talking about it and more acting about it.”

 

GLOBAL

Significant global decision-makers will be meeting in confluence with Season of Creation dates. New York City hosts the highest-level gathering of the United Nations – the United Nations General Assembly – on Sept. 19-26, 2023. Heads of state meet, including for a “Climate Ambition Summit” on Sept. 20 to accelerate action by all sectors of society to address the increasing threat of climate change. National governments have not done enough to stop global warming in the seven years since the Paris Agreement was signed, relays our Lutheran Office for World Community (LOWC) program director Daniel Pieper from content of the U.N. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change March 2023 Synthesis Report. In that context, he notes that UN Secretary General António Guterres said “the world is running out of options to defuse the ‘ticking climate time bomb.'”

As a joint ministry with both the ELCA and Lutheran World Federation (LWF), LOWC colleagues find foundational affirmation from the Twelfth LWF Assembly: “the global ecological crisis, including climate change is, human-induced. It is a spiritual matter. As people of faith, we are called to live in right relationship with creation and not exhaust it.”

Stay attuned to COP28, the 2023 United Nations Climate Change Conference, being held Nov. 30-Dec. 12, 2023, at the Expo City, Dubai. ELCA and LWF presence will be onsite to advance advocacy priorities.

 

LOCAL

GreenFaith has organized a March to End Fossil Fuels on Sept. 17 in New York City in conjunction with the Climate Ambition Summit. Several of our faith partners and some ELCA congregations and leaders will be participating. Lutherans Restoring Creation (LRC) describes the event as a time to witness “in search of a better way to offer healthy energy to our communities.”

While advocating for global impact is vital, in each of our communities we are aware of the splendor of and the degradation to God’s gift of creation. The ELCA’s most recent social message, “Earth’s Climate Crisis,” reads: “This social message is rooted in our duty to be responsible caretakers of God’s creation. It is motivated by that responsibility and by hope… With God’s help humanity can turn from the present course, take loving and just action, and live more harmoniously within God’s beautiful and verdant creation” (pp. 1-2).

The 2023 Farm Bill reauthorization will have significant impacts for all: those of us with farm-related vocations; those of us who go to supermarkets, farmers markets, SNAP provisions and global food aid for needed provision; and the communities and natural foundations that are needed to feed us into the future. If you didn’t use the Farm Bill background & template letters as an act of advocacy in service to your neighbor on “’God’s work. Our hands.’ Sunday” this year, revisit the resource and consider reaching out to policy makers to influence a policy outcome that can – as Pr. Moe-Lobeda characterized – “allow Earth’s web of life to flourish”.

 

PRAYER

Many of us sense these times as a “Kairos moment,” a descriptor from the social message of a decisive time in our relationship with God’s creation. In this Season of Creation, let us all join in prayer.

Prayers and other liturgical resources are available around the 2023 Season of Creation theme, “Let Justice and Peace Flow.”

Additionally, LRC has shared a prayer composed by the Rev. Lee Gable and the Rev. Inge Williams called “Sowing the Seeds of Transformation.” It can be found in full online, but here is an excerpt:

O God, whose fingerprint is reflected in every leaf and person,
you have entrusted us with the resources of Creation
And yet we squander your generous life-giving gift as if there is endless supply.
Transform our stewardship from immediate gratification to generational investment.
…
Inspire in us repentance and encourage our struggle for a just future
As we join you in mending this wounded world and its people
So that the fullness of your Kin-dom dream may become reality for all
Into the ages of the ages.
Amen.

One week from today the Thirteenth Assembly of the Lutheran World Federation will begin in Krakow, Poland. The Assembly will take place September 13-19, and serves as the highest decision-making body of the LWF, which represents 77 million people from 150 member churches across 99 countries. In addition to celebrating the common faith of the Lutheran communion across contexts and cultures, the Assembly offers mutual enrichment through joint reflection and discernment while providing a platform for joint decision-making. As the principal authority of the LWF, the Assembly is the most representative expression of the LWF communion. Delegates from all member churches take part. The outcomes and decisions will lay the foundation for the work of the LWF in the coming six to seven years.

The theme for this year’s assembly – One Body, One Spirit, One Hope – reminds us that in a fragmented world, we are called to unity in the one body of Christ. The theme is drawn from Ephesians 4:4 (NRSV): “There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope of your calling.”

There are also three subthemes – the Spirit creates, the Spirit reconciles, the Spirit renews – which will help delegates reflect upon and interpret the main theme in light of the creative, reconciling and transformative love of God.

Two Pre-Assemblies get underway this weekend, the Women’s Pre-Assembly (Sept 8-11) in Wroclaw and the Youth Pre-Assembly (Sept 8-11) in Wisla Malinka. The Men’s Pre-Assembly will be held on September 12 in Krakow.

 

The Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confession in Poland is serving as the host church for this year’s Assembly and is one of the founding members of the Lutheran World Federation. A minority church in Poland, the numbers vary from region to region with the largest population in Cieszyn Silesia region (about 47,000). Smaller communities can be found in Upper Silesia and Masuria regions. Lutheran parishes in the rest of the country are located in larger cities. The church functions mainly in the diaspora, in six dioceses. It has 133 parishes and 150 ministers.

You can learn more about the host church and the country of Poland in the Welcome to Poland guide, which is available for download in English, German, Spanish, and French on the Assembly website.

 

 

The Assembly Study Guide is a publication aimed at preparing LWF member churches for the Thirteenth Assembly. It is offered as a resource to inspire reflections on how the global communion of churches is called and equipped to be a sign of hope in the midst of God’s creation as it participates in God’s holistic mission. The study guide is available to download in English, Spanish, German, and French via the Assembly website.

 

In the document From Windhoek to Krakow: Six-Year Report you’re invited to discover the Lutheran World Federations’ workover the last six years as it started on the threshold of commemorating 500 years of the Reformation and the new LWF Strategy 2019 –2024. The Six-Year Report is available to download in English and German, with Spanish and French added prior to the start of the Assembly via the Assembly website.

 

Two seminary presidents from Indonesia and Ethiopia and a retired archbishop from the Church of Sweden will be exploring the theme of ‘One Body, One Spirit, One Hope’ during plenary sessions at the assembly.

Indonesian New Testament scholar, Rev. Dr Benny Sinaga is president of the Sekolah Tinggi Bibelvrouw, an all-women’s seminary located beside Lake Toba in North Sumatra. She will present the topic of ‘One Body’, exploring what it means for churches to be “one in Christ” in a polarized, post-pandemic world.

Rev. Dr Bruk Ayele, president of the Mekane Yesus seminary, in Ethiopia, will explore the topic of ‘One Spirit’, reflecting on how the Holy Spirit can guide us towards unity amid the current crises facing our world.

The former archbishop of the Church of Sweden and vice president of the Nordic region, Rev. Dr Antje Jackelén, will be the third presenter, reflecting on the topic of ‘One Hope’. Hope is a central theme in Jackelén’s writing and preaching. She published a book in Swedish entitled ‘Impatient in Hope’, to support pastors during the pandemic.

You can learn more about all three thematic speakers in this article on the Assembly website.

 

Those attending the Assembly in Poland will visit Auschwitz-Birkenau memorial and museum, which preserves the memory of the more than one million people who were murdered in the Nazi concentration camp during the Second World War. The visit to the memorial and museum by participants will be “a call to action to stand together, wherever people’s dignity is being violated.”

 

Hope for the Future is a study document for renewing Jewish-Christian Relations. This forward-looking title that resonates with Thirteenth Assembly theme “One Body, One Spirit, One Hope” as serves as a guide to continuing opportunities for dialogue and exchange with our Jewish siblings. Dr. Esther Menn, who is the Dean of Academic Affairs at the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago and chairs the ELCA Consultative Panel on Lutheran-Jewish Relations served as the chair of the Study Document Task Force.

LWF General Secretary, Rev Dr. Anne Burghardt shared the following in the preface:

“I invite LWF member churches to use this study document as an educational resource and reflective guide in renewing Jewish-Christian relations in their respective contexts. In our world increasingly characterized by polarization, hostility, and even hate toward people who are different from us, may this document inspire member churches to be messengers of hope both locally and globally bringing justice, peace and reconciliation to all.”

Be sure to follow along throughout the Assembly at 2023.lwfassembly.org, where you’ll be able to access photos, press releases, and livestreams. Also, you can follow along via LWF and ELCA social media platforms.

Content from this post was pulled directly from 2023.lwfassembly.org and lutheranworld.org

Sylvia Alloway, Granada Hills, CA

Warm-up Question

Think of a time when your brother, sister, or friend said or did something that hurt you very badly. How did you react? Did you eventually resolve the conflict? How?

Dealing with Discord

The current estrangement between once-close brothers Prince William, Prince of Wales, heir to the British throne and his brother Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex has been grabbing headlines for some time. The latest skirmish is about Harry’s memoir Spare, in which he speaks frankly about his brother’s bad attitude towards his mixed-race wife, Meghan Markle, and the disagreements between Meghan and William’s wife, Kate Middleton. 

To most ordinary Americans these quarrels over which tailor would alter Princess Charlotte’s flower girl’s dress for Harry and Megan’s 2018 wedding and Meghan’s audacious request to borrow Kate’s lip gloss sound trivial, but to royals they are not.

Then the London press got into the act, making every squabble public, usually siding with William, and adding a strong undertone of racial prejudice that no one in the palace denied. The hostile atmosphere became too much for Harry and Meghan. In 2020 they decided to renounce their royal status and move to the United States. To William, this was an insult not to be borne. His father King Charles (then Prince Charles) officially evicted the couple from their royal residence, Frogmore Cottage, in January of this year, when Spare was published.  By June they had sent the last of their belongings to Montecito, California, where they now live. 

In early August the transplanted royals extended an offer of peace to their brother prince by suggesting that they rent an apartment in Kensington Palace at their own expense, where they would stay during family visits. Journalists from local news outlets doubt that the gesture will be accepted.

Discussion Questions

• If you could give advice to Prince William and Prince Harry about ending their feud, what would you say to them? 
• What do you think about Harry’s offer to rent an apartment in one of the royal palaces, implying that he’d like to visit? Does he want to reconcile with his brother? Could there be any other reason for this gesture?

Fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost

Ezekiel 33:7-11

Romans 13:8-14

Matthew 18:15-20

(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 A at Lectionary Readings.)

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

Gospel Reflection

Jesus wants all his followers to be united as a family (John 17:20-21). But even members of the best families sin and need forgiveness. Sin causes rifts, even opposing factions, within Christ’s family. To avoid disunity, the church needs guidance in dealing with someone who sins against a brother or sister in Christ. Jesus provides one.

According to today’s scripture, there are three major steps in dealing with a Christian brother or sister who has wronged you. The first is the most important – and the most difficult: face to face conversation. Even secular psychologists and other health professionals recommend this. Putting it off, letting your anger and frustration grow will only make the job harder. Arrange a one-on-one meeting as soon as possible.

Simply and calmly, tell the person how they have hurt you. Then listen to their side. Were they unaware of the wrong they have done? Did they do it with malice, but now repent? Or are they unrepentant, still convinced that they are in the right? 

Step two deals with someone who refuses to repent and ask forgiveness. Now the wronged person widens the circle. He or she brings a friend or two from the church and confronts the person again, as the Jewish law suggests (Deuteronomy 19:15).  Jesus did not deal with individual sinners angrily or by threats. Neither should we. Again, the confrontation should be straightforward and peaceful.

Step three is a last resort. If the sinner is still unrepentant, he or she may be cast out of the church. Even now, the goal is restoration, not revenge. If someone is separated from their family, they may be lonely and desire to come back. The goal is always reconciliation; repentance is a necessary step to restoring unity within the Christian family.

Discussion Questions

• Tell about a time when you hurt someone you care about, but you repented, and they forgave you. Who or what helped you to repent?
• What do you think about the process Jesus recommends for keeping unity in the church? Would it be effective in your church? Why or why not?
• What positive actions do you think would promote unity in your church?

Activity Suggestions

• Divide the class into pairs. Each pair is to make up a brief story about two people who are carrying out step one in the unity process. Decide who sinned, what they did, and how the other person feels about it. What would the people say? Invent a dialogue between these people that includes either forgiveness or refusal to repent and present it to the class.
• Go back to the third discussion question. As a class, brainstorm some ideas about gatherings or projects that would improve the unity of the people in your church. Which ones would you like to see carried out? How might you go about it?

Closing Prayer

Dear Lord, you want your people to bond with each other in love and caring as your family, but we often fail. Forgive us for our carelessness and neglect of our brothers and sisters. Let your light shine from us, your concern for others motivate us, and your joy overflow from us to those who need it.  Fashion us daily to become more and more like you. In Jesus’ name. Amen

 

On August 28, 1963, an estimated 250,000 people gathered for the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, rallying to draw attention to the nation’s racial inequities and insist on change. From the steps in front of the Lincoln Memorial, several leaders moved the crowd with resonance, challenge and inspiration, including delivery of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s iconic “I Have a Dream” speech. Just steps – literally – from the podium was Mark Raabe, long-term member of First Trinity Lutheran in Washington, D.C., who helps us all relive and reflect on that pivotal day.

 

SIGHTS AND SOUNDS

“From the pond to the Capitol, it was a sea of people,” said Raabe. “It was a different time. People were dressed up. There weren’t any white rabble rousers – they just weren’t there. The day was peaceful and passionate.”

“The whole thing started early in the day, on a big platform on the corner of Constitution and 15th – kind of across the street from where the National Museum of African American History and Culture is now – with entertainment and speakers.” The groundswell that brought people together seemed to fuse the individuals into one. “The same crowds that arrived early just peacefully moved to the Lincoln Memorial and lined the Reflecting Pool.”

Raabe brought his camera and has personally-photographed recollections of the profound day. Who was he most excited to see? “Lena Horne. I was secretly in love with her since I was a young high school kid,” he chuckled. Other attention-grabbing movie stars included Harry Belafonte, Burt Lancaster, Charlton Heston and others. Artists including Odetta; Peter, Paul & Mary; and Joan Baez entertained with aimed songs.

The core from center stage was speeches from active civil rights movement leaders. “Of course, there was Dr. King, Ralph Abernathy, Whitney Young from the National Urban League, James Farmer, John Lewis and [A.] Philip Randolph, head of the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters union, which was a very strong position.” Also standing out for Raabe were Black and white “clergymen very active in the civil rights movement.”

“In 1963 there wasn’t any cable, and I’m not sure if the news on TV carried the speeches live or not, but news reel cameras have shown them many times since. No kidding at all – I knew this was a great moment and that the country would never be the same.”

 

PERSONAL PRESENCE

After a long career as counsel to a committee of Congress, Raabe can look back at his presence at the March in a professional capacity as a personal experience as well. “I didn’t have a lot of [varied racial] experience as a [white] kid growing up in Minnesota, not even in my law school class,” he recalled. But life experiences brought him greater exposure. “Only six years earlier [than the March] I was a newly married Navy guy, and we attended a Black Lutheran church in San Diego.” After visiting several churches at that time, the young couple was drawn to the vitality of the congregation they became part of. “We were absolutely received there,” he said.

“The March was more like a confirmation of some feelings I had about the Black movement before this,” and the exposure continued to impact his personal and professional choices going forward.

 

POWERFULLY PEACEFUL

“I went home that day and told my wife I had witnessed history,” Raabe marked. “There have been many watershed moments in civil rights, and this may have been the greatest watershed of all.”

There was “big discussion” before the March of possible erupting tensions. Would the March be peaceful? “The day was unbelievably calm – not on edge at all.” Even with such weighty matters before the nation, Raabe experienced the day as enjoyable. “It was a magnificent experience to be there and to hear the speeches and to be able to take it in at the moment.”

“I knew when Dr. King gave that speech that this was a speech for the ages. It absolutely was a stunning and emotional, real emotional, moment for me and the crowd.”

“As great as that day was, it showed the power of peaceful protest. When you have that kind of positive power in one direction for good,” there will be powerful impact, Raabe said. “You’re always going to have sinister forces of evil who don’t agree, or who respond by attacking verbally or even physically. Dr. King went to jail in response to what he was doing. Ultimately he paid with his life. But he accomplished incredible things in a peaceful way.”

“That’s kind of my approach to life. Do things by pointing out the morality or immorality of something and preaching that message rather than violence or destruction – George Floyd or any injustices we face. Violence only breeds more hostility and slows progress,” Raabe continued.

“My personal feeling is Dr. King showed by example what we could do by persistent, peaceful protest on strong moral grounds.”

Raabe was able to marvel at the crowd of 250,000 on August 28, 1963. In his mind’s eye, “It might have been even bigger.” The impact of that March on Washington certainly was.