Colleen Montgomery, Salem, VA

Warm-up Question

How would you define the feeling of burnout? Have you or someone you know experienced burnout? 

Burned Out

Americans across the country are resigning from their jobs in mass numbers. Though you may not be in the working world yet, chances are that you know an adult who has resigned from their job sometime since March of 2020. Maybe your teacher or your medical provider has resigned. 

One of the major reasons cited for resigning is burnout. The feeling of extreme exhaustion due to prolonged stress makes it difficult to take care of oneself and work. While burnout isn’t an official medical diagnosis, it does affect your physical and mental health. Preparing food is harder. Moving throughout the day feels like a challenge. You experience additional stress knowing that your school work or job performance isn’t at the level you would like. All of these put additional stress on your body and mind. 

Even if you haven’t experienced burnout, my guess is that you have felt increased stress because of the pandemic and all the changes that have happened in your life and in the world because of it. None of us are the best versions of ourselves. 

Figuring out how to take care of ourselves and others when we are facing high stress or burnout is tricky. Each person’s experience is different. Black, Indigneous, and people of color face additional stressors from racist structures in our country that affect their school, work, family, and health. Likewise, members of the LGBTIA+ face discrimination that affects their lives as well. For those of us who are white, like me, it is important for us to learn about, strive to understand, and then work to improve the discriminatory practices of our society. The same goes for the allies of the LGBTIA+ community. Again, managing our own needs and caring for the community around us is challenging. 

Discussion Questions

• How do you take care of yourself when you are feeling stressed and overwhelmed? 
• Who in your life is experiencing burnout? What is a simple way that you can show them you care for them?
• How can you show care and compassion for the Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC); LGBTQIA+,  and other marginalized individuals communities in your school, workplace, family, and community? 

Sixth Sunday after Epiphany

Jeremiah 17:5-10

1 Corinthians 15:12-20

Luke 6:17-26

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

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

Gospel Reflection

When I think about where I find myself in today’s gospel lesson, I know right where I would be. I am one of the people in the crowd who has come to Jesus for healing. It’s easy to pass over these first verses, but they help to set the scene for us. People from all over the region, from all walks of life have come to Jesus to be healed or to seek healing for someone they care about. 

I see myself as one of the many who have come to Jesus. Maybe you can imagine yourself there too. The tired, burned out, stressed out are all there. And we bring with us those who are sick and ailing from any number of illnesses, diseases, or mental health concerns. We gather to be healed and then we stay and listen to the words that Jesus has to share. 

Jesus begins with a word of blessing. He offers grace, compassion, and comfort to those who experience poverty, hunger, grief and sadness, and discrimination. If you have experienced any of those hardships, Jesus’ words are for you. 

Then Jesus goes on to share warnings. He warns those who experience wealth, food security, lack of grief, and privilege that life will not always be so good. All of us who are living through this pandemic, know that our circumstances can change overnight. Jesus shares this warning to remind those gathered there (and those listening today) to care for those who experience hardship.  Someday it could be us. We are all together in this thing called life. 

This gospel both comforts us in our burnout, exhaustion, and illness, and also challenges us in our security and privilege to care for those around us as well. 

Discussion Questions

• What is going on in your life or in the lives of those you care for which urges you to sit at the feet of Jesus?
• How has God or God’s people been there for you when you have experienced hardship?
• Does your church or community support those who experience poverty, hunger, grief, and discrimination? How can you join in those efforts? 

Activity Suggestions

• Look at a biblical map to locate Judea, Jerusalem, and the coast of Tyre and Sidon. How far apart are these places? How long would it take to walk between them? 
• Write, paint, draw, or create in another way blessings to those in your life who are in need of encouragement. You can send them via snail mail, text, or another type of messenger. 
• Take individually wrapped food treats to local schools or hospitals to support teachers and healthcare workers. 

Closing Prayer

God of all compassion, we come to you with weary hearts, minds, and bodies. We are worried as we watch burnout effect so many in our lives and community. Help us to know ourselves, so that we know when we need to rest, to seek help, and to support others. Remind us that you are always with us. Amen. 

It’s game time! The Big Game Challenge has kicked off, and our church is racing toward the goal of ending hunger!

While you are cheering on your team and celebrating with family and friends— let’s help tackle hunger together!

From kickoff to the final whistle, Team Cincinnati and Team Los Angeles will seek to outdo one another for the sake of the gospel. The fans that donate the most through their team page to ELCA World Hunger by midnight Central time on February 13th will help their synod take home the title of ELCA World Hunger Champion — regardless of the outcome on the field. Whether your favorite formation is 3-4, 4-3, or 3:16, you can send your nickels and dimes to support your team!

Check out this video of Bishop Dillahunt of the Southern Ohio Synod of the ELCA encouraging supporters:

And not to be outdone, the Southwest Califonia Synod’s Bishop Bos is ready to prove that Team Los Angeles has the most generous synod:

Be sure to send us your game day photos! and may the best team win – so we can all tackle hunger together! #elcabiggamechallenge #untilallarefed

Visit ELCA.org/BigGame to be part of the action!

By Dr. Shanta Premawardhana 

More than 50 years ago, Dr. Mary Nelson (founder of Bethel New Life in the westside of Chicago) marched with Dr. Martin Luther King and gospel singer Mahalia Jackson in Chicago. For several decades, Dr. Nelson was a faculty member of OMNIA Institute’s predecessor organization SCUPE (Seminary Consortium for Urban Pastoral Education) and she continues as an Advisory Board member of the OMNIA Institute for Contextual Leadership. In an OMNIA podcast, Dr. Nelson talked about the Beloved Community as God’s vision for the city. It is that same vision that animated the founders of SCUPE to prepare pastors to break down all barriers to the flourishing of community. At the beginning of Black History month, it is fitting that we remember the power of this vision.

SCUPE was formed in 1976 with 12 member seminaries (including LSTC in Chicago and Luther Seminary in St. Paul) to teach seminary students an alternative method of doing theology and pastoral ministry. Rather than start from received traditions, SCUPE taught them to begin their theologizing from the questions and struggles that arise from the context of the city. This meant that they needed to get out into the streets and neighborhoods to talk to people in places like bus stops, coffee shops, police stations, emergency rooms, churches and expressway underpasses. Thousands of pastors learned from SCUPE to “listen to, learn from and live in solidarity with those in the margins” (our motto) and to have those questions stimulate their sermon preparation and their pastoral ministry.

Five years ago, SCUPE expanded its mission. Rather than serve only seminary students, it expanded to also include clergy and lay leaders who were already working in the field. Rather than serve only Christians, expanded to include those from multiple religious traditions. Rather than only focus on Chicago, it expanded to include many countries. As we sought a name that demonstrated our commitment to the inclusivity of Dr. King’s Beloved Community, the Latin word OMNIA (meaning “all”) came to us. Click here to a video of its unveiling in 2017.

Among those delighted with the choice of that name was one of our treasured advisory Board members at the time, Dr. Martin Marty. After that unveiling, Dr. Marty went home, and the first thing he did, he said, was to open his Latin Vulgate Bible and do a word search. He wrote to me his musings on the several bible verses in which the word “omnia” occurs. Out of all these, one clearly stands out, he wrote, which he recommended that we use as a charter: omnia enim vestra sunt, “All belong to you, you belong to Christ, and Christ belongs to God” (1 Corinthians 3:22,23). “All belong to you,” he said, “claim it!”

Perhaps it is our way of claiming “All” but immediately after that, we decided that our commitment to Beloved Community requires us to go to those places in the world where community is most fragile. Our expertise and experiences in interfaith relations and our global relationships allowed us to explore this widely. It took us first to Northeastern Nigeria where we sought to equip religious leaders and people of faith to counter religious extremism and religion-based oppression, domination and violence. Click here for a video on our work in Nigeria.

Decades-long animosity between Muslims and Christians in Northeastern Nigeria created conditions for the rising of the terrorist group Boko Haram. Even though the entire region, including Muslims, suffered from Boko Haram’s brutality, since Christians were their primary target, Boko Haram gained sympathy from many in the large Muslim population. This, and other social conditions made it possible for them to recruit young people more easily for their dastardly cause. Military options proved futile since Boko Haram operatives were embedded within local communities. OMNIA introduced an alternative strategy, developing the conditions necessary for a cultural shift to occur, that reduces people’s tolerance of extremism and increases their affirmation of pluralism.

OMNIA has convened a few thousand Muslims and Christians, some of the toughest, most courageous, women and men, and organized them into Interfaith Peacemaker Teams (IP Teams). They come together, not because of some obligation, but because they are outraged by their suffering. OMNIA trains them to collaborate with each other across religious differences, listen to those in the margins, build power, and act strategically. They learn to have a clear-eyed and hard-nosed evaluation of the power they have, to cut (like a thin slice of a large cake) an issue that is urgent, relevant and winnable. Each small victory leads to larger victories and eventually to a peace-movement. Disciplined peacemakers, they exemplify what it means to be Beloved Community today.

In Gombe State, two women, a Muslim and a Christian had a one-on-one conversation and decided that they would get other women in their village to do the same. Three months later, 11 pairs of women came to see me. I encouraged them to continue their one-on-one conversations. Ten months later, 120 women crowded into a room to plan their next steps. In four months, Nigeria would hold a general election and that invariably meant that there would be election violence. The women decided that there will be no election violence in a village. They held a community feast, and 2000 women turned up. All of them made a commitment that day that they would put pressure on their husbands and sons from engaging in election violence. If they didn’t, “we will strike,” they said. There was no election related violence in that village.

Public admiration for what these women achieved was remarkable. That Muslim and Christian women came together to make it happen was astonishing. But it is precisely that kind of action that produces cultural shifts that reduces people’s tolerance for extremism, making it more difficult for Boko Haram to recruit from their communities.

From Nigeria to Uganda, from Sri Lanka to Bangladesh, in just five years OMNIA has built 181 IP Teams in these countries. We also have three Teams that meet virtually, on Zoom, addressing systemic racism, patriarchy and climate change. There are many inspiring stories that we can tell. Please click here for a Compilation of IP Team Stories, documents about OMNIA’s organizational information, and links to several recent articles published in Nigeria’s major newspapers. Today’s Beloved Community is interfaith, global and contextual. This is what Dr. Mary Nelson and the founders of SCUPE had in mind about how to build Dr. King’s beloved community. OMNIA continues that struggle.

Here’s the good news! You too can participate. Since the pandemic began, we have started to do our trainings online. The next cohort begins on Saturday, February 19^th. There will be seven 90 minute-long sessions on a day of the week that the group agrees to meet on. Your requirements are that you have a passion for justice and peace, that you attend all the sessions and you agree to participate in a virtual or local IP Team or help build one. If you would like to participate, please email me or sign up on our website.

Rev. Dr. Shanta Premawardhana is president of OMNIA Institute for Contextual Leadership. he has also served as the director of Interreligious Dialogue and Cooperation at the World Council of Churches and Associate General Secretary for Interfaith Relations at the National Council of Churches, USA. He can be reached at shanta@omnialeadership.org

by Sandra Roper, ELCA Hunger Advocacy Fellow

I feel like I often fall into the trap of seeing and hearing about different issues in our world through news or social media, but not quite knowing how to engage in a meaningful way. When a local non-profit that I support posted on social media asking people to contact their legislators in support of a bill, I realized that “Hey! That’s something I know how to do!” This call to action came shortly after I virtually attended the Days for All Peoples event through the Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy (VICPP), an ELCA-affiliated state public policy office (sppo). Over 300 people gathered to advocate on VICPP’s 2022 priorities, but it was one of the opening plenaries that really prepped me to confidently reach out to my own representatives.

Insights from a Delegate

Former Virginia Delegate Lashresce Aird spoke at the opening plenary on Wednesday morning, sharing the importance of advocacy from the delegate’s perspective. She shared a few tips on what makes impactful advocacy. The three main things she shared were to share personal stories, to not be afraid of being the expert, and to focus on building relationships with delegates.

• Share personal stories: Former delegate Aird shared a story of her own. When she was a delegate, she met a constituent at a conference who shared their personal story and connection to an issue. Months later when there was a vote on a piece of legislation related to it, Aird said she remembered that story vividly, and it helped inform her vote. Sharing a personal story helps delegates connect an issue to their constituents’ lives, needs, and well-being.

• Be the expert: No one can be an expert in everything, and legislators are no exception. Former delegate Aird said not to be afraid to make yourself an expert in an issue when you talk to legislators. Know how your delegate has voted in the past on related issues, so you know if you are asking them either to continue that trend or to change their vote. Know the statistics and facts surrounding your issue and share them with your delegate when you meet. Make yourself a source of reliable information on the subject. That way, as you continue to build a relationship with your delegate, you can be a trusted voice on the issue.

• Build relationships: The best interactions are the ones that are not one-and-done. Former delegate Aird suggests building relationships with delegates during legislative breaks*, so that when pieces of legislation come up during a session that you want to advocate on, there is a history of conversation and a relationship to build off. It is important to follow up on these conversations, thanking legislators for their time and engagement, even if they don’t vote the way you would like, so that you can continue using this relationship to advocate on the issues that are important to you.

Putting It Into Practice

Because of former delegate Aird’s advice, I felt confident that my voice could be heard and listened to, that by reaching out to my representative and having continued conversation, I could help make a difference. Because I am not a Virginia resident, I chose not to sit in on the actual meetings with delegates that took place over zoom that week. However, these tips imparted by former delegate Aird have been helpful as I craft letters to my own state legislators in Massachusetts around issues that I am passionate about.

More Information

ELCA advocacy resources “In district meetings with your Representative” and “Virtual Visits” offer additional tips and guidance if you plan to reach out to your representatives on a state or federal level. Interested in state level advocacy? Use this map to see if there is an ELCA-affiliated SPPO in your state and go to their website to see how you can be involved.
*August Recess is one such opportunity with federal lawmakers. Find more information in the ELCA advocacy guide, which is supplemented annually with timely issue suggestions.

By Kristen Opalinski

The first time I met Archbishop Desmond Tutu was in the lead up to COP 17, the United Nations climate change conference (the seventeenth session of the Conference of the Parties). The conference took place in Durban, South Africa, November 28 – December 9, 2011. I was in my second year serving as the communications officer for the Lutheran Communion in Southern Africa and I attended the conference on behalf of The Lutheran World Federation’s regional office. I was part of an interfaith delegation that was finalizing the first Interfaith Declaration on Climate Change in order to present it to United Nations leadership. Faith leaders from across the globe had gathered and united for one goal – to advocate on behalf of all people, for the protection of resources, and to ensure a healthy and equitable future for our planet and all its inhabitants.

The day before the meetings were to begin, we were gathered with hundreds of people at a pre-conference rally. Various people took the stage throughout the afternoon to build morale and encourage those in attendance to dig down deep for what would be a difficult two weeks of deliberation. Just as the afternoon was drawing to a close, one final speaker remained. It was Archbishop Tutu, or simply the Arch as he was affectionately known in his native South Africa. He stepped up to the podium with a warm smile, a smile that quickly turned into a steely gaze. “Do not remain quiet!” he implored, “Do not waste a single moment. This is a critical moment in human history, one that requires each and every one of you, of us, to be fully engaged – the clock is at zero!” The crowd fell silent, we were hanging on his every word as he pressed on. He condemned the sins that brought us to this point, the greed and hyper consumerism that led us to this moment. He didn’t paint any rosy pictures that day or offer any jovial laughs for which he was well known. Instead, he used the moment to shower us with the unvarnished truth of the fight that laid before us.

My first encounter with Archbishop Tutu was with Tutu the rabble rouser, the man who decades earlier led marches through the streets of South African cities with calls for justice in the face of the apartheid machine and emerged as the nation’s moral compass. He would become a moral compass for the world in the years that followed and on that afternoon in late November 2011, I learned my first lesson from the Arch – Do not remain quiet, do not waste a single moment.

A photo I took of  Archbishop Tutu at the COP17 rally in 2011

Our role as faith leaders at COP17 was to provide a moral framing for the conversations and to remind the negotiators that they represented people and the environment, not just government interests. Tutu helped us build a foundation to stand upon in the following weeks, enabling us to deliver a unified declaration to UN leadership, to lead a civil society march through the streets of Durban, to push back against corporate powers who threatened to derail establishing the framework for the Green Climate Fund. I knew I was in the midst of a transformative figure and enveloped in a historic moment. But this was just one of the many moments Tutu helped to transform, one of the many battles he was waging on behalf of the vulnerable and oppressed. His entire life was centered upon a life of advocacy and action on behalf of those in need because that is what Christ calls us into. That was the second lesson I learned from the Arch – Strive to live out Christ’s love in action in all you do.

After our time together in Durban our paths would cross a few more times before I left South Africa in 2014. Over the course of three years, I learned more from Tutu the rabble rouser, but also from Tutu the thoughtful theologian, Tutu the agitating conversationalist, and Tutu the humble host. There were many layers to him and many lessons to learn from each aspect of his personhood.

A few months after our first meeting in Durban I was in Cape Town for a conference and decided to stop by St. George’s Cathedral, where Tutu had served as the Anglican Archbishop of Cape Town from 1986 to 1996. The morning of my visit Tutu was leading a Eucharist service, as he often did. His face immediately lit up when he saw me and after the service, he invited me to join him for breakfast along with a group who was visiting from New York. What followed was a lively conversation about the role of church in the public sphere. He urged us to reclaim faith-based public witness as Americans, to lean into the margins in order to help lead our society away from the individualism that was plaguing us. He urged us to publicly embrace the gospel, namely the Sermon on the Mount, so that society would look to us and see that we were created for interdependence, that there is hope in the midst of all we face if we face it together. That day I learned my third lesson from the Arch – Embrace the gospel in such a public way, so that others might see that hope is alive when we embrace each other’s humanity.

The next time I was in Cape Town my family was visiting from the US. My father and I went to St. George’s for the Friday morning Eucharist, which Tutu was again leading. After the service I introduced him to my father and they were thrilled to meet each other. He told us we should get a photo together. I remember my father and I standing on either side him. He looked at me with a scowl and said, “What are you doing? You must be in the middle my dear, you are the rose between these two old thorns.” We all laughed as the photo was snapped. Afterwards, Tutu invited us to breakfast. He arrived at the café below St. George’s wearing a shirt that read “This is What Old Looks Like” – a perfect reflection of his humorous, joy-filled disposition. Many jokes were shared that morning and I learned my fourth lesson from the Arch – Laugh often, live a joy-filled life, and don’t take yourself too seriously.

A rose between two old thorns

My final in-person encounter with the Arch came in late 2013, just months before my return to the United States. Again, I was in Cape Town for a conference and decided to stop by St. George’s. Tutu was there, and immediately invited me to join him for what would be our last breakfast together. This time though it was just he and I, and plate of delicious pumpkin fritters. What unfolded in that final conversation felt like a culmination of the previous three years of lessons. He asked me about my work, my family, and what brought me joy. We dove deep into theological musings, about incarnational theology and Ubuntu theology. It was as if we covered everything and yet only scratched the surface. I did not know that it would be my last time with the Arch, but the lessons he shared with me that day will last a lifetime. He reminded me to never loose sight of how I am connected to every other person on earth, every other living thing, that we are all part of God’s tapestry. That my thread in that tapestry is as important, but not more important, than every other thread. His parting words to me will forever be engrained in my mind, “Stay well my dear and keep getting into trouble, the kind of trouble that changes the world.” That was the final lesson I learned from the Arch.

A photo from our final breakfast together in 2013

In the early morning hours of December 26^th, 2021, text messages poured in from friends in South Africa letting me know that the Arch had passed. I was flooded with emotions – sorrow at the realization that the world had lost one of its great lights paired with gratitude that God had gifted us with his light for over 90 years. Tutu represented the very best of our humanity. He was a staunch advocate for equitable justice, the kind of justice that doesn’t simply seek to right the wrongs of our society, but to do so by digging deep into the nature of our wounds, of our sin, in order to reveal the many truths that connect us. Tutu understood that any path forward must be rooted in our humanity. From HIV and AIDS advocacy, to standing up for the rights of the LGBTQIA+ community, and being a global voice for the Palestinian people in the face of Israeli occupation – Tutu knew that we were made for goodness, but that peace and reconciliation are ongoing journeys, not finite destinations.

It was an honor to have had the opportunity to spend time with him, to learn from him, to receive the Eucharist from him, and to break bread with him. Our conversations were always lively, passionate affairs from which I emerged feeling like I could truly transform the world. He had an indescribable presence about him, the kind of presence that gave you a glimpse of God’s inbreaking kingdom and audacious humor in a singular moment. I will cherish the lessons I learned from the Arch, but more importantly, I will find ways to share them so that they may be carried forward and cultivated by others.

I invite you to learn your own lessons from the Arch by reading his books, including No Future Without Forgiveness, God Has a Dream: A Vision of Hope for Our Time, and God is Not a Christian: And Other Provocations. A full list can be found on his Goodreads page. Additionally, there are a few excellent biographies on Tutu, including John Allen’s Rabble-Rouser for Peace and Michael Battle’s Desmond Tutu: A Spiritual Biography of South Africa’s Confessor.

You’re invited to celebrate Tutu’s legacy this month by hosting a free screening of the film Mission: JOY, a new documentary that follows the friendship of Archbishop Tutu and the Dalai Lama. Register between now and February 28^th to host your screening at your congregation or through a digital gathering. This opportunity is being graciously provided by Roco Films and the film’s producers, through an invitation from The Episcopal Church.

Kristen Opalinski serves as manager for Ecumenical and Interreligious Relations for the ELCA.

Scott Mims, Norfolk, VA

Warm-up Question

Have you ever been fishing?  If so, share one of your best “fish stories.”  If not, what is one activity you really enjoy doing and why do you enjoy it?

Fish Story

I was intrigued  by an article about a rare deep-ocean creature which had washed up on a California beach.  As one who watched Disney’s Finding Nemo a lot when my children were little, I recognized the pictures as being the type of deep sea “monster” that is angling to turn Marlin and Dory into a meal.  What I didn’t know was how rare a find such a specimen is.

It turns out that, even though the Pacific football fish was first discovered over 100 years ago, only 31 specimens have ever been collected. Since they live at depths of up to 3,300 feet, Pacific football fish can’t be studied in the wild. What makes this particular fish newsworthy is that it was the third one to wash ashore in a year. Prior to that, the last football fish to be found was twenty years ago. This is both exciting and a bit puzzling for ichthyologists, although no reason for this increased frequency can be determined with any certainty.  

For me, this strange creature is a reminder of the wonder and mystery which continue to surround all of creation.  How is it that creatures can live and thrive in places too deep for us to truly explore?  How might their abilities to adapt to less than favorable conditions challenge…perhaps even inspire…us in the face of a changing world?  As I write this, the James Webb Space Telescope has just reached its new home, and scientists are eager to discover what it will reveal about the universe.  Yet, despite the marvels of technology which allow us to peer into the secrets of the stars,  there is still much to learn about our own planet.

Discussion Questions

• What about the world/universe around us do you find interesting, “cool,” or amazing?
• Psalm 19 begins: “The heavens are telling the glory of God….”  Where do you see God in the natural world?  How does Creation proclaim God’s handiwork?
• When you think about the future of our planet, what concerns do you have?  What do you think should be done about the things that most concern you?

Fifth Sunday after Epiphany

Isaiah 6:1-8 [9-13]

1 Corinthians 15:1-11

Luke 5:1-11

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

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

Gospel Reflection

There are some moments when the Bible comes to life.  One such moment for my wife occurred on a visit to Israel years when her tour group made a stop at the Sea of Galilee.  Casting off a bit from the shore in a small boat, their tour guide began to speak to them about the region.  He spoke at a normal volume but, due to the water and the shape of the land, his words came across very distinctly, almost as if he were being amplified. No wonder then that, when pressed upon by a large crowd, Jesus chose just such a setting to make himself heard.

This week’s gospel is part miracle story and part call story.  Jesus’ ministry of preaching, teaching, and healing has been attracting a lot of attention.  Large crowds are showing up wherever he is, hoping to hear him, see him, maybe even be touched by him.  On this occasion Jesus asks a fisherman named Simon (and probably some of his partners, too) to take him out a bit from the shore, so that he can proclaim the good news to the gathered crowd. 

What did Jesus say that day?  What important teachings did he share?  Luke doesn’t tell us because that is not the point of this story.  His point is what Jesus does next.  Jesus tells Simon and the others in the boat to put out into deeper water and to let down their nets.  Having just come off a hard night of fruitless labor, Simon at first hesitates — he “knows” there are no fish to be had.  Yet, because it is Jesus who asks, they deploy their nets. 

And the rest, as we say, is history.  First, they catch so many fish that Simon has to call for help to keep the nets from breaking and their boat from sinking.  And then, as the amazement and awe of this miraculous moment wash over him, Simon Peter drops to his knees in wonder and dread.  “Go away from me Lord,” he cries, “for I am a sinful man!”

But Jesus doesn’t go away.  Instead, despite their shortcomings, Jesus invites Simon and the others into a different kind of fishing.  “Do not be afraid,” he says, “from now on you will be catching people.”  And, bringing their boats to shore, they leave everything and follow him.

In the end, this miraculous call story is ultimately a story about faith. Not just the faith to follow, but the trust involved in obeying Jesus, even when we cannot at first see the reason or how things will turn out.  Here, Simon is the professional fisherman.  He knows what he is doing; it is not the right time of day to be fishing.  What’s more, he does not expect there to be any fish because they have already labored long without success.  Nevertheless, at Jesus’ word he does what he expects to be a waste of effort and time, and experiences, instead, amazing – even life-changing — success. As we think about the times in which we are living, what is it that Jesus is calling us to do?  What “deep waters” is he inviting us into, and how are we to let down our “nets”?

Discussion Questions

• Have you ever had the experience of simply stepping out in faith?  If so, what happened?
• Jesus was not the only religious teacher who had disciples; other Jewish rabbis in his day also had followers – usually people who were among the brightest and best. Along with the miraculous catch of fish, one of the wonders in this story is who Jesus chooses.  What outward qualities (for example, a lack of formal education) might have made Simon and his companions such a surprising choice?  When it comes to those who follow him, what are some of the qualities you think Jesus cares most about?
• How do you feel about Simon Peter and his companions’ response? As you imagine it, what things did they have to give up? Why do you think these men dropped everything to follow Jesus?  
• What do you think it means to follow Jesus today?  If you were to create a portrait of a modern-day disciple, what would your picture include? 

Activity Suggestions

• Plan A “Fishing Expedition”  When it comes to “catching people,” what do you think the church/your congregation/your small group needs to be doing (or doing more of) right now?  Brainstorm a list of ideas and possible action items.  Are there things on this list you would have fun doing?
• *Video: For further discussion on the sheer grace of being called to follow Jesus, check out a short video by Rob Bell entitled, Dust (Nooma series).  What does it mean to you that Jesus believes in you?  Does this change the way you see yourself as a disciple?
• Remember Your Baptism: As part of your concluding prayer this session, invite participants to remember their baptisms as a connection to the calling we receive to be followers and disciples of Jesus.  This could be as simple as having a small bowl of water in which you invite them to dip a finger and make the sign of the cross on their own forehead.  

Closing Prayer

Gracious and loving God, as your Son was revealed to Simon Peter and the others through a miraculous catch of fish, help us to see the many ways that you act in our lives and to praise you for the grace that you give to us day by day.  Empower us by your Spirit to follow Jesus, lead us to be living signs of your love, and give us the courage to invite others.  In Jesus’ name we pray.  Amen

We are excited to announce that the 2023 ELCA World Hunger Education and Networking Grant application cycle is now open!

Hunger Education and Networking Grants are one of the ways ELCA World Hunger accompanies congregations, synods, organizations, partners and local teams throughout the US and the Caribbean. We know that learning about the root causes of hunger and effective responses is key to ending hunger locally and globally.

We will be accepting proposals from March 15, 2023 through November 15, 2023. Grant applications are accepted and reviewed throughout the year. Please allow 6-8 weeks for review of your application. Grants average between $1000 and $3000 and are non-renewable.

ELCA World Hunger Education and Networking Grants support work that:

• educates and engages ELCA congregations, groups, and/or synods;
• fosters the development and education of leaders and participants;
• builds relationships locally, regionally and nationally; and
• equips ELCA members and neighbors to work toward a just world where all are fed.

ELCA World Hunger Education and Networking Grants are designed for projects that provide educational opportunities to deepen participants’ understanding of poverty and hunger (including root causes and intersectional issues) and equip participants to work toward effective solutions.

Projects involving direct service within communities are only eligible if the service happens within a program for service learning. If your project involves direct service, ELCA World Hunger’s Domestic Hunger Grants may be more appropriate for your needs.

Previous grantees have included:

• synod-wide bike rides to promote hunger awareness;
• service learning events for youth and young adults;
• online and in-person workshops;
• community organizing training;
• creation of new resources to help participants learn about hunger; and
• local research projects to help others learn more about hunger, health, and housing in their community.

The work of grantees in the past has focused on a wide variety of areas, including climate change and sustainability, housing security, racial justice, worker justice, reducing food waste and economic justice.

Eligibility

To be eligible for an ELCA World Hunger Education and Networking Grant, proposals must be:

• received through the ELCA’s online Grantmaker portal from March 15 to November 15, 2023;
• submitted by a 501(c)3 tax-exempt organization;
• focused on education, engagement, and networking toward a just world where all are fed; and
• consistent with ELCA World Hunger’s values and priorities (https://elca.org/domestichungergrants).

In addition, eligible projects must occur within the geographic footprint of the ELCA, which includes the United States and the Caribbean.

How to Apply

Applicants must pre-register on ELCA GrantMaker in order to access the grant application. Approval of registration may take up to ten business days, so register now at ELCA.org/grants, and submit your application by November 15th.

For more information see the full request for proposal here: 2023 ELCA World Hunger Education and Networking Grant Announcement and en Español: 2023 Subvenciones de ELCA World Hunger para la Educación y la Creación de Redes.

If you have any questions, please email Ryan Cumming, program director for hunger education, at Ryan.Cumming@elca.org or hunger@elca.org

Susan Palo Cherwien, Lutheran hymnwriter and poet, died December 28, 2021. Her hymns and meditations have been a gift to the church and world.

Eight of her hymns are included in Evangelical Lutheran Worship:

• As the Dark Awaits the Dawn  261
• Come, Beloved of the Maker  306
• Day of Arising  374
• O Blessed Spring  447
• Rise, O Church, like Christ Arisen  548
• Beloved, God’s Chosen  648
• Signs and Wonders  672
• In Deepest Night  699

Eight hymns are also included in All Creation Sings, the worship and song supplement to ELW:

• As Your Spirit in the Desert  923
• Christ Is the Life  927
• Before the Ancient One, Christ Stands  953
• Behold, Unveiled the Vesper Skies  997
• Holy Woman, Graceful Giver (Mark 14)  1001
• Holy Woman, Graceful Giver (John 12)  1002
• In the Midst of Earthly Life  1026
• In Sacred Manner  1071

Susan also crafted the text for the song of praise “Glory to you, God” (p. 31) included in All Creation Sings Setting 12.

Several more of her hymns are published in three volumes available from Augsburg Fortress: O Blessed Spring, Come, Beloved of the Maker, and Peace, Be Still.  Augsburg Fortress has also published several choral anthems with her texts. A 2021 Augsburg Fortress blog post highlights a few of these and in a 2021 video, Susan shares more about her hymn “Christ Is the Life, a hymn inspired by the words of Dietrich Bonhoeffer.

Susan was also well-known for her poetic worship reflections published by MorningStar Music Publishers. You can read more in her own words about her vocation as poet and hymnwriter. She often wrote and delivered meditations as part of hymn festivals led with her spouse, composer and church musician David Cherwien. Susan was deeply loved as spouse, mother, friend, colleague, and child of God.

You can hear the National Lutheran Choir sing one of her best-known hymns, “O Blessed Spring” (ELW 447).

As winter comes, as winters must,
we breathe our last, return to dust;
Still held in Christ, our souls take wing
and trust the promise of the spring.
-Susan Palo Cherwien, “O Blessed Spring,” stanza 4

Angie Larson, Alexandria, MN

Warm-up Question

Have you ever ordered something online and received something you didn’t expect? What was it?

What I Got vs. What I Ordered

On the internet there’s a meme out there called “what I got vs. what I ordered.” There are hundreds of stories of people getting something very different than they asked for. One man ordered a rug for his room but didn’t check the dimensions. He ended up with a rug that was no larger than a napkin. For her daughter’s birthday, a mom ordered a cake featuring  Elsa from Frozen; what came looked more like a scary orangutan. A bride ordered a wedding dress that came in with weird seams and didn’t fit her at all. The description was dramatically different from what she received. 

Sometimes in life we have this picture of what we want, but we receive something very different. We expect our year to go a certain way, but then circumstances change. We expect a friend to react positively; they react negatively. Perhaps we hope for a change that never happens. When we get something  different from what we ordered we find ourselves bewildered, disenfranchised, or lost. Or sometimes we just think it’s funny and post it to the internet. 

Discussion Questions

• What is something for which you had hoped that ended up differently?
• How do you feel when this happens to you? How do you react?
• Why are we let down when things don’t turn out how we imagined?

Fourth Sunday after Epiphany

Jeremiah 1:4-10

1 Corinthians 13:1-13

Luke 4:21-30

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

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

Gospel Reflection

Earlier in Luke 4 Jesus is invited to read the scroll in the synagogue. He unrolls the scroll to a passage from Isaiah 61, which talks about the coming Messiah. Jesus reads it aloud. “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor, freedom to the captive, sight to the blind, to set the oppressed free, and to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” Then, after Jesus reads this passage, he proclaims, in his ultimate mic drop moment, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.” 

At first those in the synagogue are amazed by Jesus’ teaching but then they start to wonder where Jesus’ authority comes from. “Isn’t this Joseph’s son?” They hear Jesus’ words and can sense that there is something amazing about him. Yet, at the same time, they can’t reconcile their expectation of who the Messiah will be with the familiar person in front of them.

They wanted a mighty warrior, a powerful deliverer who would save them; instead, they get Joseph’s boy. He isn’t what they expected. Joseph’s son? In fact, God gives them someone so much better. God gives them God’s son, not just to deliver the Jews from Roman oppression, but to deliver ALL people from sin and death. There is much more to Joseph’s son than they imagined. And they aren’t sure they like it at all. In fact, they try to throw him off a cliff! 

Little do they know, Joseph’s son, Jesus, will save them all, will save us all. Jesus is much more than they expected.

Discussion Questions

• How would you react if someone from your hometown claimed to be the Messiah? Why is it so hard for the Nazarenes to believe?
• What surprises the people in the synagogue about Jesus?
• How do you expect God to show up in your life? Have you gotten what you expected? 

Activity Suggestions

Google search “What I ordered vs. What I’ve got.” Share the best ones with your group and laugh about it. 

Closing Prayer

Blessed Savior, You’re so much more than we expected! You show up in the messiness of our lives to free us, to love us, to be with us. Thank you for being not what we anticipated, but so much more. In your name we pray.  Amen.

Faiths4Vaccines are asking its partners to get the word out about federally distributed COVID-19 tests, which began distribution this week. The following message comes from the Network for Religious and Traditional Peacemakers:

On January 19th home COVID-19 tests became available through the federal government, we need to ensure that stakeholders, especially the most vulnerable, have access to the testing resources they need in order ensure equitable testing distribution.

Help spread the word!

We need the support of the faith community to share this critical information at a local level.

Please share this information across your networks to ensure proliferation of testing and vaccine resources to our hardest-hit and highest-risk communities. Information on how to order COVID-19 tests and how to educate your community about this opportunity are found below. Bring your community peace of mind by sharing this information today!

How to order COVID-19 Test Kits 

• Access the test kit ordering form hosted by the White House from the NACHW site to begin placing orders: https://nachw.org/covidtests/
• One package of four COVID-19 rapid test kits can be ordered per household
• Assist community members in placing an order for their household
• Include with your order an optional email address if you would like to track your package
• Orders on the 17th will be screened based on a social vulnerability and COVID-19 risk factor ZIP Code list required by the White House. Orders placed after the 19th can be placed directly on the White House site when it goes live.

Four Ways to Help People Get Free Rapid At Home COVID-19 Tests