This advent reflection is part of ELCA World Hunger’s 2019 Advent Study. You can download the full study here. The children’s messages are a part of ELCA World Hunger’s Sermon Starter series which is published via email every Monday. You can sign up for the weekly email here on the right side of the page. 

Week 4

God is with Us

“‘Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel,’ which means, ‘God is with us’” (Matthew 1:23).

 

 

You are loved.

 

 

 

 

 

 

No, really.

 

 

 

 

 

 

That’s it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

That is the message of Advent, Christmas — the entirety of the gospel story, in fact.

 

 

 

 

 

You are loved.

 

 

 

In the baby — whose name shall be Emmanuel, which means “God is with us” — God has drawn near to humanity in familiarity, intimacy and even identity. God has become human, entering into our world and our very existence. And the message God has brought? You are loved.

Two thousand years of Christian history, and yet that basic message has not changed. God has drawn near, and the message brought to all creation is “you are loved.” Scripture is filled with stories of God speaking to God’s people. Sometimes God speaks to them directly. Moses approaches a burning bush and hears God “informing him, ‘I will send you to Pharaoh to bring my people, the Israelites, out of Egypt'” (Exodus 3). In the middle of the night, Samuel hears God calling his name (1 Samuel 3). At other times, God speaks through the prophets to the people.

But here …

in this manger …

in this moment …

on this night …

There is no mountain-splitting, quaking prelude like Elijah heard outside his cave (1 Kings 19). There is no opening in the heavens, no descending Spirit, no voice from the clouds (Luke 3.) The baby in the manger is God’s whispered good news: “You are loved.” In the first session of this study, we read a sampling of modern-day billboards warning us of God’s coming wrath. The writings of our biblical ancestors reflect a similar level of trepidation about the day God would draw near. What judgment might befall them when God arrived? What word might God speak?

In the manger in Bethlehem, God did show up. And the word was “love.”

As gospel people, the church proclaims this message: “You are loved.” Obviously, such a simple message doesn’t give us the directives that are to be taken in the many complex situations in which the church finds itself in daily life. Such a simple message does not give us all that we need to make the many minute decisions that organizations and individuals must make. But it does give us a clear message and identity.

Who is the church? The beloved of God.

Who is my neighbor? The beloved of God.

Who is this stranger in my midst? The beloved of God. 

To be the church, to be people of the gospel, called to spread the good news, is to ensure that every person we encounter leaves knowing they are loved. To be “evangelical” is to be sharers of the good news – and that good news is that we are loved by the very creator of the universe.

This almost seems too simple, and in some ways, it might be. But how often does the message the world sends us undermine our confidence in this message? How often are we told that we must make ourselves lovable enough, work hard enough, look good enough, decide wisely enough, or behave appropriately enough to merit the concern or consideration of others around us? The church has a different message: You are loved because the One who created you has marked you as loved. Christ-centered ministries have this message of Christ at their heart.

Rain or shine, the East Boston Community Soup Kitchen opens each Tuesday without fail, serving up nutritious fare — with an extra helping of love — from the basement of Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church. Volunteers offer weekly breakfast, lunch and dinner to more than a hundred guests, many of whom face the challenges of poverty and addiction. Guests can also pick up hygiene kits or a set of clean clothes and access social services.

“This space is where we all come together and treat each other with love, with that respect and dignity that we all like to receive,” says Sandra Aleman-Nijjar, the kitchen’s lead volunteer. “We give that to everyone that walks through those doors.” Eddie, one of the guests at East Boston, knows this to be the case. Having lived on the streets since he was 18, Eddie calls the ministry “my home,” a place of belonging and acceptance where his needs — physical, spiritual and emotional — are met. “He feels loved, that someone cares,” says Sandra. “You can see it in [each of] them, that sense of belonging, that sense of acceptance. That someone cares about them, that someone is watching and looking out for their well-being.”

To be “evangelical” is not merely to share the basic facts about faith but to live out a faith that assures us — and our neighbors — that we are loved. For guests at the East Boston Community Soup Kitchen, that means that every plate of food served is a form of evangelism, a way of sharing the good news that is the very message of “Emmanuel”: you are loved.

God’s love calls us to active love and service of one another. Authentic love — the love God shows through Christ — sets tables where all are welcome, calls religious and political leaders to repentance for their treatment of neighbors facing poverty or vulnerability, and testifies to new life in the face of death-dealing powers. It is not merely a word spoken but a life lived, walking with and standing by our neighbors.

This is the Promised One we have been waiting for, and this is the message we have been longing to hear. Through Mary and Joseph’s journey to Bethlehem, through John the Baptist’s hours of ministry at the Jordan, through our expectant longing in Advent — this is the message we have been waiting for. And the message many of our neighbors continue to pine for.

 

You are loved.

Now, love one another.

Reflection Questions

1. When during this season have you felt loved?
2. How does your congregation share the message “you are loved” with neighbors in your community?
3. Watch ELCA World Hunger’s video “East Boston Community Soup Kitchen” at https://vimeo.com/293599869. How does the ministry in East Boston help guests feel “that sense of belonging, that sense of acceptance”?

Children’s Message

Pastor Tim Brown is the writer of this Advent children’s message. Pr. Tim is a Gifts Officer and Mission Ambassador for the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago and a pastor and writer out of Raleigh, NC. This Advent Children’s Message is cross-posted from ELCA World Hunger Sermon Starters. 

Set-up:

The season’s texts provide the leader with an opportunity to practice Advent anticipation, and each children’s message with grow week to week until Christmas Eve/Christmas Day.

This is the last week, and there should be a small box with a pocket mirror inside. A large yellow star should be on the outside of this small box, with the poem below printed on it.

Script:

Invite the youth to come forward.   

“Look here, folks, I have that final box here, and I can tell there are things inside of this one, too. How can I tell?  Just listen!” Shake the box “Now, remember what was inside of last week’s box? Right!  Band-Aids. And what did we do with those Band-Aids? Right, we gave them away as reminders that God invites us to heal the world.  Some of those people out there even put them on. What do you think is in this box?” Field answers as time allows “Could be any of those things! But look, on here is also a yellow star.  Ah, look, here’s a poem on the yellow star. Can someone read it?” If the youth are too young or too shy to read, go ahead and read it aloud:

“The baby is coming soon

And we’re dreaming of the child

And the night will arrive

So meek and so mild

But until then God’s dream

Is for someone else to be a life-changer

We don’t need to wait for the babe in the manger!

And just who should it be?

Open me up to see…

Should we open it and see what’s inside?” Open the box dramatically. If it has a lid, unveil it with panache. If it is sealed in wrapping paper, invite the youth to help you tear it open. Show the box with the mirror inside.

“Wow, a mirror. ‘But until then God’s dream/is for someone else to be a life-changer/we don’t need to wait for the babe in the manger/and just who should it be? Open me up to see…’ Who do you all see? Hold up the mirror.

“Yes!  It’s you. You are the one God is dreaming of who will start the change the world. And we can change the world by giving our gifts to help those who don’t have much, by being a good friend at school to kids who are picked on, by making meals and sharing it with our neighbors. Who else can think of a way we can start to change the world?” Field answers as time allows.

“But, there’s one more thing, come close! Make sure your mic is off “Those people out there? They need to start changing the world, too. So, I want you to go ask them a question, an important question this Christmas. Ask them how they will change the world this Christmas. Say, “How will you change the world this Christmas?”

Go ask them. And if anyone gives you an answer, come back and tell me. You can tell me now or after church. Ready? Go!”

By Rebecca Anderson, Intern at the Lutheran Office for World Community*

According to the International Organization of Migration, today there are an estimated 271.6 million migrants globally. While migrants are not inherently vulnerable, they can be vulnerable to human rights violations, observes the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner on Human Rights (OHCHR). It is imperative to protect their human rights.**

Migrants are forced to move for various reasons: governmental oppression, war, famine, climate change and better employment or educational opportunities. The list goes on. Of the 272 million international migrants, United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs 2019 data indicates one in seven migrants are below the age of 20, with Sub-Saharan Africa hosting the highest proportions followed by Latin America and the Caribbean, West Africa and North Africa. In these age groups, the dangers of human rights violations are exponentially increased due to vulnerability factors such as education disruptions, food insecurity and sexual violence.

Fatou “Toufah” Jallow, a 23-year-old activist from The Gambia, left her home country temporarily to retain her safety after experiencing sexual violence until she could return to seek justice. She spoke of her experience on a youth delegate panel I heard at “Celebrating Human Rights Day: Youth standing up for human rights” hosted on Dec. 10*** by OHCHR. In his introductory remarks at the event, Assistant Secretary-General Andrew Gilmour spoke to the “sustained and sometimes ferocious pushback against the entire global human rights agenda that we haven’t seen before.” He highlighted growing “hate speech and prejudice” towards migrants and minorities.

Migration also has gender dimensions that must be considered. In a 2019 report by the Special Rapporteur on the human rights of migrants to the Human Rights Council, Felipe González Morales emphasized this and highlighted the need for migration to be understood as a “gendered phenomenon,” enabling member states to better protect the rights of migrant women and girls from gender-based discrimination, abuse and violations at each stage of their journey. Migrants need ensured access to basic services – education, health, water, sanitation and hygiene – and social protection.

As Christians, we all have a common identity as children of a loving God who calls us to reflect love outwards, acting in compassion for our fellow neighbor. The ELCA and Lutheran World Federation (LWF) have been welcoming migrants and refugees for decades. During the negotiations for the New York Declaration for Refugees and Migrants and the Global Compact for Migration (GCM), Lutheran Office for World Community championed migrant human rights. We are members of the NGO Committee on Migration and the Civil Society Action Committee that monitor UN events and meetings on migration and advocate for the full implementation of the GCM and the Sustainable Development Goals.

Migrants are our sisters and brothers in need of our compassion both as individuals and as a community. As Lutherans, we work with migrants from all around the world with aid, respect and inclusivity. We extend our embrace to those of us who must flee from dangerous situations or seek out a better life for themselves and their loved ones. Migrants deserve a life of dignity and freedom to enjoy their inalienable human rights as enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

 

---

* The Lutheran Office for World Community is a joint ministry of the ELCA and LWF. Staff actively participate together with other Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) in various UN meetings and consultations.

** Read more in the ELCA social message on “Human Rights” which notes that “staggering numbers of God’s children have not experienced [human rights] advancement” (page 1).

*** Human Rights Day is observed annually on December 10 to celebrate the anniversary of the General Assembly’s adoption in 1948 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. This momentous document sets out fundamental universal human rights that are to be protected worldwide regardless of race, ethnicity or culture.

 

by Rev. Antoinette Robinson, Peace Lutheran Church, Memphis

Peace Lutheran Church, Memphis, formed Trinity Ministries in partnership with two other local churches to serve the Great Commission of God: To go out serve the Lord in the community, taking God’s love, through Jesus Christ, to bring hope, joy and love to people who have fallen into the pits of life and whom the world has discarded.

It was through Trinity Ministries, more than 10 years ago, that Peace Lutheran Church joined hands with Carpenter’s House, of Room in the Inn – Memphis, an ecumenical ministry that serves people experiencing homelessness. Room in the Inn partners with churches all over the city to provide hot meals, warm beds, showers, clean underwear, T-shirts and clothes, as needed. Through this partnership, Peace Lutheran Church provides overnight shelter for more than a dozen people one night per week from November through March.

Serving up encouragement

We met Keith one night. He was homeless and hopeless. He had given up on himself. He was invited — along with all the guests that night — to join us at Monday / Wednesday Lunches being served each week at Peace Lutheran. Keith said he was encouraged to come to the lunch because of how the people treated him during his overnight stay at Peace Lutheran.

Keith continued to sign up for “room in the inn” through Carpenter’s House, requesting to come back to Peace Lutheran Church every Friday during the winter season. Keith said, “I was encouraged not to give up on myself, to see that God has greater things for me to do with my life. God’s love for me was shared every time I came to eat lunch with the community.”

Keith got a job working at night, so he would come to lunch every Monday and Wednesday so we could fix him a take-out lunch for dinner that night at work. From there he was given housing through Carpenter’s House. He continued to come and volunteer to clean up and do whatever Peace Lutheran needed to be done. Keith started donating to the ministry by works, and funds, as available. Keith is in his twenties and looks forward to living a life with his wife and daughter.

Spreading God’s love, reviving hope in Memphis

Trinity Ministries continues to spread the love of God throughout the community. Just 10 years ago, people in the neighborhoods around Peace Lutheran Church didn’t know what being Lutheran means. Now Lutherans are known as Christians doing God’s will – reviving hope – in the community of Memphis. We serve with the support of all the Lutheran churches around the Memphis area as well as Methodist, Presbyterian and nondenominational churches; the Vollintine Evergreen Community Association neighborhood organization; Girl Scouts; and a host of individuals.

Future programs will be children’s church on Tuesday afternoons for the children to enjoy story time, crafts, and dinner, and to explore their God-given talents. Trinity Ministries is needed in the community to continue to lift Christ’s love and acceptance.

 

The Rev. Antoinette (“Tonie”) Robinson is pastor at Peace Lutheran Church, Memphis. She is also a leader of the Homeless and Justice Ministries Network of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. This network provides strategic leadership and resources to ministries across the country to walk with the marginalized — those who struggle with homelessness, poverty, mental illness, reentry and addiction — to share the good news of Jesus Christ with people wherever they are. Learn more about Peace Lutheran Church’s outreach ministries. Learn more about the Homeless and Justice Network of the ELCA.

 

edited by Kris A. Mainellis, Program Director for Communication and Events, Congregational Vitality

John Wertz, Blacksburg, VA

Warm-up 

Tell the group that today they are going to learn a magic trick.  Pick one of the simple tricks from these websites or share one you know.

https://www.care.com/c/stories/4051/easy-magic-tricks-for-kids/

https://www.lifehack.org/323348/8-easy-magic-tricks-for-you-show-off-parties

When the Impossible Happens

When the men’s basketball team from Stephen F. Austin arrived in Durham, NC on November 26, 2019 to play the number one ranked Duke Blue Devils, no one outside of Stephen F. Austin’s players and fans expected the game to be close.  According to the experts, Duke was a 27.5 point favorite in the game.  For the Duke fans gathering that night, it was supposed to be an opportunity to see their team extend their 150-game winning streak at home against non-conference opponents.  For the Stephen F. Austin fans, it was supposed to be an opportunity to see their team play in a historic arena.  What fans of both teams witnessed, however, was far from what they expected.

From the opening tip, the older, more experienced team from Stephen F. Austin played with confidence.  Each time that Duke got a lead, Stephen F. Austin’s team rallied to keep the game close.  Duke held a five-point lead at halftime, but as the second half began, it quickly became obvious that the young Duke players were feeling the pressure.  Missed shots and missed free throws came in bunches.  The teams traded baskets and with 19 seconds left in the game, Gavin Kemsmil from Stephen F. Austin made a basket to send the game into overtime. In overtime, both teams struggled to score, but with the game tied 83 to 83 and 15 seconds left, Duke had the ball and a chance to win the game.  In the previous 150 straight games at home against non-conference foes like Stephen F. Austin, Duke had always made that shot that they needed and won the game.  On this night, the shot bounced off the rim.  The rebound slipped onto the floor and rolled to a Stephen F. Austin player who threw it to Matthew Bain.  Bain raced the length of the court and laid the ball in the basket right in front of the Stephen F. Austin bench just before the clock struck zero.

As the final score appeared on the scoreboard, Duke fans stood in stunned silence and the small group of Stephen F. Austin fans and players erupted with joy and amazement.  This team of junior college transfers and players most people had never heard of pulled off the biggest statistical upset in NCAA basketball in the last 15 years.  They defeated the number one team in college basketball.  They ended Duke’s 150-game home winning streak, a streak which began in 2000 when Duke beat Stephen F. Austin.  As the season continues, both teams will have their share of wins and losses, but on that night in Durham, NC, the players from Stephen F. Austin proved to themselves and to others that sometimes the impossible really is possible.   

Discussion Questions

• How do you think you would have felt if you had been on Stephen F. Austin’s team at the end of game?
• Share a time that you were able to accomplish something that you didn’t think you’d be able to do.

Fourth Sunday of Advent

Isaiah 7:10-16

Romans 1:1-7

Matthew 1:18-25

(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

For Joseph, the news that Jesus was to be born of Mary was not particularly good news.  Since Joseph wasn’t the father of the baby, you can imagine that he might be hurt and upset by the news.  The Gospel of Matthew says that Joseph was a good man and that he decided to handle things quietly and make this uncomfortable mess go away.   A dream, however, changed his mind.

Many folks today ignore their dreams or at best find their dreams to be a curiosity that provides reflection on their life, but when an angel appeared to Joseph in a dream, he didn’t ignore it.  The angel said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.  She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins” (Mt 1:20-21).  Joseph heard God’s Word revealed in this dream and he listened.  “Joseph awoke from sleep, [and] he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him” (Mt 1:24).

Joseph listened.  Joseph believed the unbelievable.  Joseph heard the angel speak to him in a dream and accepted this unexpected news about Mary.  He couldn’t prove what the angel told him was true.  He couldn’t double-check or verify the information.  With the help of the Holy Spirit, he believed, based on his experience of God that night, on his knowledge of what God had done in the past, and on his understanding of what God was doing and had promised to do in the future.

Now to be sure, there are folks in this world who will say the whole story of Mary, Joseph, and Jesus is impossible to believe, but sometimes what seems impossible and unbelievable is in fact possible and believable.  Sometimes the 27.5 point underdog wins the game.  Sometimes there isn’t a logical explanation for what happens and sometimes God speaks to us in unexpected ways.  

In our world where it can be hard to know what is true and what isn’t true, Joseph’s faithfulness offers a helpful example of what it looks like to believe when believing is hard.  We may not receive a visit by an angel in a dream, but with the help of the Holy Spirit, we, like Joseph, can respond to God’s Word with belief.  We, like Joseph, can draw on the stories of God’s presence with God’s people in the past as examples of God’s enduring faithfulness to us.  We, like Joseph, can take a leap of faith and believe that God is active in our lives and in the world.

Discussion Questions

• How do you think you would have responded if you were in Joseph’s place?
• Other than the story of Mary, Joseph, and Jesus, what other Bible stories help you to see that God loves and cares for God’s people?  
• Where have you seen God active in your life or your community this week?

Activity Suggestions

• Invite someone from the congregation or community to share their faith story with the group.
• As a group, talk about Joseph’s response to his dream and his openness to listening to God in his dream.  Work together to write an evening prayer the group can use before going to sleep.  Share the prayer with the congregation.

Closing Praye

Open our hearts, O God, to experience your love for us.  Open our eyes to see the ways you are active in the world around us.  Open our ears to hear your call to be your heart, hands and voices in the world.  Helps us to know that you are with us in all that is and all that will be. Amen.

 

 

This advent reflection is part of ELCA World Hunger’s 2019 Advent Study. You can download the full study here. The children’s messages are a part of ELCA World Hunger’s Sermon Starter series which is published via email every Monday. You can sign up for the weekly email here on the right side of the page. 

Week 3

Signs of the Promise

“[John the Baptist’s disciples said to Jesus,] ‘Are you the one who is to come, or are we to wait for another?’ Jesus answered them, ‘Go and tell John what you hear and see: the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have good news brought to them’”
(Matthew 11:3-5). 

At only 17, Dawit (not his real name) has already faced a long and harrowing journey. He was born in Eritrea, and in 2017, he and his brother escaped lifelong military service by crossing into neighboring Sudan. On the border, they were intercepted by a group of traffickers. Dawit’s brother escaped, but Dawit was held by the traffickers for almost nine months and regularly threatened and beaten while they demanded money.

Eventually, Sudanese police raided the traffickers’ camp and took Dawit to a hospital in Khartoum, where he found his brother again. During their initial journey, Dawit had broken his leg while jumping out of a car. Although he had surgery in Khartoum, it was too late to fully repair the damage to his leg, and he can no longer put any weight on it.

In 2018, Dawit arrived in Cairo, Egypt, and connected with St. Andrew’s Refugee Services (StARS), which is supported by ELCA World Hunger. StARS provided Dawit with a caseworker and helped him meet other immediate needs, such as food, hygiene supplies and, importantly, medical care. StARS also connected him to Doctors Without Borders (Médecins Sans Frontières), which is helping provide Dawit with psychological care and support.

Eritrea, Sudan, Egypt. Dawit’s story, like many of the stories of our siblings in Christ around the world, can seem so far away from communities in North America. Even within our own geographic region, communities can seem farther apart than the miles may suggest. Maybe it is the divide between rural and urban cities, or the gulf between affluent areas and areas facing disinvestment and job loss.

Of course, the distance between our communities belies the reality that, as a global community, we share many of the same challenges. Human trafficking, such as Dawit faced, is “a global phenomenon to which no country is immune,” according to a 2018 report from the U.S. Department of State. And research reminds us that even the most affluent counties in the United States are home to people facing food insecurity and challenges with access to housing.

Yet, it is not merely our shared problems that connect us. This season of Advent, the Scripture readings remind us that, in Christ, God has drawn near to us and to our neighbors. As God draws near to us, we, too, are drawn near to each other — in hope, in faith and in our mutual need.

Seeing this is easier now than it was for the followers of John the Baptist. Jesus was, by no means, the first to be considered (or to declare himself) the Promised One sent by God. So perhaps no one should be surprised that John and his followers were a bit suspicious. “Are we to wait for another?” is the question of those who have long awaited the Messiah — and may likely have been disappointed before. This isn’t the pleading of the psalmist crying, “How long, Lord?” but the cynical question of the skeptic whose faith is sure but whose trust must be earned.

And to some extent, this is our question, too. How do we know that God has drawn near? How can we be certain that the Messiah has come? In our day, we are confronted with promises of salvation from every quarter. Commercials and mass media hold out the pursuit of wealth as the path to new life. Social media seem to suggest that our lives will be transformed once we get enough “likes” or followers. For victims of human trafficking such as Dawit, the promises are more nefarious. Many victims were first lured by their traffickers with promises of resettlement in a new, safe country. Or they were deceived by promises of stable employment.

Jesus understands the skepticism of the question. In response, he shares with John’s followers the evidence he knows will convince the Baptizer: “The blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have good news brought to them.” Echoing the prophecies of Isaiah, Jesus makes clear the signs of the Messiah’s coming, signs John the Baptist would seem to recognize: healing, restoration and hope. John the Baptist can trust that the one interrogated by his followers is the One sent by God because following in Jesus’ wake are those characteristics of God’s transformation of the world: healing, restoration and hope.

As we look for the promise of God in our midst, we are called to look for those signs of healing (physical and spiritual), restoration (of relationships with God and neighbor), and hope (for those who are poor or vulnerable). Our shared need for each of these is what draws us together with neighbors near and far as we long together for the transformation of the world. And make no mistake, God is with us in our need as well.

We are united in our common need with neighbors around the world. And yet, the miles are bridged by something greater — our shared participation in the promise God is unfolding in our world. The vocation to be a healing, reconciling, hopeful presence in the world is shared across the church universal in every community. United in trust that God is at work transforming the world, the church is called to participate in the signs that inspired the confidence of John and his followers — and inspires the confidence of our neighbors and ourselves today.

To share in the stories of neighbors near and far is to share in the work God is doing through them in the world. It is to seek together — and to be, together — those signs of healing, restoration and hope. In Advent, the expectant longing gives way to bold confidence that God is at work, revealing the promise that all shall be well and drawing us together in mutual need and mutual hope.

There may be much that separates us, but the promise that unites us can bridge any divide.

Reflection Questions

1. What experiences have reassured your faith that God is at
   work in the world?
2. Why is it important for the church, as the people of God, to
   help neighbors such as Dawit meet their needs for healing
   and care?
3. Where do you see God’s promise taking root in your
   community?

Children’s Message

Pastor Tim Brown is the writer of this Advent children’s message. Pr. Tim is a Gifts Officer and Mission Ambassador for the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago and a pastor and writer out of Raleigh, NC. This Advent Children’s Message is cross-posted from ELCA World Hunger Sermon Starters. 

Set-Up:

The season’s texts provide the leader with an opportunity to practice Advent anticipation, and each children’s message with grow week to week until Christmas Eve/Christmas Day.

As with last week, make sure this week’s box includes the smaller box surrounded by Band-Aids, one inside the other, like nesting dolls. 

Inside the smallest box should be a pocket mirror. Draw a large yellow star on the outside of this smallest box.  On today’s box draw a large red cross on it like an Emergency Aid kit, and tape one of the ELCA Good Gifts cards to the top.  You can find them here: http://bit.ly/33gC1kQ.

Script:

Invite the children to come forward.   

“Look here, folks, I have that other box here, and I can tell there are things inside of this one, too.  How can I tell?  Just listen!” Shake the box. “Now, remember what was inside of last week’s box?  Right!  Stickers.  And what did we do with those stickers?  Right, we gave them away as gifts of love. What do you think is in this box?” Field answers as time allows. “Could be any of those things!  But look, on here is also a red cross.  Has anyone seen anything like this before?  Where?” Field answers as time allows. “Right.  On hospitals and ambulances and first-aid kits.”

“You know, we all have built-in first-aid kits.  Want to see one?” Hold up your hands. “Yes, I know, these look just like hands.  But they’re more than that.  With hands like these we’re given the ability to help and heal others.  We can work, and through that work, we can offer help to others.  Hmmm…let me try to explain a little clearer.   Ah, look, here’s a card near this red cross. Can someone read it?”   If the youth are too young or too shy to read, go ahead and read it aloud:

“This is a card from ELCA Good Gifts, where people can buy animals, seeds, or other goods for people all around the world.  We work with our hands, and with the money we get for our work, we’re able to buy these gifts to bless others.  In this way, we help people who don’t even know to live well!  Should we open it and see what’s inside?”  Open the box dramatically.  If it has a lid, unveil it with panache.  If it is sealed in wrapping paper, invite the youth to help you tear it open. Show the box full of Band-Aids, and the other box inside.

“Wow, there’s a bunch of Band-Aids in here, along with another box.  This other box we can’t open until next week, I think, but what do we do with these Band-Aids?” Pretend to think.

“Wait, I have an idea!  Come in close.” Invite the youth forward and turn off your mic. “Go and give a Band-Aid to someone out there and say to them ‘God helps us help others.’.  Make it someone you don’t even know!  If they’re brave, they’ll even put it on today!  Go and remind them that God invites us to help others, and next week we’ll see if God has a new surprise for us in this other box.  Are you ready?  Go!”

As they give out the Band-Aids, you can make a general announcement about ELCA Good Gifts to the whole assembly and invite them to learn more by placing a bulletin insert in their hands, or point them to the ELCA World Hunger website.

 

ADORE LA is seeking new and creative ways to do church in the city of Los Angeles. This LGBTQIA+ faith community outside of Hollywood is passionately living out their mission: “Gather as we are. Reclaim faith for everyone, anywhere.”

What started as an idea to reach out to queer and trans people of color for Joseph Castañeda Carrera turned into a mission to grow a vital faith community. Launched in 2017, ADORE LA is a Synod Authorized Worshiping Community (SAWC) developed in partnership with the Congregational Vitality team at the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and the Southwest California Synod.

This partnership helped Castañeda Carrera make a dream reality. It is a dream held in common with many in LA — to grow an inclusive, God-centered community “driven and led by people of color and queer folks.”

As mission developer pastor for ADORE LA, Castañeda Carrera self-describes as, “a queer man of color, a husband, a son of both an immigrant and a fourth-generation parent of Mexican heritage, an artist and an outdoor enthusiast.” Castañeda Carrera is “a SoCal-rooted pastor who is passionate about sharing a loving and liberating God, reclaiming faith with queer people, undoing religious hurt and connecting with others on a journey struggle and faith.” This diverse perspective and passion are what motivate Castañeda Carrera to empower leaders who want to strengthen their walk with God.

Creative practice

ADORE LA places a strong emphasis on doing church outside church walls — experiencing God in unconventional ways. Castañeda Carrera explains: “We try to create our gatherings where people already are and bring liturgy there.” One way they do this is through ADORE Hike. On select weekends, a group gathers for a hike intentionally centered on personal reflection and community. On the hike up, they will spend time praying for things pressing on their hearts; at the top, they will share communion; and on the hike down, they will prepare to go into the world and love God well.

Other ministry initiatives are held in a public or shared space, such as ADORE Brunch or Worship Lab. As a result of this visible display of community, “People can walk up to us because they are so curious about our faith. We should bring our love for God outside of closed doors.” Encouraging this creative practice is what makes ADORE LA unique.

Creative space

Castañeda Carrera is focused on making space for an authentic liberating theology, with a goal to heal the hurt caused by the church. ADORE LA’s core values underscore this commitment, including love, truth, inclusivity, creativity and authenticity. “I may spend the rest of my life undoing the pain that the church has done in the past,” Castañeda Carrera explained. Yet, for the LGBTQIA+ community, “it is a matter of feeling brave in these church spaces that gives people the confidence to live out their faith in a profound way.” ADORE LA chooses to walk alongside people in this process and provide a community of love that is needed for any follower of Christ. Visit http://adorela.org/adorela to learn more.

 

by Blake Thomas, Congregational Vitality

edited by Kris A. Mainellis, Program Director for Communication and Events, Congregational Vitality

By guest blogger the Rev. Kaari Reierson, contractor for ELCA corporate social responsibility program

Many of us have money socked away in pension funds, saved for education or invested for retirement. We probably thought pretty hard while we were saving that money, but how much do we know about where it is now? What do these investments produce and by what means? Through pension funds or personal investments, we may be supporting corporations which act in good faith and employ best practices, and we may be supporting business activities which harm people and the environment.

Personal ownership of shares gives you economic power as an investor and opportunity for exercising stewardship.

“The biblical understanding of stewardship is that what we have does not ultimately belong to us. We are called to be stewards of what God has given for the sake of all. This stewardship includes holding economic, political, and social processes and institutions responsible for producing and distributing what is needed for sufficiency for all.” ELCA social statement on Sufficient, Sustainable Livelihood for All, page 11

Shareholder votes can encourage best practices by corporations, affirming good corporate citizenship and forward-thinking financial decisions. The next time your shareholder resolutions arrive, look closely. Are there requests for reports from the board that seem fair and reasonable? Are there requests that the governance of a corporation be inclusive and transparent?

The Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) program of the ELCA encourages corporations through shareholder and other activity to act in socially and environmentally responsible ways.

CSR develops standards for individual and institutional investors that align with ELCA social teaching. There are some products and services the ELCA advises against investing in at all because of the harm they inflict on people and the environment. CSR maintains investment screens found from elca.org/csr regarding: alcohol, community development, the environment, gambling, military weapons, political and civil human rights, pornography, private prisons and tobacco. CSR issue papers explore social issues as they pertain to corporate behavior and illustrate the kinds of shareholder resolutions that ELCA social teaching could support, which can also be found from elca.org/csr.

Portico Benefit Services, which provides retirement, health and related benefits for those who serve through the ELCA, offers Social Purpose funds that are invested in line with the ELCA’s mission.* Through ownership of stocks, Portico signs on to shareholder resolutions, issues its own requests to the Boards of Directors and participates in corporate dialogues.

Stewardship means using all we have been given for the good of all. The CSR program does this on behalf of the ELCA. CSR tools, including the new CSR Overview resource, can help you do this for yourself as well.

 

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* Before investing in any fund, you should carefully consider its target asset allocations, investment objectives, risks, charge and expenses. All funds, including ELCA funds, are subject to risk and uncertainty. Past performance cannot be used to predict future performance. ELCA funds are not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. Fund assets are invested in multiple sectors of the market. Some sectors may perform below expectations and lose money over short or extended periods. See the ELCA Investment Fund Descriptions for more information about our funds.

Neither Portico Benefit Services nor the funds it manages are subject to registration, regulation or reporting under the Investment Company Act of 1940, the Securities Act of 1933, the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 or state securities laws. Members, therefore, will not be afforded the protections of those laws and related regulations.

 

The faith community of Iglesia Luterana Santa Cruz communes with Christ in a strawberry field of Santa Maria, Calif. It’s but one expression of a ministry of hospitality and hope with working-poor immigrants.

Founded in 2002, this new-start community has grown and expanded its reach over the years to the larger community of working-poor immigrants who face many obstacles daily in simply living their lives. This includes coordinating the weekly lunch program with Latinx workers in the field.

The average week for the husband-and-wife team of Pastor Esteban and Angie Salazar includes leading worship with a growing community, buying fresh ingredients to make homemade tortas, managing volunteers to coordinate Santa Cruz’s food pantry and so much more.

Immigrant farmworker ministry

In 2017, Esteban and Angie felt a strong call to help their congregation’s immigrant farmworkers who labor in a nearby strawberry field. After communicating with the warden of the field, who thought Esteban and Angie were pulling a prank, they drove to the field and were greeted with a “really, you’re here?” surprised response from the warden. Now they make weekly visits, as supplies and resources are available.

On a typical Thursday morning they will shop for fresh-baked bread and other ingredients to prepare tortas. Depending on the day, they will make anywhere from 60 to 200 tortas to serve to the strawberry-field workers. Additionally, they will spend time reading scripture, singing and praying with the workers. Esteban’s belief is, “You have the ‘gospel’ and you have ‘feed my people’…you have to do both.” Creating the space to share a meal and worship right there in the field gives “loving your neighbor” a renewed outlook.

Building the church community

The immigration crisis in the United States has a direct impact on this church community. US Immigration and Customs Enforcement has come in and separated multiple families in the congregation; many cannot seek medical assistance because of the high cost; and single-parent homes fight the battle between work and family care. These tough conditions can make hope for a miracle seem absent. Angie has strong feelings about these tough circumstances: “We have a responsibility to do what Jesus would do and Jesus wouldn’t leave them there with nothing.”

The community at Iglesia Luterana Santa Cruz comes together in several activities to help congregants and the larger community. One ministry initiative at Christmas is the Angel Tree Project, a gift-giving program that provides presents for local children. In 2016, a total of 75 students received gifts through the Angel Tree. Last Christmas, the number rose to 400. Additionally, sister churches have begun providing food-pantry items, clothing and monetary help to specific individuals.

The congregation needs more help to care for its immigrant community, including a shed to be built for the influx of pantry items and additional medical support for families. However, Santa Cruz continues to live out a passion for Jesus and reliance on the Holy Spirit.

 

by Blake Thomas, Congregational Vitality Team

edited by Kris A. Mainellis, Program Director for Communication and Events, Congregational Vitality

Lost

Senior year in college, two weeks until the end of the first semester. You’re supposed to have everything figured out (so I thought). Thanksgiving break was quickly approaching, and I was dreading the moment I would be bombarded with questions from family members around the dinner table. We all know what I’m talking about…

“So, how’s school going?”

“Do you have a job lined up after graduation?”

“What are you going to do with your life?”

Like any other college student, I wasn’t looking forward to it. Although it looked like I had everything figured out, I was beyond lost and confused.

Leaning In

As I walked into the McKanna-Sandrock Retreat Center of Lutheranch, I was overwhelmed, nervous, excited, and anxious for what was to come in the next 48 hours at the first-ever ELCA Young Adult Discernment Retreat. I was determined that I was going to have the next five years of my life planned out detail by detail before I got back on a plane to Illinois.

Quiet walking trails at Lutheranch in Tallapoosa, GA where the Discernment Retreat was held.

Well, that didn’t happen, however I left with something even better. I left with the understanding that it’s not about knowing what the next five years entails, it’s knowing what my next most faithful step will be.

I realized the next step on my journey was about how to lean in and let go – how to lean into discomfort and the unknown and trust the Holy Spirit with this next step.

I take my coffee with a side of discernment (and also waffles).

Being in community with sixty lost, confused, eager and change-making young adults was comforting. Not only was everyone supportive, excited, and willing to listen, but everyone was willing to share their experiences and discern alongside me. This community listened to my wildest dreams and encouraged me to chase them, no matter how scary they were

New friends and old friends formed community at the first ELCA Young Adult Discernment Retreat

Letting Go

Luke 5: 1-11 Jesus Calls Simon and James and John

Once while Jesus was standing beside the lake of Gennesaret, and the crowd was pressing in on him to hear the word of God, ² he saw two boats there at the shore of the lake; the fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets. ³ He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little way from the shore. Then he sat down and taught the crowds from the boat. ⁴ When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch.” ⁵ Simon answered, “Master, we have worked all night long but have caught nothing. Yet if you say so, I will let down the nets.”  ⁶ When they had done this, they caught so many fish that their nets were beginning to break. ⁷ So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both boats, so that they began to sink. ⁸ But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Go away from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man!” ⁹ For he and all who were with him were amazed at the catch of fish that they had taken; ¹⁰ and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. Then Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching people.” ¹¹ When they had brought their boats to shore, they left everything and followed him.

I left that discernment weekend with this gentle but important reminder: God’s got this. I don’t need to worry, but I do need to trust the Holy Spirit. Just like when Simon, James, and John were all called out into the water to cast their nets out after a long day of catching nothing, they trusted Jesus. They returned with boats so filled with fish that they began to sink. My next most faithful step was considering how I might work on that level of trust in God.

The discernment continues across the miles with these friends!

Leaving

Fast forward a little over a year from the first discernment retreat, a lot has changed in my life. I’ve graduated from college, moved to a new city, met new people, and started working for the ELCA Youth Gathering. It was a scary, exciting, fast, adventure—but that is what this thing called life is. Still to this day, I think about the amazing community that I was a part of and hope and pray that they are still discerning God’s call for them, whatever that may be and that they are trusting to follow that call, even if they are tired and worn out.

 

Reflection Questions:

1. Simon spent all night fishing and didn’t have any luck. Before Jesus came to their boat and said “let’s go”, they had given up. However, once they had Jesus’ help, they had boat loads of fish—literally. What is something in your life that you feel God is calling you to try again?
2. Jesus has a simple message for us, to be fishers of people. How can you use your gifts to spread the Good News of Jesus to others?
3. How do you discern God’s calling for you? Do you talk with others? Do you spent more time in prayer/reflection? Do you spend time in God’s beautiful creation?
4. What is your next most faithful step? It doesn’t have to be a flushed-out plan, but what is that next step that will lead you to where God is calling you?

 

 

Justin Wilson serves as Program Associate for Communications and Administration for the ELCA Youth Gathering in Chicago, IL. He graduated from Northern Illinois University with a degree focused around Digital Marketing, Nonprofits and Social Entrepreneurship. Throughout college, Justin served four summers at Lutheran Outdoor Ministries Center (Oregon, IL), where he found joy and excitement in youth ministry. He also enjoys spending time outside, hiking, eating ice-cream and listening to Vance Joy.

Mary Ellen Helms, Loveland, OH

Warm-up Question

What is something relatively small in the scheme of things that you are anxiously anticipating?  What is something big that you are anticipating?

Living Here and Now

“Don’t go wishing your life away.” I can remember how hard my eyes rolled when my mom said this to me for the umpteenth time. She was driving me home from driver’s ed and I was laying out my life plan with clarity and ease. I was sure that once I had my driver’s license the problems of 15.75 year-old me would go away completely! Isn’t that how it works? Driver’s license = freedom and freedom = doing whatever I wanted! 

I’ve come to find out there was some wisdom in what my mom was saying. She was concerned about how often I was focusing on what was coming up while ignoring my current reality.  I was so focused on what was coming, I forgot that I could be living the life I wanted right then and there!

Our community recently screened the film, “Look to the Sky” by Brett Culp.  This documentary told the stories of many young people who were not waiting until they had the resources, time, or drive to change the world – they were doing it right then and there. These were young people with great challenges who met the world with eyes of hope and joy – not ones who wanted to rush through the current state and get to adulthood. I loved the story of Violet, a young girl who had a rare form of cancer. She bubbled over with enthusiasm and shared that joy with others in big and small ways. Instead of focusing on what was surely a life filled with a lot of ups and downs, she took her superpower of love and spread hope and joy for others to see.

Discussion Questions

• What is the best thing about being your age? What is the worst thing about being your age?
• Why is waiting so difficult? When is looking forward to something helpful? When does it hurt?
• How can you use some of the current things in your life that some could perceive as negative to positively affect someone or something else?

Third Sunday of Advent

Isaiah 35:1-10

James 5:7-10

Matthew 11:2-11

(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

In this section of the Gospel, Jesus had sent his disciples to spread his message of God’s kingdom throughout Galilee.  The message made its way all the way to John the Baptist who was in prison.  He had been sent by God as a messenger to prepare the way for Jesus. Because of this, it is not surprising that he is focused on what is to come.  He asks, “Are you the one who is to come, or are we to wait for another?” (11:3). Jesus’ coming is marked by an “already but not yet’’ dichotomy. During the season of Advent we focus on both living in the now and expecting what is coming, especially the Second Coming of Jesus.

Much was broken when Jesus walked on earth, prompting some to ask whether God had forgotten the people. Jesus’ life and ministry began answering that question – the blind saw, the lame walked, the deaf heard.  Jesus’ life on earth was the answer to the important question that John and many of God’s chosen people were asking at that time – are you the Messiah?  In this scripture, Jesus points us to the signs in the present that God’s kingdom is breaking in! We see that John is the messenger (not the messiah) and that Jesus is the real deal – living in the now and bringing God’s kingdom to a broken world.

This can be a tricky thing for us to understand because clearly the world is not free of the pain and brokenness into which Jesus entered.  Instead of focusing on how perfect life will be when Jesus comes again, we are called to focus on the present. We are to follow in Jesus’ footsteps, not centering our lives on the end times or what heaven will be like, but instead on how we can see and be pieces of God’s kingdom on earth in the here and now.

Discussion Questions

• Where do you see signs of brokenness in the world today?  Where do you see signs of God’s kingdom breaking in now?
• Why do you think most of the season of Advent focuses not so much on looking forward to Christmas but on looking forward to the Second Coming of Jesus?
• How can we take part in the ministry of Jesus even though we are separated by over 2000 years?

Activity Suggestions

• Look up the documentary “Look to the Sky” at www.risingheroes.org and watch a few of the stories. Discuss which of the people in the story gives you hope for the future. How can you be nudged to look to the sky in your own life?
• Jesus spoke of some of the signs of the kingdom of God that were evident through his ministry with the disciples (the blind see, the lame walk, people are cleansed). Do a service project benefiting one of the groups Jesus names in verses 4-5. Continue to do kingdom work today:  remember, the time is now!

Closing Prayer

Gracious God, we give you thanks that we have the gift of your presence right now. Help us to focus not too much on what is to come but on feeling your love and doing your will in the present.