Just as we entered Holy Week 2020, we heard some of the most grim news from U.S. Surgeon General Jerome Adams, who told the American people on Palm Sunday that “this [week] is going to be our Pearl Harbor moment” as COVID-19 infections continue to rise. Many leading public health officials have described the week of April 5, 2020 (Holy Week), as potentially the hardest and saddest week of increased deaths related to the coronavirus. This pandemic has affected the entire world in very alarming ways. It has also continued to spike the globally uncured diseases of racism and xenophobia. The University Health Services at the University of California, Berkeley recently retracted a statement (@tangcentercal) advising students that “xenophobia: fears about interacting with those who might be from Asia and guilt about these feelings” is a normal or common reaction. This shows the high level of insensitivity and present-day normalization of racism even from a school whose demographics report that more than 30% of the student body is of Asian descent. This institution’s culture and ethics in communication should be far above the curve for understanding racism of any kind as an unacceptable reaction to this pandemic. But like many institutions, it continued to be complicit in the propagation of systematic and systemic racism. This must stop, especially at a time when we are finding that people of color are and will be affected fatally by this pandemic at disproportional rates.

In fact, Propublica.org reported that early data shows African Americans have contracted and died of coronavirus at an alarming rate. In the very city that hosted the African Descent Lutheran Association’s (ADLA) August 2019 Biennial Assembly (Milwaukee, Wis.), African Americans made up almost half of Milwaukee County’s 945 coronavirus cases and 81% of its 27 deaths in a county whose population is only 26% black (as of April 3, 2020). This level of disproportionate rates of infection and death is a direct result of economic, political and environmental factors that have been growing for decades. These factors, along with so many other sociological trends, have put black people at higher risk of chronic conditions that leave immune systems vulnerable and battling pre-existing illnesses such as diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, HIV and asthma.

ADLA has ramped up advocacy efforts to pressure the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to release race data related to the coronavirus. The CDC typically tracks widespread demographic data with all virulent outbreaks but has provided little information about race during this current pandemic. This data is and will continue to be important to address racism and other disparities to health care access. If this Holy Week 2020 will begin the deadliest season (to date) of this pandemic, then the United States will experience a devastating loss of black lives. Now more than ever we must be reminded that Black Lives Matter.

We must also acknowledge that government and religious leaders have requested and strongly encouraged the nation to “shelter in place” and remain at home. However, that becomes a very privileged request when many people do not have the same levels of resources with which to do so. For instance, imposing curfews, demanding lockdowns, or even expecting people to stay at home without canceling their rent, helping them secure adequate food and meet all other related bills is an unjust request. With the rise in unemployment, this pandemic has created a greater wealth divide in access to basic income and adequate housing for all. The CARES Act and stimulus package(s) will assist some people in this season but will not greatly protect the most vulnerable, who are at higher risks related to this pandemic.

Holy Week 2020 should bring us all into a greater understanding of the realities of death and access to life in our nation and world. We as people of faith easily grasp the understanding that Jesus died for all of our sins and brings us to eternal redemption. He did it so that we might have life and that life more abundantly (John 10:10). We are reminded that God so loved the world and God gave us Jesus so that we wouldn’t perish but have access to eternal life. In the same way we celebrate access to a better life with Jesus, we must claim access to health care as a human right that provides a better life for all. This COVID-19 pandemic is uncovering major disparities in access to health care. With the rising death tolls, we need high-quality public health care that is guaranteed to all and not just as a private marketplace.

Many of the sociological trends (health, economic, etc.) affecting people of color globally and nationally can easily be seen among the participants, members and leaders of color in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. For far too long, we have watched our friends and colleagues (especially of African descent) die or grow gravely ill because of health conditions such as those mentioned above. The economic inequities among many of the ELCA’s congregations often reveal the most impoverished communities having to do so much more with fewer resources. Many rostered leaders of color are still struggling to pay health insurance premiums and deductibles out of meager church budgets and inconsistent paychecks. We as a church can do so much more to reverse these trends and inequities. We need to continue to increase our support and advocacy for people of color who are disproportionately affected by this pandemic and are in critical need of help. Let’s take up this cross that we bear right now in 2020 and follow Jesus, who has led us to a better life for all.

Rev. Lamont Anthony Wells is the Program Director for LuMin/ Campus Ministry in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). LuMin is a network of over 240 colleges and universities. He is also the National President of the African Descent Lutheran Association (ELCA).
Pastor Wells is a graduate of Morehouse College and the Interdenominational Theological Center, both in Atlanta, Ga; and has studied at Harvard, Princeton, University of Pennsylvania, and Cornell University.
As a dynamic speaker, Rev. Wells is frequently called to share prophetic messages of ecumenism and social justice which motivates him as a leader and community organizer.

#ELCAChurchTogether

 

Ending hunger goes beyond providing calories. The ministry of ELCA World Hunger and the work we support together is about recognizing the significance of food and the ways it can bring us together with one another, with God, and with all of creation. In the sacrament Christ initiated on Maundy Thursday, we glimpse what the banquet table God has promised for our future might look like. Today, with churches closed and many fasting from the sacrament until we can be together again, the story of the first Maundy Thursday is particularly poignant. It reminds us of God’s presence at the many tables we dine at, and it reminds us of the powerful way God’s gift of food can bring us together in anticipation of that day when all will be fed.

In this spirit, Pastor Tim Brown offers a plan for an intentional meal at home for Maundy Thursday. 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. You are invited to use the message below for personal devotion as well as prompts for sermon writing. 

Maundy Thursday Family Feast

Below is a full reflection with additional ideas. Here is a quick guide you can print and follow with your family: Family Maundy Thursday Quick Guide

Maundy Thursday is an observance of intention.  The word “maundy” is taken from “maundatum” or “mandate,” where Jesus commands his followers to love one another.

The whole observance is a story in three parts: confession and forgiveness, acts of service, and a meal of love.  For an adapted family service around the table, a simple prayer will suffice for confession and forgiveness on this night and will open the observance with sacred empty space.  The washing and meal that follow can be done with as much joy or as much solemnity as your family dynamics dictate.  Remember that the point of this observance is not to feel anything in particular, but rather to participate in a larger story that these holy days narrate.

It’s also important to note that, while your family meal is certainly sacred, this is not the Sacrament of Holy Communion and not a “Christian Seder.”  This is recalling what every Eucharist reminds us: every shared meal is ordinary and extraordinary, and Christ is present in our gathering whenever we dine in fellowship.

Decide What You Want to Eat for Dinner

So, what should you eat for dinner? Frankly, you’re welcome to eat whatever you’d most enjoy on this night.  If you want a more traditional Middle Eastern meal, not unlike the food Jesus may have eaten, grapes, dates, figs, olives, and some crusty bread are good additions to the table if everyone enjoys them. Perhaps some crackers and hummus, too. But if these aren’t in your usual diet or don’t agree with your palate, the point is not to re-enact a meal, but to have a meal, together. Eat what you’d like.

If, as part of your Holy Week observance you’ve made some bread, enjoy that on this night. Bread-baking as a family is a time-honored tradition that spans cultures and ages. Remember to enjoy the gathering, don’t sweat the details too much and just do everything with intention.

Gather Around the Table

To begin, gather the family together around the table, standing or seated. Invite everyone to take a deep breath and quiet themselves.  Light some candles to use as a centerpiece for the table if you have them. If using candles is unwise, or they aren’t available, just take some time to be quiet in God’s presence.

Talk Together

After a while, invite everyone to share their favorite memory that involves a meal. It could be a favorite dish from childhood, a time they shared food with someone at school or on a trip, a special event that they attended, or even a perennial meal they enjoy. What do they enjoy about it? Why?

Pray Together

Then, invite someone to offer a prayer with these, or similar, words. Note that the prayer should both give thanks for the gift of shared meals and food and also acknowledge that we too often ignore the hungry around us.  In this way the prayer is both an act of praise and confession.

“Gracious God, you give us good things to eat and invite us to share with one another.  Thank you for the many ways you feed our minds, feed our hearts, and the very real ways you feed our bellies each day. We also know that we do not share our food, our minds, and our hearts in the ways that you would have us.  For the ways we don’t give of ourselves and our resources, we ask you forgiveness.  And for the many ways you sustain us, we give you thanks.  On this holy night when Jesus shared his last meal with his friends, we remember the great gift it is to eat and spend time with one another. Thank you for this meal, for this holy night, and for all your gifts. Amen.”

Wash Each Other’s Feet or Hands

Invite everyone to be seated with their chairs facing outward, away from the table. Have a bowl of substantial size nearby, like a mixing bowl, a pitcher or larger cup of warm water and a towel for drying.

Invite someone to read John 13:1-17, the story of Jesus washing the feet of the disciples. After you’ve read the story, say the following (or something like it):

“On this night we have heard our Lord’s commandment to love one another as he has loved us. We who receive God’s love in Jesus Christ are called to love one another, to be servants to each other as Jesus became our servant. Our commitment to this loving service is signified in the washing of feet, following the example our Lord gave us on this night.”

Then invite each family member, in turn, to wash one foot of another member of the family, carefully drying it.  Only one foot is necessary, and each person should take a turn. If foot washing is not preferable, you can do hand washing instead, though there is something particularly special and intimate about foot washing.

If you’re performing this ritual with children, it’s natural for them to laugh and giggle during this. This is OK! This night should be about enjoyment as much as it is about sacred acts. Often, they are one and the same. During the foot-washing, it’s appropriate to sing if your family is a singing family. “Come by Here” is a great option, or even just a verse of a familiar song like “Amazing Grace” or “Jesus Loves Me” works well.

After foot-washing, you can invite people to wash their hands and turn their chairs to face back toward the table for the meal.

Eat Together

After everyone is seated and ready, enjoy the meal! Invite people to share reflections about their day, or perhaps ask them what they liked or didn’t like about the foot washing. You can ask those gathered what love means, how they like to best express love, and what the most beautiful act of love they’ve ever seen was.

Tell the Story Together

Toward the end of the meal, but before you’re completely done, invite everyone to quiet back down as you tell the story of the meal portion of the last supper. During this part, I encourage you not to lift up any bread or wine, but if there is bread on the table or a drink, you can reference it as a reminder of the meal. Read 1 Corinthians 11:23-26, recalling Jesus’ last supper.

Then say these words, or something similar:

“Tonight we have participated in a supper like Jesus’ last as his disciples gathered together around him.  The Gospels tell us that after supper Jesus and his disciples sang a hymn together and went out to the Mount of Olives.  You’ll be given a few minutes to eat just a bit more and have another few sips, and then we’ll begin cleaning up quietly, without any loud talking, taking any dishes to the kitchen sink, wiping down tables, and sweeping up. Everyone gets to help.  After we clean up, we’re going to stay pretty quiet the rest of the night to honor this holy night.”

Clean Up

Invite everyone to clean up quietly. On this night where it’s tradition to strip the altar and take everything out of the sanctuary, you may want to take your clean up a little farther by sweeping the whole room, washing down the tables and chairs and countertops, and even keeping the table free from adornments like table cloths or candles. Make everything bare.

After the clean-up is done, invite everyone back around the table for a final prayer saying these words, or something similar:

“I’m glad we got to share this time together tonight!  As we remember Jesus’ last meal, let’s keep honoring it by spending some time together. But before we do that, let’s pray, ‘Thank you, God, for this most holy night, and for Jesus’ example of love.  Help us to love each other, and ourselves, as you love us, and may we always remember the deep love shown through Jesus, a love that will do anything for us. Give us a holy rest tonight, a sweet sleep, so that we may rise to praise you in the morning. Amen.”

Enjoy a Quiet Night Together

Then decide on a family how you will spend the rest of the night! You can read quietly together, or maybe read aloud all from one book. You can play a family game together, listen to music, or if it’s getting late for young children, a bath and story-time is very appropriate. In these days of shelter-in-place when screen-time has probably been at a premium, this is a perfect night to keep all screens off and keep visual distractions to a minimum, including phone distractions.

A Maundy Thursday service in the home should both feel distinct from a normal night routine, and also very familiar. After all, Jesus’ last supper was, at its heart, a simple meal with his friends. Though this Maundy Thursday doesn’t look like many in our lifetime, it can still honor the holiness of the night when done with a little preparation, intention, and a lot of sacred joy.

Bob Chell, Sioux Falls, SD

Warm-up Question

What long term changes do you think there will be as a result of our current covid-19 crisis?

Life Changing

Covid-19 is changing everything.  Each day brings another milestone:  3.3 million people apply for unemployment in a single week.  Congress approves a 2.2 trillion dollar bailout with bipartisan support.  Relentlessly increasing numbers of estimated deaths in the United States before the pandemic subsides– 100,ooo, 200,00, or even more.

Businesses shuttered.  Churches dark.  Every trip outside the house involves a calculus of risk.  With familiar activities proscribed Americans are scrambling to find new ways to educate, worship, connect, and calm their anxiety.

Nobody can say with any certainty how the crisis will affect the country over the long term.  But some historians believe it will be a defining moment in our history.  Will it draw us together or exacerbate the divisions which were there before?  Will we race to get back to “normal” when the crisis is over or will there be radical changes in the health care system, the relationship of state and federal government, and how businesses operate supply chains?  In the unfolding drama no one knows how the last act will unfold, but everyone agrees that the pandemic has been life changing in the present.

Discussion Questions

• Will changes be more positive or negative?
• How much of this impact is due to our attitude?
• How much of this attitude is due to our actions?
• What is one specific change you want to see in your own life as a result of this pandemic?

Resurrection of Our Lord

Acts 10:34-43

Colossians 3:1-4

Matthew 28:1-10

John 20:1-18. (alternate)

(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 it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the doors of the house where the disciples had met were locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” (John 20:19)

This verse from the end of John’s Easter story seems particularly apt for our current situation as we practice social distancing and self quarantining. In the midst of uncertainty and fear, we long for peace.

Both the wilderness and the resurrection are archetypal stories. An archetype is an original model after which other similar things are patterned. Each of us spends time in the wilderness.  Relationships end, loved ones die, careers change, and pandemic sweeps the world. We experience new birth as well, resurrection, often following these same wilderness experiences.

St. Paul writes in Romans 8:28, “ We know that in everything God works for good with those who love God…” God can, and has, brought good, even great, out of the worst that has happened in our lives.  But the pain of death, disease, and devastation remain.

In the first centuries following the resurrection Christians struggled, worked, and argued to understand God’s in-breaking into history. By the year 390 Christians had distilled the faith into the Apostle’s Creed, a succinct summary of the faith: God created us, Jesus redeemed us, the Holy Spirit sustains us. That’s my shorthand way of saying it, but the creed’s words are carefully chosen and specific. The creed ends saying, “I believe in…the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.”

The current pandemic has ripped the illusion that we can fully understand and control the world in which we live.  That which we took to be solid and dependable crumbles beneath our feet.

Science can explain some things, yet science cannot fully capture the great mysteries of life, both good and bad:   the love between two people, untimely death, the beauty of a blooming flower,  music which touches our soul, why some sacrifice for neighbors and others hoard.

Theologians and scientists plumb the mysteries of faith and life, but our intellect can’t fully deliver the answers we seek. God has gifted us with faith to reconcile the paradox that Christ has conquered but suffering remains. It is faith which enables us to let go of our fear and anxiety to cling to the promise of the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting.  Faith calls us to make a choice, to choose trust in God over anxiety.

When students choose one school over another they are denying a multitude of futures and limiting themselves to one place. If two people commit their lives to each other they are denying themselves the possibility of other committed relationships. As persons choose one career over another they are un-choosing all the others.  Yet it is this choosing, this faith, which opens up possibility, meaning, and peace which those who dither can never know.

If you are not scared of what lies ahead on your life’s journey there will be a day when you are. When that day comes cling to the Easter promise, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Choose trust.  You are a beloved child of God and nothing in this world or the next will change that.

St. Paul says it better than I: For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers,  nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:38-39

Discussion Questions

• What have you committed to in your life—and what did you give up in making this commitment?
• This Easter is more like the first Easter than most years, what insight does this give you into your faith and life?
• Many things are beyond our control but not all things. What change will you make in your life because of this coronavirus Easter?

Activity Suggestion

Who you know who is most affected by the present pandemic?  Do something which will ease their anxiety.  For example, call someone who is particularly isolated. or take groceries or medicine to someone who is at high risk if they go out.

Closing Prayer

God the coronavirus has made us aware of the fragility of our lives and our world. We know every breath we take is a gift from you, yet we do not live with constant awareness of this. Strengthen our faith, so we do not take your love and the blessings of life for granted. Give safe health to our loved ones and comfort those who grieve. We pray in Jesus name, Amen.

 

 

People all around the world have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, which now has over 1 million recorded cases globally. It has impacted our daily lives and how we go about our days. Schools, businesses, restaurants, and even churches are having to change how they operate in order to avoid crowds of people. The ELCA’s global companion churches are among those taking steps to raise awareness about the pandemic and adopting new practices in order to continue their missions while staying safe and practicing physical distancing. This just goes to show that it will take global unity to slow the spread of the virus. We must come together, although not physically, and each do our part to protect ourselves and those around us.

We have collected stories from around the globe to show how the ELCA’s companions and partners are handling the COVID-19 pandemic.

View the presentation here. Use your mouse to explore the world, rather than the arrow buttons at the bottom of the presentation.

By Dennis Frado, Director, Lutheran Office for World Community

There’s too much “othering” today of people we don’t know or haven’t met. And, in a related way, awful hate speech abounds.* It is as if we have forgotten that each person has been made in the image of God and thereby has dignity and deserves respect.

We are all different and yet the same in God’s eyes. Identity – race, gender, nationality, etc. – is based on human constructions, but it is not how God sees us. Whatever identity we have or is imposed on us should not become our god.

The Secretary-General of the United Nations, António Guterres, is going after hate speech, xenophobia, racism and intolerance – including rising anti-Semitism, anti-Muslim hatred and persecution of Christians. He said:

“Hate speech is a menace to democratic values, social stability and peace. As a matter of principle, the United Nations must confront hate speech at every turn”; and

“Addressing hate speech does not mean limiting or prohibiting freedom of speech. It means keeping hate speech from escalating into something more dangerous, particularly incitement to discrimination, hostility and violence, which is prohibited under international law.”

With so many efforts around the world to drive people apart rather than recognize their humanity and promote reconciliation and peace, let us resolve to work for the common good.

In its call to foster “a dynamic vision of difference in unity,” the ELCA social statement For Peace in God’s World affirms: “All people in their amazing diversity are God’s creatures, sinners for whom Christ died,” and continues:

“This vision calls us to engage differences, not to ignore or fear them. The hope for earthly peace challenges people to strengthen their own particular communities in ways that promote respect and appreciation for people in other communities, for all share a common humanity.”

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* NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR: This commentary was prepared prior to the onset of the coronavirus pandemic. Unfortunately, the situation has spawned additional hate speech or racist remarks and actions directed against, for example, Asian Americans and China.

 

As new as the COVID-19 pandemic is to us living today, it is far from the first pandemic the church has had to address. One of the deadliest was the bubonic plague, which ravaged Europe in the mid-1300s, killing millions (estimates range from 25 to 50 million people.)  In 1527, the plague re-emerged. When it hit Wittenberg in late summer, the University of Wittenberg closed. The students were sent home, and many residents self-quarantined to avoid the deadly sickness.

Martin Luther, recovering from his own illness, responded to an earnest plea from Johann Hess, the pastor at Breslau. Hess’ central question was thus: as everyone else sequestered themselves in isolation, “is it proper for a Christian to run away from a deadly plague”? Luther responded with his letter “Whether One May Flee from a Deadly Plague.” Below are four lessons we can learn from Luther’s response, both for our situation today and for our long-term approach to health and wellness.

Good health matters to God.

The Lutheran World Federation’s “Waking the Giant” initiative invites member churches to reflect on the many ways churches are already contributing to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal of good health and well-being for all – and to consider new ways churches can be part of this work. Accompanying communities as they seek good health for all people is a cornerstone of ELCA World Hunger. As a member of the LWF, and with the United States being a target country of “Waking the Giant,” the ELCA continues to accompany companions and partners in this initiative and to work toward the goal of good health here in the US and the Caribbean.

This focus on health is nothing new for the church. Some of the earliest hospitals were founded by Christian leaders, and history is full of examples of churches accompanying people living with illness, from the Plague of Justinian in the 600s to today.

For Luther, this work was grounded in two claims of faith. First, the church is called to service of the neighbor, particularly in times of distress. Citing Matthew 25:41-46, Luther argued in his response to Hess that “we are bound to each other in such a way that no one may forsake the other in his distress but is obliged to assist and help him as he himself would like to be helped.” To help one’s neighbor in times of illness is to serve Christ. Second, Luther believed that medicines, treatments and intelligence are God’s gifts so that “we can live in good health.” Recalling St. Augustine’s image of Christ as the “physician,” Luther counsels Hess that God cares both for the spiritual needs of the soul as well as the physical needs of body. Simply put, good health matters to God.

And good health matters to God’s people.

So, can one flee a plague if one’s life might be threatened? Luther’s answer is not simple, in part because the question itself is a bit of a problem. When we ask, “what ought we to do in a crisis?” it’s often asked from the perspective of obedience. “Can one flee a deadly plague?” is really a way of asking, “Can I flee a deadly plague and still be doing what God wants me to do?”

Of course, for Luther, the life of faith isn’t about obediently completing certain tasks. It’s about responding in love to the neighbor. So, whether one can flee a crisis to save oneself depends: what is in the best interest of the neighbor? Luther offers a well-reasoned defense of self-preservation in the face of pandemic. BUT, he is quick to temper this by saying that self-preservation is only permissible if we are certain our neighbors are taken care of. It’s one thing to leave a neighbor with a network of other supporters. It’s a very different thing to leave a neighbor alone, without aid.

What ought we to do in a crisis? For Lutherans, the answer isn’t obedience to a universal rule but rather a question of discernment – what is in the best interest of our neighbor? Accompanying the neighbor is the end against which our methods should be measured. This includes helping care for the bodily needs, as well as the spiritual, as we’ll see below.

That said, Luther also wanted his readers to consider whether their presence was more harmful than helpful. What, besides self-preservation, ought to shape our response to a pandemic? And, what might love of neighbor look like?

Pray…then work.

Therefore I shall ask God mercifully to protect us. Then I shall fumigate, help purify the air, administer medicine, and take it. I shall avoid places and persons where my presence is not needed in order not to become contaminated and thus perchance infect and pollute others.

Leaving aside his questionable belief that epidemics are spread by “pestinential breath,” Luther’s description sounds timely, still today. What he is describing, essentially, is social distancing. Pray, yes, but take practical steps to avoid infecting yourself and others, he claims.

Of course, Luther is not discouraging prayer. But in his day, as in ours, there are those who believe that prayer, faith or other spiritual powers can protect them, and so they do not need to take other precautions. Luther called this sinning “on the right hand.” Those who rely solely on faith as a sort of spiritual, magical power without taking advantage of the other gifts of God, such as intelligence and medicine, “are much too rash and reckless, tempting God and disregarding everything which might counteract death and the plague.” Contrary to this, Luther argued that Christians are called to take necessary, practical steps to protect physical health.

He went further, too, arguing that governments should “maintain municipal homes and hospitals staffed with people to take care of the sick so that patients from private homes can be sent there.” This, he wrote, would be “a fine, commendable, and Christian arrangement to which everyone should offer generous help and contributions, particularly the government.” This echoes what Luther says elsewhere, namely that government, too, is a gift of God for our well-being. As such, those in power are obligated by their station to help. Churches, for their part, are called to assist in this work – and to hold government accountable when it fails.

Listen to the experts.

In his letter, Luther admonishes readers of the importance of taking medicine, of self-quarantining, of hygiene and other practical measures. He also offers his proposals for care for the soul, responding as we would expect a pastor to do. But throughout, what is very interesting is Luther’s deference to medical experts. Sure, he is more than qualified to offer spiritual care advice, and he does so. But when it comes to specifics about avoiding illness, he is more hesitant.

This is clearest near the end of the letter, where he writes about burials. Because of the spread of the bubonic plague, there was debate about how to handle the dead bodies of victims. Luther writes,

I leave it to the doctors of medicine and others with greater experience than mine in such matters to decide whether it is dangerous to maintain cemeteries within the city limits. I do not know and do not claim to understand whether vapors and mists arise out of graves to pollute the air.

What to do with dead bodies is no small matter in any religion. Christians, like other faiths, have specific rituals and practices, informed by our beliefs about death and life. It’s not too much to assume that deferring to medical authorities here is a pretty significant step for Luther. It means giving up the church’s right over its dead. Luther does a bit of fancy prooftexting of scripture to support not burying corpses within the city limits in his letter. But in the end, his thought process is clear: when it comes to health, defer to those who have been gifted by God with expertise. And recognize their work as one of the ways God is active in our world, promoting good health for all.

Luther’s understanding of health and illness may be scientifically outdated, but his nuanced approach to the church’s vocation during times of crisis can give us food for thought. Health and wellness for all are not ideals for the future reign of God but practical realities the church is called to pursue today. Accompanying neighbors facing illness and working to keep communities healthy is an important way to reduce hunger and to discover God at work in our midst, through community leaders, medical experts, first responders and one another. And we see this in the hospitals, maternal and child care programs, health education initiatives and other ministries ELCA World Hunger supports.

Health was part of God’s intention for the world long before it was a Sustainable Development Goal. Working together toward this – even if that means, right now, working and living apart for many of us – is where the church is called to be, and where it has been during the “plagues” of the past.

All quotes cited above are from Martin Luther, “Whether One May Flee from a Deadly Plague (1527),” in Timothy F. Lull and William R. Russell, eds. Martin Luther’s Basic Theological Writings, 3rd edition (Minneapolis: Fortress, 2012), 475-487.

On this National Census Day, commit to complete your form – but also encourage the community as well! Undercounting is a significant issue among groups which benefoit most form anti-poverty programs and from greater representation in decision-making. “Hard to count” individuals in census experience include persons residing in rural areas, young children, LGBTQIA persons,m people experiencing homelessness, people who do not speak English, indigenous peoples and racial and ethnic minorities.

“An accurate count ensures that resources more justly go where they are needed most. It is also critical for representation I the political process as census information determines electoral maps,” says the Rev. Amy E. Reumann, Director of ELCA Advocacy. Before in-person census takers are scheduled to facilitate this once-every-10-years count, let’s encourage everyone we can to complete the census online, by mail or by phone – accessed at 2020census.gov.

The ELCA is an official partner of the 2020 Census. Use these voices of Lutheran leaders, also available on social media @ELCAadvocacy, to help encourage the most accurate count possible.

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“The Central States Synod encompasses two states (Kansas and Missouri), large metropolitan centers, small towns and rural communities, places where the population is growing with thriving businesses, and wide open spaces where homes are few and far. Our landscape from the Lake of the Ozarks to the plains of western Kansas is quite diverse as are our political views and agendas. But through the church we recognize and dare to proclaim, as Jesus did in the gospels, that we all have value and worth, that everyone counts and is important, that it is our diversity which reflects the image of God in our midst. And because everyone counts, everyone needs to be counted in the upcoming census to get a truer and more accurate picture of who we are.”
– The Rev. Susan Candea, Bishop, ELCA Central States Synod  [PHOTO CREDIT: FB@LRC-Central States Synod]

 

“People of color and indigenous people – we can’t afford the illusion of having the luxury of not engaging in this census, because the system doesn’t work for us. We have to do both: making sure our communities are counted and equitably represented in this census, and working to change systems and structures, elected leaders and representatives until they do work for all of us.”
– The Rev. Albert Starr, Jr., ELCA Director, Ethnic Specific and Multicultural Ministries

 

“Those of us struggling with homelessness and at risk of frequent eviction are often missed in our critical census count. Taking part in the census helps direct critical housing and homeless resources to our communities in the greatest need. From the Emergency Shelter Grants Program to the Special Milk Program for children, these programs depend on a complete and accurate count. In coordination with local census offices, houses of worship, shelters, service providers and others might be the only opportunity many have to take part in the census. Help your ministry, soup kitchen, or service program expand the count which can be completed online, by phone or by mail.”
– Andrew Fuller, ELCA Advocacy Coordinator

 

“Forty-five million versus 13 million. That’s the enormous disparity between the average number of words children with white collar parents who read to them hear by the age of four in contrast to children growing up with less access to books. However, reading and being read to has a significant life-long impact on our children and our society. Access to libraries becomes essential for healthy communities, and yet there are “book deserts” all across our nation. Without voice or vote themselves, kids cannot tell you how much reading matters to them – and they are often overlooked when it comes to census taking. Encourage counting the kids in the 2020 Census.”
– The Rev. Janelle Hooper, ELCA Program Director for Ministry with Children

 

“As a member of the LGBTQIA+ community and as a person of faith, I know the importance of being seen, named and cared for by the communities I am part of. One way care for LGBTQIA+ people can increase is for us to be seen and counted across the country. For those from the LGBTQIA+ who are not in danger of losing their employment or housing by sharing their identity in the 2020 Census, I invite you to do so – knowing it will make a way for others to receive care.”
– Aubrey Thonvold, Executive Director, ReconcilingWorks  [PHOTO CREDIT: FB@ReconcilingWorks]

 

“The benefit of the census is deeply personal to our communities. Undercounting is a significant issue among groups which benefit most from anti-poverty programs and from greater representation in decision-making. Like our federally recognized tribes, our unrecognized untreatied undocumented people benefit from the very personal infrastructures that affects our lives, like healthcare, food programs, our education from Head Start and libraries to tribal colleges and Pell Grants being available. Counting matters.”
– Prairie Rose Seminole, ELCA Program Director, American Indian and Alaska Native Ministries  [PHOTO CREDIT: USFWS Mountain-Prairie]

 

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For your neighbor and yourself – encourage your community to be counted!

 

This post was originally published as an ELCA Advocacy Action Alert. Sign up for ELCA Advocacy e-alerts and stay up-to-date on the latest developments in federal legislation at https://elca.org/advocacy/.

On March 27, Congress passed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, H.R. 748 (CARES Act), a third economic aid package to help bring direct relief to families, reinforce struggling industries and the healthcare sector, and extend assistance to vital state and federal support programs.

Members of Congress and their staff worked intensely to deliver bipartisan initial response to the crisis, and we thank the many Lutherans who called their lawmakers to advocate for important faith-rooted principles and policies that support those of us at greatest risk in this pandemic. The first bill put $8.3 billion towards healthcare, including funding for global response to the pandemic. The second bill strengthened nutrition assistance programs and unemployment benefits, allowed for free coronavirus testing predicated by kits availability, and also provided extra sick leave for millions of workers.

SOME ELEMENTS OF THE CARES ACT

In the third relief package, Congress passed aid to people experiencing unemployment and economic uncertainty and relief to families and businesses, including several provisions consistent with ELCA Advocacy’s priorities of faithful and timely attention to pressing concerns that affect our neighbor’s well-being and the wholeness of creation.

• Unemployment insurance benefits expanded to people who have exhausted their state unemployment insurance and to people who do not qualify for the traditional state unemployment insurance, such as gig workers, self-employed people and contract workers;
• Housing assistance of $7 billion offered, including targeted funding for those of us experiencing homelessness;
• State, tribal and local government support of $150 billion for urgent needs and $150 billion for healthcare system reinforcement designated;
• Child Care and Development Block Grants made available to states to provide immediate assistance to child care centers;
• Evictions moratorium for 120 days enabled for renters in homes covered by a federally backed mortgage;
• International COVID-19 response increase allotted of $1 billion, including support for repatriation of U.S. government personnel and American citizens, for displaced populations and for global disease detection.

In addition to this overview, refer to the companion ELCA Advocacy blog post for additional information about what’s coming in a fourth package as well as links to connect eligible individuals seeking assistance with sources of aid.

YOUR ADVOCACY MATTERS

The initial draft of the CARES Act proposed that people too poor to pay income taxes would get smaller cash payments than people with higher incomes. Your advocacy made a difference in removing that inequity in the final version – thank you! We will also need your voice in the time ahead to advocate with populations not guaranteed automatic cash stimulus payments, such as recipients of Social Security or Supplemental Security Income. There is more to do.

As Congress will likely adjourn for several weeks, we encourage you and other advocates to watch for possible tele-conference town halls and other forums to connect with your lawmakers while they are in-district. The ELCA Advocacy resource, “August Recess Guide,” contains some tips for in-district opportunities. Express both your thanks for their action and share your specific concerns and community needs as we live aware of our role doing “God’s work. Our hands.” in this uncharted time.

If you are currently working with a hunger ministry, please also see ELCA World Hunger’s blog post “Tips for Responding to Hunger in a Pandemic.”

 

 

These reflections 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, if on a computer, or near the bottom of the page, if viewing on a mobile device. Pastor Tim Brown is the writer of these reflections. 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. You are invited to use the message below for personal devotion as well as prompts for sermon writing. 

April 12- Easter Sunday

Jeremiah 31:1-6

Should you decide not to preach on Matthew’s resurrection account, my suggestion would be to choose the Jeremiah offering (the alternative option) rather than the reading from Acts as the basis for the sermon. And the choice is purely contextual, if I’m honest with you, because fine Easter sermons can be crafted from either text.

But the Jeremiah reading has this wonderful cadence that dances a bit on this day of celebration, and the wonderful theme of “Again” used in the text can be played with to craft a sermon of resurrection hope that might be most impactful in this strange time of wilderness.

“Again, I will build you…” says the Lord. “Again, you shall take your tambourines…” says the Divine.  “Again, you shall plant…” says the Holy Gardener.

“Again” might just be the message your people need. For though it is Easter, it is also “The 5^th Sunday of the Pandemic” for most of us, and perhaps the third or fourth Sunday of “shelter-in-place.”  These realities must be spoken of, too.

In fact, I dare say that every year, Easter speaks to these kinds of realities; we just fail to recognize that fact most years from the comfort of our new dresses and freshly pressed suits with floral print ties.

Your people will gather together, in person, again.  Your people will be able to embrace one another, again. Families separated by quarantine will be able to kiss one another, again.

It will happen again! There will be a time after this pandemic. If there’s one thing Easter makes abundantly clear, again and again, every year, it’s that there is always an “again.”

Neither life, nor pandemic, nor crucifixion nor death can stop that. On this Sunday above all others (but also, all the others!) this is the Gospel message.

A final lovely nugget hidden in this prophetic text is the heavy but heartening truth that the people of Israel didn’t just find grace after they were through the wilderness period, but rather, as Jeremiah says, they found “grace in the wilderness.”

There is grace in the wilderness. And I’m not talking about silver linings or optimism or “glass-half-full” sort of grace, but rather the kind of grace that knocks you off your feet and helps you survive another day sort of graces.

I’m talking about Easter-sized sort of graces.

Reminding people that though shopping is suspended, and socializing in person is suspended, and yes, Easter sunrise service is suspended in these days, grace is not suspended.  God’s grace is never suspended.

Grace is found again and again, even now, even in these days.  Which is worth celebrating and shouting “Alleluia” for this morning.

Again we will hold hands. Again we will join together. Again there is grace to be found, even today.

Again and again and again — and no quarantine, no shelter-in-place, no tomb will ever cause that not to be true.

Matthew 28:1-10

On this Easter, many churches around the world are empty, just like that tomb was empty in ancient Palestine on that “first day of the week.”

In this pandemic, the most honest sign of love that the Christian world can give to the greater world, and to one another (and by extension, to the God seen in the risen Christ), is an empty church building. I’m serious.

There may be a few places in the world where the pandemic has not yet reached levels where churches are empty; places that may be far from you geographically but, through the faith that connects us, not so far at all. If there are, they will gather together in body for the rest of us as we all gather together in spirit on this Sunday.

Perhaps this is a good Sunday, the Feast of the Resurrection as it is formally called, to remember that our church gatherings are both local and universal, every time we gather. Our communion liturgy connects us both with one another, but it also connects us across continents and cultures, and with the distant past and with the future, as we join the “saints of every time and place.” That “every” there really does mean every, Beloved.

This is what our theology tells us.

Notice how Matthew’s resurrection account opens a very poignant and timely door for us today, a door upon which the sermon can hinge. The angels, when greeting the women, tell them the resurrection news and instruct them to go tell the disciples to meet Jesus back in Galilee.

And then, the text says, they go “with fear and great joy.”

We often, I think, assume that great joy and fear are mutually exclusive, but this text reminds us that they need not be. We can be both fearful and joyful, which is probably where a lot of your parishioners are at in these days, right?

Yes, we may be quarantined, and there is some fear around the future, but on this Easter Sunday we are also filled with great joy because we remember the promise that the love of God cannot be stopped by anything, not even death.

Yes, we may have to shelter-in-place, and there is some fear about what that is doing to the economy, but on this Easter Sunday we are also filled with great joy because we remember the promise that God resurrects bodies, and they are paramount, and we are saving people’s lives in these days, just as all of us will one day dance bodily with the risen Christ.

Yes, we may be separated from one another, and there is some fear and anxiety about when we can be back together, but there is also great joy on this Easter Sunday because we remember that every Sunday leading up to this, we’ve been practicing in our souls and hearts for the day when we truly, truly need the Easter story, and by God, it’s today.

On this Easter Sunday, do not take the easy way out and present a rosy picture; Easter isn’t meant for rosy days.

Easter is meant, necessary even, for days of fear and tombs and women gathering in the darkness unsure of what they’ll find.

Easter is meant for today, by God.  Alleluia!

Children’s Message

Online Children’s Messages can’t reliably lean on congregational participation, especially if the kids aren’t old enough to type in a chat box or if you’re incapable of hearing them.  I’m going to continue assuming that you’re recording this for them to experience online.

Have a huge Alleluia banner, or even a sheet of paper with an individual letter spelling out the word Alleluia, on it.

Welcome, everyone!

(name) here, and I’m so glad you’re here on this Easter Sunday! <pretend to look into the camera> Wow!  Look at all those Easter dresses and fancy clothes you all have on.

Well, oh, and someone is still in their pajamas! Which is great! God loves us no matter what we’re wearing.

And, in fact, God loves us no matter where we are! And just because we can’t be together today doesn’t mean that we can’t celebrate Easter, right?

Now, there’s one word we haven’t been saying all of Easter. It starts with an A and…wait, I have something to show you. <pull out the Alleluia banner, or at least the first letter of the word, if they’re on individual sheets of paper> Here it is!

Alleluia!  It’s kind of like yelling “Yeah!” to God.

So, what I want you to do is shout it with me. Everyone. On the count of three.  Ready? 1-2-3 <hold up the banner> Alleluia!

You know what? If we all shouted that at the same time, we’re more connected than ever!

Can you do me a favor? Ask a parent or guardian to video you giving your biggest Alleluia. You can say it loud, sing it or even take a picture with you holding an Alleluia banner that you made. Can you do that? Have them send it to me.

Because on Easter we celebrate that Jesus was resurrected from the dead, and that even though we might be separate from one another this Sunday, we won’t stay that way forever, and that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love.

So, send the church those videos or those pictures, and let me see those resurrection smiles! Oh, and don’t worry. You can wear your Easter best or your PJs…God doesn’t care.  Jesus is risen, which means we can celebrate no matter where we are or how we are!

Post the videos, with permission, to your social media sites.

Grace Heimerdinger-Baake, Ankeny, IA

Warm-up Question

When have you felt betrayed and how did you deal with those feelings?

Betrayed

The COVID-19 virus is not only making hundreds of thousands of people sick, but it has also caused financial hardships for many. An article from Delaware’s News Radio, shared the struggles Delaware restaurants are facing due to the coronavirus pandemic. Carrie Leishman, president and CEO of the Delaware Restaurant Association, and her team worked countless amount of hours to convence the governor not to shut down restaurants in the state of Delaware. The State of Emergency declaration closed all restaurants except for carryout and delivery. Leishman said in an interview, “We feel somewhat betrayed.”

Despite being open to carryout and delivery, most restaurants will be unable to pay their staff, thus leading to mass unemployment and financial hardships for employees and owners. 

These feelings of betrayal spread further than restaurant owners and staff. Schools have resorted to online learning. Churches are live streaming worship. Stores have a very limited supply of toilet paper, wipes, pasta, bread, and other necessities. It’s easy to feel betrayed watching people take the last two packages of toilet paper, leaving you with nothing. 

COVID-19, you have left us feeling betrayed.

Discussion Questions

• Imagine, you are the governor of Delaware and you must decide whether or not to close restaurants, movie theaters, and gyms. How would you make the decision? How would you deal with the consequences of your actions?  
• Do you know anyone who is out of work due to the coronavirus? 
• How have you been personally “betrayed” by the COVID-19 virus? 

Sunday of the Passion

Isaiah 50:4-9a

Philippians 2:5-11

Matthew 26:14-27:66

(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

The passion narrative may be the most familiar story in the Christian faith, but this narrative of Jesus’ betrayal, arrest, trial, and death on the cross is a story which is hard to hear and read. This story is filled with heartbreak, betrayal, loss, and grief. 

Not only does this story relate all the terrible things which happen to Jesus, but it also hits close to home for most people. Think about it. Have you been betrayed, deserted, or teased?  Have you ever felt like God was nowhere to be found when you were in the midst of struggle? 

Jesus has. 

• Jesus was betrayed by Judas, a disciple. 
• Jesus was deserted by his other disciples. 
• To save himself, the disciple Peter pretended he didn’t know Jesus. 
• Jesus was laughed at, teased, and called names. 
• Jesus called out to God, with God nowhere to be found, as he was dying on the cross. 

Despite these dreadful experiences, there is hope. Jesus’ story doesn’t end on Good Friday. Good Friday becomes Easter Sunday. Death does not have the final word. Life reigns through the Resurrection. This is the Good News that provides us hope through all of life’s obstacles. 

Many of us affected by COVID-19 are waiting for our Easter morning. We waiting for the stone to be rolled away. We are waiting for schools to resume, for businesses to open, to hang out with friends, and to just return to normalcy. In the meantime, we carry our stories of betrayal, grief, loss, and loneliness with us as we begin Holy Week. We hang on to the hope of the great triumph of Easter morning, knowing the Passion story doesn’t end with Jesus dying on the cross. As we live in this time of loneliness, loss, and sickness, we wait with hope of our own Easter morning in the knowledge that we are never alone. Jesus understands our hurting hearts and walks with us amid our awful experiences. 

Discussion Questions

• With which character in the Passion narrative do you identify ? 
• We hope that we would not have followed the crowd in saying “Let him (Jesus) be crucified!”  Sometimes it isn’t easy to avoid the mob mentality. When has it been difficult for you to avoid doing what everyone else is doing?
• Before Jesus’ last breath, he cries out “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” (“My God, my God, what have you forsaken me?”)  Is it true that God forsakes Jesus? Why or why not.
• When facing difficulties and hardships in your life, is it helpful to know that Jesus has experienced hardships and betrayal too? Is just knowing that enough?  What do you need to hear when you’re living through grief, pain, confusion, or loss?

Activity Suggestions

Gather cardstock, markers, scissors, rulers, and pens. Cut the cardstock into 3.5” x 2” rectangles. Each person takes two rectangles and writes words of encouragement on the card and a favorite Bible verse. If available, laminate the cards with self-laminating sheets. Think of a person who is experiencing a difficult time and mail them the encouragement card. Carry the other one around with you for when you need encouragement and to remember the love of Jesus. If time permits, you may create more cards for others.

Closing Prayer

Gracious God, you have created me in your image and you love me so much that you sent your Son, Jesus Christ, to die on a cross. Help me to know and feel your presence in moments of despair. Strengthen me to be a source of hope and light to all who are desperate for hope. Amen.