May 2025
According to world standards when one thinks of “catching a vision” it usually implies the activity of seeing with our eyes. “Did you see that”, “I can’t believe my eyes”, “the new color looks beautiful and changes the atmosphere.” Seeing things for ourselves such as spring tulips, daffodils, azaleas, and dog woods fills us with anticipation of new growth.

Reflecting upon the scriptural lessons for May, new visions abound for the disciples and the blooming church. Paul has visions of what to do. John has visions of what will be. Jesus’ ascension directs our vision to things above. Pentecost empowers us to vision about the Spirit of God which is here in our midst. These visions for the church are not experienced the eyes, but felt in our heart. A heart that is actively searching and listening for the voice of God.

In May of 1926 a young seminarian named Dietrich Bonhoeffer was invited to speak to a gathering of clergy prior to world war two. He based his thoughts on Psalm 127 to redirect the vision of his hearers from a limited focus on the thoughts of society … to consider what God is doing in their midst. The Psalm reads, “unless the Lord
builds…the builders labor in vain.”

Bonhoeffer’s thoughts ask us: “Why do we begin to rebuild what has been destroyed (in WW1) instead of waiting for God to build? Why do we continue to work to establish the church where once it belonged? Why do we struggle for the moral and religious education of our children, if all we do is in vain? Certainly, all our doing is in vain if we do only what we want to do. Then we hope for nothing more. But when we are most careful to do what God wants and not what we want , the it is as though the Lord himself builds. For how can the Lord build except through us? It is only when we build other than in the spirit of the Lord that our very best work is in
vain.”

Where might God be calling us to be active in outreach and love to our neighbors? How has our calling changed following the Easter resurrection of Jesus? Do we not have a great story to tell? A great love to share? Not radical changes by any means, but a vision that draws on more invitations for our members to engage in the work of the Kindgom. New directions for the N.C. Synod with the election of a new Bishop.
May is the month for visions. Let us lend our hearts for visioning the work of the Holy Spirit. We should take our cues for God’s creation, His Holy Word, and the work we do together in His name. Here is to our catching God’s vision together.

See you in Church!
Pastor John


April 2025
April has arrived and the Lenten season is drawing to a close. We have been sharing Wednesday meals and conversation about our need to repent and return to the Lord. There have been times to share questions and see how our worship service prepares us to encounter and celebrate God’s gift of forgiveness. I hope you have been enjoying the time to gather and share conversations. We have two Wednesdays left to complete our work and fellowship. I hope you will join us.

April brings showers, flowers, pollen and Easter. Are you looking forward to greeting each one? I must confess, I do not look forward to the pollen unless it is the time just after an April shower. How about you? As we anticipate Holy week and Easter we look forward to hearing again how God will never allow death to be the final
word. God is the God of Life and he promises Life to all of His children. Every other Sunday in the year is but a small celebration of the joy that is ours on Easter Sunday. Our hearts have been silent since the darkness of Good Friday,
Saturday was a blur of emotions and then came "Sonrise" on Easter morning. What a joy. What a celebration! What a glorious day to behold!

This is what we are looking forward to hearing. But, we must walk the journey of Palm Sunday and Holy Week before the celebration can happen. On Maundy Thursday, our scripture text is from John’s Gospel and recounts the time
Jesus washed ghe feet of the disciples. Some churches celebrate this text with a foot washing element to the service. Many of us are not wanting to participate in a foot washing to we will parallel this account with a time to have your hands washed by someone else. Each of us will come forward and simply hold out our hands so that they might be cleansed for us. If you have a ring that you do not want to get wet, put it in your pocket during the washing and then return it to your finger as you return to your seat.

It will feel a bit strange, there will be an aroma of spices, an anointing, a reminder that this is a ”holy washing” -a cleansing that we can perform by ourselves. Made new and smelling new our hands will be dried and we will feel humbled, grace filled and full of wonderment. God in Jesus did this for me? Yes. Jesus even washed the feet of Judas in our text. God’s grace is for everyone.

We look forward to receiving each of the many gifts that God offers. This gift is no different. No different that a Seder Meal or bread and wine or absolution which declares that our sins are forgiven and we should go in peace. This April there is so much to look forward to as God prepares to bless his church with the unthinkable. Let us be present, alert and awake to be prepared for his arrival. Happy Lent as we look forward to the glory of God’s Easter news.

Pastor John



March 2025
Welcome March! Springtime is near. This cold and snow is taking a toll on our activities and life events. When it is this cold outside (18 degrees this morning), we all prefer to simply stay indoors.

But as the new month arrives, so does our opportunity to gather more frequently for Lenten traditions. Shrove Tuesday’s pancake supper will be our first Tuesday of the month. Ash Wednesday is the next evening and checks our calendar for Wednesday Lenten Meals.

Following the meals we will consider our “Journey in Faith” and what you are doing to practice faith in daily life and weekly worship. I invite each of you to write down one question you over an issue or topic with which you struggle.
Perhaps this topic keeps you awake some nights. Maybe it is a nagging question you have about faith, God, Jesus or God’s living Spirit. Whatever the question, write it down and bring it along. We will share our struggles, pray about them and offer them to the Lord at a closing time of prayer.

Lent is the church season where Christians engage their faith as a 40 Day Journey. Along the journey we will reflect on faith, find hope in the community gathered and our unity as God’s baptized children. We struggle daily with issues of living in our baptismal identity, and we can be supported by our relationships with God’s Word and God’s family. Have you felt as if you needed your faith to grow? To feel closer to God? To ask God a burning question that has captured your focus? If so, Lent is the season to put our cards on the table. Lent is the season where all believers are
invited to “Return to the Lord your God…” Join us on this journey of sharing, praying, searching and hearing the Word…that is already in our midst.

Sunday Worship Themes also will address the Journey of Faith. March 2-Jesus is displayed as Light; March 9-Divine Light vs. my night light in the dark; March 16-Did I leave the closet door open or closed? ; March 23-Warning, Look out!; March 30-Mystery and Ministry revealed; April 6-God makes all things NEW (including you.)
As wintertime draws to a close (7 weeks said the groundhog) our commitment and faith Journey is warming up. I invite you to get intentional about gathering on Wednesdays, bring your struggle narrative about what is troubling you, place it in the Lenten Box at the door (so that our issues remain anonymous) and let us grow closer to the Lord on this Lutheran Chapel Journey of Faith.

I hope to see you in church!
Pastor John


February 2025
HAPPY FEBRUARY TO YOU! A month where we celebrate our love for one another, and we continue to count the Sundays of Epiphany. Epiphany, the Ah Ha! Moment when we realize the truth and reality of something. Epiphany – the truth of Jesus, Messiah’s birth and witnessed and proclaimed by the Wise Men. How do you as a child of God proclaim your faith and live as His disciple? This is a question for each of us to ponder daily. How will I live each day as God’s child?

To direct our days and ways, we turn to God’s word each week and pray that the revelation will shape our love. Our Gospel readings are sequential and come from the Book of Luke. Luke Chapter 4 opens the month with the presentation of Jesus in the temple. Simeon tells us that this is the Chosen one from God and after blessing the child, Simeon’s ministry is complete. He is ready to depart life and be with the Lord.

Luke, Chapter 5 follows with Jesus preaching to a crowd while He sits in a fishing boat. This is Luke’s rendition of the Sermon on the Mount and the focus shifts from the actual sermon to the conversation and teaching Jesus has with Simon, James and John. The story begins with each of them listed as simply men until Simon sees with his heart that Jesus is much more than a man. Simon Calls him LORD…and things change.

Life should be this way for us. When we recognize Jesus as the Lord of our lives, we too should change. The change should find us allowing Him to shape our hearts, our lives and our families. Our priority should shift from being focused on self…to focusing on others. When we give Jesus the rightful title of LORD…He changes us. Jesus says to Simon…and to us, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching people.” Life is no longer about US, now, in Jesus… life is about others. Sharing and witnessing to others becomes our task and calling. How can we as CHURCH be a witness to others this month?

From here our Gospel reading jumps to chapter 6, four teachings about blessings for those who believe contrasted with 3 woes to those who fail to see Jesus as Lord. Luke has called his Gospel an “orderly account…so that you might know the truth”. So the question remains, Do we who are the church…get it? Are we blessed or defined by Woes? Do we (church) feel blessed?

The month wraps up with God’s word teaching us to “do unto others…” I’m sure you can finish the quote. Again, this presents a new reality for those who might be followers of Christ. We are told to “love your enemies”. Who then are you and I to love? Who is your enemy?

The last Sunday in Epiphany presents our last “Ah Ha! Moment when Jesus is transfigured and made to shine in the presence of Moses and Elijah. That is to say, If you did not know who Jesus is? Now, you do. He is the Son of God, Blessed with divinity, radiating light, standingalone as God Speaks, “This is my Son; my Chosen; listen to Him!”

This wisdom from God’s Word builds faith in His community and empowers them to step out in ministry. No longer just fishing from the banks to catch dinner; but fishing in Jesus Name to bring His word of change to all who will listen. Grab your fishing pole and net as we have work to do. Let each of us be about God’s work together in the month of February.

I hope to see you in church!
Pastor John


January 2025
Advent’s season of anticipation is complete. The way was prepared, hearts were prepared, and God came to be among us. How did you experience God’s presence among us? Where did you encounter the love, peace and surprise of God’s holy light this Christmas?
        
Welcome January and the 12 days of Christmas which conclude on the day of Epiphany, January 6. Epiphany is when the church recognizes the message and witness of the wise men who witnessed his natal star and followed it to Bethlehem. Scripture tells us that as they greeted the holy child, God’s son in the flesh. They presented their gifts which were fit for a king and then they departed by a different way…so that king Herod would not find them, or the child. Their encounter was to witness God in human form and to treat him like royalty.

Along with the wise men, there were shepherds watching their flocks by night. They too saw a star but they heard the proclamation from angels that God was appearing in Bethlehem. They too were told to follow the star to find this miraculous divine presence in a newborn baby.

So, the shepherds left their flocks. They left the sheep in search of the one. They must find the one…so they left the 99 in the field and went searching.

In similar fashion, we too must leave our worldly place and get to the place where God is making an appearance, after all, this is the divine encounter the world has anticipated.
We must search for the one who came to save the lost.
We must open our hearts to the one who came to cleanse all hearts from the effects of sin.
We must recognize and worship the King of Kings, Lord of Lords, Prince of Peace, Everlasting Covenant, Messiah, Light of the World…worship Him who came to save us all.

-What 99 things must you and I leave behind so that we can be in the presence of the God made      flesh who dwelt among us?
-What gets in the way of your weekly worship attendance?
-What prevents your voice from being heard when the congregation sings it’s weekly hymn of praise?

If not your voice and heartfelt praise, what will you give to him? Let us all look up to see the signs. Let us all follow the message of the angels. Let us be bold in our proclamation that God is here, still to lead and guide us all into a greater relationship of discipleship.
Oh Lord, open our eyes and our hearts to the calling you proclaim. May there be an “Epiphany!” in your walk of faith as we begin the year 2025 together. Welcome January-
The season of Ahah! I found the light! I have seen the Lord!

Peace, Pastor John