Lord of life lutheran
may 2020
C O M P A S S
S A M E
P R E C I O U S
L O V E
by Pastor Emeritus Peter Geisendorfer-Lindgren (peter@lordoflife.org)
I am writing on April Fool’s Day. (Fill in your own joke.) The pastors always write Compass articles for a time a month in the future. Normally I could say fairly confidently that Lord of Life had a great Easter celebration with large crowds that experienced beautiful flowers, outstanding music, and an inspiring message of resurrection hope. I could write about the joy I felt out on the golf course knowing that I would have played my first rounds of the year. I could comment on the annual tradition of submitting our taxes on April 15. This time everything is different. I have no idea what will have happened in April. Has the pandemic ebbed or has it grown exponentially? Are we hopeful or even more discouraged? Who will I know that has contracted the disease in the meantime and how are they doing? What do I write about when everything is up in the air? For many of us, this may be the first time in our lives that we have felt so little control over our own destiny and the destiny of those we love. We hate this lack of control and the anxiety and confusion it conveys. We are so used to things going our way. How could something like this happen to us? Usually we feel like we are immune to the problems other people endure. But with COVID-19, no one is an exception. However, this is actually the way it has always been. Julian of Norwich wrote these words around 1400 A.D. pastor's article ........................................2-3 Bible 101: Hope................................................4-5 community life...................................................6-7 Your Journey / perfect love.......................8-9 ENOUGH............................................................. 10 contacts .......................................................... 11
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“If there is anywhere on earth a lover of God who is always kept safe, I know nothing of it, for it was not shown to me. But this was shown: that in falling and rising again we are always kept in that same precious love.” We do not know what the future holds, but we do know who holds the future. Whatever happens to us, “in falling and rising again we are always kept in that same precious love.”
A Blessing for Equilibrium by John O’Donohue from To Bless The Space Betweenn Us/Benedictus
God never promises that we can escape the troubles of life or the inevitability of death. None of us is immune. However, what God does promise, in the words of the Apostle Paul from the book of Romans, chapter 8, is that “nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Nothing can separate us from the love of God. Nothing can separate us. Nothing. God’s love is always present. That love is what got us through whatever April brought and that love will surround us in all the months to come. Of that, I can be sure. Not knowing what emotions are filling your soul today let me close with these words from one of my favorite writers, Irish poet, author, and priest, John O’Donohue. O’Donohue wrote a book titled To Bless The Space Between Us/Benedictus. This, hopefully, is a blessing that will be appropriate to whatever we are experiencing on May 1:
Like the joy of the sea coming home to shore, May the music of laughter break through your soul. As the wind wants to make everything dance, May your gravity be lightened by grace. Like the freedom of the monastery bell, May clarity of mind make your eyes smile. As water takes whatever shape it is in, So free may you be about who you become. As silence smiles on the other side of what’s said, May a sense of irony give you perspective.
“May I live this day compassionate of heart, clear in word, gracious in awareness, courageous in thought, generous in love.”
As time remains free of all that it frames, May fear or worry never put you in chains. May your prayer of listening deepen enough To hear in the distance the laughter of God.
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H O P E And I say,
It is
my grief that the
right hand of the most high has changed. psalm 77:10
by Pastor Karen Greimel (ksgreimel@lordoflife.org)
And I say, “It is my grief that the right hand of the Most High has changed.” —Psalm 77:10 Over this last month, I have found myself grieving. There, I’ve given a name to my discomfort which opens the door to finding meaning in it and overcoming it. I am grieving the loss of what life was before COVID-19 struck. Admittedly, the very things I am grieving, I took for granted before. Worshiping with friends, time with loved ones, celebrating special occasions, and buying as much toilet paper as I wanted, just to name a few. How do those things compare with the impact it has made on our relationships, those suffering or dying, our economy, our world? How long will this last? I have no answers . . . but, I do have hope. C. H. Spurgeon said, “Hope itself is like a star— not to be seen in the sunshine of prosperity, and only to be discovered in the night of adversity.” Today each of us are living in some form of adversity. In this adversity, we are given the opportunity to see the bright star of hope. Might this signify some meaning? Appreciating something taken for granted in the past? Right now, if we look, we can see the star that has always been there. The star of hope that we have
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in Jesus. Moment by moment we have the choice to focus on what we know or what we don’t. Be thankful for what we have and don’t be anxious over what we don’t. You have a God who will never leave you or forsake you, a Savior who died for your sins ushering in eternal life. Earthly things may include time for a long walk, extended time with family who live in your home, time to slow down, read and think, time to consider how you were living and how you want to be living, time to pray and refresh your relationship with God. Jesus is that star of hope more clearly seen in adversity. You can live under the star of hope confidently because of what God has given us in Jesus. Jesus is the hand of God who reaches to us changing our grief to hope. How will you see the hope of Jesus today?
dig deeper
Bible 101
Dig deeper into the Bible for more passages on the hope that Jesus brings. Here are some of my favorites: • Romans 5:2-5 • 2 Corinthians 1:7 • Hebrews 6:19, 10:23, 11:1 • Psalm 43:5, 33:22 5
C O M M U N baptisms
bereavements
At Lord of Life, we baptize individuals at any age. For the next baptism class or to schedule a baptism, call the church office (763.420.5015).
Prayers of sympathy for those grieving the loss of a loved one; may they be comforted in the promise of the resurrection.
March 1 Brooke Olivia Bollin March 7 Ryan Patrick Maloney March 8 Bennett James Knudson
Nancy Cramer and family at the death of her mother
Naomi Bristlin and family at the death of her husband Jeff Donnay and family at the death of his father Greg Fellerman and family at the death of his uncle Harold Fellerman and family at the death of his brother Frankie Galka and family at the death of her father and her sister Joanie Hance and family at the death of her partner Heather Henning and family at the death of her grandmother Michelle Lohse and family at the death of her father Vicki Mattiuz and family at the death of her husband Cheryl Myhr and family at the death of her uncle
The Sustad Family
The Miller Family with Tio 6
I T Y
L I F E welcome new members
Ron Saar and family at the death of his aunt
Patti Crema
Sandie Saar and family at the death of her sister
Jon & Jess Nelson
Laura Snyder and family at the death of her father and of her best friend
Bob Penney Jeffrey & Kelsi Plattner with Ruby and Kellen
Debbie Thompson and family at the death of her aunt
Maureen Reagan
Ronald Uglow and family at the death of his father
Jennifer & Nick Schodtler with Toni
Lisa Walker and family at the death of her sister-in-law
David & Krysta Unhjem Jon & Margo Walech with Vic and Nicholas
weddings For details on having your wedding at Lord of Life, visit lordoflife.org/weddings. To schedule a wedding, contact Wedding Supervisor Michelle Tomlinson (763.420.5015 x118).
Membership at Lord of Life means you make a commitment to be an active participant in congregational life. The expectation of not only new members but all members—is to worship regularly, grow in faith, serve others, and support the church and its programs financially. For more information, contact Katie Gartzke (katieg@lordoflife.org or 763.420.5015) or visit lordoflife.org/membership. You are invited to become a part of the Lord of Life faith community.
The Lund Family The Nichols Family 7
Y O U R
J O U R N E Y
by Bev Mello (bevm@lordoflife.org)
“Jesus wept.” That simple verse from John 11:35 means a lot to me. Even as the Son of God is all powerful, it shows His humanity with emotions of compassion and grief. He felt deeply and expressed that pain with tears.
As a Christian there is great hope and comfort knowing God loves us and is in control. Having a mental illness does not mean you aren’t a ‘good enough’ Christian. It doesn’t mean you haven’t prayed hard enough or your faith isn’t strong enough.
There is no shame in experiencing deep feelings. Identifying them and naming them is a healthy response. Say them aloud. Feelings of joy, happiness, gratitude, love as well as grief, fear, anxiousness, or despair are real feelings in that moment.
During these uncertain times, I believe we are going through a realignment of what is important. You are important. Your mental health may be more at risk in the times ahead than your physical health was. Asking for help shows courage and bravery. Be mindful of the now, the present moment—yesterday cannot change, tomorrow is unknown.
Some days I’m one big hot mess. If you’re experiencing high levels of anxiety or low levels of depression or any feelings of despair or panic—I want to validate them and encourage you to work through those feelings rather than denying or ignoring them. We all have physical health. If a physical illness occurs—the coronavirus, diabetes, heart condition—we look for help. We all have mental health. If your mental wellness is fragile—please look for help. Use mindfulness to identify what you may be experiencing. Are there situations of substance or alcohol abuse? Those can be signs of trying to cope with a mental illness. Reach out. You are not alone. Remember Jesus in John 11:35? There is no shame.
May is Mental Health Month. Engage in activities that give you pleasure and a sense of meaning. Do what you can to help others, which is a remarkable antidote to depression. Minnesota has loosened guidelines for telehealth available with therapists. Connect virtually or face-to-face as the coronavirus mitigation efforts pass. Also reach out to the following organizations for education and action steps for you or to help others. People can and do recover from mental illness. I wish you well in your journey. Celebrate Recovery: hope4mentalhealth.com/ connect/celebrate-recovery National Alliance on Mental Illness Minnesota: namimn.org National Institute of Mental Health: nimh.nih.gov
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PERFECT LOVE
casts out fear I John 4:18
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E N O U G H by Kirstin Delp (kirstind@lordoflife.org)
Enough. Think of all that we have today—it is enough. Not only the trouble, but our time, our learning, our play, and the things we have to be thankful for. Today is enough.
tomorrow Do Not Worry About
for tomorrow will bring worries of its own.
enough today's trouble is for today. MATTHEW 6:34
As we continue to navigate this new time in our life, we can know that our efforts for today are enough. All of us, we are all learning to adapt, to change, to reach out, to work, to simply be us in this new world. It means social isolation, online learning and working and gathering with family, and being a community of faith without meeting in the same location. In all of this, we don’t have to worry about tomorrow. For today, it is enough. Lord of Life’s Children, Youth, and Family department continues to learn alongside you and provide new resources for today, including: • Spotify playlists: curated music for your enjoyment, relaxation, motivation • Family resources: a webpage of curated ideas, activities, and guides updated weekly • Online church school and confirmation • Age group connections: Bible studies, movie parties, online games and check-ins • Instagram: “Morning Minute” geared toward middle school/high school • Parent Connect: conversations for parents to work through life in this new way
lordoflife.org/discipleshiponline 10
We wish you well in this journey of new ways of living. We look forward to connecting in person again soon, and appreciate this time to discover and remember that faith happens, faith grows, faith can become more in all circumstances. Peace to you.
LORD OF LIFE LUTHERAN CHURCH (ELCA) 7401 County Road 101, Maple Grove, MN 55311-4313 phone 763.420.5015 fax 763.420.7286 web lordoflife.org Visit lordoflife.org/staff for a full staff listing with photos. Prayer requests may be submitted to prayernetwork@lordoflife.org. Compass is a monthly ministry by Lord of Life Lutheran Church (ELCA) printed by Wallace Carlson Printing using ecofriendly inks. To receive Compass in the mail or electronically—call 763.420.5015 or email office@lordoflife.org. Copyright 2020 Lord of Life Lutheran Church
PASTORAL STAFF Rev. Dr. Joel Wight Hoogheem, Lead Pastor, joel@lordoflife.org Rev. Kaitlyn Forster, kaitlynf@lordoflife.org Rev. Dr. Karen Geisendorfer-Lindgren, Pastor Emeritus, karengl@lordoflife.org Rev. Peter Geisendorfer-Lindgren, Pastor Emeritus, peter@lordoflife.org Rev. Karen Greimel, ksgreimel@lordoflife.org Rev. Charles ‘Chick’ Lane, chickl@lordoflife.org Rev. David McCarty, davem@lordoflife.org Rev. Donna Rohrer, donnar@lordoflife.org
lordoflife.org
office@lordoflife.org
WORSHIP/MUSIC SCHEDULE Visit lordoflife.org/worship for the most up-to-date worship schedule. Saturdays at 5:30pm includes holy communion and music led by David Frank. Sundays at 8:30, 9:45, and 11am with holy communion on the first and third with music leaders David Frank at 8:30/9:45am and Brian Schroeder at 11am.
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Photo credits include Missy Benson (Page 9), Lightstock, the Lotts family (cover), the Lund family, the Manrodt family, the Miller family, and the Nichols family.
c o n ta c t u s To connect with an adult ministry representative, contact Karen Nelson at 763.420.5015 x138 or karenn@lordoflife.org. To connect with a children, youth, and family representative, contact Chelsey Grandstrand at 763.420.5015 x128 or chelseyg@lordoflife.org. For all ministry events and calendar items with the most current dates, times, details, event locations, and registrations—please visit lordoflife.org.
When we first started worshipping online during the pandemic, I expected it to be bizarre and sad. No worship band. Empty pews. How could the Spirit possibly move when we can’t be together? But I found—and I hope you have, too—that we can still come awake to God’s presence when we worship together, apart. The Spirit still moves! I invite you to participate in our online worship. And when we finally get to worship in person again (which we will!), our community will be stronger, and our faith will be deeper.
John Manrodt
—Brian Schroeder Emerging Worship and Social Media
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Lord of Life Lutheran Church
Loved by God. Sent to Serve.
7401 County Road 101 Maple Grove, MN 55311-4313
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When this is over, may we never again take for granted A handshake with a stranger Full shelves at the store Conversations with neighbors A crowded theatre Friday night out The taste of communion A routine checkup The school rush each morning Coffee with a friend The stadium roaring Each deep breath A boring Tuesday Life itself.
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When this ends, may we find that we have become more like the people we wanted to be we were called to be we hoped to be and may we stay that way—better for each other because of the worst. —Laura Kelly Fanucci (laurakellyfanucci.com)