Lord of life lutheran
FEBRUARY 2021
C O M P A S S
O P E N I N G
T O
G R O W T H
by David Frank, Director of Music (davidf@lordoflife.org)
Ash Wednesday is February 17 this year. On this day we solemnly remember our mortality. On this day black ashes are formed into a cross on our forehead at the same spot our baptismal cross was made. During this ritual, the words “you are dust and to dust you shall return” are said to each of us. Scientists estimate that our chemical makeup—our ‘dust’—is currently worth about $160. This paltry physical material is not the reason Jesus died for us. On the other hand, astrophysicists tell us that every atom in our body came from the dust and debris of stupendous explosions of stars now long dead. You are stardust and to stardust you shall return. To contemplate personal death is to remember that life is precious, time is valuable, our choices matter; we are unique, irreplaceable, and beloved. Ash Wednesday is also the beginning of the season of Lent. We move from contemplation of our own death to the death of Jesus on the cross for all. Lent is traditionally a period of selfexamination. It is a time to take a long, hard, loving look at ourselves—the good, the bad, and the not-yet-beautiful. •
What is keeping us from the abundant life Jesus has promised us?
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Have our hearts become “several sizes too small?”
OPENING TO GROWTH.......................................2-3
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Are we amusing ourselves to death?
BIBLE 101: FORTY.............................................4-5
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Has Jesus become second place or commonplace in our life?
community life .............................................6-7 LOOKING BACK, LOOKING AHEAD...................8-9 AN ABUNDANT LIFE............................................ 10 Contacts ............................................................. 11
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Two qualities aid in self-reflection: honesty and humility. Frank honesty with others is difficult; selfhonesty is more difficult. “Clear me from hidden faults,’’ says the psalmist. Honesty allows us to admit that: we don’t know all the answers, we need help,
we’ve made serious mistakes, we’ve offended people and grieved God, our desires are conflicted and confused. The face we hide is the very one we long to show the world. Humility is often misunderstood. It is not groveling or fawning. It comes from the Latin word ‘humus’ which means soil or ground. It is earthiness or groundedness. The theologian Paul Tillich famously said that God is the ground of being. In this ground we find our firm foundation, equality of all, soil for growth, nonjudgment, true self-worth, the basis of kindness.
You are dust — and to dust you shall return.
The essence of Lent is not long faces, dry pietism, or abstinence. On the contrary, it is living in the joy of the Lord, opening to growth, giving generously of ourselves. In this journey and in all journeys, Jesus is the light before us and the love beside us.
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40
F O R T Y by Pastor Emeritus Peter Geisendorfer-Lindgren (peter@lordoflife.org)
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The number 40 is found 146 times in the Bible often signifying a period of testing or trial: ...the rains fell on Noah for 40 days and nights (Genesis 7:4).
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...Moses was with God on Mount Sinai for 40 days and nights on two different occasions (Exodus 24:18 and Exodus 34:28). ...the prophet Ezekiel laid on his right side for 40 days to symbolize Judah’s sins (Ezekiel 4:6). [He must have been stiff when he got up.] ...Jesus ascended into heaven 40 days after the resurrection. (Acts 1:3)
Forty is everywhere in the Bible, but perhaps most significantly Jesus fasted for 40 days and nights (Matthew 4:2) and then was tempted by the devil in the wilderness. The temptation of Jesus happened right after Jesus’ baptism and just before beginning his public ministry. It is these forty days that Christians have appropriated as a model for the 40-day spiritual season known as Lent. Lent begins on Ash Wednesday which falls on February 17 this year and ends on Holy Saturday, the day before Easter, April 3. For those of you who are calendar savants you recognize that that is actually 46 days. But Sundays in Lent are not included in the 40 days because Sunday is always a joyous “mini-Easter” and thus disconnected from the solemnity of Lent. During His 40-day sojourn in the wilderness, Jesus experienced a time of self-examination and reflection. Jesus was confirming both who He was and what He was going to do. What follows in His life was in many ways determined by that time of contemplation. We don’t often take the time for self-examination and reflection. And most of us wouldn’t know how to do it if we did. But the season of Lent provides us with a framework to try.
Many people use the 40 days of Lent to develop new habits or to try and get rid of bad ones. If you want to give up chocolate for Lent be my guest, but I’m not sure if that will bring you closer to God. Let me suggest something more positive. I have become a big fan of the book, Tiny Habits, by BJ Fogg. Fogg insists that our biggest problem in developing a new habit is that we start too big, which inevitably leads to failure. How are your New Year’s resolutions going? Fogg believes the key is to start small. First, find a tiny habit that could be a step towards a larger goal. His example of only flossing one tooth a day is ridiculous and surprisingly effective. Secondly, develop a prompt that always reminds you to do it. People used to pray before they ate and the meal was an effective prompt. (Still is.) Thirdly, upon completion, celebrate your accomplishment. OK—there’s more to the book than that, but you get the gist. Tiny habit. Prompt. Celebrate. What does any of this have to do with Bible 101? Here is what you’re going to do for Lent. Go to lordoflife.org/lent and opt in to receive a text with one Bible verse sent to your phone every day. Every morning when you turn on your phone the text will be there and you will read it. You will pat yourself on the back for successfully completing the task. Tiny habit. Prompt. Celebrate.
Bible 101 reflection Read Matthew 4:1-11 • What were the three temptations Jesus confronted? • How did Jesus respond? • What are three temptations that confront you? • How might Jesus’ response help you?
Start on Ash Wednesday and do it for the 40 days of Lent. You can take the Sundays off, but why would you? On Easter Sunday you will have developed the habit of reading the Bible every day. And you may be tempted to read it even more.
Sign up for Lord of Life’s free inspirational Bible verse text messages at lordoflife.org/lent.
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C O M M U N I T Y
L I F E
baptisms
weddings
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).
To schedule a wedding, contact Wedding Supervisor
For details on your wedding, visit lordoflife.org/weddings. Michelle Tomlinson (michellet@lordoflife.org).
December 5 Aubrey Lyn Foster December 12 Jace Ryan Stanton December 13 Olivia Pitzen December 19 Sullivan James Carlson
bereavements Prayers of sympathy for those we have lost in our community and for those grieving the loss of a loved one. May there be comfort in the promise of the resurrection.
welcome new members Julie Norman Peter & Cheryl Zbaracki Alex Holt 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.
Jessica Dexheimer and family at the death of her aunt Marianne Kraft and family at the death of her husband, Ken Tom Quanbeck and family at the death of his father, Philip Todd Sparks and family at the death of his brother, Cory Michelle Rosenbush and family at the death of her husband, Larry Pastor Karen Greimel and family at the death of her brother-in-law, Larry Rosenbush A special thank you to Lord of Life member and Love to Paint participant, Mary Hill, for sharing this wintry scene.
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L O O K I N G L O O K I N G
B A C K , A H E A D
Looking back at Ash Wednesday photos from a previous year brings memories of a different time—possibly time that we took for granted and thought of as routine to begin a Lenten season with the imposition of ashes. Looking ahead can bring hope and strength for a brighter future. Hebrews 11:1 reads, “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” Here are some responses from two questions posed in January via Lord of Life’s enews:
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What did you learn during 2020?
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What do you look forward to in 2021?
To see the joy in each minute of each day, to be content with time alone, and give thanks for what we do have, not fret over what we don’t. My hope is we all live each day knowing how precious our earthly time is, never assuming tomorrow is a given, and filling them with meaningful connections that bring joy to our hearts. —Nancy B.
2020 was a whirlwind—a year of many lessons. I learned I took many things for granted and now appreciate so many little things. Everything lights up a whole new perspective: full of grace, love, and God. Even with the year being such a mess, and as a teenager losing everything I have that takes up my life, I still have God who became more of a light than ever. This year is full of change for me. Going to college is something I really look forward to and even if the year will still be a mess—I know that God is beside me the whole time guiding me to a brighter future. —Kate S. 2020 taught me to appreciate what Christ has
To be less judgmental and more introspective. To find my next exciting career opportunity. —Jennifer N.
blessed us with: family, health, love, and hope. It opened my eyes to injustice and evil, which
Despite all that happened in 2020 as a result of Covid, I’m always reminded of our many blessings. We have a new, healthy grandson who joins our other four grandkids. We are very thankful and blessed. I pray for the end of the pandemic, peace and unity in this great country, getting back to worshiping indoors, eating at a restaurant and enjoying family and friends in person. —Tom W.
I learned that life is more relaxing and I can focus on my family and things that are important like my faith and racial justice when life’s activities are slowed down rather than just running from activity to activity. It’s so nice to have dinner as a family! I hope 2021 brings an end to the pandemic so kids can go back to school and we can see and hug our friends and family. —Dori W.
are able to exist when truth is ignored. I hope for an end to the pandemic and restoration of our faith in democracy, in our fellow man, and in Christ’s gifts both big and small. —Wayne S.
I learned all over again how to change a baby’s diaper. I hope we can safely get our kids and grandkids together at the cabin. —Dave M.
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A N
A B U N D A N T
L I F E
by Bev Mello (bevm@lordoflife.org)
Move over ‘hygge’ from the Danes, which became trendy around 2016. From the Norskes comes ‘koselig’ to describe building and strengthening relationships while enjoying an invigorating season of winter. Many Norwegians in the Arctic Circle—specifically TromsØ —practice koselig. A recent Stanford University PhD project1 studied residents during the polar night between November-January when the sun never rises. Research revealed people’s mindsets help them experience winter differently. Where many see hardship during a cold, frigid winter—others see life satisfaction opportunities to pursue experiences that lead to personal growth. There is no such thing as bad weather, they say, only poor choices in clothing—apparently it even rhymes when spoken in Norwegian! Not to discount the very real seasonal affective disorder or a Vitamin D deficiency, Norwegians (and other Scandinavians) see opportunity to promote wintertime, flourishing with choices inside or outdoors. Winter camping and skiing, taking walks on crunchy snow, or sitting around a bonfire with sparks aflame. Baking something simple or sweet, enjoying fireside conversation, or simply reading good books. And candles— lots of candles to brighten the darkness. As in John 10:10, Jesus has come to bring us an abundant life. Yes, even in a dark Minnesota winter and during a pandemic, we are given this good news with a mindful pause in our lives to reflect. Through the Holy Spirit, we can shine with the light of Christ breaking apart the darkness—a spiritual koselig, if you will. As Christians, may our light so shine that it brings glory to God in heaven and love to each other. Happy winter! news.stanford.edu/2020/12/18/norwegian-mindset-winter-might-help-covid-19-world, and theguardian.com/science/2020/sep/26/dreading-a-dark-winter-lockdown-think-like-a-norwegian
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learn more about these initiatives / ministries BLACK HISTORY MONTH
RIP MEDICAL DEBT
VIDEO LEARNINGS
The Racial Justice Initiative Team has compiled a list of resources to get you started on learning about racial justice. The list includes podcasts, videos, articles, books, and movies—so you can start your antiracism journey in a way that works for you. Find these resources at lordoflife.org/ racialjustice.
Lord of Life’s 2020 $50,000 goal was surpassed with $61,360.85 raised to erase medical debt for COVID-19 essential workers. Each dollar given to the campaign will erase $100 of medical debt for essential workers, those who have given of their time and talents to heal and keep us safe during this uncertain time. For background, view an October 14 conversation at lordoflife.org/hopeathome.
Even if you have both an “x” and a “y” chromosome, you are encouraged to learn more about the Word of God through Word for Women videos. Learning about Catholicism, world religions, and more—over three years of lessons have been recorded with the most recent study of Galatians in January. View the playlist at lordoflife. org/wordforwomen.
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.
PASTORAL STAFF
WORSHIP / CONNECT
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. David McCarty, davem@lordoflife.org
Visit lordoflife.org/worship for the most up-to-date worship schedule. To connect with an adult ministry representative, contact Karen Nelson (karenn@lordoflife.org). To connect with a children, youth, and family representative, contact Chelsey Grandstrand (chelseyg@lordoflife.org). For all ministry events and calendar items with the most current dates, times, details, event locations, and registrations—visit lordoflife.org.
lordoflife.org
office@lordoflife.org
/lordoflifelutheran /lolcyf
/lordoflife /cyf_lordoflife
/lordoflifeluth
Credits: Rod Folland, Mary Hill, and Unsplash. Compass is a monthly ministry by Lord of Life Lutheran Church (ELCA) printed by Wallace Carlson Printing using ecofriendly inks. After reading, share it with a friend or neighbor inviting them to the Lord of Life faith community. To receive Compass in the mail and/or electronically—call 763.420.5015 or email office@lordoflife.org. Copyright 2021 Lord of Life Lutheran Church
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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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To encourage and inspire this Lenten season, Lord of Life is preparing new tools to equip you in exploring and growing your faith. Participate in thoughtful reflection on Scripture with Lenten prayers. Observe the ritual of the imposition of ashes on yourself or others in your household. Worship virtually on Wednesdays, along with weekend services. Receive a Bible verse-a-day via text on your phone. To receive the free “A Journal for Wanderers,” get ashes for you or your family, and become more engaged in your faith—go to lordoflife.org/lent.
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