March 2021 Compass

MARCH 2021 Lord of life lutheran

C O M P A S S

intrigued? see page 10

L E T T I N G F I N D I N G

G O , G O D

by Pastor Kaitlyn Foster (kaitlynf@lordoflife.org)

About a decade ago, I stumbled upon the practice of spring cleaning on or near Ash Wednesday.

As a young twenty-something, cleaning was often something that built up until I couldn’t stand the mess any longer. And this particular year, I had gone to a midday worship service, received the ashes with that solemn reminder, and came home ready to change a few things. As I was cleaning, the phrase that kept rolling through my mind was, “From dust I came, to dust I shall return, and in dust I am living.” Thus began the only Lenten practice that I have consistently kept.

Lent is a season that lasts for forty days—not including the Sundays—that symbolically represents Jesus’ forty days and nights in the wilderness. It is a time to focus on reflection, prayer, and fasting. Maybe you have had the practice of giving something up for Lent, or taking on a spiritual practice. Or maybe you know others who do so. Either way, this Lent can be an opportunity to reflect on your own spirituality, and deepen your relationship with God. If this pandemic season has taught me anything, it’s that when faced with fear, anxiety, and my own devices, I need to be intentional about my spirituality more than ever. Faith is something that is cultivated and offers as much back as one puts into it. Often, it takes time, reflection, and

Letting go, finding god...............................2-3

avoidance

in

BIBLE 101: A COMEBACK STORY....................4-5 community life / old city.........................6-7 a karing kingdom.........................................8-9 from jerusalem.............................................. 10 Contacts ............................................................. 11 2

...examine the perfectionism

effort to live into the hope that Christ proclaims. Maybe you, too, need to examine the dust you are living in, so to speak.

By now our midweek online worship services have begun to encourage you to think about what you need to let go of to see where God may be showing up. You know, those attributes that give us a sense of control over our own lives, instead of being present to the God who created us and the hope we can access for the future. This Lenten season we are looking at perfectionism, impatience, accumulation, avoidance, and individualism; and to ruminate on how we can let them go. Or at least, not allow them to define us.

The truth is that these attributes do not define us, though we occasionally live like they do. We are not defined by how well we organize or appear. We are not defined by what we own or the privileges we’ve been merited. Instead, we are defined by the one who created us in their image, who names us beloved, and who calls us to serve the world. We’re defined by how we tend to our relationships and the ways we tend to collective needs. When we let go of the things that keep us from God and each other, the power of Christ’s love and mercy can come alive in our relationships and clear some of that dust out of our eyes.

Which attribute(s) do you need to let go of this season? What are some small ways that you can lean into hope?

ndividualism

Midweek online Wednesday worship premiers at 7pm on Facebook and YouTube.

Visit lordoflife.org/lent for specific dates on these sermon topics and more.

See Page 11 about Lord of Life’s online Holy Week worship.

impatience

dust you are living in... accumulation 3

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C O M E B A C K

S T O R Y

by Lead Pastor Joel Wight Hoogheem (joel@lordoflife.org)

Whether it’s the story of an athlete returning to form (Comeback Player of the Year) or a company overcoming obstacles (think Apple with the iPod and iPhone or CocaCola coming back from “New Coke”), there’s something inspiring about comeback stories.

Making a comeback is nothing new. The Bible contains one of the biggest comeback stories of all time: the return of the people of God from exile.

Bible 101

The Exodus rightly gets a lot of attention when we consider the Old Testament.

The exile and return, however, cannot be overlooked in terms of importance to God’s story and relevance to today’s reality. In Ezra 1, we read that God worked through the pagan King Cyrus of Persia to tell the people, “Come back home. Return to me.” God was bringing an end to 70 years of separation and exile. And this comeback did not happen because the people were somehow better, improved versions of themselves. It happened because of God’s great love for them and God’s desire for them to come back home.

In Ezra 3, the people are given their top priority upon returning home to Jerusalem: to rebuild the temple. In gratitude for this incredible comeback, you may think the 4

people would gladly set about the task of rebuilding the temple and keep God at the center of their lives. Yet we read in Haggai 1 that the people’s lives got busy and other things took their attention and energy away from God’s command to rebuild the temple.

Haggai 1:3-6 says: Then the word of the Lord came by the prophet Haggai, saying: Is it a time for you yourselves to live in your paneled houses, while this house [the temple] lies in ruins? Now therefore thus says the Lord of hosts: Consider how you have fared. You have sown much, and harvested little; you eat, but you never have enough; you drink, but you never have your fill; you clothe yourselves, but no one is warm; and you that earn wages earn wages to put them into a bag with holes.

It turns out the temple wasn’t about the building. It was about keeping God first. Yet the people’s priorities were a mess and they had displaced God from the center of their lives even though God had restored their lives back home.

These months of the pandemic have been our exile from normal life. Just as God authored a comeback story in the Old Testament, God will grant us a comeback story, too. We can rejoice and we can learn from our ancestors in

the faith. When our daily rhythms come back to something more resembling life the way we’d like it, we can keep God at the center and make sure our priorities show our gratitude for the God who is always seeking to bring us back home.

reflection 1. Read Ezra 1. How do you think the people of God initially responded to God bringing their freedom through the pagan King Cyrus?

2. Read Ezra 3. What is the foundation of your faith? How do you know that it is a firm foundation?

3. Read Haggai 1. What tempts you from keeping God at the center of your life?

How may your priorities need to shift to keep God first?

“It turns out the temple wasn’t about the building.

It was about keeping God first.”

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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) or visit lordoflife.org/baptism.

For details on your wedding, visit lordoflife.org/weddings.

To schedule a wedding, contact Wedding Supervisor

bereavements

welcome new members

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.

Michelle Tomlinson (michellet@lordoflife.org).

Sarah Deis and Benjamin Miller Membership at Lord of Life means you make a

Troy Bair and family at the death of his uncle, Richard Missy Benson and family at the death of her grandfather Rick, Meggie and Sam Feller and family at the death of their wife and mother, Steph Feller Lisa Gerber and family at the death of her father Georgia Helvick and family at the death of her mother, Shirley Strum

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.

Mary and Melanie Kramer and family at the death of their mother and grandmother, Alice Skinner Gary and Luann Lieske and family at the death of their son, Aaron Fuchs Mary Ann Schiebe and family at the death of her brother Cheryl Schlicht and family at the death of her father, Gordon C. Nelson Chris Vevea and family at the death of her cousin, Terri Waltz Nick Vevea and family at the death of his mother, Dorothy Vevea

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A special thank you to Pastor Carrie Ballenger in Jerusalem for this photo of the Old City, the cover photo, and her message on Page 10. Under normal circumstances, this empty market street would generally be shoulder-to-shoulder with shoppers, tourists, pilgrims. Peace to all the people in the Holy Land who are dealing with a double lockdown: the COVID-19 pandemic and the ongoing military occupation of Palestine.

The feeling remains that God is on the journey, too.

—Teresa of Avila (1515 – 1582) 7

A My family has loved the va daily lessons, crafts, field tri touchin

riety of the

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The Karing Kingdom Preschool classroom fun. The school does a fantastic job of utilizing

staff. I cannot tell you how

many times

skills, focusing in depth on each letter of the alp

I was moved to tears while

hearing the

playing games where children have to both listen

The impa recap from the day’s events.

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all of these areas has most

definitely made

a tremendous impact on m

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three of them!) as well as ou

r family.

I highly recommend Karing

Kingdom to

and love. help your child grow, learn, —Maureen Schultz

Pajama Day was fun with slippers, jammies, stuffies, and the Letter Z (zzz, for those who are still a little sleepy!).

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K A R I N G

among the children, and learning Spanish words.

projects. The staff fits more into 2- and 3-day —Sarah Nichols

K I N G D O M One of us is a licensed teacher and we complet

is a place where children feel safe, loved, and have

agreed, and believed in

daily arts and crafts, developing gross and fine motor

Karing Kingdom staff pr

phabet, calendar, and weather, growing social skills

children. We especially

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everything the

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appreciated

They also spend time interacting with music, singing,

the emphasis on serving

n and follow rules, and participating in monthly kindness

community by donating

y programs than I ever would have imagined possible!

our greater

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. in our area.

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well

f-day

summaries. We could ha the “What did you do at

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school today?

—Brent & Karissa Leaman

These excerpts are from parents’ recommendations; to read all their perspectives—as well as learn about enrolling your child— visit lordoflife.org/karingkingdom.

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F R O M

J E R U S A L E M

by Pastor Carrie Ballenger, Redeemer Lutheran English-speaking Congregation, Jerusalem, Palestine (doulapastor@gmail.com)

How are you all holding up?

This has been another week of lockdown here. I’ve been working on some writing projects from home and ventured into the Old City (see cover and Page 7 photos) for the first time in quite a while. It’s heartbreaking to see the many shops closed and streets empty. I find it hard to know what to pray for. Even with a vaccine or a miracle cure, it will surely be years before tourists and pilgrims fill the city once again.

In December with Issa Kassesieh, known as the Jerusalem Santa, took my mask off for the photo only!

Still, life continues on. Our church, the ELCJHL (Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land), continues its faithful work to educate young people, to provide care for the hungry, to share the Good News in word and in deed here in Israel and Palestine. I’m so proud to be part of this church.

Leaving the Redeemer church building, I watched as a young boy carried his toddler sister into the empty Holy Sepulcher courtyard to play. The smell of fresh-baked bread still filled the streets. The pomegranates were red and ripe. The woman who asks for spare change on the trains still made her rounds. When I gave her a large bill this time (all that I had on me), she put a gloved hand on my head and gave me a blessing.

Receiving COVID-19 vaccination in January

And so we keep hoping, keep praying, keep loving our neighbor. What choice do we have?

In my garden, I planted a baby avocado tree that I sprouted from a pit. It will take 5-10 years to bear fruit! Where will I be at that time? What will Jerusalem look like then? It’s hard to say. But, as Martin Luther is rumored to have said: “Even if I knew that tomorrow the world would go to pieces, I would still plant my apple tree.”

God loves you! And so do I.

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To learn more about Pastor Carrie Ballenger and Lord of Life’s Holy Land ministry, visit lordoflife.org/theholyland. Check out the YouTube playlist for a sermon from her visit in 2018!

H O L Y

W E E K

Worship services are available for viewing on YouTube at your convenience the following days with these premiere times: Palm Saturday Palm Sunday Maundy Thursday Good Friday Holy Saturday Easter Sunday

March 27 March 28 April 1 April 2 April 3 April 4

5:30pm 9:30am 7pm 7pm 7pm 9:30am

Please note that Holy Saturday night will not be the full Easter service, but will lead up to the resurrection with hopeful waiting.

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: Pastor Carrie Ballenger with Redeemer Lutheran English-speaking Congregation (ELCJHL) in Jerusalem, Palestine.

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

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See Pastor Kaitlyn Forster’s lead article on Pages 2-3

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