Inspire: Hope

Public conversations where faith comes to life.

20TH ANNIVERSARY SEASON

The Faith & Life Lectures are open and welcoming public forums where members of the Twin Cities community can hear nationally known speakers reflect on how Christian faith intersects with different dimensions of everyday life. We invite you to join us for the 2022-2023 series of lectures.

COLE ARTHUR RILEY

March 9, 2023

MICHAEL CURRY

May 16, 2023

All events scheduled will be offered both in-person and via livestream. All lectures begin at 7 p.m. Free and open to the public. www.faith-and-life.org

INSPIRE

Vol. 5 , Issue 3, Spring 2023

Published by St. Philip the Deacon Lutheran Church 17205 County Road 6 Plymouth, MN 55447 (763) 475-7100

editor in chief

Tim Westermeyer

managing editor

Amanda Berger design Malley Design staff writers

Cheryl Mathison, Kate Sterner contributors

Cindy Carlson, Olsen Pancoast, Renee Putnam website spdlc.org/inspire

email editorial aberger@spdlc.org

on the cover

Photo by Adam Gonzales

©2023 St. Philip the Deacon Lutheran Church. All rights reserved.

submissions

Do you have an idea for a story or love to write? Contact our managing editor with your submission, but please keep in mind the following guidelines:

(A) Your article may be edited for length and content. (B) Articles must fit in the larger themes of our publication and reflect the mission of St. Philip the Deacon. (C) All submissions will be reviewed by our editorial staff to determine the suitability for our publication.

While we would love to include all submissions, space and cost limit our ability to do that. Submissions will not be returned.

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.” Romans 5:3-5

In a world that tries to tell us that the “good life” is all about ease, success and happiness, Paul says to glory in suffering and that suffering will be transformed into hope. But it won’t be by our work that suffering is transformed, but only by God’s grace.

Hope is never about what we’re doing, but always about what God is doing. And God is inviting us to something more than the superficiality the world celebrates. That something more is hope in the person of Jesus.

I know because even when things get hard, I have a deep, abiding sense that “all shall be well.” This thing that I have is a gift from God. If you haven’t guessed, I’m talking about hope.

I think that author Kate Bowler nails its definition here, “But hope isn’t wishful thinking. It’s an anchor into the future.”

Hope is what reminds us, on the daily, that this world is not all there is, and that redemption is ours. However, the tricky thing about hope is that it’s hard to explain apart from its opposites: despair, suffering, failure. We know because we live in a broken, sinful world, that the Christian life is always a both/and.

The Apostle Paul writes about suffering and hope in this way:

“We also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and

In the Roman world that celebrated success and wealth, status and ease, Jesus proclaimed another kingdom (not of this earth) where you didn’t need any of those things to be seen, known and loved. Those proclamations are still true for us right now, today. In Jesus’ kingdom, the last are first, every hair on your head is counted, and blessed are those who have nothing but their own hands to offer.

As you read this issue, we pray that you will recognize the hope that surrounds you, that our hope in Christ sustains us, and that we are strengthened by the belief and hope of a redeemed world yet to come. And for those of us with hope to spare, may we share it with a world in need.

Pax Christi,

It’s hard for me to explain it exactly, but I know I have it.

SPD BOOK CLUB

Book club meets both in-person (at SPD in the Fireside Room) and via Zoom at 6:30 p.m. Find the Zoom link in our most recent E-newsletter or by contacting social@spdlc.org.

SCRIPTURE CONNECTION: THE SCARLET CORD

BY RENEE PUTNAM

“Well, I rebuilt the motor and replaced the valves and I think that should do it,” the repair person said. In our fixer-upper, we are often making improvements, which until they involve a kitchen remodel, I don’t find especially amusing. And that day, I was definitely not amused.

MARCH 21

This Here Flesh by Cole Arthur Riley. Discussion led by Amanda Berger.

Now, this person was not hired to evangelize me, and he quickly got to work, but as he worked, we had a brief conversation about what we each were learning about God. Before he left, he spoke a game-changing word for me. “Do you know what the Hebrew word for ‘hope’ is? It means ‘wait.’”

God does that sometimes, sending me a word at just the right time. I needed a dose of hope—and God always knows how to deliver hope through unexpected people. Chewing over this insight about the Hebrew word for hope sparked some digging on my part.

or cord. This comes from the root word Kavah meaning to “bind together,” but Kavah can also be translated as “waiting for” or “to expect.” The first occurrence of Tikvah in the Bible is from the story of Rahab from Joshua 2. If you don’t know this story, take a moment to read it.

In this passage, Rahab ties a scarlet rope, or Tikvah out the window, understanding that in doing so, she was expressing hope. Her life depended on her faith and the promise which the spies gave her to save her and her family. The cord was a symbol for hope. Not just wishful thinking but rather, hope for something better. And Rahab had to wait for it.

APRIL 18

Every Good Boy Does Fine: A Love Story in Music Lessons by Jeremy Denk. Discussion led by Samuel Grace.

In Hebrew, there are a couple of variations on the word hope. The word Tikvah is used in some instances, meaning rope

Can you think of a familiar place where the imagery of the scarlet cord produces hope? How about the stained glass which surrounds the worship center of St. Philip the Deacon? The scarlet thread represents God surrounding us and binding us together with a symbol of hope which weaves throughout our history and hope for the future.

MAY 16

What We Can Expect from God Now: Seven Spiritual Truths for Trusting God in Troubled Times by Timothy Geoffrion. Discussion led by Valerie Strand Patterson.

HEBREWS 10:23-25

The DNA of our faith community is being stitched together by the God of hope, and we can grab hold of the faith we profess and then share our story with another. Your words, our words, may provide hope to another. When I think of the encouraging conversation with my repair person, I can’t help but marvel at how God orchestrated that moment for hope.

More Verses About Hope In Christ

Romans 5:1-5

Romans 8:24-25

Romans 15:13

Ephesians 1:11-13

Ephesians 4:3-5

Colossians 1:22-23

1 Thessalonians 1:3

1 Peter 1:3

“Let us hold fast to the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who has promised is faithful. And let us consider how to provoke one another to love and good deeds, not neglecting to meet together … but encouraging one another all the more.”

Faith & Life

TUESDAY, MAY 16TH

7:00 PM

Join us for a conversation with Episcopal Bishop Michael Curry, as he presents Faith & Love: Holding on to Hope.

Curry is Presiding Bishop and Primate of The Episcopal Church. He is the Chief Pastor and serves as President and Chief Executive Officer, and as Chair of the Executive Council of The Episcopal Church. Presiding Bishop Curry maintains a national preaching and teaching ministry, having been featured on “The Protestant Hour” and as a frequent speaker at churches, cathedrals and conferences around the country and internationally.

Curry is the author of five books: Love is the Way: Holding on to Hope in Troubling Times (2020); The Power of Love (2018); Following the Way of Jesus: Church’s Teachings in a Changing World (2017); Songs My Grandma Sang (2015); and Crazy Christians: A Call to Follow Jesus (2013).

In 2018, Religion News Association named Presiding Bishop Curry religion newsmaker of the year.

The Faith & Life Lecture Series is free and open to the public. All are welcome!

Read

SURRENDER: 40 SONGS, ONE STORY

By Bono.

Written by the lead singer of U2, one of the most famous bands in the world, Bono’s fascinating memoir is intimate and inspiring.

Sharing stories throughout their 46 years making music together, Bono shares about their faith, their passion and their rockstar moments.

Watch

LIMITLESS WITH CHRIS HEMSWORTH

TV-14, Disney +. Star of Thor, Chris Hemsworth, learns how to unlock the superpowers of the human body for a stronger body, longer life,

better memory and increased healing and resilience. Recommended by SPD staff Renee and Jason Putnam.

Listen THAT SOUNDS FUN WITH ANNIE F. DOWNS

Christian author and speaker Annie F. Downs shares some of her favorite things in each edition of this podcast. Covering a range of topics from music to food, conversations about faith

and interesting interviews, the diversity of topics and Annie’s bright Southern hospitality will capture your imagination and her honesty will challenge you.

BY TIM WESTERMEYER

“We shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills; we shall never surrender.”

These famous words were spoken by Winston Churchill on June 4, 1940— just after the evacuation of the British Expeditionary Forces from Dunkirk. When “Operation Dynamo” began on May 26, the expectation was that perhaps—if things went incredibly well—maybe 45,000 Allied forces might be saved. Instead, by some miracle, when the operation was completed, more than 338,000 Allied troops reached England, along with 26,000 French soldiers.

After this historic evacuation, Churchill stood before the House of Commons to report on it, and he concluded his speech with those famous and stirring words about fighting and never surrendering.

Most of us are familiar with those words. What most people don’t know is that, after saying them, Churchill sat down, and whispered to a colleague: “And we’ll fight them with the butt ends of broken beer bottles, because that’s bloody well all we’ve got.”

England was in a precarious position at that point in the war. After years of appeasement, the country wasn’t ready

to defend itself yet. The military still needed time to manufacture supplies, a high percentage of the limited munitions they did have had just been lost at Dunkirk, and Britain desperately needed the support of other Allies, especially the United States. Yes, the evacuation from Dunkirk was wonderful, unexpected good news, but, as Churchill explained in his speech, “We must be very careful not to assign to this deliverance the attributes of a victory. Wars are not won by evacuations.”

So Churchill’s job that day wasn’t simply to give a rousing call to arms. Instead, his job was temper the mood of euphoria in the country following Dunkirk, and to remind people that there was much that still needed to be done, and that the road ahead would be hard and difficult and challenging— but that, despite all of that, there was still reason to hope. “I have,” he said, “full confidence that if all do their duty, if nothing is neglected, and if the best arrangements are made ... we shall prove ourselves once again able to defend our Island home, to ride out the storm of war, and to outlive the menace of tyranny.” Which is, of course, exactly what happened.

I think of this because my sense is that many people today feel that Christianity is unrealistic, that it is

all “pie-in-the-sky,” that it doesn’t understand or recognize that life is filled with difficulty, or challenges, or pain, or grief. To which I say: Nonsense. One of our doctrines as Christians, after all, is a recognition of what we call “The Fall,” or “Original Sin.” Which is simply another way of saying things like: the world isn’t as it should be; or, our relationships with God, with one another, and with ourselves are broken and imperfect; or, life is filled with challenges and pain and grief.

As Christians, we shouldn’t be afraid to recognize these hard truths and accept them. And—like Churchill in June of 1940—we should understand that to ignore these difficulties and challenges, or to pretend they don’t exist, is not faithful. Instead, it is willful denial, which is both dishonest and unhelpful.

G.K. Chesterton, another Englishman whose own brother died in WWI, wrote this: “Hope means hoping when things are hopeless, or it is no virtue at all.” May we face the challenges and difficulties of our own time squarely, honestly, and, in Churchill’s words, “with a steady eye.” And then, in the face of them, may we place our trust in God that all shall be well. In other words, may we live in hope.

MEDITATION

“Hope begins in the dark, the stubborn hope that if you just show up and try to do the right thing, the dawn will come. You wait and watch and work: You don't give up.”

ANNE LAMOTT

DEVOTED LIVING

All Good Gifts

BY AMANDA BERGER

"Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work."

2 CORINTHIANS 9:6-8 (NIV)

To make it less uncomfortable and support preaching about finances, it is often stated that Jesus talked about money more than any other topic. This is both true and untrue. Jesus did talk about money in many of his parables, but he’s not really talking about money in the way you might think. Jesus uses money as an illustration—just like any of his other parable illustrations—because it was something people understood. People understand money. Even if you don’t have a lot of it, you can make sense of what money is and is for. Jesus most often uses his money parables to illustrate our relationship to giving, not the money itself. And Jesus most often points out that giving is about two things: our attachment to worldly stuff and as an example of God’s lavishness.

Jesus told parables about those who gave up worldly possessions for something more precious—a hidden treasure, a pearl of great price. These parables are about attachment or our belief that our value and God’s love can be measured by something earthly, like our stuff. Jesus was speaking against the prevailing notion that our worldly goods somehow make us more worthy—better, if you will—when instead the best, most wonderful

thing, God’s love and grace, don’t cost a single thing. His other illustrations are similar—an employer who pays the same regardless of work done; a father whose unconditional love isn’t given measure for measure in accordance with our good behavior. These parables aren’t about money; they are about God’s kingdom.

In Jesus’ time, blessing and wealth were equated with favor from God—if you were wealthy, you were clearly getting life right and so God was blessing you. Jesus’ teachings demonstrate the deceptiveness of that belief. Instead, all are God’s beloved and our material worth is not a measure of our worthiness.

How we use our money tells a lot about who we are and what we believe about the future. Our world sells us on the idea of scarcity. Jesus preaches God’s abundance. The place where our faith in God’s promises and our beliefs about money intersect is where we find joy in giving.

Money, how we manage it and how we give, is important because of how we use it as a tool to bring the kingdom of God into our midst. How are you called to use your gifts in service of the mission and ministry of God’s kingdom?

Generosity and giving can be difficult to talk about in the church. It makes people uncomfortable because, like sex and politics, it’s not polite conversation. Too personal. Too controversial. But that’s interesting because if we believe that our financial resources are from God, then why is it any different than any other topic of faith?

IN THE PAST TENSE

BY AMANDA BERGER

We had hoped for a less serious diagnosis, one with a cure. I had hoped he’d stay, if just for our kids. My family had hoped this round of layoffs would pass me by. We had hoped this time we’d see the little pink plus sign.

We had hope. And then we didn’t. In his sermon, “Hope in the Past Tense,” author and speaker Jonathan Merritt challenges his listeners to think of any sadder word in the English language than that of hope in the past tense. Merritt goes on to talk about the loss of hope within the context of the story of the Road to Emmaus told in chapter 24 of the Gospel of Luke.

Jesus’ disciples knew this feeling: hopelessness. They had hoped for a conquering Messiah who would free them from foreign occupation and the legalism of Jewish law, but instead Cleopas and his unnamed friend and fellow disciple have just witnessed their hope crucified on the cross.

With nothing left, these disciples leave Jerusalem for the seven-mile walk to Emmaus, not their home nor their destination, just some place in between. And as they walk, they encounter a stranger to whom they tell their grief and disappointment. “We had hoped …”

In his sermon, Merritt says that anthropologists have been unable to identify the historical site of Emmaus. So, Merritt wonders if “Emmaus is just another name for any place you retreat to or return to when your world falls apart, when your faith falls apart.”

Merritt goes on, “Hopelessness might have kind of a blinding effect on us. … God is always present on this road called grief, waiting to be identified, waiting to be invited into the conversation, but maybe, just maybe, we can’t make out the silhouette of the divine through the foggy lenses of our own disappointment. Perhaps we can become so hyper-focused on our own pain that we don’t recognize [God].”

For those experiencing loss, grief or disappointment, stumbling along in the dust, Emmaus is the place where our hope is exhausted and we can no longer see God through our suffering.

THE DARK NIGHT OF THE SOUL

Suffering is familiar territory to all of us, and the Christian faith is not an insurance policy against the “dark night of the soul.” This turn of phrase, coined by St. John of the Cross, a 16th century monk, poet and mystic, describes our seasons of spiritual darkness or dryness. The “dark night of the soul” is not exclusive to seasons of intense suffering, though it may include those. Rather, the term comes from the Spanish word “oscura,” meaning hidden. It really refers to those times when God is concealed, unfelt or mysterious in our lives.

These seasons are surprisingly common for those maturing in their faith and deepening their spiritual journey—the longing to grow

closer to Christ can often bring us to places where we feel all but abandoned. During these seasons, we may try everything we can think of, but nothing helps. We try to pray, and words won’t come. We come to worship and feel nothing.

Intellectually and theologically, we know we are never abandoned; but like those who journeyed on the Emmaus road not seeing Christ beside them, there are seasons where God is hidden from us. It is a place where we may pray, but can feel nothing, sense nothing, see nothing of God. And though disconcerting, these spiritual dry seasons may actually serve to drive us into even deeper dependence on God.

In his book Prayer: Finding the Heart’s True Home, author Richard Foster describes it as such, “Can you see how our very sense of the absence of God is, therefore, an unsuspected grace? In the very act of hiddenness God is slowly weaning us of fashioning him in our own image.”

PRAYER OF THE FORSAKEN

It is during barren seasons that we can turn to the biblical witness to instruct us in prayer. The faithful of the Old Testament were experts in prayers of complaint—prayers where they were able to balance both their love for God and frustration, anger and despair at the broken world around them. These prayers of lament and longing can teach us how to pray our own contradictions—to hold both fear and joy, anger and praise in tension with one another.

Foster offers this counsel to those who are experiencing the loss of hope or the dark night of the soul. He writes, “Wait on God. Wait, silent and still. Wait, attentive and responsive. Learn that trust precedes faith. Faith is a little like putting your car into gear, and right now you cannot exercise faith, you cannot move forward. Do not berate yourself for this. But when you are unable to put your spiritual life into drive, do not put it into reverse; put it into neutral. Trust is how you put your spiritual life into neutral. Trust is confidence in the character of God. Firmly and deliberately you say, ‘I do not understand what God is doing or even where God is, but I know that he is out to do me good.’ This is trust. This is how to wait.”

We could compare Holy Saturday (the day between Good Friday and Easter Sunday) to the Dark Night or shifting into neutral. It is a space of waiting. In this place of unknowing, a place where hope feels broken, all we can do is wait upon the Lord. And though we cannot predict how long we will wait, because we are Easter people, we do know that the resurrection will come and that hope will be restored.

We have all experienced hope shattered.

Is Different Everything Now

TRAVEL SCRAPBOOK

CAVE 4

We visited Qumran, the site where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found. This picture shows Cave number 4 where over 90 percent of the scrolls were discovered. One of the biggest finds at Qumran was the book of Isaiah nearly intact. Later we visited the Shrine of the Book at the Israel Museum in Jerusalem where we saw a replica of that scroll; unfortunately, the original was temporarily not on public display.

COMMUNION ON THE SEA OF GALILEE

For many a highlight was celebrating the sacrament of Holy Communion on the Sea of Galilee in a replica of a first century boat. This is one of the places where we can know with absolute certainty that Jesus was. This is where Jesus walked on water, calmed the storm, and called his first disciples. It is also where he multiplied the loaves and fishes and delivered the Sermon on the Mount. The setting of the sun as we returned to shore made this memorable experience even more so.

It was an amazing trip, full of history, camaraderie and adventure. There was never a dull moment and I’m glad I now have time to reflect over what we experienced. I definitely feel a need to restudy the Bible.

GINNY EHLEN

BY CHERYL MATHISON

The plan to travel to the Holy Land and Jordan was first announced in the fall of 2018. When registration opened in 2019, two trips scheduled for fall of 2020 filled within minutes and then ... COVID -19. The trips were postponed until October/November 2022 when 58 of us finally made our pilgrimage to walk in the footsteps of Jesus.

Our days of travel were long and full. We saw and learned and experienced so much. One traveler said to me, “What I saw was more than I could absorb.” Indeed. Entering the Church of the Nativity or the Church of the Holy Sepulchre or standing in the Shepherd’s Fields or on the steps of the temple are each individually so awe-inspiring that finding words to explain is difficult.

There is no doubt that a pilgrimage like this changes people. It changes how they understand the situation in the Middle East. It changes how they hear scripture. It changes how they understand the life of Christ. One traveler put it this way: “I knew before this trip that Jesus lives, but my greatest discovery from being in Israel and walking in his steps is that he truly lives inside and outside

REMEMBERING OUR BAPTISMS AT THE JORDAN RIVER

Two by two we stepped into the Jordan River where we remembered our baptisms. With these words: “first name/ middle name, you are a beloved child of God,” we traced a cross on one another’s foreheads. The group picture is taken at what is the most likely site of Jesus’ baptism by John the Baptist.

WESTERN WALL

People write prayers on scraps of paper and tuck them into cracks and crevices at the Western Wall. For a long time, it was thought that this wall was all that remained of Herod’s temple (the temple Jesus knew) which was destroyed by the Romans in A.D. 70. But more recent excavations uncovered the Temple Stairs on the Southern Wall.

I was amazed at how close all of the places that Jesus traveled were to each other-like traveling around the Twin Cities. I couldn’t get over the fact that these were the same sites and places that Jesus actually was present. The entire trip exceeded my expectations.

JOHN EHLEN

THE CHURCH OF THE NATIVITY

These are the faces of pure joy after visiting the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem. The underground grotto marks the traditional birthplace of Jesus.

GLORIA PLUMIER

TEACHING AT MOUNT PRECIPICE

Mount Precipice is the traditional site where the people of Nazareth chased Jesus in order to throw him over the cliff. See Luke 4:14-29. The 360-degree views are spectacular!

TRAVEL SCRAPBOOK

of me—now, tomorrow and for eternity. He will work through me to bring others to him.” Another said: “I cannot hear Christmas hymns the same way anymore. Like ‘O Little Town of Bethlehem’ and ‘Away in the Manger’ ... I hear the words anew!”

I give thanks for the development of relationships within our travel groups. As I write, someone just stopped into my office looking for the addresses of all the travelers in her group so she could send a Christmas card to each one. I give thanks for the transformations each one experienced. One woman put it this way: “Everything is different now.” I give thanks for the renewed interest in Bible study. Many travelers reported that they are eager to continue to learn and grow as they read and reflect on scripture. Finally, I give thanks for the sheer joy and privilege of hosting these trips, teaching and sharing scripture, and developing relationships in ways that cannot happen in any other setting.

One of the most impactful moments for me was remembering our baptisms in the Jordan River. I loved the words we shared with each other, “Gloria Jean, you are a beloved child of God.

The experience has left me yearning to not forget, to learn more, to share what I have learned and to feel, hear and visualize scripture more deeply, more expansively. I am changed by this pilgrimage.

SUSAN PATH

WORSHIP AT REDEEMER LUTHERAN CHURCH IN JERUSALEM

On our last day in Jerusalem, we worshipped at Redeemer Lutheran Church in Jerusalem. The service was both in English and Arabic. Afterwards, we were invited to join the congregation for fellowship and this picture was snapped of five Lutheran pastors: Pastor Sarah Moat, Pastor Adam Miller-Stubbendick, Pastor Fursan Zu’mot, Pastor Nancy Carlson and Pastor Cheryl Mathison.

PETRA

These two men climbed 850 steps in blazing heat to reach the Monastery at Petra. We also saw the Treasury which is familiar to many from the movie “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.”

The whole trip was an amazing experience seeing so many of the actual sites that we have read about since our childhood. A couple of our highlights included having communion during a boat ride on the Sea of Galilee and reaffirming our baptism at the site of Jesus’ baptism while standing in the Jordan River. We especially enjoyed the camaraderie we shared with all the other travelers!

KAREN AND JOEL CHRISTOPHERSON

THE TEMPLE STAIRS ON THE SOUTHERN WALL

We stopped for a photo on these massive steps. They were part of Herod’s expansion of the Temple Mount and along with the Western Wall, are all that remain of the temple. It is likely that Jesus taught on these very steps.

Seeing the places of holy events and hearing the stories while I was there helped bring them to life.

STUART NELSON

HOPE & A FUTURE

BY AMANDA BERGER

Ihadn’t been back to the Luther Seminary campus in years. And on this gray November day it feels desolate—no one is about, apart from the grounds crew mowing the dry, lifeless leaves. But then, beneath the words Christus Lux Mundi, the doors of Gullixson Hall swing open and a string of students spills out— including the two smiling young women I’m there to meet.

Katie Weiland and Rachel Wyffels are daughters of St. Philip the Deacon (and former confirmation students of mine), both pursuing Master of Divinity degrees at Luther and preparing to be ordained as pastors. Their eyes are bright as we begin to talk about life at “the sem,” me reminiscing and peppering them with questions about their current experience.

And, of course, we begin the interview with their call stories (as most conversations

at the sem begin). Weiland credits her family—parents, cousins, aunts, uncles and grandparents, all members of St. Philip the Deacon, who instilled in her a deep love of God from an early age. Weiland also points to her involvement in music ministry as deeply formational for her faith, as well as an experience at Camp Omega in late elementary school. That early camp experience inspired Weiland to become a camp counselor during her summers as a student at Gustavus Adolphus College, spending several summers working at Sky Ranch of the Northern Rockies. It was at camp that she began to consider a calling to youth ministry. After applying for several positions, it was eventually Lands Lutheran Church in Zumbrota, Minnesota, that pursued her and where she currently serves as the Facilitator of Youth and Family Ministry. This led to her desire for further education, enrolling in the Luther’s distance learning program (although she commutes from Zumbrota to attend class in person as she is able).

Wyffels’ story begins in similar fashion— she, too, has deep family ties at SPD, but in contrast she has known since elementary school that she’d like to be a pastor. “Seeing

the women pastors at SPD was truly influential for me as a child,” Wyffels said. “I would see the pastors in worship and think, ‘I’d like to do that, too.’” Wyffels has always been deeply interested in scripture, taking Pastor Mathison’s Crossways class as a middle school student, alongside her confirmation classes. In those classes, Wyffels met Tom and Ruth Moen, SPD members, who were important encouragers of her spiritual growth and calling to ministry. Even though classmates at St. Olaf College were often surprised by Wyffels’ desire to go into ministry, she never wavered. After taking a year to work for Lutheran Advocacy-Minnesota, she enrolled at Luther. Her experience at Lutheran Advocacy-Minnesota has given her an interest in the intersection of faith, justice and ecology—something she plans to carry forward into her pastoral ministry.

Both Weiland and Wyffels come alive when asked about the future of the church and their own role in that future. “There are a lot of passionate people [at the seminary] who care deeply about the future of the church,” said Weiland. “We see the need to think critically about how we are

“We see the need to think critically about how we are going to bring a lifegiving church into the future ...”

going to bring a life-giving church into the future—how it will and ought to look different in five, 10, 15 years.” Weiland offered her current faith community as an example. “In Zumbrota, which has 3,000 residents, there are nine churches—five of which are Lutheran. And yet they struggle every single month just to keep ourselves afloat, when there are so many like-minded people in this small geographical area. We need to work together; it’s not about saving this building—because the church is not a building. My hope is that we can move past that—but there are people whose ancestors built this church and that is important to them—but this is a conversation that we need to have, and I’m hopeful for it.” Reclaiming their past is probably not an option, but the possibility of a future together is exciting.

Wyffels said, “My hope for the future of the church is that we proclaim that Jesus is the ultimate truth in the world … and that looks like a lot of different things. That looks like living out our mission by advocating for our neighbors, for just relationships in the world, for caring for creation: it looks like proclaiming the Gospel. It’s more than the humanist claim that these things are

important. It’s to say that at a fundamental level, this reconciliation that God brings is what the world is made of.”

And these two young women are not alone in their hopes and God-sized dreams. Weiland commented that many of her classmates long to see the church get beyond their buildings and to increase the role that faith communities play in bringing social change. This isn’t a new movement within the church (the church has always found itself at the intersection of love for God and justice for God’s people). But many seminarians long to see the church rise up in a new way, pursuing movements in social justice that fulfill Christ’s call to compassion and service of neighbors.

“Seminary has allowed me to think at a deep level about how my faith connects to [social justice],” said Wyffels. Weiland echoed that statement, agreeing that the mission of the church is not only to unbelievers overseas, but to those right here in our immediate community.

Christ calls us to be a light in the world— and Weiland and Wyffels shine with this holy light. Lit up by passion and the joy of their studies, it is easy to see that the future of the church is in good hands. “I’ve loved being at Luther. In undergrad, I spent time analyzing my faith, but now to talk about my faith as what it means to me, how I connect it to the world—I have loved it,” said Wyffels.

A special thank you to Rachel and Katie for sharing some of their photos of seminary life with Inspire.

Theological Education in the ELCA

Luther Seminary celebrated 150 years of training theologians and church leaders in 2019. As stated in their mission statement, “Luther Seminary educates leaders for Christian communities called and sent by the Holy Spirit to witness to salvation through Jesus Christ and to serve in God’s world.” Luther offers six degree programs (Master of Arts, Master of Theology, Master of Divinity, Doctor of Ministry, Accelerated M.Div. and Ph.D.) in a variety of concentrations. Luther also offers non-degree seeking options including continuing education and certificate programs.

480 students are currently enrolled

65% of the current enrollment are pursuing Master of Divinity degrees

About Half

of Luther’s students are a part of their distance learning program.

The ELCA also has nine other seminaries throughout the United States working to equip and train leaders for the future of the church. Luther is the largest of the ELCA’s seminaries. Part of St. Philip the Deacon’s annual giving supports seminary education.

Opening a Door to Myself

AN INTERVIEW WITH COLE ARTHUR

BY TIM WESTERMEYER

Cole Arthur Riley is a writer and poet, author of the NYT bestseller, This Here Flesh: Spirituality, Liberation, and the Stories that Make Us. Cole currently serves as the spiritual teacher in residence with Cornell University’s Office of Spirituality and Meaning Making. She is also the creator of Black

Liturgies (@blackliturgies), a space that integrates spiritual practice with Black emotion, Black literature, and the Black body. The following interview is just a little foretaste of what you can expect when Cole joins us for the Faith & Life Lecture Series on March 9.

RILEY

In one of your bios, you make the following statement about yourself: “I believe I was made to write.” How did you discover that about yourself? Was it something you always knew, or more of a revelation? Or neither? I think I’ve always felt connected to written words. I wasn’t an incredibly verbal child, and so when I learned to write, a world was opened up to me. I could communicate in ways I couldn’t before. And thankfully, there’s a lot of me from my childhood that is preserved in writing. Journal after journal. Poems and stories. Now that I’m older it is the clearest way I can encounter little Cole—in her own words.

So for as long as I can recall, I’ve wanted to be a writer. Now, did I believe I could be? That’s another question entirely. I began college planning to major in Physics but for two years was still taking a bunch of classes in the English department. And I told myself if one professor tells me I can do this, if they tell me that I’m a writer, I’m going to switch majors. And one did eventually kind of shake me and say, hello, what are you doing?! You belong with words.

You list, among authors that have been important to you, people like Toni Morrison, Toni Cade Bambara, James Baldwin, Julian of Norwich, Thomas Merton, June Jordan, Audre Lorde, and Christian Wiman (who, by the way, was a past Faith & Life speaker). What have these authors and poets taught you, or what do you take from them? Each of them has taught me different things and in their own way. Toni Morrison showed me there is beauty in disorientation, in not always having things made clear or resolved. Bambara showed me the mystery in a collective interior world. Wiman taught me that one can contend with the spiritual while maintaining a loyalty to the art.

I could go on, but I’ll say that each of these figures have brought me a little closer to

myself. And this is vital to my survival as a writer, they have not inducted me into their beliefs or personalities or form; but they have opened a door to myself. That I could be honest with myself about who I am and what I’m afraid of and what I long for and what I need to be human.

You have said your “strength as a writer is in storytelling.” Why are stories so important to us as human beings? I think one of the more mysterious things about being human is we are a compilation of a million moments (however mundane or majestic) that have formed and reform us, often with very little consent from us. We can’t escape being formed by the stories we’ve occupied; the question is how will we be formed by them? And possessing this awareness, I believe, is necessary for a kind and true life. Do you know who you are? Okay, and how do you know? Take me to the moment you knew you would kill for your child. I’ll learn far more from the story—the way your face moved, or your lip curled into itself, than I will from the statement alone. Storytelling, when done well, always frees up a deeper truth.

Do you think we’re losing touch with the stories that define us as human beings? I think some of us are at risk of forgetting. Forgetting the stories that have defined us as humans. Often, in my opinion, this is a willful amnesia. It can be dreadful and terrifying to confront some of the stories that have shaped us as humans.

But I also think there are people in my life who are doing the incredibly taxing work of recovering stories that have been lost or taken. People who are in the business of reclaiming the stories that people prefer to remain hidden, they will save us from ourselves. A conclusion or declaration absent of a story can hardly ever be nuanced, and at its worst can just be a tool for indoctrination. Stories complicate things. I think we need that right now.

If I’m not mistaken, you suffer from an autoimmune disease, which has caused more than a little suffering and pain in your life. What has that taught you about faith—or about writing? When you don’t know what’s happening to your own body, your mind takes you to the furthest ends of your imagination. For example, I think most chronically ill people have probably considered their own mortality far more than the average person. Thinking about death and dying has led me to really become honest about what I believe. Or more precisely, an absence of belief. I’m more content with uncertainty than I’ve ever been. The unknown is less and less menacing because I’ve known utter helplessness and uncertainty in my own body.

I know this can worry people who are staunchly situated in particular doctrines or creeds, but I feel very open to the unknowability of God, the divine mystery. Which is to say, my unbelief is no longer threatening to me.

On your Black Liturgies site, you note that you are currently interested in “rest, embodiment, justice, anger, wonder, and belonging.” Can you say a word or two about why these topics particularly interest you? I’m interested in reclaiming an integrated and whole existence for myself. And I think that tends to look like some convergence of emotion, embodiment, connection to my interior world, and commitment to the world around me. So those topics are all

threads that connect me to one of these parts of my humanity.

For a long time, I’ve reduced myself to a singular aspect of my own humanity, often the life of the mind. And in this season, I’ve been very interested in reintegration and making sure I make space for the whole of me.

A big part of your writing and thinking has to do with the importance of being embodied—something, which, as I read it, is a core and central part of the Christian tradition. We confess, for example, that we believe in “the resurrection of the body,” which is a reference not to Jesus’ resurrection, but to our resurrection. This line not only suggests that God values our bodies, but—even stronger—suggests that our very identities are somehow wrapped up in being embodied creatures. And yet Christianity is often perceived as being negative toward the body or focusing primarily on the “spiritual.” Where did we go wrong, and how can we correct that misunderstanding? We do ourselves no favors when we are constantly telling each other to “die to ourselves.” There seems to be this mission of bodily cost.

What will you give up? How far will you go?

The most exhausted and disembodied I ever was was when I first joined a church. To say it used my body more than it loved it would be an understatement. It chewed us up and spat us out. Many of us are far more interested in intellectualizing why the body matters to the spiritual, than actually practicing embodiment. Even in our advocacy of the body we confine ourselves to the mind. How rare it would be to see a church offering breath work or stretching classes. This, for many, is where we draw the line.

If we are to change our own affinity toward disembodiment, we are going to have to release a lot of what we demand of one another to keep the ship afloat, so to speak. Maybe the deck doesn’t need us as much as we think. Or maybe it’s time for the ship to sink. Surely people of resurrection can’t be so terrified of death that we dismember ourselves to save that which is prepared to die … or change. And so, I think we must change our expectations for ourselves, for each other, for our programs and churches. Stop asking us to die, and tell us to eat, to lie down and rest awhile. More green pastures, less crosses on the back. People hate when I say this. Christians love to bleed.

Coming back to one of the authors you note as being important to you, I’m reminded of one of the most famous lines of the mystic Julian of Norwich. She wrote: “All shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of thing shall be well.” What do you think she meant by that, and do you agree? I wish we could ask her. Because of her illness, Julian of Norwich had known mortality closer than many, and still she

creates this artifact that transcends her own suffering. I think she knew what it meant to meet death in her own face and not run away from it. When she says all shall be well, it never feels trite or like the toxic positivity we are familiar with today; it sounds like a promise that she herself is trying to believe. Can we find beauty in impermanence? Is the existence of the hazelnut worthy of no less awe than our own? All shall be well not because pain is void, but because we’ve found a way toward beauty and love nonetheless.

The theme of this issue is “Hope.” What does that word mean to you? What gives you hope? Lately I’ve been thinking about a hope that flows in both directions. I used to only think about it in terms of the future, but what if it has as much to do with memory as it does imagination? I’ve been finding a lot of hope in the past—in the people who found a way to be human as best they could for as long as they could. Intimacy with the stories that survive gives me hope. It’s not just dreaming for me anymore, it’s excavation.

We’re looking forward to hosting you in March, when you’ll talk about “Faith & The Body: Reclaiming Our Createdness.” What will people hear when they come to that event? People will hear about my own story with disembodiment not just through chronic illness, but because of racial and childhood trauma. I’m really looking forward to exploring both the cost of divorcing the mind from the body, and the physical and moral imperative to reintegrate the body into our spiritualities.

A RECKLESS OPTIMISM

BY OLSEN PANCOAST

certain activities or groups if it’s not something they truly enjoy or are engaged with.

Katie Weiland framed it in this way—obligation vs. participation or passive vs. interactive. If an event or a group that someone is a part of feels like an obligation or something they just sit through without getting something out of it, then they probably won’t give much time or energy to that event or group. But if something is engaging and they are interacting with their local community in a meaningful way, then that will probably be something that they will continue to make that a priority in their lives.

For younger generations, hope is a tricky subject. There’s so much negativity in the world. Hope is hard when we’re bombarded with negative news or click-bait headlines about the latest natural disaster, shooting or international incident. With near constant bad news about the climate crisis—is there hope that we will be able to live in a recognizable planet in 50 years?

Recently, those of us at Koin, our high school ministry here at SPD, had a conversation about where we saw hope in the world. As the students shared stories of small acts of kindness—like holding the door, donating change to local charities, or moving lunch tables so nobody is sitting alone—it was clear that they saw these things as acts of not just kindness, but hope. These young people were also able to see hope in the wider world as well, especially in the way that young people are motivated by the injustice in the country and world to vote. They want to make themselves heard, to make the world better—that’s incredibly hopeful.

We’re asking this same question to a group of young adults from St. Philip the Deacon. We meet a couple times a month at Luce Line Brewing for community and fellowship, and it’s been a gift to share conversations like this with them. As they spoke, I noticed two common themes within groups. The high schoolers (mostly Generation Z) and the young adults (mostly younger Millennials)

both said they mostly see hope in the world in community and in the attitude they adopt toward the world.

Anna Ingemann referred to her attitude as “reckless optimism,” which she explained as adjusting your own attitude to meet expectations. She added that though something might not have turned out the way you imagined it going, being able to pick yourself up and find something good within that experience is reckless optimism. Mental health experts would describe this quality as resiliency. To be resilient is a hard, yet important, skill to develop in this broken world.

Gathering in community was another place that both groups found hope. As we come out of the pandemic, people are getting more intentional about where they spend their “public time.” People are starting to leave

That is where the community of St. Philip the Deacon can come in. At SPD, we care about our faith community and the larger community of which we are a part. We are engaged and committed to making a difference, and that is such a huge draw for young adults. In a time where there are so many options for things to do, it’s important that we stay authentic to who we are as a faith community. This means continuing to reach out to those who are lonely or in need, unashamedly proclaiming the Gospel, and inspiring others through lives lived in service of that Gospel. This kind of authentic witness to our faith, lived lightly and freely, is contagious and appeals to those of all generations.

So, while there is certainly a whole lot going on in the world that can make one lose hope, communities of faith like Koin, our young adult group, or the numerous other groups at SPD are filled with faithful people active in the world as God’s hands and feet—and that’s something to feel hopeful about.

Young adults who are LOOKING FOR CONNECTION AND ENCOURAGEMENT in their faith are invited to join us at LUCE LINE BREWING twice a month for our young adult ministry. We enjoy the lively atmosphere, share food, faith and fellowship. For more information and the next meeting date, contact OLSEN PANCOAST with questions at opancoast@spdlc.org or text him at 701-578-5041.

ApostleApostles to the

BY AMANDA BERGER

So heavy was her grief that as she walked back to the tomb, she wondered about her ability to put one foot in front of the other. Who would have thought she could even do that? In the past two days, she’d been everywhere emotionally: from keening sadness to numb nothingness, to moments where her soft hands and tender words comforted others sharing her vigil of mourning.

She could scarcely bring herself to consider what she had witnessed on Friday. Things had happened so fast—and in the roar of the shouting crowds and disbelief at what she was witnessing, she’d been swept along to that hideous place of death. Golgotha.

As she’d huddled at the foot of the cross, along with Mary and Salome, she remembered clutching the other women’s clothing, knuckles white and hands aching, but needing to hold on to something solid, real, as they watched the horror of his crucifixion.

She could scarcely look at his broken body hanging on the cross. There was only one way for this to end, and she didn’t want this to be how she remembered him: beaten, bloody, heart-wrenchingly helpless as he gasped for each breath.

Her most treasured moment with him flashed through her mind:

She’d been mad—a stranger even to her own family. Then, he’d placed his gentle hands upon her and his commanding voice banished the seven demons who had possessed her for so long. He’d saved her and she’d followed him ever since.

In the gray light of pre-dawn, she awoke from a disturbing nightmare, reliving the horrors of the past days. Too restless to return to sleep, she’d decided to walk to Jesus’ tomb. She hoped to be comforted simply by being close to his body one last time. But she’d arrived to see the huge boulder rolled away from the entrance, and fearful of what that might mean, she’d run back to tell Peter and John. They immediately ran to the tomb themselves. She followed, more slowly, heart swollen with grief, afraid that now she wouldn’t even have one last glimpse of his body.

So, it was not with hope that she came to the tomb today. With longing for her Lord, yes, but longing isn’t hope. She came to remember, to anoint, to maybe find some peace and release him to God. She wasn’t conscious of the tears spilling from her eyes, but as she stood at the doorway of the empty tomb, her vision blurred and a sob escaped her throat.

She was so weary and sad that she thought she must be seeing things, because for a moment she could have sworn she saw two bright angels sitting within the tomb. She heard them ask, “Dear woman, why are you crying?” Without thinking, she answered, “They have taken away my Lord, and I don’t know where they’ve laid him.”

“Oh, Lord, now I’m talking to myself, too,” she thought. Her grief was making her imagination run wild. Best to return home before she completely lost it. As she turned to leave, there was a man standing behind her—she hadn’t even heard him approach.

He, too, asked, “Dear woman, why are you crying? Who are you looking for?”

“I must really look a mess for the gardener to stop his work and take notice of me!” Scrubbing her eyes with the edge of her

sleeve, she cleared her throat and replied, “Sir, if you have taken his body somewhere else, tell me, and I will go and …”

“Mary.”

That one word. It was his voice! Jesus’ voice. Eyes wide, she stared at the man’s face. “Rabboni!” she sighed, all the air rushing from her lungs.

As she reached to touch him, Jesus shook his head, “Mary, don’t cling to me, for I haven’t yet ascended to God, my Father. And he’s not only my Father and God, but now he’s your Father and God!” He urged her to go and tell the other disciples about this meeting.

Her arms longed to hold on to Jesus, but her heart leapt to tell the others. As she ran to tell the disciples, her mind was a jumble of Jesus’ message and her own conflicting emotions. She paused for a moment to catch her breath. Her mind raced, but this new vision of Jesus in the garden obliterated the memories of his dying breath.

It was no longer his memory she was clinging to, as pieces of what Jesus had said in those last days began to fit themselves together.

“I go to prepare a place for you … when everything is ready, I will come back and take you to myself so that you will be where I am.”

“I have come as a light to shine in the dark world so that all who trust in me will no longer wander in darkness.”

“I will continue to make you even more real to them, so that they may experience the same endless love that you have for me, for your love will now live in them, even as I live in them.”

The torturous emotions of the past few days faded, as it dawned on her that he was saving her ... again.

Known as the “Apostle to the Apostles,” she is the first to encounter the risen Christ. Since so little is truly known about her, she is surrounded by myth as well as mistaken identity. In A.D. 591, an Easter sermon by Pope Gregory I blended Mary Magdalene, Mary of Bethany, and the woman caught in adultery (John 8) all into one character. They are not the same person, and later the Catholic church made that clear, though the notion of Mary Magdalene as the adulterous woman is still very present in Christian belief. Instead, it is worth noting that the Gospels do mention Mary Magdalene as one who provided financial support for Jesus’ ministry and traveled extensively along with his disciples and other women followers.

Canonized as a saint, Mary Magdalene’s feast day is celebrated on July 22 and she is the patron saint of the contemplative life, converts, glove makers, hairstylists, penitent sinners, people ridiculed for their piety, perfumeries and perfumers, pharmacists, and women. Interestingly, Magdala, the town from which Mary Magdalene draws her name, was only recently found by archaeologists in 2009.

All scripture quotations above are taken from The Passion Translation, 2020, Passion & Fire Ministries, Inc., primarily from John’s account of the resurrection in chapter 20 and Jesus’ prayer for the disciples in chapter 18.

I have come as a light to shine in the dark world so that all who trust in me will no longer wander in darkness.

As you may have guessed, this fictionalized account of Easter morning is told from Mary Magdalene’s point of view.

A Church that Moves the World

BY TIM WESTERMEYER

When we had our editorial meeting to plan for this issue of Inspire , the idea of an article about the future of the church seemed obvious. The theme, after all, was “Hope,” and hope suggests looking toward the future—and trusting that the future will be different and better than the present.

Fair enough. But when I started reflecting on this article, I realized that suggesting the church of tomorrow become “better” than the church of today didn’t make sense to me. Yes, the church of tomorrow will need to respond to the particular, specific, time-bound challenges of its day—the church always has done that— but I’m not sure that means the church itself will change.

As usual, one of my favorite authors G.K. Chesterton makes this point in a pithy and bracing way when he writes: “We do not want, as the newspapers say, a church

that will move with the world. We want a church that will move the world.”

So, how does the church do that? How do we, in Chesterton’s words, “move the world”? Well, by doing what the church has always done, and being what the church has always been. So here are some ways for us to think about what we do and who we are—not only for today, but also for tomorrow.

I’ll start by lifting up what have been called the three priorities of the Christian Church. They are:

To Worship To Serve the Poor

We gather to praise God and to be reminded of who and whose we are.

We support and assist those suffering in mind, body and spirit.

To Evangelize

We share God’s love with the world through our lives, our actions and our words.

If you’d like to hear more about each of these priorities, you can find a series of three sermons that kicked off this past program year in a playlist on our YouTube channel here: youtube.com/@SPDLC/playlists.

In addition to these three priorities, another helpful way for us to think about who we are—and who we will continue to be in the future—is through our shared values here at St. Philip the Deacon.

We articulated these values more than a decade ago, and ever since, they have been helpful reminders and guides for us as we reflect on our identity in the world and our own community. I’ve outlined them on the next page, along with brief editorial comments. You can also find these values permanently displayed on the wall of the Fellowship Hall and on our website at spdlc.org/who-we-are/.

Hospitable

We are a caring, compassionate community that welcomes all. We seek to provide a positive and supportive environment where we joyfully act on our faith to inspire one another.

As it says at each of our entrances, all are to be welcomed here at St. Philip the Deacon, because in welcoming the stranger, we are welcoming Christ himself. “I was a stranger,” Jesus says in Matthew 25, “and you welcomed me.”

Faithful

Anchored in God’s gift of grace, we seek to be partners in the Gospel of Jesus Christ and loyal witnesses of our Lutheran tradition. As we follow the example of St. Philip the Deacon, we reach out to our neighbors both locally and globally to proclaim the good news of the Gospel and inspire people to do God’s will.

“For by grace you have been saved through faith,” the author of Ephesians reminds us. It’s good to be reminded that we place our faith and our trust not in ourselves, but in the God who made us, who saved us, and who sustains us.

Generous

Because we recognize the goodness we receive from God, we continuously seek ways to give back and to be Christ to our neighbor. We share our time, talents and treasures to put our faith into action and to ensure that all can share in God’s blessings.

Be generous and ready to share,” Paul reminds the earliest Christians in 1 Timothy. That advice and counsel remains relevant in 2023, and generosity will continue to be a hallmark of the church of the future.

As we look to the future, we challenge one another to continually explore new ways to improve our ministry. We deepen and share our faith through a rich variety of worship, educational and service opportunities.

God created humankind in his image,” we read in Genesis. Some theologians have suggested that it is the gift of creativity itself that reflects the truth that we are made in God’s image. And so, just as God created the world, we are invited to be creative and innovative in God’s world.

Capable

We seek to anticipate and address the changing needs of our community and the world and to meet these needs in an efficient, decisive manner. With high expectations for excellence, we are leaders of faith development in our community, and mentors to each other as well as the church at large.

This value reminds us that God expects the best from us, and that—if we are going to do something as a community of faith— we’re invited to do it in a way that honors God. “Whatever your hand finds to do,” the author of Ecclesiastes reminds us, “do with all your might.”

Creative Engaging

We provide opportunities for each person to utilize God’s gifts and encourage participation in our mission. Our inviting, warm style is based on being accessible and authentic.

Christianity has never been a spectator sport. Instead, God invites us to participate fully in the life of the church—using our gifts and skills and abilities to accomplish God’s mission in the world. “Serve one another,” Peter reminds us, “with whatever gift each of you have received.”

As I think about my dreams for the future of our church, I realize that it’s hard to do better than affirm these values and pray that—with God’s help—we might continue to live into them. And, as we do, I am indeed filled with hope, not only for today, but also for tomorrow.

SENT TO SERVE:

MISSION NURSING HOME

BY CINDY CARLSON

Opened in 1964, Mission Nursing Home is the only skilled-care facility in Minnesota exclusively for men. They provide care for up to 65 residents who experience a variety of physical and behavioral health issues.

St. Philip the Deacon became involved with Mission Nursing Home in 2018 as one of our Christmas Care ministries. Members of the congregation have provided Christmas gifts and SPD hosted a Christmas party and caroling. This has been a delightful experience for both residents and SPD members. Faye Uppman, who helped with the party, reflected, “Mission Home’s residents have touched my heart. After the first Christmas party event, many of the men simply said, ‘Thank you for remembering us.’” Uppman continued, “Even if they were not able to speak or open their presents themselves, the one-to-one attention given to them sparked a light in their eyes, even if only for a short while. I saw a smile slowly appear on a face that only moments before had a habitual frown.  I heard stories and beautiful singing voices.”

SPD member Lory Dornbusch also has a heart for Mission Nursing Home and the residents. On most days you will find a group of residents sitting outdoors, near the entrance, enjoying sunshine, fresh air and conversation. Lory had a vision to help make this entrance area more welcoming for both the residents and the staff. She has provided bird baths, bird feeders, perennial plants from her garden and added colorful annuals for a splash of color at the entrance. With the help of a small SPD garden team,

"A crew of SPD members reorganizing the library has made a difference in the day-to-day life for many of the men."

they have moved dirt and mulch, weeded, and watered the gardens. The entrance now reflects that welcome spirit that Dornbusch envisioned.

In 2022, the staff at Mission Nursing Home asked if St. Philip the Deacon would make the on-site libraries more resident friendly. A team, led by Faye Uppman, cleaned up, stored, reorganized and refurbished these spaces. The libraries are now maintained regularly by members of SPD, and they are much more accessible to the residents. “Mission Home is a simple, unadorned facility which provides a safe home for these men. Their library had been untouched for years and the books mostly unusable on the shelves,” said Uppman. “A crew of SPD members reorganizing the library has made a difference in the day-to-day life for many of the men. It is a joy to see it ‘mussed up’ as it is evidence of use. I serve there so the men will know they are remembered.”

If you are interested in serving at Mission Nursing Home, or in any of the ministry areas below, please contact Cindy Carlson at ccarlson@spdlc.org for more information on getting involved.

La Belle Vie

BY AMANDA BERGER

In 2004, on a trip to Greece, Jeff and Patrice Erickson, Joyce and Tom Hansen, and Kevin and Kitty Croston, along with one other couple began a tradition of seeing the world together. They’ve been to destinations from Peru to Japan, amazed by each other’s spirit of adventure and willingness to try new things. In 2022, they continued the tradition with a bicycle trip through the Burgundy region of France.

Flying into Paris, traveling to Dijon and then hopping onto electric bicycles in Noyers, the four couples covered about 200 miles in their six-day trip. Guided by two fantastic guides from Backroads Active Tours, they averaged 35 miles a day through farm fields, bountiful vineyards and the historic towns of the Les Plus Beaux Villages de France—the most beautiful villages of France. Along the way, they stayed in an historic chateau and converted abbey, as well as more modern hotels.

For much of the first day, the travelers were surprised by how few people and cars there were on the roads through the quaint, sleepy towns. But then, “We came over a hill and got the first view of the vineyards. All of a sudden there were lots of vehicles and traffic,” said Jeff Erickson. “Then, we noticed a very pungent grape smell filled the air. We stopped and looked in the fields and there were all the workers picking the grapes. It was the most traffic we’d seen up to that point—we were amazed by the slow process of the harvest and all the people involved in hand-picking the grapes.” It was the busiest time of year—harvest time—getting the grapes out of the field and the travelers marveled over the chance to see it firsthand.

“When we’ve been to wineries in the past, we would see the tanks and crushers. Everything is sitting idle,” said Jeff. “Here, we were having lunch at the winery and the tractor with the grapes shows up. Everyone springs to action—it was amazing to see and only happens once a year.” Though they visited several vineyards and sampled many different varietals, the Ericksons had a clear favorite: Maison La Croix Montjoie Chardonnay.

As they cycled, the group continued to encounter the bounty and the bustle of

rural French life as they feasted at local farm and vineyard tables. Though the goal of their trip was seeing the region on bicycle, they did take in some of the historical sites, including the town of Vézelay, the site of St. Mary Magdalene’s relics. Later in the trip, they visited Les Hospices de Beaune, a 15th-century hospital. “It was one of the first hospitals—and all the medicines were compounded by nuns,” said Patrice Erickson. It is a masterwork of Gothic architecture and one of France’s most prestigious historic monuments. The group even biked on part of this year’s Tour de France route, marked by wire sculptures of cyclists.

All the participants remarked on the beauty of God’s creation as seen from bicycle—fast enough to cover a reasonable amount of ground each day, but slow enough to really take it all in. Joyce Hansen described the beauty of the scenery: “We were IN it, breathing it in—if you are on a bus or a train, you miss all of that. For me, one of the most memorable parts were the beautiful, quaint villages. We’re riding through and everyone was yelling, ‘Bonjour! Bonjour!’”

All parties agreed though that the most amazing thing on the trip was the baguette vending machine, which were common in the smaller towns who do not have their own bakers. Stocked each morning, you put in your Euros and out shoots a fresh baguette, still warm from the oven, right into your waiting hands.

If you are interested in a similar trip, the Ericksons, Crostons and Hansens recommend Backroads Active Tours, who provide biking, hiking and kayaking trips to destinations worldwide. Their group of eight raved about the experience and expertise of their two Backroads guides.

GivingThanks

Once again, our Christmas ministries provided support to hundreds of individuals in need this holiday season. Through generous donations for food baskets, shopping for gifts for those in shelters, and over 900 books for children of the Phillips neighborhood, your gifts make a difference to so many people. The thank you notes continue to pour in, but we’ve been especially touched this year by those from Hart House, who provides transitional housing for women in recovery in St. Paul.

“Christmas here at Hart House is always a very special day. The house is filled with laughter, good smelling food and gracious gifts from St. Philip’s Church. Thank you for making my heart full.”

Jamie K., Hart House

“I just want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for caring. … Because of you I got EVERYTHING I wanted for Christmas.”

Corinthia, Hart House

“Thank you so much for the time and effort you put into me for this holiday season and also the items. I just love it all. I am so grateful for all the people in my corner, cheering me on. I never knew that people would care about me and others the way that the church does and it makes all the difference.”

Lizzie, Hart House

A card signed by residents at Mission Nursing Home where SPD volunteers caroled, provided gifts and a holiday party on December 9.

Matt and Beth Geurink loaded their car up with the 900+ books donated for children in the Phillips neighborhood of Minneapolis.

OUT & ABOUT

In early December, the Elizabeth Circle was joined by members from the Sanctuary Choir at Mission Nursing home on Medicine Lake. A mission partner since 2019, SPD has provided Christmas gifts and joy for the 65 men, most veterans, who do not have family with whom to spend Christmas. The group provided gifts, caroling and Christmas goodies for a fun and festive afternoon.

Curry Chicken Pasta Salad

RECIPE & PHOTOGRAPHY

BY AMANDA BERGER

After the long, dark winter months and cozy soups and stews, our palate is ready for the bright colors and flavors of spring. This salad has sweet and tart mandarin oranges which compliment the spicy (but not too spicy!) curry. Consider serving with morning glory muffins and cantaloupe for a fun brunch variation!

Curry Chicken Pasta Salad

1 box ditalini pasta

3 green onions

1 large can mandarin oranges

4 cups cooked chicken (rotisserie is good!)

1 cup mayo

3 tsp curry powder

¼ tsp salt

Cook pasta according to box directions. Drain and rinse with cool water. Slice green onions and put in a large bowl. Cube chicken and add to bowl. Add oranges and pasta. In a small bowl, combine mayonnaise, curry powder and salt. Pour over pasta mixture and stir to combine. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

A BLESSING FOR THIS MEAL

“For food in a world where many walk in hunger; For faith in a world where many walk in fear; For friends in a world where many walk alone; We give you thanks, O Lord.” Author Unknown, Giving Thanks

SPRING CALENDAR

FRIDAY, MARCH 24 MARCH MADNESS GAME NIGHT

It will be a fun and relaxed evening of games, pizza and fellowship. Watch our email newsletter for more details. Register at spdlc.org/register.

TUESDAY, APRIL 4

JOURNEY TO THE CROSS–A LENTEN EXPERIENCE THROUGH ART AND MUSIC

1 p.m. As we enter into Holy Week, we will revisit the last 24 hours of Jesus’ life through paintings, hymns, scripture and reflections.

MAY 2023

ENCOUNTER: TOUR OF THE THRIVENT GALLERY

Join us for a private tour of the Thrivent Gallery. Unique among corporate collections, the artworks in the Thrivent Collection explore the Christian tradition and span nine centuries, from the 13th century to present day. A wide array of original works on paper by some of the most recognized artists in Western art history are included, from Albrecht Dürer and Rembrandt van Rijn to Édouard Manet, Grace Hartigan, John Wilson and Elizabeth Catlett. Established in 1982, this collection has received local, national and global recognition for its excellence and for its exclusive focus on religious themes and subjects. Register at spdlc.org/register.

MARCH 1, 8, 15, 22 & 29

LENTEN SOUP SUPPERS

Wednesday evenings prior to the Lenten worship services all are invited to join us for soup and fellowship beginning at 5:30 p.m.

SATURDAY APRIL

8

CHILDREN’S EASTER EGG HUNT

10 a.m. Held outside at SPD. Families are invited to come and hear the Easter story before heading outside to gather hidden eggs! There is no cost for the event, but for planning purposes, we ask you to register online at spdlc.org/register by April 5. Questions? Contact Trisha Ragner at 763-475-7119.

SUNDAY MAY 21

SPRING CHOIR CONCERT

9:30 a.m. Our annual Spring Choir Concert, a worship service of prayer, meditations and musical selections performed by our five choirs.

wrote about how, though written in 1939, it still informs life today in profoundly important ways.

FAMILIAR FACES

CHERYL MATHISON

Cheryl Mathison brings together her extensive knowledge of scripture and a passion for art and creativity to create rich and meaningful experiences for members of SPD to grow in their faith and deepen their understanding of God’s Word. She joined the SPD staff in 2003.

1.

Describe when you knew you’d be going into ministry. Mrs. Forsman was my fourth grade Sunday school teacher, and her love of Jesus and scripture made a huge impression on me. I can still see her standing at the table with her red leather Bible, all marked up, teaching us the Ten Commandments. Of course, at that time there were no female clergy so it didn’t occur to me that I could be a pastor; but I knew in my heart that what I wanted to do more than anything was to be a teacher like her and I couldn’t imagine anything better to teach than the Bible! When I was a senior in college, I applied to seminary with the goal of a master’s degree to support a teaching ministry in the church. The chaplain at Gustavus Adolphus College encouraged me to pursue a Master of Divinity degree and consider ordination, which, obviously, I did. To serve as a parish pastor is something I count as one of my greatest blessings.

2.

What’s one thing that people would be surprised to know about you? I have been published—twice! The first time, in McCall’s Magazine in 1969 when I wrote a poem that my mom submitted for me. The second time, in Word and World, a quarterly journal published by Luther Seminary. I wrote an article for the spring 2022 issue; the theme was Solitude and Community. Using Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s Life Together, I

What are three things on your lifetime to-do list? 1 . Do a legit push up; nose to the floor. Or maybe 10. 2 . Be a faithful witness to my grandchildren that they may grow up loving Jesus and the church. 3. Cook more than eat out; maybe in retirement.

How do you take care of yourself—spiritually, emotionally and physically—so that you stay healthy in ministry? Spiritually: I am fed by the faith life here at St. Philip the Deacon— what joy to be a part of such a rich worship life! My own prayer and devotional time have taken many forms. Sometimes I write; sometimes I draw; sometimes I listen; sometimes I talk; sometimes I read. Right now, I am exploring a variety of spiritual practices as part of the Holy Grounds class I am co-leading. Emotionally: I take time for creative pursuits providing a place for self-expression. This is really important to me. Sometimes things can only be worked out with paint and glue and paper. Physically: I workout daily, 45 minutes each morning and a walk at some other point in the day. There is no bad weather; just bad clothing.

3. 4. 5.

What are you passionate about right now? I am passionate about the relationship between art and faith and how they inform one another and can help us to grow and heal.

HOLY WEEK

Easter Worship at St. Philip the Deacon

First Light of Easter

Saturday, April 8, 5:30 pm

Easter Worship with Holy Communion

Sunday, April 9, 8:15, 9:45 & 11:15 am

17205 County Road 6 Plymouth, MN 55447

HEBREWS 6:19

“We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure.”