Inspire: Joy

INSPIRE

J OY

a m a g a z i n e f o r t h e s t. p h i l i p t h e d e a c o n c o m m u n i t y

Angelic Encounters • How Lovely Are Thy Branches • Gingerbread Wonderland • Fighting Back with Joy: An Interview with Margaret Feinberg • Joy Beyond Circumstances winter 2023

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All is Calm: Yoga for Advent

EVERY ISSUE

T H U R S D AY, DECEMBER 14

Ch a i r Ve r sion 11:30 a.m.

M at Ve r sion 7 p.m.

Find stillness and calm during this Advent season with a 60-minute, slow practice led by Amanda Berger (mat) or Kathy Hagedorn (chair), accompanied by Rachel Brandwein on harp.

Register for the evening class at spdlc.org/register by Dec. 11.

Space is limited. For the chair class, no registration is needed. Suggested donation of $20 received to support Christmas ministries.

3 Letter from the Editor

4 Scripture Connection

5 Read, Watch, Listen, Click

6 Reflections on Faith

7 Meditation

8 Devoted Living

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Blue Christmas

Giving Thanks

28 Modern Day Pilgrims

M O N D AY, DECEMBER 18 7 PM

If you are experiencing profound loss or grief, the holiday season can be particularly hard.

Join us for a special Christmas worship service with a gentle message of hope in the birth of Christ.

31 Soul Food

32 Sent to Serve

34 Out & About

35 Calendar of Events

36 Familiar Faces

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St. Philip the Deacon

F E AT U R E A R T I C L E S

PAUSE

PRESENCE

PONDER

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Winnie the Pooh & Advent Joy

Fighting Back with Joy: An Interview with Margaret Feinberg

Joy Beyond Circumstances

12 How Lovely Are Thy Branches

18 Gingerbread Wonderland

20 Much More Than a Day

26 Angelic Encounters

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INSPIRE

Vol. 6, Issue 2, Winter 2023 Published by St. Philip the Deacon Lutheran Church 17205 County Road 6 Plymouth, MN 55447 (763) 475-7100 editor in chief

Tim Westermeyer m a n ag i n g e d i t o r

Amanda Berger design

Malley Design s ta f f w r i t e r s

Cheryl Mathison contributors

Public conversations where faith comes to life.

202 3 - 202 4 S E A SO N

The Faith & Life Lectures are open and welcoming public forums where members of the Twin Cities community can hear nationally known speakers ref lect on how Christian faith intersects with different dimensions of everyday life.

M A RGA R E T FE I N B E RG

February 8, 2024 A L L E N H I LTO N

March 7, 2024 K E V I N O ’ CO N N E L L

April 18, 2024 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

Cindy Carlson, Wayne Peterson, Mark Schmid website

spdlc.org/inspire email editorial

aberger@spdlc.org o n t h e c ov e r

Photo by Annie Spratt ©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.

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LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

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we move through this Advent season, scripture and tradition invite us to spend time contemplating four gifts of God—hope, peace, joy and love—which are revealed through Jesus, who comes as Immanuel, God with Us. Over the past five years, we have dedicated issues to the themes of Peace (Winter 2018), Love (Summer 2022), Hope (Spring 2023) and now, with this issue, exploring the last: Joy. Joy, the fruit of the Holy Spirit which transcends pleasure or happiness, isn’t dependent upon what we own, the people we know, or the experiences that we craft for ourselves. Joy isn’t something that comes

from external circumstances, but rather it is a posture of the heart—which comes from intimacy with God and confidence in God’s love.

To my mind, no season demonstrates this kind of confidence in love like the Christmas season. What greater reminder of God’s love can we receive than several weeks of preparation and attention to the coming of Christ? Even though it’s a busy season with lots of preparations and planning and doing, when I reflect on the WHY of it all, it is of course because of love. Love for my family, co-workers, friends and neighbors all lead me to shopping and wrapping, baking and hosting, attending parties and filling the calendar too full. It’s all because of love, and in return I receive joy.

This issue is packed full of inspiration for a joyous holiday season—beginning with an exploration of what joy is, written by retired pastor and SPD member Wayne Peterson, and extending it well beyond December 25 (see our special 12 Days of Christmas article). There’s also a little bit of an obsession with food in this issue.

Our interview with author and Faith & Life speaker Margaret Feinberg explores her own passionate love for the intersection of food and scripture. High school junior Katherine Bixby shares her joy in making gingerbread houses. And, for the perfect accompaniment to your favorite Christmas movies, see the snack mix recipe on pg. 31.

Even in challenging Christmas seasons— in the midst of mourning the loss of my mom (2006) or a Christmas spent with full body hives requiring an emergency room visit and hospital stay (2017), or livestreaming candlelight worship (2020), the overall feelings of love and joy were not diminished completely, such is the abundant promise we receive in the gift of Jesus.

May all the gifts of this season—hope, peace, love and especially joy—find their way to your home, your community and your own heart this Christmas and may this issue of Inspire encourage you to live into that joy for the New Year.

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SCRIPTURE CONNECTION

SPD BOO K CLU B Book club will meet 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.

DECEMBER

No Book Club Meets

BY AMANDA BERGER

“Wintering brings about some of the most profound and insightful moments of our human experience, and wisdom resides in those who have wintered.”

K at h e r i n e M ay Wintering: The Power of Rest and Retreat in Difficult Times

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JA NUA RY 16

Fight Back with Joy: Celebrate More. Regret Less. Stare Down Your Greatest Fears.

By Margaret Feinberg Discussion led by Susan Path.

FEBRUA RY 20

Meditations of the Heart

by Howard Thurman.

Discussion led by Amanda Berger.

nce we’ve come through the joy and merriment of the holiday season, we find ourselves suddenly confronted with the seeming endlessness of January, February and March. We are dropped into true winter, no Christmas or New Year’s festivities to distract us, and the long dark nights, the intense winds and cold stretch out before us. And though we may find ourselves dreading it, winter can also be a time of retreat and rest.

In her book Wintering: The Power of Rest and Retreat in Difficult Times, Katherine May looks at the role of wintering in our lives. Referring not just to the cold, dark season of the year, she names winter as any “fallow period in life when you’re cut off from the world, feeling rejected, sidelined, blocked from progress, or cast into the role of the outsider.”

Though these seasons can be long and hard, May also makes a case for their necessity. It is in these seemingly barren seasons when we can tenderly nurture our bodies, minds and spirits for new seasons of growth and action. It is in this season that we are reminded that we are not alone, and that God meets us in the quiet stillness. Perhaps rather that reject winter, we can embrace

it and use it as a time to draw nearer to the God who draws near to us.

Interestingly, Psalm 73 seems to capture the essence of wintering. The writer expresses a lot of brutally honest disappointment with the unfairness of the world. This is a very self-aware psalm, where the writer admits to their own frustration with the world’s vain, competitive nature and the unrewarded effort they have expended to try and do life God’s way. But then, in the last verses the psalmist writes: When my heart was grieved and my spirit embittered, I was senseless and ignorant; I was a brute beast before you.

Yet I am always with you; you hold me by my right hand.

You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will take me into glory.

Whom have I in heaven but you?

And earth has nothing I desire besides you.

My f lesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.

Those who are far from you will perish; you destroy all who are unfaithful to you.

But as for me, it is good to be near God. I have made the Sovereign Lord my refuge; I will tell of all your deeds.

P s a l m 7 3 :21-2 8 N I V Wintering invites us to a season of selfref lection, giving us the space and time that we need to turn inward and to recognize that we are never alone, despite the hardship we experience. This is a season when it is good to be near to God, making the Lord our refuge.

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Read SAINTS OF THE HOUSEHOLD

Faith & Life T H U R S D AY, MARCH 7 7 PM

Allen Hilton joins us for a conversation on “Faith & Polarization: Surviving and Thriving in a House Divided.”

For a quarter-century, the U.S. and other western nations have grown increasingly polarized along political and ethnic lines. We need a fresh narrative of a shared future— and the habits of engagement that will sustain it. Allen Hilton helps build these habits in communities across the land. In this lecture he’ll share practices that work and tell true stories that build hope.

A former Yale professor and pastor, Allen lives in Austin, Texas, with his wife, Liz, and their two college-aged sons, Sam and Isaac.

The Faith & Life Lecture Series is free and open to the public.

All are welcome!

By Ari Tison.

A captivating debut from a Twin Cities author, this is the story of two brothers strug-

gling to find themselves in relation to one another, their abusive father, to art and their Indigenous Bribri heritage.

Watch LO S I N G S I G H T O F SHORE Amazon Prime Videos. In this documentary covering nine months and over 8,000 miles, four women row across the Pacific Ocean

from the United States to Australia. Recommended by Nancy Bixby (Membership Coordinator).

Listen BETHLEHEM

By Storyhill. This Montanabased folk duo’s 2020 Christmas album features familiar favorites as well as original compositions to

celebrate the birth of the Savior. Recommended by Olsen Pancoast (Senior High Ministry).

Click T H E I N T E R N AT I O N A L BONHOEFFER SOCIETY bonhoeffersociety.org.

Inspired by Pastor Mark Schmid’s article on pg. 24, we

invite you to learn more about the life and legacy of Dietrich Bonhoeffer.

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BY TIM WESTERME YER

“ As I stood beside a flowering curr ant bush on a summer day there suddenly arose in me without warning, and as if from a depth not of years but of centuries, the memory of th at earlier morning at the Old House when my brother h ad brought his toy garden into the nursery.”

So writes C.S. Lewis in his autobiography, which— appropriately, given the theme of this issue—is titled Surprised by Joy. In this particular passage, Lewis is writing about his experience of what he calls “Joy”—an experience which he says is difficult to put into words, but is something like a sensation of the “enormous bliss” of Eden—a reminder of a forgotten and more perfect time, perhaps, or a foretaste of some as yet unrealized future.

He gives a couple of other examples of this experience—the “Idea of Autumn” which comes to him from a book written by Beatrix Potter, for example, and some lines of poetry which prompted in him a particular mood and feeling “with almost sickening intensity.”

“In a sense,” he writes, this experience of Joy is “the central story of my life.”

And yet, as important as this experience seems to him early in the book, Lewis finds himself realizing an even deeper truth about it once he converts to Christianity.

And so, by the end of the volume, Lewis shares with the reader that this thing he calls Joy—“the old stab, the old bittersweet”—“had never had the kind of importance I once gave to it.” Instead, he writes, that “it was valuable only as a pointer to something other and outer.”

That thing which Joy was trying to point him to, he came to understand, was not a place, or a thing—not a memory of some forgotten time, or a hope for some future moment—but a person.

And not just any person, but someone who was “both real and recognizable” as a historic individual, “yet also numinous, lit by a light from beyond the world, a god.” And not just “a god, but God.” During Advent and Christmas, we both anticipate and celebrate the arrival of this numinous individual—this myth become fact, this Word become flesh, this God become human. And we give thanks during this magical season for the one who comes not simply to bring us fleeting happiness or passing pleasure, but to give us, once and for all, the fullness of eternal Joy. All of this, as the title of a beautiful Advent hymn suggests, may be Unexpected and Mysterious, but that does not mean that it isn’t also true. And so, during this dark season filled with the light of Christ, may we once again be reminded of the power of the incarnation, trusting that “God is with us in our longing to bring healing to the earth, while we watch with joy and wonder for the promised Savior’s birth.”

Joyfully Yours,

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M E D I TAT I O N

“Joy comes to us in the ordinary. We risk missing out on joy when we get too busy chasing down the extraordinary.”

R A NDY PAUSCH

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DE VOTED LIVING

Taste & See

BY AMANDA BERGER

“Nothing would be more tiresome as eating and drinking if God had not made them a pleasure as well as a necessity.”

V O LTA I R E

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I’m not the type of person who forgets to eat. I know they’re out there, but I don’t really know what that’s like. In fact, the running joke in our family is asking what we’re eating for the next meal as we sit down to the current one! I think this is because food is so central to our survival—we must think about it. But, as a society, we also take every opportunity to elevate it to more than just survival. People menu plan and consider the food’s presentation; we look forward to dinner parties with the perfect soundtrack and group of people.

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his obsession with food isn’t just secular either—it’s ever present here in church.

Smoked meats prepared by Pastor Mark. Pizza alongside confirmation classes. Lunches at women’s circle meetings. Coffee and doughnuts on Sunday morning. Even our staff ’s insistence upon birthday treats and potluck lunches throughout the year demonstrates that faith and food go hand in hand.

Food meets us in every action of the devoted life. In worship, we gather around the altar, bread and body, wine and blood; we are united in community around the table where all are equal, and all are welcome.

Scripture is full of food imagery. Jesus said, “I am the bread of life,” and in scripture we find reassurance that we are meant to be nourished body and soul.

The word of God like sweet manna for our spirits.

We provide food to the hungry, through food shelf donations, holiday food baskets prepared and delivered, a meal to a family facing cancer treatment or long illness— food becomes an offering.

Week in and week out, we gather at tables in our homes to break bread with

our families, friends and neighbors. In fellowship, we draw close to one another so that again we may savor the goodness of God, manifested in the relationships we have with those around us.

We say our prayers at the table, for ourselves and for the world, grateful for what is right here, right now, before us and trusting that God will abundantly give the good things that we need to live again tomorrow. We are reminded with each bite that food is a gift given from the hand of the Creator.

I think Italian-American chef Giada De Laurentiis said it well, “Food brings people together on many different levels. It’s nourishment of the soul and body; it’s truly love.” When we recognize how deeply ingrained food is to the nourishment to us on all levels—body, mind, heart and spirit—we see the meal, the people and the very act of gathering differently. When we consider all the opportunities that we have during the Christmas season to live this out, we approach each grocery shopping trip and each holiday party with a different perspective. Instead of feeling overwhelmed by the commitments of the season, might we see each meal, each celebration as evidence of our faith in action?

FOR A DEEPER EXPLORATION ABOUT THE CONNECTIONS BETWEEN FOOD AND SCRIPTURE, join us for

a study of Margaret Feinberg’s book, Taste and See: Discovering God Among Butchers, Bakers, and Fresh Food Makers.

This six-week course will be led by Cindy Carlson and Amanda Berger, featuring Bible study and reflection, video presentations

by Feinberg, and small group conversation. And there will be food!

REGISTER BY JANUARY 19, 2024, TO RESERVE YOUR SPOT. Class meets

January 30-March 5 at 7 p.m.

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Winnie the Pooh & Advent Joy B Y W AY N E P E T E R S O N

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n A.A. Milne’s delightful Winnie-the-Pooh , there is a story entitled “Pooh and Piglet Hunt” in which Pooh comes upon some mysterious tracks in the snow. Pooh is thinking deeply about what might have caused these tracks when Piglet arrives and asks what he is doing. Pooh points to the tracks and Piglet wonders if they might have been caused by a Woozle. (We are not told what a Woozle is, but it is obviously something that raises anxiety for both Pooh and Piglet.)

They cautiously follow the tracks together by a spinney of trees when, suddenly, there are two sets of tracks! Could there be two Woozles? They decide to keep tracking the paw prints and in a short while they make an astonishing discovery. A third creature has joined the first two, but the new prints are of a different shape and size. Pooh deduces that there are either two Woozles and one Wizzle, or it could be two Wizzles and one Woozle. They press on, a little more anxiously now, when they stop abruptly at the sight of yet a fourth set of tracks. At this point, Piglet remembers that he forgot to do something yesterday that really needs his immediate attention and begins to excuse himself from the hunt, when a whistle catches their attention. They look up and see their friend Christopher Robin sitting in the branches of an oak tree.

Christopher Robin comes down from the tree, bemused at Pooh.

“Silly old Bear,” he said, “what were you doing? First you went round the spinney twice by yourself, and then Piglet ran after you and you went round again together, and then you were just going round a fourth time …”

“Wait a moment,” said Winniethe-Pooh, holding up his paw.

He sat down and thought, in the most thoughtful way he could think. Then he fitted a paw into one of the tracks … and then he scratched his nose twice, and stood up.

“I see now,” said Winnie-the-Pooh. “I have been Foolish and Deluded and I am a Bear of No Brain at All.” “You’re the Best Bear in All the World,” said Christopher Robin soothingly.

And Pooh and Christopher Robin went home to have lunch.

I love this story about Pooh’s search for the Woozle because it reminds me of the way we often act when we search for that thing we call joy. Joy is one of those things that everyone aspires to, but few people seem to have. The reason for this is not

that joy is so elusive, but that people don’t have a clear idea of what they are looking for—not unlike Pooh looking for the Woozle. The Woozle was something Pooh wanted to see, but he didn’t know exactly what it looked like.

I’m not sure that most people know what joy is. In our everyday speech, we often think of joy as being synonymous with happiness. Happiness is something that we do recognize easily. When someone is happy, they smile and laugh. Happiness is a warm, fuzzy feeling that makes one feel good all over.

Our Declaration of Independence states that one of our inalienable rights is the pursuit of happiness. Happiness is something we can achieve by our own efforts.

Joy, however, is fundamentally different from happiness. This is especially true when we speak of joy in the way the Bible uses the term. Christian joy is not a feeling we can achieve by our own efforts.

Joy is rather an attitude, a way of looking at things, that is given to us by God. Remember in the story how Pooh was mystified by the tracks of the Woozle and kept chasing after them, hoping to catch the Woozle, only to find out that he himself was the Woozle? The answer to

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the mystery had always been with him if he had only stopped to recognize it.

We can search for joy, but we will never find it, because joy, like a Woozle, is not the type of thing that is found by our own efforts. If we pursue it, we end up going in circles. But if we stop, listen and open our hearts, God will give us joy, for true joy is an attitude found only in the presence of God. Paul says something that seems a little far-fetched in our reading for the Third Sunday of Advent. He says, “Rejoice always.” We might well wonder if Paul is serious. Who can have a sense of joy at all times? But note that he is not telling us to be happy at all times. There is a lot of sadness in this world, a world in which we encounter illness, accidents, violence, death and war. It is impossible to be happy all the time.

But in the face of sadness, joy can still be present. Sadness is the opposite of happiness, but the opposite of joy is despair, and to talk about a Christian who despairs is a contradiction in terms. Joy is not something we manufacture within ourselves. God’s gift of joy is rooted in the continual presence of Christ. As Christians, we need never lose our joy, no matter what befalls us, because we know that nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus.

When we understand that the joy Paul speaks of is not a feeling but an attitude based on the promise of God, it is possible to rejoice even when we are in the pits, even when we are tempted to despair about some aspect of our lives or the state of the world. We can rejoice because we know that Advent culminates in Christmas, and once again the symbolism of the winter solstice will parallel what happens in our lives, as the light begins overcoming the darkness and the problems that confront us begin to pale in the light of knowing Jesus Christ as Immanuel, God with Us. Selection from “Pooh and Piglet Hunt” from Winnie-the-Pooh by A.A. Milne, copyright 1926 by E.P. Dutton.

An Order for Weekly Personal or Family Devotions in Advent If you have an Advent wreath (any four candles will do), light the number of candles for each week of Advent (one the first week, two the second, etc.).

SCRIP TURE RE ADING

The scripture readings may be read silently for personal ref lection or out loud when more than one is present.

First Week of Advent Second Week of Advent Third Week of Advent Fourth Week of Advent

Psalm 80:1-7 Isaiah 40:1-11 1 Thessalonians 5:12-24 Romans 16:25-27

P R AY E R

God of all wisdom, our hearts yearn for the warmth of your love, and our minds search for the light of your Word. Increase our longing for Christ our Savior, and strengthen us to grow in love.

At the dawn of his coming may we experience joy in his presence and welcome the light of his truth. Amen.

You may then include prayers for others and ourselves.

These might include prayers for: The whole Christian Church around the world The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and our bishops, Elizabeth Eaton and Ann Svennungsen Our St. Philip the Deacon community and ministry staff Our national, state and local government officials Those who suffer or are in need Our family and friends T H E L O R D ’ S P R AY E R HYMN

To close, sing or speak this Advent hymn text.

Rejoice, rejoice, take heart in the night, though dark the winter and cheerless, The rising sun shall crown you with light, be strong and loving and fearless.

Love be our song and love our prayer and love our endless story; May God fill ev’ry day we share and bring us at last into glory.

Marty Haugen Stanza 4, Awake! Awake, and Greet the New Morn

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H O W L O V E LY A R E T H Y B R A N C H E S

BY AMANDA BERGER

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ach year as I pull down the storage containers to decorate for Christmas, I set aside the one holding the tree ornaments for last. You see, my Christmas tree is not something magazine-worthy with a color scheme and theme, but rather a collection of stories.

Each ornament tells the tale of a special moment or person in my life. Decorating the tree is like reliving these moments, incredibly vivid and meaningful, a source of comfort and joy.

After setting the tree in its stand and wrapping it in lights, I begin to unpack all the stories. I pull out a slender tie box from a long-gone Nebraska department store, lift the lid and there, nestled in tissue paper, are three delicately quilled ornaments, set with Swarovski crystals. These exquisite ornaments were handmade by my childhood friend Alyssa’s mother.

I remember Alyssa’s mom, Barb, surrounded by the slim slips of paper, winding them delicately around a slender metal tool to create swirls and curls. Then, dabbing the tiniest drops of glue, the curls came together to form delicate paper ornaments.

The snowflakes, angel and a cross, which were gifts to my mother from Barb, are now my own. As I gently lift them out of the box, I am amazed by the fact that they are still intact nearly 40 years later, and I am flooded with memories of Alyssa and Barb.

The tug of Barb’s fingers as she Frenchbraided our hair. The cool, smoothness of the pink satin hat and long opera gloves from their dress-up box. The taste of Kraft macaroni and cheese on my tongue.

lap on the airplane from Germany as a high school senior. I am immediately flooded with the memory of stepping into the Käthe Wohlfahrt store in Rothenburg. I had never seen anything like it—lights dim on that June day, I was instantly transported to a winter wonderland. I imagined these ornaments following me into my adult life when I would have my own home, my own family, my own Christmas tree. Though I still have the ornaments, the German finial did not survive when our first real tree as a married couple toppled over. In my memory, I hear the crash and see the silver reflections of the shattered topper.

I place the ornaments carefully on my tree.

In the next box, a hodgepodge of ornaments that are not fragile nor special apart from who and where they remind me of.

These are not just my stories, but begin to include reminders from my husband’s

Opening another box, I find a collection of blown-glass baubles in different patterns of cream, blue and gold, carried back on my

I add these to the tree.

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childhood as well. We tell these stories as we decorate together, something he enjoys as well. His Michigan Wolverines ornament, which I sneakily try to hide on the lowest branches. My glass ballet slippers bringing back my own days in pointe shoes, standing at the barre. A shiny, miniature version of Seattle’s Space Needle from our “babymoon” to Washington. Baby’s First Christmas, written on a clay cross, was a gift from a dear friend. Basketballs and snowmen, owls and musical instruments.

Many handmade and given by friends or relatives, some store-bought as reminders of memorable trips or hobbies.

Each ornament tells a story—of who and where we have been individually, the life we’ve shaped together and of those who have been a part of it. I cannot separate the act of decorating my Christmas tree from the stories and people that bring so much meaning to the season.

And, oh, the tinsel. My mother called it the “magic” and the tree wasn’t finished until each icicle was hung, one by one, in the perfect place. Shimmering in the lights and gently swaying in the drafts, the tinsel brought the tree to life. Never mind that each one also must be picked off during the undecorating process—and saved, because this tinsel is hard to find!

(Since we got our cat two years ago, my favorite bit of tree-trimming has been put on pause and the tree doesn’t look quite done to me now.)

And then we turn off the lights. We snuggle on the couch—my little family of three—admiring our work and savoring the sweetness of this time together, a pause that will happen over and over again throughout the weeks before Christmas.

“O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree, how lovely are thy branches.”

Undecorating the tree does not come with quite the same sense of attentiveness, except for one final ornament. A small book with a red leather cover is always the last to be put away. My sister gave it to me several years ago, and it was blank.

Each year, I’ve jotted notes about how we celebrated Christmas, who was there and the food we ate, gifts given and received, significant moments during the season worth jotting down—my own journal of the season which includes some of the details that might be forgotten from year to year. So, before I put the lid on the box, I pause and grab a pen, remembering the season that is only a few days old, ref lecting on what we have just celebrated. And even as the rest of the world is moving quickly on, I linger for just a little bit longer with these other Christmas stories.

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“

I love finding people’s passions.

Their eyes light up.

Their tone shifts.“

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g n i t h g i Back F with Joy

AN INTERVIEW WITH MARGARET FEINBERG

BY TIM WESTERMEYER

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ost of the popular podcast “The Joycast,” Margaret Feinberg is a popular teacher and speaker, and the creator of best-selling coloring and creative books for grown-ups. Her books, including Scouting the Divine, Fight Back with Joy, and Taste and See: Discovering God Among Butchers, Bakers and Fresh Food Makers have sold over one million copies and received critical acclaim from CNN, The Associated Press, USA Today, Los Angeles Times, and

The Washington Post. She was recently named one of 50 women most shaping culture and the church today by Christianity Today. Margaret lives in Utah with her husband, Leif, and their superpup, Zoom, and she believes some of the best days are spent around a table with amazing food and friends. In this wide-ranging interview with Pastor Westermeyer, she discusses her background, her interests, and her passion for food.

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new things—so of course my mom ends up with a 60-ton ship license. Why not?

The gift of that kind of upbringing has really impacted my spiritual life and writing. I want to taste and see and smell and hear the scripture. I want the full, real experience. That’s part of what has led me to go on wild adventures like fishing on the Sea of Galilee and studying viticulture from a grape grower in Napa Valley.

That longing for adventure and natural curiosity fused to make me the writer and spiritual explorer that I am.

You are an author, speaker and podcast host. How did you find yourself doing what you’re doing? I graduated from college and moved in with my parents and thought: If I could do anything with my life, and time and money weren’t factors, what would I want to do? I realized, I want to write. I headed down to the library and checked out every book on how to be a writer. The books basically said 95% of writers never make it and I thought, “Perfect! That’s for me.”

You’re the child of a Jewish father—who I understand was inducted into a surfers’ hall of fame—so how did you find yourself drawn to the Christian faith? My Jewish father and gentile mother began following Jesus right before I was born, so I grew up in a Christian home with hues of Judaism.

It added a natural curiosity to my faith journey and helped me to better understand others of different faiths and how their beliefs inf luence them.

money he needed to travel out west and propose to my mom.)

Ok, and you need to explain the surfers’ hall of fame thing, too. What’s the story there? I was born outside of Cocoa Beach, Florida, where my dad built surf boards back in the 1960s (the first time longboards were cool).

As long as we’re talking about your parents, I believe your mom got her license for 60-ton ships. Again, I have to ask: What’s the story there? My parents are adventurers. When I was growing up, they bought a small boat on a whim, and we’d sail to the Caribbean. Another time they decided they wanted to be ski instructors and we moved to Colorado for the winter (and ended up staying). They worked in construction and real estate and even the jewelry industry for a short stint.

My mom was a schoolteacher in North Carolina. They were never afraid to try

He eventually built up Oceanside Surfboards to be the largest manufacturer of surf boards on the East Coast, but through a series of fires, he lost everything. He and my mom rebuilt their lives and opened a mom-and-pop surf shop in Cocoa Beach.

(Surfer trivia: Ron Jon loaned my dad the

A few years ago, my dad was inducted into the East Coast Surfing Hall of Fame.

I’d never heard the word “dude” so many times! I also never expected to see so many followers of Jesus at an event like that. Something about the wind and waves and the wonder of creation sparks faith in this community.

I started writing reviews in the back of publications and worked my way up to news stories, then feature stories, then cover stories and eventually books.

Someone read my first book and asked if I could come talk about it. That was nearly 30 years ago. There was no one moment where I got a big break, just faithfully serving in the same direction.

You’ve been doing a podcast called “The Joycast” since 2019. What have you learned through that platform and those conversations? I love finding people’s passions. Their eyes light up. Their tone shifts. The pace of their conversation increases. Whenever I tap into those moments—whether interviewing others formally or just gathered around a table— I’ve learned that humans are complex, beautiful creatures that have so much to teach us if we’ll take time to listen and follow up with the question, “What else?”

Related to the above question, you began that podcast before COVID-19, continued

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it during the pandemic, and are still doing it as we all come out the other side of that major event. What’s your sense of what we’ve learned—or need to continue to learn—from that experience? COVID took down so many of the illusions we’ve clung to … thoughts like, I’m in control, I know how this is going to turn out, I must be right, and more. It was a brutal gift in that it exposed just how fragile we are as humans, how much we need each other, and how much we have to learn.

It turns out that the theme of this specific issue of Inspire is related to the title of your podcast—namely, “Joy.” What does joy mean to you, and how do you think it is connected to the life of faith? I decided to write a book on joy a few years ago. Of course, I made it a spiritual adventure and tried all kinds of ways to spark joy. I was two weeks from turning in the manuscript when I reached under my arm and felt a lump. I soon discovered I had an aggressive form of cancer. That diagnosis trashed my book and my life. I had been looking for joy in the relatively good times of life and now I had to find it in the darkness, depression and unspeakable pain.

That’s when I discovered that, more than whimsy, joy is the weapon we use to fight life’s battles. Because we’re all in a fight.

Sometimes you pick the fight and sometimes the fight picks you. But what if you

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That’s when I discovered that, more than whimsy, joy is the weapon we use to fight life’s battles.”

fought back with joy? I write about this in the Fight Back with Joy book and Bible study.

You are joining us to talk specifically about Faith & Food. What was the impetus for that book, Taste and See: Discovering God Among Butchers, Bakers and Fresh Food Makers specifically? When we gather to eat, I believe God wants to feed more than our appetites—he wants to feed our souls.

And so often it’s around the table that God meets our deepest hungers—to know and be known, to accept and be accepted, to understand and be understood.

In Psalm 34, one of the great songwriters invites us to “taste and see that the Lord is good.” I decided to take to this invitation literally. And so, I embarked on a wild adventure to descend more than 400 feet into a salt mine, fish on the sea of Galilee, and pluck figs from a premier fruit farmer. I traveled to Yale University to bake matza from scratch with an expert on ancient grains. I brought in an olive harvest in Croatia and graduated with a certificate in “Steakology 101” from a Texas butcher.

Each adventure brought scripture to life—like the time I trekked into a salt mine outside of Salt Lake City, Utah, and learned about what Jesus meant when he called us the salt of the earth.

I’m not sure what I expected when we began descending into the mouth of the cave, but what I saw was beyond my wildest imagination. The walls of the salt mine weren’t stark white like what I shake onto my French fries. Instead, gleaming back at me were hues of magenta, streaks of brown, glistens of peach. My salt expert friend explained to me that the salt is colored by the naturally occurring minerals in the water and soil around it.

White table salt goes through processing to remove the trace minerals and colors.

So, when Jesus talks about “the salt of the earth,” he’s not speaking about pure sodium chloride. He’s speaking to each of us about the natural, unique way we

were brought up and created, all our trace minerals included—our strengths, weaknesses, personalities, quirks, and all the talents and gifts that God has given us. So, when we go out as salt of the earth, we are to walk in fullness of that.

With each experience, the Bible came alive like a pop-up book and changed the way I read the Bible and gather around the table forever. I found myself asking again and again, “How have I grown up in the church and listened to so many sermons and no one has told me these things?”

With my book, I hope to bring others on this journey with me.

We’re excited to host you on February 8.

When people come to that event, what can they expect to hear? I’m so thrilled to be with you! We’re going to look at God as the original foodie, explore several foods from the Bible, and learn how a deeper understanding of them brings the scripture alive and satisfies our deepest longings.

Finally, since this is our Christmas issue, what food traditions do you have that spark joy as a part of your own holiday celebrations? Because I grew up on a boat and my husband grew up in Alaska, we eat seafood and steak for Christmas. As a little girl, my mom would pour crème de mint over vanilla ice cream on Christmas Eve; I like to keep up that minty, tasty tradition.

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hough the first known recipe for gingerbread dates to Greece in 2400 B.C.E., making it into confection-covered houses is a more recent phenomenon, if by recent you qualify dating back to 16th century Germany! With their popularity increased by the Brothers Grimm fairy tale, Hansel and Gretel, these whimsical and cheerful creations spread worldwide as a Christmas holiday tradition.

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The Bixby family, and in particular Katherine and her mother, Nancy, have adopted this tradition as their own, making ambitious gingerbread houses for the annual Gingerbread Wonderland exhibit at the Norway House in Minneapolis.

Katherine Bixby is a junior at Wayzata High School who is involved in many activities including Youth in Government, Twin Cities Youth Rowing and our own church choir. And, as you may have guessed, baking is also one of her passions. “Baking brings together two parts of my personality. I enjoy subjects like math and science, but I am also very creative,” said Katherine.

“When you bake something like a cake (or a gingerbread house), it is important to be precise with the measurements; but after it is done, you get to decorate and be creative.”

d n a l r e d Won G INGERBRE AD

BY AMANDA BERGER

In 2019, looking for festive things to do as a family, the Bixbys discovered the Gingerbread Wonderland Exhibit. Then Katherine and Nancy entered their first gingerbread house in 2020, using it as a way to spend some of the long winter pandemic nights at home together. The exhibit is open to anyone from young children with their families to expert gingerbread crafters.

Katherine said, “Some of our favorite creations are the houses made by little kids with their families. They are always so cute and creative. Some other houses that have stood out to us have been the house from the movie ‘Up,’ Split Rock Lighthouse and the Glensheen Mansion.”

Their own efforts have been deeply rewarding—and have included a lot of

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2.

3. learning as you go. “My mom and I take over the kitchen for about 10 days in early November to work on this project. We do it in pieces—making the gingerbread, baking, laying it out, etc.—before putting on any final touches and delivering it to the Norway House.”

The Bixbys have now entered houses for two years and plan to enter again in 2023.

Their inspiration is drawn from their own lives. Their first entry was inspired by Amsterdam row houses, that they named Gezellig, which translates from the Dutch to “cozy” or “inviting.” Nancy and her husband had lived in Amsterdam in their 20s, and a family trip to the Netherlands had been planned for May of 2020. The row houses are re-creations of homes they might have seen on that trip (which was canceled due to COVID-19). Another of their creations, which they named “Fairies in Fjordland,” was inspired by a little forest green playhouse they call the “Fairy House” found on Katherine’s grandparents’ northern cabin property. This year, they entered a cozy winter cabin with a pond for ice fishing out front.

“We have learned a lot during these projects like what the best adhesive is, how to make clear edges after baking, or how to make clear windows, but we are still learning as we go,” said Katherine. When asked about any major “flops,” Katherine said that

they haven’t really had any fails. She said, “The first project we did (the Amsterdam row houses) we had to create a pattern ourselves. We definitely underestimated how big they would turn out because we had to make nine batches of gingerbread and use eight pounds of powdered sugar to build a whopping 20-pound creation. It wasn’t a failure per se, but it was a lot of work over 10 days!”

The Bixbys are proud to claim their Norwegian heritage. “At our house, the Norwegian lineage mostly emerges through foods and baked goods like torsk, meatballs, lefse and krumkake!” said Katherine. You do not have to claim Scandinavian ancestors to enjoy the Norway House, though. A wonderful holiday outing, the Norway house is also home to a coffee bar and a small Ingebretsen’s gift shop. For more information about planning your visit and to purchase tickets, visit norwayhouse.org.

PHOTO CAP TIONS 1.

Katherine transporting Fairies in Fjordland to the Norway House.

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2021’s entry, Fairies in Fjordland with its lit-up pond.

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Katherine in 2020 with their Gezellig row houses.

4 .- 6. Some of the other inspiring entries include the house from the movie “Up,” Split Rock Lighthouse and Glensheen Mansion.

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Much More Than a Day BY CHERYL M AT H I S O N

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s I write, the Minnesota State Fair is underway, college students are busy packing and leaving home and moving into their dorms, kids are about to return to school for their first day and ... Christmas trees have already replaced the school supplies in a big box store I was in just the other day! While the church sets aside Advent as a time to prepare for the celebration of the coming of our Lord, the world leans into the holiday much earlier. This, of course, is not news.

But it is a reminder that so many of us pour

many hours into our own preparations for Christmas not just during the season of Advent but for many weeks prior.

And then, when we awake on December 26, it seems that Christmas has come and gone and along with it, our celebrations. BUT, and this is important, while in the world Christmas is regarded as a single day, in the church it is a season, 12 days long, beginning December 25 and continuing through January 5.

Having prepared for the celebration of Christmas, what might it look like to

mark each one of the 12 days of the season with intention? In other words, what if, this year, we spent more time actually celebrating Christmas?

While celebrating all 12 days of the season might sound overwhelming, it need not be. It can be as simple as a daily practice of Bible reading and participating in something celebratory. To help you live into Christmas this year, you will find 12 cards, one for each day of the season. Each card includes a note about the day itself, a Bible reading, and a suggested way to celebrate Immanuel, God with Us!!

The First Day

The Second Day

The Third Day

• DEC 25 •

• DEC 26 •

• DEC 27 •

The Fourth Day

The Fifth Day

The Sixth Day

• DEC 28 •

• DEC 29 •

• DEC 30 •

The Seventh Day

The Eighth Day

The Ninth Day

• DEC 31 •

• JAN 1 •

• JAN 2 •

The Tenth Day

The Eleventh Day

The Twelfth Day

• JAN 3 •

• JAN 4 •

• JAN 5 •

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DEC 27

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Today we remember John, Apostle and Evangelist. He wrote these words: The Word became flesh and dwelt among us.

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DEC 26

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Today is called Boxing Day. On this day in countries around the world, people package gifts to share with those who are poor.

DEC 25

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The waiting and preparing of Advent is over and at last it is time to welcome the light of Christ.

Romans 6:23 •

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At each meal today, offer this table grace: The Word became flesh and dwelt among us and so we pray in awe: Lord Almighty, we confess our inability to fully comprehend this truth and we ask you to help us in our understanding. We praise you for the gift of Immanuel, the wonder of the incarnation, and the mystery of your steadfast and abiding love revealed in Jesus Christ. Amen.

DEC 30

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We are already halfway through the season of Christmas.

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JAN 2

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JAN 4

DEC 28

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This somber day invites us to call to mind the innocent and marginalized who still live in the shadows. Read about the important work of Interfaith Outreach at iocp.org and learn about ways you can volunteer.

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DEC 31

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Today is New Year’s Eve and the First Sunday of Christmas.

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James 1:17

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Worship at St. Philip the Deacon for our Liturgy of Carols.

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JAN 3

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Even though the world may suggest otherwise, the Christmas season is not yet over.

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Matthew 2:13-18

The radio stations that played Christmas music have likely returned to regular programming by now.

John 3:16 •

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What is the story of your name? Talk about the names of the people in your family. If you don’t know the meaning of your name, a simple internet search can help you learn about your name’s meaning and history.

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This day is called the Twelfth Night and tomorrow is the Day of Epiphany, the season of revelation and light.

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On this day we remember the Holy Innocents, the children of Bethlehem aged two and under who were killed by Herod.

Philippians 2:9-11

Rather than making a New Year’s Resolution, take time today to review your commitments and practices from the past year and renew the ones that bring you life and light.

JAN 5

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Join us online at: spdlc.org/livestream for The Twelve Days of Christmas Morning Prayer. Each day will include a brief reading, devotion and prayer.

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On this day the church remembers the naming of Jesus in the temple.

Matthew 7:11 •

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Make a commitment to write down each day one gift you have received from God. Dedicate a jar or bowl as a place to hold your notes. Soon your container will be overf lowing with blessing from God.

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The coming of God in Christ offers a new beginning as does a new year.

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Isaiah 9:6

2 Corinthians 9:15

Celebrate Christmas today by savoring your favorite parts of the season: family, friends, wonder and peace. Take time to enjoy and be delighted.

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We are five days into the season, and the good news of the great gift of Christ remains indescribable!

Ephesians 2:8 •

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Prepare and wrap a gift of treats and deliver to a hospital, nursing home, fire or police department as a way of saying thank you especially to those who worked on Christmas.

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1 Peter 4:10

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Romans 11:29

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After the Christmas decorations are packed away, light your home with a single strand of white lights as a reminder of the light of God revealed in Jesus Christ come to us. Let his light serve as a marker of the changing season.

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Use this day to play all your favorite Christmas music. Visit the SPDLC YouTube Channel archives and listen to the Christmas Eve and Christmas Day worship services.

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Today may feel rather ordinary which makes it a perfect day to pay attention to the ways in which God is with you. Make a list. Put it on your refrigerator or bathroom mirror. Use it as a daily reminder of God’s abiding presence.

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k n Tha ou!

Y

In the late summer, we collect school supplies for kids and families at Messiah Lutheran Church and Interfaith Outreach as they prepare to go back to school. It is such a joy to fill up these backpacks with new school supplies, and to hear back about what a difference these gifts have made! Here are some of their thank you notes:

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These ‘tailor-made’ packs for each student are amazing creations—and there were many wide-eyes as we had the privilege—and delight—of handing them out. And what an effot to check in with schools regarding their supply requirements, and then to purchase those supplies and then to get them into the correct backpack. Wow—what an effort and investment you have made for a great number of people! You have blessed the students, their families, their school and all of us who are—and continue to be—touched by this project.” —Pastor Tom Gustafson, Messiah Lutheran Church Thanks for the backpack!” —Cortez I just want to thank you so much for all the great things you’re doing. School is one of the most important things kids need in life and with the bookbags they can use them for what they got to do for school. Thank you so much! God bless.” —Isaiah Thank you for the backpacks for my children. We greatly appreciate it!” —Linda K. Thank you for the backpacks—very deeply appreciated. They will be put to use for some amazing learning!” —The Smith Family

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Y O J T BEYOND CIRCUMS

stances, Bonhoeffer suggests that authentic Christian community can and should also bring joy despite the challenges, struggles and trials of life.

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martyr, offer a profound perspective on joy as seen through his books Life Together and The Cost of Discipleship. Bonhoeffer's insights remind us that true joy transcends any and all f leeting moments of happiness, finding its essence in a deeper spiritual connection and a life dedicated to following Christ.

In The Cost of Discipleship, Bonhoeffer examines the concept of costly grace, a grace that is not cheapened by casual faith but demands a sincere commitment to following Christ. He writes, “Costly grace is the gospel which must be sought again and again, the gift which must be asked for, the door at which a man must knock.

(Matthew 7:7-8) Such grace is costly because it calls us to follow, and it is grace because it calls us to follow Jesus Christ.

It is costly because it costs a man his life, and it is grace because it gives a man the only true life.”

In Life Together, Bonhoeffer explores the idea of Christian community and the shared experiences and life of believers. He emphasizes that the idea of joy is not tied to external circumstances but rather emerges from the bonds of fellowship and spiritual unity. “The joy of God has gone through the poverty of the manger and the agony of the cross,” he writes. This powerful statement reminds us that the joy of Christmas is not merely in the fun festivities and contagious merriment, but in the profound sacrifice of a child who was born in an animal filled barn to parents who were poor and visited by people who had absolutely no voice or influence in the world. So, just as Christ's birth brings joy despite the humble circum-

Bonhoeffer’s theology invites us to understand that joy in discipleship is rooted in an intimate connection with Christ, even in the face of trials. He even writes, “Discipleship is joy.” This seemingly counterintuitive statement invites us to recognize that the joy of following Christ goes beyond external hardships because the joy of discipleship is part of who we are; it is woven into our faithful DNA. Through this lens, the message of Christmas gains renewed significance; the joy of Christ’s birth echoes through the ages, inviting us to embrace a transformative journey of discipleship, regardless of the challenges that may arise along the way. In other words, it is in and through Jesus Christ

BY MARK SCHMID

hile studying Psalm 98, and drawing from verse 4, “Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth; break forth into joyous song and sing praises,” 17th century prolific hymn writer Isaac Watts wrote a four-stanza poem that arguably became his most famous song, “Joy to the World.”

This hymn has become synonymous with the season of Christmas where feelings of anticipation, warmth and a deep sense of joy fill the air. Of course, this joy is rooted in the celebration of an infant child, born under the starry sky of Bethlehem, the day that life and light, hope and promise for all people broke into this world.

Amid the festive and joyous spirit of the Advent and Christmas seasons, the writings of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a German theologian, pastor and 20th century

Bonhoeffer draws attention to the common misconception that joy is synonymous with happiness and a carefree life. He challenges this notion, asserting that “the basis of Christian community is not an experience of what people have in common, but what they have not in common; it is grounded in Christ alone.” This perspective underscores the idea that genuine joy stems from a shared commitment to Christ's teachings rather than from a superficial alignment of circumstances. In the same way, the joy of Christmas finds its truth from the eternal message of hope, promise and salvation that the birth of Jesus brings.

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DIETRICH BO

NHOEFFER

that we find joy beyond our circumstances and in turn we ref lect this joy, this gift of hope, promise and salvation out into the world through the very things we think, say and do.

Bonhoeffer’s experiences as a Lutheran pastor during the turbulent years of Nazi Germany shaped his understanding of joy beyond circumstances. Bonhoeffer was arrested at the hands of the Schutzstaffel (S.S.) on April 5, 1943. Two years later, as the Nazi regime was falling, just weeks before the end of WWII, Bonhoeffer was executed by hanging on April 8, 1945.

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es Bonhoeffer's theology invit in us to understand that joy discipleship is rooted in an Christ, intimate connection with even in the face of trials.”

In his writings, Bonhoeffer recognized that the joy of Christian community is not immune to external pressures. He writes, “Only in the fellowship do we learn to be rightly human, to keep control over that which threatens to shatter our community.” Bonhoeffer understood that the shared experience of suffering, evil and hardship can strengthen the bonds of Christian fellowship, leading to a deeper and more authentic sense of joy.

In a world where suffering is inevitable, the joy of Christmas takes on a profound meaning, reminding us that in a manger in Bethlehem, Christ's birth brings hope, promise and salvation far beyond our circumstances and understanding. And in those places, just beyond our grasp, as people of faith, we can cling to the joy and promise of Immanuel, “God with us.”

This year, in the midst of festive lights and joyful carols, remember the words of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, who invites us to embrace the costly joy of discipleship, to find strength and support in shared suffering, and to discover the enduring joy that goes beyond the challenges of life. This Christmas, may we be inspired to seek a joy that is anchored in the eternal message of hope, promise and salvation, echoing the sentiments of Bonhoeffer: “The joy of God has gone through the poverty of the manger and the agony of the cross.”

Joy to the World, the Lord has come!

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T

he Christmas season is full of angels—from the scripture proclamations of the Annunciation and the angels’ appearance to the shepherds on the night of Jesus’ birth, to the angel figurines found in Nativity scenes and decorating our Christmas trees. The Bible is full of instances of God’s people encountering angels. They offer protection, they bear messages, and provide comfort and reassurance of God’s presence.

But are they real? Do angels continue to interact in the lives of God’s children today? We invited our congregation members to share their own stories of angelic encounters—we’ll let you decide!

PEACEFUL PRESENCE When I was a preschooler, I walked past my brother’s bedroom and a glimmer of light caught my eye. I looked in his room and saw dozens of little babies made of bright white light sitting on every surface. They all seemed to be looking at a particular [baby] who was sitting on my brother's bed.

I called for my mom to come see, but when I looked back, they had vanished. When I told her what I saw, she explained to me that I had had another older brother who died shortly after birth and my brother’s room was originally supposed to be his. I hadn’t been told that before. After seeing pictures of cherubim, I confirmed that was what I had seen. It has always been a nice thought, as though my eldest brother was visiting home and showing his room to his friends in heaven. —Nicole Kumerow

POWERFUL PROTECTION On a cold November day many years ago, I was driving to help my friend at her jewelry store in Forest Lake. I was driving east from Maple Grove and was nearing the interchange at 169. I could see a semi-truck coming down the ramp, getting ready to merge onto the freeway. There was a small

red car in front of me and other cars two lanes to my left. I safely made a lane change to ensure that the semi would have room to merge. The car in front of me waited too long to move over and then swerved into my lane at the last second. To avoid hitting that car, I swerved into the left ditch, drove in there for a bit (it is not easy!!) and ended up back on the freeway, doing a 360 turn.

As I spun around in my vehicle, I noticed that every other car had stopped and there was no one in my way, leaving a clear path for me to come to rest on the right side of the freeway. It was unbelievable. The semi-truck driver saw what had happened and stopped to see if I was OK. I truly felt that angels were watching over me and had put a stop to all the traffic on the freeway so I wouldn’t hit anybody. It just seemed like an invisible curtain had come down to protect me from any harm. I was shaky, but no harm was done. I was very thankful that I survived and didn’t hurt anyone or anything! —Nancy Carlson

ENCOURAGING ENCOUNTER Six months after my dad's successful kidney transplant (donated by my brother), we received devastating news that my mom had stage 4 colon cancer. It was advanced to the point that she had an extreme intervention called the HIPEC procedure.

The cancerous tumors are removed, and then high doses of heat-treated chemotherapy drugs are applied directly inside the abdomen to eliminate the remaining cancerous cells. It was a grueling surgery and while she was in the hospital recovering, she was visited by an angel.

She remembered it so vividly; the angel told her to be strong and hang on because there were important reasons to keep living. She said it was a very powerful and calming experience. Despite how exhausted she felt (doctors confirmed she barely survived it), she knew she needed to persevere. What I couldn't tell her then was that my family was making plans to relocate from Kansas City to the Twin

Cities. Months later, when all the pieces fell into place, we told my parents the news of our move. My mom lit up and said, “This was what the angel meant!” My mom battled on for four years after her angelic visit and my family—especially our three children—were able to enjoy that precious time together with her. —Ann Empkey

THE POWER OF LOVE After visiting my mother-in-law at Abbott Northwestern, we crossed the street to our parked car. A lady came out of her house, and bouncing down the street, tapped me on the shoulder and wished me a “Happy Father’s Day!” As I looked up to thank her, she had disappeared. (It was Father’s Day.) Then, later that same day, I was exiting Target, and again, a lady came up, tapped me on the shoulder and said, “Happy Father’s Day.” I said, “Thank you,” but she was gone. I thought about both moments for several days and concluded that this was a messenger from my daughter Amie, who had been killed in a car accident five years earlier, sending her love, letting us know that she was in heaven and wishing me a Happy Father’s Day. —Myron Moland

BRING US HOME My father, Paul, age 63, had a cardiac arrest in the presence of two cardiologists while on a treadmill doing a stress test.

The doctors eventually were able to revive him. He opened his eyes and said, “Why did you do that? I was walking through a tunnel of bright light and I could see angels all around me leading the way. It was so beautiful, why did you bring me back?” He lived for another 10 days and kept talking about how he was not afraid to die and looked forward to seeing the tunnel of light again. —Carol Grabow

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Moder n Day P il gr i m s

This Blessed Plot, This England

BY TIM WESTERMEYER

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of my earliest childhood memories is of a small toy soldier—a mounted British officer in his red tunic and bearskin helmet. I’m not sure why we had that small toy soldier, but I was fascinated by it as a child, and that fascination ended up foreshadowing a lifelong interest in all things British.

Photo A: Vertex Watches

boutique, London. Photo B: British Toy Soldier from Tim’s office. Photo C: Tim and Amy at Tower Bridge. Photo D: Tim and Mark Birch. Photo E: Concert of the military bands of the Household Division at the Horse Guards Parade. Photo F: Lady Chapel at Westminster Abbey. Photo G: St Giles’ Cathedral in Edinburgh.

When I was in high school, I had an amazing opportunity to travel to England as a member of the Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestra. Ever since that trip in 1985, I’ve wanted to return to this land which fascinates me so deeply—and whose subjects, like C.S. Lewis, G.K. Chesterton, and Dorothy Sayers, have been so important to my own theological thinking and development.

This past summer, my wife, Amy, and I were able to visit England and Scotland

for a two-week trip, making a counter-clockwise circle from London up to Edinburgh and back to London. Here are a few ref lections and photos from our time there, organized by the cities we visited.

LONDON

What an amazing city. Amy and I walked and walked and walked to many of the wonderful treasures this city has to offer—among them the Churchill War Rooms, Buckingham Palace, the Royal Mews, Westminster Abbey and St. Paul’s Cathedral, the National Portrait Gallery and the Tower of London. The C.S. Lewis memorial plaque in Poets’ Corner of Westminster Abbey was a must-see for me, and the two Evensong services we attended there were also stunningly beautiful. Breakfast with Canon Mark Birch from the Abbey—who kicked off Faith & Life this year—was also a highlight, as was an outdoor concert by the combined military bands of the Household Division.

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H. J.

K. L. York is home to a famous church—York Minster—which is the second largest Gothic Cathedral in all of Europe. It is also where Constantine the Great was named Emperor of Rome, ultimately uniting the entire Roman Empire under one ruler and embracing Christianity. York is also home to a famous medieval street called the Shambles, which is inspiration for Diagon Alley in the Harry Potter series.

the historic university city of Oxford. At Oxford, we visited the Kilns—C.S. Lewis’ home there—as well as his parish church, Holy Trinity, where he is buried. We also enjoyed tea with a former Faith & Life speaker and C.S. Lewis expert, Michael Ward. While in this area of England, we also visited Blenheim Palace, the birthplace of Winston Churchill, and visited his burial site at St. Martin’s Church in the nearby town of Bladon.

EDINBURGH

WINDSOR

We spent a brief couple of days in Edinburgh, where we walked the Royal Mile.

At one end is the Royal Palace—Holyrood Palace—and at the other is Edinburgh Castle, which towers over the city.

Between them is St Giles’, which was the center of the Scottish Reformation and the home church of John Knox. This church is where Queen Elizabeth II lay in state before her body was driven to London for her funeral. While in Edinburgh, we also had dinner with the Ruark family from SPD—who were also traveling in Scotland at the time—and unexpectedly bumped into the Koch family on a street just outside of Holyrood Palace. Small world!

Before returning to London, we spent a couple of days in Windsor, the largest and oldest occupied castle in the world. We had the incredible privilege of spending an afternoon with one of the priests at St. George’s Chapel there—Canon Mark Powell—who gave us a behind-the-scenes tour of the church, and also hosted us for tea with his wife, Helen, in their residence, which dates to the 1300s.

YO R K

M.

Photo H: Amy and Michael Ward at tea. Photo I: Tim and Mark Powell. Photo J: Buckingham Palace. Photo K: With the Koch family outside Holyrood Palace, Edinburgh.

Photo L: Gravesite of C.S. Lewis. Photo M: Dinner with the Ruark family in Edinburgh.

THE COTSWOLDS A N D OX FO R D

We enjoyed walking through the unbelievably quaint towns of the Cotswolds for a couple of days, before heading off to

A sign in one of the Underground stations we visited said, simply: “Travel Does the Heart Good.” After a brilliant visit to what Shakespeare called “this blessed plot, this earth, this realm, this England” I couldn’t agree more, and I hope we’ll have a chance to return soon.

INSPIRE

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St. Philip the Deacon

Holiday Snack Mix

RECIPE & PHOTOGRAPHY

BY AMANDA BERGER

Though Christmas culinary joy often comes in cookie shape, for me a true sign of the season is making my mom’s snack mix recipe. I always make a huge double batch to share as gifts for friends, neighbors and secret Santas. (And eating a fair amount myself!)

Ingredients

Directions

12 tbsp butter, cubed 4 tbsp Worcestershire sauce 1 tbsp seasoning salt 1 ½ tsp garlic powder 1 tsp onion powder 10 cups Crispix Cereal 1 8.75 oz. fancy mixed nuts 1 cup pretzel sticks 2 cups plain Cheerios 4 cups cheese balls

Preheat oven to 250° F. In a glass measuring cup, melt the butter in the microwave. Add the Worcestershire sauce, seasoning salt, garlic powder and onion powder and stir to combine.

In a large roasting pan or a couple of 9x13 pans (use what you have), combine the cereals, mixed nuts and pretzels (omit the cheese balls for now). Drizzle with the butter mixture and toss gently to coat.

Bake for one hour total, stirring gently every 15 minutes. If you used two pans to hold the mixture, rotate the pans in the oven each time you stir.

Remove from the oven. Stir in cheese balls. Allow it to cool completely. Store in an airtight container.

Note: You can make this up to two weeks ahead, as long as you store it in an airtight container. And where no one else can find it and eat it all before you need it.

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F SENT TO SERVE:

or over 16 years there have been a devoted group of 44 men and women at St. Philip the Deacon who have been making beautifully handcrafted prayer shawls and baptismal blankets.

PRAYER SHAWL MINISTRY

Prayers are woven into every stitch surrounding the knitter and the recipient with a tapestry of love and care. The hope is that each prayer shawl will provide both physical comfort and a reminder of God’s loving embrace.

BY CINDY CA RL SON

When asked why they participate in this ministry, many express how meaningful it is to serve in a way that provides comfort to others.

This expression of gratitude from a prayer shawl recipient ref lects the hopes and prayers of those who have made the prayer shawls: “I know we have never met, but we would like to say thank you for all your hard work and countless

“It warms my heart, and I am thankful I could be used to be a blessing for others.”

J A N E T W I T H O F F, SPD MEMBER

INSPIRE

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St. Philip the Deacon

prayers that went into creating the beautiful prayer shawl we received. It brings us comfort and hope. Please know you are included in our prayers too.”

In 2021, the ministry was expanded, and SPD began to present the newly baptized with a hand-knit baptismal blanket.

The blanket is a tangible reminder of God’s all-encompassing love and the prayerful support of the congregation.

This past year, 40 baptismal blankets were made for the children baptized at SPD. Over 80 prayer shawls have been given to those in need of comfort and support whether grieving a loss or in need of comfort and healing.

“People I know who receive a prayer shawl are very emotional and it means a lot to them to receive one. I continue to knit shawls and pray that the person who receives the shawl I knit will be comforted by it.”

C AT H E R I N E MARTENSON, SPD MEMBER

Besides working on projects at home, the Prayer Shawl Ministry gathers on the fourth Thursday of the month for a time of fellowship, prayer and knitting.

If you have questions about this ministry, contact Susan Path, SPD Parish Nurse at spath@spdlc.org.

“I found out about the Prayer Shawl Ministry when Susan Path (SPD Parish Nurse) brought me a prayer shawl following my husband Frank’s death. I thought, ‘I enjoy knitting, and it is a service I can contribute at church.’ I find it is therapy for me, and I am helping others.”

PHYLLIS HEGLUND, SPD MEMBER

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OUT & ABOUT In mid-September, our 6th grade students, who are new to middle school ministry and Confirmation, headed out for a daylong retreat. They worked together to bust out of the escape rooms at Lock & Key in Edina, before heading to Minnehaha Falls for pizza, hiking, Bible study and ice cream. It was a full day and tons of fun— each of these young people is so awesome.

We can’t wait to see what God has in store for them the rest of this year!

INSPIRE

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St. Philip the Deacon

S U N D AY DEC

17

BEER & HYMNS: CHRISTMAS EDITION

WINTER CALENDAR

Join us at Rock Elm Tavern for Beer & Hymns Christmas Edition 2023 on Sunday, December 17, at 7 p.m. This was a sold-out event last year so register early to reserve your space!

FEB

1- 4 S AT U R D AY, J A N U A R Y 1 3 K I DS M OV I E N IG H T

All elementary age kids are invited to join in for pizza and movie night. This fun fellowship event is open to friends as well. Register at spdlc.org, $5 per kid.

S U N D AY, F E B R U A R Y 1 1 SOUPER BOWL OF CARING

I C E F I S H I N G R E T R E AT

Border View Lodge at Lake of the Woods. Join SPD Outdoors for a time of faith, fellowship, fun and fishing at the 9th Annual SPD Outdoors Winter Fishing Retreat on beautiful Lake of the Woods. More information and registration available at spdlc.org/register.

We will help tackle world hunger by supporting the Souper Bowl of Caring mission. Consider how much is spent on munchies for the big game and consider making a gift to the Souper Bowl of Caring, which will make a difference in the lives of people who are suffering from hunger. Funds collected in the soup kettles will be used to provide food to families in the Cap-Haitien region of Haiti.

F R I D AY MAR

8

T U E S D AY, F E B R U A R Y 1 3 T H E C O N V E R S AT I O N

Mike Henry will share a music program, “The Book of Love.” This musical presentation will include clips from more than 100 of the greatest long song recordings of the 1940s, ’50s and ’60s.

Ev ent R egist r ation Scan the provided QR code and navigate to the event of your choice to register.

GAME NIGHT

Are you looking for a fun way to connect with others in our faith community? This event is for all adults, singles and couples. We will be in Fellowship Hall for a fun evening that will include dinner, Bingo and Trivia. Register online at spdlc.org/register.

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2.

FA M I L I A R FA C E S JASON PUTNAM

What’s one thing that people would be surprised to know about you? I have a son that just graduated from high school and joined the Air Force, and a 16-year-old daughter. One of my interests is that I have a huge bird feeder in my backyard, and I have spotted over 35 species of birds just in my yard.

3.

What are three things on your lifetime to-do list? 1. Build a cabin with my own hands, near Grand Marais. 2. Complete a long hike, like the Superior Hiking Trail. 3.

Take some classes at the North House Folk School in Grand Marais.

4.

Jason Putnam, Facilities Manager, joined the St. Philip the Deacon staff in 2021. His commitment to taking care of our physical plant and the ways in which he assists staff in preparing for weekly ministries and special events is so deeply appreciated. His work is often behind-the-scenes, but an important part of what people see and experience when they come to our church. Enjoy this opportunity to get to know him a little better!

1.

Describe when you knew you’d be going into ministry. When my wife, Renee, started working at SPD, she would come home and describe how delightful it is to serve at SPD. (Renee is SPD’s Youth Team Administrator.) I asked her if there were any positions available, so she inquired, but at that time there were no openings. Two years later she came home and asked if I would like to meet with Pastor Westermeyer about a possible opening. That meeting went well, along with a few others, and here I am two years later. I was taught by my grandfather, at an early age, that altruism is a way of life and the reward you receive from that is everlasting.

How do you take care of yourself—spiritually, emotionally and physically—so that you stay healthy in ministry? Each morning I spend time with my wife, and we read Our Daily Bread and I try to relate the message to my daily life. Each evening I like to have the four of us together at the dinner table and have some good conversations. I believe this has helped me and my family communicate with each other better. (Not to mention how proud I am when people tell me that my children can hold a conversation with adults!) I try to eat healthy; I pay attention to the way my body feels and adjust my routine and diet when needed. The physicality of this job allows me to get plenty of steps in each day and there are not many instances when I am not lifting, squatting, or reacting to whatever needs attention.

5.

What are you passionate about right now? Currently, I listen to or watch podcasts or vlogs that have to do with longevity or how to keep my body strong and healthy later in life. I also enjoy watching people build off-grid homesteads in remote areas—to get tips and ideas for my cabin.

Light & Life All He Brin

Light L ight & Life To All He Brings P LE A SE JOIN US FOR THE WONDER OF CHRISTM A S AT S T. P H I L I P T H E D E AC O N

D ECE M B E R 10

D ECE M B E R 18

CH R I S T M A S EVE

Festival of Lessons & Carols All Weekend Services

Blue Christmas 7 p.m.

Family Service 11 a.m.

Note: There are no earlier morning worship services on this day.

Worship Service with Holy Communion 2 and 4 p.m.

CH R I S T M A S

Worship Service with Holy Communion 11 a.m.

DAY

Candlelight Worship Service with Holy Communion 5:30, 7:30, 9 and 11 p.m.

Livestream at 5:30 p.m.

17205 County Road 6 Plymouth, MN 55447

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”

ROMANS 15:13

V I S I T U S O N L I N E AT S P D L C .O R G