Kris Litman-Koon, Isle of Palms, SC

Warm-up Question

Have you ever known someone who has experienced a loss of permanent housing, even if just temporarily?

In the World, but Not Known

December 21 is the winter solstice, the date when the northern hemisphere receives its longest night. The winter solstice has been marked in various ways by countless cultures throughout the ages, yet a more recent observance is Homeless Persons’ Memorial Day. It is a day for local communities to come together to remember those in their midst who died during the previous year while experiencing homelessness. These local observances are coordinated through the National Coalition for the Homeless. The winter solstice is an apt date for these observances because brutal weather is often linked to these individuals’ deaths and because the long night symbolizes the fact that unhoused residents are often relegated to life in the shadows of society. 

By having a Homeless Persons’ Memorial Day, one might assume that we know the number of annual deaths or that we know the names of those being memorialized. The truth is that we don’t know those things for certain (here are some statistics). There is no standard in this country for reporting these deaths, and in some circumstances the person’s identity is never known. Similarly nebulous are the reasons why families or individuals have lost stable housing. Too often society treats homelessness as a personal failing, even though it is commonly the result of an unexpected job loss, exorbitant medical bills, poor health (injury, illness, or disability), other factors, or a combination of these.

Discussion Questions

• Does your local community have an observance of Homeless Persons’ Memorial Day? (A search of your local news’ websites may yield the answer.) Is this observance something you might attend or help lead?
• On a single night in 2018, there were an estimated 552,830 individuals who were experiencing homelessness in the United States. That number is very close to the total population of Wyoming (estimated population 577,737). Had you ever thought that the number of unhoused people on a given night is equivalent to a state’s population? Considering the temporary nature of some homelessness, try to imagine how many people living today in the United States have ever experienced homelessness.

Second Sunday of Christmas

Jeremiah 31:7-14

Ephesians 1:3-14

John 1:[1-9] 10-18

(Text links are to Oremus Bible Browser. Oremus Bible Browser is not affiliated with or supported by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. You can find the calendar of readings for Year C at Lectionary Readings

For lectionary humor and insight, check the weekly comic Agnus Day.

Gospel Reflection

In verse ten of today’s gospel passage, it says, “He was in the world, and the world came into being through him; yet the world did not know him.” Without giving thought to who the “he” is, try to visualize what each phrase of that verse says. To put it lightly, this verse of scripture is a paradox. When we consider the verse’s implied birthing imagery, it would be as if the mother is located in her own child. That’s paradoxical enough, but the final phrase adds to that paradox by saying that the child did not even know the mother in her. 

The paradox takes on a different light when we consider the subject: the Word of God made flesh, Jesus Christ. Various faiths have a belief that the physical universe came into being as a result of divine action, yet Christianity clings to this paradox: the divine then entered the physical universe. To top it off, the physical universe did not fully know that it was the divine who took on physical flesh. The world overlooked this individual, who is the one through whom the world came into being. 

The Incarnation (the belief of God taking on flesh) is a paradox, yet it is also central to our Christian faith. We shouldn’t, however, leave the Incarnation as an interesting concept for us to ponder. Note that verse 10 finishes with “yet the world did not know him.” This should remind us that the incarnate Word identifies with those whom the world does not know. Namely, those whose humanity often goes overlooked, like unhoused individuals. Centuries ago, Christians saw beggars as those who were closest to God, hence the mendicant response upon receiving gifts of food or money — “God bless you” — was something that Christians actively sought to hear. Although that viewpoint has been lost in time (see Fear of Beggars by Kelly Johnson for why this happened in the church), perhaps finding the incarnate God in unhoused individuals is something inherent to our Christian faith.

Discussion Questions

• How do you respond to the idea that the phrase “God bless you” bears more authority when it comes from the lips of someone who is poor and marginalized than when it comes from the lips of a pastor or bishop?
• John’s gospel doesn’t present a story of Jesus’ birth, although it presents a story of the world’s birth through the Word. In the traditional Nativity story (i.e. Luke’s gospel), what are some elements that depict God’s openness to the poor and marginalized?
• “Yet the world did not know him.” What is it like to be overlooked and not known? Do you find solace in knowing that God is present with you in that experience?

Activity Suggestions

• If your community has an observance of Homeless Persons’ Memorial Day, discuss how you might become involved with it in the future. 
• If your community does not have an observance, what organizations or agencies might you turn to for names of those neighbors who’ve died while unhoused? How might you or your congregation honor their lives?

Closing Praye

Almighty and gracious God, help us to see the needs of the people on our street, in our community, and throughout the world. Kindle in our hearts a love that radiates sympathy, kindness, concern, and generosity to all humans. Amen.

Amy Martinell, Sioux Falls, SD

Warm-up Question

If you or your parents decided to move to another country, how would you feel?  To where would you like to move?

Seeking Safety

Our Bible reading centers on the story of a family having to flee their homes to find safety in another land.  This is still a familiar story for many families today.   Those of us living in the United States are aware of the crisis at our southern border as migrants travel here seeking safety, but all around the world

people are forced to leave their homes hoping to find safety in a foreign land.  The UN reports that in 2019 the number of international migrants reached 272 million.  It is hard to imagine a number that large, let alone realize that large number represents real people, all in need of a safe place to live.  This number has almost doubled in the last ten years and about one in seven or 38 million of these refugees are children under the age of twenty.

Of course, there are many reasons that people flee from their homes—war, persecution, and violence—being among the top reasons, but in one way all people leave their homes for the same reason.  They are risking their lives for the desperate hope that they may find a place to be safe.  It is almost impossible for a child to feel safe without having a place to call home, so in our world right now there are at least 38 million children who are unable to feel safe.

Discussion Questions

• What helps you feel safe in times of fear and worry?
• What emotions do you feel when you think of the migrant crisis?  Guilt? Anger? Confusion? Helplessness?
• Why do you think it is so important to have a place to call home?  When you have been away what do you miss most about your home?
• What makes your home special?

First Sunday of Christmas

Isaiah 63:7-9

Hebrews 2:10-18

Matthew 2:13-23

(Text links are to Oremus Bible Browser. Oremus Bible Browser is not affiliated with or supported by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. You can find the calendar of readings for Year C at Lectionary Readings

For lectionary humor and insight, check the weekly comic Agnus Day.

Gospel Reflection

We have moved quickly from Christmas night and the innocent scene we often imagine when we think of Jesus’ birth.  Jesus is not yet two and he is already facing death threats.  When King Herod meets with the magi and hears they have come to visit the baby born King of the Jews, he is greatly disturbed.  Who is this baby who threatens to take his title of king?  Herod was a ruthless leader who would do anything to keep his power and he became determined to kill baby Jesus before he can be a threat.

An angel directs Joseph, Mary, and Jesus to flee their home and find refuge in Egypt.  The rest of the the male babies in Bethlehem were not as lucky. Herod orders that all male babies under two be put to death in hope of wiping out this baby who may someday become King of the Jews.

During this joyous Christmas season, this story reminds us that things might have been otherwise.  Had it not been for God’s divine protection, fear and violence may have been the end of the story.

There are so many reflections of our world today in this story.  In Jesus’ family traveling to Egypt we see the story of so many displaced people searching for safety.  In Herod’s violent actions, we see the story of so many of our world leaders who are led by fear and make decisions out of self interest that hurt others. In the death of the innocents, we see the story of so many children who have lost their lives to war and violence. Yet, in Jesus’ survival and return to Nazareth we see the beginning of hope for a new story.  We continue to put our hope in our Savior who changes the stories we know: lifting up those who are marginalized and bringing down those who rule with fear.

Discussion Questions

• Why do you think Herod is threatened by Jesus even though he is only a baby?
• When have you made decisions out of fear?  How did that situation go?  When have you made decisions based on hope, how were the results different than decisions made in fear?
• In this story we see God actively taking care of Jesus and his family.  When in your life have you been aware of God’s activity?

Activity Suggestions

• Watch the documentary Warehoused together.  The movie gives an intimate look at the plight long-term refugees face.
• Every community has children who don’t have a safe place to call home.  Look into the services your community offers for children in need of shelter and find ways you can support the work they are doing.

Closing Praye

Loving God,  We give you thanks for the safety and comfort you provide for us.  Empower us to share Christ’s comfort with others.  Amen.

These reflections are a part of ELCA World Hunger’s Sermon Starter series which is published via email every Monday. You can sign up for the weekly email here on the right side of the page. Pastor Tim Brown is the writer of these reflections. Pr. Tim is a Gifts Officer and Mission Ambassador for the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago and a pastor and writer out of Raleigh, NC. You are invited to use the Christmas messages below for personal devotion as well as prompts for sermon writing. 

December 24th- Christmas Eve

Luke 2:1-20

My favorite Nativity scene is sitting on our end table in our living room.

It’s made out of olive wood and the pieces don’t move.  Well, except for one.

That is because it’s a depiction of the stable, Mary, Joseph, baby Jesus in a manger, some shepherds, livestock scattered round and then there are the Magi traveling to see them. And in between the stable scene and the Magi is a huge wall.

It’s like a fence, but solid, and it’s smack dab in the middle of the manger scene.

I bought it from a Palestinian artist who makes these scenes as a real-life depiction of what would happen today if Magi tried to visit Bethlehem: they’d encounter the great wall in Israel that holds Palestine penned in on all sides.

But that wall means other things, too.

It’s indicative of this long spoken-of wall to be built on the southern border of the United States.

It’s indicative of all of the walls that are put up around your dinner table at your holiday gathering between family members who can’t speak to one another due to politics, old wounds, new wounds, perceived slights, real slights…we have many walls.

It’s indicative of all of the walls that the people in your assembly on this Christmas Eve have put up, or have had put up in front of them, which is why they only show up twice a year at best. The church is excellent at building walls, Beloved.

And it’s indicative of the walls of checkbooks we’ve set between us and those experiencing poverty around the world, choosing to send money rather than build relationships. Money is good and necessary; please don’t get me wrong. But relationships change minds and hearts.  And if we’re going to be a world that stops building walls between people, we need to be about building relationships.

In fact, one of the big walls that you, preacher, will have to hurdle on this Christmas Eve is the huge wall of familiarity that most in your pews have with this text!  How do you preach on the same text every year and pull something new from it?

Well, maybe we don’t have to pull something new from it, but, rather, just let it do its thing.

Because God showing up in the person of Jesus is a sign that God is not about walls, but relationships. And God will traverse the cosmos over space, time, and reality to prove it.

I mentioned that, in this Nativity set, there’s only one piece that moves…and it’s the wall.  You can pull it out and set it aside.

Because although we have put up all sorts of walls in our world, real and figurative, God is about breaking down such walls between us, between all creation and between the human and the Divine.

December 25th- Christmas Day

Titus 3:4-7

If, on Christmas Eve, you leaned into the entirety of the Gospel lesson for this festival duo, which I think you should because the majority of the people will only hear the Christmas Eve service, then Christmas Day is the perfect opportunity to do two important things: preach a shorter sermon and focus on the obscure offering from Titus that the Epistle gives us.

Because Titus, a small and largely underutilized Epistle that is shrouded in mystery, gives us a wonderful distillation of Lutheran theology on this Christmas Day.

This day, Christmas Day, is a day to highlight the oppositional nature of this whole Divine experiment that we call the Incarnation.

Human and Divine are opposites, and yet on Christmas, they are fused as one.

We have been trained by society to believe that rewards are given by merit, and yet on Christmas, and in this Titus reading, we are reassured that the gift of salvific love is not something we’ve earned but rather something just freely given.

We have been trained by our world to live off our instincts, instincts which are largely driven by fear.  It’s our evolutionary heritage.  And yet, we learn at Christmas that faith is the opposite of fear and that we need not think the shadows will overtake us because the light of the world is born to us on this day.

We have been trained by our laws that only those who are deserving receive an inheritance. And yet, on Christmas Day we hear that the inheritance of God is ours to have not because we deserved it but because we are so richly loved.

It all sounds so impossible.

As impossible as a baby saving the world.

As impossible as God showing up through the womb of an unwed mother.

As impossible as a tree growing in living rooms.

Christmas is full of impossibilities.  Christmas is full of opposites being forged together into new realities.

It is especially true that, at Christmas, we can conceive of a world where ELCA World Hunger would not be necessary. We have been taught by the world that there are “haves” and “have nots.” But in the promises and living example of a Christ who doled out healing with reckless abandon, who ate with those who couldn’t find a table in reputable society and included those who the world purposefully excluded, we’re invited to believe that just as we’re given God’s grace so freely, we can be agents of that free grace for a world in desperate need of it still today.

This advent reflection is part of ELCA World Hunger’s 2019 Advent Study. You can download the full study here. The children’s messages are a part of ELCA World Hunger’s Sermon Starter series which is published via email every Monday. You can sign up for the weekly email here on the right side of the page. 

Week 4 God is with Us “‘Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel,’ which means, ‘God is with us’” (Matthew 1:23).

 

 

You are loved.

 

 

 

 

 

 

No, really.

 

 

 

 

 

 

That’s it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

That is the message of Advent, Christmas — the entirety of the gospel story, in fact.

 

 

 

 

 

You are loved.

 

 

 

In the baby — whose name shall be Emmanuel, which means “God is with us” — God has drawn near to humanity in familiarity, intimacy and even identity. God has become human, entering into our world and our very existence. And the message God has brought? You are loved.

Two thousand years of Christian history, and yet that basic message has not changed. God has drawn near, and the message brought to all creation is “you are loved.” Scripture is filled with stories of God speaking to God’s people. Sometimes God speaks to them directly. Moses approaches a burning bush and hears God “informing him, ‘I will send you to Pharaoh to bring my people, the Israelites, out of Egypt'” (Exodus 3). In the middle of the night, Samuel hears God calling his name (1 Samuel 3). At other times, God speaks through the prophets to the people.

But here …

in this manger …

in this moment …

on this night …

There is no mountain-splitting, quaking prelude like Elijah heard outside his cave (1 Kings 19). There is no opening in the heavens, no descending Spirit, no voice from the clouds (Luke 3.) The baby in the manger is God’s whispered good news: “You are loved.” In the first session of this study, we read a sampling of modern-day billboards warning us of God’s coming wrath. The writings of our biblical ancestors reflect a similar level of trepidation about the day God would draw near. What judgment might befall them when God arrived? What word might God speak?

In the manger in Bethlehem, God did show up. And the word was “love.”

As gospel people, the church proclaims this message: “You are loved.” Obviously, such a simple message doesn’t give us the directives that are to be taken in the many complex situations in which the church finds itself in daily life. Such a simple message does not give us all that we need to make the many minute decisions that organizations and individuals must make. But it does give us a clear message and identity.

Who is the church? The beloved of God.

Who is my neighbor? The beloved of God.

Who is this stranger in my midst? The beloved of God. 

To be the church, to be people of the gospel, called to spread the good news, is to ensure that every person we encounter leaves knowing they are loved. To be “evangelical” is to be sharers of the good news – and that good news is that we are loved by the very creator of the universe.

This almost seems too simple, and in some ways, it might be. But how often does the message the world sends us undermine our confidence in this message? How often are we told that we must make ourselves lovable enough, work hard enough, look good enough, decide wisely enough, or behave appropriately enough to merit the concern or consideration of others around us? The church has a different message: You are loved because the One who created you has marked you as loved. Christ-centered ministries have this message of Christ at their heart.

Rain or shine, the East Boston Community Soup Kitchen opens each Tuesday without fail, serving up nutritious fare — with an extra helping of love — from the basement of Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church. Volunteers offer weekly breakfast, lunch and dinner to more than a hundred guests, many of whom face the challenges of poverty and addiction. Guests can also pick up hygiene kits or a set of clean clothes and access social services.

“This space is where we all come together and treat each other with love, with that respect and dignity that we all like to receive,” says Sandra Aleman-Nijjar, the kitchen’s lead volunteer. “We give that to everyone that walks through those doors.” Eddie, one of the guests at East Boston, knows this to be the case. Having lived on the streets since he was 18, Eddie calls the ministry “my home,” a place of belonging and acceptance where his needs — physical, spiritual and emotional — are met. “He feels loved, that someone cares,” says Sandra. “You can see it in [each of] them, that sense of belonging, that sense of acceptance. That someone cares about them, that someone is watching and looking out for their well-being.”

To be “evangelical” is not merely to share the basic facts about faith but to live out a faith that assures us — and our neighbors — that we are loved. For guests at the East Boston Community Soup Kitchen, that means that every plate of food served is a form of evangelism, a way of sharing the good news that is the very message of “Emmanuel”: you are loved.

God’s love calls us to active love and service of one another. Authentic love — the love God shows through Christ — sets tables where all are welcome, calls religious and political leaders to repentance for their treatment of neighbors facing poverty or vulnerability, and testifies to new life in the face of death-dealing powers. It is not merely a word spoken but a life lived, walking with and standing by our neighbors.

This is the Promised One we have been waiting for, and this is the message we have been longing to hear. Through Mary and Joseph’s journey to Bethlehem, through John the Baptist’s hours of ministry at the Jordan, through our expectant longing in Advent — this is the message we have been waiting for. And the message many of our neighbors continue to pine for.

 

You are loved.

Now, love one another.

Reflection Questions

1. When during this season have you felt loved?
2. How does your congregation share the message “you are loved” with neighbors in your community?
3. Watch ELCA World Hunger’s video “East Boston Community Soup Kitchen” at https://vimeo.com/293599869. How does the ministry in East Boston help guests feel “that sense of belonging, that sense of acceptance”?

Children’s Message

Pastor Tim Brown is the writer of this Advent children’s message. Pr. Tim is a Gifts Officer and Mission Ambassador for the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago and a pastor and writer out of Raleigh, NC. This Advent Children’s Message is cross-posted from ELCA World Hunger Sermon Starters. 

Set-up:

The season’s texts provide the leader with an opportunity to practice Advent anticipation, and each children’s message with grow week to week until Christmas Eve/Christmas Day.

This is the last week, and there should be a small box with a pocket mirror inside. A large yellow star should be on the outside of this small box, with the poem below printed on it.

Script:

Invite the youth to come forward.   

“Look here, folks, I have that final box here, and I can tell there are things inside of this one, too. How can I tell?  Just listen!” Shake the box “Now, remember what was inside of last week’s box? Right!  Band-Aids. And what did we do with those Band-Aids? Right, we gave them away as reminders that God invites us to heal the world.  Some of those people out there even put them on. What do you think is in this box?” Field answers as time allows “Could be any of those things! But look, on here is also a yellow star.  Ah, look, here’s a poem on the yellow star. Can someone read it?” If the youth are too young or too shy to read, go ahead and read it aloud:

“The baby is coming soon

And we’re dreaming of the child

And the night will arrive

So meek and so mild

But until then God’s dream

Is for someone else to be a life-changer

We don’t need to wait for the babe in the manger!

And just who should it be?

Open me up to see…

Should we open it and see what’s inside?” Open the box dramatically. If it has a lid, unveil it with panache. If it is sealed in wrapping paper, invite the youth to help you tear it open. Show the box with the mirror inside.

“Wow, a mirror. ‘But until then God’s dream/is for someone else to be a life-changer/we don’t need to wait for the babe in the manger/and just who should it be? Open me up to see…’ Who do you all see? Hold up the mirror.

“Yes!  It’s you. You are the one God is dreaming of who will start the change the world. And we can change the world by giving our gifts to help those who don’t have much, by being a good friend at school to kids who are picked on, by making meals and sharing it with our neighbors. Who else can think of a way we can start to change the world?” Field answers as time allows.

“But, there’s one more thing, come close! Make sure your mic is off “Those people out there? They need to start changing the world, too. So, I want you to go ask them a question, an important question this Christmas. Ask them how they will change the world this Christmas. Say, “How will you change the world this Christmas?”

Go ask them. And if anyone gives you an answer, come back and tell me. You can tell me now or after church. Ready? Go!”

By Rebecca Anderson, Intern at the Lutheran Office for World Community*

According to the International Organization of Migration, today there are an estimated 271.6 million migrants globally. While migrants are not inherently vulnerable, they can be vulnerable to human rights violations, observes the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner on Human Rights (OHCHR). It is imperative to protect their human rights.**

Migrants are forced to move for various reasons: governmental oppression, war, famine, climate change and better employment or educational opportunities. The list goes on. Of the 272 million international migrants, United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs 2019 data indicates one in seven migrants are below the age of 20, with Sub-Saharan Africa hosting the highest proportions followed by Latin America and the Caribbean, West Africa and North Africa. In these age groups, the dangers of human rights violations are exponentially increased due to vulnerability factors such as education disruptions, food insecurity and sexual violence.

Fatou “Toufah” Jallow, a 23-year-old activist from The Gambia, left her home country temporarily to retain her safety after experiencing sexual violence until she could return to seek justice. She spoke of her experience on a youth delegate panel I heard at “Celebrating Human Rights Day: Youth standing up for human rights” hosted on Dec. 10*** by OHCHR. In his introductory remarks at the event, Assistant Secretary-General Andrew Gilmour spoke to the “sustained and sometimes ferocious pushback against the entire global human rights agenda that we haven’t seen before.” He highlighted growing “hate speech and prejudice” towards migrants and minorities.

Migration also has gender dimensions that must be considered. In a 2019 report by the Special Rapporteur on the human rights of migrants to the Human Rights Council, Felipe González Morales emphasized this and highlighted the need for migration to be understood as a “gendered phenomenon,” enabling member states to better protect the rights of migrant women and girls from gender-based discrimination, abuse and violations at each stage of their journey. Migrants need ensured access to basic services – education, health, water, sanitation and hygiene – and social protection.

As Christians, we all have a common identity as children of a loving God who calls us to reflect love outwards, acting in compassion for our fellow neighbor. The ELCA and Lutheran World Federation (LWF) have been welcoming migrants and refugees for decades. During the negotiations for the New York Declaration for Refugees and Migrants and the Global Compact for Migration (GCM), Lutheran Office for World Community championed migrant human rights. We are members of the NGO Committee on Migration and the Civil Society Action Committee that monitor UN events and meetings on migration and advocate for the full implementation of the GCM and the Sustainable Development Goals.

Migrants are our sisters and brothers in need of our compassion both as individuals and as a community. As Lutherans, we work with migrants from all around the world with aid, respect and inclusivity. We extend our embrace to those of us who must flee from dangerous situations or seek out a better life for themselves and their loved ones. Migrants deserve a life of dignity and freedom to enjoy their inalienable human rights as enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

* The Lutheran Office for World Community is a joint ministry of the ELCA and LWF. Staff actively participate together with other Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) in various UN meetings and consultations.

** Read more in the ELCA social message on “Human Rights” which notes that “staggering numbers of God’s children have not experienced [human rights] advancement” (page 1).

*** Human Rights Day is observed annually on December 10 to celebrate the anniversary of the General Assembly’s adoption in 1948 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. This momentous document sets out fundamental universal human rights that are to be protected worldwide regardless of race, ethnicity or culture.

by Rev. Antoinette Robinson, Peace Lutheran Church, Memphis

Peace Lutheran Church, Memphis, formed Trinity Ministries in partnership with two other local churches to serve the Great Commission of God: To go out serve the Lord in the community, taking God’s love, through Jesus Christ, to bring hope, joy and love to people who have fallen into the pits of life and whom the world has discarded.

It was through Trinity Ministries, more than 10 years ago, that Peace Lutheran Church joined hands with Carpenter’s House, of Room in the Inn – Memphis, an ecumenical ministry that serves people experiencing homelessness. Room in the Inn partners with churches all over the city to provide hot meals, warm beds, showers, clean underwear, T-shirts and clothes, as needed. Through this partnership, Peace Lutheran Church provides overnight shelter for more than a dozen people one night per week from November through March.

Serving up encouragement

Keith found hope through the ministries of Peace Lutheran Church, Memphis.

We met Keith one night. He was homeless and hopeless. He had given up on himself. He was invited — along with all the guests that night — to join us at Monday / Wednesday Lunches being served each week at Peace Lutheran. Keith said he was encouraged to come to the lunch because of how the people treated him during his overnight stay at Peace Lutheran.

Keith continued to sign up for “room in the inn” through Carpenter’s House, requesting to come back to Peace Lutheran Church every Friday during the winter season. Keith said, “I was encouraged not to give up on myself, to see that God has greater things for me to do with my life. God’s love for me was shared every time I came to eat lunch with the community.”

Keith got a job working at night, so he would come to lunch every Monday and Wednesday so we could fix him a take-out lunch for dinner that night at work. From there he was given housing through Carpenter’s House. He continued to come and volunteer to clean up and do whatever Peace Lutheran needed to be done. Keith started donating to the ministry by works, and funds, as available. Keith is in his twenties and looks forward to living a life with his wife and daughter.

Spreading God’s love, reviving hope in Memphis

Trinity Ministries continues to spread the love of God throughout the community. Just 10 years ago, people in the neighborhoods around Peace Lutheran Church didn’t know what being Lutheran means. Now Lutherans are known as Christians doing God’s will – reviving hope – in the community of Memphis. We serve with the support of all the Lutheran churches around the Memphis area as well as Methodist, Presbyterian and nondenominational churches; the Vollintine Evergreen Community Association neighborhood organization; Girl Scouts; and a host of individuals.

Future programs will be children’s church on Tuesday afternoons for the children to enjoy story time, crafts, and dinner, and to explore their God-given talents. Trinity Ministries is needed in the community to continue to lift Christ’s love and acceptance.

The Rev. Antoinette (“Tonie”) Robinson is pastor at Peace Lutheran Church, Memphis. She is also a leader of the Homeless and Justice Ministries Network of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. This network provides strategic leadership and resources to ministries across the country to walk with the marginalized — those who struggle with homelessness, poverty, mental illness, reentry and addiction — to share the good news of Jesus Christ with people wherever they are. Learn more about Peace Lutheran Church’s outreach ministries. Learn more about the Homeless and Justice Network of the ELCA.

edited by Kris A. Mainellis, Program Director for Communication and Events, Congregational Vitality

John Wertz, Blacksburg, VA

Warm-up 

Tell the group that today they are going to learn a magic trick.  Pick one of the simple tricks from these websites or share one you know.

https://www.care.com/c/stories/4051/easy-magic-tricks-for-kids/

https://www.lifehack.org/323348/8-easy-magic-tricks-for-you-show-off-parties

When the Impossible Happens

When the men’s basketball team from Stephen F. Austin arrived in Durham, NC on November 26, 2019 to play the number one ranked Duke Blue Devils, no one outside of Stephen F. Austin’s players and fans expected the game to be close.  According to the experts, Duke was a 27.5 point favorite in the game.  For the Duke fans gathering that night, it was supposed to be an opportunity to see their team extend their 150-game winning streak at home against non-conference opponents.  For the Stephen F. Austin fans, it was supposed to be an opportunity to see their team play in a historic arena.  What fans of both teams witnessed, however, was far from what they expected.

From the opening tip, the older, more experienced team from Stephen F. Austin played with confidence.  Each time that Duke got a lead, Stephen F. Austin’s team rallied to keep the game close.  Duke held a five-point lead at halftime, but as the second half began, it quickly became obvious that the young Duke players were feeling the pressure.  Missed shots and missed free throws came in bunches.  The teams traded baskets and with 19 seconds left in the game, Gavin Kemsmil from Stephen F. Austin made a basket to send the game into overtime. In overtime, both teams struggled to score, but with the game tied 83 to 83 and 15 seconds left, Duke had the ball and a chance to win the game.  In the previous 150 straight games at home against non-conference foes like Stephen F. Austin, Duke had always made that shot that they needed and won the game.  On this night, the shot bounced off the rim.  The rebound slipped onto the floor and rolled to a Stephen F. Austin player who threw it to Matthew Bain.  Bain raced the length of the court and laid the ball in the basket right in front of the Stephen F. Austin bench just before the clock struck zero.

As the final score appeared on the scoreboard, Duke fans stood in stunned silence and the small group of Stephen F. Austin fans and players erupted with joy and amazement.  This team of junior college transfers and players most people had never heard of pulled off the biggest statistical upset in NCAA basketball in the last 15 years.  They defeated the number one team in college basketball.  They ended Duke’s 150-game home winning streak, a streak which began in 2000 when Duke beat Stephen F. Austin.  As the season continues, both teams will have their share of wins and losses, but on that night in Durham, NC, the players from Stephen F. Austin proved to themselves and to others that sometimes the impossible really is possible.   

Discussion Questions

• How do you think you would have felt if you had been on Stephen F. Austin’s team at the end of game?
• Share a time that you were able to accomplish something that you didn’t think you’d be able to do.

Fourth Sunday of Advent

Isaiah 7:10-16

Romans 1:1-7

Matthew 1:18-25

(Text links are to Oremus Bible Browser. Oremus Bible Browser is not affiliated with or supported by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. You can find the calendar of readings for Year C at Lectionary Readings

For lectionary humor and insight, check the weekly comic Agnus Day.

Gospel Reflection

For Joseph, the news that Jesus was to be born of Mary was not particularly good news.  Since Joseph wasn’t the father of the baby, you can imagine that he might be hurt and upset by the news.  The Gospel of Matthew says that Joseph was a good man and that he decided to handle things quietly and make this uncomfortable mess go away.   A dream, however, changed his mind.

Many folks today ignore their dreams or at best find their dreams to be a curiosity that provides reflection on their life, but when an angel appeared to Joseph in a dream, he didn’t ignore it.  The angel said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.  She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins” (Mt 1:20-21).  Joseph heard God’s Word revealed in this dream and he listened.  “Joseph awoke from sleep, [and] he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him” (Mt 1:24).

Joseph listened.  Joseph believed the unbelievable.  Joseph heard the angel speak to him in a dream and accepted this unexpected news about Mary.  He couldn’t prove what the angel told him was true.  He couldn’t double-check or verify the information.  With the help of the Holy Spirit, he believed, based on his experience of God that night, on his knowledge of what God had done in the past, and on his understanding of what God was doing and had promised to do in the future.

Now to be sure, there are folks in this world who will say the whole story of Mary, Joseph, and Jesus is impossible to believe, but sometimes what seems impossible and unbelievable is in fact possible and believable.  Sometimes the 27.5 point underdog wins the game.  Sometimes there isn’t a logical explanation for what happens and sometimes God speaks to us in unexpected ways.  

In our world where it can be hard to know what is true and what isn’t true, Joseph’s faithfulness offers a helpful example of what it looks like to believe when believing is hard.  We may not receive a visit by an angel in a dream, but with the help of the Holy Spirit, we, like Joseph, can respond to God’s Word with belief.  We, like Joseph, can draw on the stories of God’s presence with God’s people in the past as examples of God’s enduring faithfulness to us.  We, like Joseph, can take a leap of faith and believe that God is active in our lives and in the world.

Discussion Questions

• How do you think you would have responded if you were in Joseph’s place?
• Other than the story of Mary, Joseph, and Jesus, what other Bible stories help you to see that God loves and cares for God’s people?  
• Where have you seen God active in your life or your community this week?

Activity Suggestions

• Invite someone from the congregation or community to share their faith story with the group.
• As a group, talk about Joseph’s response to his dream and his openness to listening to God in his dream.  Work together to write an evening prayer the group can use before going to sleep.  Share the prayer with the congregation.

Closing Praye

Open our hearts, O God, to experience your love for us.  Open our eyes to see the ways you are active in the world around us.  Open our ears to hear your call to be your heart, hands and voices in the world.  Helps us to know that you are with us in all that is and all that will be. Amen.

This advent reflection is part of ELCA World Hunger’s 2019 Advent Study. You can download the full study here. The children’s messages are a part of ELCA World Hunger’s Sermon Starter series which is published via email every Monday. You can sign up for the weekly email here on the right side of the page. 

Week 3 Signs of the Promise “[John the Baptist’s disciples said to Jesus,] ‘Are you the one who is to come, or are we to wait for another?’ Jesus answered them, ‘Go and tell John what you hear and see: the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have good news brought to them’”
(Matthew 11:3-5). 

At only 17, Dawit (not his real name) has already faced a long and harrowing journey. He was born in Eritrea, and in 2017, he and his brother escaped lifelong military service by crossing into neighboring Sudan. On the border, they were intercepted by a group of traffickers. Dawit’s brother escaped, but Dawit was held by the traffickers for almost nine months and regularly threatened and beaten while they demanded money.

Eventually, Sudanese police raided the traffickers’ camp and took Dawit to a hospital in Khartoum, where he found his brother again. During their initial journey, Dawit had broken his leg while jumping out of a car. Although he had surgery in Khartoum, it was too late to fully repair the damage to his leg, and he can no longer put any weight on it.

In 2018, Dawit arrived in Cairo, Egypt, and connected with St. Andrew’s Refugee Services (StARS), which is supported by ELCA World Hunger. StARS provided Dawit with a caseworker and helped him meet other immediate needs, such as food, hygiene supplies and, importantly, medical care. StARS also connected him to Doctors Without Borders (Médecins Sans Frontières), which is helping provide Dawit with psychological care and support.

Eritrea, Sudan, Egypt. Dawit’s story, like many of the stories of our siblings in Christ around the world, can seem so far away from communities in North America. Even within our own geographic region, communities can seem farther apart than the miles may suggest. Maybe it is the divide between rural and urban cities, or the gulf between affluent areas and areas facing disinvestment and job loss.

Of course, the distance between our communities belies the reality that, as a global community, we share many of the same challenges. Human trafficking, such as Dawit faced, is “a global phenomenon to which no country is immune,” according to a 2018 report from the U.S. Department of State. And research reminds us that even the most affluent counties in the United States are home to people facing food insecurity and challenges with access to housing.

Yet, it is not merely our shared problems that connect us. This season of Advent, the Scripture readings remind us that, in Christ, God has drawn near to us and to our neighbors. As God draws near to us, we, too, are drawn near to each other — in hope, in faith and in our mutual need.

Seeing this is easier now than it was for the followers of John the Baptist. Jesus was, by no means, the first to be considered (or to declare himself) the Promised One sent by God. So perhaps no one should be surprised that John and his followers were a bit suspicious. “Are we to wait for another?” is the question of those who have long awaited the Messiah — and may likely have been disappointed before. This isn’t the pleading of the psalmist crying, “How long, Lord?” but the cynical question of the skeptic whose faith is sure but whose trust must be earned.

And to some extent, this is our question, too. How do we know that God has drawn near? How can we be certain that the Messiah has come? In our day, we are confronted with promises of salvation from every quarter. Commercials and mass media hold out the pursuit of wealth as the path to new life. Social media seem to suggest that our lives will be transformed once we get enough “likes” or followers. For victims of human trafficking such as Dawit, the promises are more nefarious. Many victims were first lured by their traffickers with promises of resettlement in a new, safe country. Or they were deceived by promises of stable employment.

Jesus understands the skepticism of the question. In response, he shares with John’s followers the evidence he knows will convince the Baptizer: “The blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have good news brought to them.” Echoing the prophecies of Isaiah, Jesus makes clear the signs of the Messiah’s coming, signs John the Baptist would seem to recognize: healing, restoration and hope. John the Baptist can trust that the one interrogated by his followers is the One sent by God because following in Jesus’ wake are those characteristics of God’s transformation of the world: healing, restoration and hope.

As we look for the promise of God in our midst, we are called to look for those signs of healing (physical and spiritual), restoration (of relationships with God and neighbor), and hope (for those who are poor or vulnerable). Our shared need for each of these is what draws us together with neighbors near and far as we long together for the transformation of the world. And make no mistake, God is with us in our need as well.

We are united in our common need with neighbors around the world. And yet, the miles are bridged by something greater — our shared participation in the promise God is unfolding in our world. The vocation to be a healing, reconciling, hopeful presence in the world is shared across the church universal in every community. United in trust that God is at work transforming the world, the church is called to participate in the signs that inspired the confidence of John and his followers — and inspires the confidence of our neighbors and ourselves today.

To share in the stories of neighbors near and far is to share in the work God is doing through them in the world. It is to seek together — and to be, together — those signs of healing, restoration and hope. In Advent, the expectant longing gives way to bold confidence that God is at work, revealing the promise that all shall be well and drawing us together in mutual need and mutual hope.

There may be much that separates us, but the promise that unites us can bridge any divide.

Reflection Questions

1. What experiences have reassured your faith that God is at
   work in the world?
2. Why is it important for the church, as the people of God, to
   help neighbors such as Dawit meet their needs for healing
   and care?
3. Where do you see God’s promise taking root in your
   community?

Children’s Message

Pastor Tim Brown is the writer of this Advent children’s message. Pr. Tim is a Gifts Officer and Mission Ambassador for the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago and a pastor and writer out of Raleigh, NC. This Advent Children’s Message is cross-posted from ELCA World Hunger Sermon Starters. 

Set-Up:

The season’s texts provide the leader with an opportunity to practice Advent anticipation, and each children’s message with grow week to week until Christmas Eve/Christmas Day.

As with last week, make sure this week’s box includes the smaller box surrounded by Band-Aids, one inside the other, like nesting dolls. 

Inside the smallest box should be a pocket mirror. Draw a large yellow star on the outside of this smallest box.  On today’s box draw a large red cross on it like an Emergency Aid kit, and tape one of the ELCA Good Gifts cards to the top.  You can find them here: http://bit.ly/33gC1kQ.

Script:

Invite the children to come forward.   

“Look here, folks, I have that other box here, and I can tell there are things inside of this one, too.  How can I tell?  Just listen!” Shake the box. “Now, remember what was inside of last week’s box?  Right!  Stickers.  And what did we do with those stickers?  Right, we gave them away as gifts of love. What do you think is in this box?” Field answers as time allows. “Could be any of those things!  But look, on here is also a red cross.  Has anyone seen anything like this before?  Where?” Field answers as time allows. “Right.  On hospitals and ambulances and first-aid kits.”

“You know, we all have built-in first-aid kits.  Want to see one?” Hold up your hands. “Yes, I know, these look just like hands.  But they’re more than that.  With hands like these we’re given the ability to help and heal others.  We can work, and through that work, we can offer help to others.  Hmmm…let me try to explain a little clearer.   Ah, look, here’s a card near this red cross. Can someone read it?”   If the youth are too young or too shy to read, go ahead and read it aloud:

“This is a card from ELCA Good Gifts, where people can buy animals, seeds, or other goods for people all around the world.  We work with our hands, and with the money we get for our work, we’re able to buy these gifts to bless others.  In this way, we help people who don’t even know to live well!  Should we open it and see what’s inside?”  Open the box dramatically.  If it has a lid, unveil it with panache.  If it is sealed in wrapping paper, invite the youth to help you tear it open. Show the box full of Band-Aids, and the other box inside.

“Wow, there’s a bunch of Band-Aids in here, along with another box.  This other box we can’t open until next week, I think, but what do we do with these Band-Aids?” Pretend to think.

“Wait, I have an idea!  Come in close.” Invite the youth forward and turn off your mic. “Go and give a Band-Aid to someone out there and say to them ‘God helps us help others.’.  Make it someone you don’t even know!  If they’re brave, they’ll even put it on today!  Go and remind them that God invites us to help others, and next week we’ll see if God has a new surprise for us in this other box.  Are you ready?  Go!”

As they give out the Band-Aids, you can make a general announcement about ELCA Good Gifts to the whole assembly and invite them to learn more by placing a bulletin insert in their hands, or point them to the ELCA World Hunger website.

Pastor Joseph Castañeda Carrera (shown second from left), with members of the ADORE LA faith community.

ADORE LA is seeking new and creative ways to do church in the city of Los Angeles. This LGBTQIA+ faith community outside of Hollywood is passionately living out their mission: “Gather as we are. Reclaim faith for everyone, anywhere.”

What started as an idea to reach out to queer and trans people of color for Joseph Castañeda Carrera turned into a mission to grow a vital faith community. Launched in 2017, ADORE LA is a Synod Authorized Worshiping Community (SAWC) developed in partnership with the Congregational Vitality team at the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and the Southwest California Synod.

This partnership helped Castañeda Carrera make a dream reality. It is a dream held in common with many in LA — to grow an inclusive, God-centered community “driven and led by people of color and queer folks.”

As mission developer pastor for ADORE LA, Castañeda Carrera self-describes as, “a queer man of color, a husband, a son of both an immigrant and a fourth-generation parent of Mexican heritage, an artist and an outdoor enthusiast.” Castañeda Carrera is “a SoCal-rooted pastor who is passionate about sharing a loving and liberating God, reclaiming faith with queer people, undoing religious hurt and connecting with others on a journey struggle and faith.” This diverse perspective and passion are what motivate Castañeda Carrera to empower leaders who want to strengthen their walk with God.

Creative practice

ADORE LA places a strong emphasis on doing church outside church walls — experiencing God in unconventional ways. Castañeda Carrera explains: “We try to create our gatherings where people already are and bring liturgy there.” One way they do this is through ADORE Hike. On select weekends, a group gathers for a hike intentionally centered on personal reflection and community. On the hike up, they will spend time praying for things pressing on their hearts; at the top, they will share communion; and on the hike down, they will prepare to go into the world and love God well.

Other ministry initiatives are held in a public or shared space, such as ADORE Brunch or Worship Lab. As a result of this visible display of community, “People can walk up to us because they are so curious about our faith. We should bring our love for God outside of closed doors.” Encouraging this creative practice is what makes ADORE LA unique.

Creative space

Castañeda Carrera is focused on making space for an authentic liberating theology, with a goal to heal the hurt caused by the church. ADORE LA’s core values underscore this commitment, including love, truth, inclusivity, creativity and authenticity. “I may spend the rest of my life undoing the pain that the church has done in the past,” Castañeda Carrera explained. Yet, for the LGBTQIA+ community, “it is a matter of feeling brave in these church spaces that gives people the confidence to live out their faith in a profound way.” ADORE LA chooses to walk alongside people in this process and provide a community of love that is needed for any follower of Christ. Visit http://adorela.org/adorela to learn more.

by Blake Thomas, Congregational Vitality

edited by Kris A. Mainellis, Program Director for Communication and Events, Congregational Vitality

By guest blogger the Rev. Kaari Reierson, contractor for ELCA corporate social responsibility program

Many of us have money socked away in pension funds, saved for education or invested for retirement. We probably thought pretty hard while we were saving that money, but how much do we know about where it is now? What do these investments produce and by what means? Through pension funds or personal investments, we may be supporting corporations which act in good faith and employ best practices, and we may be supporting business activities which harm people and the environment.

Personal ownership of shares gives you economic power as an investor and opportunity for exercising stewardship.

“The biblical understanding of stewardship is that what we have does not ultimately belong to us. We are called to be stewards of what God has given for the sake of all. This stewardship includes holding economic, political, and social processes and institutions responsible for producing and distributing what is needed for sufficiency for all.” ELCA social statement on Sufficient, Sustainable Livelihood for All, page 11

Shareholder votes can encourage best practices by corporations, affirming good corporate citizenship and forward-thinking financial decisions. The next time your shareholder resolutions arrive, look closely. Are there requests for reports from the board that seem fair and reasonable? Are there requests that the governance of a corporation be inclusive and transparent?

The Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) program of the ELCA encourages corporations through shareholder and other activity to act in socially and environmentally responsible ways.

CSR develops standards for individual and institutional investors that align with ELCA social teaching. There are some products and services the ELCA advises against investing in at all because of the harm they inflict on people and the environment. CSR maintains investment screens found from elca.org/csr regarding: alcohol, community development, the environment, gambling, military weapons, political and civil human rights, pornography, private prisons and tobacco. CSR issue papers explore social issues as they pertain to corporate behavior and illustrate the kinds of shareholder resolutions that ELCA social teaching could support, which can also be found from elca.org/csr.

Portico Benefit Services, which provides retirement, health and related benefits for those who serve through the ELCA, offers Social Purpose funds that are invested in line with the ELCA’s mission.* Through ownership of stocks, Portico signs on to shareholder resolutions, issues its own requests to the Boards of Directors and participates in corporate dialogues.

Stewardship means using all we have been given for the good of all. The CSR program does this on behalf of the ELCA. CSR tools, including the new CSR Overview resource, can help you do this for yourself as well.

* Before investing in any fund, you should carefully consider its target asset allocations, investment objectives, risks, charge and expenses. All funds, including ELCA funds, are subject to risk and uncertainty. Past performance cannot be used to predict future performance. ELCA funds are not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. Fund assets are invested in multiple sectors of the market. Some sectors may perform below expectations and lose money over short or extended periods. See the ELCA Investment Fund Descriptions for more information about our funds.

Neither Portico Benefit Services nor the funds it manages are subject to registration, regulation or reporting under the Investment Company Act of 1940, the Securities Act of 1933, the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 or state securities laws. Members, therefore, will not be afforded the protections of those laws and related regulations.