At the beginning of a New Year, a high school principal decided to post his teachers’ New Year’s resolutions on the bulletin board. As the teachers gathered around the bulletin board, a great commotion started. One of the teachers was complaining. “Why weren’t my resolutions posted?” She was throwing such a temper tantrum that the principal hurried to his office to see if he had
overlooked her resolutions. Sure enough, he had mislaid them on his desk. As he read her resolutions he was astounded. This teacher’s first resolution was not to let little things upset her in the New Year.

I don’t know how you are doing on your New Year’s resolutions. I do know something that is more important than resolutions, though. How do you see this New Year? Is it one that you approach with anxiety or anticipation? We can take our cues from scripture.

Here’s a list of Christian Resolutions for the New Year:

Like Paul, forget those things which are behind and press forward.

Like David, lift up my eyes to the hills from which my help comes.

Like Abraham, trust my God implicitly.

Like Enoch, walk in daily fellowship with my heavenly Father.

Like Moses, suffer rather than enjoy the pleasures of sin for a time.

Like Job, be patient and faithful in all circumstances.

Like Joseph, turn my back on all evil advances.

Like Gideon, advance even when my friends are few.

Like Andrew, strive to lead my brother to Christ.

Not a bad list, wouldn’t you say? We have suffered much in 2020. With God’s help may we face 2021 with love, compassion, courage and anticipation.

Blessings, Pastor Cory

Dear friends, as we enter into the Season of Advent, preparing for the coming of the Christ-child, can we resist the temptation to cram as many activities, parties, shopping, etc…while leaving little time for God.
Our excuse is always (not just during Advent) I just don’t have the time.

The New Testament uses two different words for time. God operates in kairos, a Greek word which means the “fullness of time.” We operate in chronos, the Greek word which means the passage of minutes, days, years, centuries, and even millenniums.

For example: Mary did not give birth to Jesus on December 25 at 12:06 a.m. (chronos) as we are prone to say in our society when a baby is born. Rather, the Bible says it happened when (kairos) “the time came for her to be delivered” (i.e., the “fullness of time” for her pregnancy).

The opening words of John’s Gospel couldn’t be more appropriate for the first Sunday of a new year. If our New Year celebrations are about finding meaning in the passage of time, John starts his Gospel by taking us back to the beginning of time.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (John 1:1)

I found a version of the 23rd Psalm that ought to be mandatory reading each day of Advent, and a unison reading each Advent Sunday.

The Lord is my pace setter . . .I shall not rush

He makes me stop for quiet intervals

He provides me with images of stillness which restore my serenity

He leads me in the way of efficiency through calmness of mind and his guidance is peace

Even though I have a great many things to accomplish each day, I will not fret, for his presence is here

His timelessness, his all importance will keep me in balance

He prepares refreshment and renewal in the midst of my activity by anointing my mind with his oils of tranquility

My cup of joyous energy overflows

Truly harmony and effectiveness shall be the fruits of my hours for I shall walk in the Pace of my Lord and dwell in his house for ever.

I was often reminded by a Pastor/Mentor/Friend of mine that time isn’t something we “have” or “don’t have,” rather it is something we take. It all depends on our priorities. This Advent season, as we prepare ourselves for Jesus’ miraculous birth, simply give others a bit of yourself; a thoughtful act, a helpful idea, a word of appreciation, a lift over a rough spot, a sense of understanding, a timely suggestion. We all have time for that. Take something out of your mind, garnished in kindness out of your heart, and put it
into the other fellow’s mind and heart. Take time to share God’s love.

Pastor Cory

November brings us to the beginnings of the holiday season. Thanksgiving is just around the corner.

In one of my favorite Peanuts comic strips, Lucy’s feeling sorry for herself and she laments, “My life is a drag. I’m completely fed up. I’ve never felt so low in my life.”

Her little brother Linus tries to console her and he says, “Lucy, when you’re in a mood like this, you should try to think of things you have to be thankful for; in other words, count your blessings.”

To that, Lucy says, “Ha! That’s a good one! I could count my blessings on one finger! I’ve never had anything and I never will have anything. I don’t get half the breaks that other people do. Nothing ever goes right for me! And you talk about counting blessings! You talk about being thankful! What do I have to be thankful for?”

Linus says, “Well, for one thing, you have a little brother who loves you.”

With that, Lucy runs and hugs little brother Linus as she cries tears of joy, and while she’s hugging him tightly, Linus says, “Every now and then, I say the right thing.”

There is a story of a teenager and his very first job in a small-town general store. This was the day before malls and supermarket chains when the General Store was in every small town and in most  neighborhoods in large cities. At age thirteen he was hired as a handy boy. He would sweep the floor, bag items for customers, put up stock. On one particular Saturday, he recalled, he heard the owner say to one of the clerks “It’s that time of the year again, it’s time to take inventory.” The boy had never heard the word, “inventory” before. When an opportune moment arrived, he went up to the kindly owner and asked, Sir, what is an inventory? Patiently the owner explained that it was a time when you made a list of everything that you had from groceries on the shelves to wrapping paper and string. Still somewhat puzzled, the young man then asked, Why?

“Well,” responded the owner, “it’s easy to forget exactly how much you have each year. Every now and then you have to take an inventory just to see what all you have.”

That little story, to me, pretty well sums up what Thanksgiving is all about. It is a time when each of us needs to ask ourselves the question: Have I taken inventory of my life lately? Have I made an effort to count all the things that I do have in life instead of complaining about the things that I don’t have? It is a good exercise especially when we are of a mind to brood or whine in self-pity. Have you taken inventory lately?

What I am suggesting here is not some shallow “count your blessings” platitude. But from time to time, in a genuine kind of a way, we need to sit down and do some talking to ourselves about all of the gifts and opportunities and challenges that God has given each one of us. Perhaps there is a deep underlying wisdom in the children’s poem that says: “Count your blessings one by one, and you might be surprised what the Lord has done.”

Right now, like Linus in the comic strip above, I’m going to say the right thing to you: We have a God who loves us. If that doesn’t make us sing a song of  Thanksgiving, I don’t know what would.

Thanksgiving blessings to you all!

Pastor Cory

My Dear Ones,

Have you ever felt called by God for some kind of service? We are all called by God to do something, and once we’ve followed God’s call and accomplished whatever it was, we are
called for something else. How have you responded? How do you respond today?

Every now and then, someone does respond in a radical and unexpected way. I was reading a story that Dr. Fred Craddock tells of a medical student who heard the call and made a radical response. A young woman came to him after hearing his sermon he preached that Sunday morning. She had decided to leave medical school and go to work among migrant workers in the Rio Grande Valley. Dr. Craddock did not manipulate her unexpected response. Instead, they talked for a long time about the meaning of her decision. Her parents were, understandably, furious with the new direction her life had taken. Like those fishermen whom Jesus called, she heard the call and she stayed with it.

And there have been others. People in the western tradition have long known about Francis of Assisi. He turned from a life of luxury to one of voluntary poverty with the intention of sharing his possessions with the poor. He became an example to his fellow townspeople of the biblical assurance that God can provide.

Likewise, Elizabeth Gurney Fry who lived in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, exemplified an emphasis on living by Jesus’ example. In addition to raising a large family, this wife of a wealthy London merchant single-handedly initiated, and caused the implementation of, efforts to reform the prison system in England. These reforms spread throughout the continent even during her lifetime.

Similarly, in the United States, Dorothea Lynde Dix in the 19th century spearheaded the movement for the establishment of hospitals for the mentally ill, who were, at the time, being held in prisons. These people have admonished us to see Christ in  our neighbors and to serve all who are in need. In these people and in many others, we see an example of people “leaving their nets” to follow.

One business person sold his automobile dealer-ship in order to attend a theological seminary in preparation for ordained ministry in the United Methodist Church. His wife said, “My husband came home one day and said, ‘You will be very surprised at what I am about to say, but I want to sell the business and go into the ministry’!” Within a few days, the business had been sold, and the family began tramping along another path. “We have never been hap-pier,” said his wife. There was, for this family, a call and a response. Life, for them, has been reoriented…

Where does this leave us? If others have heard the call and have responded in a radical way, then shouldn’t we all do the same? That’s a question only you can answer. It has to be answered by each of us as we experience God’s call in our lives. How one hears the call and responds to it is a matter of personal decision.

I would encourage all of you to tune in to God, identify your gifts from the Spirit, and discern God’s call to you. As a pastor, one of my callings is to help you find your calling. So, let’s talk sometime!

Blessings to you all,
Pastor Cory

Last week, I gave the confirmation class one simple assignment. As we discussed how each of them has been given gifts from God, I assigned them this task: To be “salt” or “light” to someone in your community this week and tell me about it when we meet again. In this unit, among other things, the class and I will explore our spiritual gifts.

What are the gifts that God has given you? This is a difficult question. Some of our gifts we recognize ourselves. Other gifts will require friends, family, and faith community members to recognize. These gifts can be easily hidden from yourself. Identifying our gifts requires some thought and prayer, as well as the honest assessment of others.

Spend some time today asking God to help you to recognize the gifts given to you by the Spirit. Spend time considering whom you might trust to help you understand the gifts you have and how you might use them in your ministry. As you do this, remember that Paul’s list in his letter to the Romans is not exhaustive but only hints at the many gifts which God gives.

Give thanks for the gifts God has given you; pray that you might appreciate them and use them to God’s glory. Pray that God would show you other gifts not yet revealed to you.

Then, join the confirmands here at St Peter and be “salt” and “light” in the community. Amen??

Dear Friends, our children can teach us much. To illustrate this fact, please allow me to share a story provided by Rev. James W. Moore. It goes like this:

Some years ago in a mid-western town a little boy was born blind. His mother and father were heartsick, but they struggled with his blindness the best they could. Like all such parents, they prayed and hoped for some miracle. They wanted so much for their son to be able to see. Then one day when the little boy was 5 years old, the community doctor told them that he had heard about a surgeon at Massachusetts General Hospital who was specializing in a new surgical procedure that might just work for their son…that might just give their little boy his eyesight.

The parents became excited at the prospect, but when they investigated further and discovered the cost of the surgery and the travel and the hospital expense involved, they became deflated because they were not people of means at all. In fact, some would call them poor. But word got out in the community and their church rallied to help them. In a short period of time, the money was raised to send them to Boston for the surgery.

On the morning they were to leave for Boston, the little boy gathered his things together including his tattered little teddy bear. It had an ear chewed off, was missing an eye, and was bursting at the seams. His mother said, “Son, why don’t you leave that old teddy bear at home? He’s about worn out. Maybe we can buy you a new one in Boston or when we get back.” But he said, “No, I need it.”

So off to Boston they went. He held tightly to that teddy bear all the way. The surgeon sensed how important the teddy bear was to the little boy, so he allowed the boy to keep the bear with him
throughout all the many examinations prior to surgery. On the morning of the surgery, the hospital staff brought in two surgical gowns – one for the little boy and a smaller version for the teddy bear – and off to the operating room they went… a little blind boy on a stretcher holding on dearly to his beloved teddy bear.

The surgery went well. The doctor felt good about what they were able to accomplish. “I think he will be able to see,” said the surgeon, “but we won’t know for sure until we remove the bandages in a few days.”

Finally the day came for the doctor to remove the bandages. The nurses and interns stood with the parents as the surgeon slowly unwound the gauze from the boy’s eyes. Miracle of miracles! The little boy could see! For the first time in his life…he saw his mother’s face, he saw his dad and his doctor, he saw flowers and candy and balloons and the people who had cared for him. For the first time in his life, he saw his teddy bear. It was a joyous celebration!

When it came time for the boy to leave the hospital, his surgeon came into the room. The doctor had grown so attached to the little boy that he had to busy himself with those insignificant gestures that we… when we are trying to surmount a great wall of emotion. They said their good-byes with tears of joy all around…and then the doctor turned to leave. The little boy called him back.

“Doctor,” the little boy said. “I want you to have this.” He was holding out the teddy bear! The doctor tried to refuse, but the little boy insisted. “Doctor, I don’t have any money. So I want to give you my teddy bear to pay you for helping me so see. I want you to have it. It’s my way of saying, ‘Thanks.'” The doctor took the teddy bear and shook the little boy’s hand and wished him well.

For a long time after that… on the 10th floor of the White Building of Massachusetts General Hospital, there was on display… a teddy bear, bursting at the seams with a chewed-off ear and one eye. And there was a sign under it written in the hand of that surgeon. It read: “This is the highest fee I have ever received for professional services rendered.”

That little boy was so thrilled that he now could see. So, in response, he gave away his most prized possession. There’s a name for that… it’s called thanks-giving. Now of course, that kind of appreciation has to be learned, but when our children learn it and express it so beautifully, it touches us and teaches us… the beauty, the power, the importance, and the necessity of gratitude.

Our Children do teach us much. I pray that we, as Christians are also teaching our children what is truly important! Amen??

I wrote this as a devotion for Thursday, June 25, and I thought it bears repeating here for all to read.

Throughout this Covid pandemic and lockdown, when churches closed their doors, we were assured that it was necessary and I’m sure that for a while it was. Then, weeks later, when many of us began to question the wisdom of the lockdown, and the ever changing conclusions taken from the prevailing science of the day, we began to work toward re-opening the church for community worship. Many of us were chastised for even thinking such a thing and were inundated on social media with so many reminders that the “church is not a building,” and the “Body of Christ” is not only found in community worship, as we were urged to blindly stay the course.

While I agree that one can find Christ anywhere, in the woods, on a fishing boat, or at a family outing, these social media statements and memes miss the point of community. As long as we can be safe, we NEED to worship together.

Christian community is sharing a common life in Christ. True Christian community moves us beyond the self-interested isolation of our private lives and beyond the superficial social contacts that pass for “Christian fellowship.” The biblical ideal of community challenges us instead to commit ourselves to life together as the people of God.

We know all too well that maturity takes time. We know less well that Christian maturity also takes time. It’s a process that is revealed in the “each other” language of the New Testament; Love one another, forgive each other, regard each other more highly than yourselves. Teach and correct each other, encourage each other, pray for each other, and bear each other’s burdens.

Be friends with one another, kind, compassionate and generous in hospitality. Serve one another and submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. This list just scratches the surface, but it is enough to remind us that we need the community of faith to grow up in Christ.

Christian community is the place of our continuing conversion. Its goal is that, individually and together, we should become mature, no longer knocked around by the ways of the world, or clever religious hucksters, but are able to stand tall and straight, embodying the very “fullness of Christ.” (Eph. 4:11-16)

COMMUNITY IS A WAY TO SEE CHRIST IN OTHERS.

One of the most important ways the community helps us is by embodying Christ’s continuing presence on earth. When my brothers and sisters love and accept me, I feel Christ’s love too. When I confess my sin and they forgive me, I know that God forgives me too. When they pray for my brokenness, I know that they are sharing in the healing work of Jesus. In our dog-eat-dog, enemies-with their teeth-bared world, when we feel the crush of hostility and the crush of our own failures, to have our Christian community surround us with compassion and encouragement lightens our loads, strengthens us, and gives us the courage to keep on trying.

So when we were working to come back to community worship, we were not being selfish or short-sighted. We worked to create a safe place to worship in community, because we need to be Christ for and see Christ in one another.

Thanks to all of you who worked so hard to make this happen. I hope more and more of you will return soon.

Blessings,

Pastor Cory

Dear Ones,

I was looking at the Ten Commandments (not suggestions) the other day, and I always get stuck on the very first one. I went back to Luther’s Small Catechism to refresh my very old memory.

We are commanded, “You shall have no other Gods.” Should be easy right? Then why do I always have a pit in my stomach when I read that one in particular? What does this mean, Martin Luther?!?!

“We are to fear, love, and trust God above anything else.” Above anything else? Really?

No other Gods! Paul Tillich, a German/American theologian, one of the most (if not most) influential theologian of the 20th century, taught us that even in the 20 century (He would have said 21st if he lived that long) people attach themselves to something that gives their lives purpose and meaning.

What gives your life purpose? Is it family, work, possessions, political leanings, economic theories? Who and what are number one in your life? My body beautiful, or not so beautiful; my having a good time at all costs; buying new things; my health; my future security; my country; my church; my work; my good looks; my youth; my travel; my vacations; my children; my boat; my sound equipment; my car? All of these things invite us to have them at the center of our lives.

And yet we are to fear and love God above all things. Before we go further, I may need to explain that to fear God is to stand before the mystery and wonder of God. To fear God is to stand under the stars at night and consider the vastness of creation. To fear God is to stand by the power of the ocean waves and understand the power of water and of the God who stands over and above and for creation. To fear is to stand in wonder over the population of the world, with its millions and recognize that God knows and cares for each person in the same way that God cares for you.

To fear is to recognize that there is a difference between the creator and yourself and that you will not comprehend the mystery of God.

We should fear and love God above all things. We should love God when we see this mysterious God revealed in the history of Israel and in the person of Jesus Christ. We respond to God with love as we grow in understanding of God’s deep affection for us and for the world. This God, is the only One. All others are exposed to be false in the presence of this God. Other gods (like those mentioned earlier) have power to tempt, capture and control us.

In Baptism we renounce them:

Do you renounce the powers of evil and desire the freedom of new life in Christ?

I do.

Do you profess Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior?

I do.

Do you promise by the grace of God, to be Christ’s disciple, to follow in the way of our Savior, to resist oppression and evil, to show love and justice, and to witness to the work and word of Jesus Christ as best you are able?

I promise with the help of God.

Do you promise, according to the grace given you, to grow in the Christian faith and to be a faithful member of the church of Jesus Christ, celebrating Christ’s presence and furthering Christ’s mission in all the world?

I promise with the help of God.

My parents and God-parents made these promises on my behalf when I was an infant. I affirmed these promises before my God, my family, and my church family on the day of my
confirmation. No wonder I get a pit in my stomach as I reflect on the First Commandment. How I often fall short. But I keep trying.

I guess this is our lifelong journey.

Amen

Dear Friends,

I write this as we are now several weeks into the Covid-19 pandemic. We have not met for several weeks now, and it looks like (for now) we won’t be meeting until the end of May.

If you are fortunate enough to still be working; blessings to you for your work since it is likely that you are an “essential worker,” in jobs that are necessary to support all of us. We thank you for your efforts and pray for your safety. If you are blessed enough that your employer lets you work from home, then you are able to be productive, bring home a much needed paycheck, and still practice safe anti-virus measures. For both of these groups, please pray for those who can’t work, bring home a paycheck, and are worrying about their financial future.

For the rest of us, who seem to have at least a little extra time these days, what do we do with our time?

In last Sundays worship, I mentioned how Jesus gives us a daily agenda as he walks with 2 disciples on the road to Emmaus. In his example:

*He walks with them…stressing the importance of a daily walk with Jesus.

*He talks with them…showing us how important and powerful prayer is.

*He opens the scriptures to them…C’mon people, those Bibles in your homes that didn’t end up at Love Packages need to be opened and used daily; especially now. God can and does speak to you in His Word.

*He breaks bread with them…underscoring the importance of the sacraments. Luther when stressed by temptation would often scream at Satan, “I am baptized. You can’t harm me.” Not only
should we daily remember our baptism, but allow Christ to be with your family as you break bread together. There is power there.

*Finally he sent them back to church…They couldn’t wait to see the other disciples and share the good news of the Risen Christ. And while we don’t currently have the same opportunity to be physically together we can still be the church together. We come together weekly online to hear the word and share in virtual communion, and community.

However, just as important are the efforts of many to “be” the church. To see needs in our community and do what we can to help.

+Some of our men faithfully ring the church bells, promptly at noon, as a reminder to all who hear it to pause for a moment of prayer.

+As a church, represented by our Brotherhood, we showed our appreciation to our health care workers, and those who work at IGA by providing lunch for them.

+Vicki Schumer, Susan Leinicke, and Abbi Esker made masks for the hospital workers. Susan L. and Susan and Abbi are now taking orders for the rest of us, which may be necessary as wearing masks in public will be mandated by the state as of May 1.

+Last Sunday, a food drive was conducted by our group, led by the Bobs (Taylor, Schmoll, and Barton), and the Brotherhood including Jeff Hicks and Judy. Also, thanks to Karen Schau and Karen Taylor for their help. We took donations of food and money (many of the donations came from people outside St Peter) and made the St John’s Lutheran food pantry very happy.

+Representing the Women’s Fellowship, Carol Harms also handed out Upper Room Devotionals to all who donated. As she puts it, “This is a great time to get in the habit of doing daily devotionals. Isn’t it always?” Amazing! From God—to Carol—to us!!! Amen???

If that wasn’t enough, I’ve talked with many who are looking out for their neighbors, making grocery runs and trips to the pharmacy for those who are the most vulnerable.

These are examples of being the church as God intends us to be. There are more opportunities out there, and we will discover  them, if we look at our neighbor through “God’s Eyes.” We can accomplish this through a daily walk with Jesus, praying daily, blowing the dust off our Bibles and delving into the Word, remembering our baptism and community, and working together as the church (even if we are separated) to do God’s work.

Call me if you have an idea, or see a need.

Pastor Cory

Dear Friends,

When I find myself, on my annual Lenten Journey, this close to the cross I often contemplate that  wonderful gift from God, which is God’s Grace.

As I often turn to my favorite book, “Crazy Talk, A Not-So-Stuffy Dictionary of Theological Terms,” I am delighted to introduce to you “Duh.” The thing about Duh, is that Duh just doesn’t get it. No matter how well you explain it, or how clearly you paint the picture, Duh just doesn’t get it.

We all know people like Duh. Truth is, we all have a little Duh in each of us. The following is a conversation between Duh and God.

But first, this definition of Grace: The Free gift in which God gives all—eternal life, forgiveness, purpose, meaning—to human beings, who respond by trying to earn it. One time God was trying to explain grace to Duh:

Duh: God, the Bible says we are “justified by your grace as a gift” (Romans 3:24). Since I want to be justified, how do I get this grace?

God: Well, Duh, grace is not something I give you so that you can be saves; it is the way that I save you. Grace is the way that I accept you, the way that I love you. Grace means that I love you not because of anything you do, but just because I love you. Grace means that I save you from death and give you eternal life as a free gift—you don’t have to do anything in order to be saved.

Duh: Okay. I get that I don’t have to do something to have a relationship with you. But what if I have done something really bad—like committed murder, or adultery, or burned down my neighbor’s house just because. What if I have broken every one of the 10 Commandments many times?

God: Same thing. Grace means that I love you even if you have done something really bad. Grace means that there is nobody who has done anything so that I still don’t love them. Grace means that even adulterers and murderers are my children.

Duh: So I don’t have to do anything to be saved, and there is nothing I can do to stop you from saving me. But what about after I am saved? Don’t I have to quit sinning?

God: Duh, I know you pretty well. I know that after I save you, you’ll try to change. But I know that until you die, you’ll still be a sinner who sins. I love sinners—I sent my Son to die for sinners, for heaven’s sake!! Grace means that there is nothing you can do to make me stop loving you.

Duh: But what about repentance and faith—don’t I have to repent and have faith?

God: Faith is the way you receive a promise. My grace is a promise: the promise of eternal life, forgiveness, and a relationship with me. The only way to receive a promise is to believe it.  Repentance is similar: it is what happens to you when my word reaches you and you realize that you need me. So faith and repentance really aren’t things that you do. My word creates them.

Duh: So you are saying I don’t have to do anything.

God: Duh!!

Dear friends, always remember in good times or in our current struggles, God loves us, God is with us to see us through our trials, and God’s wonderful gift of grace abounds!!! Armed with God’s grace, hang in there, go in peace to love and serve the Lord!

Thanks be to God!