Hello Friends,
In this week’s gospel Jesus invites those hearing him to, “pick up your cross and follow me…” Most of us are familiar with the story. I used to think that it was about not being afraid to die. Now I think it is about much more than that. It is about living. Living fully each day. Interestingly though, we sometimes are hindered from living fully because we are afraid of death or discomfort. In End of Life and Grief Coaching we are taught about the importance of coming to terms with death as an important task of living. Counterintuitively, not being afraid of death is helpful for for living fully. Another way so say it, is to remember that each day we wake up is a gift. We can generally assume that tomorrow will come for us all but it is not guaranteed. So, what can we do today to fully live?
This truth of fully living each day is also helpful for the church. In these days of declining church attendance, it can be easy to be pessimistic about the future of the church. There is one thing that I know for sure, and that is that God (the Creator, the Redeemer, and the Holy Spirit) will always be active and present in this world. There will always be a church! I also know that the church of tomorrow most likely will not look like the church of yesterday and today. I wish I knew what tomorrow’s church will be like because then we can being that church!
As I write this I realize that we all have the capacity to imagine this future church. How? Through the teachings of scripture. So, whatever the church of tomorrow looks like, it will be a community (probably groups of communities) that are all about loving God and loving neighbor. Sounds simplistic doesn’t it? But this love is, or should be, at the heart of the church through the ages, including today and tomorrow.
I invite you to think about what it might look like for American Lutheran Church to be known for love of God and neighbors. What would this church be doing? Who would be present? What would be most important to this community? What would you be doing in this community?
Most weeks I invite you to respond to my thoughts. Some of you respond in person and I am thankful for that. This week I have a request. Can you please ask these questions of yourself AND of someone you know who is not part of this congregation. Then send me an email and share your answers. I hope to hear from you in the next couple of days.
Peace in Christ,
Pastor Nancy
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