E Tensions April, 2021

E tensions April, 2021 Our Mission . to be the Heart, Hands and Voice of Christ Equipping the Saints The Perfect Recipe Cast your burdens on the Lord- Psalm 55:22 There was a lovely lady next door who had very long hair and she would let me comb it. She was very kind. I really The year was 1946. This cute little red headed girl was liked her and felt very safe with her. The kind woman left about 3 years old then. Today the year is 2021 and this me with a feeling of being cared for and loved. Sort of little girl is now in her late 70’s. She has just experi- like a delicious recipe that had all the right ingredients. enced, along with everyone else on this whole earth, a Therefore, it tasted complete and it was very good. To worldwide pandemic, a highly contagious virus called contrast that memory with another very vivid person, COVID-19. The world as we once knew it, a vibrant, there was a man who lived next door and he also liked engaging, mobile world has been shut down now for me, but thought it fun to tease me. He, would call me a whole year. All entertainment, restaurants, visiting Carrot Top and would say “I would rather be dead than friends and family has gone into quarantine. Until red in the head.” He then would tassel my hair and leave very recently, in-person church had been cancelled out a big laugh. I hated his teasing. I felt afraid and knew, with worship services being watched on our comput- even at that young, age that it was unkind. The unkind ers or smartphone. If we do venture out to the grocery man left me with a feeling that it was like a recipe that or other essential errands, we have to wear a mask, had a missing ingredient. Thus, making it undesirable. social distance 6’ apart, and wash and sanitize every- thing we bring into the house, etc. etc.! Going thru the COVID quarantine this past year has given me time to reflect upon my childhood memo- No, this is not a science fiction story! I told you about ries. There have been some bumpy spots this year and the 3-year old girl, now an elderly 70+ woman, be- we have had to rely on a power bigger than ourselves. cause this year that she has been home by herself, Problems are a testing ground to prove our dependence there were many hours to reminisce the memories upon God. When we have been pressed beyond our own of her whole life, as far back as she could remember. strength, we have had to cast our burdens on God and I venture to guess that all of you have had this same He has blessed us beyond measure. experience, bringing to the surface things that you ha- ven’t thought about for most of your life. Many of us King of Glory has answered the call from God to be cleaned out corners of our homes that we have been KIND, to LOVE and to SERVE those in need. The re- meaning to do for a long, long time. lief of casting our cares upon God is like the relief I’m sensing, as this long ordeal is ending. We cannot bear No surprise, this cute little girl happens to be me, but it our burdens alone, but as we come together to celebrate probably could have been any one of you. During the Easter let us remind ourselves that Jesus, who is risen, past year I started to play a game with myself trying to can bear those burdens for us. Not only can He carry our recall my earliest memories spanning the years right concerns, He can carry us. up to the present. Some of those memories were very good and others were not so good. Those experiences The Perfect Recipe: Love, Kindness, Trustworthiness, shaped me into the person that I am today and contin- Strength, Courageous, Compassion, Joy, and Peace be ue to become. My earliest memories took me back to with you! when I was 3 years old. Two stories that I very vividly Amen, Your Elders could remember were quite opposite from each other. Pastor’s Column With Fewer in Church Nationwide? - Affluence, Options, and Con- I picked out this title very carefully. By “American class also now not worshiping as much as they used Church” I mean not just the ELCA but all American to, on average? Lose points to another, new factor churches, put together, because nearly all American in our 21st century affluent life: the loss of time. churches are declining in enrollment, over the last several years. I was reminded of this when I read an “Affluence,” says Lose, “creates a crisis of choice.” Ev- interesting post on the internet years ago by David ery year we have more choices on how to use our Lose prominent ELCA church leader. time – through the burgeoning of more TV channels and radio channels and more internet articles As Lose writes, the so-called “decline” of the Amer- and more movies and more and more things that ican church is across the board – “from liberal to we feel our kids need to be a part of as they grow up conservative, Roman Catholic to Protestant, evan- – and this multiplying of choices has a strange effect gelical to mainline.” Of course there are several rea- on us. Studies are showing that the more choices we sons people now give for that decline. The first thing have, the more it all seems “rather overwhelming,” David Lose points out is that the church is not at all making “all options seem less attractive.” As Lose declining outside of Europe and North America. “In concludes: “Why go to church, more and more won- Latin America, in Asia, and in Africa,” Lose writes, der, when there are so many other things to do that “the Christian church is growing, more so than in might benefit us more?” (Especially, I might add, any other religion, including Islam.” (This according the growing appeal of the choice of “rest” on Sunday to Philip Jenkins in his book “The Next Christen- from all those other things we are now expected to dom.”) know and be a part of the rest of the week!) So, Lose asks, why the problems in Europe and North You see, our consumer culture in America says to America? He says that one of the dominant reasons us, “You’ve got to take time to do this or know that is “the incredible affluence enjoyed in Europe and or practice this or you’re going to feel excluded from North America.” Affluence, he notes, “tends to give this get-ahead society.” And it’s very hard not to buy us a sense of control, even mastery over our envi- into that warning, that message. The downside of ronment and to appreciate and perhaps even to ex- buying into that is that there’s only so much of us to aggerate, our abilities.” He then points out that “in go around! We need to stop, take a breath, worship such an environment” of constant material progress God at church, and thereby provide a solid founda- “the language of sin can feel outmoded, even offen- tion for our lives, or we are in trouble – not only as sive,” coming across as “a mark of failure. To admit a church, but, more importantly, in trouble as indi- sin seems to betray the belief in ceaseless progress that rests near the center of affluent cultures.” Though I can understand the reason the rich might feel like “masters of the universe,” and I’ve studied why the poor don’t go to church as much anymore (they have given up on hope), why is the middle From Our Parish Nurse 4 Signs God Is at Work in the Chaos of COVID-19 By Tamara Chamberlain Crosswalk.com Contributing Writer We have undoubtedly witnessed history in the mak- fear. Let your peace be a testimony to the truth of ing. Years from now, scholars and historians will Jesus. This is a time when more people are open to analyze the effects of COVID-19 on our society, hear about Jesus and it’s time for believers in Jesus economy, mental health, physical health, and our to start sharing. spirituality. In many ways, the world has been caught by surprise. But God most certainly has not. Even in 2. Community Is Stronger Than Ever the midst of chaos, make no mistake, God is at work. It’s quite astonishing how connected people are His plans will not be thwarted and His people will even when they are unable to see one another not be overcome. in-person. God is at work drawing people together during a time of crisis. Here are 4 signs God is at work in the chaos of COVID-19. Say what you will about technology, but it has been a true benefit for families, friends, and churches to 1. Greater Openness to the Gospel stay connected during a time of social distancing. History has shown that people are more open to Our innate need to stay in community has become religion during times of crisis and instability. We apparent and people are longing to stay connected. can all empathize and relate to lost and confused People are finding ways to be intentional in their hearts looking for answers. It’s become clear for communication through Zoom calls, FaceTime, all of us that regardless of how much we plan, and other creative ways.

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