|
Twenty Fifth Sunday after Pentecost
Texts: 1 Kings 17:8-16, Mark 12: 38-44 Today we find ourselves in a time of moral failure; of people suffering the consequences of their leaders' corrupt and idolatrous ways… I speak, of course, of the time of the Kings, 850 before the birth of Christ, the setting of our first reading. A theme in the history of Israel as recorded in Joshua, Judges, the books of Samuel, the books of Kings, is the failure of Israel’s leaders to follow the law of Deuteronomy. Introduced just a handful of verses before our reading for today, King Ahab was the worst of them all. He did, according to the book of Kings, “more to provoke the anger of the Lord, the God of Israel, than had all the kings of Israel who were before him” by introducing the worship of the Canaanite God Baal. Baal was believed to control the seasons, the cycles of plenty and of scarcity. But you don’t need to know anything about Baal to know that Israelites weren’t supposed to be worshipping him. Think back to the first commandment carved deeply into Moses’ tablet: You Shall Have No Other Gods. That commandment has a very important subscript. It goes like this. “Or else.” Gospel: Mark 10:17-31
As many of you have heard, when I first moved to Minneapolis I worked at a business that doubles as a service helping people empty their homes, and as a thrift store. As customers flooded the store every Saturday morning our job was to restock the shelves as quickly as possible. Plush chairs, dining room tables, wooden chests, ice skates, and boxes upon boxes of knick knacks. The supply was endless. While it was at times overwhelming, it was also a ministry to find second homes for things that once held or made meaning in another person’s life. If you have been to a baby shower or a wedding, if you have moved homes or emptied the home of a loved one, you have experienced how we make meaning with our belongings. We are ritual beings. We use outward signs to mark inward experience. For two weeks in Adult Forum, Trinity discussed the ELCA's draft of a "Social Statement on Women and Justice." Intern Liesl has submitted feedback on behalf of Trinity, based on the notes from our discussion which you are welcome to read here.
Click here find the social statement and more information. If you'd like to submit feedback independently, you can do so at bit.ly/womenandjusticedraft. Feedback is due September 30! Texts: Jeremiah 11:18-20, James 3:13 - 4:3, 7-8a, Mark 9:30-37
A friend of mine is a music teacher, who leads middle school kids in writing and conducting their own compositions, with titles like “Juice and Potatoes” or “Anti-Chicken Nugget.” When a student conducts their piece, they get to put on the coat—an extra extra large men’s suit jacket that goes to their knees or the floor, the sleeves dangling well past their hands. They stand at the front of the class, waving their arms to conduct their peers. I’ve heard the recordings. They are cacophonous, and beautiful. I love the image of the child conductor, because it’s how I feel every time I put on this robe. And if we’re being honest, it’s how we should feel looking around at each other. Just kids in grown up’s clothes, waving our arms to the liturgy, waving our arms at our lives, as if we had any influence over what comes next. “Whoever welcomes one such child in my name,” says Jesus, “welcomes me.” Texts: Deuteronomy 4:1-2, 6-9, James 1:17-27, Mark 7:1-8, 14-23
"At Trinity we have the deep desire and the deep need to call all creation good, our neighbors and ourselves, especially if we have been called unholy too many times, or even once. If we have been called anything less than God’s child, by the church and by the world. We need to remember and remind each other that we are always beloved in God’s eyes. And still, there remains Jesus’ warning that, 'It is from within, from the human heart, that evil intentions come.' We are asked to hold a paradox: we are each of us created good, and we are each of us capable of evil. Paul Tillich has written that 'Being religious means asking passionately the question of the meaning of our existence and being willing to receive answers, even if the answers hurt.' In this case, the answer hurts." Trinity Lutheran Congregation is a multicultural community of faith located in Minneapolis’s vibrant, diverse Cedar-Riverside neighborhood. We are looking for a music director to share worship planning and leadership with our pastors. This individual should also be an experienced accompanist who can bring high energy direction to our small but dedicated choir. Our goal is to find an individual who is passionate about music and committed to working in a Christian community. How that individual expresses their passion could be through voice or instrument, classical or folk, traditional or emergent. This is a 1/4-time position. Pay will be commensurate with skills and AGO Twin Cities guidelines. Send inquiries and questions to pastorjane@trinitylutherancongregation.org. Application deadline is August 31, 2018. See attachment below for job description. 
Pentecost B-6, Lectionary 13, ‘18
Mark 5:21-43 7/1/18 Trinity Lutheran Congregation I always like a two-for-one deal. BOGO as it is known in some places – buy one get one. But you can’t go into the store and ask for the second one – for free – without getting the first one first. You have to get them both. That is what we have in today’s gospel reading from Mark. A two-for-one-deal. Mark does that a lot. And when he does he is always trying to make a point. In today’s reading Mark describes Jesus healing two daughter of Israel. In the verses just before these Jesus had performed an exorcism on a non-Jewish person. Here Jesus returns to the other side, the Jewish side of things and heals two daughters of Israel. Not only is it a two-for-one deal, it’s like a sandwich. Mark begins with Jairus coming to Jesus and asking him to heal his daughter. The lesson then moves into the healing of the woman with the flow of blood for twelve years. It all comes to a close with Jesus raising Jairus’ daughter, whom many agree just happens to be around twelve years old. Like any good sandwich you can’t have one without the other. Peanut butter and jelly. Ham and cheese. Or an Oreo sandwich cookie – crunchy chocolate cookie with creamy filling inside.
In response to the children at our border being separated from their parents, on Sunday, June 24, 2018 several Twin Cities worshipping communities, including Trinity, prayed this prayer in solidarity with the children and families.
Once a year Trinity and its local partner congregations, Nokomis Heights Lutheran and St. Peder's Lutheran, join in worship together. This year we will worship on Sunday, June 24 at 9:30am at St. Peder's, located at 4600 E 42nd St, Minneapolis, MN 55406. Our service will be followed by refreshments of fruit and pastries. We hope to see you there!
Pentecost B – 4, Lectionary 11, ‘18
Mark 4:26-34 6/17/18 Trinity Lutheran Congregation Caroline Lewis wrote about today’s Gospel reading – “The earth produces on its own.” Thank God, literally, she says. At this time of the year I tend to believe that. The earth produces on its own. Around here, at least we just have to look around. Green everywhere. Flowers blossoming. Vegetable gardens growing. My uncle used to say that on hot days like today the corn was growing so fast you hear it. I think I heard it once. Yes, thank God for creating a world where the earth produces on its own. Of course, after the thanking comes the trusting and that is not always so easy. I might trust that things will grow, but not always in the places or in the way I want them to grow. The volunteer elm tree that snuck in next to the fence, all of a sudden three feet tall. The raspberry bushes that keep showing up in the middle of the yard and garden. Not to mention the things we have decided are weeds because we did not put them where they are. On the other side, we don’t trust the grass, the tomatoes, the flowers to grow without help. Fertilizer, mulch, weed killer are applied. As thankful as we are, we mess with the things that produce on their own. |
|||