A Letter to Bethlehem, A Shining Star

Pastor's Annual Report of 2015

⁶For it is the God who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. - 2 Corinthians 4:6

Dear Beloved Bethlehem,

Two things.  The first is: you are amazing.  And I love you.  I have been honored to rejoice with you this year as this congregation grows by leaps and bounds.  We grow with love for one another, especially in our prayer requests.  We grow in our understanding of scripture and our faith, especially in our adult study groups.  We grow in evangelism as we baptized one adult in 2015, and two more in Jan 2016.  We grow in community as we learn and celebrate our 30 years of history.  We grow in our outreach to young families who just keep showing up!  I experience a tiny glimpse of God’s delight over you, and I am overwhelmed. 

Next, I want to acknowledge that I am riding a very thin line in the rest of this conversation.  Let me be clear: I do not want to sway the vote for either budget in any way.  This vote is not about me, it is about Bethlehem’s future.  Therefore, I have written the rest of this report to “you” as a congregation, with me in the most neutral place possible.  Hopefully it is clear that as your pastor, I am doing my best to guide you spiritually at this difficult time, but not on the specifics of your financial decisions. 

The second thing is: I have a tough question for you to consider.  Whether you have a half-time pastor or a full time pastor matters, of course.  But this question matters more.  Do you, as a congregation, have as your top goal being a stable congregation?  Or rather, is your top goal being a congregation that exists to do God’s work in this world?  Yes, this matters.  It matters a lot.  Because no matter what the outcome of this meeting (part-time pastor or full-time pastor), if it is simply a better strategy for stability, then we are setting ourselves up to fail.  Let me be clear, seeking stability alone, is not trusting God.  It is pretending that we can control the long-term future of this place, and is dangerous to our spiritual health if we do so only to serve our own needs.  Rather, we live faithful to God’s will and live out that will as Christ’s body.  Seeking stability must be only for the purpose of stewarding well God’s gifts to us so that we can live in faith, giving ourselves away. 

We have talked a lot for the last few years about what God’s purpose is for our existence, and I am sorry to say that “stability,” in itself, is not God’s purpose for us.  We have done our best to name what we do understand about God’s purpose is for us in the Vision, Mission and Values of this congregation:

Vision:

To shine the light of Christ so brightly that everyone is

drawn in to God’s love through this community.

Mission:

Welcoming all through the light of Christ by

feeding the hungry, clothing the naked and being a place of shelter.

(Inspired by the Holy Spirit through Matthew 25:35-36)

Values:

The Illuminating Word of God
Seeing all People and Perspectives
Serving our Communities with Delight
Opening the Eyes of Faith at Every Age

Now it is time that I, as your shepherd, ask this tough question, once again: Why does Bethlehem Lutheran Church – Sturbridge exist? 

Let me give you examples. These are answers that I have heard from you over the past three years.  One good reason to exist is to be a place of shelter and solace for those who need it.  This reason is reflected in the tail end of the Mission Statement as well as the first value, the illuminating Word of God.  Because it is God alone, and God’s Word for us that supplies the only real solace we have in this sin-bound life.  God’s Word shines a light on us and through us to the world to say: “You. Are. Loved.  By a God who created the whole world.  You matter that much.  Every broken thing about you, that you have done or has been done to you, every broken thing, is made whole in Jesus Christ.”  Is this why you exist Bethlehem?  Is this work the work that lights you up inside? And if so, how do you throw your whole selves into the ministry of this place?  Do you offer more healing services?  Do you create a care team that brings this Word to the members and friends among us who do not hear it in worship, through cards or phone calls? 

Another good reason to exist is to be a community.  An honest, authentic, community that trusts God and one another.  How will you build community for each other?  One on one conversations?  Monthly Dinner Clubs?  Do you build the kind of trust that can hold difficult conversations about the issues that impact people’s lives in our congregation: racism, caring for aging parents, caring for the foster children in our state or caring for immigrants?  Will you build a community that can respect each other even when we completely disagree (because we will, the CAT taught us that, and that’s ok!) and be open and loving about it?  Is this a purpose for which it is worth existing – a kingdom of God purpose?

When we ask why do we exist, we ask: What lights you up inside?  Many people in this congregation have named and claimed the mission to feed, clothe and shelter from Matthew 25.   And there is no question that you are doing this in a major way at Bethlehem’s Closet.  And this ministry is beautiful.  Absolutely beautiful.  This ministry is a way for us to provide clothing with compassion and dignity to those who are struggling to make ends meet.  But again, is this why you exist, Bethlehem?  And if so, what are you doing as a member of this congregation to make this mission happen?  Are you lit up about it to the point that you will support it with your time, talent and treasure? You may want to ask the same questions about the new garden.  What lights you up with God’s joy and love?

You see, Bethlehem, I am a very poor reflection of our God’s love for you, and I love you a lot.  And it pains me to see that your future is uncertain right now.  And the certainty of that future is not about which budget you pass.  The only certainty we have, as individuals and as a community, is simply our certainty in God’s love for us.  If you want this congregation to survive, to be stable, and that is all you are hoping for, you hope for far, far too little.  God wants more for his church.  God wants Christ’s body in the world to thrive, to be healthy, alive and kicking!  God is seen through you!  Christ’s body in the world!  And God is showing up here, every week, to nourish this little piece of the body with generous, abundant bread and wine and Word.  Trust it.  Fall into that underserved grace.  Grip tightly to the Promise.  You are God’s children, and God has a future for you.

God holds a future where we show this darkened world what a community looks like when we live together and love each other, even when we have incredibly different ideas about society and faith – to live as Christ’s community inside and outside this building. God holds a future where our light shines so brightly that everyone in our community is drawn in to God.  Drawn to God by the Bethlehem star that shines beyond and through everything that might get in the way.  We are the shining light of Christ… because only in God is our future, our existence, our very life.  – Modified from the Vision, Mission, Values presentation.

In Christ’s Light,

Pastor Kirsten

The Rev. Kirsten Nelson Roenfeldt

pastorkirsten@bethlehemsturbridge.org

774.318.9306 (mobile)

God's Kingdom Shining Through

A Epiphany1 2016

January 10, 2016

Mark 1:1-20

  

Narrator: The beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. As it is written in the prophet Isaiah,

Prophet: See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way; the voice of one crying out in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.’

Narrator: John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. And people from the whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem were going out to him, and were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. Now John was clothed with camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. He proclaimed,

John: The one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to stoop down and untie the thong of his sandals. I have baptized you with water; but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.

Narrator: In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. And just as he was coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens torn apart and the Spirit descending like a dove on him.  [Tearing/ripping sound effect] And a voice came from heaven,

Voice: You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.

Narrator: And the Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness. He was in the wilderness forty days, tempted by Satan; and he was with the wild beasts; and the angels waited on him. Now after John was arrested, Jesus came to Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God, and saying,

Jesus: The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news.

Narrator: As Jesus passed along the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the sea—for they were fishermen. And Jesus said to them,

Jesus: Follow me and I will make you fish for people.

Narrator: And immediately they left their nets and followed him. As he went a little farther, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John, who were in their boat mending the nets. Immediately he called them; and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men, and followed him.

+             +             +

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable to you, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.

Grace to you and Peace from our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Wow!  What a day! How often do we have eight brand new family members to celebrate at once!  It’s a big day for Sarah, Eli, Quinn, Adam and Evan – being welcomed into God’s family!… and we have three new members of this congregation affirming their baptisms: Ryan, David and Melody!  Welcome!  We are so thrilled to have you with us in this gathering of God’s family!

Today we read the sacred story of Jesus own baptism from the Gospel of Mark.  Mark is the book of the Bible we will be reading through from now until Easter.  And today’s reading is an important one – it sets us up for the whole story Mark tells, the gospel, the good news of Jesus Christ. 

Out of the four gospels – Matthew, Mark, Luke and John – this is the gospel story that starts, not with a baby in a manger, but with baptism!  The same place we enter into our new life of faith.  The wild-man John baptized a lot of people.  All of them coming to him because they wanted to start a new life, a life of faithfully living with God.  And then, here’s Jesus, already fully faithful to God’s will – Walking into the river Jordan for John’s baptism.  Jesus may not have needed his sins washed away, but he knew we did.  And so God gave us this great gift!  This sacred moment – this sacrament – where God shows up.  Pouring out grace on us claiming us in the same words, “You are my son, You are my daughter, the beloved; with whom I am well pleased.”

And Jesus’ baptism is just the beginning of the beginning… though Jesus may not have needed the reassurance of God’s closeness, baptism does mark a new beginning for him too... Jesus starts his new life!  His life of caring for the neighbor, his life of feeding people… his life of publicly living as God would have him live.

Jesus begins his new life with these words, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news.”  The same words that his baptizer proclaimed.  The words that define everything Jesus is about to do and everything we are about to get ourselves into again with Adam and Sarah… this time, this new life, living in God’s kingdom, repenting, believing.   It is in this verse from chapter one, verse five: “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news.”  This is where we get our theme for the season of Epiphany this year: God’s Kingdom Shining Through.  God’s kingdom – God’s reign over us starts now! 

For baptism is more than just a day, more than just a ritual, more than just this one time that we are assured God shows up, tearing open the heavens to get to us.  Baptism is a whole new way of living.  In these waters we get the gift of life from God!  The life where we follow Jesus.  The life where we have freedom from sin, where death has no hold on us.  What kind of life? A life of grace, a life of sharing, a life of Community. 

Here, TOGETHER, in this place, we live this life God has promised.  We are knit together by the gifts of Jesus’ sacrifice.  God looks at each one of us and sees the very same thing: Jesus, who has conquered sin and death for us.  And so we, we live here, and now and we band together as one body… as Jesus body, and we share this gift!  We share this good news!  We share this life with anyone and everyone around us!

This fall the council has been talking about how we might continue to do this better.  Be a community that is more faithful to what God is calling us to be.  And it has come down to this: building relationships.  This congregation is a warm and welcoming place.  But there are times and there are people who have slipped away because we do not know each other well.  We slip away from each other in this body if we are not fully engaged, and not holding one another up… which we want – for every one of you!  We want to be a congregation of people who are faithful to God and faithful to each other.  Who call to say that you are missed, who visit when you are sick, who pray for you in your sickness and in your joy!  And since that is what we believe God wants us to be, we are working on how to get there.

In fact, right now, our Stewardship team, and our Forward Leadership team, and our council are ALL talking about it!: How to build stronger relationships among members here at Bethlehem.  In the near future, you will receive an invitation to build relationships with more of the people sitting around you.  To continue to build up together a community of people who reflect the light of God’s love for each and every one of you, and for the world.

That love of God… that’s right here.  In this water, this bread and wine, and in these people who are Christ’s body.  That love of God, it’s gotten loose in the world.  You know, when the heavens ripped open [tear cloth], there was no putting them heavens back in some faraway place.  Later in Mark we will hear of another ripping… the tearing of the temple curtain at the time of Jesus’ death.  These two violent ruptures of “God in God’s proper place” bookend Jesus ministry.  They tell us that something radical is happening, the old rules don’t apply in the same way anymore.  The Spirit is loose in the world, our world is altered forever.

Here at Jesus’ baptism, God’s kingdom fell right into our world – like the bright shining light and angels singing – the kingdom streaming in with wide beams of light – shining into Jesus.  Shining into us.  Shining into the world through us.  God’s kingdom… shining through.

Amen.