Sunday School Vibrant and Alive

On Sunday, we celebrated the completion of another year of Sunday School.  At the close of worship, we invited teachers, Faith Nurture Team, and leaders up front.  As a community, we thanked them for their passion and their commitment to faith formation in the lives of our children.  Afterward, there was an ice-cream social in the Fellowship Hall to round out the festivities.   

As a pastor, it is a joy to see the excitement in the faces of children and adults alike.  Something very good is happening at St. James in the area of children's ministry.  There is a vibrancy that is taking place among families in the sharing of faith across the generations.

But isn't this the smallest Sunday School that St. James has seen in thirty years?  Aren't we in decline?  Shouldn't we be concerned about what is happening/not happening?

Although it may be the smallest Sunday School that St. James has had in awhile - this ministry is NOT in decline.  

Looking beyond the numbers we see a greater engagement of families in the passing on of the faith.  This critical growth can not be understated.  What is more, families are present in worship.   It used to be true that a large percentage of children (and some adult teachers) were "drop-offs"; they came for the Sunday School hour alone.   When some children got to confirmation age they didn't have the experience of regular worship.  It is no wonder that they didn't stay involved after confirmation.  

Worshiping as a family and then going to Sunday School is now the dominant pattern at St. James.  Children are now actively engaged in worship every week (noisy offerings and processions for the littlest, reading prayers and serving communion for the biggest). This is making a difference.   

Studies show (e.g. Pew Research periodically does one) that if families are involved in worship then children are more likely to be engaged as adults.   

Thinking back, this was true for me.  My parents took me to worship and Sunday School each week.  It happened at a tiny Lutheran church on a busy corner of bustling city street.  The church didn't offer any fancy programs - just Sunday School and a VBS in the summer.  The strength of that ministry was found not in programs but in people and the relationships that were forged each week.  As a family, we worshiped together and then we kids went to Sunday school after. It was a wonderful relational environment of nurture.  I was known and loved by caring adults (my parents and the many adults who knew my name).   

Quality not quantity.  People not programs.  This is the path of growth and vitality that we find ourselves on at St. James.  Over time our reputation as a relational community that really cares for the person (where names are known) will grow and attract others.  These things take perseverance and patience.  But even if our numbers don't increase, the goal is not to be found in increased numbers but rather in increased faithfulness.    We are not a Walmart where volume reigns.  We are a church were love reigns in friendships and relationships.  

So thank you Sunday School teachers and parents for your engagement and participation in the faith life of our kids.  I would be remiss if I didn't list your names:   

Teachers - Jeni Wojahn; Konrad Gastony; Kaia Gastony; Jennifer Corcoran; Amy Shero; Doug Lundstrom; Bethany Jarvis; Ben Tressel; Allyson Tressel; Zoe Tressel; Jack Tressel; Emily Lawrence; Ainsley Fuerst.  

Faith Nuture Team - Jeni Wojahn; Jill Bell; Christina Schaaf; Jennifer Corcoran; and Seminarian Sherri Lawrence (Faith Nuture Team staff leader).    

Music - Barbara Kleinfeldt.  

Your work is planting important seeds in a soil that is not only fertile but also has the highest likelihood of success for long term growth.   For the children.  Yes.  For our community as well.  

In Christ,

Pastor Walt

Believing What We Say About Easter.

Christ is Risen!  He is Risen, indeed.  Indeed?  Really?  What does it mean for us as a church that we proclaim these words throughout the season of Easter?  Do we really believe in resurrection and that Christ's body is given new life?  Or is that just something we say - a polite slogan that church-goers share when the pastor begins the cheer?    

What does it mean to BE the Risen body of Christ in this world?  Does it mean that we choose to live in a way in which Jesus lived - full of compassion, kindness, mercy, and forgiveness?  Does it mean that we have the courage to love and relate even when others are unlovable and stand-off-ish?  Does it mean to embrace a different kind of standard than the one that is used in our culture to determine success and effectiveness?  Are we really (according to Jesus' teaching and example) meant to count beans and heads as a way of judging whether our ministry is vibrant?   

Do we persist in our unchecked wisdom about needing to offer an endless variety of programs that 'get people in the door' as though we were some sort of spiritual Walmart where volume and mass consumption are the keys to the future?   

Or do we trust in God to bring a different kind of growth and vitality - such as the world cannot give and cannot count?  Do we seek to live out the Easter message in the relationships that we have with each other and our neighbor simply because that is what Jesus calls us to do?  Do we assemble each week to share in the good news that God has triumphed over the grave, to share in a sacred story and break bread not concerned about the entertainment value of such actions?  Instead, do we worship because God calls us to give glory and praise not satisfy our feelings?   

I wonder - what does it mean for each of us to belong to the body of the Risen Christ which continues to gather at St. James - called by the Spirit?  Is it about the numbers who are missing or about the faithfulness of those who are present?  

Can God resurrect the hardness of our hearts and the coldness of our imaginations?   

It is time for us to leave our tombs of the past and our tombs of fear for the future and start to live in the reality of Easter in the gift that God has given us in this present moment.   It is time for us to gather anew around Word and Sacrament to worship.  It is time for our beliefs to align with the possibilities birthed in Easter's new day.  It is time for us to worry less, give more, and celebrate even more.  It is time for us to live as God's Easter people like our very lives depend upon it - for, in truth, they really do.

Christ is Risen - INDEED - Alleluia!  God continues to give new life to the body that was once was dead.  Thanks be to God. 

in Christ, 

Pastor Walt

Behind the Bright Lights

How many Lutherans does it take to change a lightbulb?  

Answer:  Change?  Why do we need to change? 

I've always liked that quirky joke.  As I'm coming to the completion of twenty years as an ordained pastor, I know all too well the sad truth contained within that old-but-still-relevant quip. Change is hard, particularly for Lutherans.     

And yet, that is what we did on Sunday.  Literally, we gathered as a whole group of Lutherans to change the lightbulbs.  It was incredible.  On a Sunday that is typically a low attendance Sunday for most churches, a special Congregational Meeting was held at St. James to consider whether we should install energy efficient LED lighting to replace our aging and costly incandescent bulbs.  There is much to celebrate.  Not only did we handsomely exceed our quorum and the project was easily approved but the meeting itself illustrated what resurrected community can look like when it gathers around basic Christ-centered values.  

In the past nine years of serving St. James as pastor, I have noticed that there have been many changes -some good, some not.  One of the very good changes has been a change in atmosphere.  Before I even visited St. James, I heard the stories of Congregational Meetings here that were simply horrible - factions, divisions, accusations.  A general distrust of leaders existed.  There was a conflict that made life within this community tense and unpleasant.   Over the years, through a lot of hard work by many people and the centering on core values, we have turned the corner.   It is no small thing that we have moved from a spirit of malaise to one that is future thinking.  It is a sign of new life and resurrection.  Thanks be to God!

From Sunday's meeting, I would like to highlight just three examples of the new life that exist today at St. James:

1) Collaborative leadership.   The lighting project is a good example of leadership in action that was transparent and efficient.   Back in November, the idea was first brought to Council by a member.  It was given consideration and a lot of behind the scenes work was done to see if this fit with our overall vision and mission.  Once the new Council was elected in January, the information was deliberated by the Executive Mission before it was brought to the whole Council.  More work was done that was supported by core staff.  You can read about the discussions that were had in February and March in the published minutes of Council and Executive Mission Team.  Once it was determined by reading the Constitution that Council lacked the authority to enter into a contract of this size, we followed our procedure for hosting a special Congregational Meeting.  Information was heavily communicated through a variety of sources (letters, bulletins, weekly email updates, Facebook, and website).  I remain thankful for the good collaboration of the Council, Executive Mission Team, core staff, and congregation.  

2) Respect.   Questions were asked and even a few concerns were raised at the meeting.  This was done in a respectful manner.  No one questioned the intelligence of the Council, the Executive Team, or the pastor during the discussion period.  People were honored for what they brought to the proverbial table.  This should all go without saying - except in a polarized culture (where public officials are defamed and slandered for their views) and during times of congregational conflict, respect is often the first value to be set aside.  Differences and disagreements are healthy for community life.  Because we all see the world in a unique way, it would be suspicious if we were to all agree on everything.  Respect for each other and the wisdom that we each have to share is critical.  It opens a door that would otherwise be closed.  Healthy congregations are places where people are respected and honored for who they are and what they have to bring.  

3) Forward Looking.  From the Council and its officers to those who were sitting in the pews and maybe hearing of this project for the first time - I sensed that a choice was being made to look ahead.  Yes, there are financial challenges that we face as a congregation.  Yes, there are another whole set of challenges that are facing churches as more of the population turns away from organized religious communities.  For the pessimists among us, it doesn't take much to declare that our glass is half empty (at least half of what it once was in the golden hue of memory).  Unfortunately, when congregations succumb to this kind of thinking it is akin to hiding in the tomb.  Easter, in contrast, inspires us to look forward and step out into the brightness of this day that we are living.  As an Easter people, we give thanks to God for where we are - we own our current reality with all of its challenges and opportunities.  We discern where God is leading us and we head out.  Never sure of how long a particular path might be, we walk in bold confidence that we are not alone.  We move forward.

So maybe a more fitting question to ask in light (pun intended) of Sunday's meeting on the Second Sunday of Easter is:  how many Lutherans does it take to change the atmosphere of a congregation?   

Answer:  Many, many disciples of Jesus working intentionally over the course of a bunch of years.  In fact, it remains a work in progress that requires each and every person who is a part of this wonderful Christ-centered community.  Easter is a process of resurrection as well as a wonderful destination.  As Easter people we remain well on the journey - thanks be to God!      

See you in worship,  

Pastor Walt

A Special Garden and A Glorious Day

As I arrived at St. James yesterday it was still dark outside.  It was forty-five minutes before our Sunrise worship.  Unlocking the door, I turned on the lights in the narthex.  I found myself delighted.  The Resurrection Garden, which was made by the Sunday School, was transformed.  It had gone from grass, three crosses, and a rock tomb to this wonderful celebration of Easter life, complete with butterfly and flower cut-outs.  I knew this was going to happen.  Still, I was surprised to see it happen.   Easter can be like that - a day filled with surprise and wonder.

I am thankful for the good work that Seminarian Sherri Lawrence and Jeni Wojahn have done with the Faith Nuture/Sunday School team.  Their creative efforts with things like Resurrection Gardens have really made a difference in the faith lives of our children (and pastor too!)  I know that this is true because I had a group of children explain the Garden to me- they know the Easter gospel and could proclaim it to me.   

I am also deeply thankful for the many people who shared their talents in the past week as we walked together through our Holy Week and Easter observances and celebrations.  

Thanks to Jan Pofahl for beautiful music on Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Easter;  to our combined Festival choir (conducted by Kelvin Miller); to Jubilation Ringers handbell choir (conducted by Kari Owens); to Youth Brass Ensemble (conducted by Tim Pofahl); to welcome/usher teams (coordinated by Krista Gentry); to Assisting Ministers Janet Karsten and Jeff Owens; to Ministry Hosts: Lisa Carlson & Miriam Ring (Maundy Thursday Table worship), Maria & John Edlund (Good Friday Tenebrae), Kari Owens (Good Friday Children's Crosswalk), Vicar Andrew (Good Friday noon), Sylvia Dobrovolny (Holy Saturday sanctuary decoration), and Starlett Drader (Easter Sunrise).  Thanks go to Doreen Evans and Bonnie Gauquie for their behind-the-scene staff support with all of these ministries.  Last, but certainly not least, I am thankful for Vicar Andrew and his assistance throughout these many worships.  

We have been richly blessed as a community with talent, passion, and the willingness of people to step up.  Christ is alive in the giving and the sharing of life with each other - truly a joy! 

Easter blessings to you and your family as we begin this Easter season, which lasts a week of weeks (7 weeks).  

in Christ,

Pastor Walt

A Donkey at St. James?

This week, worshipers might have been surprised on Sunday to see Polly the Donkey as they came to St. James.  Thanks go to the Gastony family for sharing their miniature donkey with us on Palm Sunday.  It was fun to watch the children (of all ages) take delight in greeting this descendent of the animal that carried Jesus into the city of Jerusalem on that original Palm Sunday.  Holy Week has begun - let the worship begin.   Be sure to check out the complete worship schedule for times and opportunities.  There are lots of surprises that await as we come together around Word and Sacrament.  

Blessings on this Holy Week!  

See you in worship,

Pastor Walt