​This time of year I've always had a soft spot in my heart for Jesus' disciples. The emotional roller coaster they found themselves on just kept on rolling for the disciples. First, there was Palm Sunday, then there was Good Friday, then there was Easter, and as we'll be reminded in upcoming weeks (post-resurrection) there was also fear and doubt. Elation, deflation, elation, deflation. 

And now we too, are about to enter the holiest of weeks in the Christian Church with this upcoming Palm and Passion Sunday. If you are one, or a family, who fully embraces and participates in all of the Holy Week services, you understand the rollercoaster of emotions the disciples were on, and that await us. If you have not participated in the Holy Week experience, I encourage you to come and see and experience the elation and deflation that is Holy Week.

To help us understand I share this story that has been told about Albert Einstein, the brilliant physicist of Princeton University in the early 20th century. Einstein was traveling from Princeton on a train, and when the conductor came down the aisle to punch the passengers’ tickets, Einstein couldn’t find his. He looked in his vest pocket, he looked in his pants pocket, he looked in his briefcase, but there was no ticket. The conductor was gracious; “Not to worry, Dr. Einstein, I know who you are, we all know who you are, and I’m sure you bought a ticket.” As the conductor moved down the aisle, he looked back and noticed Einstein on his hands and knees, searching under the seat for his ticket. The conductor returned to Einstein; “Dr. Einstein, Dr. Einstein, don’t worry. I know who you are. You don’t need a ticket, I’m sure you bought one.” Einstein arose and said “Young man, I too know who I am; what I don’t know is where I am going.”

And that is the good news of Holy Week and Easter; that we know where we are going. It would be frightening to have experienced the first Holy Week with all of the surrounding uncertainties and unknowns. The disciples likely would not have known, through all the ups and downs and twists and turns, where they were going or where they were to end up. 

We have been told by the Jesus that his life and death (and all of the suffering and persecution throughout) has promised us life eternal. Nothing has ever, or can, change that promise. Unemployment doesn’t change that promise. Neither does divorce, or bankruptcy, or cancer, or depression, or felony, or failure. Even the unimaginable horror of what unfolded at the Covenant Elementary School in Nashville this week, cannot change the eternal elation of resurrection. 

In the midst of this upcoming Holy Week and through elation and deflation and every emotion in between, the truth remains; we know whose we are and we know where we are going, because the Son of God - who is the way, the truth, and the life - has promised us.

See you in Church! (and bring a friend!)

Pastor Dale​

​Carrie and I enjoyed watching our youngest son, Tobie, compete at the NCAA Division II National Diving Championships last week in Indianapolis. He did very well, placing 12th in the 3 Meter Board and 16th in the 1 Meter Board competitions and being named an All-American in both boards. We are very proud! However, despite how well he did, it became clear to us, that, as a freshman, competing against mostly seniors, Tobie was the underdog in the competition. Of course, Carrie and I, but others as well, couldn't help but cheer for Tobie. That's the thing about underdogs, isn't it? We love to cheer for them. Especially when they're our own child :)

Another NCAA national championship tournament is currently underway! The National College Basketball tournament, also known as "March Madness." My family and I, for years, have filled out our brackets for the tournament, in hopes that our individual selections might combine to be the winning bracket (go Kansas!). We even have a family trophy that Caleb made as a child, that still gets passed to the winner every year! My strategy is always to cheer for, and select, at least one or two of the underdogs - or Cinderella teams - they are often referred to as. In the same way, the whole nation seems to rally around and enjoy cheering for the underdog when they do well during March Madness.

There is often no reasonable explanation as to why an underdog performs so well and maybe even upsets a top seeded team, other than the team's single-minded determination and belief that they can win under any circumstance and against any team - so much so, that we tend to believe them, too!

Similarly, in life, most of us desperately want to believe that if we just work hard enough, if we just keep our eye on the prize and stay focused, we, too, can upset even the toughest of competitors, and be winners in whatever it is we choose to compete in.

Maybe that’s why grace is so hard for us to understand – and believe. Because grace says this has nothing to do with our determination or hard work or single-mindedness – it only has to do with the single-mindedness of God, who was willing to empty Himself, take the form of a slave, be born into human likeness and humble himself in obedience to a cross, which he didn’t deserve. Grace says we cannot earn our salvation on our own, but owe it all to the single-mindedness of the God who says, “It’s already been done.” 

Good thing, too. Because no matter how talented and determined a top seeded college basketball team might be, or even a top ranked college diver, sometimes they lose or do not perform well. As is the case for all of us, at times. But we can trust in the grace and love of a God that never fails, never loses, and always performs at its best. And that’s something we can all rally around and cheer for!

See you in Church! (and bring a friend!)

​Pr. Dale

Our friend and retired pastor, Pastor Marla Amborn, will be leading worship and preaching for me on Sunday, March 12. She will be addressing the Lenten question, "Just wondering, Jesus: Why do you allow free will?"

To get you thinking about the idea of free will, let me provide you with one bad statement and three good questions. 

The bad statement is this; in fact, it is the only bad prayer that I’ve ever heard of, and this is the prayer: “Forgive me, God, for what I’m about to do.” Knowing it’s wrong and and asking God in advance to rescue you is a horrible prayer and it cheapens God's grace.

The three good questions are these; and might come in handy when presented with a difficult choice.

The first question is “Is this thing I am about to do good for me?” We know the things that are good for us and the things that are bad for us. I’m not talking about having a second piece of pie; I’m talking about a decision that is immoral or illegal or detrimental to our lives or the lives of others. We know right from wrong, we just need the courage to follow through.  

The second question is this: “Will this thing I am about to do honor God?” I imagine how much God hurt when Eve ate the forbidden fruit. I imagine how much God grieves when we follow through with things that we know are against his will?  

And the third question: “Will I regret my actions tomorrow?” A generation ago a Lutheran Pastor and alcoholic, Phil Hansen, wrote a book entitled “Sick and Tired of Being Sick and Tired” in which he weaves his story with the Parable of the Prodigal Son, which he understood, to be a story of alcoholism. Throughout the book he described his decision to change his life so that he might feel better about himself. We might consider the same deliberation in our day-to-day choices.  

The Lenten season is not a season of legalism; it is not a time to beat ourselves with rules and regulations and the failures of our lives. However, it is the season of introspection and repentance; an opportune time to consider God’s amazing grace, and how our living might be the evidence of our gratitude for that grace. 

In these remaining days of Lent, may we refuse to our free will go unchallenged. And may that lead to good choices, joyful living, and deeper faith in the Savior.

See you in Church! (and bring a friend!)

Pastor Dale

​You’ve likely heard the saying, “It has to get worse before it can get better”.

This saying rings true during the church season of Lent of which we now are in. 

Lent is traditionally a time of repentance, recognizing and turning from our sins, remembering and reflecting on the passion of our Lord, and searching within ourselves for a renewed faith and trust in Jesus Christ. Lent is often a somber, reflective, and perhaps even a depressing time for us as we journey together through it. Strangely, that is the purpose of Lent. Lent calls us to realize that as it happened for Jesus, it must happen for us – that life will often get worse before it can get better. Lent and Holy Week are opportunities for you to walk those last weeks, days, and hours with Christ and to experience again the pain and suffering He endured as he was led up that mountain to the cross.

But Lent is also a time of hope. As Christians, we have hope because we know the end of the story. We know that the original Lenten journey did not end at the cross. We know that the journey of faith never ends! Our journey of faith only continues on into life everlasting with our loving Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Embracing that promise, I challenge you this Lenten season to fully participate in the worship opportunities that are planned and in place for you to fulfill these strange intentions of the season. Opportunities that will allow you to repent, reflect, give thanks, be healed, be renewed, and be strengthened in faith. Our Wednesday midweek worship services are planned and in place not to replace your Sunday morning worship but to complement it. As you worship on Sundays and Wednesdays throughout Lent, the suffering, pain, distress, and betrayal that Christ experienced will be felt again by us as we, together, gather to reflect on the emotions, thoughts, reflections, and insights that we might be having in the midst of our own wilderness journey. See the Lenten schedule below for more details regarding those midweek services.

By fully participating in Lent and Holy Week worship services you will appreciate and experience more the Resurrection of Jesus on Easter Sunday Morning as we celebrate the Hope in all of its fullness!

So together, as we journey through Lent, we trust that this long, dark, and sometimes difficult walk will indeed get better – and that is our Lenten Hope!

See you in Church! (and bring a friend!)

​Pastor Dale

​Just wondering, Jesus.....

Do you have questions for Jesus? Bartimaeus had an important one. And surely you do, too. Read the story of Blind Bartimaeus from Mark's gospel.

"They spent some time in Jericho. As Jesus was leaving town, trailed by his disciples and a parade of people, a blind beggar by the name of Bartimaeus, son of Timaeus, was sitting alongside the road. When he heard that Jesus the Nazarene was passing by, he began to cry out, “Son of David, Jesus! Mercy, have mercy on me!” Many tried to hush him up, but he yelled all the louder, “Son of David! Mercy, have mercy on me!” Jesus stopped in his tracks. “Call him over.” They called him. “It’s your lucky day! Get up! He’s calling you to come!” Throwing off his coat, he was on his feet at once and came to Jesus. Jesus said, “What can I do for you?” The blind man said, “Rabbi, I want to see.” “On your way,” said Jesus. “Your faith has saved and healed you.” In that very instant he recovered his sight and followed Jesus down the road." -Mark 10:46-52 (The Message)

Imagine you could experience God, in the form of Jesus, from the same position as Blind Bartimaeus – street level – from the roadside. If you knew Jesus was passing you by on the roadside, would you have the courage to ask Jesus your question? What would you ask? What did Bartimaeus ask of Jesus? What was his request? Do you think it was difficult for him to ask this? Was he afraid, embarrassed, or ashamed? How did he know to ask Jesus this important question? Do you think it is okay to ask difficult questions of Jesus? What do you think Jesus thinks when we ask our questions? Does he welcome them? You see? Lots of questions! And that's okay!

This Lenten season we are going to be considering some very important questions that people of faith have long been asking Jesus. It’s okay to ask questions. However, questions of faith often don’t have concrete or easy answers. Are you okay with not getting definite answers to your questions?
Some say questioning or doubt is a sign of a weak faith. I would argue that asking questions and expressing doubt occasionally are actually signs of growing in one’s faith. How can this be? Did Jesus ever ask questions? What questions did Jesus ask? What question do you think Jesus would have liked to have asked? Yes, Jesus asked lots of questions, too. He's not unlike us in that way.

If you haven't already, please fill out the Lenten question cards that you can find in the narthex. On them, ask your important question of Jesus. Place your questions in the basket on the table in the narthex and I will do my best to address them in my sermons throughout this Lenten season.

Lent begins this Ash Wednesday. I hope you can be present in worship that night at 7:00 p.m. as we receive communion and the imposition of ashes upon our forehead. The ashes remind us of our mortality while communion reminds us always that death doe not have the final say. Jesus died so that our mortal souls can live forever. It's a glorious gift from God. Find out more about our Lenten theme and season.

See you in Church! (and bring a friend!)

Pr. Dale

Dear Friends,

​​Super Bowl Sunday is upon us. I'm sure it will be another thrilling match-up. All will have prepared well, sparing no expense in terms of time and effort. The stakes are high; the competition is fierce; and the whole world will be watching…. And, no, I’m not talking about the game itself, but rather the Super Bowl commercials!

I have to admit, I enjoy watching Super Bowl commercials. We all have our favorites or most memorable ones from over the years. But among them all, for me, none have really equaled the uplifting quality of a 2014 Duracell Battery commercial that featured Derrick Coleman of the Seattle Seahawks. Do you remember that one? In only sixty seconds it tells the story of how at a young age, Derrick lost his hearing, was bullied as a result, was picked last for teams, was harassed by coaches, and was not even drafted by the NFL. And then comes the signature line, when Coleman says, “Everybody told me to quit. They told me it was over. But I’d been deaf since I was three, so I didn’t listen.” The last scene is of Coleman entering the Super Bowl arena and saying, “And now I’m here, with a lot of fans cheering me on, and I can hear them all.” (Followed, naturally, by the tagline across the screen: Duracell: Trust Your Power.) You can watch the commercial in the attached video below.

The commercial is so wonderful because it creates a sense of possibility, potential, empowerment, and freedom. Derrick’s story of living into the person he felt he was meant to be, against great odds to boot, inspires us because we hope that’s our story, too.

As much as I love that commercial, I’d like to think we might get that feeling in places other than Duracell commercials. At home from supportive parents or spouse. At work from good colleagues. On the athletic field from coaches and teammates. At school from caring teachers and friends. And obviously, at church from fellow brothers and sisters in Christ.

My ongoing prayer (and dream) for our church is that it too, provides a place of possibility, potential, empowerment, and freedom, where each of us can safely live into the person we feel we are created to be. This takes each of us to make happen. Are you contributing to creating such space for others in your words and actions? Are you benefiting from such space as a result of other's words and actions? The old football cliché is that "it takes teamwork to make the dream work." You're on the team. Contribute to the dream. While Duracell might tell us to "trust our power", I remind you to "trust God's power."

Many of us have heard of Vince Lombardi, the legendary football coach of the Green Bay Packers. He’s the coach the Super Bowl Trophy was named after - The Lombardi Trophy. Lombardi was known to do one thing before every football game. He would take a football in his hand, hold it up before all the players and pronounce, “Men, this is a football.” His goal each and every game was to remind his players of their purpose, stating "The game requires, and starts with a football."

As you prepare to the watch the big game (and commercials) this Sunday, be reminded of your purpose - that requires, and starts with Your Church - your Community of Faith.

See you in Church! (and bring a friend!)

Pr. Dale