Opening Litany based on Psalm 85

Pastor: You O LORD have shown favor to the land and restored the children of God.

Congregation: You have forgiven our greed and all our sins and set aside your wrath and anger. Restore us again O God our Savior.


Pastor: Will you hang onto your anger O Lord from generation to generation? Will you not revive us again so that we may rejoice in you?

Congregation: Show us your unfailing love O Lord and grant us your salvation. Call us again into your fold and open our hearts to your word in the coming year.


Pastor: The Lord promises peace to all people, so do not turn to folly.

Congregation: Surely the salvation of the Lord is near to all who walk in the ways of the Lord so that the glory of the Lord may dwell in the land.


Pastor: Love and faithfulness meet together; righteousness and peace kiss each other. Faithfulness springs forth from the earth, and righteousness looks down from heaven.

Congregation: The LORD will indeed give what is good and the land will yield its harvest. The Lord’s righteousness sweeps into the land and prepares the way for the coming of the Lord.

January 6th, The Day of Epiphany, Let the Light Shine.

The following is a 10 minute worship for January 6th, The Day of Epiphany, Let the Light Shine. You can either listen on the flash player below or download it to your favorite music program to sync with your mp3 player by clicking on "DOWNLOAD" or play it on your smartphone's music player by clicking PLAY . You now also have the option of receiving these notices each week and on festival days by signing up for the 10W constant contact email list  on the 10W blog or on your phone by texting 10W to 22828. Please help fund this ministry by clicking HERE and making a small donation to Christ Our Savior Lutheran Church. 

January 1st, the festival of the Name of Jesus.

The following is a 10 minute worship for January 1st, the  festival of the Name of Jesus. You can either listen on the flash player below or download it to your favorite music program to sync with your mp3 player by clicking on "DOWNLOAD" or play it on your smartphone's music player by clicking PLAY . You now also have the option of receiving these notices each week and on festival days by signing up for the 10W constant contact email list  on the 10W blog or on your phone by texting 10W to 22828. Please help fund this ministry by clicking HERE and making a small donation to Christ Our Savior Lutheran Church. 

January 1st in the Narrative Lectionary, Ministry Beginnings.

The following is a 10 minute worship for January 1st in the Narrative Lectionary, Ministry Beginnings. You can either listen on the flash player below or download it to your favorite music program to sync with your mp3 player by clicking on "DOWNLOAD" or play it on your smartphone's music player by clicking PLAY . You now also have the option of receiving these notices each week and on festival days by signing up for the 10W constant contact email list  on the 10W blog or on your phone by texting 10W to 22828. Please help fund this ministry by clicking HERE and making a small donation to Christ Our Savior Lutheran Church. 

January 1st, the 1st Sunday after Christmas, Restored Dignity

The following is a 10 minute worship for January 1st, the 1st Sunday after Christmas, Restored Dignity. You can either listen on the flash player below or download it to your favorite music program to sync with your mp3 player by clicking on "DOWNLOAD" or play it on your smartphone's music player by clicking PLAY . You now also have the option of receiving these notices each week and on festival days by signing up for the 10W constant contact email list  on the 10W blog or on your phone by texting 10W to 22828. Please help fund this ministry by clicking HERE and making a small donation to Christ Our Savior Lutheran Church.

Opening Litany based on Psalm 148

Pastor: Praise the LORD from the heavens, and in the heights above. Praise the LORD, all angels and heavenly hosts.

Congregation: Praise the LORD, sun and moon and shining stars. Praise, you highest heavens and waters above the skies.

Pastor: Let everyone and everything praise the name of the LORD, for the LORD spoke and they were created. The LORD set them in place for ever and ever and gave a decree that will never pass away.

Congregation: Praise the LORD from the earth, you great sea creatures and all ocean depths, lightning and hail, snow and clouds, stormy winds that do his bidding.

Pastor: Praise the LORD you mountains and all hills, fruit trees and all cedars, wild animals and all cattle, small creatures and flying birds.

Congregation: Praise the LORD all you kings of the earth and all nations, you princes and all rulers on earth, young men and maidens, old men and children.

Pastor: Let them praise the name of the LORD, for the LORD alone is exalted; and the LORD’s splendor is above the earth and the heavens.

Congregation: The LORD has raised up for all people a voice through the praise of the saints, and the people close to the heart of God. Praise the LORD.

Opening Litany based on Psalm 8

Pastor: You have set your glory above the heavens. From the lips of children and infants you have brought forth praise which silences the foe and the avenger and calls us to live as one.

Congregation: When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what are we that you are mindful of us, who are we that you care for us?

Pastor: You made humanity a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned us with glory and honor. You call us to lovingly care for the works of your hands and lay all that we have at Your feet O Lord.

Congregation: You call us to care for all flocks and herds, and the beasts of the field, the birds of the air, and the fish of the sea, and all that swims the paths of the seas. We will therefore lovingly care for this world you have created for us.

The Name of Jesus Luke 2:21

Sally, Joe, Abdul, Rebecca and Juan
all names
all given to the ones new born
on their day
Names
that in time invoke an image
of who they are
and what they have done
in this world
Names
that speak of love
----------------- hate
----------------- worry and fear
Names that speak of a promise spoken
I will be your God
and you will be my people
Names like any other names
yet special
because of who they speak of
before time
one name was given
a name of love
a name of change
a name of hope
and at the sound of this name every knee shall bow
that name
Jesus
like another name
except
it changed who we
and
the Sallys, Joes, Abduls, Rebeccas and Juans
of this world
will forever be,
the children of God

1st Sunday after Christmas Luke 2:25-40

So long I have waited
So long
Waiting for the promised one of Abraham
To come into the world
And free the people
----free them
to be what they are called to be
from the beginning of time
called to be in the image of God
----male and female created
----and set to have dominion
--------over all the earth
------------to love what God had given them
I have waited
----as has all of Israel
--------until now
for the one who was promised
----for the one who would set the promise of God
--------in motion once again
------------and for all
Thanks be to God for this one
----this child from Nazareth
innocent in his eighth day
knowing only the comfort of his mothers breast
----and the faint confusion of the world around him
----dim to his ears
--------that are yet to define
--------the world he came to heal
Bless this child
------------and give thanks to God
all who are looking for the
----Love of God
--------come t us
and now lettest thou they servants
----who have waited so long
--------depart in peace

The presentation of our Lord (2) Luke 2:22-40

I sit and wait
wait for when the time will be
that I too may know Lord
that I too may feel
may see
what this life is all about
the reason for our life
and why we are here
to see, know, feel the existence
of every person’s struggle
called life
some search the mountains
some the valleys
some search for the truth in their heads
some in the cosmos
in the end they al
we all
wait
until
we have exhausted all our own
(Lord)
looking no more to our selves
our books
our minds
our cosmos
or the other among us
(not let thy servant)
finding nothing
(depart)
to see the all
(in peace)
among us
Emmanuel

The Presentation of our Lord Luke 2:22-40

in the midst of our rituals
made up of what we feel
and our understanding
of what and who God is
we sometimes encounter
in spite of all that we place in the way
God
pure and simple
shining like a ray of joy
into our hearts
and our rituals
Our understandings
make sense in a new way
for we have seen
seen the one promised
to save the people
and bring life to the world
Anna and Simeon came to such a moment
a pureness of time
wrapped in a blanket
helpless
and they felt complete
so now dismiss you servant in peace
allow not this moment to lapse into a memory
for my eyes have seen salvation
prepared for all people
A light to guide all nations
for the glory of Your people
the memory
the moment
the world
Alive
and remembered.

celebrating or stressing

Sunday January 1st, Isaiah 61: 10 I celebrate and shout because of my LORD God. His saving power and justice are the very clothes I wear. When we are caught up in the saving power of God, we are no longer caught up in that never-ending cycle of trying to “do” what is right, rightness becomes more a matter of who we are, a matter of Christ within us. It is a matter of our very being. When you are caught up in the saving power of God, what we do is celebrate. There is no time for judging others, there is no time for warfare, there is no time for anything other than celebrating God’s presence in your life with all that you think do and say and celebrating the presence of Christ in others. Your life itself becomes a celebration. The Christmas rush is over, are you part of the celebrating or stressing today?

God’s vision is a world filled with the children of God period

Monday January 2nd, Isaiah 61: 11 The LORD will bring about justice and praise in every nation on earth, like flowers blooming in a garden. First let us understand that justice is not another name for things done our way. Justice is a two edged sword and cuts and blesses both ways. We still live in a world of nations, parties, tribes, haves and have not’s. God’s vision is a world filled with the children of God period, where the variations are blessings and the differences are our chosen paths. Short of living in this God world where we recognize others as sisters and brothers in Christ, we live in a world of injustice. True justice would mean that we would have less so that others could have more, quite the opposite of the current trend. True justice would not focus on tax breaks for the wealthiest among us while cutting programs that benefit the least of these. God’s justice means caring for all of God’s creation, not just our backyard. In God’s just world people would not celebrate the birth of Christ by shoplifting $1.8 billion in merchandise. We have a little work to do.

Abba, Pappa!

 Tuesday January 3rd, Galatians 4:6 Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, "Abba, Father." The view of God up to the time of Jesus was of a majestic God far off in the heavens. Jesus is God’s revelation for humanity, Emmanuel, God with us. What Jesus revealed to us about God is that more than anything else we are called into a relationship that compels us to call out “Abba”. Another word for Abba is Papa. We are not called into a relationship with a God before whom we are to grovel and try to please; we are called into a relationship with a loving God to whom we can go with every aspect of our lives. A God with whom we try to please out of response to living in this loving relationship, albeit not very well. An Abba is someone on whose lap you sit and hear a story. Abba is someone who washes off your wounds and puts on a Band-Aid and kisses your woes and makes them better. Abba is someone you can bring all of your problems and thoughts to and know you will be heard. Abba is someone who lovingly stops you when you are getting yourself in trouble, or sometimes steps back and lets you get into trouble and then helps you set things right, but either way it is done out of love. Jesus tells us that the majestic Lord God Almighty, creator of the heavens and the earth, is Abba, papa, and loves us dearly and calls us to love this Abba and love others in return.

We are loved because we are the children of God

Wednesday January 4th, Galatians 4: 7 So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and since you are a son, God has made you also an heir. How did you celebrate the coming of the New Year? The tradition is to celebrate with wild abandon and regret it the next day. But you are different; you are a child of God and are loved because of who we are, even if you did celebrate with a bit too much wild abandon. We are not loved because of all the wonderful things we do, just as we are not “not loved” because of all the garbage we pull in life. We are loved because we are the children of God and we are loved as one would love your own children. Yes that means that sometimes the love must come in the form of tough love. Sometimes that love comes in the form of stepping back and letting us find out for ourselves why what were told not to do is a good idea to not do. We are the children of God in all that means. Welcome to the family. And you might think about beginning this New Year in celebration of all the wonders God has given you in 11 and in anticipation of all the ministry you will be called to do in 12. And that end of the world thing, the Mayan’s never said that, but even if it were true, there is still ministry to do.

in place

Thursday January 5th, Luke 2: 27 That day the Spirit led him to the Temple. So when Mary and Joseph came to present the baby Jesus to the Lord as the law required, 28 Simeon was there. He took the child in his arms and praised God, saying, 29" Lord, now I can die in peace! As you promised me, 30 I have seen the Savior 31 you have given to all people. 32 He is a light to reveal God to the nations, and he is the glory of your people Israel!" The New Year has started, where is the Spirit leading you? Simeon had a longing for the presence of God in his life. When the promise came, all of life was complete, all of life made sense. Jesus calls you this year to have a similar longing for God in your life. A longing that will not stop, nor let anything get in the way of a relationship with God. When that happens, everything else will just to fall into place. That doesn’t mean that everything will be perfect, it does mean that everything that is important is in place. From that vantage point, the love flows. What are you searching for that would make your life complete 2012? It most likely can be found in a community of faith surrounded by others who are searching for what is in their midst.

compassion

Friday January 6th, Luke 2: 33 Joseph and Mary were amazed at what was being said about Jesus. 34 Then Simeon blessed them, and he said to Mary, "This child will be rejected by many in Israel, and it will be their undoing. But he will be the greatest joy to many others. 3 Thus, the deepest thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your very soul." When Jesus came into the world, the spiritual forces knew this world would not be the same. When Jesus comes into our lives, they also do not remain the same. Change does not always come easy, or without resistance. Sometimes the presence of Jesus provokes strong reactions. Mary, as the mother of Jesus would feel that pain of those reactions also, the sword would pierce her very soul. In the midst of the pain, from the cross, Jesus would turn to her and say, looking at John, behold your son, and to John, behold your mother. In the midst of the pain, even the pain of the cross, there was compassion, there was love. Change that comes from God does that.

continue that proclamation

Saturday January 7th, Luke 2: 37 She was now eighty-four years old. She never left the Temple but stayed there day and night, worshiping God with fasting and prayer. 38 She came along just as Simeon was talking with Mary and Joseph, and she began praising God. She talked about Jesus to everyone who had been waiting for the promised King to come and deliver Jerusalem. Luke often pairs stories of men with stories of women. It is way of pointing out that the love of God is for everyone, that all are called to be the children of God. This story has the last prophet and the last prophetess welcoming the new age of love entering into the world, and we are called to continue that proclamation in our world, in our day. What would that mean in our world today? How can we practice that type of total proclamation in the name of Jesus where life is complete and the rest is just living it day by day.

Unlike people, corporations keep dragging chains of greed

by Alan Boraas

In 1843 Charles Dickens, 67 years after Adam Smith published the definitive work on pre-corporate capitalism, "The Wealth of Nations," wrote a brilliant critique of its social evils in "A Christmas Carol." Smith defined capitalism as efficiently providing goods and services, not as making money for its own sake. Not everyone listened.
By Dickens' time the British rich were getting richer and the poor were being horribly exploited, working long hours, (ten- to 12-hour days were not uncommon and that was child labor) paid low wages, and living in abysmally unsanitary conditions. Meanwhile, men of privilege were making fortunes and many became consumed by greed, the second of the seven deadly sins. Dickens personified the human dimension of greed in Ebenezer Scrooge:
Oh! But he was a tight-fisted hand at the grind-stone, Scrooge! A squeezing, wrenching, grasping, scraping, clutching, covetous, old sinner! ... The cold within him froze his old features, nipped his pointed nose, shriveled his cheek, stiffened his gait; made his eyes red, his thin lips blue and spoke out shrewdly in his grating voice.
Scrooge's disdain for the less fortunate is contemptible, his self-indulgence reprehensible. Scrooge's materialist obsession nearly destroyed him.
One wonders how Dickens might describe modern corporate capitalism and how Smith might analyze it. Few corporations boast of providing a good product at a fair price. Few boast of paying good wages and embracing environmentally responsible policies -- other than co-opting green rhetoric for the sake of sales. The purpose of corporations is earning returns for shareholders who are, themselves, largely divorced from accountability. Through mutual funds and entitlement investments -- like the Permanent Fund -- many may not even know they are invested in a company. They only know if they are making money; the driving force of corporate decision-making are policies and practices that promote consumption and generate short-term gain.
We have made the dominant institution of our time persons. According to a remarkable documentary "The Corporation," the U.S. Supreme Court's extension of personhood to corporations has been developing since the passage of the 1868 Fourteenth Amendment to the Constitution. Its intent was a post-slavery clarification of individual rights to life, liberty and property.
Nineteen of the first 307 Fourteenth Amendment Supreme Court cases involved those rights for African-Americans; 288 involved corporations obtaining rights of personhood. Now a corporation can own another corporation; act as a person in court; have limited liability for CEOs and directors; pay limited damages (the Exxon Valdez case); buy, sell, borrow and sue; and exercise the rights of personhood to donate to political campaigns.
Materialism is reaching epidemic proportions and, thanks to corporatism, once again the disparity between rich and poor is widening and the middle class is disappearing. Dickens' description of Scrooge as "A squeezing, wrenching, grasping, scraping, clutching, covetous, old sinner!" could well apply to Exxon, Wells Fargo, or many of the other placeless corporations that dominate the stock market and effectively manipulate public opinion for their own ends.
Afraid he would have to, like his friend Jacob Marley, drag the chains he forged by greed in the afterlife, Scrooge willfully accepted the transformative power of three spirits. Through the spirit of the past he understood his roots, through the spirit of the present he understood his current situation, and through the spirit of the future he understood where he would end up if he continued on his present course. The spirits thawed Scrooge's cold heart, pried open the door to his soul, and he changed.
Would that corporations could understand and respond to history, be able to analyze the present, and project to the future what the state of the world will be if their practices continue on their present course. But they cannot respond and understand that the wealth is not in materialist hegemony, narcissism, and environmental exploitation. They cannot understand emotionally or intellectually that meaning in life is not in the things we have but in the things we do together to perpetuate our traditions, remain connected, and live in such a way as to provide a hopeful future for our grandchildren and our place. They do not care if they drag the chains they forged through greed forever, because corporations are not persons and have no heart and have no soul and therefore are incapable of the epiphany that transformed Scrooge.
We must heed the Occupy movement and take back the corporation. We can start by reversing the personhood the Supreme Court has bestowed on corporations.

---

Alan Boraas is a professor of anthropology at Kenai Peninsula College. 

Angels

I have learned that real angels don’t have gossamer white robes and cherubic skin.  They have calloused hands and the smell of  a day’s sweat.  

Luther and Social Media

Here is a very good article on Luther and social media

The unintentional but rapid spread of the “95 Theses” alerted Luther to the way in which media passed from one person to another could quickly reach a wide audience. “They are printed and circulated far beyond my expectation,” he wrote in March 1518 to a publisher in Nuremberg who had published a German translation of the theses. But writing in scholarly Latin and then translating it into German was not the best way to address the wider public. Luther wrote that he “should have spoken far differently and more distinctly had I known what was going to happen.” For the publication later that month of his “Sermon on Indulgences and Grace”, he switched to German, avoiding regional vocabulary to ensure that his words were intelligible from the Rhineland to Saxony. The pamphlet, an instant hit, is regarded by many as the true starting point of the Reformation.


Full article in the Economist

December 31st, New Years Eve, looking back, looking forward

The following is a 10 minute worship for December 31st, New Years Eve, Looking back and looking forward . You can either listen on the flash player below or download it to your favorite music program to sync with your mp3 player by clicking on "DOWNLOAD" or play it on your smartphone's music player by clicking PLAY . You now also have the option of receiving these notices each week and on festival days by signing up for the 10W constant contact email list on the 10W blog or on your phone by texting 10W to 22828. Please help fund this ministry by clicking HERE and making a small donation to Christ Our Savior Lutheran Church.

10W for December 28th, the Holy Innocents

The following is a 10 minute worship for December 28th, the commemoration of the Holy Innocents . You can either listen on the flash player below or download it to your favorite music program to sync with your mp3 player by clicking on "DOWNLOAD" or play it on your smartphone's music player by clicking PLAY . You now also have the option of receiving these notices each week and on festival days by signing up for the 10W constant contact email list on the 10w blog or on your phone by texting 10W to 22828. Please help fund this ministry by clicking HERE and making a small donation to Christ Our Savior Lutheran Church.

10w for December 27th, St. John, Apostle

The following is a 10 minute worship for December 27th, the festival of St. John, Apostle. You can either listen on the flash player below or download it to your favorite music program to sync with your mp3 player by clicking on "DOWNLOAD" or play it on your smartphone's music player by clicking PLAY . You now also have the option of receiving these notices each week and on festival days by signing up for the 10W constant contact email list on the 10w blog or on your phone by texting 10W to 22828. Please help fund this ministry by clicking HERE and making a small donation to Christ Our Savior Lutheran Church.

10W for December 25th, Christmas Day

The following is a 10 minute worship for December 25th, Christmas Day. You can either listen on the flash player below or download it to your favorite music program to sync with your mp3 player by clicking on "DOWNLOAD" or play it on your smartphone's music player by clicking PLAY . You now also have the option of receiving these notices each week and on festival days by signing up for the 10W constant contact email list on the 10w blog or on your phone by texting 10W to 22828. Please help fund this ministry by clicking on HERE and making a small donation to Christ Our Savior Lutheran Church.

10W for December 24th, Christmas Eve

The following is a 10 minute worship for December 24th, Christmas Eve. You can either listen on the flash player below or download it to your favorite music program to sync with your mp3 player by clicking on "DOWNLOAD" or play it on your smartphone's music player by clicking PLAY . You now also have the option of receiving these notices each week and on festival days by signing up for the 10W constant contact email list on the blog or on your phone by texting 10W to 22828. Please help fund this ministry Here and making a small donation to Christ Our Savior Lutheran Church.

New Years Eve Poem; Matthew 25:31- 46 The Sheep and the Goats

In the silence of the evening
Just before blessed sleep brings peace
The tomorrow plan begins
Mental notes
To do’s and timing
(when)
That fill the day
Bring that outgrown kids clothes to that lady at work
Struggling
Single
Three kids
And a nice card for what’s her names birthday
(did I see you)
Pick up some cans for the food drive
(hungry)
At church
And write the letter to the editor
(in prison)
On eliminating the death penalty
During my lunch
Sarah looked a bit down on Sunday
Tough times going through a divorce
Perhaps we could have her over for dinner
(a stranger)
I’ll give her a call tomorrow

Blessed be the lives too filled with grace
To notice

December 28, Poem: The Holy Innocents Matthew 2:13-18

Among the Pure and Innocent Cries
of a Newborn Child
Come the shrill reminders
of a world
---- and systems
far from that touch of life
a child brings
Far from
the trusting eyes
of love
that want only someone to show caring
Far from this
lies
our world
of agendas
and power and money
shock and awe
collateral damage
and the bleeding, smoldering bodies
of someone else’s child
and the nations play the game
of vying for position
to make the world a better place
through the moans of death
and lifeless bodies
that are the victims of
what we claim
is a better world
Hear that cry
so pure and innocent
of a newborn child
and remember
what power and ambition and money
disguised as caring and freedom
can do

December 27th, Poem: St. John, Apostle & Evangelist John 21:20-25

Come shine
---- like the rays of hope
---- dancing across the dusty floor
Come shine
---- in a world sometimes devoid
---- of the light
---- that brings new life
Come shine
---- into the lives of the many
---- who live their lives
---- waiting for that something more
Come shine
---- and let the world know
---- life is now
--------- life is here
Proclaimed by the one Jesus loved
From before time
Come shine
---- and live into
---- God’s love
for the sake of the world God so loved

December 26, Poem: St. Stephen, Deacon and Martyr Matthew 23:34-39

Standing among the fear filled stones
flung
in a desperate attempt to silence
the message
------ alive
---------- They (we) Killed Him
Killed him in fear
of what could
---------- (would)
-------------- be
O Jerusalem, Jerusalem
killing the prophets all the day
Do you not hear
Do you not see
The battle fought for so long
is over
The fear felt for son long
has no foundation
Hear the story
------ of the Christ
spoken on the lips
of the servants
---- who carry the message
---- Christ is risen
---- fear no more

Poem: Christmas Luke 2:1-20

Praise to the Lord on High
Who is born
Among us
A child helpless and wrapped
In the loving embrace of newness
Glory to God in the Highest
With the Praise going to all the earth
That we may rejoice
Not in greatness
---far off there
but here
---among us
The Lord God who created all
Come as one for us all
The Birth of the Christ child has come
The Birth of the Messiah
Who will lead the people
You and I
On to love
----(Victory over death)
on to life
as the one laying here
so innocent
feel the shadow of the cross
in the night
and the angels know
and sing of this one
so innocent
who will save us all

Poem: The Nativity of our Lord Luke 2:1-20

Praise to the Lord on High
who is born
among us
A child helpless and wrapped
in the loving embrace of newness
Glory to God in the Highest
with the Praise going to all the earth
and from all of creation
That we may rejoice
not in greatness
------ far off there
by here
------ among us
The Lord God who created all
come as one for us all
The Birth of the Christ Child has come
The Birth of the Messiah
who will
lead the people
You and I
on to love
------ (Victory over death)
on to life
as the one laying here
so innocent
Feel the shadow of the cross
in the night
The angels know
and sing of this one
so innocent
who will save us all

safety and security at last

Sunday December 25th, Isaiah 62: 6 I have posted watchmen on your walls, Jerusalem; they will never be silent day or night. You who call on the LORD, give yourselves no rest, 7 and give him no rest till he establishes Jerusalem and makes her the praise of the earth. After the return from exile, to hear that there would be a watchman posted that will never sleep was the sound of security. Our Lord comes into our lives and brings us this security. Christ has given us the gift of salvation as a free gift of grace. We in turn are called to respond to that grace by extending that grace to others. We, as Jerusalem of old are also called to be sanctuaries of God’s love and grace in this world, a place where others can come and know the Lord and more importantly, know the love of the Lord. Our God is with us and watches over us as we live day in and day out. Now complete the circle and be the love of God in the world for others.

pick up stones for Christmas

Monday December 26th, Isaiah 62: 10 Pass through, pass through the gates! Prepare the way for the people. Build up, build up the highway! Remove the stones. Raise a banner for the nations. 11 The LORD has made proclamation to the ends of the earth: “Say to Daughter Zion, ‘See, your Savior comes! See, his reward is with him, and his recompense accompanies him.’” 12 They will be called the Holy People, the Redeemed of the LORD; and you will be called Sought After, the City No Longer Deserted. Prepare the way and clean up the path by picking up the obstacles in the way of the Lord. These are not obstacles in the way of the Lord getting to you, but obstacles in the way of you responding to the love of God. When a king would visit a city of old it was time for a public works project. Fix up the roads, remove the obstacles and clean up the messes. Now that the Lord is coming to us, we too are called to do more or less the same thing in our lives. All too often the obstacle to be removed is our insistence on what others must do. All too often the obstacles to be removed are our prejudices that come in the form of law, not gospel. So reach into your heart and start with forgiveness and prayers of thankfulness. From there, the Lord will show you the way. Wake up!! Make straight the paths of the Lord and then dance to the sound of grace that fills the air.

Haven't I seen you somewhere before?

Tuesday December 27th, Titus 3: 4 But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, 5 he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, 6 whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life. As you are cleaning up the road (see Monday’s post) remember that it is in response to what God has already done for us through the life, death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. We have been made the children of God. Not by our doing, not by following some orthodoxy, law, formula or political philosophy. We are the children of God because when God looks at us what God sees is the presence of Christ. We in turn, when we look into the face of others are asked, as the children of God, to do the same and see in them the presence of Christ. In Matthew 25 when those on the right wondered when they did all these things in which the Lord was pleased, they didn’t realize they were doing them because in their minds, they were just responding to the presence of Christ in others. As you go into your world this day, respond to the presence of Christ in others and let the world see the presence of Christ in you in the process.

homeless Jesus

Wednesday December 28th, Luke 2: 4 So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. 5 He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. 6 While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, 7 and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them. There is a poster on my office door that asks the question, How can you worship a homeless man on Sunday and ignore one on Monday? Even at his birth, Jesus was homeless and that begs the question of how we see the presence of Christ in others and how do we respond to that when it comes times to approve tax measures to help provide for the homeless? Many offer nice words when it comes to Christ’s birth in Bethlehem, but words bring little comfort to someone sleep on the street or looking for their next meal. The words are meaningless gestures without the vote to raise the taxes needed to help put an end to this public shame. The refusal to raise taxes on the wealthy, which are at an all-time low in the history of the US is not a debate on reasonable tax policy, it is an act of sin, pure and simple.

Homeless shepherds

Thursday December 29th, Luke 2: 8 And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. 12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” Jesus was born homeless in a feed trough. The first ones to hear the good news of the birth of the Messiah were the shepherds, who were living…. out in the fields. They may not have been homeless by some standards, but their shelter and job security was at the bottom of the economic ladder of the time. Babies, animal feed troughs in a barn, shepherds living out in the fields…. is this any way to bring the savior of the world, the messiah, into the world?? It is if you are God and wish to be the God of all who were created in the image of God and called good.

homeless and heavenly hosts

Friday December 30th, Luke 2: 13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, 14 “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.” After the homeless shepherds comes the great company of heavenly hosts praising God. That about covers the whole spectrum doesn’t it. We were created a little lower than the angels, which means the greatest of humanity is still a little lower than the heavenly hosts praising God. The good news of the messiah is for all people from the greatest to the least and even beyond those boundaries. Who is outside of the love of God come into the world? Christ came for all people and the message of love, forgiveness and grace comes to all people. Mary didn’t earn it. The shepherds didn’t earn it. The wise men with their gifts of gold and spices didn’t earn it. Herod couldn’t take it away. The heavenly hosts could only praise it. Christ has come into the world in a manner that is open to, and for, all people. We are called to live out this message in the same way.

gospel/grace/goodnews year

Saturday December 31st, Luke 2: 15 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” 16 So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. 17When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child,18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. 19 But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. 20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told. When the shepherds had seen him (the baby Jesus, the Messiah, Emmanuel) they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child. Seems like the proper response. Have you ever come across something so wonderful you just had to share it with someone else? I’m getting married, We are having a baby, did I show you the pictures of my grandchild, the packers won the super bowl. OK maybe not that last one (coming from Wisconsin we consider it common place). But on second thought, even though we might consider it common place, we still tell. Salvation coming into the world, reconciling all of humanity to God and giving the gift of eternal life…… is that too common to tell? I think not. It is time to shout it from the roof tops. As you go into the new year, get yourself revved up to make 2012 the year you pull out the pictures of the grandkids And tell others about this one who came to save and then invite them to your church. Make 2012 the year for the gospel/grace/goodnews churches to take control of the message of the Messiah who was born for all people, accepts all people, loves all people, forgives all people, and brings the gift of eternal life to all people. Happy New Year.

December 18th, Advent 4 in the Narrative Lectionary, Malachi.

The following is a 10 minute worship for December 18th, Advent 4 in the Narrative Lectionary, Malachi. You can either listen on the flash player below or download it to your favorite music program to sync with your mp3 player by clicking on "DOWNLOAD" or play it on your smartphone's music player by clicking PLAY . You now also have the option of receiving these notices each week and on festival days by signing up for the 10W constant contact email list on the right or on your phone by texting 10W to 22828. Please help fund this ministry by clicking on the donation link on the right and making a small donation to Christ Our Savior Lutheran Church. 

December 18th, Advent 4, Mary.

The following is a 10 minute worship for December 18th, Advent 4, Mary. You can either listen on the flash player below or download it to your favorite music program to sync with your mp3 player by clicking on "DOWNLOAD" or play it on your smartphone's music player by clicking PLAY . You now also have the option of receiving these notices each week and on festival days by signing up for the 10W constant contact email list on the right or on your phone by texting 10W to 22828. Please help fund this ministry by clicking on the offering/donation link on www.coslc.ws and making a small donation to help fund this ministry. 

4th Sunday in Advent Luke 1:26-38

Mary! Mary!

And the voice was so soft

--Gentle

that she could not be sure

if this was a dream that had awoken her

--so gentle

Mary!

Awake my child

Awake to the promise

-----(Hail Mary)

given to you from of old

in the promise passed on

-----through Abraham

--------Isaac

-----------David

Men of Greatness

-----------and blessing

gone now

---except for the promise

---and the history

-----of God

---------acting in this world of humanity

past

--present

-----and all that is to come

focused now

--on this

-----one

--------innocent

------------young maiden

(full of grace)

from this part of the world so far from all

----that is considered greatness

----by all who are considered great

softly the voice speaks

Mary!

And the dream that has been dreamed

By all people

In every time

Has come

--------(the Lord is with you)

sprung from the loins of no man

is the one who is to come

carried safely now in the womb of

the one

---innocent

------child

to save

all

that the people of power and greatness have dreamed of

for themselves

carried safely now

--to bring light and hope to all people

God breaking forth in gentleness

And greatness

In a new way

Aided by just this one

-----(I am the Lord’s servant)

-----------innocent

-----(May it be with me as you have said)

---------------------child

The Annunciation of our Lord Luke 1:26-46

The young and innocent one

wondered at the hearing of the words

---- (Greetings)

that thundered from on high

and yet so close

she could almost reach out

--- and touch

------ the messenger

---------- Gabriel

words that announced to the world

a new time

a new life

that would come to all people

---- (you who are highly favored)

through the womb

of this one

innocent one

called Mary

though the  world did not know

and the people did not know

and those in power did not know

and even Mary did not know

still

all

all that is

all that was

all that will be

would be changed

by the message

to this one innocent one

---- (the Lord)

that a child shall be born

and they shall call

---- (is)

his name

---- (with you)

Jesus

Opening Litany based on Psalm 89

Pastor:  I will sing of the LORD’s great love forever; Letting all generations know of the faithfulness of the Lord. For the love of the Lord stands firm forever, on earth and in the heavens. 

 Congregation: The Lord made a covenant to Abraham and to David that the heavens and the earth will be blessed through them for all generations.

Pastor: Let the assembly of Holy ones in the heavens praise the wonders of the Lord.

Congregation: For who in the heavens above and on the earth below is like Lord God Almighty, surrounded by majestic wonder and faithfulness.

Pastor: The Lord God Almighty rules over the surging seas, stilling the raging waves, and rules over the surging peoples, stilling those who rage against your people and against the heavens.

Congregation: For you O Lord have created all that is with your mighty hand.  The heavens are yours and yours also is the earth. 

Pastor: Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne O Lord, love and faithfulness go before you. Blessed are those who sing praises to Your Holy Name and walk in the light of your Presence, O Lord.  For they rejoice in your name all day long and celebrate your righteousness with their lives.

Congregation: For you are the glory and strength of those who walk in your presence, indeed you are their shield O Holy One over all the earth. 

Emmanuel

Sunday December 18th, Luke 1: 26 In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, 27 to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. When we trace the lineage of Jesus back to David through the ancestry of Joseph, we honor the traditions of humanity and what the world views as great. That greatness is impressive and contains some wonderful examples of men of great walking with God. God chose a slightly different route however, Mary, whose lineage is not known all that well if at all. In choosing Mary, we are left with Jesus’ greatness coming from God, not lineage or pedigree or education or maleness or anything having to do with human honor, prestige or power. Just like today, all attempts to corral or control Jesus fail. From the very beginning of the birth of Jesus, God’s plan was God’s plan from the beginning of time and continues to be God’s plan and has nothing to do with humanities grasps at greatness. Books and movies like “The DaVinci code” which still plays regularly on the movie channels, attempt to bring Jesus down to a purely human level. Others attempt to make Jesus so Holy so as to strip all humanity from him on the one hand and sing “Jesus is my boyfriend” praise songs on the other stripping him of his true God given holiness that came through suffering. What came from Mary was a gift from God, and a gift for you and I and all humanity. Emmanuel means God with us, not just God with me.

the real gift

Monday December 19th, Luke 1: The virgin's name was Mary. 28 The angel went to her and said, "Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you." Highly favored!! What had Mary done to make her highly favored? She was not a prophetess, a preacher or a poet; she was just a young maiden of no great lineage from nowhere. And when we say young, we mean probably around 13 at the time, with Joseph being much, much older. Not the stuff of the family values crowd. The term translated into English as virgin is more accurately translated as a young maiden who may or may not even be virgin as we would use the term. Just a young maiden of no virtue other than that she was chosen by God. When it comes right down to it can any of us claim anything more or anything less? All the greatness we create, all the good we do, all the wealth we have simply comes to us as a gift from God and all too often in the case of power and wealth, the manipulation of situations that create victims of other children of God. There are times when we get a glimpse of Mary’s response in our own lives and in those times we tend to use all, or at least some of these many gifts for the Kingdom. Those are the few times that we can almost see the shimmer of Heaven off in the distance and hear the angels sing. Perhaps it was Mary’s gift of the willingness to be an open, giving, willing child of God that is the real gift, out of which comes the Messiah.

Calvin and Hobbes

Tuesday December 20th, Luke 1: 29 Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. The understanding of the day was that when and if an Angel visits you, you just know the rest of your life is going to be a bit different, out of your control, or most likely, very, very short. All your plans are out the window and you are now either on a mission or shopping for a gravesite. I suppose you could say no, but Jonah among others would advise you against it. What lies before you is nothing less than an adventure. My son has a tattoo of Calvin and Hobbes going on an adventure on his back. Like Bilbo Baggins in the Hobbit, what lays beyond that horizon can only be guessed at, and even then you will be wrong for the most part. All you know is that it will be an adventure and you will most likely not be alone during this, or any adventure that involves a calling from God. For some it may be exciting, for others scary, and yet, somehow the thought of staying home and watching reruns on the tube just does not sound all that appealing anymore. So get out there and have an adventure with God, say yes to the call, or at least a strong maybe. You will not be alone, no matter what evolves, God will be with you.

every morning if you dare

Wednesday December 21st, Luke 1: 30 But the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. 31 You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end." If someone in Mary’s position was to be found to be with child, it would be a disgrace to the family and she would most likely be killed to maintain her families honor. Even with the Angel saying “fear not” I have to believe that what we do not read about in these stories were the inner thoughts and a great deal of fear on Mary’s part. Not only was she going to be in a family way, the child she was carrying would change the world, so much for remaining anonymous and living out a nice little life in the “burbs.” But, Like Mary we are all asked, in spite of our fears, to get down on our knees saying “yes” to God. Then as we are packing we begin to see what direction your life will take? For some it is a once in a lifetime thing, but for the truly brave of heart and strong of faith I say try it every morning if you dare.

your adventure

Thursday December 22nd, Luke 1: 34 "How will this be," Mary asked the angel, "since I am a virgin?" We, like Mary at first see limitations, God sees possibilities. To Mary’s credit, she only saw the limitations for a short while, while most of us see the limitations and are ruled by the limitations most of our lives. What are the possibilities in your life? What are the self-imposed limitations that are holding you back? Where is God in the midst of it all? Hannah, Rachael, Elizabeth, Mary, they all saw the limitations at first, but it was looking back that they were able to see God’s blessings revealed in God’s plan put into action by their saying yes. Going along with God’s plan made the blessing real to them. Going along with God’s plan makes the blessing real for us also. This Christmas season, give yourself the best gift of all, ask God to help you find your part, your journey, your adventure, more in God’s plan than in your own plan. And may the blessing of the Christ Child walk with you every inch of the way.

overshadowing

Friday December 23rd, Luke 1: 35 The angel answered, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. That overshadowing, what comfort. When you think of overshadowing, think of a hen with her young chicks protected under her wings. There is a church in the shape of a teardrop overlooking Jerusalem with the mosaic on the altar of a hen with her wings spread out, protecting her young. Overshadowing means comfort, protection, warmth, love, safety and companionship. It is what gets us ready for ministry in the real world. It is what gets us through the day. It is what accompanies us during our ministry in the real world. It is what comforts us in the midst of ministry and life in the real world. At those times when we need it most, and are open to it, the Holy Spirit covers us with her wings and overshadows us with the love of God. Is there any ministry task that is beyond us with overshadowing on our side? When we pray for someone, we cover them with our wings, which in turn are covered with the grace of God.

may it be with me as you have said

Saturday December 24th, Luke 1: 38 "I am the Lord's servant," Mary answered. "May it be to me as you have said." Then the angel left her. I can think of no greater prayer than this, “I am the Lord’s servant, may it be with me as you have said.” Keep this prayer on your lips and in your heart as you go into the new world into the New Year. Be open to what God has called you to be, and is calling you to do. Be open to the wonders beyond the horizon. Be open to giving beyond graciousness. Be open to all the wonders God has in store for you if you but just open your heart to being the Lord’s servant. May it be with you as God has said!!!! Now pray with me, ”I am the Lord’s servant, may it be with me as you have said.”

O Holy Night, not in any hymnal... Hmmmmm!!

Initially, "Cantique de Noel" (O Holy Night) was wholeheartedly accepted by the church in France and the song quickly found its way into various Catholic Christmas services. However, the song's popularity declined after its initial acceptance, based on the reputations of the lyricist and composer. Late in his life, Cappeau (the author of the words) left the church and became an active part of the socialist movement. He was described as a social radical, a freethinker, a socialist, and a non-Christian. Church leaders also discovered that Adams (the musical composer) was a Jew, and the song--which had quickly grown to be one of the most beloved Christmas songs in France--was suddenly and uniformly denounced by the Church. The heads of the French Catholic church of the time deemed "Cantique de Noel" as unfit for church services because of its lack of musical taste and "total absence of the spirit of religion." Yet even as the church tried to bury the Christmas song, the French people continued to sing it.

The Full article is here

10W for December 11th, Advent 3 in the Narrative Lectionary, Burning commitment

The following is a 10 minute worship for December 11th, Advent 3 in the Narrative Lectionary, Burning commitment. You can either listen on the flash player below or download it to your favorite music program to sync with your mp3 player by clicking on "DOWNLOAD" or play it on your smartphone's music player by clicking PLAY . You now also have the option of receiving these notices each week and on festival days by signing up for the 10W constant contact email list on the right or on your phone by texting 10W to 22828. Please help fund this ministry by clicking on the donation link for Christ Our Savior Lutheran Church and making a small donation.

10W for December 11th, Advent 3, Love can break through

The following is a 10 minute worship for December 11th, Advent 3, Love can break through. You can either listen on the flash player below or download it to your favorite music program to sync with your mp3 player by clicking on "DOWNLOAD" or play it on your smartphone's music player by clicking PLAY . You now also have the option of receiving these notices each week and on festival days by signing up for the 10W constant contact email list on the right or on your phone by texting 10W to 22828. Please help fund this ministry by clicking on the donation link for Christ Our Savior Lutheran Church and making a small donation.

Poem for 3rd Sunday in Advent John 1:6-8, 19-28

Who is the one
Followed by so many
In a land
And a time
Looking
        Longing
For someone to show them
(but only in the place they were looking)
            the Way
are you
           they cried
Prophet
         Elijah
                  Christ?
We are looking for
              (a handle)
                            an answer
to help us understand
           (control)
                             You
what shall we say
           and in what way
to the system set in place
                    to stay
but full willing within its own definition
                            to change
I am said John
Just the voice of one
Just one
Announcing
The Revolution
In this world
      Heart
            Mind
                   Soul
                          Universe
Just announcing
The end of all
           (as we know it)
is here
and with it
                the Beginning