Southwood Lutheran Church

Waiting: How good are you?

How good are you at waiting?  At patience?  We did a lot of waiting this week.  First, when the whole storm was forecast - we waited to see if it would really hit?  Then we waited to see if there would be the longed for "snow day".  We waited for the plows to come.  By Thursday we waited to bust out of our houses and get back into the regular pace of life.

I read this quote today that gave me to have a new perspective on waiting:

"A waiting person is a patient person. The word 'patience' implies the willingness to stay where we are and live the situation out to the full in the belief that something hidden there will manifest itself to us. Patient living means to live actively in the present and wait there. Impatient people expect the real thing to happen somewhere else, and therefore they want to get away from the present situation and go elsewhere. For them, the moment is empty. But patient people dare to stay where they are, waiting." - Henri Nouwen

I never thought about the patient person as a daring person before, and I kind of like that.  How daring are you?  

The Advent season is all about waiting.  In worship, we are waiting for the promised Christ Child to arrive in our midst.  In our homes, we are waiting to blow the wrapping off of those presents that are tucked under the tree.  In our lives, we are hoping for the next great event or relationship or opportunity.  But how content are we with what's happening right now?  How present are we in the present?  How might we give our presence to the moment we are in right now?

Pastor Sara

And Like a Good Neighbor ....

Its no secret that I love the snow.  I even love shoveling the snow.  I loved it on Monday morning, shoveling the first substantial snowfall of the winter.  I loved it on Tuesday morning, clearing off my driveway preparing for the big storm.  I even loved round #3 last night when I decided to go out one more time and shovel the driveway off. 

However, this morning round #4 just got to me.  It was heavy, it was sticking to my shovel, it was falling back into the same place from which I had just removed it.  I was beginning to loathe round #4.

I was only about 1/4 of the way done this morning when my neighbor came over with his snow-blower. (Cue the Hallelujah Chorus in my head!) I have a serious amount of gratitude in me, it would have taken me til noon to do it by myself.  (Instead I was inside the house again by 10:00 cozy warm, taking a picture of my neighbor out the window.)  In the time it took me to shovel the front walk, he had the entire driveway done.  Just when I was on the brink of losing it, he restored my great delight!  Mine was the 3rd drive way he's done this morning, and he's working on a 4th right now.

I also neglected to mention that yesterday another neighbor came over and helped me with the final 1/3 of round 3.  I have good neighbors.  Ever since, the State Farm jingle ... "And like a good neighbor _________ is there," has been stuck in my head.  For me I'll insert "Scott and Troy."  State Farm doesn't have the patent on being a good neighbor though, Jesus does.  Read more about that here.

So I got to thinking, there are probably all sorts of stories, all over Lincoln (and beyond) today of good neighbors.  Who is your neighbor?  OR, how have you been a good neighbor?  I need some good reading on this "snow day" so comment away good neighbors!

Pastor Sara

Giving Presence to those in Need

Listen to Pastor Sara's Message

God gave us the greatest present of all when he came to earth to live among us and redeem us. God’s presence with us is what Christmas is all about. Instead of presents, how can we give our presence this Christmas?

Mary’s Song: Luke 1:46-55

Mary recalls the past.

• Mary’s Song is full of references to Old Testament passages, especially Hannah’s song in 1 Samuel 2, when Hannah praised God for her own son Samuel.
• She recalls the deliverance of the people of Israel from captivity in Egypt to a new life in the promised land.

Mary celebrates the present.

• Mary gives thanks that God is using her to bring deliverance to the people once again.
• She gratefully acknowledges her humble role as a lowly servant. She knows that her joy comes because God will be honored, not herself.

Mary believes in an even greater future.

• Mary firmly believes that God can and will do incredible things through this Jesus. The proud will be scattered, the rulers brought down, the humble lifted up, the hungry filled, and the rich sent away empty.
• This vision is either preposterous or profound. Do you believe it could happen?

Prayer
O God, Open our eyes that we may see the needs of others; Open our ears that we may hear their cries; Open our hearts that we may feel their anguish and their joy. Let us defend the oppressed, the poor, the powerless, without fear of the anger and might of the powerful. Show us where love and hope and faith are needed, and use us to bring them to those places. Open our ears and eyes, our hearts and lives, that we may in these coming days be able to do the work of justice and peace for you. Amen.

The Happiest People I Know

"Those are the happiest people I know."

A blog post with this title has been ruminating in my head for about a year.  It was originally about shoes, but now its about Tanzanian's.  Let me explain.

I know a girl who works in the shoe department at Von Maur. I have to admit that I was surprised to hear her say that working there is the best job she's ever had.  She claims:  "These are the happiest people I've ever met."  This is not a flaky superficial girl either, she's spiritual, she's a church goer, she prays, she even meditates.  All that and she still says, customers in the shoe department at Von Maur are the happiest people she's ever met.

I think I agree with her.  The shoe department at Von Maur is one of my happy places.  Even if I don't buy anything, I could spend an hour just perusing the possibilities.  In the shoe department you don't have to worry about how much weight you've gained or how tall/short your legs are - shoes look good on everybody.  This makes a shoe shopper happy.

But I started to rethink this theory on Sunday.  I heard someone declare at a Tanzania meeting that "Tanzanian's are the happiest people I know."  I couldn't disagree with her either.  I've never seen bigger smiles than on my friends in Tanzania.  These people, who have next to nothing by way of material possessions, have everything by way of sheer joy and happiness.  It's no wonder that a very common girl's name there is "Happy."

I am laughing at the irony of comparing shoe shoppers (perhaps the quintessential expression of American greed) to Tanzanians (the very picture of humility and generosity).  Our perspective makes such a difference, doesn't it?  If you're looking for happiness - you're going to find it.  If you're looking for greed, you're going to find it.  If you're looking for despair, you'll find it.

So I've been keeping my eyes open for happiness - and I'm finding it, not only in shoes and Tanzanian friends but in:

• The laughter in my small group at the frequency with which we get off topic.
• The joy a young boy named Marvin finds in reading.
• The "cheese sandwich" I made with my nephew out of two couch cushions and a story book.  (Which, by the way, was delicious.)
• The "ah-ha's" people are having as they read Enough.
• The excitement building for Thanksgiving worship and time with family.
• The anticipated "white stuff."

Ecclesiastes 3:9-13 (TNIV)

What do workers gain from their toil? I have seen the burden God has laid on the human race. He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end.  I know that there is nothing better for people than to be happy and to do good while they live. That each of them may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all their toil—this is the gift of God.

Who are the happiest people you know?

Pastor Sara

Blessed to be a Blessing

Listen to Pastor Sara's Message

Sermon Based on: Matthew 5:1-12

Would you call yourself a saint?

• Saint (hagios)
• • Greek: holy, sacred, dedicated to God
  • English: a person of great holiness or virtue
• Blessed (makairos)
• • Greek: being fortunate or happy because of circumstances
  • English: to consecrate or sanctify by a religious rite; make or pronounce holy

Who does Paul call saints?

• 1 Corinthians 1:2 - To the church of God that is in Corinth, to those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, together with all those who in every place call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, both their Lord and ours.  (nrsv)
• Ephesians 1:1 -To the saints in Ephesus, the faithful in Christ Jesus.  (niv)
• Philippians 1:1 - To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, with the bishops and deacons.  (nrsv)

The Beatitudes
(Matthew 5) describe the life of the Saint

• The first four bring comfort to those who are longing, hurting, or hoping
• The second five promise to bless those who actively seek mercy and peace

“The people who learn what it is like to receive the blessing, persons who travel the way of faith experiencing the ways of grace in all kinds of weather and over every kind of terrain, become good at blessing.”  —Eugene Peterson

Remembering the Saints:

• Who are the saints (living or dead) in your life?
• How do they bless you?
• How have they inspired you to bless others?
• How is your life different because of their lives?
• How are you a saint in the life of someone else?

Serve From Your Heart

Listen to Pastor Sara's Message

Text based on: Mark 10:35–45

Anyone can be great because anyone can serve.
—Martin Luther King Jr.

Biblical Context:  Jesus leads a group of fearful followers, including his twelve disciples, to Jerusalem.  For the third time Jesus tells them what to expect:  He will be mocked, spit on, beaten, and killed; three days later he will rise.  Mark 10:35-45 is the disciple’s response.

What does the disciples’ response tell us?

• The truth about the world:  We are told to do better, reach farther, get to the top—we want to be the best and we would prefer not to suffer to get there.
• The greater truth about the Gospel:  Having been saved by Jesus, we are freed from the tyranny of striving to do whatever it takes to get to the top.  Our request then changes: “Ask not what Jesus can do for you, ask what you can do for Jesus.”

How Do we Become Better Servants?
One way is by making sure that the motivation for our service is love. Eighteenth-century Archbishop of Canterbury Thomas Secker said, “God has three sorts of servants in the world: some are slaves, and serve Him from fear; others are hirelings, and serve for wages; and the last are sons [and daughters], who serve because they love.”

Questions for Reflection
Have you come to a place where you can put your name in this verse?  “_______________ is not here to be served, but to serve.”

If you cannot confidently put your name in that verse, consider asking yourself the following questions and then praying through these scripture passages:

• Do I believe God has called me to focus on serving others?  (Mark 10:43-44; John 13:1-17)
• Do I believe he has equipped me for service? (Ephesians 2:10; 1 Corinthians 12)
• Do I have a vision for what it would look like to live beyond myself?  (Acts 2:42-47; Romans 15:1-13; Philippians 2:5-11)

Beyond One Sunday

We celebrated Global Mission Sunday this past week.  But Global Mission goes far beyond one Sunday and three worship services per year.  Already in the four days that have passed between Global Mission Sunday and today, great things have been happening to change lives in God's kingdom!

• Pastor Moshi, the Pastor In Charge at Uswaa in Tanzania received the prayer requests from Southwood's people and was eager to have his congregation begin praying for Southwood. He said:

To us here at Uswaa are fine. I received the list of prayer requests. Thanks so much for share with us the prayers we will do on our side.  As Christians we have an opportunity to go before him and cry for help. Thanks so much. WE WILL PRAY.

• Michelle is writing on her blog this week about how she's praying for her AIDs orphans, Neema and Kantate in a new way.  Check out Southwood's Global Missions page to learn more about taking a Global Missions trip or sponsoring an AIDs orphan.  From that link you can also watch the Global Mission's video we showed in church this past Sunday.
• This week we are sending money to Uroki Secondary School in Tanzania so that Uswaa students can participate in a 90 day intensive course in English to prepare them for acceptance exams to Secondary School.
• On Saturday 60 people from Southwood will work at Kids Against Hunger for our Southwood Serves day.  They will work for two hours and package over 10,000 meals that will be shipped around the world.

If you'd like to dig deeper into how you might get involved in Community and Global missions check out the book The Hole In Our Gospel, by Richard Sterns.  This is an incredible book that both gives a picture of the reality of need in the world and gives us real ways that we as individuals and churches can be involved in spreading hope.

An Experiment in Hunger

Could you go for a whole week eating beans and rice?  How about just rice?
 
This past Sunday we hosted a human experiment focusing on the types of portion sizes, foods, and dinner settings of people from different income levels around the world.  People who attended the Hunger Banquet were asked to “Come. Eat. And Leave Hungry.”  That hunger was both physical and metaphorical.
 
First the physical hunger, the attendees drew out a colored card as they entered the room:

• Blue cards placed you at the high income table where you were served a meal of lasagna, garlic, bread, and salad.
• Orange cards placed you at the middle income tables where you were served rice and beans.
• Yellow cards landed you with a seat on the floor and a bowl full of rice.

After eating the meal we talked about how it felt to be in one particular income level or another.  The people at the high income table felt guilty.  The people in the middle were just glad to be in the middle.  The people on the floor were still hungry, and had a new appreciation for those around the world who go hungry.  One person from the high income table ventured across the room to share her food with the hungry.
 

Scott Young from Lincoln’s Food Bank was there and shared an important message about the reality of hunger right here in Lincoln and in Nebraska.  The Food Bank is doing amazing work in many areas, but there is still need.  You can listen to Scott’s message here.  Scott reminded us that most of us have drawn a blue card in life.  Not because of anything we’ve done to earn it, but by “the lottery of the womb.“  He said, “many of us have woken up on the third base and we think we’ve hit a triple.”
 
Participants in the Hunger Banquet left with a metaphorical hunger to “do something.”  Many will be serving at Southwood Serves this Saturday, and many others will find themselves walking across the room in the future to share the food they’ve been given with others.
 
Are you hungry?  (physically or metaphorically)  What are you going to do about it?
 
Pastor Sara

Three Cups of Tea

Last night, like about 1000 other Lincolnites I got the chance to hear Greg Mortenson speak.  Mortenson is the author of the book Three Cups of Tea, a Three Cups of Tea young readers edition, and a children's book called Listen to the Wind.  (Each of these books will soon be available in Southwood's library.) Greg also has a new book coming out in December called Stones into Schools.

Read the Journal Star article here.

The title of the book Three Cups of Tea comes from something Greg learned when he was rescued by a small Pakistani village after a failed attempt to climb K2.  It takes three cups of tea to build a relationship, the first cup we are strangers, the second cup we are friends, the third cup we are family.  You know what happens over those cups of tea?  Conversation - the essential ingredient to building strong relationships.

From a blog post I wrote last summer after I had read the book, Here are a couple of my favorite lines from the book Three Cups of Tea:

"In times of war, you often hear leaders - Christian, Jewish, and Muslim - saying, 'God is on our side.' but that isn't true. In war, God is on the side of refugees, widows, and orphans."

And from a young woman, educated at the first school built:

"When I was a little sort of girl, I would run away and hide my face. But after I graduated from the Korphe School I felt a big change in my life, I felt I was clear and clean and could go before anybody and discuss anything."

Greg is an incredibly humble man, and that is inspiring. He is building schools one at a time in order to break the cycle of violence. He quotes an African proverb that says: "If you educate a boy, you educate and individual. If you educate a girl, you educate a community."  I am just now finishing up a book on the global condition of women called "Half the Sky, Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide"  look for a review of that next week.  I am so thankful that Greg Mortenson is encouraging and equipping girls and women to be educated and to then educate and care for their families and their communities.

You can learn more about Mortenson's work here and see some of his speaking appearances here.

Did you hear Greg last night?  What inspired you?  Have you read the book?

Pastor Sara

Hands Tied Together

This Sunday is Global Mission Sunday at Southwood.  We will spend the morning celebrating the relationship God has given us with our brothers and sisters in Tanzania and Honduras.  We've been connected with these global family members for years now, but this year we found out that they are connected to each other too. 

Check out this great story!  It comes from Invo Makayo, the Headmaster of Uroki Secondary School in the Uswaa Parish in Tanzania.  He has never met anyone from Honduras, yet he faithfully prays for them as his own brothers and sisters.  To the right is a picture of Invo with Kristi Larson, one of the members of Southwood's Tanzania team.  You can read another story about Invo and Kristi here.

On August 3rd, Invo sent us this email:

After prayers (by Staff and Students of Uroki) for our sisters and brothers in Honduras, I decided to research a bit about this Country. On one website I faced the following alert:

Travel Alert: The security situation in Honduras remains fragile following recent political instability. Travelers should stay away from any demonstrations and monitor the media for any developments.

I was moved by tears. I heard the echo of Pastor Sara's words when preaching at Uswaa. I heard her telling us about our young sister (Honduras). She said we are three sisters (Uswaa, Southwood, and Honduras). I really felt as my own kinsmen are in great anguish. What then could I do to help them ? Nothing, nothing at all, the distance is a limiting factor, BUT even if I could be there who Am I to calm the situation? Nothing.

On the other side of the coin ... We have lots we could do. PRAYERS !!!!!!!!!!! yes by faith we have powers to stop everything that is disturbing our brethren. And this is what I'm calling upon to every body that known to have brothers and Sisters in Honduras Let keep our hands tied together till security is restored

In his service,

Invo

Sometimes I think we can go to Honduras and Tanzania and think we are the big brother or even the parent in this global relationship.  Thinking we have everything to give and teach and nothing to gain.  Oh how wrong that is - we have so much to learn and so much to be taught about faith by these faithful people who care so passionately for ALL of God's children.

Come and join the Global Celebration this Sunday!

Pastor Sara