Picnic Worship

Picnic Worship

How Changing a Few Details Can Bring Others to Light

For some reason these two words seem to go together. There is nothing quite so fun as singing a few great camp songs and then eating a slice of watermelon. This combination in more than likely fully imbedded in our long-term memories as one of the “fun” times in our lives.

I was just a young boy the first time I attended family camp. My parents and my sisters would go to camp and sing songs that were considered camp songs which basically meant that they were not hymns we sang in church on Sunday mornings. The camp preachers were the same pastors we often saw at Sunday worship only now they we wearing T shirts and cargo shorts. It was a bit confusing actually because you weren’t quite sure how to address them. Do you call them by their first name, or “Sir,” or “Pastor”? It didn’t matter because, at that age, I was running, jumping, and having a good time with my friends.

The other thing I enjoyed at camp was the lake. Seems like we always attended a camp where water was a very important attraction. I would swim with my friends and throw lily pads at my sisters or girls that bugged me. Of course, at that time in my life, all girls bugged me. So everyone was fair game. We played softball and, my favorite, Dodgeball. It seems I had a gift for both throwing and catching the dodgeball and that made camp I wonderful place to spend time with my friends and family.

Maybe I haven’t presented this picnic and worship world fully yet because, as fun as it was, it was also the place where I heard about the love of Jesus at a time when my heart was young and open. It was at camp that the story of Jesus and the love of God began to take ahold of my heart. It was “picnic worship” that spoke the story in a tone that made my heart yearn to hear more. I have much to be thankful for, but I love the fact that my parents gave me and my sisters experiences like that to build a relationship with Jesus. I am grateful for their wise examples.

So, I call you, all you wise people, to come and worship at the picnic coming up on August 13, 6 p.m., Rice Lake Park. There will be singing, stories, and of course, watermelon. YUM! There will be coffee and conversation, and there will be the story we love about a man whom God sent into our world to share God’s love with us. Can there be any better reason for being there?

Blessings, my friends, on your summer fun.

See you soon!

In Christ,

Pastor Jeff Holter

I’ve Seen Fire and I’ve Seen Rain

As young people growing up in any age, music always seems to play an an important part in expressing whatever is happening in the world at that time. It was no different for me. One of those artists was James Taylor. His music always told stories about life and the words to his songs seemed to reflect my world, my joys, my concerns.

With everything going on lately…fires, floods, people and animals trying to escape the danger…it only makes his words seem closer to home. “I’ve seen fire and I’ve seen rain.” Seems like a song written for our time.

Fires and Floods

Our world is changing quickly. The environment we deal with is much more subject to the extreme weather we now face. Fires are raging up here in the Northland. Homes close to us have been destroyed. The good news is no one has lost their life. We want to lift everyone affected up in prayer. 

There’s more to this song though than just the opening line. “I’ve seen sunny days that I thought would never end.” We live in one of the most picturesque cities in America. As fickle as the weather can be here, we still enjoy great summer weather, ideal for walking the beaches on Park Point or Brighton Beach. We are aware these are precious times; our summers are short and our winters are long. And, as we approach June, we imagine these sunny days will never end.

Truthfully, it is the isolation of the long winters that makes us appreciate the summer days. As the song reminds us. “I’ve seen lonely times when I could not find a friend.” One of the reasons that I am drawn to church is that I find people who care about me. It’s a community of believers and people who value the gathering of friends, a listening ear to share stories with, and even grieve with. Our church families are healthy places for us to grow up in and grow old in. I am ever grateful to be a part of your lives and I believe that I can be a good person for you to share your life with.

Don’t Be a Stranger

Summer is the time that we all seem to take some time off. Not necessarily from church, but to explore the world around us. I have heard of some people going on vacations here or there. But… come the fall, I expect to see everyone again. “But I always thought I’d see you again.” I love hearing about your summers and all the activities we collectively are doing: home repairs, painting the house, going on a canoe trip, or just basking in the sun. Then, as the summer comes to a close, I start looking forward to the familiar faces, football season, and fall soccer with the grandkids. I am always happiest when I see you all again.

Please continue to worship as often as you can. Support your church and have a few barbeque suppers in the evenings. Stay healthy and engaged and be a friend to all. God knows who we are and what we need, and we need each other.

I see you!

Blessings and Peace,

Pastor Jeff

Breath of God

Acts 5:27-32

Psalm 118: 14-29

Revelation 1: 4-8

John 20: 19-31

The backdrop to this story is that it immediately follows Jesus’ resurrection. I guess that always seems to “up the ante” on this story, and in addition to that, there is the added pressure of being under lock-and-key out of fear of religious retaliation. With that, the words of greeting by Jesus seem so out of place: “Peace be with you!”  I guess that is why I cannot seem to overlook the exclamation mark, and once again, we find the exclamation mark in the second greeting.  Strange how when things seem desperate, we are not always so clear in our minds about what to do and how we are to react. This may be true of other Biblical stories as well as day-to-day experiences and life in general.

Now as if these greetings have not disrupted our sense of balance or our illusion of control, Jesus, for some reason, thinks sending us into the world is a good thing. Jesus is “sending” us into the world to pronounce a message of forgiveness or (hold your breath) a word that holds forgiveness back. Intrigue barely covers the scandal of that message.  Then, the second shoe falls as Thomas, with an open admission, confesses that unless some pretty definite proof is provided, he for one is not going to believe in a resurrected Christ.  The intrigue is that, of course, Thomas is known as Didymus or “the twin.”  Forgive me if “I” seem to be interpreting that as a reference to my own faith here.  At times, I seem to be his twin-doubting brother with a skepticism that can defy reason, and it seems even more pronounced when I cannot see and touch and use my senses to evaluate the truth of something.  Trust me. I “get” Thomas. 

At the heart of this text, though, is what Jesus does to bring about change in the story.  Jesus pronounces his intentions for us—that he is sending us into the world, and then he follows that with a spirit-filled breathing on us. Some follow up is maybe helpful here because I cannot help but see a connection between this story and the creation story.  We all know that story well and probably already connect that story with our EcoFaith concerns. God created a “good” earth and created humankind in his image; in the image of God he created them, male and female he created them.  And, it was good!  The intrigue for me always lies in the language surrounding the creation of Adam—first because Adam’s name means “Earth,” and second because God breathed into Adam the breath of life.  God breathed not just the physical life of being a human being (a great gift in itself), but also the gift of living in the spirit life of God.  It’s remembering that the word for breath and the word for spirit are the same word in the Hebrew language. Living in the spirit life of our creator is to breathe life into this earth and to be His messengers. Gods’ message is a message of forgiveness and also a message of protection for the world. 

At a funeral, I often share a story with the family that I once heard about where God’s name originated.  Again, it is a part of the creation narrative. God formed Adam from the dust of the earth and then breathed into the dust the breath of life.  If one says “Yahweh” as one breathes in, it reminds them that God’s name is on our lips with our first breath and even as we take our last. It is surprising how deeply that connects with people to their creator as they say their final good-byes to their loved ones.  I actually ask them to breathe in with me as we share that moment of mutual grief. God is at the center of all living things.  Taking care of the earth is from the beginning and to the end our constant calling and concern.  Caring for people and caring for the earth go hand in hand.

Now as we look to the other three texts for this Sunday, we notice many ways that this story gets deepened and repeated. From Psalm 150 verse 6: “Let everything that has breath praise the Lord.”

Just look at all the ways praise is offered to God in this Psalm.  God breathes life into all things, and we lift that up as evidence concerning a truth about Yahweh, the one who breathes life into us and the one whose spirit is alive and life for us. We may doubt this at times, but with each breath we take, faith is renewed, and the calling to go and share the good news is filling our spirit with the spirit of the resurrected Christ.  And, a new day begins.  To that end, may we breathe deeply with the breath and message God has given us to proclaim.  He is risen, he is risen indeed!

Melting Snow

As much as I love the onset of spring, I am not so infatuated with the mess of melting snow

during this time of year. Our home is nestled at the base of a hill that is a part of a bluestone formation. Which means that all the rain and melting snow trickles down to our block foundation. Almost every spring we fight the good fight with groundwater infiltration. It’s not fun, but it’s not impossible either. It’s always good to get active as early as possible to get the snow away from the foundation and to make sure to direct the run off towards the culverts or alley.

There is something else that is not so fun during early spring: when the snow begins to melt and all the trash and discarded items left in the streets are now exposed. Oh, they are still frozen in the ice so you can’t move them, but you can definitely see them. A mitten here, a sled there. The best part? We live next to Proctor High School so we seem to attract all the homework and assignment sheets abandoned by the students. Then again, the truly messiest offenders live with us: our dogs. Yes, I said dogs (plural). We have three of these cuddly pooches. We call them pets which sounds more domesticated than it really is.  I mean, they think they are domesticated but my backyard begs to differ. Melting snow is both a sign of spring and warmer weather and a sign of the total chaos that I now need to clean up.

Having grown up first in South Dakota where my grandfather and relatives farmed, I grew up with dust on my boots and mud under my fingernails. I love the smell of the earth. When my father accepted a call to the mission field in Brazil,  I was delighted. We lived in a city but the rural members that he served were mostly people living off the land, which allowed me to have a horse and to travel around the city and countryside on horseback. It was an amazing way to grow up.

As the snow melts in the spring, I can smell the decaying leaves of fall and the growing grass of spring. When I get up in the morning, I am a bit anxious to start raking my yard. I want to pick up the leaves and debris. I want to start planting flowers and my garden. I want to trim the bushes so that they will bloom more fully in the summer. Most of all, I want to be doing something. I want to shake off the laziness of winter’s imposed hibernation and stretch my arms and legs and lungs, and breathe in the emerging life and activity of spring.

I hope you were not expecting some deeply theological diatribe. If you were, I’m sorry! What I have to offer is an invitation to join the human race. To struggle against defeatism and the inevitable lethargy that seems to be engulfing our country and world. When we give in to that winter doldrum, all we see is a debris field. But if we pay attention, the winter melt gives way to picking up the debris, and raking the discarded papers, and even mucking out the backyard from doggie doo. 

Yes, we are a resilient people. God has made us that way so that we can be light in the world, the sunlight when the cold winters get too long. We are people of grace with faith enough to share the good news. Winter comes, but so does the promise of new life in Christ. 

So, join me, and let us melt the snow of despair and proclaim a new day is dawning. YES, a new day is dawning!

Blessings, Pastor Jeff

The Right Idea Will Fly

Like many young people of my era, the idea of flight has always intrigued

me. The story of the Wright Brothers and the “Kitty Hawk” fed my thirst for

adventure and allowed me to dream dreams that seemed unobtainable, and yet

possible.

When I turned 10, my grandfather gifted me with a horse. Our family was

living in Brazil at the time, and that gift opened up so many doors for me. My

father was a busy pastor serving multiple congregations in a pretty rural town in

the southernmost state in South America. My mother was trying to keep her

family dressed, fed and happy. Which worked out well for me, since I was given a

lot of freedom.

I used to walk to the farm where my horse was kept. The farm

belonged to the Yost family who were a German speaking family who attended

the Lutheran church my father was serving. They were simple people but with a

hard-working disposition. They were also kind and caring, and generous to a

fault. My horse had all the apples and pears that a horse could eat since they

grew all sorts of fruit in their abundant orchard.

The Yost farm was on the edge of town, and just beyond the fence lay an

open field that served as the municipal airport. Sounds pretty impressive but the

planes that landed on the grass runway were just single engine planes with no

more than two or three passengers on board. But it at least it had the iconic wind

sock in its bright orange color to let the pilots know which way the wind was

blowing. The point is that I could go catch my horse and ride to the top of the field

and exit the gate at the top of the field and watch the small planes taking off and

come in for landings.

In my mind, as a young boy, they could be going anywhere

or coming back from anywhere and they were taking me with them. I think only a

small propeller plane has the power to capture our imaginations like that.

This Lenten season we are going to be exploring the ways that God’s

presence is made known to us. Like wind in one’s face or like a bird returning to

northern forests we sense God’s presence more than we realize. Sitting on my

horse, I could sense when it was frightened or when it’s muscles were tense in

anticipation of flight. What does God reveal about God’s self in the gospels?

Which of our senses are awakened when the Crucifixion story unfolds right there

before us?

What “right idea will fly” to give us an innovative new perspective about

the grace of God that will transform us in some deep way and leave us incapable

of being silent? This may be the moment when your life will be open to the spirit,

when the God you hear, see, touch, taste and smell will find you ready and willing

to Pass it on.

Hey, lets us go flying together. OK? Come and be a part of our Lenten

journey. Enclosed is the schedule for this coming season of flying and innovation

here at the “Bridge of Faith” Parish. Dream some dreams with me, and feel the

wind of the spirits breath as we journey together to the cross but then to the

wonder of the empty tomb.

Flying and Set Free,

Pastor Jeffrey Holter

An Interesting Road Trip

A few years ago I was searching for a snow blower. The one I had been using kept breaking down. I was also sharing it with my son who lived a few miles away. This meant every time he needed the snow blower, we had to load it into a trailer, haul it to his place, then turn around and bring it back to our house. Point being– this was a constant, labor-intensive process, and I was determined to change that. So I searched the internet for a (new to me) snow blower.

If there is one thing I love, it’s a road trip with my wife to look at used machinery. As luck would have it, I found what looked like a good Husqvarna snowblower about 40 miles away. It was already about 4 p.m., but the owner said he would be home and we were welcome to take a look at it. Pulling into the yard where the snowblower was located, the owner came out and started the machine. Unfortunately, it was a bit more used than I wanted and ran a bit rough, so I thanked him and we left.

The autumn clouds overhead warned of wind and rain, and it was darker than when we’d first started. After driving for a few miles, the wind started up and the rain began to come down. A few more miles later, it started to pour. I mean POUR! Cats, dogs, and the whole zoo of rain-producing creatures kind of POURING. At one point, we hydroplaned and I could not see the white lines on the pavement. I pulled over to a side road and slowed the car to a stop. 

A few minutes later, the rain slowed. The clouds floated by. The wind stopped howling. And a few remaining rays of the evening sunset greeted us. We drove the rest of the way home treasuring this view.

Moving Through the Story of Jesus

On Sunday, January 12, we celebrated the Baptism of Our Lord. We have moved along in this story of Jesus. First, it is the miracle of Jesus’ birth, and then the flight into Egypt to escape King Herod. Then we witnessed Jesus as a 12-year-old boy visiting the temple and being questioned by the chief priests and temple leaders. This feels like the calm before the storms already brewing as we approach the Lenten and Easter seasons.

Maybe we should consider taking a moment to pull over. We may need to stop and consider what we are seeing. Or even what we cannot see. At times, the road signs seem to disappear all together. Sometimes the lines needed to keep ourselves on a safe path may be blurred by the pouring rain. That pouring rain being a world going too fast, pouring down on us with such force that we become blinded by fear and leery of taking another step forward.

First, Take a Breath

I believe that our world is exhausted. It is not only frightening to drive in a rainstorm, it is exhausting. Let me suggest something for this month. First, take a breath. Second, allow time for the heaviest part of the storm to pass. No one expects us to drive when we cannot see two feet in front of ourselves. That is dangerous for us and may put others in danger as well. Give yourself time to prepare for the difficult part of the journey. Keep your eyes on Jesus because he is both our destination and our guide. Finally, be open to sharing the ride with someone you love, someone you trust. A friend, a neighbor, or in my case almost always my wife. 

Blessings on journey as we approach the Lenten season, and be kind!

Blessings In Christ,

Pastor Jeffrey Holter

A River Runs Through It

Image of River flowing over rocks

by Pastor Jeff Holter

I wrote the article below for the EcoFaith magazine, however I believe we can hear the echoes with the invitation to wait expectantly for the Messiah. There is a yearning in our hearts to also await the day when all the world is changed by his arrival.

My wife, Joan, and I were invited to our nephew’s wedding this fall. It was a destination wedding to Glacier National Park. Our nephew and his wife met at work but spent their vacations traveling to national parks throughout the country. It was the end of the park season and we anticipated traveling through snow. Already we had determined not to fly out to Montana but to enjoy the drive through North Dakota and all the way to Glacier. I suppose that for some that sounds boring, but we wanted to take in the scenery of the central plains.

The route we chose was the northern route, going through Fargo and then taking highway 2 to Glacier. There is another route, going south and taking the freeway through Bismarck, ND. But then all one sees is traffic and endless pavement. What both Joan and I wanted was to see the terrain of the rolling plains. You can not travel at the speed of “not seeing anything” but you do see the creatures and native topography of these rolling hills. As you get closer to Glacier you begin to see the Rockies and the mounds of rocks jutting out of the plains.

As I recall our trip, what matters the most is the realization that what made the trip memorable was both the joy of the wedding, the nature, and natural world we encountered. Let me elaborate!

Sometimes no matter how observant one tries to be, you can’t guarantee the weather or wildlife are going to cooperate. The first day we drove up Glacier to Logan’s Pass. The rode is very narrow and the air is very thin. Still, when we arrived, we decided to climb to a mountain lake, about a three mile hike up a steep hill. After a mile and a half, thin air was getting the best of us. Darn aging! We decided that one and a half miles was absolutely OK with us and we started down the path again. 

We had just stopped to rest when someone yelled “BEAR”! We turned around and, sauntering up behind us was a grizzly bear. We froze, until Joan realized our bear spray was in my backpack. Joan quickly dug into the backpack while I took out my cell phone and started taking pictures of the bear. It wasn’t hungry for Lutherans that day, and just kept crossing the path, moving toward other food. I have the pictures, and I won’t forget that experience. I keep thinking of all the beauty we saw on this trip: buffalo, antelope, moose, wild mustangs, so… many prairie dogs and one lone coyote who was also keeping an eye on the prairie dog village. This is a great country and our world can be a place of beauty and wonder and can still boggle the mind.

Our trip back home was also very meaningful. We continued taking the roads less taken, bringing us to a roadside parking lot for a needed stretch of the legs and some time to move around. Joan and I parked the car and walked down to the river which the road seemed to be following. The river was very low and water moved very slowly. The shore line exposed the river bottom where rocks with dried up moss and mud caked stones once shined when the water had covered them. We walked closer to the running water and realized we were not alone. 

A gentleman came up behind us, taking a rest from what we came to find out was a long trip from Bismarck. We talked for a bit, sharing our mutual appreciation for the river and the beauty of the nature in front of us. That led to other disclosures: where we were from and the joy of having been at our nephew’s wedding.

The man shared why he was there. He and his wife were coming home from a doctor’s appointment. He relayed that his wife has cancer and things did not look good, but they always stopped at the river on their way home to celebrate the goodness of God and beauty of God’s good creation. He then told me that this river was actually very special because it was the river and location of the movie, “A River Runs Through It.” The movie stars Brad Pitt, and was directed by Robert Redford. However, when I remember that movie,  I think how nature, in all its glory, can bring peace and wholeness when life gets crazy. When we are tested beyond our human endurance. 

Nature is our healing. Nature is God’s way of putting things into perspective. It keeps us from losing hope. Nature’s resilience gives God’s grace a means to visibly show us how God is available to us. Holding us and giving us a place to renew our spirits. I believe this is God’s true testament to us. How we treat nature is our true testament we can trust God to be there for us no matter what. Enjoy your day, enjoy life and give thanks to God for God’s goodness endures forever.

Peace, Pastor Jeff

God's (Other) Gifts to Us

Members of Family of God Lutheran Church sing Christmas Carols.

by Rose M. Fife, Music Director / Communications

It was one of those moments when the decision was made for me.

The announcements that Sunday morning mentioned, “Come to Open Arms. Help us greet people, shake their hands.” And I knew, despite that day’s To Do list, I’d be going. Plopping down my music, I sat at their piano, as surprised as they were that there was going to be live music today.

I tried to quietly play along with the music in the service (incidentally the service I had just played. It’s harder than you think to play music along with yourself from an hour ago.) So Becky jumped in to mute the service every time music was played.

I thought we had figured out the plan and the residents were tolerating it until one woman burst into tears and ran to hug the Activities Director. I lowered my hands from the keyboard and thought, “Well, that didn’t go to plan. Not a problem. No more live music.”

When I later apologized to Shelley, wonderful Activities Director, for upsetting the residents, she said the reaction was the opposite. The woman was so grateful to hear live music and see more people that she couldn’t contain her emotions. I was speechless, touched, changed. Again and again I am reminded of one of God’s gifts to us all: Music. To celebrate, to grieve, to connect, to emote… it is there for all of us.

On Sunday, December 8, 10:30, we have another opportunity to share more music, more love, and more Christmas spirit with the residents at Open Arms Senior Living. Join us for caroling! I’ll bring the songbooks. You bring the Santa hats.