A reflection on Matthew 14:13-21 

Gut feelings. It is something that we have all experienced at some point in our lives when we are faced with a decision that our logical brains can’t make, but our guts seem to know the answer all along. They are weird. Often based on context clues in the world around us that our bodies pick up on but our brains don’t consciously register, these feelings can seemingly come out of nowhere. And while sometimes annoying, these gut feelings can also be really helpful in our response to care for the people around us.

Take for example the familiar story from Matthew's Gospel where Jesus feeds a crowd of over five thousand people. Before this miracle, Jesus had just learned the news that John the Baptist had just been killed. We know that Jesus knew John the Baptist, since it was John who baptized Jesus and they would have been cousins since their mothers were related…but it is also very possible that they had grown to be friends. I think we see a glimmer in the beginning of this passage where it says that after Jesus heard the news of John the Baptist’s death he withdrew to a deserted place by himself giving himself time to grieve the death of John. Of course, when he comes ashore he is greeted by a curious crowd of over five thousand people, who we can guess also knew John the Baptist and were maybe even baptized by him and are now turning to Jesus in grief and feelings of “now what?”  

At this moment, Jesus had a choice…he could have said “Hey I need a minute” and walked away…but instead, Jesus looked at the crowd… and in English is said to have had “compassion for them.” The word that we translate in English as “compassion” from the biblical Greek, comes from one of the greatest root words - Σπλαγχνίζομαι (Spl-ach-ikz-ohmy)...which means “to be moved in one’s gut.” In other words Jesus literally had a gut feeling. He was moved in his gut to help the crowd that gathered. This gut feeling not only resulted then in the feeding of these people, but also in their healing of those who were sick, and a chance for them to gather as a community and support each other so that no one had to be alone on that particular evening.

The image in this story paints what I see as the church. It is a place where we are fed. Sometimes literally when we gather for a meal or Holy Communion, or eat a baked good or two after worship. Other times the church is a place where we are fed spiritually through prayer, scripture, and hymns. The church is also a place where we can take a breath. Where we can slow down for a moment and turn down the noise of the world. A place where we can find a sense of peace and healing. But, it is also a place where we can join in community and be supported and loved for who we are… 

It is all of  these things that we experience here that then move us in our own guts to want that for the rest of the world. This gut feeling of compassion is at the very core of stewardship. As disciples, we are called to give of our time, our money, and our gifts to love our neighbors in need…and those neighbors are the people sitting next to you, the people driving down the streets in your neighborhoods, the people standing on street corners, the people working in the office buildings downtown, the people showing up to volunteer or in need of food at the local food bank, the people who immigrated from another country, and even the people sitting next to you on the ski lift. 

So the only question that remains is, Σπλαγχνίζομαι (Spl-ach-ikz-ohmy) what are you being moved to in your gut?

Grace & Peace,

Pastor Rita

  In early March of 2020, we moved my Nana into an assisted living facility just before everything shut down. Within a week of her moving in, outside people were not allowed into the building, including clergy and other religious leaders unless it was an end-of-life situation. However, with the roll-out of vaccinations, the assisted living facility started to allow in outside people, who had been vaccinated. So, my Nana’s pastor was finally, after over a year, able to bring in communion, to give to my Nana and the other members of St. Mark’s Lutheran Church. Upon Pastor Andy’s arrival, word got out that a pastor was there with communion and soon what was supposed to be a gathering of four women, turned into a gathering of six women, then eight women, and then ten women, and then fifteen women. So, working with the staff, Pastor Andy was able to get bread from the kitchen and my Nana scooted off with her walker to fetch a bottle of blueberry wine for the meal. 

I love this story because it speaks to what it means to be Spirit-filled people. Gathered into one by the Holy Spirit, what would have been a normal gathering of a few became something more. Through the Spirit, an ordinary room became a sanctuary. It didn’t matter who each person was, all were given an open invitation to come and see.  This is what it means to be called to a spirituality grounded in the Spirit. Through the water so baptism, we are call to a life in the Spirit that goes beyond the walls of the church. We are called to step into the unknown and be continually changed, transformed, and renewed by the Spirit.

Grace & Peace,

Pastor Rita

A reflection on Luke 13:6-9

I didn't know that I would eventually study to the be a pastor. In a stunning turn of events, I actually majored in Biological Systems Engineering for my undergraduate degree, meaning my educational background is in field crop research, drainage systems, wastewater management, and maybe most importantly for the Gospel reading, soil science. I know that soil science does not sound like the most exciting thing to hear someone write about, but it is just so fitting with this Gospel reading. In it we are told of a vineyard owner, who planted a fig tree three years ago and then left it, only to check on it year after year around the time that it should be bearing fruit, and year after year found nothing.  So, in his frustration he tells the gardener to cut it down.

As with any of the parables, the stories, that Jesus uses to teach, there are a number of ways that we might look at the different characters and their interactions and relate them to our own lives. But, as I was thinking about this parable in light of everything going on in the world , while also digging up what I know about soil science and soil health, that many of us can probably relate best with the the depleted soil. 

Because you see, good soil health is dependent on a number of factors. Good soil needs nutrients like phosphorus and nitrogen, which support plant growth and help the plant produce flowers that, once pollinated, can turn into fruit. Good soil also needs a mixture of the soil components sand, silt and clay as well as organic matter that breaks down slowly and hold moisture. And speaking of moisture, good soil needs to be hydrated, so that the plants it supports have access to water. Additionally good soil needs to house a robust ecosystem of bacteria, fungi, and other microbes that work to breakdown organic matter and make nutrients more available to plants. It really is in all of these things coming together, that make a good soil, that make a viable ecosystem from which life and fruit can grow and flourish. 

The beautiful thing is when this ecosystem is flourishing, the benefits ripple out to the surrounding world. As this ecosystem is flourishing, plant and animal life is sustained and supported. Water, be it through rain, snowmelt, and irrigation is slowed and controlled. Pollutants and toxins are filtered and buffered. Nutrients are cycled and transformed to benefit different lifeforms. Our homes, offices, roadways, livelihoods are supported by this flourishing ecosystem.

So, If we now think about ourselves in terms of being good soil, it is not hard to see how everything going on in the world recently has really depleted us as soil. Really, it feels like every time we turn on the news there is something else to think and worry about. And this is the thing, because just a good soil depends upon a number of factors to be good and healthy, we too are dependent on a number of factors. We are dependent on community, connections, and relationships with each other and God to help us process, navigate, and celebrate all that life throws at us. We are dependent on spiritual nutrients of the Word of God and prayer to give us hope and remind us of God’s promises. We are dependent on the waters of baptism and the bread & wine at communion to remind us of God’s love (which is always there, but can be so easy to forget). But, it is in all of these factors coming together that we are spiritually nourished and our soil health is improved. 

In our parable, the gardener tells the vineyard owner to wait one more year before cutting the fig tree down so that the gardener might have time to landscape a little to improve water retention and add manure as fertilizer, in hopes that with a little love the soil once again can be healthy and support the fig tree. And so yes, if you are following my line of thinking all of the way while thinking about this parable, I am saying that this community, our community in Jesus Christ, is manure. Which is maybe a bold thing to say. But, this community is manure that is enriching our faith lives and our relationship with God. Because it is amidst the muck and mess of soil,  and manure, and earthworms, and everything else that goes into life, that God is present and with us creating, nurturing, and renewing life.

 And so amidst all that is going on in the world, we pray-

"Lord, let my heart be good soil, open to the seed of your word. Lord, let my heart be good soil, where love can grow and peace is understood. When my heart is hard, break the stone away. When my heart is cold, heat it with the day. When my heart is lost, lead me on your way. Lord, let my heart, Lord, let my heat, Lord, let my heart and let this community be good soil." (ELW #512, adapted)  Amen.  

Grace & Peace,

Pastor Rita

If someone told me my assignment was to “slow down, savor, rest and contemplate,” I would reply, “gladly.” But how do we slow down in a world that is driven by speed and stimulants? First, we need to ensure that we have margin in our lives. Margin was the soul care practice we started last October. Some activities will need to be eliminated before the pace of our lives can change; especially, if you are feeling so busy that you are not able to find time for your spiritual life.

I first heard of “Margin” and “Slowing Down” about a year ago. These practices didn’t have an impact on me overnight, but looking back on the past twelve months, I now know they have impacted my everyday decisions I make. I now allow more time for decisions, so I can make it a prayerful decision. Remember the secret of margin…It is okay to say no to “anything that is not absolutely necessary to the well-being of your soul or the welfare of others.”

James Bryan Smith, the author of The Good and Beautiful God, gives us some ideas to practice slowing down:

·       Think about the activities of the upcoming day. Instead of waiting until the last minute to go to your next activity, try leaving ten minutes early. Walk more slowly. Drive more slowly. When you arrive at your destination a bit earlier than usual, use the extra time to notice people and things around you. Breathe.

·       Intentionally get in the slowest lane while driving, and the longest checkout line when shopping. Good luck with this one!

·       Plan a meal with a friend or group of friends. Cook slowly. Enjoy the act and smells of cooking. Linger over your meal, spending an hour or two eating slowly, conversing and enjoying the blessing of food.

·       Set aside an hour today to be a sloth. Move slowly. Take up to five minutes just to walk from the living room to the kitchen. Take a step and stop. Notice things. Breathe deeply. Be present to the present moment. Do everything at a deliberately slower speed.

Make a whole day a “slow day.” Get up a little earlier so you can have time to linger over breakfast. If you are at work, do your work with a slower, more rhythmic pace (assuming your profession allows this; if you need to act quickly, do so without “hurrying”). Cut out TV and all forms of media for the day. Take time to watch a sunset, take a leisurely walk, watch kids play in the park. Sometime later in the evening, sketch out your thoughts about what living a slowed-down life would look like. 

Soul Care is all about living from a place of overflow; learning to stop occasionally for conversation, the chance to read, to rest, to open up to God's presence, guidance, and--ultimately--love. Soul Care is all about bravely living into the destiny that God has for you. In His power, under His direction, and in His way. 

In a time where solitude has been more prevalent in our lives than ever, why would solitude be a soul care practice? When we spend time alone, we aren't trying to live up to other people's standards. We don't have to be smart or funny or clever or careful about what we say. Solitude gives us the opportunity to truly be ourselves. Once we are able to find solitude and incorporate into our busy days, we then need to make it intentional time alone with ourselves and God. James Bryan Smith says, "And after I came face to face with myself, I encountered God. And God--not the world, not my friends or family members--began to shape my identity."

Why is solitude such a hard practice? Give yourself a lot of grace in the beginning. Start with five to ten minutes at a time. You could try some of these things to make your atmosphere more relaxing: soft music in the background, something warm to drink, a candle burning and/or use pillows to make you comfortable. You could even have a simple task to keep you focused like folding clothes or washing dishes. The purpose is to help you learn how to be more comfortable alone with yourself and God.

The author of The Good and Beautiful Life gives the following verses about our identity in Christ to help focus your thoughts. During your time of solitude, read these versus slowly and spend short time reflecting on them. 

• I am God's child: "But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God." (John 1:12)

• Jesus is my life: "When Christ who is your life is revealed, then you also will be revealed with him in glory." (Colossians 3:4)

• I am being transformed into the image of Christ: "And all of us, with unveiled faces, seeing the glory of the Lord as through reflected in a mirror, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another; for this comes from the Lord, the Spirit." (2 Corinthians 3:18)

• I cannot be separated from God's Love: "For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8:38-39)

• I am in the Spirit, not the flesh: "But you are not in the flesh; you are in the Spirit." (Romans 8:9)

Soul Care is all about living from a place of overflow; learning to stop occasionally for conversation, the chance to read, to rest, to open up to God's presence, guidance, and--ultimately--love. Soul Care is all about bravely living into the destiny that God has for you. In His power, under His direction, and in His way. 

Lent starts during the month of February, so we thought a powerful soul care practice would be to read the Gospel of John. In The Divine Conspiracy Dallas Willard writes, "The key, then, to loving God is to see Jesus, to hold him before the mind with as much fullness and clarity as possible. It is to adore him." Lent is a beautiful season where we can steep in the beautiful reminder of all Jesus has done for us in His life, death, and resurrection. The best way to do this is by reading the Gospels. The gospel of John gives us a glimpse into Jesus with a series of unique stories, but most important, John's Gospel gives us a clear picture of Jesus' relationship with his heavenly Father.

The author of The Good and Beautiful God recommends breaking up the Gospel into four sections and reading five to seven chapters at a single sitting. If questions come up during your reading, write them down so you can find the answers at another time. Simply try reading this Gospel like a story with a beginning, middle and end.

Margin refers to the space on the edge of a page where there is no text. The page you’re reading has margins on the top, bottom and sides. If words stretched from top to bottom and to both edges there would be no margin. Some of you might agree that our lives are a lot like that. We add so much to our schedules that we have no “margin,” no space for leisure and rest and family and God and health.

Here is an example the author of “The Good and Beautiful GOD” gives us of being “Marginless.” Marginless is being thirty minutes late to the doctor’s office because you were twenty minutes late out of the hairdresser’s because you were ten minutes late dropping the children off at school because the car ran out of gas two blocks from the gas station—and you forgot your purse.

Margin, on the other hand, is having breath left at the top of the staircase, money left at the end of the month, and sanity left at the end of adolescence, and the list goes on.

What happens when we are marginless? In my experience, the first thing that comes to my mind is stress. And stress can cause health issues. Marginless leaves little time for soul care

How do we create margin in our lives with a culture that seems to reward busyness and overextension as signs of importance? JUST SAY NO! It is easier said than done, but start with saying “no” to anything that is not absolutely necessary to the well-being of your soul or the welfare of others.

Over time, we hope this allows more time for leisure and rest and family and God and health.

So next Sunday, we would love to hear how Margin is working for you. Maybe you haven’t said no to anything, but you have written a list of the things in your life that aren’t necessary for the well-being of your soul or welfare of others.

Here are some ideas for finding margin:

·       Get up ten minutes earlier and create a space for silence before you begin your day.

·       Cut out unnecessary entertainment activities.

·       Explore scaling back some of your commitments by asking, “Is it essential?”

·       If you do something often (for example, spending time with a friend), consider reducing without cutting that person out of your life.

The soul care practice for this month is called lectio divina, which is a Latin term literally meaning “divine reading.” It is a method of reading the Bible that involves listening with the heart. In lectio divina, we find a passage in the bible that is no more than a few verses, and read it over and over very slowly while focusing on each word and phrase and paying attention to how those words and phrases impact our heart. Think of it like you are “praying the Scripture” rather than “studying the Scripture.”

Here are some guidelines on how to practice lectio divina:

1.)    First, read a passage of the bible.

2.)    Spend a minute or two just relaxing and breathing deeply.

3.)    Read the passage through, one time, slowly. Pause between each clause (for example, “The Lord is my Shephard,” [pause] “I shall not want.” [pause] . . . ) After you finish this first reading, be silent for a minute or two.

4.)    Next, slowly read the passage through a second time, pausing even longer between the phrases. Be aware of words or phrases that catch your attention, or seem to stand out in some way. When you are finished, write down those special words or phrases.

5.)    When reading the passage a third time, read up to the word or phrase that touched you in some way. Stop and repeat the word or phrase a few times.

6.)    Reflect for a while on the phrase that moved you.  Repeat it a few more times. Let the words interact with your thoughts and memories of any other Bible passages that come to mind. Let it touch your heart, desires and fears and ponder, What might God want to say to me specifically?

7.)    Now, turn that last question into a prayer, asking God, “What is the word you have for me in this passage, God? Is there anything you want to say to me today?” Listen and then write down anything you sense God might be saying to you.

8.)    You can now be still and silent while enjoying being in the presence of God.

9.)    In this last step, ask yourself and God, What am I being called to do as a result of the word I have been given? Perhaps you are feeling challenged to love God more, or to accept some aspect of who you are, or to serve someone you know, or to begin changing some aspect of your character. Whatever it may be, write it down. Write down, “Today God is calling me to be a more patient person. Be with me God, and teach me how.” Thank God for the word and the calling you have been given.

You now know how to “pray the Scripture” versus “study the Scripture and can practice lectio divina. We look forward to hearing how this soul care practice impacts you. What is God calling you to do today?

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Another survey has been released for September. Please take the time to click on the survey link to check in with your soul care for September: https://bit.ly/3gT0EL8

Please reach out to us if you have any questions.

Peace, blessings, and happiness,

Mary Black                           Sommer Eichelberger

mareblack@msn.com          S_niebur@yahoo.com   

The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.

He makes me lie down in green pastures;

he leads me beside still waters; he restores my soul.

He leads me in right paths for his name’s sake.

Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I fear no evil

for you are with me; your rod and your staff— they comfort me.

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;

you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life,

and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord my whole life long.

The first three verses are a powerful biblical reminder to consider God’s grace and guidance even when life is fruitful and things are going well. The next Verses, though, specifically encourage us to seek God amid difficulty. 

For the month of August, practice reciting Psalm 23 before you fall asleep each night and again when you awake. It will start to become second nature to you, and you will catch yourself saying it throughout the day.

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Another survey has been released for August, and it has the same three questions before. Please take the time to click on the survey link to check in with your soul care for August. https://us15.list-manage.com/survey?u=e3b1dbbc4b8bcfa688eef486c&id=554b437a05&attribution=false 

If you are unable to take the survey through Mail Chimp, please let us know and it can be done over the phone or via email. Also, we will be getting additional information on the Risen Lord website soon regarding the Soul Care Minute. You will be able to see how this ministry got started, the goal, and more. Please reach out to us if you have any questions.

Peace, blessings, and happiness,

Mary Black                           Sommer Eichelberger

mareblack@msn.com          S_niebur@yahoo.com   

This month there are two exercises that will help us experience the goodness of God. The first one is “Silence”. What is silence? It means listen, do not make noise, be calm, and pay attention. We are all familiar with Psalm 46:10 where the psalmist says we must be “still” to know that God is “good”. 

That can seem difficult during this age where working every day and accomplishing goals have become a trend that we must follow in order to achieve greatness. And perhaps this trend can cause stillness and rest to be viewed as a weakness. Well, I’m here to tell you that being still is not a weakness, but a strength. It’s a strength we need in order to achieve the greatness that God created us for. 

We encourage you to take five minutes each day to sit in silence. Try to find free spaces in your day…maybe it is when the children are napping, maybe it is a break in between activities, maybe it is getting to an appointment 5 minutes early so you can sit in silence in your car. This may be challenging at first, but with a little effort this can become part of your daily routine.

The second exercise to our practice is “Awareness of Creation”. We are so fortunate to live in the mountains where we are surrounded by God’s beauty and places that are relatively untouched by humans. What better way to experience God’s goodness and love than taking in His creation…sunrises and sunsets, snow-capped peaks, crystal clear lakes, wildlife, wild flowers, and so much more. Take a walk outside and pay attention to the sounds, colors, and sights of nature.

So, in summary, try to add five minutes of silence to your day and pay attention to the beauty that surrounds us. 

Don’t forget to share this practice with your spouses and children!

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As a reminder, we will practice each Soul Care Minute for four weeks, and then we will introduce a new one for the month of July. You will be receiving a survey monthly, which will be an important tool for us to measure the value in our Soul Care Minutes. Here is the link to the second survey: https://bit.ly/3f3oDY0

If you are unable to take the survey through Mail Chimp, please let us know and it can be done over the phone or via email. Also, we will be getting additional information on the Risen Lord website soon regarding the Soul Care Minute. You will be able to see how this ministry got started, the goal, and more. Please reach out to us if you have any questions.

Peace, blessings, and happiness,

Mary Black                           Sommer Eichelberger

mareblack@msn.com          S_niebur@yahoo.com              

We have many more blessings in our life than problems. If you find yourself waking up and focusing on the problems, shift your mindset by counting your blessings. Counting your blessings is a powerful spiritual exercise. You can start by making a list of all the things God has blessed you with. Think of all of the wonderful things in your life, whether it is your loved ones, the beautiful leaves and flowers appearing, or the opportunities you have been given. You can start small, for example, the smell of coffee in the morning. Finally, include things that God has done for you. This exercise is aimed at helping us to see beyond the suffering and look toward the widespread mercy that surrounds us. Try to add to your list each day. Set a goal to list 50 blessings in your life, and then reach for 100, and so on.

We would love to hear your experience(s) from integrating this practice into your daily life during announcements on Sunday. 

Don’t forget to share this practice with your spouses and children!

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As a reminder, we will practice each Soul Care Minute for four weeks, and then we will introduce a new one for the month of July. You will be receiving a survey monthly, which will be an important tool for us to measure the value in our Soul Care Minutes. Here is the link to the first survey: bit.ly/3dKRKie

If you are unable to take the survey through Mail Chimp, please let us know and it can be done over the phone or via email. Also, we will be getting additional information on the Risen Lord website soon regarding the Soul Care Minute. You will be able to see how this ministry got started, the goal, and more. Please reach out to us if you have any questions.

Peace, blessings, and happiness,

Mary Black                           Sommer Eichelberger

mareblack@msn.com          S_niebur@yahoo.com   

  In early March of 2020, we moved my Nana into an assisted living facility just before everything shut down. Within a week of her moving in, outside people were not allowed into the building, including clergy and other religious leaders unless it was an end-of-life situation. However, with the roll-out of vaccinations, the assisted living facility started to allow in outside people, who had been vaccinated. So, my Nana’s pastor was finally, after over a year, able to bring in communion, to give to my Nana and the other members of St. Mark’s Lutheran Church. Upon Pastor Andy’s arrival, word got out that a pastor was there with communion and soon what was supposed to be a gathering of four women, turned into a gathering of six women, then eight women, and then ten women, and then fifteen women. So, working with the staff, Pastor Andy was able to get bread from the kitchen and my Nana scooted off with her walker to fetch a bottle of blueberry wine for the meal. 

I love this story because it speaks to what it means to be Spirit-filled people. Gathered into one by the Holy Spirit, what would have been a normal gathering of a few became something more. Through the Spirit, an ordinary room became a sanctuary. It didn’t matter who each person was, all were given an open invitation to come and see.  This is what it means to be called to a spirituality grounded in the Spirit. Through the water so baptism, we are call to a life in the Spirit that goes beyond the walls of the church. We are called to step into the unknown and be continually changed, transformed, and renewed by the Spirit.

Grace & Peace,

Pastor Rita