Mail Archive of the old Santa Clara Valley Lutheran Parish

I adjure you by the Lord that this letter be read to all the brethren. (Thessalonians 5:27)
Subject: Devotion for July 15
Date: Tue, 15 Jul 2008 11:39:50 -0700 (PDT)
From: Peggy White <revpegsv@pacbell.net>
Received-SPF: neutral (google.com: 68.142.199.87 is neither permitted nor denied by domain of revpegsv@pacbell.net) client-ip=68.142.199.87;
DomainKey-Status: good (test mode)
DomainKey-Signature: a=rsa-sha1; q=dns; c=nofws;
  s=s1024; d=pacbell.net;
  h=X-YMail-OSG:Received:Date:From:Subject:To:MIME-Version:Content-Type:Content-Transfer-Encoding:Message-ID;
  b=nQyU+dc94Kx4CUJO3LMYzPMUJvQCC3GEWtIWuAJqQqt25T+7bZST2jbCi3jOwf8qblSdtBGLAJfG//h1L7tmCpe/ja8x1Nkpy9dhk1+9X4XCjIOLtTmLBntRx+TTqaY45yhhk/jMQmjdy+du61xjTcSS6729fvbR6Li2AwP1tLM=;
Date: Tue, 15 Jul 2008 11:39:50 -0700 (PDT)
From: Peggy White <revpegsv@pacbell.net>
Subject: Devotion for July 15
To: SCVLP Group <scvlp@googlegroups.com>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="0-1012103054-1216147190=:51396"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit
Message-ID: <40961.51396.qm@web81007.mail.mud.yahoo.com>

--0-1012103054-1216147190=:51396
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit

What follows is my submission for today's devotion.  I'm not sure it qualifies as a "devotion."  Perhaps some discussion on what we expect in a "devotion" would be helpful - at least for me.  And as I am still reflecting on the following subject, I welcome your reflection as well.
   
  Peggy White
   
  Jim and I attended the installation of Bishop Mark Holmerud on Saturday.  I think that what stood out for me most in this service was the emphasis on justice.  This was evident in the selection of the hymns, the texts, and the sermon.  For me this was refreshing.
   
  For most of the past twelve years since I was ordained, the focus of the ELCA, the Sierra Pacific Synod leadership, our congregations and I, myself, has been Evangelism.  As we have experienced denominational decline, we have desperately focused our energy on sharing the Gospel and being witnesses. (Although, I think our motivation has had more to do with institutional survival than on faithfulness).  Weve followed the lead of our Evangelical neighbors, adopting their language, practices and conscience.
   
  I think we needed this corrective, as historically we have expected people who are Lutherans like us to show up at our churches.  So we have been encouraging, teaching, pushing, and even nagging ourselves about being evangelical. 
   
  I confess to you that I have grown weary of this emphasis.  But I have also been reflecting on it, and there is something about this emphasis with which Ive grown uncomfortable from a theological perspective.  My discomfort is part of what has motivated me to spend this summer in study.  For me the pendulum has swung too far and I think another corrective is needed.
   
  While there certainly is a Biblical mandate to share the Gospel, there is also a Biblical mandate for justice.  And I think we have separated these in a way that they should not be separated.  The message of and about Jesus, is a message of and about Gods love for the world.  While we have focused on inviting people to be Christian (particularly Lutheran Christians) and on building our Christian communities, we have ignored or forgotten to see our neighbors in need.  Or we have made serving our neighbors a tool for enlarging our churches.  We have allowed and even participated in ways of being in the world that build up our own comfort at the cost of others lives.  And we havent named these sins.
   
  As much as we are still uncomfortable with doing Evangelism, we have also become complacent about doing justice.  I remember a story some years ago, about a murder that took place, I think it was in New York.  A woman was killed on a public street.  According to the story, many people heard her screams.  Some even witnessed her attack.  But none acted because they did not want to get involved.  There was a public cry of outrage towards those who failed to act. How much injustice have we silently witnessed without speaking out because we did not wish to risk our involvement?  Why are we not outraged?
   
  We resist and struggle with the idea of being a public church, because we dont want to take a stand on certain issues.  Some of us are outraged when our church meddles in the public arena.  But some issues cry out for someone to take a stand.  Can we ignore these things and pretend that we are being faithful witnesses of the Gospel?
   
  Of course, on some issues we simply disagree.  So our pattern has been to not discuss them with one another.  And when we do talk about these issues, we seek to buttress our own arguments without considering the validity of the other side.  We throw cultural and theological labels at each other, assuming that our thinking is the only right thinking. (I recently received an email headed, How to remember facts and win arguments against liberals.  Since I tend to lean towards the liberal side, I am now looking for the class on How to remember facts and win arguments against conservatives.  -  No honest discussion is to be considered.) We fail to see our injustice towards one another in doing this.  And we have fled from addressing these issues by focusing on evangelism.
   
  How can we invite people to be Christian if we do not take seriously Gods love for the world  not just ourselves?  How can we be witnesses of the Gospel without realizing that the content of our witness is communicated in the way we live our lives?  How can we claim Jesus is Lord while ignoring our ways of living that cause harm to others?  And if we are unable or unwilling to talk about difficult issues with one another, how can we be open to the Holy Spirit in the Church?  If I am afraid of how you will regard me if I say, I think this, about . . . whatever, how can we be in Communion with one another?
   
I think we can be faithful, by bearing witness to the Gospel as we do justice.  I think we need to acknowledge and perhaps learn, how doing justice is also bearing witness.  And, we also need to learn what it is to do justice.  We need to figure out when and how to speak publicly and how to learn from one another, open to what the other has to offer.  As much as we have talked about learning to share our faith, we need to learn to talk about public issues that affect the well-being of others.  Perhaps most, we need to stop hiding.  After all, we are Gods people  meant to be light of the world; a city that cannot be hid as others see our good works and give glory to God. (Matt. 5:14 - 16). 
--0-1012103054-1216147190=:51396
Content-Type: text/html; charset=iso-8859-1
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit

<DIV class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3><EM>What follows is my submission for today's devotion.&nbsp; I'm not sure it qualifies as a "devotion."&nbsp; Perhaps some discussion on what we expect in a "devotion" would be helpful - at least for me.&nbsp; And as I am still reflecting on the following&nbsp;subject, I welcome your reflection as well.</EM></FONT></DIV>  <DIV class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>  <DIV class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3>Peggy White</FONT></DIV>  <DIV class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>  <DIV class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3>Jim and I attended the installation of Bishop Mark Holmerud on Saturday.&nbsp; I think that what stood out for me most in this service was the emphasis on justice.<SPAN
 style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </SPAN>This was evident in the selection of the hymns, the texts, and the sermon.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </SPAN>For me this was refreshing.</FONT></DIV>  <DIV class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3>&nbsp;</FONT></o:p></DIV>  <DIV class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3>For most of the past twelve years since I was ordained, the focus of the ELCA, the Sierra Pacific Synod leadership, our congregations and I, myself, has been Evangelism.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </SPAN>As we have experienced denominational decline, we have desperately focused our energy on sharing the Gospel and being witnesses. (Although, I think our motivation has had more to do with institutional survival than on faithfulness).<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </SPAN>Weve
 followed the lead of our Evangelical neighbors, adopting their language, practices and conscience.</FONT></DIV>  <DIV class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3>&nbsp;</FONT></o:p></DIV>  <DIV class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3>I think we needed this corrective, as historically we have expected people who are Lutherans like us to show up at our churches.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp;&nbsp;</SPAN></FONT><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3>So we have been encouraging, teaching, pushing, and even nagging ourselves about being evangelical.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp;</SPAN></FONT></DIV>  <DIV class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3><SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"></SPAN></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>  <DIV class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3>I confess to you that I have grown weary of this
 emphasis.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </SPAN>But I have also been reflecting on it, and there is something about this emphasis with which Ive grown uncomfortable from a theological perspective. <SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp;</SPAN>My discomfort is part of what has motivated me to spend this summer in study.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </SPAN>For me the pendulum has swung too far and I think another corrective is needed.</FONT></DIV>  <DIV class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3>&nbsp;</FONT></o:p></DIV>  <DIV class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3>While there certainly is a Biblical mandate to share the Gospel, there is also a Biblical mandate for justice.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </SPAN>And I think we have separated these in a way that they should not be separated.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </SPAN>The message of and about Jesus, is
 a message of and about Gods love for the world.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </SPAN>While we have focused on inviting people to be Christian (particularly Lutheran Christians) and on building our Christian communities, we have ignored or forgotten to see our neighbors in need.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </SPAN>Or we have made serving our neighbors a tool for enlarging our churches.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </SPAN>We have allowed and even participated in ways of being in the world that build up our own comfort at the cost of others lives.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </SPAN>And we havent named these sins.</FONT></DIV>  <DIV class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3>&nbsp;</FONT></o:p></DIV>  <DIV class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3>As much as we are still uncomfortable with doing Evangelism, we have also become complacent about doing
 justice.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </SPAN>I remember a story some years ago, about a murder that took place, I think it was in <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" /><st1:State w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">New York</st1:place></st1:State>.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </SPAN>A woman was killed on a public street.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </SPAN>According to the story, many people heard her screams.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </SPAN>Some even witnessed her attack.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </SPAN>But none acted because they did not want to get involved.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </SPAN>There was a public cry of outrage towards those who failed to act. How much injustice have we silently witnessed without speaking out because we did not wish to risk our involvement?<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </SPAN>Why are we not outraged?</FONT></DIV>  <DIV
 class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3>&nbsp;</FONT></o:p></DIV>  <DIV class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3>We resist and struggle with the idea of being a public church, because we dont want to take a stand on certain issues.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </SPAN>Some of us are outraged when our church meddles in the public arena.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </SPAN>But some issues cry out for someone to take a stand.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; C</SPAN>an we ignore these things and pretend that we are being faithful witnesses of the Gospel?</FONT></DIV>  <DIV class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3>&nbsp;</FONT></o:p></DIV>  <DIV class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3>Of course, on some issues we simply disagree.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </SPAN>So our
 pattern has been to not discuss them with one another.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </SPAN>And when we do talk about these issues, we seek to buttress our own arguments without considering the validity of the other side.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </SPAN>We throw cultural and theological labels at each other, assuming that our thinking is the only right thinking. (I recently received an email headed, How to remember facts and win arguments against liberals. <SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp;</SPAN>Since I tend to lean towards the liberal side, I am now looking for the class on How to remember facts and win arguments against conservatives.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </SPAN>- <SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp;</SPAN>No honest discussion is to be considered.) We fail to see our injustice towards one another in doing this.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </SPAN>And we have fled from addressing these issues by focusing on
 evangelism.</FONT></DIV>  <DIV class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3>&nbsp;</FONT></o:p></DIV>  <DIV class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3>How can we invite people to be Christian if we do not take seriously Gods love for the world  not just ourselves?<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </SPAN>How can we be witnesses of the Gospel without realizing that the content of our witness is communicated in the way we live our lives?<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </SPAN>How can we claim Jesus is Lord while ignoring our ways of living that cause harm to others?<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </SPAN>And if we are unable or unwilling to talk about difficult issues with one another, how can we be open to the Holy Spirit in the Church?<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </SPAN>If I am afraid of how you will regard me if I say, I think this, about . . . whatever, how
 can we be in Communion with one another?</FONT></DIV>  <DIV class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3>&nbsp;</FONT></o:p></DIV><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA">I think we can be faithful, by bearing witness to the Gospel as we do justice.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </SPAN>I think we need to acknowledge and perhaps learn, how doing justice is also bearing witness.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </SPAN>And, we also need to learn what it is to do justice.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </SPAN>We need to figure out when and how to speak publicly and how to learn from one another, open to what the other has to offer.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </SPAN>As much as we have talked about learning to share our faith, we need to learn to talk about
 public issues that affect the well-being of others.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </SPAN>Perhaps most, we need to stop hiding.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </SPAN>After all, we are Gods people  meant to be light of the world; a city that cannot be hid as others see our good works and give glory to God. (Matt. 5:14 - 16).</SPAN> 
--0-1012103054-1216147190=:51396--
Information...

Last updated 2025-09-18 13:29:00 by Webmaster
Mail Archive of the old Santa Clara Valley Lutheran Parish

Message Archive Navigation

Information...
