Summertime

I love summertime. Yes, it is hot in Las Vegas. It is also pretty busy here at Community Lutheran. We have a ton going on, and there were a number of unexpected difficulties that our church had to face. However, the summer offers a change of pace. There are new opportunities for people to grow and learn, and many are taking time for vacations. 

Over the last couple of weeks, I went on vacation to Minnesota to be with my family. I was able to visit my 98 year old grandfather, my children got to spend plenty of time with their cousins, and my parents celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary. On top of all of that, we caught fish, went water skiing, caught fireflies, and ate lots of sweet corn. It was a great trip! It was wonderful to relax and enjoy each day. I think there is something really important about living in gratitude for the moment we have, and living in hope for tomorrow.

This week at CLC, we are going to be talking about hope. There are times when we can get stuck in a rut. We live just to get by, and it feels like we keep getting hit by one bad event after another. The story of Jesus asks us to stop and look around. We are to notice that we are beloved children of God. There are all kinds of gifts that we can embrace. It is important to take a breath and really look at the world. We are to notice the difficulties and the trials. We are also to notice that God's love is always near. 

Today, it is my prayer that we would all embrace God's promise of love. Perhaps it is hard for you to find hope in this moment, but Christ is calling us to open our eyes. We are asked to trust in the promise and believe that there is a light in the darkness.

Blessings, and here are a few picture I wanted to share from my MN trip!

-Pastor Brian

The whirlwind of the Spirit

These past few weeks have been a whirlwind. Earlier this month, our congregation celebrated Vacation Bible School. Our church was filled with children and volunteers, and we shared the wonderful news of Jesus Christ! After this, we celebrated the day of Pentecost and the arrival of the Holy Spirit in the church. This is always an important celebration and we also took time to lift up our confirmation students. These kids made a decision to let the Holy Spirit work. Confirmation gives these students a chance to confirm their faith, and it allows the church to stand beside them and embrace the journey that they are on... with all of its ups and downs.

After all of this, we welcomed pastors and leaders from all over Arizona, Nevada, and Utah into our church for a Synod conference last week. This gathering gave space to churches from all over to share stories of hope. It was such a blessing, but it was also a lot of work for everyone involved. 

When everyone from our synod went home, the church didn't stop. We pulled out a number of chairs from our sanctuary and we began our carpeting project. All of this is wonderful stuff, but the schedule is not slowing down. I am still looking forward to a couple of big trips for the youth group. They are heading off to leadership lab and their mission trip in just a few days. It is a lot, but good things are happening. (However, I feel like before I know it we are going to be getting ready for Christmas!)

As I look over everything that is happening, I am excited about all the ministry that is taking place. There is so much good news to share. However, I am also mindful that there are a lot of problems in our world. Over this past week, our church grieved the loss of Arthur Bergren our Senior Pastor's brother. This news was difficult to hear, and it reminds that there is always darkness to face. However, Christ is going to walk with us.

Today, I hope you can all remember that Christ is with you. It does not matter if you are in a busy season or a slow season. You may be in a season of hope or a season of despair, but Christ is walking with you. I pray that we would all open our eyes and see Christ's presence.

Blessings,

Pastor Brian

VBS Week!

This is a fun week at Community Lutheran! We are celebrating Vacation Bible School. If you never attended a VBS week, it is a time that welcomes all elementary age kids into the church. The kids have a chance to sing, hear a Bible lesson, do science experiments, and play games. The church has been transformed into an Alaskan wilderness, and we do our best to make everything extra special for each child. 

Every year we welcome all kinds of people into the church. Many of these kids do not have any religious experience, and they each are dealing with something in their lives. However, we make sure that each child feels that they are welcomed and loved. Jesus wanted his disciples to experience grace everyday, and he is still encouraging us to share these blessings with the world. I love these opportunities to reach out to others. I love seeing kids light up with joy. I love seeing our volunteers smile and make everyday special. Sometimes little acts of love will make a big difference in a child's life.

Today I hope each and every one of you can experience God's Grace. I hope you can appreciate the love around you, and believe that God loves you!

Blessings!

Pastor Brian

Radical Grace

 At Community Lutheran Church we are in the midst of a sermon series looking at our mission statement:

Every year we take time to examine God's call for our congregation. We are each blessed, and God is transforming us every day. This week we will discuss what it means to be a people of Radical Grace. I think the church has a reputation for demanding perfection. Many seem to believe there is no room for anyone who messes up or doesn't fit in. Jesus stood against that. Jesus came into the lives of people who didn't fit in. His disciples were not known to be the most influential or powerful. They were ordinary people. They made mistakes, but Christ walked alongside them. 

Today there are still a number of people who don't feel like they fit in. I have personally talked to a number of individuals in our church who almost gave up hope. They did not believe they would ever find a welcoming place. Some had been rejected at other churches. Others were told they did not fit in, and they could not use the gifts they were given to serve God. 

It is heartbreaking to think that so many incredible people could not find a home. We each have so many gifts, but unfortunately so many are led to believe that they don't matter. Today I hope we can all open our hearts to God's Grace. I hope we can let go of our burdens, and share more love into the world.

Blessings,

Pastor Brian

Share God's Love

A couple weeks ago, I had to opportunity to baptize my youngest child. Baptism is a special gift. It is a time to recognize that God has chosen us. Even when we can't fully comprehend this, we trust that God is working. 

I believe it is so important to live our lives with God's call on our hearts. There are going to be plenty of moments when we don't understand the greater plan. There will be times of suffering, and we will all face situations where we will feel like complete failures. I would never wish any bad event on another person. It feels terrible when we have to pass through the dark valleys in life. However, I also don't want my own children to live their lives in bubble wrap. I want them to be able to explore and make mistakes. I don't want them to face great pain or difficulty, but that is also part of what makes us human. I don't think it would be a good thing to simply slide through life without facing any kind of adversity. My personal prayer would be for each person not to lose hope. 

This world can feel pretty dark. It is possible to lose sight of the plan at any moment. However, even when we don't understand, God is present and walking with us. Today I am so thankful for this promise. As we celebrate Mother's Day weekend, I am also thankful for all the love that women have shown. Their love offers hope to the world. To me, it does not matter if you are a biological mother or not. We need all kinds of people sharing God's promise of hope in the world. Let's lift that up today!

Blessings,

Pastor Brian 

Christ is Risen!

Happy Easter Everyone! Christ is Risen!

I have always loved this season. Growing up I loved watching the snow melt and the plants start to grow and show signs of life. I also loved sharing the Good News. I loved the music, and I loved the joy people felt as we proclaimed that Christ has triumphed over the grave. 

Today I still love to share this Good News. I loved seeing my own children light up on Easter morning. I loved watching them search for eggs and sing their hearts out on Easter! There is so much to be thankful for this season. It is so easy to let the burdens on the world drag us down. The Good News of Jesus Christ is still needed today. 

For the next few weeks, we will live in the Easter season. We will continue to lift up this Good News. My question is: What burdens are you carrying instead of the hope of Jesus? Personally, I know there are a lot of things that can overwhelm me. Two weeks ago my wife came down with a case of vertigo. (I have never experienced vertigo before - but even watching someone go through it is miserable.) As she recovered, I was torn between taking care of her and all the other daily concerns. Between the kids, work, and regular chores... life was getting out of control. It took a few people connecting with me to says that I didn't need to do everything. I needed simply to be present where I mattered most. It was just helpful to hear kind words from others who let me know that they cared. 

Our words can offer comfort and hope. We still need to take time for the people who matter most, and we still need to reach out to tell these people of our love. All of this shares the Good News that Christ offered. Today I hope we can all open our eyes to the things that matter most. I hope we can hear the Good News from the people around us, and I hope we can take a little time to share the Good News with others. We can share a word from the Bible, or we can even share a smile with a stranger. Let's offer hope to the world!

Blessings!

Pastor Brian

A time to praise!

 Hosanna! Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!

This week we will be celebrating Palm Sunday and Christ's triumphant entry into Jerusalem! After spending much of his ministry far to the north in rural Galilee, Jesus finally made his was south. His ministry was bringing him into the lives of all people. It did not matter that he was going to be rejected. It did not matter that there would be people who were jealous or angry. Jesus went to Jerusalem to share his gifts. He needed to share the Love of God with all people, even if that Love would take Him to the cross.

I believe every person is gifted by God. However, there can be trials that derail us. We may face those who stand in our way. Fear and shame my cause us to give up on the blessings God has given. It can be easier to walk away from our failures. 

To be Christian, means that we are people who believe in resurrection. When we fail or face darkness and death, we believe in new life. God believes in each and every one of us. There are going to be broken moments, but God is also working in your life. We are called to trust in the greater picture, even when our lives seem to fall apart.

Today I am wondering where each of you are in your spiritual journey. Do you feel connected? Are you sharing your gifts freely with others. Or, are you holding back? Is there something in the world that has caused you to doubt or question what God is doing?

As I look at each of my own children, I can see so many talents. I also see a world that can cause anyone fall apart. I pray for my kids to have faith in what God is doing in their lives. They are each special, and so are each and every one of us. God is working in you, even when you can't see it.

Today I hope we can all live as resurrection people. I hope we can all shine brightly with the love that Jesus shares!

Blessings!

Pastor Brian

Rest in the Lord

 Where do you go to find rest?

Last week my two older boys were out of school for Spring break. They were excited to have some time off, and they wanted to enjoy every moment they had. We were not able to make a big trip happen this year, so tried to find a few other local activities. We drove up to the snow on Mt. Charleston, we explored Ice Age Fossil's state park, we went swimming, and we camped out in the backyard! Nothing was too wild or extreme, but it still felt like we took advantage of the time we had.

A few fun moments from Spring Break!

I think we all need to find little ways to take a step back and embrace a fresh perspective. Perhaps you are unable to fly to the other side of the world, but we still need to find a way to appreciate the blessings that surround us. 

This week in worship we will consider what it means to turn to God and find rest. There are a number of Biblical examples of people who needed to get away from the chaos of the world so that they could rest. I think this is important for everybody. I can personally get so caught up in the details of life, I can forget to the gifts right in front of me.

Enjoying a few of the little things...

Today I hope you can all find some rest. I hope you can embrace God's gifts of love, and I hope you can live inspired to follow God's Spirit.

Blessings!

Pastor Brian

A season of Ashes and Hope

As a church, we are in the season of Lent, and over the next forty days we will travel to the cross with Jesus. When I was a child, I thought this time of year was kind of exhausting. I lived in Minnesota, and the weather was alway cold and dreary. The worship services also felt like laments. The season reminded me of the death that Jesus went through. It was meaningful, but also exhausting...

Lent is still a season that reminds me of human imperfection and mortality. However, this season is also about hope. In the Bible, Genesis 3:19 says, "For you are dust and to dust you shall return." This verse encapsulates much of what the season of Lent is all about. However, the very next verse in the Bible is about hope. Together the verses read:

By the sweat of your brow
    you will eat your food
until you return to the ground,

for dust you are

    and to dust you will return.”

And Adam called his partner Eve, because she would become the mother of all the living.

Now I hope I'm not going too deep into the weeds with the translation here, but I think something really cool is going on. The word Adam in the original Hebrew is the same as ground and very closely related to the word dust. The name Eve means "life" or even "everlasting life." So originally the test would read something along the lines of:

"You are dust and to dust you shall return. Then the human (or dust of the earth) called his partner Living One, because she would become the mother of all the living...."

If you can follow all of that, the Bible is telling us that we are indeed dust, but when we come together, we find new life. This is the same story that Jesus came to fulfill. Christ wants us to come together as a church. We are all broken individually, but when we gather in Christ name, Jesus is with us.

Today I hope we can open our hearts to the people around us. I hope we can see that we need each other. Instead of finding reasons to divide ourselves, let us open our hearts to the grace that binds us all together.

Peace,

Brian Ward

Change and Hope

There is a time for everything,

    and a season for every activity under the heavens:

    a time to be born and a time to die,

    a time to plant and a time to uproot,

    a time to kill and a time to heal,

    a time to tear down and a time to build,

    a time to weep and a time to laugh,

    a time to mourn and a time to dance,

    a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,

    a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,

    a time to search and a time to give up,

    a time to keep and a time to throw away,

    a time to tear and a time to mend,

    a time to be silent and a time to speak,

    a time to love and a time to hate,

    a time for war and a time for peace.

-Ecclesiastes 3

How do you feel about change? Are you ready to adapt or do you try to resist it?

The Bible teaches us that change is inevitable. We may like it, but life is going to move forward. This week our Bible text will be looking at the story of the transfiguration. This scripture tells us of the time when Jesus was changed or transfigured on a mountain. Christ's true glory was revealed, and he began his journey toward Jerusalem and the cross. 

Our perspectives are important. Jesus spent a long time trying to offer healing and hope, but he eventually needed his disciples to see something more. That is when he led them up a mountain... Mountains still have the ability to make me stop and reflect. Whenever I am able to look out from a natural viewpoint, I come away changed. Leaving space for awe and wonder allows me to look at the world in a new way. 

When Jesus and the disciples returned, they were changed. Jesus began to turn toward the cross, and the disciples started realize they were in the presence of something even bigger than they first understood. 

Today I wonder if you are in a place of change. Does it feel like the world is shifting under you? Are you uncertain or even afraid of what lies ahead? It is my prayer that we would all take a bit of time for awe and wonder this week. I pray that we could open our hearts to a new teaching. I hope we don't simply stay rooted in our old ways. I hope we can be open to the wonderful calling of God.

Peace,

Pastor Brian

Finding Christ in the Storm

Two weeks ago, I wrote a blog post about my four month old baby catching a cold. Since that time, he has gotten better, but my older boys got sick. In the midst of their snotty noses, my nine year old also caught a stomach bug, and that slowly went through the house. After this, the same 9 year old got a major black eye when he bumped into another kid playing soccer. It was a hectic few days! They say when it rains it pours!

This week at CLC we are going to look at the scripture text describing Noah and the great flood. This is a pretty dramatic story, but we all have to go through storms in life. We all face moments of darkness and despair. The Bible story speaks of Noah lost on a stormy sea of waves. He could only trust that God would lead him through. 

Sometimes we try to convince ourselves that we are in control. We attempt to conquer trials by our own will and determination. This kind of resolution can be helpful, but the Bible tells us we also need faith. We need to acknowledge that we can't control everything. We have to be able to let go at some point and trust that we have a Savior who has always loved us. 

As I look at my family, I know I am blessed that we haven't had to face too much adversity. However, we need to remember the greatest gift we have is the gift of faith. We can believe that we are loved, and there is nothing that can separate us from God's love.

I pray that all of you are able to trust in God even when the storms are raging outside. When we face sickness, uncertainty, fear, or even death, we have to trust in a deeper love. We are asked to believe that we will never be alone or abandoned. We belong to Christ forever.

Blessings!

Pastor Brian

Love matters

Last Sunday my four month old baby woke up with his first cold. We have had a number of close calls with the two other boys bringing home all kinds of germs, but it finally caught up with him. Overall, he is doing ok. He has a rough time sleeping, and he is dealing with a lot of congestion. However, he is not running a fever, and we are optimistic that he can power through this without it getting too far out of hand. It's just hard to watch somebody suffer. I want to do something to make him feel better, but all I can do is show him love. 

We live in a world filled with problems. There is violence, there is hatred, and there are natural disasters. I believe we all have a role in helping one another though these situations, but sometimes our job is simply to sit beside those in need. It is impossible to fix every evil. There is always going to be pain in the world. However, we are called to believe that our acts of love offer more hope than we realize. 

This weekend in worship we will focus on a scripture passage that deals with sin and brokenness. As human beings we are going to make mistakes. We are going to fall apart under pressure, but this does not mean we have to give up hope. God continues to love us, and where there is love, we can find hope.

This morning my son still woke up with a lot of congestion. However, he still was able to smile without too much effort. His older brothers also wanted to hold him and care for him. (My older kids are amazing! Yes, they can be a little wild, but they really love their brother! It is also super helpful when they hold him when I am busy!)

You wouldn't even think he was sick from this picture!

Today I hope we can all find some small way to love our neighbor. If we can't solve all the problems in the world at once, it's okay. God still loves us, and God is leading on a path of hope.

Blessings,

Brian Ward

Searching for Hope

I still remember learning about Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. as a child. My teachers spoke about the hatred and violence in the world, and I remember the hope I felt as we learned about Dr. King and the civil rights movement. 

This weekend in worship, we will celebrate MLK day, and we will lift up the inclusive love of God. Jesus came to this world to offer hope to all people. Jesus did not discriminate. He gave everything so that all people could have a voice. Throughout the Bible, prophetic leaders have had a very important role. They reminded us that there was hope, but they also had to face resistance. Jesus certainly felt pushback his entire ministry...

Christ never traveled the easy road. He went to the cross for all people. Today, as I reflect on Dr. King, I think it is so important to lift up the people who find hope in a dark world. I think it is important to give thanks for the people who choose to pursue hope even when it is not easy. 

Conquering all the world's problems may leave us feeling overwhelmed. However, I believe each person can offer something. My six year old son may not have much worldly power, but he can share hope. He loves to roll his window down as we drive home from school and greet all his friends. He is not looking at the color of their skin. He simply sees a friend he wants to say "Hi!" 

Today I hope we can all find a way to reach out the world in love, because every bit of love matters!

Blessings,

Brian Ward