Opening our hearts to Joy

We are entering the third week in the season of Advent, and we are lighting the candles of Hope, Peace, and Joy... I wonder if you are taking time in this busy season to experience all of these gifts. I believe we are surrounded by these blessings everyday, but we do not always recognize them. Life either moves too fast, or we are too anxious and frustrated to appreciate the wonder right in front of us. 

Two weeks ago, we celebrated Thanksgiving. I love this holiday. Most of the time we will either travel to be with family in Colorado, or we meet our family here in Las Vegas. However, this year we were not going to have anyone in town. Our neighbors were also busy, so this was going to be one of the first holidays where we wouldn't be including others. We were a little bummed out at first, but my wife decided to ask what else we could do. This world is filled with wonder, and we were going to have a few days off to try something new. After checking the weather, we decided to book a hotel at the Grand Canyon. It was a fantastic experience, and I am so thankful that we all just decided to embrace the moment. I loved seeing my kids walk up to the canyon for the first time and share in a sense of awe and wonder. It was a moment to pause and remember all of the incredible gifts that surround us. More importantly we realized the greatest gift was just being around each other.

The season of Advent is a time to wait patiently for the good gifts of God. Many people in the Biblical Christmas story did not notice the baby that was born and laid in a manger. Many people did not want to listen to the joy of the shepherds. However, the story tells us that the greatest blessings are found in celebrating the small moments. God is here. We are not alone, and we have the opportunity to live in the wonder of all creation. 

Today I hope you can appreciate the gifts that that surround you. It may feel like joy is pretty far off in the chaos of our world. However, the Advent and Christmas story tell us that we can find hope, peace, joy, and love everywhere we go. Let's share this good news with the world.

Blessings,

Pastor Brian

Hope and Thanksgiving

What are you thankful for?

As I write this, my family is preparing for Thanksgiving.  When I reflect back, I have so many wonderful memories of this season. As a child, my aunt and uncle often hosted the entire family, and we were invited to spend a few days on their farm. From the moment we loaded up the car, I remember feeling a sense of wonder and excitement. I don't remember a number of the logistics, but I do remember spending as much time as I could with the people there. My cousins and I would go outside to build log cabins in the woods. We would take our sleds careening down a hill, and we would always share in a wonderful meal. One could argue that there didn't have to be anything special about all of this. I could have made time for these activities on my own, but the true blessings were found in the relationships. It didn't matter if the turkey was dry or my sled crashed into a tree, the loved ones who surrounded me transformed these moments into beautiful lifelong memories.

I have not been to that farm in Wisconsin in many years, but I will always cherish the memories. More than that, I will continue to live in the hope I found there. I learned that hope is something real. It is something I can trust and put my faith in. I am a changed person, because I feel loved. 

Today, I am building my own Thanksgiving traditions with my family. We are taking time to give thanks for the people that surround us, and we are experiencing the same hope that changed my life. Our traditions look quite a bit different than the ones I grew up with, but we still look for faith, hope, and love.

Let's all try to share in the blessings of this season. Perhaps you are feeling beaten down by the world or exhausted by the road that life has led you on. My prayer is that we could all take a breath. I hope we can all find something to be thankful for and generously share these blessings with the world.

Blessings,

Pastor Brian

Come and Worship

In the Bible, Jesus invites all people into a deeper relationship with God. He invites the rich and the poor. He invites the young and the old. He also extended this invitation different cultures. Jesus wants all of us to "come and see" what a relationship with God looks like. This is a cornerstone of our scriptures. However, there are quite a few distractions in our world that can prevent us from looking toward Jesus. Personally, I find myself running off to a different activity every single evening. (And people tell me that it only gets busier when my kids get into middle school and high school!) Even when I am working in the church, I can be guilty of losing sight of some of the ways love is transforming the world around me. It's just too easy to get lost in the tiny little frustrations of life...

In our sermon series this this month we are looking at the core values that we have chosen as a congregation. These are gifts that our church has that we can share with the world. This week we are diving into our core value of worship. Following Jesus leads us to all kinds of opportunities. However, worship is a special area of focus. I believe true worship will cut through all of the distractions, and it will allow us to let go of all of the burdens of the world. When we leave time for worship, we open ourselves to a greater experience of what God can do. 

I think the question becomes whether or not we want to leave space for worship. Are we too busy? Would we rather do something else? Would we rather just stay home and watch T.V.? Or is there something valuable in gathering together to surrender ourselves to God. My hope and prayer is that we would all come and see what the Lord is doing in our lives.

Blessings,

Pastor Brian

Trunks, Treats, and Reformation!

This is an exciting time at CLC. I am in the midst of planning for our annual Trunk or Treat. We are going to welcome our neighborhood to a safe and fun experience, and all are invited! This is one of our largest community outreach events of the year. We try to make sure everyone feels welcome whether they are connected to our church or not. I love meeting all kinds of new kids who want to laugh, talk about their day, or just brag about a costume. Trunk or Treat offers the opportunity to let people be loved just as they are. We don't care if you've ever come to church before. We want you to feel loved and accepted here.

I think it is so important to have safe spaces for people to find a community. Unfortunately many people have negative experiences with the church. Instead of feeling welcomed, they tend to feel judgment. I believe our church stands for something different. You can come in costume. You can come for candy. You can bring your family or friends. All are welcome. We want people to feel blessed and loved. No strings attached!

This weekend we are also celebrating the Reformation. This celebration remembers a time 500 years ago when Martin Luther decided to ask some serious questions of the church. Judgement in the church is nothing new. We can go all the way back to the time of Jesus and we find people trying to push others out. Instead of lifting others up, the journey of faith becomes a just another way for people to tear each other down. 

As I look forward to Reformation, I am excited to see what the Holy Spirit is going to do. We are called to let go of our judgments and transform lives with grace. This is the path that Jesus was leading us on from the beginning. We don't need to hurt one another to prove anything. We believe in a God who loves us and that's all that is needed. Let's live inspired by this kind of grace!

Blessings,

Pastor Brian

Surrendering to prayer

Prayer is incredible when we really stop to think about it. It offers a connection to God, and it provides wisdom, hope, and power. The Bible teaches us that prayer can change lives. It will move us to action or give us the peace we need to live each day. However, prayer also requires that we surrender ourselves to something greater.

Two thousand years ago, Jesus taught his disciples how to pray. He didn't require them to memorize a grand liturgy or live perfectly. Instead, he taught them five simple petitions to reach out to our Heavenly Father. We are all called to let go of our own plans and open our hearts to God's will. Jesus promised God would listen. We are simply called to trust in a Savior who loves us.

Today I wonder what prayer practices you have. Do you pray regularly? Do you feel too busy? Does prayer get forgotten in this hectic world we live in?

Christ did not come to the world to judge you or your prayers. However, Jesus does want to hear from you. Jesus put you on this earth for a purpose, and if we entrust ourselves to this promise, God is going to provide. 

Today I hope you can all open your heart to prayer. I hope you can all receive God's Holy Spirit and allow God to connect you to the divine love that surrounds us. We live in a world that is filled with a lot of danger and fear. The Lord's Prayer asks for love and protection from all evil. Let's embrace this hope today. Our world needs people who can allow God's love to work.

Blessings,

Pastor Brian

Our Daily Bread

"How Long O Lord..."

-Psalm 13

I am writing this meditation on September 11, and I am feeling a lot of emotions related to that day. There are people who are still grieving, and there are people who still have to live in the fear that was created at that time. I am also remembering the heroes who offered hope in the midst of darkness. September 11 carries a lot of weight in the world. My children were born long after the attack, but they still come home asking questions and feeling burdened. 

I am also struck by the violence in this world today. It is heartbreaking to see the political violence, assassination, and the pain of yet another school shooting. We are living in a broken world. Psalm 13 asks: 

How long O Lord

Will you forget me forever?

How long will you hide your face from me?

How long must I take counsel in my soul

and have sorrow in my heart all the day?

There were people long ago who wondered how much more pain they could take. Today we don't know what trouble they were facing, but we remember their prayer. We still cry out to God for answers. 

When my children ask me why there is so much evil in the world, I don't have a perfect answer. However, I do believe that God calls us to be the hands and feet Christ in the world. Humans can bring evil, but we can also bring good. Sometimes it looks like fear and anger are going to win, but I believe faith, hope, and love are stronger.

This week in worship we are going to return to the Lord's Prayer, and we are going to focus on the petition:  Give us this day our daily bread. We are called to ask God for what we need. There are far too many times I am consumed with my wants and desires. I pray for all the things I want instead of the things I truly need. Receiving our daily bread is about being open to the true gifts that we actually need.

Today I hope we can be open to the gifts of Christ. I hope we can receive the love that Jesus shared and spread that hope to all people. There is evil in the world, but we are a people who turn to God in hope. We trust in a greater love.

God Bless,

Pastor Brian

Hallowed be thy name

One of the many things I love about working at a church is the diversity of activities I am able to experience. This week I am preparing for the youth and family camping trip at Lutherwood in Utah. This year we are going to welcome a number of new people to the trip, and we will have tons of new opportunities to see God's creation and love in a new way.

I love these camping trips, but I started to feel a little overwhelmed this week. School is back in session, and it has been crazy getting everyone up in the mornings, making breakfast, doing our chores, and just getting out of the door on time. At the end of the day, we are scrambling to finish homework, go to soccer practice, and wash baby bottles. It seems like a never ending treadmill... except there is a screaming baby that always tries to make everything just a little harder. :)

Sometimes it crosses my mind to just have the weekend at home. Why add one more trip to our plate? However, I am also reminded that I need time to get away and find renewal. I need time to take a breath and share God's promises with others. This camping trip can feel like a lot but it is also wonderful. It is amazing to be in the cool air, watch the deer, and explore nature. 

The night sky at Lutherwood

This week at CLC, we are going to lifting up the Lord's Prayer. Specifically we are going to ask what it means to hallow God's name...

Today I hope you can all take a breath. I hope you can recognize God's promise of love that surrounds us. We live is a wonderful creation, and it is my hope that we can all embrace the gifts around us. Let's celebrate the adventure, and share God's love with the world!

Blessings!

Pastor Brian