The Joy of Christmas

This is an exciting week. I love the energy we have at church. Everyone on staff is brainstorming new ideas for all the services coming up, and there is Spirit of Joy that surrounds this time of Christmas. It's hard to put all the excitement into words, but I am certainly feeling the wonder of the season. 

In my home, my kids are counting down the days. Christmas break has started and my boys are running around with so much energy that I'll be surprised if we have much a house left by the end of their break. They have a lot of energy, and they can't wait to open presents. However, they are also are drawn into the mystery of it all. They are delighted by the magic of Santa Claus, and they are also asking more about the Christmas story. "Where did all of this come from?" There is a mystery to this story that began with Mary and Joseph so long ago. Mary started the journey believing she knew how her life was going to look. She was an ordinary peasant girl. She thought she understood everything she needed to know about religion. She believed God was far away, and God would only show up for a priest in the temple. However, through all of this, God comes to her. God becomes present in her life, and God completely changed her perspective of faith. Instead of being far away, God came to her. Love came to her. Divine Love came into the world to transform everything.

There are so many aspects of faith that I try to understand. Sometimes I pride myself in thinking I have it all figured out. I want to understand where my life is going. I want to understand religion. I want to understand everything. However, my children are focused on the mystery. They are open to beauty of the season and they are excited to see where all of this goes. 

I wonder what would happen if we opened our hearts to this kind of childlike faith. What would happen if we had the faith of Mary. What if we said, "Yes" to God's Love. Perhaps we could open ourselves to the exciting new opportunities of Grace that exist everyday.

Blessings,

Pastor Brian

Advent Joy

Are you ready for Christmas?

The Bible speaks of the importance of preparing ourselves for the coming of a King. Jesus showed up in the world two thousand years ago, but most of the people at the time were too busy to notice. They were too preoccupied with important decrees from the Emperor, new taxes they had to pay, and the daily frustrations of life. There were so many things demanding their attention that very few of them noticed a young family and their new baby being born in a manger.

Do you think you would notice the coming of a Savior? 

I have come to expect influential people to arrive with all kinds of pomp and circumstance. However, Jesus came into this would with the deepest humility. Today the Good News is that God is still with us. Christ is here. However, we may still find ourselves busy with other things. At Community Lutheran Church we are celebrating the season of Advent by taking a deeper look at our To-Do lists. Many of us have lists a mile long of things we feel like we need to get done. However, we are looking at what really matters this season. Are you so caught up in decorating and buying presents that you have forgotten to take a breath and remember the true meaning of it all?

This week we are remembering that God created us to be the light. We are commissioned by Jesus to share God's Hope and Love with others. This is incredible news. A week ago when I was setting up the Christmas lights on our house, I found myself getting into the spirit. However, I really felt the light when my kids came out and helped me hang the lights. The awe and wonder they shared inspired me. Today I hope you can all find that God's Light is shining on you. I hope you can feel God's Grace, and I hope you can share a bit of this love with others.

Blessings!

Brian Ward

Giving Thanks!

As I write this, I am preparing for Thanksgiving, Advent, and Christmas. There are all kinds of projects and worship services that we are gearing up for as a church, and I am really starting to get into the spirit. Some years, I feel like the holidays come too fast, but this year has been exciting. I love seeing the church's Glitter Team decorate. I love putting things on the calendar and rehearsing the services with kids. 

I am also planning a quick trip to Colorado to visit my wife's family over Thanksgiving. (Hopefully we have arrived by the time you read this. :) Presently, we are trying to pack the car, find snow clothes for our kids, and praying we can all stay healthy! There are a lot of things we could worry about, but there is still a sense of excitement in our house. It is hard to know exactly how everything will work out, but we are trusting in the Spirit!

I hope we can all open ourselves up to the blessings God is offering this season. In the church, we are celebrating Thanksgiving, and we will be lighting the candle for the first week in Advent. We have set aside this time to prepare for the coming of Christ and give thanks for all that we have. Far too often I can get lost in the busyness of the world. There are just too many things to do, and I lose sight of the things that really matter. Other times, I can get bogged down by all the little things. A negative comment that shouldn't cause me any concern can rub me the wrong way for days. One of the reasons I love getting away is to notice all the blessings in my life. I am so thankful for my family and my two boys! Even in difficult moments my children can become excited over some of the smallest blessings. 

Today I am praying that you would open your hearts to the goodness of God. When we find ourselves bogged down with heavy hearts, I hope we can reflect on the things that really matter. If our hearts are burdened, I hope we can turn this over to Christ. God wants to take away our pain, but we do have to turn it over. Let's give our worries to Christ and cherish the wonder all around us.

Blessings, 

Brian

Surrounded by Blessings

This past Monday, the electricity went out for a few hours at the church. At the time, I was preparing for a funeral, and fifteen minutes before the service started, the lights went out. I realized that many of the plans we had were going to change. The sanctuary was completely dark, and the microphones and videos were not going to work. Sometimes I fall into a trap... I start to think that the church is a building. It's easy to assume that if there are no lights, no microphones, no screens, then everything has to be canceled... However, this is never the case. The church is the people. When we gather together, Christ is with us. It is very convenient to have a building with electricity, but it is the people who create the church.

The funeral turned out to be a beautiful. We had to move a piano and set up chairs in the crossroads, but we had everything we needed and more. There was an opportunity to grieve, share memories, and celebrate the life. 

There are so many moments where we lose sight of the things that really matter. The Bible says that God is bringing an abundant Kingdom of Heaven to this world. We can miss out on God's good gifts because we are too worried about our own plans falling apart. 

This week in worship we are once again going back to our core values. We are taking time to think about serving others. When we see other people as part of the body of Christ, we live more fully into God's Kingdom. Instead of living only for ourselves, Jesus asks us to consider others. If we want to become great, God calls us to be a servant to all. I hope we can all ponder what it means to be a servant this week. I hope we can listen for God's Holy Spirit, and I hope we can open our hearts to all the Love that Jesus is sharing.

Blessings!

Pastor Brian

Blessings of the Spirit

 What are your core values?

Where is the Holy Spirit working in your Life?

We are in a sermon series that is taking a deeper look at who we are as a church. We all have gifts, and God's Spirit is working in us to reach out to the world. Christianity is not about memorizing facts to pass a test. Christianity is a walk of faith. It is learning to trust Jesus everyday and letting go of the fears that detract us. 

It strikes me to how easily we can be controlled by our small fears or concerns. This sermon series is taking some time to let go of the junk that is holding us back, and it is uncovering the image of God that we all have inside us. We are taking a deeper look at the Core Values that should guide us everyday.

Earlier this week, I was rushing my two boys out the door. We were scrambling around, trying brush teeth, look for lost shoes, and pack lunches. I was so concerned with trying to get out of the house that everything seemed like it was getting in my way. My two boys on the other hand couldn't care less about my concerns. My seven year old was having a blast telling a story, and my three year old was laughing hysterically. My older son wasn't really even trying to be funny; the two of them were just were just enjoying the time together. Sometimes I wonder why I am always in such a rush. Why do I need to plow through everything? Why not enjoy the Spirit that is right here?

This week we also remember the Reformation of the Church. The Reformation is a celebration where the Church returns to the Core Values that Jesus gave us. As a church, we can remember that the Holy Spirit does't require perfection or purity. The Holy Spirit is with us and we all have the opportunity to share the love that is in front of us.

Blessings!

Brian Ward

Confirming our faith

Over the past few weeks, I have had the privilege of working with our confirmation age students in the church. Confirmation is a special time that commemorates the journey of faith, and it is an opportunity for people to declare their trust in God. Usually this takes place in 9th grade, but after the pandemic we are opening the experience up to anyone who is interested.

I love working with this group of kids, and I love having honest conversations that guide and encourage us. Each person's story is sacred. Everyone is on a journey with Jesus. The only thing I wish I could change about confirmation would be the age limits we often put on it. I would love it if we all took a little more time to dig into our faith journey wherever we are at in life. So often, confirmation can turn into a class we feel like we have to take in Middle School or High School. We have a ceremony on a Sunday, and then we move on. We check it off the list, and people can feel like they are done. 

My hope is for confirmation to be a continual practice in our lives. Everyday we face different trials, and we see different blessings. The ups and downs of life are going to sculpt us. We can take time to talk to God and open our hearts to what Christ is doing along the way. It is often easy to ignore Christ's calling for us. We can become stressed out by the everyday forces that push us forward through the rat race.

Jesus tells us to stop and listen. Just as Christ called to his disciples in their fishing boats long ago, Jesus still calls to us. He is telling us to stop what we are doing and look at the opportunities we have around us. God is near. It is my hope and prayer that we would all take time to listen and remember that our lives are sacred and holy.

Blessings!

Brian Ward

The Blessings in Life

Last week, I had the wonderful opportunity to lead a retreat for the youth and families of Community Lutheran Church. We left on Friday for a whirlwind trip to Camp Lutherwood in Utah. The camp is located just outside of Duck Creek Village in a beautiful location around 7,000 feet. We left on Friday afternoon, and we came home on Sunday. Over those three days, we packed in a ton of wonderful opportunities to explore, worship, and experience the Goodness of God.

We didn't arrive to camp until around 10pm on Friday, but as soon as we got out of the van we were greeted with amazing views of the Milky Way in the night sky. The youth stayed up looking at the stars, laying on the grass, and just cherishing the beauty of our world. 

The next day we spent a lot of time exploring caves and climbing up slot canyons. The kids built new relationships, and they learned to work together. We also took time for worship, fellowship, and laughter.

I find that camp ministry is incredibly important. I grew up going to Green Lake Bible Camp in Minnesota. My wife and I met at Rainbow Trail Lutheran Camp in Colorado. Today, I still see all kinds of opportunities to grow and experience the blessings of God in the abundance of nature. 

I find that it is so easy to fall into a rut in life. Routines can be a good thing, but I think we have to find times to break free. There is so much more to the world around us. God's blessings are everywhere, and spending time outside can remind us that we have so much to cherish and love everyday.

Today, it is my hope that we can all take a little time to acknowledge God's Gifts in our world. Let us open our hearts to the everything that God is offering!

Blessings!

Pastor Brian

Trusting God

I have learned a lot in my years of ministry, but one of the hardest lessons to grasp is the understanding that I am not in charge. Sure, that should seem obvious. We confess every week that God is the only one who knows what is to come. However, I can still convince myself that I can control my own destiny. If I do everything right, I want to see the results. It doesn’t matter if I am talking about my own personal life or if I am talking about my profession as a pastor. I want to believe that I am in control. 

I had all kinds of plans going into this summer. I thought I knew everything about the mission trips we would be going on with the Youth Group, and I thought I knew what would be the most impactful ministry. I believed I knew the best ways to travel and connect with my family. However, everything was flipped upside down when my family got Covid. I had my plans, but I was forced to change to see how the Spirit was going to work. 

The Youth Group wound up discovering all kinds of new gifts, and we saw new opportunities for mission as we reached out to God’s people in new ways. My family had to change our vacation plans four times to accommodate all the ups and downs of life, but it all worked out. I was not in charge, but God’s Spirit was working. There was all kinds of ministry taking place from the mission trips, Vacation Bible School, and one on one time with family and friends. God is always there for us, but we have to be open to new possibilities.

Today I hope we can trust in the Good News of Christ. I hope we can listen to God’s Word, and I hope we can trust in God throughout this journey of life that we are all on. 

Blessings,

Pastor Brian

Trusting the Wisdom of God

Our current sermon series is focusing on the Biblical book of James. This is a fascinating letter filled with wisdom and insight. In fact, it is often considered the only wisdom book in the New Testament. However, the book has been the source of a lot of controversy. James encourages people to live their faith out loud. Faith is not a secret that people can somehow discover and tuck away like a magic key. Faith is about living life, making mistakes, and choosing to grow everyday. James makes it very clear that we are all walking this path of life. At times, we will choose to trust God. At other times, we will fall short and miss out on on the blessings God offers. 

Some of the early leaders of the Protestant Reformation did not fully appreciate everything James said. They had been so badly hurt by the church they found the message of James too harsh. They thought James was telling people what they needed to do to get to heaven, and they couldn't hear the hope James was sharing. The church, at that time, had given people a great burden of fear, and it tainted how they saw God. 

Today, James is still offering wisdom. There is a lot of hope that can be found in living and trusting in God. However, we still have a lot of baggage. Like the people long ago, if we don't understand God's Grace first, we will not be able to fully appreciate James' message. Our fears can make us see God as angry or unhappy, but that is not who God truly is. God is encouraging us to make mistakes and continue to learn. Christ will always be there to pick us up.

Last week, my youngest son turned four years old. He was delighted to play with his friends, eat birthday cake, and generally run around like a crazy man! :) We all had a great time celebrating. Looking back, it is hard for me to believe he is four years old. In many ways, the time has gone way too fast, but it is just as unbelievable to think that four years ago he was a newborn baby. Children are always learning and growing. It is exciting to see my boy climbing and doing the monkey bars, but it is just as amazing to hear him say that he is sorry for hurting someone else. He is not perfect, but he is wants to help others. He is doing the best he can in a messy world to find his own way of sharing God's blessings. 

As an adult, I don't always look for new ways to grow. Instead, I will look for ways to prove that I am right. I hope we can all take a little insight from James. I also want to take some wisdom for children. We all need to be willing to grow. We all have the ability to make an impact, and we are all loved by God. Let's open our hearts to this love today!

Blessings!

Pastor Brian

The Wisdom to Grow

Earlier this week, I had the opportunity to spend some time with a 90-year-old member of our congregation. He invited me into his home, and I was blessed to simply chat with him. He didn’t have me over to complain or worry about the world. I was there because he wanted to ask questions and listen to the Spirit. He wanted to ponder the blessings of baptism and he wanted to give thanks for all that the Lord has done. I was astounded by his desire to grow in faith. There are days I know I can become complacent. I stop looking for surprises, and I can become bogged down by the complaints or frustrations of the world. I walked away from our time together inspired. Christ calls us to see the blessings, and I am thankful for the opportunity to share these moments with others.

This weekend we will be continuing our sermon series on the Book of James in the Bible. James is a wisdom book, and wisdom has a special place in our scriptures and in our lives. We are taught to learn from our experiences and grow from our mistakes. Biblical Wisdom does not shame us for our failures, but it does call us to grow. We are taught to listen to the voice of God, and we are told to incorporate God’s love into our lives. 

Are you at a place where you can listen to God? Are you open to receiving the gifts of the Spirit? God calls each of us, whether we are 2 years old or 92 years old, to grow. Christ wants us to learn lessons from the world around us, and we are taught to believe that the Love of God surrounds us in all we do. Today it is my prayer that we would all open our hearts to these gifts. If we realize that our hearts are heavy, may we give those burdens to Christ? There are new blessings for us each day. Let us cherish all that we have. 

In Christ,

Brian Ward

A Monumental Week!

We are celebrating Vacation Bible School at CLC, and this has been a Monumental week! VBS is a time to welcome kids from the neighborhood into a time of ministry and grace. There is fun, excitement, and a lot of God's Love. I remember going to VBS when I was a child. I made all kinds of new relationships, and I experienced God's Blessings in all kinds of new ways. As I got older, Vacation Bible School offered opportunities to serve, and I still love sharing the Good News in the midst of this exciting week. 

I meet regularly meet people who believe God is irrelevant to our world. What could God possibly have to offer me in my life? However, I also read that things like loneliness, anxiety, and depression are becoming more and more prevalent, and I also understand that many people feel like they are falling out of control. 

I believe the church has always offered hope to the world. There is joy in the community here. Sure, there is also brokenness. There are moments of failure, defeat, and even death. However, the church is a community that says we believe in hope over death. We believe that we can always stand with Love. We believe that God Loves us so we can love each other. 

This week we are beginning a new sermon series on the Book of James in the Bible. James is know for being a book all about putting faith in action. It is important to share the Good News of Grace, but we are also told to go out and live with God's Love in our hearts. This should not be a burden. It should be exciting to share the blessings.  

Personally, I feel Vacation Bible School offers this love to the world. It is an opportunity to show how God feels about us. Today I hope we can all take a little time to experience God's Grace. I hope we can believe God loves us, and I hope we can put our faith into action!

Blessings!

Pastor Brian

Finding Unity

How do you feel about your neighbors? 

How do you feel about the strangers you meet?

There are so many reasons we find to ignore, dismiss, or even detest our neighbors. For some reason, it is easy to notice all the differences between us. It doesn't take long before we start to dehumanize those around us. 

God looks at the world differently. God does not see wickedness or evil in another human's eyes. God does not see you as wicked or evil. We are all created, loved, and called children of God. The Bible speaks of the potential we hold when we  come together. Jesus called all of his followers friends, and he spoke of the power that we have when we live united as the body of Christ. 

Last week, my family went out of town for a few days as we were recovering from Covid. We did not have any severe symptoms, but we did have to change a few plans. In the end, we were blessed to take a quick trip to Sequoia National Park, where we camped for four nights. Before we left, we heard a few news stories about some of the worst parts of humanity. This was contrasted with our arrival at our campsite. It didn't take long for our kids to meet another family with four children. They were all about the same age, and they loved making new friends. They splashed in the stream. They made mud pies, and our youngest spent a lot of time helping another three year old find the perfect place for her camp chair. These kids naturally saw each other as friends. It was beautiful!

I wonder what is holding so many of us back from seeing with the eyes of a child. We all need friendships. We all need love. Yet, we find so many reasons to push others away. I hope we can open our hearts up a little bit today. I hope we can bless those around us by seeing as God sees. We are all God's children! This world is full of ups and downs, but we can do this together.

Blessings!

Brian

Living in the Spirit

Two weeks ago, I had the opportunity to travel with Community Lutheran Church's Youth Group on a mission trip. It is hard to believe that this was our first mission trip in three years! There is so much that goes into the preparation for these experiences, and in the end, there are always things we can't control. However, we had a wonderful week! I always find meaning in these trips, and this year was no exception. I was reminded of the need we all have for reconnecting with others and experiencing God's Love!

Our primary service site was located in Long Beach, CA. We served a population of people who were experiencing homelessness, and we worked with an organization called Christian Outreach in Action. This was the first time our church worked with this agency, so we didn't really know what to expect. However, when we walked in, they immediately put our team to work, and it was wonderful to see the youth of our church jump right in. They hauled provisions back and forth, organized clothes, and handed out all kinds of food and supplies. 

I love seeing the willingness to serve, but I really cherished the moments when our youth went out of their way to build relationships with the people they met on the streets. They listened to their stories. They learned people's names. They brought a lot of laughter and joy, and they were willing to open their eyes to new perspectives. 

God is present in the world around us. Sometimes we dismiss other people. We want to believe we are better than they are, or we want to believe our story is more important than theirs. However, God is equally present in all our lives. It is my prayer that we all would open our hearts to see God's grace and share God's love in all that we do. 

Blessings,

Brian Ward

Here's a few photos from the trip! :)

A new day

A week ago, I celebrated my 40th birthday. It is hard to believe how quickly the time has flown by. How can I be 40 years old? It seems like yesterday that I graduated from seminary. How can I possibly have a child in first grade! Where does the time go?!?

I think it is easy for all of us to lose track of time. My two kids love their birthdays, and they can't wait to grow up! Most of the rest of us are not as excieted. At times we can even start to dread the passing of time. However, I think it is important to take a few moments to remember all the ways we have grown. God has blessed us every day of our lives, and it can be very meaningful to look back and ponder what God has done.

Isaiah 46:3-4, 8-9

“Listen to me, O Israel

Hear me, O Jacob

I have upheld since your birth,

and have carried since you were born.

4 

Even to your old age and gray hairs

I am the one who will sustain you.

I have made you and I will carry you;

“Remember this, and take it to heart,

Remember the former things, those of long ago;

I am God, and there is no other;

I am God, and there is none like me.

 

5 

I hope you still find ways to celebrate your birthday no matter how old you are. I also hope you find time to refect on your life, even when it does not turn out as you expect. Last week, my 7 year old came home from school with a cold. This wound up changing the vacation that my wife and I had planned for the week. We had to sit at home for a few days recovering from the virus. (It was not Covid. Just some other bug.) Then we got out of town for a couple of days to Utah. It meant lost of adjusting. It meant we had to let go of some of our ideas, and we had to be open to new possiblities. As we reflect on our lives, there are so many moments of adjustment and new growth. It is pretty rare that everything works out just as we plan it. However, these are the moments that can teach us and allow us to improve ourselves. 

Today I hope that you can all open your hearts to the new possiblities God is offering. I hope you can also take time to reflect on your lives and discover all that God has done for you. You are growing, and God is working in you... even if that is difficult to see in the moment.

Blessings

Brian Ward

And here are a few pics from my birthday week!

Love in a broken world...

As I write this, I am sitting at home with a sick kid, and I am kind of bummed out. My first grader woke up with a sore throat yesterday, and he continues to feel a bit crummy. Thankfully, he seems to be on the mend, and my entire family is repeatedly testing negative for covid... In the end, I know it is not a big deal, but I'm still feeling a sense of loss. First, it is never fun to see someone feeling this way. Second, my family was planning on taking a vacation this weekend, and it looks like that will have to be delayed or canceled. My son also missed his first-grade award ceremony, and he is missing the final day of school with his classmates. Finally, my wife and I have to figure out which one of us will work from home to take care of a sick kid and another healthy and VERY energetic three-year-old. :)

There are times our plans fall apart. This can leave me feeling frustrated or even lost. I think I also have to remember there is much more going on in the world than my own trivial complaints. The news of the shooting at the elementary school in Uvalde, Texas that is so tragic I can barely bring myself to read the details. We are living in a world where there is unimaginable brokenness, but I understand it is also easy for the smallest things to derail or even overwhelm us. 

Today I hope we can look beyond ourselves. Whatever we may be feeling today, I hope we can absorb the fact that there is a bigger picture. There is also a larger calling in our lives to find a way to love. Plans will fall apart. There will be troubles in this world. I wonder how we are being called to love in the midst of this pain. Are there opportunities, large or small, that you have to love those around you? 

Today, I do not know if I will spend my vacation on the road or at home with a sick kid. I do not know what is going to happen in the world around us. However, I do know that I want to spend whatever time I am given with love. I will love my family. I am going to share God's love with the people around me. I am also going to live with the faith that all of this matters. I hope all of you are going to live with this hope as well.

Blessings,

Brian 

Radical Grace

When was the last time you forgave someone?

When was the last time you were forgiven?

Forgiveness is not always easy. In fact, it is often tied to a lot of conflicting emotions. It may be possible to say, "I forgive you," but sometimes we continue to carry our grievances around with us. There will be times when our anger and frustration lash out at the world. Other times resentment will lurk deep inside of us, only surface in some very unexpected ways. 

I think about forgiveness everyday... Yes, it is a big part of my job as a pastor, but it is also a very big part of my family life. My two children are constantly knocking each other over, jumping on each other, and smashing one another's toes with the furniture. It doesn't really matter what they are playing... It usually takes about five minutes for everything to go off the rails! Then we work on apologizing. :)

Forgiveness is an important skill for anyone. However, my children know that they have to live with each other. They also know that we are going to insist that they say they are sorry... As stressful as life can be, it is such a joy to hear them tell each other they are "best friends." Especially when we know they mean it!

My kids know they are going to be living under the same roof. They also know they do really love each other, and forgiveness helps to remind them of that. Two thousand years ago, Jesus taught about God's Grace and Forgiveness. In some ways, the people living in those ancient times could not just walk away from each other either. If they were wronged, they could not just just dismiss the other. They had to find a way to work together. They literally needed each other.

We have a lot to be grateful for in our modern day society. At times, it is very important for us to draw boundaries with unhealthy individuals, but this can turn into an excuse that ignores God's gift of Grace. 

Today I hope we can take a little bit of time to think about our relationships. Where do we need to bring truth and grace to create something better? We all need relationships. As much as my two boys can become frustrated with one another, they also know they are better together. The same is true for the rest of us. God wants to be in relationship with us, and it is my prayer to honestly allow God's Grace to wash over us.

Blessings,

Brian

Real People

Our mission at Community Lutheran Church is defined with eight words:

Real People

Inclusive God

Radical Grace

Inspired Growth

Over the next four weeks, we are going to be taking a deeper look at each of these phrases individually. This weekend we will try to gain a deeper understanding of what it means to be Real People. 

On one hand, being Real People is perfectly obvious. We can only be ourselves, and trying to be anyone else is ridiculous. However, we can spend a ton of time trying to hide our failures or even the truest parts of ourselves from others. It is not easy being vulnerable, and can be hard to admit that we are not perfect. 

A couple weeks ago, I had a conversation with a handful of teenagers. I asked how many of them had people in their lives they could talk honestly to. About half of these kids said they wouldn't share their deepest secrets, or their truest selves, with anybody. They had learned not to trust, and they believed they were more likly to end up worse off if they opened themselves up to being vulnerable.  

Now I know this group of kids is not a statistically significant sample, but there are plenty of people who feel this way. If we can't trust others, I don't think we will ever realize our full potential. As a chuch, we are called to embrace everyone. We shouldn't judge others for their misteps, and we shouldn't judge ourselves. We all need to take time to recognize that God beleives in us, and Christ loves us just as we are. 

Today I hope we can see ourselves honestly. It is okay to be imperfect. Let's be gracious to one another, and let's take a little extra time to share God's Love with a broken world. We all need to hear this Good News.

Blessings!

Brian Ward

Holy Week

Do you consider these days holy?

Where are you searching for the resurrection?

Where do you see God today?

In the church, we believe it is important to remember the difficult path that Jesus took to the cross. When I was younger, I did not really like all the somber Holy Week services. I wanted to play outside with my friends and enjoy the first days of Spring. Instead, I would go to church and sing countless verses of the hymn:  "Jesus in Thy Dying Woes." I knew these services were important, but I really wanted to be somewhere else...

There are moments in life that we all want to skip. No one wants to dwell in the moments of defeat and failure, but the Scriptures tell us to remember these times. It is not healthy to pretend that life is perfect. It is not safe to say that we do not need grace. Jesus took time to pause with his disciples and sit in the difficult moments. Jesus stayed with them in their fears and doubts, and he taught them how to love. 

Over the past few weeks there have been several members of our church who have faced illness and tragedy. Plans made with joy just months earlier, have fallen apart. As a church, it is impossible to pretend these difficulties did not exist. We need to stay beside each other. We may feel more questions then answers, but we also trust that God is with us. I know that the moments I have spent with people in these times are incredibly holy, and I would not want to be anywhere else.

Although we may not always want to dwell in the moments of despair, Jesus showed us compassion. I think these worship services during Holy Week are incredibly important, and they are a reminder for us to share Christ's Love. I am reminded of how important and even sacred it is to sit with people in the midst of their suffering. I don't think any of us are able to show a perfect love, but together we can offer hope. 

Today I pray you can all take the time needed to have compassion for the people near you. There are going to be people you meet who need to hear of Christ's Love. There are people who need to know they are not alone. I hope our church can offer a bit of hope in a world filled with pain. We are not always called to provide the answers. We can simply offer a love in the midst of all the questions. The resurrection is coming, but let's take time to share God's Love along the way.

Shalom,

Pastor Brian

Grace for the Journey

In 2005, I led a backpacking trip in Colorado. During that trip, I would often remind the campers not to focus too much on the destination. Everybody wanted to make it to the top of the mountain. We all understandably wanted to complete the journey and return home victorious. However, I knew if we were not careful we would miss countless moments of beauty along the way. There were going to be unexpected vistas, sunrises, flowers, and conversations shared together that would all point to the presence of God. 

In our sermon series, Jesus is on a journey from the north of Israel down to Jerusalem. This week we are going to hear the story of Christ after he arrives in the city of Jericho. Things were really becoming exciting for the disciples at this point. There was energy moving through the crowd, and people could not wait for Jesus to get to Jerusalem. 

I think it is wonderful for people to be excited, but the crowds in the time of Jesus were missing the point. They were expecting their version of a fairy tale. They wanted to crush the Romans and live happily ever after. They were not expecting a cross. They were not looking for God's Grace on their journey.

It is interesting that Jesus never becomes overly exasperated with his followers. He simply reminds them of the blessings that were present along the way. In the city of Jericho, the crowd was pushing Jesus forward, but Christ stopped to listen to the voice of a blind man crying out for help. It can be easy to ignore the voice of the downtrodden. We like to listen to influential and powerful people, but Christ hears everyone's voice. He reminds us not to get so focused on our destination, that we lose sight of our neighbors. 

My time leading backpacking trips were incredible. There were a number of mountaintop moments that I wouldn't ever trade. However, there were also hail and lightning storms. There were sick kids. There was even a time when the kids forgot their tent, and we had to sleep outside in swarms of mosquitoes. Nothing ever turned out exactly like we planned it, but it was a joy to experience the unexpected. I think there is so much to the journey of life that we don't want to miss. God is near to you today. Are you taking it all in?

Blessings!

Brian Ward

Finding our way

Where is God's grace leading you? 

At the beginning of this month, I was able to celebrate the 7th birthday of my son. It was so amazing to see his energy and excitement. It was also the perfect day for a party. He was able to run around with his friends, eat birthday cake, and feel a lot of love from his community. Celebrating these milestones is a wonderful experience, and it makes me feel like we are all a part of something wonderful. I love taking these moments to pause and think about all the ways we can develop and improve as a people. I believe in celebrating the multitude of gifts we have and sharing them with each another. 

However, I can just as easily look at the world with distrust and fear. There are a number of very real concerns in our world, and we cannot just pretend these things don't exist. There is war in Ukraine and a threat of nuclear escalation. We are still in the midst of a pandemic, and there are a number of other mental and physical illnesses that are impacting us. 

Where are we being led? What is going to happen? Who are you turning to?

In our sermon series at Community Lutheran, we are on a journey with Jesus to Jerusalem. When Christ took a path that led him to the cross, he decided to live for what really mattered. He was not going to just share God's grace with his friends, he was going to share this gift with all people, even his enemies. Along his journey, there were moments of difficulty. Some of the people who followed Him didn't want to face the pain. However, Jesus told them that God's love would still provide. Those early followers saw a lot of danger and despair, and it certainly seemed like Christ's death was going to steal any hope they had of victory. Hope was fading, but there was a light in that darkness. Death was not the end.

Today, we are facing real trials on our journey of life, but God has promised to be there for us. There are going to be trials and difficulties, but I believe there is also hope. It is my prayer that we would all find a way to have faith in this season. There are blessings in the world around us. There is grace in the world around us. There is Good News that we need to share. Let us offer a bit of light to the world, and let us live with a bit of faith in God's Love.  

In Christ,

Brian 

Happy Spring!

We are entering into the season of Lent as a church. This season remembers the journey that Jesus took to the cross. Many people also view it as a somber time when followers are encouraged to give something up. Some of my friends are fasting from things like chocolate, alcohol, or social media. These individuals remember the suffering of Jesus, and they become a little more tuned in to Christ's work in their lives. 

However, Lent is so much more than giving something up. The word Lent actually means "Spring" in Latin. This is a season all about new life and new opportunities. Jesus taught that there needs to be a time of letting go. There needs to be a time when it is okay to say goodbye to all of the things we think we need. There is a season when we need to experience a kind of death. If we don't have a place where we can leave our ego and sense of entitlement behind, we can lose sight of the things that truly matter. 

Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. Anyone who loves their life will lose it, while anyone who lets go of their life in this world will keep it for eternal life.

-Jesus in John 12:24

Jesus taught us about love, but He also taught us about vulnerability. If we don't take time to open our hearts to the new life being created, I think we are also going to miss out on the grace being shared everyday. Therefore, I do not believe Lent should only be about suffering and lament. This is a season to grow. This is a season to discover a new identity in Christ. So it doesn't matter if you are giving something up or enacting a new practice, this is a season of hope. You are becoming someone new, because you are loved. Let us enter into this season with vulnerability and grace. 

God is with you! Happy Spring!

Pastor Brian

What truly matters...

Last night my son was working on some of his first-grade homework. He had to write about a place that was meaningful for him. After thinking for a while, he chose to write about a trip we took to Florida to see his Great-Grandpa before the pandemic. We did a lot on that trip two years ago, but it was interesting to see what he remembered. He was only four years old when we took that trip, so it isn't surprising that he can't remember every detail. He did not have a great recollection of Lego Land or some of the other touristy things. Instead, he remembered eating ice cream with his Aunt, seeing his grandparents, and going on long walks through the "jungle" with his family. It was its own kind of mountaintop experience. He was able to see the world in a new way, and he found a new perspective. It also highlights the fact that sharing these moments with loved ones was the most important part for him.

There are times we forget the significance of the Love that surrounds us. We search for meaning in the small or insignifcant stuff. In the Bible, there is a story of a Samaritan woman who was finding meaning in all the wrong things. Jesus speaks to her saying:

"A time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem… The true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth."

-John 4:21, 23

This unnamed woman in the Bible would have been seen as an outcast. By talking to Jesus, she realized that she was focused on all the wrong things. She was worried about where she fit in. Jesus tells her to come to God with honesty. God values the love she brings, and she does not have to hide her imperfections.

I think we all get caught up in the details. It is important for each of us to open our hearts and take note of God's Love. Let's take time to notice the grace that is present in our lives, and let's take time to experience these blessings with the people around us.

In Peace and Hope,

Brian Ward

Following Love

“My people have been lost sheep;

their shepherds have led them astray.

-Jeremiah 50:6

Have you ever felt led astray? In our scripture passage this week, God’s people listened to the voices of false prophets. They wanted to hear an easy message that told them that everything would be all right. They wanted to hear that they could blame their mistakes on someone else. They didn’t want to see the victims of their own injustices, and they didn’t want to hear about their responsibility to make things better…

This text was written over 2,500 years ago, but it is still one of our most relevant passages. Today, we live in a different context, but there are still a lot of similarities. Humans have always wanted to pin their mistakes on someone else. Like Adam and Eve, we want to hide from our own sin, but God is still calling to us:

God’s people will ask the way to home

and turn their faces toward it.

-Jeremiah 50:5

Are you listening to the voice of the Good Shepherd? The shepherd who is calling to us to learn from our mistakes. Jesus came to tell us that there is always a new path, but we have to face our own sins with vulnerability first.

This past week I spent a lot of time working from home with a three-year-old boy. Our daycare had to shut down for a while to stop the spread of Covid. This has sent me right back to life in quarantine and a lot of frustrating situations. I am getting pretty anxious to get back to normal. However, it has also led to a lot of one on one time with my three-year-old. It is hard to get a lot of work done when he is around, but he is certainly cherishing every moment. He is also really tuned into the things that matter. He knows exactly where I am putting my attention and love. He will catch me immediately if I grab my phone or try to tune him out to do something “important.” 

There are so many distractions in this world that try to keep us from the love that is right in front of us. These distractions, or false idols, try to lead us astray from Love. They say they can give us happiness or joy sooner and better than anything else. However, the scriptures tell us that the greatest gift is love. God is with us. Let us take the time to follow the Good Shepherd and find God’s Love in our own lives.

Blessings,

-Brian