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