Living in Christmas Joy

What a whirlwind! The past few weeks were pretty busy at CLC. We gathered for worship, the youth had a month filled with activities and caroling, and there were a number of service projects. It sometimes felt a bit chaotic, but it was also a Spirit-filled season. I felt so blessed to see people sharing God's love and peace. I hope you were able to feel the joy of Christmas this year, and I hope you are still able to experience the Good News that God is with us.

Matthew 2:1-2

After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”

There is a story in the Bible about mysterious travelers from the east who wanted to experience the joy of Christmas. For them, the story wasn't over after the baby was born. Today, when we are putting away all the decorations and feeling like the magic is over, God is still with us. The Spirit never leaves, even if we feel a little lost. One of my own kids had a bit of a meltdown on Christmas Day when he was going to bed. Perhaps he just had too much sugar, but he was also really upset the excitement was finally ending. We had to reassure him that although time moves on, we don't have to lose the magic. In the Bible, people were still looking for finding hope long after Jesus was born and even after Jesus died. The Good News is open to all the people who can keep an open heart.

Personally, there were times this season when I felt too busy to look for the signs of God's work. I had to prepare worship services, lead events, and try to keep my own house in working order. However, it was nice to take a few moments and stop and listen. My kids would ask about the story of Christmas. They wanted to know the meaning of the candles. They wanted to show me every toy and point out every light and siren. They were filled with joy this season, and they just wanted to share it with all the people in their lives. 

We all need to make room for the joy of Christmas. Some of us are too busy to really notice all the blessings of the season. Others are feeling pretty lonely this time of year, but I believe that God is sharing signs of hope with all of us. 

December 25 may be behind us, but Christmas is still here. God is still with us, and God's love is still changing lives. It is up to us to take the time to notice. Like the wise men who saw the star, we can also look for the signs of God in our lives. We can take time to wonder over all the good things God does.

Blessings,

Pastor Brian

A candle for peace

This week didn't feel very peaceful in Las Vegas. There was another mass shooting, and I was heartbroken to learn that this wasn't even the first shooting of the week. The people of San Antonio and Austin were also recovering from their own acts of senseless violence. 

It sometimes feels pretty depressing to look at the state of the world. I met with the church's youth group on Wednesday night after the shooting. We talked about how to find hope, and we asked if it was realistic to pray for peace. To some of them, these horrifying moments feel almost normal. They even expect tragedy to show up in their lives. Everyday a new pain or evil makes the headlines, and it feels like there is no way to bring about change. 

It's true that we don't have all the answers. As a pastor, I wish I could offer so much more. However, we can all share a little bit of love today. We can still gather together. The youth group still took time to light candles and offer our prayers. We still found value in coming together to stand for the love of Jesus. Personally, this is what makes the church so important. We come back, time and again, with the hope of Christ. We do what we can to believe in peace, because we find the light of Jesus in our neighbors. Our world is filled with all kinds of fears and doubts. As Christians, we never bury our heads in the sand to the evil in the world, but I hope you can also find truth in God's words.

We follow a Savior who brings new life to the world. We follow a King who gave up everything for us so that we could find peace. This weekend we are going to light the second candle on the Advent wreath. This candle represents Peace. Although you may not feel very peaceful in our world today, this is a time for us to lift each other up. This is a time to share a little extra love and grace with the people in your life. Don't be afraid to show the love you have. Open your heart... God's light is shining!

Blessings!

Brian Ward

Thanksgiving!

I love this time of year!

We are entering into a wonderful season. Last Sunday my boys and I set up our outdoor Christmas Lights. They could barely contain their excitement! Next, we started shopping for the Thanksgiving groceries, and the oven has been running nonstop as we bake cookies, pies, and other goodies. Throughout this season we want to cherish our blessings. My kids are even looking for ways they can show generosity to others. We talk about living lives of gratitude, and I feel a certain hope in the air. 

Scientists have shown that people who live gracious lives tend to live longer, happier, and healthier. However, I do not always surround myself with this kind of hope. It is easy to be more concerned about all the things I do not have. I worry about not having enough time, money, or stuff generally. There is a constant drive to get more. 

In the Gospels Jesus tells his followers not to worry:

Do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life? 

But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Matthew 6:25-34

We are called to live as people of grace. We offer love to others, because we see the love in our own lives. Today I hope we can all take a little bit of time to appreciate the love that is already here. It may be hard. I know some people are going through a season of great difficulty, but God is still present. How do you notice the love of grace of Christ? How can you share a little bit of this love with others?

Blessings!

Brian Ward

Surrender

Last week was a bit of a whirlwind here at CLC. It all started with Trunk or Treat on Thursday. This is always a super fun night, and this year was no exception. We welcomed hundreds of people from the community to our church, and everyone had a blast joining in the festivities and eating lots of candy. After 8:00pm most of the people went home, but our youth group continued the celebration with a lock-in and a trip to Disneyland! This always makes for a super long day, but I was blessed to see the abundance of God.

I saw new relationships form and children and youth find a safe place to celebrate together as a church. I saw youth deepening their relationships to one another and learning more about the love of Christ. I believe God provides opportunities for each of these blessings everyday, but we are often too wrapped up in our own world to embrace them. Sometimes we do not want to invest in a new relationship, and we can be scared of meeting someone new. However, if we surrender our preconceived notions, and we let go of our desire to make things happen our way, then Christ always brings new blessings. There may be exhausting and difficult moments, but God is there.

We are going to be starting a new sermon series this month entitled, "I surrender." This series will take a look all the ways we get in our own way. We wind up carrying too many burdens and too much pain. We often don't realize that we are being held back by all the false idols that promise to fulfill our every need. We will be asking what our lives would look like if we let go and opened ourselves to something greater. 

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.

Matthew 11:28–30

Today I hope we can all take a small step toward surrender. I hope we can take a look at our burdens and start to let them go. Let's embrace a new journey with Christ!

Peace,

Brian

Generosity

 Have you ever met someone who lived with a Spirit of Generosity?

When I was in seminary, I had a friend who could light up a room with her wonderful spirit. She welcomed all people into her dorm. She would freely give rides to others, and she was the first to notice if there was someone in need. She would not hesitate to help out another person. 

There are so many people in this world who live with a scarcity mentality. At times, we may feel like there is not enough, and we believe we have to hoard all the resources we can. From this perspective, it can appear the most competitive person always wins. The biggest, fastest, and strongest are able to take what they need. It is easy to see the people of this world as either winners, who took everything they could, or losers, who were beaten.

However, when we come across a person who lives generously, our perspective can change. These people are not trying to take everything they can. Instead, they can be found actively giving away their blessings. They believe in abundance not fear and scarcity. 

This week we are finishing our sermon series on our core values at CLC. The last value we are sharing is generosity. This core values flows from all the others. We began with the value of Welcome then we moved to Worship, Learning, Serving, and finally Generosity. These values all build on each other, and generosity takes all the other gifts and shares them with the world. 

Christ came to this world to give his life for each of us. Jesus didn't hold back. He didn't just come to serve the righteous or the worthy. Jesus came to love us just as we are. We don't have to fight for God's Love. Christ gave this love so that we could freely offer it to others. 

Today I hope you can all find space to feel the free love of Jesus. I also hope you can share God's Love abundantly.

Blessings!

Brian Ward

Be curious...

I love watching my kids grow up! They are are so eager to learn, and they have a sense curiosity and wonder about them. My only concern is that it all happens so quickly. Sometimes, I want my boys to stay little forever, but they are called to something more. Earlier this week, my five year old was sitting in the back seat of the car, and he asked how the sun worked. He wanted to know why it rose. How does it set? Why does it keep burning? A lot of questions that I can take for granted, but he wanted to know more about the world around him. 

In ancient times, Jesus went out of his way to teach people who had been forgotten by much of society. He allowed women to sit and learn from him. He gave fishermen and tax collectors a place of honor, and He wanted all of them to grow. When society set up a rule saying one group was inferior to another or worth less than somebody else, Jesus showed each person that they were valued. Throughout the scriptures, God is always calling people grow. Jesus loves us just as we are, but that doesn't mean we should ever stop listening and learning. Our faith is a journey.

We are in a sermon series that goes back to the core values of CLC. Every church has different gifts provided by the Holy Spirit, and we all have strengths that we are able to share with the world. Our core values represent the ways our church is called. This week we are looking at our values of wisdom and learning. We are a church that wants to grow. From children's ministry to adult Bible Study, we believe there is a path for us to grow. 

Today I hope you can all take time to listen for God's wisdom. Take time to be curious. There are too many people who want to pretend they already know everything. God wants us to become like little children and open our hearts to all the gifts around us.

Blessings!

Brian 

Worship with a fresh perspective

Last weekend I had the opportunity to travel to Camp Lutherwood in Utah. This trip has become a CLC tradition over the past few years. Youth and families are invited to experience the wonder of creation and the joy of community. Personally, I have really come to value the perspective this time brings. Instead of gathering in the basement of the church, the youth come together around a campfire to sing, eat s'mores, and share a message of hope. We also take time to go on some epic hikes. It's a wonderful trip... Even if some of the youth complained that I chose a hike that may have been just a little too long :) 

One of my favorite parts of the weekend was sitting outside together in the evening. The deer would walk by, and the stars would come out. After being surrounded by city lights, it's easy to forget how bright the stars can be. Every night we would look up to see the Milky Way, and even though the temperature dropped down to 38 degrees, we didn't want to leave the moment. We sat together, huddled in our jackets and sleeping bags, and we embraced the beauty of the world around us.  

There are so many different ways to worship. We can sing. We can read scripture. We can stand on top of a mountain or sit around a campfire. The important part of all of this is that we take time to come together and we cherish the blessings we have. There is so much to give thanks for in our lives, but sometimes we are too busy or tired to remember this. Worship is all about pushing ourselves to experience God's Grace in fresh new ways. When we come together as a community, and God shows up. 

Today I hope you can spend some time intentionally in worship. I hope you can find a community and open yourselves up to the work of the Spirit.

Blessings,

Brian Ward

Gathered in Joy

Last Wednesday we kicked off family night at CLC. It was wonderful to see preschool kids join together with older youth to play games, sing songs, and build new relationships. Even though there is quite a difference between a 20 year old and a 3 year old, I see a lot of blessings when they all come together. Kids and adults are all welcome to be who they are, and they can find there own ways to serve and experience God's Love. I believe God's Grace is best experienced when we come together.  

In the Bible, Jesus speaks of the importance of finding a community. Pharisees were called to find a place at the table with the sinners and tax collectors. The wealthy and powerful were called to sit with the the sick and the sorrowing. Everyone has a place, and everyone is valued. In our sermon series this month, we are taking a deeper look at joy. It is easy for our hearts to be filled with anxiety, fear, and even anger. However, this series asks us to fill our hearts with joy. God values each person. I hope we can let go of the fears in our past and enter into something new.

The Biblical letter to the Philippians, is a book filled with joy. It tells us that whatever we are facing, we also have a new life in Christ. We are told that if we want to let go of our past difficulties, we need to find a community. We need a place where we honor one another. We need a place where we can be honest, and we need a place where we can be united and filled with God's Love.

Today I hope you can take time for some of the relationships in your life. Perhaps you can give a family member or a friend a call. Maybe you can find a new place to serve. Maybe you can just say hi to your neighbor. God is present everywhere we go, and we are a people who share God's love when we come together.

Blessings!

Brian

A perspective of hope

There is so much pain in our world..

The tragedy that surrounds the wildfires in Hawaii is so great that it is difficult to comprehend. Canada is also facing it's own horrendous battle and devastating losses. There is war in Ukraine and rumors of war surround us. We are witnessing storms. People are battling homelessness, and I have friends and family that are in the hospital facing difficult illnesses.

It can be hard to find reasons to celebrate or give thanks. In our scripture passage this week, we are retuning to the book of Nehemiah. The people living in that time had every reason focus on the pain in their lives. There was talk of warfare, and their enemies were ridiculing their work. Life came with so many burdens, and it would have been very hard to let go of the harsh realities of the world. 

Nehemiah tried to change the people's perspective. He gave them a reason to focus on the Good News that was also present in their lives. They read from the scriptures. They took time to appreciate all the work they had done, and they gave thanks for God's work in their lives. 

I believe Christ wants each of us to look at the world with a fresh perspective. Jesus was always able to see a bigger picture. Many of us, like the early disciples, can easily get bogged down by the difficulties we face. I think God wants us to stay rooted in reality, but we also have to have faith that God's Love is always going to win.

Last Saturday, my youngest son celebrated his 5th birthday. It wound up being a birthday in the rain with all the weather we faced. However, my son had a blast. There was so much excitement and love that surrounded the moment, and he enjoyed every bit of it. Sometimes things do not go as planned, but if we take time to experience the blessings, God's Love surrounds us. 

Today I hope each of you can take time to love. Let's not become so overwhelmed that we forget the blessings that surround us. God is present in each of our lives. Let's experience the grace and peace of Christ everyday.

Blessings,

Brian Ward

Believing in the good

Have you ever felt successful?

Have you taken time to reflect on the work you have done?

Perhaps you built or fixed something. Maybe you climbed to the top of a mountain or achieved a goal at work. I hope you are taking time to celebrate your accomplishments. I think it's important to strive to do our best and set goals for our own growth and improvement. 

Right now I am making lists for the fall. I am looking at camping retreats, youth and family nights, Trunk or Treat, and even Christmas events. In our sermon series, we are looking at the prophet Nehemiah. This Old Testament prophet worked hard to achieve his goals. He was a governor of Jerusalem and his city was in ruins. He needed to create a plan for change. He utilized prayer and determination to achieve all the goals he had for his city. However, it didn't take long for others to criticize him. He was doing everything he could, but people were always pointing out the problems. 

When you are reflecting on your day, do you spend more time looking at the good, or do you see the difficulties?

Personally, I feel like it is easy to look at all the imperfections. There are always people who want to drag us down. Many times these people don't know how to deal with their own feelings of defeat, so they push it onto others. 

The book of Nehemiah tells us to focus on the good that we can create in the world. Instead of dwelling what other people think, we can share God's love. Instead of being a community that pushes others down, we can be a church that celebrates the accomplishments of others. 

Today I hope you can all reflect on God's Love. God does not see you as a failure. God sees you as full of potential. Instead of worrying about how other people may see you, let's take time to live in the hope that God provides.

Blessings!

Brian Ward

Rise up from the ashes

 When was the last time you had to start over from scratch?

When I was in college, there was a big end of the year project that disappeared off of my computer. This was going to count for a huge percentage of my grade, and I became so stressed out about it that I felt sick. I can't remember if I accidentally deleted the file or if a server went down, but I was a mess! I think I spent more time trying to recover that file than it would have taken to rewrite the whole thing. I needed a long time just to acknowledge that my previous work was gone. Then I began again... It all worked out, but I was not happy about it.

Today, I still hate the idea of having to start over. I will hold to old plans that I should have let go of a long time ago, because it feels scary to start over from scratch. 

Is there something that you need to let go of?

Perhaps you can't imagine starting a new career, moving to a new home, or living life without a loved one that you recently lost. New beginnings are hard... However, the Bible teaches us that we are people of the resurrection. We are people that are being transformed everyday by the Holy Spirit. There are times when life is going to fall apart. In those moments, we are going to need time to grieve, but we also have to have faith. There is New Life rising up from the ashes.

We are beginning a Sermon Series at CLC next week that is diving into the book of Nehemiah in the Bible. Nehemiah was written at a time when Israel needed to believe in a fresh start. The people had lost a terrible battle, and many of them had been dragged into slavery. They were living in a foreign country, and a generation of people had come and gone. It seemed like there was nothing left for the people of God. However, Nehemiah tells a story of faith. The people are told to believe that they can rise up and find a new path forward. 

Today, God is continues to call us into a new story. There are things we all need to let go. It is my prayer that we could all trust that God is in control. When we feel lost and uncertain about the future, believe that God is creating something new. God has not forgotten or forsaken you. Believe that you are loved!

Blessings!

Brian Ward

Renewal and the Holy Spirit

Last week, I returned from a vacation to Minnesota with my family. It was amazing! My kids got to spend plenty of time with their cousins and grandparents. We went fishing on a lake, and we picked black raspberries in the woods. The previous year, all our vacation plans were flipped upside down when we got Covid-19 right before we were supposed to leave. That trip wound up being cut down to a long weekend, and it made this year feel like such a blessing. We were able to cherish every drop, and we returned home feeling like we all had a new experience of love...

God's Love is an amazing gift. Christ sacrificed everything for us, and God wants you live in these blessings. Do you ever think about this kind of love? Personally, I spend way too much time looking at my own failures. I focus on all the things people don't like about me, and sometimes that can leave me feeling like God is good, but I am not...

Philippians 1:6 says:

    He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

God wants us to be transformed by love. We are called to focus on the blessings that are given to us. As much as I love my calling as a Pastor, I also need time to get away. I need time with my family, and we need time to remind ourselves of the love that is always present. This is my hope for all of you. Even if you can't get out of town this year, I hope you can be intentional about looking for God's Blessings. You are loved. Your failures do not define you or own you. May you live in God's Love.

Blessings,

Pastor Brian

Mission and the Holy Spirit

It is June in Las Vegas, and it feels like summer at CLC! I am preparing for Vacation Bible School, and I just got back from a mission trip with the youth group. It is a wonderful season, and I am truly blessed to be a part of this journey!

As much as I love this time, it is also an easy time to become overwhelmed. There are so many things on my to do list. I feel like I have been constantly recruiting volunteers, preparing lesson plans, and finding decorations and craft supplies. So when I finally left town last week to go to Long Beach, I was a little anxious about all the projects I was still working on. However, there was a time when I realized I was a part of something special. I let go of all the concerns, and I was able to trust that the Spirit was moving. As soon as we left town, the kids on the mission trip immediately started building new relationships. They spent the week working incredibly hard, and their work changed lives. Whether we were scrubbing, sorting, or painting, they saw God in these incredible moments. 

There are times we look for reasons to be anxious. It can be easy to get lost in all the problems, and we can feel annoyed by ordinary tasks. I love when we can take time to wait and watch for the Holy Spirit. God is present in every moment. I hope we can all make room for all that Christ doing today!

Blessings!

Brian

Summer Fun!

Are you ready for summer?

I have been scrambling over the last few weeks to prepare all the summer activities coming up at CLC. The Youth Group is packing right now for our mission trip to Long Beach, California. This is a great opportunity for the kids to serve others and build new relationships. I have always found these trips to be incredibly rewarding, and I can't wait to see what God is going to do this time. 

Once the youth are back home, it will be time to dive into Vacation Bible School. This is usually our biggest event in Children's Ministry, and it reaches out to kids in our church and in the greater community. It is another opportunity to share God's Love in new and exciting ways. 

I love watching God's Spirit move in and among us. However, as I prepare to lead each of these activities, I'll admit that I've been feeling more than a little stressed. I am busy securing van rentals, organizing volunteers, preparing craft projects, writing devotions, and a host of other things. It takes a lot to get these projects moving!

I was working through some of these details last weekend, when my wife asked what I wanted to do for Memorial Day. I had been so busy I hadn't really thought that much about it. We thought about going on a hike, but I didn't know if I could get away, and her back had been bothering her. However, when we woke up on Monday, the weather looked so beautiful we decided we couldn't stay home. We decided to go on a little hike with the kids up to Big Falls, near Mount Charleston. It turned out to be exactly what we all needed. The boys loved marching though the creek and sliding down the snow. The air was refreshing, and we left feeling inspired. Besides all of that, water was actually flowing over the falls. (That doesn't happen all that frequently!)

Sometimes we have to take a breath and remember that God is with us today. It is fun to prepare for the big events, but we need to take time for the blessings along the way. Today I hope you can all experience the Holy Spirit moving in your lives. I hope you all take time to cherish this!

Blessings, and here are a few pics from our hike! 

The Season of Easter

Happy Easter!

In the church, Easter does not just last one day. We celebrate the resurrection for seven weeks. Unfortunately, I think many of us have moved on. The joy of Easter is wonderful, but we have lives to live. It is really hard to keep ourselves spiritually centered on the Good News. God offers us every good gift... but sometimes it is amazing how quickly these gifts can be forgotten.

Are you still in tune with God's work?

I know last year, my family was dealing with Covid-19 and other viruses. We were feeling kind of down after canceling our second attempt at a vacation. However, we did get away for about five days to Sequoia National Park. Recently my kids were reminiscing about that trip. They remembered hiking through the trees and swimming in the creeks. Looking back, we couldn't believe the trip was so short. We really enjoyed every moment together, and it was so important for us as a family. We really just needed to intentionally create some space to receive God's blessings. Instead of feeling frustrated that our plans kept falling apart, we made the most of the time we had. We found a way to connect to the gifts that God was providing.

I think God is calling to us everyday. Miracles are happening, and we can look to the scriptures to see all the promises God has in store for us. Christ is alive! What is it going to take for us to see this? My encouragement is for you to take a moment each day to open your heart. God is always with us. It does not matter if we are living with joy or with sorrow, God is present. Let us take a breath and remember that.

Blessings!

Brian 

Radical Grace

Last Monday, I stayed home with my youngest son. He did not feel too well the day before, and I wanted to keep an eye on him. Thankfully, he never got very sick, and we wound up spending the day together. It's interesting that I always feel like I am too busy for him. It always seems like there is something more important to do than play puppy dog... However, we had a really great day, and I am so thankful I took the time to be with him. Sometimes we need to make room for grace... We need to take advantage of moments that are not hard earned or hard fought. We all need to cherish the simple gifts that surround us everyday.

We talk about grace a lot in the church, and I think most people have a basic understanding of its meaning. They have heard a pastor or a friend talk about this free gift. However, there is more to grace than understanding a definition. True freedom is found when we let Grace into our hearts. We do not always want to make room for God's gifts in our lives. We want prove ourselves or our own importance. I think we need time to let go of the rat race we live in and experience what it means to feel loved without any preconditions...

Today I hope we can all take time for grace. I hope we can share and receive God's gifts in everything that we do. I hope we remember to cherish all the blessings that surround us.

In Christ,

Pastor Brian

REAL PEOPLE

REAL PEOPLE
INCLUSIVE GOD
RADICAL GRACE
INSPIRED GROWTH

These eight words declare who we are as a congregation at Community Lutheran Church. Each of these phrases share a little bit of our DNA, and they are woven into everything that we do. Over the next four weeks, we will be taking a little bit of time to explore each of these, and we will ponder how they are impacting our lives. This weekend we will consider what it means to be REAL PEOPLE.

A congregation of Real People understands that everyone is broken, but everyone is also welcome. There are times in my life that I have spent a crazy amount of time trying to show the world that I was perfect. I didn't want anyone to see my cracks or flaws. I thought that if people knew of my failures they would cast me away. However, I learned some of the best relationships and success stories in my life came from vulnerable and broken moments.

Earlier this week, I asked my kids what had happened in our living room. Toys were thrown everywhere, coloring supplies were left out, and one boy was crying. They responded by looking at me and saying, "It wasn't me! My brother did it!" They tried to pretend they were completely innocent of the whole situation. It was better to blame it all on somebody else. Honestly, I wasn't that upset by the mess itself. There was nothing in that room that we couldn't fix. My real concern was the lying... When someone is refuses to be honest and real, it is really hard to grow and learn. 

Today, we may not get into fights over who messed up the living room, but we still can easily become trapped in a web of lies if we refuse to look at our own failures. I hope we are all able to let go of the facades we put on, and I pray that we are able to see ourselves just as we are. We are imperfect, but can grow. God sees our true heart, and God Loves us anyway. Let's share this good news and live with hope and grace!

Blessings!

Brian

A time to reflect

This time of year feels like a roller coaster in the church. We celebrated Palm Sunday last week, and as I write this, we right in the middle of Holy Week and the journey to the cross. I have always found this time of year to be incredibly meaningful, but honestly, it can be difficult to take a breath and really consider the impact of what Jesus has done. Today, I am busy working on worship services, and I just finished teaching a class of First Communion students. I am also busy preparing for the Youth Mission Trip and Vacation Bible School. I love being busy with all kinds of activities, but it is also important to take a bit of time to reflect. Jesus gave his life for each of us, and His love changed the world.

Last week, while I was teaching the First Communion class, I shared a small meal with the students, and we talked about the Seder dinner that Jesus experienced with his disciples on Maundy Thursday. The kids listened, and they asked some really thoughtful questions about the  Passover. They also saw the love Jesus offered in his last meal before the crucifixion. It was really powerful for me to hear the students talk about God's Love in their lives. Seeing just one kid realize that they are welcomed into the family of God is absolutely incredible. It is worth taking a bit of time to honor and celebrate.

Jesus broke bread with people who were about to abandon and betray him. His disciples did not have a perfect theological grasp on everything that He was doing. However, Jesus still found a reason to share God's Love. Although the disciples minds were elsewhere for much of their time together, Christ's Love eventually led them back to God. There will be times we do not understand what God is doing. Other times we will be unwilling to listen to the voice of God. However, Christ is still speaking to us. God is still calling. I hope we can all take a little bit of time to listen and experience the grace that Jesus shared.

Blessings,

Brian

At the feet of Jesus...

Community Lutheran Church has been in a sermon series entitled: At the Feet of Jesus. We are looking at stories of different people who came into the presence of their Savior. Each of these individuals came with something different on their hearts. Some were ready to worship. Some were in search of a miracle. Others came to Jesus out of gratitude, or they wanted to learn and grow in the Spirit. However, all of these people lived by faith, and they were able to trust that Jesus was the answer to everything they had been searching for.

I think it is incredible for people to find Jesus and discover that He matters most. It reminds me that, whatever I am carrying on my heart, I can let it go and turn to Jesus. However, this week we are going to turn the tables a little bit. We are going to consider who Jesus was seeking after. The answer to this may seem obvious:  He sought after God... and that is most certainly true, but Jesus also seeks after us. As much as we need to be in the presence of Jesus, Jesus wants to come to us. Jesus sees each one of us as sacred, and God knows we all have gifts we can use to serve and love others.

There are so many times I forget to look for God's presence in my life. Each day becomes a blur filled with ordinary activities, but last week I had the opportunity to travel to Colorado with my family. We didn't hike any mountains or explore any new trails. We were there to be with family. My wife's parents opened there home to us, and we had a joyful week of love. Sure, my family is a little wild and crazy, but we were welcomed in. It can be important to seek after God in far off places, but my trip last week reminded me that we can find God in the people who surround us. We can find God, just like Jesus did, in our relationships with others. 

Enjoying the simple moments!

Today I hope you can all experience a little bit of God's love today. I hope you can all learn what God is doing, and I hope you can realize that you are a blessing as well.

Peace,

Brian Ward

Gratitude

Can you think of a time that you have been overwhelmed with gratitude?

My oldest son just turned eight years old, and he has lived the last few days with an incredible amount of joy. He couldn't wait to open his presents. He immediately had to start building the lego sets, wearing his new costumes, and playing the new games with his brother. He was also excited to call his grandparents to say thank you for all the good things that they gave to him. 

I think there are a few important steps to gratitude that my son lived out. First, he took time to value each and every gift. Next, he shared his gratitude with the people around him and those who gave the gift. Finally, he is enjoying life with the presents that were given to him. He is living life with in joy and gratitude.

At Community Lutheran, we are taking time each week to consider the people who found themselves at the feet of Jesus. Each person who we have followed in this series has come to Jesus for a different reason. The wise men were inspired by Jesus, and they bowed down with awe and wonder. The family of Jarius and the hemorrhaging woman fell at Christ's feet while they prayed for healing. This week we are going to meet at woman who came to Jesus feet with an immense feeling of Gratitude. Her gratitude brought her to her knees. 

Life is filled with moments to be grateful for. However, there are plenty of times I find myself too busy to really appreciate the gifts around me. Stress and anxiety can consume us, and we can forget to say thank you for some of the most beautiful gifts that God has given us. We can also forget to live a life that is filled with joy. 

I recently met with a person in the hospital. He has faced a number of difficulties over the last few months, but he was also filled with gratitude. Some of the trials he faced reminded him of all the gifts he had but that he had taken for granted. He was now going to intentionally live every drop of life to the fullest.

Today I hope that we all and take a bit of time to appreciate the gifts that God has given to us. I hope we can take time to say thank you to God and to the people who have blessed us. Finally, I hope we can all intentionally live each day with joy.

Blessings,

Brian Ward

The trials we face

 Are you facing any difficulties or trials today?

At Community Lutheran this week, we are concluding our sermon series that we entitled: What God does when your in a Jam... We have taken time over these last few weeks to look at some of the problems people in the Bible faced, but we are also looking at our own lives. How is God working in your life when things seem to fall apart?

There are a ton of things that I find myself worried about. I worry about my kids not finding their shoes in the morning. I wonder who unplugged my cell phone. I get frustrated the kids dumping their food on the floor when I'm trying to get out of the door. These things are pretty trivial in the grand scheme of things, but the little things can overwhelm us if we aren't careful. There are plenty of other difficulties in our world. There are people who are very sick right now. There are others who are grieving or in pain. There are people stuck in cycles addiction or violence. Of course, there are also all of people facing the awful devastation after the earthquake in Syria and Turkey. 

It can be hard to wrap our minds around all the pain in the world. Instead, we wind up becoming lost in the small stuff. This week, the scripture passage that we will look at shares the story of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. Jesus had to let go of his personal desires, and he sacrificed his own needs for all of us. It is because of Jesus that we are forgiven for our imperfections. I hope we can all remember that there is more to the world than just the small stuff we face everyday. I hope we can let go of some of the pain that weighs us down, and I pray that we would be able to reach out in love toward our neighbor.

Blessings,

Pastor Brian

Believing in Love

 Are you in a jam?

Do you ever wonder what God is going to do with the situation that you are in?

Earlier this week, I got a call from my son's preschool. It's rarely a good thing to get this kind of a phone call. I have to wonder if my child has a fever, maybe he is throwing up... Who knows, but they rarely call just to say that everything is great. :) Anyway, this phone call was to inform me that my four year old had run head first into a metal pole. Then, he was knocked backward onto the concrete sidewalk, and he bonked the other side of his head. Not great news...but I can't say it really surprised me. My son is at the age where he wants to try everything, and sometimes his body just can't keep up! However, this was a pretty big hit and he did have quite the lump on his head. Thankfully the staff at Hill and Dale were wonderful, and by the time I got to see him, he was happily running around at full speed playing with all his friends. He wasn't worried at all about the GIANT goose-egg on his forehead. He wanted to tell me how he got to play Spider-man with his teacher!

Kids, like adults, find themselves in jams all the time. I am thankful my child was at a place where he could trust that his teachers were going to solve his problem. Yes, he was in a lot of pain, but he knew there were people there who could make it better. The faith he had in his teachers made him willing to jump right back up and start going again. 

As adults, I think we can be much more suspicious of the world around us. Instead of trusting our neighbors, we often try to fix everything ourselves. If we get into a jam, we may try to hide our pain, which will make things worse. We don't believe that honesty will help us, or we believe other people will take advantage of our trust. 

Our sermon series at CLC is looking at the difficult moments that we face in life. This week we are remembering the Bible Story of King David and Bathsheba. King David had great potential, but when he got into a jam, he doubled down. He tried to hide all his mistakes, and he brought a lot of pain on himself and his people. 

Today I hope we can trust in God. If our world has flipped upside down, I wonder if you have someone you can turn to. I believe the church can be a place of comfort and support. We just need to have the faith of a child.

Blessings!

Brian

A step of faith

When was the last time you were stuck in a jam?

We all face difficult choices, and it can be very difficult to decide what to do. We can procrastinate. We can try to run away. We might fall apart... No one wants to be in these stomach churning situations. However, it never helps to hide ourselves from the problem. In fact, great leaders from Moses, to Jesus, to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. all stood up to their trials. In each of our own lives, we are also called to trust in God's Love and take a leap of faith. 

In this week's Scripture passage, we are looking at an Old Testament prophet and judge named Gideon. Gideon was a leader in ancient Israel who had a number of gifts. He was also very connected to God, and he personally experienced a number of miracles that showed that God was present with him. However, Gideon lacked faith. He didn't believe in his own gifts, and he didn't believe God would really stand beside him when he needed it. When Gideon became stuck in a jam, he tended to fall apart. Like so many of us, Gideon would have preferred to run away from God's calling. Over and over, God had to affirm God's own presence. The story shows how difficult it is to have faith when life falls apart.

I remember working with a 15 year old girl several years ago, who was incredibly talented. She was a natural leader, incredibly smart, and she was compassionate. However, her family constantly had to move from one house to another. Her mother struggled to provide enough food, and there was never enough money. The difficulties she faced made it hard for her to share her gifts. If things were going well she was amazing, but if her world was falling apart she was unstable, lashing out at others. For her, the church became a place where she could be accepted no matter what. Good day or bad day... we understood what she was going though. It was not always the ideal situation, but we were growing together. I think Gideon could have gone a lot farther if he found a community that loved and accepted him no matter what.

We all need acceptance, and God is offering that to each of us. God wants us to experience the grace that is only found in making bold mistakes. God's Love exists for all of us. Let's take some time to listen for this grace, and take a step toward faith.

Blessings!

Brian

Loving every minute of it!

 Life moves fast doesn't it?

A couple weeks ago, we were preparing to celebrate Christmas. There was so much excitement at church, and my house was just as busy. I felt so blessed by all the people at each of our worship services, and there was definitely a sense of hope in the air as we gathered together. 

After all of our services and after the Christmas presents has all been opened, my family was ready to spend some time together. (As wonderful as the season is, it is also very busy, and I felt like I was always off to one event and my kids were headed to another!) So my wife set up a trip for a couple nights in California. It was a blast! There was so much to do, including some time at Legoland. It never really felt like I had a chance to catch my breath, but it was perfect! Just being able to set aside the time with my family was all we really needed.

Personally, I find the most meaningful experiences come when we really embrace the moments we have right in front of us. When I saw my kids opening their presents, they were so thankful just to be there. It didn't matter if they unwrapped a gigantic new dinosaur or a tube of toothpaste. They were filled with joy! They also loved our trip to Legoland and playing on the beach, but most importantly we loved the time we had together. There was a lot of laughter, a few bumps and bruises, and maybe a few tears, but we cherished the time we had.

 

Today I hope we can all enjoy these moments that surround us. The Scriptures teach us that everyday is a gift from God. We are often too worried about what is going to happen next. We are concerned over an endless stream of problems that may occur, and sometimes these fears overwhelm us. What if we started seeing these moments we were in as a gift? What if we opened our hearts, and we started believing that God gave us this time? I hope we can all cherish the love we have right now!

Blessings!

Pastor Brian