Pastor's Pen - June 2006

Dear Friends in Christ,

The Festival of Pentecost will be celebrated on Sunday, June 4. This festival marks the outpouring of God’s Spirit upon the believers following the resurrection of our Savior, Jesus the Christ. From then until now, the Spirit has continued to be poured out upon God’s people , strengthening them for faithful witness and service in response to the faith and love that God has given so generously and freely.

This month Mansfield Lutheran, and indirectly United Lutheran, celebrates 125 years of ministry in this place in God’s world. On its own certainly a significant period of time and yet in relationship to the history of the Church it is just a small portion of the time of grace that God has given to the whole of God’s creation. This perspective can help us to avoid the pitfall of just looking to the past and what might be considered the "good old days". Rather we can concentrate on the blessings of courageous believers in years past who have made the continuation of ministry possible yet today as well as seek to discern the ways in which we can continue this gospel ministry into the future.

Interestingly, Mansfield and St. John’s, a predecessor of Untied, shared ministry in their very beginnings and now 125 years later are doing the same. Perhaps the lesson of cooperation and complimenting the gifts and strengths of one another will not be lost upon us and generations yet to come.

Called, gathered, enlightened, and sanctified by the Holy Spirit, as Luther tells us in the Small Catechism, is to be called into faithful community as the people of God. We are not called as individuals, whether as persons or congregations. We are called to be in fellowship with others to better witness to the love of God revealed in Jesus. Together we rejoice, together we weep, and together we proclaim the good news for the sake of a world that continues to be in need.

In this month of Pentecost and an anniversary celebration, let us pray that the Spirit of God continues to be poured out upon us as we faithfully serve the gospel message in this time and place. Uncertain perhaps of what tomorrow holds, but confident of the ultimate promise of victory in our risen Lord and Savior, Jesus the Christ.

Pastor's Pen - May 2006

Dear Friends in Christ,

The season of Easter is a season of celebrating the new life that has been offered to the whole of God’s creation in the risen Lord and Savior, Jesus the Christ. It is impossible for such a gift to be adequately celebrated in just one day and so the Church has set aside a week of weeks to put emphasis the wonderful thing that God has done for us in Jesus’ life, ministry, death, and resurrection.

During this season we read each week from the book of the Acts of the Apostles. Here we read of the early church as it was molded and shaped by the good news of God’s love and grace. At the same time we are invited to see the signs of the work of God’s Spirit in the life of the church today as well. God did not stop molding and shaping in the days following that first Easter. Rather God continues today to mold and shape God’s people to be vehicles of God’s message of love and forgiveness for the sake of the whole world. It is certainly true that times and circumstances have changed since that first Easter and the first generation of believers. However, that should not become an excuse for apathy or neglect of the good news that has been so graciously entrusted to us.

Each generation of believers receives again the good news of the resurrection of the Savior. Each generation is filled with the Spirit’s power. Each generation is entrusted to share that good news and power with a world that continues to be in need. Each generation can be moved by the same spirit of enthusiasm and excitement that was a part of the lives of those who first heard that Jesus was risen from the tomb.

Each year the celebration of Easter renews God’s people and enlivens them to be witnesses for the sake of the Savior in this day and age. As we celebrate this Easter season, consider the ways in which you might personally share your faith and its message in a gracious way with someone who is in need of hearing the good news. Look for opportunities with a renewed sense of purpose and commitment. The joy and celebration is to overflow from us to touch the lives of all who inhabit this world. The greatest story to be shared is the story of God’s love and its power in our lives. It is that story through the work of God’s Spirit that will change the world.