Author: stmarksneenah

Pastor’s Ponderings for November

stmarksneenah

“A scribe then approached and said, ‘Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.’ And Jesus said to him, ‘Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.’” (Matthew 8:19-20 NRSV)

This week two different things brought this scripture verse to mind. The first was a story that came across my news feed about a bronze sculpture of Jesus shrouded in a blanket and lying on a park bench.

The sculpture of “Homeless Jesus,” created by Canadian sculptor Timothy Schmalz, depicts a man wrapped in a blanket with only his bare feet exposed. There is a hole in each foot, leaving the viewer with the impression that it is Jesus under the blanket.

When the traveling sculpture was placed outside St. Barnabas Episcopal Church in Bay Village, Ohio    recently, it only took 20 minutes for someone to call the police department’s non-emergency line to report the homeless person. The police arrived to discover the “Homeless Jesus” sculpture on display. The parish priest said the point of the statue is to get people’s   attention and show that when someone in need is being served, so is Christ.

We don’t know if the person who made the call, called out of concern for the homeless person or for     another reason, however, we do know that the traveling sculpture of “Homeless Jesus” has evoked strong emotional responses from many people. According to National Public Radio, when the sculpture was on display in Davidson, North Carolina, some residents felt the statue demeaned the neighborhood or was insulting.

Schmalz, the sculpture’s creator, said the statue is meant to reflect the values of Christ and show that    Jesus is aligned with “the least in our society…If Jesus came down today, he would be hanging out with the homeless people, with the marginalized.” Schmalz said, “It’s a benefit to homeless people and the marginalized themselves to understand that they have self-worth and that they are very close to God.”

The second event that brought the verse from Matthew’s Gospel to mind, was a call I received from Bill Devine of Habitat for Humanity of the Fox Cities. Bill said he was calling St. Mark’s Church to thank us for our financial support this past year. Bill said that their goal for 2020 was to build 17 homes. Due to the coronavirus out-break they didn’t quite make their goal this year, but still, they will finish 15 homes this year. Thanks be to God!

Habitat for Humanity, and their mission to provide sustainable housing, is just one of the many ways that your generous gifts continue to make a difference in our community and around the world.

2020 has been a difficult year, not only for each of us, but around the world. And as much as all of us have been inconvenienced, and perhaps, both emotionally and financially burdened by the virus and world events, 2020 has been understandably worse for the homeless and impoverished individuals in our society.

This year, our Thanksgiving celebrations will likely be curtailed from years past, and still, we know that God is faithful, and we have so much to be thankful for.

This year, at the top of my list of thanksgivings, I am thankful for all of you, for your kindnesses and your generous spirit, that continues to uplift this community of faith and keeps us on the right pathway as we look forward to a new year and the promise that it holds.

Have a blessed Thanksgiving everyone, and remember the poor.

Pastor Bob

Pastor Ponderings – October

stmarksneenah

“Then [Jesus] said to them, “Take care! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of possessions.” (Luke 12:15)

I recently listened to a National Public Radio interview of a woman who had written a book on downsizing. It will come as no surprise to you, that many of us accumulate way too much stuff in a lifetime. In the interview, the woman shared how after her parents had both passed, that she and her brother had the difficult task of deciding what to do with all their parent’s possessions.

They knew their mother’s most prized possession was her set of china, yet neither one of them had room for it, nor wanted it. Although stressful, it was also a relief when they finally made the decision to simply box it up and take it to Goodwill.

It is a popular misconception that the bible says, money is the root of all evil. Although, the bible does give many warnings about storing up an abundance of goods, what the bible actually says is, “…the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil…” (1 Timothy 6:10a)

Money is not a problem when we keep it in the proper perspective. There are many examples in the bible where people are financially blessed by God. However, when we are given much, God expects us to pass on our blessings to others who are less fortunate. We are blessed to be a blessing!

The concept of being blessed to be a blessing to others is demonstrated in the life of Charles “Chuck” Feeney. According to Forbes magazine, Feeney, who is 89, has given away $8 billion dollars to charities. Charles   Feeney, who was the co-founder of airport retailer Duty Free Shoppers, says he believes in the idea of “Giving While Living”.

You may have never heard of Feeney because he gave away all the money anonymously and wanted it to stay that way. Feeney, who now lives in an apartment in San Francisco with his wife, reportedly kept about $2 million for their retirement. Feeney, who encourages people of means to follow his philosophy, is quoted as saying, “My thanks to all who joined us on this journey. And to those wondering about Giving While Living: Try it, you’ll like it.”

We may not have billions, or millions, or even thousands of dollars to give to charities, but each of us have been blessed by God in some significant way. Whether it is our time, our talents, or our possessions, we all have something to contribute.

I would encourage you to discover your blessing and share it for God’s glory. If you have been blessed financially, consider ways in which you can be a blessing to others, for the world needs more people like Charles Feeney. And finally, take a second look at that old china that you never use, maybe there is someone who could use and appreciate right now?

Thank you everyone for your continued support of myself and the ministry of St. Mark’s Lutheran Church. You truly are a blessing!

Servants together,

Pastor Bob

Pastor Ponderings for September

stmarksneenah

“Six days you shall labor and do all your work. But the seventh day is a sabbath to the LORD your God; you shall not do any work…” (Exodus 20:9-10 NRSV)

Labor Day became a federal holiday in 1894 and is largely recognized as the unofficial end of summer.  Celebrated each year on the first Monday in September, on Labor Day we honor the working men and women of these United States.

Our Lutheran understanding of our labors here on earth is that through our vocations, we are called to serve and bring glory to God, whether we are a truck driver, nurse, teacher, farmer, or stay-at-home    parent, whatever our calling happens to be.   Our work, and our ability to work and provide for our families, are gifts from God, and it shall all be done for God’s glory.

We have a strong “work ethic” in this country and we, as a society, give thanks for those who produce, build, and protect. However, too often we underappreciate those who create beauty in the world, those who create from the imagination, and work with ideas in the abstract. Vocations such as actors, writers, architects, florists, photographers, and philosophers come to mind, although there are many others.

Our first image of God in Genesis is of a God who creates by God’s word, a world of beauty and wonder out of nothing.  We know that Jesus worked in his earthy father’s trade as a carpenter (Mark 6:3), and yet, the last few years of his life, he was essentially unemployed as he traveled the countryside healing, preaching, and teaching about the kingdom of heaven. Still, we know that—even apart from the cross—Jesus’ thoughts and words about how we are to live in relationship with others in the world, continue to change lives even today.

This Labor Day weekend, let us give thanks for all who labor in this world to make it a better place to live, whether they work primarily with their hands, their words, or their minds. Likewise, each of us has a calling to fulfill. Let us also pray for those who are unemployed or who work in a job that does not pay a living wage, that they may find work that both sustains them and enriches their lives.

And finally, as Christians, let us bring glory to God through our work and share our blessings with those in need. But let us also find time to rest, because God knows that we need time to refresh and renew our spirit for the tasks before us. 

Happy Labor Day everyone and blessings on your journey,

Pastor Bob