Pastoral Pondering
by Pastor Keith Larson
I was at Ewalu Bible Camp over the weekend. I am on Ewalu’s Board of Directors and we have our meetings on the third Saturday of every other month. It is usually on Rustic Days weekend. Twice now, I have missed the parade. I might have missed this meeting, but I missed the last one because of Synod Assembly and I am taking my turn as Board President.
Every time I visit that place I recall some event, some story, some incident that has happened there over my 48 years of involvement in that place. Ewalu is celebrating 50 years of history this summer. I remember my first summer, Cedar Lodge had just opened, and that particular week when I was a camper, when we took our turn on k.p. duty, for the first time did not have to help manually wash dishes, because the new commercial dishwasher had just been hooked up. I could write a book. But many of you also have memories. Bethlehem has been connected there from the very beginning in 1961 with a member serving on the Board of Directors in 1962. I am proud to continue that tradition at Bethlehem. Many at St. Mark’s have long histories at Ewalu, too. I am so excited that three boys from the parish just had their first experience at Ewalu this summer. This fall we will have some Sunday when we recall our past connections to Camp Ewalu and let some people share stories.
Besides being a board member, and wanting to set a good example for other board members, I also felt obliged to attend last Saturday’s meeting because we are at the beginning of a search or call process for a new executive director. Dale Goodman will be retiring at the end of next summer. For me, as board president, this is a terrifying time. I feel like many of you must feel when you are asked to be part of a call committee to call a new pastor. I want us to get a good director, so 5, 10, 15 or more years done the road, folks can say – “that was a good choice”. In 50 years of camp history, we have had 4 full-time directors and they all have brought wonderful gifts and have built the camp up to be one of the better, stronger camps in the ELCA. I certainly do not want the first bad, problem director called “on my watch”.
I would be almost paralyzed –except for a couple of important truths. I am not alone. There are 17 others on the board – we will appoint a separate search team of 5 – 7 people. We work together. Like the ball player who misses the free throw or field goal at the buzzer – and even the player who gets lifted up on the shoulders of teammates for scoring or preventing the other team from scoring in the final second - all need to remember there was a whole team of other players that scored important points or made important defensive plays the whole game and a whole team of players who also missed points and made mistakes the whole game.
Furthermore, God has blessed the ministry of Ewalu for 50 years. God will not forsake us now. I can trust that God will lead us through a process that will result in a new director. I told the board, that God probably already knows who that director will be – even thought the person who will be director may not even today, know of Ewalu.
Tuesday, August 2, 2011
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Of Fires,Floods and Faith
Pastoral Pondering
by Pastor Keith Larson
The phone call came on a Sunday afternoon. For a few seconds fear and anxiety gripped Ginger. It was from daughter-in-law Beth. She doesn’t ordinarily call us. Usually son Ben calls. What had happened that she would call? Ben for being almost 35 years old still enjoys “adventure” and what many people might consider “dangerous” activities – climbing up sheer rock cliffs, hiking mountain trials, teaching activities on “high ropes” adventure courses, with training in wilderness rescue. Well nothing had happened to him, but on the first afternoon of summer camp at Rainbow Trail Lutheran Camp, where he is the assistant director, during registration, a forest fire broke out in the mountain forest near camp. He was quite tied up in the evacuation of the camp – relocating over 150 campers, counselors and staff to a nearby high school gym.
We watched the internet all week for news, as firefighters worked to extinguish the fires. Fortunately, the camp was spared and hopefully after being out of the camp for two weeks they will be able to move campers back. On Father’s Day, he called and said he would be running the camp’s mountain backpacking program from the back of his moving trailer he bought back when Beth was attending seminary in Dubuque.
While the fire in the Sangre de Christo Mountains in Colorado did not make the news outside of Colorado, we have spent the last months watching extreme natural phenomena around the world. There was one of history’s worst earthquakes in terms of the tsunami that followed and the Japanese nuclear disaster that resulted; some of the worst tornadoes in recent history, some of the nation’s largest forest fires, some of the worst flooding ever on the Missouri River and other rivers of the upper Great Plains.
These disasters are reason for many people to wonder what is happening. Some wonder if these are signs foretelling the end of times. Still others wonder if these things are a result of climate change that is taking place. I certainly do not wish to read too much into these events. But they do remind us that as human beings, important as we think we are, have little control over the world around us. I am reminded of Psalm 8, where the hymn writer looked up at the sky on a starry night, contemplated the scope of the universe, and wondered how it was that God could care so much for insignificant human beings.
What can we learn from these disasters and even the disasters that have hit eastern Iowa recently – the 2008 flooding, the Parkersburg tornado, the failure of the Lake Delhi Dam? We live in a dangerous world. Rivers flood, forests burns, mountains erupt, tornadoes and hurricanes form, and there is not much humans can do besides get out of the way. In the midst of all these events, we believe that God cares for us. When disaster strikes, God helps us through the events, providing family, neighbors, friends, and governmental assistance. God has created a world that can grow back, regenerated and repair itself. (However after the nuclear disaster at Chernobyl, we are learning regeneration will take many many years and the verdict is not in yet how radically that area has been damaged.)
We can never protect ourselves from every danger or disaster that might befall us. Disasters bring terrible loss and grief for those involved. Yet we remain confident that God is with us and will help us deal whatever comes our way, for we are promised that nothing – forest fires, earthquakes, volcanoes, hurricanes, floods, tornadoes, or even death can ever separate us from the love of God.
by Pastor Keith Larson
The phone call came on a Sunday afternoon. For a few seconds fear and anxiety gripped Ginger. It was from daughter-in-law Beth. She doesn’t ordinarily call us. Usually son Ben calls. What had happened that she would call? Ben for being almost 35 years old still enjoys “adventure” and what many people might consider “dangerous” activities – climbing up sheer rock cliffs, hiking mountain trials, teaching activities on “high ropes” adventure courses, with training in wilderness rescue. Well nothing had happened to him, but on the first afternoon of summer camp at Rainbow Trail Lutheran Camp, where he is the assistant director, during registration, a forest fire broke out in the mountain forest near camp. He was quite tied up in the evacuation of the camp – relocating over 150 campers, counselors and staff to a nearby high school gym.
We watched the internet all week for news, as firefighters worked to extinguish the fires. Fortunately, the camp was spared and hopefully after being out of the camp for two weeks they will be able to move campers back. On Father’s Day, he called and said he would be running the camp’s mountain backpacking program from the back of his moving trailer he bought back when Beth was attending seminary in Dubuque.
While the fire in the Sangre de Christo Mountains in Colorado did not make the news outside of Colorado, we have spent the last months watching extreme natural phenomena around the world. There was one of history’s worst earthquakes in terms of the tsunami that followed and the Japanese nuclear disaster that resulted; some of the worst tornadoes in recent history, some of the nation’s largest forest fires, some of the worst flooding ever on the Missouri River and other rivers of the upper Great Plains.
These disasters are reason for many people to wonder what is happening. Some wonder if these are signs foretelling the end of times. Still others wonder if these things are a result of climate change that is taking place. I certainly do not wish to read too much into these events. But they do remind us that as human beings, important as we think we are, have little control over the world around us. I am reminded of Psalm 8, where the hymn writer looked up at the sky on a starry night, contemplated the scope of the universe, and wondered how it was that God could care so much for insignificant human beings.
What can we learn from these disasters and even the disasters that have hit eastern Iowa recently – the 2008 flooding, the Parkersburg tornado, the failure of the Lake Delhi Dam? We live in a dangerous world. Rivers flood, forests burns, mountains erupt, tornadoes and hurricanes form, and there is not much humans can do besides get out of the way. In the midst of all these events, we believe that God cares for us. When disaster strikes, God helps us through the events, providing family, neighbors, friends, and governmental assistance. God has created a world that can grow back, regenerated and repair itself. (However after the nuclear disaster at Chernobyl, we are learning regeneration will take many many years and the verdict is not in yet how radically that area has been damaged.)
We can never protect ourselves from every danger or disaster that might befall us. Disasters bring terrible loss and grief for those involved. Yet we remain confident that God is with us and will help us deal whatever comes our way, for we are promised that nothing – forest fires, earthquakes, volcanoes, hurricanes, floods, tornadoes, or even death can ever separate us from the love of God.
Thursday, June 2, 2011
Pondering at 60
Pastoral Pondering
by Pastor Keith Larson
Over the years, birthdays have come and birthdays have gone. I have had a few significant birthday parties planned by my wife over years, and as a child planned by my mother. My family members have always remembered me and many church members remember me in various ways. But for the most part, I have not paid lots of attention to birthdays as far as reflecting on them, neither dreading them nor eagerly anticipating them (at least not since childhood).
But as I approach my 60th birthday next week I have found myself being more reflective than in the past. I realize I need to think of myself in different terms. I can no longer think of myself as a young person, or even very middle middle-aged. (See, I want to still hang on to the term a while longer.) I know “you are as old as you feel.” But some days I do not feel very young any more. As some friends prepare to move, I contemplated helping them move, but reminded myself I had better be careful what I offer, so told them that I thought my all-day-long furniture-toting days were mostly behind and I would be more helpful standing in the moving van with my tape measure saying, “Bring me something 20x10x10”. While still willing to try most anything once, I find that I “pay for it” later. I have just spent close to 20 hours in the last weeks, on my hands and knees, installing hardwood flooring. I really feel it in my knees, hips, shoulders – well all over. And while most foods look yummy, I have learned to pace myself and to be selective, especially in the evening so as not to keep Ginger awake all night with my burping and belching.
We all age. It is a part of life. Years ago, my internship supervisor used to say that we are all born with a terminal disease. From birth, we begin moving towards death. (Well he said it a few times. He generally was not that gloomy). But as we move through life, we move through many successive stages, each of which has its many joys, blessings as well as challenges. We do not necessarily have to enjoy all of the challenges of every stage of life, but life is so much better for us and for those around us, when we can be accepting of the stage we are. We all recognize in a minute those persons who cannot accept their life stage and make fools of themselves trying to act much younger or much older than they actually are.
This year as I have been a bit more pensive in anticipating my birthday, we were once again confronted with a well-meaning, faithful, but somewhat misguided person predicting quite sincerely the end of the ages in what some Christians believe will be an event called the rapture. While not wishing to be too mocking or joking of what someone considers so important, I was naturally very skeptical and quite unconcerned. While I have not doubted that at some point there will be an end of life, as we know it, I have always thought of that time as being more individual than communal. As I turn 60, I recognize I have a lot less years ahead of me than I have behind me. Yet, I feel like I have always lived to make each day count in some way, able to go to sleep at night without regrets, or at least without too many of them. So whether the world ends in some sort of a rapture moment, or whether it ends like for so many in these past months because of the destruction caused by tornadoes, earthquakes or tidal waves, or whether it ends by simply “passing in one’s sleep”, it will end. And with each passing birthday, we each statistically get closer to that event. But as one reborn a child of God and marked with the cross of Christ forever, it is of no consequence, and I can celebrate another birthday (even though I don’t have to like the creaky achy knees.)
by Pastor Keith Larson
Over the years, birthdays have come and birthdays have gone. I have had a few significant birthday parties planned by my wife over years, and as a child planned by my mother. My family members have always remembered me and many church members remember me in various ways. But for the most part, I have not paid lots of attention to birthdays as far as reflecting on them, neither dreading them nor eagerly anticipating them (at least not since childhood).
But as I approach my 60th birthday next week I have found myself being more reflective than in the past. I realize I need to think of myself in different terms. I can no longer think of myself as a young person, or even very middle middle-aged. (See, I want to still hang on to the term a while longer.) I know “you are as old as you feel.” But some days I do not feel very young any more. As some friends prepare to move, I contemplated helping them move, but reminded myself I had better be careful what I offer, so told them that I thought my all-day-long furniture-toting days were mostly behind and I would be more helpful standing in the moving van with my tape measure saying, “Bring me something 20x10x10”. While still willing to try most anything once, I find that I “pay for it” later. I have just spent close to 20 hours in the last weeks, on my hands and knees, installing hardwood flooring. I really feel it in my knees, hips, shoulders – well all over. And while most foods look yummy, I have learned to pace myself and to be selective, especially in the evening so as not to keep Ginger awake all night with my burping and belching.
We all age. It is a part of life. Years ago, my internship supervisor used to say that we are all born with a terminal disease. From birth, we begin moving towards death. (Well he said it a few times. He generally was not that gloomy). But as we move through life, we move through many successive stages, each of which has its many joys, blessings as well as challenges. We do not necessarily have to enjoy all of the challenges of every stage of life, but life is so much better for us and for those around us, when we can be accepting of the stage we are. We all recognize in a minute those persons who cannot accept their life stage and make fools of themselves trying to act much younger or much older than they actually are.
This year as I have been a bit more pensive in anticipating my birthday, we were once again confronted with a well-meaning, faithful, but somewhat misguided person predicting quite sincerely the end of the ages in what some Christians believe will be an event called the rapture. While not wishing to be too mocking or joking of what someone considers so important, I was naturally very skeptical and quite unconcerned. While I have not doubted that at some point there will be an end of life, as we know it, I have always thought of that time as being more individual than communal. As I turn 60, I recognize I have a lot less years ahead of me than I have behind me. Yet, I feel like I have always lived to make each day count in some way, able to go to sleep at night without regrets, or at least without too many of them. So whether the world ends in some sort of a rapture moment, or whether it ends like for so many in these past months because of the destruction caused by tornadoes, earthquakes or tidal waves, or whether it ends by simply “passing in one’s sleep”, it will end. And with each passing birthday, we each statistically get closer to that event. But as one reborn a child of God and marked with the cross of Christ forever, it is of no consequence, and I can celebrate another birthday (even though I don’t have to like the creaky achy knees.)
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
Travelling for Wholeness
Pastoral Pondering
by Pastor Keith Larson
I am looking forward to a vacation. Next week, we are driving to Cañon City, Colorado to visit son Ben and his wife Beth. I visited there 1½ years ago when I attended a retreat at Rainbow Trail Lutheran Bible Camp where Ben works. However, it has been a long time since Ginger and I were there together. It is always fun to see our children, fun to see new places, and fun to get away for a while. I always enjoy road trips, heading down the open highway.
I realize I need to “get out of town” for a while. That is not saying anything negative about my work, the congregations or communities. I have just been focused on work for a while – perhaps that is the danger of late Easters. It has been a long haul since Christmas. I am truly grateful for the vacation time granted me during a year. I wish every organization, every employer knew the value of providing adequate vacation time for workers. I know I will come back home much refreshed, and much more productive.
The Board of Pensions of the ELCA which administers our church’s medical and pension plans recognizes the importance of pastors and all people to care for their bodies, minds and spirits. During the last several years, they have really advocated the concept of wholeness and wellness. How well we care for ourselves has an impact on health care costs for one practical reason. When pastors care for themselves and congregations help care for their pastors another result is longer, more satisfying pastorates.
Wholeness and wellness is a result of many factors. The ELCA has developed the “Wholeness Wheel” http://www.elca.org/Growing-In-Faith/Vocation/Rostered-Leadership/Leadership-Support/Health/Wholeness-Wheel.aspx . When we take care of all of the aspects in the wheel, we will be lots healthier. I regularly refer to this wheel and do some impromptu assessments. Social/ interpersonal well-being is related to maintaining friendships and attending to relationship with family members and co-workers, neighbors and friends. I will be attending to that by visiting with Ben and Beth and Sam and Heidi while on vacation. Intellectual well-being is related to stimulating one’s brain and learning new things. I have not had a television signal for 5 months now. I do not think I have missed much, but I have read many magazines. The area I need to concentrate on is physical well-being. I know I need to watch my weight, eat better and exercise more.
I would encourage you to work your way around the wheel and ask yourself how you might work to make yourselves whole and well. Do not forget about spiritual well-being that encompasses every aspect of our well-being. Our spiritual wellness is related not only to our worship, prayer and Bible study time, but to what we eat and how much, how much we share, how we relate to others and our work.
So, yes I am very much looking forward to a week’s vacation. But you know what they, that is we, all say about vacations. The best part of vacation is usually coming home again.
by Pastor Keith Larson
I am looking forward to a vacation. Next week, we are driving to Cañon City, Colorado to visit son Ben and his wife Beth. I visited there 1½ years ago when I attended a retreat at Rainbow Trail Lutheran Bible Camp where Ben works. However, it has been a long time since Ginger and I were there together. It is always fun to see our children, fun to see new places, and fun to get away for a while. I always enjoy road trips, heading down the open highway.
I realize I need to “get out of town” for a while. That is not saying anything negative about my work, the congregations or communities. I have just been focused on work for a while – perhaps that is the danger of late Easters. It has been a long haul since Christmas. I am truly grateful for the vacation time granted me during a year. I wish every organization, every employer knew the value of providing adequate vacation time for workers. I know I will come back home much refreshed, and much more productive.
The Board of Pensions of the ELCA which administers our church’s medical and pension plans recognizes the importance of pastors and all people to care for their bodies, minds and spirits. During the last several years, they have really advocated the concept of wholeness and wellness. How well we care for ourselves has an impact on health care costs for one practical reason. When pastors care for themselves and congregations help care for their pastors another result is longer, more satisfying pastorates.
Wholeness and wellness is a result of many factors. The ELCA has developed the “Wholeness Wheel” http://www.elca.org/Growing-In-Faith/Vocation/Rostered-Leadership/Leadership-Support/Health/Wholeness-Wheel.aspx . When we take care of all of the aspects in the wheel, we will be lots healthier. I regularly refer to this wheel and do some impromptu assessments. Social/ interpersonal well-being is related to maintaining friendships and attending to relationship with family members and co-workers, neighbors and friends. I will be attending to that by visiting with Ben and Beth and Sam and Heidi while on vacation. Intellectual well-being is related to stimulating one’s brain and learning new things. I have not had a television signal for 5 months now. I do not think I have missed much, but I have read many magazines. The area I need to concentrate on is physical well-being. I know I need to watch my weight, eat better and exercise more.
I would encourage you to work your way around the wheel and ask yourself how you might work to make yourselves whole and well. Do not forget about spiritual well-being that encompasses every aspect of our well-being. Our spiritual wellness is related not only to our worship, prayer and Bible study time, but to what we eat and how much, how much we share, how we relate to others and our work.
So, yes I am very much looking forward to a week’s vacation. But you know what they, that is we, all say about vacations. The best part of vacation is usually coming home again.
Sunday, March 27, 2011
To Serve Those In Need - Or Not!
Pastoral Pondering
by Pastor Keith Larson
Lent is a time to remember those in need. Giving “alms” is a traditional Lenten discipline from the Sermon on the Mount where Jesus said, “So whenever you give alms, do not sound a trumpet before you.” “Alms” is an ancient word used most often in religious circles meaning charity for the poor, coming from a Greek word related to showing mercy. There are hundreds of legitimate charities. I commend especially ELCA Hunger Appeal and ELCA Disaster Response. Our ELCA passes these funds through (100%) to other agencies working in particular areas, sometimes to Lutheran World Relief (which is supported by Lutheran denominations and does not therefore have extensive fund-raising costs). I also commend, more locally, Lutheran Services in Iowa, which primarily assists families and children. They operate two institutions in Iowa, Bremwood and Beloit, which provide residential treatment for some of Iowa’s most emotionally troubled children (Bremwood for teens and Beloit for pre-teens). Donations this year at our Lenten Soup suppers will be shared with the Domestic Violence Shelter in Iowa City. Alda Buresh, a former resident of Lost Nation and Oxford Junction shared stories of that place and its needs with our women during February.
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Pastoral Pondering: Finding Your Seat
It is a little strange visiting there! I am usually there only once a year or so. I look around and wonder who all those old people are, and then I look more closely and they are my former classmates, distant cousins and folks my age who I grew up with.
It was a little disconcerting to see someone different sitting in my grandmother’s place. All the years I was growing up, my grandparents sat in the same place – the short pew on the right side, second row from the back. It wasn’t really a short pew, but the pillar holding up the balcony made it so it was impossible for more than two people so sit on that end of the pew. Even after my grandpa moved to the care center before he died, Grandpa sat in that pew. But it has been a few years since my grandma has been able to leave her care center, so someone else moved into her pew.
We are all creatures of habit. We get into our comfortable routines. I am so grateful for those who make Sunday worship as part of their routine. And like my grandpa and grandma, most folks have their pew – their spot. In and of itself, there is nothing wrong with having one’s place for worship. As long as it never gets in the way of hospitality. There are stories – and I do not know whether they are real, or just the stuff of “urban myth.” But I have heard stories of folks “shooing” visitors out of their pews on Sunday morning.
Life in congregations changes over time. It is good that someone else is sitting in my grandmother’s pew since she can no longer sit there. As people move away or deaths in our congregation occur, there end up being gaps, or big holes. As people’s needs change, they sometimes need to find different places – to see better, to hear better, to be closer to the bathroom doors, to be closer to the elevator doors.
And I have to say, as worship leader, I enjoy leading worship much more when there are not huge empty spaces between me and the congregation. I have heard of all kinds of gimmicks or activities that pastors and congregations have tried to get people to “mix it up” from time to time when it comes to seating. I will not propose any, other than to simply encourage you to once in a while “fill in the the empty gaps” and to be attentive to the needs of folks who may need to be closer to doors, stairs, elevators, speakers and the like. And, for whatever it is worth, when you are all closer to me, rather than farther from me, it gives me more energy and enthusiasm.
See you in worship on Sunday!
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