Fishing report. Saturday April 26

We headed to the Lanesboro Park Trout pond tucked neatly behind the Son's of Norway Hall on Saturday. My beloved seemed more interested in fishing than either of the girls and really enjoyed casting and really in the rooster tails. She spotted a few fish in the pond. One fellow said he caught a small fry on a night crawler with a slip bobber.

All told we fished for maybe 20 minutes and played for 20 in the strong wind at the park.

An added bonus the dog got a new cool reflective leash at spoiled rotten an upscale pet store in Lanesboro right on Main Street.

What comes next? pray

A Celebration of Ministry was held today for my partner and his wife. It was good to hear old stories and see some old friends come for the celebration.

What comes next?
pray and discern. Am I ready to lead this congregation on my own? Do I stay as associate and wait to see if a good partner is going to be found?
I wish that God gave road maps to answer the prayer, "not my will but thy will be done."

Book of Faith

Our Book of Faith.

When did you last read from the Bible?

this morning, last night, last week, back in confirmation class, never...

Over the next 5 years the ELCA is asking every Lutheran to engage scripture directly.

The ELCA, nationally, is offering no one size fits all plan. Instead we're all invited to read the Bible as Our Book of Faith (you can see the proposal www.elca.org/bookoffaith). The idea's simple: read the Bible. But experience teaches that some of simplest and best things are the hardest to do; especially if we do them alone or out of duty and obligation instead of Christian freedom and joy.

Over the next 5 years we're invited to make scripture part of everyday life. In some congregations all meetings might start with scripture. Other churches may give bibles away to anyone and everyone. In some churches families may get a story Bible at baptism. Other congregations may start new Bible studies. Some will renew emphasis on Scripture in ministry to children, youth, and families. There's no one plan; but there's a common invitation: to dwell in God's Word.

Looking for someplace to start? try one of these

• Read the Gospel of Mark. Its the second book in the New Testament, and it tells about Jesus' ministry, death, and rising. Read as much as you want each day asking questions like “What is God up to?” or “What does God want to do?”

• Get a children's story bible and read one or two stories a day to kids in your life. Some grandparents might read over the phone with their grandkids.

• Start using a daily email or online devotional.

  • The Moravian Church church has published daily readings for about 250 years (originally in German) The readings are now sent by email. Sign up at www.moravian.org/daily_texts/

  • Saddle Back Church, home of Rick Warren and the Purpose Driven Life has daily devotionals online www.purposedrivenlife.com/en-US/FreeTools/devotional/dailyDevotional.htm

  • The ELCA publishes a Bible reading online everyday. These readings are often unexpected and surprising. That's good, because it exposes you to God at work in places you haven't imagined www.elca.org/ScriptLib/CO/bible/tbrBibleView.asp

• Pick up a daily devotional. Copies of Christ in Our Home, Our Daily Bread, or The Upper Room are available at many churches and bookstores.
  

• Join a Bible Study.

Over the coming months I pray that other opportunities open up for each of us to engage with God's Word directly.

Fishing report.

My beloved and the girls are away visiting her aunt this week. So I had a chance to get out and fish on a Monday night.

There was a cold front and rain pushing in so I was sure it would be a good chance; I headed east and found myself on Mill Creek. The water was high and fast. I only spotted a few small fry tucked in tight behind a small eddy just off the fast water.

The water spaniel jumped in once and seemed shocked by the strong current. I waited for him to swim back upstream which he managed pretty well. He didn't jump in again. Not much to report on the fishing other than that the 2 beaded nymphs seemed to sink well enough even with the strong current.

Maybe I'll get out again later in the week. Who knows. Right now I am waiting for the Mother's Day Weekend Trouter.

Pax,
Unlikely

Ministry Story

One of my challenges, this spring, is rebuilding our church's youth ministry. The church I serve is blessed with many families; but not much activity, beyond worship, for youth. Part of the situation was caused by history, extra-curricular school activities, and family structure; part is my own fault as pastor for not facing this challenge sooner; and part is the fault of others. Its obvious (at least to me) that the kids of our church are hoping for new places to connect. So this spring I've committed to rebuilding youth ministry.
Part of rebuilding youth ministry is finding connecting points for youth within our church. Yesterday and today we had a painting project. Yesterday we sanded, wire brushed, and washed the picnic tables under our shelter. Today we were finishing painting It was a straightforward project. And the kids had a great time.
My favorite story of the day is of one 9th grader who rode a bike over to church. He had deep red paint on his fingers and realized that he could fake like he'd been in an accident; so he quickly doctored his fingers, wrists and forearms to look like he'd been in an accident. He even put a little dirt over the latex paint to make the injury look a little more realistic. I only wish I could have been there to see his mom's expression when he got home to tell her.

Discernment

My partner in ministry is leaving active parish ministry. It's been over a year since he was last full time. I've been in a sort of limbo playing a big game of coverall for over a year. It leaves a big question, "what do I now?" The answer seems to be discern God's will. Pray and listen for God's response. My most frequent prayer in all this is, "not my will, but thy will."

So I'd appreciate your prayers for my partner as he leaves active ministry after 30 years and for myself and I discern what is coming next. I pray for guidance for the church I serve, my family, and myself.

thanks

unlikely

mobile post

this is my first mobile post it's storming outside and I'm listening as my wife reads stories. Tonight's next to last story is Daniel and the lion's den.
the part that catches me is Darius' struggle. He had power but he feared losing it by acting justly and mercifully.

Taxes

Yep,
It's mid April, I'm classified as self-employed and the taxes are done. One of the real wonders of being self employed is knowing how much we pay in every year (from just one of two people) to keep the Federal and State Bureaucracies running for another year. It's not a small sum that we pay in every quarter either; but I'm not complaining. I appreciate the public facilities that we count on more and more each year. The hard part is asking if the rest of the republic feels the same way.

I've just got to print and mail and the taxes are done for me and my beloved. Still the question rumbles around in my head,
is everybody pleased with where all the money goes?

We need to have a national family money meeting. It works for many families to sit down and face the bills and dreams head on together. It might be tough as a nation because it has to happen in two very distinct parts of our republic. We need an intervention for the debt addicted private equity firms on Wall Street (see Business Week April 14) who are creating capital for a few by saddling future investors with debt and robbing companies of the capital they need to compete in the same vulture like action.

We need an wake up call for both parties in Washington. Both seem certain that somebody else can foot the bill at a later date for our current spending and bail out for financial institutions in crisis. I wouldn't oppose a bailout if it meant regulation for the financial services industry; I figure if our tax dollars are going to help clean up this mess that the greedy have made for themselves (and the rest of us) we ought to expect something tangible and lasting (like regulation of mortgages and mortgage backed securities) in return.