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Called to be a Public Church He has told you, O mortal, what is good; And what does the Lord require of you But to do justice, and love kindness, And to walk humbly with your God? (Micah 6:8)
As a public church called to witness to God’s love for all God has created, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) affirms the importance of participation in society by all people, including people of faith. The ELCA social statement, The Church in Society: A Lutheran Perspective, which guides our public speech and ethical actions, commits us to “work with and on behalf of the poor, the powerless, and those who suffer, using [this church’s] power and economic decision-making bodies to develop and advocate policies that seek to advance justice, peace and care of creation.” Scripture reveals God’s presence in all realms of life, including political life. This church understands government as a means through which God can work to preserve creation and build a more peaceful and just social order in a sinful world. The electoral process is one way in which we live out our affirmation of baptism to “serve all people, following the example of our Lord Jesus,” and “to strive for justice and peace in all the earth.” An important part of faithful civic engagement is abiding by the law: any participation by churches in the electoral process must be strictly nonpartisan. Participation in electoral activities must be transparent, nonpartisan, and legal. Following and engaging with the issues that come up during the electoral process is an excellent way to get to know our local and global neighbors and their concerns, and become better equipped to do justice, love kindness, and walk humble with God through our actions in the public square. Our Christian faith compels us to attend to the world through the lens of our relationship to God and to one another. As a public church, we have a responsibility to step outside our comfort zones and challenge ourselves to address issues that affect families, communities, and neighbors throughout the world. As a church body, the ELCA uses its prophetic voice boldly to address important political, social, and economic issues that affect local and global communities. This work grows out of our theological understanding of God at work in the world and is articulated in the social statements of this church, which you can find at www.elca.org/socialstatements on the Web. Each community will have its own particular issues of concern beyond those on the national and global scale, of course, which require careful thought. [One should be engaged] in conversation, Bible study, reflection on Lutheran theology, and discsussion of the ELCA social statements, as well as your own personal, prayerful discernment about how you will vote. Remember that voting is the first step towards faithful civic participation; many more opportunities to use your voice on behalf of those in need are available at www.elca.org/advocacy. May the Holy Spirit guide you as you consider how to use the voice given to you by God and the vote given to you by this country. In God’s grace, The Reverend Mark S. Hanson Presiding Bishop of the ELCA
All Saints Sunday The names of Christians who have died will be read in the course of the Prayers of the Day on All Saints Sunday, November 2. If you have the name of a loved one that you would like included in those prayers, please submit that name in writing to Pastor Liz.
Installation of Rabbi Jeffrey Astrachan Please join Pastor Liz and members of LMC in welcoming Rabbi Jeffery Astrachan to Temple Beth Israel by attending his installation on November 7, 2008 at 7:30 p.m. For more information visit the website of Temple Beth Israel-York
ACCEPTING SKEINS OF YARN FOR STITCHES OF LOVE IN NOVEMBER. Our goal is 200 skeins! Skein may be any color, Red Heart Brand, 4-ply, acrylic Drop-off your skein in the month of November BEFORE November 26th (Thanksgiving Eve)! Yarn may be purchased at any of the following retailers: JoAnn Fabrics, A.C. Moore, Michaels, or Walmart
Congregation Meeting Scheduled 22 November 2008 at 9:00 a.m.-A short breakfast will be followed by the meeting. In addition to the annual business, the future of the congregation will be weighed and discussed. All voting members of the congregation, that is, confirmed, contributing and communing members of the congregation, are strongly encouraged to attend. Look in your mail for the reports and packet of information!
Ask Martin Dear Martin~ As we come up to another public election, I am pondering my call as a Christian. It is said that my faith should inform my vote. What would be the most faithful thing to do? ~Civic Christian Dear CC, There are two kingdoms: the temporal, which governs with the sword and is visible; and the spiritual, which governs solely with grace and with the forgiveness of sins. The temporal kingdom is governed by the law and therefore death and sin. It is a kingdom in which the rulers are those of this world: kings and queens, presidents and prime ministers, elected and appointed officials. In this kingdom who is the beneficiary? And what dictates the rule of behavior? It is the rulers who benefit and the law dictates behavior. If one behaves incorrectly, then the ruler doesn’t benefit and the ruler (whether it be a judge, a jury of peers, magistrate or king) condemns. One must follow the law in order to receive the benefits of the ruler. As to the spiritual kingdom: our Lord Christ says, “Seek first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness (Matthew 6:33),” and we pray, “Thy kingdom come.” What is God’s or the kingdom’s righteousness? It is the state when we are free from sin, when all our members, talents, and powers are subject to God and are employed in his service, enabling us to say with Paul, “I live, but it is no longer I but Christ who lives in me.” This is a free and voluntary kingdom in which you are the beneficiary of God’s good gifts. If one fails to act according to God’s will of love and righteousness, then nothing is taken from God and God does not suffer. Rather it is the one who fails to act by God’s will of forgiveness and love that loses. Thus God’s kingdom consists only of peace, discipline, humility, chastity, love, and every other virtue, and is devoid of wrath, hatred, bitterness, unchasitity, and every other vice which preoccupy the temporal kingdom. Now let everyone test oneself to see whether one is inclined in this or in that direction, and one will know to which kingdom one belongs. There is, of course, no one who will not find some trace of the temporal kingdom in one’s self. Therefore one must pray, “Thy kingdom come.” Yet, we are able to discern by our actions and choices, and the knowing of our own minds and hearts which kingdom we prefer. As you weigh and consider your faith and dual occupancy in the temporal and spiritual kingdoms, I invite you to test yourself and consider the following: The spiritual kingdom to which you belong has taken a stand with the poor, and alongside the disenfranchised. The spiritual kingdom to which you belong believes that work must provide for family success and security, and that children should not be poor. The spiritual kingdom to which you belong believes that extreme global poverty must end. The spiritual kingdom to which you belong believes in peace in Iraq, the elimination of nuclear weapons, supporting security and freedom in the Middle East for ALL people regardless of religion, strengthening the United Nations and international law to fight terrorism, and dramatically reducing abortion by education, providing condoms, and reforming adoption laws. The spiritual kingdom to which you belong believes in ending capital punishment and stopping genocide. God’s kingdom advocates establishing humane and holistic immigration policies, ending torture worldwide, stopping human trafficking, promoting religious freedom, fighting HIV/AIDS and defending the rights of women. This kingdom seeks to strengthen marriage and families, restore integrity to civic and business practices, preventing violence, reversing global climate change, prioritizing clean air and water and developing clean and renewable energy. Above all CC, think and pray about whom you will entrust with the responsibility to lead your community, state, and nation. While no choice is ever perfect, education, prudential judgment, prayer, Bible study, and careful examination of conscience can guide these important decisions. Let us pray. Lord God, as we pray for all who are in authority, we thank You especially for our form of government given us in our beloved country. Give us the grace with our fellow citizens to vote wisely and without selfish ambition. Once elected, Lord, endow them with wisdom for their several duties, with a spirit of sacrifice for the common welfare, with mercy and justice, with uprightness and kindliness. Correct the evils of selfishness, greed, vain desire for honor, or abuse of power in the governments of the world. Grant that the true purposes of government may prevail, safeguarding peace and prosperity, to the end that we may live and soberly and uprightly in Your sight have opportunity to tell of You and Your kingdom. In your Son’s name we pray, Amen.
Questions for Martin may be submitted to the office of Luther Memorial Church or through e-mail! askmartin@lutherpeople.org Contributions for this entry of Ask Martin can be found in Luther’s Works (Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1967), Lutheran Book of Prayer (St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1951) and “Election 2008: Voting All Your Values” A project of Sojourners
Theaters, Channel to Show Historic Film about Lutherans, Civil Rights October 16, 2008 CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Special showings of "A Time for Burning" in Nebraska and New York will coincide with its broadcast on the Documentary Channel. "A Time for Burning" is a landmark civil rights film featuring the struggles of Augustana Lutheran Church, Omaha, Neb., in 1965, and its pastor, the Rev. L. William Youngdahl. The 58-minute black-and-white documentary, produced and released in 1966 by Lutheran Film Associates, was reissued on DVD in 2005 by Docurama Films. "A Time for Burning" was added to the National Film Registry of the Library of Congress in 2006 as part of a library of more than 400 selected films preserved for their cultural, historic and artistic significance. The documentary's producer-director, William C. Jersey, will be on hand for screenings Oct. 17 at the University of Nebraska, College of Journalism, Lincoln; Oct. 18 at the Ruth Sokolof Theater, Omaha; and Oct. 20 at the Academy Theater at Lighthouse International in Manhattan, New York. Jersey is to take part in a discussion with the audiences following the screenings. A special interfaith worship service commemorates the film Oct. 19 at Augustana Lutheran Church. The Documentary Channel will show the film at 8, 9 and 11 p.m. EDT on Oct. 20. The channel is available in Denver, Nashville, New York and via satellite on the DISH Network. Lutheran Film Associates (LFA), an organization of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, was established in 1952. Begun by the United Lutheran Church in America and the National Lutheran Council, LFA released its first motion picture, "Martin Luther," in 1953. Robert E.A. Lee, Baldwin, N.Y., was LFA director from 1954 to 1988 and executive producer of "A Time for Burning." He said the documentary was to be "a visual aid" to help Lutherans respond as responsible Christians to the racial tensions of the 1960s. "Little did we then realize that we would be led to the right congregation in Omaha, who dared risk its life with cameras looking on, and led to the right creative filmmakers, Quest Productions with its director, Bill Jersey," Lee said. "While all of the major networks were invited to show the film, only the public broadcast TV stations agreed to show it. The commercial networks gave as their reason for turning it down the fact that they didn't produce it themselves and therefore were not in control. It may have been euphemistic language for its 'being too controversial,'" Lee said. "I am surprised that the issue remains relevant even though the specific issues themselves may have changed," Lee added. "A Time for Burning" chronicles the work of Pastor Youngdahl, who spurred his all-white congregation into action. In the story Youngdahl tries to get the congregation to reach out to African American Lutherans. Jersey captured Youngdahl's efforts in the early days of the civil rights movement. Another prominent character in "A Time for Burning" is Ernie Chambers -- a local barber who challenged Youngdahl and other white Lutherans to confront racism. Chambers retired from the Nebraska Legislature in April 2008 after serving 38 years as a state senator. --- Information about "A Time for Burning" is at http://tinyurl.com/c7lte on the Web. Information about Lutheran Film Associates is at http://www.lutheranfilm.org on the Web.
Extended Table Ministers (ETM) Pastor Liz visits the shut-ins in the months of March, June, September and December. Remembrance sets for ETM visits are made available on the altar on the First Sunday of January, February, April, May, July, August, October, and November. If you are interested in participating in the Extended Table Ministry, please tell Pastor Liz. Training takes up to one-hour.
Thank You!! Thank You!! · To Barry Arnold for his faithful service to the congregation through the Council; · To the Stewardship Committee for their work on the Budget; · To the Congregation Council for their relentless work in considering the mission of the Congregation and for putting together options for the Congregation’s consideration; · To Pastor Bob Hoover for assuming the mantel of responsibility in our relationship with Thrivent and obtaining funds for Tunduma Congregation and the Duane Hannigan Fund; · To Thrivent Financial for Lutherans for their gifts of $1600 each for Tunduma Congregation and the Duane Hannigan fund; · To Jim Anderson, Pastor Bob Hoover and Tina Shupp for sharing their stories about Tunduma during worship in October; · To all the Extended Table Ministers for their months of faithful service.
Council Highlights · Accepted the resignation of Barry Arnold from Council with regret and heartfelt thankfulness for his service; · Approved a request by Social Ministry to sponsor poinsettias for the shut-ins; · Approved reimbursing Pastor Liz for her expenses to Tunduma through the remainder in the Tunduma Fund; · Approved the use of the facility by the York Literacy Council for tutoring on Wednesdays 6-7 p.m.; · Set the agenda and date of the Congregational Meeting; · Began seeking nominees for the 2009 Lower Susquehanna Synod Assembly; · Recommended adoption of Constitutional Amendments to the Congregation at its November meeting; · Hired Lori Simmons as co-sexton with Carl Simmons; · Affirmed Sister Parish Agreement with Tunduma Congregation signed by Pastors Liz Polanzke and Nyibuko Mwambola on September 13, 2008; · Approved the proposed budget for recommendation to the congregation for adoption at the November Congregational Meeting; · Accepted the transfer of Elizabeth Hoover from St. Paul’s in Washington D.C. to Luther Memorial Church; · Approved inviting Jim Anderson to join Council as the Treasurer of the Congregation · Approved Push the Envelope offerings for 2008 and 2009 to be given to Tunduma Congregation for building a school for orphan girls. · Discussed the process and possibility of a spending authorization
Welcome! Betsy Hoover, Jen Seufert, Kara Seufert, Laura & Jim Emerick to the membership of our congregation on November 8, 2008!
Throw Open the Doors Sunday! In Tunduma, most the churches in which the Ambassadors worshipped did not have doors or windows, only openings where they might be. We will honor their openness and evangelistic spirit by celebrating Throw Open the Doors Sunday on Sunday, November 23! On that day all members of the congregation are encouraged to invite a friend to worship, or to take with them a gift for a neighbor to open doors of love, grace and sharing in our communities. Be ready for God to throw open some doors and to let the light and love of God in!
Advent Devotions Sign-up to write a reflection for the 2008 Luther Memorial Advent Devotion book. Submissions are due November 16. The theme will be WAITING. Poems, paragraphs, stories and memories are all welcome.
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Luther Memorial Church 1907 Hollywood Drive York, PA 17403 717-854-1219 info@lutherpeople.org |
