Pastoral Message: “Thoughts on the Future of Faith-La Fe, Part Three” Week of the Eighth Sunday after PentecostJuly 26, 2023
Pastoral Message:
“Thoughts on the Future of Faith-La Fe, Part Three”
Week of the Eighth Sunday after Pentecost
July 26, 2023
Dear People of God at Faith-La Fe!
This week I offer part three of my little series of reflections on the future of Faith-La Fe Lutheran Church. In part one, I gave the bad news that the ELCA nationally has lost 40% of its members in the three decades of its existence, and that hundreds of our congregations have closed across the nation, and that people these days are not particularly inclined to join organizations like the church as committed members. In part two, I began to offer some of the good news that maybe it’s a positive and healthy thing to be weaned from preoccupations with the church as an institution and thus to reclaim our focus on the basics of our spiritual life together, because for Lutherans, church is a verb, an event, when the Spirit gathers us for the proclamation of the gospel and the celebration of the sacraments. It’s this happening where and when God in Christ continues to act decisively in our lives and in the life of the world, and church as verb doesn’t necessarily need elaborate institutional structures to cradle this wonderful, sacred gift of grace.
This week, I want to move from these big picture considerations to zero in on the particularities of our life together as a congregation, offering more good news. Faith-La Fe has a long history and well-established patterns in our life together. Realistically, we are not going to magically undo 75+ years of tradition and habits as a congregation, giving up the particular ways we’ve gone about doing church, to try on radically new ways of enacting and being the church. Because doing so would mean throwing out some of our unique gifts as a congregation central to our identity. We cannot become something that we’re not. Like individual persons, congregations have their own personalities and styles, etc. You cannot undo that. This should feel like good news to the many of you who find how we do things as a congregation near and dear to your hearts.
Here’s another aspect of good news as we move into the future: while congregations are fragile and vulnerable – as is ours when we live Sunday to Sunday with few cash reserves hoping that offerings will at least match expenses so that we can pay the bills – congregations in my experience are also amazingly resilient. The inner-city congregation I served in Pittsburgh was expected to close in the 1970’s. I arrived on the scene in 1989 and we had another 12 years of vital ministry and mission in the neighborhood, touching many lives. And my pastorate was followed by another called pastor who continued to engage the neighborhood in her ministry. Then the congregation was part of coalition of congregations which shared pastors. Yes, that congregation has since closed, but it lasted a generation, some 30 years, longer than was expected. When I worked in the bishop’s office in the Metropolitan New York Synod, I marveled at the struggling little congregations that managed to stay afloat year after year, still impacting lives not just in the congregation but in their wider communities. This resiliency amidst fragility is also good news and a testament to the power of God in Christ working in the Spirit when God’s people are gathered around the means of grace. I see this kind of resiliency at Faith-La Fe.
What I am witnessing at Faith-La Fe is encouraging. I’m still a relative newcomer, and sometimes it takes someone new to a place to see things you all may overlook. And it’s also true that given the nature of my varied pastoral positions, I’ve seen lots and lots of congregations over the years in four different synods of our church. I can tell you with confidence that the current energy levels and vitality at Faith-La Fe are signs of hope for us in moving forward in positive ways. For what is now a smaller membership congregation, there’s still a lot going on at Faith-La Fe, both within the congregation and via our various involvements beyond the congregation. There’s a good, critical mass of participation in our life together. Both Sunday services attract visitors with regularity. And it needs to be said that while most people in our society are not inclined to join in with organized religion, that’s noticeably less true of the Hispanic communities which continue to be well-connected communally and still inclined to be part of church. Our 11:00 am service in Spanish has gone from averaging about 12 per Sunday when Pastora Veronica and I began our ministries to regularly having attendance ranging from the 30’s to the 60’s. Which is to say, there’s good potential for further growth within our Spanish language ministry.
But there’s also potential for growth with our English-speaking ministry. Our 9:00 am service has a special charism, a special gift, in that we are one of the very few Lutheran congregations in Arizona that offers unambiguously traditional liturgy. To put it crassly in commercial terms, traditional liturgy is our boutique niche in the wider Christian “marketplace.” And while there may not be a huge “market” for our kind of traditional worship, there are still those – even young adults – who are drawn to the church’s classical liturgical traditions. Think about it this way: perhaps 1% of the population might be attracted to the traditional ways we do church at 9:00 am. The city of Phoenix has a population of 1.64 million people. 1% of 1.64 million is 16,400 people in the city who might be interested in our particular style of worship at 9:00 am. We could not handle such numbers! But even a fraction of a fraction of a fraction would result in very noticeable growth for us.
Which is to say, we need not be shy about the way we do things even if the majority of people in our area may be more drawn to what the megachurches are up to on Sundays. Then there’s another crucial feature of our identity, and that is to be a congregation publicly committed to the full inclusion of all people with particular attention to the LGBTQIA+ communities, a crucial charism and gift to offer the wider community in an age of increasingly vitriolic and sometimes violent voices of exclusion and condemnation of those who differ from perceived “norms.” Furthermore, we are unique among Lutherans in the city of Phoenix in that our respective English and Spanish language ministries are united under the umbrella of one congregation with a pastoral and lay leadership team committed to shepherding one congregation, not two. Thus, we at Faith-La Fe know who we are as a congregation; we readily claim our unique identity. Or to put it crassly again, we know our “brand.” A lot of congregations don’t have the kind of self-understanding and awareness that we do, and thus struggle to re-invent themselves in an ever-changing mission field.
The challenge and opportunity for us, then, both for the Spanish and English language foci of our ministries, is to get the word out to people that we’re here and have gifts to offer that will feed a goodly number of people in the wider population, even if we are counter-cultural and buck many of the popular trends we see in society. Thus, we are beckoned to significantly up our game in terms of communications strategies with the wider public. This, for me, is unmistakably one of our priorities in mission and ministry currently – how creatively to use various communications formats to connect with those who might find a spiritual home here at Faith-La Fe.
Moreover, while we will continue to be a traditional, mom-and-pop-shop kind of church on the city corner, we are nonetheless trying some new, which actually are sometimes ancient things, but are nonetheless new to us. That is, we are in fact experimenting with different ways of being and doing church, offering the kinds of experiences of spirituality and community that many in our wider community are hungering for. That’s what our Saturday quiet days are all about – opportunities to be together in small groups with good conversation and more directly experiential ways of being encountered by God. Likewise, our special liturgies on midweek occasions give us an opportunity to experiment with different ways of doing church liturgically, ways that may be more mystical or contemplative than what we do on Sundays, but again which may attract a very different segment of the community than what we’re used to.
So, there you have it, additional words of encouragement and good news amidst so much bad news about the future of churches these days. And remember, it is Christ’s church, not ours, when it’s all said and done, and Christ is still Lord of the church. We are thus beckoned by this same Lord to trust that he will lead us into God’s promised future in the power of the Holy Spirit. There will be lots of unknowns and undoubtedly struggles, but it is still Christ who leads the way. What more do we need when it’s all said and done?
Continuing on this journey with you in Christ Jesus,
Pastor Jonathan Linman
Pastor’s Office Phone Number: 602-265-5860
Email: pastor@faithalive.com
Announcements
Bible Study Off and On This Summer!
Our bible studies return again this Wednesday, July 26, but then we’ll break another time for two weeks when Pastor Linman will vacation at his brother and sister in law’s places in North Carolina and Atlanta. After that break, Wednesday bible studies will resume on August 16.
This Sunday, July 30th is the Faith/La Fe Annual Congregational Picnic. There will be fun and games, good food and time to catch up with old and new friends starting right after the Spanish language service concludes.
English service worshipers, we could use your help in setting up for the picnic. Setup activities will start right after the Adult Forum.
Food will be served in Parish Hall. The courtyard will feature unusual games that will be fun for both kids and kids at heart.
Meat and beverages will be provided. The rest of the food will be another of our wonderful pot luck affairs.
Appetizer if your last name begins T-Z
Salad if your last name begins N-S
Side dish if your last name begins G-M
Dessert if your last name begins A-F
As always with our pot lucks, please bring your item plated and ready to serve. Drop it off in Parish Hall kitchen before heading into the Sanctuary for worship.
Thrivent Pancake Breakfast Volunteer Opportunity to Benefit Those Without Shelter
When: Sunday, August 6, 6:15 am to 8:30 am
Where: Grace Lutheran Church, 3rd Avenue and Moreland (2 blocks south of McDowell)
Details: We set up, prepare and serve a pancake breakfast to homeless persons, and clean up.
Please call Fred at 602-228-3349 to let him know if you can attend.
Donations Needed: Modifications to Narthex Doors!
Many thanks to Calvin and Heidi Boldway whose efforts resulted in the installation of panic bars on the exit doors in the nave – a major improvement to our building that improves the ease of exiting the room and thus enhances our overall security.
Now we are committed to undertaking the same modifications to the main doors in the narthex of the church. Fred and Kathie Johnson have made a generous donation to this project – thousand thanks to them! – but we are still in need of about $1,500 to complete the project. Thus, we invite your specially intended gifts ASAP! You can make checks payable to Faith Church, but kindly note “narthex doors” on the memo line! If donations exceed the needed amount, we’ll direct the money to other capital improvement projects around the church, of which there will be many!
William Byrd’s Mass for Four Voices: Holy Communion on Mary, Mother of Our Lord, Tuesday, August 15 at 7:00 pm
We will have a special liturgy of Holy Communion celebrating Mary, Mother of Our Lord on Tuesday, August 15 at 7:00 pm. On this occasion, we will be treated to the music of William Byrd, one of the most important and excellent composers of the English Reformation period in the 16th Century. The Kyrie, Gloria, Sanctus, and Agnus Dei will be sung by a small vocal ensemble to enhance and deepen our worshipful devotion. This is not a concert, but the inclusion of Byrd’s wonderful music in our worship as was intended when this music was written over five hundred years ago. This is one of our special midweek liturgies not to be missed as we celebrate and give thanks for Mary, Mother of Our Lord!
Pastor Linman Whereabouts
Pastor Linman will take some vacation time July 31 – August 9 to visit his brother and family in the hopefully cooler mountains of North Carolina and then also Atlanta, Georgia. All of his immediate family resides in that area, so Pastor will have a chance to re-connect with his whole family. Pastora Veronica will preach and preside at both liturgies on Sunday, August 6. There will be no midweek bible studies nor pastoral messages when Pastor Linman is away.
Pastors and Deacons Gathering
Just a note to say that the ELCA national gathering of pastors and deacons was an edifying event for the almost 700 persons who gathered last week in the Phoenix Convention Center downtown. Pastor Linman and Pastora Veronica enjoyed connecting and re-connecting with colleagues throughout our church. Keynote speakers, bible study leaders and preachers were excellent. And workshops – such as ones on communications strategies, children’s ministries, and spiritual practices – gave us perspectives and tools for ministry here at Faith-La Fe.
Faith-La Fe Supports Heat Respite Ministry at Grace Church Downtown – Especially Needed and Crucial During this Heatwave!
As a part of the Grand Canyon Synod Hunger Leaders Network, Chris Jacobson and Gail Turner are heading up efforts at Faith/La Fe to gather food and other items to support the Heat Respite Program at Grace Lutheran Church downtown Phoenix this Summer until August 20th.
Throughout the summer, there will be bins in the breeze way each week where worshipers may drop off their offerings of items for Grace’s guests experiencing homelessness, such as:
· bottled water, any size
· packaged snacks (“grab & go”)
· being aware that many people do not have teeth: individual cans or cups of fruits, puddings, potted meats are good for that reason
· small jars (or individual) peanut butter
Other items needed:
· Shoes for men and women
· Socks for men and women
· gently used clothing for men and women
· backpacks
· blankets
· tents, and collapsible umbrellas
· small personal hygiene items (travel size or bring from your hotel stays)
· tooth brushes & small tooth paste
Also, volunteer opportunities abound, call Grace at 602-258-3787 to learn more.
Thank you for your compassion and generosity!
Chris Jacobson and Gail Turner
Lutheran Books of Worship Available to You
Now that the green Lutheran Books of Worship have been replaced in our pews with the cranberry-colored Evangelical Lutheran Worship, copies of LBW are available to you to take home, especially for those whose family members are honored on memorial plates in the fronts of the books. Look for the LBW’s on tables in the library end of the parish hall. They will be organized alphabetically by last name so that you will have an easier time of identifying books you or your family might have donated to honor loved ones. So, we invite you to look through the books and take home those which memorialize your family. Once family members have had a chance to look through the books, remaining LBW’s will be available to anyone who wants a copy or more as a keepsake.
Mark Your Calendars Now for Upcoming Special Worship Services
Further detail about the following special occasions for worship is forthcoming, but please note these special liturgies now in your calendars!
August 15 at 7:00 pm + Mary, Mother of Our Lord, Holy Communion
September 14 at 7:00 pm + Holy Cross Day, Evensong
November 1 at 7:00 pm + All Saints’ Day, Holy Communion
Upcoming Saturday Quiet Days at Faith-La Fe in 2023
Saturday, September 30 – on this day, close to the commemoration of St. Francis of Assisi, we will explore Franciscan Spirituality and what it might mean for Lutherans in ministry and mission in the 21st Century.
Saturday, October 28 – as we approach Reformation Sunday, this will be a day devoted to revealing key features of specifically Lutheran Spirituality, or Christian spirituality with Lutheran accents. We will discover that there’s a lot to draw from in our own tradition to take us ever more deeply into the spiritual life.
Saturday, November 18 – this day will be devoted to spending our time together in our beautiful nave doing “Stations of Our Stained Glass Windows,” a series of visual meditations on our stained-glass windows and the miracles and parables of Jesus they depict. We’ll explore in conversation the bible stories the windows are based on, and then look carefully at the windows to see features of the story which the stained-glass art highlights. Each station will feature a hymn before we move on to the next window.
The excitement is building! With just over two months to go before the Just Love Gathering kicks off, now is the time to prepare for in-kind giving.
Providing in-kind support for the people of our host city is always a major component of any triennial gathering. It will be true in Phoenix too. There are three primary ways to support in-kind giving: through quilts, knitted knockers, and particular items needed by local service agencies. Check out the full details at https://www.womenoftheelca.org/new-triennial-event-page/inkind and download the fact sheet. A copy of the fact sheet is attached for your convenience. Make copies of the fact sheet and invite the women of your congregational unit to contribute. Why stop there? Invite your whole congregation! Invite your family and neighbors!
Exploring Your Spiritual Gifts Retreat
Sponsored by
Grand Canyon Synod Growing in Faith:Diakonia Program
Saturdays, August 5th, 12th, and 19th 2023
9am-12noon MST via Zoom
Have you ever asked yourself:
What does God want of me?
What kind of ministry is God calling me to?
How am I to serve God?
Do I have a spiritual gift?
What is it?
How am I to use it?
To help answer these questions, consider attending “Exploring Your Spiritual Gifts”, brought to you by the Growing In Faith: Diakonia Program in Arizona.
Through a sequence of exercises and conversations you will be guided in a process of discernment about your unique gifts. By the end of the series, you will know the gifts God has given you and begin to understand how God wants you to use them.
Our retreat leader is Rev. Stewart McDonald. A long-time Diakonia instructor, he has led this Spiritual Gifts retreat several times. Participants have found this series to be very enlightening and practical as part of their faith development journey.
So come join us on this adventure of discernment! If you’re 15 or 95, this series will inspire answers to your questions! All are welcome!
Register at https://www.diakonia.education >Home Page >Menu>Events/Retreats
Zoom Link will be provided
$30 Registration Fee
Questions - Contact: Kim@diakonia.education