Pastoral Message: “An Interlude of Various Items” Week of the Fifth Sunday after Pentecost July 5, 2023
Pastoral Message:
“An Interlude of Various Items”
Week of the Fifth Sunday after Pentecost
July 5, 2023
Dear People of God at Faith-La Fe!
A couple of people who read last week’s pastoral message told me that they found it sobering. Indeed. In our rite for ordination, one of the instructions of the Bishop to the ordinand is that in ministry we give no occasion for illusory hope. Whenever I attend an ordination, I am consistently drawn to that phrase, for there are many preachers out there who prey on people’s desire for hope at any cost, even false hopes. Thus, there’s a significant need for pastors to be realistic in their truth telling. Moreover, Lutherans are not pollyannish people. We have the freedom in the gospel of God’s grace and the assurance of God’s unconditional love such that we can confront whatever stark realities that may be before us. One of those realities is that the institutional expressions of the church as we have known them are declining in vitality and often failing, and new ways of organizing the church are being called forth. Last week’s message laid out the sobering aspects of the realities of our current mission field. I had suggested that my next pastoral message would address the more positive opportunities before us – but I am going to save that for next week’s message. Thanks for your patience in suspense!
This week has become an opportunity to claim more time with my son, Nathan, while his mother, the Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Arizona, travels to Kenya for a diocese-visiting-diocese sojourn. To open up these days amidst the Independence Day holiday for “staycation” occasions with Nathan, I am trying to get as much church-related work done early in the week. And my pastoral message outlining the appealing missionary opportunities before us at Faith-La Fe invites more time and attention than what I am able to devote to it today. Thus, you can look forward to that message next week.
Today, I want to call your attention to my whereabouts for the summer and into autumn. In addition to focusing some days this week on being dad to my son, I will also attend – with Pastora Veronica – the ELCA’s Rostered Ministers Gathering which happens to take place in Phoenix Monday-Thursday, July 17-20. These occasional gatherings draw pastors and deacons from across the church for days of renewal, inspiration, keynote speakers, worship, workshops for continuing education, and social occasions for building collegiality among the ministers of our church. It’s a blessing, making our travel logistics easy, that this gathering will take place this year in downtown Phoenix at the convention center. In addition to attending the event, because I am the national co-chair of the Lutheran-Methodist Full Communion Coordinating Committee, I have been asked to be among the leaders of a workshop on how we can live into our full communion relationships with other churches in our local settings.
Then a week after the Rostered Ministers Gathering, I will fly to Atlanta to visit my brother and sister-in-law and my nephew and niece and their spouses and children. During that time, we’ll also head to North Carolina to spend some time in my brother’s mountain home there. One of my favorite things to do at their place in North Carolina is sit out on the porch and just watch the beautiful views of the Great Smoky Mountains and how the view changes throughout the day and with different types of weather. It’s all very contemplative and thus, restorative for me. I’ll be out of town from July 31 to August 9. Pastora Veronica will lead the 9:00 am liturgy on Sunday, August 6.
And here’s a heads up about another planned trip away. My last remaining aunt on my mother’s side of the family died some months ago. Her memorial service will be in South Dakota in early October. Thus, I’ll fly to Minneapolis where I’ll meet my brother and sister-in-law, and where we’ll rent a car to travel through that part of the Upper Midwest on a family pilgrimage of sorts. The memorial service for my aunt will also occasion a reunion of cousins on that side of my family. I’ll be away from October 3 – October 10. Once again, Pastora Veronica will lead the 9:00 am liturgy on October 8.
I share all of this in a spirit of transparency, for I believe that members of the congregation have a right to know of their pastors’ general whereabouts. And I offer this to reveal that I am exercising some self-care as well, and I encourage you to go and do likewise as your circumstances permit!
Seeking Sabbath in Christ,
Pastor Jonathan Linman
Pastor’s Office Phone Number: 602-265-5860
Email: pastor@faithalive.com
Announcements
Bible Study Off and On This Summer!
There are no bible studies this week. We’ll return to our two bible studies on Wednesday, July 12 at 10:30 am and 6:00 pm. But then we’ll skip another Wednesday on July 19 when Pastora Veronica and I will be participating in the ELCA’s national Rostered Ministers Gathering which happens to take place here in Phoenix. We’ll have our bibles studies again on Wednesday, July 26, but then we’ll break another time for two weeks when I will vacation at my brother and sister in law’s places in North Carolina and Atlanta. Such is the routine during the summertime!
Installation of New Council Members on July 9
Please note that newly elected Congregation Council members will be installed at both the 9:00 and 11:00 am services on Sunday, July 9.
Morning Prayer Commemorating Mary Magdalene, Apostle on July 22
It’s perhaps quite uncommon to devote a special liturgy to commemorating Mary Magdalene, a follower of Jesus who through the ages has not gotten particularly good press. However, recent years have seen renewed interest in and focus on Mary Magdalene as “apostle to the apostles,” for she was the first witness of Jesus’ resurrection, and it was her report to the other apostles that first made them aware of the good news. So, we’ll remember and celebrate Mary Magdalene with a festive liturgy of Morning Prayer on Saturday, July 22 beginning at 10:00 am. Many of our special liturgies occur in the evenings when some of our members are disinclined to travel out and about. Thus, we also want to make available some of these special liturgies during daylight hours. The service of Morning Prayer on July 22 is one such occasion. Please plan to join us!
Faith/La Fe Annual Congregational Picnic returns Sunday, July 30 after a 3-year break. This year our picnic will be held on our own Faith La Fe campus following the Spanish language service. Please plan to stay for the picnic, regardless of which service you attend. Anyone who attends the English language service and doesn’t want to leave and then come back are encouraged to stay for the always engaging and lively Adult Forum. After that any and all who are willing and able please plan to help set up Parish Hall and the courtyard for the picnic and kids activities. Other options for this hour would be to simply enjoy the extra time for conversation and coffee or attend the Spanish service. Once the Spanish service ends the picnic will begin. Watch this space next week for more information.
Faith-La Fe Supports Heat Respite Ministry at Grace Church Downtown
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)
· Toothbrushes & small toothpaste
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 soon 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 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, the remaining LBW’s will be available to anyone who wants a copy or more as a keepsake.
Invitation to Contribute to These Weekly Pastoral Messages
Please remember that our congregation newsletter is now published quarterly and has more of a wider community, outward-facing, evangelistic focus to herald special, seasonal events at Faith-La Fe. Which is to say, these weekly pastoral messages and their announcements effectively take the place of the more membership-focused concerns of our congregational life. Thus, if there are events and matters related to our life together that you wish to have included in these weekly messages and announcements, please let Pastor Linman know: pastor@faithalive.com. He is always looking for and welcomes new content.
Mark Your Calendars Now for Upcoming Special Worship Services
Further details about the following special occasions for worship is forthcoming, but please note these special liturgies now in your calendars!
July 22 at 10:00 am + Mary Magdalene, Apostle, Morning Prayer
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 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.
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