Pastoral Message: “Thoughts on Eastertide” Week of the Second Sunday of Easter April 19, 2023
Pastoral Message:
“Thoughts on Eastertide”
Week of the Second Sunday of Easter
April 19, 2023
Dear People of God at Faith-La Fe!
When you receive this message, it should be the 11th day of Eastertide. That’s the eleventh day into what is a season of feasting and celebration that lasts a whole fifty days. Easter tops all the festal and solemn seasons of the church’s calendar. Advent is four weeks. Christmastide clocks in at twelve days. Lent lasts forty days. Because the resurrection of Jesus Christ is the centerpiece of our whole faith tradition, it only makes sense that Eastertide should have pride of place in being the lengthiest of all the festival and solemn seasons. The seasons after Epiphany and especially after Pentecost – understood by some to be ordinary (and not festival) time – are generally longer. But those are seasons after two major festivals, which is different from being seasons of a particular festival, when the feasting is intended to continue for the duration of the festal time.
Sundays in Eastertide feature various stories of the resurrection appearances of Jesus – his appearance to Thomas and to the two disciples on the Road to Emmaus, for example. The gospel readings during this season come largely from John. The Fourth Sunday of Easter is Good Shepherd Sunday, and then the subsequent Sundays feature gospel stories in John that focus on Jesus preparing his disciples for his departure and return to the Father.
Which is to say, another major festival of Eastertide is Ascension Day, when Christ made that heavenly return trip – and we’ll have a special liturgy on that day, Thursday, May 18 at 7:00 in the evening. Eastertide concludes with the Day of Pentecost (May 28 this year) when we celebrate the gift of the Holy Spirit’s coming which inaugurates the era during which we happen to live and serve, namely, the era of the Spirit-led Church.
How do we celebrate Eastertide? Liturgically, you’ll note that we do not use a brief order for confession and forgiveness during the Easter season as a way of marking a contrast between the solemnity of Lent and the festal nature of Eastertide. To ground our gathering during Easter, we are using a brief thanksgiving for baptism to begin our Sunday liturgies, noting the importance of baptism, particularly at the Easter Vigil, as well as the centrality of baptism in the Christian life as we confess and acknowledge that we are baptized into both Christ’s death and his resurrection.
Traditionally in the church, Eastertide is a time for the newly baptized at Easter to discern their place and role in the life of the church, how they will undertake ministry in daily life. Referred to in the Roman Catholic tradition as Mystagogy, Eastertide is the final season of catechesis (instruction) for the newly baptized and confirmed to deepen their faith life and spiritual growth by entering more deeply into the life and unity of the church. For each of us, therefore, Eastertide can be claimed as a season for our continued deepening spirituality that serves to renew our commitments to the ways in which we proclaim and witness to Christ by serving in the church in various capacities. What are your gifts for ministry in daily life at this time of your life? Eastertide is a great time to ask that question and to identify new or renewed answers for the sake of enhancing our life together in mission in proclaiming the good news of Christ’s resurrection.
Of course, during Eastertide, there’s plentiful use of “Alleluia!” from which we abstained during Lent. Alleluia (from the Greek) and Hallelujah (from the Hebrew), by the way, both translate as “Praise the Lord” or “God be praised.” And there are many occasions for us to offer praise and to proclaim together again and again the good news of Christ’s resurrection – “Alleluia! Christ is risen! Christ is risen indeed, Alleluia!”
But remember this, too: each and every Sunday – even during Lent – is a mini-Easter celebration. Every time the Spirit gathers us on Sunday, the Lord’s Day, we celebrate Christ’s resurrection in the full knowledge and wisdom of the refrain from one of our beloved Easter hymns: “Had Christ, who once was slain, not burst his three-day prison, our faith had been in vain. But now has Christ arisen, arisen, arisen, arisen!” (ELW 391)
Serving and leading in the joy of Eastertide,
Pastor Jonathan Linman
Pastor’s Office Phone Number: 602-265-5860
Email: pastor@faithalive.com
Announcements
An Invitation to Benefit the Refugee Family who Recently Moved from Faith Place
Our Congregation Council invites donations from members of the congregation for a house warming gift for the refugee family as they continue to make the transition to their new place. For those who wish to contribute, please write “Refugee Family” on the memo line of your check or on the outside of an envelope for cash contributions. The deadline for making these donations is April 30.
This gesture is a modest, but tangible, expression of thanks to the family and to God for the privilege of having hosted them here at Faith Place for a season in their odyssey of having their lives upended in Afghanistan and now their acclimation to a new home in the United States. Please join us in making this offering of thanks.
Join us for a Quiet Day Introducing Lectio Divina, Sacred Reading
Do you desire to deepen your experience of devotional bible reading? Are you drawn to praying with the scriptures? Do you want to learn how the Holy Spirit speaks to us through the holy word? If you answer yes to these questions, then join us on Saturday, April 29, beginning at 10:00 am and concluding in the early afternoon, when Pastor Linman will lead an introduction to lectio divina, or sacred reading, an ancient approach to prayerfully engaging scripture that emerged from the Benedictine tradition and is increasingly popular today among clergy and lay audiences. Pastor has done extensive work exploring the experiential dynamics of lectio divina, and is eager to share insights for your inspiration and edification. We do a modified form of lectio divina during our Wednesday bible studies, but spending the day together will give us occasion to do this prayerful form of bible reading as it is more fully intended. Please plan to join us for this prayerful occasion which promises to enrich in profound ways the ways you engage and are engaged by the biblical word. Please contact Pastor Linman to indicate your intent to participate: pastor@faithalive.com.
We Invite you to Share with Us Your Favorite Hymns
What are some of your most favorite hymns? The Worship and Music Team at Faith-La Fe would like to know. We intentionally choose hymns and music that fit appropriately with a particular Sunday’s lectionary readings and also the liturgical season. But there will be occasions when your favorites will make good choices to honor a Sunday’s readings and seasonal themes. Kindly send your favorites via email to Pastor Linman at pastor@faithalive.com. We’ll compile a listing of these hymns to guide us in our selections.
Thrivent Volunteers Enjoy Creighton Family Resource Center Picnic
“A picnic is a meal taken outdoors in scenic surroundings such as a park providing free time to leave home and enjoy and talk”. Add the word “prepare” and you capture the vibe present when Faith Thrivent volunteers helped put on the annual picnic for families in the Creighton elementary school district. “Prepare” started Friday night when Gail Turner and several of our Thrivent volunteers spent several hours producing huge containers of delicious potato salad and macaroni salad. Next day we served the “goodies” to 200 picnic guests who also filled their plates with hamburgers, hot dogs, chips, and apples topped off with refreshments and dishes of ice cream. Other volunteers supervised games ranging from “toss’em” to “musical chairs”. And there was plenty of time for “Talk” and “Getting to Know One Another”. One young student got a promise from Diane Havir that the two would renew their new-found friendship at next year’s picnic. Back at the food line, Jeff Havir, whose on a team figuring out how to come up with new flooring for Faith’s Parish Hall, learned that Paul Bott is knowledgeable in the removal of hazardous materials, which may become helpful. (Lots of time to talk during a picnic…also a time to learn…we used our $250 Thrivent Action Team grant to buy age-appropriate books which will be distributed to kids at the Family Resource Center).
We can report that the total number of people served at the Spring Family Picnic was 225. Additionally, left overs were sent home with a lot of families, and there was still more that will be utilized this week! All that chopping and peeling was worth it to be feeding hungry, grateful people.
Thanks to the 19 volunteers who played a part in last Saturday’s fun and successful picnic: Brenda Lund, Paul Bott, Pastor Veronica, Lupe and John Rael, Angelica Saavedra, Art and Andrea Escoto, Scott Ulmer, John Tomlinson, Jan Hulin, Adriana Flores, Froylan Islaas, Annia Islaas, Amy Islaas, Fred Cowley, Gail Turner, and Jeff and Diane Havir.
Please know that there are other opportunities for volunteering for the Creighton Family Resource Center as food is picked up from St. Mary’s Food Bank on Monday mornings. This lasts only about an hour, but it does involve lifting crates of 10-30 pounds of food. Please contact Gail Turner for details, if you feel drawn to serve in this way.
See photos of the event below (parental/guardian permission was given to show images of children):
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!
May 18 at 7:00 pm + Ascension of Our Lord, Holy Communion
May 28 at 9:00 and 11:00 am + Day of Pentecost
May 31 at 7:00 pm + Visit of Mary to Elizabeth, Holy Communion
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, April 29 – an introduction to Lectio Divina, or sacred reading, an approach to prayerfully engaging scripture that emerges from the Benedictine tradition and is increasingly popular today among clergy and lay audiences. I’ve done extensive work on the experiential dynamics of lectio divina, and I’m eager to share insights for your inspiration and edification. We do a modified form of lectio divina during our Wednesday bible studies, but spending the day together will give us occasion to do this prayerful form of bible reading as it is more fully intended.
Saturday, June 3 – a day to more deeply explore the spirituality of preaching, with special focus on how sermons are occasions of spiritual guidance. We’ll also spend some more time on your role as listeners to sermons, and how you can get still more out of preaching for your spiritual edification. We will touch on listening to sermons at next Sunday’s adult forum, but focusing on this topic for a whole Saturday will give us occasion to go still more deeply into the topic. On this day, we’ll also learn some of what Luther had to say about preaching!
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.
Streams in the Desert
Bishop’s Letter: April 18, 2023
And God said, “Let the waters under the sky be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear.” And it was so. —Genesis 1:9
We are the Grand Canyon Synod, our namesake formed by the waters of the Colorado River. As citizens of the Southwest commemorating Earth Day 2023, we are keenly aware of the preciousness of water and the need to preserve this life-giving resource.
As people of faith, it is our duty to be mindful of our water consumption and advocate for sustainable practices that will protect our planet and future generations. This is why Lutheran Advocacy Ministry Arizona (LAMA) is making water a priority issue as usage goes up and availability goes down.
The scarcity of water flow in the Colorado River is forcing seemingly impossible choices for the states downstream of the Grand Canyon, and as Lutherans who dwell in the desert, we can provide a unique perspective.
Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary (PLTS) is a shining example of the work that can be done to address climate justice from a faith-based perspective. Through their Center for Climate Justice and Faith, they have taken the lead in promoting eco-theology and engaging communities in efforts to mitigate the effects of climate change. Their work has inspired and motivated many to take action and care for God's creation.
As we celebrate Earth Day, let’s learn from the work of PLTS and apply their teachings to our local context. We are called to be stewards of the Earth, to care for the water, the land, and all living creatures. By raising awareness and promoting sustainable practices within our congregations and communities, we can make a difference in the fight against climate change and water scarcity.
Let us also remember that our actions have a global impact. The scarcity of water in our region is not an isolated issue, but rather a symptom of a larger crisis affecting communities all around the world. As a global church, we must be advocates for those who are disproportionately affected by climate change and work towards a more equitable and just world.
Join with me in praying…
Gracious Creator, you have blessed us with the gift of water, the source of life for all living beings. On this Earth Day, we are reminded of our responsibility to be stewards of your creation. Guide us in our efforts to care for the environment, to use water wisely, and to work for climate justice. Grant us the wisdom and courage to take action and protect the Earth for generations to come.
Grateful for your stewardship,
The Rev. Deborah K. Hutterer
Bishop
Grand Canyon Synod of the ELCA