What Do We Expect?

We recently moved to a new house in a new city. The previous owners left a note that the newspaper subscription ended in about a week and we should enjoy the paper during this time. When the newspaper continued to be delivered past the end date, I decided I should call and stop the old subscription and inquire about one of our own.

When I called, I was greeted with the usual automatic voice menu but none of the choices seemed to fit my situation. I could select “accounts” but the newspaper I was receiving was not my account but the previous owners. I was expecting a choice for “New Customer” but I couldn’t find one. We often hear about how people are no longer wanting a printed newspaper or magazine as they would rather access their news and general interest articles digitally on their phone, tablet or computer. Was it just an oversight to not have an option for new customers or has the decline put the newspaper industry into maintenance mode?

I couldn’t help but make a similar analogy to the church. There are numerous articles that tell us church attendance has and is continuing to decline. I had to go no farther than today’s Opinion page to see yet another article, this time titled, “Atheism is rising in Iowa.” It has me wondering if the church has gone into maintenance mode. Are we no longer in awe or amazement at the mystery of the empty tomb? Where is the joy that Jesus Christ is risen?

The gospel reading that my congregation and many others will hear on Easter morning is Matthew’s version of the empty tomb which includes a great earthquake, the stone rolled away and an angel sitting on the stone. The angel told the women “Do not be afraid; I know that you are looking for Jesus who was crucified. He is not here; for he has been raised, as he said.” Matthew 28:5-6. Jesus told them he would be raised but yet when it happened, they were surprised, it wasn’t what they expected to find at the tomb.

Have we become so accustomed to our Lenten, Holy Week and Easter traditions that we no longer expect anything new? The mystery of the empty tomb is gift of grace just as is the gift of Jesus’ birth. Sometimes we try to explain this mystery or search for ways to prove to our atheist friends and family that God truly did raise Jesus from the dead.

The mystery of faith is just that, a mystery. I don’t know why some people believe in Jesus Christ and claim him as their Lord and Savior and others do not. What I hope to do as we approach Maundy Thursday and Good Friday worship is to be present in the moment, to experience in community the magnitude of this incredible story. Then come Easter morning when we proclaim “Christ is Risen!”, maybe I will once again be in awe and amazement at this incredible gift of life out of death. "For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.” John 3:16

Peace,
Pastor Kristine Dohrmann
St. Matthew Lutheran Church
Davenport, IA

Receive the Best Gift of All

This article was originally written for the December 24th edition of the Knoxville Journal Express.

Receive the Best Gift of All

The Christmas season is filled with joy and many activities. Most people have family traditions that they enjoy each year such as Christmas tree decorating, baking, holiday parties and family meals. Many of us have traditions around gift giving.

When I was a child, we all gathered at my grandparents’ house on Christmas Eve. My grandma had presents for all of us which included eight adults and eleven grandchildren. Once the presents were all passed out then someone would give the OK and the kids would quickly tear into the Christmas wrapping to see what gift we received. But my grandma would just sit there with her pile of gifts on her lap, not opening a single one until the rest of us were done. Grandma put a lot of thought into her gift buying, trying to get the perfect gift and she enjoyed seeing our reaction as we opened our gifts.

As we had children we began our own traditions. One of which was a visit by a dear friend just a few days before Christmas. She would come for the evening with gifts for our children. One year she gave them a copy of her favorite Christmas movie, A Charlie Brown Christmas. This year as we celebrate the 50^th Anniversary of Charles Schultz’s classic, I read a blog about a small detail that many of us miss when we watch this delightful show.

It’s in the scene where Linus answers Charlie Brown’s question of frustration, “Isn’t there anyone who knows what Christmas is all about?” Linus, who is always shown carrying his blue security blanket, takes center stage and recites Jesus’ birth story as told in the bible, Luke 2:8-14. When Linus gets to the line “and the angel said ‘fear not’” he drops his security blanket and finishes the monologue with both hands free, as he proclaims the Good News of Jesus’ birth.

Fear is real and can be a stumbling block for receiving the goodness that God offers. With recent terrorist attacks in California and Paris, some fear for their or their family’s safety. Many people are dealing with a loss of a loved one, a relationship or a job and fear what’s next or how they will make it through another day. When we hold on to fear, we can’t receive the gifts that God gives, namely the gift of God’s son, Jesus who came to us as a baby born in Bethlehem.

Here in America, we are known to be some of the busiest people in the world. We will often ask, “What can I do?” or “What should I be doing now?” The gift that God gave in the birth of Jesus is freely given through God’s grace and love. In faith all we need to do is drop our insecurities and open our arms to receive the best gift of all. As Linus proclaimed “glory to God in the highest and on earth peace, goodwill towards men. That’s what Christmas is all about Charlie Brown.”

I invite you to begin a new tradition or return to your childhood tradition of worshiping on Christmas Eve where you’ll hear through song, scripture and a faith community what Christmas is all about. Worship in your faith tradition or join us at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, 1506 S. Attica Rd., Knoxville at 5:00pm or 8:00pm. We will have special music, a children’s message and candle lighting at both services. Merry Christmas and may you receive and trust in the best gift ever given, the gift of Jesus.

Pastor Kristine Dohrmann
Good Shepherd Lutheran Church

Peace in the Midst of the Storm

I really love a big snow storm like the 10 inches that we had this past weekend. Yes, you read that correctly, I love it when we get a storm with a significant amount of snow. Despite the work it takes to clean the driveway and walks there is just something about a good snow storm.

I know there are many that don’t agree with me. Some of you have jobs where you have to work outside in the elements which makes your job tougher. I am grateful for the hard work of our police officers, road crews and other service workers that keep us safe in the midst of a storm. I’m also aware that a storm can cause extra strain on agencies that help low income families and those without adequate housing. I am grateful for a warm house where I can enjoy the beauty of the snow through my window without having to worry about having enough money to pay this month’s heating bill.

Some agree with me that the snow is pretty but then also make the point that two inches of snow is just as pretty as ten but a lot less work. This is true but what I like about a big snow storm is the peace that comes with the storm. You see, a big snow storm makes us all stop our normal routines. Instead of running two or three errands after work or driving the kids from this event to that one, we stay home. In the midst of a storm, we get a reprieve from the expectation that we can do all and be all. We get a moment of peace.

When I opened the back door last Sunday morning to let our dog outside, I was struck not just with the beauty of the fresh snow but also by the sound. The blanket of fresh snow had made an acoustical foam over nature. It was so quiet and peaceful, I was in awe of God’s presence in the stillness. In John 14:27a Jesus said to his disciples “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives.” The world gives us many demands, brokenness and pain but God, through the gift of the resurrected Jesus, gives us peace.

Sometimes life is going full speed and we feel like we’re in the midst of a storm. It is in those times that we have a hard time feeling God’s peace. The big snow storm helped me to see, hear and know the peace of Jesus Christ. But we don’t need a big snow storm to know God’s peace. God has given us peace through the gift of Jesus Christ, crucified and risen. If you want to know more about “the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding” and are not already active in a church then come visit Good Shepherd Lutheran Church for Sunday morning worship at 9:00 am or visit one of the many vibrant churches in our community. There is peace in the midst of the storm.

Pastor Kristine Dohrmann
Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, Knoxville