Good Shepherd Lutheran Church

While numerical growth is a wonderful experience in a church, keeping up with it is usually a more difficult task. Programming, relationship-building, teaching, organizing and recruiting are all big jobs...and all are vitally important to facilitating our growth.

To that end, the Board of Education, the Presidents and the Church Council have researched the next steps to take, and have presented the concept of calling a DCE to the congregation. While playing the "God card" is sometimes met with skepticism, it is truly God who is guiding and directing us in this way. We believe that the right person will present himself/herself through the process set before us...and, that the goals we have set will be met.

It is the desire of the Boards of Education/Presidents to keep the congregation informed of every step in this journey together. Please visit this Blog for ongoing education/information about the process. Feel free to ask questions here. Let's get engaged and get excited about the direction our great God is leading us!

Oh, this is SUCH a "Bleating Sheep" blog post! READ THIS boyz and girlz! If you are married...or, even dating...take this "test" - http://www.afo.net/hftw-lovetest.asp

Now, in addition...please pick up your copy of the Advent Devotional Booklet for 2009. It will help us see how God Himself has interacted with us in these 5 ways - speaking to us in the languages of love we understand. With that in your back-pocket, it will also help you to see how your SPOUSE or FRIEND responds to what you do and say!

I took the test, and I'm apparently a high-maintenance individual, who is kinda tri-lingual. Words of Affirmation are important, along with Physical Touch (yes, this is SPOUSE-only) and Quality Time. What this means is that when my wife "speaks" to me in these ways, I know she loves me. She can give me gifts until the cows come home, but they aren't nearly as important as the words she says to me, for example.

What you'll find, is that you'll usually try to show love in the way that YOU feel loved. However, knowing how your spouse feels loved is vitally important! If Michelle feels loved when I do stuff around the house, I had better get on it...because...well, that's exactly what I want to do - LOVE HER!

I'm a firm believer that our families can't work too hard at becoming stronger. This is one way - by understanding each other, and striving to show love in a way that others will relate and respond.

This is our theme for all of our Sunday Advent services. What a powerful way to get into Christmas - by glimpsing God as He has made US in His image. We're LIKE Him in some ways...notably in this season in our capacity to love.

Yeah...so, Kim Busse is leaving her post at Good Shepherd after a full 3 years of service. Almost made me physically ill when she told me last week. Bleh.

I told her that I knew it was coming sooner or later, because Jake (husband) was ready to roll with a new business, which will be a full-time gig and should be something that provides for their family. So, that, combined with me always pushing for moms and dads in general to be home with the young ones...well...it was gonna happen.

She'll be with us for another 3 weeks or so. Then, she'll no longer be employed at Good Shepherd, but will remain a member...since this is her home. We'll be glad to have the Busse Family stay among us.

Our church has changed quite a bit over these 3 years. Programs developed. Relationships and some routines established. Kim wouldn't claim that she was the one responsible for it...because she'd direct it all back to the work of the Lord in our midst.

That's where this began anyway. I remember back to 2006, when God led Kim to need a new direction in her employment...and, led Good Shepherd to receive the concept of an Education Coordinator. I remember weird little details of the process that remind me of God's hand in it all. It was weird to "hire" for the position...but, it just fit so nicely.

After these years have passed, it looks like we should be preparing ourselves for the possibility of calling a DCE. On the spiritual side alone...God has led an increase in numbers in every way. More members, more worshipers, more tithing. As our small Bible Study Group on Sunday morning has learned...(Exodus 23:29-30) God prepared the land (by scattering the inhabitants, and growing the numbers of His Own)before allowing His people to go into it - so that they might be able to care for it.

So also has God been "little by little" preparing us for this time. Whenever we can look at someone and say that she is truly God's instrument...we can rejoice and be glad in His handiwork. Thank you, Kim. Thank you, Jesus...help us to continue following Your lead into our next stage of ministry at Good Shepherd.

I've been having discussion with many people lately...from Dylan (youth) to Marjorie (office manager), and other random people in-between, about something that has happened in our town. It weighs heavy on me...and on the community...when a leader in the community (a pastor in this case, but it could be a councilman or business owner) needs to step down (read: resign) in a case of moral failure.

His family hurts. His friends hurt. His church (or business) hurts. His community...all are affected.

We have had pastors in recent situations we wish they would never be in. We wish that our leaders would be able to demonstrate for us what right living is all about. We wish we had an example to follow...but, it turns out that every pastor or leader...is human.

So, we mourn. We grieve the loss of a loved one when they die, and we grieve the loss of a leader to giving in when temptations come. But, this is where the analogy ends, because our loved ones don't choose to die. Our leaders, however, sometimes make choices unbecoming of their position.

There is no satisfaction in acknowledging humanity here. There IS a different level of righeousness expected, and there IS further to fall when these things happen! It's not acceptable to say, "I guess he's only human." Why? Because we, as Christians, are called to live DIFFERENTLY! Christians are SET-APART. Church Council members are SET-APART. Pastors are...that's right...SET-APART. All for doing something special in that time and place.

We aren't special on our own. We're special...holy...because God has called us to be such. And, Biblically speaking, Pastors have more expected of them. That's it.

I won't parade around in my robes. I won't talk snooty from the pulpit. I will not pretend I am infallible. But, I will call sin what it is. In my own life, I want to identify it, and have it snuffed out by God's Grace. In yours, I pray for conviction when you hear the Word read...preached...and taught. And, as we recognize our human-ness in need of God's forgiveness, we can walk together...work together...and grow together...to fend off temptation when it comes.

Please pray for our community leaders of all shapes and sizes. Major Wilson, Chief Cummins, Dan Ehrke, your local Pastors...Councilmen...School Board...all have need for your prayerful support.

Lord, by Your hand...protect and deliver Your saints whom you have called to a life of holiness. Amen.

Truly, there is no way to fully prepare for death. When I meet with families after a loved one has passed, I'm faced with the challenge of talking "nuts & bolts" while life doesn't truly seem to make sense. It doesn't matter how long a person has been sick...it doesn't matter how much faith they had or the family has. It's all hard.

So, we sit down to talk about the funeral, luncheon, flowers, memorials...all that stuff. I sometimes wonder how this whole thing became so institutional. What's up with the dog & pony show? There's alot of work to go through...at a time when our brains aren't really thinking properly.

In Biblical times, the funeral featured professional mourners - the more grief there was, the more prominent/wealthy the family was. Today, I'd hope that nobody places a value on a person's life based on how many people come to the funeral service. I'd hope, though, that the service is a testimony to the work of God in and through the life of the one who passed.

John Trocke shared some wisdom today (regarding squeezing in a eulogy): "The legacy of the deceased has already been established. It is their life. The people who are gathered are the ones who already know who the person was. They don't NEED to be told." Now, it wasn't those exact words...so, I shouldn't have put quotes on it, I guess.

What I'm saying is...breathe. I hope people don't get too caught up in the commotion of it all to miss the chance to grieve...or, to miss the hugs, handshakes and words of comfort that come their way. It IS a time to mourn, and a time to dance...it's bittersweet. Don't miss any of it.

At Bible Study last week, there was discussion about kids in church. I mean, really...we've got a bunch of them! So, when it's time for a Baptism...we invite the kids forward so they can see better. We've got kids rubbin' the font, sittin' on each other, playing "Rock, Paper, Scissors" and whatever else. They're lively, and they make the church ALIVE!

It's not a free-for-all. I think parents recognize that. But, it's also not a "cone of silence." Sunday worship is where people get to listen and teach their kids how to listen. They get to sing and respond in words...and show their kids how to do the same. Kids learn (often times)...by doing.

I was encouraged by another parent who said he would NOT call the police if another parent took their kid into the hall, spanked him/her, and then returned with a disciplined child. Just don't make the mistake of thinking they will wake up one day and just KNOW how to act...if you don't show them how.

I love the sound of little "whispers" in the pews. I don't really mind full-fledged talking, either! The sound of young ones in church...is music to many ears. Let's enjoy their song.