July/August 2008
The fundamental principle in Kairos Prison Ministry International is “Listen; Listen; Love; Love.” This principle is among the first you learn when asked to work on a team that will go into the prisons to bring the love of Christ to those who are incarcerated.
The first thing we are called to do is LISTEN: listen to God and listen to the men and women who make a Kairos weekend. We are not to judge them or to ask why they are in prison. We are just to listen to them and allow them the opportunity to share what they need to build a better relationship with God.
The second thing we are to do is LISTEN! It sounds a little redundant, but that is because many of us need to be reminded how important listening can be to another human being. We don’t cut them off; we don’t try to solve their problems; we don’t try to do anything for them but listen.
After we’ve listened, the third thing we do is LOVE. No judging, no correcting, no preaching, just loving. We let them know that the grace of God is abundant and extravagant and for them. What a message this is to give people who often feel rejected and abandoned. There are no strings attached. We simply love them.
Finally, we love them more. In the body of Christ we are called to “love our neighbors as ourselves.” This double dose of love isn’t just what we give to them but a reminder to all of us that we are about the love of Jesus Christ. We are about the mission of Jesus to “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you.”
Jesus never said the mission would be easy, nor did he say we would never disagree. He did say: ‘This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.” Jesus never said that loving each other would be easy. He told us to love each other anyway.
During this transitional time at All Saints “Listen, Listen, Love, Love” would be a good fundamental principle for each of us to adopt. We can take the time to look one another in the eye and acknowledge each other as the body of Christ. When we stop listening to and loving each other, we bring about the sin of the church, the separation of relationship with each other that ultimately results in our separation from God, which is the definition of sin. That is why we say these words each Sunday: “We confess that we are captive to sin and cannot free ourselves. We have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done and by what we have left undone. We have not loved you with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. For the sake of your Son, Jesus Christ, have mercy on us. Forgive us, renew us, and lead us, so that we may delight in your will and walk in your ways, to the glory of your holy name. Amen.”
We believe in a merciful God who forgives us our sins and helps us to live in community with one another, even when we don’t agree.
May our gracious and merciful God help us to “Listen, Listen, Love, Love” so that no one feels left out of the body of Christ.
Pastor Bonnie Gerber
June 2008
How good and pleasant it is when kindred live together in unity.
Psalm 133:1
Last fall, some guys from All Saints ran the rapids on the Upper Gulley River in West Virginia. As we approached the first class-5 rapid (class 5 is the highest degree of difficulty in whitewater rafting; class 6 is a waterfall) of the day – nicknamed “Insignificant” – our guide reminded us to listen to her commands and stay in sync with one another. This was my third time on this river. I thought to myself, “No worries; we’ll be fine. I’ll be ok.”
Within the first few minutes of the rapids, four of us fell out of the boat, including yours truly, leaving fewer than half of the guys in the boat to get it safely through the rapid. After plunging head first into the chilly water and losing a shoe in the process, I surfaced and could see the boat just ahead of me. I swam as hard as I could toward the boat but still felt like a Dixie cup being tossed about in the waves and current. The guide did her level best to get us back in, but we realized that we had to run the class 5 on our own. Needless to say, it was one of the most harrowing adventures I’ve had in my life. Memorable? Yes. Fun? No. Once we got through “Insignificant,” we were pulled into the boat, and we all took deep sighs of relief. Everyone was safe, and we were together again.
As we transition through pastoral changes, it’s important that we remain unified around our Savior. Christ is our guide, and we must listen to him together. He’s been down this river before and knows what direction we need to head through the rapids. We’ve encountered a few rapids already, and there are probably more to come. The rapids we face today in the transition are significant, but together we can move through them.
We must not toss anyone out of the boat out of anger. And, should someone get tossed out involuntarily, we need to focus our energies on getting them back in. This transition holds risks, no doubt. But, together, we’ll make it through to calmer waters.
Remember, we’re in this together. Let’s pray for one another.
Thanks for reading.
Pastor Mike Weaver
May 2008
Editor's note: Pastor Glenn M. Zorb accepted a call from Mountain View Church in Phoenix, where he will begin his tenure as senior pastor in June. This is his final note "from the Pastor's Desk" at All Saints.
It is hard to believe this is the last time I will be writing to you in this space.
When I was called to serve as your senior pastor a little over 10 years ago, I knew the future would be exciting, challenging and full of unknown adventures. I feel the same as I write this article, but I have many other emotions, as well.
It is hard, indeed painful, to say goodbye to people you love, regardless of how or when it occurs. Sue and I obviously face new adventures in Phoenix, and All Saints also faces new adventures. I will have to build a pastoral team at Mountain View and get to know what is needed to grow disciples in the “Valley of the Sun”, as people call Phoenix. It will take time and the help of the entire congregation to shape where we go and, just as importantly, how we get there. I pray All Saints will do the same. I would encourage you to work closely with Congregation Council to develop a shared vision of the model of leadership best for All Saints and only after doing that, start a search process to call a pastor or pastors to All Saints to lead.
One insight I can give you after being asked to interview with a number of large congregations across the country: Almost every single one has decided, after losing one good pastor after another to health issues, stress, depression or burn out, that they need to change the model they have been using for pastoral leadership. Most of the churches were originally built or grown by one gifted leader who served as both the leader and the administrator, and they are now moving to a model in which one pastor is the Senior or Lead pastor responsible for visioning, worship and spiritual direction (i.e. the big picture) and a second pastor is the Administrative pastor who handles much of the day-to-day administration. Don’t take from this that I am burned out or dying of some stress-related illness. As I have told several of you, I am far from depressed, I am more a carrier of depression: I give it to those around me!
I thank all of you for 10 wonderful years of shared ministry, and I invite you to join me in Phoenix whenever you get tired of shoveling snow! It may be hot in the summer, but you don’t have to shovel heat!
In Christ,
Pastor Glenn M. Zorb
April 2008
“But Peter got up and ran to the tomb; stooping and looking in,
he saw the linen cloths by themselves;
then he went home, amazed at what had happened.”
Luke 24.12
Does anything amaze us these days? When we see the sunrise, a full moon, a baby, the seasons changing, flowers in bloom or snow melting, do we stand in awe? Or have we become so busy with stuff that we take for granted all of the wonderful things happening in our presence, like Easter and the resurrection of Christ.
Ann Weems has written a book "Kneeling in Jerusalem" that is a collection of her poems. One of her works is the following:
Amazed
The people who heard Jesus were repeatedly amazed.
Are we today so sophisticated that we are immune to amazement?
Can we know that he was crucified,
Goodness, Compassion and Love nailed upon the tree,
and go about our business of preparing Easter dinner?
Can we know that he arose from the dead
and walked the earth
and ate and spoke with his followers
and sit unamazed in the pew
as though we cannot hear the WORD OF GOD?
O God of Jesus the Christ,
the amazing thing
is our lack of amazement
in the face of your AMAZING AMEN!
May God’s Spirit so move in us that we are once again amazed this Easter, standing in awe at the empty tomb and speechless in wonder as we experience the relationship our Amazing God wants to have with us. Christ is risen! Alleluia!
Pastor Bonnie Gerber
March 2008
During the first week of our visit to India, the local authorities in Guntur wanted to know who we were and why we were there. On Wednesday afternoon, each of us had to fill out a form giving them information about our identities and the purpose of our visit. It seems that during our trips around town we stuck out as westerners.
As we walked down the streets in India, we could tell on sight who was Hindu, Muslim or Buddhist, mostly by the way the person dressed and what was on his or her face. Christians, however, remained inconspicuous. There really isn’t anything that distinguishes Christians visually from the rest of Indian society. Christian men and women wear the same types of clothing as other Indians.
It’s the same in America. We don’t have outward signs that indicate we are Christians. The sign is inward. Our relationship with Jesus Christ changes our behavior, our perspective, our belief, our life … identity seen only by observation and listening. Jesus didn’t institute a uniform. He gave us the cross, He gave us Himself, so that He is seen through our lives.
Jesus says, “Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me” (Matthew 11:29). As followers of Christ, we work in partnership with Christ in this world allowing grace to flow through us to others. We learn the best way to live from Christ Himself. If we’re living as Christ in today’s world, we’ll stick out.
Jesus says, “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.” Like Jesus, we are cross bearers in the public. It’s deeper than wearing a cross or engaging in religious practices. As cross bearers, we engage in this world with humility, self-sacrifice, commitment and love for all people. We share the life of Christ with those around us. Like Christ, we’re willing to sacrifice our ambitions, plans and comfort for the sake of our friends and enemies around us.
What distinguishes Christians in every culture around the globe is lifestyle, not dress. It’s been that way since the beginning of the Christian movement in the first century. For those of us who call ourselves Christians, we need to ask ourselves, do we stick out in our neighborhoods as followers of Christ by our cross- and yoke-bearing lifestyles? Or, do we blend in with most people we meet by adapting thoughts, beliefs, values and behavior of the majority? As America becomes increasingly religiously plural (maybe not to the extent as India, but clearly plural), the true yoke and cross bearers after Jesus will stand out.
As we journey through life together as Christ’s community, may we encourage each other to be cross and yoke bearers for sake of the good news of Jesus Christ, so that people begin to wonder what’s gotten into us.
Pastor Mike Weaver
February 2008
From the Pastor’s desk,
Who are we kidding with that greeting? You and I both know this comes from my computer, not my desk!
Those of you who have gotten to know me over the past 10 years (as of mid- March it really will be 10 years!) know that I am an analytical theologian who is always asking questions. Why does the Bible text say this or that? Why did Matthew or Mark write this? What is God trying to tell us in this passage? The faith journey to me is an adventure because I firmly believe God wants us to use our brains, not park them at the door when we enter the house of worship.
So here is my question for you: What is the ultimate question in life? Now, since I’m a pastor some of you are probably thinking it has to be something like, “Does God exist?” Since somewhere between 95 and 98 percent of Americans agree on the answer to that one, I don’t think it is highly debatable. I would argue that the chief question of our age and every age deals with the meaning of human existence: "Why do I exist?"
Rick Warren sold millions of books about “The Purpose-Driven Life,” so we shouldn’t be too surprised. Our lives can be divided into two factors: the means by which we live, and the ends for which we live. The faith journey is largely about the second factor. I encourage you to join us this Lenten season and be challenged by the scriptures to find a cause worth living for. Being honest, most of us in the Worthington area have plenty to live on or with, what we often lack as a clear sense on what to live for.
Of all the people I have visited on their death beds, I have yet to hear one person tell me they wished they had worked harder, spent more time in the office or accomplished more. I have sadly heard many say, “I wish I had spent more time with my wife/husband/kids/family/ friends or Lord. Finding a balance between these two factors of the means we live by and the ends we live for is the key to a truly rich life!
In Christ,
Pastor Glenn Zorb
January 2008
“But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put my law within them, and I will write in on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. No longer shall they teach one another or say to each other, 'Know the Lord,' for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, says the Lord; for I will forgive their iniquity, and remember their sins no more."
Jeremiah 31:33-34
When I was 16 years old, I lived in Brazil for a year as an exchange student. Brazil is the only country in South America where the people do not speak Spanish; they speak Portuguese.
Not knowing any Portuguese before I went meant I would be learning the language there among the people. Hindsight allows me to understand that living the language is the best way to learn a new language.
I also had some very good advice a few months into my stay. I was told by a wise man that I wouldn't’t really learn the language until I allowed my mind, my heart, my world to be consumed by the language to the point that even my dreams would be in Portuguese. Instead of seeing a tree in English and then translating in my mind, I needed to see a tree in Portuguese. He was right.
When my mind became focused on living this new language it seemed as if the language was written on my heart, and I knew better what I wanted to say. I was freed up to really enjoy the experience and to live fully in the moment instead of always translating. I really learned to live in the joy of not always understanding but living anyway.
Being a servant is much the same as learning a new language. We must live the experience not just learn about it. Being a servant should become a way of life and not something we translate in the moment. We ask the question, “Is now a good time for me to serve?” when the question should always be, “How can I serve now?”
When being a servant becomes a part of who we are, when it becomes written on our heart so that we are always living the life of a servant, then we will be transformed into a servant. And we will never ask the question when is the right time to serve because we will always serve God by serving others.
Clear your mind and your heart of worldly issues, and focus on God and others. Live the language of being a servant and then go and serve.
Pastor Bonnie Gerber
December 2007
Umami (n) [Japanese]—delicious, yummy.
On Nov. 5, National Public Radio aired “Sweet, Sour, Salty, Bitter…and Umami,” a piece that caught my attention.
For thousands of years, since the time of Democritus, Plato, and Aristotle, the commonly held belief has been that human beings have four tastes: sweet, sour, salty and bitter. Even in the 19th century, scientists discovered taste buds on the tongue and confirmed that yes, Virginia, we do only have four tastes.
Not so fast, partner. French chef Auguste Escoffier invented veal stock and discovered that it had a brand new taste that could not be classified in the four. It was, as Jonah Lehrer points out, considered “the best food you’ve ever tasted in your life.” Scientists tasted Escoffier’s stock, and while thinking it delicious, recognized that they too could not classify the taste. They concluded it was all in the head.
About the same time, Japanese chemist Kikunae Ikeda discovered a taste beyond classification, while eating a bowl of dashi, a classic Japanese soup made from seaweed. His curiosity piqued, he began to investigate this taste and uncovered the secret: L-glutamate, common to many vegetables, cheeses and meats. It is, Ikeda claimed, the fifth taste (the same sort as in Escoffier’s stock). He named it “umami” which means “delicious” or “yummy” in Japanese. Still, scientists denied it.
Journalist Robert Kruwich continues: “Almost 100 years after Escoffier and Ikeda, a new generation of scientists took a closer look at the human tongue and discovered, just as the two had insisted, that yes, there is a fifth taste. Humans do have receptors for L-glutamate and when something is really, really yummy in a non-sweet, sour, bitter, or salty way, that’s what you taste. ... It’s in the textbooks now, and scientists decided to call this “new” taste, in Ikeda’s honor, umami.”
Here’s why this story caught my attention: It reminds us that artists and others sometimes discover or sense something outside of our norm that scientists haven’t noticed or conclude isn’t true. This has been the contention of every Christian since science and humanism moved into the mainstream during the Enlightenment.
Christian, have no fear of scientists, atheists or agnostics who say that there probably isn’t a God. God is ... our senses are right. There are facts to back it up. No worries: They said the same thing about umami.
During Advent, we immerse ourselves in the hope of Christ’s second coming again, and Christmas reminds us that the Prince of Peace was born for us. When Christ returns, everyone will understand. Until then, we proclaim our hope, love others as ourselves, love and trust God and taste and see that the Lord is umami through Word and Sacrament.
Pastor Mike Weaver
November 2007
Thanksgiving Day (Thursday, Nov. 22) many of us will gather in the sanctuary at 10 a.m. to give thanks for the abundance of our blessings.
We have much to be thankful for, but we will finish the service in less than an hour. Most of us will head off for family gatherings, football games and feasts at which we will overeat and convince ourselves that we’ll start getting back to our exercise and diet routines, “tomorrow.”
What will you be most grateful for? Good health? Good fortune? A great family? I know Sue and I are looking forward to seeing Brian and Julie home with us for a few days, along with some other family members and friends. Thinking of giving thanks caused me to think: What do we have to give thanks for as a congregation?
Some amazing facts about All Saints you may not know:
- Our 10 best years in worship attendance have come in the past 10 years.
- We are in the top 1 to 2 percent of ELCA congregations in the country in almost every impartial measurement: membership, worship attendance, total giving, benevolence giving, etc.
- We are blessed with a deepest and most skilled staffs of any church.
- In the past 10 years, we have cut our debt load to less than half of what it was 10 years ago. At the same time, we have added staff, increased worship attendance, installed a new pipe organ and spent more money to support mission projects beyond our doors, than almost any Lutheran congregation in the state. And we did all this while the population base in Worthington was declining, according to a report in the “Worthington News,” U.S. Census Bureau data confirms that Worthington’s population declined 7.3 percent since 2000, and the population has aged as well.
Now, don’t waste much time patting yourself on the back: God has a great future in store for us! I firmly believe our best and most challenging years are ahead of us. If we give thanks for anything as a congregation, it should be to give thanks for having such a great and gracious God leading us! May your Thanksgiving be joy filled and may your future be even better!
In Christ,
Pastor Glenn M. Zorb
October 2007
“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
Matthew 28:19-20
This command, the Great Commission, seems like an easy task … make disciples. At All Saints we recognize how important it is, because we’ve included this in our Mission Statement:
| All Saints strives to: Give glory to God; share the good news of Christ; and encourage growth in faith and discipleship. |
Another interesting piece of information about discipleship comes from an article by Anthony B. Robinson, “The renewed focus on discipleship: ‘Follow Me’ ” from the Sept. 4, 2007, issue of “The Christian Century.”
He states: “The word disciple appears 269 times in the New Testament, and the word Christian shows up a scant three times. So notes Dallas Willard, who declares that the church today has inverted that emphasis: being a Christian in many churches does not necessarily entail being a disciple – a student, follower, or apprentice of Jesus.”
Has the Church changed the emphasis of following Jesus? Being a disciple of Jesus is hard work and is very demanding. In fact Jesus says in Luke 14:27: “Whoever does not carry the cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.”
We’ve even watered this down by referring to every affliction we have as “carrying our cross.” To Jesus a cross was not a mere inconvenience of the fleshly life. The cross was an instrument of suffering and death.
People who carry crosses end up dying on the very cross they carry. Carrying a cross is not a path to glory and personal reward. It is demanding and not for the faint-hearted. Jesus is seeking committed followers, those who are willing to pick up their cross and follow Him. Because, you see, we cannot follow Jesus; we cannot pick up the weight of the cross, if our hands and if our hearts, are full of our own agenda.
Lord, I want to be your disciple. Help me to be a student, a follower, a devoted cross bearer. Take my stuff from me, and help me to focus on you. When I fall, pick me up. Mold me to be more like you. Amen.
Pastor Bonnie Gerber
September 2007
“He has showed you what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God .”
Micah 6:8
“If I had to travel over a thousand miles to hear Will Peters speak, then I would do it. I was inspired. I’m glad I came.” said one participant during our recent Pine Ridge Mission Trip.
Thirty-three people from All Saints journeyed to southwest South Dakota near the Black Hills to serve among the Lakota people living on the Pine Ridge Reservation. The Lakota are part of the Oglala Sioux nation whose two famous historical leaders are Crazy Horse and Chief Red Cloud. However, given the feedback from the group, one of the most influential leaders on the Pine Ridge today is Will Peters, high school teacher and former Tribal Council member.
Will has lived on the reservation since his birth and is proud to call himself a Lakota. One evening during our trip, he spoke to our group about the stark reality of life on the reservation today with its joys and struggles, and how the Lakota got where they are partly because of the current and historic U.S. government policies.
Our group from All Saints left Pine Ridge Aug. 4 with a greater sense of empathy for the Lakota people, a satisfaction for work completed, deepened relationships with others within the group and, hopefully, a deeper sense of working for justice on behalf of the poor in our nation. Painting a house, spending a few hours each day for three days or assisting the construction of a permanent ministry at Pine Ridge doesn’t turn the tide of a host of difficulties facing the Lakota today, but it is at least a step in right direction.
We need not pity the Lakota. We are no better than they; we just have different opportunities, live in a different culture, and live in a different place. Pity is useless. Empathy gains friends and leads toward permanent, creative solutions. There are glimmers of hope at Pine Ridge. The men are warriors; the women are strong; and they are deeply spiritual. People and places like Red Cloud Indian School, run by the Roman Catholic Church; the 555 Ministry in White Clay, Nebraska; the aforementioned Will Peters; and Pastor Larry Peterson (a Lutheran pastor working with Habitat for Humanity) are just a few organizations and people making strides to assist the Lakota to being truly a sovereign, strong people within the United States.
God is good and faithful to bring justice to the oppressed. The oppressed live in Columbus and Pine Ridge. May you and I mercifully work together to do as the Lord asks of us.
“Seek justice, encourage the oppressed,
defend the cause of the orphan, plead the case of the widow.”
Isaiah 1:17
Together with you in Christ,
Pastor Mike Weaver
