Memorial Day weekend, Pentecost Sunday I was given the honor of announcing the initiation of the Veterans Ministry and First Lutheran’s partnership with Wesleyan Methodist Church in La Crosse. In attempting to demonstrate the connection we all have with veterans, I asked the congregation to stand if they were a veteran, a spouse of a veteran, related to a veteran, were a friend of a veteran or knew a veteran. As I looked out upon them all, almost the entire congregation was standing. “Look around you.” I said. “Whether this is our church or a national stadium somewhere, the result would be the same…"

May and June were great fun for the OWLs. Our May trip on the Winona Trolley and visit to Pickwick Mill was fun and educational for all. The photos were taken at Pickwick Mill, one of the oldest surviving flour mills in Minnesota. The water wheel really works!

The OWLs will be taking July off for vacation fun and summer outings. Our next meeting will be our August Potluck on Wednesday, August 5th at noon.

As we make our way into summer at First Lutheran, the garden has been planted, which will eventually provide fresh produce for the local food basket. A robust veterans’ ministry is underway among us, which had its first success story in May when a veteran in need came for a handout but received far more support than he could have hoped for: a new ID was arranged, his food supply was secured, his debts were organized and his benefits were confirmed. Our Teen Clothes Closet is preparing to re-launch as posters, leaflets and lots of other publicity will invite area teens in need to worry about one less thing as they can come to our house and see what clothes they like. In July our middle schoolers will be sent on a mission trip to Louisville, KY, while the high schoolers make their way to Detroit for the National Youth Gathering. Our parents will continue sharing stories and wisdom through ParentShare as their kids will take a break from regular Sunday School, but still have the opportunity to learn about God through VeggieTales. In August we will recognize our volunteers, and we’ll explore Everest for Vacation Bible School. 

And yet with all that we are planning for and with all that God has in store for us throughout the summer, I feel it is necessary to offer attention and further explanation to the decision our Vision & Leadership Team made in May to permit same-gender weddings at First Lutheran. 

Last month I shared with you some reflections on one of my favorite paintings: Jackson Pollock’s Greyed Rainbow. What at first glance looks like a violent mess of black and white actually hides the colors of the rainbow. This particular painting has become incredibly meaningful to me as I make my way through this life, endeavoring to be faithful to my God because it speaks a truth about this life that is sometimes hard to admit.

Do you remember back when you were in confirmation? No, really. Think back. If you are like me, you have a few vague memories. Maybe you remember the retreat when the smoke from the fireplace backed up into the cabin and you had to evacuate, or you remember being nervous trying to memorize the Apostles Creed, quite sure you would never remember it all. Then you were confirmed and that was the end of your religious education. It’s not surprising then if you’ve forgotten most of what you learned about the Bible. You are not alone.

My daughter, Sarah and I served food at the Salvation Army; we had a wonderful time, and I left feeling as if I had been in church worshiping. As we serve others, our serving becomes worship when it’s done with gladness. As we serve, we come into God’s presence. Serving and worshiping are intertwined When you do one, you are doing the other. When we serve by ushering, reading, serving communion, teaching, playing music and singing, we are really worshiping our God at the same time.

May got us off to good warm weather start with our trip to Winona on the trolley and a fun potluck showing old photographs and telling stories of summers past. A good time and great food was had by all.

We will kick off June with the Potluck one week earlier than usual. Out potluck will be held on Wednesday June 10th, at noon in the fellowship hall. Our speaker for the program will be Gerald (Jerry) Bonsack a well-known photographer and Environmental Engineer in our area. Jerry recently returned from a cruise to Alaska where he used some exciting new photographic techniques to capture the glaciers and landscapes of the Alaskan cruise. If you are a photographer you will be interested in the techniques Jerry uses to capture the images in his program. If you are a travel enthusiast you can just sit back and enjoy the view with Jerry’s interesting insights. We will meet in the fellowship hall so we can view the presentation of the large screen.

The month of May is typically set aside for First Lutheran celebrations; for graduates among us; for our Preschool at Springfest; our mothers on Mother’s Day; and our beloved war dead on Memorial Day. In May our choir sings their top 5 songs, our confirmands celebrate a year of instruction completed, and on May 24 we celebrate Pentecost (wear red!). In the wake of Easter, we live into abundant life in many ways.

When I was in seminary, while doing my Clinical Education one summer, I was introduced to the healing power of art. One whole day we spent creating art as we prayed, talking about how people could use art as a way to heal from trauma and as a way to connect with God. I was hooked. My primary paper in a class on prayer centered around how we pray using music and painting. I led youth and adults in a devotion that required them to paint images. Even as immersed in this thinking as I was, I never imagined that art would become for me the primary way I connect with my own self and with God. A little over a year ago, while in the midst of an intense week of Emotional Intelligence training, all I could think about was being in the Monet gallery at the Art Institute (I had just been there the previous October). It actually became a way for me to experience and process my learning. Monet’s haystacks became a symbol to breathe, to allow space for emotions, to connect on a deeper level with those around me. Thus began an ongoing engagement with art in a way that I had never imagined. There is one piece in particular that haunts me in a good and surprising way. Jackson Pollock’s Greyed Rainbow at first glance looks like a mess. It is one of his famous abstract paintings. You know, the kind that you look at and wonder how it is possible that this is hanging in a museum. Except, well, it is compelling in a way that other abstract paintings aren’t. Here is the description from the Art Institute gallery....

We have a new name, but our mission is the same: serve our teen community in need. We have free, gently used teen clothing, including jeans, dresses, hoodies, shoes, shorts, dress shirts, dress pants, ties, purses, hats, athletic wear, toiletries and more.

I hope everyone has been able to enjoy the warmer weather we’ve been having. Spring is always an amazing time. We have new life in Jesus’ resurrection and we are reminded of this as we watch the buds on trees begin to form, flowers burst from the ground with renewed determination, the warmth of the sun on our faces and baby animals seem to appear everywhere. God graces us with so many gifts. It’s our job to slow down and recognize all the blessings that surround us. Our young youth group will be able to do just that. We will volunteer at Clearwater Farm where we’ll have opportunities to work with the animals and work in their garden, on Tuesday, May 26 from 5–7pm. RSVP on our Facebook event page.

Summer opportunities for the Young Youth....

Since I was ordained in July of 2003 I have talked about sex more than I expected. In 2001 our voting members at the ELCA Churchwide Assembly adopted two resolutions:

1. to study homosexuality with reference to two issues: the blessing of same-sex unions and the ordination, consecration and commissioning of people in committed same-sex unions and…
2. to develop a social statement on sexuality.

Our churchwide study and discernment continued for eight years. A Task Force was formed who took their responsibility very seriously and devoted hundreds if not thousands of hours to their task in an effort to fairly represent the perspectives of a five million member Church.

I have been thinking about connections a lot lately. How relationships form, how faith grows and how God is tied to it all.

A month ago, a group of women gathered at Sugar Creek to talk about vocation. Sounds like a pretty dry topic and yet, through worship, conversation, sharing, learning, dancing and silence connections were made with one another and God and this seemingly dry topic became a dynamic vehicle of connection.

The story of Jesus doesn’t end with his death and resurrection. It continues in the lives of those who believe in him. Now that Lent is over and we have celebrated Easter, how will God continue to live in you?

If you were in a Lenten small group, you might be thinking, that was interesting and I’m enjoying getting to know these people. What’s next? Or, maybe you weren’t in a small group during Lent, but have been wondering what being part of a small group is all about. Maybe this is the time to dip your toe in the waters of a small group.

The OWLs March began with an exciting trip to the International Festival of Owls in Houston, Minnesota. Many of us got up early on a Saturday morning to experience a day of owls. We saw a very interesting program featuring a number of live rescue owls, learned about the owl art now on display around the town of Houston. Had an owl-themed lunch, saw a video on the Italian owls festival and bought owl souvenirs. You could easily say the day was a hoot….