Faith, Grace, and Hope

Drawn by Pastor Julia Seymour, 9/13/18

Flags outside the sanctuary doors of Lutheran Church of Hope, Anchorage Alaska More than once recently, I've been asked my opinion regarding flags in the sanctuary. I've written about my respect for the flag here , but I'd like to address the specific question directly. Regarding flags (national or otherwise) in the sanctuary of a Christian church: I do not believe this is fair to the flag .  The United States Code (the US Flag Code) states the following: (175) (k) When used on a speaker's platform, the flag, if displayed flat, should be displayed above and behind the speaker. When displayed from a staff in a church or public auditorium, the flag of the United States of America should hold the position of superior prominence, in advance of the audience, and in the position of honor at the clergyman's or speaker's right as he faces the audience. Any other flag so displayed should be placed on the left of the clergyman or speaker or to the right of t...

Be careful that you don’t practice your religion in front of people to draw their attention. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven. Whenever you give to the poor, don’t blow your trumpet as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets so that they may get praise from people. I assure you, that’s the only reward they’ll get.  But when you give to the poor, don’t let your left hand know what your right hand is doing so that you may give to the poor in secret. God who sees what you do in secret will reward you.  – Matthew 6:1-4             There are a lot of things happening in this passage. First, financial generosity is equated with religion. So, in some capacity, Jesus expected that the  doing  of faith would involve the giving of money, in addition to time and talent.             Second, one’s own giving shou...

Joshua 24:1–2a, 14–18, John 6:56-69 If, in the morning, I open my eyes, My first decision thereupon lies. Will I continue to lie in the bed, Allowing my thoughts to run through my head? Will I get up and go to the shower, Regardless of both the weather and hour? What of the children, who may want me to play? What of the tasks that call me this day? From the moment of waking, there are choices to make, What will I give this day? What will I take? I want to be saintly, say my first thoughts are of God, But sometimes they’re not and, in that, I’m not odd. We may rise with the sun or maybe at noon, And most of us promise to get with God soon. Yet, that instant, a choice has been made- The balance of time  against God has been weighed.  We can’t do it all. Surely God understands. Did not God make this world, its chores, its demands? But in each thing we choose, and it  is choose we must We have decided in which...

John 6:51-58          I have an obnoxious habit. (Well, probably more than one, but I’m just going to mention the one right now.) In a situation, when I am with other people whom I know identify as Christians and if we are talking about churchy, religious, or spiritual type things- I pay attention to how many times Jesus is mentioned. In listening to sermons, I think about how long it is until Jesus’ name comes into things. I want to hear about Jesus.           More specifically than just a mention of Jesus, I am interested in how we talk about him. Is Jesus easy to talk about- he’s great, good, and groovy? Is Jesus difficult to bring up- mysterious, frustrating, and confusing? Is Jesus close by and a ready comfort or far away and standoffish?           How do we interpret Jesus as a revelation of and from the Godhead? What does Je...

Pentecost 12B 12 August 2018 Ephesians 4:25-5:2               There is a phrase:  If you don’t have something nice to say ,  don’t say anything at all . What does this mean? (If you can’t say something that’s helpful or kind, then stay quiet.) There is an alteration of this quote that I’ve been thinking of lately:  If you don’t have something nice to say, come sit by me. [1]             In our society, “nice” doesn’t usually mean kind, truthful, or helpful. Usually, “be nice” means “don’t make a fuss” or “just go along with it” or “don’t be loud” or “stop making such a big deal”. Being nice often means less about fixing a problem and more about pretending there is no problem. When I think of the stress I feel on a daily basis, when I think of the news stories we hear, when I think of people who are being hurt daily by situation...

We are putting no obstacle in anyone’s way, so that no fault may be found with our ministry, but as servants of God we have commended ourselves in every way: through great endurance, in afflictions, hardships, calamities, beatings, imprisonments, riots, labors, sleepless nights, hunger; by purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, holiness of spirit, genuine love, truthful speech, and the power of God; with the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and for the left; in honor and dishonor, in ill repute and good repute. We are treated as impostors, and yet are true; as unknown, and yet are well known; as dying, and see—we are alive; as punished, and yet not killed; as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing everything.   (2 Corinthians 6:3-10)  After a discussion in my Adult Bible Study class, I keep thinking about this passage. In the denomination in which I grew...