Pentecost is more than a day it is a season. The problem is that most people know very little about his wonderful festival day. Maybe that is fitting. Since it is about the Holy Spirit. Being holy means that he is divine in nature and can not be controlled or manipulated. Being a spirit he is elusive and yet powerfull. Maybe it is fitting to refer to the third person as "she". When you study the spirits part in the the divine community we call the trinity, you can see that she is to empower, guide and inspire. All of these terms to me are about nurturing which comes more naturally to females than males. What do you think?
Yesterday I read over Ezekiel 37 and saw that I am to "prophesy to the breath or spirit of God". So join me in asking the spirit to inspire God's people to do ministry and to do it in community.

New life nevers coems quietly

New life never slips in the back door quietly or painlessly. Every birth in only the beginning a whole set of disruptions. So is the Resurrection. In the Gospel of Luke the disciples and the women were resigned to the power of death. From the very first words in chapter 24 however the old script is changed. Luke's account of the resurrection begins with a powerful disruption in the form of a single three letter word,but.
2000 years later when our violence world scares us and the economy abandons us we are still disrupted by the simple word., but Luke announces that hope is not dead and the tomb is the beginning of new life.
This new life comes alive in us. How will you show that you trust in this surprising good news?
How will you rebel against the power of sin, death and the devil?

Difficult moments or experiences can often signal the beginning of a new work or stage in one's life and development. God often uses these defining moments, called transitions to take Christ followers from where they are to where they need to be. Transitions play an important role in getting from somewhere, to somewhere else, and to hearing those words, "well done!"
As 2009 offers us a bunch of transitions do we see it as the hand of God or just another fact of life I need to endure?

Advent

Wow it has been a long time since I have been on. The month of December is such a change for all of us. The weather becomes cold and we focus in on the holidays but what about making room for Jesus. As a liturgical church we try to hold off Christmas while the media has been pumping it out since October. Instead of battling it why not lay them side by side? In the midst of darkness and cold, talk about the light of Christ and the warmth of Christian fellowship. Talk about giving oursleves away in the name of Christ. Instead of a "making merry" why not searching for joy? The true gifts of Chrsitams are the relationships we are in which will sustain us through all of the seasons.

From the Pastor

As I go about my day and deal with the many changes life offers, my reactions sometime surprise me. Like yesterday, it was a beautiful autumn like day and felt fine but I kept thinking about the chores I had to do around home and the failing economy. Finally it struck me, “Why don’t you stop and smell the roses?” Too often we all live in a mindset of scarcity; high prices and not enough money. But why not stop and think about what we do have? Like the old hymns suggest, “Count your blessings one by one.”

Then it struck me - what would happen if we began to look, to really spend time, on all that we have? What if we began to list all of our blessings? Would that change our behavior today? Would that make us feel more grateful towards God? What would we discover?

· A new appreciation of life
· Notice a person in our life who cares about us
· Find a beacon of hope
· Approach life in gratitude for the abundance He has given
· Remember all that I can give back to life

Has being a member of Zion been a blessing? How?

I would like to have you join me in this process and over the next few months, let’s develop a “Book of Blessings.” This scrapbook would be filled with our personal thanks to God and others. We could share with members of our family or members of Zion. Maybe we could even preserve it for the future?

So when you come to have your picture taken for Zion’s church directory, sit a few moments and fill out a blessing tally.

See you in church,
Pastor Otto

September theme

Throughout the month of September I will focus on the idea that we challenge the forces of today by living out our faith in Jesus through a community of believers. Our community of faith is committed to "sharing Christ's love" in practical ways. By doing so we live out the challenge offered by the Apostle Paul in Roman chapter 12 verse 9 " Let love be genuine; hate what is evil, hold fast to what is good; love one another with mutual affection; outdo one another in showing honor"

On September 7 we will use this passage to kick off our new year of learning by preaching on this theme: Healing the whatever culture" Maybe the most significant impact we can make on this world is by living a life filled with hope and joy. Joy based on compassion and servant hood.

ON September 14 we will follow that up with looking at Matthew 18: 21-3 and seeing of there are limits to compassion. What does it mean to forgive from the heart?

From the Pastor’s desk

Because you decided to be the church…
* Five young people had a terrific time at Lutheran Outdoor Ministries Camp.
* Thirty children learned about power in Jesus’ name during Vacation Bible School.
* The Rogman family does not feel alone as they seek to rebuild their lives.
* Two young couples found a place to get married and begin their life together.
* Thousands were fed through Lutheran World Relief.
* Hundreds of NIU students heard the Gospel in the midst of tragedy and fear.
* Dozens of people gathered in Rock Island to accomplish the work of the Synod.
And you lived your faith in the midst of tornadoes and floods.

Keep up the good work. In times like these, there is no better time to live the Gospel. And keep being re-charged by coming to worship.

Pastor Otto