Christmas concert and Sacred Seasons CD

Good Shepherd Lutheran Church is a mid-sized congregation with an outstanding music program. Thanks to the musical leadership of Bob Mueller (music director) and innumerable professional and volunteer musicians, we offer outstanding worship music every single week.

But the Christmas concert is something else again. You can listen to individual tracks/recordings of the concert here.

Or the entire concert, together with a bulletin and additional information, here.

Enjoy.

Finally, please consider purchasing a copy of Dr. Robert Mueller's recently released Sacred Seasons CD. All the recording artists on the album are members of Good Shepherd. If you are in the market for new and spiritually enriching holiday music, this is a great option.

Shalom Y'all

Although I in no way mean to imply that Lutherans and the Jewish community in Northwest Arkansas are identical, it is true some of us wear similar t-shirts (I have a t-shirt that reads "The Lord be with y'all").

It was our honor and privilege to attend Hanukkah celebrations at Temple Shalom in Fayetteville this evening. The evening began with a blessing over the separation (Havdalah, the candle lighting to end Sabbath).

This included a nice hymn, "A good week. A week of peace/May gladness reign and joy increase." Also the Kiddush, and blessings over the spices and the candles. We sang these standing in a large circle, then danced to the song even most non-Jewish communities know well, the Hava Nagila (let us rejoice).

Two enthusiastic fellows from the Institute of Southern Jewish Living taught many of the traditions. The Institute sends out nine fellows each year. They spend their year conducting Sunday school type programs in the synagogues they serve.

I love Temple Shalom's mission statement, "Temple Shalom is located in the city of Fayetteville, nestled in the Ozark Mountains of Northwest Arkansas. We are a small, tight-knit, welcoming congregation representing a diversity of practices, and dedicated to serving as the focal point for Jewish life in our small corner of the world."

Although past years have seen 50-60 participants in programs like the Hanukkah party, this year over 150 people were in attendance, almost all (with the exception of our Lutheran household and a few other visitors) were Jewish. Although I do not know all of the reasons for this growth, my guess is that a) it is an attractive community engaging in effective forms of outreach, and b) more Jewish families and individuals are moving to NWA.

After prayer, we lit the Hannukah candles, and we ate. I think my favorite were the latkes. I'm a huge fan of potato pancakes soaked with sour cream or apple sauce. "Latkes (Yiddish: לאַטקע) are traditionally eaten by Jews during the Hanukkah festival. The oil for cooking the latkes is symbolic of the oil from the Hanukkah story that kept the Second Temple of ancient Israel lit with a long-lasting flame that is celebrated as a miracle."

Then there was the potluck. Lots of great hot dishes and more latkes of various shapes and flavors. We focused some of our attention on the sweets. I have this evening eaten a chocolate version of the Decalogue. Certainly evocative of Psalm 19: "The law of the Lord is perfect, sweeter than honey."

But the best part of the party was the fellowship. Although we had to leave early for family bedtimes, we had the opportunity to spend an evening with neighbors and friends we love and deeply cherish.

We share this common story, the rededication of the Temple in Jerusalem, and Lutherans and Jews also share a common immigrant story to Arkansas. Here's to lighting candles together, lights that fend off the darkness and give indication of our joy.

Blessing of the Home at Epiphany: Chalking of the Doors

On the Epiphany of Our Lord, January 6, family and friends (C for "community") gather at the main entrances to homes or apartments (nursing home quarters, extended care facility, hospital rooms!), and ask God's blessing on their dwellings and on all who live or visit there. You are invited to use this in your own home, or visit your loved ones and use it there.

Leadership may be shared with a change of voice at each Leader's part (L).

L Peace be to this house and to all who enter here.

L A reading from Proverbs: "By wisdom a house is built, and through understanding it is established; through knowledge its rooms are filled with rare and beautiful treasures."

L Let us pray: Gracious God, as a shining star once guided the magi to the birthplace of the infant Jesus, so enable those who dwell here to be your light in the world; through Jesus Christ we pray.

C Amen.

Using chalk (hence, "Chalking the Door"), people are invited to inscribe the lintel of the home (the horizontal frame above the door) with the inscription shown below. The letters C M B come from the traditional (9th century) names for the "three kings" -- Caspar, Melchior & Balthazar. Some also suggest "Christus Mansionem Benedicat" which means "May Christ bless this dwelling!"

Each person is afforded a turn to make one or more of the marks:

20 + C + M + B + 13

L A reading from Isaiah: "The effect of righteousness is peace, and the result of righteousness, quietness and trust forever. My people will abide in a peaceful habitation, in secure dwellings, and quiet places."

People may join hands or extend their hands outward and upward (orans) for the prayers.

L Let us pray: Sovereign God, we pray that you will bless this home and all who live here with your gracious presence, that your love may be our inspiration, your wisdom our guide, your truth our light, and your peace our benediction; through Jesus Christ we pray.

C Amen.

L Lord, remember your children and teach us to pray (pray the Lord's Prayer from memory):

C Our Father...

People may make the sign of the cross in remembrance of their baptism.

L May the Lord watch + over our going out and our coming in, from this time forth and forevermore.

C Amen.

What You Always Wanted to Know About Pastors But Were Afraid to Ask

Question: Pastor, what do you do the rest of the week?

Answer: I typically spend my days on the couch eating popcorn and watching re-runs of Downton Abbey... erm, I mean...

Second attempt (returning with a bowl of popcorn from the kitchen): Why don't I just tell you how this week has gone?

Sunday: Of course, you saw me up there Sunday morning in the new blue Advent scapular. So I proclaimed a sermon, presided at communion, and engaged in the mutual consolation of the saints Sunday morning.

Then, right away after worship I had a meeting with our rites of Christian initiation for adults leadership team to plan the next step of our catechumenal process (what we call Our Lives, This Text). We planned our Sunday evening gatherings for January-March.

Later Sunday afternoon I brought my family up to church for the Christmas program. Splendid. Had cake and gatorade with the families after the program, then stayed for supper with our catechumenal group.

Monday: Started the day with a staff meeting. Then this week I've been conducting year-end staff review meetings, so I started some of those with our staff. Had lunch up at Butterfield Trail Village with a wonderful 90-year-old gentlemen from our congregation. Then came back to the office to finalize Advent worship details and write content for our mid-week e-blast.

Tuesday: More staff review meetings in the morning. Multiple conversations with various parishioners who stopped in. A bit of writing and busy work. Then hosted the "Two Sides of Maple" event at St. Martin's Episcopal Center. Our council president, and also professor of horticulture at the university, gave a talk on how he sees his faith and work as a scientist intersect. Good ecumenical event, nourished with Pizza Hut pizza. Later that afternoon went to the coffee shop with the oldest and hung out, I did a bit of reading while he watched Phineas and Ferb. Brief 5 p.m. meeting with the personnel committee to draft a proposal for succession for our parish nurse program as our current parish nurse retires next year.

Interlude: Imagine that each of these days also includes morning Advent calendar rituals with the family, lots of later afternoon and evening play, and bedtime routines, among other domestic pleasantries.

Wednesday: I spend Wednesday mornings home with the youngest while my wife volunteers at the elementary school. This particular morning it was also my pleasure to go to preschool with our middle child and do a joint presentation on our holiday (especially Advent) rituals to the class. We talked about Lego Advent calendars, nutcrackers, Justin Bieber's Christmas CD, and the Christian faith practices we try to do each day from our church Advent calendar. I also went to the gym.

Noon I attended the Fayetteville Ministerial Association meeting up at Mt. Seqoyah, which was a joint meeting with the Latino Ministerial Association. Learned a lot about the shape and approach to Latino ministries currently under way in Northwest Arkansas. In the afternoon, I hunkered down in my office and finished content edits for my dissertation and submitted it to the Doctor of Ministry office at Fuller Theological Seminary. Wednesday evening, led Advent worship and made a casserole for the Advent supper.

Thursday: Today I'm working from home in the morning while AT&T installs U-Verse in our house. I had a "Go-to-meeting" meeting with the advisory board of Connect Journal (the magazine of the ELCA Youth Ministry Network), and brainstormed themes for 2013 and also started soliciting new authors for upcoming issues.  Since Internet is down currently, I'm doing off-line tasks like composing this blog, writing a letter to the confirmation group, to our adult faith formation group, writing the prayers of the church for Sunday worship, and doing a little bit of reading in phenomenology. I plan to eat lunch with Joe Liles, the mission developer of The Neighborhood Church in Bentonville, then a meeting back at church with some lay communion visitors.

Friday: Sabbath. I rest, and do stuff with family.

Saturday: Holiday activities, including going to the botanical gardens for their annual train and Christmas display. Saturday evening our family is attending the Hannukah party at the local synagogue, which includes a service of prayer at the conclusion of Sabbath (Havdalah), lots of good food, a dreidel contest, and more.

Update: Illustrating why days off are not always days off, Friday included visits to two hospitals, as did Saturday.