April 2014

April 2014

Our Easter Victory

Easter is on April 20th this year. It is our greatest church festival, for on that day we celebrate our victory over death.

But why is death such a problem? Isn’t it just a natural part of life – with benefits, for it actually puts an end to sin (Romans 6:7) – for as Luther notes, “no one beholds an adulterer or a miser running about after he has died” (Luther’s Works 28:136)? So why call it the last enemy (1 Corinthians 15:26)?

Well, it has to do with punishment – for the “sting of death is sin” (1 Corinthians 15:56). Sin stings because, in the first place, it’s what caused death, being our punishment for sinning (Romans 6:23), and, in the second place, it is what makes death frightening because it is at death that we are punished, for judgment follows on the heels of death (Hebrews 9:27).

But Christ was punished for our sins (1 Peter 2:24) and so he destroyed death (Hebrews 2:14) – breaking the stinging link between death and punishment. Therefore when Jesus was raised from the dead, “as the first fruits” of salvation (1 Corinthians 15:20), a resurrection to be shared with all who believe in him (2 Corinthians 4:14), he proved that death had been defeated, for it couldn’t keep him, or us, in the grave. Alleluia!

This is what we’re mindful of at Easter. This is what makes Easter great. Alleluia!

Pastor Marshall

What a Relief to Read Luther

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Kierkegaard’s Love for Luther’s Sermons

By Pastor Marshall

Kierkegaard loved Luther’s long 1522 sermon on Matthew 2:1-12 about the magi adoring the Christ child (Luther’s Works 76:71-180). He believed it was “worth reading again and again, especially the first part” (Kierkegaard’s Journals 3:2485).

Close to the end of this first part of the sermon, we read: “[Reason] and nature… go no farther than they can feel. If they no longer feel, they at once dare to deny God…. [Therefore the] light of nature and the light of grace cannot be friends. Nature wants to perceive and be certain before it believes. Grace believes before it perceives. For this reason, nature does not go further than her own light. Grace joyfully steps out into the darkness, follows the mere word of Scripture, no matter how it appears; whether nature holds it true or false, grace clings to the Word…. So it is always

with the Christian. After affliction has been endured, God becomes so sincerely dear to him and is so near and clearly seen that he not only forgets his anxiety and affliction but also obtains a desire and a love for greater affliction, and further becomes so strong that he no longer so easily takes offense at the insignificant, unattractive life of Christ. For now he experiences and realizes that this must happen to anyone who wants to find Christ: it must appear as if he would find nothing but disgrace” (LW 76:102-103).

These words must have been foundational for Kierkegaard who believed deeply in the offense of Christ (Kierkegaard’s Writing 20:123-44) – as well as in the venture of faith, which he thought was like leaping out over seventy thousand fathoms of water (Kierkegaard’s Writings 23:214; 12.1:204).

May we learn from Luther, as Kierkegaard did, how salutary faith is precisely because of its intellectual uncertainty.

Stewardship

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Never Enough

Following up on last month’s stewardship article regarding the church lead staff, it is interesting to think about how and why we pay certain members of our community a living wage, others a part-time wage, and others an honorarium. There are also many members who volunteer time and talents to First Lutheran who are not paid and would not want to be.

Starting with the volunteers, too numerous to mention, they include the service team members, the Choir, the Scrappers, the Sunday school teachers, the acolytes, and those who contribute manual labor to maintenance of the church and property. We can never thank them enough for their service to the community of First Lutheran. Their livelihoods are made outside of the church, and this volunteer work is time over and above their usual workdays.

Those who receive an honorarium include our financial secretary and treasurer, and our bell choir director. The small token they receive recognizes the weekly skilled work that is required to carry out these important tasks. Our acolytes also receive honoraria for weddings and funerals.

Our cantor is employed part-time in this parish. This leadership position requires many hours of specialized work per week. A prerequisite for the high level of work we receive is graduate study. This position requires vision and a very strong commitment to the mission of First Lutheran, to do whatever it takes to prepare for weekly worship. Because this job requires so much time, it provides part of the livelihood for the person who has it.

And finally the full-time lead positions include our deacon, church secretary, and pastor. These positions provide the livelihoods for these three individuals, and require full-time specialized work. In the case of the pastor, graduate study and ongoing scholarship is required. Again, these positions require vision and a very strong commitment to the mission of First Lutheran. The hours provided per week to prepare for worship and to carry out the programs of the church are uncountable.

Some might say why can’t all service to the church be volunteered? Couldn’t those who work part-time or full-time have other jobs and just come in on Sunday morning to serve the church? We at First Lutheran have said ‘no’ to that, but at the same time, are we willing to adequately financially support those staff who put in countless hours week in and week out to do this highly specialized work? St. Paul writes “Who serves as a soldier at his own expense?” And “The Lord commanded that those who proclaim the gospel should get their living by the gospel” (I Cor. 9:7, 14).

It would be a conflict of interest for me to advocate for a higher salary for our pastor for obvious reasons. But allow me to advocate for our other staff that are both full and part-time.

So let us have two plans for this year when it comes to our stewardship. First let us strive to meet our budget. And then, as our Challenge Plan, let us move beyond it by 20%. In that way we can increase the work we do as a congregation here and throughout the world, and also increase the compensation we provide for our staff.

So if you pledged $2,000 dollars to the church this year, try upping it by 20%. If you do, rather than giving around $38 per week, you will be giving around $46 per week instead. If that seems impossible, remember Luke 18:27: “Whatever is impossible with men is possible with God.”

Jane Harty, Church Council

President’s Report…by Larraine King

My song is love unknown, my Savior’s love to me,

Love to the loveless shown, that they might lovely be…..is how Hymn #94 begins, a text by Samuel Crossman (1624-1683). Continued reading of these words reveals a poignant and difficult summary of our Lord’s final days. We praise Him, yet we cry “Crucify!” Jesus healed many, yet they demanded that a murderer be saved. Let us strive to be faithful to the last verse of this hymn by staying and singing about this story of love and sacrifice that was our Lord’s life, given to redeem us from sin, death, and the devil.

Financially, we were a little short of budget projections in February, but March has started strong. It is the regular planned and executed giving that makes paying our bills possible. Please remember to fulfill your pledge. The council is counting on that.

Various projects for the church facility are underway. The windows in the parsonage are being replaced as weather and scheduling permits thanks to the work headed up by Alex Ceaicovschi. A new safe and parament cabinet are being planned for the sacristy. Tilden School has repainted the parish hall. These are all great upgrades to our building.

The food drive for “Fasting during Lent” is slowly collecting non-perishable items for the Food Bank. For the first 3 Sundays in March we have only collected 114 items. There have been about 300 people attend services at the church during that time, so it looks as if less than half of those attending are remembering to bring a donation for the West Seattle Food Bank. We can do better than this. Reading the parable of the Good Samaritan this week really hit home that Jesus commands us to go and be like the Samaritan.

Our Food Bank serves over 800 families a week! And now they are starting to put together boxes of food for neighborhood children who won’t have enough food over the weekend to keep them from being hungry!!! Let’s choose to share with those who are struggling. It doesn’t have to be a lot – just one can of food for each time you come to church. One of the parts of worship is giving thanks to God for all His benefits to us. The offertory prayer that we pray together every Sunday focuses our priorities. Try making it your daily prayer, or make it your mission statement, or your daily goal. But most important of all, remember those who aren’t as fortunate as we are and share your wealth with them. They are our neighbors, and it is horrific to think of people in our neighborhoods going hungry, especially school children. Remember HUNGER TAKES NO VACATIONS!!!! So give often – make it a regular part of your shopping. Donate to help our neighbors in need.

My Mother, Eva

By Pastor Marshall

At His Investiture, August 19, 1979

First Lutheran Church of West Seattle

My mother, Eva, died in Christ, on March 6th, of lung cancer, at the Tacoma Lutheran Retirement Community, with some dozen family and friends standing around her. A few days before, my sisters, Doreen and Denise, had sung hymns at her bedside for an hour – much to her delight. She was 93 years old when she died. Her pastor had just said the last prayers for her. She was calm and sleeping and then just quit breathing – falling asleep in the Lord (John 11:11-13).

A couple days before she died, I had one of the last conversations with her. She was so tired and weak that it was hard to hear her. I leaned over her as she was lying in bed, and put my ear close to her mouth and could barely make out her saying, “What’s happening to me?” I told her we thought she was dying. She said back, “Why?”

My Mom was a practicing registered nurse for fifty years and a US Army veteran of WWII, serving in a general hospital in Llandudno, Wales, in the orthopedic ward, from January 1944 until the end of the war – and she could be very clinical. So I told her that her pulse and temp were quite elevated, only one lung was barely working, she hadn’t eaten much for three weeks, she could hardly open her eyes, and she couldn’t get out of bed any more. She said back, “That isn’t good.” I then hastened to add that her fingers and toes were still nice and pink. She responded, “That’s good.” Then she asked how we were, and I told her we were fine and were there to make sure she was comfortable. She then asked me what she could do to help. (My Mom was a workaholic to the end!) I told her, “Mom, you’ve been baptized. You believe in Christ. You’ve done your good works. It’s now time to rest in the arms of the Lord, and go home.” She had been a little agitated up to that point. She then seemed to relax – but said nothing back in response.

The Lord blessed me with a good Mom. I will never be able to thank him enough for her. On mother’s day, 2010, I wrote in my card to her: “You were the one who helped me become a Christian by teaching me in word and deed to say my prayers daily, read the Bible reverently, go to church weekly, and sing hymns fervently.” I then added that she also helped me become a decent citizen by teaching me in word and deed “to work hard and be responsible, enjoy family and friends, help out our neighbors, and laugh and have fun.” I ended it by saying: “Over the years I have also learned about philosophy and theology, history and psychology, politics and economics, art and music. But none of this would have been of any help if I hadn’t first learned what you taught me.”
Mom’s remains will lie in repose in our Chapel on Friday, April 11th, with prayers at 10 am and 7 pm, and then will be entombed in the Columbarium at our Chapel of the Resurrection, on April 12th, at around 3 pm, after her 11 am funeral at Gloria Dei Lutheran Church in Tacoma – her home church for the last fifty some years. You are all welcome to come. Requiescat in pace – May she rest in peace. (Mom loved Latin – studying it in high school and nursing school in order to master technical medical terms.)

Holy Week &

Easter Schedule

Plan to join us for our Holy Week and Easter Festival Liturgies, the listing of times and places are on the back of this page.

Also, note that we will be having our Easter Brunch, Easter morning, 9 to 10 am, sponsored by the April service team.

$5 general and $12 for families.

Remember the food bank! Bring a can or bring a bag.

April 13 Sunday of the Passion

8:00 am Holy Eucharist – Chapel

9:00 am Church School Passion Faire

10:30 am Holy Eucharist – Procession with Palms

8:00 pm Compline

April 14 Monday in Holy Week: Jesus’ Cleansing of

the Temple