The February 2012 Newsletter is available by clicking here: February 2012 Newsletter

Click here for the January 2012 – April 2012 Worship Assistant Schedule.

The December 2011 Newsletter is available here.

Click here for photos from our celebration!

You’re Invited!…

W ho:    You (and your family and friends)
What:    Annual Holiday Auction/Dinner
Where:  Messiah Lutheran Church, Amherst NH
When:   Saturday, Dec 3, 2011 6:00-10:00pm

Dinner Donation: $10/pp, BYOB
Wine Tasting: $5/pp
Bring a gift-worthy item for our silent/live auction
All proceeds go to Lutheran Social Services, NH Food Bank, and

Michael J Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research

Simply Committed

Pentecost   A  Stewardship 11/13/11

Matthew 25:14-30

Faith, hope, and love be to you from God our Father, from the one crucified and risen, Jesus of Nazareth, and from the holy and life-giving Spirit of God present with you now, calling, gathering, and enlightening through the gospel—which is the power of salvation for all the world. Amen

We’re going to do something different in today’s sermon. Instead of just listening to me—you have a part in proclaiming the Word today. Now, those of you who fear public speaking are probably popping a Rolaids right about now, and so you might ask, “Pastor Tom—how’s that gonna work?” Glad you asked!

Every so often during the sermon, we will take a moment to sing together. Not just any songs, though. Carefully selected hymns from your trusty ELW. Hymns chosen to reflect and expand upon what I open up from the scriptures. It will be like your comment on my status on Facebook.

Let’s warm up a bit first. Halle Halle Halle Halle-lu-jah  Alright! You’re ready to be in the sermon!

What do you fear? What are you afraid of? Call them out now, if you dare. Now. Let’s see how close you are to the results of a survey done recently on 21^st century fears. The top fears…

Insects/animals    Terrorism    Job loss    Failure    Death   Natural disasters

The end of the world  Public ridicule  Angry Birds (just kidding) Rejection   And…commitment

I would add one to those, related strongly to fear of commitment, but also to the others as well. And that is fear of…God.

I blame it mostly on the Old Testament. God always seems ticked off in the Hebrew scriptures. Well, not always, but a lot. So much, in fact, that certain early Christian scholars and church fathers favored rejecting them in our collections of scripture. Some went so far as to say that the God of the Old testament was a different god than the one who graciously manifests deity in the form of one destined to save the world from sin. Or that there was a fundamental change in who God was and how God operated from OT to NT and beyond.

You’d certainly glean that from a quick read of the OT and Psalm readings for today. Here’s just a few of the high—uhum—highlights. From Zephaniah – “The day of the Lord is at hand…I will punish the people who say God doesn’t matter, God won’t do good or bad” That day will be a day of wrath…I will bring distress upon the people…their blood will pour out like dust….and I will make an end to the lot of them.”

And don’t try turning to the psalm for comfort. “You, God, sweep people away like a dream…our days and numbered and we pass away like the morning dew, quickly, suddenly…we bring our years to an end like a sigh.”

[Sigh]

If this was all you had for information about God, would you say that God is cuddly? Or vengeful? An awesome God—or an awful God? Would you fear God? Probably. And some folks are stuck in that bad dream. Lost in the anger and retribution of God, they fear the ultimate, horrific consequences of a sin-flawed life, and project that fear like a laser into others who are seeking peace and life, blinding them so that they cannot see the gracious God who waits to welcome them with love. Trapping them in the darkness of their lopsided God of wrath, paralyzing them with their own fears. Flagellating themselves with the Law, in the misguided notion that God can only be appeased, not loved.

Fortunately, we don’t roll that way. The God of the Old testament is the same as the god of the gospels and new testament. God didn’t change (although God does change). Look at the scriptures. The words of hope, forgiveness, redemption, peace, restoration and rejuvenation are all there. God’s love needn’t be bought and God’s sense of justice doesn’t require a sacrifice—not of grain or wine or cattle or doves or Sons. God only wants your commitment. Your total commitment. Not as a payment for loving you. But as God’s entry into your life. For it is only in laying aside all other gods, and all other distractions, and all other self-rescue plans, that we have room for God’s presence in our lives, and the freedom to commit to a life of following Jesus.

Here’s what that commitment looks like (or should I say sounds like?

Take My Life, That I May Be  583

We all have commitments in our lives—school related, sports related, work-related, health related, finance related—all vying for a piece of us. All making us leery of a commitment to Christ. We’re basically afraid of God—like the servant who was given the one talent; who, fearing the master’s wrath, buried what he was given to preserve it. We lack the nerve to step out in faith and use what God has given us, afraid of the responsibility, afraid of failure, afraid of rejection.

You saw in the video how these fears can cripple a life. How it wasn’t until the mother let go of her attempts to manage her son’s addiction, instead committing him to Christ’s care, that she was able to find healing for herself. It wasn’t God who changed—it was she who was led by God to a place where she could put her life in Christ’s. Realizing that this was enough, that it was only by emptying herself that she might be filled.

It’s not easy—committing oneself to God. To say, I have enough food and clothes—I can share my enough with others’ who haven’t enough. To say, I have enough money, I can share that enough by helping others. To say, I have enough love to share that enough with those who don’t feel God’s love. It’s hard work to commit. You have to write a check, or buy some food and deliver it, or clean out your closets, or work at the homeless shelter, or visit the elderly or the imprisoned. None of that is a cake walk, you have to be committed to Christ to share your enough.

And some of us (all of us?) are afraid of that commitment, and not because we don’t think God will act one way or the other. We are afraid of losing God’s love, some fear losing heaven for hell. If we don’t succeed in sharing, if we don’t keep our commitments to God, then he will turn his face from us.

Now, Let me make it simple–I’m here to tell you today, that God wants your commitment, but even more than that he wants you. God is gracious and forgiving and nothing will make God stop loving you.

But how do we overcome our fears, our lack of trust, our scarcity mentality, and make that commitment to God? How’s about you tell me?

Change My Heart, O God   801  sing twice

Once God changes your heart and opens you to his son Jesus, then you will want to make a commitment, because it is based on love, not compelled by fear. You will be ready to take the enough and share it, risking what you have and you are for the sake of others who, through you, will be overtaken by God.

Following Jesus, Facing the truth, Acting together, sharing enough—these are what we will commit to next week as we bring our Covenant Cards to worship to be consecrated for use in this ministry. You are asked to commit part of your income, to commit yourself to a portion of the work that we do, and to commit to a simpler version of your life in which God fills the space left when we let go of the “too much.”

We ask God’s help in doing this….

Lord, Let My Heart be Good Soil  512

O God, you bless us with all we need, not only to survive, but to share. Take our lives, for we commit them to you. Change our hearts and make them open to your love and power, that we might be molded into the body of Christ in the world. When we fail, or resist, or fear you, comfort us with the balm of the good news of your Son, Jesus Christ. Forgive us, renew us, and send us out again into a world that needs us to risk it all. Let the light that you placed in us in baptism shine, and may it light our way, so that darkness is banished forever and all may share the love of your Son, in whose name we pray. Amen

This Little Light of Mine

Simply the Truth

Reformation/ Confirmation/ Stewardship  10/30/11

John 8: 31-36

Grace and peace and freedom to you, from our God and Father, and from Jesus, the truth.

In John’s portrayal of holy week, when Jesus comes face to face with Pontius Pilate, the official Roman overlord of Judea, Pilate asks if he is, as he said, a king. Jesus answers him, ‘You say that I am a king. For this I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice.’ Pilate asks him, ‘What is truth?’

That might be a mantra for the world today. You look at FOX News and CNN and think, “What is truth?” You watch a TV commercial that claims the lowest rates for its products. Then another one, different products, still the lowest prices. What is truth? The stock market goes down, and it goes up—then down again, and then up. What is truth? Scientists say the universe was created by a big bang. Creationists hold that God created it in six days. What is truth? Jews worship Yahweh, Christians believe in the triune God, Islam say Allah is god and Mohammed his prophet. What is truth? ELCA Lutherans  interpret the bible one way, Wisconsin Synod Lutherans differently. What is truth?

What is truth? Is there such a thing as absolute truth? And if so, how does truth relate to today’s theme  in the church year? Let’s see—Reformation Sunday, the rite of confirmation, and a stewardship emphasis called Make it Simple—can I do them all justice? No way! So I’ll have to just touch briefly on each. And then break out the two confirmands who are speaking this morning.

Facing the truth is today’s theme in Make it Simple. But facing the truth is oftentimes  hard. I’ve faced two difficult truths in my life—cancer and Parkinson’s. But the hardest truths I need to face are much more striking. We all face them. Truth # 1 – everything we have comes from God (yes everything, much as we like to envision ourselves pulling upward on the bootlaces, everything is deposited for us from outside), and #2 – no matter what we have, no matter who we are, we can’t ever earn God’s favor, or pay for our own sins—we can’t save ourselves. Only God in his mercy can. And the pertinent truth is just that—that god gives us everything and loves us without requiring anything from us but faith. And he gives us that too. And that’s the truth.

Facing those truths is freeing. Freeing from sin and freeing from the self-serving modus operandi that we are born with. We are free to help others and free to give of our resources generously, since we no longer ascribe to the rule that the one who dies with the most toys wins.

Reformation. Martin Luther rediscovered the truth that the church of his day had distorted. That God’s grace comes to us without merit, through Jesus Christ. What is truth? Jesus is. The cross is. The empty tomb is. Luther wrote that the church is always vulnerable to losing her focus on Jesus—which is why he suggested that the church also should be always reforming. And we as citizens of god’s kingdom, should remain alert, so as to correct the church’s course when it diverges from Jesus, the truth.

Finally confirmation. This is the day when Meghan, Ben, Korina, and abby will say yes to the promises made for them in baptism. They will confirm their belief in the father son and spirit, and reject evil, and make their own promises to god. they say yes to the truth that is Christ Jesus.

Now, does that mean they’re sure, certain, undeniably convinced about the way god is present in the universe? Or how god works in the world? Or what happens to those who believe just as strongly in something else?   Does their saying a few words of affirmation mean that they never will doubt, that their fiath will always remain strong? Do the prayers spoken today keep them from all harm and waywardness? No to all of the above. They may never set foot in a church again. They may go on to be a pastor, or church worker. They may concoct a creed that makes sense to them as members of the new generation. They might revive the most ancient rites of the church. They may reform the church, rediscover the scriptures, theologize in a new way. Or they might forget everthing they learned and forget god forever.

There’s just one thing you guys got to know—and its for all of you too. Truth – God will love you anyway. Truth – Jesus saved you form the consequesnce of sin—no takebacks. And truth – Jesus loves you this I know, and you’ll always have a place in his church.

The November 2011 newsletter is available here.

Parallel Universes

Pentecost 18C  10/16/11

Matthew 22:15-22, (Isa 45:1-7, 1Thess 1:1-10)

Grace and peace to you from the one who was, and is, and is to come, Jesus.

Some people like science fiction—Flash Gordon (not Larry Gordon), Alien, Star Trek (that…old….favorite), and a lot of people like Star Wars (Little Brian Meldrum does a wicked good Yoda impression, will you do it for us Brian?). There’s so many others—I don’t care to name them, however, because, you see, I prefer science non-fiction.

You know. Like Nova, and National Geographic, and the Discovery Channel, and quantum physics, and super-colliders, and black holes, and stem cells and the human genome, and string theory, and Dr. Who…all right not him, but Dr. Steven Hawking and Dr. Stephen J. Gould, and Dr. Albert Einstein, and Dr. Livingston (I presume), and just about anything that has on it the fresh morning dew of innovative thinking deposited by uniquely gifted minds that go beyond the mundane and known into what can’t be seen, but can only be extrapolated, conjectured, postulated, theorized, and hypothesized.

I like to be fascinated by science—blinded by it. For me, science is exciting. At least the fields that I mentioned are—to me. I like physics, because what the scientists are working on is so mind-blowingly novel it gives me goose bumps. Sub-atomic particles traveling faster than the speed of light (impossible you say? You’re right! Fascinating!). Earth Science, on the other hand—boring! Except maybe when an earthquake hits in New England.

Let me tell you about a few of the “science non-fiction”  articles and books I’ve dipped into recently. I read a book called Sync (not like kitchen sink, synchronized) that was all about how the universe from mini to mega tends to sync up. Fireflies in a meadow will begin flashing randomly, but will eventually fall into a synchronized rhythm. Traffic jams are caused by one or more drivers dropping out of sync with the others. Here’s an experiment in sync—we’re going to clap our hands faster and faster and faster and see what happens. [the clapping finds a moment of sync.] Cool, ay?

Another jaw dropper: Scientists trying to go beyond Einstein’s thinking to find what they call “the theory of everything.” That which would tie together various laws of relativity and particle physics into one neat bundle—they have come up with string theory. Which VERY basically says that the electrons and quarks within atoms are not 0 dimensional, but rather like a string. A string that can oscillate at different frequencies on differing positions on the string—much like a piano string. These vibrating strings are thought to predate the big bang.

Which is cool enough by itself, but then mix theology into that sub-atomic, scientific stew, and then it really gets interesting. For instance add to this string theory the words of Genesis 1:1 and you’re in for something that will knock your argyle sox off!. “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth, …and the universe was a formless void and the spirit of God hovered over it. The word translated in the NIV as hovered–   rachaph—means also to shake, tremble, or vibrate! Like a string in string theory! I think that too much of a coincidence to be a coincidence. Is it possible that somehow in the formation of the creation story, a scientific hypothesis was foreshadowed by the inspired language passed down over hundreds of years? Could the theory of everything also tie up some loose ends in the debate between physicists and creationists?

Alright, alright—that’s taking her into tabloid territory. Just found it fascinating. Like the singularity, which is a futurist theory  put out there by the same fella who invented and marketed synthesizers as  keyboards. Whose name is on our keyboard – Kurzweil. Kurzweil’s idea is that, taking into account the exponentially growing technology experienced in the last century, with new more powerful and faster computer processors coming into being faster and faster, it is only a matter of time before computer-like entities will take over the G progression from limited humans. Thus speeding up the process beyond . The singularity occurs when human kind, with technology, is transformed, civilization ceases to exist, a new world order is established and…humans  becomes immortal. It’s supposed to happen in 2045.

At the trumpet’s blast all will be transformed. I saw a new heaven and a new earth. The  kingdom of God is near. Those who believe will never die…Strange how the theory mirrors the scriptures/ But again, that’s just coincidence, right? But it’s science!

One more—last one I promise! M-Theory. It has something to do with strings and their varied vibrations. I couldn’t even begin to explain it—but conjecturally it makes possible multiverses. Which is to say “universes,’ if to say that were not an oxymoron in itself. Bottom line there might be more to the universe then what we can detect—our universe may be only a wart type extrusion from a larger universe. Kind of like when you squeeze a balloon to make a giraffe. And M theory also postulates the existence of at least 11 other dimensions—parallel universes which occur simultaneously or just seconds apart from our reality. Making time travel possible and perhaps also providing humanity with an enigmatic, yet esoteric, ethereal escape hatch from our dying dimension to an alternate parallel universe where things haven’t gotten messed up.

Eden? Heaven? You decide. And the idea shouldn’t make you shake your head and say to yourself, “I think he’s taking too many of those Parkinson’s drugs!” First because I’m not. And second because we all live in a parallel universe already. I’ll say it again. You are already in an alternate reality, a parallel universe, where things are quite different from the way they used to be—heck, you are different too.

This dimension you have entered is not the Twilight Zone (Kids—that was a early TV drama—nothing whatsoever to do with vampires!)  You entered it by being re-born from above. With your baptism, you changed address from THE WORLD, to THE KINGDOM OF GOD. You are in the world, but things are viewed from a different perspective—not of time, but of relationship. You’re not in Kansas anymore, kid. Things work different.

Like money. Today’s gospel is a perfect example of how something that’s odious (taxes) in the world is transformed in the parallel universe of the gospel. The Pharisees seek to entrap Jesus by trying to force him into a verbal gaffe via a damned if you do, damned if you don’t query. They ask Jesus if they should pay their taxes. Taxes were even less popular in Jesus’ setting as the money went to fund Roman pork projects like “aqueducts to nowhere,” instead of spending it right there in Israel! Plus the money had Caesar’s likeness on it and an inscription referring to him as Deus—God.

Jesus doesn’t shy away from the question because he knows the answer. Money is different in the kingdom dimension. Roman money goes to Rome, and when in Rome, it does what the Romans do. That’s a Roman deal—give it to the Roman head on the coin. And then the kicker. While you’re  at it give to God what is God’s—that how the kingdom rolls.

But there’s more!

In the kingdom, you don’t go first—unless you have been last. Been oppressed? Inequity is redressed. Were meek? No longer a geek. Hungry, thirsty, naked before? In the kingdom there’s enough and more.

The “rules” of society don’t apply here. Just as in last week’s gospel the wedding invitees were replaced by the riff-raff and the goody-two-shoes of the village, the unexpected ones play a pivotal role. Cyrus, war Lord of the great Persian Empire, no friend to the people of God, was used even so by God to restore his people to their former freedom. God creates weal and woe, light and darkness, pain and joy—and somehow, someway they fit together in the kingdom. God is in control because God is not in control. Drop any of the worldly ways that still cling to you, as the waters of baptism cleansed you of sin and opened the veil between the kingdom of earth and the kingdom of heaven.

It isn’t an escape. We don’t enter the kingdom to dodge problems and spare ourselves misery and heartache and violence. Hardship is still part of daily life. But your perspective on it is different. Whereas before you roamed the earth alone, looking out only for your own good, now in the kingdom your thoughts and heart are for others. Instead of clawing one’s way up the ladder of self-fulfillment, clambering over the fallen bodies of those you only see as competitors, you hold the ladder for others, pick them up when they fall, and work together to make sure that all are fulfilled in Christ Jesus.

And just because there are some not presently living in the kingdom, doesn’t mean that we ignore them, or Lord it over them. For they are others too. They may be of the world, but the earth is the Lord’s and all there is in it. Render to the emperor what belongs to emperor. And to God what is God’s. God created all, there is no us and them—only us.

That’s reality I can get behind. Some people might call it heaven, but it’s now. Some people may refuse to acknowledge the existence of Gods kingdom here on earth. True it’s presence on earth is blocked by human sin, making transformation like static on a radio without an antenna. But behind it all and sometimes breaking through to the forefront with deafening clarity the kingdom of God is revealed through the actions of those who are anointed like Jesus to do God’s will—no matter who they are.

There is a parallel universe—but we are not slicing apart the formulae of modern physics to get in. That universe—that new Jerusalem—is God in Christ Jesus defying the laws of nature to unify the multiverse—to set the clock back, to set sin on its head, and to set up life in a new shining glory of God. And everything and God will be all in all. And the Spirit of God with hover over what was chaos, and hum.

We welcome you and hope that you will see in Messiah the things that you are looking for in a church. What will you fins at Messiah? Please allow us to blow our own horn for just a bit…

- Our people are friendly, and would love to get to know you. But if you’re more comfortable being anonymous for your visit that’s okay too.

-As you enter the church there are information pamphlets available to help you navigate our worship, and to highlight what makes Lutherans Lutheran. A greeter will likely welcome you and give you the “lay of the land.”

- Our worship is traditional, contemporary, and a mix of the two. We enjoy lively worship, but also the spirituality of contemplative worship. Each service is familiar in feel, but different in content. So plan on visiting more than once–to fully appreciate Messiah’s worship life.

- Sunday School is available for all ages. Ask someone for directions to classrooms, as they are known to move around a bit! A nursery for infants and toddlers is available if needed.

- We are involved in many ministries. Check out the bulletin boards before you leave–just to get a flavor of what Messiah is up to. Grab a copy of the newsletter, too.

- Introduce yourself to the Pastor. Tom is always glad to answer your questions and would love to meet with you f you so desire.

- Ask for a tour! We’d be glad to show you around.

- We welcome you if you believe in Jesus Christ, are just looking into Christianity, are returning to the church after a time away, are seeking prayers and spiritual strength, or in need of answers to life’s questions. You are not alone, as we view faith as a journey, not a destination. We’re all on the road together! Our service is fully open to you–and you are prepared to share in the Lord’s Supper if you are baptized, believe Jesus is present in the bread and wine, and that God gives himself to you in communion.

- We love to tell the story of Jesus and his love. That story can touch your life and transform it. That happens in different ways for different people. The Bible guides us, and though it was written centuries ago, it relates to our modern lives in amazing ways.  We are discovering new ways of interpreting the message that speak to individuals and groups in a voice of compassion, justice, and meaning.

Hope to see you at Messiah real soon! We want to share with you this community of faith that has brought so much joy, understanding, and comfort to us over the last 25 years!

PS -  The church is a little hard to find. Beautiful trees lend privacy to our hilltop haven, but they also make Messiah less visible. Coming from Milford on Rt. 101, Messiah is about a half mile from Salzburg Square shopping – if you go past The Amherst Garden Center on the right–you’ve just missed it! Coming from the other direction, the church is about a half mile from the intersection with Camp Rd. If you are having trouble, call 673-2011  and someone will guide you here [Note: GPS users - use address 304 Rt. 101 instead of 303--which inexplicably does not exist in GPS-Land!]