Comfort, O comfort my people, says your God.
Isaiah 40:1
“Comfort, O comfort my people, says your God,” paired with our Advent theme, “You are the light of the world,” can be too heavy of a command for me. It is simply too much for one person to do.
In 2011 after Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee, a list of hundreds of names of people in need was delivered to my inbox. After Hurricane Sandy in 2012, I even received an email from a whitehouse.gov email address requesting support for a family in a dire situation in our area. I was overwhelmed and felt like I didn’t have the right or enough resources to help. I didn’t want to find myself as a point of failure knowing so many people need comfort and light.
After years of this work, I am finally learning to remember that I am not able to provide all that’s needed, alone. When I share the needs with others--with individuals, congregations and community partners—together, we bring comfort and light. God’s command is not issued to any one person. Rather, God calls to all of us, together, to bring comfort and light into the world.
Recently, when I received a call from someone needing help beyond what one person could do, I did not worry. I took a deep breath, made some phone calls, and remembered that God is with me in many ways as we do this work of disaster response, together. Now, a team of volunteers is assembling some much-needed home repairs on a house damaged by last year’s harsh winter. Together, we are bringing comfort and hope.
Dear Lord, help us to remember that we are not alone in our service and that, together, we share the comfort that is in you. Amen.
Julia Menzo is the Coordinator of Lutheran Disaster Response – Eastern PA and Coordinator of Volunteers at Liberty Lutheran Services.
Tuesday, December 8, 2015
Monday, December 7, 2015
Monday, December 7, 2015
Strengthen the weak hands, and make firm the feeble knees. Say to those who are of a fearful heart, “Be strong, do not fear! Here is your God.”Isaiah 35:3-4
When we are lonely, scared, and most vulnerable, life may seem overwhelming. Alone, we find that life is difficult; scared, we find our hands weak and our knees shaky and feeble. We often seek the “miraculous” or other supernatural events to reveal to us a much-needed intervention in our lives. But that never seems to come. So where do we go to have our hands strengthened and our knees firmed? It is then (and sometimes only then) that we seek out God. It is then that we must be saved, not by ourselves, but by the help of God.
As the prophet states, we encourage the lonely, the broken and those with fearful hearts “to be strong: Here is your God.” Isaiah goes on to promise that God will “come and save you.” In this season of Advent, we remember that God became human; that He came and saved us. God showed us a miraculous birth of a child who grew to be Jesus, the Christ. It is Jesus who saved us from sin and death, and gave us eternal life.
Today, God continues His care of the scared, fearful and lonely through us. It is a privilege to work with and alongside God’s servants at Liberty Lutheran, providing care and comfort to seniors, children and families, refugees, immigrants, and disaster relief in times when we find ourselves most vulnerable.
As we wait on the Advent of our Lord, let us strengthen the hands of the weak and make firm the fearful of heart!
Stir up your power, O Lord, and come. Protect us by your strength and save us from the threatening dangers of our sins, for you live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen
Rev. David Young is pastor of Gloria Dei Lutheran Church, Blue Bell and Grace Lutheran Church, Warminster. He is a Geriatric Counselor at Journey’s Way Senior Center, Philadelphia, and a member of the Board of Directors of Liberty Lutheran Services.
When we are lonely, scared, and most vulnerable, life may seem overwhelming. Alone, we find that life is difficult; scared, we find our hands weak and our knees shaky and feeble. We often seek the “miraculous” or other supernatural events to reveal to us a much-needed intervention in our lives. But that never seems to come. So where do we go to have our hands strengthened and our knees firmed? It is then (and sometimes only then) that we seek out God. It is then that we must be saved, not by ourselves, but by the help of God.
As the prophet states, we encourage the lonely, the broken and those with fearful hearts “to be strong: Here is your God.” Isaiah goes on to promise that God will “come and save you.” In this season of Advent, we remember that God became human; that He came and saved us. God showed us a miraculous birth of a child who grew to be Jesus, the Christ. It is Jesus who saved us from sin and death, and gave us eternal life.
Today, God continues His care of the scared, fearful and lonely through us. It is a privilege to work with and alongside God’s servants at Liberty Lutheran, providing care and comfort to seniors, children and families, refugees, immigrants, and disaster relief in times when we find ourselves most vulnerable.
As we wait on the Advent of our Lord, let us strengthen the hands of the weak and make firm the fearful of heart!
Stir up your power, O Lord, and come. Protect us by your strength and save us from the threatening dangers of our sins, for you live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen
Rev. David Young is pastor of Gloria Dei Lutheran Church, Blue Bell and Grace Lutheran Church, Warminster. He is a Geriatric Counselor at Journey’s Way Senior Center, Philadelphia, and a member of the Board of Directors of Liberty Lutheran Services.
Saturday, December 5, 2015
Saturday, December 5 and Sunday, December 6, 2015
[John] went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins, as it is written in the book of the words of the prophet Isaiah, “The voice of one crying out in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be made low, and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways made smooth; and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.’”
Luke 3:3-6
I am struck in this passage by the fact that in preparing for the Lord, every valley shall be filled. A valley is usually a large empty space. To fill it is no easy task. And yet, God makes it so. This image is powerful for me, conjuring up images of emptiness and fullness. It brings to mind so many people in whose lives there is emptiness, both physical and spiritual, and the fact that God uses my gifts and abilities to prepare the way, to fill up the emptiness.
This weekend is the Southeastern Pennsylvania Christmas Ingathering, where we gather nearly $100,000 of items which are physically needed by our brothers and sisters both locally and globally. These items include quilts, food, toiletries, school kits, socks, and gifts for children.
“Every valley shall be filled...” To be present at the central collection site is always awe-inspiring. Five trucks arrive from all over the Synod full of these items. The large room which begins stark and empty is filled with donations. One of the five trucks is refilled with items for Lutheran World Relief and is delivered to their warehouse in Maryland, which is also filled to the brim. Another of the trucks is loaded with hundreds of bags of food to stock several city food pantries that will help to fill the valleys of those who are hungry.
Jesus, help us to see the needs of others. As we prepare the way, help us to fill the valleys of our companions on the journey. Amen.
Rev. Sandra Brown is the Interim Pastor at Peace Lutheran Church in Bensalem and serves on the Faith-Based Relations Team of Liberty Lutheran.
Luke 3:3-6
I am struck in this passage by the fact that in preparing for the Lord, every valley shall be filled. A valley is usually a large empty space. To fill it is no easy task. And yet, God makes it so. This image is powerful for me, conjuring up images of emptiness and fullness. It brings to mind so many people in whose lives there is emptiness, both physical and spiritual, and the fact that God uses my gifts and abilities to prepare the way, to fill up the emptiness.
This weekend is the Southeastern Pennsylvania Christmas Ingathering, where we gather nearly $100,000 of items which are physically needed by our brothers and sisters both locally and globally. These items include quilts, food, toiletries, school kits, socks, and gifts for children.
“Every valley shall be filled...” To be present at the central collection site is always awe-inspiring. Five trucks arrive from all over the Synod full of these items. The large room which begins stark and empty is filled with donations. One of the five trucks is refilled with items for Lutheran World Relief and is delivered to their warehouse in Maryland, which is also filled to the brim. Another of the trucks is loaded with hundreds of bags of food to stock several city food pantries that will help to fill the valleys of those who are hungry.
Jesus, help us to see the needs of others. As we prepare the way, help us to fill the valleys of our companions on the journey. Amen.
Rev. Sandra Brown is the Interim Pastor at Peace Lutheran Church in Bensalem and serves on the Faith-Based Relations Team of Liberty Lutheran.
Friday, December 4, 2015
Friday, December 4, 2015
And may the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, just as we abound in love for you. And may he so strengthen your hearts in holiness that you may be blameless before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints. I Thessalonians 3:12-13
I must admit. I’ve never been drawn to science. Give me a book of history or literature over biology any day. And so it is with some surprise that, as a pastor, I find myself functioning as a “physician of souls.” Don’t worry, it involves no surgery or anesthesiology!
However, it does mean that I spend less time proclaiming “rights and wrongs” and more time administering the healing Gospel of Christ’s love to people who are worn down by life and who question their value and worth. A person who thinks he or she is unlovable generally struggles to love others.
I think that was one of the challenges Paul was addressing in his letter to the Thessalonians. If they thought themselves unlovable, they would struggle to love others. Accordingly, even as Paul affirmed his love for that community, he prayed that the Lord would increase the Thessalonians’ love for one another. It is a blessing that when we feel powerless to love or be loved, our perfect Savior fills and heals our imperfect hearts. That’s medicine for the soul!
Wherever you are in this journey of life, whatever missteps you have taken, and whatever challenges you face, know that you are beloved by Jesus Christ. May he heal you with his perfect, abundant love and thereby enable you to increase and abound in love for your neighbor.
Healing God, speak your healing word to my heart. Affirm your gracious love for me, so that I can pass that love along to my neighbor. Amen.
Rev. Scott Schul is Pastor for Education and Outreach at Grace Lutheran Church in State College. He leads chapel services at the Village at Penn State and his wife Linda works there as a Certified Nursing Assistant.
I must admit. I’ve never been drawn to science. Give me a book of history or literature over biology any day. And so it is with some surprise that, as a pastor, I find myself functioning as a “physician of souls.” Don’t worry, it involves no surgery or anesthesiology!
However, it does mean that I spend less time proclaiming “rights and wrongs” and more time administering the healing Gospel of Christ’s love to people who are worn down by life and who question their value and worth. A person who thinks he or she is unlovable generally struggles to love others.
I think that was one of the challenges Paul was addressing in his letter to the Thessalonians. If they thought themselves unlovable, they would struggle to love others. Accordingly, even as Paul affirmed his love for that community, he prayed that the Lord would increase the Thessalonians’ love for one another. It is a blessing that when we feel powerless to love or be loved, our perfect Savior fills and heals our imperfect hearts. That’s medicine for the soul!
Wherever you are in this journey of life, whatever missteps you have taken, and whatever challenges you face, know that you are beloved by Jesus Christ. May he heal you with his perfect, abundant love and thereby enable you to increase and abound in love for your neighbor.
Healing God, speak your healing word to my heart. Affirm your gracious love for me, so that I can pass that love along to my neighbor. Amen.
Rev. Scott Schul is Pastor for Education and Outreach at Grace Lutheran Church in State College. He leads chapel services at the Village at Penn State and his wife Linda works there as a Certified Nursing Assistant.
Thursday, December 3, 2015
Thursday, December 3, 2015
The Lord is not slow about his promise, as some think of slowness, but is patient with you, not wanting any to perish, but all to come to repentance.2 Peter 3:9
Recently, the staff of Lutheran Disaster Response – Eastern Pennsylvania (LDR-EPA), a ministry of Lutheran Congregational Services, received a note from a homeowner whose house was damaged by the harsh winter last year. LDR-EPA is arranging for volunteers to replace insulation in the house which was damaged by melting ice and snow.
“[We] received good news that Lutheran Disaster Team will be able to offer us some hands on assistance. We are so grateful to you in coming out to visit, from the distances that you all traveled that day and in providing an initial assessment of our circumstances. We really appreciate what ever assistance you can provide. We isolated ourselves in the process of waiting for answers from our insurance company and that wasn't good. It is not so easy to ask for help because there are so many folks who need help. It was with much deliberation that we did reach out. I think we just needed someone to let us know we don't have to handle this all alone. Last winter was rough. We just wanted to send a quick thank you. We consider it a blessing that we are going to see you again! Have a terrific day and know that you made our day!”
God is patient with us, working in us over time to help us see the presence of those who will help in hard times. In time, we are blessed to know that God is with us, we are not alone and God brings us help in due season.
Loving God, give us patience as you reveal the fullness of your love for us and for this world. Thank you for responding to our cries for help with those who care and serve through Jesus Christ. Amen.
Email to LDR-EPA shared by Rev. Jennifer Ollikainen.
Recently, the staff of Lutheran Disaster Response – Eastern Pennsylvania (LDR-EPA), a ministry of Lutheran Congregational Services, received a note from a homeowner whose house was damaged by the harsh winter last year. LDR-EPA is arranging for volunteers to replace insulation in the house which was damaged by melting ice and snow.
“[We] received good news that Lutheran Disaster Team will be able to offer us some hands on assistance. We are so grateful to you in coming out to visit, from the distances that you all traveled that day and in providing an initial assessment of our circumstances. We really appreciate what ever assistance you can provide. We isolated ourselves in the process of waiting for answers from our insurance company and that wasn't good. It is not so easy to ask for help because there are so many folks who need help. It was with much deliberation that we did reach out. I think we just needed someone to let us know we don't have to handle this all alone. Last winter was rough. We just wanted to send a quick thank you. We consider it a blessing that we are going to see you again! Have a terrific day and know that you made our day!”
God is patient with us, working in us over time to help us see the presence of those who will help in hard times. In time, we are blessed to know that God is with us, we are not alone and God brings us help in due season.
Loving God, give us patience as you reveal the fullness of your love for us and for this world. Thank you for responding to our cries for help with those who care and serve through Jesus Christ. Amen.
Email to LDR-EPA shared by Rev. Jennifer Ollikainen.
Wednesday, December 2, 2015
Wednesday, December 2, 2015
Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
During Vacation Bible School in June, the children of our church tilled up and planted a community garden in the cemetery which surrounds the church. Each week, the vegetables from the garden were harvested and brought to the local food pantry. Amazingly, as our home gardens struggled this year, the community garden flourished.
In our area, Advent comes at a time of year when you live off the stores of food from the earlier harvest. The stores are in the time of dwindling. As you eat of those stores, they have the scent and taste of the bounty of the harvest God gave you a few months beforehand. The hope of Spring and another season of harvest seems distant.
However, this is a time when the community relies on one another to get through the dwindling days. Everyone shares of what they have, each bringing a different gift to the community. It becomes an abundant bounty only when each little bit is pulled together into a feast. This is what we are doing when we give to those who don’t have enough; we share God’s bounty and the blessing.
In times of thick and lean, we can rejoice as the body of Christ, as community, we can give thanks.
God of abundance, you bring forth the harvest and feed us with the bounty of the earth. Inspire us to share this bounty in order to see the fullness of the feast you have prepared in Jesus Christ. Amen.
Rev. Matthew Ollikainen is pastor of Christ Lutheran Church, Niantic. This year, the church’s endowment funds supported the hunger outreach programs of Lutheran Congregational Services.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
During Vacation Bible School in June, the children of our church tilled up and planted a community garden in the cemetery which surrounds the church. Each week, the vegetables from the garden were harvested and brought to the local food pantry. Amazingly, as our home gardens struggled this year, the community garden flourished.
In our area, Advent comes at a time of year when you live off the stores of food from the earlier harvest. The stores are in the time of dwindling. As you eat of those stores, they have the scent and taste of the bounty of the harvest God gave you a few months beforehand. The hope of Spring and another season of harvest seems distant.
However, this is a time when the community relies on one another to get through the dwindling days. Everyone shares of what they have, each bringing a different gift to the community. It becomes an abundant bounty only when each little bit is pulled together into a feast. This is what we are doing when we give to those who don’t have enough; we share God’s bounty and the blessing.
In times of thick and lean, we can rejoice as the body of Christ, as community, we can give thanks.
God of abundance, you bring forth the harvest and feed us with the bounty of the earth. Inspire us to share this bounty in order to see the fullness of the feast you have prepared in Jesus Christ. Amen.
Rev. Matthew Ollikainen is pastor of Christ Lutheran Church, Niantic. This year, the church’s endowment funds supported the hunger outreach programs of Lutheran Congregational Services.
Tuesday, December 1, 2015
Tuesday, December 1, 2015
Lead me in your truth, and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation; for you I wait all day long.
Psalm 25:5
Chances are, at least once in recent memory, you’ve had to wait. Perhaps you’ve been put on hold during a phone call, found yourself in a long line at a store or event, or anxiously awaited the arrival of a package. In today’s world, timely responses and instant results are important. Time is valuable. And we all have responsibilities that seem to fill that time to its capacity. We don’t have time to wait!
Martin Luther is attributed with saying, “I have so much to do that if I didn't spend at least three hours a day in prayer, I would never get it all done.” While waiting twenty minutes for a simple slice of pizza can certainly be frustrating, prayerfully and patiently waiting on the Lord should not be. When we feel we are waiting on God, we can use such times to allow Him to lead us in His truth and teach us the lessons He wants us to learn. This will allow us all to better serve as the “light of the world” that Matthew describes in chapter 5, verse 14.
I am truly blessed, through my interaction with our entire family of services at Liberty Lutheran, to see this “light of the world” prominently displayed in all that we do. It is genuinely heartwarming to hear first-hand accounts of the many lives we are able to positively impact as we serve individuals and families facing life-changing situations.
Lord, during what is often a hectic, bustling season of Advent, allow me to wait for your light coming into this world as you lead me in your truth and teaching. Amen.
Brandon Frank is the Manager of Financial Reporting for Liberty Lutheran and is a member and Treasurer of the First Presbyterian Church of Olney.
Psalm 25:5
Chances are, at least once in recent memory, you’ve had to wait. Perhaps you’ve been put on hold during a phone call, found yourself in a long line at a store or event, or anxiously awaited the arrival of a package. In today’s world, timely responses and instant results are important. Time is valuable. And we all have responsibilities that seem to fill that time to its capacity. We don’t have time to wait!
Martin Luther is attributed with saying, “I have so much to do that if I didn't spend at least three hours a day in prayer, I would never get it all done.” While waiting twenty minutes for a simple slice of pizza can certainly be frustrating, prayerfully and patiently waiting on the Lord should not be. When we feel we are waiting on God, we can use such times to allow Him to lead us in His truth and teach us the lessons He wants us to learn. This will allow us all to better serve as the “light of the world” that Matthew describes in chapter 5, verse 14.
I am truly blessed, through my interaction with our entire family of services at Liberty Lutheran, to see this “light of the world” prominently displayed in all that we do. It is genuinely heartwarming to hear first-hand accounts of the many lives we are able to positively impact as we serve individuals and families facing life-changing situations.
Lord, during what is often a hectic, bustling season of Advent, allow me to wait for your light coming into this world as you lead me in your truth and teaching. Amen.
Brandon Frank is the Manager of Financial Reporting for Liberty Lutheran and is a member and Treasurer of the First Presbyterian Church of Olney.
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