Sermon Audio 10/27/2013

Lutheran Church of the Savior, Kalamazoo

Reformation Sunday

Romans 3:19-28

Reformation Sunday is less about what the church did that one time than it is about turning back, again and again, to knowing what God did that one time.


As always, you can also listen to these sermons or subscribe to the podcast on iTunes by searching "Tengwall." I know the embedded link below does not work on iPhones, so iTunes is the way to go for that.

Sermon Audio 10/20/2013

Lutheran Church of the Savior, Kalamazoo

22nd Sunday after Pentecost, Lectionary Year C

2 Timothy 3:14-4:5

This line from today's lesson, "All scripture is inspired by God," has vexed me for years. How do we read the Bible, and why does the Bible have authority in our lives and in the church? These questions may be easier to address in a Bible study than in a sermon, but we took a shot at it, anyway.

As always, you can also listen to these sermons or subscribe to the podcast on iTunes by searching "Tengwall." I know the embedded link below does not work on iPhones, so iTunes is the way to go for that.

Sermon Audio 10/13/2013

Lutheran Church of the Savior, Kalamazoo

21st Sunday after Pentecost, Lectionary Year C

Luke 17:11-19

Today's Gospel lesson about the Samaritan leper is a wonderful story of praise and thankfulness by the unlikeliest messenger of God's love. It got me thinking about how unlikely it is that I find myself as a Lutheran pastor, and the unlikely friends who guided me in this direction. This sermon contains a description of a set of circumstances vital to my faith and call as a pastor, including the role of LGBT friends therein. Oh, and hHappy National Coming Out Day this past Friday 10/11/13.



Edit: As always, you can listen to this sermon and subscribe to the podcast of my sermons at iTunes by searching my name, "Tengwall." It has come to my attention that the embedded link on this page does not work on iPhones, and my solution to that dilemma it to recommend iTunes to those people. Other suggestions are welcome, and thanks to folks who care enough about listening to my sermons that you'll tell me what doesn't and does work.

Sermon Audio 10/6/2013

Lutheran Church of the Savior, Kalamazoo

20th Sunday after Pentecost, Lectionary Year C

World Communion Sunday

Luke 24:13-35

We switched to Luke's iconic story of the walk to Emmaus to talk about the pattern of worship we share with churches around the world and the presence of Jesus we share at our table each Sunday. I love this stuff, so I may have gotten a little extra-shouty in this one.

As always, audio podcast also available on iTunes; search "Tengwall" to subscribe.

October Newsletter Article

Lutheran Church of the Savior, Kalamazoo

October 2013 Newsletter Article

Rejoice in God’s saints today and all days!

A world without saints forgets how to praise.

In loving, in living, they prove it is true:

their way of self-giving, Lord, leads us to you.

-          Fred Pratt Green, “Rejoice in God’s Saints,” ELW 418

Every year the transition from October to November gives us two important festivals to commemorate in our church. October 31^st is Reformation Day, our remembrance of Martin Luther inadvertently beginning the German Reformation by posting a series of 95 theses that questioned church practices of his time. We observe this festival each year on the last Sunday in October, this year the 27^th, generally by singing “A Mighty Fortress is Our God” and reflecting how Jesus embodied a new covenant in which God justifies us by grace through faith. This year we will add to that celebration by honoring the 25^th anniversary of the founding of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, the surprisingly young denomination of which we are a part. I am excited to reflect on our place in the history of reforming churches on that Sunday, seeing how God works in new and unexpected ways to proclaim the gospel to the world.

November 1^st is All Saints Day, and we celebrate All Saints Sunday every year on the first Sunday in November. We recognize the great cloud of witnesses God has sent ahead of us to teach us the faith, from famous saints like Francis of Assisi and Martin Luther to our grandparents, former Sunday school teachers, and spouses. At Lutheran Church of the Savior each year on this Sunday we display our Tree of Life banner with doves to bear the names of our loved ones, saints who have gone before us. I greatly enjoy this tradition, and write in the names of saints far and wide who have led me to know God’s love and then have eternally returned to that love in death.

This year in addition to that tradition we plan to unveil and commission a new, permanent Recognition Tree to commemorate people in whose names memorials have been given to Lutheran Church of the Savior. Memorial gifts are financial donations made in honor of loved ones who have died, saints whose faith inspired us and whose contributions to the life of this congregation continue even after death.

The church is made of people, following Jesus and living out the gospel as God’s hands in the world. Our building and the stuff we have inside it, from the altar to the silverware to the bookshelves, are tools to help the church live out this mission. We use memorial gifts to purchase some of these tools. When I arrived here four years ago, we used memorial funds to purchase the laptop I’m typing on right now, because the church needed technology to fulfill our ministry. Memorial funds will buy new armless chairs for use by our worship musicians – do you know how hard it is to play guitar in a chair with arms?

Memorial funds will continue to fund this church’s mission through our new Memorials Subcommittee, forming now under the oversight of our Stewardship Committee and with the help of organizer Kay Landfair. This new group will create a book of tools the church needs to fulfill our mission, from computers to chairs to new albs (the white robes worship leaders wear) and so much more. In this way the legacy of beloved church members can live on in gifts that aid us in our mission of loving and serving God and one another. Each saint who has died and been memorialized in this way will have a leaf with their name on our new Recognition Tree.

In the 40-plus years of the life of this congregation, we have already received over 40 such memorials, so the names of those saints will be the first to adorn our new tree of life. On Sunday November 3^rd, we hope to invite families of those whose names will be the first on this tree, so we can thank them for the faithfulness of their loved ones.

Following this article is a list of the first set of names we will add to our tree. If you knew these people, or know their families, please invite their families to attend this worship service commemorating their loved ones at LCS, and please contact Phyllis in our office to let her know who you’ve talked with. We plan to hold our annual Harvest Bowl meal on this day as a way to provide hospitality to our guests, and we hope this celebration will begin our new Recognition Tree and Memorials Subcommittee in a spirit of thankfulness for all that God has done for us through the lives of these saints of the church.

Thanks,

Pastor Andrew

Sermon Audio 9/29/2013

19th Sunday after Pentecost, Lectionary Year C

Luke 16:19-31

Jesus' parable of the rich man and Lazarus seems pretty simple: poor Lazarus is rewarded in the afterlife, and the selfish rich man is punished. Each gets what he deserves. Is that how God's justice works? Does it tell us what happens to rich and poor after we die? I doubt it.

You can also listen to all sermons and subscribe to them, podcast-style, on iTunes. Just search "Tengwall."