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Tag Archives: Pennsylvania

In case you thought racism was far away…

12 Friday Jan 2018

Posted by laceduplutheran in Politics, Theology

≈ 3 Comments

Tags

Pennsylvania, politics, racism, Sean Donahue

…It is not.  It is alive and well and in our midst.  And it isn’t even ashamed of itself.  It’s loud and proud.  And it’s hungry for more minds and hearts, and in this case votes.

Here’s a quote from a guy who is running for Congress, right here in Central PA:

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and more:

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(Source: Click here if you want to read all nine pages of this candidate’s rant.  The above quotes are taken from pg. 8 and 9 respectively.)

In case you want to know, his name is Sean Donahue.  On his website homepage he states:

The US was created for Americans who chose to worship God through Christianity. 

Source: Again, click here if you can stomach it.

As a pastor, I question what he means by Christianity and what god he is worshiping.  We can’t possibly be worshiping the same God.

Yet, working my way through the Old Testament, I can’t deny the genocide, racism, and nationalism that is ever-present and done in the name of God.

Humanity hasn’t changed that much – dehumanizing, devaluing, and separating people because of race, belief, etc.  And doing it in the name of God.

It’s right here in our backyard.

But it isn’t the end of the story.  For Christians there is more to God’s story and to God’s relationship with us.  And it is in the person of Jesus – the one who spent time with the outcasts. The one who walked through Samaria – the people the Jews hated and saw no value in.  He not only walked through Samaria, but talked with people and declared salvation to them.

Because that’s what God always does – God goes to the oppressed, to the outcast, to the outsiders and God encounters them.  God dwells with them.  God proclaims a message of hope, peace, forgiveness, and liberation.

It’s not just a message for the outcast and imprisoned.  It’s also for the oppressor.  To free them from their own bondage.  A bondage to fear, anger, hopelessness, mistrust, and more.

It’s a message for you and for me.  It’s a message for Sean also.  Our salvation doesn’t reside in the US as a nation, or the flag, or anything that the nation stands for.  Our salvation doesn’t reside in me-first and us-first mentalities.  Our salvation doesn’t reside in what gun we can tote.  Our salvation doesn’t reside in troops or armaments.  Our salvation doesn’t reside in politicians or in flawed ideology.  Our salvation doesn’t reside in our skin color or in nationalism.

Our salvation resides in Jesus – God who took on flesh and dwelt among humanity.  God who took on specific flesh in a specific place and time.  God who came as a brown-skinned Jew in what is now modern-day Israel and Palestine – not white America.  God who didn’t speak English, but rather Aramaic and Hebrew.  God who looked, thought, acted, and spoke as far different from what White Nationalist picture Jesus to be as you could get.

That is the God I worship.  That is the God I know in Christianity.  That is our hope and salvation.

Outside the church walls

09 Tuesday Jan 2018

Posted by laceduplutheran in Church, Humanity, Theology

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

Church, drug, Frank G. Honeycutt, homelessness, Living Lutheran, Pennsylvania, prostitution, trafficking

I read a lot.  I read books, articles, blogs, social media postings, letters, etc.  I love to read.

I love words too.  I love to read, write blog posts, social media posts, tweets about the bible, prayers, etc.

I love to talk too.  I love to talk about faith, grace, theology, politics, philosophy – all deep subjects.

Those are all nice and good.  Sometimes those are essential.  But that’s not all we are called to.  We are called to more.

In the January, 2018 issue of Living Lutheran, Frank G. Honeycutt wrote the following words:

To an outsider in much of North America, Christianity might be perceived as an indoor, climate-controlled religion.  But so much of the Bible’s story is told outdoors. “If these [disciples] were silent,” Jesus once said famously, “the stones would shout out.” (Luke 19:40)

Source: Click here for the online version, pg. 5 for Honeycutt’s article

When I read that statement, it struck me.  So true.  So much of Jesus’ ministry happens out there.  He encounters problems when he is in the synagogue.  He’s doing ministry out there, beyond the walls.

My question is this – are we doing the same thing?  Why or why not?

One of the things that the disciples at St. Stephen are starting to look at are some of the pervasive challenges facing our community just outside the doors of the church.  We are situated in a unique location – just two miles down the road from one of the major travel intersections in the country – Interstate 81 and the Pennsylvania turnpike.  There’s a mile stretch between these two major travel routes.  Commerce is going back and forth all day, every day, all day long, 365 days a year, non-stop.

And with so much traffic and commerce, there are many businesses in that one mile stretch that cater to the traffic.  But there are also other populations that reside on this stretch too – populations that no one wants to deal with, let alone talk about, or even think about.

There is homelessness, drug addiction and trafficking, sex trafficking, prostitution, immigration, and more.  It’s all there, right outside the doors of the church, just down the  road.  I pass through this stretch every day on my way to and from the church.

The question is, what are we called to in relation to this?  We called to be outside – where the challenges are.  We are called to build relationships.  We are called to proclaim boldly the good news of God’s loving saving presence.  We are called to not only think and talk about these people just down the road, but to do something.  We are called to be Jesus’ hands and feet, to bring Jesus’ very presence to populations that I think Jesus would want to be present in – the outcast, the forgotten, the imprisoned.

It starts with an acknowledgement – there are people who are homeless, who have big challenges, who are trapped in things they have no control over.  It starts with an acknowledgement – that Jesus has encountered us and changed our lives, but Jesus isn’t done yet.  It’s only the beginning.  It starts with an acknowledgement – taking the first step is really scary because we have no idea what will happen or where this will go.  That’s just were it starts though.  It’s only the beginning.

Hold on tight, we’re in for a ride.  Jesus is driving.  He’s taking us to places we don’t want to go.  He’s telling us to keep the doors unlocked as we travel through these places.  Not only that, he’s inviting us to get out of the car and be with people.  That’s scary.  But is there really another option?  We could keep staying inside the walls of the church, where it’s comfortable and clean and neat.  Where the facade of our lives makes us look good to those around us.  Or we can acknowledge what exists around us, acknowledge that Jesus won’t turn a blind eye and won’t let us sit in comfort.  Faith isn’t about being comfortable, it should make us uncomfortable enough to get moving.

John 6:68 quotes Simon Peter as saying:

Lord, to whom can we go? You have the words of eternal life.

Yes, indeed Peter, Jesus does have the words of eternal life.  And not only that, Jesus’ words make us uncomfortable and cause us to react, respond, and get moving.

You have the words of eternal life Jesus, where else are we going to go?

What’s that?!? You want us to go out from these walls because of the words you have breathed into us?  You want us to venture to places we would rather not go because of the holy food that nourishes us?  You want us to get up and carry out the words that you speak to us?  You call on us to respond in trust to the faith that you give us?

The answer is yes.  I hear you calling me, us, and more, together.  To travel just down the road.  Outside the church walls.  Where most of the Bible happened.  I hear you calling us to not just read the Bible and hear the stories of a distant place and time, but to live the Bible and our faith.  Thank God we aren’t doing this on our own, but that you walk with us in this journey, that the Spirit is infused in us and empowers us to go, and that the Father is listening and continually creating a path set before us.

View from above

05 Tuesday Dec 2017

Posted by laceduplutheran in Travel

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Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, seminary, Seminary Ridge

The view from the cupola of the old seminary building of United Lutheran Seminary is incredible.  No wonder the generals wanted to be up there.  You can literally see for miles.

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Farewell Philly…

09 Wednesday Aug 2017

Posted by laceduplutheran in Travel

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Pennsylvania, Philadelphia

…Until we meet again.

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Image

Love

08 Tuesday Aug 2017

Tags

love, Pennsylvania, Philadelphia

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Posted by laceduplutheran | Filed under Travel

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Nightime in Philly

07 Monday Aug 2017

Posted by laceduplutheran in Travel

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Pennsylvania, Philadelphia

Night views of cities are neat.

Especially winter night time.

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Dilworth Park

04 Friday Aug 2017

Posted by laceduplutheran in Travel

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Dilworth Park, Pennsylvania, Philadelphia

Right next to City Hall in Philadelphia is Dilworth Park.  There are several things set up there in winter to celebrate the season.

We enjoyed walking through the maze and enjoying the lights and the shrubs.

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While others enjoyed ice skating.

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Even though the park is in the heart of the city, it’s a nice place to chill for a bit – away from the large crowds.

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Philadelphia City Hall

03 Thursday Aug 2017

Posted by laceduplutheran in Travel

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City Hall, Pennsylvania, Philadelphia

City Hall in Philadelphia is impressive.

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It’s big, stately, and it commands a presence, even among the tall buildings.

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We enjoyed just wandering around city hall, especially when it got dark. The lights around the building make it even more impressive.

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Here’s a special picture.  It’s the plans for the city.

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The plans from 1682 looks pretty square, don’t they?

Christ’s Church

02 Wednesday Aug 2017

Posted by laceduplutheran in Travel

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Christ's Church, Pennsylvania, Philadelphia

One of the few historical places I really wanted to go into was historic Christ’s Church.   It’s big, beautiful, and full of history.

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And unfortunately, it was closed for the day by the time we got there.  Oh well, we could still enjoy the beauty of the outside.

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Maybe next time.

Bladen’s Court

01 Tuesday Aug 2017

Posted by laceduplutheran in Travel

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Bladen's Court, Pennsylvania, Philadelphia

There was a side alley in Elfreth’s Alley – as if the alley wasn’t small enough.  It was Bladen’s Court.

Again, I’ll let you read the plaque that gives way more information that you really wanted to know.

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Here’s what you need to know about Bladen’s Court.  It’s small.  There were two houses in the Court and a little courtyard.  If there wasn’t a sign for it I wouldn’t have known it was there.

This is the house we saw.

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Honestly, it wasn’t as impressive as Elfreth’s Alley, but hey, how impressive is it to be a small street and have your own plaque.

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laceduplutheran

laceduplutheran

I believe that God, church, and theology are approachable, enjoyable, and relevant for everyone. I write about this a lot because people need to hear it. So many people feel lost, hopeless, alone, and are searching for identity and meaning. I'm an ELCA Pastor (Lutheran) who has a background in politics, business, and the non-profit worlds. I take churchy theological ideas and words and communicate them in everyday language that people can understand, in ways that relate, and show that God, church, and theology matter a great deal. Oh, and it doesn't have to be boring either - mostly because it's the best news ever!

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