Summer adventures can be truly perilous. Once on a June trip to Yellowstone National Park, we got between a bear and the deer it seemed to be following. I remember my heart pounding as we tried to get the kids away from danger. But then, where is there safety at Yellowstone? The whole park sits on a super volcano. You go because life there is so dramatic and wild. The colors are so vivid.
After Easter season we enter “ordinary time” – which sounds dull -but the gospel readings invite us on a journey with Jesus that’s extraordinary and perilous. We face a demoniac in chains (June 22), inhospitable locals (June 29); we’re sent as lambs in the midst of wolves, to tread on snakes and scorpions (July 6); we come across an enemy foreigner lying by the road, wounded by bandits. Is it a trap? (July 13).
Whatever perils we face, we come together trusting in God, who is there beside us to see us through:
All glory be to God on high, who has the world befriended; to us no harm shall now come nigh, the strife at last is ended. God shows goodwill to one and all and peace when troubled sinners call, thank God for grace and mercy.
That’s the first verse of the “Glory to God” we’ll be singing each Sunday.* We’ll also be using a communion prayer that’s really short (no “Holy Holy” song) and dates back to 3rd century Rome: it connects Christ’s supper with deliverance from threats.
If you like to sing, show up early: in place of an organ prelude (before we ring the bell), anyone present can sing 2-3 extra hymns, especially old favorites (Any requests? Let us know ahead of time). Hymn singing before the service (and especially at home) is actually a tradition that goes back to the first Lutherans.** And please consider signing up to help with Summer special music! Sign up here. We love the variety of musical gifts you bring, vocal and instrumental.
What else is going on this Summer? Hopefully, we all get time for adventure as well as rest. We’ll stay connected through worship as well as community events: game night, outdoor events, happy hour books and discussions are being planned. There will be concerts in our facility. More details coming soon!
-Pastor Bernt
*An update to the more old-school, medieval sounding 16th century text from our previous hymnal (the Green Book, LBW): All glory be to God on high and thanks to him forever! Whatever Satan’s hosts may try, God foils their dark endeavor. He bends his ear to every call, and offers peace, goodwill to all, and calms the troubled spirit.
** I read about this in Christopher Boyd Brown’s book, Singing the Gospel: Lutheran Hymns and the Success of the Reformation. He tells a fascinating story about the popularity of hymns, which were sung at home, memorized and sung before worship, but not so much as part of the liturgy.
