Comments for St. Marks Lutheran Church http://stmarkskw.org Growing in faith, caring and community Thu, 17 May 2012 11:20:05 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 Comment on The Vocation of Caregiving by Pastor Nancy http://stmarkskw.org/2012/05/13/the-vocation-of-caregiving/#comment-50 Pastor Nancy Thu, 17 May 2012 11:20:05 +0000 http://stmarkskw.org/?p=1235#comment-50 And what I notice is that through multiple, blessed experiences of giving and receiving care, our little congregation is growing in faith and trust, growing in the ability to give and receive care and growing in a spirit of community under the sign of the cross. And what I notice is that through multiple, blessed experiences of giving and receiving care, our little congregation is growing in faith and trust, growing in the ability to give and receive care and growing in a spirit of community under the sign of the cross.

]]> Comment on The Vocation of Caregiving by Karen Mathiasen http://stmarkskw.org/2012/05/13/the-vocation-of-caregiving/#comment-49 Karen Mathiasen Wed, 16 May 2012 16:49:29 +0000 http://stmarkskw.org/?p=1235#comment-49 I am so thankful for all those people at St. Mark's who have been in a care-giving role to me over the past number of years, and the list is endless! I was so humbled by the outpouring of caring and help I experienced when I moved last year, it was the beginning of some very special friendships for me and the deepening of relationships I had already with various individuals. It is hard to be on the receiving end, especially when one has been in a care-giving role through much of life, as a mother, wife and nurse. I give thanks to God for all those who are care-givers. I am so thankful for all those people at St. Mark’s who have been in a care-giving role to me over the past number of years, and the list is endless! I was so humbled by the outpouring of caring and help I experienced when I moved last year, it was the beginning of some very special friendships for me and the deepening of relationships I had already with various individuals.
It is hard to be on the receiving end, especially when one has been in a care-giving role through much of life, as a mother, wife and nurse. I give thanks to God for all those who are care-givers.

]]> Comment on Needed: Something Much Deeper Than Slogans by Karen Mathiasen http://stmarkskw.org/2012/05/06/needed-something-much-deeper-than-slogans/#comment-48 Karen Mathiasen Wed, 16 May 2012 16:13:47 +0000 http://stmarkskw.org/?p=1221#comment-48 Thanks, Pastor Nancy, for your wonderful words of wisdom, once again. Thanks, Pastor Nancy, for your wonderful words of wisdom, once again.

]]> Comment on WaterMarks – A Lenten Journey by Nancy http://stmarkskw.org/2012/02/23/watermarks-a-lenten-journey/#comment-35 Nancy Mon, 12 Mar 2012 22:04:04 +0000 http://stmarkskw.org/?p=1146#comment-35 Day #17. The image of all creation praising God’s “divine abundance” reminded me of Verse 2 from the hymn Great is Thy Faithfulness: Summer and winter and springtime and harvest, sun, moon and stars in their courses above, join with all nature in manifold witness to thy great faithfulness, mercy and love. And so I found myself writing a new water-marked verse: Oceans and rivers and harbors and geysers, humus and worms in their places below, join with all nature in manifold witness to thy great faithfulness, mercy and love. What a choir! Any poets out there who want to give it a try??? We could sing the verses in church! Day #17.

The image of all creation praising God’s “divine abundance” reminded me of Verse 2 from the hymn Great is Thy Faithfulness:

Summer and winter
and springtime and harvest,
sun, moon and stars
in their courses above,
join with all nature in manifold witness
to thy great faithfulness, mercy and love.

And so I found myself writing a new water-marked verse:

Oceans and rivers
and harbors and geysers,
humus and worms
in their places below,
join with all nature in manifold witness
to thy great faithfulness, mercy and love.

What a choir!

Any poets out there who want to give it a try??? We could sing the verses in church!

]]> Comment on WaterMarks – A Lenten Journey by Pastor Vern http://stmarkskw.org/2012/02/23/watermarks-a-lenten-journey/#comment-34 Pastor Vern Mon, 12 Mar 2012 21:02:44 +0000 http://stmarkskw.org/?p=1146#comment-34 Pastor Vern says: The KW Record published a picture this past week showing a bridge over the waters of the Grand River which is nearing the time when it will be completed, probably this fall and will be opened for safe travel. Isn't it wonderful that our God has already provided a bridge between life and death that will provide safe passage, over troubled waters, for all believers from this world to the next. That bridge was built and completed by Jesus Christ who lived, died and rose again leaving us with the promise that he lives and so shall we, who believe in and follow him. The dangerous waters of death have been bridged. That's what we remember and celebrate in this Lenten and coming Easter season. Pastor Vern says:

The KW Record published a picture this past week showing a bridge over the waters of the Grand River which is nearing the time when it will be completed, probably this fall and will be opened for safe travel.

Isn’t it wonderful that our God has already provided a bridge between life and death that will provide safe passage, over troubled waters, for all believers from this world to the next. That bridge was built and completed by Jesus Christ who lived, died and rose again leaving us with the promise that he lives and so shall we, who believe in and follow him. The dangerous waters of death have been bridged. That’s what we remember and celebrate in this Lenten and coming Easter season.

]]> Comment on WaterMarks – A Lenten Journey by nancy_kelly http://stmarkskw.org/2012/02/23/watermarks-a-lenten-journey/#comment-33 nancy_kelly Wed, 07 Mar 2012 11:51:12 +0000 http://stmarkskw.org/?p=1146#comment-33 Thank you, Lilla. I grew up by the ocean, too, and now I am far away from the ocean. Something I remember about growing up on the Pacific Ocean is the infinity of the water. Standing on the beach, you can't see the end of it, only the horizon. For me, there's a lot of awe in that image! Today is Day #13. I didn’t pick this up on this until just today as I glanced at the chapter heading for Week #3: there’s a clear direction in these “water marks”. Week #1 Water Marks God’s Creation Week #2 Water Marks Israel’s Story Week #3 Water Marks the Prophetic Word Week #4 Water Marks Our Life of Prayer Week #5 Water Marks the Life of Christ Week #6 Water Marks the Followers of Christ The chapter titles are a like a GPS--giving us clues about where we’re heading next on our way to the cross and resurrection. We've traveled through God's Creation and Israel's Story and now move on to the Prophetic Word. If you haven’ yet, come join the conversation. Thank you, Lilla. I grew up by the ocean, too, and now I am far away from the ocean. Something I remember about growing up on the Pacific Ocean is the infinity of the water. Standing on the beach, you can’t see the end of it, only the horizon. For me, there’s a lot of awe in that image!

Today is Day #13. I didn’t pick this up on this until just today as I glanced at the chapter heading for Week #3: there’s a clear direction in these “water marks”.

Week #1 Water Marks God’s Creation
Week #2 Water Marks Israel’s Story
Week #3 Water Marks the Prophetic Word
Week #4 Water Marks Our Life of Prayer
Week #5 Water Marks the Life of Christ
Week #6 Water Marks the Followers of Christ

The chapter titles are a like a GPS–giving us clues about where we’re heading next on our way to the cross and resurrection. We’ve traveled through God’s Creation and Israel’s Story and now move on to the Prophetic Word.

If you haven’ yet, come join the conversation.

]]> Comment on WaterMarks – A Lenten Journey by Lilla Hall http://stmarkskw.org/2012/02/23/watermarks-a-lenten-journey/#comment-32 Lilla Hall Mon, 05 Mar 2012 15:19:31 +0000 http://stmarkskw.org/?p=1146#comment-32 God's word is water marked. Having grow up by the sea where the tides are a very important part in the daily life of the people each day reading this study reminds me that any body of water is constantly moving and changing, never stagnant. Water marks along a shore line where the water rise and fall and even walking the shore line to collect the shells or debre left by the rising tides reminds us of the constant change. Today's reading about water coming out of a rock, and the reminder that Jesus is the rock and source of our life giving water reminds me that the source of water coming from an unlikely place or unexpected place is very much the message we are ask to be open to each week - "...to see the face of God in those we meet..." We do not know where and when we will see God's acts of loving kindness but to remain open and alert and ready. If we are fearful and lamenting the loss of the past we are not open to the hope for the future found in the promise of water from a rock. God’s word is water marked. Having grow up by the sea where the tides are a very important part in the daily life of the people each day reading this study reminds me that any body of water is constantly moving and changing, never stagnant. Water marks along a shore line where the water rise and fall and even walking the shore line to collect the shells or debre left by the rising tides reminds us of the constant change. Today’s reading about water coming out of a rock, and the reminder that Jesus is the rock and source of our life giving water reminds me that the source of water coming from an unlikely place or unexpected place is very much the message we are ask to be open to each week – “…to see the face of God in those we meet…” We do not know where and when we will see God’s acts of loving kindness but to remain open and alert and ready. If we are fearful and lamenting the loss of the past we are not open to the hope for the future found in the promise of water from a rock.

]]> Comment on WaterMarks – A Lenten Journey by nancy_kelly http://stmarkskw.org/2012/02/23/watermarks-a-lenten-journey/#comment-30 nancy_kelly Thu, 01 Mar 2012 13:50:18 +0000 http://stmarkskw.org/?p=1146#comment-30 "God must have a plan for me, too. Am I listening? Is it being worked out? What is yet to come?" Thanks for this, Helen. For you and for all of us as individuals and for our faith community, this is a good heart-of-the-matter, open-ended prayer for today. Dear God: What is your plan for us? Are we listening? In your mercy, show us some signs that you are working it out. What is yet to come? “God must have a plan for me, too. Am I listening? Is it being worked out? What is yet to come?”
Thanks for this, Helen. For you and for all of us as individuals and for our faith community, this is a good heart-of-the-matter, open-ended prayer for today.
Dear God: What is your plan for us? Are we listening? In your mercy, show us some signs that you are working it out. What is yet to come?

]]> Comment on WaterMarks – A Lenten Journey by Helen Weber http://stmarkskw.org/2012/02/23/watermarks-a-lenten-journey/#comment-29 Helen Weber Thu, 01 Mar 2012 04:19:42 +0000 http://stmarkskw.org/?p=1146#comment-29 Day #7 I love today's story! The whole story of Moses is one of irony and contradictions: Moses is put for safety into the river in which he should have been drowned; the person who found him is the daughter of the one who would have had him killed; a nursemaid is found for him & it is his own mother! The one who is nurtured in Pharaoh's palace is the very one who will lead the Israelites out of Egypt. No wonder they made a movie about it!! What I find most comforting is to know that God always has a plan, and a way of working it out. God must have a plan for me, too. Am I listening? Is it being worked out? What is yet to come? Day #7
I love today’s story! The whole story of Moses is one of irony and contradictions: Moses is put for safety into the river in which he should have been drowned; the person who found him is the daughter of the one who would have had him killed; a nursemaid is found for him & it is his own mother! The one who is nurtured in Pharaoh’s palace is the very one who will lead the Israelites out of Egypt. No wonder they made a movie about it!!

What I find most comforting is to know that God always has a plan, and a way of working it out. God must have a plan for me, too. Am I listening? Is it being worked out? What is yet to come?

]]> Comment on WaterMarks – A Lenten Journey by nancy_kelly http://stmarkskw.org/2012/02/23/watermarks-a-lenten-journey/#comment-28 nancy_kelly Wed, 29 Feb 2012 12:50:18 +0000 http://stmarkskw.org/?p=1146#comment-28 Today is Day #7, and the story is about Pharaoh's daughter nearing the cry of Baby Moses and taking him as her own son. The detail from the story that strikes me this morning is the tenderness of Pharaoh's daughter side-by-side with the vulnerability of Baby Moses and his mom. God provides surprising means of rescue! Reminds me of the verse we're memorizing: "How precious is your steadfast love, O God. All people may take refuge in the shadow of your wings." Psalm 36 Today is Day #7, and the story is about Pharaoh’s daughter nearing the cry of Baby Moses and taking him as her own son. The detail from the story that strikes me this morning is the tenderness of Pharaoh’s daughter side-by-side with the vulnerability of Baby Moses and his mom. God provides surprising means of rescue! Reminds me of the verse we’re memorizing: “How precious is your steadfast love, O God. All people may take refuge in the shadow of your wings.” Psalm 36

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