What’s a Playlist?
A Playlist is a set of activities exploring a topic. The activities might include reading an article or scripture, listening to a podcast or sermon, watching a video or movie clip. Each month we’ll post three Playlists designed for Children, Youth, and Adults. All of us will explore the same topic, but the Playlists will be designed for each age group. You can work your way through the Playlists at your own pace throughout the month.
Remember you can always share your thoughts in the comment section at the bottom of this page.
January Playlist
Baptism
Denise McClellan, Director of Adult Ministries
1/1/21
Introduction
The theme for our January Playlist is Baptism. Baptism is a new life with Christ, a new life in God’s family, a new beginning. What a great topic for the New Year!
When Pastor Andrea saw the image for this month’s playlist, this was her response, “It reminds me of the ripples of kindness and love that flow from the center: baptism!” Our baptisms are at the center of everything, and there’s always something “new” for us in our baptisms, no matter how long ago we were baptized. Join us this month and explore baptism and its new beginnings for you.
Prayer
The following prayer is from the Service of Holy Baptism printed in the Evangelical Lutheran Worship Hymnal. Let it be a guide for you as you work your way through the January Playlist.
We give you thanks, O God, for in the beginning your Spirit moved over the waters and by your Word you created the world, calling forth life in which you took delight. Through the waters of the flood you delivered Noah and his family, and through the sea you led your people Israel from slavery into freedom. At the river your Son was baptized by John and anointed with the Holy Spirit. By the baptism of Jesus’ death and resurrection you set us free from the power of sin and death and raise us up to live in you.
Pour out your Holy Spirit, the power of your living Word, that those who are washed in the waters of baptism may be given new life. To you be given honor and praise through Jesus Christ our Lord, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, now and forever.
Amen.
Desert Cross
Below you’ll find some words from Pastor Andrea previously shared with Desert Cross in a sermon. As you explore baptism through the January Playlist, stop and reflect on your own baptism and how it guides your life today.
From Pastor Andrea:
I invite you when you come up for communion, to dip your fingers into the water in the baptismal font. Feel the water on your skin. Make the sign of the cross on your forehead, on your child’s forehead, on the one sitting by you who cannot come forward, be reminded of this promise: “No matter what is happening around you or to you, you are sealed with the Holy Spirit and marked with the cross of Christ . . . Forever.
It’s not something we think about every day, but maybe it’s time we start. In our baptism, each day we have a sanctuary as followers of Jesus. No matter what is changing in the world, no matter what is changing in our lives, one thing will never change. We are the beloved of God. Members of God’s family. That is our story, and we should definitely stick to it.
We tell ourselves lots of stories about ourselves. Others tell stories about us and about our world. But it is this Story, the story of God’s love for us, that we seek to live and serve and share. In the baptismal newness of each day, we can choose which story we will live out. The Holy Spirit invites us, opens us, and challenges us to live out our faith story, every day, not just on Sunday.
But Sunday is a good starting point, as we gather each week to share the peace of Christ with each other. Like the dove that was sent out from the ark. The dove returned with an olive branch, giving Noah and his family assurance that the flood waters were retreating. Just as doves are symbols of peace and the presence of the Holy Spirit, may we be like doves. May we take the peace of Christ we receive here with us, as we are sent out into our daily lives. May we fly out from here like doves to be symbols of peace to our neighbors who desperately need it.
Scripture
Spend some time reading and meditating on these passages. The passages are from the Gospels and tell the story of the Baptism of Jesus. As you work your way through the list, read the verses. Close your eyes and meditate on what words or ideas stand out to you. Read the verses again. Close your eyes and meditate on where God is guiding you.
Matthew 3:13-17
Mark 1:9-13
Luke 3:21-38
John 1:29-34
Baptismal Promises
When adults bring children to be baptized in the Lutheran Church, the following are the promises made during the Service of Holy Baptism. If you have brought a child for baptism, take some time to reflect on these responsibilities made by you at that time.
As you bring your children to receive the gift of baptism, you are entrusted with responsibilities:
to live with them among God’s faithful people,
bring them to the word of God and the holy supper,
teach them the Lord’s Prayer, the Creed, and the Ten Commandments,
place in their hands the holy scriptures,
and nurture them in faith and prayer,
so that your children may learn to trust God,
proclaim Christ through word and deed,
care for others and the world God made,
and work for justice and peace.
Small Catechism of Martin Luther
Maybe it’s been a while since you studied Martin Luther’s teachings in the Small Catechism. We encourage you to spend some time this month revisiting his teachings on baptism.
THE SACRAMENT OF HOLY BAPTISM
I
What is baptism?
Baptism is not simply plain water. Instead, it is water used according to God’s command and connected with God’s word.
What then is this word of God?
Where our Lord Christ says in Matthew 28, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.”
II
What gifts or benefits does baptism grant?
It brings about forgiveness of sins, redeems from death and the devil, and gives eternal salvation to all who believe it, as the words and promise of God declare.
What are these words and promise of God?
Where our Lord Christ says in Mark 16, “The one who believes and is baptized will be saved; but the one who does not believe will be condemned.”
III
How can water do such great things?
Clearly the water does not do it, but the word of God, which is with and alongside the water, and faith, which trusts this word of God in the water. For without the word of God the water is plain water and not a baptism, but with the word of God it is a baptism, that is, a grace-filled water of life and a “bath of the new birth in the Holy Spirit,” as St. Paul says to Titus in chapter 3, “through the water of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit. This Spirit he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. The saying is sure.”
IV
What then is the significance of such a baptism with water?
It signifies that the old person in us with all sins and evil desires is to be drowned and die through daily sorrow for sin and through repentance, and on the other hand that daily a new person is to come forth and rise up to live before God in righteousness and purity forever.
Where is this written?
St. Paul says in Romans 6, “We were buried with Christ through baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life.”
#Baptize
Desert Cross adopted #AdventWord for our Advent Devotional during Advent. One of those devotions was about Baptism. The meditation includes a message about transformation and trust. Click the link below to read it.
Baptism in Living Lutheran
The following link is to an article from Living Lutheran. The writer explains how baptism changes us and sends us out into the world to do God’s work.
Baptism in Poetry
The following poem is by Wendell Berry. I hear themes of baptism in it . . . maybe you will too.
“Like the Water”
Like the water
of a deep stream,
love is always too much.
We did not make it.
Though we drink till we burst,
we cannot have it all,
or want it all.
In its abundance
it survives our thirst.
In the evening we come down to the shore
to drink our fill,
and sleep,
while it flows
through the regions of the dark.
It does not hold us,
except we keep returning to its rich waters
thirsty.
We enter,
willing to die,
into the commonwealth of its joy.
Baptism in Artwork
You’ll find the Baptism of Jesus presented in many pieces of art. Piero della Francesca’s The Baptism of Christ is one such piece of art. The following link is from Khan Academy, a nonprofit providing free online education tools. The video discusses the geometry found in the artwork. Click the link below for the discussion.
If you’d like to explore more artwork depicting baptism, use the link below to visit Art in the Christian Tradition offered by Vanderbilt University.
Baptism in Film
There’s a baptism scene in Forrest Gump. It’s not a traditional scene of baptism, but it shows transformation and new life for one of the characters. If you know the film, you remember Lt. Dan. For much of the film, he’s angry about his experiences in Vietnam. That anger manifests itself in rough living. In the scene, Forrest tells us that Lt. Dan “made his peace with God” in a brief conversation between the two characters. Click the link below to view the scene. Watch for “baptism” scenes in other stories you’re watching or reading.
Baptism in the News
Michael Plummer’s story is a story of a new life, a transformed life, a “baptized” life. He committed murder as a teenager and spent more than two decades in prison for that crime. During that time, he changed. Changed for the good. Today he works and lives to show others another way. Click the link below to watch his story.
Baptism in Music
“Down to the River to Pray” is a beautiful song performed here by a virtual choir. Click the link below to listen.
Baptism in Nature
I find the sound of water relaxing. Use the link below as a meditation tool this month. Pray while you listen. Read while you listen. Let the waters wash over you and be renewed as you rediscover your baptism.
December Playlist
Joy
Denise McClellan, Director of Adult Ministries
12/1/20
Introduction
The theme for our December Playlist is Joy. Joy is difficult to define. When you look it up in the dictionary, you’ll find words like happiness, pleasure, or gratitude, but it’s so much more than that. We know it when we see it, but, more likely, we know it when we feel it. I recently experienced it.
I’ve always had poor eyesight, and over the last several years it’s been further deteriorating because of cataracts and glaucoma. I knew my vision was poor, but I didn’t know how poor until I had two eye surgeries earlier this year. I went from 20/200 with glasses to 20/30 without glasses. It was amazing! Several weeks after the procedure, my husband I were driving through Colorado in the San Juan National Forest along the Dolores River in October. The sky was brilliant blue. The clouds were bright white. The pine trees were deep green. The aspens were golden yellow. It was incredibly beautiful. So beautiful that I started to cry. Tears of joy.
Watch for joy this month. You’ll see it, but, more likely, you’ll feel it.
Prayer
Read Psalm 100 below. Let it be a guide for you as you work your way through the December Playlist.
1 Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth. 2 Worship the Lord with gladness; come into his presence with singing. 3 Know that the Lord is God. It is he that made us, and we are his; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. 4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise. Give thanks to him, bless his name. 5 For the Lord is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations.
Desert Cross
Below you’ll find some thoughts from Pastor Andrea. As you explore joy through the December Playlist, take note when you experience joy this month. Stop and feel that joy fully and completely. Then take time to pray and thank God for those moments of joy.
From Pastor Andrea:
“Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” Nehemiah
C.S. Lewis wrote in his autobiography, Surprised by Joy:
“…Joy, which is a technical term, must be sharply distinguished both from Happiness and Pleasure. Joy has indeed one characteristic, and one only, in common with them; the fact that anyone who has experienced it will want it again. I doubt whether anyone who has tasted joy would ever exchange it for all the pleasure in the world.”
In Surprised by Joy Lewis made clear that he had finally found the object of real joy and it was Jesus. Joy was not found in a “religion” or a “philosophy,” but in a person, Jesus. True joy, found in Jesus, the child of Bethlehem, is amazing. And Joy changes everything! Joy is…indescribable. It is something that is beyond words or explanation or reason. The joy we have in Christ Jesus is truly beyond description. It is deep in our hearts. But our joy is also…invincible. Our joy in Christ cannot be subdued or overcome. No matter what we face in life, our joy cannot be taken away. Our joy is also Overflowing. We are so filled with joy because of Christ’s joy. His joy runs over the brims of our lives into the lives of others.
The prophet Isaiah foretold that the Messiah would be a joy-bringer, that he would transform the world, that he would transform lives. Jesus addressed the subject of joy a number of times. When speaking of his second coming, Jesus reassured his followers in John 16:22: “Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy.” He also told them, 10 If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. 11 I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. 12 My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.
When he comes again in his second advent, joy will fill our forever life in Christ. When Jesus, born in Bethlehem and crucified at Calvary, comes again in glory and power and majesty, joy eternal will be ours.
But joy is also ours today! Joy in Christ is not just a future reality. We have joy now! And many times that joy comes from loving others. From serving others and showing them the love of Christ that knows no boundaries. Until we see Jesus again at his Second Advent…Joy serves as strength for us in these days, for as Nehemiah says, the joy of the Lord is your strength.” We can draw on that strength at all times. The Joy of the Lord is our strength in all circumstances. Joy to the World, the Lord is come!!
Scripture
Spend some time reading and meditating on these passages. As you work your way through the list, read the verses. Close your eyes and meditate on what words or ideas stand out to you. Read the verses again. Close your eyes and meditate on where God is guiding you.
Luke 2:10
Isaiah 51:11
Psalm 105:43
Acts 13:52
Philippians 3:1
Philippians 1:25
Corinthians 6:10
Luke 10:21
Biblical Joy
We’ve seen videos from The Bible Project in our Worship Services at Desert Cross. The following video on joy is from an Advent series they put together. Click the link below to watch it.
Choose Joy
We know there are stories of great suffering and stories of great joy in the Bible. Sometimes those stories overlap. Below you’ll find an article discussing Biblical people who chose joy under difficult circumstances.
Joy & Health
Joy has an impact on your health. It can improve our health both physically and mentally. Joy is good medicine! Click the links below to learn more.
Joy & Music
“Joyful, Joyful We Adore Thee” is a long-loved hymn in the Church. Below you’ll find links to two versions. The first one is a traditional version from Carrie Underwood’s latest CD. The second one is a contemporary version of the song based on a song from Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit. EnJOY!
Search for Joy
When I googled “joy” for this playlist, several articles popped up about recognizing joy in your life and adding joy to your life. You’ll find links to some of them below.
8 Keys to Living a Joyful Life
40 Ways to Find Joy in your Everyday Life
50 Ways to Add Joy to your Day
Joy in Your Inbox
Do you want some joy in your inbox? Check out our Stories of Joy blog by clicking the link below. Sign up to follow it, and you’ll receive a couple of stories each week. EnJOY!
November Playlist
Hope
Denise McClellan, Director of Adult Ministries
11/1/20
Introduction
The theme for our November Playlist is Hope. Martin Luther King, Jr. said, “We must accept finite disappointment, but never lose infinite hope.” Finite: Having limits or bounds. Infinite: Limitless or endless, impossible to measure or calculate. Hope is what keeps us going in the dark. Hope is knowing that something better is coming. Hope is all around us. I encourage you to look for it as you explore our Hope Playlist this month.
Prayer
Read the prayer below. It comes from Loyola Press. Return to this prayer throughout the month. Let it be a guide for you as you work your way through the November Playlist.
A Prayer for Hope and Peace
Heavenly father, I am your humble servant,
I come before you today in need of hope.
I need hope for a calm and joyful future.
I need hope for love and kindness.
I pray for peace and safety.
Some say that the sky is at its
darkest just before the light.
I pray that this is true, for today seems stormy and dim.
I need your light, Lord, in every way.
I pray to be filled with your light.
Help me to walk in your light,
and live my life in faith and service.
In your name I pray, Amen.
Desert Cross
Below you’ll find some thoughts from Pastor Andrea. As you explore hope through the November Playlist, think about when you need hope, when you need to wait for hope, how you receive hope, and how you share hope.
From Pastor Andrea:
Scripture mentions the word hope almost two hundred times. Christian hope is a very specific kind of hope. In Matthew 12, Jesus quotes Isaiah about the coming Messiah, “In his name, the nations will hope.” What does Scripture tell us about the hope that we have while we wait?
Paul tells us in Romans 15:4, For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that through patience and through encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.
And he goes on to say, We rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.
So hope is certain in all things, but we are still waiting. And the time we spend waiting is an opportunity to develop faith. You see, hope is simply faith directed toward the future. Christian hope is a living hope, because “the hope set before us,” is eternal life. We are waiting in expectation for Christ.
In his meditation, Waiting for God, Henri Nouwen writes an excellent contemplation about hope and waiting. He writes that waiting in our culture seems like a waste of time but in the context of waiting on Christ, we wait with a sense of promise. So our waiting is active because we wait in faith.
That means being alert and attentive to hearing the Holy Spirit in our lives in the good times and the bad times. As Paul writes in Romans, Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.
So waiting and hope go together, and it’s hard to wait. And a lot of time we confuse hope with wishes. We have lots of wishes: I wish that I would have a job. I wish that the weather would be better. I wish that the pain would go away.
We are full of wishes, and we try to control the future by making our wishes come true. But Nouwen says that Jesus wants us to be filled with hope not wishes. Hope is different. Hope is trusting God’s promises in Jesus.
We must let go of our wishes and start hoping. Hope is about trusting so deeply that our waiting is open to all possibilities. Without our control. Hope asks us to let God define our life, trusting that God molds us according to God’s love and not according to our fear.
When Jesus speaks to the disciples about the coming of the Son of Man, he speaks about the importance of active waiting. Jesus says stand ready, stay tuned to the word of God, keep alert, so that you will not be distracted from me and be able to stand confidently in the presence of God when he comes.
Our faith and our lives are a journey guided by the Holy Spirit, just like the Wise Men who followed the star that shined so brightly over the manger in Bethlehem. Just like that star, the hope of Christ shines brightly into the darkness in our lives. When things feel hopeless, we need to open our hands to let go of control and to receive the hope of Christ. Our today and every single one of our tomorrows are in God’s hands. Many things in life are uncertain, but God gave us something sure and certain to trust: Jesus Christ in whom we put all of our hope.
Scripture
Spend some time reading and meditating on these passages. As you work your way through the list, read the verses. Close your eyes and meditate on what words or ideas stand out to you. Read the verses again. Close your eyes and meditate on where God is guiding you.
Job 14:7
Psalm 9:18
Psalm 25:5
Psalm 31:24
Psalm 62:5
Isaiah 40:31
Micah 7:7
Romans 12:12
Romans 15:13
Biblical Hope
We’ve seen videos from The Bible Project in our Worship Services at Desert Cross. The following video is a word study on hope. Click the link below to watch it.
Hope on the Road to Emmaus
The following is to a podcast called Boldcafe. It’s produced by the Women of the ELCA, but its message is for all—both women and men. I don’t think the word “hope” is said during the podcast; yet, that’s the message I heard in it. Click the link below to listen and let us know in the comment section below what message you hear.
Hope in Literature
You probably read Emily Dickinson in your high school English class. I know I did! Maybe you haven’t read poetry since those days. It’s not part of my regular reading. Below you’ll find one of her poems on hope. Take your time with it. Read it slowly. Line by line. Read it again. What do her words bring to mind? What message do you hear about hope? If you’d like to explore the poem in greater detail, click the link following the poem for an analysis.
“Hope is the Thing with Feathers”
Emily Dickinson
“Hope” is the thing with feathers –
That perches in the soul –
And sings the tune without the words –
And never stops – at all –
And sweetest – in the Gale – is heard –
And sore must be the storm –
That could abash the little Bird
That kept so many warm –
I’ve heard it in the chilliest land –
And on the strangest Sea –
Yet – never – in Extremity,
It asked a crumb – of me.
Hope is the Thing with Feathers
Hope at the Movies
Scroll up to the top of this playlist and look at the image for this month’s topic. When I first saw this picture, I thought of a deserted island. When folks get stranded, they sometimes spell out “help” or “S.O.S” in whatever is available. As my mind wandered looking at this image, I thought of the movie Cast Away. I remembered all of the ways the man portrayed by Tom Hanks struggles to survive. He searches for food. He builds shelter. He figures out how to make “tools” out of what’s available. He even creates “Wilson” to have a companion. Why do all of this? Why? Because of hope. He hopes to survive. He hopes to return to his fiancé. He hopes to see another day. I was stunned to discover that the movie is twenty years old! So much of it stuck with me two decades later. That’s a powerful message. Click the link below for a discussion about hope in the film.
Hope in the News
When I heard this story on the morning news, I started to cry. Mike and Becky McKenney brought Bob Van Sumeren hope during his darkest days. Mike says, “We couldn’t let you do it alone.” We’re called to show each other the light and point to hope. Click the link below to listen to this beautiful story.
Hope in Music
Last year my husband and I planned our memorial services. I know that may sound strange, but we thought it’d be helpful for our kids at a difficult time. So, we selected readings, speakers, and music for our services. I chose “Lord of All Hopefulness” as the last hymn at my service. It’s a beautiful song with a message of hope about God’s presence throughout our lives. I’m including the lyrics below along with an offering of the hymn by a virtual choir.
“Lord of All Hopefulness”
Jan Struther
Lord of all hopefulness, Lord of all joy,
whose trust, ever child-like, no cares could destroy:
be there at our waking, and give us, we pray,
your bliss in our hearts, Lord, at the break of the day.
Lord of all eagerness, Lord of all faith,
whose strong hands were skilled at the plane and the lathe:
be there at our labors, and give us, we pray,
your strength in our hearts, Lord, at the noon of the day.
Lord of all kindliness, Lord of all grace,
your hands swift to welcome, your arms to embrace:
be there at our homing, and give us, we pray,
your love in our hearts, Lord, at the eve of the day.
Lord of all gentleness, Lord of all calm,
whose voice is contentment, whose presence is balm:
be there at our sleeping, and give us, we pray,
your peace in our hearts, Lord, at the end of the day.
Now, if I have a chance to share a song by Bruce Springsteen, you know I’m going to do it! Bruce’s music often has a thread of faith running through it. Pastor Doris calls it the Theology of Bruce. “Land of Hope and Dreams” has a beautiful message of hope and inclusion. Here are the lyrics and a video of Bruce singing it in concert. It even includes a sax solo by Clarence Clemons! Enjoy!
“Land of Hope and Dreams”
Bruce Springsteen
Grab your ticket and your suitcase, thunder’s rolling down this track
Well, you don’t know where you’re going now, but you know you won’t be back
Well, darling, if you’re weary, lay your head upon my chest
We’ll take what we can carry, yeah, and we’ll leave the rest
Well, big wheels roll through the fields where sunlight streams
Meet me in a land of hope and dreams
I will provide for you and I’ll stand by your side
You’ll need a good companion now for this part of the ride
Yeah, leave behind your sorrows, let this day be the last
Well, tomorrow there’ll be sunshine and all this darkness past
Well, big wheels roll through fields where sunlight streams
Oh, meet me in a land of hope and dreams
Well, this train carries saints and sinners
This train carries losers and winners
This train carries whores and gamblers
This train carries lost souls
I said, this train, dreams will not be thwarted
This train, faith will be rewarded
This train, hear the steel wheels singing
This train, bells of freedom ringing
Yes, this train carries saints and sinners
This train carries losers and winners
This train carries whores and gamblers
This train carries lost souls
I said, this train carries broken-hearted
This train, thieves and sweet souls departed
This train carries fools and kings thrown
This train, all aboard
I said, now this train, dreams will not be thwarted
This train, faith will be rewarded
This train, the steel wheels singing
This train, bells of freedom ringing
Come on this train
People get ready
You don’t need no ticket
All you gotta do is
Just get onboard
Onboard this train (this train, now)
People get ready
You don’t need no ticket (oh now, no you don’t)
You don’t need no ticket
You just get onboard (people get ready)
You just thank the Lord (people get ready)
You just thank the Lord (people get ready)
You just thank the Lord (people get ready)
(Come on this train, people get ready)
(Come on this train, people get ready)
Hope in Advent
Advent begins Sunday, November 29. Hope is a theme that runs throughout the upcoming season. If you’d like to explore Hope in Advent, I’m including information about an online Advent retreat offered by Lifelong Learning through the Virginia Theological Seminary. Click the link below for a description of the event and information on registration.
October Playlist
Amazing Grace
Denise McClellan, Director of Adult Ministries
10/1/20
Introduction
The theme of our October Playlist is Amazing Grace. Grace is God’s gift to us. A gift. Nothing done to earn it. Nothing done to deserve it. Nothing. A gift. A gift we’re asked to share with others. It’s as simple as that. That’s what makes it so Amazing!
Prayer
Read the prayer below. It comes from God Pause, a daily devotion from Luther Seminary. You’ll find a link to the devotion below the prayer. Through that link you can sign up to receive God Pause in your email. Return to this prayer throughout the month. Let it be a guide for you as you work your way through the October Playlist.
Gracious God, source of all good, of all compassion, help us to reflect your love and forgiveness into this troubled time. Raise up leaders of strength and graciousness to guide us into the future you have planned for us. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.
Josef Aalbue
Desert Cross
Below you’ll find some thoughts from Pastor Andrea. As you explore grace through the October Playlist, think about how you’ve received the gift of grace and how you can share it with others.
From Pastor Andrea:
Our founding father of the Lutheran faith, Martin Luther, developed our theology around grace. Grace is the cornerstone and foundation of our faith. Everything flows from grace. Martin Luther discovered grace by reading the New Testament. We think of ourselves as “saved by grace through faith.” Grace at its most simple form is God’s unconditional love for us in Jesus Christ. Grace is undeserved, unmerited love and forgiveness. It is love for the sake of love. Martin Luther says:
“The law says, ‘do this,’ and it is never done. Grace says, ‘believe in this,’ and everything is already done.”
“The true treasure of the church is the most holy gospel of the glory and grace of God.”
“God is a glowing oven, full of love, and we, by our faith in Jesus Christ, are personally baked together as a cake with our Savior.”
That gives me an image of us glowing in his love (grace.)
Theologian Anne Lamott says, “I do not understand the mystery of grace — only that it meets us where we are and does not leave us where it found us.” The cross is where Jesus meets us just as we are. God sent Jesus to show us his amazing love, to teach us how to love him, and how to see him in our restless lives. As Augustine says, “Our hearts are restless until they rest in Thee.” In Jesus…we see God’s heart of love.
We believe that God has come to us in Christ with grace, not that we earn God’s love. This grace then sets us free so we don’t live in fear but in freedom. We are freed by grace to share it with others. To share love, forgiveness, mercy. Freedom to serve and to love. I think of Jesus washing the disciples’ feet before the Last Supper of the bread and wine of forgiveness. And telling us to go make disciples baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
The “means of grace” are our sacraments of Baptism and Holy Communion. They bring us forgiveness, new life, and salvation. Jesus’ grace is available to us through God’s word and through our Christian love for each other and the Holy Spirit. Grace frees us to love our neighbor as ourselves. To love as God first loved us and to serve those in need. And we have a fresh, new start each day with grace.
Martin Luther says we are Becoming: “Christian living does not mean to be good but to become good; Not to be well, but to get well; Not being but becoming; Not rest but training. We are not yet, but we shall be. It has not yet happened, but it is the way. Not everything shines and sparkles as yet, but everything is getting better.”
It is our goal to be like Christ in every way. It is a daily work that we do – washed in the water and marked by the cross, we are made new each day – living in a rhythm of confession and forgiveness, we resist the world’s selfish way, staying firm in the faith – planted and watered with prayer, scripture, mission, and love and community. We are each just one part of that body, doing our part to build up the body in love for God and neighbor. We are sustained by one faith, one Lord, one baptism. These gifts fill us with grace – enough grace for each new day. Embrace grace.
Scripture
Pastor Andrea looks to the following verses as some key teachings about grace. Spend some time reading and meditating on these passages. As you work your way through the list, read the verses. Close your eyes and meditate on what words or ideas stand out to you. Read the verses again. Close your eyes and meditate on where God is guiding you.
Ephesians 2:8
Ephesians 3:17
Romans 8:31-39
John 3:16-17
1 John 3:14
Romans 12:3-8
Ephesians 4:32
Galatians 2:21
Exodus 34:6
John 1:14, 16
Acts 20:24
Acts 20:32
Romans 5:1-5
2 Corinthians 12:9
Ephesians 3:7
2 Thessalonians 2:16, 17
Hebrews 4:16
1 Peter 4:10
Defining Grace
The article below is from Living Lutheran. It offers definitions of grace as a way for us to better understand it and live it.
Biblical Grace
We’ve seen videos from The Bible Project in our Worship Services at Desert Cross. The following video teaches us about God’s Grace. Click the link below to watch it.
Modern Grace
Stories of grace can be seen in our world today. Some stories of grace make the news. Why do such stories of grace and forgiveness make the news? The people in the following stories are amazing to us. Their ability to forgive such profound loss is sometimes beyond our ability to understand. Click the link below to watch a story about the Amish school shooting that occurred in Pennsylvania in 2006 and the forgiveness that followed.
Click the link below to read about Emanuel, a documentary about the shooting at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in South Carolina in 2015.
Grace and Justice
The topic of our September Playlist was Justice. This month we’re exploring Grace. Pastor Andrea talked about the following podcast in her September 26/27 message. It’s a story that combines justice and grace. Click the link below to hear Ray Hinton’s story of being wrongly convicted and his embrace of life today. If you missed it, click the second link to watch the September 26/27 Desert Cross Worship Service and hear Pastor Andrea’s message on how Ray Hinton’s story demonstrates amazing grace.
Experiencing Grace through Music
“Amazing Grace” is a well-known hymn. It’s often sung at worship services and at memorial services. We’re offering two versions for you today. One is a traditional version, and one is a contemporary version.
Experiencing Grace through Art
My husband’s favorite book is A River Runs through It. It’s also his favorite film. Throughout the story it’s clear that the family loves each other; yet, they struggle to understand each other. They struggle to forgive; yet, they know God’s grace. One scene sticks with me years after seeing the film. It reminds us that sometimes forgiving those closest to us and offering them grace is the hardest thing to do. Click the link below to watch.
Experiencing Grace through Apology
Offering an apology is learned. Maybe you learned it early in life. Maybe you learned it over time. Maybe you’re like me and still learning. The article below is an honest discussion of how difficult apologizing can be. It also explains how an apology and sharing the peace in worship are connected. Click the link below to read more.
After you read the article, consider taking action. Do you have someone in your life you should apologize to? Do you have someone in your life you’d like to thank for grace given to you?
Let experiencing grace be a blessing to you and to those around you.
Experiencing Grace through Apology
September Playlist
Justice
Denise McClellan, Director of Adult Ministries
9/1/20
Introduction
The theme for our September Playlist is Justice. The struggle for justice can take many roads. Advocating for the homeless. Reforming immigration policies. Working for funding for education. Assisting seniors. The focus of the September Adult Playlist is social justice. It’s been in the news this summer, so let’s take a deeper dive into it with our eyes of faith.
Prayer
Read the prayer below. Return to it throughout the month. Let it be a guide for you as you work your way through the September Playlist.
Ever present God, you called us to be in relationship with one another and promised to dwell wherever two or three are gathered. In our community, we are many different people; we come from many different places, have many different cultures. Open our hearts that we may be bold in finding the riches of inclusion and the treasures of diversity among us. We pray in faith.
Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.
Desert Cross
Below you’ll find some thoughts from Pastor Andrea. As you explore justice through the September Playlist, think about how you can live justly and demonstrate justice to others.
From Pastor Andrea:
I’m thinking about justice as “social justice” which we enact by living out our faith. So it is God’s justice of defending and loving the needy that by our faith enacted we make real in the world.
We do this by loving our neighbors as ourselves and caring about people around us, especially the needy, vulnerable, poor, and powerless. It is making sure all people are treated equally and righting inequalities in our world. It’s about making a difference where we can by living out our faith.
When we do this, we show the nature of God shown to us by Jesus which is love and peace. It’s about how we treat each other and how we live as people of faith sharing God’s love. It can be shown as honesty, equity, generosity in every day dealings, as well. To try to live as Jesus lived, reaching out to those different from us, including all people to love, serve, and care for as well as giving our time and resources and engaging against unfair practices in our society.
I think of Mr. Rogers as being a good neighbor and being loving.
Scripture
Pastor Andrea looks to the following verses as some key teachings about justice. Spend some time reading and meditating on these passages. As you work your way through the list, read the verses. Close your eyes and meditate on what words or ideas stand out to you. Read the verses again. Close your eyes and meditate on where God is guiding you.
Micah 6:8
Isaiah 61:1-2 & Luke 4:16-21
Psalm 146:5-9
Matthew 22:34-40
Matthew 25:34-40
Romans 12:15-18
Biblical Justice
We’ve seen videos from The Bible Project in our Worship Services at Desert Cross. The following video teaches us about Biblical justice. Click the link below to watch it.
ELCA
Desert Cross is part of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. What does our church leadership say about justice? Click the link below to learn how we’re called to strive for justice and peace.
Hymn
Does music help you experience God’s message in a special way? Click the link below to listen to a hymn with a message on justice.
History
Representative John Lewis died in July. He was a beautiful, peaceful, forgiving soul. His work for justice and voting rights in Congress and as a Civil Rights Leader helped change our society. Click the link below to watch his conversation with Bryan Stevenson, founder of the Equal Justice Initiative. Bryan Stevenson’s work is featured in the film Just Mercy. Desert Cross hosted a discussion of the film via Zoom a couple of months ago. Part of the conversation includes how faith guides their work.
Music Video
Selma is a movie that portrays the fight for voting rights. “Glory” is the theme song from the film written by Common and John Legend. Click the link below to watch the music video with clips from the film.
Action
How are you being called to respond? How can you work for justice in our world? Nita Mosby Tyler is an Equity Advocate. In the following video, she talks about how the fight for justice needs unlikely allies. Click the link below to hear her story. Her message about a “consciousness of grace” is interesting.
Open Conversations
The Grand Canyon Synod is hosting Open Conversations on Race via Zoom. The GCS website describes the conversations as “a safe and thoughtful space where you and others in the synod can wrestle with questions and talk with each other.” Upcoming dates are September 8, October 13, and November 10, 6:30-8:00 p.m. Click the link below and look for the sign up information by date on the News & Events Calendar page.
Lutheran Advocacy Ministry Arizona
Check out Lutheran Advocacy Ministry Arizona by clicking the link below to visit their website. Below you’ll find some information about the group from the website.
From LAMA:
LAMA joins with the most vulnerable of our society to voice our common needs in the public square, activating our faith in love.
The purpose of LAMA is to advocate for justice in the areas of hunger, poverty, and care of God’s creation by speaking with and for those who have little or no political power. LAMA will work with congregations in Arizona — ELCA Lutherans and others — to create and use networks for advocacy on these issues.
Lutheran Advocacy Ministry Arizona
February Playlist
Mercy
Denise McClellan, Director of Adult Ministries
2/1/21
Introduction
The theme for our February Playlist is Mercy. Webster’s Dictionary defines mercy in several ways. Compassion shown to an offender. A blessing from God. Compassionate treatment of those in distress. Amanda Gorman, the poet at the Inauguration last month, used the word to start the final section of her poem. Her view of mercy connects love, hope, and light. Read through the end of the poem “The Hill We Climb” and see what message you hear.
If we merge mercy with might,
and might with right,
then love becomes our legacy
and change our children’s birthright
So let us leave behind a country
better than the one we were left with
Every breath from my bronze-pounded chest,
we will raise this wounded world into a wondrous one
We will rise from the gold-limbed hills of the west,
we will rise from the windswept northeast
where our forefathers first realized revolution
We will rise from the lake-rimmed cities of the midwestern states,
we will rise from the sunbaked south
We will rebuild, reconcile and recover
and every known nook of our nation and
every corner called our country,
our people diverse and beautiful will emerge,
battered and beautiful
When day comes we step out of the shade,
aflame and unafraid
The new dawn blooms as we free it
For there is always light,
if only we’re brave enough to see it
If only we’re brave enough to be it
Prayer
The following prayer is adapted from Saint Catherine of Siena (1347-1380). Let it be a guide for you as you work your way through the Mercy Playlist.
Merciful Lord, it does not surprise me that you forget completely the sins of those who repent. I am not surprised that you remain faithful to those who hate and revile you. The mercy which pours forth from you fills the whole world. It was by your mercy that we were created, and by your mercy that you redeemed us by sending your Son. Your mercy is the light in which sinners find you and come back to you. Your mercy is everywhere, even in the depths of hell where you offer to forgive the tortured souls. Your justice is constantly tempered with mercy, so you refuse to punish us as we deserve. O mad Lover! It was not enough for you to take on our humanity; you had to die for us as well.
Amen.
Desert Cross
Below you’ll find a portion of a sermon from Pastor Andrea previously shared with Desert Cross. In it, she calls on us to become servants of God’s mercy. As you explore mercy through the February Playlist, stop and reflect on mercy in your life. When have you received it? How have you shared it? How can you be a servant of God’s mercy?
From Pastor Andrea:
Ten lepers. So . . . what is a leper, you may ask? Well, in biblical times it could refer to a number of diseases. The law in Leviticus says this, “The person with such an infectious disease must wear torn clothes, let his hair be unkempt, cover the lower part of his face and cry out, ‘Unclean! Unclean!’ As long as he has the infection he remains unclean. He must live alone; he must live outside the camp.”
Lepers were Outcasts–Not Welcome–believed to be outside of God’s mercy. And then there is the one leper who returned, a Samaritan–a double outcast as a foreigner, a natural enemy of the Jewish people.
And then there is Jesus. On the way to Jerusalem. On the way to the cross. And these ten lepers . . . these outcasts . . . banned from living within the city walls . . . saw him and they saw the large crowds following Jesus–and they must have heard people talk about Jesus’ ministry and healings. Jesus, Master! Have mercy . . . on us!
Who are the lepers today? The outcasts? The ones not included in our communities? The ones living with social stigma. The ones we say don’t deserve mercy?
Or maybe, in one way or another, we are all lepers –in need of acceptance and mercy. For as many people who are living on the streets wearing rags like the lepers, there are just as many of us in our homes wearing nice clothing–hiding our need. We don’t hang outside the city gates anymore crying out unclean, unclean! We hide it all–our failings, our diseases, our secrets, our needs, our sorrows, our need for mercy –we keep them hidden.
And what we have kept to ourselves . . . we have in common. Because we are all in need of God’s mercy. As Martin Luther would say, This is most certainly true. We, like those ten lepers, need to be healed, need to be saved.
Be it a physical healing, a healing of our minds, a healing of our hearts, a healing of our memories, a healing of a situation or event. With the lepers we cry out, “Jesus, have mercy on us!”
And Jesus did. Scripture records ten lepers made clean. Their physical healing was a blessing. A blessing given to all ten.
Can you imagine their feelings as they approached the city walls? Now clean. Now healed. Now invited inside.
Neighbors could be friends. There would be food on their tables and clothes on their backs. Ten lepers had asked for mercy, and ten lepers were made clean. One went back to praise God and give thanks.
But “Were not ten made clean?” “Where are the other nine? Was none of them found to return and give praise to God except this Samaritan?” This foreigner?
We hear this story, and we hope that we are the one who returned. But surely we know how it is to be counted among the nine. So anxious to get back to the business of life and living that we just jump back in . . . try to pick up where we left off. It’s not that we don’t appreciate God’s mercy. It’s just that, once things are better . . . we’re anxious to get on with life.
“Were not ten made clean? Where are the other nine?”
All ten were healed . . . were made physically whole . . . but only one was made wholly whole. Filled with gratitude he turned back praising God with a loud voice. He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him. Saying thank you meant acknowledging that you had no resources to repay the kindness.
It was in giving thanks that the one leper was doubly blessed, that Jesus’ mercy was complete. Jesus said, “Get up and go on your way; your faith has made you well.” It was in giving thanks–responding to Jesus–that faith was unleashed in the one leper’s life . . . because now he knew Jesus as Savior.
To receive mercy is a blessing. To know and to trust in Jesus’ mercy, to be grateful . . . is to be doubly blessed. Trusting Jesus . . . changes the way that we live. Trusting Jesus . . . changes the way we treat other people. Trusting Jesus . . . changes us into thankful servants of his mercy.
As servants of his mercy, do we see the needs of others? How do we respond? Jesus saw and acted immediately; He went near to them. He calls us to do the same. Not to hide. Not to ignore. No. To pass on his mercy. To see and to act. No one is outside of his mercy.
Scripture
You’re invited to spend some time reading and meditating on these passages. As you work your way through the list, read the verses. Close your eyes and meditate on what words or ideas stand out to you. Read the verses again. Close your eyes and meditate on where God is guiding you.
Psalm 4:1
Answer me when I call to you, my righteous God. Give me relief from my distress; have mercy on me and hear my prayer.
Psalm 6:9
The Lord has heard my cry for mercy; the Lord accepts my prayer.
Psalm 28:2
Hear my cry for mercy as I call to you for help, as I lift up my hands toward your Most Holy Place.
Psalm 51:1
Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions.
Matthew 5:7
Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
Mark 5:19
Jesus did not let him, but said, “Go home to your own people and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.”
Luke 1:78-79
78 because of the tender mercy of our God,
by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven
79 to shine on those living in darkness
and in the shadow of death,
to guide our feet into the path of peace.”
Romans 12:1
Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.
2 Corinthians 4:1
Therefore, since through God’s mercy we have this ministry, we do not lose heart.
Hebrews 4:16
Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
1 Peter 1:3
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, . . .
Jude 1:2
Mercy, peace and love be yours in abundance.
Lord, Have Mercy
Click the link below to read an article by Fr. Richard Rohr. He explains the power of this short prayer.
Bible Project
You remember the story of Jonah and the whale. As a child, you probably read it in Sunday School and grew up thinking it was a great story of God taking care of Jonah and saving him. Take a closer look. The full story is actually about a man angry at God for forgiving people. Jonah is actually angry at God for granting mercy. It’s an amazing story. Click the link below to watch a video outlining the full story then read the book in your Bible. What is God teaching us through Jonah’s story?
#Mercy
Desert Cross adopted #AdventWord for our Advent Devotional during Advent. One of those devotions was about Mercy. The meditation includes a message about the power and size of God’s mercy. Click the link below to read it.
Mercy in Living Lutheran
The following link is to an article from Living Lutheran. Peter Marty, the writer, asks God to “pour” mercy on all of us.
Mercy in Literature
When I was a freshman in high school, my English teacher was Mrs. DeLong. She was tiny, maybe five feet tall. She had black hair, cut short. She wore glasses, low on her nose. She laughed heartily, but rarely. She had a reputation as one of those teachers. One of those tough teachers. Yes, she was tough, but we learned a lot in her class. One of her techniques for teaching writing was to make us memorize passages of literature. One of those passages was Portia’s speech from Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice. It’s a passage on mercy. Read through it below and see what message you hear about mercy.
The quality of mercy is not strain’d.
It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven
Upon the place beneath. It is twice blest:
It blesseth him that gives, and him that takes.
‘Tis mightiest in the mightiest; it becomes
The throned monarch better than his crown.
His scepter shows the force of temporal power,
The attribute to awe and majesty,
Wherein doth sit the dread and fear of kings;
But mercy is above this sceptered sway;
It is enthroned in the heart of kings;
It is an attribute to God himself;
And earthly power doth then show likest God’s
When mercy seasons justice.
Mercy in the 21st Century
Click the link below to read an opinion piece titled “The Forgotten Radicalism of Jesus Christ” written by Peter Wehner. Mr Wehner served in both Bush administrations and in the Reagan administration. He challenges Christians to see how the teachings of Jesus apply to all people today.
Mercy in the News
Rais Bhuiyan was the victim of a hate crime shortly after 9/11. He resisted the instinct to seek revenge and, instead, chose to act with mercy. In the video below he tells his story and how it led to his life’s work.
Mercy in Film
Dead Man Walking, the non-fiction book by Sister Helen Prejean, was made into a film. It tells the story of a man convicted of rape and murder on death row and the ministry of Sister Helen Prejean in the prison. It’s a very difficult film to watch because of the offensive language and raw violence. Below you’ll find a series of clips from the film moving from denial to confession to mercy.
Mercy in Music
We’re sharing two songs with you this month. The first is a traditional hymn—“The Wideness in God’s Mercy”—performed by The Riverside Choir in New York. The second is a one-man “choir”—“Lord, Have Mercy”—offered by David Wesley.
