Faster Pastor

Saturday night was a night I will not soon forget.

Here in Jackson, MN we are blessed to have the Jackson Speedway.  Races are a big deal here in town.  On Saturday nights one can hear the races going on…sometimes until 11pm of after. Our mid-summer celebration is called “Race Days”.   But in my five years here I had only been to the races once (now I will be going more often).

The track promoter we have has done a phenomenal job this year with a variety of creative promotions.  Saturday night was charity night.  As part of charity night the track sent out vouchers to all the churches to hand out to people.  For every person that bought a ticket and turned in a voucher, that particular church got $5…half the ticket price.  I handed out about 80 vouchers…that’s a good chuck of change for Salem Lutheran Church (if all those people showed up).

One of the feature races on Saturday was the “Faster Pastor” race (that’s right…it is just as it sounds)…and I was in it.  They put seven of us pastors in these hobby stock cars and turned us lose.  And let me tell you…it is quite an experience to be in a powerful piece of machinery like a race car.  I was given a quick orientation on how to drive this car and tips on how to maneuver around the track.  It was a little unnerving though, not being able to turn my head to see who was around me and not having any mirrors.  It was just me and the race car (by the way, we never got over 55 to 60 mph).

We drew numbers for our starting positions and I was fortunate enough to draw #1…the pole position.  I got strpped into my car and started it up.  The roar of the engine was deafening but exhilarating.   After we got out on the track they gave us a few practice laps to get familiar with our car.  I quickly realized that it took some strength to drive these cars and hold them on the turns.  I also quickly realized the feeling of adrenaline coursing through my body…what a rush.  After our practice laps the green flag was waved and off we went.  I hit the gas and felt the power of this car.  I held up in the turns as advised and hit it on the straight aways.  While in turns 3 and 4 on the second to last lap of this 4 lap race I saw my first competitor on my right side…my friend Chris from the Presbyterian Church.  As soon as I rounded turn 4 I hit the gas again and off I went.  I didn’t see Chris again until I got to the pits.

By the way (and I know you are probably curios)…I WON!  I got to go to victory lane; have my picture taken with the checked flag and be interviewed in front of the grandstand.  What an incredible experience.  I will not soon forget this night.  Most little boys dream about being a race car driver (as I did) when they grow up.  For me…this was a chance to fulfill a childhood dream…even if it is the only time I do this (but hopefully this race is an annual event now).

Thank you to the Jackson Speedway…not just for letting us pastors race live out a boyhood dream, but for supporting this community and for supporting the churches.  I am not sure what we are using the money for yet, but I do know that it is going to go to good use…helping others.  Living and serving in a small town definitely has it perks…and this is one of many reasons why I love serving in Jackson.

Praise be to God!

-edh-

VBS

VBS (Vacation Bible School) is almost upon us here at Salem Lutheran Church.  Our coordinator has been hard at work for a few weeks now.   It is fun to see her excitement and energy as July 20 fast approaches.  And if you want evidence of Emily’s excitement just walk through the lower level of Salem and see the decorations…it looks like a swamp…very fun.  Right now we have 30 pre-school kids registered with more expected to just show up on Monday morning.  I am in charge of the Bible story each day which I am looking forward to with much excitement.

In the afternoons we have a VBS style program (or daycamp) going on for our K – 6 graders with Shetek Lutheran Ministries.  Salem is hosting the pre-school VBS and our ELCA neighbors down the street is hosting the daycamp program.  Daycamp has about 55 kids registered. All in all it is going to be a fun week.

My dream and goal for next year is to get most if not all the churches together in Jackson to put on a VBS program together.  There is so much we can do if we combine our resources, gifts and talents together without having to re-create the wheel (which we seem to be doing this year).  Salem, Our Savior’s and Belmont Lutheran Churches are together this year but I envision a much greater ecumenical partnership in 2010.

So here’s to VBS:  lots of energetic pre-schoolers…cool aid…games outside…crafts…singing…Bible stories…and hopefully some seeds planted.  Thank you to our volunteers, parents, and congregations for your support, time and committment.

So here’s to VBS and the Holy Spirit working in the lives of our kids.

Praise be to God!

-edh-

Loon cam 2009

It’s back…the Loon Cam from the Minnesota Bound website.

The concept is quite simple.  On a lake in northern Minnesota there is a floating platform with a nest and a hidden camera.  You can go to this website: MN Bound and follow the link to the Loon Cam (there is also a blog where updates are given about the loon’s activities).  Here you can watch as mama loon lays her eggs and sits on them.  Eventually you could even watch the new baby loons hatch (last year I got to see the cute baby loons).  This might sound as exciting as watching paint dry but it’s an amazing opportunity to watch something in nature that we would not normally get to watch.

So here you go…Loon Cam 2009.

Enjoy!

-edh-

“Nice try”

My Palm Sunday has gotten off to a rocky start…

…first off…my stupid “smart clock” sprung ahead one hour this morning for day light saving time (I normally get up at 5:45am on Sundays…not at 4:45am).   And…”yes, I know”…day light saving time happened a few weeks ago, but my clock didn’t get the memo.  But here’s worst/funny thing about this whole thing…I wrote a post about this a couple years ago about this happening to me except that time it was in the fall and I overslept by one hour.  One of these years I will learn my lesson.

Second…last night an April snowstorm moved into the area.  We were in a blizzard warning, but it never materialized into the storm the Weather Channel was predicting.  But even though this blizzard fizzled out, it was still enough to cancel worship out at Belmont Lutheran Church (my small county congregation).  Roads are still pretty bad out in the country.

Third…because these two events happened on the same Sunday, I am really out of my rhythm.  As I am sure many pastors can relate to, I have a routine each and every Sunday that I depend on.  I know it may sound strange to some, but this routine is important.  Currently I am in my living room watching Fox News instead of preaching at Belmont.  I will be moving over to my office shortly to restart my morning routine (if that is even possible).

But in light of all these mishaps, it is Palm Sunday…the beginning of Holy Week…one of my favorite times of the year.  And even though my routine got thrown off; even thought I got one less hour of sleep last night; even though Satan has thrown a lot at me today already…the Gospel will still be preached.   Even though today got off to a rocky start, I can still say to Satan…”Nice try”.

Have a wonderful Palm Sunday and a blessed Holy Week.

-edh-

That time of the year

About this time of the year I start feeling a bit overwhelmed.  Holy Week is bearing down on us; there are classes to prepare for; Sunday worship to prepare for; I have a funeral this week and that is all among anything else I usually do doing the week.  I expressed this feeling to my wife this past Saturday.  And…when I started feeling overwhelmed one would think I would turn to God for help, but often times I try to work harder to make sure I handle everything alright, but this week God has had a sense of humor and thus has humbled me.

Later in the day on Saturday (after I expressed my feeling of being overwhelmed) my wife and I discovered we had an unwelcome visitor in our basement.  My suspicion was a chipmunk or squirrel.  On Sunday after worship we went downstairs to check things out.  And there it was…a squirrel.  I chased it around for a while and was getting close to chasing it out the door, but it decided it wanted to stay.  The next few days entailed me searching the basement high and low for the pesky thing. I would see evidence of it once in a while and actually saw it once, but it quickly ran and hid.  I set a rat trap, but it just sprung the trap and took the bait.  Smart little creature.  Eventually, on Thursday, the squirrel let down it’s guard and got caught in the trap.  No more squirrel.  As frustrating as it was, when I look back on the last few days, it was kind of funny.

Now…today…I went over to the church to get the mail.   I dropped off the church mail in the office and brought mine to my office.  As I was walking back to the parsonage I realized my pocket felt a little lighter.  Yup…I locked my keys in my office for the very first time.

“Yes God…I get it.  You are in control.”

Today is my day off and I am enjoying my weird little circumstances from the past week and I am smiling.  And you know something…I am not feeling too overwhelmed right.  God is indeed in control…

…and praise be to God!

But please God…no more squirrels.

-edh-

The beauty of a liturgical Church

I want to share a quick joke with you that I heard at my conference pastor’s meeting this past Thursday.  I am usually not one to leave jokes here but I got a kick out of this one:

A pastor was leading worship one Sunday morning when his microphone cut out.  The pastor then promptly said, “There is a problem with this microphone” and the congregation responded “and also with you“.

Or how about that Lutheran joke (that may of you Lutherans have heard before):  You know that you are a Lutheran if when watching Star Wars you hear someone say, “The force be with you” and you respond, “and also with you“.

Ahhhhh…the joys of a liturgical Church

-edh-

A sign that describes me

[By Chris Nakshima-Brown, Associated Press - Ap]
I have been sick with a nasty cold this week.  Part of me wants to put this sign in the church parking lot and make the text singular…it kind of describes how I am feeling.

(Sorry for the pictures recently…I have been feeling lazy with this cold)

God bless!

-edh-

Minnesota ice house

(Photo by David Joles, Star Tribune)

Now that’s an ice house…

…check out the full story on the Star Tribune website.

Getting peed on

I went to text study this morning at Shalom Hill Farm, as I do most Tuesdays (O.K…some Tuesdays) and I experienced a first…

…I got out of my car and was greeted by the dog they have out there.  Nice little dog.  Wags its tail, but doesn’t get overly excited and jump on you.  Since I have a allergy to dogs I don’t pet the little guy.  Maybe it took offense to this finally because when I turned around (I am not sure why) I saw the little creep (notice my tone changing) lift its leg…and…pee on the bumper of my car.   Not the tire, but the bumper.  By the time I got over there to shoo it away,he had finished his business…and I a swear…I saw a little smirk on his face as he walked away.

I went inside (with my bumped dripping) and saw a couple colleagues.  I told them the story (which they got a kick out of) and soon I began to laugh along.  Of course…immediately…we went into “pastor mode” wondering if there is a sermon illustration in there some place.

<More laughing ensued>

I suggested a baptismal illustration; of God peeing on us and claiming us as his own.

<More laughing ensued>

Then I suggested, “I think I might have to flush that one out some more.”

<And more laughing ensued>

Moral of the story…well…maybe there isn’t one…except that if you pee on my bumper, I will talk about you on my blog.

<I needed a good laugh today>

God bless!

-edh-

The slinky Gospel

Why is this simple little toy so hard to put down (except, of course, for this picture)?

I am trying to resist the urge to find a way to work this into a sermon sometime.  But wouldn’t it be fun to have a contest to see who can come up with the most creative way to incorporate a slinky into a sermon.

Hmmm….”Stop it Eric”…

…anyway…when I was in seminary, the on-going joke among my group of friends during my senior year was how to compare Jesus to an armadillo at Christmas time(don’t ask me how that started).

So…if you want to submit an idea (about the armadillo or slinky) I would love to read it

-edh-

SIDE NOTE:  I know these last couple posts have been a little more light-hearted with little depth, but don’t worthy…I will post some depth soon.