The Reformation Polka

This comes to you via www.oldlutheran.com. Today is actually Reformation Day: it was October 31st (the Eve of All Saints Day) when Martin Luther nailed the 95 theses to the castle church door in Wittenberg.
And now, The Reformation Polka
by Robert Gebel

[Sung to the tune of "Supercalifragilistic-expialidocious"]

When I was just ein junger Mann I studied canon law;
While Erfurt was a challenge, it was just to please my Pa.
Then came the storm, the lightning struck, I called upon Saint Anne,
I shaved my head, I took my vows, an Augustinian! Oh...

Chorus:
Papal bulls, indulgences, and transubstantiation
Speak your mind against them and face excommunication!
Nail your theses to the door, let's start a Reformation!
Papal bulls, indulgences, and transubstantiation!

When Tetzel came near Wittenberg, St. Peter's profits soared,
I wrote a little notice for the All Saints' Bull'tin board:
"You cannot purchase merits, for we're justified by grace!
Here's 95 more reasons, Brother Tetzel, in your face!" Oh...

Chorus:
Papal bulls, indulgences, and transubstantiation
Speak your mind against them and face excommunication!
Nail your theses to the door, let's start a Reformation!
Papal bulls, indulgences, and transubstantiation!

They loved my tracts, adored my wit, all were exempleror;
The Pope, however, hauled me up before the Emperor.
"Are these your books? Do you recant?" King Charles did demand,
"I will not change my Diet, Sir, God help me here I stand!" Oh...

Chorus:
Papal bulls, indulgences, and transubstantiation -
Speak your mind against them and face excommunication!
Nail your theses to the door, let's start a Reformation!
Papal bulls, indulgences, and transubstantiation!

Duke Frederick took the Wise approach, responding to my words,
By knighting "George" as hostage in the Kingdom of the Birds.
Use Brother Martin's model if the languages you seek,
Stay locked inside a castle with your Hebrew and your Greek! Oh...

Chorus:
Papal bulls, indulgences, and transubstantiation -
Speak your mind against them and face excommunication!
Nail your theses to the door, let's start a Reformation!
Papal bulls, indulgences, and transubstantiation!

Let's raise our steins and Concord Books while gathered in this place,
And spread the word that 'catholic' is spelled with lower case;
The Word remains unfettered when the Spirit gets his chance,
So come on, Katy, drop your lute, and join us in our dance! Oh...

Chorus:
Papal bulls, indulgences, and transubstantiation -
Speak your mind against them and face excommunication!
Nail your theses to the door, let's start a Reformation!
Papal bulls, indulgences, and transubstantiation!

Blessed by a curse

I did not grow up in one town or city. I have lived in many different settings, including two overseas. If I ever have children, I would like to take them to the place I called home for twelve years of my life, San Diego CA.

Because of this environment, I have a strong attachment to stuff. That blessing has now become a curse. In August Lindean and I moved from an 1800 square foot house in Phoenix to a 1200 square foot town home here in Bozeman. All the stuff from Phoenix does not fit in the townhome.

My strong attachment to stuff (the briefcase my father gave me when I was six, my old MN driver’s license, a paper hat from the restaurant I worked at for seven years to name a few items) makes it hard for me to sort through it and to get rid of it. These random piles of meaningless objects to the outside observer are links to my past. I can’t walk back into my childhood bedroom. It only exists in the piles of random stuff I’ve hauled around since graduating from college.

My wife has suggested I place all my beloved objects on the floor, take a portrait of them, and get rid of them once and for all. Easy said than done, sweetheart. Which camera do I use? The one my parents gave me on my 29th birthday? The old broken Canon 35mm that my brother Kurt gave me? The two disposable cameras I bought for mission trips to Mexico but never used? My first generation digital camera made by Kodak but weighs a ton? Decisions, decisions.

Reflection on my attachment to stuff has caused me to reevaluate that attachment. A friend recommended “Every time a new item enters your home, get rid of two items already there.” GREAT IDEA!

For my birthday/Christmas present my parents gave me a new snow suit. This means I have an old snow suit that could be used by someone else. I think I’ll take it to the Salvation Army depot in Bozeman MT this weekend for distribution in “OPERATION WARM” throughout the month of November.

Would you consider donating a used winter coat for “OPERATION WARM?”

Happy reflecting on the piles of your stuff.

Simple

What is "simple" in your life?
What reaction does the word "simplicity" inspire in your soul?
Right now I'm thinking, "if only..." Today, at least, very little seems all that simple to me. Perhaps that's because I have a great talent for making things more complicated than they really need to be. It's definitely possible.
At the same time, though, I think "complicated" has its own kind of inertia - the world helps life get complicated, and simplicity takes some effort, some awareness, some saying "yes" and some saying "no."
What I'm supposed to be working on right now is my set of articles for the November edition of the congregation's newsletter... Since the first Sunday of Advent lands in November this year, I'm working on a piece about the season of Advent, those four weeks before Christmas, and how they are filled with anticipation and waiting, and hopefully, with simplicity.
I just ordered copies of a great magazine that comes out every year called, "Whose Birthday Is It, Anyway?" to distribute to folks at CtK. The "e-store" of www.simpleliving.net has a great line on it that's making me think:

How you spend your money is how you vote on what exists in the world.

Largely true. I'd add that the ways we spend our time and the relationships we build are other ways we "vote on what exists in the world," though the supply and demand side of things certainly rings true, money-wise.

How did you vote on what exists in the world today?

Trunk-or-Treat

The Great Pumpkin is coming, Charlie Brown. Okay, maybe not, but Halloween IS coming. Some Christians I know get pretty uptight this time of year, because they've done a little more research about the pagan origins of Halloween traditions than they wish they'd done. And yes, it's true, there are some interesting old ideas at work. Perhaps I'll write more about some of those as we get closer to the day. My thought is, that most kids (and adults) DON'T know all the history, but that doesn't keep them from enjoying the dressing up and hoarding of candy. Much like Christmas (unfortunately), Halloween has been thoroughly "Americanized" and "sanitized." And yes, for many kids, Halloween is a lot of fun.
Hence - Trunk-or-Treat. Here's how it works: members and friends of CtK can sign up in the narthex and then buy candy or other treats to hand out. On the 31st we'll gather in the parking lot at 5:30pm and decorate our trunks. Come in costume, or not. From 6:00-7:30pm members and friends of CtK as well as neighborhood kids will come and "trunk-or-treat" in the parking lot, where the lights will be on and the traffic will be stopped. We'll have hot cider and coffee in the social hall so folks can stay warm, and information about the congregation, Reformation Day (which is also the 31st) and All Saints Day (which is November 1st - All Hallows Eve is the night before All Saints Day).
PLEASE sign up this Sunday, October 19th, to bring your trunk and treats to Trunk-or-Treat, so we'll know we will have enough folks here to make a go of it.
It'll be fun!

CROP Walk this Sunday

Time sure flies by around here! Already it's the 15th of October and the Gallatin Valley CROP Walk is this weekend - Sunday the 19th at 2pm at the Food Bank. If you'll be in worship at CtK on Sunday you can sponsor me then (or Pastor Grant or one of the other walkers from the congregation), OR you can click here and donate to this great ministry online.
Thanks!!

Faith during uncertain economic times

I've quit watching the stock market. At least for now. I don't know about you, but it seems to me like lately the bad news has outweighed the good by a considerable margin.
I was encouraged, though, by Luther Seminary's "Stewardship for the 21st Century" weekly email last week. It included several excerpts from the ELCA's 1999 Social Statement "Economic Life: Sufficient, Sustainable Livelihood for All." The ELCA doesn't have a whole bunch of positions on issues which members and pastors must agree with in order to belong to the church, but our church body does work on social issues, and adopt social statements outlining how our Lutheran tradition speaks to life today.

Here are the excerpts. I encourage you to think and talk about them.

"Human beings are responsible and accountable for economic life, but people often feel powerless in the face of what occurs. Market-based thought and practices dominate our world today in ways that seem to eclipse other economic, social, political, and religious perspectives. To many people, the global market economy feels like a free-running system that is reordering the world with few external checks or little accountability to values other than profit. Economic mandates often demand sacrifices from those least able to afford them. When any economic system and its effects are accepted without question, when it becomes a "god-like" power reigning over people, communities, and creation, then we face a central issue of faith ..."

"Through human decisions and actions, God is at work in economic life. Economic life is intended to be a means through which God''s purposes for humankind and creation are to be served. When this does not occur, as a church we cannot remain silent because of who and whose we are ..."

"Economic assumptions can conflict with what we as a church confess. Who we are in Christ places us in tension with priorities given to money, consumption, competition, and profit in our economic system.

* While autonomy and self-sufficiency are highly valued in our society, as people of faith we confess that we depend on God and are interdependent with one another. Through these relationships we are nurtured, sustained, and held accountable.
* While succeeding or making something of themselves is what matters to many in economic life, we confess that in Christ we are freely justified by grace through faith rather than by what we do.

* While a market economy emphasizes what individuals want and are willing and able to buy, as people of faith we realize that what human beings want is not necessarily what they need for the sake of life.

* While a market economy assumes people will act to maximize their own interests, we acknowledge that what is in our interest must be placed in the context of what is good for the neighbor.

* While competitiveness is key to economic success, we recognize that intense competitiveness can destroy relationships and work against the reconciliation and cooperation God desires among people.

* While economic reasoning assumes that resources are scarce relative to people''s wants, we affirm that God promises a world where there is enough for everyone, if only we would learn how to use and share what God has given for the sake of all.

* While economic growth often is considered an unconditional good, we insist that such growth must be evaluated by its direct, indirect, short-term, and long-term effects on the well-being of all creation and people, especially those who are poor.
Government is intended to serve God''s purposes by limiting or countering narrow economic interests and promoting the common good. Paying taxes to enable government to carry out these and other purposes is an appropriate expression of our stewardship in society, rather than something to be avoided. Government often falls short of these responsibilities. Its policies can harm the common good and especially the most vulnerable in society. Governing leaders are to be held accountable to God''s purposes: "May [they] judge your people with righteousness, and your poor with justice. . . . May [they] defend the cause of the poor of the people" (Psalm 72:2).

We commit ourselves as a church and urge members to:
--examine how we are in bondage to our possessions and can be freed as faithful stewards of them
--serious and ongoing consideration in our families and congregations of how to resist the allure of consumerism and live lives less oriented toward the accumulation of goods and financial assets
--educate one another, beginning with the young, on how to deal responsibly with money, credit, and spending within one''s means
--give generously of our wealth (for example, through tithing and planned giving), especially for purposes that serve the needs of others

We call for:
--corporate policies that lessen the disparities between compensations of top corporate executives and that of the workers throughout an organization
--corporate governance that is accountable for the effects of a company''s practices on workers, communities and the environment here and throughout the world
--scrutiny of the tax breaks, subsidies and incentives many companies receive, to assure that they serve the common good
--enforcement of laws to prevent the exercise of inordinate market power by large corporations
--appropriate government regulatory reform so that governments can monitor private sector practices more effectively and efficiently in an ever-changing global economy