Sunday August 22, 2021 was a busy day across our NT-NL Synod, ELCA territory. I was at King of Glory Lutheran Church in Dallas for worship and meeting with leadership. They are again in the call process for a senior pastor and I was happy to offer respite to their Interim Senior Don Haven for a weekend away. It also allowed me the chance to meet with their church council and participate in adult education. They have been studying and thinking about the many ways in which implicit bias is a part of our lives. How we are influenced to believe things about ourselves and others and why we do so.
I also had the chance at the early liturgy to have as my assisting liturgist the mother of the Rev. Remy Remmers. It was my great honor to ordain Rev. Remmers last fall at King of Glory. A reminder that the church is always bigger than any local congregation. In addition, after the second liturgy I was introdueced to a member of the community who will, by God’s grace, in December celebrate her 104th birthday. My son and I had recently had a conversation about if I new anyone who was 100 years old or more. Now I have photo evidence for him and our prayers for her continued good health.
Across our synod worship has and is happening in many ways. Bishop’s Associate Kris Totzke was with Emmanuel, Granbury to work with them in transition. Bishop’s Associate and Briarwood Leadership Center Director Robert Smith took on a new assignment recently serving as Bridge Pastor for Central Lutheran, Dallas. This assignment accomplishes a number of tasks. He serves Central and Bethany, Dallas in this time of transition as they seek life together and does so in his role as my associate and demonstrates how we are in #InMissionTogether. It also as well as provides income for Briarwood in this continued time of financial challenge while fall events are being cancelled. I appreciate Dr. Smith’s willingness to serve the church and the synod in this way.
The challenges of Covid-19 and the Delta variant resurgence are real. We face those challenges with the wisdom of our science community, the hope of the gospel, and ultimately the promise that we have the bread of life, Jesus Christ, in our midst. Thanks be to God. #NTNL #BWTX