Proposed Site Improvement

Here is the current condition of our site:

Here is a proposal for what the site could look like:

As new information is gathered, we'll put it up on the blog.

If you have any question, please feel free to contact Kenny Gardner (661) 943-5616.

Pastor's Mid-week Musings

Small But Mighty?

In a recent synod newsletter article our Bishop, Dean Nelson, noted that "we ELCA Lutherans represent only .33% of the population of the five counties that our synod serves," that is 1/3 of one percent of the population. Comparatively speaking we are pretty small in numbers, or as one professor quoted in the bishops article noted, "we are demographically thin." As we begin the dialogue that will take place here in this space I think I would like to use the next couple of posts to reflect on how we perceive ourselves in light of this sense that we have that we are not very big as a church. Is it an accurate perception? How does this way of seeing ourselves affect how we live and work together? In a culture where there seems to me to be an urge, perhaps even a compulsion towards becoming "big" even in situations where those involved would argue that bigger is not better, where does this tendency towards bigness come from?

However, since this is the first installment in what I plan as a weekly communication, it is probably good to outline some goals for the discussion that I hope will take place through this blog. Although I expect that the shape and content of this dialogue will change over time, as we get more accustomed to this way of sharing and as our attention is drawn into new directions by the ebb and flow of life in a rapidly evolving world, my initial goals are three:

1 To engender some real, in depth, conversation about life in our world. My hope is that this conversation will be both grounded in faith and open to the questions and doubts that arise for people as they seek to understand the events and experiences that impact their lives. At the forum sponsored by the Antelope Valley Parish, and hosted by Our Savior's Lutheran Church (OSL), this past Sunday afternoon we reflected on the concerns raised by the article "Lutheran Laryngitis" (The Lutheran, August 2007). The greatest concern was the paucity of conversations about faith that take place between members of churches, and the inevitable consequence that with so few faith conversations taking place in our churches there is no foundation being created for faith conversations to occur outside the church.

2 To ask the question: What difference does faith make in the world and in the daily lives of those who believe? The article cited above states that, "It is not (and never was) enough to simply hear a sermon, eat communion and go home." While I agree that statement, I also think that a little more needs to said about why it is important to recognize that now. Just a few decades ago it was enough to simply lift up your denominational identity in order let people know that yours was a place where they would find, in addition to word and sacrament, mission work and a sense of meaning and importance to the gathering that was know as a church. Already in the twenty-first century (and this tendency will I think increase) churches are not known by their denominational identity but by the identity created by what they do in the community in which they are located. People want to know first what difference it will make in their lives and their world if they share in the life of a church; secondarily they may develop an interest in the denomination that church belongs to. If they share meaningfully in the life of the church for a long enough time they may also over time develop a loyalty to the denomination, but not as a the center of their identification with their church. We need to talk about purpose - what are we here for?

3 To communicate to the members of Our Savior's Lutheran Church but also to create a conversation that will be of interest to people not connected to our church, or perhaps not even to any church. Both aspects of this goal are important. I hope that we will be able to have discussions that are relevant to a wider group. I don't think that it is too critical to say that Lutherans are frequently guilty of "spiritual navel gazing." We can be so focused on who we are and on the many wonderful facets of Lutheran faith, piety, doctrine and polity, that we are not very aware of the spiritual concerns and thinking of those who are not a part of our communion. To connect with others we need to be aware of others -their perspectives, concerns, and spirituality. To this end, I hope that my comments and yours will seem relevant enough that you will send them to other people - friends, family, colleagues.

In line with the goals I have put forward as my initial hopes for this blog, it seems to me that it will be worth while to dialogue about our perceptions of "bigness" and "smallness" as they impact our lives. It is common for individuals to feel that they are too insignificant (to small) to make a difference in the world or even in their community. Small businesses often feel they are unfairly discriminated against by the world of "big business." "Little" churches don't feel that they can "compete" with the big churches in their communities. Big organizations are often seen as being more efficient and able to offer more than their smaller counterparts. So, does this feeling of being small impact your experiences? If so, in what way? Is the old adage that "big things come in small packages" still applicable in our understanding of the world today? Let's explore some of these things together as we begin our conversations.

The peace of Christ - who knows even the number of hairs on your head - be with you,
Pastor Jim +

Posting a Comment

As a way to get everyone's feet wet, I have set this posting to accept comments. To leave a comment, simply click on the word
' comments ' below. This will bring up a window that will look like the one one the left (click on the picture for a bigger view.) Type in what you want to post, click on the 'other' button to put in your name, then click on the orange 'Publish Your Comment' button.
This will put your comment on the blog.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me by sending
an email to webmaster@oslclan.com. You can also talk to me at church - grab me when you see me!

How to use this Blog - Have Patience!

Hello all! I have had a few inquires regarding the use of this blog. Both Pastor and I are learning the ins and outs of 'blogging' , so once we have a handle on it, rest assured, I will let you all know how to post on this blog.

In the mean time, check in from time to time to see what Pastor has to say.

Thanks again for your patience.

Greetings From Pastor Jim

Hi everyone,

A new adventure in using technology - for me at least - is just beginning. I am just learning how to do this so it may take a few tries to get everything working. Watch this page for new reflections and sharing of information that I hope will be useful for all of you.

Talk to you soon! Pastor Jim

Welcome to the Our Savior's Lutheran Church Blog!

Hello everyone! This is a new feature on our web site - a blog! This is where Pastor Jim will be posting his writings. Please be patient with both Pastor Jim and me - this is a new world for both of us.

As we discover all of the things we can do with this area of the web site, we will let you know how YOU can become more involved as well!