So where was the Pastor really?

This weekend Randi and I had the chance to attend training in Des Moines to become teachers for the Visions for Tomorrow course. This course published and developed by NAMI Texas (National Association for the Mentally Ill) is directed at educating, empowering, and putting together parents and caregivers of those who are suffering from mentally ill. Directed for parents of children and teenagers this course was empowering to learn about and we got to meet some really wonderful people who care deeply about those suffering from mental illnesses. Be looking for this course to be introduced and offered in our area in the near future. The course will be free to those who want to learn more about how they can be agents of support and love for those struggling day by day with mental illness.

We learned a lot in a short time but it was well worth it. Thanks to Pastor Paul Hougen for filling in this weekend.

Helpful, right?

"God is at work in you..." (Phillippians 21:13) God was certainly at work this week in the Snyder home enabling my daughter to dig right in and help out with the rite of passage around here that we call apple season. Until this past Sunday we had no idea that there was a wonderful apple tree in our backyard. Thank you Sandy and Sheryl for pointing this out. What I thought was "just another crab apple tree" became a discovery of pure joy. For those of you living in apple country it has been a great year for sure. God has been at work in many things to bring out joy in the mundane things such as rolling out dough and baking pies. Kjersti loved the chance to "help" Daddy as you can see above.

Certainly this rite of passage was something that I remember from childhood, the chance to get my hands dirty and bring about something wonderful such as apple pies, cookies, and the like. How do we witness the "God at work in you" in our neighbor, our families, and in our loved ones?

It is a joy to be a parent of a toddler. God is at work in so many things as Kjersti in preschool has learned the songs of faith such as "Jesus loves me" and "Jesus loves the Little Children." It is easier at times to see the work of God in children and not so easy to see it in others beyond children.

Believe in the many and various ways that our Lord Jesus comes to us, be it in the playful laughter of our children, in the smile of a neighbor, or in a "pie and coffee" social time with a dear friend - in all these things search and embrace the presence of a God who is real, tangible, and loving in many and various ways indeed.

Time to peel more apples!
Pastor Kris

19th Sunday After Pentecost (Another Sunday in a Time of Ordinary)

In All Fairness
Finding Grace in a Unfair World

Fair or unfair?

You pull into the gas station and expect to pay $3.43 a gallon. What a steal! As you are getting the gas cap off and preparing the pump to turn on the price jumps to $3.80 a gallon. UNFAIR

You are in driving into Waukon for a doctors appointment in Waukon. Having a few extra minutes before your appointment you decide to stop at Hardee’s for breakfast, however it is now 10:31 AM as you pull into the drive thru. “I am sorry we stopped serving breakfast at 10:30.” UNFAIR

A bill collector demands full payment immediately. To do so would mean the debt would be satisfied, however this would put your other bills in jeopardy of not being paid. FAIR to the collect UNFAIR to the person with the debt and their other creditors.

“When God saw what they did, how they turned from their evil ways, God changed his mind about the calamity that he had said he would bring upon them; and he did not do it. But this was very displeasing to Jonah, and he became angry.” Jonah 3:10

What!? How can God changed his mind? FOUL! How could God do something like change his mind and grant grace instead of grinding them to a pulp? As much as this displeased Jonah we too have felt this before. We too have been angry for what seems unfair.



How can it be fair:

To have someone new just step in and take over even though I have been here since 1949 and served this church so well.

That forgiveness comes so easily for someone - I mean I still am holding a grudge that will take at least ten years to get over.

That some of us have been laboring all day in the vineyard and now these people show up expecting the same kind of grace?

One church in the area is bursting at the seems with Sunday school children and worship attendance and we are wondering “what happened?”

At the county fair a distinctively dressed Quaker offered a horse for sale. A non-Quaker farmer asked its price, and since Quakers had a reputation for fair dealing, he bought the horse without hesitation. The farmer got the horse home, only to discover it was lazy and ill-tempered, so he took it back to the fair the next day. There he confronted the Quaker. 'Thou hast no complaint against me," said the Quaker. 'Had thou asked me about the horse, I would have told thee truthfully the problems, but thou didst not ask." 'That's okay," replied the farmer. 'I don't want you to take the horse back. I want to try to sell him to someone else. Can I borrow your coat and hat awhile?"

We want to yell “FOUL” when we see things that are unfair, when we are a victim of something so unfair as what we hear about in the Gospel lesson today. How can those who labored all day be paid the same as those who just started? We want to point out what is fair, especially when it comes to the kingdom of God and living out being the church in this age.

The challenge comes when we stand up against the “fairness” debate and declare the equality expressed by the generous and abundant love of God. “Standing firm in one spirit” we can hold fast to the ideal of God’s steadfast claim on us - that we once sinners are given the promise of new life - just as God changed his mind about Ninaveh so has he done the same through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ his own Son.

Applying the Text

(1) Resist the temptation to be drawn into what is “fair” or “unfair”.

“O Lord, Is not this what I said while I was still in my own country? That is why I fled to Tarshish at the beginning; for I knew that you are are gracious God, and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love, and ready to relent from punishing, and now O Lord, please take my life from me, for it is better for me to die than to live.”

We have cried FOUL before. It is not fair that I have been working my tail off and now this person just shows up and receives the same wage.

“Why are you standing idle here all day?” and they responded, “Because no one has hired us.”

And in the words of Paul Harvey, “And now for the rest of the story.” But do we know the rest of the story?

(2) Realize and embrace the abundant grace and love of God that comes for the last as well as the first.

“I choose to give to the last the same as I gave to you. Am I not allowed to what I choose with what belongs to me? Or are you envious because I am generous?”

(3) Live a life which mirrors the grace which you have received from God.

“...live your life in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent and hear about you, I will now that you are standing firm in one spirit, and striving side by side with one mind for the faith of the gospel, and you are in no way intimidated by your opponents.”

As with Jonah we may not grasp what is truly fair and just. “You are concerned about the bush, for which you did not labor. and which you did not grow...And should I not be concerned about Nineveh?”
An atheist said, 'If there is a God, may he prove himself by striking me dead right now." Nothing happened. 'You see, there is not God." Another responded, 'You've only proved that He is a gracious God."

We have encountered the kingdom of God today - in the grace which shows equality to the one who has labored his whole life for the sake of the Gospel and for the one who is yet waiting to be called into the family. We as a church need to be set on the task of searching out for those who are waiting to work in the kingdom - those desperate for grace and love and not condemnation. For we have found grace and favor need to be the last and grant to the last a chance at being first. This is the good news.

Fairness Doctorine

At some point in my adult life I came to a point and realized that life truly isn't fair. I mean truly unfair. The moment that I am feeling the best, that I got the greatest deal, that 75 cent coffee can be more than road tar, and that life couldn't get more complex the other shoe drops. Despair quickly comes over us and we realize that even if we have worked all day in the vineyard, even if we worked our tails off there will be those who come in at the last moment and receive the same reward. This weeks Gospel lesson stinks and truly isn't fair. Jesus isn't fair and I want a recount.

The last being first? What is this crud all about? Wasn't I in line first? The idea of fairness cannot be seen in terms of who has worked harder and for longer, who was in line first, or who heard the invitation and responded after only being around for a short time. God's grace comes to us all - to the life long members and those who are just casual visitors of our church.

The words utter by those who had waited so long to hear an invitation to work are hard for us as a church to hear or digest.

⁶And about five o”clock he went out and found others standing around; and he said to them, ‘Why are you standing here idle all day?’ ⁷They said to him, ‘Because no one has hired us.’ He said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard.’ St. Matthew 20:6-7

Are there people standing around our church who are waiting to be invited in? How do we face those who haven't been in church in awhile and haven't worked a "full day"? If God's grace belongs to God to give out as He chooses what are we to make of our calling here in Waterville? Tough lesson alright.

To those who have labored long in mission for the church hats off to you. Now the challenge. Let us both go out and seek those who are standing, sitting, searching, and wandering idle in our community.

18th Sunday After Pentecost - Forgiven

This was the sermon preached on September 14, 2008. The Power of Forgiveness continues and builds on a theme originally brought up in last weeks texts. Is there power in forgiveness? What do we gain in granting such grace to our neighbors, friends, spouses, children, and family? Can the church be a "fount of forgiveness"? Read on to learn more about forgiveness and also check out the audio version of this online through Podbean through the link on the left of this page.

The Power of Forgiveness

Researchers have recently become interested in studying the effects of being unforgiving and being forgiving. Evidence is mounting that holding on to grudges and bitterness results in long-term health problems. Forgiveness, on the other hand, offers numerous benefits, including:

* Lower blood pressure
* Stress reduction
* Less hostility
* Better anger management skills
* Lower heart rate
* Lower risk of alcohol or substance abuse
* Fewer depression symptoms
* Fewer anxiety symptoms
* Reduction in chronic pain
* More friendships
* Healthier relationships
* Greater religious or spiritual well-being
* Improved psychological well-being

If forgiveness gives us such benefits, then why do we resist it? Why do we seek repayment for when we are sinned against? This ideology of repaying wrongs for wrongs stands in opposition to these teaches of Jesus today - how many times dear Lord must I forgive? If there is such strong evidence that forgiving someone has such great benefits then why are people holding onto grudges?

A lawyer was reading out the will of a rich man, who had recently died, to the people mentioned in the will: “To you, my loving wife Rose, who stood by me in rough times, as well as good, I leave her the house and $2 million.”


The lawyer continued, “To my daughter Jessica, who looked after me in sickness and kept the business going, I leave her the yacht, the business and $1 million.”

The lawyer concluded, “And, to my cousin Dan, who hated me, argued with me, and thought that I would never mention him in my will, well you are wrong. Hi Dan!”

Joseph’s brothers expected him to still have a grudge in his heart for them especially after all they had done? Think of it! His brothers despised him, sold him into slavery, and made their father think he was dead. “And pays us back in full for all the wrong that we did to him?”

The surprise of grace is truly amazing. They expected to be slaves at best for Joseph. They would have been happy with sitting at the lowest level in society and finding scraps of food from Joseph’s table. But what happened? “But Joseph said to them, ‘Do not be afraid! Am I in the place of God? Even though you intended to do harm to me, God intended it for good, in order to preserve a numerous people, as he is doing today. So have no fear, I myself will provide for you and your little ones.’ In this way he reassured them.” Grace came to these weary brothers who knew they deserved nothing short of death for what they had done to Joseph. God through Joseph’s heart granted new life. This is the POWER of forgiveness. Have you encountered that kind of liberating power?

Applying the Text

(1) The Power to Heal

Research conducted at our own church college in Decorah, Iowa concluded in 2001 that only 52% of Americans they surveyed had forgiven others for hurtful acts. The survey found that those 45 and older who forgave others were more likely to report better health overall mental and physical health than those who did not.


What does forgiveness “feel like”? It feels like shedding the load of trying to carry an elephant around on your shoulders.Forgiveness from God feels good. Forgiveness granted from a person we have wronged also carries with it the feeling of having a load lifted. It is a humbling experience for the one who wronged another - to admit, to clear consciences, and to regain a relationship. That is power which moves mountains and renews not only the direct relationship of one or two people but think of what would happen within entire families, communities, and churches when one act of forgiveness catches on like a giant flu bug?

Religious writer Hannah More offers this, “Forgiveness is the economy of the heart . . . Forgiveness saves expense of anger, the cost of hatred, the waste of spirits.”

Beyond mere physical costs of holding a grudge and not forgiving can spread into other realms of our lives as well. What would it be like to break the bondage to a twenty year battle over hurtful words, a wrongful act? Could we be the one that goes to another and forgives again?

“Why do you pass judgement on your brother or sister? Or you, why do you despise your brother or sister? For we will all stand before the judgement seat of God.” The same Lord Christ who grants pardon for our sin has granted pardon for the sins of those whom we may judge. All have fallen short of God’s glory - but thanks be to God for the saving act of Jesus on the Cross. Let the words, “Because Christ has forgiven me I too can forgive you my brother.” Indeed the truth of the Lord’s Prayer speaks to us, “Forgive us our sins as we forgive the sins of those who have sinned against us.”

(2) The Power to Restore

“Then Peter came and said to him, ‘Lord, if another member of the church sins against me how often should I forgive? As many as seven times?’ Jesus answered him, ‘Not seven times, but I tell you, seventy times seven.” Jesus goes onto explain the need to forgive from the bottom of the heart.

Why do we hold the story of the prodigal son close to heart?

Luke 15:8-24
I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired men.' So he got up and went to his father. "But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him. "The son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.' "But the father said to his servants, 'Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let's have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.' So they began to celebrate.

Forgiveness granted the pathway for the son to be restored into the family. Sometimes we want to protect ourselves from further hurt and utter words like Peter, “How many more times do I have to forgive this person, Lord look at how they have hurt me.”

How can we be agents of grace in our families, in our relationships, and in our churches to bring about restoration? Is Christ calling us to be a bunch of doormats and be completely passive in reaction to the hurtful actions of others?

Fine line here folks. There is a difference between forgiving the actions of another person and tolerating their behavior. The difference comes when we learn from the past and allow that to shape how our restored relationship will be different with that knowledge.

(3) The Power to Renew

These are haunting words from Matthew:

“Then his lord summed him and said to him, “You wicked slave! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. Should you not have had mercy on your fellow slave, as I had mercy on you?”

The power of forgiveness renews our minds and grants us the grace to live in the law of love. If God has forgiven me of my sins as vile as they are so too can I forgive the hurtful acts of my spouse, my children, and those in the community.

"We must develop and maintain the capacity to forgive. He who is devoid of the power to forgive is devoid of the power to love." Martin Luther King Jr.

Let us be a people of God maintaining the capacity to forgive. Live by the law of love which compels us to act and be grace to our neighbors, those who have sinned against us even if it be as many as seventy times seven. How often has our Heavenly Father forgiven us.

How many times must we forgive?

Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, "Lord if another member of the church sins against me, how often should I forgive? As many as seven times?" Jesus responded, Not seven times, but I tell you, seventy-seven times." (Matthew 15:21)

Forgiveness seems like such an alien concept in our modern world where repayment for deeds done wrong feels better, accomplishes more, and in the end leave us feeling justified in our actions. How far from the truth is this idea as we take a gander at the Gospel lesson for this coming Sunday?

Katherine M. Piderman, Ph.D. a staff chaplain at Mayo Clinic in Rochester Minnesota offers some guidance on the practice of forgiveness. The facts are in front of us that living forgiveness in our lives actually leads to healthier lives both physically and spiritually. Here is a snippet from her web article offered on the Mayo Clinic website. You can click here for the full article.

What are the benefits of forgiving someone?

Researchers have recently become interested in studying the effects of being unforgiving and being forgiving. Evidence is mounting that holding on to grudges and bitterness results in long-term health problems. Forgiveness, on the other hand, offers numerous benefits, including:

• Lower blood pressure
• Stress reduction
• Less hostility
• Better anger management skills
• Lower heart rate
• Lower risk of alcohol or substance abuse
• Fewer depression symptoms
• Fewer anxiety symptoms
• Reduction in chronic pain
• More friendships
• Healthier relationships
• Greater religious or spiritual well-being
• Improved psychological well-being

Something to think about as we mediate on the word this week. Forgiveness can be powerful both for the one who was wronged or sinned against and the one who receives such grace that forgiveness brings.

The challenge in forgiveness is letting go not of the person but the action which caused the grievance. Often times we don't know how to handle what others have done to us.

17th Sunday After Pentecost (and a formal greeting)

I have decided to add a blog to our church's website which includes the sermon and thoughts for the week. Not that anyone needs something else to read, nor would anyone get great joy out of reading a sermon from a pastor serving in a small village in northeast Iowa - yet the ministry and blog that now evolves is just as important as those classmates of mine from seminary who are serving those mega parishes in far more sinful places like Minneapolis - sin city ya know.

Greetings to you all as we together embark on a discovery of intellect, a smattering of thoughts, and a other such wanderings to give you food to chew on during your week. Our four legged leader, Madison, pictured to the left has agreed to serve as editor for this blog as long as I continue to provide peanut butter flavored dog treats and scratch her belly. Loyalty and kindness doesn't even begin to describe her - she is that well worn pair of jeans, or like the shoes that no matter how many holes seem to leak in water still find there way on our feet.

We live in times which are marked by much disconnect and confusion. Communities and churches even in rural areas are struggling to identify who are their neighbors let alone figure out what happened even within their own families to cause disconnect. From the hill here in Waterville we begin a journey into the text weekly and hopefully more often I can share other thoughts as a new way to live out my calling as Pastor to Waterville Lutheran Church.

Be sure not to miss out on Podcasting of our services by clicking on the link on this front page. Now for the sermon from today. Good luck and Godspeed.

Pastor Kris

Reconciliation Reconsidered
Dealing with Conflict by following Matthew 18

Key Questions:

What do we do when we are faced with conflict in our homes? In our schools? In our communities? How about here at church?

Can we follow this model for reconciliation? What happens when it does not work? How far do we go to make this happen?

How must we live as Christians in a world full of conflict and injustice?

We know the stories of conflict which have brought change in our lives. Broken relationships, church divisions, and fights and personal attacks. Yet what about those moments when we have witnessed the power of reconciliation? Is it possible even after years of separation and division? What happens when we have forgotten what we fought over? Can we remember what caused the issue and point of conflict?

DATELINE - Sacramento, Calif. A man who hit his wife with a frozen squirrel was jailed on suspicion of spousal abuse, police said Monday. The man, 26, had been arguing with his wife early Monday morning when he walked into the kitchen and took several frozen squirrels from the freezer, police spokeswoman Betsy Braziel said. The woman told police that when she walked in the room, her husband swung the squirrels at her and struck her in the head with at least one of them. She fell against a table and received a one-inch cut above her eye, Braziel said. The man was booked into the county jail. What is the moral of this story?

There are better ways of handling conflict in our homes, schools, churches, places of work, and our daily relationships. Jesus gives us a better way today.

Applying the Text

In order to understand conflict and how to use this Biblical model from Matthew 18 we need to understand what our reaction to conflict is. When faced with conflict and a situation when someone has “sinned against us” what is our natural reaction?

Stuff it, plot for the repayment, share it, recruit converts

1. Step One: Seek one on One Restoration

“If a member of the church sins against you, go and point out the fault when the two of you are alone. If the member listens to you, you have regained that one.”

“Put on the armor of light” when we go to the one who has sinned against us. What does this look like?

This is the heart of the confessional rite. I have sinned against you O God by what I have done and left undone. I have not love you with my whole heart. I have not loved my neighbor as myself.

When you have sinned against your neighbor take the first step towards regaining that relationship. What does this look like for a church? For a community? For a disciple of Jesus? That we are bound to the command to live out the “new commandment” that we love one another as Jesus first loved us.

Does this mean that we won’t have conflict? We will. Does this mean that we will always agree and never hurt each others feelings? We will. It does mean that we are holding each other accountable to live according to Jesus command today to seek out the one we wronged with the ideal of regaining community and wholeness. We need to be the “two or three gathered”, we need each other to fulfill the mission of this congregation.

So who here today is missing because of a long ago conflict? What member of families is missing because conflict and sin have built a wall between us and them? Can we take that first step today to build a bridge?

2. Step Two: Seek out a witness.

“But if you are not listened to, take one or two others along with you, so that every word may be confirmed by the evidence of two or three witnesses.”

“Let us live honorably as in the day, not in reveling and drunkenness...not in quarreling and jealousy. Instead, put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh.”

Putting on the Lord Christ means that we seek peace over our desires to seek repayment for those who wrong us. If we ourselves cannot obtain peace please do not give up on the possibility of peace in our church, our homes, our schools, and in our relationships. We are called to be peacemakers for each other - so use this gift that exists within the body of Christ.

3. Step Three: Involve the Body of Christ, the church.

“If the member refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church, and if the offender refuses to listen even to the church; let such a one be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.”

Often by the time the conflict gets to this level the community is already involved through gossip and other means of human brokenness. Can the conflict be redeemable?

“Turn back from your ways” and see how God can work to bring about restoration and renewal, even in the most fractured of situations. We have been there in times when we wanted the chance to work things through but it was taken away from us. I know your painful journey here at Waterville Lutheran. How can begin the peace process and reach out to our brothers and sisters in Christ who have wronged us?

Follow the guidance of these verses and know deep in your hearts that God will walk with you as you seek out those who have wronged you. As a church we begin this process by finding ways to come together as “two and three” under the same Lord Jesus. We set aside the thing which tear us a part and seek ways to build up the body of Christ. It takes work, it takes love, and it takes believing in a Lord who has done the same for us.