Grace Notes, 8-14-2012

Today's Grace Notes may be a little more "in house" than usual as I
reflect on Salem after a year of interim leadership, awaiting news of a
potential pastoral candidate.

It's quite unlike me to be depressed, but as I went home yesterday I had
such a heavy heart. Working on fall programming and anticipating the
liturgical season ahead felt overwhelming. There is often a lack of
momentum in an interim time; I have been through it many times at Salem as
pastoral leadership changed. It doesn't seem to matter how good or
accepted the interim pastor is, how many marvelous, faithful volunteers
and leaders we have, or how hard staff members are working - many families
and individuals just take a break, so to speak, until they see who will
come next. Volunteers lag for vital ministries of Sunday School,
Confirmation, and Worship leadership. Offerings decrease. Some folks
have moved away and new ones have not yet engaged. It is uncertain who we
will have to work with in the choirs and puppets or who will come for
Sunday School and Confirmation. Personally I am feeling it especially
right now with the loss of our diaconal minister as well. Judy was an
unending source of hope and energy and love. When she was around you knew
something was going to happen….she would make it happen. I feel alone,
without a team to work with. I am feeling very human and vulnerable.

Can you even begin to imagine how the Israelites felt after 40 years of
this?!? Wandering and wandering with the hope of a new land, a new life
of richness and abundance promised but not in sight….Moses exhausted from
the constant complaining and bickering, holding desperately to the
promises of God at a time when no one could see them.

Or can you imagine a farmer in drought, hope of his crop drying like
toast, livestock fading in the heat with no water ponds to cool or drink.
Or can you see the shoulders of one whose job just dried up, whose son has
cancer, whose daughter has turned to drugs?

Heaven help us if we choose to look for sorrow, for it will come crashing
in like a tsunami to overwhelm us!! I can remember a dear soul who
served on Salem prayer chain years ago.
She asked me not to pass on a prayer request to her if the person had
cancer; she just couldn't stand it anymore and felt like it was
everywhere, ready to pounce and devour.

I was also overwhelmed yesterday reading the newspaper. Political
clashes, mounting debt, earthquakes, cut programs - uncertainties and
fears everywhere! How Lord, I prayed, will we be able to sustain our food
pantry ministry in a time when it will be needed more than ever!?

Then my quiet, ever-hopeful teammate Sue told me she had great news this
morning… word of a new partnership between the Northern Illinois Food Bank
and Jewel. Three times a week we will be able to pick up meat, canned
goods, fresh vegetables, pastries, and seasonal items just at their last
date to fill our freezer, refrigerator, and pantry shelves! Manna and
Quail from heaven just needing to be picked up!!!
Psalm 43:5 New King James Version, reads 5 Why are you cast down, O my soul?
And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God; For I shall yet praise
Him,
The help of my countenance and my God.
Here it is in the Contemporary English Version : 5 Why am I discouraged?
Why am I restless? I trust you! And I will praise you again because you
help me, and you are my God.
And one more time in the Message version: 5 Why are you down in the
dumps, dear soul? Why are you crying the blues? Fix my eyes on God –
soon I'll be praising again. He puts a smile on my face. He's my God.

How are you feeling? Are you discouraged, overwhelmed, no hope of
deliverance in sight? There are so many arenas for despair in our lives
besides the uncertainty of leadership for Salem congregation.
If we fix our eyes on anything but the Lord, we wallow in a sea of darkness.

God has great things in store for you, for me, and for the people and
mission of Salem. We will receive a new leader and new staff who will
have the gifts we need to move us ahead. Our confidence will be rebuilt
and the momentum will once again build. God will do it with our energy
and our help and our hope and His power.

Remember the Biblical account of Moses' arm in battle? As long as he held
a rod outstretched, the Israelites succeeded; as he tired and weakened and
lowered the rod, they were overcome. TOGETHER THEY HELD UP MOSES' ARM TO
CLAIM GOD'S POWER. Now none of us are Moses but we are all the people of
God, and together we can move ahead in faith and love and might to be the
people of God we are called to be and do what needs to be done. So let us
lift up our dragging spirits and trust that good things are just over the
horizon. Let us believe in the call to be Christ to the world close at
hand and far away. Let us be overflowing vessels of love and hope, faith
and service so those who soon come alongside us will be inspired by our
faithfulness and perseverance and hope.

Soon we'll be praising again. Soon there will be smiles on our faces. We
are not alone; the very God who created the universe is our help and
power. Thanks be to God.

Carla Vanatta, Associate in Ministry
Salem Lutheran Church, Sycamore, IL