a congregation of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA)
and member of the Southeastern Iowa Synod
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A Note from Pastor Jack
January 2012
December 2011
October 2011
August 2011
July 2011
June 2011
May 2011
ENDING WELL/STARTING STRONG As I write this, two days before celebrating Christ's birth with you, we find ourselves in a curious place. I will do my best to identify at least some of things that are among, and in some cases, between us.
How all of these relate to or otherwise prompt our reflection upon the event of Christ's birth is not completely clear to me, but because the need for this letter arises as it does, I trust in God's providence to believe there is a connection. First of all, on the basis of my telephone, e-mail, and face-to-face communication with her, I firmly believe that Pr. Spitzack is an excellent choice to be your new pastor. She is wise, personable, experienced, and I believe "gifted," to provide you with solid pastoral leadership as you live-into the next significant phase of CTK's mission and ministry. The Call Committee is to be strongly commended for their diligence; likewise, you are to be commended for placing your trust in them as you have. Please continue to pray for Pr. Spitzack and her family as they (hopefully) begin their transition to Iowa City. Secondly, interim ministries are somewhat like grab-bag gifts; you enter into them with some confidence that there is meaningful ministry to be accomplished, but exactly where, when, or how that ministry will occur is something of a mystery, even in the best of circumstances. So it was here at CTK. I want to make abundantly clear that I have great respect and admiration for the long ministry accomplished by Pastor Dave Aanonson during the 20 years he served as your pastor. Nearly everything you see is, in some way, due to his particular gifts for ministry. CTK was not a troubled situation in any way; the biggest requirement was to provide ongoing pastoral ministry as you made the transition from one permanent pastor to another. That I could be part of that was exciting, but also allowed me to be stretched in important ways where my own ministry is concerned. Thirdly, the changes which have occurred under my tenure (i.e. liturgical practice, confirmation program, personnel, and to some extent administrative) were what I would describe as "organic;" that is, they were NOT part of anyone's "agenda," nor on anyone's radar as possibilities. Rather, they simply happened as part of our on-going life together, often times resulting from having a fresh set of eyes and ears (mine) on the scene asking questions of committees and groups already working when I arrived. That these changes were accomplished during my ministry among you is, as I indicated above, simply part of God's providence. I feel it important to make this assessment now as I may not have the occasion to address all of you again in this manner. At this particular moment, it seems my departure will occur sometime in January, but that remains to be seen. The church council will have the responsibility for evaluating the totality of my ministry among you, and to whatever extent you may wish to make input into that, you are encouraged to speak with a member of the council before their next meeting January 24, 2012. It has been a particular blessing for me to serve this congregation at this time. Each of you has given me some particular gift(s) that have assisted me in this ministry. That having been said, I must confess to some disappointment with a handful of CTK members who have chosen the opportunity provided by recent events to criticize me indirectly by instead attacking my wife and her ministry taking place more than 100 miles from here. I will not elaborate the situation; no doubt many of you have heard that to which I refer. I would simply direct those who are responsible to the 8th Commandment and Luther's explanation of it in the Small Catechism, and then kindly cease and desist in making any further comments about her. Being part of a community, particularly a community of faith, is always something of a challenge; sometimes a greater one than we may wish. Healthy communities of faith are, by their nature, dynamic entities which can adapt to a variety of circumstances, and to the personalities which comprise them. Indeed, everything changed when our Lord Jesus came among us as a child, shared our lives, and died our death. My ministry among you has been brief compared to the totality of your life and mission together. On the whole, I would hope it might be seen as faithful. If so, then you have allowed me to end well, and for your next pastor to start strong. I give thanks to God for the privilege of walking with you for these months. God bless you! Rev. Jack L. Mithelman,Interim Pastor
This is the irrational season (The Irrational Season, copyright 1977, Crosswicks, Ltd. New York) Dear Friends, It is the irrational season, isn't it? Some of us have already been at it for months, in some cases making the gifts we will give for Christmas, others making lay-away and credit card payments. By the time you read this, some will have gotten a good start on their shopping, making use of "Black Friday" as its own holiday. Still others will feel a sense of paralysis and helplessness; wondering where to start, especially since "need" often figures so slightly in our Christmas shopping. And still others will be dreading it; since this one's death, or the loss of their job, has taken all joy from this aspect of the season. It is the irrational season, alright. We find ourselves doing things we don't particularly enjoy nor understand. We make too many commitments and lay extraordinary expectations upon ourselves. We feel harried; we eat, drink and spend too much; we are often exhausted and anxious. Some might say all of that is not so irrational, given that we race against each day's shortened sun, and have allowed the fantasy of a "perfect Christmas" to overtake our common sense. During that first Christmas, a pregnant teen-aged girl and her still wet-behind-the-ears fiancé, made the hopelessly irrational decision to travel from Nazareth to Bethlehem in order to comply with the dictates of a perfectly irrational emperor. I suspect Ms. L'Engle is correct; if Mary and Joseph were seasoned, reasonable adults, there'd have been no room, or perhaps, no need for the child. But as a result, in that totally upside-down way God chooses to relate to the world, our Savior stole into the world and began living among us. If only we could let this season be as irrational for us as it is for God. If only love might, indeed, "bloom bright and wild" among us, so that the hungry, poor, homeless, and lonely might share in its abundance for the whole year, then perhaps all of the other irrationality in which we participate so willingly, could be put aside, and the song of the angels, could become our own: And on earth, peace. Rev. Jack L. Mithelman,Interim Pastor "To the church of God that is in Corinth; to those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, Called to be saints ... Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ." ( 1 Corinthians 1:2-3 abbr.) As words go, they even sounded holy: stewardship, fellowship, charity, teaching, worship, witness; that list of six activities that were once referred to as "the purposes of the church." These words described the churches "business," if you will, and to varying degrees they were understood and accepted by society at large. Early in my career, while employed at the national offices of the church, our working groups were known by their Greek equivalents: diakonia, koinonia, leitourgia, etc. It was, indeed, a very different day for the church than today. Today, I'm not so sure these words enjoy the broad understanding they once had; and for churches to operate from the whole list seems to be an awfully tall order. Since I am one who DOES believe that these activities are not simply the churches "business," but our reason for being, I am reluctant to let them go. So, as I prepared for the confirmation classes this fall, I prepared my own version of these activities entitled, "For the Common Good."
For the Common Good
WORSHIPS: God as Three in One: Creator, Savior, Spirit
Certainly, this list could be improved in any number of ways. It is not a mission statement, but a very simple description of who we are and what we do. For those like our confirmands, who are in the process of learning the faith, or for those who are seeking clarity about what makes for faithful discipleship, this constellation of tasks points us toward our common callings as "members of the body of Christ, and individually members of it," as Paul says later in 1 Corinthians. In today's complex world, it's tempting to view this list as a relic from the past ‐ an ideal from a bygone era that doesn't work anymore. Individuals might look at this list for one thing they can do as their particular spiritual practice; congregations might be tempted to say, "we do a couple of these things pretty well, so our church is in pretty good shape." However, since I AM one who believes that these activities are, indeed, the churches business, that means I believe that ALL of them continue to describe WHO we are, and WHAT we are about. This list represents the breadth of our life in Christ, and that is no small thing. To be "in Christ" means that we will be stretched in any number of ways throughout our lives in order to fulfill the particular callings God has given us. Can ALL of us do ALL of these things equally well throughout our lives? Probably not. But TOGETHER, as the body of Christ, at Melrose and Mormon Trek, in Iowa City; and because we are, indeed, "called to be saints," these are the things this congregation is called to practice; both as part of the body of Christ, but also "for the common good." May this calling continually be renewed in and through each of us. Rev. Jack L. Mithelman,Interim Pastor PS: Every Wednesday evening, our community GATHERS, WORSHIPS, and LEARNS, to strengthen one another for the tasks of TELLING, SERVING, and SHARING. This is not just for a few "other people"; rather, this gathering is for YOU, to strengthen and encourage YOU in fulfilling God's calling to YOU. Please join us. The schedule for the evening is as follows:
By joining in whatever parts of the evening appeal to you, you will discover the wisdom of Psalm 113: "How good and pleasant it is when brothers and sisters are together." "Keep these words that I am commanding you today in your heart. Recite them to your children and talk about them when you are at home and when you are away, when you lie down, and when you rise." Deuteronomy 6:6-7 Dear Friends in Christ, Once again, summer is drawing to a close; children and youth are preparing to return to school, each day a few more university students show up around town; more and more cars are parked at the schools as teachers and staff make their preparations; the so-called "sales tax holiday" drives people to the malls for school shopping; to some degree or another, we are all in the "back to school" mode. So is Christ the King, as we prepare for another program year; this year maybe with some greater urgency. So that you know what is happening and why, here is an update about CTK's preparations:
As you can tell, we're ALL going back to school to some extent, as we fulfill the command of Moses in Deuteronomy. We are all blessed to be part of this wonderful CTK family of faith. Your brother in Christ, Rev. Jack L. Mithelman Dear Friends in Christ,
Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord.
Already 2011 has been a remarkable year, mostly for all the wrong reasons. At the end of January, an enormous earthquake struck New Zealand; February brought the Japanese earthquake, tsunami and nuclear disaster; from March until the end of May many parts of our country, from the Plains to New England to the Deep South, have experienced deadly and destructive tornadoes; May and June have seen wildfires in Oklahoma, Texas, Arizona and New Mexico, all while both the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers are flooding at record stages. And so, we join in the psalmist's lament: Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord. Lord hear my voice. Let your hearts be attentive to the voice of my supplications. If ever we needed God to be attentive to our prayers for the creation and for those who have been affected by these disasters, surely it is now. With all of these coming one upon another, we inevitably ask, "Why? What has caused this; or maybe, how have WE caused this?" Many in our nation, and perhaps the world, are looking for someone, something to blame for all of this, and in a macro sense, perhaps there are some discernable causes; but primarily we are dealing with a most unusual outburst of natural activity, which deeply affects all of us, especially God. Be very careful of those who quickly assume that God is behind all of this, testing or punishing us for something we or someone else has done. If you, O Lord, should makr iniquities, Lord, who could stand? But there is forgiveness with you that you may be revered. The opportunities which now exist for the people of God to share in our neighbor's sorrows and struggles are endless. Many individuals, churches, and denominations have already undertaken projects large and small in many of the affected areas. On Sunday, July 24, between worship services, I would like to entertain an informal, but hopefully substantive discussion of what we as CTK CAN do and NEED to do to help those affected by these disasters. In a community which was devastated as recently as 2008, I would not think it difficult to put ourselves in the places of these brothers and sisters. I very much look forward to having this conversation with you. Meanwhile, with you, I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in his word I hope...O Israel, hope in the Lord! For with the Lord there is steadfast love, and with him is great power to redeem. It is he who will redeem [us] from all [our] iniquities. Watching and waiting, praying and hoping with you,Rev. Jack Mithelman Dear Friends in Christ, The Southeastern Iowa Synod met in assembly May 20-21 at the Marriot Hotel in Iowa City. As synod assemblies go, it was very well done, with a very positive attitude surrounding the gathering. The item of business that most intriqued me was the report of the L.I.F.T Task Force. L.I.F.T. means, "Living into the Future Together: Renewing the Ecology of the ELCA." This is not an effort toward "greener" congregations, but an initiative about every dimension of the ELCA in a time of great change within society at large, and the church in general. I was particularly taken by the two overarching questions which have driven the work of the task force:
I have on my desk a twenty-page summary of the responses to those question suggested by the task force. You would be most welcome to either look at my copy, or else go on the ELCA web-site to find it, plus the 80 additional pages of addendums to the report. However, at this point, I am intriqued by their questions for what they might mean here at Christ the King Lutheran Church in this time of transition. Certainly, those two questions are implicit in the survey sent to everyone in the congregation in late May by the Call Committee. Your thoughtful and prayerful responses to that survey will be indicative of what God is calling Christ the King to be and do in the future, as well as setting the stage for discerning what changes are in order to help Christ the King respond to God's mission for us as this time in the most faithful manner. Please complete your surveys by June 12, and either mail them to church, or place them in the box provided for them on the usher's table in our narthex. However, these two questions really ought to frame the work of every one of our committees as they meet. Christ the King does many things very well. Our worship and music programs are superb, financially we are sound and poised for the future; our building is beautiful and accessible, with open doors and a welcoming face to the community. Yet, as we all know, there are also aspects of our life together that are calling for greater attention, reflection and discernment. For example: I have concerns about our Wednesday evening offerings. I have already begun meeting with various people who either have, or could have, some stake in what happens here on Wednesday evenings. As we hold those discussions, we will struggle with how these two questions might guide our planning for the fall and beyond. Please feel free to undertake similar discussions among yourselves and with whatever groups you meet and work with. I heartily encourage these kinds of discussions for the health and welfare of CTK at this time; but even moreso, for the sake of Christ's mission to the world and our part in it. By seriously engaging just these two questions, you will be well-prepared to welcome your new pastor at whatever time he or she may arrive. I am grateful to God for the privilege of walking with you at this time. Your brother in Christ,Rev. Jack L. Mithelman Interim Pastor Christ the King Lutheran Church jmithelman@gmail.com When wonder begs for expression, we turn to poetry; when faith seeks order and understanding, we look to theology to provide it; and sometimes we are given both. American poet, e.e. cummings identified himself as a Unitarian, yet his poem, "i thank You God for most this amazing" reflects elements of that doctrine which is central to the Christian faith, the resurrection of the dead. i thank You God for most this amazing day; for the leaping greenly spirits of trees and a blue true dream of sky; and for everything which is natural which is infinite which is yes. (i who have died am alive again, today and this is the sun's birthday; this is the birth day of life and love and wings: and of the gay great happening illimitably earth) how should tasting touching hearing seeing breathing any-lifted from the no of all nothing-human merely being doubt unimaginable You? (now the ears of my ears awake and now the eyes of my eyes are opened) It would not be fair to cummings to say that this is an "Easter poem;" that was not his intent. However, Christians can find within it the unambiguous "yes" that is ours at Easter, and at any time when God awakens our ears and opens our eyes to comprehend how God continually brings us out from death to life. With Easter joy,Rev. Jack L. Mithelman Interim Pastor |
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