progressive involvement

My Lutheran weekend

My mother is approaching 90 years old, and, while still pretty spry, has pared down her social activities considerably.  "I can really only do about one major event a day," she says, which, in the case of my visit to her home in Tucson this weekend, pretty much amounted to church.

We attended her Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod (LCMS) congregation, Fountain of Life, on Saturday evening.  One feature of Fountain of Life I've always liked very much is the altar cross.  It's done in hispanic style, with colored stones, tastefully lit, beyond which you can see the Catalina Mountains.

This church used to have about 600 in attendance on a weekend.  As church attendance falters throughout the nation, Fountain of Life has likewise felt the pinch.  Last week's attendance at six services was about 500, and that's counting attendance at two nursing home services.

This was a "juggler" service, i.e. one in which you "juggle" a hymnbook, marked in two places, and a bulletin.  We used their setting four of the liturgy, with its lovely Hymn of Praise.  Alas, that was the only song I enjoyed singing.  The other hymn selections were standard LCMS fare, sung with notable lack of enthusiasm even by those who knew them.  The service was attended by about 80 people, about 70 of whom were seniors.

The service was led by a retired pastor who preached on the lectionary's 1 Corinthians text for the 8th Sunday after Epiphany.  He used the text as a springboard for a sermon on the office of ministry.  In the LCMS, only men may be pastors.  When the pastor would refer to "men," I would lean over to mom and say, "that's men and women."  Outside of that piece of theological dissonance, his sermon was well-crafted and well-presented.  

Sunday morning, we went to Our Savior's, a congregation of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), which is across the street from University of Arizona Hospital near downtown.  This is the oldest Lutheran congregation in Tucson.  Just the day before, we had been at this major intersection where we honked and waved, along with many others, in support of union members and others who were expressing solidarity with the public employee unions of Wisconsin.

The service at Our Savior's was their "Celebration" service, which means guitars and drums playing songs I don't know, don't particularly like, and can't sing.  If the singing didn't work out, I figured I could transfer my attention to the architecture of the building, which was splendid.  

The entire building is in southwest style, including the rather simple, but strikingly beautiful sanctuary.  The colorful contemporary stained glass on the side windows was pleasing to contemplate as was the beautiful hand-carved altar table.

In a sharp contrast with Fountain of Life, the presiding pastor at Our Savior's is a middle-aged hispanic woman.  She did not wear clerical garb, and her manner was soft-spoken and affirming.  Her sermon was based on a text in, of all places, 2 Timothy.   She spent some time on the historical background of the text, addressed some of the issues regarding its authorship and transmission, then made practical application.  

I am perhaps the world's worst sermon-listener.  My nose twitches at statements of the obvious, and my eyes glaze over at the first hint of pietistic tripe.  Pastor Ascarza's fine sermon, with its exceptional use of language, held my attention from beginning to end.  Greeting her upon leaving, I commended her "intelligent sermon."

Like Fountain of Life, Our Savior's has seen its membership decline.  There were perhaps 80 people at the service--they average about 400 on a weekend.  The age distribution and diversity of the congregation were a marked contrast to Fountain of Life.  There were several children in attendance, several singles, several people in their 20's and 30's, a lesbian couple or two, and even a few old Scandinavians!

The bulletin was chockfull of service and fellowship opportunities, everything from lobbying the legislature to scrapbooking.  Considering that I didn't care for the songs or the band, in addition to which the ushers were disorganized, the sound system had a glitch, and the band's singer was flat about half the time, the thought occurred to me that, if I lived in Tucson, this is where I would worship.

Lectionary blogging: Transfiguration, Matthew 17: 1-9

Six days later, Jesus took with him Peter and James and his brother John and led them up a high mountain, by themselves.²And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became dazzling white. ³Suddenly there appeared to them Moses and Elijah, talking with him. ⁴Then Peter said to Jesus, ‘Lord, it is good for us to be here; if you wish, I will make three dwellings here, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.’ ⁵While he was still speaking, suddenly a bright cloud overshadowed them, and from the cloud a voice said, ‘This is my Son, the Beloved; with him I am well pleased; listen to him!’⁶When the disciples heard this, they fell to the ground and were overcome by fear. ⁷But Jesus came and touched them, saying, ‘Get up and do not be afraid.’ ⁸And when they looked up, they saw no one except Jesus himself alone.

9 As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus ordered them, ‘Tell no one about the vision until after the Son of Man has been raised from the dead.’

Translation:  And after six days, Jesus takes alongside Peter and James and his brother John with him and brings them up into a high mountain by themselves.  And he was transformed before them and his face shone like the sun, and his garment became white as the light.  And behold, there appeared to them Moses and Elijah, talking together with him.  But Peter answered and said to Jesus, "Lord, it is good for us to be here.  If you desire, I will make three tents here--to you, one, to Moses, one, and to Elijah, one.  Yet, while he was speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and behold, a voice out of the cloud said, "This one is my son, the beloved, in whom I am well-pleased.  Hear him."  And when the disciples heard, they fell upon their face, and they were struck with great fear.  And Jesus came and touched him, saying, "Be raised up and do not be afraid."  And when they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no one except Jesus himself alone.  And as they were coming down out of the mountain, Jesus commanded them, saying, "You may not speak of the vision to anyone until the son of humanity has been raised out of death."

 

Letter from a Wisconsin teacher to Gov. Scott Walker

To the Duly-Elected Governor of Wisconsin, Scott Walker (and anyone else who gives a hoot):

It has only been a week, and I grow weary of the political struggle that your Budget Repair Bill has caused. I am tired of watching the news, though I have seen many of the faces of those I hold dear as they march on the Capitol. I am tired of defending myself to those who disagree with me, and even a bit tired of fist-bumping those who do. I am tired of having to choose a side in this issue, when both sides make a certain degree of sense. And so I offer you this desultory (aimless or rambling) philippic (angry long-winded speech), because at the end of the day I find that though this issue has been talked to death, there is more that could be said. And so, without further ado, here are my points and/or questions, in no particular order.

Gratitude stops at "teh gay"

Guard at New Life Church in Colorado Springs saved lives when a gunman tried to attack the place.  When they found out she was gay, she was asked to leave.

Senate Democrats begin debate with capitulation

Senate Democrats began trimming billions from social programs because Senate Republicans threatened to hold their breath until they did.  

Meanwhile, Democratic leaders express shock and dismay that the GOP isn't all a-quiver over shutting down the government.

(Sen. Dick) Durbin (D-IL) repeated the Democratic accusation that "House Republicans seem more interested in shutting down the government" than in compromising with the Senate. 

Ya think?  

What's the point of even holding elections?  Even when the people elect Democrats, they still get Republicans.

Aurora is Colorado's first "majority-minority" city

Aurora is a city of 325,000 people, the third-largest in Colorado after Colorado Springs (414,000), and Denver (600,000).  

Aurora, and Arapahoe County, are national bellwethers--that is, places where national trends are first expressed, observed, and felt. During the last two national elections, for example, strategists on both sides knew well that whoever won Arapahoe County would likely win the election.

It is not surprising, then, that Colorado's increasing diversity would be symbolized by Aurora becoming the state's first "majority-minority" city, according to a Census Bureau report issued Wednesday and summarized in today's Denver Post.  53% of Aurora's residents identify as "non-white."

All minorities increased their percentage of Colorado's population, with hispanics making the biggest jump.  Hispanics increased from 17 to 21 percent of the population.  All but 6 of Colorado's 64 counties became more diverse.  Curiously, one of the six was Denver where the white population inched up from 51 to 52%.

Some folks will see those numbers as being a cryin' shame.  Predictably, the comments to the Post article included at least a few complaining about "foreigners."

In the history of the United States, Colorado has always been multicultural.  When the first white settlers came here from points east, hispanics were already here.  The oldest church in Colorado is not in Denver.  It's in the San Luis Valley.

The multicultural environment is one of many reasons that Colorado is a great place to live.  The hispanic culture brings its colorful and rich tradition.  African-Americans have likewise made their contribution.  Some of the earliest settlers in Denver were blacks who had escaped from slavery.  Asians were early residents as well, living in "hop alley"--now Wazee St.--as early as 1870.

Nor is that all.  About 10,000 Ethiopians live in Aurora, and perhaps as many as 30,000 Koreans.  In fact, anyone who likes international food would love Aurora where you can find everything from middle-eastern to Mongolian to Vietnamese to Eritrean.  My personal favorite is Masaala, which serves Indian food from the Mumbai region.

Congratulations to Aurora, Colorado, which knows the meaning of E Pluribus Unum, one out of many.

 

Protests spread across Wisconsin

Wisconsin-ites will show up at over 20 locations throughout the state in protest against the Walker "budget repair" bill.

Dangerous radicals and union "thugs" fill Wisconsin's capital

 

First Draft has had some excellent reporting and commentary on the events in Wisconsin, including this video:

 

While certain others are addicted to self-righteousness

Former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum says Wisconsin protesters are "acting like their drug is being taken away from them."

Strong majority affirms collective bargaining for public employee unions

A USA Today/Gallup poll released today confirms the findings of an AFL-CIO poll released earlier this week.  The public strongly supports collective bargaining for public employee unions.  The margin is 61-33%--not even close.  This is a strong affirmation of Wisconsin-ites protesting against Gov. Scott Walker's proposal to end collective bargaining.

Feeling the heat, Gov. Walker delivered a ten-minute speech tonight, most of which seemed lame and off-point.  He kept talking about the budget, for example, when the public employee unions have already conceded on salary and benefits.  Meanwhile, the Governor's position is not helped by more information coming to light concerning his close ties to the Koch brothers.

It's starting to look like some people have misplayed their hand.  The working people of Ohio are pushing back hard against an anti-union bill pushed by GOP Governor John Kasich, while, over in Indiana, an astute GOP governor suggests his party not try to end collective bargaining.  

You can see how they got there.  In the circles frequented by Gov. Walker, most everybody hates unions.  In their world, it's a no-brainer.  That attitude turns out, however, to be less representative of the public as a whole than they figured.