So, as I'm sitting here with PR watching the 2008 IW dvd that I have (yes, I know, I'm a guard nerd), I realize that I haven't written in a day or two. So here's another post :)
PR told me the story behind "It is well with my soul," which is really sad. It added a whole new meaning to the show.
In church duties, I want to give a shout-out to Karen, Brian, Luke, Emily and Elizabeth. I have been put in charge of choosing three of the hymns for the service, and it is taking me FOREVER to choose the three for each service. So major shout-out to you folk!!
On Sunday, I was officially installed as the intern. I also was assistant, meaning I got to sing the Kyrie, write and give the prayers, among other things. It was really cool :-)
We're preparing for the NC Synod Assembly later this week and in doing that, I was in charge of folding a bunch of campus ministry brochures that I will be in charge of to pass out at the campus ministry table. I'm looking forward to Assembly!
Peace be with you all!!
About Me
- Tara
- This summer, I am an intern at Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church in Sylva, NC through Project Connect. I will be attempting to discern whether I am being called to public ministry (ie being a pastor). This blog will cover all sorts of things I learn about, things that I find interesting and decide to pass on. It will also be about other fun stuff I am doing here in the mountains :D
Monday, May 30, 2011
Saturday, May 28, 2011
A REVELATION or two
So something that PR and I discussed on Wednesday night was the "Rapture." With last weekend supposedly being the time for the Rapture, imagine my surprise at finding out that my idea of the rapture could be completely incorrect, to the point of maybe there won't even be a rapture in the sense we think of it. From the NRSV:
36 “But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. 37 As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. 38 For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; 39 and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. 40 Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. 41 Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left.
42 “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. 43 But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. 44 So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.
The only mention about a rapture is found in the book of MATTHEW, notREVELATIONS REVELATION. And it doesn't even say that the people who believe in God will ascend into heaven, leaving the nonbelievers to suffer all the horrible plagues and diseases. It only says that "As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man."
Umm... I could be wrong, but in the story of Noah, who was left on the earth? I am pretty sure that it is indeed Noah, the good guy, who was left, and all of the bad people died (see previous entry on Noah and the Flood). So why does everyone talk about the Christians disappearing from the earth, leaving the non-christians behind?
And besides, even if a 'rapture' happens, and all of the believers are taken into heaven, I'm pretty sure that the point was made clear:
“Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. 43 But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. 44 So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him."
Meaning that no one will be able to predict when such a thing is going to happen. God will come when we are least expecting.
So, remember: Revelation does NOT have an S on the end of it, and if a rapture occurs, it may not be what or when we expect.
36 “But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. 37 As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. 38 For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; 39 and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. 40 Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. 41 Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left.
42 “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. 43 But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. 44 So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.
The only mention about a rapture is found in the book of MATTHEW, not
Umm... I could be wrong, but in the story of Noah, who was left on the earth? I am pretty sure that it is indeed Noah, the good guy, who was left, and all of the bad people died (see previous entry on Noah and the Flood). So why does everyone talk about the Christians disappearing from the earth, leaving the non-christians behind?
And besides, even if a 'rapture' happens, and all of the believers are taken into heaven, I'm pretty sure that the point was made clear:
“Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. 43 But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. 44 So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him."
Meaning that no one will be able to predict when such a thing is going to happen. God will come when we are least expecting.
So, remember: Revelation does NOT have an S on the end of it, and if a rapture occurs, it may not be what or when we expect.
Friday, May 27, 2011
When it rains, it pours.
As I am sitting here, listening to the rain pounding the roof, I think about what it must have been like for Noah. We all know that "It rained for forty days and forty nights..." I use to think that it literally meant it rained for forty days and nights. Apparently, forty is one of those numbers in the Bible that has a different meaning. When the number forty is used, it basically means until. So, it rained until.
Until what?
Until every living thing had perished. Except Noah, his family, and the animals on the ark. Thinking back on it, I'm surprised that I wasn't more afraid the first time I heard that story, because God allowed EVERYTHING to die, except those few chosen.
The reason, I believe, that I wasn't as afraid is because of the final part of the story: the rainbow. It's kind of cool to think about how God's rainbow is like the bow of a soldier coming in from the war. The soldier hangs it on the wall, out of the way because the fight is over; he's not going to need it again. God hung the rainbow in the sky as a reminder to Himself of the covenant He made with all humanity and the earth: I will never destroy the earth through water again.
That really struck me, because I have always learned that the rainbow was a reminder to US, the humans, of God's covenant.
The rain's slowing up, so time to go spot some rainbows!
Until what?
Until every living thing had perished. Except Noah, his family, and the animals on the ark. Thinking back on it, I'm surprised that I wasn't more afraid the first time I heard that story, because God allowed EVERYTHING to die, except those few chosen.
The reason, I believe, that I wasn't as afraid is because of the final part of the story: the rainbow. It's kind of cool to think about how God's rainbow is like the bow of a soldier coming in from the war. The soldier hangs it on the wall, out of the way because the fight is over; he's not going to need it again. God hung the rainbow in the sky as a reminder to Himself of the covenant He made with all humanity and the earth: I will never destroy the earth through water again.
That really struck me, because I have always learned that the rainbow was a reminder to US, the humans, of God's covenant.
The rain's slowing up, so time to go spot some rainbows!
Thursday, May 26, 2011
Day One: Almost Done
My first official day as an intern is almost over... well kinda. One of the first things that I have learned in the few short days that I have been with Pastor Rosemary is that even things you might not think of as ministry, such as sharing a meal with people in the community, is indeed ministry! Therefore, a pastor can easily be 'off the clock' but still be working, especially here in rural western North Carolina.
I arrived in Sylva mid-day on Monday, after five hours of driving. For someone who hasn't driven a lot, driving five hours was quite tiring, but I made it. After lunch with PR and Dee Dee, we all went back to the church and worked on things. PR and I discussed what my 'job' would entail, and then I helped Dee Dee finish putting together the bulletins. Dinner and then NCIS watching (debating happened as well... PR is pro-Ziva, whereas I am pro-Kate...) followed as well as an early bedtime.
Tuesday, we left Sylva around 10:30 for our drive to Columbia, SC. "What's in Columbia, SC" you may ask? Nothing other than the Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary, one of the three Lutheran Seminaries in the Eastern Cluster. LTSS was indeed our destination, for that is where the orientation for my internship was held. I shared a three-bedroom apartment with five other girls. Luckily, there were two twin beds in each room, so no one had to sleep on the couch.
It was a good orientation. I discovered that PR and I were the only two who were actually from the south. There were a lot of people from Pennsylvania. Like A LOT. And a number of the Pastor/Intern people had just met that day. I personally am glad that I had already had a chance to get to know Pastor Rosemary before my internship began. We had a leg up on some of the groups because we had already pretty much put together a learning covenant ahead of time through our discussions. I also already trust her, and know the congregation that I will be serving in. I know how they will respond to me and I know some of what the community needs are.
Tonight, I learned that there is truth behind the "Father Abraham had many sons, Many sons had Father Abraham, I am one of them and so are you, So let's all praise the Lord" and to be honest with you, it's a pretty simple answer. But if you don't know the back story to it, the meaning isn't as full as it could be.
To leave you all tonight, I have a thought for you:
The Muslim people are descendents of Ishmael;
The Jewish and Christian people are descendents of Issac.
Both Ishmael and Issac are brothers, albeit half-brothers. Their father was Abraham. But it means we, Arabs, Jews, and Christian, are all brothers and sisters. So, we, in our wars against each other, are fighting family. We are killing members of our own flesh and blood.
I arrived in Sylva mid-day on Monday, after five hours of driving. For someone who hasn't driven a lot, driving five hours was quite tiring, but I made it. After lunch with PR and Dee Dee, we all went back to the church and worked on things. PR and I discussed what my 'job' would entail, and then I helped Dee Dee finish putting together the bulletins. Dinner and then NCIS watching (debating happened as well... PR is pro-Ziva, whereas I am pro-Kate...) followed as well as an early bedtime.
Tuesday, we left Sylva around 10:30 for our drive to Columbia, SC. "What's in Columbia, SC" you may ask? Nothing other than the Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary, one of the three Lutheran Seminaries in the Eastern Cluster. LTSS was indeed our destination, for that is where the orientation for my internship was held. I shared a three-bedroom apartment with five other girls. Luckily, there were two twin beds in each room, so no one had to sleep on the couch.
It was a good orientation. I discovered that PR and I were the only two who were actually from the south. There were a lot of people from Pennsylvania. Like A LOT. And a number of the Pastor/Intern people had just met that day. I personally am glad that I had already had a chance to get to know Pastor Rosemary before my internship began. We had a leg up on some of the groups because we had already pretty much put together a learning covenant ahead of time through our discussions. I also already trust her, and know the congregation that I will be serving in. I know how they will respond to me and I know some of what the community needs are.
Tonight, I learned that there is truth behind the "Father Abraham had many sons, Many sons had Father Abraham, I am one of them and so are you, So let's all praise the Lord" and to be honest with you, it's a pretty simple answer. But if you don't know the back story to it, the meaning isn't as full as it could be.
To leave you all tonight, I have a thought for you:
The Muslim people are descendents of Ishmael;
The Jewish and Christian people are descendents of Issac.
Both Ishmael and Issac are brothers, albeit half-brothers. Their father was Abraham. But it means we, Arabs, Jews, and Christian, are all brothers and sisters. So, we, in our wars against each other, are fighting family. We are killing members of our own flesh and blood.
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