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Relax in God’s Presence

By Vicar Lisa

Psalms 46:1-11 says that “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore, we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging.”

I found a devotional and it had a lovely photo of autumn in the northeast somewhere. It reminded me of the glorious autumns from when we lived in upstate New York. The title of the article was “Be Still and Rest”. And that really appealed to me because I didn’t sleep much last night.

Just before bedtime, I had been on the phone with my 22-year-old niece who had lost her mother Roseanne, John’s sister, last month. She wanted to know if I could come to Texas and preside at her mom’s memorial service. And of course, I said yes, I could do it any time after Nov 3. And when I got off the phone, I was suddenly overwhelmed by everything that had to happen soon.

God invites us to cease striving — to “be still” in other translations — and know that He is God. My favorite version is, “Be still and know that I am God.” Being still is hard for me. I like to check off all those “to dos” off my list and being still is not easy to do when I am feeling pressured and stressed out. Stress causes aches, and pains, and what I call “busy-brain disease” which keeps me up at night.

Everyone experiences stress. Sometimes the load we bear is one of constant struggle; other times it can be an excess of good things stretching us beyond our capacity.

Usually, life is a mix of things we’d rather not tackle and some that we desire — such as a school deadline, a tough chore, a promotion at work, a weighty decision we must make ... Through it all, how do we manage our stress in a fruitful way?

Often, what we need to do is pause to rest in Christ’s loving presence. It’s tempting to think of pausing as something we can do only when the conditions are perfect — the right environment, amount of time, or part of the day. But remember that God is with us in every moment. So, carving out even the briefest break in our busy schedule can make for a meaningful encounter with Him.

The next time you feel stress building, give yourself a moment to reset. Say a prayer, breathe the air God has given you, sit in the sunlight, and simply rest. The more often you do this, the more of God you’ll experience — and the less of your worries. And I will try to take my own advice!

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:38-30

Serving This Sunday, 20th Sunday after Pentecost,

Oct. 15, 2023

10 a.m. Worship with Holy Communion

Sunday's Flowers: Donated by Kathy Nicolai in thankfulness for all God’s gifts.

Announcements

  • Following Worship Today: Join us in the Fellowship Hall for coffee and conversation.
  • Church Council Meeting: Church council will meet on Sunday at 11:30, following services. All are welcome to sit in on the work of the church.
  • Please excuse the mess: Because of Zion’s willingness to provide emergency shelter for the homeless population during deep freeze events, the Trinidad homelessness task force and Keep Trinidad Safe have volunteered the funds needed to repair the shower located on the upper level. Please excuse the dust and clutter.
  • Women’s Bible Study: The next Women's Bible Study is at 9:30 a.m. on Friday, Oct. 20, in the Fellowship Hall with a study of the parables of Jesus lead by Carol Smith. All are welcome.
  • Adult Bible Study: Our next Adult Bible Study on How Lutherans Interpret the Bible will continue Nov. 5. The focus will be on Lutheran buzzwords.
  • Congregational Meeting: A congregational meeting will be held on October 29, 2023, at 11am (following worship) for the purpose of approving the changes to our constitution and by-laws. An email with the proposed modifications was sent out by President Julie Wersal on 9/29/2023 at 1:24 pm. All voting members are requested to review the documents in advance. If you have any questions, please contact Julie or any council member.
  • Memorial Service: A celebration of the life of Pastor Andrea, is scheduled for Friday, Nov. 3, at Zion’s Lutheran. Comi Funeral Home in Trinidad is in charge of arrangements. Reception to follow at Space to Create Trinidad.
  • Flower Sign Up: There still are Sundays in 2023 available for flower dedications. The recommended minimum donation is $35, and the work of our flower guild is lovely. You can keep the flowers or donate them. The flower guild then divides the bouquet for nursing homes and for the homebound.
  • Now Available: Copies of the October-December Portals of Prayer are available in the back of the sanctuary and in the Fellowship Hall.

E-formation – Twentieth Sunday after Pentecost
Oct. 15, 2023

We don’t invite strangers to our wedding banquets, but God does. Come to worship with us this coming Sunday. Join with millions of strangers, all around the world, who come to be filled with God’s mercy.

Matthew 22:1-14

God calls us to life together, described here as a wedding banquet for the prince. Christians have likened the love of Christ for the church as a marriage and holy communion as the banquet that God provides recall the wedding imagery in the hymn “Soul, adorn yourself with gladness.” Some interpreters have likened the “wedding robe” to a white garment of baptism, and some Christians have literalized the eschatological metaphors and specify heaven as an everlasting joyous banquet and hell as perpetual weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Isaiah 25:1-9

This stunning eschatological poem invokes the images of city, ruins, palace, shelter, cloud, mountain, feast, wine, shroud, tears. God is described as swallowing up death, consuming its danger so that we remain alive and safe. The poem is chosen as a parallel to Matthew’s picture of the king providing a banquet for a surprising group of guests. For Christians, the tomb of Christ has swallowed death. Be sure that a masterful reader proclaims this amazing ancient poem.

Philippians 4:1-9

Paul once again provides a balance for Matthew: even though there is controversy within the Philippian community, Paul still praises it as his joy and his crown. “The Lord is near”: the church recognizes the risen Lord here, in word, sacrament, and assembly.

Zion's Lutheran Church

zionsluth@gmail.com

719-846-7785