How I Spent My Summer Vacation

Bonjour!! I’ve recently returned from a wonderful two-week visit to France, my first-ever trip to Europe. The occasion was a music and art tour, sponsored by Concordia University Chicago, and I tagged along with my wife, Deb, who was part of the faculty contingent. We traveled throughout France with a group of 70 students including the tour choir, chamber orchestra, art majors, and several alumni. The musicians provided concerts in several beautiful cathedrals.

I wasn’t in charge of anything on this trip other than getting to the bus on time and generally staying out of the way! This was great because I had time to absorb and consider the sights and sounds along the way. Here are just a few of my musings from this journey:

What a World! All too often I take for granted the beauty of God’s creations. I’m thankful that the opportunity to see France for the first time shook me out of this bad habit. The beauty and charm of the French countryside, the villages, the cathedrals, the vineyards … wow!

The Power of Lunch. I’m typically not much of a lunch person, especially on days I’m in the office. So, it was great to gain some appreciation for this important time of day from the people of France. They also seem to understand the importance, from a wellness perspective, of taking time mid-day to relax, renew and enjoy the company of others. It was fun to see shops, even in the touristy areas, with “out for lunch” signs posted and to watch school children walking home for their noon meal. Of course, given the quality of food we experienced in France, who wouldn’t want to slowly savor the taste experience?!

Why so Many Languages? The fact that many of the countries in Europe are the size of some of our U.S. states makes me wonder how it would be if each of our 50 states had its own language. ( I realize some would say that places like Wisconsin and North Carolina DO have their own language!) I need to learn more about how these distinct languages came about. With the people of Europe already enjoying easy travel between countries as well as an increasingly common currency in the Euro, is it possible that someday there will be a common language? Until I get my act together and become fluent in some other language, I vote for English.

Are We There Yet? At various points along our tour through France, we’d hear the students from the back of the bus having fun recalling the favorite family vacation question, “Are we there yet?” Even though I get to travel a lot, it still amazes me how quickly we are able to get from place to place thanks to the marvel of air travel! Breakfast in Chicago and dinner in Nice … it’s a miracle!

Now that’s Old! Being a product of Illinois and Florida, I enjoy traveling to the east coast of the U.S. where so many historical sites date back 200 or 300 years, sometimes more. This is nothing, however, compared to many of the castles, cathedrals and villages in Europe. A good reminder of what a youngster the United States really is in the lifeline of civilization.

Here is the Church … The cathedrals and churches we visited were awe-inspiring to be sure. I honestly don’t know how they constructed these magnificent buildings given the equipment available when many were built. As in the U.S., the spires and towers of churches in France serve as centerpieces of villages and communities. Not being in any one place long enough, I don’t know how many of them house vibrant communities of believers or how many of them are active centers of health and healing outreach in their community. It appeared that many primarily served as tourist attractions … but I hope I am wrong about this.

America’s Got Talent! Looking back, I don’t recall being as intelligent or talented during my collegiate years as the students I met on this trip. The musical ability of the singers and instrumentalists is awesome and inspiring. Those with whom I was able to have extended conversations seem very focused on living their faith and making a difference in the world. Very encouraging!

Thank God for Family! One of the special benefits of this trip was time spent not only with Deb but also with our two daughters. Katie came along on the tour. Kris lives in Germany and was able to join us in Paris before we hopped the bullet train to visit her new home outside of Kaiserslautern. Even though it’s easier than ever to stay in touch, there’s nothing like time together in person! I returned from France thankful once again, for three great gifts of wellness to me … Deb, Kris and Katie.

Thanks for letting me share. Whether you do a vacation or a “staycation” this summer, I hope you find time to relax, renew and refresh as you enjoy the warmth of this wonderful season!

How Do You Spell “Entrepreneur?”

One of the joys of serving on the Wheat Ridge staff is the opportunity to be inspired by the creative and dedicated efforts of leaders who have been led by God to serve and care for people in their community. I hope you are likewise inspired as you read stories of these leaders and those they serve in the materials you receive from us.

Beginning a new ministry venture is not an easy thing to do these days due to a variety of issues, including funding challenges and increasingly complex regulations. It requires determination, focus and an ability to think “outside of the box.” We find ourselves describing these people more and more as “ministry entrepreneurs.” As you may know, an entrepreneur is a person who organizes or manages an enterprise with a willingness to take considerable initiative and risk in order to achieve impact. Personally, I find the biggest challenge when talking about this type of person is spelling the word entrepreneur … thank goodness for spell check!!

Anyway, I was not surprised when my eyes were drawn to an article about ministry entrepreneurs that a staff member placed on my desk recently. It was written by Bill Wilson, president of The Center for Congregational Health, which is headquarted in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Bill’s article is entitled, "Four Ways for Ministers to Become Entrepreneurs" and it appeared on www.ethicsdaily.com. Here are his suggestions for pastors and other church leaders how an entrepreneurial spirit can be injected into the life of congregations and clergy:

1. Cultivate the spirit of creativity and innovation personally and as a congregation. Find those who are blessed with such traits naturally and invite them to tutor you. Someone in your congregation has the entrepreneurial spirit in abundance. They probably work in a non-religious field. Find them and learn from them.

2. Ministers must bring others along on the journey. Clergy sometimes have the mistaken notion that laity cannot absorb or appreciate the complexities of modern ministry. Many cannot, but some do and want desperately to help the church work smarter, not harder. I have found that these uniquely gifted people often feel unappreciated and unwanted in local churches. They've endured many rolling eyes and old-school sighs. Validate them and they will fill a vital role in your congregation.

3. Create space in your life and calendar for creativity and innovative thinking. Find times when you can empty your head and allow the Spirit to inspire. Spend at least one day a month in planning and preparation. Congregations need to relieve their ministers of the crush of meetings and the unrealistic expectation that she or he is the only one who can hold every person's hand through every medical procedure. It's not biblical, it's not true, and that expectation will rob your minister of every ounce of his or her creativity.

4. Find those who practice the faith in your style and tradition and are innovators. Visit them. Read their writings. Listen to them. Spend time with them. The entrepreneurial spirit is contagious. I hope you catch it.

Speaking of finding time to be creative, Wheat Ridge Ministries just completed an impact study of more than 50 sabbatical grants that we have awarded to congregations during the past five years. To access this report and other helpful materials related to ministry sabbaticals, please visit our website.

Blessings as you enjoy God’s gift of creativity and use it in service to others!!

The Importance of Play

One day a few weeks ago, the Wheat Ridge office was closed for our annual “staff day,” a day during which we celebrate God’s gift of each other and the team ministry in which we are privileged to participate. This day is always a reminder to me of how fortunate I am to have amazing colleagues to work alongside in pursuit of the mission of Wheat Ridge.

It was also fun this year to invite the staff of Lutheran Church Charities, another Chicago-based organization, to join us for our morning session. LCC is a great servant organization, positioned as a first-responder to natural disasters and other tragedies in the Midwest and, increasingly, around the United States and even beyond.

Our presenter and facilitator for the morning was our very own Mark Schoepp, who serves as Church Relations Representative for Wheat Ridge. Mark is a great teacher and advocate for wellness of body, mind and spirit. He has developed a special interest in the wonders of the human brain and in “brain health.” Every time I hear Mark speak on this topic, I come away amazed and in awe of God’s creative miracle of the human body!

Mark’s specific theme for the morning focused on the importance of play for healthy minds, bodies and spirits. He had us using straws, duct tape, paper cups and a few other items to see who could build the tallest structure using these materials. Unfortunately, our table team lost by a few inches … but it was the sturdiest!

Even more fun and interesting to me was a discussion at our tables about the games we played individually and with others when we were children. I hadn’t thought about “Red Rover” or “Running Bases” for a long time! It was great to reminisce and think of the good times these games provided.

This discussion of brain development and the importance of play have me wondering about a number of things, including:

 Do the electronic games and toys that kids enjoy today add to or take away from the creative discovery processes that are so important for brain development? How can parents make sure that video games don’t totally replace the fun of building forts and houses out of the cardboard container that the refrigerator was delivered in?

 If play is the important “work” that a young child must engage in for reading readiness, how can we help parents resist the temptations of overly academic and test-oriented preschool and kindergarten programs?

 If current research on brain development and physical activity is anywhere near accurate, why do so many education leaders have students sitting at desks for increasingly longer stretches while recess and physical education is eliminated?

 Similarly, if the skills required by leaders are increasing “right brained” skills related to creativity, why is it that art and music programs seem to be the first programs to be eliminated in efforts to balance school budgets?

 In the midst of our business and hard work, how do we as adults not lose site of the gift of play, which is so important for both whole person wellness and for creative problem solving?

If you have thoughts about any of these questions, I’d love to hear from you! In the meantime, be sure to take some time to play!!

New Life

Imagine being a troubled teenager and having one last shot at a high school education. You’ve been removed from several schools because of behavior problems and the fact that these schools couldn’t handle your special learning needs.

This is the dilemma facing students that I met recently during a tour of a new school developed in the heart of the Bronx, New York, by Lutheran Social Services of New York. It’s appropriately named the “New Life School” because it gives kids from grades 5-12 a chance for a fresh start both academically and socially.

Located in the middle of an industrial area, the school’s name reflects the signs of new life that are evident all around, as this famous borough of New York City is in the midst of a significant renaissance. If you haven’t been to this part of New York in recent years, make a point of visiting the next time you are in the city.

The commitment to new life is evident from the time one enters the school building. The entrance area includes a “water wall” with water running two stories down the face of a granite wall. The sitting area in front of this wall is regularly used by counselors and teachers as a place for quiet conversation with students.

Of course, schools are only as effective as their leaders and New Life School has an exceptional leader. Peter Anzalone is a young man who is totally dedicated to making a difference in the life of his students. It’s clear that his vision is not of an “alternative school,” but of a missional environment that helps kids reach their potential. He described how carefully he hires and supervises the teaching staff, knowing that there is no room for faint-hearted, mediocre or solo-artist teachers in this place.

It doesn’t take long to see why. Because of the extreme emotional and behavioral challenges the students at New Life face, the school experience is quite unique. The class sizes are very small and each class has a teacher and a full-time aide. In addition to the classrooms on each floor, there are several “time out” rooms used to temporarily segregate students whose behavior makes it impossible for them to remain in a class. A student is not allowed to leave class alone to use the restroom … he or she must be accompanied by a teacher, aide or administrator.

In spite of the daunting challenges, New Life School has, in a very short amount of time, already seen many hoped-for signs of new life. Peter is very proud that a large and growing number of students have passed the New York Regents exams, an accomplishment virtually unheard of in this type of school.

Reflecting on my visit to this wonderful school, three focus points stand out:

1. The investment by others in these students – New Life School has a contract with the New York City public school system to serve these students. I was told that the school receives about $32,000 per student per year for their twelve month school year. Do the math based on the current enrollment of 168 (they plan to be at their capacity of 240 soon) and the amount is quite impressive. While there is much to criticize these days about our public school system, thank God that the public cares enough about marginal, high-risk students to not easily quit on them. This something to be proud of as citizens.

2. The specific investment by Lutheran Social Services – Two words came immediately to my mind as I was touring the New Life School: cost and risk. It would have been very easy for LSS to take a pass on a venture like this. LSSNY has invested a great deal in the construction of this facility and has taken on significant debt. They are also subsidizing a portion of the operating costs not covered by their contract with the public school system. One significant bad incident with a student or teacher could cause considerable harm to the reputation and financial stability of LSS. Kudos to CEO Ron Drews and his staff and board for their mission vision pursued through the establishment of this unique place of learning.

3. Schools as places of health and healing – Perhaps there was a day when schools had a singular focus on academics. Not today. Today’s schools, whether public, private and/or faith-based, are serving students with myriad needs related to wellness of body, mind and spirit. These needs are vivid among the students at New Life. While teachers and administrators at this school cannot, due to the requirements of its contract with the public school system, share openly in classrooms the healing power of Christ, the leaders of Lutheran Social Services are following God’s call to serve these challenging and challenged students, knowing that God’s spirit is at work in the process as students experience care, build trusting relationships and experience a new outlook on life and learning.

As your Lenten journey of healing and hope continues, please keep New Life School, those who lead it and the students served by it in your prayers.

Pictured above from left to right: Ron Drews – CEO LSSNY, Rick Herman, Ausma Mursch – Good friend of Wheat Ridge Ministries, Peter Anzalone – Principal, New Life School, Jill Schumann – Executive Director, Lutheran Services in America, Marlene Lund – Director, Wheat Ridge Ministries’ Center for Urban Education Ministries, and Christine Connell – Executive Director for Agency Advancement, LSSNY (Photo by Bob Mursch)

The Gospel in Action

One of the joys of traveling on behalf of Wheat Ridge Ministries is participating in worship services in congregations across the country. While every congregation’s culture and worship style is unique, I always feel at home away from home as I join brothers and sisters experiencing the good news of Christ through Word and Sacrament and responding to it with thanks, praise and mutual care.

Occasionally on these visits, Christ’s message of healing and hope shows through in a unique way. Such was the case when I visited Zion Lutheran Church in San Francisco, California, a few months ago.

In the front pew during one of the worship services was a family of six. Mom and Dad sat at either end of the pew as “bookends” for three very tall and athletic teenaged young men and their little sister. During the offering, the tallest of the three stood up and walked back a few rows to where an elderly woman sat alone. The young man very deliberately took a seat next to her. During the communion liturgy, as we were called row by row to come forward, they both stood up. The young man gently held out his arm for the woman, who had difficulty walking, and supported her as she made her way up the stairs to the communion rail. Afterwards, he accompanied her back to her seat and then rejoined his family.

He and his family were already on their way home before I could catch up with them after the service. I found out from others that this was a weekly routine. At some point in the past, this young man recognized the need and was moved to respond with care and compassion. Perhaps he was prodded before he performed this act of kindness for the first time. Or maybe he just recognized the need and responded to it. I don’t know. In any case, it was evident that his service had become part of his worship routine and he carried it out on that day carefully and humbly.

I’m not sure why this incident has stuck with me. I guess it reminds me to be more aware of the countless small acts of kindness that take place every day as people share the love of Christ with others. While I don’t remember the Gospel lesson read that Sunday, I do remember the Gospel lesson that this young man shared through his actions. Thank God for acts of kindness shared and received in Christ’s name. Indeed. In deed!

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year! I’m hoping that sometime soon I’ll stop writing 2010 on my checks since the new year is now several weeks old!

I always enjoy reading, watching and listening to the various highlights of the past year that appear before the calendar year ends. Top news stories, best movies, famous people who have died, most important entertainment stories, most influential people, top athletic accomplishments … the list of lists seems to get longer each year as the media plays to our keen interest in remembering, listing and cataloging people and events.

These end of the year “recaps” cause me to reflect on several questions, including …

How is it possible that another year has passed by so quickly? God keeps the earth rotating at the same rate year after year, but it seems each year passes more quickly than the year before. As a kid, a year seemed like a lifetime. Now a year seems more like a month. It is a blessing to have a very busy and fulfilling schedule that makes hours and days fly by. But, do you ever wish like I do that there were more “slow” days when the clock operates in slow motion and a day takes a long time to pass?

Did all of these things really happen in the past year? Isn’t it amazing how much goes on in the course of a year? I’m always surprised at the number of major events and stories I hear or read about for the first time when they show up on an end-of-year list. I’m similarly surprised by how quickly even major events seem to fade from my memory. How can it be that the gulf oil spill happened just months ago … seems like old news already.

What didn’t make the list? Highlights of important events and activities, whether national or international in scope, recounted in our annual Christmas letters are interesting. But for all of us, the hours in a year are filled mainly with the daily joys, challenges, accomplishments and struggles each of us experience that would never qualify as highlights. John Lennon’s reminder that life is what happens when we’re busy making other plans rings true. How can I take more care to appreciate the “daily bread” God provides each day in the people, places, decisions and circumstances that make life so rich and worth living?

What will the new year bring? Fast on the heals of last year’s highlights come the predictions for the new year. What stories will unfold? What will be the hot new electronic gadgets? How will the economy perform? Not surprisingly, most of those who love to share their predictions don’t seem as anxious at year’s end to talk about how accurate they were. It is part of our human condition, I suppose, to wonder what plans the Lord has for us. Thankfully, we take comfort in the words of Jeremiah 29:11 and the knowledge that God’s plan, however it unfolds, is intended to bring hope and an eternal future!

God willing, through the new health and human care activities seeded by Wheat Ridge Ministries during the year ahead, this message of hope and a future will be carried to thousands of people whose lives will be impacted as they experience wellness of body, mind and spirit. Please keep these people, as well as the inspired leaders of the new ministries that serve them, in your prayers.

Armed with your strong support, encouragement and prayers, I predict that 2011, whether it seems to fly by or not, will be another great year to celebrate God’s grace by planting seeds of health and hope in the name of our healing Christ!

The Fast and Furious

I’m writing this from my hotel room near La Guardia airport in New York City. I always feel an extra jolt of energy when I’m in the Big Apple. The combination of densely populated neighborhoods, traffic, incredible ethnic diversity, and interesting sites set in the midst of beautiful rivers and harbors make it unlike any other city in the United States, maybe the world. If you’ve been here, you know what I mean.

Out of this energetic city sprouts some really innovative ministries as the church shares health and hope with others in Christ’s name. I am glad for the opportunities Wheat Ridge has to help seed new ministries here. This week I visited congregations who are currently receiving our help developing programs ranging from health care for the uninsured to ESL classes for recent immigrants to providing quality Christian education and social services through urban Lutheran schools.

I’m in New York just before Thanksgiving. It’s been a fast and furious few weeks for all of us on the Wheat Ridge staff and the upcoming break over the Thanksgiving weekend is certainly welcome. I know our staff would agree, however, that the events we’ve hosted and the projects with which we’ve been involved since mid-October reflect the dynamic and exciting opportunities that are always before us as we pursue our seeding mission. These have included:

 Hosting a reception in San Francisco at the home of one of our board members (Thanks, Lois!) featuring the presentation of our “Seeds of Hope” Award to Dr. Mary Gundelach, a great friend, encourager, teacher, and philanthropist who continues to share the love of Christ with so many individuals and organizations.

 Hosting “Living Well Days for Professional Church Workers” for over 200 pastors and other church workers in Minneapolis and Chicago. These events are designed to help these servant leaders refresh and renew as they consider God’s great gift of health and wellness.

 Visiting organizations and projects seeded by Wheat Ridge in Pennsylvania, California, New York, Kansas, Michigan and Florida to encourage them, to help them assess their efforts and capture what they are learning so we can share their experiences with others.

 Sponsoring a lecture and panel discussion featuring Dr. Robert Putnam, author of the best selling book Bowling Alone, and the newly released American Grace: How Religion Divides and Unites Us. Attended by over 200 people in downtown Chicago, this lecture and discussion provided new insights regarding the critically important role of the faith community in civic life.

 Facilitating the most recent meeting of our Wheat Ridge board of directors. Our board of 18 talented and wise leaders from around the United States is passionate about the seeding of new ministries of health and hope. They work hard to govern our organization effectively and efficiently and always seem to have fun together in the process!

 Convening a military ministry stakeholder meeting of 15 leaders who have been active in promoting awareness around the needs of service members and their families before, during and after deployment and encouraging congregations to be centers of healing for them.

Praise and thanks to God who inspires leaders to impact the lives of people in new and creative ways. And thanks to God for the entire Wheat Ridge family of friends, donors, volunteers and staff who make it possible for us to serve these leaders through our seeding mission.

I hope you had a wonderful time gathering with family and friends for the Thanksgiving holiday last week and may you be touched by God’s presence on your journey to the manger as the Advent season begins!