Dear Friends,

For almost three years, the Rev. Jordan Long has been leading the Nile Lutheran Mission (NLM) here in Rochester. In that time, NLM has functioned as a “Synodically Authorized Worshiping Community” with the understanding that if it reached the point of being able to financially support itself, the NLM would become a “mission congregation.”

As a “Synodically Authorized Worshiping Community,” the NLM has been testing the waters of mission here in Rochester. As these waters have been tested it has become clear that despite its effective mission to the refugee population in Rochester, the Nile Lutheran Mission is not able to financially support itself as a mission congregation.

The Nile Lutheran community earnestly desires to continue gathering as a community of faith around Word and Sacrament. Over many years, they have come to love and trust Jordan as their pastor and with his leadership, they are excited about the potential mission opportunities available to them in reaching out to new refugees while at the same time reaching back home to families and communities in war-torn Africa.

Coming out of an ELCA African National Ministry Conference I attended last fall in Chicago, a new opportunity for mission presented itself. Through its Mission Expansion Program, funds from both the ELCA and the Synod are available for Incarnate Word to make the Nile Lutheran Mission one of our ministries. As such, Pastor Jordan would become part of the pastoral team here at Incarnate Word with financial support coming from outside Incarnate Word for at least 3 years. This is one of the ministry opportunities that our Outreach Taskforce has been investigating for the past few months. Out of this group will come a team to begin looking at what a covenant for mission between the communities of Nile Lutheran and Incarnate Word could look like.

Within a covenant would be covered such topics as worship times, building use procedures, responsibilities of each community with regard to finances, care of facilities etc., pastoral staff relations, relationship-building between the cultures, Sunday School and youth ministry, representation on church council, stewardship education and holding up cultural identities through worship, education and fellowship.

We will be seeking significant input from both our congregation and the folks of Nile Lutheran Mission. To meet this goal, we plan to have a proposed covenant ready for introduction and extensive discussion by the end of August. Listening posts will be held throughout September so that any and all questions may be addressed. Our ultimate goal is that both communities of faith may vote on this proposal for mission on Reformation Sunday.

As our mission and vision statements have indicated, our congregation seeks to be a relevant presence in the city and beyond. Is it possible that this is a ministry focus to which our Lord is calling us? Let us pray and let us talk.

Peace in Christ’s mission,

Pastor Doug

I Will Strive to . . . Pray Daily

Jesus was praying in a certain place, and when he ceased, one of his disciples said to him, ‘Lord, teach us to pray...’ (Luke 11:1)

By now you have probably seen or have in your possession a wallet-sized card that begins with these words, “I will strive to . . .” There are a couple of ways in which you may have attained these cards. Two were included in the Commitment Sunday letter you received a few short weeks ago. One was also included in the holy Bibles that we began giving out to all in worship on Commitment Sunday. Here is what these cards are calling and challenging each of us to do as we walk the road of discipleship with Jesus.

I will strive to . . .

1. Pray daily

2. Worship weekly

3. Read the Bible

4. Serve at and beyond Incarnate Word

5. Encourage spiritual growth in others

6. Give of my time, talents and resources

In his book, Power Surge, the Rev. Michael Foss refers to these as the six marks of discipleship. Foss writes,

On the surface...[these marks]... may seem overly simple and obvious to the point that they seem to go without saying. Don’t be mistaken. They are simple and yet profound. And obvious though they may be, far more lip service than seriousness is paid to them in most congregations. (p. 89)

When was the last time you prayed? How much time did it take? Did it come easily? Was there wrestling involved?

A long time ago, some of Jesus’ followers had a hard time with this prayer-stuff to the point they came to him one day and said, “Jesus, teach us to pray”. I believe their question to Jesus is ours as well. How do we pray?

Let’s start with how we don’t pray. We don’t pray to get stuff. Nor do we limit prayer to some formula of “address, petition and benediction” led by and only by a pastor. Prayer is conversation. If you can converse with someone, you can converse with God. It’s that simple.

We know how to share our needs and our burdens, how to say ‘thank you’, how to say we’re sorry and how to ask for forgiveness. And we know how to listen when someone speaks these words to us.Martin Luther once wrote,

Prayer is understood to be not only oral prayer, but everything the soul does in God’s word - hearing, speaking, composing, meditating, and the like. (LW 52,
139-40)

Our problem is not in learning how to talk and listen to God. Our problem is in creating space and time to do so. In our hectic and rushed lives, do we make time to pray? We have quotas to meet, kids to get to practice on time, doctors appointments and the list goes on. Somehow all this rushing around just doesn’t seem right. It feels like something is missing. Could it be prayer? Could it be that in prayer we find ourselves returning in restful conversation to the welcoming arms of the One who put our lives in motion in the first place? Could it be in prayer that we re-discover God? Might it be in prayer that we re-discover our lives the way God intended them to be: In peace and wholeness? Let’s pray and find out.

Peace in the Risen Christ,

Pastors Joanne and Doug