Jail Ministry-Part 3: What Do you Talk About - by Paul Muller

So what do you talk about? - I almost always talk about the same two bible stories.   I can get away with this because the turnover in the jail, the volunteer schedule and the cell blocks we are assigned are such that I rarely see the the same inmate twice.  I have found that the most effective message for the inmates comes out of  Luke 22:1-60, then Acts 3 and 4. 

The story in Luke is the Last Supper, the betrayal of Jesus, his arrest and the denial three times by Peter.  I think a lot of inmates can relate to this story – when they are arrested often their friends have betrayed them, have scattered in fear or deny even knowing them.  I tell them that this was, arguably, the lowest point in the Christian story: Jesus arrested and certain to be executed, none of the disciples coming to his aid and all are hiding in fear.  I tell them that this is how we all are, scared when trouble comes and fearful, even if we talk big like Peter in Luke 22:33: “Lord, I am ready to go with you to prison and to death.”  I ask them why we even have a church today if this is how the disciples acted when Jesus needed them most.

At this point I read Acts chapters 3 and 4.  It tells the story of Peter and John in Jerusalem at the temple, just a few weeks after Jesus was crucified.  Peter heals a lame beggar in the temple courtyard, a big crowd gathers - astonished - and Peter preaches to them about how the power of Jesus Christ has restored the man's health.  This attracts the attention of the authorities – I love how it reads at the beginning of Acts 4: “While Peter and John were speaking to the people, the priests, the captain of the temple, and the Sadducees came to them, much annoyed because they were teaching the people and proclaiming that in Jesus there is the resurrection of the dead. So they arrested them and put them in custody until the next day, for it was already evening.”

So now Peter and John – the same people who just a few weeks before had denied even knowing Jesus – are in the most public place in Jerusalem, at the busiest time of day, they are preaching about Jesus and then wait around to be arrested for it.  What's going on? 

Read a little further in Acts 4 - Peter and John are put on trial and are identified as associated of Jesus, the executed criminal. When asked by what power they healed the man, Peter says flatly  “.. by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead. This Jesus is: 'the stone that was rejected by you, the builders; it has become the cornerstone.'  There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among mortals by which we must be saved.” 

So instead of keeping silent or making something up to the judge, Peter's words put the blame for the death of Jesus' back on the same religious authorities he was now facing.  What is to keep Peter and John from being crucified as well? 

Finally, the court decides that it would be better not to make new martyrs for the cause and to keep this quiet they will simply give Peter and John a warning not to preach in the name of Jesus.  So when you are in court and you are going to get off with a warning, what do you do?  Easy: - look down, mumble your thanks to the judge and then leave as quickly as possible.  But not Peter and John - instead they fire back: “Whether it is right in God’s sight to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge; for we cannot keep from speaking about what we have seen and heard.”

Many of the inmates know the story of Peter's denial, so now the question is: how is it that Peter and John, who a few weeks earlier went into hiding and denied even knowing Jesus, are now boldly preaching in the name of Jesus in the temple, getting arrested and talking back to the same authorities who had Jesus put to death?

We talk about this and often the inmates point out that Peter and John saw the resurrected Jesus and this experience gave them the certainty of their actions.  I then confess that I have left out part of the story and we read a few verses in Acts 2 – the coming of the Holy Spirit.  This is the source of Peter's strength and courage.   I tell them that all Christians can call on the Holy Spirit for strength and courage and to pray and be open to it. 

If Christ died for our sins, all we have to do as Christians is to be open for the Holy Spirit to guide our actions.  In this we way we have the strength to do what Christ has called us to do: “Love our God with all our heart, all our mind and all our soul.  And love our neighbors as ourselves.”  And jail is a tough neighborhood, but this is what the Christians there are called to do.

Ready, Set, GO!!!

At the end of the summer I am always very careful about how I talk with my educator friends.  I have spent a few weeks already holding my tongue and treading lightly in conversations and current events.  And I have to say it is really hard because this is one of my favorite seasons...it includes county fairs and state fairs (which I will unabashedly tell you that the Minnesota State Fair is the best!!!)  This season includes a change in the weather which means sunnier skies at the beach in Ventura.  But best of all - for parents, social butterflies and serious students - SCHOOL STARTS!!!

Well there it is - the cat is out of the bag . . . sorry teacher friends - free bird summer is over (it'll be back in 2014)

There is just something so exciting about the new year tools and gadgets, and class schedule (even if it was not exactly what you wanted) and new school clothes and shoes.  There are changes and celebrations and reunions and gatherings and people come home from summer break refreshed and renewed and ready for something. (at least that is what we imagine our best selves like)

It's the same kind of thing in the life of the church . . . on a slightly different scale.  You see - we also have Parties and Picnics and "Fairs" of sorts.  We celebrate who we are as a community gathered to make a difference in the world.  We welcome our each other back from vacations and summer trips.  We breathe into the excitement of the fall.  And we too have new programs and opportunities for people to gather and play and work and learn.  

As a church body we seek ways that help us walk our faith walk in all aspects of life.  Some may make sense for you, and some maybe not.  But know you are invited to join in - whenever, however . . . 

Here are a few things that are coming up . . . and watch for more information!

Rally Weekend - September 14-15 

Outreach Saturday 14th

Car Wash, off site

Rally Sunday Sept 15 11a to 2p

Chili Cook-Off & Cornbread - $30 gift cert to winner

Silent Auction

Bake Sale

Games

Music

Ministry Sunday - September 22

Highlighting many of the ministries in which awe join together to live out our mission

New Member Orientation
(September 29 & October 6) Welcoming service on October 13

Offering classes to help people integrate into the life of Trinity Lutheran

Jail Ministry Part 2 - Souls for Jesus? and Fear? - Paul Muller

Are you saving souls for Jesus in there? - Well, no, that isn't exactly up to me or the other volunteers.  Almost all of the people I see are already Christians and an inmate has to sign up for the Sunday visit ahead of time.  This is an extra effort for both the inmates and the deputies – rules are that the inmates have to be strip-searched before and after our visit.  We typically don't have time or space to visit with all the inmates who have signed up because the interview rooms only hold about 8 people and it takes available deputies to process the inmates in and out.  In certain cell blocks you can only visit with one inmate at a time for security reasons.  I tell the baptized Christians I meet that our sins have been forgiven if they believe that Jesus died for them, and that God has done this for us this as a gift. 

Are you afraid in there? -  No.  Jail is probably the safest place I know, certainly for visitors.  In the event of any incident, a dozen deputies will be on the scene in under three minutes – and there never has been an incident in the entire history of the Ventura County jail ministry.  The inmates look forward to our Sunday visits because we are the only outside people they will see during the week and in some cases we are the only people who come to visit them at all.  I was afraid the year I taught 8^th grade Sunday School at Trinity – I look forward to visiting inmates in jail. 

I will say at this point that I believe the jail is reasonably well run and safe for the inmates as well.  If you or a loved one should find yourself a guest of the Sheriff's Department at some point, there is no need to panic.  The jail is not a happy place, but I think I could do time there.

Part 3 - What do you talk about

Ministry Moments: Jail Ministry Part 1

What the Jail Ministry Means To Me - by Paul Muller

Jail ministry is a program for volunteers from local churches to visit inmates at the Ventura County jail on Sunday mornings.  This program is run by the Chaplain's office and there are some 200 volunteers that visit on a rotating schedule.  Craig Johnson, Richard Masters, Inge Christiansen and I are volunteers that are members at Trinity  There is also a group that comes from Ascension Lutheran in Thousand Oaks.  We meet in the jail lobby at 8:00 AM on scheduled Sundays where we are assigned cell blocks to visit.  We are processed into the jail and then meet with inmates in the interview rooms that are off of each cell block.

What is it like to visit inmates inside our county jail?  Maybe the best way to describe it is to answer some common questions that I get from people who know I am in the jail ministry.

Are there steel bars inside the jail? - Nope.  I've never seen a steel bar in our jail.  There are no door handles either, for that matter.  All movement inside the jail is by electrically-activated doors operated by deputies in the glass-enclosed control centers that are located on each floor and cell block.  Even the elevator is controlled from outside – there are no buttons to push for the various floor stops.  On Sunday morning there is a screening by a deputy with a metal detector – we are then processed into the downstairs control center and into the elevator.  When I arrive on my assigned floor I wait outside two sets of steel doors that are opened by remote control.  I check in with the deputy on duty in the cell block control room and he opens the electric locks on the interview room door – I go inside and wait for the inmates to arrive.

So what do you get out of all this? - The opportunity to see the Gospel at work among Christian inmates who can make a difference.  I tell the inmates that a good part of the New Testament was written from jail – and that whenever Christians were put in prison they tried to help their neighbors there.  A Christian may be confined, but he is at the same time truly free because Christian inmates in jail have the opportunity to work among those who really need to hear the Gospel. In so doing they turn outward in service and away from their own worries and fears.  The jail is full of people about to go on trial or to be sentenced – full of people who have families outside and not much news from them. There is a lot of tension - and living in service to others is the best way to be free from your natural fears.  You can see how much this message means to those inmates who hear it.

Meeting with Christians in jail gives you a new perspective on what it means to be a follower of Christ.  It isn't about what sort of hymns are sung during worship or what the coffee tastes like after.  It is about sin and redemption, about serious life challenges and how there is real strength in the Gospel for those who seek it.  And that is a powerful experience.

Part 2 - Are you Saving Souls for Jesus? and Are you Afraid?

Part 3 - What do you talk about

7 Ways to savor some early morning Mid-Summer Peace - from Pastor Erin

I am an early morning person.  Or at least I used to be and still want to believe that I am.  The thing about early morning is that the air seems a little more fresh.  The moisture from the dew teases out the scents of the flowers and the trees.  the quiet of the morning allows one to hear the birds and the wind and focus more on the softness of the breeze rather than the rush of the day.  It's a break from the fast pace of life, a few moments to breathe into the day.  A few moments that there is that quiet time to enjoy God's creation and listen to where the Spirit calls us.

As we enter into middle of summer and the rush of adventures and vacations and travels around the country its easy to forget to breathe.  We seek the rush of adventure and experiences, we take hundreds of pictures to post on facebook, twitter, instagram, tumblr and the like.

In the midst of it all I invite you into the morning.  If you are not an early morning person, try getting up just once a week to see the sunrise.  (if you wait a few more weeks it comes up later). If you are an early morning person take a few extra moments to lay in bed and listen to the birds outside your window.  Or head out for a short walk and notice the silent moments of the morning.

Here are 10 things you can do in the morning to help you slow down and savor the day 

(most of these can take less than 10 minutes)

1 - Breathe - God's breath moves through us, give us life, animates us... before you go anywhere - or even get out a bed, take a few moments to breathe deeply.  It helps of you place your hands on your abdomen and allow your breath to fill up your belly.  Breathe in 3 times and then allow your breath to slow notice how the air moves through you.  Breathing in this way right away in the morning allows more oxygen to get to your muscles and organs and is a good reminder that your can bring that early morning calm back to yourself throughout the day.

2 - Yoga - Honoring our bodies and how God has created us to move is often a helpful way to start the day.  Gently moving our bodies through Yoga (stretching and breathing) invites our bodies into the day  One great series of movements is called Sun Salutations

3 - Slow walk - this is not the a heart raising workout - but a slow intentional walk of noticing.  Go out for a walk and notice what you hear, what you see, what you smell.  Savor the day one moment at a time

4 - Watch the Sunrise - We so often pause to watch the sun set over the ocean in Southern California - but very few of us get up and find a good place to watch the sunrise over the hills.  While it is easy to see then the sun goes down, there is something much more deliberate and intentional about waiting for the sun to appear.  Bring a cup of coffee, or tea and a friend and sit in the quiet as you wait together for the sunrise.  Or go by yourself, meditate and breathe while you wait.

5 - Drink a cup of tea - I know, I know, drinking coffee in the morning is so much the norm.  However, there is a slowing practice that comes with making and drinking tea.  and if you don't like tea a bit of hot water lemon and honey works really well to clear out your digestive system and prepare you for the day.

6 - Journal - Journalling in the morning is very different than any other time of day.  our minds are still a little foggy, our dreams still swirl in our heads.  And for all the swirling and fogginess it tends to be the time of day when we have the most clarity.  The chatter of the rest of the world hasn't yet had time to clutter our minds.  So journal your dreams, your thoughts, your prayers for the day.  Write down a focus for your day - not a to do list, but a to be list.  (mine generally is something like - "be thankful", or "be kind", or "be fully engaged in meetings"...

7 - Meditate - or pray, or sit in silence...whatever you want to call this.  The quiet of the morning is a great time to be able to listen to where your life is call you, or where the Holy Spirit is leading you. Let your mind soften, sit in silence and listen.

It won't be too long before we start noticing how much shorter the days are, before we need to start planning for fall (school, programs, missions).  

Take some time to enjoy the peace the Mid-Summer brings.

(re-posted on www.embodywisdom.blogspot.com)

There's a New Youth Director in Town!

Meet Sean
He is the New Youth Director at Trinity Lutheran Church.  We are so excited that he is on board.  A great addition to our staff and community.

A few weeks ago we had Sean introduce himself to the congregation in our weekly newsletter - here's a little of what he said...

"Hi, you may be asking yourself "who is this new youth minister coming in?" Well I do have an answer. My name is Sean Crayne and I was born in Las Vegas, Nevada. My family moved to southern Minnesota to a very small town called Welcome (population 727). But, my family is from the west coast, so it feels good to come back to where my family is from. The last four years I have been studying Youth and Family Ministry at Augsburg College in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Luckily I earned my degree (a touch of humor) and I'm excited to have this opportunity to teach your kids. It will be a journey. We will discuss the ideas of "through faith alone" and we will try to dive into an idea of vocation. I'm ecstatic to be teaching the confirmation class and am ready to switch it up a little bit from what I have done in the past."

"... I want to work to get to know each and every one of you, but I especially want to concentrate on the parents and - YOU - the young adults who are awaiting a beautiful summer. If you have any questions do not be afraid to approach me when you see me. The truth is though, I will probably end up talking to you first! I know The Lord will bless you and keep you throughout the rest of this week. I can't wait to meet you all!"

Sounds great right!!! - Well so far he has lived up to how excited he sounds.

As one of the Pastors who gets to work with Sean at TLC, I have to say that he's got some great ideas and energy and some serious silliness that comes through daily.

Stop on by TLC to meet Sean and get a boost of joy in your day...

(posted by Pastor Erin)

Welcome

Welcome to the Trinity Lutheran Church Blog.

This is another avenue where you can find out information about what is going on at Trinity Lutheran Church, along with things like news from the youth group, church council, notes from the pastors, upcoming events, pictures, etc, etc.

We hope that you will visit often and allow us to bring you details of the life here in our community of faith - and how we are connecting with the community and the world around us.


Peace to you