Times of Change
Stop me if you’ve heard this one before:
How many Lutherans does it take to change a light bulb? Wait, CHANGE?!?!
Most of us love to remain in our comfort zones and hate surprises, especially in the land of Lutherans. We go to the same service every Sunday and sit in our seats. We love the old pastor, the old hymnal, and we sure miss the old organist.
Change can be upsetting. It disrupts our “normal” and forces us to try new ways of doing things.
In our current world of unknowns, we are faced with change after change… followed by more change. We live in stressful times. The pandemic we are facing is full of changing discoveries and new research. Online church was, until recently, the only option for many of us to worship. On top of all that, our culture is being ripped and torn apart by anger and sin.
Neighbors battle it out with yard signs and angry social media posts. Newscasters talk about “the new normal.” It can be hard to know what to believe. And we just want everything to go back to the way it was before we ever heard the word “Corona.”
We hunger to see the faces of friends and family and to simply smile at a stranger in the grocery store without a face mask. We yearn for long visits that start with real handshakes and end with hugs. God created us to be relational beings, but the current pandemic is pulling us further and further apart.
It’s easy to think no one has ever lived through something like this because that is what we are being told. These times are not merely upsetting, they are unprecedented!
But it isn’t true. Peace be with you, my dear friends. Our solace is found in the words of Ecclesiastes 1:
One generation passes away, and another generation comes;
But the earth abides forever.
The sun also rises, and the sun goes down,
And hastens to the place where it arose...
That which has been is what will be,
That which is done is what will be done,
And there is nothing new under the sun.
Is there anything of which it may be said,
“See, this is new”?
It has already been in ancient times before us.
There is no remembrance of former things,
Nor will there be any remembrance of things that are to come
By those who will come after. (4-5, 9-11)
There is nothing new under the sun.
These are words of great comfort! For while our experiences are new, and our new experiences are uncomfortable, God has seen it all! As the Creator of all things, He has not only seen the past and the present, but also the future. He knows the ending.
As we face great change and a world that seems to be spinning out of control, be reminded: God is still in control. All are subjected to his power, his glory, and his authority, including cultural strife and novel viruses.
In the face of all of these changes, Lutheran Indian Ministries is adapting and studying God’s Word to learn how the Apostles fulfilled Jesus’ commands in trying times. We cling to Him and His truths, and God continues to bless our work. We are proclaiming the Gospel, we are discipling our Native brothers and sisters in the faith, and we are helping them heal from trauma.
Ministry does not stop for global pandemics. In fact, it speeds up as the need for Jesus, in times like these, multiplies every day. People continue to ask: How do we move forward? Will this ever end? Who can help us?
God alone is the answer (to every question).
And so, like you, we count our blessings in these frustrating times. I am writing to say THANK YOU because you are a blessing to us. We are blessed by your prayers. We are blessed by your words of encouragement. We are blessed by your generous gifts. And we are blessed by your faithfulness.
For nearly 35 years, Lutheran Indian Ministries has been the hands and feet of Jesus serving Native American peoples, and it is because of people like you, and the grace of God, that we still proclaim, disciple, and heal today.
We thank God that His blessings and your support have not changed, and we pray you will continue to partner with us until the day all of our Native brothers and sisters know Jesus as their Lord and Savior.
Together, let us work tirelessly and relentlessly to that end to His glory!
God’s peace be with you!
In Him,
Tim Young Eagle (Pawnee)
Executive Director
P.S. We do have one thing that is not necessarily new but is certainly a first.
Vicar Rick McCafferty was ordained into the Holy Ministry on June 21, 2020, at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Vancouver, Washington.
With his ordination, Rick not only saw the culmination of 4 years of hard work, but he also became the very first Native Alaskan to be ordained and become a Pastor in the Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod.
Please join us in congratulating Rick and pray for blessings on him as he continues to fulfill his calling with Lutheran Indian Ministries as a Missionary at Large. Your prayers, encouragement, and financial support went a very long way to help make this happen. And so, along with Reverend Rick McCafferty, we thank you!
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