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Advent 2023 By Vicky Daub

A new heart I will give you.

In this vision of renewal, God will gather the people who have been scattered to the nations and give the people a fresh start with a new heart.

Advent is a season of waiting. When I was a child, I used an Advent calendar to count down the days until I could open my Christmas presents. I do have many fond memories of worship on Christmas Eve, but the season was really about the presents for me. As an adult, I started collecting Advent calendars. I have many of these calendars-just ask my husband Larry. I love them! Besides these calendars, I also collect Advent devotionals. I spend time each morning reflecting on these devotions. What does “A new heart I will give you” from today’s reading mean in 2023? To me, it means that I am “starting new” each day, from the inside out.

How can I reach out to one person today who might need my help finding a “new heart”?

Dear God, open my heart to the wonder of Advent. With your grace and guidance, help me to share the joy of this message with my neighbor. Prepare my heart for all Christmas has to offer. Amen.

Written By: Vicky Daub
December 11, 2023

Advent 2023 By Vicky Daub2023-12-21T14:50:02-07:00

Advent 2023 By Scott Zimmerman

They shall be mine, says the Lord of hosts, my special possession on the day when I act, and I will spare them as parents spare their children who serve them.

Malachi literally means “Messenger”, and this passage is a message to those who revered the Lord. In it, God reiterates a promise to save those who are not ‘arrogant evildoers’. Malachi contrasts the punishment of burning up the wicked, leaving neither root nor branch, with the joyful leaping of the righteous, healed by the rising sun.

I always struggle with passages that compare the fates of the righteous vs. the wicked. I want to be counted among the righteous, but I know that striving for good standing before God is kind of impossible. I’m stuck here, unless I focus on God’s desire to be in relationship – promising a love for us as deep as a parent’s love for their child. Don’t miss the promise here as well – we join the people of the Old Testament in waiting and hoping for that day when God acts – will this be the day when God’s love comes in the embodiment of parental love for our broken world?

Gracious God, you come to us every day, seeking us out with your messengers from ancient times right through the present day. Grant us ears to hear your message of healing for our brokenness, and eyes to look for your presence in our everyday lives.

Written By: Scott Zimmerman

Advent 2023 By Scott Zimmerman2023-12-21T13:53:10-07:00

Advent 2023 By Janet Mortinsen

For I am with you to deliver you, says the Lord. Jeremiah 1: 4-10

Jeremiah was reluctant to accept God’s call to preach using his age as an excuse. God ensures that He will be with him no matter the circumstances or excuses. God is calling Jeremiah to do what is necessary even though it will not be easy for he is asking him to pluck up, pull down, destroy, overthrow yet also to build and to plant.

We are often called upon or asked to do something out of our comfort zone. It may be a natural instinct to try to find “valid” reasons to not follow that call. It’s important to pray and discern what God is asking us to do. It doesn’t mean it will be easy just because we are listening, but God will be with us. Hopefully with the assurance that we will not be alone, we can go forth with purpose.

During the season of Advent, let us hope that the gift of the birth of Jesus is an ever-constant reminder that God is with us.

Dear God, allow me to go forward in faith and trust that you will be with me. Let me believe that I have the skills to follow Your will. Amen.

Written By: Janet Mortinsen, Director of Pastoral Care

Advent 2023 By Janet Mortinsen2023-12-21T13:50:49-07:00

Advent 2023 By Laura Weber-Meyer

We will walk in the name of the Lord our God forever.

These verses in Micah paint a picture of a future where all people, even non-Israelites, come to recognize God as the God of all. The people in this future want to learn God’s ways so they can walk God’s path because they believe it is the just and right thing to do. God administers justice among the nations and peace reigns so swords and spears can be transformed into plowshares and pruning hooks.

This year has been uniquely challenging in so many ways. Our hearts and souls yearn for the peace and unity we see in this passage. We are exhausted. We seem so at odds with each other, with the natural world, with finding ways to keep loved ones and ourselves safe and well. Will we ever come together? Can we make a difference? Is our effort worth it or wasted? Should we just throw up our hands and wait for God to save us? In fact, God blesses us extravagantly and, in turn, expects much of us. We are called to continue to work for peace, to show God’s love to others, and care for our neighbors. It is indeed God’s work and our hands.

May this season of Advent bring you peace, joy, and calm as you lean into the work God calls us to do.

Dear God, grant me patience and the will to serve. Help me humbly reflect your Son whom you sent to heal the world. Show me how I can help prepare His way. 

Written By: Laura Weber-Meyer

Advent 2023 By Laura Weber-Meyer2023-12-21T13:48:01-07:00

The Book of Deuteronomy

The Book of Deuteronomy

“Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.” Deuteronomy 6:4-5

Deuteronomy is the farewell address from Moses that includes a list of many instructions and reminders for the Israelite people.  Moses focuses on reminding the people about the importance of their covenant relationship with God. Included in Moses’ address are also a series of blessings and legal traditions that outline the social, economic, and political expectations for the Israelite people.

The idea behind all of it is that God is building a community in this world. God desires and promises to be in covenant relationship with God’s people, and in turn they promise to observe the specific expectations that God has outlined. As ancient and antiquated as these words might seem at times, the message is still the same today: God wants to establish a unique community and promises to help guide us on this path.

Peace,
Pastor Nate Preisinger
December 2, 2023

The Book of Deuteronomy2023-12-21T13:45:21-07:00

World AIDS Day by Janet

Today, December 1, the 35th World AIDS day is observed with a theme of “Remember & Commit.” This day serves to continue the effort to show support for those living with HIV/AIDS and to work toward ending the stigma.

In keeping with the remember theme, I was thrown back to nursing school when the virus had not yet been identified. The method of transmission was unknown and there were not effective treatments against this virus. The first person with HIV/AIDS I was assigned to care for was a young 23-year-old male who exhibited many symptoms. Anyone entering his room was required to double glove, double gown & wear a mask. Health care workers were afraid and uncertain including me; this patient was terrified and alone. Because he was gay, his family elected to have no communication with him. He certainly touched my heart as he suffered by himself. I will not forget him. There were so many like him and for a long time, most patients with HIV/AIDS were blamed and shunned. As I think back to this, I am reminded of Matthew 7:12 “So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you…” My hope is that no matter the disease, the circumstance, etc., we can show our love and acceptance of the person.

Today, there are effective anti-viral treatments to reduce the amount of the virus in the body and medications that can be taken in the event of exposure. However, there is no cure. People living with HIV/AIDS still experience stigma. Many states still have laws on the books that criminalize those with HIV and certain behaviors. There is still work to be done. To learn more, visit www.hiv.gov.

Peace,
Janet, Director of Pastoral Care
December 1, 2023

World AIDS Day by Janet2023-12-21T13:42:03-07:00

Advent 2023 by Pastor Gary

On that day a fountain shall be opened. Zechariah 13:1-9

 As we enter into the season of Advent we hear the voices of prophets speaking to us. In this passage of scripture, the prophet Zechariah brings words of hope alongside words of rebuke. God intends to remove the voices of false prophets who have led the people of God astray. In turn God will purify the people of God so that they can proclaim that the Lord is truly their God.

Advent, as a season of preparation, calls on us to listen to voices that will bring us closer to God. It is no secret that our society allows for many voices that attempt to command our attention. Finding the voice of a prophet of God can be tricky. Hold fast to those voices that move us to become pure in spirit. In God’s fountain we shall be cleansed, and our relationship to God will be refreshed.

May this season of Advent prepare you to receive God as the one and only voice that brings peace to our lives, our hearts, and to the world.

Dear God, open my ears to the words of your true prophets today. Help me to listen to those voices, that my heart will be ready for a Christmas celebration.

Joyfully Serving Christ,
Pastor Gary
November 30, 2023

Advent 2023 by Pastor Gary2023-12-21T13:37:01-07:00

The Advent Season

The Advent Season

Advent marks the beginning of a new liturgical year and we begin this new year by waiting and preparing.  The entire season is one of anticipation as we ready ourselves to receive the Good News of Jesus’ birth anew.  But, as with all of the Liturgical seasons, Advent’s themes are much deeper than meets the eye.   During this time of year, we are not just invited to wait for Christmas to arrive but to also consider the ways that waiting can be spiritual; the ways that intentional preparing can draw us closer to God.

The Advent Wreath is a prominent symbol during the Advent season and it carries profound symbolic significance.  Each week we light another candle and watch as the light in the sanctuary or in our home literally grows brighter, even as the sunlight grows dimmer as we move towards the darkest days of the year.

The message of this season is simple: even at times when the despair in our lives seem greatest we cultivate a faith that proclaims that God’s power is stronger.  Even when it may seem as if the entire world is becoming more and more bleak, we are watching and waiting with hope for God’s light to break in again.

Peace,
Pastor Nate Preisinger
November 27, 2023

The Advent Season2023-11-08T15:33:12-07:00

The Gospel of John

The Gospel of John
Written By Pastor Nate Preisinger
November 25, 2023

“The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” – John 1:5

The Gospel of John is the most theological of the Gospels and was likely written a generation after the other Gospels in our Bible. The author seems to have had time to think about the implications of Jesus’ life and so in sharing the story of Jesus’ life, John’s Gospel will often provide additional commentary on the significance of Jesus’ actions and words.

Additionally, John’s Gospel focuses again and again on the importance of belief and abiding in the love of Jesus. Through his words, John is urging his readers to have faith in Jesus; to understand him as God in human form and to put their trust in Jesus above all else.

John’s focus on belief and trust in Jesus carries with it an immediate experience of salvation. Jesus came to help people become Children of God (John 1:12) and how to cultivate an abundant life right now (John 10:10).  John continues to speak of Jesus as the light of the world, guiding us to live in the way God created us to live.

The Gospel of John2023-11-08T12:54:33-07:00

The Fall Part 3

The Fall: Part 3

The life of faith encompasses several events and moments that we journey through multiple times during the course of a lifetime. The devotion below is part of an ongoing series that explores these central themes of Christian doctrine.

“When we think we have it all, we are still beggars, in need of grace.  When we think we have nothing, we are still beloved, in whom God is well pleased.” – Rev. Matthew Nickoloff

The reality of our personal sinful nature is not meant to fill us with guilt and shame.  As Paul says in his letter to the Roman church, “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” In other words, our sinfulness is the great equalizer.

We must acknowledge our sin because it is not God’s hope for the world or our lives, but we must never allow this truth to pull us into thinking that we are any less than God’s beloved children.  Our mistakes do not define us, God is the one who gives us our identity as loved and forgiven children.

Rather than being pulled into feelings of shame and guilt, taking the time to humbly admit our sinfulness has the power to pull us deeper into an understanding of God’s great love for us.  Despite these mistakes we’ve made, God is still willing to forgive.  When we allow the beauty of this truth and the incredible depths of God’s love to meet us in our broken, sinful state it is almost always transformative.

Peace,
Pastor Nate Preisinger
November 24, 2023

The Fall Part 32023-11-08T15:31:10-07:00

The Fall Part 2

The Fall: Part 2

The life of faith encompasses several events and moments that we journey through multiple times during the course of a lifetime. The devotion below is part of an ongoing series that explores these central themes of Christian doctrine.

“If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us, but if we confess our sin, God who is faithful and just, will forgive our sing and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” – 1 John 1:8-9

While sinfulness is an ongoing part of every person’s life, we are given simple instructions for moving past our mistakes.  Our only roll is to confess our sins.  To take time to do the humble work of admitting our faults to God and asking for a new path forward.

This process that God provides us with is it’s own form of healing.  The required humility of confessing our sins breaks us out of the selfish mindset that likely led to our sin in the first place.  Through confessing we are training ourselves to live more humbly, to trust God more, and to be more deeply connected with The One who is always seeking to guide us away from self-destructive behavior.

Peace,
Pastor Nate Preisinger
November 23, 2023

The Fall Part 22023-11-08T15:19:36-07:00

The Fall Part 1

The Fall: Part 1

The life of faith encompasses several events and moments that we journey through multiple times during the course of a lifetime. The devotion below is part of an ongoing series that explores these central themes of Christian doctrine.

“God creates the world and called it ‘Good’. Humanity lives in the world and calls it ‘Mine’. The mystery of the world’s brokenness arises in the space between these claims.” -adapted quote from St. Augustine of Hippo

Every life is littered with moments of separation, struggle, and sin. We all give in to our selfish desires and find ourselves living in ways that do not fit with God’s hope for us. This phenomenon is often referred to as “The Fall” and has been blamed on the actions of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. God had forbidden the humans to eat from one tree and yet despite these instructions, both Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit from that one tree.

This is still the story for humans today. Most of the time, we know what God desires for us, and yet we still choose to do the opposite. God warned Adam and Eve of the consequences ahead of time, and yet they still gave in to the serpent’s temptations and ate the fruit. And we too often know that our selfish actions will not lead us towards a more abundant life, and yet we still proceed with our sinful behavior. This is the ongoing, human predicament that God continually forgives and continually seeks to guide us out of.

Peace,
Pastor Nate Preisinger
November 22, 2023

The Fall Part 12023-11-08T13:25:13-07:00

The Book of Numbers

The Book of Numbers
Written By Pastor Nate Preisinger
November 18, 2023

“The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.”

-Numbers 6:24-26

The book of Numbers is primarily the information from a census that is taken by Israelites while they wandered in the wilderness. But the book also tells the story of the generation detailed in that census. A generation of Israelites died in the wilderness and the next generation is the group that God prepares to establish a new type of community in the Promised Land.

In many ways, Numbers invites us along on the journey out of Egypt and towards the promised land and connects us as modern day readers with the ways that God’s blessings endure across generations, across long journeys, and across difficult seasons of life.

The Book of Numbers2023-11-08T12:51:47-07:00

Creation Part 3

Creation: Part 3

The life of faith encompasses several events and moments that we journey through multiple times during the course of a lifetime. The devotion below is part of an ongoing series that explores these central themes of Christian doctrine.

“We are characters in the drama of God’s creation, and we have many roles. To be stewards of its resources. To be keepers of its goodness. To be co-creators of its beauty. To be lovers of its people. And to be agents of its restoration.”

-adapted quote from theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Believing that God is the creator of the world inherently carries with it certain responsibilities. If the earth is created by God, then we should concern ourselves with the care creation. People, animals, nature itself are all intimately connected to the God who created them and so part of our Christian calling is to care for that which God has created.

I believe that things like recycling, or gardening, or curbing pollution are all spiritual practices that have the ability to more deeply connect us to God. As we work to care for the world that God has made, God is pleased, and we are drawn deeper into our understanding of God the Creator.

 

Peace,
Pastor Nate Preisinger
November 17, 2023

Creation Part 32023-11-08T13:07:33-07:00

Creation Part 2

Creation: Part 2

The life of faith encompasses several events and moments that we journey through multiple times during the course of a lifetime. The devotion below is part of an ongoing series that explores these central themes of Christian doctrine.

“Creation is not about the number of days in a story, but about who is the Author of the Story. That Story begins with God making a world that God calls good, and ends with God healing that world and making it new. We ourselves are beloved characters within this greater drama; a story that God delights in telling.”

-adapted quote from theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Believing in God as the Divine Creator of the world carries with it an incredible sense of the sheer enormity of God. God has been present since the very beginning of time itself and somehow exists eternally into the future, even beyond the point when time comes to an end. It’s nearly impossible to even wrap our minds around the idea of what it means for God to be eternal.

How humbling to consider the vastness of God and to recognize that this eternal, all-powerful God created me. We all are but a small ripple in the ocean of eternity, and, small as we are, God still loves us and claims us and guides us.

Peace,
Pastor Nate Preisinger
November 16, 2023

Creation Part 22023-11-08T13:20:42-07:00

Creation Part 1

Creation: Part 1

The life of faith encompasses several events and moments that we journey through multiple times during the course of a lifetime. The devotion below is part of an ongoing series that explores these central themes of Christian doctrine.

“In the beginning, God created everything everyone and declared it ‘good’. That means that all of life is holy; in all of life, God is waiting for us.”

– adapted quote from Jurgen Moltmann

When we confess that we believe that God created all of heaven and earth there are all sorts of implications connected with that statement. If God is a creating force and all of life is the product of God’s creative action than everything is deserving of our inherent respect and reverence.

In the Creation story included in the first chapter of Genesis, after creating God

always pauses to declare whatever was previously created “good”. I believe that this how we are called to view all of creation as well. Things like racism and sexism have no place for Christians because we believe that all people are part of God’s good creation.

Peace,
Pastor Nate
November 15, 2023

Creation Part 12023-11-08T13:02:29-07:00

The Book of Luke

The Book of Luke
Written By Pastor Nate Preisinger
November 11, 2023

“In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to their own town to register…. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and Mary gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger because there was no room for them in the inn.” – Luke 2:1-3;6-7

The Gospel of Luke opens with a preamble that explains Luke’s reason for sharing the events of the Jesus story. His Gospel is addressed to Theophilus, a Roman government official, and is an “orderly account” of the events of Jesus’ life. This preamble provides helpful insight into some of the unique features of Luke’s account. Throughout the Gospel, Luke consistently provides information about different leaders and officials, to help provide timing and context for when the events were taking place.

But Luke’s Gospel also focuses on these details, because Luke is seeking to exemplify the ways that the life of Jesus is about God doing something extraordinary through very ordinary means.  There is a political undercurrent to the entire Gospel as Luke seeks to show that the power of God in Jesus is different and yet more important than the power of the current rulers and leaders. The famous Christmas story that is found in Luke 2 begins with talk of emperors and governors but quickly turns to describe the humble birth of Jesus in a manger.

In these ways, Luke’s Gospel invites us today to remember that as followers of Jesus, our allegiance and salvation is found in Jesus Christ and not in any other powers or principalities of the day.

The Book of Luke2023-11-08T12:57:30-07:00

Gods Timing By Deacon Debra

God’s Timing

“Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock.” Matthew 7:24

We’ve been house hunting! I began my call at Bethany two weeks ago, but my current address is still Albuquerque, NM. The Denver metro housing market is expansive and there are so many places we might someday call home. In two weeks, Antonio and I have visited over 20 homes with our realtor! We are searching for just the right house, in just the right neighborhood, at just the right price! The homes we’ve visited are new/old, single story/tri-level, clean/dirty, expansive/tight, bright/dark, all with foundations that have either been remodeled or are seriously decaying. The process is unsettling. We’re tired. We miss our friends and family, familiar routines, sights and sounds. Yet, in the midst of all this, we trust God has called us to Bethany Lutheran Church. The Spirit is guiding us forward and through the warm welcome we’ve received from the Bethany community we know, without question, that Jesus is very present. We trust in God’s timing. We will find just the right home, with all the right features, securely built on a solid foundation!

Peace,
Deacon Debra

Gods Timing By Deacon Debra2023-11-08T12:39:22-07:00

Rated PG All Saints

November 6, 2023

The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

You likely know the power that one candle can have in a completely dark room. No darkness can overcome the power of one single flame. Light wins every time.

Yesterday, on All Saints Sunday, we witnessed the power of one candle. In the Bethany sanctuary we had many candles. But each individual candle had power unto itself. Each candle had not just a name, but a person connected to it. How appropriate that when read the name of each person we lit a candle. The power of darkness is overcome by that flame.

Joyfully serving Christ,
Pastor Gary

Rated PG All Saints2023-11-08T12:35:27-07:00

The Book of Leviticus

The Book of Leviticus
Written By Pastor Nate Preisinger
November 4, 2023

“I am the Lord your God, and I have promised you their land that is rich with milk and honey. I have chosen you to be different from other people.”
– Leviticus 20:24

Leviticus is a collection of very specific laws that was given to the Israelite people after they were freed from slavery in Egypt, but before they arrived in the Promised Land. The laws contained in this book are often very specific and detailed and concern a number of different aspects of daily life.

We see from the pages of Leviticus that God is deeply concerned with the every day details of the Chosen People. God wants to guide them and mold them into a community that is markedly different from other tribes in that day. These laws were given as a way to distinguish the people; to set them apart from other communities.

In Leviticus, we see that God wants to establish a community in the world that is unique. Not only that, but God longs to lead God’s people so that nearly every aspect of their lives can be connected to God.

The Book of Leviticus2023-11-08T12:43:45-07:00
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