I am currently visiting my father in Rice Lake, Wisconsin. Rice Lake is in the northwest portion of the state. I believe the town is named after the lake and not the other way around.

Although I leave for Chicago, IL tomorrow and then to Galesburg, IL after that, I am taking the time to rest a bit. The fancy biblical word for rest is sabbath. A time to rest.

If you remember when God gave the Israelites the 10 Commandments, one of the directives was to take a day of Sabbath rest. Work six days and rest on the seventh. I normally do that on Monday.

However, some time away from CLC allows me some extra rest from the day to days duties of your pastor. It has been a real blessing to me to spend the last three days with my father. Our time together is precious and way too infrequent. 

By the time I fly home with Rachel, I will have driven from Minneapolis, MN to Rice Lake, WI to Chicago, IL to Galesburg, IL and back Minneapolis, MN… yet I have already had time to reflect on this sabbath break.

I am reminded of the words of the great reformer, Martin Luther when wrote about the third commandment to “remember the sabbath day to keep it holy.”

Luther wrote, “The spiritual rest, which God particularly intends in this Commandment, is this: that we not only cease from our labor and trade, but much more, that we let God alone work in us and that we do nothing of our own with all our powers.”

Good words. It is a reminder for me in this time to let God alone work in me and guide me as I spend time with my family and celebrate our youngest’s college graduation. I will be open to what God has in store for me over the next week and let the Spirit guide me including the times it tells me to rest.

I use this time to: Stop, Listen and Breathe (thanks Bruce Ewing!) so that I come home refreshed and ready to pick up where I left off! 

God bless you my friends!

Pr. Ben

I read an article this past week that touched my heart. I want to share a portion with you…

Ayda Zugay isn’t someone who normally likes to save things.

The walls of her Boston home are bare. She keeps a small bag packed with essential items in case she ever needs to leave quickly. 

But for more than two decades, she’s held onto an envelope that she hopes will help her unravel a mystery.

Zugay says she was a nearly 12-year-old refugee fleeing the former Yugoslavia with her older sister when a stranger handed them the envelope on a flight to the United States in 1999. 

The woman who gave them the envelope on the plane made them promise not to open it until they got off the plane.

Ayda and her sister  were later shocked to discover dangly earrings and a $100 bill inside. 

A note scribbled on the outside of the envelope is signed with only a first name — Tracy. And for almost a decade, Ayda says she’s been trying to find her.

Ayda, has been on the search for “Tracy” ever since, so that she may thank her for that gift of encouragement and to share what she has done with her life since arriving in the United States.

She’s 34 now and would love to talk with Tracy in English — to tell her how she works with nonprofits, cofounded a consulting company and represents Massachusetts as a delegate in the Refugee Congress.

I was moved by this story for several reasons. It exemplifies: Love, Care, Compassion, Service and Generosity. These are all words that CLC used to describe who we are and what we do. 

That gift transformed Ayda’s life. It helped her and her sister when her life was turned upside down.

We may never be able to give a gift like that, but there are daily opportunities to show love, care and compassion. The world is in a lot of hurt right now and we as the children of God are called to bring healing wherever and whenever we can.

Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers. Galatians 6:10

God bless you,
Pr. Ben

If you didn’t hear, Easter was last week.

The core truth of Christianity is the resurrection of Jesus who is God in the flesh. 

Some people don’t believe that, and that’s ok. 

However, if you are a Christian, that is non-negotiable. I’ll be honest with you, its not really possible to call yourself a Christian and not believe that Jesus rose from the dead. I know that sounds harsh, but it is not a judgment. 

To be a Christian is more than following the ancient Israelite rabbi named Jesus. One can admire the teachings of Jesus and not be a Christian! 

We believe that Jesus rose from the dead.

If he didn’t, what do we have? The answer is nothing. 

There would be no eternal life, and this life would be all we have.

We may be forgiven by his death on the cross (atonement) but to what end if this life is it?

Saint Paul dealt with people in the church who didn’t believe in the resurrection of Jesus and he wrote this…

If Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. 1Corinthians 15:14

That’s pretty clear, isn’t it? 

The life, death and resurrection of Jesus is not a fable or fairy tale. It is a true story. 

Saint Paul went on in this same section of scripture and wrote this, too…

If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all of humanity. 1Corinthians 15:19

We as Christians don’t just subscribe to a philosophy or a way of life, we follow the risen Lord! And one day we will follow Jesus straight to heaven.

As for me, I believe in the resurrection of Jesus.

God bless you,

Pr. Ben

In 1959, Thomas Hoving, of New York’s Metropolitan Museum, purchased an ornate ivory cross from a Yugoslavian art collector for the museum. However, the cross wasn’t from Yugoslavia, it was from England and it was old. The cross is dated to c. 1150 AD. 

This altar cross contains ninety-two figures and ninety-eight inscriptions. The detailed iconography on this cross is unrivaled in Christian art.

It has often been suggested that the cross comes from the English abbey at Bury Saint Edmunds in Suffolk. 

Upon closer inspection, there are five tiny holes on the cross that suggest there was more to this unbelievable piece of religious art. There was speculation that a carving of Jesus hung on the cross, creating an luxurious crucifix.

Ten years later, in 1969, that a Swiss art historian by the name of Florens Deuchler, discovered that the 7 1/2-inch figure of Christ in the Oslo Museum fit perfectly into the five holes drilled for it on the Metropolitan Museum’s cross. Although the Christ figure had been damaged over the years, it was a perfect fit.

As we enter into Holy Week, remember that Jesus was perfect fit for his cross. Of all the people who have lived, only Jesus had the power die and then rise from his grave. Only Jesus is God in the flesh and could give his life as a ransom for many (Mark 10:45).

Only the divine blood of Jesus could cover the brokenness of our deeds (Romans 3:25). 

Only Jesus could fix what people ruined at the beginning of human history (Genesis 3:6).

See, only Jesus is a perfect for the cross.

I encourage you to spend time this week pondering the greatest gift given to humanity: a second chance. 

Join us on Palm Sunday as we celebrate Jesus as one who will save us.

Join us on Thursday as we celebrate the gift of Communion and connection given in upper room with the disciples before Jesus’ arrest.

Join us on Good Friday as we remember the gruesome death of Jesus on that cross for our benefit.

And join us for the celebration of Easter that reminds us that death and separation does not get the final word! Love always speaks last.

God bless you as we journey through Holy Week together,

Pr. Ben