We are called to be the church, the Christian community gathered and sent week after week. We gather around Word and Sacraments and that is unique. When I say that we would do well to get back to basics I mean we need to read scripture well, create worship experiences that are faithful to the tradition and our local contexts, and love and care for our neighbors.

In early December, Cathy, Liv, Phil, and I had a two-day retreat facilitated by two staff from Gonzaga University.  We had several pieces of pre-work to do in advance of the retreat: identifying our personal values (the things that motivate us or give us direction) and social styles. You can imagine already that the facilitators accelerated our getting to know one another on a deeper level. They also facilitated conversations in which we identified the work we must do as the synod staff and who should be doing what. They helped us create our staff purpose and our goals for at least a few years. For this work, they lifted up our synod mission and vision statements and the ELCA’s Future Directions work. They also guided us as we talked about the gifts and needs in our synod.

I have been reading instructor Grace Pomroy’s Stewardship Leaders Newsletter for at least five years. I know the word stewardship does not excite everyone as much as it does me, so let me state clearly that there has always been something unique about Pomroy’s approach to generosity and stewardship. It is holistic, includes both data and stories, creative (but not trendy), and it is always grounded in scripture and prayer. Last summer, when I read the draft of her forthcoming book, I loved the way she started with the Ezra 3:10-13 passage and also began each chapter with Dwelling in the Word (similar to Lectio Divina).

It always struck me as an interesting coincidence that Time after Epiphany overlaps with at least the beginning of the state legislative sessions. In the first few weeks of the session (both Washington and Idaho’s sessions begin Jan. 8 this year), citizens get manifestations of the legislative bodies, through bills, speeches, meetings, and local reporting. We talk often in the church about how Jesus made sure people on the margins were brought into the main story; these individuals often take primary space in the pages of the four gospels. As people following Jesus, our eyes and ears should be attuned to what space the marginalized today have in legislative bills and at their hearings.

Oct. 23-Nov. 11, five of us traveled to our companion synod in southern Tanzania, the Ulanga Kilombero Diocese. I am eternally grateful to Deacon Heidi and Dan Cryer (Lord of Life Lutheran, Kennewick) and Pastor Ethan and Carla Bergman (Grace Episcopal, Ellensburg) for being amazing travel companions. I tried to document the trip well in real time on my blog (megganmanlove.com), but I will share a few reflections here as well.

The overarching theme of Philippians is the joy we have in Jesus Christ. There is so much that is still broken in our communities and cosmos and sometimes both the small conflicts and large injustices can overwhelm. I cannot continue the work of witnessing to the love of Jesus Christ with words and actions without reminders that the good news is for me too, and that the joy Paul writes of is ours.