Author Archives

eggebrecht

Posted on

Take the Long Way Home

My wife, Tammy, and I went shopping this past Sunday. From where we were there are basically two routes home. There is a short and boring way; and there is a longer and more interesting way.  On Sunday I chose to take the long way home.

I often do it intentionally. When I teach at Concordia on Tuesdays and Thursdays, I get finished with my second class at about 5:15 p.m. I usually have to walk back across most of the campus to get to my car.  Every time I take that long walk, I try to take a different route.

n fact, when I do anything in my life that tends to get repetitious, I try to veer away from the repetition and try a new, different, or more interesting way.

I don’t do these things because I’m some kind of “neurotic” or “obsessive compulsive” (…at least I don’t think I am!). I do it for the sake of my vocation.  As a pastor, week in and week out, I have to come up with some kind of new and creative way to tell a “story” that’s been told time and time and time again.

In order for me to remain fresh and creative, I try to vary routine; and as I vary that routine I purposefully try to notice anything different, new, interesting, or exciting. As I do so, I am often “struck” with an idea that had never occurred to me before. Sometimes it applies to the work I am trying to accomplish in a particular week, and sometimes it doesn’t. But it always keeps my creative chops sharp and honed.

For instance, have you ever noticed the vertical arrow between the E and the X in the FedEx logo? What about the janitor at the office who suddenly has a limp?  Have you stopped to smell the daffodils this spring?  Which unusual word or phrase jumped out at you today?  How did somebody make creative use of a sign in their advertising?

Which routine can you change to heighten your awareness of your surroundings and stimulate your creativity? You’ll be surprised at what you observe.

Help my creativity this week, and tell me about something unusual, different, exciting or out-of-the-ordinary that you have recently observed.  Leave a comment!

Posted on

King for a Day

I’m not at all ashamed to admit that my family and I love Disney World. We’ve been there a number of times, and we never tire of going back.  One of the reasons we love it so much is that Disney knows just how to make you feel special.  Whenever we go there, we are “guests,” and we are treated that way.

When you’re on Disney property you never know when it might be your turn to be treated royally. There was the time when Ben was about 5-years-old that a female member of the “American Experience” octet (in EPCOT) sang personally to him in front of a huge crowd:  “I’ll never find one cuter than you…skip to my lou my darlin’.” Sure he was embarrassed.  But he’ll never forget it.

There was the time Ashlyn got to pose with her favorite princesses, get their autographs, and capture a picture that would last forever.

There was the time the hotel maid gave my in-laws a special Disney music box on their 45th wedding anniversary.

Disney knows how to make you feel special. They know how to create an experience. They know that these kinds of memories create loyal “guests” who will come back again and again.

This spring we decided that the February-March time frame is awfully difficult for the teachers in our school. It’s been quite some time since Christmas break.  Winter is dragging on.  The kids are getting kind of “squirrelly.”  So we took a page out of Disney’s book and tried to create an experience that would make at least a day “special” for each of our teachers.

We solicited funds from members of our congregation. Collected enough to get $50 gift certificates for each of the teachers…each certificate chosen especially according to the interests of the specific teacher.  Then we had a couple of volunteers from our church burst into the classroom, place a crown on the teacher’s head, and proclaim him or her king or queen for the day: complete with confetti, cheering, a certificate, and a proclamation.

The students in each class loved the “intrusion,” and thought it was pretty special that their teacher was king or queen for the day. The teachers enjoyed the special attention…and the gifts.  And our congregation thought it was important enough to honor those who serve each day with such hard work and dedication.  It is our hope that these little experiences will make our teachers feel appreciated, and that they will respond with further loyalty and dedication.  We love our teachers and want to keep them around as long as we possibly can.

I’m reminded of Palm Sunday. Jesus is treated as a King for a day.  But it doesn’t last long, does it?!  Before you know it, he’s before Pilate, being whipped and beaten, and finally crucified on a cross.  But that’s where He truly becomes King of Creation. Through His suffering, death, and resurrection, Jesus is the King of all creation who rules not with an iron fist, but with His love and grace.

In Baptism, we become royal heirs. And when Jesus returns again, we will be treated like royalty not just for the day, but for an eternity.

Who can you make king or queen for the day today?  What ideas do you have to make someone feel honored, special, or loved?  Please share your comments.

Posted on

Salute the Admiral

Me, Pastor Kuhn, and my wife, Tammy

Please believe me when I say that this is not going to be a “death” blog. I’m not going to keep posting about those in my life who have entered the next life.  However, it would be wrong for me to miss putting up a post about one of the greatest influences of my life, who died last Friday:

The way the education of a pastor in the Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod works is to get a B.A. degree, and then move on to seminary for four years. The first two years are spent on campus, in class.  The third year is a “real world” internship as “vicar” serving with an established pastor at a congregation somewhere in the United States.  Then the student goes back to the seminary for one final year of class work before graduating and becoming a “full-fledged” pastor.

My vicarage was done near our nation’s capitol in Falls Church, Virginia, under The Rev. Gerald Kuhn, who had been the pastor of that congregation from about the time it was approximately a year old. Pastor Kuhn had risen to the rank of Rear Admiral as a Navy Chaplain.  He was the best you could ask for in a vicarage supervisor:  laid back; ready to allow you to “test your wings”; providing plenty of freedom; and making sure you learned and had fun for a year in our nation’s capitol.

Pastor Kuhn died last Friday. He was a great man of God, a unique character, and a precious friend.  I got to see him last fall, and I am so glad that I did.  With this post, I “salute” the Admiral for the things he taught me.

  • Stay for a while.  Pastor Kuhn was the Pastor at St. Paul’s in Falls Church, Virginia, for well over thirty years.  He retired from there.  He proved that a long ministry bears much fruit, builds better relationships, and accomplishes much more than a short ministry ever could.
  • Advocate for the community.  St. Paul’s had an “education building” that was originally intended to be for a day school that never panned out.  So Pastor Kuhn decided that it ought to be open to anyone and everyone in the community who had a need for space.  There were AA groups, AlAnon groups, TOPS groups, Exercise groups, Bible Study Groups, and groups that simply needed the space for a meeting or community dinner.  That attitude provided a great connection between the church and the community for many years.
  • Lead by example.  One day I walked into the church and Pastor Kuhn was vacuuming the entryway of the church.  We had a very good janitor at the time, but with Pastork Kuhn everything had to be “ship shape” (pardon the pun).  No job was below him.  He did what needed to be done, and he never complained that “it wasn’t his job.”
  • Understand you’re part of something bigger.  Pastor Kuhn insisted that everyone who became a member of the church should automatically receive the monthly official publication of our church, directly in the mail.  He told me that no matter what organization you join you receive the official publication.  How much more in the church. Today, every member of my congregation automatically receives that same publication.
  • Take the long view.  In the one year I spent with him, there were ups and downs as only there can be in a local church.  But I never saw Pastor Kuhn lose his cool…even when a member went into his office and yelled and screamed for a half an hour.  There may be minor crises from one day to the next, but in the long run it’s all part of ministry, and it all has a purpose.  I learned from him to “take the long view” and “keep my cool” when the chips seem down.
  • English is important.  Every week I had to submit my sermon to Pastor Kuhn so that he could “approve” it.  He usually had no problem with the theology of the sermon.  If he had any problem it was with grammar or English usage.  He felt that getting your point across could be done most effectively if you used proper English.

One more thing: while I was there that year, Pastor Kuhn made me take a “quiz” on the history of Virginia, and he gave me some Confederate money that I still have to this day.  He made sure that every vicar who went through St. Paul’s in Falls Church, Virginia, would learn something about the place in which they served.  It was a lot of fun…and I did pretty well on the quiz.  But I learned more than Virginia history.  I learned what it meant to be a great pastor.

Pastor Kuhn will be buried with full military honors at Arlington National Cemetery on July 21st.  Salute the Admiral!

Posted on

Shoeless Tom?

Apparently it’s the big thing to wear TOMS Shoes at Belmont University (and other fine collegiate institutions across the nation) where son, Ben, goes to school. TOMS Shoes are what every aspiring young artist or musician is wearing “this season.”

They’re a “different” looking kind of shoe because their design is based on Argentinian alpargata shoes which have been worn by Argentinian farmers for many years. Apparently the founder of the company, Blake Mycoskie, came up with the idea while vacationing in Argentina and decided to start a company whose mission would be to give a free pair of shoes to a child who really needs them with every pair of shoes purchased.

You can buy TOMS Shoes (great name…don’t you think?!) in every color and design imaginable. And for every pair that is bought, one free pair is given to someone — usually a child — in need of shoes.

I didn’t think much about this until we decided to give Ben a TOMS gift certificate for Christmas. It came along with a DVD showing how the shoes are given away, and to whom.  It was an incredibly enlightening, uplifting, and eye-opening video.  There are so many children in developing countries who literally have no shoes to wear.  Think of it:  NO SHOES!  And the joy on the faces of kids who had never had a pair of shoes before brought tears to my eyes.

Our school at Mt. Calvary isn’t exactly in the richest neighborhood, but at least all of our school children come to school everyday with shoes on.

A few weeks ago I looked at the TOMS Shoes web site and saw that they were promoting “One Day Without Shoes” on April 8th, 2010, to draw attention to the plight of children who have no shoes. It seemed like a great idea.  People did it last year, and it was a success in drawing attention to this world wide problem.

Now…you can ask my family…I am a person who NEVER goes barefoot or without shoes…not even in the summer. I can’t stand stepping on a stone, or hurting my foot, or cement that’s too hot.  I have tender feet.  But this year, on April 8th, I’m going to be going barefoot.  There are lots of kids who need shoes, and I want to draw attention to that.  I’m even trying to design my own T-shirt so that people know why I’m barefoot on April 8th.

Kids in developing countries need shoes because going barefoot is dangerous; it causes disease; it keeps them from going to school, because shoes are part of a proper school uniform; and it is a major cause of cuts, scrapes, and bruises that can lead to more serious health difficulties.  If these kids do it every day, I can certainly stand the discomfort for one day.

I might even buy a pair of TOMS Shoes, so that I can be “cool” like Ben and all his friends.

Will you be going barefoot with me on April 8th?  Please leave a comment if you plan on doing so.

P.S.  Check out this video that Ben and his friends put together about TOMS Shoes.

Posted on

Welcome Home, Anita

Anita died this morning at 6:30 a.m. She was 97 years old.  She will never be written about in a history book or be remembered for some outstanding or incredible feat.

But, in my book, she was a hero. For the last ten years or so I have been visiting her in her small, one room apartment at a senior living facility.  Although I would go there under the auspices of bringing her a Word and giving her Holy Communion to “lift her up,” I was the one who always left her place “lifted up.”

We always made small talk. But she could never wait to get to the “main event” of receiving The Lord’s Supper.  I’ve only known a few people that seemed to have the faith she did.  And yet whenever we finished our little Communion service together she would pray the words:  “God, be merciful to me a sinner.  Lord, I believe; help Thou my unbelief.”

While they may not sound like it, those are words of strong faith. Anita recognized she was a sinner.  She recognized that though her faith was strong, she did have her moments of doubt.

Whenever she received Communion, Anita couldn’t help but lay herself bare before the Lord and as for His mercy, forgiveness, and strength for her faith.

Now the prayer has been answered in a far greater way than Anita could have ever imagined. There’s no more need for faith.  She sees the Lord with her own eyes.

There’s no more need for mercy. Death has turned for her into eternal life.

There’s no more need for forgiveness. This earthly struggle is now over.  She lives in the perfection that has been given to her as a gift by her Heavenly Father through the blood of Jesus.

Welcome home, Anita.

Posted on

The Three C’s of Urban Ministry

I have now had three-and-a-half months to reflect on my 3-month sabbatical last fall. One of my main initiatives was to study and learn more about Urban Ministry.  I think it was a success!

I love the city. I love the people of the city.  And our nation is becoming increasingly more urban.  It behooves those of us in ministry to learn how best to minister in an urban situation…like the one in which I find myself right now.  Cities are getting bigger.  The mission field is coming to us.  Our nation is becoming more centralized.

As I have reflected on my experiences over the course of three months, I have come to the realization that really good urban ministry consists of Contextualization, Consistency, and Creativity.

1.  CONTEXTUALIZATION

If I were to go as a missionary to New Guinea, Africa, China, or India, the first thing I would do is learn the culture and determine the best way I could use the context of that culture to minister to the people there in the most effective manner; in a way that would speak to their “heart language.”

LINC ministries in Houston, under the direction of Rev. Mark Junkans, does it so well. They have ESL classes that draw people in to churches that use the Spanish language in their worship. They have an Indian (from India) ministry on the campus of The University of Houston that has a native Indian as its pastor.  They use Spanish language Christian bookstores which also double as food banks and educational centers.

Peace Lutheran Church in Washington, D.C., under Pastor James Wiggins, uses both traditional and “urban contemporary” worship to reach those in the immediately surrounding community. There are those in that congregation who would never have been there had it not been for the “urban contemporary” service.

2.  CONSISTENCY

The Dream Center in Los Angeles (check it out at www.dreamcenter.org) is nothing if not consistent. Every Saturday they take panel trucks filled with creative children’s ministry teams into the parks in the worst neighborhoods of L.A. Each and every week they have teams and volunteers that adopt blocks in the most gang-infested areas of L.A.  They simply go into the neighborhoods and care by providing food, furniture, clothing…whatever is needed.  And they share the Gospel.  It isn’t until the people of these neighborhoods realize that these people won’t quit…that they are more than consistent…that they finally begin to trust them.  Through these consistent ministries many have come to know Christ.

3.  CREATIVITY

I found numerous churches on my sabbatical that used both context and consistency in creative ways to share Jesus. Church For All Nations (LCMS) in Manhattan is right down the block from Carnegie Hall, and right in the midst of a neighborhood filled with musicians.  So they have concert series’ that draw people from the uptown Manhattan into their church on a regular basis.

Emmanuel Reformed Church in Paramount, California, (a community similar to my own Sherman Park neighborhood in Milwaukee) fills the front of the church for every single service with a mass choir, and a 20 piece orchestra that would be the envy of most every congregation. Using creative themes, they draw all of their 1500 members into the message each week through song, preaching, and prayer.  It is a sight to see!

Bridgeway Community Church in Columbia, Maryland, was a church planted to be intentionally multi-cultural. You should see the different “nations, tribes, people, and languages” used in the creative context of their worship.

4.  ONE MORE “C”…

And lest you think I’ve forgotten…there is one last “C” that begins, ends, and permeates any discussion or attempt at Urban Ministry:  Christ Himself.  He “completes” Urban Ministry, “cares” for it, and went to the “cross” for all the people of every “city,” throughout the “country,” and across every “continent.”

Contextualization, consistency, and creativity are the three things I pray the Lord will use at Mt. Calvary to “bring hope to the heart of the city” of Milwaukee…and beyond.

Do you have any examples of contextualization, consistency, or creativity in ministry (urban or not) that you could share with me?

Posted on

What I Learned From Sixth Graders

I happened by the Mt. Calvary Sixth Grade Classroom the other day, and their teacher asked whether I had a few minutes to answer some questions. She said that there were some theological discussions they recently had for which she did not know the answers.

So we had an impromptu “ask the pastor” session.

Although they were asking me questions, I learned some things that day, too:

1.  Sixth Graders today, at least urban Sixth Graders, are a lot more worldly wise than I was at that age. One question went something like this:  “What if a dude falls in love with a dude…will he go to heaven?”  Did you ask that question when you were in Sixth Grade?  It’s a whole new world out there.

2.  Sixth Graders are very interested in stuff that really matters. They want to know what it means to be baptized; they want to know how one is “saved”; they want to know what it means that we eat and drink the body and blood of Jesus in the Lord’s Supper.  We owe them answers.

3.  Sixth Graders aren’t afraid to ask questions. That day, most every student in the class had at least one question to ask.  And they were good questions.  Isn’t that what learning and education are really all about:  asking questions and seeking answers?

4.  Sixth Graders respect people who give them time and consideration. It was an incredible feeling to have spent some time with those kids.  In just a short time I felt warmth and love radiating from them.  Have you given time and consideration to any kids recently?

5.  Sixth Graders respect their peers when the subject is serious. I could have imagined giggles or laughter after some of the questions were asked that day; but there was none of that.  Adults could learn a thing or two.

What have you learned lately from a Sixth Grader?