Holy Redeemer Lutheran Church
1948 The Alameda
San Jose, CA 95126
San Jose, CA 95126
August 5—13 I went to the Portland, Oregon area to visit my oldest brother, Norm, and his wife, Judy. Norm is transitioning to retirement (fishing, golf and some traveling are high on his agenda). We visited some of our cousins, aunts, and uncles, as well as my nephew. We went for long walks in the woods that surround their home. They live in Scappoose, along the Columbia River on its way to the ocean). We had a lovely visit and I got to read a lot and get a lot of rest.
On Sunday (the 10th), we went to church at their home church. It’s a small Episcopalian congregation. They are struggling with money, and using up some of their endowment to keep going. They have many older members, but also some young families and teenagers (including a couple who have taken custody of their four grandchildren). Their pastor (priest) is in his sixties (I think) and they also have an associate, who is a retired Lutheran pastor — although I don’t know whether he’s salaried. They were all welcoming and friendly.
Some of the elements of the service were “new” to me: people bowing to the altar as they enter the pews; kneeling in prayer before sitting down. I was welcomed to communion. After communion they offered healing stations for people as they returned to their seats.
Sadly, their music was done in the “funeral dirge” mode (Norm and Judy had grumbled about the music — I now understood). I decided early on that I missed our joyful noise, our rocking music dedicated to God.
Several things, things I heard, things I didn’t hear, surprised me and made me long for home. I missed “This is God’s house. We all enter here as strangers and we are welcomed and we are forgiven.” I was surprised at the frequent statements about “all are sinners and have been saved by Christ’s death,” with its accompaniment of inevitable guilt that such a statement brings with it. I was surprised that with all of the sin talk there was no talk about discipleship. There was no mention that Christ came to proclaim that God’s realm is present now and is to be affirmed by caring for the poor and disenfranchised and by nurturing God’s creation.
There was no mention of the idea that Jesus was killed by the powers of this world in order to say NO to his message; and, that he was resurrected as God’s YES to his message.
As I look back, it was a good vacation — always good to connect to family for a while. But, it is good to be back at Holy Redeemer, to hear the good news and to be taught and encouraged and challenged in discipleship.