 |
 |
To: [log in to unmask] Dear friends in Christ, "Remember, you are ashes and to ashes you will return." Today is Ash Wednesday, and I - as many Christians today - bear on my forehead an ashen sign of the cross. But today it is not only my forehead that bears ashes, but so does my memory. My memory sees forest ashes from fires in Montana forests and small towns. My memory recalls smelling burned houses in Los Alamos. My memory shudders from walking through ashes of destruction and carnage at the World Trade Center site last September. In the chapel sermon this morning, Dr. Lowell Almen (Secretary of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America) stated that "ashes are a reminder of death and destruction in our world" - reminders of grief and weeping, of fear and no solace. "But," he reminded us, "Ash Wednesday is not about us. Ash Wednesday is about God." Today many of us bear upon our foreheads the mark of Jesus Christ. But we who have been marked with the cross of Christ at our baptism also see that sign as a sign of forgiveness, of new life, and of salvation. As cross-bearing people, we are active in God's world to offer God's grace and love to sorrowing, fearful people. Reflecting upon the ashes of the World Trade Center, I think not only on the death scenario that continues to play out in that place, but also on the life-giving scenario of God's cross-bearing people active in witnessing to what God has done for us in Jesus Christ. For example, last week Dr. Gary Harbaugh (LDR pastoral caregiver) was present with the ELCA Metro New York Synod Ministerium on the theme "Act of God/Active God." About 100 pastors and other persons in ministry attended. It opened with worship and a sermon by Bishop Stephen Bouman. Morning discussion focused on biblical and theological resources for responding to disaster, the pastoral care challenges during a long term recovery, and the importance of pastoral self-care for the sake of ministry. In the afternoon participants divided into small groups of colleagues to talk about personal and pastoral reactions to 9-11; current and most pressing pastoral care needs; how they are taking care of themselves so as to be able to provide ministry over the long haul; and the primary ways in which they see God active at this five month point after the attacks. The week before Dr. Foster McCurley (LDR caregiver) and Alan Weitzman met with 20 lay persons in New Jersey. These individuals provide and enable caregiving for people in their congregations, people who are devastated by their grief and loss. "The need for help is obvious," Foster noted. Ann Eissfeldt is in the Washington D.C. area this week, exploring how the church can provide help and support for children traumatized by the crash into the Pentagon and the threat of anthrax in their community. At the end of January Orphan Grain Train (an LDR Coalition member) brought in truckloads of food for New York City pantries, nine of which had completely run out of provisions. "Ash Wednesday is not about us. Ash Wednesday is about God." We who have been marked with the cross of Christ at our baptism bear that sign of forgiveness, of new life, of salvation as we reach out to others with the same love God has reached out to us. And so our Lenten journey begins, as we move from this Wednesday of ashes towards the Sunday of Easter resurection. Yours in Christ, Gil Furst GILBERT B. FURST (written on Wed, Feb 13, 2002, at 4:45 pm). Director for ELCA DOMESTIC DISASTER RESPONSE (Division for Church in Society) and LUTHERAN DISASTER RESPONSE (a cooperative ministry of the ELCA and LC-MS) 8765 W. Higgins Rd., Chicago 60631 PHONE: 773-380-2822 FAX: 773-380-2493 Please visit our website: www.elca.org/dcs/disaster