Church of the Redeemer Update

I noticed with interest an important date on the calendar this week. No, it wasn't a day of liturgical significance, but one that brought to mind some interesting memories and reflections. Monday was the 40th anniversary of the moon landing—maybe you remember? I have a strong recollection of the event, watching it on TV with my cousin, then going outside and looking up at the moon in the July night sky, feeling sure that if we had a powerful enough telescope we would be able to see them walking around up there. Nine year old boys think things like that. It was awe inspiring.

Witness in the Sky

The heavens have always had that effect. People across the eras have looked up, and wondered. The celestial dimension is full of both questions and answers. We know that the heavens declare the glory of God (Psalm 19), and point to the Lord as Creator and Sustainer. Isaiah states, "Lift up your eyes and look to the heavens: Who created all these? He who brings out the starry host one by one and calls them each by name...the Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth" (chapter 40). The moon even gets special mention, as the Psalmist writes of the enduring legacy of David's line, "it will be established forever like the moon, the faithful witness in the sky" (Psalm 89:37).

As the astronauts prepared to descend the ladder to the moon's surface 40 years ago there was a telling moment. Most people are not aware that the first meal consumed on the moon was a communion wafer and a thimble of wine. Eugene "Buzz" Aldrin was, at the time, an Elder in the Presbyterian Church. He had brought along the elements from a church in Houston as an important marker of the Lord's supremacy and Man's humility in the face of the "faithful witness in the sky". He had planned to broadcast the service, but in the end asked people on earth to observe a moment of silence—and in that moment he received the Lord's Supper. NASA was apparently concerned that the observance be private because of lawsuits following Apollo 8 in which astronauts circling the moon had read from the book of Genesis at Christmas time.

Aldrin wrote the following year in Guideposts Magazine:

"In the radio blackout, I opened the little plastic packages which contained the bread and the wine. I poured the wine into the chalice our church had given me. In the one-sixth gravity of the moon, the wine slowly curled and gracefully came up the side of the cup. Then I read the Scripture, 'I am the vine, you are the branches. Whosoever abides in me will bring forth much fruit.'

"I ate the tiny Host and swallowed the wine. I gave thanks for the intelligence and spirit that had brought two young pilots to the Sea of Tranquility. It was interesting for me to think: the very first liquid ever poured on the moon, and the very first food eaten there, were the communion elements."

Forty years later there is talk of pressing on toward Mars, and I have to admit I wonder at that, given the tremendous and pressing needs throughout our world, and the kind of investment required to re-ignite such a program in space. But I do know that whether we are scientists, enthusiasts, or nine-year-old boys captured by thoughts of the stars we need the humility brought by the knowledge that God is the Maker of all things.

So on Monday I paid a brief visit to our own local moon-rock, enshrined in the lower level at Lovell's restaurant (as in Commander James Lovell) in Lake Forest. Lovell has assembled a mini-museum of space objects, really mementos from his own storied career, including a rock from the moon. In that basement that looks out on the stars I gave thanks that no matter where we travel, or what we discover, we cannot venture beyond God's created order, or His mercy.

Where can I go from your Spirit?
Where can I flee from your presence?
If I go up to the heavens, you are there... — Psalm 139

Jay+

The Rev. Jay L. Greener, Rector
Church of the Redeemer
frjay@redeemernorthshore.org

Join us behind Redeemer Lutheran after the morning service Sunday, August 16th, for food and fun! The potluck portion of the picnic will be divided up by last name as follows: A-F Salad for 8, G-L Side-dish for 8, M-Z Dessert for 8 (college/graduate students may bring a dish for 4). Since we will be ordering some of the food, please RSVP by Thursday, august 13th (whether coming or not coming) to the church office at (847) 681-2872 or redeemer [at] redeemernorthshore.org. Be sure to bring a blanket or lawn chairs on which to sit.

Please join together for this fun event and invite some friends to come along.

You are probably aware that Ryan Hofacre is following a call to plant a new AMiA congregation in Columbus, Ohio. Ryan has faithfully served Church of the Redeemer the last three years and we want to partner with him as he moves forward in obedience to God. He is sending out a one-time mailing to our church list with information on this new work, and ways you can be a part of it. Please consider this prayerfully and respond as you are able. His last Sunday with us will be August 16th.

Our Children's Pastor, Allyson Entner, will be stepping out of her leadership role in order to fulfill a year-long internship in counseling. This Sunday will be her last one as leader of the children's ministry, so come and honour her during the fellowship hour this week.

Also, we've learned that Matthew Andris will be leaving to serve a year-long fellowship in Rwanda with International Justice Mission. We will miss his presence here among us, but we'll be working on ways to partner with him as he moves to Kigali (more on this later...)

Summer is often a slow time, and with the travel going on in our congregation, it may be that we are not seeing each other quite as often.

But it's also a time of preparation—of cooking things up for the renewed energy of the fall. Please pray for all that is now is process and in a time of conception and refining. This involves staff transitions—needs for Children and Youth, new things coming to Redeemer in the fall, and the work underway for the Sonrise Benefit in October. Please bathe all of this important work in prayer.

The following is reprinted from the recent Land of A Thousand Hills Coffee newsletter—

An incredible story of God redeeming broken relationships and creating community where evil was once rampant. Meet Claudette, Jean, and Clementine, the people who grow Land of a Thousand Hills Coffee.

At the start of the 100 days of genocide in Rwanda, Clementine's parents and five siblings awoke to find their cow dismembered with a note attached that read: "You're next." Her father, fearful for his family, contacted neighbors willing to hide the children. In order to survive, the family dispersed to make it difficult for their hunters to track them down. Although Clementine hid with a family that was not in danger, they risked their lives for the opportunity to save her. Her father and three of her five siblings were not as fortunate. With in the 100 days, they were murdered by a neighbor, a man they knew as Jean.

After the genocide, Clementine heard that churches and the government were working to reconcile victims and perpetrators. During years of counseling, prayer, and support from her church community, Clementine searched her heart for the strength to forgive the man who killed her siblings and father. When Jean approached Clementine to seek her forgiveness, he recounted details of the crime so that hearing the full truth might enable her to free him of the guilt that weighed upon his conscious. Through the honesty of his confession, she granted him forgiveness.

1000 Hills Coffee Growers The government gave each of them adjacent land and coffee trees to farm. The two, along with Claudette, an orphan who had also reconciled with Jean for his role in murdering her family, combined the land so they could share their burden and reap the benefits together. Now, working as true neighbors reconciled by the power of God, Jean, Claudette, and Clementine work together each day, tending coffee beans, discussing the harvest, and making plans for the future.

Visit www.DrinkCoffeeDoGood.com to get involved.

Do you have a Rwandan Peace Basket similar to the one we use during communion? Michele Becker is looking to borrow some for centerpieces at the upcoming banquet for Sonrise School. Please email her if you own one or more and let her know if you would be willing to let us borrow them for the banquet. We don't need the baskets yet, but simply need a count. Thank you!