Category Archives: The Church in The World

November 21, 2022

A Grateful Day Everyday

By Bishop Craig Schweitzer

November 22, 2022

Grace and peace to you from our Savior and King, Jesus!

As followers of Jesus, we recently had the opportunity to celebrate Christ our King! In the United States, we will celebrate an interesting holiday known as Thanksgiving. At the center of both Christ the King Sunday and Thanksgiving Thursday, I believe gratitude or grateful are good words to guide these days.

I had the honor of being a guest in the home of a fellow brother in Christ recently. I always enjoy visits with this brother in Christ and always learn something from him that helps me grow in my relationship with God and my relationship with my neighbor as a follower of Jesus.

My brother has a daily practice that has become a more intentional part of my own faith journey since my visit. A daily expression of gratitude. He begins each day by offering gratitude – for the new day, for good rest, for conversation with friends, for the spider crawling on the window as the sun rose the morning we were together.

For my brother in Christ, being grateful is not something that he thinks about during Sunday worship or on a holiday we call Thanksgiving. It is a daily practice that encompasses all aspects of his life as a follower of Jesus.

During my visit, he introduced me to a group of God’s children who are part of something called Grateful Living. You can find out more about them here – https://grateful.org/. They have a short video that will give you a wonderful introduction to what Grateful Living looks like – https://youtu.be/zSt7k_q_qRU. It’s well worth a few minutes of your time today.

Sisters and brothers in Christ, as we journey through this week of Thanksgiving, I invite you to think differently about what that might mean. What are you grateful for? Maybe you can take a moment to share what you are grateful for with your fellow sisters and brothers, or, if you are comfortable doing so, share it in the comments. I promise you, someone will be blessed by what you share!

Thanksgiving blessings to you this week, and always!

Until next time, may the peace of Christ be with you always and in all ways…

Bishop Craig

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October 31, 2022

A Simple Question…or Is It?

By Bishop Craig Schweitzer

October 31, 2022

Grace and peace to you from our Savior Jesus the Christ!

Happy Reformation Day!!

This is a significant day for Lutheran Christians. On this day we remember and give thanks for a 16th Century German monk named the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther. October 31, 1517 is the day that Lutheran Christians believe Dr. Luther offered 95 theses or the Disputation on the Power and Efficacy of Indulgences that expressed concerns he had about the church. I don’t believe Luther was looking for fame as one of the world’s great church fathers and reformers. I don’t think Luther was interested in starting a new branch of the Christian tree. Luther was challenging the church to be in the daily practice of reform.

Here’s the simple and honest question I’d like us to think about on this year’s Reformation Day …

Is the church you and I are connected to a church that has reformed?

This church started a long time ago and hasn’t done anything new since. And refuses to do anything new now.

Or…

Is the church you and I are connected to a church that is constantly reforming?

These churches constantly look for new ways to bless and serve their neighbor in Jesus’ name; seek new opportunities to proclaim the gospel of Jesus for the sake of the salvation of all of God’s creation; and have an ongoing awareness of where the Holy Spirit may be leading them next in mission and ministry.

As I travel across this church (the ELCA) as a synod bishop, the number of faith communities I encounter that have reformed and have no interest in reforming is a bit disheartening.

I am also filled with abundant hope by the many faith communities I encounter who are reforming in amazing and grace-filled ways. It’s in their DNA.

Has your church reformed??

Or, is your church reforming??

As you think about the church being in a constant state of reform on this year’s Reformation Day, I’d love hear what’s happening in your faith community that is bringing forth reform!

Use the comment sections to share your faith community’s story of reform.

Until next time, may the peace of Christ be with you always and in all ways…

Bishop Craig

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