Lutheran Reflection

A Missionary Is…

At the LWML organizing convention July 7-8, 1942 at St. Stephen’s Lutheran Church in Chicago the delegates chose the name Lutheran Women’s Missionary League over the name Lutheran Women’s League. They noted that “missionary referred to the individual member, who would be encouraged and enabled to win and hold souls for the Master.”

We see from the very beginning of our organization that missionaries are not just “them”, they are “us”. I recently asked the LWML national officers to complete this phrase. I’ll share their answers. What would your answer be?

A missionary is …

… Me! I am a missionary. Sent by Christ’s command, I share the Gospel message, do servant events, and present educational opportunities and charity work as I am going throughout the states and while traveling abroad.

… someone inspired by the Holy Spirit to communicate the salvation of Jesus Christ through word or deed.

… anyone who shares the message of God’s grace and mercy.

… someone who seeks relationship with others in order to share the Gospel.

… one who reaches out to the lost and erring to make a difference in the Lord’s Kingdom here on earth.

… someone who is called by God to go to unbelieving areas to bring the good news of Jesus Christ.

… someone who steps out their door and talks about Jesus.

… a messenger bringing the hope found in Jesus Christ to the nations, one soul at a time, using their gifts, words, and actions.

… a faith-raiser, not a fundraiser.

… A disciple of Jesus Christ who is called to go where God has called him/her to go to give a witness to the Good News that Jesus Christ has died on the cross for everyone’s sins and came alive and rose from the grave for everyone’s eternal salvation. Jesus Christ IS Above All!

…  in the strictest sense, someone who leaves their home to share the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. In the simplest sense, someone with a heart to spread the Gospel and does so by their best means: prayer, giving time, and when possible, resources.

Next week we finish this phrase,

My dream missionary job would be …

 

Lutheran Reflection

Valentine from God

My Valentine cards are ready to give. The gifts for the grand kids are sitting on the dining room table. Now I just have to get through Monday, February 13. You see, two women who loved me unconditionally and cared about me both died and went to heaven on February 13. They passed on the same date but different years.

My mother, Anita Brase Mahnken, died of complications from breast cancer after several years of battling it. It finally wore her down and God called her home. She was ready but I wasn’t. She was active in church and LWML and loved her Lord. I never doubted her faith. I learned about Jesus from her. I learned about LWML from her. I thank God for her in my life.

My daughter, Gayle Anne Ross, died of complications from treatment for acute lymphocytic leukemia after battling it for four years. She was 18 and a senior in high school, planning to attend college in Chicago. She, too, was firm in her faith. I got to teach her about Jesus. I taught her about LWML. When she was little and went to meetings with me she called our group, “The ladies who eat cake”. I was loved by God through her.

I love the young women working on the LWML committees and in the LWML Office. I love talking with the Young Woman Representatives at conventions because they are my “Gayles” now.

I love remembering with older LWML women who have been such a big part of my faith walk over the years. We share experiences and some have shared working with my mother.

The loss and pain of separation remembered on the 13th gives way to the joy of knowing that we await a reunion in heaven. And that is because of the love of God in Christ Jesus in whom we have the hope of eternal life together with Him—just as my mother and daughter have.

So, my Valentine from God, “I have loved you with an everlasting love”, Jeremiah 31:3, waits for me on the 14th. There is one for you, too.

I know many of you have experienced sadness at the death of children or parents. Here are some of my favorite verses I relied on: John 11:25-26; Job 38:1-40:2; 1Thessalonians 4:13-18; Isaiah 40:11. Please write me if you feel a need to talk.

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Lutheran Women in Mission

A View from Behind the Scenes of the LHM Float – Part III

Yvette Seltz and I have given you our views from the float but I wanted to highlight what happens behind the scenes and all the preparation that goes into the Rose Parade. I invited Lynn Gast, LHM Float Committee Petal Pushers Chairman to share her story here:

Since the mid-80’s, Petal Pushers have come from all over the U.S. to decorate not only the Lutheran Hour Ministries float but other floats in the parade. For the 2017 Parade, over 4,500 Petal Pushers worked on seven floats. The value of this labor of love offsets a large portion of the cost of the Lutheran Hour Ministries float.

Petal Pushers work for a day, two days, or perhaps for the whole week leading up to the parade, which takes place on New Year’s Day (on January 2 if the first falls on a Sunday). Anyone 13 years or older can be a Petal Pusher. Some come as a group with their church, as a family unit, with their youth group or on their own. Once there, the Petal Pusher decorates the float in a variety of ways. Some do more detailed work with seeds, bark, or parts of flowers. Some actually push the tiny vials that hold a delicate flower into the polyvinyl material covering the float. Every inch of the float must be covered by natural materials. Sometimes there is a special call for volunteers who don’t mind being high up on the scaffolding. Sometimes there’s a call for people to prepare the flowers in the flower tent.

Often the Petal Pushers work alongside other volunteers on other floats providing many Christian witnessing opportunities. On Sundays, a church service is held next to the LHM float, and all who work in the building are welcome to join. AWs Petal Pushers check in for their shift we often remind them of the song, “They Will Know we are Christians by our Love.” That’s why these Petal Pushers come: to be a witness not just by preparing the float that will broadcast a message of God’s love to the world, but to be loving witnesses to those they work with in the Rose Palaces.

The Lutheran Hour Ministries Float Committee received an invitation to be in the 2018 Pasadena Tournament of Roses Parade, for the 68th time.  The Theme of the 2018 Parade is “Making a Difference.”

On Saturday, January 21st, while The LHM Float Committee was celebrating their past year’s efforts, they voted to accept the Tournament’s invitation and are beginning the process all over again to have a strong Christian Message to the World on New Year’s Day 2018.

Thank you to Yvette Seltz and Lynn Gast for sharing their stories about the Rose Parade. Join me next week as I discuss Valentines Day.

Pictured below Lynn and Dick Gast

Lutheran Women in Mission

A View from the Front of the LHM Float – Part II

One of my fellow riders on the Lutheran Hour Ministries Rose Parade float on January 2, 2017 was Yvette Seltz. It was interesting to hear her perspective of the crowd from her view from the LHM float so I have invited her to share her story with you. Here’s what Yvette had to share:

Parades are typically held for celebration or for military purposes which are quite declarative and ceremonial. I believe that our LHM float represented both — a celebration and a proclamation that Christ is with us. Indeed, my position next to my husband, Rev. Dr. Gregory Seltz, Speaker of the Lutheran Hour, had us seated at the right hand of Jesus, represented by Pastor Matthew Nolte, of St. Paul Lutheran Church, Agoura Hills, CA. Our unique position on the float allowed us to view people’s expressions as Jesus came into their sight. So many children shouted out “Jesus, I love you!” and “Happy Birthday Jesus!” Many posed for pictures with Jesus and people wanted Jesus to hand them a flower.

 

Riding in the front was exciting and a bit unnerving as one doesn’t know what to expect in terms of reactions. I was fully aware that I was being viewed and representing Lutheran Hour Ministries, our Church, and other Christian communities.  Being a pastor’s wife and being a Christian who chooses to share faith in Jesus is a lot like riding in my position on that float. We sit at His feet, we proclaim Him, and we open ourselves up for any reaction all for the sake of others.

 

I couldn’t help but notice the different expressions between socio-economic classes and our float. Those who were weary were not as joyfully expressive; rather, their expressions were more expressions of hope. You could almost see them breathe easier as our float paused before them. Christ’s message of peace, love, and hope brings real comfort. Dick Gast said, “The float is a billboard”, indeed it is. And it carries a priceless message.

Missions for God

A View from the Side of the LHM Float – Part 1

I must admit I was skeptical of the reception of the only Christian float in the Rose Parade in Southern California, an area known as a rather “uninterested-in-religion” area of the country. That the title of the float had been chosen to be “Celebrate Jesus” and would have someone portraying Jesus on it added to my feelings that it would probably be superseded by an advertisement on the TV stations. Was I surprised!

Coming around the first turn onto Colorado Avenue, Rev. Dr. Dale Meyer, sitting beside me sighed loudly and declared, “Oh, how I would love to preach to this crowd!” It was a fantastic crowd. Bundled up in the cold hundreds of people were waving, watching the floats, bands, horses and surfing dogs go by. Every so often we would come upon cheering and shouting “Petal Pushers” now in the audience to watch the float they had worked so hard on go by. We went by an area filled with a deaf audience and had a man signing information to them as he walked along in front of their section with the float.

Given my initial skepticism I was keyed in to the reaction of the crowd to the float. It was amazing. So much cheering — and they were cheering “Jesus”. I saw grown men and women cross themselves, men and women giving the thumbs up sign, yelling “thank you for having this float”, “pray for us, Jesus”, “we love you, Jesus”, “Jesus – you’re the man” and little children smiling and waving to him. There were sullen faces here and there but it was hard to tell if it was because of the cold and having to camp out overnight for their spot or if they had no expression because of worry, unhappiness or fear in their lives. It made me think of what the crowds in the real Jesus’ time must have been like when he came to town. I thought, “this must be what Palm Sunday was like for the disciples following behind Jesus.”

It truly was an incredible, once-in-a-lifetime experience. Probably worth the six hours of gluing dried lima beans onto the float while balancing on a 12 inch board 10 feet above the floor. If you ever need the lima bean queen to return, I’ll be there.

Incredible people to work with – incredible people to ride with – and incredible people to “celebrate Jesus” with! May God bless and work faith in those who saw “Jesus” and the message of the bells.

Have you ever worked as a Petal Pusher? Do you see the Lutheran Hour Ministries Float as a witness opportunity?

Lutheran Resources

Welcome Lutheran Women in Mission

It’s a huge encouragement to me in my faith life to see so many women in our church who are passionate about sharing the love of Christ and who want to share that passion with other women. Through this blog we hope to provide encouragement to get you engaged with missions and with other women; to equip you in ways to promote and support mission work; and to share the joy of serving the Lord with Gladness! Let’s enter this blog world together and share our enthusiasm for Jesus! Let’s examine the mission that has led LWML for 75 years!
Here you will find resources and personal musings on a biweekly basis. This will also be a place to let your voice be heard. Share with me your ideas on how to effectively engage women in learning more about Jesus and about our mission grant recipients and their work among God’s people. We’ll also be sharing and linking you to resources such as 2-Minute Tuesdays, shareable devotions, updates on LWML Mission Grants, LWML events, and of course the countdown to the LWML 37th Biennial Convention in Albuquerque, New Mexico! Many of these resources will also be available on the Lutheran Women’s Missionary League website. I look forward to beginning this new chapter with all of you. Together, I know we will be able to encourage each other in the work that we love! Please continue to follow this blog and share with your friends. Let’s start now! Subscribe to this blog by selecting the “subscribe” button on the sidebar of the Blog page.
Please click on the arrows in the photo above to enjoy the gallery which features pictures from my adventures as President of LWML and a mission trip I took to Guatemala.

Joyfully serving with you,
Patti Ross

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