…Talk about resilient! Hunter had both of his legs amputated at a very young age, and still knew in junior high school that he was determined to be a runner. "They said I'd never walk, so I learned to run instead."

According to the Oxford Language dictionary, resilient has two meanings:

1. (of a person or animal) able to withstand or recover quickly from difficult conditions.
2. (of a substance or object) able to recoil or spring back into shape after bending, stretching, or being compressed.

The blades that Hunter uses are resilient- they physically spring back into shape. Hunter himself is resilient- he had the ability to withstand physical difficulties, bullying, and rejection, and turn that into fuel for his Olympic gold medal.

This Sunday we will mark "Reconciling in Christ" Sunday with the theme Resilient Community. Since 2018, our church has been officially a part of ReconcilingWorks, an important movement to welcome and affirm LGBTQIA+ Christians and their families. They also prioritize anti-racism and racial equity work. In worship, we will re-affirm our witness and welcome statement which says, "Ministry is strengthened by diversity". In the face of difficult conditions, we are called to be a resilient community that keeps springing back to God's overwhelming love.

You may have heard that Lutherans have sadly been in the news this week. Our well-run and extremely well-regulated social service organizations across the country have been accused of money laundering. That is completely false, harmful to those most in need, and damaging to our society as a whole. But we are a resilient people, who will keep loving and serving no matter what. Lutherans across the country are speaking out, for refugee settlement in Nebraska, for food assistance and housing in Wisconsin, for heath care and domestic violence prevention in Ohio, and so, so much more.

Our congregation has supported Lutheran Social Services- National Capitol Area for decades and we will continue to do so. Each and every month, a portion of our offerings goes to this critical work. You can also read the story of Beth Hickey, one of our volunteers who faithfully commits her time to this work.

Tomorrow in worship we will hear three stories of callings. All three of these (Isaiah, Paul, and Simon Peter), are stories of people who were called to bounce back, to be resilient in the face of difficulty, to lean on God even when things were hard. To lean in to God's resilient love.

Perhaps you're not feeling particularly resilient. Perhaps you're facing difficult choices, hard things you never expected, or just not able to cope. Sometimes we just can't do it by ourselves. That's ok. That's why we are not called alone, but called into community. If you are having a tough time, especially if you are facing unexpected leave or layoffs, don't hesitate to call or email me or Vicar Amy or someone else you trust in our congregation. We can't fix it, but we will walk with you.

We are called into resilient community by a God who loves us more than anything. By a God who will keep springing back for you, no matter what.

...Later, as I've moved closer and closer to DC in my adult years, I've learned those kids weren't all that wrong. Here, we work, live, exercise, relax, and raise children just a bridge away from the center of so much of the world's power. It's the air we breathe, and so national news events hit close to home.

Especially this week, as we've watched tragic images of the aircraft and helicopter crash, and started to hear the stories of lives lost and families grieving, our neighbors, it is so near to us. Especially this week, as we all know (or are) federal workers who are deeply proud of what they do, the center of the universe is an intense place to live.

Of course, in reality, DC is not the center of the universe. Nor is NYC or Hollywood or any other place. Rather, we are a people who are chosen and created and claimed by God, who is the center of the universe and all things. By God, who centers us in love. By God, who calls us to love others deeply and center ourselves in the priorities of those who are poor, excluded, and estranged.

Good Shepherd is a congregation full of people who are remarkably, powerfully, and deeply connected to what happens in our country every day. We are a congregation of commercial and military pilots, of air traffic controllers and airport support staff, of health care advocates and lobbyists and legislative aids, of immigrants and immigration attorneys, of students and social workers and educational specialists, of federal employees and contractors, of military photographers and policy writers – just to name a few.

You have been in my prayers this week, each and every one of you. You are beloved by God. The work you do matters. The way you show up—for those impacted by new executive orders, those who are suffering, those who are grieving, those who are being excluded in new-old ways, those who are struggling to keep up—matters.

And the work we do as a church—to speak a word of peace and justice, to advocate for those most in need—matters.

This week, in my sermon I invite you to the simple task of praying the Lord's Prayer, daily. In the Small Catechism Martin Luther reminds us that our "daily bread" is not just food. It is also "...upright and faithful rulers, good government, good weather, peace, health, decency, honor, good friends, faithful neighbors, and the like." 

These familiar words are indeed a radical prayer for a world turned on its head, re-centered in love. A world that cares more for "the least of these" than maintaining our own interests and power.

Give us this day our daily bread. Amen.

Please don't hesitate to reach out to me to plan a time for coffee, to let me know how I can pray for you, or to just let me know what's going on in your corner of the universe.

Peace and joy, Pastor Kate