Our Savior Lutheran Church
  • Home
  • I'm New
  • Worship
    • In-Person
    • Watch Live Online
    • Watch On Demand
  • Connect
    • Adults >
      • Life Groups
      • Bible Studies
      • Men
      • Women
      • Young at Heart 50+
    • Youth >
      • High School
      • Middle School
      • Confirmation
    • Kids >
      • Kids Home Page
      • VBS
    • Baptism
    • Become a Member
    • Faith Milestones
    • Parenting
    • Care >
      • Prayer
      • Mental Wellness
      • Coaching
      • Justice
  • Serve
    • In Our Church
    • In Our Community
    • In Our World
  • Preschool
  • Resources
    • Events
    • Calendar
    • Podcasts
    • Right Now Media
    • Parenting
    • Church Center App
    • Pastor Tim's Blog
    • Church Business
    • Employment
    • Links & Files
    • Health
  • Give

Pastor Tim's Blog

connecting leadership, community, wellness, and faith
​

conectando el liderazgo, la comunidad, el bienestar y la fe​

I'm Saying Their Names

6/3/2020

 
Picture
Photo Credit: Hollie Coates-Seamster
I'm saying their names.

Ahmaud Arbery.
Breonna Taylor.
George 
Floyd.
David Dorn.
Manuel Ellis.

These names matter.
And these are only a few of the names...
Matthew Harrison, President of the network of churches we belong to (The Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod) says: Racism is not acceptable anywhere, especially in the church. Jesus Himself says to love our neighbors as ourselves (Mark 12:31) and did so precisely while rejecting racial preference. (Luke 10:25–37)

Let's not make this a mission trip moment - a cultural pit-stop filled with euphoria over an event or even series of events. Let's not be inspired for a moment today and go back to whatever "normal" is, tomorrow. Let's commit not to look to our own good, but to the good of others. (1 Corinthians 10:2)

So, let's ask a hard question: when it comes to incidental, event-based, and systemic racism - how do we begin loving God, loving people, and living like Jesus?

Let's ask Jesus.
“A new command I give you: Love one another.
​As I have loved you, so you must love one another."

​- Jesus in John 13:34
And let's ask Missionary Paul.
So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view.

​
Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. 

And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. 


- Missionary Paul in 2 Corinthians 5:15-20
What could this look like?
Picture
Photo Credit: Hollie Coates-Seamster
Meet Gabe from South Hill.

He began standing alone at 176th and Meridian with a sign that simply read “Am I Next?.” I read that eventually a few more young men came out to stand on the corner. Then, moms and their kids joined in the peaceful demonstration. The next day, people filled all four corners of the intersection.

As this crowd stood together, I noticed that each person had a unique reason for showing up. And that's the point - like Brene Brown says in her Netflix documentary, becoming brave is about showing up.
When it comes to all forms of racism, loving others as we have been loved by Jesus doesn't (and shouldn't) look the same for everybody. But it does mean that we show up.

It is also undeniable that love is an action because God is love. (1 John 4:7-21) And, God in Jesus shows up and demonstrates the greatest act of love by giving His life on the cross for the world.

For some, love will look like gently and directly speaking up and advocating for people. Others choose to work toward changing broken systems. Yet, others are simply friends who come alongside of each other and do life together.

I recently heard that hospitality is putting all of you aside for somebody else. Perhaps the first step toward diffusing racism is that we begin to listen hospitably to somebody else. Trade our periods for question marks. Be curious and ask questions. Then be still and quiet. Listen - not to respond, but rather to understand. To feel. To be present as Jesus is present.
We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

- Missionary Paul in 2 Corinthians 5:20-21
When it comes to incidental, event-based, and systemic racism - what could loving God, loving people, and living like Jesus look like for you?

    Meet Pastor Tim

    Tim Bayer has served as Our Savior's Lead Pastor since September 2019. He also serves as an Adjunct Instructor at Concordia University - Irvine, a National Leadership Facilitator and Resource, and a Community Mental Health First Aid Instructor. Tim studied sociology, psychology, and theology prior to earning his M.Div at Concordia Seminary - St. Louis. He has also is a candidate for an Ed.D (ABD) in Transformational Leadership. He is married to Beth and they have three young children. Together, they enjoy exploring the outdoors, experiencing culture, and pizza and movie nights.

    Archives

    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

OUR CHURCH

Service Times & Location
Mission & Values
Staff
Resources
Contact Us

GET INVOLVED

Connect
Serve
Grow
Give

OUR SCHOOLS

OSLC Preschool
Concordia Christian Academy (K-12)
© 2023  |  Our Savior Lutheran Church  |  253.531.2112
4519 112th St E, Tacoma, WA 98446
Office Hours: Mon-Fri 8:30-3:00
Sunday Services: 9:00 & 10:30am
Site powered by Weebly. Managed by Well Water Design

Privacy Policy

  • Home
  • I'm New
  • Worship
    • In-Person
    • Watch Live Online
    • Watch On Demand
  • Connect
    • Adults >
      • Life Groups
      • Bible Studies
      • Men
      • Women
      • Young at Heart 50+
    • Youth >
      • High School
      • Middle School
      • Confirmation
    • Kids >
      • Kids Home Page
      • VBS
    • Baptism
    • Become a Member
    • Faith Milestones
    • Parenting
    • Care >
      • Prayer
      • Mental Wellness
      • Coaching
      • Justice
  • Serve
    • In Our Church
    • In Our Community
    • In Our World
  • Preschool
  • Resources
    • Events
    • Calendar
    • Podcasts
    • Right Now Media
    • Parenting
    • Church Center App
    • Pastor Tim's Blog
    • Church Business
    • Employment
    • Links & Files
    • Health
  • Give