Remington’s Birth Sesquicentennial

Posted on October 4, 2011 by David M. Frye

Frederic Remington's "Smoke Signal" Commemoratives on Cover.

A quartet of 4¢ Remington commemoratives and a trio of 7¢ air mail stamps on a 1961 air mail cover with special delivery that took a round-about route to its destination: Dallas—Indianapolis—Savannah.

As an “Artist of the West,” Frederic Sackrider Remington received posthumous notice when his work appeared on the U.S. Post Office Department’s “first multicolored portrayal of a piece of fine art on an American postage stamp” (Commemorative Stamp Ceremony Program).
The Oct. 4, 1961, 4¢ issue marked the centennial of the artist’s birth in Canton, N.Y., showing a portion of his 1905 painting, “The Smoke Signal,” masterfully rendered on the Giori Press.
Remington died in 1909 at the age of forty-eight. In a relatively short life, he produced an amazing number of works as an illustrator, painter, sculptor, and author.
Two of his illustrations appeared in the 1898 Trans-Mississippi series: “Troops Guarding Train” on the 8¢ stamp and “Western Mining Prospector” on the 50¢ stamp. Remington called his original version of that image “The Gold Bug.”
Remington himself appeared on the 10¢ issue in the 1940 Famous Americans series.
In 1981, Remington’s 1902 bronze sculpture entitled “Coming Through the Rye” appeared on an 18¢ commemorative.
In 1998, the U.S. Postal Service used the Trans-Mississippi issues of 1898 as the basis for bi-color renditions of those stamps in a souvenir sheet, putting two of Remington’s works onto stamps for the second time.
The final appearance on a U.S. stamp of Remington’s work came in 2001 with a detail from his 1889 painting, “A Dash for the Timber,” appearing in the American Illustrators sheet of twenty 34¢ commemoratives.
These eight issues provide a glimpse into the prolific work of a beloved American artist whose creations recorded life in the West and still shape its images in the mind’s eye.

Fruits of the Kingdom

Posted on October 2, 2011 by David M. Frye

Introduction

Emmanuel Lutheran Church, east of Beatrice, Nebraska, invited me to preach and preside at worship on Oct. 2, 2011, the Sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost.

Readings

Isaiah 5:1–7
Psalm 80:7–15, antiphon vv.14–15
Philippians 3:4b-14
Matthew 21:33–46

Homily

Let us pray …. May the words of my mouth and the meditations in our hearts be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, our Rock and our Redeemer. Amen.

Jesus’s parables have a sneaky quality to them. Not because He sets out to be devious, but because He takes the ordinary parts of daily living and transforms them into vessels filled to the brim with the power and insights of His Father’s desires for His people.

Today’s Gospel shares with us Jesus’s well-known teaching, the Parable of the Vineyard. It’s familiar, but it’s probably not fair to call it a beloved parable. It is one of His teachings that speaks a little too clearly for our comfort, that leads us to squirm beneath the pressure of its message.

As we listen to the story, we cannot help but see our own faces reflected in the angry and twisted expressions of the tenants. Like them, we have worked hard at home, on the job, in the church. So we feel we have earned the fruits of our labors. But then, the landowner—God Himself—sends first His slaves and finally His own Son to claim what is rightfully His—the harvest from the vineyard.

That doesn’t sit well with the tenants. And so, after killing the slaves, they turn on the landowner’s Son as well. This brings down upon them the judgment of the landowner. At the end of the parable Jesus leaves His listeners, both then and now, to ponder the shape and the depth of that judgment.

Of course, we don’t really work in a vineyard, although saying that in Nebraska is not quite as safe as it once was. A quick Google check reveals that Nebraska has twenty-five wineries scattered all over the state. So maybe you do work in a vineyard, or you know someone who does.

That little familiarity we might have with vineyards makes it easier for us to see why Jesus, along with Isaiah and the Psalmist before him, settles on the daily workings of a vineyard as an image and expression of God’s dealings with us, His people. As His children, we live together in communities God has chosen to cultivate. Raising up communities that live according to His will requires patience, the same kind of patience one needs when cultivating grapes.

The lives of the tenants in the vineyard help us to appreciate this long-term project. They must find the right soil, the best light, and the land with appropriate moisture. They must pick the varieties of grapes that thrive in the local climate. They must plant tender, young vines and train them, prune them, bind them gently to supports, and then wait for several years before the first bunches of grapes appear. They must hope that mold and pests do not overrun the vineyard and kill off the vines. Then they must wait for the right time for harvesting to capture the grapes at their peak of flavor and sweetness. Finally, they must know how to press the grapes, to extract their juice, and how to encourage the fermentation that changes juice into wine.

A good vinedresser lives with the vines, getting to know them, their environment, and their responses to those changing conditions. It takes knowledge and skill to make fine wine to please the palate. We can see how a sense of ownership can grow, how tenant vinedressers can come to think of the vines as their own possessions. They can lose sight of the truth that the owner of the land also owns the vines, the fruit that grows on them, and the wine that flows from the winery.

That’s the way it is with us. We live in a country that recognizes our right to own property. One of our country’s founders, Thomas Jefferson, took to heart the thoughts of John Locke, who had claimed in the 1600s that “life, liberty, and property” were the natural rights of human beings. Jefferson changed the emphasis slightly in the Declaration of Independence, citing our “unalienable rights … [of] life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”

Even with that change, we in this country still cling to our shared belief that God, the source of natural rights, has given us the right to own property. Much of our law is written to define who owns property and how they may use it. We have procedures for how property can be taken for the public good, regulations to govern how we may use our property, a tax code to cover the levies imposed on various forms of property, and estate laws that shape the ways we pass on property when we die.

But in the midst all of the work we have put into gathering property and possessions and into protecting and defending our ownership, we often lose sight of the truth that Jesus speaks to us in this parable. Our world, its abundance, and even our own lives are not ours; they are the possessions of God our Father. He is the landowner and we are the tenants He has called to work in His vineyard.

On the one hand, that sounds a little harsh, a little extreme. Isn’t there something that we can really call our own? Isn’t there some thing we can ultimately control and dispose of as we choose. Isn’t this my life? Don’t I own my house? Haven’t I earned this money? Isn’t this my body? No, not really.

We did not choose to be born. We cannot make out of nothing the matter and the energy that comprise our world. We can shape and adapt and use and misuse what God has made. But we cannot become gods ourselves, beings who create and redeem and sanctify.

That’s the hard and the good truth. It is good to be creatures of God and to be the tenants in His vineyard. We are blessed to be the ones our Father has chosen to care for this creation, to share the Good News of His Son, and to live in the community empowered by their Holy Spirit.

The parable tells us about God’s judgment and about His blessing. The point at which judgment and blessing part ways comes when we face the question about how we will live as tenants. Will we be the ones who welcome the Son of the landowner or the ones who seize Him, throw Him out of the vineyard, and kill Him.

As Jesus says to His listeners, we hear Him say to us,

Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people that produces the fruits of the kingdom (Matthew 21:43, NRSV).

One way to look at these “fruits of the kingdom” is to return to the vineyard, to the grapes God causes to grow from His vines. A branch of the vine is the Church, grafted onto the base stock—the trunk—that is Israel, the chosen people of God. We are the grapes that sprout from this vine. By the grace of God we grow lush and full. He harvests us and presses us and ferments us into wine.

By planting, pruning, picking, pressing, and fermenting us through good times and bad, through blessing and trial, God makes us follow in the path of His Son. He was pressed upon the cross, so that His blood can be poured out as wine to heal the world of its sin. He was baked upon the cross, so that His body can be broken as bread to feed all who hunger for righteousness.

When God makes us to be the fruit of the kingdom, then by His own hands, He breaks us and pours us out so that others may see what He has done with us. This is what leads them, by the Spirit, to join us in saying, “Jesus, we give you all that have. We give you ourselves. Harvest us and gather us into your Father’s kingdom.” Amen.

“Beyond the Status Quo”

Posted on September 27, 2011 by David M. Frye

Introduction
The people of Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church, Hickman, Neb., have organized a Spirit-Driven Task Force, bringing together almost forty members who have committed to a year of study, prayer, reflection, and deliberation to discern how God is calling the congregation to renewal for the sake of his mission.

This is the twenty-second of a series of weekly meditations with the aim to inspire reflection and encourage conversation among the members of the task force as we journey together in obedience to our Lord’s calling to serve him. You can find an archive of these meditations on the Web at http://widesky.biz/blog/ephemera/spirit-driven-task-force-meditations.

Rod Koehler, a member of the Steering Committee and the Task Force, recommends “Beyond the Status Quo.”

Everything Comes from God

Posted on September 13, 2011 by David M. Frye

This is the eighth in a series of reflections offered as part of my service with the Stewardship Ministry at Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church, Hickman, Neb., where Anne and I are members.

King David’s life contains much that speaks to us as a caution to avoid, rather than a cause to embrace. And yet, despite his many flaws that show him to be as frail as we are, he embodies a deep faith and a powerful trust in God.

At the end of his kingship, David speaks to the people, pledging his wealth for God’s temple—a temple God told him he would not build, because of his sins. After leading by the example of his giving, he asks the assembly to follow him one more time: “Now, who else is willing to contribute generously this day to the LORD?” (1 Chronicles 29:5b, New American Bible)

God inspires the people to respond. They give and then they celebrate: “The people rejoiced over these free-will offerings, which had been contributed to the LORD wholeheartedly” (1 Chronicles 29:9a, NAB).

In response to their generosity, King David does not thank them. Instead, he blesses God, saying:

Riches and honor are from you,
and you have dominion over all.
In your right hand are power and might;
it is yours to give grandeur and strength to all.
Therefore, our God, we give you thanks
and we praise the majesty of your name (1 Chronicles 29:12–13, NAB).

If we can imagine ourselves gathering in this assembly, we might be tempted to feel pride. Here is our great king and there is an amazing pile of riches for the construction of a beautiful temple to the God who has chosen us from among all peoples. But our king knows our hearts and so David prays to God,

But who am I, and who are my people, that we should have the means to contribute so freely? For everything is from you, and we only give you what we have received from you. For we stand before you as aliens: we are only your guests, like all our fathers. Our life on earth is like a shadow that does not abide. O LORD our God, all this wealth that we have brought together to build you a house in honor of your holy name comes from you and is entirely yours (1 Chronicles 29:14–16, NAB).

Soon we will enter our season of meditating upon our calling to serve as stewards of the time, talent, and treasure God has entrusted to us. King David’s witness reminds us to pray for our leaders, so they may lead by example, asking us to do only what they themselves have first done. Second, God calls us to rejoice over our wholehearted giving to him. Third, we do not give in expectation of receiving thanks for our gifts, but rather as a way to create the opportunity to bless God and to give him thanks. Finally, King David reminds us that everything we have—absolutely everything, even our lives—comes from God and is his always and forever. What a privilege to offer our all to him and his glory!

Remembering 9/11

Posted on September 10, 2011 by David M. Frye

Since the day that Cain raised his hand against Abel, his brother, the people God made in his image have turned to violence to express their hate for one another. We know that St. Paul admonishes the Church in Romans 12:17, “Do not repay anyone evil for evil; be concerned for what is noble in the sight of all.” There are times when we may find ourselves tempted to take the path of repayment and to ignore our calling to nobility.

On this day, when we remember the sight of our security and sense of invulnerability rising to the heavens in a plume of smoke and a cloud of ash, we recall, as well, the lives of all who died on that day. We give God thanks for the time they spent in our midst, living among us as fellow children of our Father in heaven.

God calls us to times of prayer. We pray for our broken world, for all who act in anger or who harbor hatred in their hearts. We pray for all who suffer the pain of grief and the gnawing loss of loved ones. We pray for all who place their lives in jeopardy to protect their fellow citizens and to promote freedom and justice.

And as we pray, we recall the Psalmist’s words from Psalm 141, “Let my prayer be incense before you; my uplifted hands an evening sacrifice.” We give thanks that our prayers rise, sweet-smelling, to mingle with the prayers of God’s people in all times and places, so that “in all things God may be glorified.”

“Do Not Be Afraid”

Posted on September 10, 2011 by David M. Frye

This is the twentieth of a series of weekly meditations with the aim to inspire reflection and encourage conversation among the members of the task force as we journey together in obedience to our Lord’s calling to serve him. You can find an archive of these meditations on the Web at http://widesky.biz/blog/ephemera/spirit-driven-task-force-meditations.

Author
Pastor Ron Drury, Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church, a member of the Spirit Driven Task Force and advisor to its Steering Committee.

Scripture
“But Joseph said to them, ‘Do not be afraid! Am I in the place of God? Even though you intended to do harm to me, God intended it for good, in order to preserve a numerous people, as He is doing today. So have no fear; I myself will provide for you and your little ones.’ In this way he reassured them, speaking kindly to them: (Genesis 50:19–21, New Revised Standard Version, Reading for the Thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost)

Meditation
This is and has been for many years one of my favorite Old Testament stories. I see so much power in these words and, more importantly, the amazing grace of God at work in the lives of God’s people thousands of years ago and now! There is so much cheating, cruelty, deception, disobedience, favoritism, lying, and sadness throughout the first book of the Bible … that it is such a blessing to end with this account of forgiveness, grace, mercy and trust in the Almighty!

The story of Joseph being almost murdered and then sold into slavery by his own brothers causes me to ponder how I treated my sisters. I know I made mistakes with my three little siblings (and still do), yet I take some comfort in the fact that I was nowhere near as cruel to them as these sons of Jacob were to each other. Even Joseph jerked his brothers around before telling them who he really was, when they came to Pharaoh’s second-hand man for assistance.

Genesis makes it very clear that it is God who is in control! The loving Lord of all brings good out of the worst situations—even when we cause them or bring them upon ourselves! Not one of these humans is blameless or righteous in these stories, only God is continually working to bring righteousness to all!

Thirty-four years ago this weekend people gathered at the Norris School for our first worship celebration with Pastor Robert Fedde. We have come a long way here on 68th … and are called to continue to move forward in faith! Trust in God, mercy, grace, and forgiveness have taken us this far, and it is the only path that will lead us faithfully into the future. Ten years ago, terrible tragedy struck this great nation of ours and since then so much has changed. The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit have been, are and will continue to be with us and the steadfast love of the Lord has not changed! May we be inspired by this scripture to give thanks to God, share forgiveness, and to “do mission” with Jesus!

Reflection

Who in your life needs to realize that you regularly give thanks to God? Invite them to worship next Sunday, September 18, for “You have a friend here Sunday!” Worship at 8:30 and 11:00 a.m. with our Learning Hour in between.
Who would be blessed by your sharing with them a forgiving moment or word?
How can we allow the Holy Spirit to empower us to be in mission together in Jesus?

Prayer
Merciful Maker of all, move us to an attitude of gratitude as we, through the Spirit, share forgiveness and you remove fear so we can see the good you desire for all to do mission in Jesus. Amen.

Renewed Hearts

Posted on September 2, 2011 by David M. Frye

Introduction

The people of Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church, Hickman, Neb., have organized a Spirit-Driven Task Force, bringing together almost forty members who have committed to a year of study, prayer, reflection, and deliberation to discern how God is calling the congregation to renewal for the sake of his mission.

This is the nineteenth of a series of weekly meditations with the aim to inspire reflection and encourage conversation among the members of the task force as we journey together in obedience to our Lord’s calling to serve him. You can find an archive of these meditations on the Web at http://widesky.biz/blog/ephemera/spirit-driven-task-force-meditations.

Author
Kurt Kechely, a member of the Spirit Driven Task Force and a member of its Steering Committee.

Scriptures
“A new heart I will give you, and a new spirit I will put within you.” —Ezekiel 36:26

“Be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth.” —Ephesians 4:23–24

Meditation
We all need to take time to listen and if we truly listen, our hearts and spirit will be changed. His will is then done rather than ours.

If we all hold on to our own thoughts and our own ways, we are constantly trying to change others to conform to “Man’s” way rather than God’s way.

Reflection
This is a continuation of Rod Koehler’s Reflection from last week as it pertains to this week as well.

Take time to sit quietly and breath deep and slowly, rest your eyes.
Recognize the blessings that surround us.
Like the cool water of a water fall let His peace flow over you and give you restoration.

Prayer
Creator God, I’m thankful that you will renew the spirit of my mind daily to serve you in the holiness of your truth. Take my nothingness and recreate me in the image and beauty of your Son. As you promised to make me alive in Christ, make me more aware of opportunities to serve those whose hearts are broken. Amen.

Restored in Silence

Posted on August 26, 2011 by David M. Frye

This is the eighteenth of a series of weekly meditations with the aim to inspire reflection and encourage conversation among the members of the task force as we journey together in obedience to our Lord’s calling to serve him. You can find an archive of these meditations on the Web at http://widesky.biz/blog/ephemera/spirit-driven-task-force-meditations.

Author
Rod Koehler, a member of the Spirit Driven Task Force.

Scripture
“He leads me beside quiet waters, he restores my soul.” —Psalm 23:2–3

Meditation
I always appreciate and tend to gravitate to the short-to-the-point sayings and passages. You know, the ones that cut to the truth, say what needs to be said, and are easy to recite, like “Do unto others…”, “Be silent and know I am God…”, “The Lord is my shepherd…”, and “…He restores my soul.” Maybe easy to remember and recite, but not always easy to remember and apply when I need them most.

When we are exhausted, depleted, and on the edge of burnout, we need to have our souls restored! But who can restore our souls? Only the One who will lead us beside still water! The Lord is our Shepherd. He alone can fully bring the nourishment and replenishment that we need. Yet why do we sometimes find it so hard to set aside time to be with him? Could it be that we keep our lives so busy that we miss out on the one thing that matters most?

Foolishly, I run trying to cram everything possible into my schedule, miserably I complain about how busy we have become, doggedly I drag myself home too tired to recognize and enjoy the blessings that surround me, and then … sometimes accidentally, … sometimes on purpose, … I stop and breathe. Deep breath, I slow down, and realize the beauty in a moment, a sunset maybe, or I realize that the stars are painfully bright some night and that they have been there all along, as have all the blessings in my life. I just have been too busy, too foolish and miserable and dogged out to see. Those moments, when I am still and silent and know God is there, like cool quiet waters, He restores my soul.

Reflection
Take time to sit quietly and breath deep and slowly, rest your eyes.
Recognize the blessings that surround us.
Like the cool water of a water fall let His peace flow over you and give you restoration.

Prayer
As you have shown me time and time again, dear Father, I know that being with you restores me in a place within my heart that nothing and no one else can reach. Reinvigorate me with your presence and power so that I can serve you refreshed and renewed. Amen.

Listening to Our Master

Posted on August 26, 2011 by David M. Frye

“Listen, O my son, to the teachings of your master, and turn to them with the ear of your heart” (Prologue 1, Benedict’s Rule, Terrence G. Kardong, trans., The Liturgical Press, Collegeville, Minn., 1996).

St. Benedict begins his rule in simplicity by calling us to listen. When we put down what burdens our hands, when we set aside what concerns our hearts, when we stop moving for movement’s sake, and listen, then we have begun to follow his rule. In truth, though, listening to God is as much a part of the Christian life as it is the Oblate life.

While we typically read the Scriptures with our eyes, we can hear in “the ear of our heart” the times that God Himself, our Master, speaks to us and to all His people. Our world comes into being when God says, “Let there be …” (Gen. 1:3, New American Bible). St. John’s Christology tells us, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (John 1:1, NAB). Then the Invitatory that ushers in the daily divine office begins with a simple reminder that we respond to what we have heard, answering, “Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will proclaim your praise” (Psalm 51:15).

As we awake each morning, we can use our moments of silence to remind us to listen for the voice of our Master and to turn to Him, offering our attentive, listening hearts as an oblation to His glory.

David M. Frye, OblSB
Ut in omnibus glorificetur Deus

Delivered and Redeemed

Posted on August 19, 2011 by David M. Frye

This is the seventeenth of a series of weekly meditations with the aim to inspire reflection and encourage conversation among the members of the task force as we journey together in obedience to our Lord’s calling to serve him. You can find an archive of these meditations on the Web at http://widesky.biz/blog/ephemera/spirit-driven-task-force-meditations.

Author
Pastor Ron Drury, a member of the Spirit Driven Task Force and advisor to its Steering Committee.

Scripture
“I will deliver you out of the hand of the wicked, and redeem you from the hand of the ruthless.” —Jeremiah 15:21, New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

Meditation
God speaks to Jeremiah (sometimes called “the weeping prophet”) in the first lesson for the Eleventh Sunday after Pentecost, to calm and assure this “mouthpiece for God”! Jeremiah is reflecting not on his own pain, but upon the collective concern of the people of Israel. Jerusalem and the Holy Land’s destruction are too much for the prophet and the “chosen people” to bear.

God speaks clearly, concisely, and mercifully to a people who have not always listened … concluding with these words: “I will save you from these wicked people and rescue you from these cruel people” (New Century Version, NCV).

Have you ever felt like Jeremiah or the people of Israel? Have you ever felt like complaining or lamenting (weeping aloud)? Jeremiah models for us how we are, in the grace of God, able to talk frankly with the Almighty! Jeremiah 15:18 says, “I don’t understand why my pain has no end. I don’t understand why my injury is not cured or healed. Will you be like a brook that goes dry? Will you be like a spring that stops flowing?” (NCV). The New Revised Standard Version is even more direct, “Why is my pain unceasing, my wound incurable, refusing to be healed. Truly, you are to me like a deceitful brook, like waters that fail.” Injury, pain, and wounds seem to be inflicted intentionally and at times unwittingly by a number of people these days. I pray we will all turn back to God and hear again from Holy Scripture, “I will be there to rescue you. I, The LORD, have spoken” (Jeremiah 15:21, CEV).

Focusing on the Father through the saving grace of Jesus empowered via the Holy Spirit is our and every creatures’ only hope! I invite you, like the prophet, to turn to God and find full life! Jeremiah 15:19 (CEV) proclaims:

“Then The LORD told me: Stop talking like a fool! If you turn back to me and speak my message, I will let you be my prophet once again. I hope the people of Judah will accept what you say. But you can ignore their threats.”

Reflection
Praise God that the loving LORD knows everything about us and still loves us completely! What does God being “Sovereign” mean to you? What does it mean that the Almighty is aware of and involved in every aspect of your daily living? Where is Jesus asking you to sojourn, as you faithfully follow the Savior of the universe?How can we collectively better listen to God’s Word?

Prayer
Listening LORD of all, empower us through the Spirit to hear together your call to turn back to you and away from our complaining, to faithfully follow Jesus. Amen.

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