Bishop Hoover's Advent/Christmas 2011 Message

Greetings from Bishop Hoover Advent/Christmas 2011 Dear Co-laborers with Christ, We stood at the side of the dusty road waiting to see what would happen next. The mid day sun promised that the day would get hotter and the occasional passing vehicle only churned up more dust in the warm air. We had been on the road for more than three hours when the Land Rover broke down. This was on our recent visit to the Konde Diocese. Bishop Israel-Peter, my wife Sharon, and my assistant, Cliff Eshbach, had loaded our luggage into the Land Rover at 7:30 that morning and left Tukuyu, site of the Diocesan headquarters, to begin the long cross-country drive to Dar Es Salaam, a distance of over 500 miles. We anticipated that the trip on two-lane highway would take about thirteen hours. We planned to spend the night at the Luther House in Dar and catch a 7:30 a.m. flight the next morning to begin the trip home. Now, however, everything had become very uncertain. Some 100 kilometers west of the city of Iringa, with about another ten hours of driving ahead, we were now stuck at the side of the road. Our driver, a man named Job, had raised the hood and inspected the engine. It was clear that some belt had slipped, but the extent of the trouble could not be immediately determined. While local Tanzanian women approached us with produce and trinkets to sell, and school children waved as they trooped by, three or four young men joined Job and clustered around the disabled vehicle. Animated conversation ensued in Swahili. One of the men ran off and returned shortly with some tools. It seemed that a decision had been made that the best means of addressing the situation was to disassemble everything. The hood came off and was laid on the dusty shoulder of the road. Then followed the fan, housing, and various wheels and clamps. The radiator was drained, removed, and joined the other engine parts along the road. Hoses, couplings, whatever, all became part of the growing collection. It was clear that we would not be going anywhere any time soon. The Bishop, meanwhile, paced along the shoulder with his cell phone at his ear. He was trying to reach the bishop of the local diocese to see about the possibility of hiring another car. Success was elusive. Time passed without a clear solution in sight. All we could do was wait. After a while, a car stopped along the road in front of us and a young man got out. He and the Bishop spoke together and the next thing we knew, our luggage was being loaded in the back of the young man's hatchback. "He has agreed to take us as far as Iringa," the Bishop told me. This was good news. There was at least a hotel in Iringa where we might stay, if need be, to wait for the next developments. We began the drive but had not gotten far when the Bishop told me more. "He says he has a meeting at the university in Iringa this afternoon," he explained. "If we are willing to wait for him for an hour or so, he says he will take us the rest of the way to Dar Es Salaam today." The young man's name was Peter. As it turned out, his father is a prominent lay person in the congregation at Tukuyu and Peter stopped his car because he recognized Bishop Israel-Peter at the side of the road. He had not planned to drive to Dar Es Salaam that day, but was willing to rearrange his life to rescue us in our stranded situation. We arrived at the Luther House at 10:30 that night. After a few hours sleep, we made our departure in the morning, as planned. What Peter did was a huge gift. It is as though you had started to drive from Harrisburg to Chicago (on two-lane roads) and had broken down near Pittsburgh. Then, someone stopped and offered to take you to Youngstown, and if you were willing to wait until a meeting concluded there, to drive on to Chicago, all in the same day! And all of this is done out of sheer generosity and grace. On the long flight home it occurred to me that Advent is like that. It is a time of waiting, stranded along a dusty road of life, sensing a total loss of control of events, waiting to see what will happen next. Saint Paul writes about sin being beyond our control: For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do-this I keep on doing. ... (Romans 7). Our spiritual engines are broken. We cannot reach our intended destination on our own. We need to be rescued from our helplessness of sin. All we can do is wait to see what will happen next. And in the fullness of time, God sent his Son, our savior Jesus Christ into the world to bring about that rescue. To make the greatest sacrifice for our own sakes precisely at the point where we cannot save ourselves. The Child of Bethlehem is the beginning of that rescue that takes us along on a journey to Calvary's cross. And all of this is done by the sheer grace of God. The magnificence of this gift of grace cannot be grasped in all its fullness this side of heaven's line, but sometimes we see flashes of it in the way we treat each other; in the action of a young man named Peter on a remote Tanzanian highway. May the richness of this season give you renewed assurance of God's rescue breaking into the world. Faithfully, your bishop, +B. Penrose Hoover Carings and Sharings is the e-newsletter of the Lower Susquehanna Synod. Its purpose is the sharing of news and events which raise up the mission and ministry of the synod and ELCA in our congregations, our synod, and the broader church. It is not intended to be an endorsement of every activity. Comments about this newsletter may be sent to Pam Drenner, editor, pdrenner@lss-elca.org.

Zion Nursery School Students Bring New Light to the Christmas Story

During the Zion Nursery School 3-yr-old Class Christmas program, “One Night in Bethlehem,” the audience was asked to imagine what it would have been like to be in Bethlehem for the birth of Jesus.  All the traditional characters of the Christmas story were played by the children: Mary, Joseph, Angels, Shepherds, Star and Wise Men.  Also included were the animals that may have been present at the manger: a cow and a sheep. 
After each of the characters was introduced in the story, the actor “traveled” around the group ending up at the manger where he or she knelt in an attitude of prayer. Throughout the program, we sang Christmas songs and carols that related to the characters in the story.   

The final character in the Nursery School program was not a traditional one.  Mrs. Fry asked the question, “What if St. Nick was in Bethlehem that night?” At that point, the child dressed as “Santa Claus” came to the manger carrying a gift which he placed beside the manger as he knelt down in adoration and prayer.  The program ended with “Silent Night.” 

It was such a joy to see the reactions of the large group of parents, grandparents and siblings that had come for the program.  Even more wonderful was the message that the children and their teachers brought as their Christmas witness.  Jesus is the true and only reason for the season!  The commercial powers of Santa Claus are worthless in comparison to the treasure of the “Word made flesh.”   “O Come Let us Adore Him!”

The Church that Feeds the Community

Last Thursday, Bob (my husband), and I helped to prepare and serve the Zion weekly community meal.  Since it was Thanksgiving Day, I was concerned that there wouldn't be enough people to help with the set-up, serving, and clean-up.  As usual, the good folks of Zion reminded me of their commitment to being "the church that feeds the community." 

The buffet table was filled with delicious dishes including all the traditonal ones.  There were plenty of people to do all the tasks required to serve the community friends that came.  In fact, there were so  many helpers that some didn't have a lot to do.  Wow!  When I think of how many hands were involved in doing God's work that day and for all of our food ministries, I am overwhelmed with gratitude to God for gifting this congregation with these gifts of service. 

Tonight, the Congregation Council members have prepared and will serve the community meal.  It's time for me to go over to the church and help out.  My contribution of cornbread was baked last evening.  Chili, salad and desserts were prepared by other Zion leaders.  We'll be working side by side to feed all who come for a hot, delicious meal.  What a blessing it is to be part of this community of faith and service!  I am humbled to be serving as pastor with the people of Zion.  Pastor JMe