Jeremiah 29:11, “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord. Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

As a clergyman, I discovered the “ambidextrous” nature of my profession. On one hand, I am a theologian, which is to say, I am an academician. When I fulfill this role, it is safe. I am in the cerebral realm and can distance myself, emotionally, from the subject at hand.

On the other hand, I am a pastor. As a pastor I make the abstract personal and find myself in the realm of the heart. This is the more vulnerable of the two realms because emotions are involved and I find I simply cannot distance myself from the subject at hand.

Usually, when I write these articles, I write from the safer of the two realms. I try to keep my writing professional as opposed to personal. And this is the safer of the two options, particularly when our readership is ecumenical.

Well, today, I simply cannot distance myself from my writing. As I write my article, I anticipate the end of this week when I bring my youngest child to college. I anticipate empty nest syndrome and I find myself, this week, caught up in the emotion. I realize I am not alone. And it is this realization that inspired me to write my article to all the moms and dads out there who are facing major life transitions this week. Whether you are sending your child to kindergarten, middle school, high school or college, the transition can be a challenge. And if you find yourself in this category, this one is for you.

There are things we say when we face life transitions. One of the most honest statements I have heard people mention is “I am happy for you but sad for me.” When your best friend moves to a new place because he or she got a promotion you might say this. When you speak at a loved one’s funeral, as a person of faith, acknowledging a better hereafter for our loved one but a difficult here and now for you, you might say this. And, when the father links arms with his daughter and walks down the aisle, he has a smile from ear to ear but tears are streaming from both eyes. As he faces the realization that his little girl is getting married, his expression says it all: “I am happy for you but sad for me.”

As a parent, we prepare our children for the day when they will leave home. We want our kids to succeed, to become independent, become everything God created them to be. As we nudge them out of the nest, we want them to spread their wings and fly. Until that day comes, we hang on to each moment and hold them as tight as we can never wanting to let go. And, yet, we must. When that day comes, we remind ourselves that it was for this moment that we worked so hard. Yet, selfishly perhaps, we hope that moment never comes. Rest assured, that moment will come. And when it does, we say: “I am happy for you but sad for me.”

It was difficult when my daughter Rachel went off to college. Fortunately, her little brother was home. It broke my heart the first time, but the realization that Nate was still home made it somewhat bearable. Now, that is no longer true. You think you can prepare yourself for these things emotionally, but I should know by now that emotions don’t work that way. I can say, with all sincerity, that I am happy for him but sad for me. My wife and I need to remind ourselves that this was the moment we worked for. He is ready and I know that his future is bright. But it doesn’t change the fact that I will miss him terribly.

Moms and dads, people of faith, whatever your faith may be, you are not alone. Being a dad has taught me many valuable lessons that have shaped my ministry. I have walked with many people through life transitions. I have experienced the emotions of hundreds of people, albeit from somewhat of a professional distance. Now, I find myself walking down the path many have walked before me. I cannot say: “I know how you are feeling.” But I can say: “I have a pretty good idea …” Feel free to call your clergy person and share what is on your heart and pray with him or her. You may be surprised to discover that your spiritual leader, too, may have taken your path and have a pretty good idea of how you are feeling.

But know this, you are in my prayers. And may God bless you and your children during this time of transition. You may be sad for yourself, but be happy for your child.

Pastor Gross is a pastor of Zion Lutheran Church, located at 959 SE 6 Ave., Deerfield Beach, FL 33441. For more information, call 954-421-3146 or visit www.zion-lutheran.org.

“When God saw what they (Ninevah) did, how they turned from their evil ways, God changed his mind about the calamity that he had said he would bring upon them; and he did not do it.”

(Jonah 3:10 NRSV)

Full disclosure, I like comic books. I like comic book heroes. And one of the things I enjoy doing with my family is going to see superhero movies. This summer has produced some pretty great movies and, as a religious leader, I see all kinds of great material that I can use on a Sunday morning.

The Bible is filled with great stories that have inspired great comic book writers. These are stories about heroes and villains, and heroic rescues filled with action and suspense. If you like reading the Bible, you probably enjoy a good comic book now and then.

I have noticed something about comic books and superheroes, as well as villains. While, on occasion, we may stumble across a super hero lacking virtue of a misunderstood villain some gray area may be interjected for plausibility now and then. But, by and large, superheroes are good and villains are bad. But when the superhero captures a villain, a part of us rejoices. Good has defeated evil.

And the victims who find themselves in trouble — the damsels in distress, the kitty who is caught up in the tree, the child hanging on to a cliff — we love to see the hero swoop down from the sky and rescue them. The damsels are always beautiful, the kitties are always cuddly and the child is always cute.

But what if the enemy is the one who needs to be rescued? What if Lex Luthor was dangling from a cliff? Would Superman swoop down and rescue him? What if the Joker or Penguin were trapped by a bear, would Batman come by and rescue his arch enemies? There is a part of us that would say “good riddance.” But that is not how God operates.

I love the story of Jonah, the reluctant hero. He was called by God to rescue the people of Nineveh. Nineveh was the major trade city of the Assyrians, the enemies of the people of Israel. Jonah doesn’t want to do it. He would rather be swallowed by a giant fish than tell the people of Nineveh to repent.

Yet, he was ordered by God to be prophetic and tell the people in this pagan city to repent. After he delivered the message, he waited on the outskirts for calamity. He was even looking forward to their demise. But, something happened that really disappointed Jonah, they repented and God changed his mind.

It was clear that Jonah saw Nineveh as evil, the enemy, people he hated. God loved the people of Nineveh.

The story goes against our comic book sensibilities. But, the words of St. Paul echo the sentiment of Jonah.

“Indeed, rarely will anyone die for a righteous person — though perhaps for a good person someone might actually dare to die.”

(Romans 5:7)

Did God send his son when we deserved it? No, “While we were still sinners.” (Romans 5:8)

Perhaps it is time to write the comic book that has yet to be written. Heroes rescue villains. [Editor’s Note: Dear Pastor Gross … watch the new Spiderman movie]. Unworthy people are saved. Rescued people aren’t always grateful. But wait; that book exists.

We do find ourselves guilty, now and then, thinking that we have earned the right to be rescued. Like Jonah, we cheer for the demise of our enemies and flatter ourselves into believing we are better, or loved more by God, or worthy of God’s love. The message of the Bible is distinctly different than the message of the comic book hero. In comic books, the villains have no humanity and the ones who are rescued have earned the right to be rescued by being innocent, adorable or nice.

The one dimensional lines of a comic book meet the multi-dimensional reality of the world where villains are created in the image of God and damsels in distress are sinful and unclean. Superman will rescue some, but God sends the ultimate hero to rescue all.

Pastor Gross is a pastor of Zion Lutheran Church, located at 959 SE 6 Ave., Deerfield Beach, FL 33441. For more information, call 954-421-3146 or visit www.zion-lutheran.org.

“In the last days it will be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams.” — (Acts 2:17 and Joel 2:28 NRSV)

On Pentecost Sunday, we read Acts 2, as we always do, and heard Peter quote Joel 2:28 in his message to the pilgrims at Jerusalem. Among the many things I loved about his words, or Joel’s words, or God’s word, to be more exact, was the intergenerational vision of the church. Recognizing the gifts of the elderly and the young, the Holy Spirit definitely saw generations as interdependent. And, I have to say, there is a growing recognition within my denomination, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, that cross-generational ministry is God’s vision for the church.

That being said, this wasn’t the way it has always been. I may have exacerbated that problem by some of the actions I took, not by accident, but very much on purpose. I separated the worship service into two. One service I called “traditional” and the other service I called “contemporary.” One service was a little more liturgical with the organ being the primary instrument. The second service was a little less liturgical and included guitars, drums, keyboards and singers. Naturally, I envisioned the older members would attend the “traditional” and the younger members would attend the “contemporary.” Every once in awhile, we would create cross-generational events, such as picnics, potlucks and, of course, the annual meeting.

At first, everybody fell in line with their age appropriate service. Peaceful coexistence and cooperation was maintained. But, as time went on, surprises started to occur.

The first surprise came with two elderly members who stopped attending the “traditional” worship service because they were, in their words, tired of the hymns. They liked guitars and drums, and they appreciated being surrounded by younger members.

At first, I thought that this was not going to end well. How would the young members receive them? Some chose the contemporary service specifically because of the younger population and now my service was beginning to “gray.” Well, as surprises go, the young people loved this couple. In fact, when the husband died, my 18-year-old daughter was beside herself in grief. His funeral was well-attended by the members of the youth group and the Praise Band played the music. His wife was delighted.

The second surprise came with a young family that attended the “traditional” service. The three young kids were all elementary age and the husband and wife were actually quite a bit younger than me. After the service was over, I took them aside and assured them that we had younger members and they attended the “contemporary” service. Looking back at this, I am ashamed to admit it. But the wife smiled and said, “Thanks, we prefer this service.”

Later, when the family attended the new member class, the wife shared what she appreciated about the church. She said, “With my parents in Illinois and my husband’s parents in Washington, we knew our kids would miss out not having their grandparents around. But the people we worship with are like grandparents to my children and we love it.”

As time went by, the contemporary service started to age and the traditional service started to get younger. The ages became less relevant and the services really distinguished themselves by style alone, as opposed to age preference.

One of the many things I love about Zion is that the young and older members truly do love each other. I may explore different styles of worship, but not to separate the ages. And I am exploring a Sunday School curriculum that is cross-generational in nature.

The Holy Spirit surprised the disciples, who spoke in different languages to the pilgrims who travelled to Jerusalem on Pentecost. The way the Holy Spirit chose to speak was in a manner that honored the diversity of cultures. Each heard the message in the language they spoke. And what was the message they heard? It was a cross-generational message honoring the elderly and the young.

May we be surprised by the Spirit and may those walls that separate the ages come tumbling down.

Pastor Gross is a pastor of Zion Lutheran Church, located at 959 SE 6 Ave., Deerfield Beach, FL 33441. For more information, call 954-421-3146 or visit www.zion-lutheran.org.

‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself’

(Leviticus 19:18 and Mark 12:31 NRSV)

“In everything do to others as you would have them do to you; for this is the law and the prophets.” (Matthew 7:12)

Is civility enough? I ask this provocative question in light of a society where civility is lacking and, that being said, it is still not enough, not if we want to change the world for the better.

I was in conversation with a Rabbi in the community where I previously served. We talked about a Coexistence Festival in Sarasota and the topic of tolerance came up. We agreed that interfaith dialogue was an important step in the right direction because we are neighbors coexisting in the same community. Finding common ground in faith is a great way for religious leaders to lead the charge, ecumenically. By the way, “ecumenical” means “community minded.”

Yet, the Rabbi in his wisdom questioned the word “tolerance.” And he asked me a question, which I found to be enlightening: “How would you like it if you heard me say ‘Jeff, I tolerate you?’ Would you feel good inside?” He made a good point. Civility is not enough.

Yet, civility is still lacking. Drive in any grocery parking lot on Saturday. Hesitate one tenth of a second at a green light. Go shopping at the mall in December. Stand in front of somebody in a parade. We have a hard time coexisting in public and we haven’t even got to religion or politics. We literally haven’t even left the parking lot.

While we struggle for civility, a golden rule is shared, shared by many faiths. In our faith it is found in Matthew 7: 12 “In everything do to others as you would have them do to you; for this is the law and the prophets.” (NRSV) Treat people the way you want to be treated. This is a good start, but it only takes us to civility. In fact this golden rule is bronze, at best. It isn’t enough. We have gotten to tolerance but we haven’t gotten to love.

Engaged in dialogue, Jesus was asked about the greatest commandment. Aside from the first, to love God, he mentioned the second and he replied: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself” (Leviticus 19:18 and Mark 12:31 NRSV). Now we are getting somewhere. Now we are starting to move the dial of progress in society. Now THIS rule IS golden.

But who is our neighbor? This was another question that was asked of Jesus. I think the person who asked him wanted to hear the answer: “the people I like.” Liking the likeable, loving the loveable, what is remarkable about that? Then Jesus responded to his question not with a short answer but a parable, the parable of the Good Samaritan. This parable was all about liking the unlikeable and loving the unlovable, and finding value in a person from a culture and religion that was despised. Jesus’ answer was anything but comfortable. “Love my neighbor? I don’t even LIKE him.”

Upon further self examination as well as life experience, I have come to a thought. We don’t have to tackle civility before we address the need to love. In fact, if we aspire to love one another as we love ourselves, civility will fall into place.

Tolerance and coexistence are fine, but they are, at best, mediocre aspirations. I don’t want to merely coexist with my neighbor in mutual tolerance. I want to love my neighbor. Love is what moves the dial in the right direction.

Now that we have left the parking lot, we can move into the direction of a mutual existence that is grounded in love. In love, we can dialogue and build ecumenical bridges with people of different faiths. In love, we can engage in political conversations with friends with whom we disagree. In love, we can think twice before we honk at the person who pulls out of his or her parking spot without looking, or cuts us off, or hesitates for more than a second at a green light. ^“Let all that you do be done in love.” (I Corinthians 16:14)

Pastor Gross is a pastor of Zion Lutheran Church, located at 959 SE 6 Ave., Deerfield Beach, FL 33441. For more information, call 954-421-3146 or visit www.zion-lutheran.org.

“So He humbled you, allowed you to hunger, and fed you with manna which you did not know nor did your fathers know, that He might make you know that man shall not live by bread alone; but man lives by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the Lord.” — Deuteronomy 8:3 (NKJV)

As a Lutheran, I do observe Lent and I do choose to abstain from a food or behavior once a year for 40 days. Now, this isn’t a great accomplishment worthy of boasting. But I can say that I look forward to Lent every year and embrace this challenge as a divine opportunity. And regardless of whether you observe Lent, taking some time to challenge yourself in this manner may be a joyful time of spiritual growth. Yes, reader, I used the words “Lent “and “joy” in the same sentence.

Lent simulates Jesus’ journey into the desert for 40 days following his Baptism and preceding his three year ministry. Jesus took 40 days to fast and put himself in harm’s way of temptation. And, of course, the tempter did show up and his first temptation was to turn stone into bread. It was within this context that Jesus quoted Deuteronomy 8:3, “One does not live by bread alone.”

These words have a special meaning to me and, for those who have heard my story, I apologize. I write this for the benefit of others. I received a blessing and I want to share it, as blessings are meant to be.

Before I continue with my story, let me share something that will make my story make more sense. All my life I have struggled with food. I have had successes and failures but I am afraid my failures outweigh my successes. But the one thing my wife and I were able to do was instill in our children a healthier understanding of food. As a result, they have been spared of this particular “thorn in the side,” if you will.

I had a chance to spend my birthday with my son at Walt Disney World. We planned to divide our time between EPCOT and Animal Kingdom. I chose EPCOT because of the restaurants. We would choose a time and place to eat and the whole day would revolve around it. Food was the axis upon which the entire day would spin.

I asked my son “Where would you like to eat?”

He said, “Let’s stop by and get a couple of subs. We will eat one half for lunch and the other half between EPCOT and the Animal Kingdom.”

My first thought was: “What about my birthday meal?” My second thought was, “I have taught him well. Now it is time for ME to internalize the message.”

I said, “Sure, Nate, that sounds great.”

I discovered that Nate’s primary question was about rides and fast passes. Food was the last thing on his mind and the first thing on mine. But, today, I would honor his request. I did ask him if we could sit down for a cup of coffee and visit. He was happy with that idea and we did.

I share this story with you because that was probably one of the best times I ever had at Walt Disney World. I learned something from my son’s example. Yes, a parent can learn a lot from a child. And that is this most important lesson. The quality of a meal is not determined by what is on your plate but by the person who is sitting across the table.

Regardless of our faith tradition, we all hunger and thirst for something in our lives that simply cannot be satisfied by food. Some of us are still learning that lesson the hard way. I have found Lent as the perfect opportunity to find out what that “something” is. And when I do find that something, it may not satisfy my stomach but it will satisfy my soul.

It is my prayer that we all take the spiritual journey that leads us to that something that satisfies our soul. And when we find it, we will discover that we are not fasting from food but feasting on that something that satisfies the soul.

Pastor Gross is a pastor of Zion Lutheran Church, located at 959 SE 6 Ave., Deerfield Beach, FL 33441. For more information, call 954-421-3146 or visit www.zion-lutheran.org.

“And now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; and the greatest of these is LOVE.” — [I Corinthians 13:13]

I like doing weddings. Weddings are a lot of fun. It is always an honor and a joy to celebrate with a couple and their families the unity of two people, two families and, sometimes, two cultures. I consider myself blessed to have met so many fascinating people. And there is a satisfaction that cannot be described when a couple, whose marriage you performed, comes to church pushing a stroller with a newborn. I always feel like I am, in some way, a part of that miracle, and that is a great honor.

Couples who want to get married love I Corinthians 13. The “Love Chapter” is one of the most “romantic” chapters in the Bible. There is just one problem. Paul was not writing about romantic love, but Godly love. Because I Corinthians 13 is used so frequently at weddings, single people who are not in relationships, think that it doesn’t pertain to them. The fact that the author, St. Paul, was a confirmed bachelor, escapes notice. Also, the fact that romance was the last thing on Paul’s mind, seldom gets mentioned. And that is why I bring up to all of you who think I Corinthians 13 is the sole possession of the happily married, it isn’t. This is God’s love letter to you. I Corinthians 13 belongs to everybody and so does Love.

When Valentine’s Day comes, dating and married people celebrate while single people are often left out. A single person may even say, “I haven’t found love yet.” I find that to be the saddest statement of all.

When I looked up Valentine’s Day, I discovered that this was a holiday that celebrated the contributions of a Christian martyr who lost his life by refusing to deny his faith. St. Valentine, like St. Paul, was a confirmed bachelor. And when he befriended the jailor’s daughter, he wrote her a letter of encouragement in her newfound faith. He signed it “Your Valentine.” This was not a romantic letter, but it was a love letter nevertheless. Valentine shared God’s love with a Christian convert.

Now, this legend varies as it is told and retold. How a perfectly platonic letter between a brother in faith written to a sister in faith could be the inspiration for a holiday which seems to be the sole possession of the happily dating or the happily married is beyond me.

I say it is time to give this holiday back to all people. Let us take time to write “love letters” to our friends who stuck with us through thick and thin. Let us write “love letters” to single and widowed people who are especially lonely on Valentine’s Day. Let us write “love letters” to our brother and sisters in faith who worship with us on a regular basis and could use a little reminder that they are loved. And yes, we carry on the celebration of marriage and courtship as well.

Love belongs to all people. Let us share it [even if it is after Valentine’s Day. Love can be shared all year long!]

Pastor Gross is a pastor of Zion Lutheran Church, located at 959 SE 6 Ave., Deerfield Beach, FL 33441. For more information, call 954-421-3146 or visit www.zion-lutheran.org.

It was a regular Sunday, like any other Sunday. The Scripture text assigned for the day included the words below:

“So when you are offering your gift at the altar, if you remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother or sister, and then come and offer your gift.” – Matthew 5:23-24 NRSV

I thought, “This is a good time to preach on forgiveness.” Now, I have preached many sermons on forgiveness. In fact, I would go so far to say that you really cannot proclaim the Gospel if you don’t bring up the topic of forgiveness.

And, besides, I thought, “Forgiveness is a safe topic.” Yes, I wasn’t in the mood to preach a controversial sermon that would stir up or even divide the congregation.

It was going nice and smooth. I brought up God’s love, our sinful nature, our need to be forgiven and the ultimate price God was willing to pay for us on the cross. It was nice and safe. People were smiling pleasantly and nodding their heads and I thought everything was going well.

And, then, I decided to apply this to our lives. Therefore, if you are estranged with someone you love or another member of the congregation, I want you to go home, call them up, and tell them that you forgive them.

The mood changed quickly. Smiles started to leave faces. I even saw a frown or two. People were squirming in their pews. I knew that I may have gone a step too far.

And then, when people were departing from the service, one person decided to linger behind. It was one of the frowners. She proceeded to tell me that she was wronged by another person whom she loved. Now, I am not talking about victimization, but it was more of the nature that words were said that hurt her feelings. I understand that feelings can get hurt; and, when they do, it isn’t pleasant.

But this person was very upset with me; because, in her words, her anger was “none of my business” and “how dare you” was used to question my message.

For years she has been nursing this grudge and now I challenged her to forgive the person who hurt her feelings. I was now the bad guy. It would have been good if I would have stopped my sermon at the cross of Christ and then proceeded with a pleasant hymn. But I had to throw in that pesky “however” and I discovered that, indeed, forgiveness is not a safe topic for some people.

When I challenged the congregation, I received the counter-challenge. When this occurs, it is easy to pull back and retreat. Lesson learned; don’t include the “however.” Keep it safe. Talk about forgiveness in generalities; but, do not, under any circumstances, make it specific or personal. Forgiveness is a safe topic when you talk about it in generalities, but not specifics. But when you get specific, it gets personal. People squirm, get angry, and even confront you.

But, wait, have I not been called to proclaim the Gospel? Have I not been called to distribute the sacraments which, at their core, are a means of grace? As a Lutheran, I include the confession and forgiveness in my service. None of my business? Forgiveness is my business.

I thought about the fact that I could have ended with the proclamation of God’s forgiveness, but this proclamation is not an ending; it is a new beginning.

And, as far as “keeping it safe,” we were never promised a safe journey. In fact, if anything, we were assured that living we find ourselves in danger every time we live out our faith. Safety was never promised. Forgiveness, on the other hand, is the promise.

Considering all of the obstacles we face within our places of worship that are related to the lack of forgiveness and forgiving, I double down on this message. I proclaim forgiveness and do it; if people squirm — good riddance. It is high time that we embrace the pastoral courage to leave the safety zone and challenge our people to forgive. I look back at that Sunday with no regrets. My only regret is that I didn’t learn this lesson sooner.

Pastor Gross is a pastor of Zion Lutheran Church, located at 959 SE 6 Ave., Deerfield Beach, FL 33441. For more information, call 954-421-3146 or visit www.zion-lutheran.org.

It was a crowded day at the mall and a woman just had to go to the mall and pick up one more Christmas present. The problem was that she was due at any minute and her husband, doctor, parents and friends told her that she shouldn’t go to the mall. But she insisted. Her best friend tried to talk her out of it, but then found herself driving her very pregnant friend to the busiest place at the busiest time.

The mall was loud and chaotic. People were in a hurry, hustling and bustling with a nervous, yet exciting, energy. And when she found herself in the right shop, it happened.

There was no way to get out of the mall in time. Her best friend told the owner of the shop that a baby was going to be born and, as good fortune would have it, there was a nurse in the shop. The store owner wasn’t sure that she could afford to take two or three clerks off the floor to assist the woman in need, but she did, knowing that this was going to put a dent in her sales. And then, in the back room, a beautiful baby girl was born with a nurse, three clerks and a best friend surrounding the mother and child. The child was wrapped in tissue paper and lying in an open cardboard container.

Her husband got word, via text message, and he drove as fast as he could and bobbed and weaved his way through the crowded mall to see his newborn daughter. When the father saw his beautiful daughter, it was love at first sight, and everybody in the room experienced the joy, including the owner of the shop.

When all was said and done, the owner was grateful for the “blessed distraction” that allowed her to put life in perspective, witness the miracle of birth and feel the bond with her customers, who shared the miracle with her. She may have lost some time and money; but she experienced something far more valuable. Thank God for “blessed distractions!”

I love the song “O Little Town of Bethlehem” as much as any Christmas-loving Christian. It is certainly not my intention to ruin the song, but I must point out that the “Little Town of Bethlehem” was called “The City of David” in the Christmas narrative of Luke. Now, the word “city” is relative, and it may not have been a booming metropolis; but it was booming. A mandatory census was put in place and people travelled to their ancestral homes. In Mary and Joseph’s case, that was Bethlehem and together they traveled back home from the place of their residence, Nazareth. No doubt, they travelled in a caravan with other relatives and, when they arrived at Bethlehem, there was no room for them in the inn. With “No Vacancy” signs on every hotel in the City of David, it was anything but “silent.”

And then, in the midst of the hurry and scurry, hustle and bustle in a city with a nervous, and yet, exciting energy, a “blessed distraction” occurred. Jesus was born.

When word got to the shepherds, not by text but singing angels filling the sky, they bobbed and weaved their way through the crowded streets of Bethlehem, maybe even with their sheep at toe. Can you imagine?

This reimagining of Christmas may change your perception, and I apologize if I ruined it for you. But I find this image to be more meaningful, especially in the context of our Advent season where we find ourselves so distracted in our preparation for Christmas that we forget to prepare ourselves for Christ. You may even say that sometimes Christmas stands in the way of Christmas. We need “blessed distractions” to reorient ourselves to that which is most important in life. We need to stop, pause and reflect upon the miracle of birth, the blessing of family and friends, and the bond that strangers feel when they witness a miracle together, and are strangers no more.

But this isn’t just another “blessed distraction.” This event transformed life as we know it. God enters into our chaos of shopping malls and city streets with a gift to all humanity. And, though it may be inconvenient to some, it certainly reminds us that we are loved by God.

May the “blessed distraction” of Christmas transform your life this year.

Pastor Gross is a pastor of Zion Lutheran Church, located at 959 SE 6 Ave., Deerfield Beach, FL 33441. For more information, contact 954-421-3146 or visit www.zion-lutheran.org.

Thanksgiving is a great time to recall the many blessings that surround us. If I were to write about every blessing that I have received, I am sure that there would not be enough ink and paper in the world. So I chose one in particular.

One of the blessings of my life, as well as the life of my family, is the blessing of being part of Southeastern Guide Dogs, which has its headquarters in Palmetto, FL. When our children were very small and I wanted to spend time with them and be visible in the community, my wife and I decided that this would be a great opportunity to accomplish both. As a pastor, I needed to find a new hobby or a new passion that was completely different than what I was doing in my career. So we started being “puppy raisers.”

Puppy raisers raise puppies and train them until they are old enough to return to Palmetto and complete their training to become Guide Dogs for the sight impaired. While many do not qualify for that very special job, most dogs take on another job such as arson dogs, classroom dogs to assist in reading, dogs that help people who suffer from seizures, etc. And, of course, some of them wind up as pets.

Some people told me that they thought it was cruel to subject children to the trauma of raising a puppy only to let them go. Then we, as a family, went to a graduation when the sight-impaired and their companion were venturing off into the world. My kids, at a very young age, realized that the rewards that came with this sacrifice far outweighed the heart-ache of saying goodbye.

Now, we have the privilege of being “breeder hosts.” We host a dog, Gizmo, who has given birth to three litters and will probably give birth to a total of four. We also hosted Bentley, who sired 82 puppies before he “retired.” Now he is our pet.

I share this because, through the experience my family and I have had with Southeastern Guide Dogs, we have seen God at work in a very profound way. We have a greater appreciation of our Creator because of the lives we have seen blessed by God’s creation.

This experience opened my eyes to the reality that God honors animals and created them to bless God’s people. I became keenly aware of the multiple times animals are mentioned in the Bible and the important roles that they have played throughout both the Hebrew and Greek Testaments.

From the beginning of humanity, God gave dominion to humans over the “fish of the sea, the birds of the air and every living thing that moves upon the earth.” (Genesis 1:28 NRSV) And, when humanity disappointed God, God went out of his way to protect his creation by assigning Noah the task of building an ark for two of every creature (Genesis 6:19-20) and seven pairs of every clean animal (Genesis 7:2).

Animals even get honored and mentioned in the 10th Commandment when God warned us not to covet our neighbor’s oxen or donkey.

I was struck by some of the details in Jonah 3 when even the animals wore sackcloth as a sign of repentance in the city of Nineveh. (Imagine your pet in sackcloth) And, ever the stickler on details, God even knows when a sparrow falls. (Matthew 10:29)

And even if we move from animals to people, what profession was most honored in the Bible? I think we know it is the shepherd.

I am grateful to be a part of Southeastern Guide Dogs. I am grateful for the unique bond we had as a family that learned a skill together, a skill that has blessed numerous people. I am grateful for having four different puppies go through our loving hands and into the loving hands of people who cannot see, children who struggle with reading, people who suffer from seizures, or veterans in therapy.

Happy Thanksgiving and embrace this holiday as a time to count your blessings. Happy counting.

Pastor Gross is a pastor of Zion Lutheran Church, located at 959 SE 6 Ave., Deerfield Beach, FL 33441. For more information, contact 954-421-3146 or visit www.zion-lutheran.org.

And his righteousness

“But strive first for the Kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” Matthew 6:33

I would like to introduce myself. My name is Pastor Jeff Gross and I am the new pastor at Zion Lutheran Church in Deerfield Beach. I am grateful to serve the people of Zion, Deerfield Beach and the surrounding area. I moved here from Lakewood Ranch, Florida (outside of Bradenton). Moving from the Gulf Coast to the Atlantic has transformed me into a morning person. The sunrises inspire the soul.

I have been a pastor for 22 years and, as a matter of fact, I celebrated my 22nd anniversary on the first day I preached at Zion. I cannot think of a better place to launch my 23rd year of ministry than in Deerfield Beach. And 22 years is a short period of time. I certainly do not pretend to be an expert, but I have learned a few things on this journey and, perhaps, some wisdom that has helped me not only become a better pastor but a more faithful person.

As a young pastor, I complained that seminary didn’t prepare me well enough. The older I get, the more I realize that seminary cannot possibly teach you everything you need to know in order to be a pastor. I began my career in rural North Dakota, 35 miles north and west of Fargo. I befriended an older and wiser colleague, something I highly recommend, and he told me: “Seminary taught me how to be a theologian. My parishioners taught me how to be a pastor.” I took those words to heart and, to this day, I believe that.

Continuing education is also encouraged and this is a great opportunity to learn more things that are not necessarily taught at seminary or even brush up on those lessons that were learned years ago. I have also read many great books recommended to me by fellow pastors. Many of these books were about the mechanics of running a church. There are “how to” books on just about everything from Youth Ministry to Multicultural Ministry to Stewardship. There are inspiring biographies written by successful pastors who brought in thousands of members to their congregation, the method used to attract new members. I have read several books addressing the post-modern age and the challenges that face the ministry as a result in this cultural shift. And I would categorize this material as “the mechanics of how to run a church.” And, I want to make it clear, this is good reading.

But here is what I discovered in my journey … I was starting to feel some burnout. The joy that once filled my soul was starting to dwindle and I kept comparing my ministry to the models within these many books, and I would get discouraged. I recalled Matthew 6:33 from a Sunday-School song “Seek ye first the kingdom of God….” The simple melody and the profound words took me back to my childhood and childlike faith. But it also re-oriented me because I discovered that my continuing education was in pursuit of “and all these things” and not “the Kingdom of God.”

The problem was, I wasn’t reading my Bible first. There was just too much material to read, but Scripture came second. I discovered, the hard way of course, I was filling my mind with knowledge while my heart was running on empty. That simple shift, reading the Bible first and seeking God’s Kingdom first made all the difference in the world. And “all these things,” as Jesus promised, they do come in good time.

Christian education is a lifelong journey, regardless of whether you are trying to become a better pastor or just a better person. There are a lot of good books out there. Read them. But first, read the Bible. That simple shift can make all the difference.

Pastor Gross is a pastor at Zion Lutheran Church, located at 959 SE 6 Ave., Deerfield Beach, FL 33441. For more information, contact 954-421-3146 or visit www.zion-lutheran.org.