Nativity Scene #6 Christmas Eve

 Nativity set #6. It takes two pictures to show all who come to celebrate Jesus' birth. (From Africa) "I am so glad each Christmas Eve, the night of Jesus' birth!" (ELW 271)

Nativity Set #5

 Nativity Set #5 from Central America

"Joy to the earth, the Savior reigns! Let all their songs employ, while fields and floods, ricks, hills, and plains repeat the sounding joy." (ELW 267)

 Nativity Set #4 

"Jesus is present in neighbors we see. God's truth and justice set everybody free." (ELW 266)

Nativity Set # 3

 Nativity Set #3.  Our son Kirk made this in a church program when he was a child.  We have put it out every year for 40 years.  From Luke: Mary gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in bands of cloth and laid him in a manger because there was no place for them in the inn.

Nativity Set # 2. Tanzania

 The fourth Sunday in Advent.  This second nativity set we brought back from Tanzania where I was teaching at the Lutheran Seminary. We have much to learn from the faith of the people of Tanzania.

 I will be sharing over the coming days pictures of nativity sets from our home which we have collected over the decades. 

"While they were in Bethlehem, the time came for Mary to deliver her child." (Luke 2)

Seeing-Remembering-Connecting

 

By the Rev. Dr. Karen Bloomquist written today:

“Seeing-remembering-connecting”1 has become in 2020 far more urgent, subversive, even revolutionary. Although rooted in recognizable religious practices, these verbs are crossing boundaries that go far beyond the church. Many developments are coming together and reaching a fevered pitch: the pandemic with new ways of living, communicating and working; heightened awareness of systemic racism and vast inequalities; raging wildfires, intense storms, and other evidence that climate change is an urgent challenge. The current pandemic may be only a foretaste of what the 21st century may be like. We live in a revelatory time, provoking us to see-remember-connect in new ways.

This current pandemic may be waking us up that a far more sweeping revolution is needed. What has been “normal” may be no more. What is unknown, and spreading vehemently in ways that no human strategy or solution can meet, is being revealed. This virus is itself revelatory. Human life and nature have become out of sync, no longer mutually dependent. No matter how ingenious are any human efforts or even vaccines, what is being revealed again is that humans cannot control “nature” --- even how this virus spreads. What we can and must do is keep our distance or cover our faces so as to not contaminate others. Beyond that, what is unknown leads many to cave in to fears, which make them vulnerable to various appeals, including those that are authoritarian. Fears are especially manipulated through polarizing appeals, whether from the right or left.

What is being revealed again is that human beings are not in control, and cannot control this virus, or nature in general --- especially for the sake of human well-being and economic progress. We turn to science and technology to save us, and indeed, they are important --- especially in this pandemic. But being out of control, and unable to predict the future is especially feared. We live by predictability and normalcy as we have known it. Fears escalate when this is no longer the case.

See Dr. Bloomquist's Book, "Seeing-Remembering-Connecting" published in 2016.

About Iowa

 About Iowa: Tom Vilsack, former Iowa governor, has been selected by Biden as U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, a position he held for 8 years in the Obama administration. Vilsack will bring experience not only addressing the stress on family farmers, but also addressing long-term hunger. One in 6 Americans and ¼ of U.S. Children face a hunger crisis.

Gov. Kim Reynolds (R) says she was not asked to join the 17 State attorney generals who are supporting the Texas attorney general’s lawsuit to overturn the presidential election. Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller (D) said he would have denied the request because he could not deny the votes of millions of Americans.

Some Iowa school districts plan to replace snow days with online learning days. Children could be safe at home, but what about the ongoing and additional burden on teachers?

COVID vaccinations will come—slowly—to Iowa, but the danger will not be over for months. It will be crucial to continue wearing masks, social distancing and avoiding large-group gatherings.

Freedom from Having to Stop for a Red Light?

 I don’t believe it. But there it was, a “Letter to the Editor” in the Sunday morning paper. The man wrote, “I don’t think we need a law that requires Iowans to stop every single time at stop signs and lights.” I have been using the analogy of stop signs when writing that during a pandemic it is essential everyone wear a mask and social distance, saying “We accept laws that require us to stop for a red light.” That’s for the common good, so that we don’t cause other people to die.

The writer went on to make his case about not obeying traffic signs: “So what if there are a few more injuries or deaths. . . it’s a small price to pay for maintaining our constitutionally-protected freedom.” I don’t have a constitutional right to injure or kill people. Rather than worship the word, “Freedom” we need to believe that freedom is not just for me to do whatever I want. We have freedom from tyranny to “promote the general Welfare.” Oh, and what about seatbelts, and smoking regulations, and . . . ?

The First Amendment Does Not Prevent Us From Caring for the Neighbor

 

The US Supreme Court has overturned a N.Y. ruling concerning religious people gathering in crowds, some saying this was based on the “heart of the First Amendment.”

      The First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution reads, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof” Neither the establishment clause nor the free exercise clause prevents guidelines and laws needed to protect people’s right to live.  Free exercise means freedom for me and my neighbor, not my freedom to endanger my neighbor.

      The U.S. Supreme Court has temporarily barred New York from enforcing strict attendance limits on places of worship in areas designated coronavirus hot spots. Such restrictions are necessary during a pandemic; it has been demonstrated that large gatherings of any kind, including houses of worship, have directly contributed to huge outbreaks of COVID-19 and many deaths.

      The court ruled 5-4 in favor of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn and Agudath Israel of America that argued that the restrictions violated the Free Exercise Clause of the First Amendment. Headlines reading “US Supreme Court sides with religious organizations” are misleading. In my opinion the ruling did not “side with” religious organizations or two specific religious groups, which would have violated the establishment clause.

      This ruling has implications for future court cases which might base rulings on the free exercise clause, thus, in my view, misusing the First Amendment. This also has implications for all religious organizations. Some members might use this Supreme Court Ruling to insist their faith community be totally open to in-person services and to not insist on social distancing and wearing masks. We need to carefully study the First Amendment and also the Preamble to the Constitution which includes the words, “to promote the general welfare.” Freedom from means freedom for people to be able to live.

Masks up! Or not?

 

Mask up. Or, not! Whatever you want. Iowa Gov Kim Reynolds issued a confusing mandate Monday. People are required "to wear masks in public indoor space if unable to maintain a safe social distance." Faith communities were not mentioned. Many pastors took this to mean they should not have indoor services without safe distances and masks. However, Reynolds’ many exceptions later were said to include religious services.

And people "running a quick errand in a store" wouldn’t need to wear a mask. Nevertheless she "encouraged mask wearing." That is easily interpreted, "Do what you want to do."

My husband, Burton, wrote in a Letter to the Editor in our Globe Gazette, “Perhaps the governor’s failure to require everyone to wear masks did get her votes." Reynolds said the election (in Iowa?) supported her actions. Burton added that perhaps Reynolds "should overrule the law against smoking in public places."

Or maybe we as individuals should decide whether we want to or not go through a red light. After all, it does inconvenience me when I’m in a hurry. Or perhaps, because we have "freedom" in this country, I need not wear a seatbelt. It’s uncomfortable. Freedom does not mean we can do whatever we individually want. Freedom in a democracy means we are free to work together, including being guided by scientific evidence, so that all may be safe, and therefore free to live.

In a news conference Reynolds was later asked about the science which states clearly that wearing masks makes a big difference in containing the virus, to which she responded that there was "science on both sides." Later a spokesperson for the governor tried to correct her statement by saying that the science was clear but there were people on both sides of the issue.

So, what are people required or encouraged to do in Iowa? Where is the leadership? The confusion only adds to the divisions and invites cases of COVID to surge.

First President from the "Silent Generation"

 The 46th president of the United States will be the first from the “Silent Generation” 1928-45. Characteristics: they are respectful and responsible, have a strong work ethic and will-power. That’s Joe Biden, b. 1942. Kamala Harris, the first woman vice-president-elect (on the 100th anniversary of women winning the vote), helps us celebrate black/brown citizens of immigrant parents, hers from Jamaica and India. Burton and I celebrated by a walk through downtown Mason City. We played the chimes and xylophone on one of our many city statues.

At the time of the election announcement we were having a party: a 5-person celebration of my birthday (b. 1938) yesterday. I give thanks for birthday greetings from across the U.S., Australia, Canada, Korea and Namibia, and from all generations from my kdg. friend to my new friends here at Prairie Place whom I have met in my 80's. I celebrate, give thanks, and pray for the challenges and possibilities ahead. I celebrate with the world!