LMM - Lutheran Men In Mission

01/09/2025

How are you "Living Christmas" beyond the season?
"This birth changes things.
This birth changes us.
From his fullness we have received grace upon grace.
Christmas is God’s action for us.
Having received, God calls us to give.
As Jesus comes to us, we are sent to those so easily overlooked and forgotten.
Christmas is a verb.
Go now. Notice. Care. Reach out. Act.
Live Christmas."
- Pastor Gary Loadholdt

01/09/2025

Be more grateful in 2025!
cc.syr.edu/gratitude25
Join Rev. Brian Konkol, dean of Hendricks Chapel, for a virtual session designed to help you understand & utilize the power of gratitude to heal, energize & transform your way of life.

📅 Wednesday, Jan. 15
🕛 Noon ET
💻 Zoom

12/24/2024

PXII Daily Advent Prayer

“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace”
— Isaiah 9:6

“There are many of you in this congregation who think to ourselves: ‘If only I had been there! How quickly I would have been to help the Baby! …Yes, you would! You say that now because you know how great Christ is, but if you had been there at that time you would have done no better than the people of Bethlehem. Childish and silly thoughts are these! Why do you not do it now? You have Christ in your neighbor. You ought to serve him, for what you do to your neighbor in need, you do to the Lord Christ Himself”
— Martin Luther

We have prepared for weeks for this moment. As Christians we prepare in a similar way every year. In the midst of the madness of shopping and planning and cooking and whatever else distracts us from the journey, we manage to find moments to remember
the true “reason for the season,” turning our thoughts and prayers to the coming Son, the Counselor, the Prince…and, yes, the governor of all that is and has been and will be. We take time to remember that God so loved us that he put his only Son here, on
this messy and fallen and beautiful earth, to lead us to the cross and show us the way to real peace—starting with that starlit, quiet peace in a tiny town far, far away. It’s a fleeting peace in the “real” world, isn’t it? That’s why we take the soft singing of “Silent
Night” at the end of Christmas Eve service to heart so deeply and fully: We know that just outside the door, back in the world, the shaky promises of men and so-called governments await, and another year of anxiety and longing is upon us. But as Luther
noted so directly, we don’t face the coming challenges alone. Christ is among us, and we are his hands, feet, and heart in the world. We are here not just to exchange gifts and fill our stomachs alongside family and friends for a few fleeting hours, but to complete the circle that Jesus laid out for his disciples, the kingdom he asked them to step into and expand not with trepidation, but with love. We are the kingdom. We are the promise. We are the Christmas miracle.
— Vic Williams/Photo by Marjorie Williams

Father of light and love, your gift has arrived and your promise continues through the countless centuries. In your Son we have all we need. We are flawed but forgiven, harried but heartened, mortal of flesh but timeless of spirit and soul. Be with us as we celebrate the Coming of Christ this and every year, and through our days. Help us to remember the child of hope within us and carry the blessed charge to love our neighbor into our actions in and for the world. Help us be the light this Christmas. Amen.

12/23/2024

PXII Daily Advent Prayer

When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. In a loud voice she exclaimed: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! - Luke 1:41-42

You became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you welcomed the message in the midst of severe suffering with the joy given by the Holy Spirit. - 1 Thessalonians 1:6

The Greek word for “joy” is chara, derived from the word charis, which is the Greek word for “grace.” How fitting is that connection for us Lutheran guys, for whom grace is the very centerpiece of our faith? In this classic definition, “joy” isn’t something we pull out of thin air on our own–rather, it is the essence of the divine spirit. It’s with us always, even in times of stress, confusion, or pain. The two passages here reveal both sides of the “joy” coin. In the well-known Luke story, Elizabeth’s unborn child, John the Baptist, literally leaps for joy at the sound of Mary’s voice. We can relate, not only as Christians, but as people whose hearts leap at the sound of their kids’ or grandkids’ voices on the phone, when they get off the plane during a holiday visit, or on Christmas morning as the gifts get opened. We share their joy not only of giving and receiving, but of reveling in God’s gift to the world, his only Son. Then, in Thessalonians, Paul revels in the joy these people let flow through them even in hard times. We’ve all been there. We’ve all found ways to rise above the troubles of our lives, through faith, through beauty—through joy.

Let us pray.
Gracious and giving God, our waiting is nearly over. Your blessed and beloved son is arriving, and our hearts leap at the news, just as it did for Elizabeth and her child. Help us keep that joy at the forefront of our minds as we enter the Christmas season. Give us
strength to face the uncertainties of life ahead, fortified and fed by your grace and love. Thank you for the priceless gift or your grace. Amen.

12/18/2024

PXII Daily Advent Prayer

Lord Jesus,
Master of both the light and the darkness, send Your Holy Spirit upon our preparations for Christmas.
We who have so much to do and seek quiet spaces to hear Your voice each day,
We who are anxious over many things look forward to Your coming among us.
We who are blessed in so many ways long for the complete joy of Your kingdom.
We whose hearts are heavy seek the joy of Your presence.
We are Your people, walking in darkness, yet seeking the light.
To you we say, “Come Lord Jesus!”
Amen.
—Henri J.M. Nouwen

Arise, shine, for your light has come,
and the glory of the LORD shines over you.
For look, darkness will cover the earth,
and total darkness the peoples;
but the LORD will shine over you,
and his glory will appear over you.
Nations will come to your light,
and kings to your shining brightness.
—Isaiah 60:1-3

12/17/2024

PXII Daily Advent Prayer

When you love people, you see all the good in them, all the Christ in them. God sees Christ, His Son, in us and loves us. And so we should see Christ in others, and nothing else, and love them. There can never be enough of it. There can never be enough thinking about it. St. John of the Cross said that where there was no love, put love and you would take out love. The principle certainly works.
Love and ever more love is the only solution to every problem that comes up. If we love each other enough, we will bear with each other’s faults and burdens. If we love enough, we are going to light that fire in the hearts of others. And it is love that will burn out the sins and hatreds that sadden us. It is love that will make us want to do great things for each other. No sacrifice and no suffering will then seem too much. —Richard Rohr

Loving God, you are the ultimate Giver. Gifts abound as your Son’s arrival approaches. Some seen, some unseen. And the greatest of these gifts is love. By your grace we have love to light our way to the truth, and there is nothing we can do to stray on the path to you, if we keep love in the lead. Bless us as we follow, and lead, and endure, in love. Amen

12/16/2024

PXII Daily Advent Prayer

DON’T HOLD BACK ON THE LOVE HUGS

During a recent visit to Santa Fe, New Mexico, I came across the work of a Detroit sculptor named Martin Spei, whose main muse is the middle-aged modern man. Out of slabs of bronze Spei conjures his bald, chubby Everyman man in various states of being, from downtrodden by work to joyous in repose. But the most moving works, for me, show this man in full embrace with his mirror image. In one, a man brings two friends together in a half-hug, his arms spanning their shoulders. He gives these guys pretty much the same facial expressions–no smiles or even grins, but the unmistakable visage of comfort, quiet vitality and spiritual sustenance. The artist’s “hug” with the Divine intersects with a literal man hug, rendering both connections at once timeless and tender: pure love pulled from cold bronze.

As human beings, we all play a part in the art of life. As believers, we walk through the valleys and over the mountains together, stopping now and then to breathe in creation, share word of encouragement or commiseration, and, at some crucial point–in greeting, in parting, or just in silent acknowledgement of our brotherly love–we offer each other a hug. At that moment, all I can say is, “don’t hold back. Hold on, for dear life.”

Find a friend, son, father, grandfather, grandson, or stranger to hug today. Let the love flow. —Vic Williams

Dear Lord, you never fail to hold us close every moment of our lives. You are the ultimate hug of pure love. As we await the coming of your infant Son and witness the first embrace from his holy mother, let us express our love for others through physical

embrace, a kind word, an encouraging phone call or note. Let us explore all the ways a hug works wonders in our world, and yours. Amen

12/12/2024

PXII Daily Advent Prayer

O Emmanuel, God with Us, Jesus Christ, the desire of every nation,

come to earth, we pray.

Shepherd of all humanity and Savior of our souls

give us rest in your arms today.

Glory to God in the highest, and peace to God’s people on earth.
You alone are the most high, Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit, in the glory of God the Father.
Come Lord Jesus,
Open our hearts to welcome you; let the Word become flesh in our hearts and in our lives. Amen

12/11/2024

Daily Advent Prayer from PXII

I will light Candles this Christmas,
Candles of joy despite all the sadness,
Candles of hope where despair keeps watch,
Candles of courage for fears ever present,
Candles of peace for tempest-tossed days,
Candles of grace to ease heavy burdens,
Candles of love to inspire all my living,
Candles that will burn all year long.

From “The Mood of Christmas…”
—by Howard Thurman

12/10/2024

Lord Jesus, we marvel with the shepherds as those who were once far off, but who have now been brought near.

Your gaze could overlook, but instead it knows intimately.

Your gaze could intimidate, but instead it invites in.

Your gaze is full of grace, bringing the divine to those who were distant, love to those who were lowly and invitation to those who were invisible.

Lord Jesus, we marvel with the shepherds as those who are not only seen but also who get to see you. May our gaze, as it fixes on you, be strengthened and sustained towards those at the margins whom you love, see and are redeeming. Amen

prayer from Andrew Secrist

12/09/2024

PXII Daily Advent Prayer

Bless the LORD, O my soul: And all that is within me, bless his holy name.
Bless the LORD, O my soul, And forget not all his benefits:

I remember singing this in my previous church of about 43 years.
It is based on the first part of Psalm 103. If you read the next three
verses you learn more of what God has promised for you. It is simply a prayer set to music where you are reminded of what God has in store for us.

It is a glimpse of the hope of what we have waiting for us when we
meet the Lord in heaven. Where sin has no hold on us, where disease has been irradicated and our lives have been rescued from the life of sin at which we have lived. All of this is promised when we allow God’s Son, Jesus to come into our lives.

While this is just a foretaste of what we will experience, here on earth As heaven comes down to us. While we may still experience difficult times in our life, we will be given satisfaction in our desires that are met as well as good things that will happen as we need them. We will also be like the eagles when we are young and able to soar As our hearts desire to heights only we can imagine.

Our most gracious Heavenly Father, we thank you for the promises
made in your word. We look forward to the time when we will meet you in the place of refuge you have prepared for us. In your precious son’s name we pray,
Amen

12/09/2024

PXII Daily Advent Prayer

We are not alone.
All the saints surround us
with the compassion of Christ Jesus.
Therefore, go out in hope,
and my love overflow more and more
with knowledge and insight
to help us determine what is best,
that the Spirit may reap in us
the harvest of righteousness,
for the glory and praise of God
through Jesus Christ.
Amen

12/09/2024

Daily Advent Prayer from PXII

It’s Monday. Dawn of another work week after a couple days with family, perhaps friends watching football, preparing meals, getting stuff done around the house, preparing, preparing…with nary a moment to breathe, even though it’s “time off.” Where’s the peace? Like many poets, Mary Oliver finds shining shards of peace in fleeting moments. Here’s one:

Do you have time?

Oh do you have time
to linger
for just a little while
out of your busy
and very important day
for the goldfinches
that have gathered
in a field of thistles
for a musical battle,
to see who can sing
the highest note,
or the lowest,
or the most expressive of mirth,
or the most tender?
Their strong, blunt beaks
drink the air
as they strive
melodiously
not for your sake
and not for mine
and not for the sake of winning
but for sheer delight and gratitude—
believe us, they say,
it is a serious thing
just to be alive
on this fresh morning
in the broken world.
I beg of you,
do not walk by
without pausing
to attend to this
rather ridiculous performance.
It could mean something.
It could mean everything.
It could be what Rilke meant, when he wrote:
‘You must change your life.’
~ Mary Oliver

Dear Lord, we spend a lot of time waiting for what’s next, but you are the great I Am, in the moment, and for all time. Help us remember to gather those moments as peaceful glimpses of your presence, your light in the world, and the coming gift of your Son.
Amen

12/04/2024

PXII Advent Daily Prayer

Christ our Savior, save us from today's captivities:

From the need to have more; and from having our identity and self-worth defined by what we possess -- Savior Christ, set us free.

From the need to be satisfied without waiting; and from anxiety when material longings are deferred -- Savior Christ, set us free.

From paralysis and confusion, in the face of so many needs, so much information-- Savior Christ, set us free.

From hyperactivism that denies our limitations and from apathy that denies our God-given powers -- Savior Christ, set us free.

From trying to replace you as Savior, by taking the world on our shoulders -- Savior Christ, set us free.

From ignorance or denial of what drives us; and from captivity to personal drives and needs -- Savior Christ, set us free.

From embarrassment in speaking about your love,; from not knowing what to say; and from the shame of being misunderstood, scorned, or ignored -- Savior Christ, set us free.

From captivity to anger, bitterness, and disappointment; and from captivities we cannot speak about, or name -- Savior Christ, set us free. Amen

prayer from Brian Wren's liturgies

12/03/2024

Advent Daily Prayer from PXII

So, in this season, what are you waiting for?

In the season of Advent, there is a lot of waiting. Children want to see what gifts they are getting; adults look forward to time off from the normal pace of life. Older adults wait for the grandchildren to arrive, and some adults celebrate when everything “gets back to normal.”

I am one of those who looks forward to Christmas, and Christmas music, both old and new pieces that tell the story of this season. In 1744, Charles Wesley wrote one of his shorter hymns that, at least on some level, fits any time of year, but is usually considered a Christmas hymn; Come, thou long expected Jesus.

It has only two verses, and simply stated, specifically asks “release us to act.” In just two verses, he touches all of us, and our waiting for the coming of Jesus Christ. But in a broader view, it asks me, “What are you waiting for, or why aren’t you doing more, why aren’t you praying more, giving more, abiding in His arms more.” Speaking only for myself, there are a lot of promises, or intentions, or suggestions that I have embraced, and said “yes” to, that are not fully completed, and some that I like to think are in the “planning stage…..” (Which means they are carefully put away for some magical time in the future.)

So, I invite you to pray with me, that we embrace and correct our mis-steps, our promises, our overdue actions so that we are intentionally working now to bring us closer to Christ.

12/03/2024

Daily Advent Prayer from PXII

As We Prepare
Let us pray that waiting for Christmas may show us how to be patient when things take time, how to live for Christ day by day, and how to wait for promises not yet fulfilled.

Risen Christ, Light of the world,
shine in our lives
and shine among us now.

In Isaiah, the prophet declares that in days to come God will judge between the nations, and arbitrate for mane peoples. We refuse to let go of Isaiah's hope that swords can be beaten into plowshares, and spears into pruning hooks, and that nations shall not lift up sword against nations, neither shall they learn war any more.

Risen Christ, Light of the world,
shine in our lives
and shing among us now.

an exert from Brian Wren's Advent liturgy

11/28/2024

LMM is thankful for...
We first give praise to God and acknowledge that all we have comes from God's love for us. LMM is also thankful for all the wonderful individuals, families, groups, congregations and communities that support this ministry. Lives and families are improved thanks to the prayers and support from you!
Happy Thanksgiving

11/20/2024

The LMM Fall Newsletter
Highlights include:
- A glimpse of our next 3 year Strategic Plan
- A brief explanation of the new LMM logo
- LMM at the NYG (National Youth Gathering)
- Mark 10:46-52 - an article looking at Bartimaeus with a video link

https://www.lutheranmeninmission.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/LMM-foundationsE-Nov24HR.pdf