Uphill idealist

Photo of Pastor Becca Erlich, ELCA Bishop Elizabeth Eaton and your's truly - Vicar Tara Eastman at the conclusion of  today's Eucharist service at Notre Dame Retreat Center.   Two days. Five worship services. One hundred people assembled - vicars, pastors, rostered leaders, and a few Bishops. Meals, games, free-time, heart to hearts. Sorrows shared, prayers prayed and songs sung in four part harmony. This kind of effort takes teamwork - as well as the moving of the Holy Spirit. Tonight I'm tired, but thankful. For I had this time, with these amazing people. It is an honor to be asked to lead in this space, but this space is one made better because we all took part and shared in the call to worship God and serve our neighbor. This team included me -  thank you for extending your community to me too. All are welcome.

It's been quite a long time since I've posted a Monday Meme of "Sleeping with Bread" . Every Monday a lovely group of bloggers would gather to post reflections of thanksgiving on the bread that God had given for the week as well as the bread that was needed for walking the week ahead.  Over the weekend, I have been working ahead for some bread to share this coming Sunday (Oct. 5th) at my home congregation at First Lutheran Church in Jamestown NY. What you find below is also a message that is part of my studies for an online Preaching class with Wartburg Seminary facilitated by Professor Samuel Giere  . All this said, I am thinking that the message below, connected once again with the "Sleeping with Bread" Meme  may be a good combination for conversation and encouragement to consider this question... "What do I need to let go of, and what do I need to hold on to in the week ahead?" If you like, take a few minutes to watch the vide...

The only kind of proverb or wisdom that I’m used to getting in addition to my Chinese food is the tiny paper that comes out of a fortune cookie. At the end of the meal we ceremoniously hold up the tray of cookies and carefully choose the cookie. We bite into the cookie to reveal the fortune that is tucked inside of it. Then we read our fortunes out loud and ponder how they could come true. Often we save each fortune to decorate the bulletin board at home. Wisdom - it seems, is something we all are hungry for. “You can be skinny and you can be pretty, but you have to feed a happy heart.” When I first heard these words, my first reaction was confusion. All I had been trying to do was pick up some Chinese food for dinner, but in addition to my order and fortune cookie, I had been given a personal proverb from the cook.  This conversation with the cook had started when I had asked specific questions about how the dish was prepared. “What sauce is it served with? Can yo...

Where did the sharing start? Over the past several months, our church has been taking brave steps in the area of sharing life with the greater Lutheran community. In January of 2009, First Lutheran joined in on partnering with SLYM - Shared Lutheran Youth Ministry. This partnership in youth ministry is the large umbrella in which First, Immanuel , Holy Trinity and Bethel Lutheran Churches participate by gathering on a weekly basis (Thursdays 6:30-8:30 grades 5-12) for faith building, fellowship and of course fun! The SLYM program started it's second program year in September of 2010. There are group gatherings each Thursday evening, that are sometimes split into two age groups - middle and high school, but often the older students are invited along to assist in leadership and learning right along their Adult leaders. Another benefit of this partnership were two training events for volunteers in the SLYM program nights: Princeton Theological Seminary one day training in Clevelan...

In less than 24 hours I will be heading to Rochester NY for the ELCA Youth Convo . My car will be packed with: My guitar Luggage Prayer Space supplies Laptop Two teens and their belongings and my ART SUPPLIES. I will be serving as Chaplin for the event and with the help of Pastor Laurie, we worked out the plan for the next SIX days! It's part adventure. It' part road trip. It's part spiritual retreat. It's part wow I need to get some sleep, but I'm SO EXCITED! It's all CONVO and I'll try to keep you posted on the happenings as best I can. Please keep all 20 students, and 12 staff in your prayers - it will be an amazing, challenging and exciting time for this newbie staff person. By the way, did I tell you they have a pool where we are staying??? CANNONBALL!

It's been a hectic week prior to leaving for our group's trip to New Orleans for the ELCA National Youth Gathering . As I've been busily ticking things off my to do list this week, I've experienced a wide variety of emotions. I've had moments of frustration, worry, anger - yes anger, excitement, wonder, hope and joy. All these emotions and the wide variety of them have made me look at this scripture in John where Jesus asks what others think of him. “Jesus went on with his disciples to the villages of Caesarea Philippi; and on the way he asked his disciples, ‘Who do people say that I am?’ And they answered him, ‘John the Baptist; and others, Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets.’ He asked them, ‘But who do you say that I am?’ Peter answered him, ‘You are the Messiah.’” Mark 8:27-29 (NRSV) Who do you say I am? The other day, I had a frustrating situation while shopping for supplies for a project for this upcoming trip. My time was short and I was trying to ...

This Saturday the youth that are attending the ELCA Youth Gathering will be hosting a Car Dry and tire polish to help raise more funds for our trip to New Orleans July 21-27. We will be drying car washed cars and polishing tires for tips from 10am-2pm at ROBO wash directly off of Foote Ave. in Jamestown NY on Marion Street. Help ups reach our goal so that we don't have to find out what it means to miss New Orleans! If you would like to help sponsor our group of 10 to attend the ELCA Gathering , contact me at eastman_tara@yahoo.com or visit First Lutheran Church's website for more information.

Today was a HUGE cookie bake fest with my youth group. We are trying to raise some funds for our trip to New Orleans for the National Youth Gathering for the ELCA. This Sunday we will be holding a cookie and discount card sale to help with some of the expenses of the trip. It took a lot of work, but we ended up with 27 dozen cookies by the end of the day! For the complete photo log of our cooking adventure, go to my Facebook account and look at the 27 Dozen Album . Bon Appetite! Much thanks to all that helped today: Sue, Tristan, Venya, Hannah, Scott, Will, Delia, Hebner, and Libby. You made it a great day!