Today’s author is Prince of Peace member Caryn Josephson.
In August, Jim and I represented Prince of Peace at the St Paul Area Synod’s Mission Support Thank-You dinner. Prince of Peace’s outreach budget is 10% of our regular offerings and cash plate donations. Half of that amount goes to the St Paul Area Synod to support their ongoing mission and ministries to congregations, the community, and worldwide organizations. The Mission Support dinner was a gathering of congregations of the St Paul Area Synod. The evening included a delicious dinner catered by Shobi’s Table (Pay-as-you-can Food Truck Ministry), stories from some of the individuals and congregations impacted by our financial support, and bible study centered around the theme “Seeking Shalom”.
In Wednesday’s devotion, I introduced the synod’s theme version for the year: Jeremiah 29:4-7, 10-11. This verse was used in the bible study, using the Hebrew word Shalom:
4 Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, to all the exiles whom I have sent into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: 5 Build houses and live in them; plant gardens and eat what they produce. 6 [Make families and form relationships there]; multiply there, and do not decrease. 7 But seek the shalom of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its shalom you will find your shalom. … 10 For thus says the Lord: Only when Babylon’s seventy years are completed will I visit you, and I will fulfill to you my promise and bring you back to this place. 11 For surely I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope.
“Shalom” is often translated simply as “peace”, but other deeper meanings include wholeness, completeness, safety, well-being and welfare. During the evening’s program, we heard stories of how our mission support of the St Paul Area Synod brings shalom to the community. These stories included:
- Seeking Shalom in Redevelopment. Pastors and congregational members from a rural North Metro congregation shared how their congregation was renewed and transformed with help from the synod, enabling them to pay off their mortgage and shift their ministry focus from being internal facing to exploring how they could be a beacon of light in their small rural community.
- Seeking Shalom in Formation for Rostered Ministry. Students from Luther Seminary described how scholarships freed them from the worry of finances while they study for pastoral and diaconal ministry.
- Seeking Shalom in Mission Development. The pastor at Foundation of Life, a mission development congregation, told of the joys and struggles of serving a small mission start congregation that serves the Anuak people (primarily from Ethiopia and South Sudan). The congregation meets at St Andrews and is a joint Lutheran Presbyterian congregation. Their choir also sang at the installation service for Bishop Justin Grimm.
During the bible study, we were asked to ponder several questions:
- What does “seeking the shalom of the city where God has sent you” mean for you right now? What does your neighbor(hood) need?
- Have you witnessed the Saint Paul Area Synod seeking the shalom of the places where we are? How?
- In what ways have you found your shalom wrapped up in the shalom of the “city” in which you’ve been placed?
As I considered those questions in the context of Prince of Peace, more than a few examples stand out in how we seek the shalom of our community:
- Our Sacred Settlement – leaning into doing the joy-filled and messy work of caring for the most vulnerable of our neighbors
- Food support through the EveryMeal Central Park partnership, and regular donations to the Keystone food shelf
- The “Monday Morning Crew” who does so many unseen maintenance projects to keep our building in good shape
- Holy Hammer partnership with Habitat for Humanity to provide housing
- Our Community, Sacred Settlement and Flower gardens that provide food and bring the joy of beauty
- Scholarships and additional financial support to our companions in Tanzania
- Policies and procedures to ensure the safety of our neighbors during Metro Surge
- Support for our youth to experience service and community building projects such as Lutheran Disaster Response Carolinas
- Caring ministries such as Befrienders, Seniors support Seniors and prayer shawl ministry
Those are just a few examples! As this week ends, take some time to consider how you can seek shalom in your daily spaces.