Holy Cross Lutheran Ministries- Lake Mary, Florida

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America and the Kingdom

Ben Hoyer - Monday, October 19, 2009
On the way in to work this morning I listened to a podcast that was recapping how our economy got into the sort of trouble that has resulted in the almost 10% unemployment rate. They were talking about America's situation in this global economy. They sounded a little worried.
Yesterday I had a conversation with a guy that has worked most of his career in and around government programs. We talked a for a while about the future of America's economy. We mentioned debt to other countries, and the collapse of manufacturing, sort of landing on...America doesn't produce anything. What happens to an economy built on consumption? He wasn't pessimistic, but he sounded a little worried.
Six or eight days ago I was with a friend who was talking to me about this pundit he listens too. The pundit was more than a little worried. He's watching the value of the American dollar go down and is afraid that the future for America could be gloomy. 

Yesterday I mentioned briefly that we are citizens of the Kingdom of God before we are even Americans. It was just a short point Sunday, but it is a big deal for me. I've come to realize that my first citizenship is in this Kingdom that stretches back to Adam and forward for eternity. I have a king that is infinitely concerned about my welfare. I happen to live in America, but this country has a different idea about justice, about generosity, about economy even. I don't know what's going to happen to this country, but I do know what's going to happen to my King and his Kingdom...it never ends. It's comforting; I hope America works it out-but that's not where my hope is.
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thirteen dollars!

Ben Hoyer - Tuesday, October 13, 2009
There was mild outrage in the office at the church yesterday as folks logged on to our new credo coffee page and exclaimed thirteen dollars for coffee? (they misread the page, the coffee is $8, if it needs to be shipped there is a $5 charge). As I was fielding their concern I realized...I've been thinking about money a lot lately.

It is all over the place and affects us all. I just had a phone conversation with a guy at his whits end, without work and staring down eviction. I spoke with some friends this weekend about being laid off, others about their job sending them out of the state, others about working a job that feels like it's killing them just for that paycheck. I have a friend working jobs on the weekend and losing the family time he wants so he can earn more money, one who is investing as much as he can in his future business, and one whose business is just taking off and he wants to know the best place to invest. Money is all over, and has its hand in everything so this may sound funny, but: money is a serious distraction.

It's not the point. Money is not the point of your life. It may be easy to agree with that, but it's harder to live like it's true. It's hard to avoid living like money is the point of our lives. I think that's why Jesus spoke about money so much. He knew that it had the possibility of being our biggest distraction. 
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See Jesus

Paul Hoyer - Saturday, October 10, 2009

Today I am in Mt. Dora at the Food Pantry and the place is full to overflowing! We are now helping almost 80 families per week. The volunteers here help in any way that they can. They try to find places to stay for those who are homeless and get people signed up for food stamps as well as sending them home with food for three weeks.

As I listen to the conversations this morning I am struck by the appreciation that those who are being helped have for the little bit of food that they receive. They continue to say "thank you" to everyone that they see. I had the opportunity to speak to the group of 25 volunteers as we finished this morning I told them that they have been Jesus to each person that came this morning. We are the arms and hands of Jesus, we give out the love that God has given to us in Jesus. When they see us, they see Jesus.

Why not be Jesus to the people around you today?

 

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What Makes a Team

Paul Hoyer - Wednesday, October 07, 2009

Holy Cross has just passed 25 years and we are positioned for reaching the community for the next 25 years. The future will look much different with the loss of Bob Ducat as the worship director. As with many companies when the leadership team is broken up there will be a possibility of a slowing in forward movement, but there is also the chance that the change can help trigger that forward motion.

Our prayer is that God is going to push us forward to reach even more people with a reworked leadership team. There have been questions about how we will proceed. I want to keep you informed on our progress. We will continue to bring excellence to our worship with some of the singers from Holy Cross and we intend to bring in a great many guest leaders  until we find a good fit for us and our worship. We plan to work with a part time person for the next three months or so and after Christmas we will be ready to choose another full time Worship Director.

Through out this process we covet your prayers on this matter. We truely want the Lord's leadership in this search process. If you have positive, helpful, thoughts on this search please contact me at paul@hclm.org.

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whew!

Ben Hoyer - Monday, October 05, 2009
Whew! I don't know about you, but I had a busy weekend. Definitely over-booked the two days. Golf, Octoberfest, Preach the Word of God, Wings and College football, preach the Word of God some more, nap, celebrate nuptuals, and fall asleep in front of NFL. If you add in a couple bottle feedings a date with my wife on Friday Night and a couple book readings with an almost 2 year old, then you're starting to get a picture of what I'm talking about. I was sitting here, running through it in my head and thinking, "Was that too much?" Ok. it probably was, but I'd rather have that than the opposite. Not that I don't like alone time, I just really value having friends to enjoy life with. I like having casual friends, and ones that really know me and feel like family.
It made me remember a conversation that Chris and I recorded several months ago. We called it King of Queens, because we realized that although it feels easier, sitting at home and watching reruns doesn't make us happy. 
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armor of God

Ben Hoyer - Friday, October 02, 2009

In our Gospel reading for Sunday from John chapter 17 Jesus prays for his followers that will stay on the earth after his ascension. He asks that they be protected from an enemy, he reminds the Father God that it will be hard for them on earth because they are not of this world. They are aliens in a foreign world. The chief attack of our enemy is to convince us that this is our home. That our main goal is to make this life as comfortable as we can, cause it's all we get. That's a lie and you'll need some armor to fend it off. Or service this weekend will try to convince you of that truth.

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what are you doing?

Ben Hoyer - Monday, September 28, 2009
Yesterday as our evening hanging out the with folks wound down, dad sat on the couch soothing little Eleanor, Wes watched "Bear necessities" with mom and Megan readied all the the stuff it requires to take two kids anywhere. I sat and played on the piano they've had as long as I can remember. I thumbed through the hymnal til I got to one that I only slightly knew. I now hope they sing it at my funeral. To me it sings about reality. The truth of who we are and what we're called to that the busyness of life tries to distract us from. More on that later. Until then, here's the hymn:

 

For all the saints, who from their labors rest, 

who thee by faith before the world confessed, 

thy name, O Jesus, be forever blest. 

Alleluia, Alleluia! 

Thou wast their rock, their fortress, and their might; 

thou Lord, their captain in the well-fought fight; 

thou in the darkness drear, their one true light.

Alleluia, Alleluia! 

O may thy soldiers, faithful, true, and bold, 

fight as the saints who nobly fought of old, 

and win with them the victor's crown of gold. 

Alleluia, Alleluia! 

O blest communion, fellowship divine! 

We feebly struggle, they in glory shine; 

yet all are one in thee, for all are thine. 

Alleluia, Alleluia! 

And when the strife is fierce, the warfare long, 

steals on the ear the distant triumph song, 

and hearts are brave again, and arms are strong. 

Alleluia, Alleluia! 

From earth's wide bounds, from ocean's farthest coast, 

through gates of pearl streams in the countless host, 

singing to Father, Son, and Holy Ghost: 

Alleluia, Alleluia!


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me and my car

Ben Hoyer - Wednesday, September 23, 2009
I don't know how well you know me, or if we've talked about it before, but I drive a "one of a kind" car. How I came to drive it is a story of the provision of the Lord. When Megan and I moved down here from previously living in Denver and St. Louis we thought we might be able to make it on one car. It didn't take long living down here to realize we underestimated the sprawl of suburban life, the heat/humidity of central florida, and the craziness of life with kid (now kids). Although one car wouldn't work, two would be tough since we were trying to let a family live on a first year pastor's salary. Enter the aforementioned provision of the Lord: Our gracious Father (earthly not heavenly) offered to let us drive one of his cars. He has been letting us drive it for over a year now.
As I piled into that tangible grace this morning I realized that it elicits varying emotions from me. I am alternatingly proud and embarrassed to be driving it. Proud when I think of myself as thumbing my nose at a materialistic culture, I see myself as backing up that oft-mentioned saying that a car is about A to B. Embarrassed when I find myself arriving sweaty from the lack of A/C or parallel parking between polished chrome and tinted windows. It has me thinking about how much of our identity we tend to put in our things. I mean how what we have speaks about who we are. Don't know how I feel about that.
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the only living boy in lake mary

Ben Hoyer - Tuesday, September 22, 2009
I drove by the house of a friend of mine the other day who's having trouble with life right now. I looked at his house; it looked like most of the others around it. You wouldn't be able to tell by looking at it that life was hard inside there. That people were hurting and looking for answers. The yard was in order, the house panted, the roof looked good. It looked like every other house on the street. Then I realized that the same was true of all those houses. I was driving through a neighborhood and could probably see a fifty or a hundred houses as I moved down the road. All of them have families with people and issues. That's a lot of people and a lot of broken lives. As I drove I started to wonder about what each of those houses represented. Did they have families that ate dinner together, kids that were busy with life? Were marriages happy, were kids in trouble? What would evening bring as people came home looking for food? I guess it's good to remember I'm not the only person in the world.
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a prayer

Ben Hoyer - Friday, September 18, 2009
Here's a prayer I am praying today:
I don't know why you have me where you do. I mean, I'm glad for some of the relationships-but I don't know why you've connected me to the people you have. I want to bless people with your words, and see folks get healed up. I want to steward my life well Lord, but I'm not always sure what step to take. I know you are not confused. Neither are you worried, anxious, or afraid. Today I welcome your wisdom, I am anticipating the peace that Jesus bought for me on his cross, and the joy. Father teach me to walk in your joy, and to humbly answer the questions you've put in front of me. All so that the sacrifice of Jesus won't be wasted on me, but I will experience the spoils of his victory. So hear me for his sake.
Amen
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