
Our office will be closed on Tuesday for the July 4th holiday. We will resume regular office hours (9:00 am to 2:00 pm) on Wednesday, July 5th. Have a safe and Happy 4th of July!
340 E. 15th Street, Tempe, AZ 85281-6612 (480) 967-3543
Our office will be closed on Tuesday for the July 4th holiday. We will resume regular office hours (9:00 am to 2:00 pm) on Wednesday, July 5th. Have a safe and Happy 4th of July!
Where do you go to hear the voice of Jesus? Where do you turn or, perhaps, to whom do you turn?
Scripture, of course, is the Christianity 101 answer. We can hear Jesus speak in the Beatitudes, the Lord’s Prayer, parables, and so many places. Some of Jesus’ words in scripture are comforting, others may be challenging, while some can be motivating.
Worship is a good place to hear the address of Jesus to our community and to us. There scripture is read, always with a gospel text involving Jesus one way or another. Often the second lesson is from a letter written by St. Paul where Paul may be commenting on the meaning of some part of Jesus life, death, and resurrection.
Sacraments convey in a more visible form communication from Jesus. Do this. Baptize in the name of the Father and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
There are other ways we may hear Jesus speak in the prayers, liturgy, hymns, and various actions in worship.
Essentially, we tend to hear Jesus speak where we expect Jesus to be. Scripture and worship are very naturally connected to Jesus so we anticipate something of Jesus to come through where we expect to find Jesus: in church.
Maybe you have even heard Jesus speak in the words of another outside of worship. Someone offering comfort in a scary or troubling time; someone expressing some concern about us or some aspect of our behavior and offers a word of correction to us.
What about places we never expect to hear Jesus address us? Sure, possibly in the workplace, school, the neighborhood and even our favorite watering hole. Some conversations can knock us off our feet when they come as more than the word of a friend or neighbor, but as a word from God.
Then there are those places where I am not sure we ever look for Jesus to come to us. Yet in the gospels it is clear Jesus speaks even especially through these. I am talking about the poor, the hungry, the imprisoned, and the thirsty. The very people whom we often avoid are those Jesus specifically names as a place he will be. You and I may offer assistance to these folks, but how often do we listen to them anticipating that
Jesus may have something to say to us through them?
It seems Jesus had a habit of hanging out with all the wrong people. For you and I to hear Jesus speak to us more fully, it would also seem you and I have to listen for Jesus in all the wrong people.
After 17 dedicated years, Aiko will be leaving University Lutheran Church. Her last day is Sunday, July 9, 2023.
She will be greatly missed but we wish her and Brian the best of luck (and warmth) out in Pittsburgh, PA!
On Friday, June 23, the two Aleppo pine trees on the west side of the Campus Center near the sanctuary entrance were removed. Both had quite a bit of dead branches on them and one was leaning and we were told that it was going to fall over. So for the safety of everyone and everything, Council approved the trees be removed.
The removal is completed, but they need to return for the stump removal. This will be done and completed next week.
The office has a new floor and a fresh coat of paint. We have moved back in! We still need to hang some pictures and unpack a bit, but we are up and running!
Thank you for all your patience, cooperation, and understanding as we were under construction. It is greatly appreciated.