I Was Glad.  Pastor Fritz Wiese.  First Sunday in Refreshed Sanctuary, 18 August 2024.

Sermon Text:

Psalm 122.1 declares:  “I was GLAD when they said let us go to the house of the Lord!”

Today we are GLAD to be in the house of the Lord, celebrating the completion of the wonderfully successful COS Sanctuary Renewal Project, Phase 1.  Amen, Amen.

Scripture talks about gladness 165 times.  Scripture calls us to “rejoice” 228 times.  And today we are about both!   The phrase “smell the roses” isn’t in Scripture per se.  But today, we do that too.   Jesus acknowledged this world can be full of worry and hard days, so we’re called to be glad and rejoice whenever possible.  So, would everyone take a big breath with me?  (Breathe).  Can you smell the roses today?  I can!  (INSERT PICTURE OF ROSES HERE IF ON NEW LEDs)

You might not remember, but a few years back, in the Covid years, when we undertook renovation of our awesome contemporary space and then turned our energy to our traditional space, we took encouragement in our Lutheran theology.   The ELCA actually has policy book called Principles of Worship.  And that statement on worship actually has a whole section about: “Part IV:  Renewal of Worship Spaces & the Community.”   And as we smell the roses today, I praise God that you, COS, lived out each one of these principles!  So, after I read each one, will you respond, “Yes, yes, yes!”

• 21: The process of reordering existing space is itself an act of faith and worship.   “Yes, yes, yes!”
• 22: The whole community of faith is involved in the process of designing and creating a new or renewed worship space. “Yes, yes, yes!”  Indeed, we had a team of 20, congregational surveys, we tested all the chairs and added extra cushion as a result.
• 23: People with training and experience in creating liturgical space are essential partners in renewed use of existing spaces. “Yes, yes, yes!”  Alberto Portela and so many special craftspeople were super partners
• 24: Choices in use of money, property, and other resources reflect a community’s commitment to service and ministry.  “Yes, yes, yes!”  In this project, you walked your talk, and in addition to refreshing your worship space have given your neighbors another wonderful venue for community events.  Service and ministry indeed!
• 25: Renewal of spaces for worship is an opportunity for the renewal of a worshiping community. “Yes, yes, yes!”

Renewal of spaces encourages renewal of people!  “Yes, yes, yes!”  Thank you Lord for this Reformation and this new day.

 “I was glad when the said unto me, let us go to the house of the Lord.”  (BACK TO “I WAS GLAD” SLIDE ON LED)

When I point to you, would you shout, “I was glad!”?

 I was glad!”  When David Beecher, on behalf of the pastors, rallied a Team of 20 folks, who then pulled in Karl Dietmeyer, liturgical designer Albert Portelo, and so many others who came up with essential designs.

I was glad!  When, after David’s retirement, Don Livingston said yes to my invitation to serve as Project Manager, when Leslie Klein said yes to serving as Design Leader, when Larry Peterson said yes to join COS from Iowa and brought not only excellence in worship leadership but incredible know-how in sanctuary renovation, when Brad Milburn took the baton as Director of Worship Technology and threw himself into this project and so many others.

I was glad!  When Carol Jensen Linton rallied Chip Beard, Tom and Delee Rehak, and Laura Hawkins rallied immense generosity from the congregation in our Rejoice and Renew Resource Raising Campaign, to supplement some very generous initial gifts.

I was glad!  When this congregation rose to the challenge of behaving well and graciously when you were asked to worship in just 2 services with a new schedule for a long summer of construction.  Frustration never took hold; you showed the Fruits of the Spirit instead.

I was glad!  When Pastor Fritz finally stopped talking this morning so we could hear some other perspectives.  

In my Wednesday email blasts over the last several weeks, I’ve already had a chance to tell you a little of the background of the LED displays (that can provide some gold-medal quality images from Paris and beyond. INSERT EIFEL TOWER PICTURE HERE on LEDs), the beautiful worship chairs, and the stones of significance peppered throughout our altar steps.  Stones from Bethlehem where our Lord was born.  Stones from the Sea of Galilee where our Lord called the disciples, fed the 5,000, and taught his gospel.  Stones from Jerusalem where our Lord gave us his meal, offered his life, and changed the world with his resurrection. Stones from the very castle church where Luther nailed the 95 theses and launched the Reformation, clarifying the promise of Jesus’ grace for the world.

And in days to come, I’ll email you a few more stories, including some background on the crosses inlaid in our floor, not only at the entrances of our side doors but throughout the sanctuary.

But now, let’s hear from some key people that God positioned on the front lines of this project and tell us what the Lord unfolded from their perspective.

Comments from Don Livingston, Larry Peterson, Leslie Klein, Brad Milburn and David & Miriam Beecher.

Thank you to those friends.  Thanks to all of you.  I’m glad and proud that we did it together, Soli Deo Gloria!    2024 will go down as a historic year for profound sanctuary refreshment around the globe.   The National Cathedral in Washington DC.  Notre Dame in Paris.   And Christ Our Shepherd in Georgia.   On the cusp of our 50^th anniversary, may God be glorified well by us in this refreshed sanctuary, and by future generations in decades ahead.   In Jesus’ name—in whom we are GLAD!, Amen.