A WORD FROM PASTOR HEIM
Witness
Dear Friends in Christ, I am looking forward to serving as interim minister at Ascension and to getting to know all of you in the weeks ahead. I know something about the ministries that go on at Ascension, having talked with congregational leaders and read the church’s annual report and Ministry Site Profile. But it’s you who give life and breath to this ministry by bringing to it your unique gifts and stories of faith. I look forward to hearing some of those stories and to sharing this ministry with you in the months ahead, trusting that God is with us in this “in-between” time. This week’s reading from Isaiah (56:1-6-8) comes from an important in-between time in the life of Israel—the time between the destruction of Jerusalem and the rebuilding of the city. The Judeans who had been in exile have returned home to find foreigners are part of the community. Jerusalem has become a mix of cultures and religions. Those once regarded as “outcasts” are among those keeping sabbath and living by the commandments. Amidst the uncertainty of a rebuilding project, the scope of Israel’s mission is expanding to include previously excluded groups and “all peoples.” In his letter to the Romans (11:1-2, 29-32), Paul wrestles with what has been over the centuries one of the most painful “between the times” issues for Christians: our relationship with the Jewish people. How can it be, Paul wonders, that God’s own people—his own people!—have not embraced Jesus Christ as the Messiah of God? Just as family quarrels are often the most intense, the relationship between Christians and Jews has often been bitter, and Christians have frequently engaged in unspeakable acts of violence and discrimination against Jews, deeds which laid some of the foundation for the anti-Semitism that still infects our own time. Paul’s conclusion is therefore crucial to hold on to: “the gifts and the calling of God [to the Jewish people] are irrevocable.” God’s covenant with the Jews remains intact. Therefore, until the climax of human history, Jews and Christians remain siblings in faith. We journey alongside one another, called by God to respect and understand our differences and to appreciate the distinct ways our siblings seek to serve God. As we learn to do that, we will be better able to converse with all those who differ in faith and culture. See you in church, Pastor David
David Heim is former editor of the Christian Century magazine. (For a flavor of the magazine and some of his contributions, click here). He has served ELCA congregations in Rolling Meadows and Palatine and has been interim pastor in Park Ridge, Naperville, and Oak Park. He is a graduate of Yale Divinity School and the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago. He grew up in Vermont and was a reporter for his hometown newspaper before going to seminary. He lives in Oak Park with his wife, Barbara Hofmaier, who is an editor and coordinator of a local GriefShare program. They have a son who is an ELCA pastor. Pastor David is part of a Lutheran-Jewish dialogue group in Chicago and was a member of the Christian Leadership Initiative at the Shalom Hartman Institute in Jerusalem in 2016–17. He likes history, fiction, travel, and sports.
