![Real Good Courage - The Westwood Podcast](https://pbcdn1.podbean.com/imglogo/image-logo/18351024/Final_Podcast_cover_v5.png)
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The Prayer of Good Courage describes the call that God has made to all believers. This podcast explores how the Prayer of Good Courage is made real in the lives of the staff, members and friends of Westwood Lutheran Church in St. Louis Park, MN. Prayer of Good Courage: O God, you have called your servants to ventures of which we cannot see the ending, by paths as yet untrodden, through perils unknown. Give us faith to go out with good courage, not knowing where we go, but only that your hand is leading us, and your love supporting us, through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen. Background music written and performed by Kent Gustavson from Mountain Vespers Copyright 2006
Episodes
![We Are One Body](https://pbcdn1.podbean.com/imglogo/image-logo/18351024/Final_Podcast_cover_v5_300x300.png)
4 days ago
We Are One Body
4 days ago
4 days ago
Too often, the message we receive is "You don't fit in. You are broken!" and yet the real message should be: “There’s nothing wrong with you. You’re OK. It’s true! There’s something wrong with the village.”
On this PRIDE Sunday, the passage from I Corinthians reminds us that although we each serve different purposes in ‘the body’, each part is critical, valued and of equal import to the whole body. A youth choir, Singers of This Age, performed a powerful song “Something’s Wrong With the Village” earlier, so we reflected on those words.
It’s our culture, some people and even some churches that tell our LGBTQIA+ siblings that something is “wrong with you”….whereas we believe EVERY person is created in God’s image. And God has a message for ALL of us, for YOU: You are my beloved child, loved just as you are…and you belong…and you matter!
This message is presented by Pastor Tania, and the relevant scripture is 1 Corinthians, Chapter 12, verses 12-20, 26.
![Celebrating Juneteenth: Hope for the future. Rejoicing in the now.](https://pbcdn1.podbean.com/imglogo/image-logo/18351024/Final_Podcast_cover_v5_300x300.png)
Wednesday Jun 19, 2024
Celebrating Juneteenth: Hope for the future. Rejoicing in the now.
Wednesday Jun 19, 2024
Wednesday Jun 19, 2024
The celebration of Juneteenth, our nation’s 2nd Independence Day, is a powerful reminder that joy can be an act of faithfulness in the face of the world’s injustice and disorder.
In this sermon, Pastor Sarah traces the brief history of Juneteenth, pointing out that celebration is necessary to sustain the long struggle for justice. She quotes Rev. Dr. Brenda Salter McNeil, who said “the greatest symbol of resistance is when I am supposed to die, and I choose to live anyway.” And she points out that Jesus’ oft-used metaphor of seed-planting, reveals that God works through time – and sometimes in imperceptible ways - to create a future where all God’s children will live in peace.
The scripture lesson comes from 2 Corinthians, Chapter 5, Verses 6-10. Today's Gospel is from the book of Mark, Chapter 4, Verses 26-34.
![The Importance of Belonging](https://pbcdn1.podbean.com/imglogo/image-logo/18351024/Final_Podcast_cover_v5_300x300.png)
Wednesday Jun 12, 2024
The Importance of Belonging
Wednesday Jun 12, 2024
Wednesday Jun 12, 2024
It is common for us to struggle with our direction and a sense of belonging. So how do direction and belonging relate?
The length of our direction is based on the depth of our belonging to one another. Our sense of belonging starts from trusting the promise that by the grace of God in Jesus, we belong to the God who created and redeemed us. And that gives us the good courage to go deep in belonging to each other. On this Big Tent Sunday, Westwood will be talking about our direction as a community of faith.
This message is from Pastor Jason, and the Scripture lesson is from the 2nd Book of Corinthians verses 4:13 - 45:1. The Gospel is from March chapter 3, verses 31-35.
![Other People's Children: No Such Thing](https://pbcdn1.podbean.com/imglogo/image-logo/18351024/Final_Podcast_cover_v5_300x300.png)
Wednesday Jun 05, 2024
Other People's Children: No Such Thing
Wednesday Jun 05, 2024
Wednesday Jun 05, 2024
Raising children can sometimes seem like a dog-eat-dog world of competition and isolation. We are often so focused on the myriad tasks at hand that we can lose sight of the larger community around us, both in terms of other children but also resources that help connect us to community as parents. Jesus didn’t have children “of his own.” He blessed other peoples’ children – and not just the high-achieving ones! - and said they would inherit the kingdom of God.
It’s a gift and a joy to discover a different culture of child-rearing – and of life support for adults too! That’s a culture where we care for one another deeply, recognizing we all belong to each other. As the popular quote summarizes, “there is no such thing as other people’s children.”
In this message we celebrate the culture that the Westwood Early Childhood Center has embodied for 40 years. And it’s part of all of our vocation as Lutheran Christians. We care about the well-being not only of our own kin, but of all God’s children, anywhere in the world.
This message is brought to us by Pastor Sarah, and our scripture is from the book of Deuteronomy Chapter 6. The Gospel is from Mark, Chapter 10.
![Theology and Memory](https://pbcdn1.podbean.com/imglogo/image-logo/18351024/Final_Podcast_cover_v5_300x300.png)
Saturday Jun 01, 2024
Theology and Memory
Saturday Jun 01, 2024
Saturday Jun 01, 2024
In this Memorial weekend sermon, we are invited, through two examples, to wonder about the connection between our core theological confessions and how they relate to memory.
This message comes from Pastor Jason.
The New Testament reading is from Romans Chapter 8, verses 12-17 and the Gospel is from John Chapter 3, verses 1-17
![Come Dance With Me](https://pbcdn1.podbean.com/imglogo/image-logo/18351024/Final_Podcast_cover_v5_300x300.png)
Tuesday May 28, 2024
Come Dance With Me
Tuesday May 28, 2024
Tuesday May 28, 2024
The Journey Outward into community is not one done alone. It is done in relationship with the Holy Spirit who influences, nurtures and supports the life of discipleship. Today we wonder about the gift the of Spirit’s presence in our journey.
This message is shared by Pastor Jason.
The scripture is from the book of Acts, Chapter 2, Verses 1-21
![Be Where You Are](https://pbcdn1.podbean.com/imglogo/image-logo/18351024/Final_Podcast_cover_v5_300x300.png)
Wednesday May 15, 2024
Be Where You Are
Wednesday May 15, 2024
Wednesday May 15, 2024
When life gets hard or hostile, God’s words bring comfort. “I know
the plans I have for you…to give you a future with hope.” In the same passage, God also empowers us to make a difference while we wait for that future.
Often, we can't imagine how something good or beautiful can happen in the place we reside and we doubt our ability to have an impact. When we commit to the places and relationships where we find ourselves, God transforms the here and now as we join God’s work in this world.
This message is brought to you by Pastor Sarah Scherschligt.
The scripture is from the book of Jeremiah, Chapter 29 Verses 4-11.
![What's Your Footprint?](https://pbcdn1.podbean.com/imglogo/image-logo/18351024/Final_Podcast_cover_v5_300x300.png)
Tuesday May 07, 2024
What's Your Footprint?
Tuesday May 07, 2024
Tuesday May 07, 2024
In our gospel and many other places in scripture, Jesus and others clarified what they wanted their legacy to be. Even as people of faith, we often struggle talking to our family/friends about our dying, our financial legacy, and the stories and values we want to leave behind.
This message comes from Pastor Tania.
Our scripture is from the Book of John Chapter 21, Verses 15 to 18.