Real Good Courage - The Westwood Podcast

Westwood Lutheran Church
  • 5.0 (10)
  • Spirituality
  • Updated Weekly

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.

  1. 6d ago

    Call to Community: Building Bridges

    How do we create stability in the middle of chaos? How do we continue to be dynamic in times of stress and distrust?  When people trust, they are willing to open up, collaborate and work with others. First focus on community, the rest will follow. We are called to break open rather than tightly closed. We need to welcome those unlike us. This message comes from Pastor Tania. Our Gospel lesson is from Luke, Chapter 14, verses 16-23, and our scripture is from Acts, Chapter 4, Verses 32-35.

  2. Oct 11

    Call to Community: Looking Outward

    Did the disciples think that climbing the mountain for the Transfiguration was going to be the peak experience for which they had been waiting? Jesus underwent a transformation, the disciples awoke and saw him talking to Elijah and Moses. Although they thought they were at the end of their journey, God spoke and said ‘This is my Son, listen to him’. And then Jesus took them off the mountain. Away from the small community at the mountain top where the disciples may have thought that they would worship, and back into the messy, chaos of daily life. And yet that is where we need to be, not safe in our close community, but focusing on the larger community around us. This message comes from Pastor Sarah. Our Gospel Lesson is from Luke, Chapter 9, verses 28-36.

  3. Oct 4

    Call to Community: Transformed

    What are those gifts that God has given to bring to our community? We all hold these gifts.  How does our Christ-centered community transform those gifts. In that community, some gifts are not superior or inferior, they are all of the same importance. We all should show up, but allow others to lead as well. So we ask God transform us and how he wants us to use our gifts and allow the rest of our community to shine as well. This message comes from Pastoral Intern Aaron. Our scripture reading comes from Paul's letter to theRomans Chapter 12, verses 1-8

  4. Sep 27

    Call to Community: Belonging

    How do different definitions of belonging affect our understanding of community? Peter Block offers three different definitions:   1) To be connected to one another   2) To belong to community is to act as a creator or co-owner   3)  Belonging can be a longing to be in community where our longing is fulfilled God tells us that grace is at the center of belonging  - through that grace we are no longer strangers and aliens; but now are citizens with the saints and members of the household of God.   This message comes from Pastor Jason. Our scripture reading comes from Paul's letter to the Ephesians, Chapter 2, verses 8-10 and 19 - 22.

  5. Sep 21

    Call to Community: Jesus Led the Way

    While we can live many parts of a good life on our own, to follow Jesus, you need others in your journey. Jesus only established community through common experience - teaching, living in community, sharing food and fellowship, The disciples were perfectly united as a community. During that time, Jesus primary message was reiterated time after time:  Love your neighbor as yourself; love one another as I have loved you.  He just wanted to make sure that they knew that after his death His disciples and all followers were and are responsible for others. Jesus trusted the flawed disciples, and us too, to spread His Word to the world. How we live that calling is our surest testimony of His love for others. Today's message comes from Pastor Sarah. The gospel reading is from John, Chapter 17, verses 20 - 26.

  6. Sep 15

    Framing the Call of Community

    Martin Luther King's vision of a 'Beloved Community was a society where all people are treated with justice, equality, goodwill and reconciled throught the power of God's Love. Pastor Jim Bear Jacobs asked a prescient question: "What is community when we are a society that is so individualistic?" What do we mean by community? When we use it do we use it in the same way? Our message today comes from Pastor Jason. The Gospel Lesson is from Luke, Chapter 10 Verses 25-37.

  7. Sep 7

    Labor Day: Food as Sustenance and Mission

    Food is a source of sustenance for all, and a pleasure for many. However, it can be expensive and hard to come by for some in our community, country and world.  This message comes from Pastor Sarah. Today she interviews Todd Western, a local farmer addressing the needs of North Minneapolis, and Andrew Holmberg, a General Manager for a large family owned grocer in the Twin Cities.  Our Gospel message is from Matthew, Chapter 15, verses 32:38. Our scripture lesson is from Psalm 104.

  8. Aug 31

    Apostles' Creed: Conclusion

    What is the purpose of a creed or ‘I Believe’ statement? Where creeds overlap, you find companions for the journey. Creeds can unite us, but they can also divide. Some attempts to rewrite the Apostles’ Creed help us understand who God is and can change both our view of the world, and God. Paul saw the shrines to the unknown god in Athens as misguided. Our God is known, and close. Not far away, distant emotionally or unknown. His message to the Athenians suggests that we should embrace those around us while hewing to the bible’s teachings. God made this earth spacious for all living creatures., human and otherwise. Because we trust in God, and we are created by God, we can peel back the layers and more fully understand. This message comes from Pastor Sarah. Our New Testament Lesson comes from Acts, Chapter 17, verses 16-28.   Carolyn Winfrey Gillette provides a restated creed: I believe in God the Father, the Almighty God above, Maker of the earth and heaven which were formed in God’s great love. And in Jesus, loving Jesus, God’s own Son, who makes us new. This the creed of generations, is the faith for our church too. Jesus by God’s Holy Spirit was so wondrously conceived, Born unto the Virgin Mary, who your promises believed. Jesus suffering under Pilate, on a cross was crucified. Soldiers mocked hi, friends denied him; he hung there until he died. So it was, our Lord was buried, in a borrowed tomb he lay. To the dead he then descended, where was joy on earth that day? There’s more to God’s great story: In three days he rose again. He ascended into heaven and he sits at God’s right hand. I believe what God has promised: Christ will come as he has said. He will judge the nations’ peoples, both the living and the dead. I believe God’s Holy Spirit makes the church one family. We’re surrounded by God’s people, saints who in our Lord believe. I believe that God forgives us for the times we turn away, And that God will raise our bodies on that resurrection day. We rejoice that we’ll live forever, singing praise to God’s great name. This the creed of generations is the faith that we proclaim.

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About

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.

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