Lutheran Sunday

The Lutherans meet at 9:00 Sunday morning. It is summer and there is only one service under the assumption that half the congregation will not be there due to prior engagements with their gardens or fishing boats.  Pastor greets us at the door then begins the service with a few announcements. These are short because it's summer time and there happen to be no weddings or funerals in town. We stand for the opening hymn and wait for the the first bars on the organ. Nothing. As the wait grows I search up front for what might be the problem with the organ. The organist has left her spot up beside the altar and must be making her way up to the old instrument in the organ loft at back. I remember now that there was some reluctance on the part of the pianists about playing the new instrument up front where they were in full view of the congregation. So this led them to make a trek down behind the altar, through the Sunday School building or the basement kitchens, then climbing the stairs at the rear to play the first hymn. And the congregation patiently waited... and waited. After what seemed like a full 10 minutes, the familiar tune breathed out above our heads. She had made it.

Everyone knows the order of service by heart, but that doesn't prevent the out of the ordinary. A tall man suddenly jumped up out of his pew with a loud, "SON OF A GUN!" The congregation burst our laughing, obviously in on the joke. He had forgotten that it was his Sunday to do the readings. He enjoyed the hilarity of the situation, apologized and made his way up to the lectern. The chuckles died down as he began to read from the New Testament.
Pastor's sermon was short and to the point with several stories of dogs and people, he refused to name, who had strayed and got themselves into silly but poignant situations.

During the last hymn I noticed my mother-in-law slip out to make the coffee. I decided to go also and offer help. When I got to the kitchens I found that five other relatives had had the same idea and there wasn't much to do except help ourselves to rolls.  Guiltily, we ate in full view of the congregation waiting in line up the basement steps. Would they think we had snuck out early to make sure we got first pick of the donuts? But no one gave us the stink-eye and we sat together and caught up on comings and goings over coffee.
I came across a Lutheran cookbook in my cupboard and an interesting recipe caught my eye, contributed by Selma S. There is no date, but I would guess Selma is long gone. Here is the recipe for Scripture Cake :

1 c. Judges 5:25              1 c Numbers 17:8

1 c. Judges 4:19              1 tsp. Matthew 13:3

2 c. Jeremiah 6:20           3 1/2 c. I Kings 4:22

2 c. Nahum 3:12              6 Isaiah 10:14

6 tbsp. Exodus 16:31       2 c. I Samuel 30:12

Pinch of Leviticus 2:13   2 tsp. Amos 4:5

I Kings 10:2 to taste

Follow Solomon's advice (Proverbs 23:13) for making good boys and you'll have a good cake. 

I could end with this delightfully silly recipe. Especially since the 'Judges' references are to a story of a woman who hammers a tent stake through an enemy's head while he sleeps in her tent! And, of course, Solomon's advice is to beat with a rod.  Enough said... much is assumed in the Lutheran Church, and much of humanity is quietly understood. This leads to acceptance of all, despite their foibles.  There is thoughtfulness and care within the community, and a good sense of humor to make us all feel "OK".