On Thanks and Giving

Jesus said, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me." Matthew 19:21

My aunt recently asked me the question, “So what do you want for Christmas?” The question, along with the gift giving, is an annual tradition in our house. I struggled. What do I want for Christmas? What do I really want? I couldn’t answer her. I told her I would get back to her. Then I got a brainstorm. Maybe I could not answer her because I really couldn’t think of anything. Maybe the question should be, “What do you need for Christmas?” Now I had some clarity.

While there are some things I might want for Christmas, there is really nothing I need. I have people who love me (including the wonderful aunt who asked the above question). I have a house that is warm, and I eat three meals every day. I am able to run on the treadmill and lift weights. I have too many clothes. I have a job (make that two or three jobs). I have a car that is paid for. I even have a summer cottage, thanks to grandparents who were good planners. So I don’t need anything.

I don’t want or need anything for Christmas. But I know people who need lots of things that I have and take for granted. So this year, when someone asks me what I want for Christmas, I am going to ask them to make a donation to Project Feed in my name. In fact, I am going to make some special Christmas cards that they can send to Project Feed with their donation. Recently, Project Feed lost 1/3 of its funding when Shaw’s Supermarkets, Bush Beans (who now own B&M), and Maine’s Credit Unions pulled their funding and donations. This happened at a time when demand for food is at an all-time high. Food insecurity is huge in Maine, and lots of kids go to bed hungry at night.

As we approach this season of thanks and giving, what do you want? What do you need? As a disciple of Christ, what are you going to do about it?

Sincerely Yours in Christ,






Pastor Bill Barter

Pastoral letter 9-1-2010

September 1, 2010

Dear friends in Christ:

I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. John 17-22-23

On August 27th, a group of Lutherans met in Grove City, Ohio, and formed what is now known as the North American Lutheran Church. About 20 congregations have officially joined the new denomination so far, and it is estimated that nearly 200 ELCA congregations may follow suit by year’s end. (The ELCA currently has 10,348 congregations nationwide.)

The formation of the NALC came about as a reaction to the decision of the ELCA last September to allow homosexual clergy in publicly committed relationships to be called as pastors. In their view, such a move was a departure from a literal understanding of Sacred Scripture and longstanding church tradition.

The ELCA has always had gay clergy, but prior to September 2009, those who were homosexual in their self-understanding had to take a promise of celibacy to be ordained. This policy was never uniformly enforced, and in 2007, the ELCA urged local bishops to exercise “restraint” when dealing with complaints about a pastor being a partnered gay or lesbian person. The changes in policy came about as the culmination of an ELCA discernment process known as “Journey Together Faithfully.” The new 2009 ELCA policies are available on the web at http://www.elca.org/What-We-Believe/Social-Issues/Social-Statements/JTF-Human-Sexuality.aspx

As a pastor, it pains me to see splits in our church at a time when unity, and not division, could better equip us to address the urgent matters of our day such as world hunger, poverty, disease, and oppression. It was hoped that Lutherans who disagreed with one another about the topic of human sexuality could live together in the same church while respecting the beliefs of the others. For most ELCA Lutherans, that has been the case, but sadly not for all.

As we read the press releases and news stories about the split, it is important to keep positive. For example, while roughly 1.8% of ELCA congregations may vote to leave the ELCA, a large number of ELCA congregations from Atlanta to San Francisco have come back to the ELCA as a result of last September’s decisions. (This is not often reported by the media.) On the same day the ELCA voted to allow gay and lesbian pastors, the Churchwide Assembly allocated 10 million dollars in seed money toward the eradication of Malaria in the developing world. When media hype is on controversy instead of mission, the good news can get lost.

Last week, ELCA Bishop Mark Hanson issued a pastoral letter. It is available at http://www.elca.org/Who-We-Are/Our-Three-Expressions/Churchwide-Organization/Office-of-the-Presiding-Bishop/Messages-and-Statements.aspx. In the spirit of that letter, and in the true spirit of being a reconciling congregation, please join me in prayer for the new member congregations of the North American Lutheran Church. Pray for their leaders. In speaking to others about the split, please be loving and charitable as Jesus would have us do. Even though the members of the NALC may disagree with some of our beliefs and teachings, we are all God’s people, and we are called to the same mission of love and justice. Those who have left the ELCA are disappointed and in pain. And like us, they strive to be faithful Lutherans.

Since 1866, my Methodist ancestors prayed for church unity with one of my favorite childhood hymns, “The Church’s one Foundation.” If you want to see the lyrics and sing along, go to: http://nethymnal.org/htm/c/h/chofound.htm. In verse two, we sing: She is from every nation, Yet one o’er all the earth; Her charter of salvation, One Lord, one faith, one birth; One holy Name she blesses, Partakes one holy food, And to one hope she presses, With every grace endued.

The foundation is Christ. The table is huge. Our human divisions pale by comparison. Pray for the unity of all. Give thanks to God for our life together.

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Pastor Bill Barter

Easter message 2010

Dear friends:

We are now in our final full week of Lent. As Lent draws to a close, we shift our focus to the solemn celebration of Passion Sunday and the three holiest days of our church year. As we hear the crowds change their shouts from “Hosanna!” to “Crucify him!” we are reminded of the sinful and unstable nature of our human relationships. But as we stumble upon an empty tomb at Easter, we are also reminded that all things are made new in the Covenant that is Christ.

Without the meal, we cannot remember; without the cross we cannot be washed clean; without the resurrection we would be a hopeless bunch! This is why our communal celebration of Holy Week is so important to our spiritual life together. We remember all that God has done for us in Christ. We do this as a community of faith, love, and support.

Holy week begins this Sunday, the 28th, with Palm (Passion) Sunday. Service begins at 10:30 outside (weather permitting).

Maundy Thursday and Good Friday services are at 7:00 p.m. on April 1st and 2nd. I am very pleased that Pastor Tom Chittick has agreed to give the instructional sermon on Maundy Thursday.

April 4th, Easter Sunday, begins with our legendary homemade breakfast, sponsored by the church council to benefit kids with camper scholarships to Calumet. The breakfast starts at 9:00 a.m. in the church hall. The voluntary donation is $3.50 per person with a $10.00 capped price for a family. (You are free to donate more to help a young camper!)

If you can join us on Easter Sunday, please remember Project Feed and bring non-perishable food for the basket.

Easter worship is at 10:30 a.m. Bring a hand bell (or cowbell or dinner bell or jingle bell) to ring in the ALLELUIA season!

This Easter, we are pleased to welcome new members to the St. Ansgar church family. I hope you can join us in this happy occasion of the growth of our congregation.

Finally, if for any reason you would like to come to church and cannot find transportation, please let me or a member of our church know. We will make sure you can be here!

Sincerely yours in Christ,
Pr. Bill Barter
Pastor@saintansgar.org
207.774.8740 ext 1

Lent pastoral letter

February 15, 2010

Dear friends in Christ:

This Wednesday, February 17th, marks the beginning of Lent with Ash Wednesday. At 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday, I will mark the foreheads of our church members with ashes that commemorate our mortality and our need for repentance. This marks the beginning of our second season of Lent together since I have been your pastor.

How will Lent be different for you this year? Are there ways in which this can be a holy time, a period of reflection, a season of renewal? Will your Lenten discipline help to prepare your heart for accepting the tremendous sacrifice of the cross, the lasting gift of the Lord’s Supper, and the awesome joy of finding an empty tomb at Easter?

Here are some suggestions for Lent. This is by no means exhaustive, and you may well have thought already about how you will spend this prayerful season:

Attend our weekly Lenten devotions at First Lutheran Church at 132 Auburn Street in Portland. This is a regional gathering of Lutherans that happens each Lent in a different parish. We begin with a simple soup and bread meal, followed by evening prayer and a sermon by a local pastor. This happens each Wednesday of Lent, with the soup supper at 6:00 p.m. and worship at 7:00 p.m.

As a symbol of giving yourself over to Christ, be generous during Lent. St. Ansgar has become a crucial partner in the Project Feed program by collecting non-perishable food items for the hungry. Are you participating in Project Feed? If not, do you have food to spare? Can you hit a sale at a supermarket, or check out the food deals at the dollar stores? Can you simplify your diet during Lent to help the hungry?

Can you invite a friend to church on Sunday? Perhaps you know someone (even a family member) who just needs that little extra invitation to come and hear God’s Word.

Can you make an extra devotion during Lent? We are encouraged to pray unceasingly, yet so many of us take far too little time to talk with God. Could this Lent be the time that you commit to regular conversations with God?

Reflect on the Sacred Scriptures during Lent. Bring your Sunday bulletin home and re-read the Bible passages during the week. What is God saying to you during this holiest of seasons?

I can’t think of a better place to be during Lent than St. Ansgar. As a strong community of faith, you are an inspiration to me. Let us hold one another in prayer and loving support during this holy time.

Sincerely yours in Christ,
Pastor Bill Barter

Statement on the recent desecration of the Jewish Cemetery at Mt. Carmel

“Follow justice and justice alone, so that you may live and possess the land the Lord your God is giving you.” Deuteronomy 16:20.

In the extermination of six million Jews in the last century, there were villains. In the popular mind, we conjure up the image of a Nazi soldier, polished boots, a rifle, a snarling German Shepherd, a swastika-emblazoned uniform. When Christians remember the holocaust, we can engage in denial as many (including Lutherans) have, claiming that we did nothing to further the holocaust, that we were powerless to stop it, and that the Nazis were the only villains. When we Christians are honest with ourselves, however, we know that our silence was perfect complicity. It is simply implausible that as entire neighborhoods of Jews disappeared, their absence was not noticed. It is impossible to believe that if millions of Christians rose up to end the genocide, it could still have happened. By Christian silence, the holocaust became our own crime against humanity.

In recent days, a terrible desecration of sacred Jewish burial plots and monuments at Mt. Carmel Cemetery took place. Far beyond mischievous vandalism, Nazi symbols became an ugly reminder of the horrors of the past, as well as the hate that is still woven into the fabric of today.

“To love God with your whole heart, with all your understanding, and all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself, is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.” Mark 12:33

The Christian cannot be silent in the face of such horrible desecration, defamation, and hate. If we are silent, we are accomplices. If we say we love God, we cannot ignore our neighbor. We, the pastor and people of St. Ansgar Evangelical Lutheran Church in Portland, hold the Jewish community in prayerful support and love. We pledge to speak against hate. We will continue to educate our young people to love others in celebration of diversity. If there is any way in which our small but dedicated congregation can assist, we are at the disposal of our Jewish sisters and brothers. We will not be silent.


Rev. Dr. William M. Barter and the Lutheran Church of St. Ansgar.

Advent 2009 Pastoral Letter

Advent, 2009

Dear Friends in Christ:

We have now begun the Advent season, and in so doing have also started the new church year. When I was young, my parents and grandparents told me that time flies as you get older – what wisdom in those words!

Advent is a prayerful time of waiting and watching, while we celebrate in Christmas the coming of the Messiah as one of us. At St. Ansgar, we have a strong tradition of celebrating the Advent/Christmas season in a variety of ways. Here are some thoughts about how we can make our Advent and Christmas a special time:

This coming Sunday, December 6th, is Project Feed Sunday. Can you spare some extra nonperishable food for a needy family? What better way to give thanks for the gift of food than to share with the less fortunate. Please be generous!

Nancy Loranger is spearheading a gift-giving campaign for the youth who are Long Creek Youth Development Center. These are kids who have found themselves in trouble with the law, but for many of them their time at Long Creek is a potential turning point. Our generosity to them sends a clear message that God loves them and that we love them, too! For more info, contact Nancy at 874-6960.

On Sunday, December 13th, at 4:00 p.m. we will install Taylor Elizabeth Whitcomb as our Lucia for 2009. Taylor and her family have a long history at St. Ansgar (and they never miss a Lucia festival!) Join me in celebrating our Scandinavian heritage on December 13th, with the crowning, followed by a reception and Scandinavian market.

On Sunday, December 20th, our children will put on the Christmas pageant at the 10:30 worship service. You won’t want to miss this event! We have the most talented kids in the world at St. Ansgar!

On Christmas Eve, December 24th, we will have a family worship service at 7:00 p.m. Join us for this solemn, yet family-oriented service, concluding with a candlelight ceremony. (There will be no Christmas morning service.)

Don’t forget to sign up to sponsor a poinsettia this year in memory of a loved one! The sign-up sheet is in the narthex.

With prayerful best wishes for a blessed holiday season, I remain

Your servant in Christ,

Pr. Bill Barter

OP-ED article from Portland Press Herald October 28, 2009

Opponents Misrepresent and Distort Facts in Marriage Equality Debate
by the Rev. Dr. William M. Barter

On November 3rd, voters will decide whether to repeal Maine’s new marriage equality law or vote no to protect the right of all Mainers to marry the person they love. Much of the opposition to marriage equality has come from some leaders of some churches and denominations. Despite their loud protestations, the fact is that more than 200 leaders representing thousands of Mainers who follow 18 different faith traditions have endorsed marriage equality and urge a no vote on Question 1.

Stand for Marriage Maine (SFMM) is the coalition of groups opposed to marriage equality in Maine and behind Question 1 on the November 3rd ballot. Its members include national religious fundamentalist organizations like the National Organization for Marriage and Focus on the Family. It also has the support of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland.

On matters of faith, it is reasonable to expect churches and religious groups to base their arguments on the Word of God. I scoured the organization’s website for references to Scripture, and found none. Highly respected Scripture scholars from many denominations agree that Scripture, when interpreted responsibly, is unclear on the issue of homosexuality, and silent about gay marriage. Perhaps this is why God’s Word is totally omitted by the marriage coalition. Moral statements that omit Sacred Scripture are suspect.

SFMM contends that Maine’s marriage equality law somehow threatens religious freedom. The facts simply do not support this argument. In reality, the new law explicitly protects the historic free exercise of religion.

Before becoming a Lutheran pastor, I was a Roman Catholic priest. In my nine years as a priest, the State (which recognizes divorce) never forced me to marry divorced people, a practice prohibited in the Catholic Church. Even now there are couples whom I refuse to marry in the Lutheran Church for pastoral reasons, and this remains an internal issue. To say that the state will reverse 189 years of history and begin regulating church marriage policies is ridiculous and false.

SFMM argues that a comparison to the history of interracial marriage is wrong and that race has never been part of society’s definition of marriage. This is not true. As recently as 1948, 30 out of 48 U.S. states defined marriage as existing only between a man and woman of the same race. Until 1967, 16 states continued to criminalize interracial marriage until Federal courts ruled those laws unconstitutional.

SFMM says that repeal of Maine’s marriage equality law will protect children. The truth is that marriage equality guarantees that the thousands of Maine children of same sex couples enjoy all of the rights and protections that marriage confers on the children of heterosexual couples. Scientific research and evaluation has confirmed that it is the love and parenting skills and not gender or orientation that determines a good parent. This is the position shared by the American Psychiatric Association, National Association of Social Workers, Child Welfare League of America, American Bar Association, North American Council on Adoptable Children, American Academy of Pediatrics, American Psychoanalytic Association and American Academy of Family Physicians.

Lutherans believe that Scripture interprets Scripture. If a passage in the Bible is clear, repetitive, and emphatic, it carries greater weight than an obscure text lacking clarity. For example, the teachings of Jesus about love and social justice fall into the weightier category, while the passages often used to make a case against homosexuality are less weighty – for example, Jesus never talks about homosexuality. The Christian Church is most Christ-like when we carry out the more important mandates (feeding the hungry, healing the sick, advocating for the oppressed). Misusing Christ’s teachings to scare people into repealing equal rights legislation is not very Christ-like.

The Rev. Dr. William M. Barter is Pastor of St. Ansgar Evangelical Lutheran Church (ELCA) in Portland.