Fill… Spill… Thrill…

Lisa Kramme
Director of Faith Formation
Nebraska Synod, ELCA

When I drive to the Nebraska Synod office, I travel past a nursery on the south side of Center Street in West Omaha. Now that it’s February, the young trees are without leaves, of course. They stand expectantly, in rows, planted just-the-right distance apart as though they were school children lined up to begin exercising in PE class, holding their arms straight out from their sides so that their fingertips just about touch.

I wonder where the trees will go eventually. Perhaps someone has built a new house and is landscaping for the first time. Maybe there’s been some clearing of old brush, and it’s time for new trees that change the look of a back yard. Regardless of the specific motivation to plant a tree, the action of planting something that will eventually grow taller and bigger around than the person who planted it is a sign of hope to me.

Martin Luther is credited with saying, “Even if I knew that tomorrow the world would go to pieces, I would still plant my apple tree.” My guess is that, even this spring, in front of a backdrop of television and radio news that reports economic crises and violence between two peoples who live across a border and between two people who live across the street, there will be those who still plant trees.

In the seven months I’ve walked with you as Director of Faith Formation with the Nebraska Synod, I’ve seen people who are “planting trees” in the hope of a bright future for children and youth in their congregations and beyond.

There is Tina Watts at Calvary Lutheran Church in Swedehome who championed a change in Calvary’s Sunday school program. This led to a transformation of not only the way Christian education is delivered, but the place in which it is shared and the number of children who flock to Calvary on Sundays. As I took part in a Bible study with adults at Calvary one Sunday, they simply smiled when a dozen and a half children ran through the Bible study space to get to the worship area and practice how they were going to take part in the leadership of the service that day. In the renewal of Calvary’s Sunday school, Tina plants hope.

Kathy Paisley, director of Ministries and Discipleship at Sheridan Lutheran Church in Lincoln, stood in front of a classroom with 25 others who work with children and youth sitting at tables with notebooks and pens at the ready. When Kathy turned off the DVD player, no one spoke at first. They had just viewed a taped interview with a person who had been found guilty of child abuse, and now Kathy would lead them through a discussion on signs to look for that may indicate someone is an abuser and ways to guard against abuse in their church’s education programs. Kathy is one of 11 trained facilitators in our Synod who are willing to lead presentations titled “Safeguarding God’s Children.” You can learn more about this program and how to host a session at your church on the Synod’s website. In her work leading Safeguarding God’s Children programs, Kathy plants hope.

Just like the nursery I drive by on my way to the office, there remain more trees waiting to be planted. I am learning of the need for a conference of people who work with youth and a gathering of those who lead Christian education programs. People are hungry for new ideas, opportunities to grow in their knowledge and skills, ways to transform their programming so that they can better live their roles of being faithful stewards of the gifts that God has given them.

Watch for information about these conferences in future editions of “Fill… Spill… Thrill…” and the Nebraska Synod’s E-News. You can also subscribe to a monthly electronic newsletter called Youth E-News by visiting the Nebraska Synod web site.

If you have ideas for “planting trees” or want to discuss your particular needs in the area of faith formation, please contact me at 402-896-5311 or e-mail lisakramme@nebraskasynod.org. I look forward to our conversations!