Month: February 2021

As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”  “Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him.”  John 9:1-3

Within about one hour of our beautiful baby boy Hayden arriving on July 19, after a LONG 26 hours of labor, the words “Down syndrome” came out of the resident’s mouth. I honestly don’t really remember what she said or why she thought Hayden had Down syndrome. Was I shocked? Yes. How was it possible that I have a sister with Down syndrome and now I might have a son with Down syndrome? At that moment did I care? Not really. I was relieved and ecstatic that he was finally here. After going through a miscarriage the year before, we just wanted our baby.

I never thought that we, as parents, sinned to “deserve” Hayden’s diagnosis. He definitely did not either. Actually, most days I think “wow, we must have done something pretty awesome to deserve Hayden, to be blessed with him in our lives.” 

We are part of the lucky few. I like to say we are double blessed with both Hayden and Angela, my sister, in our family. Don’t get me wrong- some days are harder than others and sometimes our worries are different than I originally imagined- like living through a pandemic with a child with a diagnosis on the CDC’s high risk list. But all parents have their hard days and their worries- typical children or not.

When speaking about the blind man Jesus said “but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him.” God presents us all with challenges, with bad news, with hard stuff to remind us of his work. In Hayden’s short 19 months in our lives so far, he has shown us God’s work. 

God has given Hayden determination as one of his strengths. Down syndrome or Trisomy 21 is a genetic condition caused by three copies of the 21st chromosome. Typically people have two of each chromosome. Low muscle tone, also known as hypotonia, is one of the many health conditions associated with Down syndrome. This makes it harder to do many things- eating, talking, crawling, grasping, walking- you name it. After Hayden rolled over for the first time at three weeks, I knew he had determination in his heart! We may be on the “scenic route” and it might take him a bit longer to reach milestones but boy is he determined to reach them!

Individuals with different abilities were put on this earth as a reminder that we are ALL unique and have different abilities. We all bless those around us with the abilities that God has given us. At 19 months old, I’m not sure yet what all of Hayden’s abilities are or how he is going to make a difference in the world. But I have discovered in that short time that he is full of personality. And I pray that his smile, laughter and big personality will continue to make friends, family and strangers smile and brighten their days.  

Hayden’s diagnosis has shown us that God will always provide. There truly is this Down syndrome “tribe,” the “lucky few” as I referenced earlier.  We are blessed to know the parents and families of Angela’s friends who are part of our tribe. Social media has also been a great resource for us. The Down Syndrome Diagnosis Network (DSDN) is the largest national organization that provides support to new and expectant parents with a Down syndrome diagnosis. They do an amazing job of connecting parents, providing support and providing accurate and up to date information to parents, families and medical providers. When Hayden was born we received a “welcome” package with books, a onesie and lots of information. I also joined a “birth club” on Facebook which includes moms of babies born with Down syndrome from July-December 2019. That group has been a lifesaver. They have been incredibly helpful, I love networking with the other moms and I am able to provide some advice from growing up with Angela.

March 21 is World Down Syndrome Day and we would love for you to celebrate with our family. It is an official day to spread awareness about Down syndrome and how awesome individuals with Down syndrome are. A simple way to join in the fun is to “rock your socks” by wearing your craziest pair of mismatched socks. Why do you ask? Because chromosomes look like socks and it allows us all to celebrate our differences! We would love to see pictures of all of our Derry friends. Our family will be celebrating by wearing our mismatched socks, our “Hayden’s Heroes” t-shirts, walking a virtual 5K and sharing how much money we will be donating to the Down Syndrome Diagnosis Networks through various fundraisers.

The best way to honor individuals with Down Syndrome and celebrate is to become more informed, check-out the DSDN and PLEASE ask us questions!! If you do not already, follow me on social media and I will share facts leading up to WDSD (Facebook: Lauren Basti Talhelm; Instagram: t21.mama.and.son).  We look forward to celebrating our gifts from God together!

Click this link for information about the Down Syndrome Diagnosis Network, links to my social media accounts and our various fundraising efforts.

Over the last few weeks I have been planning, creating and preparing Lent Kits for the children of Derry. Working in ministry I am blessed with the opportunity to focus on each season far in advance. It always feels like Advent ends and immediately I move into Lent preparations. This year, while I experienced the same shift from one season to the next, the preparation for Lent became extra special for me. Teaching remotely over the last year has not been easy! Finding ways to help children and families want to learn more from home and, and at the same time, add more to today’s incredibly hard, stressful and overburdened days has certainly been a challenge. But challenges are a great driving force to help educators create some of their best and most meaningful lessons.

The process of planning what would be inside each Lent Kit became a wonderful distraction from my current daily routine. Reading, researching and brainstorming how I can help children ready themselves for the season of Lent was almost therapeutic for me.  The search for the perfect items I wanted to use reminded me of the joy of egg hunts and Easter baskets. And the preparation of each kit gave me time to prepare my own heart and mind for the coming season of Lent.  

The planning process was full of questions: 

• What will kids need?
• How can I keep learning really easy, lots of fun and at the same time keep it meaningful?
• Why should families participate and add to parents’ already full plates?
• Which items from my list are the best to include?

Those early days of planning, the non stop questioning and decision making moments created the framework “I” needed to pause everything else in life and only think about my relationship with God.  

All of a sudden there was a new sense of comfort as I reread stories I have heard over and over again, and these memories of the past made me smile as I recalled what this season brings to each of us.  We get to follow Jesus along his journey and relearn the power of prayer, kindness and love for all.  We watch as our world moves from the dark, cold and harsh days of winter to the vibrant, warm and reviving days of spring…the real life connection to the amazement and beauty of Jesus’ resurrection.

The creating and collecting phase is my favorite part of any lesson or unit. Finding just the right items to fit each story and each emotion is like gift shopping for those we love.  Choosing items like an empty colorful Easter egg to symbolize the Empty Tomb, or dissolving paper to write out your sins and then watch as you ask God for forgiveness and see them disappear in water right before your eyes, lets the children use everyday items or a little magic to bring them closer to God. Including a holding cross to use as they pray, when they need strength or comfort or to calm their anxieties, will help remind them that God is with us always. And my favorite addition to any lesson or unit is the use of something made by a Derry member. Elizabeth Gawron created a Lenten placemat for the children to enjoy, which includes games and activities that bring the children closer to the bible and are surrounded by a unique and beautiful Lent labyrinth to use as they talk with God.  

With all the contents of the Lent Kits chosen, collected and copied, it was now time to complete each kit. As I worked to put these bags together for the children, I was blessed with time alone. I was able to be “in the moment” and enjoyed having uninterrupted time with God. As we begin this season, I encourage you to make a little time each day to be “in the moment” with God. I pray that this time can bring you what you are craving. These days are certainly not easy. They are filled with newness around each bend, and often feel like a constant uphill battle. I encourage you to let God walk through these days with you, let God carry some of your burdens, and let God fill you with love, patience and comfort so that you may feel all the emotions the season of Lent offers us.

Creating these kits and choosing just the right items are much like how we prepare our homes and hearts for Lent. As you bring out the colorful eggs, the cute bunny decorations, the signs adorned with words of hope and affirmations, the baskets, and the flowers, may you place them around your homes to serve as daily reminders of God’s love for you. When shopping for the perfect sweet treats to fill Easter baskets, may it remind you of the joy and comfort you feel when you invite God into your life.  And when you wake up on Easter morning and “come” to worship, I pray you will be filled with strength and peace and be able to rejoice for God’s unending love for you!

I pray that this season of Lent will bring you the fun and joy of an Easter egg hunt, realizing that even colorful plastic eggs can serve as reminders of Jesus. May you find God in plain sight on the good days and hiding in unexpected places on the tough days. I hope you can be filled with peace and hope as you anxiously wait for the celebration of Jesus’ resurrection and the reminder that he continues to live within each of us. May Easter morning let you feel great joy…a kind of joy that only God and Jesus can let us feel.

Take care, my friends!

Editor’s Note: Joanne wrote this article for a May 2020 edition of the eNews, then publication was postponed as pressing pandemic messages took precedence. Now as we approach Lent and we’re about to begin the sermon series, “Who You Meet on the Way to Jerusalem,” it seems the perfect time to share this message about Joanne’s trip to the Holy Land and some of the people she met on her travels.

A tour of the Holy Lands was never at the top of my bucket list and yet, after experiencing an amazing trip in early 2020, I encourage you to consider the possibility – at some point post-pandemic. About two years ago, I was intrigued by a brochure from my daughter’s church in Northern Virginia that detailed an upcoming trip and I decided to jump on the tour bus with those Methodists and other tag-alongs. As a result of my experiences in the Holy Lands, I will never read the Bible, listen to the news from the Middle East or look at a map of the area in the same way again.

Did you know that the Sea of Galilee is actually a freshwater lake and not nearly as big as you might imagine? Other observations included shepherds still herding their sheep just outside of Jerusalem, learning about real forms of life at the bottom of the “Dead” Sea while effortlessly floating on its waters and realizing that even in the middle of the desert it is cold and snows in January. I also learned that the geography of the West Bank is best compared to that of Swiss cheese and is very removed in many ways from the Gaza Strip.

One of my most memorable moments was participating in a communion service at the Garden Tomb while hearing the Muslim call to prayer being blasted in the background.  It was a moment of understanding that the Holy Lands is an amazing place that tries to combine many cultures and faiths into the daily pattern of life for its residents and visitors.

While planning a trip to the Holy Lands, I strongly recommend finding a local tour guide who can put a Middle-Eastern perspective on everything you see and experience.  Our tour guide was a Palestinian Catholic gentleman who grew up in Old Jerusalem and lives there with his wife and daughters.

At the top of my list of experiences were the two dinners I enjoyed in the homes of two very different local families. The first dinner was hosted by a Palestinian Catholic family who lives in Bethlehem and is able to trace their ancestors through their local parish all the way to the beginning of current record keeping – more than 400 years ago!  They are a wonderful, gracious family who told us they feel like they are prisoners under Israeli rule. For example, most Palestinians are not allowed to use the TelAviv airport and instead must travel to Amman, Jordan to board a plane. My second dinner was hosted by a Jewish family who keeps Kosher in Tel Aviv.  They were equally as gracious and happy to share their unique perspective on life in Israel. I quickly realized that, although they desperately want it, there will probably never be peace in this region, especially with the corruption that was evident and the long and diverse cultural history.

After 10 days in Israel, we crossed the border to the country of Jordan. Jordan can be nicknamed the “Switzerland” of the Middle East due to its neutral alignments. It was very different than Israel but no less fascinating. The population of Jordan is 98% Muslim but that doesn’t stop alcohol sales or western influences. I recommend including Petra, Jerash and banks of the Dead Sea on your Jordan itinerary.

Although my new post-COVID travel destination bucket list includes many places, I would love to explore the Holy Lands again someday. I felt very safe throughout my trip and although the area lacks natural beauty, it more than makes up for that in cultural and historical significance – especially for those looking to experience the food and people, to learn more about the origins of our Christian faith, or to literally retrace the steps of Christ.

Editor’s Note: On the first Thursday of each month, the eNews feature article highlights the mission focus for the month. In February we’re lifting up homelessness. The current month’s mission focus is included in the Joys & Concerns section of the weekly eNews.

In the spring I received a text from one of our Medical Outreach Nurses: “Pastor, I know we don’t normally do this, but I have a patient who lost his job and is way behind in rent. Is there anything we can do?”

At Christ Lutheran Church, we know well those who experience homelessness. Our Health Ministries clinics serve many homeless patients. Our mission is to provide for the basic health needs of our community. When a client has a housing need, we turn to one of our wonderful partner organizations, like Christian Churches United, who specialize in that kind of assistance. But during the pandemic, many we served who did not ordinarily have housing needs were suddenly facing dire situations because of the effects of the health crisis. 

Fortunately, and I might even add, miraculously, United Way of the Capital Region reached out early in the pandemic offering a grant for us to respond to the basic needs (housing, food, clothing, medical) our neighbors were now facing. Christ Lutheran’s mission has focused on health needs, but during this crisis we have been able to offer emergency support to help keep people from becoming homeless and put food on the table. The nurse who texted me was able to tell her patient that we would work with his landlord and get him caught up on rent. 

Many of our clients are immigrants who did not receive any assistance from the government stimulus. They were those who needed it most. That was the case with a family from Mexico with two young daughters. The husband lost his restaurant job in Hershey and within a couple weeks was unable to pay rent. We were able to cover two months’ rent and take the mother to get groceries. This family would have become homeless, but it didn’t take much to fill the gap and now they are back on track. 

Another family of five recently immigrated from Nigeria. Both parents quickly found jobs in local warehouses but were laid off for several weeks due to the pandemic. We were able to cover their rent for two months until their jobs opened again. Members at Derry Church also helped provide a wonderful Christmas morning for their three sons, including new jackets and bikes!

We provided rental assistance for one family when both parents lost their jobs. After months, the husband was finally able to find work but was then injured and out of work again. They just couldn’t catch a break and had no other options. For those who are trying to do everything right, homelessness can quickly creep in. 

We all know that homelessness takes many different shapes and the causes are unique and varied. The COVID crisis revealed just how vulnerable to homelessness many of our neighbors are. Folks who pride themselves on their hard work and ability to provide for their families are suddenly facing the very real possibility of homelessness. 

Thanks to the relationships our nurses and providers have with our neighbors and emergency support from United Way and Presbyterian Disaster Assistance, we have been able to help even just a few individuals in their time of greatest need. Thanks be to God, and our village of support, and to God be the glory!