July 8, 2025
The Good Samaritan
Lessons for July 13:
o Deuteronomy 30:9-14
o Psalm 25: 1-10
o Colossians 1:1-14
o Luke 10:25-37
This Sunday we will focus on the parable of The Good Samaritan from Luke 10. This parable is one of the most recognized of all the parables. I remember as a child dramatizing the story with my siblings. The parable comes as an answer to the questions of a lawyer. First the lawyer asks: “What must I do to inherit eternal life?”
The answer to that question of course is “nothing”. As a beneficiary to an estate, you do nothing to gain an inheritance. Sometimes people do a lot for the deceased and expect a response. They get livid if they are left out. The lawyer likely thought he deserved his inheritance. But it is always a gift.
Ted Bertier, the grandson of erwin Buschauer, informed me on Saturday that erwin had left Faith an amount of money in his will. What a great, gracious idea. It will be disbursed once the estate is settled.
What did Faith do to inherit those funds? We were certainly a part of erwin’s life and he was a vital part of ours. But the inheritance was a gift. All that we inherit should be seen as a gift.
The lawyer does not much like the gift idea. What he does think is that Loving God and loving your neighbor as yourself is the way to get on God’s good side.
His second question is: “Who is my neighbor?” I think he had in mind a small circle of friends. What do you think of when you think of a neighbor?
Jesus’ answer is the parable of the Good Samaritan. The Samaritans, as you might remember, were the people who rejected Jesus because he was headed to Jerusalem. Still Jesus sent out the 70 there and himself traveled through there.
In the parable, a man is robbed and wounded on the side of the road to Jericho. Two religious people pass by on the other side. They have a small circle to care for. The third is a Samaritan who is moved to pity and stops to tend the man’s wounds, puts him on his own horse and pays for his time at an inn. What a neighbor he was, going over and above! Jesus tells the lawyer to go and do likewise.
At erwin’s funeral people remembered his gentle heart, his care for the poor as founder both of Faith’s pantry and of Central City Lutheran Mission. I understand he would even house the unhoused on his homestead. He did it not to inherit anything. He knew that was a gift through God’s Amazing Grace. He responded by gifting others.
Last week, Bishop, Dave Nageler, accompanied an asylum-seeker to immigration court. You can go to the Pacific Synod website for the whole story.
The man was nervous as, together with the Bishop, he passed by 25 ICE agents with masks, guns and bulletproof gear. The Bishop tried to make eye contact despite their masks, saying: “Good morning”. Some agents responded with a “Good morning”, most averted their eyes, a few glared back angrily.
I will quote the Bishop here: “Our faith proclaims every human being is made in the image of God…We are masterpieces of the Divine Creator with inherent worth and dignity…Our calling is to see that Divine image, the “Imago Dei”, in one another…both the immigrant and the ICE agent…there is no “us” nor “them” just one beautiful Us.”
There is a human longing for our people, agenda, religion, or nation to be special or “Better than others.” We create labels to replace faces so we can harm people outside our group…The purpose of healthy spiritual practice is to shake off this tragic blindness long enough to be rehumanized to one another.”
The man had his day in court and was allowed to leave and will move forward with his appeal.
Prayer: Lord, these are dehumanizing days in our nation. May we locate our own “Imago Dei”
so we can see others as neighbors. May we be tangible sources of hope refusing to hide
behind the soul-crushing power of masks. Holy Spirit, you dropped the scales from the eyes of
Paul, so he could see the Grace of God. Help us to see what you see, what the Good
Samaritan, erwin and our Bishop saw.
Grace and Peace,
Pastor John
THANKS TO YOUR RESPONSE TO Special Appeals – Camps and Tanzania
Thanks for the responses coming in for the church in Tanzania. Ombeni Mkanza and I are traveling there on July 21. We will be there for the retirement celebration of his sister-in-law, Sarah Mwanga Mkanza, who was the first female ELCA Lutheran pastor in Tanzania. We will be bringing suitcases of clothes to distribute to Benny’s childhood village and checks to support his sister-in-law’s church
while it is in transition. If you would like to contribute financially, please indicate that on
your envelope or check. Clothes can be brought to the pantry.
Pastor Bunge will be here this week and next Mondays and Tuesdays but will be traveling to
Tanzania from July 21 to August 11. He will be in contact via email.
Thanks for your support of the church throughout the year and for more recent support
of camperships. We can support all the youth going to camp.
On Sunday Melody Warner-Kirkwood asked us to help support her project to provide a handicapped swing in Yucaipa. The family is close to a special needs four-year-old child, Wren, who has cerebral palsy. The closest swing she could use is in Redlands. Melody is asking for grants from various organizations. Faith members can be a part, there is a box at the rear of the church on Sundays for cash
donations or you can make out your check to Faith and indicate your gift on your envelope or
check. Melody believes Wren should be able to swing like other children. She will be working
with the city and the appeal will go through January.
Melody’s uncle, Holly’s brother Grant Kirkwoodhas been a part of responding to the flooding in
Texas. We appreciate prayers for him and all those affected.
Meditation – They will be back on September 4 and offer an opportunity for new members to join them.
PANTRY -2nd & 4th Saturday; from 8 to 10:00. The pantry shelves are nearly empty. Feeding America, our food provider, is short on food donations so it impacts our pantry. We have been having to go to regular grocery stores for food for distribution. We need rice, soup, canned fruit, canned meat (chicken or tuna) and, of
course, always cereal. Any donations to the church designated “Pantry” are used to make food purchases for the pantry. Thanks for your support.
WATERCOLOR PAINTING CLASS by our OWN MASTER WATERCOLORIST, HOLLY We are taking a break until August.
QUILTING – Emily Smith’s Group (909.255.2452) has been cleaned up in the sewing room. They have completed 4 quilts 
for the San Bernardino Wellness Center and six for Lutheran World Relief. They presented quilts for our graduating High School Seniors – Benet and Rachel.
• The Funeral for erwin was wonderful thanks to all the WELCA women: Barbara Kuerzinger, Dona Whitt, Karen Hall, Pat Teeters, David Lund, Antoinette Brenion, Robyn Blue.
• Robyn Blue’s grandniece Lainey celebrated her 4th Birthday and continues her recovery.
• Jason Mills was named one of the top attorneys in the country by Band One Chamber USA.
• Bonnie and Garry Hallberg are with their granddaughter Molly who is in Texas at a National Volley Tournament.
• Joy Kirby – gave birth to a healthy baby girl, 8 lbs. 7.3 oz. 20 inches on Thursday July 3.
Thanks to all who continue to give shoes for Soles 4 Souls. The box is still in the Narthex for continued donations. Thanks to David Strack for coordinating the effort.
Thanks to Holly for making sizeable donations from the Family Assistance Center.
• Brad Blue is recovering at home, but slowly.
• Judy Martin has several health issues and is not able to return to church. Thanks for your prayers, cards and visits by Carol.
• Cesar Guevara’s brother, Marco, and Kim’s mother, Carol, in Canada and their children and Kyle and granddaughter, Kayla. Kim and Cesar are back in
Canada.
• Jeanne Koening was with us for erwin’s funeral. Her health issues continue but she is now connected to Loma Linda so care is much closer.
• Bonnie Strack appreciates continued prayers for her son Brendan Simms, who has suffered from a series of strokes.
• Jennifer’s breast chemo treatments for cancer are over, she will be deciding about her surgery that will follow.
• Continued prayers for Jacque Kottmeier
13 Summer Party
20 CELEBRATION HONORING ALEC BLUE, graduation from San Francisco State
University. Thanks to Bonnie Mills for providing the cake.
27 POTLUCK – Please signup in the Narthex
PRAYER CARDS – Thanks for sending out cards to remember family and friends.
Thanks to Emily, our newest artist. Thanks again to the Summer creations by Kim, Barbara, Karen, Holly, Pat T., Linda D., Connie
Prayer Rocks – Karen and Connie are beginning to paint prayer/friendship rocks
for you to keep, give to someone, surprise someone, etc. If you’d like to help, talk to Connie.
Thanks.
