Staff Blogs

By Mercy Zou Taithul

Have you ever paused to wonder how many stories exist in the world — stories of individuals, communities, and neighborhoods, each carrying their own depth and meaning? In my work with Faith Practices and Neighboring Practices, one of our focuses is stories, both sharing our own stories and listening deeply to others’.

There’s something profound about stories. They can be rich, powerful, empowering, and comforting. Some bring joy, laughter, or nostalgia; others carry warmth, emotion, or pain.

The more stories I hear, the more I long to listen to them. A big part of that longing comes from how I see Jesus in these stories — both in the ones shared with me and the ones I share with others. For instance, when someone responds to my story with “What you shared helped me with things I’m going through right now” or “Your story reassured me about my faith in God”. Amen! Powerful stories like faith journeys, testimonies, and pain/grief experiences can go a long way. They can help someone heal from their pain/grief, reassure someone in their confusion or waiting moment, redirect and bring them closer to God, and so on.

I also love reflecting on the stories I hear from family, friends, colleagues, cohort meetings, one-on-one conversations, or even strangers. These stories fill me with joy and gratitude, reminding me of God’s presence, mercy, and love in unexpected ways. Last week at our cohort meeting, a woman shared a story about her son who passed away. Her son had two sons of his own. One of his sons is in college and has been roommates with his best friend for two years. One day, he showed his roommate a picture of his dad and a friend from when he was in the military. To his surprise, his roommate said, “That’s my dad in the picture!” As it turns out, their dads were in the military together but neither of them knew it. The roommate told his dad, and their family invited him over and shared more pictures of the two dads together. What’s more powerful is that after she shared the story she said, “This is where I see Jesus.” Such stories fill me with hope and joy and remind me that God works in mysterious ways.

How, you might ask, do we draw stories out of people? That’s a great question. For some, storytelling comes naturally; for others, it’s more difficult. In his book Community, Peter Block talks about three types of meaningful questions that help foster deeper connections: vague, personal, and slightly anxiety-inducing. I often find myself asking vague and personal questions but feel more comfortable diving into deeper questions. Maybe it stems from my upbringing, where emotions weren’t always openly expressed, or maybe from cultural differences that involve privacy, sensitivity, and boundaries.

However, one thing that Faith Practices and Neighboring Practices has taught me is that fear can be overcome through practice, small steps, and taking risks (like stepping out of your comfort zone, stepping out in your neighborhood, or trying something different). As I open myself up to these practices such as inviting folks for one-to-one conversations, asking powerful and intentional questions, and inviting God to be part of my conversations, I end up hearing a powerful story each time. And it brings me such joy! Indeed, God is working through stories.

So, I want you to reflect and ask yourself a few questions.

• What are some stories you often find yourself sharing?
• What are some that you haven’t shared yet? Why not?
• What are some stories you’ve heard that bring you joy?

Maybe these questions will encourage you to step out of your comfort zone and you will start seeing Jesus in more stories.

God bless you!

By Peg Ihinger

On the first Thursday of every other month, I clip a little brass Minneapolis Area Synod nametag to my sweater and prepare to welcome two groups of people to the synod office for Candidacy Day.

The first group, armed with coffee and donuts, are the members of our candidacy committee. These quietly dedicated and thoughtful individuals, a mix of pastors, deacons, and laypeople, come here to interview the second group: our candidates for ministry in Word and Sacrament and Word and Service.

The candidacy committee interviews and evaluates our candidates at three different points in their seminary education. At our meeting on February 6, we had two candidates starting seminary (Entrance), one who is midway through, before internship (Endorsement), and one who had completed internship and is about to graduate (Approval). The panel conversations last an hour and a half, covering everything from the candidate’s sense of their own call and points of Lutheran theology, to exploration of how their leadership skills and ministry imagination are developing.

Afterward, the panelists report back to the committee, which then votes on whether to allow each candidate to go on to the next level of candidacy.

Over the seven years I’ve overseen the synod’s candidacy process, I’ve been struck by the diversity of experiences that our candidates bring. I particularly enjoy the conversations we hold with prospective candidates at the beginning of their journey, which always start with, “Tell us your story.”

And what stories they bring to the table! Some candidates, of course, start seminary straight out of college. But others are considering ministry as a second career, and they come to us from all walks of life: musicians, teachers, financial planners, and church youth workers. We’ve talked with a potter, a geneticist, a chemical dependency counselor, an IT specialist, an attorney, a chemist, and more.

Candidates for ministry, Candidacy Committee members, synod staff, and Bishop Nagel gather for an Open House each December.

Yet, they have two things in common: they are all members of a congregation in our synod. And they hear the call, a sometimes-niggling voice deep inside that tells them that they are meant to be a leader in the church.

This voice nudging toward a call can be very quiet, bubbling in the back of the mind, sometimes for years. Churches play a crucial role in helping future leaders hear that sense of call and bring it up to the surface. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard from a candidate, “I first felt the call when I went to Camp Wapo,” or “my confirmation teacher told me that she could really see me as a pastor,” or “the church asked me to be a Sunday school teacher when I was in high school—and that got me thinking about things.”

Do you see a young leader-in-the-making in your congregation? Have you told them and encouraged them to explore the possibilities? Some of our congregations have helped our candidates in other ways, too, by paying the initial candidacy fees, lifting up their seminarians in prayer, and offering internship opportunities.

The seed may lie dormant in the dark for years, even decades. But it might never sprout at all without the people in the pews keeping an eye out for potential leaders-to-be.

If someone you know is discerning a call to become a pastor or deacon, The ELCA has a resource called JOURNI, featuring small courses, articles, videos, and podcasts that showcase programs and ministries. And of course, I’m happy to chat and answer any questions!

By Nicholas Tangen

When I start to feel overwhelmed – a seemingly more regular occurrence these days – I will look for a messy drawer or a cluttered shelf to reorganize. I take everything out so I can see the blank canvas, then categorize and organize the things that belong and toss the things that don’t. It feels so dang good – and it often helps me to feel just a little more in control, a little more intentional and on-purpose.

This is why I love New Years – not the late-night parties, champagne, or the Times Square festivities – but that turn from one year to the next. I am someone who appreciates a fresh start, a new day, an opportunity to do things differently. Want to rearrange a room, set up a new daily planner, or outline some intentions for daily practice? I’m your guy.

Martin Luther said that “…a truly Christian life is nothing else than…to be buried in Baptism, and daily to come forth again.” That reminder that each day, each week, each month and year, we are set free from sin and death again and again, pushes back on the dominant stories of perfectionism and self-righteousness. What better time to name and celebrate the absurd abundance of God’s grace renewed and granted each moment than a new year?

While January 1 is somewhat arbitrary in the broader scheme of things, it’s a helpful signifier of something new. It’s an opportunity to start over and embrace the newness of life we remember every time we dip our hands in those baptismal waters.

And as I reflect on 2024, I’m aware that there is a lot to hold mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. Transition and disruption are a couple of words that keep coming to mind.  And if I’m honest, I’ve been feeling a bit unmoored, unanchored, and afraid. I’m not sure what to anticipate, what to expect in the coming months.

So, for me it’s time to reorganize that drawer.

In that drawer I’m building new systems, setting new intentions, and making what I feel are some important commitments. Daily prayer, Sabbath, my neighborhood, community, a readiness for joy are the items make the cut and get a prominent place in my 2025 drawer. Comparison, despair, catastrophizing – these items are getting the boot. And I’m leaving some space in the drawer for the things that emerge in the coming year that I haven’t anticipated yet.

Each day we rise to new life, and I’m especially aware of the newness of a new year with all its hopes, questions, joys, fears, and intentions. May this year be filled with presence, practice, and possibilities. May we be church together for the sake of our neighbor, animated by the daily dying and rising of our baptism. And may our drawers be filled with those things that bring peace, resilience, and a sense of aliveness.

By Pastor John Hulden

Have you heard of the new movie that is causing theological and historical debates? It’s a film about religion and the consequential actions that arise out of a strong belief in doing what is right. The reaction to this film is resulting in essays, treatises, and of course, social media chatter. The movie? Conclave. I haven’t seen it yet, but I plan to… despite a good portion of Roman Catholics asking me that I stay away from a movie that tells the fictional story of electing a pope.

Speaking of new movies…
Last month, the national spotlight switched from one Lutheran to another. We went from campaign ads and signs for Governor “Tim Walz for VP” to movie ads and signs for the biopic about the late Pastor Deitrich Bonhoeffer. No, I haven’t seen the Bonhoeffer movie, but I plan to… despite the controversy around it. I’ve been reading many essays, treatises, and social media chatter about it. And while I don’t necessarily like supporting these particular moviemakers, with their potentially questionable intentions, I do feel compelled to see it with my own eyes; to form my own opinion.

WE ARE NOW in the season of Advent—a church season that just might be the most out of step with the culture and the ubiquitousness of commercialism leading up to Christmas. Advent is that in-between time of waiting and hoping for a Savior.

Two prophets pop into my head every time Advent comes around. The first is the last of the Old Testament prophets:  John the Baptist. Like many prophets, he quickly gets in trouble with the authorities and lands in jail, on death row. The other prophet? Dietrich Bonhoeffer. Like Jesus’ cousin John, Bonhoeffer is arrested and put in jail, on death row. I remember Bonhoeffer every Advent because of his writings from a Nazi prison. He reminds us that the geography of Advent is like a jail cell. Bonhoeffer wrote to a friend: “By the way, a prison cell like this is a good analogy for Advent; one waits, hopes, does this or that— ultimately negligible things— the door is locked and can only be opened from the outside.”

No matter whether you choose to see the Bonhoeffer movie, maybe you can find some time and space to read some Bonhoeffer while you wait and hope for a Savior this Advent.

“By the way, a prison cell like this is a good analogy for Advent; one waits, hopes, does this or that— ultimately negligible things— the door is locked and can only be opened from the outside.”

As for my next movie? Odds are my musical theater loving family will want to go see Wicked. And yes, I’ve been warned, it’s only part 1. I guess I’ll wait for Part 2 that’s due out just before Advent next year.

By Johan Baumeister

One of my favorite hymns goes “Let all things now living a song of thanksgiving to God the Creator triumphantly raise.”

I like the soaring and majestic tune. I find beauty in the imagery of a pillar of fire, of traveling “from light into light,” and of the stars wheeling about the nighttime sky. Most of all though, I think the “us” language – invited to unite in thanksgiving with “all things now living” – is deeply compelling.

All of creation, united in thanksgiving. That’s a beautiful image.

I MAKE NO CLAIM that all of creation unites this week in Thanksgiving. Not even all of humanity is unified. In humble hope for the day that more of us can be united than divided, I offer some small thanksgivings of my own.

This week is my last week working at the Minneapolis Area Synod of the ELCA. It is also Wondimu Sonessa’s and Bob Hulteen’s. I’d like to name and express gratitude for some of the gifts that I have seen others bring to this work over the last 15 months. I am thankful today for Wondimu’s faithful voice of love and inclusion and the stories he offers to share his wisdom, especially those of time spent in his youth with flocks and farm. I am grateful for Bob’s sense of justice and insight, for the reality checks he somewhat gently offers.

I’m grateful for Nick’s grumpy iconoclasm, because if we take our institutions or values or practices for granted, they remain unexamined and thus unworthy of the mind our Creator gave us. I see and appreciate Karen’s kindness as well as her attention to detail. I look to John with gratitude for an example of calm and firm leadership. (And also for a twice-monthly delivery of farm-fresh eggs.) I see and appreciate Mercy’s dedication to her work and care for all those around her. I am awed by Lynda’s lifelong love of the church and her consistent work to build and ensure a future for our missions.

“The ‘us’ language of ‘Let All Things Now Living’ – invited to unite in thanksgiving with ‘all things now living’ – is deeply compelling.”

For Jessie, I name the compassion that she brings with her everywhere – her commitment to ensuring that people feel safe and heard seems unbreakable. With Jeni, a talent for planning and the consistent help that she offers to make our shared work a success are but two of her gifts I appreciate and name today. Kellie’s tenacity and clear communication go a long way to keeping our office and synod running smoothly. I’m thankful for Peg’s kind words and the depth of her literary knowledge; I think both inform her work and her relationships.

I’m grateful for Bishop Ann’s leadership in centering climate justice and racial justice. I’m grateful for Bishop Jen’s commitment to ensuring that this justice work will continue to be supported by the synod, as well as for her vision of churches in accompaniment with our neighborhoods.

MOST OF ALL THOUGH, I’m grateful for the folks who volunteer their time and talents to be church in the world. For Eric, Lacy, Paula, Dan, and Rich; without them, my own work would not have been as successful, nor would there have been as much to fill the cups of those who attended the recent EcoFaith Summit. I’m grateful for Karen and Ann and John and the other volunteers from University Lutheran Church of Hope. Volunteers make our churches run, they are integral to many missions and ministries, including the ministry of coffee hour.

“The people of Salem English Lutheran Church, just off Lyndale Avenue, extended a radical and warm welcome to me and others.”

And I remain always grateful to the people of Salem English Lutheran Church, just off Lyndale Avenue. They are not the only congregation in our synod that has extended a radical and warm welcome to me and others. But they were the first for me. That reflection of Christ’s love is how we’re called to be in the world, even when the world seems difficult or determined to reject that which we love.

I hope that you will find comfort with family in the coming season, that you will continue to strive to be a reflection of God’s love and unconditional acceptance, and that you will support one another looking forward to that day when we can give thanks in unison with all of creation.

By Nick Tangen

A couple of weeks ago, I was invited to share a bit about the work of Faith Practices & Neighboring Practices with the Metro New York Synod at their Bishop’s Conference. The first two days of the conference were for pastors and deacons in the synod, rostered ministers serving a variety of calls across the city. The last two days were for the “Synod’s Synodical Deacons.” A synod deacon is not a common role across our church, and prior to this conference I knew almost nothing about them, but after spending two days with these church leaders I was intrigued and excited by their unique contributions to the church.

Synod deacons are lay people who have been formed and called to serve particular ministries, most often in their home congregations. They are not ordained as rostered ministers, but are set apart to serve in their local congregation and parish community – teaching, organizing, serving, and forming other leaders. Synod deacons complete a two-year formation program (in the Metro New York Synod this program is called Growing in Faith) and go through a candidacy process similar to our rostered ministers.

Talking with these incredible leaders was a blessing, and I loved hearing stories of lay people discerning their unique vocational calls within their own congregations. Several of the synod deacons I spoke with did not grow up in the Lutheran church and felt a strong desire to better understand the church they were joining and jumped on the chance to participate in the Growing in Faith formation program. Others had a clear sense that God was calling them to be connectors and community builders in the neighborhoods around their church. All of them were clear that God had called them as faithful lay people to serve the church.

When I first began to discern my own vocational call, I was convinced that serving the church meant that I would need to become a pastor (I didn’t even know about deacons at that point), and I started seminary fully intending to follow that ordination track. It took only a few months to realize that, in fact, this was not God’s call for me.

“God had called them as faithful lay people to serve the church.”

Later when I learned more about rostered deacons in the ELCA, I thought that God might be calling me in that direction. But again, as I reflected and worked and continued to talk with friends, family, and fellow church members, I realized that this was also not the direction God was calling me toward. But everywhere I went it felt like leadership and ordination were somehow synonymous.

In a moment of consternation over direction and vocation, my friend and colleague, Bob Hulteen reminded me, “Ya know, the church needs engaged and committed lay people as much as it needs strong pastors and deacons.” It was a moment of clarity for me – God calls lay people to ministry in our church just as much as our other leaders, and God was calling me to ministry as a lay person. God calls people into various types of work, and each role is essential. I think we are in a moment where championing the call and responsibility of lay people across our church is especially needed.

PASTORS AND DEACONS take on so much in our congregations, often holding more than can be completed or shepherded by one person. Burnout, chronic stress, and isolation are real concerns for many rostered ministers. The landscape of professional ministry and church life is shifting as congregations realize that they may not be able to pay and support full-time clergy in the way they once could. And trust in religious institutions continues to take a hit across our country.

“The church needs engaged and committed lay people as much as it needs strong pastors and deacons.”

For the health and sustainability of our churches and our leaders, we need (now more than ever) engaged lay folks to share the load and imagine a future different than the past. We need lay folks who are formed practically and theologically for ministry in their own contexts, contributing their unique gifts, strengths, and passions to a myriad of creative and generative ministries. And we need a recommitment to the fullness of the Body of Christ.

How might our own synod invest in the intentional formation of lay people? Projects like Faith Practices & Neighboring Practices, and the soon-to-launch Family Faith, pay close attention to the formation and leadership of lay people. Our synod community organizing work does and will continue to develop lay leaders in our synod for the sake of social and political change.

But what else might we do together to form, affirm, and celebrate the leadership of lay people across the Minneapolis Area Synod? This question has re-emerged for me after meeting synod deacons in the Metro New York Synod, and I look forward to imagining possibilities together here in our own context.

By Pastor Wondimu Sonessa 

As part of the DEM office and the Mission Table’s “Year of Partnership” project, we are glad to highlight our Amazing Grace Ministry (AGM) and invite your congregation to start partnership conversations with Pastor Nhiabee Vang. AGM started in 2018 with 13 families and is in the sixth year of being a Synodically Authorized Worshipping Community (SAWC) with Oak Knoll Lutheran Church in Minnetonka serving as its fiscal agent.  

Currently about 50 families from the Hmong community gather at St. Philip’s Lutheran Church in Fridley for worship every Sunday beginning at 1:00 p.m. New members are joining the ministry. This worshipping community will soon be organized as a congregation.  

“A partnership congregation is expected to bring a companionship that fosters genuine Christian fellowship.” 

Pastor Nhiabee believes that growing stronger relationships with other congregations of the MAS is imperative for the future of the Amazing Grace ministry. A reliable fellowship for new start and strategic ministries, particularly multi-ethnic churches, comes from connecting them with the local congregations. Our “Year of Partnership” approach has a unique emphasis on a triangular view of partnership. The three sides represent God and the two congregations. This allows us to think about what each congregation expects from partnership to enrich their joint engagement in God’s mission.        

AMAZING GRACE IS A community of Hmong Christians with many youth and children in their Sunday school. The cooperative and committed young adult members of the congregation, the well-organized women’s ministry, and the supportive lay leadership make Amazing Grace a great companion in mission. For the MAS congregations that the Holy Spirit is calling to a new missional connection, Amazing Grace Ministry offers a strong potential for evangelism among the wider Hmong community in the Twin Cities and beyond.

A partnership congregation is expected to bring a companionship that fosters genuine Christian fellowship. This includes engaging in constructive conversations focusing on faith formation, proclaiming the Good News, and rendering an inclusive ministry to all people together. An intentional partnership allows for participation in special events and ministry opportunities, including pulpit exchange and support for the youth and children ministry.  

In Pastor Nhiabee’s words, “As with other new ministries, particularly immigrants/refugee ministries, we are in need of financial support. At the moment, we are able to serve our people and community, mostly due to the Resurrection Fund from the Minneapolis Area Synod and the grant from the churchwide office. Our concern is how this will play out as we continue to look toward the future.” This is why the Mission Table calls for partnership connections that allow congregations to share resources that enrich their respective ministries. 

“The Amazing Grace Lutheran worshipping community will soon be organized as a congregation.” 

Finally, Amazing Grace prioritizes ministries that “Grow in Faith, Share the Good News, and Provide Service to All People.” Pastor Nhiabee says, “At Amazing Grace Ministry, this is what we are striving to live by as we continue to share the story of Jesus Christ to our Hmong community.  Many of our older members are new to the Chrisitan faith so we continue to learn about our newfound faith in God and how to live out this faith in our daily life.  We came from very strong traditions of animism/shamanism. Therefore . . . growing in faith and understanding who we are as a people of God is important to us.”  

Any Minneapolis Area Synod congregation interested in partnership connection with the Amazing Grace ministry is invited to reach out to Pastor Nhiabee Vang via his email at vangb30@yahoo.com. Or, you may reach out to the synod DEM office. Together, we are the church.  

By Pastor John Hulden

I started out as a half-time solo pastor at church on the lower Eastside of Saint Paul. Fresh out of seminary, I kept asking, “What are the advantages to our small size? There must be some!” I tried many things. (God bless those wonderful Eastsiders who put up with me and my ideas.) And, every once in a while, something took hold.

For the post-Communion blessing one Sunday, I invited folks to form a circle, holding hands. They graciously agreed. But I really wanted us to sing the post-Communion canticle while standing in a circle. But you can’t hold hands and a hymnbook (and this was waaaaay before projectors and screens).

“What are the advantages to our small size? There must be some!”

Do you remember the continuous paper used in old computer printers? If you are too young, you’ll just have to believe me. That next week, I wrote in block letters all the words to “Thank the Lord and sing his praise” on that continuous roll of paper and the Sunday School kids helped me color in the letters.

With the help of masking tape, the words encircled the walls of our little sanctuary. I don’t know how much it mattered to most people, but I loved that we could hold hands and pray and sing in a circle after being refreshed “through the healing power of this gift of life.”

I’M PRIVILEGED TO visit congregations all over our synod. I still get excited when I see or hear of a good idea. Below is a list of a few of them. But please read them with this caution: What makes them so good is they came out of the context of the congregation. Appreciate these ideas (or not), and blessings to you and your worship leaders if they might inspire you.

• Our Saviour’s in Minneapolis asks worshippers to initial their favorite Bible verse in every one of their confirmation students’ Bibles as the teenagers prepare for Confirmation Sunday.
• At University Lutheran Church of Hope, the pastor takes time during worship to stand at the baptismal font and share a few words about a saint in their congregation whose funeral service was just held – or is in the coming week. This remembrance of baptism for the living and dead was suggested by a chaplain in the congregation who witnessed the power of God’s baptismal promise in her work every day.
• As a frequent visitor at worship services, I so appreciate the melody line on the screen instead of just the words. Sometimes I don’t know the tune (although I can tell the worshippers know it well). If the music notes are there, I can join in the singing and feel much more a part of the worship service.
• Diamond Lake Lutheran doesn’t have Kids’ Sermons; it has “Sermon on the Steps.” You might know I love a good kids’ sermon, but this title reminds everyone – especially us pastors — that we are called to preach, not just have adorable conversations with those young kiddos. (This aligns with Question #3 in my five questions to ask every kids’ sermon.
• Congregations participating in the Faith Practices and Neighboring Practices cohorts remember their newly discovered neighborhood connections/assets/events/relationships and they become petitions in the Prayers of Intercession on Sunday – written and led by lay leaders.
• Some congregations incorporate their short mission statement into the Dismissal and Sending so all those gathered leave worship knowing ministry continues out the church doors.

What is a good idea from your congregation?

By Pastor Wondimu Sonessa

In December of 2023, leaders of our Synodically Authorized Worshipping Communities and our Strategic Ministry congregations gathered for their quarterly meeting with the chair of the synod’s Mission Table, Pastor Deanna Kim Bassett, and the Director of Evangelical Mission (DEM) – me. Tapestry Ministry, a bi-lingual ministry in Richfield, hosted the meeting. Our conversation focused on the importance of local congregational partnership.

Pastor Catrina Ciccone of Bread of Life Deaf Lutheran Church led this conversation in which we all saw (from the list on the white board) that our New and Strategic ministries could use more congregational partnerships. We became aware that some ministries have many partnerships, while others have few.

“2024 has been designated by the Mission Table as the ‘Year of Partnership.’”

The office of the DEM together with the Mission Table team have been praying and working on how to approach the need for congregational partnerships. This resulted in designating FY2024 as the “Year of Partnership.” With this designation in mind, we plan to engage in creative and strategic methods that will be helpful to connect our New Ministries and Strategic Ministries with congregations interested in building relationships. This includes reflecting on our understanding of partnership and expectations of these congregational connections.

SOME OF OUR MINISTRIES have experiences of partnership connections that didn’t last longer or lead to the expected outcome. For this reason, we have been exploring the real need at each ministry site with their respective pastors.

At a quarterly meeting hosted by Minnesota Swahili Christian Congregation on March 7, we shared this vision with all ministries leaders and invited each pastoral leader to respond to the following three questions:

• What does your congregation/ministry bring to the ministry of the partner congregations?
• What does your congregation/ministry expect from your partnership congregation?
• What is your priority in ministry?

We received highly encouraging and insightful feedback from our pastors.

“Some of our ministries have experiences of partnership connections that didn’t last longer or lead to the expected outcome.”

In the coming months, we will share with you these responses through our synod enews. In highlighting one or two ministries every few weeks, we invite your congregation to hear their story as a voice calling for partnership. This is a call to mutual appreciation and enriching relationship for the sake of the gospel.

Making this happen may require your willingness to share the spiritual gifts and resources that the Lord has entrusted to your congregation. No matter how big or small your congregation is, your fellowship is needed more than ever.

If you allow me to borrow the apostle Paul’s words to the Ephesians, “I … beg you to lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, making every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (Ephesians 4:1-3). May the love and peace of Christ guide our response to this call for partnership.

By Mercy Zou Taithul

In remembrance of the death of India’s highest recognized civilian, Ratan Naval Tata, who passed away on October 9, 2024, I would like to share one of his beautiful stories called “Four Stages of Happiness.”

A little bit about Ratanji (Ratan’s nickname): He was an Indian industrialist and philanthropist, serving as the chairman of Tata Group and Tata Son. He received the Padma Vibhushan, the second-highest civilian honor in India. He also received the Padma Bhushan, the third-highest civilian honor in 2000.

Ratanji Tata said:

 I have gone through four stages of happiness in life, and I finally understood the meaning of true happiness. The first stage was to accumulate wealth and resources. But at this stage, I didn’t get the happiness I wanted. Then came the second stage of collecting valuables and items. But I realized that the effect of these things is also temporary and the luster of precious things does not last long.

Then came the third phase of getting a big project. That was when I had 95% of the diesel supply in India and Africa. I was also the owner of the largest steel factory in India and Asia. But even here I did not get the happiness that I had imagined.

The fourth step was when a friend of mine asked me to buy a wheelchair for some disabled children — about 200 children. At the behest of a friend, I immediately bought a wheelchair. But the friend insisted that I go with him and hand over the wheelchairs to the children. I got ready and went with him. There I gave these children this wheelchair with my own hands. I saw a strange glow of happiness on the faces of these children. I saw them all sitting in wheelchairs, moving and having fun. It was as if they had reached a picnic spot, where they were sharing a winning gift. I felt real happiness inside me. 

When I decided to leave, one of the kids grabbed my leg. I tried to slowly release my legs, but the child looked at my face and held my legs tight. I leaned over and asked the child, “Do you need anything else?” The answer this kid gave me not only shocked me but also completely changed my outlook towards like. This child said, “I want to remember your face so that when I meet you in heaven, I can recognize you and thank you again.”

IN LIFE WE TEND TO focus on goals that bring temporary happiness, such as fame, attention, power, money, and the like. Professor Mark Tranvik, formerly of Augsburg University and Luther Seminary, calls these false satisfactions “small gods” that we create within ourselves.

Just as Ratanji mentioned in the fourth phase, however, I find happiness when I share what I have – my gifts, love, caring – with my neighbors. It just feels right.

This comes down to a question: Who is your neighbor? Everyone has their own way of defining who their “neighbors” are. But to me, everyone is our neighbor because we are all the children of God; we are encouraged to love one another as Jesus loves us.

“Everyone has their own way of defining who their “neighbors” are.”

In Matthew’s Gospel, it says, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depends all the Law and the Prophets.”

I often ask myself “In what ways do I want to be remembered after my death?” I normally answer, “I would love to be remembered for my kindness, love, and positivity that I share with others.”

So, I invite you to reflect on these two questions: What does happiness mean to you? How do you want to be remembered?

I encourage you to give yourself some time to think about these questions as it might help you to view happiness and life differently.