Dear Friends and Members of Shepherd of the Hills,

It has been a wild month.  Lord, have mercy on our community here in Ruidoso.  I wanted to talk with you about “disaster fatigue.”  Right now we live in two communities simultaneously.  We live in a community that is enjoying the vitality and joy of our mountain getaway.  We also live in a community that is in the thick of dealing with disaster after disaster: floods, dilapidated infrastructure, displaced families and lives lost. 

Disaster fatigue is when the brain’s capacity for empathy is overtaxed, leading to emotional withdrawal as a coping mechanism. Emotional withdrawal is difficult because it makes us cold to the hurts of the world around us, and we know this feels wrong.  This is an action our brains take to protect us.  But what does our faith have to say about dealing with all that we are experiencing in Ruidoso? 

First, we live in a fallen world.  This is what we expect and is a sign that something greater is on the horizon.  Romans 8:19-22 says, "19 For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. 20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now.”  “The pains of childbirth” point toward that moment when something new will come into being.  In the midst of our disaster fatigue, we remember this is “normal” for this world and at the same time we look forward to a new creation. 

Second, God is sovereign and as humans we are still responsible.  "16 For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. 17 And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.” (Col 1:16-17)  God is sovereign yet He permits disasters as part of His complex will in a fallen world. Rather than despairing or growing apathetic, we as people of faith are called to trust in God’s goodness and respond actively. The scriptures teach us that faith produces good works, including our acts of love and service.  Disaster fatigue can be countered by focusing on God’s command to love one’s neighbor (Matthew 22:39), even when it feels overwhelming.  Not to say that any of this is easy. 

Third, let’s make this practical.  How do we respond in a way that honors the reality of our mental state now and the commands of God’s Word? 

Prayer and worship.  Pray, for it is in prayer that our worries, fatigues and fears for ourselves and our neighbors are addressed by a sovereign God who loved us enough to send his Son.  Be renewed. Isaiah 40:31, "31 but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.”  Come to the Divine Service on Sundays and be rooted in the Word and Sacrament, which reorients us toward hope and community. 

Continue in our communal efforts we have here at SHLC to love and serve our neighbors.  We have a way to help: Spiritual First Aid, LERT, donations, and Christmas families.  Let us be content in the role we are playing in the help of our community instead of burdened by a sense of “shouldn’t we be doing more?”  When we are needed, we are ready to respond as you already have.  Be at peace.

Guard against apathy.  There is a temptation toward apathy in the midst of disaster fatigue. Let us resist this apathy by clinging to God’s Word and serving others, even in small ways.  We are called to confess the truth and live faithfully according to the Lord’s commands, but don’t confuse yourself with the Savior of the World. Only He can bring healing and restoration.  A compassionate heart is a beautiful thing: guard it against exhaustion by being compassionate for those who the Lord has called you to (as opposed to caring for every soul impacted by this disaster.) 

Finally, hope in the Gospel.  Your worth and strength comes from Christ and what he has given to you through his death and resurrection, not your capacity to solve every crisis.  You are a baptized child of God, made in His image, bearing His name, and forgiven of your sin…God be praised! 

Trust in the promise of a new creation as we hear in God’s Word.  Isaiah 65:17, “For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth, and the former things shall not be remembered or come into mind.” Revelation 21:1-4 says, “1 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. 2 And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. 4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.””

This promise of a new creation gives us hope that transcends our exhaustion and encourages our perseverance.  We believe, teach, and confess, that God has indeed given His daily bread to us and all people. Why should tomorrow be any different?

Take heart, my friend, if your tender and compassionate heart is tired.  Disaster fatigue is a real thing.  Left to our own strength and will to bear up, we and our community are certainly to be pitied.  This is not our reality.  The strong right hand of the Lord bears with us the weight of a community in need, gives us hope and restoration when required and offers us rest and contentment through His Holy Spirit bestowed upon us in the waters of our baptism. 

It has been a wild month here in the mountains of Ruidoso.  Be at peace. It is all still in the Lord’s hands. Now, let’s get back to work. 

In His Love and Service,

Pastor Rust

Dear Friends and Members,

It is said that it takes a village to raise a child.  While we could talk much about the loss of this cultural axiom in our modern day, I wanted to talk with you about the opportunity Shepherd of the Hills has to make a positive impact for its own youth and the youth of our community.  

Our parental and communal instinct is to shield our children from the hurts and dangers of this world.  Despite our best efforts the reality is that both while they are youth and certainly into adulthood they will experience the fears, stress and trauma of this world.  

What we can do is give the gift of resilience to youth as they learn to live and thrive in the midst of adversity.  This is even more important in light of the summer they experienced last year.  

July 7th-11th from 9AM-Noon, Shepherd of the Hills will be providing a vacation Bible school that focuses on helping youth deal with fears, finding relief from stress and developing coping mechanisms.  Welcome to Camp Courage! A place of hope and healing.  

I’m so excited as a pastor to be part of giving this gift to the youth of our community, but also continuing to develop that resiliency myself.  During this week we will all gain spiritual tools and practical tips to deal with adversity while having fun and reveling in the joy and hope we have in Jesus.  See you there.

In the Love and Peace of Jesus,

Pastor Rust

Dear Friends and Members of Shepherd of the Hills,

This has been simultaneously the longest year, it seems like the fire was a lifetime ago, and the quickest year, I can’t believe its already June.  

I wanted to write to you as we approach the one year mark since the South Fork fires and floods began in our community.  Since that day our ministry has taken on some new elements.  Not only were we able to raise a significant amount of money to help with the immediate needs of some of our own members, but we were able to aid our local fire fighters.  God be praised.

We also began a partnership with Lutheran Church Charities who came with a team in August to hear our story, help identify some unmet needs and create a plan of action for how a local congregation like ours can serve our friends and neighbors during some of their deepest times of need.  We raised up a Lutheran Emergency Response Team, got a grant to buy a trailer and equipment, and started helping our congregation members and other survivors clear their properties of burned trees.  

We didn’t stop there.  There was a need in our community for a cooperative effort between all non-profits, churches, civic organizations and businesses to be about the business of helping survivors when all other resources had dried up.  You allowed me as a pastor and member of this community to work with local government and organizations to start Lincoln County Community Organizations Active in Disaster.  We are the final safety net during a disaster and in the recovery phase to catch our friends and neighbors when they need us most.  

In all of this we also identified the mental health crisis developing in our own town as people deal with the trauma of living through last summer and the loss that comes with that.  Once again, partnering with Lutheran Church Charities we started our own Spiritual First Aid team trained to be present and listen with compassion to people who are dealing with trauma.  This will also bless our Vacation Bible School, Camp Courage, as we invite children to not only hear the good news of Jesus Christ, but find healing from trauma in God’s Word and the comfort of our congregation.  

All of this and I am reminded of 2 Corinthians 12:9-10, “But He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness.”  Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.  For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities.  For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

This is not a letter boasting in our great power as a congregation, but that in the midst of calamity, limited resources, frailties and weaknesses we boast in Christ for when we are weak, then we are strong because of what he does in and through us.  God be praised. 

Finally, I ask you to join me on Tuesday evening June 17th 5:30PM at Wingfield Park.  The Village of Ruidoso is hosting an evening of remembrance.  I will be leading the formal presentation where the mayor, Pastor Chris Singer and others will be presenting.  Two comfort dog teams from LCC will also be present.  

Thank you for all that you do for me, one another and our community.  I am humbled and honored to serve with you here at Shepherd of the Hills.

In His Love and Service,

Pastor Rust

Dear Friends and Members of Shepherd of the Hills,

I know…I feel it too.  On a day like today, dealing with wind and fire, the anxiety levels continue to rise.  After last summer’s fires and floods, the memories are all to real and all to recent.  What do we do?  Take it to the Lord in prayer.  This is not the end all and be all of dealing with our different levels of PTSD following disaster and rightly being concerned about another event.  However, for followers of Jesus our Lord, this is our first move, our first pivot.  This is our first response to those things in this life that vex us.  We know that in all things we have a savior who has secured our eternity and provides for us daily.  Our afflictions prepare us for glory given to us in Christ Jesus.  “For this slight momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen.  For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal (2 Corinthians 4:17-18).”

Rather than leave you empty handed about what to pray for, here are a few prayers and a song that are good on days like today. 

For Our Weather:

Lord God, gracious and merciful Father, because You have promised that You will hear us when we bring You our cares, we implore You not to deal with us according to our sins but according to Your mercy. Send calm winds and light rains so that in due time the earth may yield her increase and we might be given relief. Remind us ever to receive with thanks our daily bread, trusting You as our gracious God; through Jesus Christ, our Lord.

For Our Anxiousness:

Lord Jesus Christ, You commanded the wind and the waves, and they obeyed You. Speak peace to us who are worried and troubled during these winds and storms, especial those of us who are troubled by fear. By the power of Your Word, calm our anxious heart and the raging storms of our spirit; for You live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

For Our First Responders and Their Families:

Merciful Father, we commend to Your keeping all who work to bring rescue and relief, especially those serving in and around Lincoln County this week during the wind storms. Give them courage in danger, skill in difficulty, and compassion in service. Sustain them with bodily strength and calmness of mind that they may perform their work to the well-being of those in need so that lives may be saved and communities restored; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

As you pray I also leave you with this song:  YouTube—How Firm a Foundation

728 How Firm a Foundation

How firm a foundation, O saints of the Lord,
Is laid for your faith in His excellent Word!
What more can He say than to you He has said
Who unto the Savior for refuge have fled?

“Fear not! I am with you, O be not dismayed,
For I am your God and will still give you aid;
I’ll strengthen you, help you, and cause you to stand,
Upheld by My righteous, omnipotent hand.

“The soul that on Jesus has leaned for repose
I will not, I will not, desert to his foes;
That soul, though all hell should endeavor to shake,
I’ll never, no never, no never, forsake!

“When through fiery trials your pathway will lie,
My grace, all-sufficient, will be your supply.
The flames will not hurt you; I only design
Your dross to consume and your gold to refine.

“Throughout all their lifetime My people will prove
My sov’reign, eternal, unchangeable love;
And then, when gray hairs will their temples adorn,
Like lambs they will still in My bosom be borne.”

In His Love and Service,

Pastor Rust

Dear Friends and Members of Shepherd of the Hills,

Jesus Who?  This has been our sermon series Epiphany 2025.  We have learned much about this Jesus.  Nothing new for sure, but an excellent reminder of who he is.  We often want to make Jesus in our own image and so hearing from the Word of God about the Word made flesh just makes sense.  

During this season of Epiphany we have heard much about Jesus.  Jesus is for all peoples of every tribe and nation.  Jesus is righteousness made complete.  Jesus is the wine of the feast that we are invited to.  Jesus fulfills all of the “Old Testament” scriptures.  Jesus has all authority.  Jesus is a disciple maker.  

These last two week we are learning about Jesus’ teaching, which has authority.  His teachings are so much more that information that he shares.  Instead his teaching cause us to ask questions.  It is how we move from “head” knowledge to “heart” knowledge.  Our faith is holistic.  It impacts all of who we are.  

As we finish this Epiphany season and especially as we head to the season of reflection known as Lent, look for questions.  What questions should we be asking about our own faith and life?  What questions are we afraid to ask?  What questions have’t we asked in a long time? 

Come with all your questions.  Sunday morning’s Divine Service isn’t a time to leave your questions at the door.  It is a time to bring your questions and let the Word of God have a say.  Let us study these questions together in Bible study.  Questions are how we move from just “head” knowledge about our faith and allow our “heart” to be heard.  

We all have questions.  I am privileged to question with you and along side you.  See you at church. 

In His Love and Service,

Pastor Rust

2025 is here! Feeling ready for it?

Leading up to Christmas, I had conversations with multiple friends and community members that this year just didn’t “feel” the way Christmas normally feels. And we speculated. Was this because the temperatures were too warm for a Christmas in Ruidoso? Was this because our community still holds the collective trauma of the fires in June? Was this because so many people we care about seem to be in rough places right now?

At times it felt unsettling. And at times it felt depressing. Where was my usual Christmas spirit? Why did it feel like Christmas was more of a marker of time rather than the sentiment of so many radio Christmas songs?

But here’s the true grace of it all. The gift of Christmas is that it doesn’t matter how I feel. It doesn't matter what you feel. As Jason preached on Christmas Eve, the good news came, heralded by the angels, whether we like or not…whether we feel it or not. The Word became flesh and dwelt among us, drawing near to His creation, not because you or I or the world felt ready or prepared. Jesus’ birth was a showering of grace upon us so that things could once again be made right between us and our Heavenly Father. 

THAT good news is grounding. THAT good news is hopeful. THAT good news is what gives me peace even when I don’t really feel it.

I asked Jason if I could write this New Year letter to you because I’ve never had an opportunity to publicly thank you all for your generosity, care and support over these last 10 years. From dedicated prayers to encouraging words to listening ears to generous hearts to faithful worship, you - our family at Shepherd of the Hills - bless us. It is a delight to journey through this life with you when it feels easy AND when it feels hard. You are a tremendous source of encouragement in each of our lives!

This is my prayer for each of you this January: As you head into 2025 carrying all your realities from 2024, may you find your grounding in the truth of the good news, not in how you feel. May you hold fast to the truth that our God is faithful. And it is He alone that brings good news…whether you like it or not.

Here’s to continuing this adventure together!

Rebecca Rust

Dear Friends and Members of Shepherd of the Hills,

This is a “choose your own adventure” style letter.   

If you need to hear from your pastor to slow down and see the real meaning of Christmas- continue to paragraph A.

If you need to hear from your pastor that life is full and sometimes we need to just move forward—continue to paragraph A.

If you need to hear from your pastor words of comfort about a growing sense of loneliness or sadness—continue to paragraph A.

If you need to hear from your pastor words of grace because feelings of regret keep coming at you—continue to paragraph A.

If you need to hear from your pastor that there is hope when relationships seem broken—continue to paragraph A.

If you need to hear from your pastor that this festive season deserves all the bells and whistles because it is your favorite—continue to paragraph A.

A:        8 And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with fear. 10 And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy that will be for all the people. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,

14 “Glory to God in the highest,
            and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”

Blessings to you all.  I look forward to celebrating with you and receiving with you the hope we have for all times of life.  Christmas Eve Candlelight Service—6:30; Christmas Day Divine Service—10:30

In His Love and Service,

Pastor Rust