2024 Christmas Letter

 For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given;And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God,Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. (Isaiah 9.6)

 

Surely He has borne our griefs And carried our sorrows;
Yet we esteemed Him stricken, Smitten by God, and afflicted.

But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities;
The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed.

(Isaiah 53.4-5)

 

27 December 2024

 

A very Merry Christmas to you and yours! 

 

The last couple of days have been foggy, damp, restful, and a time for reflecting on all that has happened in 2024 and of the beloved people who are a part of our lives.

 

Here’s a brief update on some things that happened this year, via events in our lives.

 

Kyrie –in May she turned 16 and she has been buzzing around ever since! For her sophomore year she went to Strafford High School. As that year came to a close, she decided to return to St. John’s Academy of Fine and Performing Arts (the name of our homeschool) to have the flexibility to work on academics but also focus on dancing and gain a little more rest while performing in shows at Springfield Little Theater. In the fall of 2024 she was in Wizard of Oz.  

 

Aravis – in February our ‘oldest daughter’ moved to New York City. She joined her friend, Millie, in renting a very small studio apartment on the upper west side of Manhattan – just a block west of Central Park. She worked at Blank Street Coffee and Dance Workshop NYC, while also logging many auditions. She has begun to experience a new era in her professional pursuits. In November she came home for a show in Ozark, MO. She will return to NYC in January and keep working the dream. She’s made some friends in the city and has found a great church, Church of the City. Thanks to many visitors to NYC, she never talked much of being homesick. 

 

Asa – his year began with an exit from the Peace Corps. In February he migrated to Columbus, OH and worked a number of theater jobs. In April he was in Anne Frank. It was a moving portrayal of a family’s work to survive and thrive in the worst of circumstances. In August, Anna and I saw him in An Iliad. He was a part of a superb cast that made an ancient story current and gut wrenching. It was highly reviewed in the Columbus Underground. As summer chirped along Asa began exploring what to do next. In early December he flew to Spain and is teaching English as a second language. For Christmas, he went to see friends in London.

 

Moses & Emily – In May Moses became the fifth Leininger to graduate from Asbury Theological Seminary. In May of 2025, Emily will make the sixth! Moses and Emily continue to thrive in the Bluegrass state. Emily has several leadership roles on the campus of Asbury U and Moses gets drawn in occasionally. Moses has taken on a full-time role leading modern worship with Centenary Church in Lexington. In the fall he added to his work teaching a worship class at Asbury U. We were happy to visit them on their home turf a couple of times in 2024.

 

Jason – I continued pastoring at Schweitzer Church; I started my 13^th year in July. A few highlights include wrapping up the 4^th season of the Really Cool People podcast with a live show/recording, preaching at the ordination of Cory Luczywo, co-presenting a seminar at the Christian Community Development Association conference, and leading as the Board President, Flourish Community Development Corp (flourishcdc.org). Flourish is starting its 5^th year and the gains it has made in its impact of life transformation, and as an organization is encouraging. At home I put in a new floor in our kitchen, harvested hay, flopped in the garden, and enjoyed many visitors. In January, I am anticipating a trip to Uganda for an exploratory pilgrimage. 

 

Anna - when Kyrie started public school, Anna began to substitute teach. Little did she know that the end of 2024 would see her going to school every day to guide a kindergarten classroom. She will complete her long-term sub ‘tour of duty’ in January. In 2024 she continued to provide a centering point to our packed schedules. She made sure we visited Aravis in NYC, Moses & Emily in Wilmore, and Asa in Columbus. She crafted Kyrie’s Junior year academic plan and keeps all things organized.   

 

One of the great parts of 2024 was celebrating other people. In July our niece, Katie was married. The timing worked for all of us to be at her wedding – here’s a picture from that day. 

 

(L to R: Moses, Emily, Aravis, Jason, Anna, Kyrie, Asa)

 

The other event that called for a family celebration was the homegoing of my grandmother Leininger. Doris Jean was 93 years old when she took her last breath on this earth. She was a superb person and fantastic grandmother. I was honored to be part of a trinity of grandsons who were charged with leading her memorial service. She contributed wonderfully to the world and leaves behind a rich legacy that is impossible to summarize.

 

In all things I hope and pray you are celebrating the appearance of Jesus. I have been drawn to the first line of Isa 53.4 – ‘He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows’. Take heart, be courageous, and be of good Cheer – because of Him! 

Much Love . . . Jason, for the rest of the Leininger’s

Moses Graduates, again . . . and a longer story

 

We are proud parents! Our eldest son, Moses, graduated in May from Asbury Theological Seminary. He earned an MA in Theology. He earned the same degree I received.

Moses makes the fifth person with a last name of Leininger, connected to my grand-parents Claire & Doris Leininger, to have a degree from Asbury. My uncle Dean graduated in the late 70's. I graduated in 1997. My cousin Joel, Dean's son finished in 2007. Joel's wife, Tammy also graduated in 2007. Ironically, Joel and Tammy would meet following seminary and begin their family. 

We are anticipating at least one more degree from Asbury. Moses' wife, Emily, should finish up the spring of 2025. That will make 6 Leininger's connected to Claire & Doris with a degree from ATS, who would have thought it? Only God!

When Claire and Doris were newly married I'm unsure if they had much of a faith practice. Doris' dad had a connection to an old-order Mennonite congregation. Claire's family was connected to a (now) Missouri Synod Lutheran Church. As I've heard the story, in the early years of their marriage they were farming long hours, forming their family, and uninvolved in faith.

What changed? The Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) received a new pastor who was born and raised in California. During the 2nd World War he was interred at a Japanese Camp. At the end of the war, Rev O  would go onto seminary and then relocate to northwest Ohio. Rev. O and his wife loved Jesus and loved people. They gathered my grandparents into a small group Bible study and there they encountered Jesus. 

My grandparents faith was real and lively. I've heard stories of my grandfather going with others from church to a rescue mission in Toledo, OH and preaching. My grandmother had her own kinds of pulpits, and did she ever use them. They loved the songs of faith, the people of the church and community, the scriptures, and Jesus. They weren't perfect, but Jesus did a fantastic work in them. And through them, they blessed their family.

I'm proud of my son. And, I'm grateful for a legacy of faith that includes a Japanese-American family that also knew the power and redemption of God and shared that with my grandparents. They could have been bitter and victimized by what they went through. Instead, they let the healing power of Jesus work in them, and through them worked hope and redemption in others. 

Our son, has graduated, again, this time with a Masters' degree. One can only wonder what God will do with the story of his life. Whatever it holds, To God be the Glory! 

 

Beware of the way you mock your parents...you may become them

As a teenager I frequently noticed that my dad would fall asleep at the kitchen table before going to bed. When I started dating my wife she noticed it too. Then for a while as a young married couple, because we lived far from my folks, she began taking photo's of my dad sitting at the table, fast asleep. 

Last night, at the end of a long day of work and cold weather, while I sat in front of the fire listening to a podcast, my bride took this photo of me, fast asleep.  

That which I've seen in my dad, now shows up in me. 

Hello Winter

 Today it is cold. The warmest it was today was at midnight, 48 degrees. The temps have dropped to 13 or 14, with a wind chill of -2. 

When Anna and I went for a walk we noticed that the wind was blowing so strong that the pine needles were swept to the east. In addition, the air carried enough freezing precipitation that the needles were frozen, bent like shards of glass and fixed to the branches. 

We did not walk our normal route today, instead we walked on our property. We could handle the cold, but the wind was making it feel like our eye balls were freezing. The wind is blowing so hard, I think it is finding the crevices between the mortar on the house. The house feels "drafty." 

When the wind blows this strong it it reminds me of a story I heard from my friend Howard Gager. Howard grew up in Ithaca, MI. When Howard and his brothers were little, they often woke up to snow on the inside of the window pane. Howard wasn't alone. Many a kid, over millennia, has had the same experience. 

We often forget how a person's experience of the world has improved year after year. Maybe someday we'll have a house wrap that will eliminate the idea of a draft. 

Today we give thanks that the window sills are free of snow!

A Daily Baptismal Prayer

 Yesterday I had the joy of presiding at a baptism. Following the baptism I shared with the person, newly clothed with Christ, a prayer that Adam Hamilton shared at a conference a few years ago. It's a prayer that was intended to be said daily, or whenever a person enters water to bathe. 

_____

A Daily Prayer to Remember your Baptism

Lord, as I enter the water to bathe, I remember my baptism

Wash me by your grace

Fill me with your Spirit

Renew my soul

I pray that I might live as your child today

And honor You in all I do

(Thanks to Adam Hamilton, Church of the Resurrection, for sharing this prayer.) 

A Happy Epiphany

 

Asa returns

In the middle of August 2023 Asa departed for a stint with the Peace Corps. The stunt would take him to a country that was relatively warm all year round. In a few months of trying to acclimate a number of things became clear in his heart and mind. So today, on Epiphany, he returned from his endeavor. We are glad to have him home, for a season. Up next for him will be a pursuit of working in theater. There is something magical about his return on Epiphany. We'll take it.

Asa departing - August 2023

2023 - A Year in Review

 

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

We hope this note finds you well, celebrating what God has done, and anticipating another year of God’s faithfulness, goodness, and kindness.

 

The past year for the Leininger’s has been unique. We’ve had completions, celebrations, pauses, continuations, and re-directions. 

 

In the spring, Asa and Aravis completed educational quests they were on. Aravis completed her homeschool experience and we were blessed by many who gathered to celebrate her accomplishments at Common Grounds Coffee House in Strafford. In August, Aravis began working at the same coffee house. Then she added three other jobs in the fall. She anticipates moving to NYC in the spring of 2024 to pursue a career in acting/theater.

 

Asa graduated from Missouri State University with a double major in History and Theater. In the summer he worked at a camp in Southern California, traveled from coast to coast, and then made his way to the Dominican Republic to work with the Peace Corps. While in the DR, Asa gained some clarity about his professional interests. He will begin 2024 back in the USA, pursuing a professional path in theater.

 

In the spring Moses and Emily were apart of the revival/outpouring/Jesus movement at Asbury University. They live and work at Asbury U and study at Asbury Seminary. After returning from a European trip in June, Moses accepted another challenge of being a modern worship leader at Centenary Church in Lexington, KY. They are enjoying their life together.

 

With siblings transitioning, Kyrie took her own re-direction. She began her sophomore year of HS at Strafford HS. She is our last kid, and our only kid to experience preparatory school outside of the home-schooling environment. She is doing well in school and ignoring her dad’s pleas to get a C in at least one class. 

 

Anna and I celebrated our 30th anniversary last May. With all the events happening for the kids, we had about half a second to celebrate. We sense a need to be present to the kids while they are here. Their wings are spreading and our time with them feels short. 

 

In the fall, Anna faced a question: what were her days going to look like with homeschooling not on the docket? While there are not clear answers for her next adventure, for the moment she has been glad to take up substitute teaching. She has a number of new stories and she can tell you her favorite grade/age level to teach 4(th).

 

A year ago I was offered an opportunity to take a sabbatical over the summer. The spring brought planning. The summer brought the experience. It was a tremendous gift from the fine folks at Schweitzer Church. In the midst of that season, I gardened, read some books, biked and began running again, and we traveled some. Anna, the girls, and I went to NYC in early July. We also had some time in Chicago, MI, and then I went to Wichita, KS for a quiet retreat. 

 

The sabbatical provided clarity to my sense of being and calling. It was restful, in a way. I reconnected with the value of an afternoon nap; I took one every afternoon that I was at home. 

 

In some circles there has been a lot of talk about ‘burnout.’ In fact, most professions are seeing people who have been long ‘obedient in the same direction,’ opting for the exit door. On the one hand, an unavoidable truth is that we all make our entrances and exits. On the other hand, much of burnout, early exits, and a retreat of wisdom to the sideline far too soon is because we’ve lost the gift of the sabbath and sabbatical. 

 

Resting, reconnecting, and celebrating have been means of grace that helped transition our pauses, continuations, and re-directions. 

 

In all that is ahead, we pray you’ll look back and behold the faithful kindness and mercy of God, and in faith, you’ll take each day with curious delight, resting, laboring, and rejoicing in God. 

 

God’s best to you, 

 

Jason

PS – Kyrie said I was supposed to sign off as Rev. Dr. Jason

PSS – We love hearing from you! If you’re ever in the Springfield, MO area, contact us and we’ll connect!