Outreach Archive

Read Luke 22:14-23 In the hours before Jesus was lifted up upon the cross, he gathered his closest friends around the table and poured out the Spirit of God’s love. In the meal they shared, Christ made himself truly available to them, filling them with the hope of God’s kingdom.
The disciples could not yet understand, but Christ’s assurance was there; “This is my body which is given for you.” On the eve of Christ’s victory over sin and the grave, finally, reconciliation between God and man was at hand.
Today, we live as God’s redeemed people; through Christ, sin no longer has power over us. Nowhere is this made more visible than as we share the meal of our faith. The same assurance, the same spirit of love, the same Lord Jesus is present with us as he was present with the twelve.
As we approach God’s table of grace, we bring only that which we can truly call our own. With extended hands, the nakedness and shame of our sin is laid to bear at the foot of Christ’s cross. Yet, our Lord welcomes us to the feast. Our sin stained hands are extended – seeking refreshment, fulfillment, forgiveness. And like the disciples, we receive our Lord as we hear the words of Christ, “This is my body given for you.”
Prayer: Thank you Lord, for this bread and this cup, through which you fill us with your grace. Amen.

Community Service

Posted March 14, 2023 By admin

As a service to our neighbors, St. Jacob’s offers the use of our Fellowship Hall, and occasionally the church office building to civic groups in our community. Currently we have two groups devoted to the care of those who struggle against addiction.
The Chapin area AA group meets in the Fellow ship Hall every week on Monday and Friday at 7:30PM. They are very grateful for the use of St. Jacob’s facilities and have been a wonderful addition to our outreach into the community.
The Courage Center meets in our Fellowship Hall each week on Thursday evening at 7:00PM. The Courage Center supports families whose lives have been disrupted by substance misuse or addiction.
Please remember to consult the church calendar when scheduling events held in the Fellowship Hall. We want to be accommodating to our neighbors in need, just as our Lord is compassionate and accommodating in our need.

Mercy Bags Ministry for We Care

Posted March 13, 2023 By admin

What an amazing impact our congregation has made in helping families in need by providing meals to be delivered by We Care. Since we began this ministry less than a year ago, we have donated over 300 meals!! The Discipleship Team has organized volunteers into two groups that will meet only once a month (on the 1st or 3rd Sundays) to pack and distribute the meals to We Care on Monday morning.
There is room for more people to help with this! Do you have time to donate ONE hour of your time once a month to help shop for food, pack the bags with meals or deliver the bags on a Monday morning? Call or talk to Lynn and let him know!

The Souper Bowl of Caring

Posted March 8, 2023 By admin

On February 12th “Super Bowl Sunday,” Two teams at St. Jacob’s squared off to raise money to feed orphaned children in the Congo. Pastor David gave them a challenge. Collect at least $200.00 and the kids could give him the traditional victory shower pouring Gatorade over his head. Well, the congregation responded generously, as you usually do. The Youth collected $403.00 and Pastor David got doused with Gatorade. Thank you to all who donated and to God be the Glory!

Worship at Generations

Posted March 3, 2023 By admin

Worship services at Generations Assisted Care of Chapin have made a great difference in the lives of many folks who are not able to attend worship at their home church. St. Jacob’s members are invited and certainly encouraged to share this experience with our friends just down the road. Our next worship opportunities will be on Sunday, March 5th and March 19th at 1:00PM. Join us in the lobby at Generations.

Fresh Eyes for Mission Summit – March 11th

Posted February 22, 2023 By admin

And Jesus stopped and called (the two blind men), saying, ‘What do you want me to do for you?” They said to him, ‘Lord, let our eyes be opened.” And Jesus in pity touched their eyes and immediately they received their sight and followed him. Matthew 20:32-34
In ongoing reflection, prayer, and conversation, our church council has voted to join with members of the leadership of the North American Lutheran Church in seeking an integrative approach to our congregational assessment, evaluation, and renewal.
Working together, Assistant to the Bishop for Missions, Dr. Gemechis Buba, Assistant for Domestic Missions Pr. Phil Gagnon, Director for Renewal Ministries, Pr. Brad Hales and Assistant to the Bishop for Ministry, Pr. David Wendel have developed such an approach, appropriately titled, the “Fresh Eyes for Mission Summit!”
The goal of the summit is to involve appropriate leadership in the NALC, together with the Congregation’s pastor and leaders, praying first, “Lord, let our eyes be opened!” We then trust that the Lord will give participants fresh eyes to receive new insight and understanding, all aimed at new or renewed direction for mission and ministry as the congregation seeks to follow Jesus firmly and faithfully!
Each summit begins with pre-work by pastor and congregational leaders, which is reviewed by NALC leaders who bring varied experiences and expertise. An on-site visit is scheduled at St. Jacob’s with an NALC facilitator who will then join two or three of our congregational leaders in a tour of the local area and neighborhoods, surrounding the church, neighborhoods bordering the congregational service area, and making visits, where appropriate, to neighboring congregations, community offices and locations. The goal is to look with “fresh eyes” at the congregation, context and community and develop a strategy for renewal of ministries and growth.
The NALC facilitator then meets with the pastor and summit participants, which should include those currently on council and serving on ministry teams, as well as others who have served in the past and may serve in the future, to review pre-work, asking, “What have we learned? What is a surprise? What pre-conceived ideas were supported or dispelled?”
On Saturday, March 11th, a workshop is scheduled that will be led by the NALC facilitator, involving all members of the congregation who desire to participate in learning more about how to renew the mission and ministry of St. Jacob’s.
ALL MEMBERS OF ST. JACOB’S are encouraged and invited to participate in this Saturday Summit Workshop. Many congregations in the Carolinas have hosted Fresh eyes Summits in the last year, and have found them to be very helpful in learning more about how to renew their church’s ministry and create a vision for future growth.

Mercy Bags Ministry for We Care

Posted February 11, 2023 By admin

What an amazing impact our congregation has made in helping families in need by providing meals to be delivered by We Care. Since we began this ministry less than a year ago, we have donated over 300 meals!! The Discipleship Team has organized volunteers into two groups that will meet only once a month (on the 1st or 3rd Sundays) to pack and distribute the meals to We Care on Monday morning.
There is room for more people to help with this! Do you have time to donate ONE hour of your time once a month to help shop for food, pack the bags with meals or deliver the bags on a Monday morning? Call or talk to Lynn and let him know!

Calling all St. Jacob’s Youth!

Posted February 7, 2023 By admin

Super Bowl Sunday is quickly approaching. Will your favorite team be one of the two playing for the title? Well, now you have a chance to cheer them on and be of help to your orphaned Christian brothers and sisters in Congo at the same time. The annual Souper Bowl of Caring involves youth church members all over the country in the mission of God. Here at St. Jacob’s you will collect a love offering in “Souper Bowls” marked with each team’s logo. The team that raises the most money for the Children in Congo will be declared the winner. The goal set for our competition is to raise a combined $200.00 for the Congo Mission.
If our “Souper” Bowl reaches the goal, all youth participating will be invited to provide “Head Coach” Pastor David Nuottila with the traditional Gatorade victory shower. So come on! Let’s have some fun and at the same time show the love of Christ Jesus to our far away friends and children who are in great need.
St. Jacob’s members, be sure to bring your spare change and loose cash to donate to this cause. Remember, the greater the gift, the wetter Pastor will get.

Worship at Generations

Posted February 1, 2023 By admin

Every other Sunday, Pr. David leads worship for the residents of Generations Assisted Care of Chapin. This ministry has made a great difference in the lives of many folks who are not able to attend worship at their home church. The congregation is invited and certainly encouraged to share this experience with our friends just down the road. Our next worship opportunities will be on Sunday, February 5th and February 19th at 1:00PM. Join us in the lobby at Generations.

Community Service

Posted January 20, 2023 By admin

As a service to our neighbors, St. Jacob’s offers the use of our Fellowship Hall, and occasionally the church office building to civic groups in our community. Currently we have two groups devoted to the care of those who struggle against affliction.

The Chapin area AA group meets in the Fellowship Hall every week on Monday and Friday at 7:30PM. They are very grateful for the use of St. Jacob’s facilities and have been a wonderful addition to our outreach into the community.

The Courage Center meets in our Fellowship Hall each week on Thursday evening at 7:00PM. The Courage Center supports families whose lives have been disrupted by substance misuse or addiction.

Please remember to consult the church calendar when scheduling events held in the Fellowship Hall. We want to be accommodating to our neighbors in needs, just as our Lord is compassionate and accommodating in our need.