On July 6th, my mission partner to the Congo will depart on this year’s Congo Mission trip. Pastor Stephan Kalonji, whom several of you have met, will leave his family and congregation and fly to Kinshasa, arriving there on July 7th. This will be a very important trip as he and I resume our missional efforts to take the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the people of such humble means.
Of course, last year we did not make a mission trip to the Congo due to COVID-19. Normally, this would have been the year I would travel with Pastor Kalonji and serve with him. With this year’s trip, the countdown for my next mission trip commences. Plans are already in the works for our 2022 Mission trip next July. In the coming weeks and months, I will highlight the work we do in the name of Jesus. The Congo Mission is a very important part of my overall ministry and I am so grateful to God and to those who offer their prayers and support. Please keep Pastor Kalonji and his family in your prayers while he is serving in Africa.
Archive for June, 2021
The Congo Mission
Posted June 30, 2021 By adminSeminary President to Visit St. Jacob’s
Posted June 30, 2021 By adminOn July 18th, St. Jacob’s will welcome the Rev. Dr. Eric Riesen, President of the North American Lutheran Seminary (NALS). Dr. Riesen will be our guest preacher for the day and be on hand to talk about the importance of congregations supporting and raising up new pastors for the Church. As the NALS President, Dr. Riesen serves as administrator of the North American Lutheran Seminary system, including the Seminary Center at Trinity School for Ministry in Ambridge, PA and other partner seminaries through-out the United States. We are excited to have Dr. Riesen visit with us and hope that you will plan to attend this very special day.
Welcome Zion Lutheran Church, Pittsburgh, Pa.
Posted June 30, 2021 By adminSunday July 18th is going to be a very special day here at St. Jacob’s. Not only will we welcome the President of the NALC’s seminary, but we will also play host to Pastor David’s friend Pastor Mathew Magera and the Youth of Zion Lutheran Church from
Pittsburg. Pastor Magera and Zion’s youth group will be making their way to Charleston for their summer mission trip and will make a pit stop at St. Jacob’s on Saturday, July 17th to rest from their travels. Members of Zion will spend the night, lock-in style in our Sunday school wing. Volunteers from our Men’s group will provide breakfast for our guests, and they will be joining us for worship Sunday morning. Please welcome our guests warmly as they travel to Charleston to do the work of the Gospel.
Acolyte Appreciation
Posted June 30, 2021 By adminOn Sunday, July 18th, we will recognize the contributions of our younger members who serve as worship assistants. Our acolytes perform an important task during worship services. Not only do they share the light of Christ as they light the candles as we begin our worship, they are the ones who assist the pastor as needed when things pop up during the service.
We are blessed to have several of our children serve at God’s altar. Please say a word of encouragement to them as they grow and learn what it means to become an active participant within the worship services of Christ’s church.
Night Out at the Ballpark
Posted June 30, 2021 By adminSt. Jacob’s Families and Youth are invited to a night of fellowship to watch the Columbia Fireflies take on the Augusta Green Jackets on Sunday July 25th at 5:00 PM. Tickets are $10.00 per per-son/child (children 2 and under are granted free admission.) We will meet at Segra Park, 1640 Freed Street, Columbia SC, and parking is an addi-tional $4 cash per car. There will be a sign-up sheet on the Narthex Bulletin Board if you would like to attend this event. You can make all checks out to St. Jacob’s Lutheran Church Youth Account or give cash payments to Rachel (on Sunday mornings or during the week in the church office!)
Youth Director & Family Ministries Graduate Recognition
Posted June 30, 2021 By adminWe recognized our St. Jacob’s high school graduates on June 13th. The celebration followed the service with cake in the Fellowship Hall. We are so proud of each of you and God bless you all in your next endeavor. God bless the graduates as they begin the next chapter in their lives.
Church Office Closed
Posted June 30, 2021 By adminThe Church Office will closed on Monday, July 5th in observance of Independence Day. Please make a note of this on your calendar.
Women’s Bible Study
Posted June 30, 2021 By adminThe Proverbs 31 Woman study is a nine session study that gives a realistic look into the lives of a number of biblical women, both from the Old and New Testaments. Each chapter is based on a specific theme from Proverbs 31, and looks at how it was exemplified in that woman’s life story. The eight women described in this study were not examples of perfection. They were ordinary, imperfect human beings like the rest of us. But God used them as his instruments, to his glory. The traits and character exemplified by these biblical women give us an insight into the way God trans-forms our lives of faith in Christ. We will meet every Tuesday at 10:30 AM starting on July 13th. Please reach out to Rachel if you would like to participate or have any questions. An email has been sent out with more details. Please let us know if you did not receive it.
90 Day Bible Fitness Challenge
Posted June 30, 2021 By adminHow is the fitness of your biblical knowledge? How well do you know the story of God as revealed in Holy Scripture? If we are truthful, we might all admit that we are a little out of shape when it comes to our Biblical health. Pastor David is challenging St. Jacob’s to get in shape. Getting in shape means making changes in how we live. Getting into spiritual shape means we examine how we feed our soul and our faith. The best way to get into a healthy Biblical condition is to make small changes over a period of time.
If you want to make small changes leading to a healthy knowledge of God’s Word, then this challenge is for you! It isn’t a strenuous exercise program, but a spiritual conditioning regimen to help you achieve your goals. Those who accept the challenge will read the Bible in chronological order, as events happened. We will be reading the New Living Translation Chronological Life Application Study Bible. You will receive a daily Bible reading plan comprised of about twenty pages per day. You will also have an opportunity to join in conversation with others with weekly
small groups. An informational pamphlet was included in the June 13th and June 20th worship bulletin. If you don’t have one but would like to know more about the challenge, contact the church office.
Our challenge is now underway. If you are wanting to take up this challenge but missed the deadline to order your Bible and begin, don’t worry. This will not be a “one and done” exercise. We will offer this same challenge again in the future. The goal is to get as many members of St. Jacob’s as possible reading through the entire Bible, so that we can truly say we are a congregation rooted in the Word of God.
Return To One Worship Service
Posted June 30, 2021 By adminWith the lifting of pandemic restrictions and practices, St. Jacob’s will return to hosting a single worship service on Sunday mornings. As we return to one service, we will do so while observing a new worship time. Beginning July 4, 2021, worship on Sunday morning will begin at 10:00 AM with Sunday school beginning at 9:00 AM.
Also, the return to one service means that we will have our worship assistants return to their pre-pandemic routines. Ushers will once again greet worshipers at the door and hand out bulletins. They will also pass the offering plates through the congregation at the appropriate point in our service. Communion assistants will resume pouring the wine from our pouring chalices. Acolytes will wear robes and remain in the chancel to assist the pastor when needed. And those who served as crucifer will resume that duty as well. Currently the plan is to have the choir re-convene on the first Sunday of August (August 1st).
It will be good to return to the worship practices that we have been missing for so long. Anyone who desires to volunteer as a worship assistant should contact the church office to have their name added to the appropriate list of volunteers.
