Please make plans to attend our Choir Workshop on Saturday, March 3 in the fellowship hall.
We will begin at 9:30 AM and end at Noon. Lunch will be provided. We look forward to having you join us.
On Wednesday evenings at 7 PM or following Lenten Vespers Service,
Pastor David is providing the opportunity to explore Jesus’ call for his people to be and make disciples.
On Tuesday mornings at 10:30 AM in the fellowship hall, Pastor David is
having Bible Study. Bring your Bible so we can learn, discuss, and share our faith while reading God’s Word together.
As a means for communication and information, once
per quarter, Pastor David, will be sharing thoughts and
insights with our church family, and answering a few
questions along the way. This “Coffee Talk” will take
place during our coffee hour every third month. The
First Coffee Talk will be on March 4 following our
worship service. Please plan on spending about thirty
minutes after worship and being a part of the
conversation.
Our group has been and continues to be busy. Several
events have been planned, so go ahead and mark your
calendars:
1. Annual Easter Egg Hunt on March 31, 10-11:30 AM.
Children need to bring their baskets and see how
many eggs thay can find. We will also have crafts
and a light lunch will be served.
2. Lutheran Women Sunday is April 8.
3. Congregational Meal Fundraisers will be held on May
6 and September 23 which will be held immediately
following church services. These fundraisers are
held in order for our group to help those in need. As
of now, we are helping 3 people/families. It’s a
wonderful feeling to know that you have put a smile
on someones face and helped take some stress
away if only for a day or a few hours.
4. We continue to collect food/items for We Care. The
boxes are located in the fellowship hall to collect the
items. Next time you go grocery shopping, pick up a
few extra items for We Care.
5. This year we will be hosting a Mother-Daughter Tea
Party. A Tea Party which will be held on June 23 at
4 PM in the fellowship hall.
We thank everyone for their continued support through
the year.
Phyllis, Leader
Our group has been and continues to be busy. Several events have been planned, so go ahead and mark your calendars:
1. Annual Easter Egg Hunt on March 31, 10-11:30 AM. Children need to bring their baskets and see how many eggs thay can find. We will also have crafts and a light lunch will be served.
2. Lutheran Women Sunday is April 8.
3. Congregational Meal Fundraisers will be held on May 6 and September 23 which will be held immediately following church services. These fundraisers are held in order for our group to help those in need. As
Jacob’s Ladder
We have an exciting opportunity available for the youngsters at St. Jacob’s. All children from Kindergarten through the 5th grade are invited to sing in the newly-formed Children’s Choir. We will begin by preparing music for the 10:30 service on Easter Sunday.
From now until Easter Sunday, we will practice approximately 10 minutes at the beginning of Sunday School. Please bring your children to the sanctuary at 9:15 for the practice. Once we are finished, your children will be accompanied to their respective classrooms for Sunday School.
Between now and Easter, we will be working
on setting a schedule for the children sing on a regular basis and we will be asking for input from the parents to establish a more permanent practice time.
Also, if any of our 6th – 12th graders would like to be a ‘singing buddy’ or mentor for the younger ones, please consider joining us as well.
In other news, the choir workshop has been rescheduled for Saturday, March 3 from 9:30 to 12.
Lunch will be provided.
I always enjoy working with the adult choir members and I am looking forward to working with the children of St. Jacob’s as we build the foundations for future musicians in the church.
Soli Deo Gloria,
Laurie
Return to the Lord your God, who is merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.]
Joel 2:13
Recalling the forty days during which Christ spent in the wilderness, our Lenten journey begins with a call to repentance and to resist temptation. In order that we may strive to do this, I invite everyone to begin our Lenten journey together, focusing on three aspects of faith, in order to prepare ourselves to receive God’s amazing grace at Easter.
FOCUS ON WORSHIP – The season of Lent is a good time to center ourselves and our families in the rich traditions of the church. Gathered with God’s people on Sundays and again during Wednesday vespers, we renew our commitment to offer God our thanks and praise, hear his Word through sermon and song, and receive his forgiveness and grace. During Lent, the lessons each Sunday bring to mind our human struggle in light of the faithful example of Christ Jesus. Tied to the Exodus journey of the Hebrews, the lessons of Lent remind the Church of God’s faithful deliverance from the captivity of sin.
If you are reading this and haven’t been to worship in a while, or you feel your participation isn’t as regular as it could be, I invite you to worship on Sunday morning where you will be welcomed warmly. Now is the opportune time. Now is the time to enjoy the fellowship of our congregation as we make this Lenten pilgrimage together.
FOCUS ON SCRIPTURE – In the early church, Lent was a time for instruction in the basic truths of the Christian faith. Commitment to daily reading the Bible is a central part of one’s faith formation. In order to live lives of faith and be followers of Christ
Jesus, one must continue to learn of the mighty acts of God and the history of our salvation. So many Christians do not take advantage of Sunday School and Bible study, thus my question for them is, from where are you learning the elements of the Christian faith? Where are you learning about your faith if not from the Church? While worship is meant to praise and glorify God, Christian education is where faith is developed with sound teaching. In order to make the connections between faith and life
through worship, one must continue to grow by reading and studying God’s Word in community with others. It is my prayer that everyone will make a point to study scripture each day, and participate in Sunday school or Bible study.
FOCUS ON PRAYER – Prayer is our personal and intimate communication with God. Given this reality, let me ask a question; How is your prayer life? Living in such a fast paced world, we often forget to slow down and enjoy conversation with our loving God. Yet God is always with us, always walking by our side, leading us to the good gifts of his kingdom. Lent is a good time to remember to slow down, be still and listen to the voice of God. All too often, people are prompted to pray only when facing crisis. omehow knowing that God is listening during such times brings comfort to weary souls. But what about the rest of your life? Do you live a “life of prayers,” only praying when you need something? Or do you live a “life of prayer,” continually speaking with God through conversations of the heart?
These three disciplines of Lent are not meant to be a burden; they are meant to be a source of joy and inspiration. These practices of faith will cause you to grow as a follower of Christ Jesus, grow in faith, and grow as one called out to serve those whom God places within your midst. There is no greater joy than living the life of a faithful disciple of Christ and realizing the gift of God’s amazing grace through the gift of his Son Jesus.
Grace and peace,
Pastor David Nuottila
Read Matthew 4:18-25
Discipline. Just the word itself seems intimidating enough without us having to talk about it. But discipline is what the season of Lent calls for, spiritual discipline is what so many Christians the world over hope to achieve. By dedicating time each day for prayer, reading Holy Scripture, repentance, worship, fasting, works of love and giving alms, our hope is to draw closer to God, strengthening our relationship with Christ Jesus.
Becoming a disciple of Christ Jesus isn’t easy. Accepting Christ’s call to follow him and become fishers of men means Christians must become living reminders of God’s love for his people. In order to become such followers of Jesus, Christians must draw closer to God, strengthening their faith and relationship with Christ Jesus on a daily basis. The disciplines of Lent are the tools for building such faith.
As Jesus walked along the shoreline, he called out to four ordinary fishermen. They learned the way of discipleship through the example of Christ. Jesus continues to call disciples. As we respond to God’s call, spiritual discipline is the means by which we carve out time and space to learn from our Lord and follow his example. Soon, we also become fishers of people.
Lord, grant me the discipline to follow you, that I may fish for people. Amen.
From Pastor David’s blog “In the Beginning” https://in-the-beginning.org
Happy New Year to each of you. Sixteen members gathered on Thursday, Jan 11, to enjoy a traditional Pot of Soup. Each brought items for the soup or an accompaniment or a dessert. The soup lunch was delicious. We sent lunches to Dan and Floriede and JL and Janet. Helen Gave the devotions on New Beginnings which our Baptism gives us every day. Business was conducted. We then got busy and made 185 bows for the Hospice Bags. Hospice Bags will be filled at the March meeting. If you would like to contribute individually wrapped candy, nuts, crackers, etc. please leave your gifts in the Fellowship Hall in the box provided and marked. We will make the additional bows needed then. We plan to make 250 Hospice Bags. If you are asked to handwrite a note of love to attach to each bag please consider helping us. These personal notes mean so much to the recipient. Simple acts of kindness show God’s love. The February Meeting is scheduled for FRIDAY, Feb 9. We plan to go by bus to free Friday at Riverbanks Zoo. Lunch will be at the Brookland Center. Ray will have devotions. Date will change if bad weather is predicted. More information will follow at a later date.
St. Jacob’s Youth will be participating in the “Souper Bowl of Caring” on Sunday, February 4th. Following worship service, Youth members will be at the back of the sanctuary with soup pots to collect donations for We Care in Chapin.
Let’s make a difference in our community!
The Carolina’s Mission District Youth Retreat “Living Among the Walking Dead” (James 2:26) will be February 16-18th at Holy Trinity in Little Mountain. We ask the congregation for prayers for safe travels and a spirit filled retreat for our youth!
Attention St. Jacob’s! Mark your calendars for Saturday, March 17 for the annual Chicken BBQ Youth Fundraiser! Tickets will be available from any SJY member starting February 11. SJY will provide Soup and Sandwiches for the February 21st Lenten Meal. Tickets will be on sale prior to the Wednesday Lenten Meals on February 21, 28, and March 7.
