Are you making Summer plans? All of us need time away from our routine to refresh and recharge! It is the same for our faith life! Doing more than the routine can really ignite our spiritual walk with the Lord, especially with the young Christians. Plans for Vacation Bible School at St. Jacob’s will soon be underway.
Please:
1) Pray for the attendees and the leaders,
2) Prayerfully consider serving as part of the VBS team,
3) Mark your calendars for July 15-19 for VBS, and
4) Watch your worship folder for more details.
VBS will soon be upon us
Posted March 22, 2018 By adminATTENTION! ATTENTION!
Posted March 22, 2018 By adminA wonderful opportunity to serve our Lord has been suggested. The Pastor is looking for adult men and women volunteers to serve as acolytes, banner bearers, and crucifers. Training sessions will be provided. If you desire to serve in this capacity, please contact Sherry in the church office or Sandra.
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The NALC Nominating Committee
Posted March 22, 2018 By adminThe NALC Nominating Committee is now receiving names of candidates for nomination to serve in positions to be elected at the 2018 NALC Convocation, August 13-17 in Denver, Colorado.
The Nominating Committee is seeking candidates for the following positions.
Brief position descriptions can be found on the NALC website.
Executive Council 1 clergy and 1 layperson, each for a 4-year term
Court of Adjudication 2 persons for a 4-year term (lay or clergy) NALS Board of Regents 3 persons for a 6-year term (lay or clergy)
Congregations are encouraged to suggest individuals for any of the open positions. Please confirm individuals you wish to recommend are willing and able to serve prior to submitting their names.Also, if you feel called to serve in any of these capacities, we encourage you to contact your pastor and congregational leaders to inform them of your openness to serving and request they submit your name. All candidate recommendations should be
submitted by May 4, 2018. This will give us the time necessary to compile biographical information on the candidates and comply with the constitutional requirements about providing this information to the Convocation delegates.To submit a name, please complete the Candidate Submission Form and return it to the Nominating Committee at nominations@thenalc.org. This is the preferred submission method. In the alternative, forms may be mailed to Marc G Voigt; 4060 River Branch Ln., Pfafftown, NC 27040. If possible, please include a photograph (head shot) of the candidate. (A Candidate Submission Form and Biographical Information Form are
available under the NALC Bulletin Board in the Narthex.)
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5th Family Fun Fellowship
Posted March 22, 2018 By adminOn April 29, We will be going bowling for our Family Fun Fellowship. Everyone meet at Anchor Lanes at 2 PM to join us for fun & fellowship.
Worship and Music News
Posted March 22, 2018 By adminEaster is fast approaching and as you read this, we will most likely be in the midst of one of the busiest weeks of the church year for musicians (and pastors!). From Palm Sunday through Easter Sunday, it’s a whirlwind of activity. What must it have been like that chaotic week so many years ago?
From the triumphal entry where the crowd sang hosannas – to Jesus sharing the last supper with his disciples and proclaiming the bread and wine as his body and blood in the new covenant; from Judas’ betrayal in the garden of Gethsemane – to Jesus’ trial before Pilate; from being scourged, scorned and forced to carry the cross through the streets of Jerusalem – to His final words “Into your hands I commend my spirit.”
It is difficult to imagine the extreme highs and lows of that fateful week leading to Calvary, but because of Jesus’s ultimate sacrifice for our sins, we can sing “God sent His son, they called him Jesus, He came to love, heal and forgive. He lived and died to buy my pardon, an empty grave is there to prove my Savior lives.” And we can confidently echo the
words of the refrain: “… I know he holds the future and life is worth the living just because He lives.”
So on Easter Sunday morning when a fellow worshiper greets you with the words, “He is risen!”, you can answer with every assurance of truth, “He is risen indeed!”
Soli Deo Gloria,
Laurie
Filed in Other Happenings, Worship and Music
From the Pastor’s Heart
Posted February 26, 2018 By admin[The LORD said] “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor, and do all your work, but the
seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God.” Exodus 20:8-10
The world is a busy, noisy place filled with people at work and play. Our culture is one in which we try to fill every moment with the sights and sounds of modern day life. There is so much to choose from, so much to do, and so little time. The “other” gods of the world demand our precious time and we have to work longer and harder to make enough money to appease them.
The rhythm and pace of life today drives us to unhealthy habits of eating fast food (The defendant will rise), neglecting our families, (Guilty as charged), and not getting the rest needed to rejuvenate our bodies. (Bailiff, take him away!)
The world is so busy and distracted, that the voices of competition, success, selfishness, pride and pleasure deafen our ears while filling our hearts and minds with earthly troubles. But as God’s people grow quiet and still, we hear yet another voice. We hear that whispering voice that calls out to us. As we listen even closer, we hear the voice of God.
If we can only break out of the fast paced cycle of life set by “other gods” we will soon find that it is the one true God who truly establishes the rhythm of life. God blesses his people with all we need. He allows six days for work and gives the seventh for rest, worship, and prayer.
According to Luther’s Small Catechism, we are to fear, love, and trust in God, so that we may be rested and refreshed; not only by our taking time away from unnecessary work, but especially by gathering with the people of God to worship, pray, to hear God’s Word as it is preached and to receive the Sacrament of the Altar which is Holy Communion. Remembering the Sabbath begins with God’s people gathering as a community. We celebrate the love that God so freely gives to the world. Remembering the Sabbath day means we acknowledge God is the source of our very lives and livelihood. Keeping it holy means we gather with the saints for worship and thanksgiving.
As we consider this commandment, remember to pray for those who are under stress from overwork, sleepless nights, and driven by the urgency of a fallen and broken world. Pray for those who continually choose earthly pleasure over giving
thanks to the one who makes them possible. Pray for the ones who feel lost and have no one to turn to and for anyone who might feel abandoned, neglected or afraid. Pray for our church family, that we might continue to listen to God’s call for us as a community of believers who are working and living together in the peace of Christ. And finally, pray that for one day in seven, all may find peace and rest, so that we may also hear the whispering voice of God calling all people unto himself, that we may refresh ourselves by drinking from the living water of Christ Jesus, abiding in his Word and sharing the gospel wherever they may go.
Here in the midst of our Lenten journey, we have the opportunity to renew our commitment to striving toward keeping God’s Ten Commandments, especially toward our commitment to weekly worship and keeping the Sabbath holy. Let this be our prayer throughout these forty days.
Grace and peace,
Pastor David Nuottila
Pastor’s Devotional for the Month
Posted February 26, 2018 By adminRead Philippians 4:1-9
There was a song released in 1988 imploring its hearers to put away the worries of the world and simply enjoy life.
Bobby McFerrin’s “Don’t Worry, Be Happy” is certainly a nice little tune that might make us feel better for a while,
but in the end simply being happy does nothing to address the true consequences facing humanity. Happiness is
fleeting at best; what humans truly need is joy.
Certainly, the reality of our fallen world has much to say about happiness. Like others, Christians face the issues
and concerns pointed out by McFerrin’s lyrics. Economic hardship, sickness, unemployment and failed
relationships take their toll on happiness. However, by God’s grace through faith in Christ, Christians have a much
different realization.
Paul exhorts God’s people to rejoice in all things, for the Lord is at hand. The sure and certain hope we have in
Christ Jesus is cause to spurn the ugliness of a sinful world and live in the joy of God’s promise for salvation.
There is joy in knowing that God knows our needs. As we make our requests known, the promise of God’s love in
Christ Jesus brings gladness to troubled hearts and minds.
Prayer: Lord God, in the midst of worldly concerns, hear our prayers and fill our hearts with joy in Christ. Amen.
From Pastor David’s blog “In the Beginning” https://in-the-beginning.org
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Annual Chicken BBQ Youth Fundraiser!
Posted February 26, 2018 By adminAttention St. Jacob’s! Mark your calendars for Saturday, March 17 for the Annual Chicken BBQ Youth Fundraiser! Tickets are available from any SJY Member. The last day to purchase tickets is Sunday, March 11. You can pick your BBQ orders up on Saturday, March 17 from 4-6 PM
in the fellowship hall.
Filed in Fellowship, LCY, Lutheran Church Youth, Lutheran Men, Lutheran Women, Other Happenings, Outreach
St. Jacob’s Youth News
Posted February 26, 2018 By adminJoin us on Sunday, March 4th at 5pm in the Fellowship Hall as we grow our faith through devotion, make final plans for the March 17th BBQ and determine upcoming SJY activities . ALL SJY are needed on March 17th – sign up for your shift at the March 4th gathering! Last day to sell BBQ tickets is March 11th! Be sure to bring your ticket sales and money to the March 4th meeting too!
Up and Going News
Posted February 26, 2018 By adminThe group met at 10AM on Friday, Feb 9th, in the Fellowship Hall to conduct business and to enjoy devotions given by Ray. He read from a booklet entitled “Jesus Calling”. His devotions reminded us to praise and thank God for His many blessings that we so often take for granted. We took a moment to thank God for the beautiful day that He had provided for our enjoyment.
Members voted to send a memorial in memory of Mr. Dan to St. Jacob’s Church Congo Mission Fund. We signed cards for Mrs. Floriede, Sandra, and Davis. Each person took a card to send to Hannah.
Twelve members and guests boarded the St. Jacob’s Express driven by Gerald and headed to The Brookland Banquet Facility in West Columbia
to enjoy a special treat Valentine’s Day seafood buffet, delicious food, beautiful surroundings and great service. Everyone enjoyed this event.
Now on to the Riverbanks Zoo to enjoy a “Free Friday at the Zoo”. We all got our exercise. We walked/took the trolley from one end of the zoo to the other. A special treat was the judged Orchid Show at the Botanical Gardens. The orchids were of all sizes and colors. God gave us the MOST beautiful day to enjoy the zoo. The animals were active, the people were friendly and the zoo was not so crowded. We all had a great time. Special “thank you” to Gerald.
March meeting will be on the 2nd Thursday, March 9th at 11AM in the Fellowship Hall. We will prepare Hospice Easter Bags (doing whatever is necessary to get the job done). Lunch will be a “Brown Bag Working Lunch”. Please bring an item that you would find in a brown bag lunch (sandwiches, chips, goodies, desserts, etc). Wear comfortable shoes and clothes because we will do lots of walking and moving about. Come join us, you will enjoy the fellowship and be so proud of the finished bags.
