Read 1 Timothy 6:6-10 Songwriter Harry Chapin spun a tale of a man named Mr. Tanner, a dry cleaner who was very good at his work. He was content with his chosen profession and loved his customers. Tanner was also a baritone who loved singing. Chapin said of Tanner, “He did not know how well he sang, it just made him whole.”
As the song goes, Tanner’s friends convinced him he should give up dry cleaning and pursue fame and glory. He would be able to leave the dry cleaning business, become famous and enjoy a life of great prosperity. Yet, it was not to be; his debut proved that, while talented, public performance was not his calling. Dejected, Tanner gave up singing and his life was never the same.
God blesses his people with many gifts and talents. Used for God’s purposes, our gifts and talents bring joy to others. Humbly sharing these for the sake of others glorifies our God through whom such gifts come. Of course, there is always the temptation to seek glory, fame and fortune for ourselves, especially when swayed by others.
Just as Jesus teaches there are people of the world who would lead us astray, so too Paul teaches us that we are to be content with all God’s provides. Worldly influences may tempt us to seek glory for ourselves, but loving God and using our gifts to his glory brings joy and makes us whole.
Prayer: Holy God, make us content with all you have provided, that it may be our joy to serve others. Amen.
Pastoral Devotion for June – Be Content
Posted June 11, 2024 By adminCongo Mission Adopt a Bible
Posted May 24, 2024 By adminOne of the joys of my mission work in Congo is sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ with so many people who have not had the opportunity to worship or learn of God’s saving grace through reading the Scriptures. Bibles are hard to come by for most people living in the outlying and remote areas surrounding Mbuji-Mayi. For this reason, I am encouraging everyone at St. Jacob’s to participate in this year’s mission in a unique way. I invite you all to “adopt a Bible” that would be provided to church members in Mbuji-Mayi and Merode.
Bibles printed in the tribal languages in Congo are available in Kinshasa (the capitol city), but not in the remote areas in which we serve. Pastor Kalonji hope to fill a suitcase with Bibles to take to the Lutheran congregation in Mbuji-Mayi and have them distributed to families by local pastors. Each Bible printed in the local languages cost about $25 each. If you would like to provide one for a family in Congo, simply add that amount to your church offering and designate the amount given “Congo Mission Bibles” on your envelope where it says “other.”
Thank you so much for your consideration and generosity as we continue to minister to God’s people in such a far-off place. This year’s mission trip is scheduled for July 8-21.
Vacation Bible School
Posted May 22, 2024 By adminVBS, Breaker Rock Beach, is coming in June! Our dates have been set! They are Monday, June 24 through Thursday, June 27. A meal will be served at 5:45 pm and VBS will be from 6:30-8:00 pm. Classes for all ages! If you are interested in helping out with VBS, please contact Sherrie.
St. Jacob’s Historical Ministry
Posted May 20, 2024 By adminDo you have an interest in archiving church records, including photos of church members from past years? Do you enjoy scrapbooking your family photos? St. Jacob’s has records, photos and other memorabilia that need to be archived and possibly displayed for everyone to enjoy. Especially need ed are our more “seasoned” members of all ages who have been at St. Jacobs for many years and can help identify people in photographs. It will be an exciting walk down memory lane!
Helping with this ministry is not a long term commitment! The goal is to archive existing records and photographs and then make a plan for how to display some items. We will also be preparing these items for display at St. Jacob’s 250th Anniversary in 2026!
Please contact Susan if you are able to assist with this fun and very interesting project!
Mercy Bags Ministry
Posted May 15, 2024 By adminYour continued support of the Mercy Bags Ministry is making a difference in our local community. In March, we were able to provide 22 Mercy Bags to We Care for their mobile delivery in Newberry, Whitmire, Prosperity, and Jenkinsville. Please continue to support this ministry through a designated monetary donation, shopping for meal items or helping to pack food for the Mercy Bags after worship on the 1st and 3rd Sundays of each month.
May Pastoral Devotion – The Second Day of the Week
Posted May 12, 2024 By adminRead Luke 24:36-53
The Easter narrative makes us fully aware of what happened on the first day of the week. Women went to Jesus’ tomb and found he was not dead; he was raised. The news spread throughout that first day of the week with Jesus appearing to his disciples and two people on the road to Emmaus. Easter changes lives, but for our world today, what are we to make of Easter on the second day of the week?
On Easter Sunday, churches were filled with worshipers. On the second day of the week, with the chorus of Jesus Christ is risen today!” fresh in its ears, the world returned to work. With images of the resurrection still vivid in the minds of believers, how long is it before doubt once again creeps back into the forefront?
Throughout the succeeding Sundays of the Easter season, the daily struggle of earthly life has returned in force. For so many, worry returns, grief remains, relationships are still broken, and death looms on the horizon. Living in the midst of brokenness, some forget that because of Easter, these things no longer have power over God’s people. In the face of such sin and death, we have the promise of life in God’s kingdom.
The events of the first day of the week set the tone for life in the face of death, forgiveness in the face of sin and certainty in the face of doubt. We are several weeks beyond our Easter Sunday celebration, but one thing remains true and certain: through his death and resurrection, Jesus conquered the powers that defy God. On the first day of the week, and everyday here after, God’s people are witnesses to these things. To quote an Easter hymn, “Christ is alive, let Christians sing!”
Holy God, as we worship you on the first day pf the week, fill our hearts with Easter joy all the days of our lives. Amen
The Congregational Care and Discipleship Teams are here for you!
Posted May 10, 2024 By adminOur Congregational Care and Discipleship Team are committed to help and assist our members with any needs that they may have. As Jesus shared in Matthew 25:40, “whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did it for me”. As disciples and members of the Congregational Care and Discipleship Teams, we are here to serve, to assist, and to care for one another. Have you had these thoughts?
I wish I had someone to call to pick up and deliver my medication today.
It would be great to have someone to drive me/us to my/our doctor appointment or to another appointment.
I need an errand run, who can I call?
I wish I had someone to talk to.
I would love to have someone from the church visit me.
You can call the church office at 803-345-2309, Billy, or Lynn! Our church ministry teams are here for you! If you have any special requests/needs, please do not hesitate to ask. We all need help at some time in our lives. We are a phone call or text away. Let us help! Let us serve!
From Your Pastor’s Heart
Posted May 9, 2024 By adminWhen the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. Acts 2:1-4
On the day of Pentecost, the church celebrates God’s gift of the Holy Spirit. We also celebrate the birth of God’s Church. In our worship, our learning, and our serving, we see God’s Spirit in action. We feel the power of God’s love as the Spirit comes like the rush of a violent wind, stirring our hearts and minds to faithfulness. Such is the theme of Pentecost; it’s the power of God’s Spirit blowing through the lives of His people.
It isn’t about wearing your red dress or shirt to church on Pentecost Sunday. It’s about the mighty breath of the Holy Spirit, rearranging the furniture of our lives and filling us with all the confidence, strength, excitement, and assurance the disciples had in order to share the good news of God’s redemption.
Think about the world around you. Think about the things you have heard and seen. Think about all the times in your life when you thought you were at your wits end. Don’t’ you think the world needs to hear this good news of great joy? In so many ways and in so many instances, God makes his presence and power known in ways so clear that no matter what, people can know and understand His mercy and grace are real and that His love lasts forever.
This is exciting stuff folks. This is the stuff movies are made of…good movies!
The gospel of our Lord is the best news you are ever going to get in your lifetime. The times you first realized God’s grace is for you, that you have been rescued from the consequences of sin forever, well, these are as good as it gets.
When you are young, prom is a big moment. Some of us know kids who have recently gone to or will soon go to their first prom. Guess what, as good as prom is, God claiming you to be his child is better. When you get older, graduation comes with all its pomp and circumstance. Guess what, it can’t compare with all the glory of heaven. There are still bigger moments ahead in your lives. College, your first real job, engagement, marriage, the purchase of a home, and the birth of a child. You know what? All of these are blessings from a loving God, yet because of Christ Jesus, the best is still yet to come.
People of God, all these are wonderful events; they are milestone moments, times of great joy. But if these are the most important times in your life, you’ve missed the boat. None of these can even compare with the fact that through Christ Jesus, God has saved you from sin and death, made you holy in his sight and prepared for you a heavenly home. Nothing can compare with the fact that through Christ Jesus, God has saved your life for all time. That’s good news, that’s exciting.
At Pentecost, as we celebrate God’s gift of the Holy Spirit, let us pray that God stirs us into such faithfulness that we cannot help but tell others the good news of salvation through Christ. As we strive to follow the example of our Lord Jesus, may we continue to love others as we are loved, feed the hungry, care for the sick and minister to those who are least of all.
Come Holy Spirit, kindle in us the fire of your love!
Grace and peace,
Pastor David Nuottila
Music Notes
Posted May 8, 2024 By admin2 Chronicles 5:12-14 (…it was the duty of the trumpeters and singers to make themselves heard in unison in praise and thanksgiving to the Lord), and when the song was raised, with trumpets and cymbals and other musical instruments, in praise to the Lord,
“For he is good,
for his steadfast love endures forever,”
the house, the house of the Lord, was filled with a cloud, 14 so that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud, for the glory of the Lord filled the house of God.
When Solomon had completed the temple and the Ark of the Covenant was brought into the temple, the singers and musicians praised God with voice and instrument, and the temple was filled with the Glory of God.
Throughout the bible, God gives us examples of worship. In the Old Testament we see the directions God gave for worship first in tents as the Israelites wandered in the wilderness and then in the temple. In the New Testament we see John’s vision of the worship that we will one day join in God’s kingdom. Music is always an important part of this worship, and it is so important that we raise up our children to make music to the Lord.
This summer we will again have a bell camp on Tuesday mornings, starting June 18th, from 9-12:30 in the fellowship hall and music room downstairs.
VOLUNTEERS ARE NEEDED to provide lunch for the youth each Tuesday. And to be present to assist with set up, leading devotions, monitoring the youth and handling surprises that always seem to pop up. If you are willing to assist in any way, please call Angela.
It is almost time for our chancel choir to break for the summer. Thank you to everyone who has worked so hard this year to bring us a cantata, lead worship and share their talents in praise and worship of God. The choir will lead worship again this summer from the pews giving them a chance to sit with their friends and family. We will reconvene at the end of the summer.
Lutheran Men
Posted May 7, 2024 By adminThe Lutheran Men enjoyed Ladies’ Night on Sunday, April 21st. We welcomed Mayor Koon as our guest speaker. The meal and fellowship was enjoyed by all.
