Good Things at St. Jacobs:
• Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper
• Copeland Peeples Solo
• Lutheran Men Sausage Sale
Treasurer’s Report: Because of the volatile stock market, Council approved a Finance Committee recommendation to move the Sites Endowment Fund into a money market account for the short term. Council also approved moving the remaining funds in the Thrivent Account to a money market account.
Report of Ministry Teams:
• Safety Team is preparing medical emergency guidelines.
• Christian Education – Multi-Generational Sunday School Class has been discontinued.
• Property Team – A tankless water heater is being installed in the church office. A floor joist is also being repaired in the church office.
Old Business:
• Plans continue for the Fresh Eyes Mission Summit.
• Improvements to church property: Council discussed several items regarding improvements to church property. This includes improvements to the church office, Sanctuary, and parking lot. A plan to renovate the church office is complete. Plans for the Sanctuary and parking lot are continuing. Council voted to approve the plans for the church office. This plan will be presented to the congregation in the near future.
New Business:
• Council voted to add a monthly calendar to the newsletter.
Council Briefs for March Meeting
Posted March 31, 2023 By adminJoin Us for The Celebration of Easter
Posted March 31, 2023 By adminHoly Week Schedule
Palm Sunday April 9 – 10:00AM
Maundy Thursday April 6 – 7:00PM
Good Friday April 7 – 7:00PM
Easter At St. Jacob’s
Sunrise Service April 9 – 7:00AM
Easter Breakfast Following Sunrise Service
Resurrection Festival Service April 9 – 10:00AM
Pastoral Devotion for April – Receive the Lord
Posted March 31, 2023 By adminRead 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 adminAs 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 adminWhat 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!
Congo Mission Update
Posted March 11, 2023 By adminMy mission trip to the Congo is scheduled for July 3-21. Pastor Kalonji and I have a very ambitious schedule for these 18 days. The mission work we have planned includes the staples of our ministry; preaching and leading worship, providing seminars for Christian education, providing continuing education for pastors and church leaders; feeding orphaned children, freeing babies, and providing Bibles to those who have no access to them. Ministering together in a new area, I have no idea what to expect as far as amenities. All I know is that transportation within Congo will be difficult, and lodging extremely modest. I still have the many pairs of eyeglasses collected from last year so I will not be collecting these again this time around. Please do not bring used glasses for a donation as I do not have room to take them.
As always, the cost of this mission trip is significant. I am ever thankful for your donations and fund raising efforts to support the mission work we do. Truly, even though you will not be with me in Africa, your efforts are central to the ongoing mission and ministry. The people of Congo are always very grateful for the support from their brothers and sisters in Christ in the United States.
God bless you all as we accomplish this important work together.
Lutheran Men Sausage Sale
Posted March 9, 2023 By adminIn February, our St. Jacob’s Men had another successful sausage sale. All together they continued to supply our church family with delicious pork sausage, producing well over seven hundred pounds. Included in this tally was enough sausage to supply our annual Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper and Easter morning breakfast. Of course, all this would not be possible without the assistance of several of our Lutheran Women who help out each year by weighing and packaging the sausage in 1 pound containers. They are always a great help in this project. Thank you to all who helped out!
The Souper Bowl of Caring
Posted March 8, 2023 By adminOn 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!
Choir Notes
Posted March 7, 2023 By adminYouth handbells have been busy at work this past month preparing for Palm Sunday and learning to care for the handbells. After working hard to polish the bells, the youth enjoyed a homemade pizza party making their own pizzas and dessert pizzas. If you have any silver or brass that needs polishing, we have a group of trained polishers. We are excited to have Emma back with us, and we are busy working on music for Holy Week and beyond.
In Christ,
Angela
Announcing! 2023 South Carolina Mission District Men’s Retreat
Posted March 5, 2023 By adminAll St. Jacob’s men are encouraged to participate in the first annual South Carolina Mission District Men’s Retreat. The retreat will take place at Camp Longridge in ridgeway, SC on the weekend of April 14-16. The cost for the weekend is $125.00 per person and includes meals and lodging.
The theme for the retreat is “Becoming Fishers of Men.” St. Jacob’s and St. Peter’s Lutheran Churches in Chapin are the host congregations for the weekend. Registration brochures are available in the narthex.
Fathers and sons are especially encouraged to attend. More information will follow in the St. Jacob’s Newsletter and South Carolina Mission District Facebook page.
Jesus said “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” Matthew 4:19
