Our Men’s Bible study will resume on Monday, February 3rd beginning at 6:45 PM. All men of St. Jacob’s, friends and neighbors are welcome to attend. We will gather in the church office Sunday school room.
Experiencing the Heart of Jesus
Posted January 30, 2025 By adminFor those who are taking up the fifty-two week study by Max Lucado, there will be a gathering in the church office Sunday school room on Tuesday, February 11th beginning at 6:30 PM. We will gather and have a conversation about the things we may have discovered in the study, along with some thoughts and reflections. Bring your book along so you can share some of the notes and answers to reflection questions asked by the study. Anyone who is curious about this study is welcome to join us.
Lutheran Men
Posted January 30, 2025 By adminSHROVE TUESDAY PANCAKE SUPPER – Gather with your church family on Tuesday, March 4th, 2025, for our annual Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper. St. Jacob’s Lutheran Men sponsor the event and there will be plenty of good food and fellowship. Our Pancake Supper begins at 6:30PM in the Fellowship Hall as we enjoy a wonderful meal of pancakes, eggs, sausage and more all prepared by our Lutheran Men.
COUNTRY SAUSAGE SALE – The Lutheran Men will be making Country Sausage on Monday, March 3rd, 2025. If you would like to purchase BULK sausage at $5.00 per pound, please place your order in advance. See a member of the LM or contact Gerald on or before Sunday, February 23rd. The sausage can be picked up between 3:00 and 6:00 PM on Monday, March 3rd in the Fellowship Hall.
Up and Going
Posted January 4, 2025 By adminNineteen members and guests gathered in the Fellowship Hall to celebrate Christmas and enjoy our annual Christmas Party. Helen Lindler, Team Leader, welcomed everyone. She read an article on the history of the candy cane. Each person had a candy cane at their place. She also read a Christmas message entitled “A Christmas Bicycle”. Both articles were from Our Town magazine.
Devotions came from Luke 2, The Christmas Story. We then prayed together The Lord’s Prayer. Elf Tommy played his guitar and led us in singing some of our favorite Christmas hymns and songs.
The group presented Helen with a lovely Christmas wreath in appreciation for all she does for the Up and Going. Thank you all for this very special and gracious gift!
Gerald offered grace for our meal. We then enjoyed a delicious meal of party foods and desserts.
After the meal, lead by Leon, we sorted and packed more than 30 complete meals for the Mercy Bags Project. Special thanks to everyone who brought food items for our contribution. Extra special thanks to all who so willingly clean up and leave everything in its proper place.
The January meeting will be on Thursday, January 9th at 11:00 AM in the Fellowship Hall. This is our annual Soup Pot Lunch and BINGO party. Please bring an item for the soup pot and 3 Bingo prizes. Helen and Ann will cook the pot of soup. Please sign up on the sheet on our bulletin board.
Helen
Team Leader for
Up and Going
From Your Pastor’s Heart
Posted January 2, 2025 By adminNow after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, saying, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” Matthew 2:1-2
I recall hearing a story about a family embarking on summer vacation. After driving for many hours, everyone in the car, except for the father, began to wonder if they were indeed lost. It seemed they were traveling in wide circles, noticing some of the same landmarks over and over again. Finally, his wife suggested they stop and ask directions. Of course, the man balked at the idea but noticed a car passing them by at a high rate of speed. “Let’s follow that person,” said the father, “he seems to know where he’s going.” The trouble is, where he was headed might not be a place where the family wanted to be.
How easy it is to be led astray when one simply follows along. When we are lost, it is good to have someone to follow. But unless we know something about the person we are following, we could be led down a path from which there is no good outcome.
As we begin a new year in the Gospel of Jesus Christ, we do so as the Holy Spirit and the tradition of our faith inspires us. We look to the account of the Magi visiting the boy Jesus. They came to pay him homage. They came to worship him. They came bearing gifts fitting for a king. Having completed their two-year journey, they reached the place where God would have them go.
There were no road maps, no GPS, no handy cell phone app to guide their way. They simply followed a star. Called by the Holy Spirit, they followed the star faithfully. Nearing the end of their journey, and not being members of the Jewish faith, it became necessary to ask for directions. “Where is he who has been born King of the Jews?” With clarity and knowledge of the direction they must go, these three wise men finally beheld the glory and wonder of the boy child who would grow to be a man and save humanity from sin, death, and the power of the devil.
Like the wise men, we too, upon our Baptism into Christ, have embarked on a journey of faith. But unlike the Magi, we have directions. This year, the Gospel according to Luke serves as our road map which will lead us to the destination of Christ our Lord. We will learn more of his public ministry, his teaching, and his compassion for those whom Jesus said “are wandering as sheep without a shepherd.”
In the months to come, I invite you to worship regularly, to join in on the several learning opportunities provided here at St. Jacob’s, and to share the Good News of Christ, beginning with those who are nearest to you, and extending outward. Truly, the light of Christ shines in this darkened world and there are many who continue to wander like sheep without a shepherd.
As our Lord calls us to be his disciples and to grow his Church, we can offer clarity and point those who wander in the direction of Christ our Lord. For as sure as someone notices the difference faith in Christ makes in this fallen and broken world, they will begin to follow you along the path of faithfulness. For be certain, where this path leads is surely a place where others will want to be.
Grace to you and peace,
Pastor David Nuottila
Prayer for the New Year
Posted December 28, 2024 By adminGod of our yesterdays, our todays, and our tomorrows.
We praise you for your unequaled greatness.
Thank you for the year behind us and for the year ahead.
Help us in this new year, Father, to fret less and laugh more.
To teach our children to laugh by laughing with them.
To teach others to love by loving them.
Help us, Father, to hear your love song in every sunrise,
in the chirping of birds in our backyards,
in the stories of our old folks,
and the fantasies of our children.
Help us to stop and listen to your love songs,
so that we may know you better and better.
We rejoice in the world you called into being.
Thank you for another new year and for new chances every day.
We pray for peace, for light, and for hope,
that we might spread them to others.
Forgive us for falling short this past year.
We leave the irreparable past in your hands, and step out into the
future of an unknown new year knowing you will go with us.
We accept your gift of a new year and we rejoice in what’s ahead,
depending on you to help us to love others as you have loved us.
In Jesus’s name we pray,
Amen.
Youth Retreat
Posted December 28, 2024 By adminYouth Bible Study
Posted December 27, 2024 By adminThe Youth Bible Study learned about the Church Year that begins with Advent. We spent some time in the sanctuary and learned about the significance of the Chrismons and other Christian symbols found throughout the church. During Advent, the youth are reading an Advent devotion together that Cora Wallace is sharing with them daily via their text group. Please encourage these youth as they continue to grow in their faith and enjoy time spent together!
Youth Christmas Party
Posted December 27, 2024 By adminOn December 8th the youth had a Christmas party. In addition to lots of pizza, snacks and Christmas movies, they baked cookies and made treat bags for Christmas caroling.
Music Notes
Posted December 27, 2024 By adminChristmas Caroling
Christmas caroling was lots of fun this year. We had 26 carolers! We filled J.L. and Janet’s house. What fun. The youth baked cookies and made treat bags to take to each person we visited. We gathered for a soup lunch after church on Sunday and set out to sing to 9 people. We were all a little hoarse by the time we arrived at Todd and Joanie’s house to sing to Papa Joe and enjoy a delicious spread of Christmas treats and fellowship. Maybe next year we can have 36 carolers!