Friendship
Read 1 Thessalonians 1:1-10
We all have friends with whom we have lost contact. Friendship is not just a relationship between people; it is also something that takes time and great effort to maintain. Quality friendships endure because those in such relationships have a genuine interest in the life of the other.
The apostle Paul formed many friendships throughout his journeys. These relationships were important to Paul, so he was sure to strengthen them through daily prayer. Rooting his caring and close relationships between God’s people.
Christians are not unlike others in the world in that we often become nostalgic thinking of distant friends. Many of our friends are those we have lost touch with through the years. Sometimes we feel reluctant to reconnect, seemingly embarrassed by our lack of communication. Maybe they’ve forgotten us? Perhaps they too have moved on? Sadly, rationalizing distant friendships in this way leads to even further separation. So, do we simply forget those friends from our past? Certainly not!
The memories of our friends are their memories as well. Not only do we reminisce about past friendships, but the friends from our past most likely remember us fondly too. Praying and thanking God for the gift of friendship helps keep those relationships alive. Through prayer, we can offer thanks to God and once again feel the joy of being a friend to someone whom we love.
Prayer: Thank you Lord, for the friendships we share with others, for they truly are a blessing from you. Amen.
Pastoral Devotion for August
Posted August 1, 2021 By adminTake Up Your Sword
Posted August 1, 2021 By adminThe author of Hebrews tells us that God’s Word is alive. It’s not an ancient book that’s out of date and no longer important in today’s world. The Word of God is filled with wisdom and knowledge we can use today. The Word of God still speaks to us. It speaks to people picking it up to read it for the first time, and it speaks to people who have read it all their lives. You can never read it enough, and you can never learn enough from its pages. The author of Hebrews and Paul both describe the Bible as a sword. It can cut us deep, showing us what’s wrong with our lives so we can get it fixed. It can also defend us and save us from sin. The Bible is a powerful tool for life. It’s a weapon to fight temptation, and it’s an instruction book for following God. As many from our congregation read the Bible in 90 days, our Christian Education team thought it would be a great opportunity to get our children involved too! Over the next 12 weeks, join us in Sunday School as we focus on the Word of God. We will learn how to find things in the Bible, learn the books, and what the words inside say about our lives as followers of Jesus. We will also send home a “make it stick” resource for parents, so that you will be able to continue these conversations throughout the week at home! We are really looking forward to it.
St. Jacob’s Chancel Choir
Posted July 29, 2021 By adminAs we continue to return to pre-pandemic activities, one of the final steps for our worship services is to restore the choir to singing each Sunday. Angela Nuottila has volunteered to serve as our interim Choir Director until the congregation finds someone who will assume this position permanently. Choir rehearsals will resume on Wednesday evenings following our mid-week worship service. We have certainly missed having an adult choir during worship. Our children’s choir has done a marvelous job of providing music for our worship services, and we are very thankful for their talent. If you have not ever considered being a part of the choir, please consider this to be your invitation. You don’t need to have the most splendid singing voice. All you need is a desire for enhancing the worship of our congregation as we make a joyful noise unto the Lord on Sunday morning. Anyone who is interested should contact Angela for more information.
Youth Group Visit
Posted July 29, 2021 By adminOn Saturday, July 17th, St. Jacob’s welcomed Pastor Mathew Magera, his wife Lane and the youth members of Zion Lutheran Church, Pittsburgh, PA. These fine young church members were on their way to Charleston for their annual summer mission trip and needed a place to rest. Our guests were so appreciative of the “Southern Hospitality” they encountered. Thank you to Billy, Davis, Sandra, Gerald and Frances for preparing breakfast for our guests. To show their appreciation, Pastor Mathew assisted with the distribution of Holy Communion and the youth group sang a wonderful anthem during our worship service.
Wednesday Morning Bible Study
Posted July 29, 2021 By adminAll are invited to join in the Bible study on Wednesday mornings beginning at 10:00 AM in the Fellowship Hall. We are currently reading the Book of Revelation. If you have ever tried to read Revelation but had difficulty understanding all the symbolism, then this study is for you. We will learn more about the letters to the seven churches, and address some of the more confusing aspects of John’s vision and letter to the Church of Jesus Christ. There are no special materials needed. Just bring your Bible and a desire to join in on the discussion.
Church Council News
Posted July 29, 2021 By adminGood Things at St. Jacob’s for July:
• A member returned to St. Jacobs, welcome to Tommy Faulk.
• VBS was a huge success!
• The disaster relief collection was quite successful.
• A lot of members were on hand to congratulate the graduates at the reception following the service.
Council Briefs:
• New Sunday Services Schedule: Sunday School at 9:00 AM and Worship at 10:00 AM.
• Saint Jacob’s Homecoming date set for October 10th .
• We regretfully accepted the resignation of Walt Shealy as Treasurer, effective the end of July.
• We are in the process of seeking someone to accept the duties of Treasurer for St. Jacob’s.
• Team Leaders – we need your budget requests for year 2022 in order to begin preparing the new spending plan.
The Nominating Committee is now seeking nominations for Council for year 2022.
Youth Director & Family Ministries
Posted July 29, 2021 By adminMusical Mondays has been such a huge success for our church and especially our kids. There was such a wonderful response when we first announced it to the congregation. Over the past five weeks, we have sang, danced, made tambourines and lyres, and played numerous games together. Yes, we have fun. Of course we do. But the real growth of these children has been in all that they have learned. We start our morning out with a time of devotion and a lesson for the day. Our main objective is to learn that no matter what situation you are in, no matter how you do it, and no matter what anyone else says – you are called to worship God. Worship is our joyful response for all that God has done for us. Throughout each week, we learn different ways that we can praise God – by doing crafts, by being silent before the Lord, by reading Psalms, or by being in God’s house with each other. It truly has been a wonderful experience, and we still have a few weeks left. Watch your worship folders for a MUSICAL MONDAY SHOWCASE to be held. We would love to see you there.
In Christ,
Rachel
From the Pastor’s Heart
Posted July 6, 2021 By adminJesus said, “The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground. He sleeps and rises night and day, and the seed sprouts and grows; he knows not how.” Mark 1:10-11
This text from Mark’s gospel should be a familiar one for most of us. It comes from the Gospel lesson we had on June 13th. During the weeks following Holy Trinity Sunday, in the year in which we primarily read from Mark’s Gospel, we hear several parables from Jesus concerning the seed of God’s Word. This text teaches us that no matter the situation we might find ourselves in, God’s kingdom is bursting forth all around us. It may not always seem like it, for we all know there is plenty of trouble and misfortune to go around. Still, since Christ took the weight of humanity’s sin to the cross, those who believe and are baptized are blessed with the peace of Christ, in that our sins are forgiven, and we have the promise of everlasting life.
God’s kingdom is so vast, so wide, the Word of the Lord will fill the hearts and minds of people no matter where they may stand. So why might it be that today’s Christians are not as apt in sharing God’s word with others? Why are so many Christians reluctant to do the work of evangelism? Well, to borrow a word from Jesus, truly, I say to you that it is likely because we live in a culture base on individuality rather than community. Humanity has wandered so far from God’s precepts that even those who desire to have a relationship with the Lord desire to have one defined by their own human standards and not God’s standards.
Case in point, take a look at how much our society has tried to redefine sin so that it doesn’t seem so shameful. At nearly every turn, traditional expressions of Christian faith have become viewed as offensive and exclusive. So, what is a Christian to do when it comes to living in the world but not of the world? What does it mean that we are to be dwellers and proclaimers of God’s kingdom as
Christ continues to establish his reign on earth? The short answer to this question is, “share the Gospel.”
The world is filled with problems, issues and distractions that grab our attention and attempt to fill our hearts and minds with worry, doubt, and anxiety. It is so easy to focus on the headlines of our lives and forget that we do in fact have good news that satisfies the hunger deep within our hearts and souls. Everywhere we go, there are people who have a hunger and thirst for the Gospel of Christ Jesus. As children of God, we are called to proclaim this good news, even when we think people don’t want to listen. The power of the gospel is such that once the seed is planted, growth will occur. We may not realize how or when the good news takes root, but God assures us that even as we plant the seed of his Word, the Holy Spirit will most certainly cause it to grow.
Sharing our faith with others, especially those who have not heard the Gospel of Christ, is the calling of every Christian. God gathers us in worship, shares his Word through song, reading and preaching, and then feeds us from his table of grace, so that we are enabled and equipped to tell others about Christ. God sends us out as witnesses to the power of God’s love and the abundance of his grace.
It doesn’t matter if one turns away when you share your faith with them. The seed is still planted. It doesn’t matter if another shuns you as you bring God’s message of salvation. What matters is that each one of us takes up the cross of Christ, and bears witness to our Lord Jesus whose mercy and forgiveness is eternal and whose kingdom meant for all people. Only when we do this will we bring the good news to those who long to be a part of God’s eternal kingdom.
As you ponder this message, think about those instances when you might share the Gospel with a stranger. Then pray for confidence and clarity in your proclamation. Pray for those with whom you share your faith. God’s Word will not return empty, of this you can be sure.
Grace to you and peace,
Pastor David Nuottila
Record Of Worship and Communion
Posted July 1, 2021 By adminAs a reminder to the congregation, when attending worship on either Sunday or Wednesday, please be sure to complete a Record of Worship and Communion card. Our newly adopted constitution states that to be considered an active/voting member one must have a record of at least twelve worship services attended and have communed the same number of times within the liturgical year (December November). Also, active/voting members of the congregation will have at least one contribution of record during the liturgical year. It is important to note that purchasing flowers, poinsettias, or Easter lilies is not considered a contribution of record.
Pastoral Devotion For July
Posted July 1, 2021 By adminLISTEN, HEAR, UNDERSTAND
Matthew 13:18-23, 1 Timothy 2:1-6,
Leviticus 26:1-20
I am amazed by people who solve math problems with relative ease. Math is not my forte; I do not have a head for numbers. In the classroom, I needed to concentrate on every word from my teacher’s lips, yet solving equations still came with difficulty. I simply didn’t understand the concepts. Those who perform well in math do so because they not only understand, they can visualize the steps in determin-ing the solution. But solving the problem is not always enough. At some point, one must put what is learned into practice.
Our lessons today have to do with hearing and understanding. In Leviticus, God calls the Israelites to hear his commands and understand them as the parameters of godly living. Paul teaches the church in 1 Timothy that loving, caring and praying for one another leads to a peaceful and blessed life. In Matthew, Jesus says those who receive God’s Word and understand it are those who hold fast to all Christ commanded.
In a world where everything seems to be changing at warp speed, it is imperative that Christians take time each day to read their Bible. Only when we dwell within the Word, reading and studying it together, can we gain further understanding of what God intends for his people. Only then can we put what we have learned into practice. Take time to read the passages listed above. Listen as God speaks to you. Hear the Good News. Pray for understanding.
Lord, fill me with your Spirit, that I may hear, understand and live according to your Word. Amen.
