Christmas is coming. The Lutheran Women are selling RADA Cutlery and Happy Home Flavoring. Contact Sandra or send an email message to get more information and to place your order.
Pastor David will offer First Communion Instruction for children in grades 1-6 who have not yet begun receiving the sacrament, or for those who have not yet attended First Communion Instruction. Classes will be held during the Sunday school time on November 7th, 14th, and 21st. Children must attend with a parent or guardian. If you feel your child or grandchild is ready to begin receiving Holy Communion, or already receives communion but has not received this instruction, please contact Pastor David Nuottila.
The St. Jacob’s choir will be meeting for rehearsals on Wednesdays. Please plan on attending. There is always room for more who would enjoy the fellowship of this small group ministry and making a joyful noise unto the Lord. There is no musical experience or special ability required. Just come and join the group.
The season of Advent is just around the corner with the First Sunday in Advent being Nov. 28th. On Wednesday, December 1st we will begin Mid-Week Advent worship. Anyone who would like to volunteer to present a dramatic monologue should contact Pastor David.
It’s hard to believe but it is time once again for our Thanksgiving Eve worship service. In years past, St. Jacob’s participated in a community project to supply families with traditional Thanksgiving meals provided by The Hub. Last year in the midst of the pandemic, The Hub ceased providing such meals and so we turned our hearts to support We Care. This year, it is hoped that we will find a way to expand our ministry to those in need who are our neighbors in the surrounding community. Please keep an eye on the weekly bulletin announcements and also the mid-month Grace Notes for further details.
Our KFC group will meet on Sunday, November 7th and Sunday, November 21st at 4 PM. All our children in grades 1-6 are invited to come enjoy games, snacks and a time of learning how to become disciples of Jesus by serving others. We will also begin a new service project to help support We Care of Chapin. Come join in the fun as we gather in Jesus’ name and grow in faith as Kids for Christ.
Good Things at St. Jacob’s for September:
• Dr. Eric Riesen, President of the NALS visited with St. Jacob’s Sept.26th.
• Good attendance at the first G.I.F.T. Sunday School Class. (Actually, Oct. 3rd.)
• Ladies Bible Study (that Rachel started) is going well.
Council Briefs:
• Robert L. Ziemer has accepted the position of Treasurer for St. Jacob’s and approved by Council.
• Pastor announced that the NALC has approved reinstituting the position of “Elder” in our congregations. At least three individuals at St. Jacob’s will be chosen by the pastor and trained to preside at table in the pastor’s absence.
• We have only three candidates for 2022 Council WE NEED AT LEAST TWO MORE volunteers!
The church office will be closed on Thursday, November 25th in observance of Thanksgiving. Hope everyone has a blessed Thanksgiving.
When the Lord saw that he turned aside to see, God called to him out of the bush, “Moses, Moses!” And Moses said, “Here I am.” Then God said, “Do not come near; take your sandals off your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.” Exodus 3:4-5
As you begin reading this month’s article, I would ask you to first consider a few questions which I believe will provide perspective and a framework for reflection. When was the last time that you heard God speaking to you? Really, when was the last time you actually became still, and you were able to hear God’s voice? What was your response? In that instance when you felt a gentle nudge from the Holy Spirit and heard God’s voice calling and inviting you to take part in his work, what did you do?
I am usually amazed at what God can do each time I am invited into difficult and stressful situations in the life of someone whom I am called to minister. Through-out my ministry, I have had my share of extraordinary and difficult moments. There have been many times when God called me to a place I’d rather not go. Suddenly, in those instances, I felt a bit like Moses when he saw the burning bush. My thoughts would sometimes turn into self-doubt. “What makes me so special that they should listen to me?” “What if I don’t have the ability to do what is required?” “What good can come out of my simply being there?”
We all know Moses as one of the central characters of the Old Testament narrative, yet before he became such a key figure, he could have been best described as someone who was lacking in confidence and filled with doubt. He was born a slave but raised in the house of Pharaoh and later rejected by even his own people. He had to flee Egypt because he killed a guard. When God finally got Moses’ attention, he was but a shepherd tending a flock that wasn’t even his own. God’s call wasn’t extended in dramatic fashion. There were no lightning bolts or loud claps of thunder. Instead, God used the sight of a burning bush.
This is where Moses gives us one of those great theological movements. Instead of sitting there with a puzzled look on his face, Moses turns aside. Turning aside is one of those things we learn about in seminary. Turning aside means dropping what you are doing, forgetting what you are thinking about so that you can look and listen for God. Moses turned aside in order to pay attention and noticed that this bush was not consumed by the flames. Moses turned aside and heard God. Yet, even turning aside isn’t always enough.
When God called Moses, his response was to the effect of “Who am I but a poor shepherd, uneducated in your ways and incapable of eloquent speech?” With each excuse Moses was able to conjure up, God promised to do more than simply meet his needs. Fast forwarding several thousand years, we may be quick to offer the same excuses when God calls us to ministry. “Who am I that I should be of help?” “I’m not qualified, send someone else.” “In this instance, I don’t believe I have what it takes.” I’m not up to the challenge…am I?” Often, at times we sound just like Moses, yet God still takes the time to bless us with the gift of the Holy Spirit and walk with us into the dark valley. Our calling as Jesus’ disciples is simply to go and let God be God.
The burning bushes are out there in our midst. God continually calls his people to action using the most ordinary of means but spotting those burning bushes takes patience and it takes practice. If we are not listening for God, if we are not paying at-tention, we might not recognize a burning bush when we see one. As we go about our busy day, Christian folk need to be actively looking and listening for God. We need to be tuned in to the burning bushes in our midst, always remembering that as we are called to ministry, God is with us and provides what is needed to do his will.
So again, I ask the questions that I have considered these last few weeks. When was the last time that you heard God speaking to you? When was the last time you actually became still so you could listen? What was your response? I pray that God will fill you with his presence and power as you hear him calling you to greater discipleship. For he who calls you is faithful, he will surely do it. 1 Thessalonians. 5:24.
Grace to you and peace,
Pastor David Nuottila
As 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. Choir rehearsals are held each Wednesday evening following our mid-week worship service. 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 mornings. Anyone who is interested should contact Angela for more information.
