Our Wednesday Morning Bible study will resume on Wednesday, August 23 at 9:30a.m. The Bible study will meet in the newly renovated Church Office. The topic of study will be announced at least one week prior to the beginning. All are welcome to join in. Please invite others who may enjoy reading and learning more about the Scriptures while discussing them in fellowship with others. No special materials are needed, just you, your Bible, and a desire to meet with others while hearing of God’s promises and love for his people.
Bible Study Archive
Mid-Week Bible Study
Posted August 12, 2023 By adminNALC Lutheran Week 2023 – Mission Dei (The Mission of God)
Posted August 7, 2023 By adminThis year’s NALC Lutheran Week completes a six-year focus on the Holy Trinity, concluding now with “God the Father Creates…in His Image,” as the theme for the Braaten-Benne Theological Lectures. However, it seems appropriate to conclude this cycle with the theme, Mission Dei, as we celebrate the fact that everything we do as a mission-driven Lutheran body comes from God and His mission—that we are to go into all the world, empowered by the Holy Spirit, preaching the good news of salvation in and through Jesus Christ—to the whole creation!
This year’s Mission Convocation will indeed be a mission-oriented and mission-driven gathering! While there will be necessary times dedicated to reports, actions and elections—including the election of a bishop—highlights will be the several “On Fire for Mission” sessions, focusing on domestic mission, international mission and mission related to congregational life. These will begin with brief Bible study and devotional periods, followed by presentations on the theme, with extended time for table talk, reflection, breakouts, and strategies for “taking it home!”
There will also be a Faith Formation Festival (“Everything You Want to Know About Youth & Family Ministry”) and the Gathering of the Women of the NALC (“Using Our Gifts to Serve”) earlier in the week.
The hope and prayer of all involved is that this will light a spark or fan the flame for mission, that we return home inspired and excited about Mission Dei—the work and mission of God in our local congregations, in North America and throughout the whole creation!
Larry Shull will serve as St. Jacob’s lay delegate to the convocation.
Pastoral Devotion for August – Rely on God
Posted August 4, 2023 By adminJesus said, “Therefore do not be anxious about
tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.”
Read Matthew 6:25-34
How often do you wake up today and you are already worried about tomorrow? If that is the case, it is likely you went to bed already feeling the pressure of a certain circumstance or the ill effects of something you perceive to be a looming problem. And so it goes for so many in our world.
Our Lord Jesus teaches us that we should not worry. We should not worry about clothing, food, drink or anything else under the sun. When we worry or become anxious about things we have or don’t have, we rely upon ourselves to alleviate the problem.
Yet, truthfully, we are to put our trust in God who provides all we will ever need for life. As our Lord Jesus says, it is the Father’s good pleasure to give us his kingdom.
Worrying about tomorrow’s problems today only causes them to become stumbling blocks for
today’s opportunities. Lift up your worries and cares to God in prayer. Commend them to the Lord. As you do, you will soon realize his presence in your life each day, and the anxiousness for
tomorrow will be replaced with the joy of Christ today.
Prayer: Lord, I put my trust in you, knowing you will provide all I need. Amen.
Pastoral Devotion for July – Accepting Truth
Posted July 15, 2023 By adminAs [Jesus] drew near to Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging. And hearing a crowd going by, he inquired what this meant. They told him, “Jesus of Nazareth is passing by.” And he cried out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”
Read Luke 18:31-43
Jesus told them plainly; once they reached Jerusalem, he would be turned over to the Gentiles, be beaten and then killed. Yet on the third day, God would raise him from the grave. Even as we know this to be true, the disciples had difficulty accepting Jesus’s words. The prophets foretold it; Jesus affirmed it, but the disciples simply couldn’t face the truth that all Jesus said would certainly be accomplished.
Sometimes, when presented with the truth, we have difficulty accepting it. An adverse diagnosis, news of a tragedy, financial woes, or simply owning up to our own failures; each of these can cause us to discount the present reality. Too often, denial leads to disbelief. Even as we know the truth, we are apt to turn a blind eye hoping everything will pass.
As Jesus drew near to Jericho, a blind man called out to him. Those lining the streets tried to stifle his voice, yet he called out all the more. Though blind, he had vision; he knew Jesus was the Christ, the one promised from God, the one who would redeem Israel, the one who had the power to restore his sight. Facing the truth, he called upon the Son of David, and his sight was restored. The truth remains today, Jesus, the Son of David is the one who has mercy and restores the people of God.
Prayer: O Lord Jesus Christ, restore our sight, so that we may accept the truth of your grace. Amen.
From the Pastor’s Heart
Posted July 11, 2023 By adminBe doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. 23For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. 24For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. James 1:22-24
At first thought, when I began writing this installment for the newsletter, I thought it seemed a bit selfish of me. What God placed on my heart was an aspect of ministry that I very much love but seem to have less and less opportunity to engage in. I’m speaking of youth ministry and ministry to children.
Throughout my career as a pastor, I have seen both sides of the coin. In my first call, there were few children, but the church was one with a heart for mission and an outward focus. My second call was much different. There were many children and youth members but the focus of the congregation was more inward than outward. One common factor between the two was that the youth and children enjoyed doing projects for the sake of other people. As pastor and people, we planned outreach mission projects, and the youth of the church naturally gravitated toward the activities along with their pastor, parents, and grandparents. Eventually, many more congregation members joined in and enjoyed the fellowship that went along with activity.
In Charleston, we took field trips to food pantries, gave away sausage biscuits, juice, and coffee to folks who walked by our church on Sunday mornings. We provided a monthly grocery distribution out of our fellowship hall for those who were economically challenged. All the while the children of the church were alongside watching, learning, and doing.
In Salisbury, the children and youth would shop for warm coats, hats, gloves, and backpacks for kids in the elementary and middle schools near our church. They had a lot of fun doing so and learned how to apply Jesus’ teaching about loving our neighbors to their every day lives. Certainly, young Christians love getting involved in the mission of the Gospel.
This evening, following the first night of our VBS, I was reminded of the time when I was the leader of the first Carolinas NALC Campfirmation Cluster. Each summer, nine of our congregations would join together in sending their youth to camp with their pastor. Volunteers from the various congregations provided lunches and other kinds of support. We engaged in all the usual camp activities. Campfire, songs, skits, crafts, hiking, and even cookouts in the national forest. You might think these activities were the highlights for the kids, but you would be mistaken. Each year, we would read the evaluations from the campers in which they said the worship services each day (matins and vespers) were their favorite part of the day. The next favorite camp activity was the service project we did.
Our group had a relationship with a facility for adults with special needs. Each year we would enlist all our youth members and put on a carnival for the clients. We painted bird houses, played musical chairs, had face painting, and all sorts of other games. Oh yes, we also had plenty of music. Singing with the clients was a treat and everyone enjoyed the smiles and laughter.
So why is this on my heart? Well, it’s mainly due to the declining numbers of young people we have within our midst, and the few volunteers within our congregation actively engaged in outreach mission. Don’t get me wrong, I’m very pleased with the response of our church family when it comes to supplying for the needs of others, and our Mercy Bag ministry is a blessing for many. But when is the last time our congregation rolled up our sleeves and pitched in at a local facility that helps others? When is the last time we scheduled an outing or mission project and brought our youth along to help out? Truly, it has been quite a while since St. Jacob’s has engaged in such activities.
Truth be told, young people love getting involved, especially with older members of the congregation. And as they do, they invite their friends. When this happens, the Holy Spirit breathes a fresh breath of life into congregations that are in need of renewing ministries. As I said to one of our young adult members last week,” Please invite your friends to come worship with us, we could use more young people among us.” But even if they come, we will need to have something to keep them here. Serving others provides purpose and meaning to their young lives.
Yes, youth ministry is much more than playing games, watching movies and going bowling. It is teaching the youth how to be disciples of Jesus Christ, by doing the work of the Gospel and inviting them to accompany us as we do it. As older members of congregations sometimes grow content with being hearers of the Word only, and not being doers of the Word, the younger generation falls away because the message from the pulpit is not compatible with the life of the those who gather. Jesus came “as one who serves, not as one to be served.” (Mark 10:45). The key is for able bodied Christians to actively engage the mission of the Church, inviting children and youth to be a part of the activity.
Yes, being hearers and doers of the Word of God is attractive to young people who want to make sense of the message they hear from church. It’s imperative that we give them that chance to become hearers and doers. Those who are hearers only fall away after a time, or at best, become lethargic in their faith. We are all called by Christ to be servants for the sake of others in need. Our response to Jesus’s command makes all the difference.
I am deeply appreciative of the small number of church family members who do regularly volunteer engaging the mission of the church. Thank you also to Lynn and Susan Shealy for taking the youth shopping for Mercy bag items during VBS. That was a wonderful way to get them engaged. Of course, to be even more effective and to become a congregation known as one with a heart for mission, there is plenty of room for more volunteers who would take up their cross and follow our Lord Jesus. Please consider how you might respond to this call to mission.
Grace and peace,
Pastor David Nuottila
VBS 2023
Posted July 10, 2023 By adminOur Summer VBS is now complete, and we had a great week of fun and learning that following Jesus changes everything. Thank you to all our volunteers and participants.
VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL
Posted May 25, 2023 By adminJoin us for VBS! It is all about Twists and Turns. We are celebrating how following Jesus changes the game. Spin the spinner, beat the clock, skip ahead, and play to win! We will jour ney with Peter and his relationship with Jesus. Don’t miss the fun. Plan now to experience our Twists and Turns.
• When: Monday, June 19-Thursday, June 22
• Meal in Fellowship Hall at 5:45 PM
VBS 6:30 – 8:00 PM
VBS Volunteers Needed: Will you volunteer to make a difference in our children’s lives at VBS? Please contact Donna Fulmer or Sherrie McTeer to let them know how you will serve. It is all about the Twists and Turns and how following Jesus is a game changer.
Solid Rock Day Camp
Posted May 20, 2023 By adminThis June, St. Jacob’s is partnering with St. Peter’s Lutheran Church in Chapin, and Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Little Mountain to bring summer camp to Chapin. The Solid Rock Day Camp (June 11-16) is for elementary school aged children (grades 1-5). They will have the full camp experience of games, fun, food and make plenty of new friends, all in a Christian atmosphere. This is a great experience and blessing for our families. Please take advantage of this day camp opportunity which is sponsored by the NALC Carolinas Mission Region. Cost of the camp is $50.00 per child payable at St. Jacob’s. Anyone requiring assistance to cover registration fees should contact Pastor David Nuottila to make these confidential arrangements. By the way, the Solid Rock Camp Counselors will be worshiping with us at St. Jacob’s on June 11, so your camper will be able to meet them. Contact Pastor David for registration information as it is done via email. Hurry, the camp will fill up quickly.
From the Pastor’s Heart
Posted May 15, 2023 By adminAnd behold, Jesus met them and said, “Greetings!” And they came up and took hold of his feet and worshiped him. 10 Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee, and there they will see me.” Matthew 28:9-10
I don’t mind saying that as I sit down to write this month’s installment, I’m stuck. I’m stuck because we are in the midst of the Easter season where it is our Christian endeavor to share the Good News of Christ’s resurrection, but by the month’s end, we will have celebrated Jesus’ ascension into heaven, and the giving of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. There is so much liturgical and theological fruit to be gleaned from the fields of faith that I cannot possibly think of a way to cover it all in one page of the newsletter. So, let’s stick with the chief purpose for all Christians and continue the proclamation of the resurrection.
As we navigate our current times here in Chapin, we soon see a community that is growing by leaps and bounds. Our small community is one of the fastest growing areas of the state. As we learned during our Fresh Eyes for Mission Summit, we can expect greater housing development and economic expansion in the times ahead. “What has this got to do with the resurrection” you may ask? Well, again as we found out during our Fresh Eyes Summit, over 63% of the people who live within fifteen minutes drive time from St. Jacob’s are not affiliated with any sort of church or religious entity. That’s a lot of people, approximately forty-eight thousand!
As Jesus told the women who came to the tomb on that first day of the week, he tells us also. “Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee, and there they will see me.” The key to this verse is that Jesus is sending his people into the world to share the Good News of God’s saving grace through Christ our Lord. Hear again the first four words Jesus says, “Do not be afraid.”
It is common knowledge that the reason Christians today are not very good at evangelism (sharing the Gospel) is because they are apprehensive in speaking about faith issues with others, especially strangers. But this is exactly what Christ calls every Christian to do. And since God calls us all to be evangelists, we need not be afraid. Even if someone turns you away, you have still planted the seed of God’s Word. Imagine how it would have been if those women who first encountered the risen Lord Jesus kept the news to themselves. We might not be here at St. Jacob’s or even have a church at all. We might not have the fellowship of other believers, or dear friends whom we enjoy seeing each week in worship. We might not be sharing the Sacrament of Holy Communion, or participating in our Sunday schools, Bible studies, and VBS.
Well, if we are not sharing the Good News of Jesus with our community, then there are over forty eight thousand unchurched people who do not realize these blessings that many of us take for granted. If we don’t share the Gospel with others, we also are not following Jesus’ command to tell others. Faith, love, and hope we have in our Lord compel us to tell others, not just during the Easter season, but during all times and seasons.
As Pastor and Shepherd for St. Jacob’s, I am working on developing ways that we might learn together how to be more effective in the mission of evangelism. It begins with knowing the story, and then developing confidence in telling the story to others. As St. Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 4:7, “…we have this treasure in clay jars, so that it may be made clear that this extraordinary power belongs to God and does not come from us.” The treasure is the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The clay Jars are our fragile and imperfect human bodies. God has entrusted to us the mission of His Gospel and will not allow us to fail, so there is no reason to feel apprehensive, uncomfortable, or afraid. Yes, it is awkward at first, but it doesn’t take long to realize that you can do this with God’s help, and He will help you.
Once we embark on this mission, the “stuckness” will soon fade. When we become more proficient in our evangelism, our congregation, as a whole will become energized and refreshed by the power of the same Gospel which we share. So hear again the words of Jesus on the first day of the week. ““Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers…” Invite them to St. Jacob’s and here they will encounter the power of the risen Christ,
Grace to you and peace,
David Nuottila
Confirmation Public Examination Day – May 21
Posted May 10, 2023 By adminIn preparation for her public Affirmation of Faith (Confirmation) Isabelle will have her Public Examination on Sunday, May 21 during a congregation luncheon immediately following worship. Everyone is invited to share a time of fellowship and good food and support Isabelle as she demonstrates what she has gleaned from her study of the Scriptures and Luther’s Small Catechism. Public Examination is a traditional Lutheran practice for confirmands just prior to making their public affirmation of faith on their confirmation day, which this year will happen on Pentecost Sunday, May 28th.
This is a very important step in a young Christian’s life as they take their place among the adult membership of congregations. It is also an important event for congregations as confirmed youth are invited to serve the church in new and important ways. Isabelle’s confirmation day is an important part of her faith life and an important day in the life of St. Jacob’s as we share in the promise to grow in faith and life together. Please consider attending the luncheon on May 21st in support for Isabelle and celebrate with her this milestone in her young life.
