Our Wednesday Morning Bible Study will resume on Wednesday, October 18th 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 October 14, 2023 By adminPastoral Devotion for October – The Truth in Us
Posted October 9, 2023 By adminIf we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 1 John 1:8.
Early in his first epistle, John states clearly to the Church that, although through Christ our sins are forgiven, no Christian lives without sin. Salvation is not found through moral perfection, but through the sacrifice of God’s only Son. This truth is realized when the children of God strive to walk in the light of Christ.
Sometimes we bear grudges. We remember the sins committed against us and are wary of the sinner lest they repeat the offense. Other times we fail to realize how our actions hurt someone else. John teaches us that people who practice such behavior really do not understand the concept of grace. If we claim forgiveness through Jesus, but cannot forgive others or confess our sin, we are not walking in the light of Christ. The best we can do is stumble in the darkness.
John reminds us of who we are, people who have known the Father. Knowing the Father means knowing the Son, through whom we are forgiven. So too are we to forgive as we have been forgiven. Christ died for our sake and also for the sake of those who sin against us. Through him only is their salvation. This is the truth in us.
Prayer: Holy God, help us to live in the light of Christ, forgiving others as you forgive us. Amen.
From the Pastor’s Heart
Posted October 9, 2023 By adminPut on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, 13 bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. Colossians 3:12-13
At the time of this writing, it is still the middle of September, but October is on the horizon. October! It seems summer has simply flown by. Yet, even as I prepare to travel to England, for a much-anticipated vacation, I can’t help but reflect upon all we shared the past few months, while un derstanding that there is much to plan and prepare for during the months ahead. Our church calendar is filling up with activities, least of which is our annual Homecoming Sunday and recognition of St. Jacob’s Golden Agers. Trunk or Treat, Reformation Sunday, and All Saints Sunday are also coming very soon. Yes, it will be a busy time in the church. As you begin making room for the many opportunities for your church and family in October, let me ask a direct question: How do you plan to be a disciple of Jesus Christ each and every day?
Each morning, Christians wake up to the opportunity to show the love of Christ Jesus to others, have compassion for the weak and vulnerable, and forgive where someone has done wrong. We are to re-present Christ especially to those who may not realize God’s activity in their lives. As God’s people we also wake up to the Christian responsibility to thank God for the many blessings He showers upon us, and to offer Him the finest of what we can offer of ourselves.
When a child of God begins each new day with such emphasis, the life of discipleship begins to take hold and we live into the calling God has for each one of us. So again, this begs the question: How do you plan to be a disciple of Jesus Christ each and every day? In my asking this twice, I hope you are not simply waiting for my answer. I hope you are not expecting me to offer a directive for the church that challenges you to do your part as I see it, for such is not my intent.
I am asking this question because as followers of Jesus Christ, we each respond to His call to follow in different ways. Some are able to engage in the life of the congregation more regularly than others. Some have time enough to come to the church and serve on committees, provide services such as lawn care and cleaning, others may even show up every time the doors are open.
Others among us have different responsibilities. Within our church family, we have parents with small children, members who work not just one, but two jobs, and still others who may have health related issues that prevent them from participating as they once did. Yet, no matter where we may fall in this broad spectrum, as God’s people, each one of us shares the Christian responsibility to love God with all our heart and to love our neighbor as ourselves.
We all share Jesus’s calling to go into the world and make disciples by sharing with them the good news of God’s salvation. So, understanding this, I’ll ask one last time: How do you plan to be a disciple of Jesus Christ each and every day? As Pastor, I will do my best to help you discern the answer to this question. I will do what I can to help you pray, study God’s Word and live among God’s people so that you might hear the still small voice of the Holy Spirit who is calling you to a life of discipleship.
I will continue to pray for you and your family, preach to you the gospel of Christ Jesus, lead you in worship and teach you and your children the faith in which we baptize. In turn, I pray that you too will help me to further discern the answer to our question, for even pastors need to learn to take time to enjoy their relationship with our loving heavenly Father.
Yes, October signals the beginning of a busy time for the church. It is one filled with opportunities to worship God, love our neighbor, and enjoy the fellowship of God’s people. Take a good look and identify those opportunities where you and your family can grow in faith and discern your answer to the question of discipleship. Choose to take time each day to live as a disciple of Jesus Christ, seeking God’s kingdom first. Then be sure to share His blessings of grace, mercy and peace with those whom God places within your midst. Soon, you will realize you are living the life of discipleship, and the question will have its answer.
Grace and peace,
Pastor David Nuottila
From the Pastor’s Heart
Posted September 12, 2023 By adminWe give thanks to God always for all of you, constantly mentioning you in our prayers, remembering before our God and Father your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.
1 Thessalonians 1:2-3
So far, for many people this has been quite a summer. For some, the days have been dreadfully hot and dry. For others, summer has brought with it an opportunity for vacation and travel with family and friends. And for those who are apt to volunteer, it has been a summer filled with church work. I can count several people for whom this has been a summer of recovery from illness or medical procedures. We have members of our church family for whom this has been a summer of mourning and grief. In all of these, I can say that as your pastor, it has been a summer of prayer.
In his letters to various churches, the apostle Paul consistently begins by lifting up prayers of thanksgiving for the saints to whom he is writing. Whether he is writing to Christians just coming to faith, a church needing encouragement, or a congregation mired in conflict, Paul gives thanks for the faith of those who call upon the Lord Jesus Christ as their Savior. In doing so, Paul sets a wonderful example for Christians in all places to follow. When I read Paul’s words concerning his thanksgiving and prayers for others, I usually find myself spending a good bit of time in prayer for our church family.
As some of you know, I like to begin my week in prayer for our church family. One ritual is to take the Sunday worship bulletin and pray for those on our various prayer lists. One by one, the names of people who are sick, recovering or homebound stand out. I pray for the various friends and family members who are not members of our congregation but listed as those needing continual prayer. It’s humbling to know that, even as we pray for others we do not know, through faith, our prayers are heard and received by our Father in heaven.
Another prayerful activity I enjoy is going through our church directory and simply praying for church family members whose names randomly come to the forefront. I sincerely believe that as I look through the listing of families, God calls me to pray for certain individuals or families for whatever circumstances they may be experiencing. Sometimes, I will send a card to those for whom I pray so they know their pastor prayed for them. I cannot tell you the number of times people have told me that the card came at just the right time; that they really needed to know someone prayed for them.
I think that in this summer of prayer, the thing I have enjoyed most is the opportunity to pray with church family members each Wednesday evening just before we share the sacrament of Holy Communion. It is clear to me that this mid-week time for worship and prayer has helped us grow in our faith and relationship with God and one another. While not lifting each person up by name, we pray for each other, we pray for our congregation and the Issues we face, and we have even welcomed members of our Community into this opportunity for worship and prayer. We pray for those who seem distant and we pray for our unity through Christ our Savor and Lord. I truly believe God hears our prayers and answers each one according to his loving kindness.
I’m thankful for the blessing of being your pastor, and in the words of St. Paul, I give thanks to God always for all of you, constantly mentioning you in my prayers.
Thank you also to the many who have prayed for me. We are all blessed with the gift of God’s love, especially as we share his love with one another, giving thanks in all circumstances for the grace God makes available through his son Jesus Christ. As always, I will continue to keep you in my prayers.
Grace and Peace,
Pastor David Nuottila
Mid-Week Bible Study
Posted September 6, 2023 By adminOur Wednesday Morning Bible study met on Wednesday, August 23 at 9:30a.m. The Bible study will meet in the newly renovated Church Office.
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.
Pastoral Devotion for September – Disciples Follow
Posted September 6, 2023 By adminRead: Matthew 4:17-22
What was it that Jesus noticed about Simon and his brother Andrew? They were merely simple fishermen casting their nets. The same might be asked of James and John. They were not doing anything out of the ordinary. They were going about the work of fishermen also, mending their nets. Why did Jesus choose these four out of the crowd? We can only speculate, but Jesus surely knew more about their character than we, or they ever could have known.
Upon hearing Jesus’s call, Simon and Andrew, and James and John immediately left their nets and their lives behind. Following Jesus, they learned from their teacher what it means to love God and to love their neighbor. They followed Jesus doing the things he taught them in the way he showed them.
Jesus continues to call ordinary people into his service. In fact, Jesus calls all Christians to be his disciples. He calls Christians to follow him, learn from him, and do the things as he has shown them to do. What has Jesus noticed about you? Why did he choose you out of the crowd? The truth remains, if you are a baptized follower of Christ, he has called you, an ordinary person, to follow him and be his disciple. How will you respond?
Prayer: Give me the will and desire to follow you, Lord Jesus, that I may be your disciple. Amen.
From the Pastor’s Heart
Posted August 13, 2023 By adminFor everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven. Ecclesiastes 3:1
Well, here we are at the beginning of August, the month that signals a change in the lives of people. With the impending conclusion of summertime, plans are being made for children to return to the classroom, vacation times are drawing to an end, and even for the church, we plan for the coming autumn months.
At St. Jacob’s, we find ourselves in the same pattern of life as so many other congregations. We have had a wonderful summer season. Our volunteers planned and hosted an amazing Vacation Bible School. Several of our children participated in the Solid Rock Day Camp. Sunday school attendance and participation has greatly increased. The Journey Sunday School class worked diligently in completing improvements to our church office building. Angela led another great time of Musical Mondays for our youth hand bell group. And on a personal note, I was able to participate in an amazing mission trip to Congo.
All in all, the 2023 Summer season at St. Jacob’s found our congregation quite actively engaged in the mission God has set before us. But now, it is time for a change in seasons. The author of Ecclesiastes, in his wisdom, reminds the people of God that there is a time and a season for every matter under heaven. Even as congregations conclude their summer programs, there are still many opportunities to serve our loving God. In the pattern of Christian life, there truly is a time and a season for everything.
Many of us enjoy hearing the words of Ecclesiastes 3 that speak of the times and seasons. Perhaps this is so because we remember the song that came out of the 1960’s that quoted these verses. But keeping the passage in context, the real blessing of the wisdom shared by King David’s son (also identified as “the Preacher”) comes to us in the verses following the identification of the times and seasons for all matters under heaven.
In Ecclesiastes 3:9-12 we read further: “What gain has the worker from his toil? 10 I have seen the business that God has given to the children of man to be busy with. 11 He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, he has put eternity into man’s heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end. 12 I perceived that there is nothing better for them than to be joyful and to do good as long as they live.” The Preacher’s observations on life convinced him that “the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, nor bread to the wise, nor riches to the intelligent, nor favor to the men of skill; but time and chance happen to them all” (Ecc. 9:11). Man’s fate, the Preacher maintains, does not depend on righteous or wicked conduct but is a mystery that remains hidden in God (Ecc. 9:1). All attempts to unravel this mystery and thereby gain the wisdom necessary to secure one’s fate are “vanity,” or futile. In the face of such uncertainty, the author’s counsel is to enjoy the good things that God provides while one has them to enjoy, for man does not know his own time.
So what does this mean for the people of God today. Well, the same thing it meant for God’s people of all time. We are to live lives of thanks and praise to the God who supplies all that is
needed for daily life. We are to love God with our whole being, and our neighbor as ourselves. All the worries and cares of this life are placed well within the hands of the One who created and
sustains humanity and all that is captured within this world. Living as thankful people, we can find joy in learning from God’s Word together, while exploring the richness and blessing of the
relationship we share together in Christ Jesus.
For everything there truly is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven. There is a time for us to worship together, a time for us to laugh and cry as a family of faith; a time for us to play, and a time for us to work in mission and ministry for the sake of others. There is a time to cherish our life together and a time to grow and share all these blessings with the community around us.
As the season of summer draws to its eventual close and the autumn of 2023 breaks in upon us, let us all give thanks to God for the times and seasons we have together in this place, and let us pray that God would continue to bless our congregation well into the future with a vibrant life together, inviting and welcoming others to become members of the family of St. Jacob’s here in Chapin.
Grace and peace,
Pastor David Nuottila
Mid-Week Bible Study
Posted August 12, 2023 By adminOur 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.
NALC 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.
