Report Even though I was not able to travel to Congo with Pastor Kalonji, my heart overflows with joy that our shared mission work continues to bear fruit for the kingdom of God. With the help of so many congregations across the NALC, and especially St. Jacob’s, Pastor Kalonji was able to engage in a longer than usual mission trip to Kinshasa, Mbuji-Mayi, and the village of Merode.
Thank you to everyone here at St. Jacob’s who continue to contribute to the Congo Mission through your offerings and gifts. With help from your donations, forty-seven families welcomed home mothers and their newborn babies, fifty-six families and individuals who had no other access to the Scriptures received Bibles written in their local language, and over six hundred orphaned children enjoyed a healthy hot meal when they would not have otherwise had such a feast.
Of course, one of the projects that brings me much joy is the construction of the first Lutheran Church building in the province of Kasai-Oriental. Currently, all Lutheran Church worship and activity takes place outside, exposed to the weather. With grants from NALC Congregations, we have been able to purchase an acre of land and begin construction. The foundation is laid for the church. Soon, there will be a modest building rising up from the ground to serve as a school for children, education for women, and a house of worship for the surrounding community. We hope to provide for a well to be drilled since all water must be brought in from elsewhere. We trust that God will provide.
As this year’s trip is concluded, we leave behind funds for congregations that they may continue to feed orphans who remain in their care, eyeglasses for people who have such need, and the seeds of faith planted through the love of Christian brothers and sisters in Christ across the ocean. Thank you again for supporting this wonderful and exciting mission. I am so thankful we can all be a part of God’s work together for the sake of our fellow Christians in Congo.
Fellowship Archive
Congo Mission 2024
Posted September 10, 2024 By adminMusic Notes
Posted September 10, 2024 By adminPsalm 104:33 I will singto the Lord as long as I live; I will sing praise to my God while I have being.
Chancel choir news
We have a great selection of music ready for the beginning of the choir year. The notebooks are filled with all of the music to take us through the end of December, and a new cantata is ready for rehearsal. All we need now are members willing to serve God and bless our congregation with the gift of music. We will kick off our new choir season on Wednesday, September 4th at 5:30 in the church office with a covered dish dinner. The meat will be provided, please bring either a side or dessert to share. After our meal and time of fellowship, we will dig into the collection of music for the new year. Please come join us. It’s sure to be a great year. Children’s choir has started. We meet each Sunday from 3-3:45 in the downstairs music room.
Children’s choir is for children in K-4 grade.
Youth handbells meets at 4pm in the music room downstairs.
Making Melodies
Posted September 8, 2024 By adminDid you know that our Congregation President Tommy is a headline entertainer? Not only does Tommy assist with worship every other week, but each month he shares his gift of music with the residents at Generations of Chapin. Our friends at Generations are so happy to welcome Tommy as he brings his music and invites them all to sing along. Smiles are the order of the day and there is plenty of joy to go around. Thank you, Tommy for being such a blessing and Christian witness to the power of God’s love.
Lutheran Women
Posted September 4, 2024 By adminThe Lutheran Women will have a spaghetti meal fundraiser on Sunday, September 22nd following worship. The meal will be salad, spaghetti, bread and dessert and may be eaten in or taken to go. Adult plates will be $10 and child plates will be $5. The funds raised will be used to assist those in our church and community in need of financial assistance for medical issues. There will be a sign-up sheet in the Worship folder on September 8th and September 15th, or you can call Sandra. Please let us know if you plan to join us no later than September 15th.
Men’s Bible Study
Posted August 27, 2024 By adminOur Men’s Bible Study will resume following a summer break. There will be a new time and day for our meeting. In order to include more of our men, Men’s Bible Study will be held on the first Monday evening each month in the church office beginning September 2nd at 6:30PM. With this new time, we hope that those who are not able to meet in the early morning hours will take this opportunity to gather and study God’s Word together. Our Topic will be determined prior to the first meeting.
Youth Activities
Posted August 27, 2024 By adminThe youth had a blast on Sunday evening as we continued some craft activities that were started this summer, played games and enjoyed a nacho bar. The youth are gearing up for a great year ahead. We will meet the last Sunday of each month at 5:00 pm in the fellowship hall for games, fellowship, food and devotions. Currently, our youth are preparing to lead worship on September 29th. Mark your calendars and come join in the fun on the last Sunday of each month.
Mid-Week Bible Study
Posted August 27, 2024 By adminOur Midweek Bible study is in full swing, meeting on Wednesday mornings at 9:30 in the church office conference room. Our topic is an especially interesting look into the “Spiritual Realms.” All are welcome to join the group, there is plenty of room for everyone. The only necessary materials are your Bible and a desire for conversation and learning more about God’s Word for His people.
Music Notes
Posted August 19, 2024 By adminHandbell camp 2024 has come to an end. We’ve learned much about reading music, we’ve learned how to make bells “sing”, and we learned about the liturgy of our church service. This final week, we read about the Passover and the Last Supper and concluded with baking communion bread for Sunday’s service. Thank you to everyone who got kids to camp, provided meals and stayed as an extra adult on duty. It’s been a great summer.
Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth!
Serve the Lord with gladness!
Come into his presence with singing!
Psalm 100 tells us that it is God who has made us and all that we have. David tells us to come into the house of the Lord making a joyful noise, to come to Him with singing. He doesn’t say our singing has to be professional or anything other than a joyful noise, and we are all capable of that.
Chancel choir practice begins Wednesday, September 4 at 5:30 pm. We will share fellowship and dinner in the church office building and follow with a reading of the music for this fall. Please join us. All are welcome. No prior experience is needed. Think you can’t sing? I bet you’re wrong. Come, give us six weeks and see how it goes. Can’t commit to weekly rehearsal? Join us for the Christmas cantata. Can’t sit with us on Sunday morning because you have children to sit with? Sit with your family and come to the choir loft for the anthem. We need you. God wants you. Please join us.
Please let Angela know if you will be attending the meal on September 4 so we can plan the food. Thank you and God bless you.
Up and Going
Posted August 15, 2024 By adminThe July Up and Going Meeting was held on Thursday, July 11th at 11 AM in the Fellowship Hall with 19 attending.
Helen, Team Leader, gave the devotions “From the Heart with Candace Cameron Bure” entitled “Embrace Joy in the Rhythm of Your Everyday Life.” Candace challenges each of us: “This summer you might be surprised to discover that when we look for the joy of the Lord in everything, we find it.” Helen passed out an article entitled “Discover the Keys to a Flourishing Life!”
Bob gave a most interesting program on Prayer, talking with God. Bible reading was from Matthew 6:5. Bob read to us Luther’s Morning and Evening Prayers. Luther instructs us that prayer is a Labor above all Labors. Do not forget: Prayer is a duty commanded of us by God.
Everyone enjoyed a delicious lunch of various meats, salads, vegetables and desserts. So delicious! Business was conducted before lunch.
Treasurer’s report was given by Gary.
The blessing for our meal was given by Helen.
The August Meeting will be our Annual 4 Churches Meeting at Mt. Tabor Lutheran Church, Little Mountain, on the 3rd Wednesday, August 21st at 11 AM in their Fellowship Hall. They will provide the meat, rolls, tea and paper products. We each are asked to bring a covered dish or dessert. Please attend if possible. This is always a very special time together.
Helen
Team Leader for
Up and Going
VBS
Posted August 12, 2024 By adminThank you to all of our volunteers for making VBS a success! Thanks to all of our participants for spending your nights with us at VBS as we studied “Truth comes from God”, ”God’s Plan is Best”, “Everyone Sins and needs a Savior”, “Everyone Needs Jesus”, and “Jesus is the only way!”.
