On May 9th, seventeen members gathered in the fellowship hall for the regular Up and Going Meeting. It was a stormy, rainy morning, but the sunshine filled the fellowship hall as members gathered and filled the room with laughter and conversations.
Helen and Jean welcomed everyone. Joan gave the devotions with the reading of Psalm 1, the sharing from her Angel Book and prayer. Helen gave the blessing for our meal. The meal of many delicious salads and complimentary dishes and wonderful desserts were enjoyed by all. Comment was made, “that everyone should bring the same dish next month, everything was so good.”
Next came BINGO, always a fun time with lots of laughter and comments. Everyone won several times and chose prizes of their choice. Some prizes were then given to We Care and Mercy Boy Project and some prizes went home with us. We played and played until all prizes were gone. What a good time we had!!
June 13th, 2024, a beautiful summer day, the Up and Going gathered in the Fellowship Hall at 11 AM for the monthly meeting. Eighteen members and guests attended. Devotions were given by Team Leader, Helen. Devotions were from “Mornings with Jesus” booklet. Bible reading was from John 5:19 reminding us that “sons learn from their fathers” and we learn from our fathers and so we teach our sons. We shared special memories of our fathers. Business was conducted.
Mr. Travis Goodman, our Thrivent Representative, spoke to us about Thrivent, how the company operates and the many opportunities available to its clients. Travis is available to each of us should we desire additional information.
We all enjoyed a delicious covered dish meal and lots of great fellowship. The food was so good. We always have a wide variety of delicious dishes. Our next meeting will be held on July 11th at 11 AM in the fellowship hall. Bob will have the program. Lunch will be a covered dish meal. Hope to see you then.
Helen
Team Leader
Up and Going
Fellowship Archive
Up and Going
Posted July 23, 2024 By adminSt. Jacob’s Historical Ministry
Posted July 15, 2024 By adminDo you have an interest in archiving church records, including photos of church members from past years? Do you enjoy scrapbooking your family photos? St. Jacob’s has records, photos and other memorabilia that need to be archived and possibly displayed for everyone to enjoy. Especially needed are our more “seasoned” members of all ages who have been at St. Jacobs for many years and can help identify people in photographs. It will be an exciting walk down memory lane!
Helping with this ministry is not a long term commitment! The goal is to archive existing records and photographs and then make a plan for how to display some items. We will also be preparing these items for display at St. Jacob’s 250th Anniversary in 2026!
Worship at Generations
Posted July 6, 2024 By adminEvery other Sunday St. Jacob’s offers worship with Holy Communion for the residents of Generations Assisted Care of Chapin.
This ministry has made a great difference in the lives of many folks who are not able to attend worship at their home church.
The congregation is invited and certainly encouraged to share this experience with our friends just down the road.
Our next worship opportunities will be on Sunday, July 7th and July 21st at 1:00 PM. Join us in the lobby at Generations.
First Holy Communion
Posted July 4, 2024 By adminChloe, Bella, and Owen completed their first Communion instruction and received their first Holy Communion on June 23. It is a joy to welcome these three young church family members to God’s table of grace where they take their place in receiving their Lord as he comes to us in this Holy Supper. It was a meaningful day in the life of each of these three, and certainly in the life of their church family.
From the Pastor’s Heart
Posted June 21, 2024 By admin“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” 2 Corinthians 5:17
Everyone wants to be loved. Everyone needs to be loved. Sadly, not everyone feels they are loved. We hear so many stories these days about kids who have run away from home because they feel unloved or unwanted. We hear even more stories about people who, for one reason or another have fallen out of grace and become shunned for something they’ve done. The sad truth is, the world is filled with people who perceive themselves to be misfits, outcasts and undesirable. “If only I were good enough, someone would love me.”
Have you ever tried to convince someone who fits the above description that they truly are loved? Have you ever been faced with the difficulty of giving someone the assurance of God’s love? It isn’t as simple as it sounds. People who are convinced they are undesirable have built up walls surrounding them that are nearly impenetrable. Breaking down the barrier of doubt and low self-esteem is a dauntless task. Change is needed; transformation must take place for both, the unloved and the community that shuns them.
Several times in my reading this morning I have come across a commonly used sentence that always seems to give me trouble. “God loves you just the way you are.” This sentence gives the connotation that, even though I am not good enough for people, I am good enough for God. Now on the surface of this statement there is an element of truth, God does love us unconditionally. But simply telling someone that God loves them just as they are does not tell the whole story.
Ever since Adam and Eve bit the forbidden fruit, a barrier has existed between God and humanity. Sin is the great separation, the deeply driven wedge breaking the relationship between God and people. There can be no mistake, God hates sin and we are sinners. God does not love us just the way we are. God does not love us as sinners continually turning away from the relationship he established with creation in the beginning. This is a difficult message to hear and even more difficult to accept.
Certainly, God loves us. After all, we are people created by his hand in his image and likeness. But God does not love us just as we are. God does not love our sinful human condition. In order for God to love us just the way we are, change is needed. Transformation must take place. The deeply driven wedge between God and people must be removed and the wounds of sin healed forever. This is why God sent his Son into the world.
One of the aspects of the Lutheran Church I cling to is our emphasis and focus on the cross of Christ. Even as Jesus was fully human, subject to the same temptation, hunger, and pain we feel, he did not surrender unto sin. Jesus accomplished what humans cannot; he remained obedient to God even unto death. God loved Jesus just as he was; sinless, blameless, perfect.
As we are baptized into the death and resurrection of Christ Jesus, change occurs, transformation takes place. God receives us into the one true body of Christ Jesus and forgives us all our sin. God sanctifies us with his Holy Spirit, claims us as his own and gives us the assurance of his love forever. It is in this truth that humans can rightfully say, “God loves us just the way we are.” In Christ, no longer lost, no longer broken, we sinners who are washed in the waters of Holy Baptism and redeemed by the blood of Christ Jesus can honestly say God loves us just the way we are.
Grace and peace,
Pastor David Nuottila
VBS is Coming
Posted June 13, 2024 By adminLet’s meet at Breaker Rock Beach! VBS begins on Monday, June 24. Dinner will be served at 5:45 and we will enjoy some VBS beach time starting at 6:30 PM.
There will be classes for all ages as we hear God say – “Truth comes from me. My plan for you is even better.
Everyone sins and needs a Savior. Jesus is the only way to get to heaven.” You don’t want to miss the fun and fellowship. Mark your calendars now and join us June 24-27!
St. Jacob’s Youth
Posted June 12, 2024 By adminOur Youth Members enjoyed a day of fun and fellowship with the youth groups of neighboring NALC congregations. Youth from St. Peter’s in Chapin, Holy Trinity in Little Mountain, and St. Paul’s in Pomaria joined with St. Jacob’s Youth in a mission project collecting Peanut Butter and Jelly for We Care of Chapin. More than 550 pounds of PB&J was collected by the for youth groups. The afternoon was spent getting to know one another and making new friends through games and singing, and of course, food. A taco supper was enjoyed by all! We look forward to future gatherings of our Dutch Fork NALC youth groups.
Vacation Bible School
Posted May 22, 2024 By adminVBS, Breaker Rock Beach, is coming in June! Our dates have been set! They are Monday, June 24 through Thursday, June 27. A meal will be served at 5:45 pm and VBS will be from 6:30-8:00 pm. Classes for all ages! If you are interested in helping out with VBS, please contact Sherrie.
The Congregational Care and Discipleship Teams are here for you!
Posted May 10, 2024 By adminOur Congregational Care and Discipleship Team are committed to help and assist our members with any needs that they may have. As Jesus shared in Matthew 25:40, “whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did it for me”. As disciples and members of the Congregational Care and Discipleship Teams, we are here to serve, to assist, and to care for one another. Have you had these thoughts?
I wish I had someone to call to pick up and deliver my medication today.
It would be great to have someone to drive me/us to my/our doctor appointment or to another appointment.
I need an errand run, who can I call?
I wish I had someone to talk to.
I would love to have someone from the church visit me.
You can call the church office at 803-345-2309, Billy, or Lynn! Our church ministry teams are here for you! If you have any special requests/needs, please do not hesitate to ask. We all need help at some time in our lives. We are a phone call or text away. Let us help! Let us serve!
Music Notes
Posted May 8, 2024 By admin2 Chronicles 5:12-14 (…it was the duty of the trumpeters and singers to make themselves heard in unison in praise and thanksgiving to the Lord), and when the song was raised, with trumpets and cymbals and other musical instruments, in praise to the Lord,
“For he is good,
for his steadfast love endures forever,”
the house, the house of the Lord, was filled with a cloud, 14 so that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud, for the glory of the Lord filled the house of God.
When Solomon had completed the temple and the Ark of the Covenant was brought into the temple, the singers and musicians praised God with voice and instrument, and the temple was filled with the Glory of God.
Throughout the bible, God gives us examples of worship. In the Old Testament we see the directions God gave for worship first in tents as the Israelites wandered in the wilderness and then in the temple. In the New Testament we see John’s vision of the worship that we will one day join in God’s kingdom. Music is always an important part of this worship, and it is so important that we raise up our children to make music to the Lord.
This summer we will again have a bell camp on Tuesday mornings, starting June 18th, from 9-12:30 in the fellowship hall and music room downstairs.
VOLUNTEERS ARE NEEDED to provide lunch for the youth each Tuesday. And to be present to assist with set up, leading devotions, monitoring the youth and handling surprises that always seem to pop up. If you are willing to assist in any way, please call Angela.
It is almost time for our chancel choir to break for the summer. Thank you to everyone who has worked so hard this year to bring us a cantata, lead worship and share their talents in praise and worship of God. The choir will lead worship again this summer from the pews giving them a chance to sit with their friends and family. We will reconvene at the end of the summer.
