Sunday School:
9:00 AM Sunday
Worship service:
In Person
10:00 AM Sunday
or
Live Stream at StJacobs.Chapin
Online Devotions:
on Facebook at StJacobs.Chapin
9:30 AM Monday and Friday for Morning devotions and prayer
7:00 PM Tuesday and Friday for
Evening devotions and prayer
7:00 PM Wednesday Evening for Vespers
We are located at:
844 Columbia Avenue
Chapin, SC 29036
With the New Year comes an opportunity to once again read
through the Bible in one year. Several members of our church family have taken
up this reading plan already. If you have not yet done so, you may pick up a
reading plan brochure in the narthex. If you have done this already, well, why
not read the Bible again?
Beginning on February
2, Pastor David will lead an afternoon discussion and take questions on the
first Sunday of each month from those members who are participating or anyone
else who would like to attend. Come join the group. Encourage one another to
deepen your knowledge of the scriptures. Read the Bible in one year. You will
certainly be glad you did.
Entering the new year, we wanted to remind everyone who uses
Facebook, that St. Jacob’s has a page. We are becoming more active with photos,
devotions, and reminders of events!
It is a great way to
connect with our church family online. We post Pastor David’s Sunday sermons on
there as well. You can search @StJacobs.Chapin to find us!
It’s that time of year again. The time for New Year’s
Resolutions. And the top resolutions, for most people, tend to revolve around
the same three poles: money, health and family. We set goals to bring change,
to improve our lives, and to obtain new habits and maybe even try to break some
old ones. But what would a set of New Year’s resolutions look like for us and
our church, your role as a leader, or simply as someone who wants to live a
life of Kingdom investment? I want to offer some suggestions of things I have
committed to in the past, and usually continue to grow each New Year:
Spending more time in prayer
Being more intentional about Evangelism
Reading more books (There are so many great
Christian books out there, and I would love to recommend some.)
Seek out people in Church that you may have
never spoken to and get to know something about them
Find a need in the Church and try to meet it,
whether it involves one person or the entire congregation, there are always
things that can be done!
I always find it interesting to see what people declare as
their New Year change, not as a test to see how long we can stick with
something but to cheer each other on while learning about areas where people
feel as though they fall short. So whether it’s eating healthier, serving the
Church in a new way, or being a better friend; I would love to know. On my
bulletin board in the hallway next to the fellowship hall, feel free to share
what your New Year’s goal is. Once you have shared, join me in praying for each
resolution to be brought to completion. Thank you, Lord for giving us a New
Year ahead. Help us live the way we should in each new day we tread. Give us
gentle wisdom, give us strength and courage as a shoulder we might lend. The
year ahead is empty, help us fill it with good things. Each new day filled with
joy and happiness it brings. Amen.
May all the blessings
of the Lord be yours in abundance in the New Year, Isaiah 43:19.
The congregational retreat to Camp St. Christopher in Charleston, SC, for January will be rescheduled to a later date. Watch your newsletter and worship folders for updated information.
Everyone is invited and encouraged to come worship with us each Wednesday evening in December for Advent Vespers. The focus of our worship will be our Need for Redemption, God’s Promise of a Savior, and the Fulfilment of the Promise through Jesus Christ. In keeping with the worship time of our Wednesday Evening Light, Advent Vespers will begin at 6:30 PM.
Christmas has always been my favorite holiday, as I assume
it is for many of you. Maybe because of the time we get with family and
friends, the music, Hallmark movies, endless shopping, and of course eating too
much. All of these things are so easy to enjoy but often overshadow the real
Christmas celebration—the baby in a manger, shepherds, wise men, angels, and
the prophecies fulfilled. The first Christmas is a story that has endured. It’s
a story about hope, peace, and family. An often overlooked perspective of this
season is the humility of the birth of Jesus. Even though it is right to shout
out with the angels, “Glory to God in the highest!” it is also important to
quietly worship God for the humility of the Christmas story. Paul used the
incarnation of Jesus as the model for our attitude of humility. Philippians
2:5-7 says, “Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus,
who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a
thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant,
and being made in the likeness of men.” Although Jesus never laid aside
his deity, he exhibited profound humility in becoming a man. The very fact that
God would become a man should stagger our pride. We should adore the humble
Christmas baby. Humility, service, meekness and love marked Jesus’ life.
Ultimately, he sacrificed His life as a substitute for all who would believe in
Him. All of the glorious humility of Christmas leads us forward to the
beginning of the new year, the Cross, and the Resurrection. The greatest of
Kings being born in the most humble of places shows us how to live our lives in
the way God intended. This season allows us to serve, to love, to worship and
to celebrate Immanuel: God with us. “For unto us a child is born, His name
shall be called Wonderful Counselor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father,
the Prince of Peace.” The sweetest gift will always be the one our Savior gave
us, Himself.
Friday January 10th –
Sunday, January 12th Camp St. Christopher – Seabrook Island, SC
Living and Growing as
Disciples of Jesus Christ
Retreat: (noun) A place set apart, one of renewal, rejuvenation, rest; a period of time used to pray and study quietly, or to think carefully, away from normal activities and duties.
Members and friends
of St. Jacob’s are invited to retreat to beautiful Camp St. Christopher and spend a weekend in thought, prayer,
discussion and fellowship. Topics will
include: What does it mean to be a disciple of Jesus Christ? How family members
share faith with one another. Take up the cross? Really?
Enjoy God’s wonderful
Creation Beautiful private beach Watch the dolphins swim and play Hiking trails
throughout the camp Saturday evening campfire and vespers
Winter Retreat 2020
Registration Friday January 10th – Sunday, January 12th Camp St. Christopher –
Seabrook Island, SC
Living and Growing as
Disciples of Jesus Christ
Cost of registration
is $150.00 per participant. The following is included with your registration:
Weekend Lodging (Friday evening -Sunday morning) Saturday Breakfast and Supper
– Sunday Breakfast (Friday supper and Saturday lunch are on your own)
Please make checks
out to: St. Jacob’s Lutheran Church Memo
line designate: Winter Retreat
Assistance is
available to help cover costs of registration.
Please contact Pastor David Nuottila if
there is a need for such assistance.
Strictly confidential.
On his way to Jerusalem, the mother of James and John
requested that her sons be given places of honor next to Jesus’ throne. Jesus
looked at the two disciples and put forth his own question; “Are you able to
drink the cup that I am to drink?” Jesus knew the cup he was given by his
Father meant he would suffer and die for the sake of God’s people. The cup he
is to drink is the cup of God’s salvation; a cup that comes at the cost of
pouring out his life.
Jesus asks, “Can you drink the cup?” In Faith we answer
“Yes, but how?” Jesus gives clear instructions; deny yourself and take up your
cross. Drinking the cup of Christ means suffering with him, serving others,
enduring hardship, and having faith that God will equip us to do these things.
It means putting away our selfish ambitions and extending our hands to meet the
needs of the poor, hungry, and lost. Drinking the cup means loving God and
loving neighbor first, offering our lives to Christ in order to gain life in
God’s kingdom.
Can you drink the cup? With God’s help, yes you can.
Prayer: O Lord, give us the strength and the will to drink
your cup, that we may follow Jesus’ example of love and service for the sake of
others. Amen.
The Lutheran Men’s and Lutheran Women’s Annual Christmas
Luncheon will be held on Sunday, December 1st immediately following the church service.
The cost is $5.00 per person. Those individuals under 3 years of age and over
80 years of age is free. Please plan to attend and enjoy the delicious meal and
great fellowship.
Our Thanksgiving Eve worship will take place on Wednesday,
November 27th beginning at 6:30 PM. All are welcome to come give thanks to the
Lord and share Holy Communion. Following worship, we will prepare pound cake
slices for delivery to The Hub for the annual Thanksgiving meals delivery. We
look forward to seeing you there.
