Catechetical instruction for our youth members in grade 7 and above who have not been confirmed will begin on Sunday, August 31st beginning at 3:00 PM. Parents are asked to attend this initial meeting for the year. We will meet in the church office and share information and scheduling for the coming Fall session. Please make a note on your family calendars and plan to attend.
Pastor Archive
Confirmation Instruction to Begin
Posted August 25, 2025 By adminMidweek Bible Study Returns in September
Posted August 20, 2025 By adminOur Midweek Bible Study is on break until September. We will resume our regular Wednesday morning sessions on September 10th at 9:30 AM in the church office conference room. Anyone who would like to attend is welcome. Please invite your friends, family members, or neighbors to come with you.
Pastor on Vacation
Posted August 14, 2025 By adminPastor David will be taking some time away on vacation to travel to San Diego to visit his daughter from Friday, August 22nd through Friday, August 29th. Then following Sunday services on August 31st, he will be out of the office from Monday, September 1st through Saturday, September 6th. Those who may find need for pastoral services during these times should contact the church office during regular office hours, or contact council president A.J. outside church office hours and arrangements will be made.
Filed in Other Happenings, Pastor
From Your Pastor’s Heart
Posted August 5, 2025 By adminGod 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. Ecclesiastes 3:11
As I begin this August edition, I am mindful that yet one more summer season is nearing its conclusion. Soon, children will be returning to school having advanced to the next grade level. Family vacations will have provided their lifetime of memories, and yes, even the activities of the Church will shift, kicking it up a notch as they say. Choirs will resume weekly rehearsals. Sunday school students may experience the moving on from one classroom to another, and some of our youth members will begin taking the next steps toward affirming their baptism as they engage in catechetical classes with their pastor. Yes, the author of Ecclesiastes was right, “to everything, there is a season.”
The verse above reveals the wonder and mystery of living as a child of God. We reap the many blessings of this earthly life, blessings our loving Father has provided from his own hand. As we read the third chapter of Ecclesiastes, and I recommend you do, we soon discover that our God provides so much in the way of blessing for his children so that inescapable joy may be ours.
Even through all the seasons of life, God is never far away from us. His love rains down like that sweet mid-summer sun shower which cools and refreshes. Sometimes the weight of the world might seem too much to bear, but not so with God. The third chapter of Ecclesiastes teaches us that God governs the times and seasons, and that nothing is outside of his control. This can be a source of comfort and trust in both times of celebration and times of sorrow.
The verse I shared above, Ecclesiastes 3:11, speaks of God placing eternity in our hearts, a longing for something more than this life. This can be a reminder to seek God and to live with an eternal perspective. None of us knows when the end of this earthly life will transpire, but through faith, and God’s blessing of love and his presence, we need not worry about it. Eternity in the kingdom of heaven is ours.
The seasons of earthly life are just that, seasons to be lived, experienced, and enjoyed. Each season of life has its own purpose. With each sunrise comes the opportunity to embrace the blessing of one more day, one more season through which we may relish the time and times we have been provided to love, serve and share with our family, friends, and neighbors. Yet, none of these can compare to the endless joy we will share in the company and presence of our Lord and Savior.
God has put eternity into our hearts and minds. He has promised that through all the seasons of life, the good times, and yes, even the most difficult, he is with us and the blessing of his love can never be taken from us. Reading Ecclesiastes chapter 3 encourages us to appreciate the present moment and to find joy in God’s gifts, recognizing that these seasons are temporary. Understanding such can lead us to living each day with a spirit of gratitude for all God has done and continues to do.
To everything there is a season. A season to give thanks for the ever-present love and joy that is received through goodness and mercy of our God. In these seasons of life, I invite you all to live among your fellow sisters and brothers in Christ, worshiping, serving, and learning joyfully as we grow in our relationships with one another and especially with our lord who promises to be with us forever and ever.
Grace to you and peace,
Pastor David Nuottila
Adult Confirmation
Posted August 2, 2025 By adminOur Adult Confirmation study meets in the church office conference room on selected Tuesdays beginning at 6:30 PM. All who are interested in learning more about Lutheran theology, teaching, and worship are welcome to attend, regardless of if you grew up in the Lutheran Church or another denomination. We will examine elements of Luther’s Large Catechism, the Book of Concord and the traditions of Lutheran preaching and worship. Many life-long Lutherans wonder why we do certain liturgies or traditions or have questions regarding the liturgies or traditions. Participants will enjoy learning more and having their questions answered. No special materials are needed. Please let Pastor David know if you would like to participate.
Pastoral Devotion for August – Do Not Fear, Believe
Posted August 1, 2025 By adminRead Luke 8:40-56
Jairus is a man with authority, yet he recognizes his limitations. For the sake of his daughter, Jairus yields to the authority of Christ and begs him to come, but there is an interruption. Another person in need of a miracle also reaches out to Jesus.
How often do we encounter such interruptions? How many times might we feel Jesus is otherwise preoccupied, busy elsewhere and putting off our urgent need? Out of control, our life seems like riding a roller coaster and anything that delays Jesus’ response makes us even more frantic. As Jairus waited for Jesus, things grew worse. News came that his daughter had indeed died. Jairus lost hope; his faith faded into despair. But with Jesus, hope is never lost.
As we continue along our earthly journey, fear and faith seem to walk alongside. Circumstances do not always go our way. Fear takes hold; illness, loneliness, grief and loss come to the forefront. In all of these, we reach out in faith to Christ for help, yet sometimes it seems interruptions block the path to wholeness. Jesus says. “Do not fear, only believe.” Behold, God is with you.
Prayer: Comfort me, O God, grant me faith that believes your promises are true. Amen.
Blessing of the Backpacks
Posted July 30, 2025 By adminThe public school year is about to begin, and with that we will have a blessing of the backpacks and bookbags for students in all grades. Please bring your backpack or bookbag with you to worship on Sunday, August 3rd. We will pray for our students, teachers, and school administrators that they would have a safe and fruitful year in school.
Lutheran Week 2025
Posted July 30, 2025 By adminThe Biennial NALC Convocation and Lutheran Week is scheduled for August 4th-8th in Pittsburgh, PA. Our lay delegate for the convocation this year is Lynn Shealy. Items to be addressed will be the 2025-2026 annual operating budget and receiving reports from several of the NALC ministries and ecumenical partners. There will be a few elections that will take place to fill positions on the Seminary Board of Regents, Court of Adjudication, and NALC Executive Council. Pastor David has been nominated for a seat on the NALC Executive Council. Please pray for safety in travel for all who will be attending and that the convocation will be a fruitful and enjoyable experience.
Pastoral Devotion for July – Touched by Christ
Posted July 14, 2025 By adminRead Mark 10:1-16
Even in the first century divorce was legal. All that was required was a husband’s letter indicating his wife’s dismissal. Today’s legalities are much more substantial. It may be legal, but in the eyes of God, divorce is yet further evidence of our need for a savior. Surprisingly, this passage of scripture is not about divorce. The Pharisees’ only reason for bringing it up was another attempt to trap Jesus. Once again, their attempts failed. It is here where the text takes an unexpected turn.
As the disciples were seeking explanation concerning divorce, people began bringing children to Jesus so that he might touch them. Throughout Mark’s gospel, being touched by Jesus meant being healed. In the confrontation with the Pharisees centered on divorce, we see humanity’s brokenness and need for restoration. The children represent the weak and vulnerable; they serve as representatives for all who seek God’s healing, restoration, and forgiveness.
The people of God are the children welcomed into the presence of Christ. We come to Jesus to be healed, to be made whole and to be set free from the consequences of our disobedience. Jesus says, “Let the children come to me; do not hinder them.” Bring those who face the hardship of sin, sickness, and divorce. In their brokenness, I will forgive them, bless them, and give them life.
Even in difficult circumstances such as divorce, our Lord Jesus has the power to forgive and restore those who seek his grace. Through Christ, there is hope for renewal. There is hope for healing. And there is abundant love that is poured out upon the children of God, a love so true that it will overcome any and all brokenness of our human condition.
Prayer: As we come into your presence, O Lord, bless and heal us with the power of your love. Amen.
From Your Pastor’s Heart
Posted July 7, 2025 By adminJesus said to him, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.” Luke 9:62
The verse I’ve chosen for this month’s reflection is one that has been often misinterpreted to mean people should not reminisce over the past, but always look to the future with faith. While the sentiment is true, we should always be looking in faith toward our gaining the kingdom of God. But it goes without saying that often our memories bring with them feelings of love, warmth, and peace through the lasting visions of those whom we love, or have loved in the past.
As your pastor, I often find myself steeped in memories of those whom I have had the pleasure of knowing, and also the joy of being included in so many milestone moments for celebration. Along with those are the moments when faith plays a profound role in the lives of people whose hearts are broken or perhaps filled with great joy. Given the collection of memories God has blessed me to make through my years of pastoral ministry, it has taken quite some time to write my column this month. Even as my hand has been “to the plow,” I’ve been looking back and remembering the joys and sorrows I’ve shared with so many.
It might seem strange to hear a pastor say, but I thank God for Facebook, Instagram, and other forms of electronic media. It is through these instruments that I have been able to remain connected to so many of the people I love and continue to enjoy the pastoral relationship once shared in person but now shared through social media. I enjoy seeing the photographs of children I had the pleasure to baptize as they have grown over the years. Some have recently graduated high school and will be off to college later this year.
Several of the “little ones” from previous congregations have now taken their place among the workforce. Youth whom I have confirmed in the Carolinas now live in places such as Alaska, North Dakota, and California. Two have become registered nurses. One has become a doctor, and yet another is now an award winning TV news investigative reporter. I love it when these “kids” drop me a quick note, tag me in a photo, or send an instant message just to say “hi.” I’ve even had the pleasure and honor of having former youth group members ask me to preside at their wedding. It is such a joy to see “our children” grow in faith and to see their life unfold.
All of this makes me wonder what the youth of St. Jacob’s will be up to in about ten years or so. The children I’ve been blessed to baptize will be preparing for confirmation. The ones confirmed will be preparing for life after college or will have begun their careers. And our middle school and high school youth might even be enjoying moments and making memories with their spouses and children. Who knows what blessings from God await us all as we continue to grow in faithfulness and in our relationship together.
So as we reflect on our verse for this month, don’t take it to say you should not look back on fond memories. God provides us with recollection so we can relive the moments of joy they bring. Memories play a central role in preparing us for those milestone moments we will experience in the future, but memories are not that which we are to look to for promise in our lives yet to come.
Using Jesus’s metaphor, in plowing a field, a farmer keeps the rows straight by focusing on an immovable object in front and in the distance. If the farmer started to plow and kept looking back, he would never make straight rows and do a good job plowing. In following Jesus, he is to be the immovable object of our focus. Never take your eyes off Him. Our memories bring us pleasure, but they are in the past. No plowman ever plowed a straight furrow looking back over his shoulder.
Plowmen also do something else of great importance: they hold on. A plowman who lets go is no plowman at all. Jesus teaches us to hold on to him. Grasp hold of him through faith and know that through the love of God, a life of blessing awaits. This life may not be of this world but will last for all eternity in the kingdom of heaven.
Watching our children grow, living through the emotional moments of life together as pastor and people. Enjoying all the splendid blessings God pours out upon us all. This is what is on your pastor’s heart this summer.
Grace to you and peace,
Pastor David Nuottila
