ALL women are invited to join the Women’s Bible Study for a casual summer social and devotion at the home of Susan on Monday, June 8th beginning at 7:00 PM. If you can, bring a snack to share. Soft drinks and tea will be provided. Make plans to join us – and bring a friend! Please RSVP to Susan.
Other Happenings Archive
Women’s Bible Study: Summer Social
Posted May 28, 2026 By adminReport on the Carolinas Mission Region Convocation
Posted May 28, 2026 By adminThe Mission Region Convocation took place on May 1st – May 2nd at Christiana Lutheran Church in Salisbury, NC. There was a total attendance of 134 persons from a majority of congregations within the Carolinas Mission Region. Seventy-seven delegates comprised the voting body, with thirty-two clergy delegates and forty-five lay delegates.
Business of the Convocation included the following:
- The CMR Treasurer’s report was reviewed and accepted as information.
- The 2026-27 CMR Budget was presented by the treasurer and Finance Committee chairperson. There was no discussion and the budget was adopted by unanimous vote.
- A proposed amendment to the CMR Bylaws was presented which would provide position descriptions and stipend funding for volunteer CMR officers who fulfill various administrative duties.
- This amendment was not adopted due to convoluted language and instead recommitted to the CMR Council for further discernment.
- A new amendment may be presented during the next annual convocation.
Bishop Dan Selbo provided updates on several NALC ministries:
- Since the previous convocation, the NALC has grown from 444 congregations to 567.
- There are now forty-five mission districts within seven newly formed geographical regions. Each region is served by an AAB (Area Assistant to the Bishop).
- There are currently thirty-five congregations with full time pastoral vacancies, and twenty-eight congregations with part time pastoral vacancies for a total of sixty-three congregations without a pastor.
- Currently there are sixty-two students enrolled in the NALC Seminary system.
- It is forecasted that two hundred forty NALC pastors will retire within eight years.
- Due to aging congregations and changes in our culture, congregations are encouraged to evaluate their ministries and through a process of discernment of their vision for ministry, engage in congregation renewal. The NALC will provide assistance.
South Carolina Mission District
A report was provided by Rev. Dawn Rister (Dean):
- The SCMD has grown from eleven congregations (2024) to twenty congregations (2026).
- Currently, seven SCMD congregations are without a pastor.
Ministry Partners
The CMR welcomed representatives of several NALC Ministry Partners. Displays, presentations and materials were provided for the following ministries:
- Awakening Lives for Global Mission (Pastor Bill Moberly)
- Congo Mission International (Pastor David Nuottila)
- Lutheran Military Veterans and Families (Chaplain Leslie Haynes)
- Lutherans for Life (Pastor Scott Liecht)
- Malawi Orphan Care Project (Ken Ekegren)
- NALC Disaster Response (Mary Bates)
- Sharing Shepherds (Pastor Marty Ramey)
- SMI Haiti (Pastor Heidi Punt)
- Sola Publishing (Pastor Steven King)
- Spiritual Orphans Network (David and Angela Briedenbach)
- Water Mission (Marie Reny)
Thank you to Brandon Slice and Mark Slice for serving as St. Jacob’s delegates to this year’s convocation.
Faithfully,
Pastor David Nuottila
Filed in Carolinas Mission Region, Other Happenings
St. Jacob’s Lutheran Church Council Meeting Briefs May 5, 2026
Posted May 28, 2026 By adminGood Things at St. Jacob’s for April
- He is risen!
- Seeing some new faces at church
- Decades day was enjoyable
Pastor’s Report:
- Scheduling Bible study has been very difficult with parking lot construction.
- Pastor would like all confirmands to be confirmed together. He plans to continue studies during Sunday school this summer and confirm on Reformation Sunday this year by the Bishop.
- Thank you to Brandon and Mark Slice for attending this year’s convocation and serving as delegates.
Treasurer’s Report:
- Offering is behind from last year by approximately $19,000.
- Overall expenditures slightly ahead of 2025 due to salary increases and annual payments of QuickBooks, Servant Keeper and insurance.
- Review of insurance policies are being completed.
- Hymnal fund has been established and added to Vanco.
- Congo mission trip is back to positive balance.
- Thrivent access has been set up so that we can manage funds easier.
Ministry Team Reports
- Christian Education
- Women’s Bible Study will conclude this month and start back in the fall.
- VBS will be Monday, July 13th – Thursday, July 16th
- Meal starting at 5:45 PM and VBS from 6:30-8:00 PM.
- T-shirts and crafts have been purchased using Thrivent dollars.
- Will continue to submit background checks for Sunday School and VBS teachers and volunteers.
- Will plan and host Luther League, LCY, Youth celebration on Sunday, June 7th as part of the 250th anniversary.
- Prayers for our program and increasing attendance for Sunday School and volunteers for both Sunday School and nursery.
- Congregational Care
- Plan to assist Lutheran Women with 250th anniversary meal on May 17th.
- Discipleship
- Donated 17 Mercy Bags to We Care weighing 286 pounds.
- Property
- Provided recommendations for plans for picnic shed. Will get quotes to present to council on the removal of picnic shed and renovating to become a covered playground.
- Would like to add lighting to exterior of church.
- Looking into getting city water hookup to church.
- Office building septic needs to be repaired following the retention pond.
- Sump pump will need to be installed in the basement of the office to replace existing gravity drain.
- A wireless internet system has been installed from the office to the main church building while underground hard wire is out of service.
- Property team will be securing bids for landscaping plan for the parking lot. Total funds may not cover this required step for completion due to Lexington County landscaping plan not being included in parking lot package funding. Council will need to address additional funds if/when needed.
- Safety
- Safety team has begun monitoring exterior during service.
- The AED batteries and pads have been received from Amazon. Saved $60 by changing our supplier.
- Staff Support
- Julie Stuck and Susan Shealy met about a draft from Nancy Williamson for the new website. Will bring to the next council meeting.
- Worship and Music
- Have received some money for new hymnals; need to encourage more donations.
Old Business:
- Proposed changes to the Child and Youth Policy were discussed.
- Request for approval of reduction in property and indemnity insurance premiums was made by the Finance Team. The motion to approve was made, seconded and passed.
** Next scheduled meeting is Tuesday, June 2nd at 6:30 PM in the church office. **
Filed in Council Reports, Other Happenings
Devotion for June – Jesus said, “Let your light shine”
Posted May 28, 2026 By admin Read Matthew 5:13-16
Jesus said to his disciples, “A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket.” God blesses the Church with the most precious treasure there is, the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. Every Christian is therefore filled with the light of Christ and called to give witness to the wonders of God’s mercy and grace.
Often, it is said to the newly baptized person, “Let your light so shine before others that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” Our light shines when we love God with all our heart and love our neighbor as ourselves. Shining our light, we share the love of Christ Jesus with all whom we meet.
Jesus of Nazareth is light and life for the world. Baptized into his death and resurrection, the light of Christ dwells within God’s people. May you always feel the presence and power of our Lord Jesus. And may your light shine through the darkness of this world, that those within your midst may finally see the glory of the Father and enter the gates of our eternal home.
Prayer: Shine the light of your love, O Lord, and fill me with the power of your love. Amen.
Youth Through the Years Celebration
Posted May 20, 2026 By adminWere you in the youth during Pastor Wessinger’s call? Were you in the Luther League? Were you in the youth during Pastor Eargle’s call? Were you in the LCY? Are you in the youth today? Have you served as a youth advisor? Have you supported our youth through the years? If you answered yes to any of those questions, mark your calendars for Sunday, June 7th .
We are celebrating our youth, advisors, and supporters of the past and present with a hamburger meal after service. Come join the fun as we walk down memory lane. And….there are some stories and memories to share!! You don’t want to miss the fun and the opportunity of a great time of fellowship with youth of all ages!
VBS in July
Posted May 19, 2026 By adminMark your calendars for VBS 2026. Join us for Illumination Station Monday, July 13th through Thursday, July 16th. Experience what it means for Jesus to be the Light of the World. There will be classes for all ages including adults. Children will rotate classes for lessons, games, music, and crafts. Our meal will be served starting at 5:45 PM and VBS will start at 6:30 PM and end at 8:00 PM. Come and experience God’s promised, perfect, powerful, and proven son – Jesus Christ. Come and experience Illumination Station!
St. Jacob’s 250th Anniversary Year-long Celebration
Posted May 10, 2026 By adminDecades Day was a unique experience as we celebrated our collective past. Thank you to Mr. Dwayne Swygert whose father was Pastor at St. Jacob’s in the late 1950’s. Dwayne reminisced about his younger days as a boy living in the old parsonage as his father ministered to the St. Jacob’s, Mt. Olivet Parish.
This month our 250th anniversary celebration continues as we again welcome a special guest Pastor. Pastor Marty Ramey, a former Interim Pastor for our congregation will visit and deliver the sermon on Sunday, May 17th . An old timey potluck congregational luncheon will be served following the service of worship, and everyone is invited to attend. The Lutheran Women will provide fried chicken; everyone is asked to bring your favorite old timey side dish and/or dessert. Join your church family as we continue our year-long celebration as we give thanks to God for our congregation’s long history in the service of the Gospel. Please make sure to attend each of these events and invite your friends and neighbors to join us. Below is a list of our remaining planned events.
- May 17th – Guest preacher Rev. Marty Ramey (former interim pastor); an old timey potluck congregational luncheon.
- June 7 th – Luther League, LCY, Youth celebration; members of past groups will be invited to attend church service; hamburger meal will be provided after service.
- July 19th – Guest preacher Rev. Randy Drafts (former seminarian and field worker); congregational dinner following worship.
- August 16th – Guest preacher Rev. David Tholstrup (former SCMD Dean), congregational dinner following worship.
- September 20th – Congregational Outreach Event; blankets for residents at Generations.
- October 25th – Homecoming and Anniversary Sunday, guest preacher NALC Presiding Bishop Dan Selbo; special catered congregational dinner following worship.
- November TBD – Golden Agers Recognition and Celebration.
St. Jacob’s 250th Anniversary Celebration – Decades Day
Posted May 9, 2026 By adminOur 250th anniversary celebration for April was Decades Day. We honored the historic Liturgy and worship of past generations from the foundations of St. Jacob’s to the recent decades gone by. During worship, we used a historic liturgy written by The Reverend Henry Melcior Muhelberg in the mid 1700’s.
Congregation members were encouraged to wear old fashioned clothing, and we observed the traditions of St. Jacob’s earliest days with women sitting on the left (choir side) and men on the right (pulpit side) sides of the aisle. We also welcomed a guest speaker, Duane Swygert, who spoke of his experience at St. Jacob’s while his father was Pastor in the late 1950’s
Filed in Other Happenings, Worship Service
From Your Pastor’s Heart
Posted May 6, 2026 By adminPeter, standing with the eleven, lifted up his voice and addressed them: “Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and give ear to my words.” Acts 2:14
On the Sunday of Pentecost, the day we celebrate God’s gift of the Holy Spirit, we also celebrate the birth of God’s Church. In our worship, our learning and our serving, we see God’s Spirit in action. We feel the power of God’s love as the Spirit comes like the rush of a violent wind, stirring the hearts and minds of God’s people to faithfulness. These are the themes of Pentecost; the power of God’s Spirit blowing through the lives of God’s people.
It isn’t about wearing your red dress or shirt to church on Pentecost Sunday. It isn’t about confirming our youth as they complete their initial study of the catechism. It’s about the Holy Spirit of God blowing in the doors of the hearts and minds of God’s people, rearranging the furniture of our lives and filling us with all the confidence, strength, excitement and assurance the disciples had in order to share the good news of God’s redemption.
Think about the world around you. Think about the things you have heard and seen. Think about all the times in your life when you thought you were at wits end. In these instances, don’t you think the world needs to hear the good news of great joy that angels proclaimed to shepherds so long ago? In so many ways and in so many instances, God makes his presence and power known. Often it comes to us in the quiet moments of our lives. At other times it comes in ways so clear and powerful that no matter what, people can know and understand that God’s mercy and grace through Christ our Lord are real promises made to all who believe. God’s promises are real and his love lasts forever.
When God poured out the Holy Spirit upon the disciples in Jerusalem, amazing things began to happen. Suddenly, men who seemed to feel inadequate and frightened were filled with a bold confidence only God can provide. They took to the streets and faced the crowds they were, just moments before, afraid to confront. They spoke of the Old Testament prophecies, the faith of people such as Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. They proclaimed the power of the Risen Christ, a power unmatched by the evil and brokenness of our world. And the people listened and believed.
The gospel of our Lord is the best news you are ever going to get in your life. The time you first realized God’s grace is for you, that you have been rescued from the consequences of sin forever, is as good as it gets.
When you are young, prom is a big moment. Some of us know kids who have recently gone to their first prom. Guess what, as good as the prom was, God claiming you to be his child is better. When you get older, graduation comes with all of its pomp and circumstance. Guess what, it can’t compare with all the glory of heaven. There are still bigger moments ahead in your lives. College, your first real love, engagement, marriage, the purchase of a home, and the birth of a child. You know what? All of these are wonderful blessings from our loving God, yet because of Christ Jesus, the best is yet to come.
People of God, all of these are wonderful events; they are milestone moments, monumental achievements, and times of great joy. But if that is where you live, if these are the most important times in your life, you’ve missed the boat. None of these can even compare with the fact that through Christ Jesus, God has saved you from sin and death, made you holy in his sight and prepared a heavenly home for you. Nothing can compare with the fact that through Christ Jesus, God has saved your life for all time. That’s good news, that’s exciting.
On the day of Pentecost, as we celebrate God’s gift of the Holy Spirit, let us pray that God stirs us to such faithfulness that we cannot help but tell others the good news of salvation through Christ Jesus. As we strive to follow the example of our Lord Jesus, may we continue to love others as we are loved, feed the hungry, care for the sick and minister to those who are least of all.
May we continue to pray: “Come Holy Spirit, kindle in us the fire of your love!”
Grace to you and peace,
Pastor David Nuottila
Up and Going
Posted May 5, 2026 By adminNine Up and Going members met at Hawg Heaven Barbeque Restaurant on Thursday, April 16th for the April meeting. Devotions were given by Team Leader Helen Lindler based on God Isn’t Finished with Me Yet; there is more to come. There was prayer and then a meal blessing; we prayed together “The Lord’s Prayer”.
Business was discussed.
All enjoyed a delicious and bountiful buffet meal, but most of all each other’s company and the conversations around the table. Goodbyes were said and off everyone went to shop, get strawberries, run errands and head home. We all enjoyed our time together.
The May meeting will be held on Thursday, May 14th at the Golden Bay Seafood Restaurant in Irmo at 6164 Saint Andrews Road. Please meet there at 11:00 AM.
Helen
Team Leader for Up and Going
