Our Men’s Bible study will continue with its new time and day. All St. Jacob’s men are invited to participate in Bible study on Monday, October 7th at 6:30 PM in the church office. Please bring your Bible. If you do not have one to bring, then one will be provided for you.
Other Happenings Archive
Men’s Bible Study
Posted September 30, 2024 By adminBlessing of the Animals
Posted September 30, 2024 By adminGod blesses us with love from so many sources. One source of unquestioned love comes from the pets with whom we share our lives. Our pets are a part of our family and a gift from our Father in heaven. They provide love and companionship asking little in return. Join your church family on October 5th at 10:00AM for a special time together on the Church Office front lawn (weather permitting) as Pastor David leads a special service of blessing and thanksgiving. Please bring pets, on leash or in carrier, to receive a special blessing from Pastor David. If your pet does not socialize well, you may receive a written prayer that you may use to bless your pet at home.
Holy Baptism
Posted September 28, 2024 By adminSunday, September 1st we welcomed Cameron and William to the family of God through the waters of Holy Baptism. “Tate” is the son of Justin and Jasmin, and Samuel is the son of Dylan and Amanda.
Pastoral Devotion for October – A Place at the Table
Posted September 28, 2024 By adminRead: 2 Corinthians 4:13-5:10, Luke 16:19-31
As baptismal waters washed over his head, the stain of sin was erased forever, and he was made a new creation. At long last he became a child of God, refreshed and brought to new life. So it was for a homeless man walking the streets of Charleston who happened to become friends with this particular pastor. Truly, Greg became the best friend I ever had.
It seemed that at every turn, fortune never seemed to smile upon Greg. He was homeless, friendless, and trusted no one. Yet, tired of being alone, he entered the church. There he found compassion. In time, the compassion he discovered taught him to trust; his trust led him to love. Life remained difficult, but his newly gifted faith would begin to understand this earthly affliction would one day pass, and the kingdom would be his forever. That day came for Greg soon after I left Charleston to serve a congregation in North Carolina.
As Lazarus longed for food from the rich man’s table, not a crumb would fall within his reach. Making a distinction between himself and the needy, the rich man failed in God’s call to care for the poor, thus he lived contrary to God’s mandate to love his neighbor. Upon his death, the rich man was denied the mercy of God. In short, he received his reward for his selfishness and refusal to care for those in need. Many in this world continue to make such distinctions, only helping when they feel the recipient “deserves” to be helped. They make distinctions between people according to appearances. Thus, the lost and hungry often go ignored. But just as God smiled upon Lazarus, all who call upon the Lord will find compassion and take their place at the table of heaven.
Prayer: Father God, give us hearts for love alone, that we might love and serve our neighbor without distinction. Amen.
Homecoming Guest Preacher – Pastor Mark Metze
Posted September 27, 2024 By adminPastor Mark Metze grew up in Sumter, South Carolina, and later attended the University of South Carolina earning a Bachelor of Arts in History. Mark’s work in youth and camp ministry led him to seminary where he would earn an MDIV from the NALS/Trinity Anglican Seminary. Following graduation in May of 2015, Mark married St. Jacob’s own Rebecca Eargle and soon started his vicarage in Annapolis, MD with Annapolis Evangelical Lutheran church. Following his vicarage, Annapolis Evangelical Lutheran church called Mark to be their associate pastor and a year later their solo pastor. In August of 2024, Pastor Mark was elected to serve a 5-year term on the NALS Board of Regents. Becca and Mark have two boys, Henry (6) and Eli (3). Mark enjoys exercise, playing chess, and spending time with his wife and kids.
C H A P I N the magazine for lake living
Posted September 26, 2024 By adminSt. Jacob’s Lutheran Church was featured in the September/October 2024 issue of Chapin magazine. The article is located on pages 40-44. You can pick up a copy of the magazine in the church narthex or the church office.
Filed in Other Happenings
St. Jacob’s Youth
Posted September 26, 2024 By adminFollowing our Confirmation classes on October 6th, the youth of St. Jacob’s are invited to a time of food, fellowship, fun and games. Since there will be no Youth Handbell rehearsals that day, our Youth meeting will begin upon the conclusion of confirmation class about 4:00PM. All St. Jacobs Youth and their friends in grades 6 and above are welcome. We will meet in the Church office.
St. Jacob’s Lutheran Church Council Meeting Briefs – September 3, 2024
Posted September 26, 2024 By adminGood Things at St. Jacob’s for August
• Started Confirmation classes with a large group of confirmands.
• The Journey Sunday school class continues to have good attendance.
• Fill material has been delivered for future use for the parking lot.
• The Youth Bible study continues to have a strong youth commitment to attending each Wednesday.
Ministry Teams
Staff Support: Susan
• Met with all staff for Annual Reviews in August.
Safety: Robert / Kevin
• Upcoming Plans: Begin the installation of interior and exterior cameras.
Christian Education: Sherrie
• Children’s Sunday school classes will be split K-5th grade (Kayla) and 6th grade and up (Sherrie).
• Sunday School Breakfast and Rally Day held on Sunday, September 15th at 9:00 AM. Congregational Care will assist with the meal.
• Council technology requests for three classrooms downstairs, for a computer and printer for the treasurer and for a new hard drive for Laurie’s computer.
Congregational Care: Billy / David
• Lay Communion Ministry teams visited and administered communion.
• Assisted family with various travel needs.
• The HUB asked St. Jacob’s to provide 250 slices of pound cake.
Discipleship: Lynn / Julie
• 18 Mercy Bags and 298 pounds of food were donated to We Care.
• 101 flood buckets have been donated.
• On October 12th there will be a Flood Bucket Day at Holy Trinity. SJLC will participate and a list of items needed from our congregation will be in the bulletin.
Property: Barry
• Will replace the exit door in the back of the fellowship hall and the exit door just outside the kitchen.
• Asphalt grinding has been placed in front of the church office to be used as fill for the new parking lot.
Worship and Music: Marie Slice
• Will place an order for new purple paraments. Only blue paraments remain to be purchased and the goal is to do this by the 250th anniversary of St. Jacob’s in 2026.
Old Business
Church Sanctuary: Susan
• Julie Stuck and Susan Shealy met with an interior designer and are waiting to receive the scope of work and cost for what she can do to assist with the sanctuary renovation.
Time and Talent Sheets: Sherrie
• Council approved the Time and Talent Sheet that will be distributed in the Sunday bulletin on October 13th and 20th.
Building Use Form: Pastor
• Council approved the Facility Request Form and Facility Use Form and it will eventually be available on the church website.
New Business
• The Temple Talk for September will be about the Spiritual Gifts Inventory.
Filed in Council Reports, Other Happenings
Flood Bucket Challenge
Posted September 24, 2024 By adminNALC Disaster Response warehouses are in need of restocking. Our St. Jacob’s disaster response shed is virtually empty as Gerald Lindler and Pastor David loaded a truck to respond to hurricane relief efforts in Beaufort and Charleston. In order to be prepared for future needs, the Carolinas Mission Region is hosting a flood bucket build at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Little Mountain on Saturday, October 12th. St. Jacob’s is asked to supply fifty cans of scouring powder (Ajax, Comet, etc.) and fifty 1 quart bottles of Pine-Sol cleaning liquid. We are also asked to supply thirty buckets and lids (5 gallons each). Volunteers for all around the NALC Carolinas will gather to assemble the flood buckets and arrangements will be made to transport them to the warehouse in Kings Mountain, NC, or to our shed here in Chapin. We need volunteers to help in this project. Please plan on attending and helping to build flood buckets. This is always a fun filled event with plenty of good fellowship among our brothers and sisters in Christ.
Into Liturgy, part 1
Posted September 20, 2024 By adminThere is a statement often made during Bible Study when discussing the elements of worship and what might be their historical significance within the greater Lutheran Church. This month we will begin exploring the answers to some of these questions. As we do, we will look at the components of our worship services from start to finish in the order they appear. This month, we begin by discussing the service itself.
Historically, Lutherans have not used the term, “worship service” to describe the act of assembling on the Lord’s Day. In the Lutheran tradition, “Divine Service” is the reason for such assembly. Broadly defined, “Divine Service” refers to any service of the church. More narrowly defined it refers to the service of Holy Communion. In the 21st century, it is most common throughout the greater Lutheran Church for congregations to refer to worship in the narrow sense. Lutheran understanding of the purpose for worship is to “receive God’s good gifts.” The pouring out of mercy and grace through Jesus Christ is God’s “Divine Service” to his people. Through Divine Service, Christians are made children of God in Baptism, have forgiveness of sin through confession and absolution, and receive the gift of faith and salvation in the hearing of the Gospel. This is God’s Divine Service to his people.
Filed in Other Happenings, Worship and Music
