What a joy it was to kick off our year of celebration. On Sunday, January 18th , we welcomed former St. Jacob’s member Pastor Dawn Rister and her family as our initial Anniversary Year guest preacher. We are grateful for her time with us and for the fellowship we shared. The 250th Anniversary Celebration will continue throughout the year as we welcome several guest preachers and share memories of our history within the community of the Dutch Fork. Please make sure to attend each of these special occasions and invite your friends and neighbors to join us. The schedule of the remaining events during this year of celebration is listed below.
• February 15th – Congregational Outreach Event to support NALC Disaster Response.
• March 15th – Guest preacher Rev. Henry Pawluk; congregational dinner following worship.
• April 19th – Decades Day; worshipers dress from past eras and use a historic liturgy from our collective past.
• May 17th – Guest preacher Rev. Marty Ramey; congregational dinner following worship.
• June – Vacation Bible School
• July 19th – Guest preacher Rev. Randy Drafts; 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.
We give thanks to God for the long history of our congregation, and especially for the life and witness of so many who have been a part of our proclamation and now take their rest in Christ. Thanks be to God for the life we share together.
Worship and Music Archive
St. Jacob’s 250th Year-long Celebration
Posted February 14, 2026 By adminAsh Wednesday and the Beginning of Lent
Posted February 7, 2026 By adminThis year, Ash Wednesday is February 18th , and we will observe the day with our annual Ash Wednesday services including the imposition of ashes and celebration of Holy Communion beginning at 6:30 PM. The season of Lent is a reflective time for all Christians to take up the discipline or regular worship attendance and confession of sins. Please remember to set aside time for this meaningful and spiritual time together as a church family in Christ.
Lenten Vespers will be held each week during Lent featuring dramatic readings by several of our church family members. Due to the construction of our new parking lot, our Lenten Vespers will be held on Sunday evenings during Lent. Due to the number of activities scheduled for each Sunday, we will not serve a congregational Lenten meal prior to worship.
These changes are necessitated due to planned construction during the week and limited weekday access to our church property during this time. Your understanding is greatly appreciated.
Music Notes
Posted February 5, 2026 By adminFebruary is a time of change liturgically. We begin the month in the season of Epiphany when Christ is revealed to us as the light of the world. The Magi saw this light and were drawn to the child, Jesus. We see the Morning Star, fair and bright, who teaches us how to shine the light of God’s love in the world. But by the middle of February, we will change to the season of Lent. We will put away the alleluias from our worship and in our music, we will reflect on our need for a savior and precious gift we have been given.
My song is love unknown,
My savior’s love to me,
Love to the loveless shown
That they might lovely be.
Oh, who am I that for my sake
My Lord should take frail flesh and die.
February will also be a time of change for our congregation as the physical work on our parking lot begins. Because of lack of access to the building during the weekdays for safety reasons, we will have our normal midweek Lenten worship on Sunday evenings. Sundays will be a busy day. After Ash Wednesday, choir practice will change to Sunday evenings immediately following the Lenten worship service. We invite you to come join us as we prepare music for our Easter Sunday worship. Children’s choir and bell choir will remain at the same time on Sunday afternoons.
Pastoral Devotion for February – Bring Your Children
Posted February 3, 2026 By adminRead Matthew 19:13-15
Bring your children. Bring them to church. Saturate their lives with the Word of God.
Even if they lay on the floor.
Even if they need a sippy cup and a pack of goldfish crackers to keep them occupied.
Even if you must stand in the back swaying back and forth holding them.
Even when it’s hard.
Even when your pew looks like a small hurricane just came through.
Bring them to church. Even when you feel the glares and stares of others, don’t let that stop you.
Bring them to church and give them room in your pew.
Let them see you worship. Let them see you pray. Let them hear you sing.
Let them see you coming to the Savior with hands outstretched to receive his body and blood.
Because if they don’t see and learn these things from you, who will teach them?
The devil will teach them it’s not a priority.
The devil will teach them it’s okay to lay out.
The devil will teach them not to pick up their Bibles.
The devil will convince them to just skip worship all together.
Satan will have them so far off course and confused and misinformed that they will believe just being “good” is enough.
The world won’t teach them about Jesus.
The world won’t teach them about forgiveness.
The world won’t teach them about grace.
The world won’t teach them about heaven.
That’s your job.
It begins by bringing them to church.
So, bring your children. A church without the sounds of children is all too quiet.
A church without the presence of children is less joyful than it needs to be.
So, bring your children. Sit with them. Teach them. Let them sit with you. Let them learn from you.
Bring your children unto Christ, do not hinder them.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, bless the little children of our congregation. Bless us with their presence as we worship you and praise your name. Amen.
From Your Pastor’s Heart
St. Jacob’s 250th Year-long Celebration
Posted January 10, 2026 By adminThe year 2026 has come and with it, St. Jacob’s will celebrate our 250th anniversary of ministry of the Gospel within this community. The team appointed by the church council last year has worked faithfully to plan for the year’s activities, including welcoming several guest preachers who have played a significant role within our church family. The schedule of events during this year of celebration is listed below.
- January 18th – Guest preacher Rev. Dawn Rister; (SCMD Dean) congregation dinner following worship.
- February 15th – Congregation Outreach Event to support NALC Disaster Response.
- March 15th – Guest preacher Rev. Henry Pawluk; congregation dinner following worship.
- April 19th – Decades Day; worshipers dress from past eras and use a historic liturgy from our collective past.
- May 17th – Guest preacher Rev. Marty Ramey; congregation dinner following worship.
- June – Vacation Bible School
- July 19th – Guest preacher Rev. Randy Drafts; congregation dinner following worship.
- August 16th – Congregation Outreach Event; blankets for residents at Generations.
- September 20th – Guest preacher Rev. David Tholstrup (former SCMD Dean), congregation dinner following worship.
- October 25th – Homecoming and Anniversary Sunday, guest preacher NALC Presiding Bishop Dan Selbo; special catered congregation dinner following worship.
- November TBD – Golden Agers Recognition and celebration.
We give thanks to God for the long history of our congregation, and especially for the life and witness of so many who have been a part of our proclamation and now take their rest in Christ. Thanks be to God for the life we share together.
Christmas Morning Worship
Posted December 10, 2025 By adminChristmas Morning Worship is scheduled to begin at 10:00 AM on December 25th. The church gathers to sing praises to our Lord Jesus upon the celebration remembering his incarnation which took place in Bethlehem so long ago. Join us and hear the Gospel message of God’s Word taking flesh and dwelling among his people. Holy Communion will be celebrated Christmas morning.
Music Notes
Posted December 1, 2025 By adminChristmas Cantata December 14th
Join us as we journey with Joseph, Mary and the shepherds to Bethlehem to meet our savior in the manger once again. Two thousand years before Jesus was born, the city of Bethlehem was established. It was located in a very fertile area, and grains such as wheat and barley were grown there. In fact, Bethlehem is the city that Naomi and Ruth returned to after the death of Naomi’s sons. Ruth gleaned grain from the fields and the two were redeemed by Boaz. The name Bethlehem literally translates as “House of Bread.” Travel with us to meet the Bread of Life, our redeemer, who comes to us as a baby born in a manger in this house of bread.
The cantata will be presented as part of the Sunday morning worship service.
Christmas Caroling
Sunday, December 14th we will go Christmas caroling and take the joy of Christmas to all our members who are unable to attend worship. We will have a soup lunch in the parish hall immediately following worship and then go caroling. Mark your calendars and plan to join us. Contact Angela Nuottila to let her know that you will attend and if you are able to provide a pot of soup or a pan of cornbread.
Advent at St. Jacob’s
Posted December 1, 2025 By adminThe season of Advent is the beginning of the new liturgical year for the Christian Church. The word “advent” literally means “coming.” During Advent, Christians prepare for the second coming of our King Jesus Christ. This year, due to Christmas Eve being on a Wednesday, our Advent celebration includes three midweek services. We ponder again the great mystery of the incarnation when our Lord humbled himself, taking on our humanity, and his promised second coming. Mid-week Advent Vespers will be observed on the three Wednesdays in Advent (Dec. 3 rd, 10 th , 17th) beginning at 7:00 PM. Our liturgy for these services will be Holden Evening Prayer Vespers. Following tradition of vespers liturgy, Holy Communion will not be offered during these services, and the Advent observation will culminate with the eucharistic celebration upon the Nativity of Our Lord on December 24th. If you have been away from St. Jacob’s for an extended period, Advent is a great time to renew your relationship with your church family. All are encouraged to “come and see” him who is called Christ the Lord and prepare for his coming again. Join your church family in worship in all these opportunities to help prepare the way of the Lord.
The Season of Advent
Posted November 25, 2025 By adminThe first Sunday of Advent is the beginning of the new liturgical year for the Christian Church. The word “advent” literally means “coming.” Coming on the heels of Christ the King Sunday, Advent is the season when Christians prepare for the second coming of our King Jesus Christ. There is actually a two-fold meaning of this “Advent” coming. When the Church celebrates Advent, we look toward Jesus’s second coming by remembering his first coming to earth. We ponder again the great mystery of the incarnation when our Lord humbled himself, taking on our humanity, and entering into our time and space to free us from sin. All the while, we recall in the Creed that our Lord will come again to judge the living and the dead and that we must be ready to greet him.
This year, the First Sunday of Advent is November 30th. Advent is a great time to renew faithful worship habits. If you have been away from St. Jacob’s for an extended period, you are encouraged to “come and see” him who is called Christ the Lord. Come hear the good news of salvation and receive the sacrament of his body and blood for the forgiveness of sin. Mid-week Advent Vespers will be observed on the three Wednesdays in Advent (Dec. 3rd, 10th, 17th) this year. Join your church family in worship in all these opportunities to help prepare the way of the Lord.
Thanksgiving Eve Worship
Posted November 21, 2025 By adminIt’s hard to believe but the time is quickly approaching for our Thanksgiving Eve worship service. Our service will begin at 6:30 PM on Wednesday, November 26th in the church nave. With Pastor David away, we will have a lay distribution of Holy Communion, sharing elements held in reserve from our most recent celebration of the sacrament.
Following our service, we will once more prepare pound cake slices to be included in the community Thanksgiving meal sponsored by The Hub. Please come and join us for worship and for an opportunity to serve our neighbors.
