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.
Worship Service Archive
Thanksgiving Eve Service
Posted October 31, 2019 By adminAll Saints Sunday
Posted October 31, 2019 By adminThis year, the Sunday of All Saints will be observed on November 3rd. All Saints Sunday is a day when the Church Militant (those saints who are still living) remembers and gives thanks to God for the lives and the witness of the Church Triumphant (those saints who have passed from earthly life). Traditionally, this is done through prayer and the lighting of a candle. During the Baptismal Rite, candles are given for the newly baptized with the words “Let your light shine before others, that they would see your good work and glorify your Father in heaven.
This year, we especially remember the light and the love of these saints from our church family who have completed their pilgrimage on earth within the last twelve months. Bob Shields, Pearl Cribb, Rie Eargle and Harold Driver have completed the work God gave them, yet their light still shines. Join us on November 3rd for this celebration of saints and to give thanks to God for all His blessings.
Sunday School Teachers Needed
Posted September 27, 2019 By adminWe are in need of Sunday School teachers for our Pre-K Class and Elementary Grade Class. Please see the schedule on the bulletin board in the Narthex and sign up if you are able to use your talents and gifts to help train up our children.
Reformation Sunday
Posted September 27, 2019 By adminReformation Sunday is the day Lutherans remember and reflect upon the ministry and mission of Martin Luther as he called the Church to debate his 95 Theses concerning God’s grace and salvation. In 1517 on All Hallows Eve (Oct. 31) Luther nailed his call to debate on the doors of the Castle Church in Wittenberg setting in motion the events that would lead to the Sixteenth Century Reformation.
Within the Lutheran Church today there are several traditions observed as we commemorate this anniversary. On Reformation Sunday we will, of course, sing A Mighty Fortress Is Our God and we will affirm our Baptism into Christ’s death and resurrection. Another tradition is the wearing of red which symbolizes the entry into eternal life through the blood of Christ Jesus. Everyone is invited to wear the color red during our worship service on Reformation Sunday, October 27 as we mark one more Reformation celebration and look forward to the return of our Lord Jesus.
Blessing Of The Animals
Posted September 27, 2019 By adminOur 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 Saturday, October 5th at 10:00 AM for a special time together on the lawn in front of the Church Office. Pastor David will lead a service of blessing and thanksgiving for the loving animals God has entrusted to us.
From the Pastor’s Heart
Posted September 1, 2019 By adminThe reward for humility and fear of the LORD is riches and honor and life. 5 Thorns and snares are in the way of the crooked; whoever guards his soul will keep far from them. 6 Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it. Proverbs 22:4-6
Within the Rite of Holy Baptism, parents of small children, sponsors and congregations promise that we will lead the child into a healthy life of faith in Christ Jesus. We promise that we will bring the child to God’s house for worship, teach them the Lord’s Prayer, Ten Commandments and the Creed. We promise to place the Holy Scriptures in their hands and help them learn from them by reading the Bible together. We promise to provide for their instruction in the Christian faith so that they would live in the covenant of their baptism and in communion with God’s people. Parents of the newly baptized children especially bear responsibility for these promises; promises their parents first made on their behalf years ago.
The Proverb above speaks to the importance of such promise keeping. Usually, when the Proverb is spoken of, it is verse six that stands alone; “Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.” But when we read this verse in its fuller context, we soon realize the importance of a young life being provided a strong foundation of faith. The world is filled with powers that defy God, temptations that are overwhelming and so many of the devil’s false promises. We all want our children to have a good life, a full life, one that brings pleasure to their selves and to others. But as we read in Scripture, and know through our experience, the devil and his minions set thorns and snares along the pathways of God’s people. On our own, we are no match for them. Left to fend for ourselves, we will fall deeper into sin without even realizing it.
For several decades now, there has been a worsening condition permeating the Christian Church, one by which we have seen ever increasing numbers of our younger members fall away from faith. I believe it is so important to address this condition that I have devoted my doctoral studies to develop resources for pastors, congregations and families to bring about faith formation for our children and children’s children.
I think we can all agree that we would love to see more of our young people in worship and Sunday school. The trouble is that so often we don’t know how to encourage them. Instead, we sometimes inadvertently enable them in their staying away. Truth being told, children, especially teens, earnestly desire to have a healthy relationship with church families, one centered upon Jesus Christ and one that shares a desire to grow in relationship with God and his people.
Over the years, I have ministered to parents whose children have fallen away from the church. I have ministered to grandparents who faithfully bring their grandchildren to worship often (and that’s a good thing). I have also heard questions from such children that ask, “If mommy and daddy don’t have to go to church, why do I have to go?” This is a heartbreaking question because at the root of it lies a deeper and more central question, “Why don’t mommy and daddy WANT to go?”
Jesus says, “Let the children come to me, and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God” (Luke 18:16). The riches, honor and life the Proverb speaks of is a life lived eternally in the presence of God. When we fail to keep our baptismal promises, we hinder our children; we keep them from growing in a life of faith in Christ. And not only that, first and foremost, we break the promise we initially made before God and one another.
People of God, I know this is a sensitive issue. I myself have had to face this truth in my own life. I know first-hand the difficulties of keeping such promises, especially when children grow older and become more independent. That is precisely the time when parents should strive to keep the promise they made to their child. Train them up in the way they should go. Encourage them when they are older, and faithfully come to God’s house together and enjoy a life lived among God and his people. Doing so will bring us to the reward God has in mind for all his people; life in his kingdom forever.
Grace to you and peace, Pastor David Nuottila
Worship And Music
Posted August 28, 2019 By adminWe had an AWESOME choir workshop on Saturday, August 17th! It sure feels good to have already looked at and worked on music for Advent and Christmas, so that when things get really busy after Thanksgiving, we’ll be ahead of the game. We also had time to work on the upcoming fall anthems, because September seems to sneak up on us when we’re on summer break (wonder how that happens?)
Angela and I have worked on the schedule and musical selections for the Children’s Choir and we’re very excited about what’s coming up this fall. From getting new choir robes to helping the children discover and develop their talents, it is shaping up to be another great year for our youngsters (and us two young-at-heart-ers!)
The Handbell Choir will be taking an extended break for the foreseeable future. I will be using this time to assess and reevaluate the role of handbells in our worship services and discern the path forward. Your prayers would be greatly appreciated during this process. As always, thank you to the congregation for your continued support of the music ministry at St. Jacob’s.
Soli Deo Gloria,
Laurie
Creating A Vision For Ministry
Posted July 30, 2019 By adminWhat is St. Jacob’s vision for ministry within our community and world? To be honest, we can’t say we have a clear vision. As a congregation of God’s people, we are all called to be disciples of Jesus Christ, follow him in faith and participate in the mission of God by doing the work of the gospel. In order to follow Christ, we must first understand God’s mission. We then must pray and discern which ministries to which God is calling us. And finally, we must create a vision, a clear understanding and strategy as to how we will engage in such ministries. For as Scripture teaches us, “Where there is no vision, the people perish.” Proverbs, 29:18 KJV
On June 30th, a small group of church family members met to begin this conversation. We introduced the process by which our church might discern those ministries God would have us do and then created a vision as to how we will do them. Yet this task is not simply for a small group. If we are to be serious about our faith and ministry, we will all need to take part.
Creating a vision for ministry does not happen quickly. In the coming months, there will be several seminars scheduled for St. Jacob’s church family members to come listen, learn and discuss the work God has set before us. Plan to attend these seminars as they are scheduled and be a part of St. Jacob’s participation in God’s mission.
Homecoming
Posted July 30, 2019 By adminOur annual Homecoming celebration is just weeks away. On August 26th we will welcome Pastor Brad Hales, NALC Director for Domestic Mission as our guest preacher. Pastor Hales serves as the Pastor of Reformation Lutheran Church in Culpepper, VA., where he leads a vibrant Senior’s Ministry within his church and community. As Director of Domestic Mission, Pastor Brad works with the Assistant to the Bishop for Mission and with NALC mission teams to develop a vision and strategy for domestic mission work. As chair of the Carolinas Mission team, Pastor David Nuottila works with Pastor Hales in several of these instances.
For Pastor Brad, it’s all about Jesus. He is known for his passion, excitement and joy in sharing the good news of God’s grace through Christ Jesus. He and his wife Lisa have been married for twenty-five years and have two daughters, Lydia and Abigail. Please welcome Pastor Brad to St. Jacob’s on August 26th and enjoy our Homecoming celebration.
Continue to watch your worship folders for updates and plans for the festivities.
Youth Director & Family Ministries
Posted July 30, 2019 By adminWith summer in full swing, most of us have gone on vacation (or plan to), spent extra time with our families, and hopefully got caught up on our sleep. Summer can be a very busy time of the year, but it can also be a time where we can prioritize rest. What exactly does this word rest mean? How do we do it? What does the verse in Genesis mean when it says, “On the seventh day, God rested?”
We don’t know exactly what God did when he rested, but we do know that He took the time to look all around at His great creation and felt joyful about the things that were in it. Have you ever heard the saying “stop and smell the roses?”
That’s exactly what our rest should look like. In the midst of our busy lives, whether we are looking at a sunset over the ocean, animals on a farm on the side of the road, or our family members across the dinner table; we should sit back, take a moment to breathe, and pray to thank God for all that He has blessed us with. We can pause, reflect, and focus our mind’s on Jesus with all the evidence around us of His goodness. Summer break is the perfect time to begin a routine of spending time daily in prayer and in God’s word that will carry us into the next season with gratitude, peace, and joy.
In Christ,
Rachel Shelton
