The following is the new schedule for St. Jacob’s online activities:
Please join us online as you are able at the St. Jacob’s Facebook page.
Pastor David AND Rachel Shelton will be hosting an online Bible study at our regular time of 9:30 AM, on Wednesday mornings. You may follow along on our St. Jacob’s Facebook page for this live and interactive study. You may participate by making comments in the comments section. Please, even if you are new to Facebook or have not used it before, give it a try. We might just find that there is room for online Bible study as a part of our future ministries.
Have you been away from St. Jacob’s for a while? Has it been weeks, months, or even years? Well, now is the time to consider your return. Thanks to COVID-19, everyone has been away. No one has been in worship on Sunday except for watching in their own homes. Perhaps you too have been watching. If so, that means you have been a part of the community gathered around the Gospel each week. Or perhaps you have been watching the morning or evening devotions, and Pastor’s check-in. If that’s the case, I am very grateful for your presence online; and I hope to see you in person when we can open our doors to everyone.
Now is the time to come home. No matter the reason you have been away, now is the time to re-connect. You don’t have to worry about questions about your absence. You don’t need to be concerned about having been away for any specific period of time. Like I said, we have all been away. When we resume our regular worship activities just come be a part of them. Come home to St. Jacob’s. Come and hear the Gospel and enjoy our shared life together.
On April 12th, St. Jacob’s celebrated the Resurrection of our Lord, Jesus Christ. What an awesome price he paid so that we can be with him. Below are some pictures of individuals that assisted Pastor David during the service. We are so thankful for all that each of you do, especially the ones providing their gifts and talents at this time. Thanks so much!
On Sunday, February 16th, the youth of St. Jacob’s led our congregation in worship. They did everything from leading the confession and forgiveness to the children’s sermon, to assisting Pastor David serve communion. They all did a wonderful job; and we, as a congregation, should be very proud of the giftedness of our younger members!
As Vacation Bible School approaches, we want to get ahead on planning and equipping those who will be teaching. If you would like to volunteer to serve, check the sign-up sheet on the youth bulletin board by the fellowship hall. VBS will be June 22nd-25th. Continue to watch your newsletter and worship folders for more details.
In keeping with our regular Wednesday evening worship schedule, Lenten vespers will begin on March 4th in the church nave at 7 PM. Several of our church family members will present dramatic readings based on the Sola Publishing series “Will You Betray Me?”
Preceding each service will be a light meal served in the Fellowship Hall beginning at 6:15 PM. Join the members of your church family for fellowship and worship as we focus on God’s holy Word and Christ’s journey toward the victory of the cross
During the season of Lent, our Wednesday morning Bible Study will focus on the Psalms we read during the season. We will begin on Ash Wednesday, February 26th, taking a look at Psalm 51 as King David prays to God for mercy.
Our Wednesday mornings are filled with great discussion concerning scripture and the impact it has on our daily life. Consider joining us each Wednesday morning at 9:30 AM in the Fellowship Hall. Invite your friends and neighbors too.
Below is an article that someone shared with me a while ago. As it brought me to tears, I thought about how important this reminder is to not only our congregation, but to all people, to remember the responsibility that we all carry to raise up the next generation in the faith that we all share.
Article: Take your kids to church. Make the effort. Wake them up early. Fool with the belts and the buckles and the fancy hair bows. Endure the sleepy, grumpy faces and the misplaced shoes. Run around like a mad woman gathering everybody’s belongings and trying to get out the door on time. Hop to the car with a shoe in one hand and your make-up bag in the other. Give those babies a poptart and let ‘em eat it in the car. If its raining, get wet. If its cold, get a jacket. If you’re tired, go tired. But take those babies to church. You know why? Because Jesus is there. He’s there. And He’ll meet them there. And you too. He’ll be there in the sweet smile of their Sunday School teacher as she greets them into their room. He’ll be there in the hug from a sweet friend and the encouraging smile that assures you that they “just barely made it” too. He’ll be there in the sacred words read from the Bible speaking truth to their little impressionable hearts. He’ll be there in the worship and the watery eyes and whispers of praise.
So take them. Carry all of their Bibles and drawings and toilet paper tube creations. Sit by them in worship. Open your Bible and open theirs. Show them how to find the scripture the pastor is preaching from. Show them how to worship. Explain to them why He’s worthy of worship. Let them see you laugh and cry and praise and study. Forgive their wiggles and paper rustles and know that they’re listening even when it seems like they aren’t. Ask them questions and answer the ones they ask you. Tell them of His greatness – His power – His faithfulness. Tell them with your words and show them with your life. Tell them what he’s done for you and how you’ve been changed by His grace and forgiveness and goodness and love. Tell them how they can be too. Point them to Jesus. Over and over and over again.
Take your kids to church. They’ll love it there. It’s the only place where they can go and just be themselves. They don’t have to “be” good enough or smart enough or athletic enough. They don’t have to perform for approval or achievement. They just get to go and hear how much God loves them. Just because they’re them. Just because He created them, they’re valued. Their worth isn’t based on the grades they make or their ability to throw a curveball. Its not dependent on their performance or skill level. And they need a little more of that, don’t you think? A little more grace and a little less pressure.
Take them to church. Before you take them to the ballfield or the dance studio. Before you take them on vacation or to grandma’s or to the backyard to play. Let them know its a priority. Show them it has eternal value. Let them see you set aside schedules and extra curricular activities and work and busy-ness to be present with the Lord in His house. I promise you won’t regret it. I promise you it won’t return back void. I promise it’s worth it.
“But Jesus said, let the children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 19:14
Grace & Peace, Rachel
As we begin the discernment of our music program and embark on a search for a new Music Director, it should go without saying that our two Sundays during which our congregation sang everything without benefit of the organ or piano were simply wonderful examples of our ability to sing. St. Jacob’s is filled with people who, when all singing together, are able to make a very joyful sound as we sing God’s praises.
We are blessed in that we do have supply organists scheduled for our upcoming weeks. Our services of worship will be enhanced by each one. I do pray that, even as we welcome musicians to accompany us, our singing will continue to be cheerful and bold. For me as your pastor, as I stand in the Chancel each week, there is no sound so sweet as the sound of the congregation singing the hymns and liturgies of the church.
In the times ahead, I will do all I can to keep the congregation up to date as to the progress of our search for a new music director. In the meantime, pray for the Staff Support Team, our choir and other musicians as we all work together to identify the one God has chosen to lead us musically.
