All members of our St. Jacob’s church family and friends are invited to keep Christ in Christmas as we worship on Christmas Morning. This service is “come as you are.” Children in pajamas, adults in relaxed and casual dress are all most certainly welcome. Come make a joyful noise and share in the blessing of Christmas with your church family. Worship on Christmas morning begins at 10 AM.
Worship Service Archive
Christmas Morning Worship
Posted November 26, 2019 By adminChristmas Eve – The Nativity Of Our Lord
Posted November 26, 2019 By adminOur Christmas Eve Service of Worship will be held on Tuesday, December 24th beginning at 7 PM. Come worship the new born King! Join us and invite your friends and neighbors for our traditional candlelight service as we celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Blue Christmas – The Longest Night
Posted November 26, 2019 By adminChristmas is not always a joyous time for everyone. Each year, there are some who will experience the Christmas celebration for the first time without a cherished loved one. There are also others who will find themselves facing difficult circumstances in life or loneliness. Still, the love of God out shines even the darkest night.
Once again, on the longest night of the year, we will gather for worship and give thinks for the light of Christ, especially as He comes to us at Christmas. Our entire church family, friends, neighbors and community is invited and encouraged to attend this candlelight service. Please be sure to tell others about this worship opportunity of prayer, peace and the power of God’s love. Worship for Blue Christmas begins at 6:30 PM on Saturday, December 21st.
Advent Vespers At St. Jacob’s
Posted November 26, 2019 By adminEveryone is invited and encouraged to come worship with us each Wednesday evening in December for Advent Vespers. The focus of our worship will be our Need for Redemption, God’s Promise of a Savior, and the Fulfilment of the Promise through Jesus Christ. In keeping with the worship time of our Wednesday Evening Light, Advent Vespers will begin at 6:30 PM.
Thanksgiving Eve Service
Posted October 31, 2019 By adminOur 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.
All 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
