PILGRIM LUTHERAN CHURCH 44 CHAPEL ROAD KENMORE, NY (716) A Congregation in Mission, Community and Service PILGRIM S PROGRESS

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1 PILGRIM LUTHERAN CHURCH 44 CHAPEL ROAD KENMORE, NY (716) A Congregation in Mission, Community and Service PILGRIM S PROGRESS SEPTEMBER 2016 PASTOR: Rev. Ben Eder EDITOR: Mary Werth ASSOC. EDITOR: SUNDAY SCHOOL: 9:00 AM TUESDAY BIBLE STUDY: 9:30 AM WORSHIP: 10:00 AM

2 In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, It is more blessed to give than to receive. Acts 20:35 September is the month that churches usually emphasize stewardship: however, stewardship should properly be approached as a lifetime activity, the believer s response to God s grace being present and active in one s life. I thought I would take this opportunity to review the basics of Biblical stewardship. 1. God is the owner, we are the stewards (managers) God made the world, the universe, and all that is in it. Therefore, we cannot properly speak of my life, my money and possessions, etc.; they are gifts from God that have been loaned to us. 2. God wants a portion returned to him the Bible recommends the tithe, 10% of one s income. The tithe was a command in the Old Testament, but is a guide or recommendation in the New. The tithe is a worthy goal for all of us to aspire to or attain. Consider the generosity of God, that he wants 10% back and we get to keep the remaining 90%! 3. God s supply never runs out Giving to the Lord is not like paying the rent or a utility bill; he promises to continue to bless the giver so that they may continue giving with generosity. As the saying goes, No one can out give God. God supplies the giver so that the giver can keep on giving; he will not bless those who receive and hoard it for themselves. There is more that I could say about stewardship, but I want to especially focus on the blessedness of giving. Jesus said, It is more blessed to give than to receive. What did he mean by this statement? Whenever you give to the church or another cause, don t you feel good inside? It is a fact that when people buy more and more things for themselves, there is usually an emptiness inside they cannot fill; but when they give to the Lord and other worthy causes there is a feeling of satisfaction that cannot be rivalled by anything else. In fact, I would make the case that those who fail to give generously are depriving themselves of tremendous spiritual (and yes, even material) blessings. The Christian faith is other directed, not selfcentered. A continuous pattern of generosity the giving of our financial resources, time, and service to the Lord and others comes back to the giver in ways too numerous to count. Martin Luther said that God doesn t need our good works but our neighbor does. The gifts of generosity that we give serve to build up Christ s Church on earth and benefit our neighbor in need. Let us continue to give generously so that others may be blessed. + Pastor Ben Eder

3 SUNDAY SERVER SCHEDULE SEPTEMBER 2016 DATE Sept. 4 Sept. 11 Sept. 18 Sept. 25 READER Wes Wiers Dooley O Rourke Eric Fellner Carolyn Alessi USHERS Gary Smith * Eric Fellner Naomi George * Harvey Caldow Jim O Brien * Tyrone Bryant Peggy Clark * George Alessi COMMUNION ASSISTANT Jim O Brien Gary Smith Jack Hambridge NURSERY Linda Eder Carol Obot Peggy Clark Eric Fellner Ruth O Brien Heavenly vision Known as the queen of gospel song writers, Fanny Crosby ( ) wrote more than 9,000 Christian hymns, including Blessed Assurance and Safe in the Arms of Jesus. Blind from a young age, she developed a love for poetry and Scripture, memorizing about five chapters of the Bible each week. Crosby was the first woman to speak in the U.S. Senate, lobbying to support education for the blind. She also was an abolitionist who made friends with several presidents. A well-meaning pastor once told Crosby, It is a great pity that the Master did not give you sight when he showered so many other gifts upon you. She responded that her blindness was a blessing she would not wish away. When I get to heaven, Crosby said, the first face that shall ever gladden my sight will be that of my Savior.

4 Ruth Caldow Sept. 13 Lee Fellner Sept. 13 Harvey Caldow Sept. 20 Sept. 1 Sept. 9 Rev. Ben & Linda Eder Bryan & Sarah Hinterberger Christianity has not been tried and found wanting; it has been found difficult and not tried. G.K. Chesterton Promises are like crying babies in a theater; they should be carried out at once. Norman Vincent Peale Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world. Nelson Mandela

5 Our next Community Dinner will be held on Friday, September 2 nd, from 5 to 7 p.m. The menu is spaghetti w/meat sauce, salad, desserts and beverages. (These dinners are sponsored in part by a grant from the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod.) ** This month's dinner will be our 4th anniversary. ** The Pilgrim Active Laymen would like to thank our Lord for blessing us with the opportunity and ability to serve our community. We would also like to thank our congregation, friends and neighbors for your continued support and hard work that makes these dinners possible. On Saturday, September 17 th, the P.A.L.s will meet in the fellowship hall at 8:00 a.m. All men are welcome to join us! Esther Circle Thank you to all who helped make our Pot Faith brunch a success. Twenty-eight dollars was collected for Journey s End. Our next meeting will be on Monday, September 12 th, at 6:30 p.m. After the regular business meeting, Sue Holway will lead us in a short Bible study entitled, Humbly Grateful or Grumbly Hateful. This study is taken from the Lutheran Woman s Quarterly. All are welcome. Please remember to turn in your Dash s tapes (Sue Holway), pennies (Karen Smith), and canceled stamps (Pat Watkins).

6 The Northtown Pregnancy Center is sponsoring a Walk for Life on Saturday, September 24 th, starting at Mang Park. Colvina Colvin will be doing the walk please consider sponsoring her. (The minimum goal is to raise $250, but more would be welcome.) Other walkers are welcome and their fund raising efforts will also be promoted. From their web site: September 24, :30am - 10:30am Join us for our second annual Walk for Life! Your support helps us to continue to build the foundation of support and services that we are able to offer! God is blessing NPC, allowing us to expand and grow to have a greater impact on our area. We invite you to join us in doing God's work here in WNY! IT'S EASY! Collect no money! Raise funds with your personalized fundraising site and/or let us bill your sponsors. Only a 1.2 mile walk! The course and location are perfect for EVERYONE, from strollers to walkers, so bring the ENTIRE family! Come rain or shine! Refreshments and activities for all! Unable to attend that day? No problem! Mail your pledge form in and walk on your own when it fits your schedule!

7 Dear Friends in Christ, Thank you all at Pilgrim Lutheran Church for your love, support and kindness during the sudden loss of my step-dad, Robert Neumann. Thank you for visiting Bob and caring for him. It truly lifted his spirits. He missed everyone at Pilgrim. I miss Bob (and my mom, Doris, of course), but I know they re with the Lord and we will have a grand reunion in heaven someday I hope you enjoy reading one of my mom s beautiful and touching poems. May God richly bless you with good health, friends and family. In God s love, Marilyn Schneck WE FORGE AHEAD We forge ahead in this vast world of ours As travelers through space surveying but the universe the stars. We know not where our journey may but end as eons come and go And peoples through the ages aim to find their way in the vast expanse of time and space. We know not where our paths may lead, but this we know There is a method to the madness of all life An order governed by a Higher Force, And in His power we trust wherever our own path may end All knowing now and evermore we ve found a Friend. 10/26/2002 by Doris V. Neumann

8 Two books by the Author of Life Christians believe that God has written two books: world and Word, writes Jonathan Merritt in Green Like God (FaithWords). These books nature and the Bible are different in both form and function. Although we may recognize God in each of these books separately, sometimes we read them jointly. For instance, some Christian denominations define a sacrament as a rite in which God s Word and something of the world (water, bread, wine) combine to impart God s grace in a special way. We might perceive something non-religious as sacramental when God seems to touch us, work through us or be known in the everyday: when our work meets a deep need, a friendship showers us with joy, a baby snuggles in our arms or a rainbow peeks out after a storm. The Author of Life has indeed written two different but complementary books. Let s read! Time to pause The Hebrew word selah (pronounced say-lah ) occurs 74 times in the Bible all but three of them in Psalms. Biblical scholars aren t sure what it means, but a few ideas have predominated: a musical interlude, a break to ponder or weigh the passage just shared, an affirmation akin to Amen. Some scholars, noting connections in Hebrew to the word for lift up, suggest selah may indicate a place to stop and exalt the Lord. The website GotQuestions.org advises that we combine these possible meanings: When we see the word in a psalm or in Habakkuk 3, we should pause to carefully weigh the meaning of what we have just read or heard, lifting up our hearts in praise to God for his great truths. In the words of Psalm 24:10 (ESV), Who is this King of glory? The LORD of hosts, he is the King of glory! Selah. What s up? Ever wonder what God is doing in your life, or what if anything he s accomplishing through you? You aren t alone! Many people in the Bible surely felt the same way, from Joseph as a prisoner in Egypt to Mary as a young, unwed expectant mother. Answers may come in time... or may need to wait until we get to heaven. Meanwhile, like missionary Elisabeth Elliot, we can take comfort in this truth: God is God. Because he is God, he is worthy of my trust and obedience. Elliot proclaimed, I will find rest nowhere but in his holy will that is unspeakably beyond my largest notions of what he is up to. Answering God s call During a 2010 trip to report on famine-relief efforts in Kenya, Kristen Welch observed conditions unfit for living. How can you allow so much suffering? she asked God. In return, he asked her the same question. That prompted Welch to put her faith into action by launching Mercy House, a nonprofit organization that rescues pregnant young women and their babies. The impact of Mercy House in Kenya plus now in 19 other countries is miraculous proof that God is made perfect in our weakness, Welch says. Who would have thought a yes in 2010 would make us the poster children that [prove] God can do anything with anyone?

9 THE DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSIONS FOR THE OCTOBER NEWSLETTER IS SEPTEMBER 25 TH.