Sharing the Changeless Christ in a Changing World!

Transcription

1 REFLEC TIO NSRRREFLECTIONS EFLECTIONS Redeemer Good News July 2013 REDEEMER July 2013 Redeemer Lutheran Church & School in Wayzata, MN. Matthew Mitchell Sharing the Changeless Christ in a Changing World!. One day Jesus was teaching, and Pharisees and teachers of the law were sitting there. They had come from every village of Galilee and from Judea and Jerusalem. And the power of the Lord was with Jesus to heal the sick. Some men came carrying a paralyzed man on a mat and tried to take him into the house to lay him before Jesus. When they could not find a way to do this because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and lowered him on his mat through the tiles into the middle of the crowd, right in front of Jesus. When Jesus saw their faith, He said, Friend, your sins are forgiven. Luke 5:17-20 INSIDE THIS ISSUE: VBS a Thrilling Ride... 2 Summer Notes... 3 Annual Voters Meeting... 3 Lutheran Night at the Twins... 3 Thrivent Builds... 3 Note from the Youth Coordinator. 4 Redeemer Garage Sale... 4 Wednesday Morning Bible Study 5 Listen to Services on the Website 5 July Calendar... 6 Summer Midweek Worship... 7 Redeemer Mondays... 7 My sister-in-law recently applied for a ministry position, and during the interview, the church committee posed what I thought was an unusual question: Which person from the Bible are you most like? (Jesus was not an option). She told me she felt uncomfortable choosing one, because any answer she thought of made her feel either very arrogant, hopelessly inconsistent, melodramatic, or capable of unspeakable evil. True, the pages of God s Word leave little room for uncontroversial characters, but it is an interesting question to consider. I believe she answered the question masterfully my sisterin-law told the committee that while she could not choose a person that fit her perfectly, she has always identified with the story of Jacob wrestling with God in Genesis chapter 32 (I almost wrote this entire article on why that s a wonderful, luminous answer, but I will restrain myself for now). I m not sure I can match the brilliance of my sister-in-law s choice. To be honest, the character I would choose may depend on what kind of week I m having, and even if I knew, I m not sure I would broadcast it here. But considering all the people and all the stories in the Bible, I do find a number of characters I wish to be like, particularly when I reach the Gospels. As I read through the accounts of Jesus life, I am astonished at the sense of anticipation that follows Him everywhere He goes. Everything is electric. People come from all over and drop everything to see Him, to be near Him, to touch Him. And, as John reminds us, we only know of a small sample of Jesus conversations, miracles, and wisdom: Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written. (John 21:25) The passage above is a perfect example of what I mean. If you visualize what is taking place, this story is remarkable: Jesus is teaching, and some men want to bring a paralyzed man to Him to be healed. The crowd is too big and the men cannot find a way to get inside the (Reflections continued on page 5)

2 2 Redeemer Good News July 2013 VBS A THRILLING RIDE! The week of June 10-14, the Redeemer teachers, along with junior and senior high students hosted four days of VBS with the theme "COLOSSAL COASTER WORLD." Based on 2 Timothy 1:7: "But God has not given us a spirit of fearfulness; but one of power, love and sound judgment," it challenged kids to face their fears on the roller coaster of life. Whew! Learning the many actions to the rousing songs was a real workout, but they did it! As service projects, the children made pumpkin dog treats for the Animal Humane Society, wrote thank you notes to firemen and policemen, and decorated water bottles to advertise our school at our upcoming garage sale.

3 Redeemer Good News July SUMMER NOTES Dear friends in Christ, I am pleased to say that I will continue as Interim Music Director at Redeemer through July of It is a pleasure to serve with you for the sake of Jesus Christ. I thought I would share some of the activities I m involved with this summer at Redeemer. Generally speaking, I work on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and of course, Sunday mornings. This summer we are offering a Midweek Worship Service on Wednesdays at 6:30 p.m. Using Evening Prayer from Lutheran Service Book and the practice of Lectio Divina, we are slowing things down a bit. It s a wonderful way to finish a busy day. I m rehearsing with musicians who offer special music on Sundays at 8:30 a.m. If you re interested, I m still looking for more volunteers. We have started (sort of) to organize and catalog the handbell and choral music. I have reorganized my own organ music. This makes it easier for me to locate organ music to fit the theme of a worship service. Typically, worship planning is centered on the Gospel text. Next the Hymn of the Day is chosen, and the remainder of the service music is chosen to support the theme. Soon we will shift from organizing to looking ahead to the coming program year. What are the important worship services and special events that require advance planning? Who could I contact that might be willing to sing with the choir or ring with the handbell ensemble? Please pray for all the musicians involved in music ministry at Redeemer. Pray that we might encourage the faith of those who worship in this place, and that our ministry is welcoming to newcomers and longtime participants. In Christ, Matt Anderson Tuesday, July 23, at 6:30 p.m. LUTHERAN NIGHT AT THE TWINS Join your fellow Redeemer baseball fans at Lutheran Night at Target Field, MONDAY EVENING, AUGUST 12. The Twins are playing their division rivals, the Cleveland Indians. This year our seats are in the upper-deck "Home Plate View" area. THRIVENT BUILDS/ HABITAT FOR HUMANITY Redeemer is participating in this year's Thrivent Builds program THURSDAY AND FRIDAY, JULY 11TH AND 12TH, in Chaska. All skill levels are welcome. Fifteen volunteers are needed each day. Sign-up sheets are in the church lobby or you may contact Hank Radintz, , or Cory Schulz, A limited number of tickets are available at $23 each. Sign up in the church lobby. Questions? Contact Hank Radintz,

4 4 Redeemer Good News July 2013 NOTE FROM THE YOUTH COORDINATOR HE IS RISEN! HALLELUJAH! After Easter, I always enjoy saying this even though the day that Jesus rose from the grave has passed us. The reason I do so is because Jesus isn't risen just for one day, but everyday after Resurrection Sunday morning two-thousand years ago. We must keep the energy, and passion going. What's the point if Jesus rose from the dead, but our passion dies a week later? Passion is what I have for the youth here at Redeemer. I have passion to help them expand their knowledge of Christ, His teachings and leadership, and the Bible. My passion is built also because of the relationship I have with Redeemer. Few know of my history with Redeemer, so I would like to take a moment to introduce myself, and say a couple things about me. My name is Jared Betterman. I am the older brother of Joshua Betterman, who attends the school side of Redeemer. I am second of four siblings in my family. All of my siblings and I have gone through the Redeemer school system. I was the first to graduate Redeemer, however, as my older brother left Redeemer after the sixth grade was the year I graduated alongside David Hanson, Michael Engel, Joshua Bening, and so on. The proudest moment I had with Redeemer was when I played for Redeemer's 2004 basketball team. That was the year the Royals got second in the regional tournament at Mayer, first in the state tournament, and second at the national tournament in Valparaiso, Indiana. It was an amazing year for my class and me. Those moments are now just memories, but it reminds me of a verse from Philippians. Paul writes in Philippians 3:14, "I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus." Although the victories I list above are great, I know the real victory, the one that matters, has already been won because of what Christ did on the cross for me. As I work with the youth, I really hope and pray they become well-equipped to share that same message to those around them. Everyone must be ready to give an answer, and this is my goal for the kids that I work with. The better equipped they are with the knowledge of the scriptures, the more likely they are to teach it to other people. That is why I want to serve the youth here at Redeemer. This is where my passion lies. Equipping Redeemer's youth with the knowledge to reach out to others, and be a blessing to them. Thank you for your time, and I pray for God's blessing on your day. In Christ, Jared Betterman REDEEMER GARAGE SALE! AUGUST 7 AND 8, 2013 Donations and volunteers are now being accepted. Contact Judi Micoley at or or at judi_stamparooni@hotmail.com.

5 Redeemer Good News July (Reflections continued from page 1) house, so they climb up on the roof and figure out some way to lay their paralyzed mate at Jesus feet. Why couldn t they wait until the crowd thinned out? What promise did they have that Jesus would even do anything? A lot of action is taking place in only a handful of sentences, and one sneaky line in this passage almost gets lost in the shuffle: When Jesus saw their faith. Jesus ability to see faith is not unique to this passage, and it is not an ability that belongs exclusively to Jesus. Notice how faith is action. Notice how it is risk, it is uncertainty, it gives no guarantee that acting upon it will be rewarded. Pastor Greg Boyd, a brilliant pastor that I love, once said that faith is not having complete and perfect certainty, but rather that faith is being certain enough to act in the face of uncertainty. Jesus sees faith in these men, indeed a hungry, desperate faith that longs to experience Him, no matter what. The question these men are really asking is this: how can we get as close to Jesus as possible, right this moment? That is what I want my faith to look like: completely and wholly in love with Jesus, hungry and desperate, needing to be near Him immediately. I hope I am very much like these men, cutting a hole in somebody s roof to be brought (or to bring my brother or sister) to Jesus feet. From the outside, what these men are doing is bold and bizarre, but when we consider who Jesus is, this is the only kind of faith and action that feels right. It is the response to His call. It is acknowledging and honoring that Jesus is above all, that He can, has, and will overcome anything that separates us from Him, and that we need only to trust in Him. I cannot help but to end this thought with Be Thou My Vision in my mind just as Jesus can see our faith, in the meantime we pray to see Him: Thou and Thou only, first in my heart. Thou in me dwelling, my treasure Thou art. In His Grip, Matt Mitchell WEDNESDAY MORNING BIBLE STUDY The Wednesday Morning Bible Study will meet on JULY17TH. In June we met and learned a little about Passover and how it was a part of God's rescue of the Hebrew nation from slavery in Egypt, and we tasted a bit of lamb cooked over fire. We also compared it to our release from slavery to sin through Christ's blood remembered in the Lord's Supper. In July, we will compare the preparations necessary for Passover to preparations needed to ready ourselves for the Lord's Supper. And we'll sample some unleavened bread. Even if you missed our study in June, come join us on Wednesday, July 17, at 10:00 in the Multi- Purpose Room. For more information contact Linda Krantz at or Mary Sund at LISTEN TO SERVICES FROM WEBSITE Our traditional services are being posted on the Redeemer Lutheran Church and School website. Enter into your browser, click on Worship, and then click on Sermon Audio. Adjust your volume accordingly. CHECK OUT OUR SCHOOL WEBSITE AT: school.redeemerwayzata.org

6 Calendar dates are subject to change. Please check your weekly bulletin. Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 8:30 am Worship/HC 9:30 am Christian Ed.-all ages 10:30 am Worship/HC 8:30 am Worship 9:30 am Christian Ed. all ages 10:30 am Worship 8:30 am Worship/HC 9:30 am Christian Ed. all ages 10:30 am Worship/HC 8:30 am Worship 9:30 am Christian Ed. all ages 10:30 am Worship 1 6:30 pm Hear alk 8 Newsletter Articles Due 6:30 pm Worship & Prayer Gathering 15 6:30 pm 6:30 pm Hear alk 22 6:30 pm Worship & Prayer Gathering 29 6:30 pm Worship & Prayer Gathering 16 7:00 pm Craft Group 23 ANNUAL VOTERS MEETING 6:30 pm :00 am Women s Bible Study Sr. High Youth Mission Trip Luther Island Camp, Henning, MN 4 INDEPENDENCE DAY Office Closed 11 6:30 pm Day School Board THRIVENT BUILDS PROJECT Redeemer Good News July TH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST 21 9TH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST 14 8TH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST 7 7TH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST :00 pm MMLG 7:00 pm Board of Elders

7 Redeemer Good News July Wayzata Blvd. West Wayzata, MN The Lutheran Church Missouri Synod Office Numbers: (952) or (952) Pastor Paul Causton pastorpaul@redeemerwayzata.org Jared Betterman Matt Mitchell redeemeryouthguy@gmail.com Matt Anderson andersonkeys@gmail.com Jodi Bening, Office Administrator churchoffice@redeemerwayzata.org We invite you to worship with us! ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED Dated Material Non-Profit Org. U.S. Postage PAID Wayzata, Minnesota Permit No. 15 SUNDAY WORSHIP & PRAISE: 8:30 am and 10:30 am, CHRISTIAN EDUCATION-All Ages: 9:30 am WEDNESDAY SUMMER MIDWEEK WORSHIP: 6:30 pm REDEEMER MONDAYS Worship-Based Prayer Gatherings and Hear alk continue alternating on Mondays at 6:30 p.m. and are open to everyone. These are wonderful opportunities to deepen your relationship with Our Lord and our Redeemer family. Hear alk is a transformational small group experience focusing on authentic relating and helping each other seek WEDNESDAYS AT 6:30 P.M. Christ s immediate presence in our lives and will meet on July 1st and 15th. Our Worship- Based Prayer Gatherings combine worship, scripture, and prayer in seeking God s glory as the manifestation of Christ s presence among his people and will take place on July 8th, 22nd, and 29th. Redeemer Good News is a monthly newsletter for members and friends of Redeemer Lutheran Church & School in Wayzata. Newsletter articles are due the second Monday of the month. Submit articles, news, and event items to Jodi Bening at jbening@redeemerwayzata.org. Comments and suggestions are welcome. SCRIP