Immanuel Lutheran Church JANUARY 2017 Messenger

Transcription

1 Immanuel Lutheran Church JANUARY 2017 Messenger Immanuel Lutheran Church Called, Empowered, and Sent by God to Live, Love, and Learn God s Word Nuestra Declaracíon De Misíon Somos llamados, autorizados, y enviados por Dios para vivir, amar, y aprender la Palabra de Dios Pastor John Okan Church Immanuel.everson@gmail.com Immanuel Lutheran Church 5782 Lawrence Rd. Everson, WA 98247

2 Dear People of Immanuel, We set foot once again at the cusp of another year the year of our Lord 2017 and we do so again in the afterglow of Christmas Morn, our celebration of the Christ Child. It is to this one we sing, The hopes and fears of all the years are met in thee tonight. What are those hopes? And what of the fears? Are we able and willing to give voice to those hopes and fears that are a part of our lives, part of our community and part of the life of our world? Or will we continually be overcome and burdened by unmet hope, encumbered by those fears that plague us? Of course we do not need to be overcome and encumbered for again we sing, The hopes and fears of all the years are met in thee tonight. We hear the echoes of this song as we move away from Advent, living into the 12 days of Christmas and forward to the season of Epiphany, the season of light and revelation. We enter into this season singing with the three kings, O star of wonder, star of light, star with royal beauty bright, westward leading, still proceeding, guide us to thy perfect light. These words speak of the promise brought forth in the Babe of Bethlehem, the perfect light of the world that continues to proceed us, continues to illumine our way. Throughout Advent we were reminded that Hope, Peace, Joy and Love are hallmarks of the coming of Christ, beginning with his birth, and additionally in all the ways the life and love and light of Christ continues to break into our world, those times and places the Kingdom of Heaven draws near to us. Now is the time to take hold of these gifts, to stand up and follow after the light of the world, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, in Hope, in Peace, in Joy, and in Love. We will continue to live in hope amongst our fears, but we do so knowing that, The hopes and fears of all the years are met in thee tonight. They are met and caught up, like we ourselves, in the life and love and light of Christ. So let us set out in Joy. Let us be and sing, On our way rejoicing, as we homeward move, Hearken to our praises, O Thou God of love! Pastor John Pastor John s jokan001@luthersem.edu Cell phone # Office hours: M, W, and Thursday morning

3 UPCOMING EVENTS and IMPORTANT DATES AT IMMANUEL Scripture Readings January 1 1 Christmas Isaiah 63:7-9 Psalm 148 Hebrews 2:10-18 Matthew 2:13-23 January 8 Baptism of Our Lord Isaiah 42:1-9 Psalm 29 Acts 10:34-43 Matthew 3:13-17 January 15 2 nd Epiphany Isaiah 49:1-7 Psalm 40: Corinthians 1:1-9 John 1:29-42 January 7 - Men s Breakfast and Bible Study January 8- Congregational Annual Meeting and Potluck, following second service. January 15 Celebration Sunday January Birthdays 1/12 Federico Delgado 1/14 Claire Mintier 1/18 Clarice Solvik 1/18 Nancy Okan 1/18 Caree Brownfield 1/26 Tyler Andrews 1/28 David Smith 1/27 Stephanie Delgado 1/31 Cole Roman January Anniversaries 1/14 Paul & Sue Hookham January 22 3 rd Epiphany Isaiah 9:1-4 Psalm 27:1, Corinthians 1:10-18 Matthew 4:12-23 January 29 4 Epiphany Micah 6:1-8 Psalm 15 1 Corinthians 1:18-31 Matthew 5:1-12 Women of Immanuel NEWS WOI Bible Study will be held on January 10 th, at Carol VanderYacht s at 7:00 p.m. WOI Board meets on Thursday, January 5, at noon in the church library. You are not only responsible for what you say, but also for what you do not say. Martin Luther

4 January 1 8:30 a.m. 10:30 a.m. Laura Hookham Greeters: Muriel & Shelly Ron & Judy Bruland Ron & Judy Bruland Com. Asst Liza Okan Ron Bruland Communion Set-up: Liza Okan First Service Clarice & Jim Second Service - Dennis & Michelle January 8 8:30 a.m. 10:30 a.m. Sara Murdock Greeters: Pam Andrews Wes Murdock Wes Murdock Asia Roman Kim Roe Communion set-up: Belia Estrada/Asia Roman Bill Simpson First service: Lois & Helen Second service: Kim & Neil January 15 8:30 a.m 10:30 a.m. Don Anderson Greeters: Hunters Mike & Karen Brewer Mike & Karen Brewer Linda Anderson Dennis Workman Communion Set Up: Val Henderson/Linda Anderson First Service: Carol & Dennis Second Service: Linda & Michelle January 22 8:30 a.m. 10:30 a.m. Ass t Min. Karen Harkness Greeters: Freemans Jackie & Chase Jackie & Chase Sara Murdock Michelle Pattison Communion Set-up: Sara Murdock First Service: Jim & Lois Second Service: Michelle & Joanie January 29 8:30 a.m 10:30 a.m. Don Anderson Greeters: Pam Andrews Brulands Brulands Linda Anderson Liza Okan Communion Set Up: Liza Okan Healing Worship Prayer Teams: First Service: Helen & Joe; John & Lois Second Service: Michelle & Nancy; John & Linda If you are unable to serve on your assigned Sunday, please call someone that you can either switch an assigned Sunday with or sub for you. A big thank-you to all the helpers; you are greatly appreciated and needed! address for Kim: Immanuel.everson@gmail.com address for Pastor John: jokan001@luthersem.edu Office phone: (360) Pastor John s phone: (360) Thank-you to everyone who has switched from receiving a paper Messenger to receiving it via . If you would like to have YOUR newsletter sent through , save paper and receive your news sooner, please Kim at immanuel.everson@gmail.com Treasurer s Report: 2016 Budget: $144, Monthly income: $12, Nov. Offering: $8, Other Dec. Income: $ Total Dec. Income: $9, To November 30 th our expenses exceeded our income by $7, Campaign fund: 12, Sunday School offering: $ Parsonage Fund: $1,389.09

5 To Our Choir: Thank you to each member of Immanuel's choir for the generous Christmas gift to us. We appreciate your dedication and faithfulness every week for practice and bringing music to our worship services. Thank you for sharing your gifts of music and fellowship. We enjoy working with you! Love, Dennis and Nancy Saying YES to a new year The Rev. Kirby Unti, NWWA Synod Bishop if you have faith as small as a mustard seed you can say to this mountain, Move from here to there, and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you. + Matthew 17:20 How well do you know yourself? Are you a person who more times than not is saying YES to the opportunities that come your way or are you a bit more cautious and likely to say NO. I began life as a real low risk taker and either flat out said no to any invitations that created discomfort for me or made up excuses as to why I couldn t participate. This ran the gamut from being invited over to a friend s house to spend the night to something even more challenging like trying to water ski. I felt it better to play it safe than risk the embarrassment of failure. I have made some improvements over time but I must confess, I still live life with too much caution and only occasionally push myself beyond my comfort zone. The challenge of being too cautious is it really limits the size of one s world. I had an uncle from Duluth who came to visit us in Seattle. He was so miserable being away from home that I doubt he ever ventured out again. Duluth is a nice place but a pretty small geographic area to call your world. God has never seemed content in allowing people to settle for a smaller world. Our God is the God of adventure - who throughout history has constantly uprooted us a people, calling us to ventures yet unknown. Venturing beyond the world in which we are safe allows us to learn what it means to put our trust in God. I learn this lesson every time I move beyond my fear - whether it is rappelling off the side of Pinnacle Peak near Mt. Rainier, showing up as a police chaplain at a homicide scene, or traveling through Northern Ethiopia. (Not to mention allowing my name to be placed into nomination to serve the Office of Bishop.) I must say, as a parish pastor I watched the congregations I served struggle with taking risks. It is far easier for governing bodies to say no than it is to say yes. I finally challenged the Church Council to saying yes to everything that came before them unless it was in violation of the mission or core values. If it was an issue that required funding beyond what was in the budget than we shifted the challenge back to the people who wanted to make something happen to figure out a way to fund it. Our leaders were amazed that over and over again God came through when we were willing to put more and more on the line. We started to do things that we never imagined we could do. Don t get me wrong, not everything worked out. We had our failures along the way. But, I d rather fail than simply be content with the way things have always been. Learning to say yes is a tremendous stretching exercise. It doesn t mean we can always pull it off - but it sure makes our world bigger just by entertaining the possibilities and imagining where the Spirit might lead us. As we enter 2017, I want to encourage you to become aware of what your tendencies are when it comes to the opportunities that are presented. Let 2017 be the year that you lean in the direction of considering YES before too quickly saying no. Believe me, it will add to your sense of adventure and hopefully strengthen your faith in God.