Redeemer Lutheran News Church Office: Pastor Widger:

Transcription

1 Redeemer Lutheran News Church Office: Pastor Widger: I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? 2 My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth. Psalm 121:1-2 That s the beginning of one of my favorite Psalms. And I was reminded again of this Psalm on vacation, as I spent the week in the Bighorn Mountains of Wyoming. It s a beautiful mountain range, maybe not as rugged as many of our mountains, and not nearly as majestic as the Grand Tetons. It s more rolling mountains, and wide meadows. The cabin we stayed in was on the side of a huge bluff, situated at the base of a giant meadow, across from us was another row of beautiful peaks. It was awesome. And as I sat on a rock thinking and reading my Bible this Psalm struck me once again. Now I must say I ve always loved the mountains, the quietness, and solitude one can find. When I need some time away it s the mountains that are the place to where I flee. But the Psalm demands us to ask the question, do the mountains with their majesty and grandeur actually give us help? The Psalmist, won t let us get away with turning something of creation into another God. Our help is not in a place, not in a location, not in the mountains themselves, but in the Lord, Yahweh, the one who made the heavens and the earth, and all that it contains. Yes, when in need, when in trouble, when we need to retreat from the problems of live, we go to the Lord. And this God of ours does not slumber or sleep, he never grows tired. He is always there for His people with his grace and power. That powerful Word of God that called the creation into being, that Power that raised up the Bighorn Mountains, that Power is available to us. That God is there to help, no matter what your problems. Your help, my help, it comes from the Lord. And we see the help we need most clearly in the very Son of God, who is also the Lord, His name is Jesus. This Jesus shows us just how much He wants to help us with going to the cross and giving His life for us. And if Jesus is willing to do that, to die for us, and remove the consequences of our sin from us, He will also help us with all the smaller difficulties we face. So take heart dear Christians, and when you look to the hills, the mountains just to the west of us, remember, Your help comes from the Lord, who made the heaven and the earth. Peace in Christ, Pastor Widger

2 Council Concerns The July Council Meeting were not available at time of printing. Address Updates Gladyce Crowbridge 28 Stevens Rd. Glen Burnie, MD Dan Crowbridge 28 Stevens Rd. Glen Burnie, MD Membership Changes Za Niyah Holloway -baptized 6/17/2018 Bethesda is a Christian organization that provides homes and other services for people with developmental disabilities to help them live the lives they want. On Sunday, August 19 th after worship we will be hosting a craft sale and all proceeds will go to support Bethesda Lutheran Communities. Donations may also be made in support of Bethesda s ministry that day. FISHES & LOAVES FOOD PANTRY Households served in May: 323 Total # of person served in May: 745 Households served in June: 449 Total # of person served in June: 1061

3 August 2018 LUTHERAN WOMEN S MISSIONARY LEAGUE/ DORCAS SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 16 th after church will be our next meeting with a report from delegates attending the Rocky Mountain District Convention. We will find out how our mites are being used to support projects in our Rocky Mountain District, and also National and International Mission Grants. The Altar Guild The next meeting is Saturday, September 8 th at 10:00AM In the Heart Room. Any ladies interested in being on the Altar Guild please join us! Thank You to our Sponsor Anonymous Your support of Redeemer s newsletter does not go unnoticed!

4 st 1 Lynn Gomez nd 13th Joyce Reiter 28th Josh Arbogast 15th Donna Forke 29th Cheryl Austermiller 18th Paula Johnson 31st Jon Russel th 20th Steve Johnson (If your birthday is not listed please contact the Church Office to update your record.) th 21st Derek Stach 5 Daniel Heuser 2 Gage Smith Jean Vanaman 7 Kellie Duran Xandria Smith 3rd Myla Collins Lindsay Lebin Marian Paulsen 8th Mark Barnes Sr. 11th Makayla Chappell 22nd Annie Bronstad 23rd Jennifer Harper

5 From the Board of Stewardship... When it comes to stewardship, a favorite Bible verse is the account of the widow s mite (Luke 21:1 4). It s a moving account. Our Lord praises the seemingly small gift of two copper coins given by a poor widow above the abundance of gifts given by the rich, saying, Truly, I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all of them (Luke 21:3). And that is usually where we stop. But the text goes on. For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on (Luke 21:4). She put in all she had to live on. She gave everything. She held nothing back. She trusted that the Lord who made her and all creatures, who gave her everything she had, who redeemed her from her own sin, from death, and the power of the devil, who called her by the Gospel and enlightened her with His gifts of Word and Sacrament, would continue to do this. He would provide her with all that she needed for this body and life because that is the character of the God she had. But this is not why we give small gifts. Her gift, though it appeared small, was actually large. When we are tempted to give small gifts it is precisely because we want them to be small! We don t trust the Lord to provide for us. We give small gifts because we lack faith in the One who created us, redeemed us, sanctifies and keeps us in the one true faith. We give small gifts because we doubt that God will really give us what we need and desire. We give small gifts because we are not content with what God has already given. We are not slaves, children of the slave woman, under the Old Covenant (Gal. 4). We are adopted sons of the free woman. And since we are sons, we are also heirs. And heirs receive the inheritance. For everything is already ours in Christ. And thus, moved by the willing spirit of adoption, we do the will of God in financial matters far beyond all that done by those under the Old Covenant who were forced by legal demands. So what have you decided to give? How do I decide what to give? Let the Scriptures be your guide. We are to give proportionally to what we have received from God s giving to us (Luke 12:48; 1 Cor. 16:1-2, 2 Cor. 8:12). But you have not been set free to give nothing. See that you excel in the grace of giving (2 Cor. 8:7). We are not free to live selfishly outside the Gospel, without regard for God who gives us all good gifts, without generosity for our neighbor who needs us and our gifts, without supporting the community of faith in which we live, without care for our spiritual fathers and those who teach and help raise our children in the faith, without resources for the poor and needy in short, we are not free to live unto ourselves, hoarding what God has given us only for us. For love is the fulfillment of the law (Romans 13:10). And the sum of the law is this: Love God and love your neighbor (Matt. 22:34-.40). We love because He first loved us. We give because He has given to us. Luther once said, Possessions belong in your hands, not in your heart (LW 14:240). There is a reason your 10 fingers spread apart. With your hands you catch God s gifts for what you need and let the rest fall through your fingers to your neighbors your family, your friends, your community, your church.

6 D E CEMBE R REDEEMER LUTHERAN CHURCH 2221 N. Wahsatch Ave. Colorado Springs, CO ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED Nonprofit U.S. Postage Paid Colo. Spgs, CO Permit No. 74 (719) FAX: (719) The local Lutheran Hour can be heard Sunday mornings on, KOA (850 AM) at 6:00 AM, KRLN (1400 AM) at 8:00AM DATE: August 5, 2018 TEXT: Exodus 16:2-15; John 6:22-35 TITLE: "And the Pursuit of Happiness" GUEST SPEAKER: Dr. Dale A. Meyer When the main goal in life is your happiness, you've turned in on yourself and away from others, especially God. Turn from yourself to Jesus and you'll know a peace that surpasses all understanding, and that is the basis for true lasting happiness. DATE: August 12, 2018 TEXT: John 6:42 TITLE: "Pigeonholed SPEAKER EMERITUS: Rev. Dr. Ken Klaus Just when you think you are getting to know Jesus, He says something which can confuse. Today the world remains confused about God's Son, our Savior. That's because Jesus refuses to be pigeonholed by the world's desires or expectations. He's God's Son, Who has come to save humankind. Anything else, or different than this, is simply unacceptable. DATE: August 19, 2018 TBA DATE: August 26, 2018 TBA THE LUTHERAN HOUR