CONNECTION. Pastor Michael J. Albrecht. September A Simple Way to Pray. Church Staff

Transcription

1 A Simple Way to Pray CONNECTION One of Martin Luther s oldest and best friends was his barber, Peter Beskendorf, known in Wittenberg as Peter the master barber. In 1517, when Luther posted the 95 Theses, he was already well acquainted with Master Peter. On the Saturday before Easter, March 27, 1535, Peter was invited to the home of his son-in-law, Dietrich, for a convivial meal. Dietrich, an army veteran, boasted that he had survived in battle because he possessed the art of making himself invulnerable to any wound. So the old barber, doubtlessly intoxicated, plunged a knife into him to test his boast. The stab was fatal. Master Peter s friends, including Luther, intervened for him, and instead of the death penalty, the court sent him into exile. Peter lost all his property and spent the rest of his life in poverty. Luther considered Peter to be a serious and devout man and, in response to a request for a simple way to pray that an ordinary man could use, Luther wrote a 34-page booklet dedicated to his good friend Peter. Luther described his own personal devotions as a simple way. He recommended a set time for prayer, early morning or at night, and warned Master Peter against postponing his prayers until after he had taken care of more urgent business. Luther takes each petition of the Lord s Prayer and provides a brief meditation. Luther said a Christian must keep his mind on his prayers as a barber must watch his razor, an illustration for Peter s benefit. Of course, the reader is not supposed to repeat Luther s meditative prayers word for word, and if the Holy Spirit begins to preach, it is better simply to listen to the sermon of the Spirit. If you would like a copy of Luther s prayer booklet, just ask and I will be happy to give you one. Pastor Michael J. Albrecht September Church Staff Pastor Michael J. Albrecht malbrecht@saintjameslutheran.com Pastor Dale Critchley Cell: dcritchley@saintjameslutheran.com Pastor Ralph M. Rokke rrokke@saintjameslutheran.com Pastor Richard H. Stadler Cell: rstadler@saintjameslutheran.com Terese Thune Youth Director tthune@saintjameslutheran.com Shirley Hess Parish Nurse pnstjlc@saintjameslutheran.com Heather Wald Office Administrator hwald@saintjameslutheran.com General Address stjlc@saintjameslutheran.com Worship Services Sunday 9 AM Monday 6:30 PM Lord s Supper: 1st and 3rd Sunday and following Monday Bible Studies Tuesday 10:00 AM Saturday 8:00 AM divided as follows: Women: 2nd / 4th Saturday Men: 1st / 3rd / 5th Saturday 460 Annapolis Street West / West Saint Paul, MN 55118

2 Making Music at Saint James There are plenty of opportunities for any musician to participate at Saint James. Saint James Choir Rehearsals begin Wednesday, September 7 at 7:00 p.m. Everyone is invited to sing with the Saint James Choir. We rehearse Wednesdays from 7-8:30 p.m. We typically sing the first, third and fourth Sundays of the month at the 10:30 service. Saint James Handbells Rehearsals will begin following SonRise Worship on Monday evenings in September. Watch the bulletin for more information. Contact Winifred Farley at with questions. Gsus3 Children s Choir Rehearsals begin Wednesday, October 5 from 6:30-7:00 p.m. Contact Ami Heesch at for further information. If you re interested in playing with the Saint James Brass, please contact Roger Grimm at If you would like more information on any of our musical groups, please contact Tom Rowland at trowland5726@comcast.net or Chancel Wall Dedication The newly renovated chancel wall in the sanctuary will be dedicated to the glory of God in both services on Sunday, September 25 and in the SonRise Service on Monday, September 26. There will be special prayers and special music. There will be pictures that were taken during the construction, and a financial report. We also want to honor and thank all the people who worked so long and hard to complete this project. It should be a joyous and festive celebration. Soli Deo Gloria! Organ Update Last Spring, after many years of searching, organ builder Steve Lethert informed us he'd finally located a Voix Humaine from the early 1900's. This stop was planned for during the organ renovation; however, locating the right one has been a challenge. The Voix Humaine is one of the oldest organ stops, dating back to the late 1500's. It's an approximation of the human voice - perhaps a male chorus singing in the distance. Those made after 1920 sound very different, reflecting their common use in theatre organs. This stop will be installed in September. At this same time, a flute stop will be replaced because several wooden pipes in the current flute will no longer stay in tune. This work was reviewed and approved by the Worship Committee and Vestry and paid for from the organ renovation fund. There will be music highlighting these stops when they are ready. Watch your Sunday Bulletin for the date. 2

3 The Son Experience in Plzen A huge THANK YOU to Saint James for all the prayers and support given to Caitlin and Shaun Bandelin, Dale Mueller and others representing The SON Experience for Vacation Bible School (VBS) at St. Paul s in Plzen in the Czech Republic! The trip was a memorable experience for the entire group. This year VBS had 40 students, the largest group in six years. For the first time there were two baptisms! Two young men, after attending for a couple years, had grown to know Jesus and asked to be baptized. The theme for VBS was all about the life of Jesus and how He came to give us eternal life. The children experienced music, fun activities, theater, and artwork that complemented the theme for the particular day. Sunday morning worship concluded the VBS week. The students performed a program that encompassed all they had learned about Jesus. It was very touching to hear the message given through the children and to witness the two young men being baptized. The Lord was truly at work in Plzen. It was a blessing to be part of a growing VBS and to have the opportunity to share the love of Christ. It was also exciting to see younger teens ask questions and have a desire to learn more about who Jesus is and why He would give us His grace. There were many challenging moments, particularly due to the language barrier, but the Lord was with us and with Him all things were possible on this trip. We pray that VBS at St. Paul s will continue to grow and flourish. Dear Saint James family On behalf of The SON Experience, Dale Mueller and I thank you for your generous support of $1,500. Because of your gift, Dale and my son Shaun and I were able to travel to the Czech Republic and share Jesus with many school children. Many of these children did not know Jesus as their Savior. We appreciate your love, support, and prayers. Saint James is a blessing to all of us. May the Lord continue to bless the ministry at Saint James. Colossians 3:17. Whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. In Christ, Caitlin Bandelin In Christ, Caitlin Bandelin Saint James Altar Guild dinner/meeting will be held on Wednesday, Sept. 7, 6:00 p.m. in the Fellowship Room. 3

4 Pastor Albrecht s Bible Class: The Remarkable Gospel of Mark Sundays, 9:15 a.m in the Fireside Room We resume our discussion of The Remarkable Gospel of Mark on Sunday, September 11. The class will be repeated on Tuesday mornings, beginning at 10:00. Last Spring we considered the story of Palm Sunday and began discussing the events of Holy Week. We paused for the summer at the end of chapter 12. Do you recall why Tuesday of Holy Week is known as the day of questions? After a brief review to get our bearings, we will launch into chapter 13. Jesus comes out of the Temple never to return. Jesus predicts that not one stone will be left on another when the Temple is destroyed. When and how was this prophecy fulfilled? Jesus explains the signs of the times to His disciples. Does it sound like the destruction of the Temple will be followed immediately by the Last Day? Does it seem like the signs of the times are fulfilled all around us today? As usual, your questions and comments are encouraged. All are welcome. Audio CDs will be available at the Welcome Center or you can download the recordings from our Saint James web site and listen at your convenience. Pastor Stadler s Bible Class Sundays, 9:15 a.m in the Chapel The Fall Chapel Bible class begins on Sunday, September 11. For six weeks we are going to study the Old Testament book of Judges, when each man did what was right in his own eyes, and ask ourselves how similar that world was to our world today. Class participants can bring in news stories and events that parallel what we discover. Then, for six weeks, we will study the New Testament Book The Revelation. Pastor Stadler will argue for his thesis that there is nothing new in The Revelation that hasn t already been taught in the Bible. The class will test and critique that proposition and also see if there are events in Judges that are pictured symbolically in The Revelation. We will return to Judges for six weeks, and then to The Revelation for six weeks throughout the year until the end of May. The title of the book, The Revelation of Jesus Christ has two meanings, both of which can be true. It is the Revelation that Jesus has given to His Church through John. It belongs to Him and He is sharing it with His believers. The title can also point to purpose of the book, to reveal what Jesus has done and is doing for His believers in every age of Church history. The Revelation is like the parables of Jesus. Both present scriptural truths with symbols and metaphors, whereas in other places of the Bible the truths are taught with concepts and details. Many people are perplexed from reading The Revelation, but if a reader simply reads the entire account as a story and asks the question: Who wins and who loses? the book is easy to understand. God always wins. Satan and those who follow him always lose. Those two truths are hammered home repeatedly throughout The Revelation. The class will try to find events in Judges and in human history that are depicted with the images in The Revelation. There are pictures of horrible monsters, extensive sweeping destruction and widespread death. But the ultimate victory of Christ and His Church is clearly pictured too. Are some of the brutal and bewildering episodes recorded in Judges also pictured in The Revelation? We will find unadulterated Gospel in The Revelation. We will also look for emphatic Gospel messages in Judges. Participants are encouraged to offer their own suggestions and interpretations, to ask questions and to draw comparisons that they recognize, too. Class members are also free to simply sit and listen. It will be an interesting experiment to study these two books in juxtaposition. Everyone is welcome! 4

5 A Stewardship Day-Brightener As a contract holder with Thrivent Financial, I receive notices from time to time that I m entitled to designate Thrivent Choice Dollars to a charity of my choosing. Thrivent is a membership organization of Christians that helps people be wise with money so they can be generous. As a not-forprofit organization, in lieu of paying taxes, Thrivent Financial gives that money away. As part of this, Thrivent has adopted the excellent practice of allowing clients to designate where some of the charitable-giving dollars will go. This program is called Thrivent Choice Dollars. I always designate my Thrivent Choice Dollars to be given to Saint James. It only takes a few seconds to do it. Recently, I received an from Thrivent saying, Thank you, Rev Rokke, for directing Choice Dollars to Saint James Lutheran Church. A total of $2, Choice Dollars grant funds went to Saint James Lutheran Church in July. You've become part of something bigger by participating in Thrivent Choice. How encouraging! Evidently many other people are designating Thrivent Choice Dollars for Saint James, too. Your gifts help support the work of our church. If you re using this opportunity, thank you! If you do business with Thrivent, but haven t designated Thrivent Choice Dollars for Saint James yet, please do. It s good stewardship. For more information, contact Todd Readinger, a member of Saint James, and a Thrivent Financial representative, at (651) or todd.readinger@thrivent.com. - Pr. Rokke Questions Are Good! Bring Them to DDD Begins Tuesday, Sept. 20, 7:00 p.m. Digging Deeper as a Disciple is our name for a Bible study series that covers the basic teachings of the Christian faith in an atmosphere that invites and encourages discussion. Some questions do not occur to you when you are in Sunday School. After you live a few years, you may have new questions about the Bible and Christian living. Do you know someone who would like to hear Lutheran answers to some of the tough questions that people are asking today? Maybe you and your friend would enjoy coming to DDD together. The first session will meet in the Fireside Room on Tuesday, September 20, 7:00-8:30 p.m. Both members and non-members are welcome. The pastors will take turns leading the sessions. Come for all the sessions or only those that interest you. Feel free to dress casually. No one will be forced to read aloud or answer questions. Some choose simply to sit and listen. Brochures are available at the Welcome Center. All are welcome. Saturday Morning Women s Bible Study Reading Romans The women meet on September 10 and 24. The doors open at 8:00 and Pastor Albrecht joins the group at about 8:30. In chapter 14, Paul calls Christ Jesus the Lord of the dead and of the living. If Jesus is Lord of the dead, are they really dead? Next Paul warns us not to judge each other. Do you want your brother to judge you? Why would you judge him? All women are cordially invited to join the discussion. Saturday Morning Men s Bible Study The Epistle of James The men gather in the Fireside Room at 8:00 on September 3. Bagels and donuts are often provided. Bring your own beverage, if you like. Discussion of chapter 3 began with James warning us to watch our tongues. There are many practical applications of the Eighth Commandment. Next James draws a contrast between wisdom and jealousy. Love for your neighbor is by definition unselfish. Why doesn t this come naturally to us? How does wisdom come to us from above? All men are cordially invited to join the discussion. 5

6 Martin Luther Exhibit The buses are reserved and the tickets are ordered for the tours of the Martin Luther exhibit at the Minneapolis Institute of Art. Thanks to all who signed up, and thanks to Linda DeRoode, a professional event organizer and member of Saint James, who made all the arrangements and did a wonderful job. Thursday, November 3 Schedule: Gather at church at 5:15 p.m.; the bus will leave the church at 5:30; we ll arrive at the MIA in time for one group to begin the tour at 6:30 and another group at 6:45. We ll be back at church at 9:30 p.m. Here s some more good news: Young people under age 17 will be admitted free! They ll need tickets, which have been ordered, but the tickets are free. Also no charge will be made to people under 17 for the bus ride. Sunday, November 13 Schedule: Gather at 12:15 p.m. (Sandwiches will be available after the second service for people who don t want to go home and come back.) The bus will leave the church at 12:30; and arrive at MIA in time for one group to start the tour at 1:30 p.m. and another group at 1:45 p.m. We plan to return to the church by 5:00 p.m. For adults over 17, the cost will be $20. This will cover both your ticket to the exhibition and your round-trip bus ride. The buses that have been reserved accommodate 47 passengers each, and both will be full or nearly full. You can pay for your ticket and ride any time by putting the payment in an ordinary envelope, not an offering envelope, and putting the envelope in the offering plate at church. Be sure to write your name on the envelope and also MIA Tickets. Payments for tickets are not tax-deductible donations, and will not be included on the receipt for your gifts to the church. August Funerals August 4 Phyllis Grolla Condolences to her daughter, Edythe (Bunny) Grolla, and her grandchildren, Jo Elling, Sherri Freiderich and Tami Willett. August 16 Thomas Metzen, Sr. Condolences to his wife, Karen; his son, Tim; his daughter, Kathy Machacek, and his grandchildren, Nick (Tamara), Laura (Carl) Albrecht, Travis (Kayelynn), Luke (Shahara), Kayla, Adam and Allison. Thanks Pr. Rokke 6

7 Third-graders to Receive Bibles and Sixth-graders to Receive Catechisms on Sunday September 11 Each of our third graders will receive their own Bible in the 10:30 service on September 11th. The Faith Alive Student Bible is designed especially for young Christians who are just beginning to read the Bible for themselves. Pastor Critchley will lead a special Sunday School class for third-graders and their parents at 9:15 AM to introduce them to the special features of these Bibles. There will be plenty of time for questions. Anyone who wants to come is welcome. Along with the Bible, of course, Dr. Martin Luther s Small Catechism is a vital resource for all of our confirmation classes. As our sixth graders begin their first year of confirmation class, each of them will receive My First Catechism at the 10:30 service on September 11th. August Weddings Congratulations to August 12 Chase Ellis & Camille Heesch August 19 Joshua Lehrer & Alicia Enstad Pastor Albrecht notes that the catechism is not intended to replace the Bible, but to go along with the Bible. He says, As we read the Bible, we see where the six chief parts of the catechism came from. As we study the catechism, it helps us to understand what we are reading in our Bibles. Both the Bible and the catechism can help us to get more out of our church services. Saint James Lutheran Connection Submissions for October issue are due September 14. 7

8 Saint James Bible Puppet Theater Wants You If you ve always wanted to experience the glamorous life of a puppeteer, now s your chance! The season starts Thursday night, September 8th, at 6:30 for ages 4th grade and up. On this night, anyone can try out a puppet, learn the basics of puppeteering, and decide if you ve got what it takes! We meet on Thursdays, about three times a month, and perform anywhere from five to seven shows a year. Come as often as you like! There s also a spot for you if you like to make props, sew costumes, or write scripts. We need your ideas and unique talents as well! For more information call Ron Ecker at or rcecker@q.com. Monday Evening SonRise Worship Now Printing Melody Lines for Some Songs Monday Evening SonRise Worship services embrace both sturdy, sing-able traditional hymns and some newer, modern songs that express our faith. Most of the modern songs are easy to learn after hearing the first stanza, but some worshipers feel more comfortable if they have a melody line to read. In addition to the words of the songs on the screens, we are inserting as many songs as we can with their melody lines, too, for music readers. All of our Monday Evening SonRise worship services are recorded and posted on Youtube.com. If you would like to sample a Monday service, you can easily gain access to over 80 of these services by going to YouTube.com and typing into the search window: Evening SonRise Saint James. All of the services will pop up, listed by date, text of the sermon, sermon theme and preacher. There is almost always a children s message for the children in attendance, just as in the Sunday service, so if families with children miss a Sunday service, they are always welcome to attend Mondays and there will be something special for the children, too. Each service has key elements of Lutheran worship: invocation, confession and absolution, creed, sermon, prayers, Lord s Prayer, Lord s Supper and benediction. If you miss a Sunday service and wish to worship on Mondays at 6:30-7:30 p.m., you are always welcome. 8

9 Parish Nurse Notes An Interdenominational Coalition of South Suburban Churches Presents a Four-Week Series: Growing Through Loss Thursday, September 15: Understanding Your Grief For All It s Worth Paul Johnson M.A. - Consultant & Trainer Thursday, September 22: 9/11 A Survivor s Story Scott and Kathy Wallace and their daughters, Kerry and Jayna Thursday, September 29: How Men and Women Grieve Differently Brenda De Motte, MSW, LICSW - Founder and Director, Professional Counseling & Grief Services Thursday, October 6: Finding a Bit of Joy in the Midst of Grief During the Holiday Season Sue Vento - Education/Trainer Augustana Lutheran Church 1400 South Robert St, West St. Paul Registration: 6:30; Speaker, 7:00; Support Groups (facilitated by trained leaders), 8:00 This program is offered to any adult experiencing a loss or major crisis and to Pastoral Ministers. For additional information, call: or growingthroughoss@gmail.com Pack The Pews: September For many food shelves across our state, providing fresh and healthy food options can be a challenge. To meet this need, Minnesota FoodShare s Harvest Campaign invites congregations to participate in Pack the Pews September With your help, we re able to meet the needs of those who need it most. 9

10 September 11th A3 Apple Picking Event & Camp Croix Sign-Up! On Sunday, September 11th after the 10:30am worship service we will have our fall kickoff for A3! Our all ages family event will start with a potluck followed by Apple Picking and a Corn Maze at Applewood Orchard in Lakeville. Please bring a salad or dessert to share. Make sure to sign-up for Camp Croix and pick up a schedule for this year s events including Care Packages, Sledding, Pine Cars, Rockets and more! Checkout our website for more information or contact Pastor Dale or Terese with questions. Hard Working Crafty Ladies! 2016 VBS Pictures The Phenomenal Baking Team of Mark, Sofie, Cullen, Marcus & Shamus with Pastor Rokke & his class making bread! 90 youth attended VBS this year to enjoy crafts, games, snacks, and puppets as they learned more about the Bible Stories that teach what God has done for them and about His amazing love! Thank you for all of the contributions for supplies, t-shirts and prayers! Every year we are blessed with OUTSTANDING VOLUNTEERS! A BIG THANK YOU to all of them for working so hard, and for sharing your faith with kids! Thank You, God, for bringing awesome Kids! Yummy Snacks Fun Crafts Songs Bible Stories High School Bible Class starts Sunday, Sept 11th at 9:15 in BOB Everyone in High School or older is invited to come hang out in BOB at 9:15am starting Sunday, Sept. 11th. Join Pastor Dale and Terese as we read the Bible, pray, watch video Bible Studies, and other items that relate to our topic discussions. On September 11th we will start with our daily lives and how Jesus is or isn t working in them. The answer to that question is one that has been discussed since Biblical times. On the news and in the media we see so many wonderful and devastating things happening in the world. In our own chaotic lives we are faced daily with easy and difficult decisions, what we decide or allow the world to decide for us will ultimately bring us hope and joy or devastate us. Why Jesus? is a 4 part Bible Study by David Nasser and is available through RightNow Media. 10

11 September 2016 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat :00am Men s Bible Study :00am Divine Service with Holy Communion Labor Day Church Office Closed No Evening SonRise Service 10:00am Romans Bible Class 4:30pm Executive Committee Meeting 10:30am Good Samaritan 5:00pm Confirmation Orientation 6:00pm Altar Guild Dinner/Meeting 6:30pm Puppet Theater 10:00am Lilydale 6:30pm High School Youth Movie Night 8:00am Women s Bible Study 7:00pm Saint James Choir Rehearsal :00am Worship Service 9:15am Sunday School and Bible Classes 10:30am Worship Service 11:45am Church Potluck 1:00pm All Ages Activity: Apple Orchard 10:00am White Pine 6:30pm Evening SonRise Contemporary Worship 7:30pm Evangelism Committee Meeting 10:00am Romans Bible Class 2:00pm Wilder 514 6:00pm Youth Committee Meeting 6:30pm Worship Committee Meeting 5:00pm Confirmation Class 6:15pm Meal 7:00pm Saint James Choir Rehearsal 6:30pm Puppet Theater Confirmation Luther Island Camp 9:00am Wilder 512 Confirmation Luther Island Camp Confirmation Luther Island Camp 8:00am Divine Service with Holy Communion 9:15am Sunday School and Bible Classes 10:30am Divine Service with Holy Communion 6:30pm Evening SonRise Contemporary Worship 10:00am Mark Bible Class 7:00pm DDD 7:00pm Stewardship Committee Meeting 5:00pm Confirmation Class 6:15pm Meal 7:00pm Saint James Choir Rehearsal 6:30pm Puppet Theater 7:00pm Family Game Night 8:00am Women s Bible Study 25 Chancel Wall Dedication 8:00am Worship Service 9:15am Sunday School and Bible Classes 10:30am Worship Service 26 6:30pm Evening SonRise Contemporary Worship 7:30pm Elders 27 10:00am Mark Bible Class 7:00pm DDD 28 5:00pm Confirmation Class 6:15pm Meal 7:00pm Saint James Choir Rehearsal 29 6:30pm Puppet Theater 30 11