THE MESSENGER *** October 2018***

Transcription

1 ! Messiah Lutheran Church and Early Childhood Ministry THE MESSENGER *** October 2018*** From Pastor s Pen - From the Pastor s Pen - Starting New Over the past couple of decades (if not before) there has been a rising sense of decline in most Christian denominations in America. In this conversation a lot of fingers have been pointed at the various generations from baby-boomers to millennials as being disinterested in a life of faith in Christ. Over the last few years I have reported other reasons for the decline of Christianity in America and particularly the LCMS. Of course culture is a component, but then it always has been. No matter the culture, humans are sinful and more inclined to turn away from Christ. The miracle is that ANYONE turns to Christ in faith! A more measurable affect has been the change in birthrate in America, which has dropped below 2 per family. Anything below 2 and the native population decreases. Within the church this is reflected in the number of Baptisms. And digging deeper we find that for

2 the last 75 years or more, church numbers, no matter how you measure, have been sustained especially by births in member families. Even though we may not have thought about it in these terms, growing Christians through births has lured us into thinking its normal. But its not. In fact it has masked the true nature of the decline within the church. If we go back further than the recent history above, we find the church grew simply by bringing non-christians into the church. Of course this began with Christ Himself. First there were 12, who Christ sent out. On Pentecost there was a dramatic growth spurt. From there the Gospel movement called the Christian church spread throughout the Roman Empire until it became THE religion of the Empire. It spread to Asia, the Americas and Africa. It was a movement of following Jesus Great Commission: Matt 28:19-20 And Jesus came and said to them, All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age. Acts 1:8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth. The natural growth of the church is through making disciples by baptizing, teaching and witnessing. This is the true Gospel Movement started by Christ Jesus, given by Him to the church and carried on for centuries afterward. We could argue a lot about why the church moved from the Gospel Movement to simply replacing deaths with births. It certainly is NOT because we ve run out of people to baptize, teach and witness about Jesus! Dwelling on that won t solve the problem of the decline of the Christian church in America. The solution is the same as it always has been... baptize, teach and witness! Our LCMS history, which is fairly recent in terms of Christian history, was hugely a Gospel Movement. The early LCMS started more churches in American than any other denomination. Outreach was THE central action item on every church agenda, THE

3 largest line item on every budget. The Gospel boiled in early LCMS hearts, minds and churches. The LCMS didn t grow because it was of German-Scandinavian origins. It didn t grow because we have the best doctrine (which we do!) or print a lot of books (which we have). It grew because it was a Gospel movement that FOCUSED on proclaiming Christ crucified and risen, man-woman-child, to neighbors, family members, employers, governments. Groups within the LCMS were formed to support, encourage and facilitate proclaiming Christ crucified and risen to people outside the church. Groups like the Lutheran Women s MISSIONARY League for women, Luther Laymen s League for men, Walter League for youth. The Biblical structures of the church are simple. Eph 4:11-12 And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ A few equippers and a lot of lay-people being equipped for the work... [of] building up the body of Christ. The Northwest District of the LCMS is sparking the Gospel Movement among us, hoping it will catch fire here in this place. The District servants are providing the Gospel DNA Toolkit. This is a series of short videos and some discussion points delivered one per month for 6 months (off for December). These describe the early LCMS church, what its people said, wrote and did. And this is not simply the early LCMS pastors. It is especially about lay-people who, propelled by the Holy Spirit, spoke, wrote and enacted the Gospel Movement which came to be called the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod. I encourage you to come and listen, to open your heart and catch fire for Jesus who always sends His people out to baptize, teach and witness of Him... to start new. Amen. Pastor Gilkey

4 BIBLE STUDY GROUPS AT MESSIAH 2016 GROUP LEADER TOPIC DAY & TIME LOCATION LWML Varies 3 rd Saturday 10:00 AM Church Pastor Gilkey Ezra & Nehemiah Thursday 10:00 AM Church Pastor Gilkey FLOCK 2 nd & 4 th Sunday 10:30 AM Church Too busy to join a group, try one of these bible studies available to you: 1. Daily devotions from LHM via at 2. Read your Portals of Prayer or some other daily devotions book. 3. Daily devotions via at Flock Harvest Carnival Sunday, October 28 from 4:00-6:00 P.M. at Calvary Lutheran Church Come help support the FLOCK and enjoy fun games, good food and fellowship. From the ECE Ministry Purpose: Bringing Jesus to Children and Families Preschool is off to a good start. Plans are well underway for Oktoberfest on October 20, 2018 from 5:30 to 7:00 P.M. The students are going to the pumpkin patch on October 4. In addition, Pastor Gilkey is doing Chapels with each class every week. We are happy to have Kaelene Hewett as the new Teacher s Assistant. The Childcare is very busy with attendance at 30 or more each day. With the influx of children, the Childcare is recruiting for staff

5 positions. If you would like to help with Oktoberfest, please sign up on the list in the Narthex. Servers are needed as well as help with the Silent Auction. We also could use volunteers to help prepare the hot potato salad on Saturday before Oktoberfest.

6 Lutheran Hour Message can be heard on Pasco s Station KFLD-870 at 7:05 a.m. each Sunday. Date: October 7, 2018 Title: God Created Guest Speaker: Rev. Perry Hart Life is a precious gift. Guest speaker, Rev. Perry Hart warns against our culture s devaluation of life and calls us to see ourselves and others as precious people, created by God, redeemed by Christ. (Genesis 1:27) Date: October 14, 2018 Title: We Will Not Fear Guest Speaker: Rev. Dr.Oswald Hoffmann Dr. Oswald Hoffmann says, Fear is a fact of life but faith in God harnesses fear and points it in the right direction. (Psalm 46) doesn t. (1 Corinthians 1:23-24) to Christ. Date: October 28, 2018 Title: Stranger Than Fiction Speaker: Rev. Dr. Michael Zeigler God is the Author Who becomes part of the story our story. The Rev. Dr. Michael Zeigler presents his first message as Lutheran Hour Speaker. (Romans 3:199-28) Date:October 21, 2018 Title: We Preach Christ Crucified Guest Speaker: Dr. Oswald Hoffmann In a classic message from 1955, Dr. Oswald Hoffmann talks about all the things that change and the God Who

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8 Life Quotes from Lutherans For Life October 7 It is our faith that compels us to venerate life from its moment of conception. It is by faith that we treat life not as an entitlement or possession but as a steward for the Creator who gives life. Only by faith do we accept that life at its earliest possible moment has culpability for sin before the Divine Judge and benefits from the sacrifice of our Savior. Rev. Robert Fleischmann, national director of Christian Life Resources A Life Quote from Lutherans For Life October 14 Look at your infancy and give thought to whether you remember that you were in your mother s womb, that you lay in a cradle, that you sucked your mother s breasts, cried, ate pap, grew, etc. Yet we are certainly alive even during the first year, when the fetus is carried in the mother s womb. Martin Luther (LW 5:75) A Life Quote from Lutherans For Life October 21 So, let us say yes to the opportunities before us that God has prepared for us to do! To say Here We Stand in defense and protection of the precious and vulnerable human lives that are the handiwork of God from the moment of conception to natural death. Lynette Auch, president of Lutherans For Life A Life Quote from Lutherans For Life October 28 God justifies sinners by grace through faith for Jesus sake. Salvation comes as a gift and not because of one s own works. This truth stands at the heart of all Christians say and do God s graciousness governs how we engage life issues. Not only are human beings forgiven, redeemed, and resurrected by grace, but every human life is valued and beloved by grace age, appearance, and ability notwithstanding. Even after 500 years, we rejoice to proclaim and perform this Gospel. Rev. Michael W. Salemink, executive director of Lutherans For Life A Life Quote from Lutherans For Life

9 MESSIAH MEMORIES October, 2018 October 1958 The Men s Club met on Thursday night and those members proposed new changes in the Club. 1. It will be The Messiah Lutheran Laymen s League. 2. Lady members will be included in its membership. 3. A telephone committee will be set up to insure maximum attendance, together with a timed program with interest and education! October 1968 Some at Messiah are very much interested in preparing the Upper Room above the Narthex for needed classroom use. Eventually this room could also include some built-in facilities for mimeograph and paper supplies. October 1978 At the Voter s Meeting it was voted to extend a Call to Paul R. Bundeshuh, Douglas, WY. Pray: Lord God, heavenly Father, in Thy fear, and looking unto Thee for guidance, we have extended a call to Rev. Paul R. Bundeshuh of Douglas, WY to become the shepherd of this flock. May the choice of They people please Thee and since Thou alone dost turn the hearts of men to do that which is acceptable in They sight, we humbly pray Thee to make our pastorelect willing to accept our call. October 1988 We need your input to make our Newsletter interesting!! What is your club or committee doing? What are your special projects or events? Where,, what did you do? Don t be bashful! Send us your news or bring it in to the office! October 1998 Congregational President Don Larson chaired the first meeting of those interested in serving on Messiah s 50 th Anniversary Committee. The committee was put in place at the July Voter s meeting to establish plans for a year long celebration of our 50 th Anniversary as a congregation in the Lutheran Church- Missouri Synod. October 2008 Messiah Lutheran Childcare officially opened on Tuesday, September 9. Although our numbers have started out small, it has given us a chance to get settled in and running smoothly. The staff at Messiah Lutheran Childcare are great. They are doing a good job with the children. Some of them have expressed an interest in attending worship services at Messiah. If you see them, please help to make them feel welcome.

10 ! MESSIAH LUTHERAN PRESCHOOL 24 th ANNUAL OKTOBERFEST DINNER AND SILENT AUCTION MANY ITEMS AVAILABLE TO BID ON SATURDAY, OCTOBER 20, :30-7:00 PM HOUSEL MIDDLE SCHOOL SUGGESTED DONATION FOR DINNER $12.00 SINGLE OR $36.00 FAMILY Menu: Bratwurst, german sausage or hot dogs, hot & cold potato salad, vegies, apple or pumpkin dessert All proceeds benefit Messiah Lutheran Preschool Sponsored by: Local Businesses, Preschool Parents and Messiah Lutheran

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