CONNECTION

Transcription

1 August 2016 CONNECTION God Never Goes on Vacation One of the most dramatic differences between God and us is that He never gets tired. God never needs a break. God never goes on vacation. But we are not God. We need the rhythm of work and rest that God built into our world at creation. Especially for people who live in Minnesota, it seems, the summer provides a welcome change of pace. It is nice to be able to go outdoors without having to bundle up. The joy of fishing and the pleasure of picnics and the fun of ballgames make summer a happy time. This is a gift of God. With warmer temperatures come mosquitoes, gnats and other insects. Higher humidity can be uncomfortable, and summer storms can do a lot of damage in a short time. We are reminded that this world is contaminated by sin. Summer does not last. But the beauty of creation does remind us that there is a Creator. Our Father in heaven has designed a world that speaks volumes about His love for us. Consider this: Most of us see things in living color. But God could have created us with black-and-white vision. That would have been good enough, but it would have wiped out much of our ability to enjoy the flowers and the birds. It is questionable whether many of the paintings that artists have produced down through the centuries would ever have come to be. The spectrum of colors that God has enabled us to see can only be adequately explained by a Creator who wants to give us pleasure. It seems we are more likely to stop and ponder these things when we go on vacation. In the midst of the business and busyness of day-to-day life, we often take these gifts for granted. But when you slow down and relax a little bit, you have a chance to notice some of these magnificent blessings of God. May the month of August provide at least a few such moments for you before we plunge back into the activities of the Fall. Pastor Michael J. Albrecht 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 Sanctuary Remodeling

3 A Book Review: The Executioner s Redemption Rev. Timothy Carter has written a book published by Concordia Publishing House entitled The Executioner s Redemption. It just came out this year. He tells the story of how God s grace changed him from being a prison guard who hated prisoners to being a follower of Jesus who looked for opportunities to minister even to wolves. Carter spent twenty years working as a guard in the Huntsville State Prison in Texas. He served on the execution squad and took part in the executions of more than 150 inmates. In the early years of his prison work, he tried to surpass the inmates in violence and contempt. Then he began to read the Bible, and he received wise counsel from a Christian criminology professor, Dr. George Beto. He began to attend the professor s church. It s a Lutheran Church Missouri Synod congregation. There he learned about God s grace in Christ, about distinguishing Law and Gospel, and about being wise as serpents and harmless as doves. His mind and heart were transformed. He began to seek opportunities to show the love of Christ to others, even to prisoners and their families who came to witness their executions. He also saw some prisoners who were transformed by the Gospel. His account of the conversion and execution of Karla Faye Tucker, the first woman to be executed in Texas since 1863, is a remarkable story. Carter says, God did not give the power of the sword to me as an individual or to the Church, but He did give it to the government and appointed me as His servant in the government. (p. 172) And he says, since the first death sentence on Adam, we all must reap the wages and consequences of our sins here on earth even though we can be forgiven and saved eternally. There are consequences to actions. Jesus did not do away with temporal consequences to action. He did away with eternal consequences. (p. 175) After retiring from the Texas correctional system, Carter attended Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, and now he is Rev. Timothy Carter, serving as Care Ministry Pastor in his home congregation, Salem Lutheran Church in Tomball, Texas. This is a fascinating spiritual biography. A copy is available in our church library. Pr. Rokke Funeral June 30 David Charles Morgan Condolences to his mother, Lois Morgan, his wife, Connie, his children, Jason, Jonathan, Angela, Nicky and Kelly; his grandchildren Tyler, Dawson, Dakota, Devyn; his brother, John Morgan; his sisters Vicki (Bob) Julin and Julie Morgan, and nieces and nephews. 3

4 Pastor Albrecht in India Seven men graduated from the BFLC seminary on July 20, and were ordained into the office of the holy ministry. Pastor Albrecht preached, and Bishop Shalem ordained them. A crowd of 800 people attended the service. Dr. Raj Kumar Seven Newly-Ordained Pastors Bishop Shalem at the lectern Church Picnic June 26,

5 Time to Spare? Come Bowling with Us! News from the Education Committee: Couples Date Night has changed! We have some great new activities planned to include all adults regardless of your couple or not status. We want to invite you to come bowling with us at Drkulas 32 Bowl in Inver Grove Heights on Saturday August 20 th from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. The cost of the event is $6 per person and includes bowling shoes rental, soda and appetizer. Space is limited so we need to reserve spots. Please reserve your bowling spot by signing up at the Welcome Center and paying at the church office or to Mark or Sharon Reichenbach. We are working on a new name for the group to include all adults, so pay attention for the new name and for additional activities. Mark your calendars for August 20 th at Drkulas 32 Bowl. Pastor Albrecht to Lead Reformation Tour to Germany in September 2017 The 500 th anniversary of the 95 Theses is coming up in 2017, and the people of Germany are making extensive preparations for the celebration. If you are interested in going to Germany to see the places where Martin Luther lived and worked, you are invited to meet in the Fireside Room after the 9:00 service on Sunday August 21. Pastor Albrecht will have brochures available with information about the itinerary and the cost of the tour. He is also hoping to arrange for a representative from Globus (the tour operator) to be here to show some pictures and answer any questions you may have. 5

6 Drivers Needed at Neighbors Inc. Neighbors Inc. needs assistance! Neighbors is the food shelf in South Saint Paul that Saint James supports on a regular basis. Neighbors Inc. also provides rides for people with transportation needs. There has been a sudden, dramatic increase in the number of requests for rides to medical appointments. The new requests threaten to overwhelm the program. Most of the increase is due to people needing rides to dialysis, chemo or radiation appointments. These needs are frequent and long-lasting. For instance last week a woman called to see if she could set up appointments for her mother who is battling cancer. She needs a ride every day, Monday through Friday, for three months, for radiation treatments. Each appointment is just 15 minutes long, but it s every day. This was one of four similar requests received last week, which combined, will add 168 rides per month for the next three or four months. In June, Neighbors Inc. provided a total of 206 rides. So adding 168 a month, everything else remaining equal, will increase the total number of rides needed monthly by more than 75%. John Kemp, Executive Director of Neighbors, says, Our problem is drivers. We don t have enough of them. We ve been able to keep up with the work load until now, thanks to some very dedicated volunteers who are as committed to making sure we can accommodate all who ask as our staff is. But they re pretty well maxed out and not able to pick up this amazing increase. We don t know if this is a temporary surge, or if it will be a permanent increase in the number of rides we are providing. In any event, we have at least three months we need to get through. Volunteer drivers are needed. Even if you could provide just one ride a month or two, it would help. Drivers are reimbursed for their mileage, currently at a rate of $0.54 a mile. A background check is done on all applicants. To learn more, contact Neighbors Inc. at , or volunteer@neighborsmn.org Thanks for your consideration. Hearts at Home: North Central Conference October 14-15, 2016 Rochester, MN The Saint James Education Committee encourages women from our congregation to attend this two day event featuring workshops, entertainment, speakers, and Christian fellowship. Your registration fee is due before September 26 th and will be reimbursed by the Education Committee. Informational flyers are available in the narthex or at or call Ron Ecker with questions at rcecker@q.com or

7 Tuesday Morning Bible Class: Reading Romans Class resumes August 9-10:00 a.m. Paul begins chapter 14 by urging those who feel free to eat anything to welcome those who eat only vegetables. This sounds similar to the situation in Corinth, the place where Paul wrote this letter to the Romans. Paul moves from a discussion of diet to questions about calendar. How are New Testament Christians supposed to observe the Third Commandment? Is it all about a particular day of the week? How is Christian liberty supposed to work? Paul warns us not to judge each other, because he is concerned first of all to keep the church together. Paul sounds like Jesus, doesn t he? Your comments and questions are encouraged. All are welcome. Pastor Stadler s Bible Class Sundays, 9:15 a.m in the Chapel Fall Chapel Bible Class: Begins September 11 Opinion was split almost evenly between class members who wanted to study the Old Testament book of Judges, when each man did what was right in his own eyes and the New Testament book The Revelation. Since the cultural characteristics of the period of the Judges resemble many of the attributes of the world symbolized in The Revelation, the class will study Judges for 6 weeks, then study The Revelation for 6 weeks and compare how they fit together. The Revelation pictures some horrible monsters, extensive sweeping death and widespread destruction. But it also portrays the ultimate victory of Christ and His Church. We will notice that everything symbolized in The Revelation has already been taught without symbols in other parts of the Bible. Judges is also full of some brutal and bewildering episodes that challenge the Christian. Why are they in the Bible? What are they teaching us? Are the circumstances in Judges comparable to those being pictured in The Revelation? There is unadulterated Gospel in The Revelation. Can we also find clear Gospel messages in Judges? Pastor Stadler encourages class members to offer their own hypotheses, to ask questions and to draw comparisons that they recognize. Class members are also free to simply sit and listen. It will be an interesting experiment to study these two books in juxtaposition. Saturday Morning Women s Bible Study Reading Romans The women will meet August 13. The doors open at 8:00 and Pastor Albrecht joins the group at about 8:30. Paul says none of us lives to himself alone, and none of us dies to himself alone. This sounds quite different from the popular poem Invictus. We will ponder the contrast between the two. All women are cordially invited to join the discussion. Saturday Morning Men s Bible Study The Epistle of James The men will meet in the Fireside Room at 8:00 a.m. on August 6 and 20. Donuts and bagels are usually provided. Bring your own coffee, if you like. Last month we compared what James says about Abraham to what Paul says about Abraham in Romans. James insists that faith and good works cannot be separated. Next James mentions Rahab of Jericho. Do you think of Rahab and Abraham having much in common? What can we learn from them about how to do good works in our world today? All men are cordially invited to join the discussion. 7

8 Parish Nurse Notes A Taste of Biblical Foods Many of the foods we enjoy today are referenced in the Bible. Certainly, the diet of Biblical times would be more basic in preparation, but still tasty and healthy. We know that Daniel s diet consisted of mainly vegetables and water. The royalty would have had more rich and varied foods. This year, at Night to Unite, we will have a sampling of some of these foods. Recipes will also be available and nutritional information for some of the foods presented. The foods are natural with no artificial additives. The foods provide the vitamins, minerals, proteins, fats and carbohydrates we need daily. These foods include: grains, nuts, and fruits, dairy, honey, olives, olive oil, vinegar and wine. Seeds and spices present are mustard, anise, cinnamon, salt, garlic, mint and cumin. Of course, the wealthier ate more meat, and poultry than the average citizen. Fish was a staple for many people. You are invited to come and share with us in this sampling feast at Night to Unite. This year there will be a free will offering, designated to the Tree House program. Pastor Critchley has previously presented the Tree House program to the congregation. Jesus is the bread of life. God provides for our needs physically and spiritually. He gives us life and provides for us abundantly, both here on earth and in eternity. Praise and thanks to our Lord. Blessings, Shirley Hess, Parish Nurse Neighbors are invited to Night To Unite at Saint James August 2, 6:00-8:00 p.m. Saint James hosts one of the biggest Night to Unite events in West St. Paul and the Evangelism Committee needs your help to maintain this fun tradition. This year the SonRise Ensemble will be entertaining us. We will have games and giveaways for kids. All members of the congregation are invited to enjoy the music, meet the neighbors and have a good time. Please feel free to bring friends and family to the event. We are looking for volunteers to help set up, hand out ice cream treats, manage the games and welcome the neighbors. If you are interesting in helping out with the event, please contact Deb Most at debmost@comcast.net or There is also a sign-up sheet in the Narthex. 8

9 You Can Attend Monday Evening SonRise Worship on Youtube.com All of our Monday Evening SonRise worship services are recorded and posted on Youtube.com. It is easy to 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. The music includes familiar hymns from our hymnal and more modern songs led by an ensemble of instrumentalists and singers. All the words for the service are projected on the screens, but recently we also began printing on an insert some of the new songs with melody lines so music readers could use this aid if they wish. There is almost always a children s message for the children in attendance just as in the Sunday service. 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 have already attended Sunday worship or have a conflict on Mondays, you can attend Evening SonRise on Youtube.com. If you miss a Sunday service and wish to worship on Mondays at 6:30-7:30 p.m., you are always welcome. Saint James is offering a free subscription Right Now Media is a Christian Video Library similar to Netflix. Videos offered are for all ages including Bible Studies, kids programing, and historical documentaries. They also include videos from experts in topics like marriage counseling, grief support, financial help and more. To claim your free subscription, sign-up at the welcome center or with Terese Thune. You will receive an from Pastor Albrecht with instructions to sign-up for your account. If you have any trouble signing up or with access to your account, please contact Terese at or tthune@saintjameslutheran.com Vacation Bible School Don t miss out on Bible Stories and Biblical truths that come alive with dramatic skits, a puppet show, lively singing, fresh baked bread, snacks, crafts and games! Youth and adults will explore the great treasure we have in Jesus all week! We are still accepting registrations for VBS August 1-5th 8:30am-11:30am! Registration forms can be found at the Welcome Center in the Narthex or on our website Classes are for pre-k through 8th grade. Contact Terese if you have any questions. tthune@saintjameslutheran.com Saint James Lutheran Connection Submissions for September issue are due August 16. 9

10 24 Youth & Adults served in Chicago during the 2016 Youth Mission Trip in July Clockwise from top left: Packing meals to serve at the Night Ministry, Devotions, Team 1 served 75 in the rain, shoveling pasta at the Greater Chicago Food Depository, meal line in the rain, bagging pasta, Serving Team #2, group after repacking 1500 bags of brown rice, members making meals for each other! 10

11 August 2016 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 1 6:30pm Evening SonRise Contemporary Worship 2 6:00-8:00 p.m. Night to Unite :00am Men s Bible Study Find Your Way Vacation Bible School 8:30 a.m. 11:30 p.m. 7 9:00am Divine Service with Holy Communion 11:00am Sing at Lilydale Senior Living EVERYONE WELCOME! 8 10:00am White Pine Inver Grove Heights 6:30pm Evening SonRise Contemporary Worship 7:30pm Evangelism Committee Meeting 9 10:00am Romans Bible Class 2:00pm Wilder 514 6:30pm Education Committee :00am Lilydale 13 8:00am Women s Bible Study :00am Worship Service 6:30pm Evening SonRise Contemporary Worship 10:00am Romans Bible Class Newsletter deadline 9:00am Wilder 512 8:00am Men s Bible Study 6:00pm Bowling :00am Divine Service with Holy Communion 10:30am Lutherland Tour 6:30pm Evening SonRise Contemporary Worship 7:45pm Vestry 10:00am Romans Bible Class 7:00pm Stewardship Committee Meeting 7:00pm Family Game Night :00am Worship Service 6:30pm Evening SonRise Contemporary Worship 10:00am Romans Bible Class 11