October 2017 In This Issue: Pastor s Perspective Welcome Table Needs Women s Involvement Calendar Worship Schedule Worship IS NOT JUST FOR SUNDAY BY PASTOR JOHN MOCHEL The perfect church service would be the one we were almost unaware of; our attention would have been on God. But every novelty prevents this. It fixes our attention on the service itself; and thinking about worship is a different thing than worshipping... 'Tis mad idolatry that makes the service greater than the god. C.S. Lewis Our intent in worship ought to be you and me ministering to God more than God ministering to us. It is not a show. It is not entertainment. It is totally participatory. Though, when we worship God does minister to us. He has made us to worship Him. I was at the University of Illinois when I first read a little book called The Practice of the Presence of God by Brother Lawrence. It is very short, but it has made a lasting impression on me. The book consists of conversations, letters, and some teaching of a Carmelite monk back in the seventeenth century who did the dishes. The title describes the nature of the lessons. Brooklyn EFC 46916 296th St Beresford SD 57004 Website: brooklynefc.org brooklynchurch@vastbb.net (605)957-4372 Senior Pastor John Mochel 201 S. 11th Beresford, SD 57004 Home (605) 763-2423 Cell (605) 351-6630 jmochel@bmtc.net The idea of practicing the presence of God is central to the Christian life. You can see that this is so in the Bible. After all, this is what the psalmist means when he writes, "But I am continually with Thee," (Psalm 73:23) ""I will hope in Him always," (Psalm 71:14) "My eyes are constantly toward the Lord." (Psalm 25:15) "I have set the Lord always before me; because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken." (Psalm 16:8) "I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth." (Psalm 34:1) A few other passages should suffice. Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints. Ephesians 6:18 (Continued on page 2)
(Continued from page 1) Jesus uses a metaphor to communicate the truth. "I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it, that it may bear more fruit. You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you, unless you abide in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me, and I in him, he bears much fruit; for apart from Me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in Me, he is thrown away as a branch, and dries up; and they gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it shall be done for you. By this is My Father glorified, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples. Just as the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you; abide in My love. If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love; just as I have kept My Father's commandments, and abide in His love. These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full." John 15:1-11 God's message to us cannot be more clear. We are supposed to be living in Jesus, always praying, always worshipping, constantly hoping in Him. When we are not, we are really useless to God and not abiding in Him... and possibly depressed. Brother Lawrence writes, "If I were a preacher, I should preach nothing else but the practice of the presence of God." He writes this because he understands that this is something that must be practiced. It does not come naturally. Maybe it ought to, but we are sinful and self-centered and easily distracted. We get alone to pray and end up watching cat-videos on the phone or reading about insane dictators in North Korea. "For my part," writes the monk, "I keep myself apart with Him, at the depth and center of my soul as much as I am able, and when I am thus with Him I fear nothing. But the smallest deviation is a hell for me." Vermillion Welcome Table OCTOBER 9TH 16 N Dakota St Sign up today at the desk in the foyer to help serve! If you can t serve but would like to help financially, please give your donations to Connie Schmidt or Doreen Fahlberg. Everyone can pray that we will encourage and bless those whom we serve! FELLOWSHIP TIME NEEDS You have got to practice this. I began to do so in my twenties and I am still not very good at it. It requires time in the Bible, care with what music you listen to, and conversation with God. You begin talking to God when you begin your day and when you lie down. You practice talking to God between things, when walking or driving. You talk with Him aloud when possible because it focuses the mind. You ask Him questions. You share with Him your concerns. You tell him of the beautiful sunset and ask if He did that one personally or let His angels have a go. You thank Him for things, little and big. You must do this intentionally or you will not do it at all. And, then, little by little, it begins to become a habit. Brother Lawrence writes of this. He is nearer to us than we think. It is not needful always to be in church to be with God. We can make a chapel of our heart, to which we can from time to time withdraw to have gentle, humble, loving communication with Him. Everyone is able to have these familiar conversations with God, some more, some less - He knows our capabilities. Let us make a start. We have but a short time to live. Let us live and die with God. Donations are welcome for the essential needs for our coffee time. Please give them to Joannie or Jan. This is a wonderful time for our church body to fellowship together each Sunday. There is a sign up sheet in the kitchen for those who would like to help with the serving. We encourage you to please sign up.
Mom s Play Group First Evangelical Free of Sioux Falls Women s Ministries fall conference will be held Friday night, October 20, 2017, and Saturday, October 21, 2017, at First Evangelical Free. We are pleased that Courtney Doctor has agreed to be our speaker. Courtney Doctor is an author, Bible teacher, frequent conference and retreat speaker, and periodic blogger. She received a M.Div. from Covenant Theological Seminary in 2013 and is the author of From Garden to Glory: A Bible on the Bible s Story. Her greatest desire in all of this is to be able to faithfully study, apply, and teach the word of God. She is also the Director of Women s Ministry at The Kirk of the Hills church in St Louis, MO. The theme of the conference is O Worship the King. The conference is meant to be a time set aside from our daily activities and responsibilities for personal refreshment, relationship building and spiritual growth. We know you won t want to miss this opportunity for teaching and connection. Cost $25.00. Please RSVP Nicole Wyatt or Nancy Mochel ASAP. If you have questions or would like to be involved, please call FEFC (605.338.2077) or email Women s Ministries at marylynne@knowinggodsf.org. On October 3rd at the church from 9:30 am to 11:30 am there will be an opportunity for moms and their children to gather together. It will be a time of encouraging moms in their marriage. There will be a snack provided for the children who attend. Any and all are invited! If you have any further questions, please call Nancy Mochel. ANGELA YEE S BRIDAL SHOWER The future bride of Taylor Jensen, Angela Yee, will be hosting her bridal shower at the church on October 28th. The bridal shower will take place from 10:30 am to 12:00 pm; brunch will be served. All are welcome to celebrate this new bride and new stage of life! They are registered at Bed, Bath, & Beyond and Amazon.
sunday 1 COMMUNION 11a-1:30p Jill Adam s Benefit monday 2 tuesday 3 9:30a Mom s Play Group wednesday 4 thursday 5 friday saturday 6 7 13 14 20 21 7:30p Men s 8 9 4:45p Welcome Table 10 16 17 18 7p Deacon Board Meeting 7p Evenson s Reading 23 24 12p Harvest Festival 25 29 22 15 11 30 12 7:30p Men s 19 7:30p Men s 26 7:30p Men s 31 NO Evening Birthdays: 6 Lori Dressen 9 Chas Wyatt 10 Jonathon DeLay 19 Owen Bovill 23 Sophie Leikvold 24 Tiffany Hoffman 25 Robby Dressen 25 Shanon Adams 27 Bethany Hoffman Anniversaries: 29 Darlene Lovejoy 31 Gwen Nielsen 6p YG Bonfire & Hayride 7 Garet & Teresa Wyatt 30 Jerry & Carolyn Fray FEFC Women s Retreat 27 28
OCTOBER NOVEMBER OCTOBER MINISTRY October 1 AM: Psalm 130 PM: Evening October 8 AM: Psalm 131 PM: Evening October 15 AM: Psalm 132 PM: Evening October 22 AM: Psalm 133-134 PM: Evening October 29 AM: Psalm 135 Harvest Festival - No Evening OCTOBER & NOVEMBER MINISTRY SCHEDULE Date Greeters Nursery Story Time Music/Testimony Scripture Reader 10/1 Norman & Karen Erickson Lori Dressen Connie Schmidt Emily Thomas Lindsay Zylstra Etta Wyatt Madison Erickson 10/8 Reid & Marilyn Jensen Karen Erickson Sandy Sheffield Testimony Dan Erickson Dakota Buss Matthew Hoffman 10/15 Deanna Leikvold & Vicki Fader Lindsay Zylstra Anna Thvedt Karen Erickson Pam Carlson Emily Booth Katie Mochel 10/22 Karl & Robin Leikvold Talisha Fahlberg Karla Bovill Missions Moment Sandy Fahlberg Owen Bovill Talladega Thomas 10/29 Allen Sveeggen Nancy Mochel Colleen Buss Nicole Wyatt Renae Hoffman Isabel DeLay Gillian Wyatt 11/5 Mark & Karla Bovill Nicole Wyatt Sandy Fahlberg Testimony Marilyn Jensen Kylie Dressen Leah Wyatt 11/12 Allan & Jan Charrlin Teresa Wyatt Nancy Mochel Lindsay Zylstra Reid Jensen Madison Erickson Emily Booth 11/19 Michelle & Chris DeLay Lindsay Zylstra Connie Schmidt Missions Moment Robin Leikvold Matthew Hoffman Owen Bovill 11/26 Rob & Lori Dressen Rita Adams Sandy Sheffield Caleb Carnes Connie Schmidt Katie Mochel Kylie Dressen Song Leader: Garet Wyatt Sound: Ben Fahlberg Pianist: Connie Twedt Ushers: Allen Sveeggen, Shane Zylstra Dennis Ward, Volunteer Needed Song Leader: John Fahlberg Sound: Brady Holm Pianist: Doreen Fahlberg Ushers: Chris DeLay, Robbie Dressen Karl Leikvold, Reid Jensen