From Pastor John
You Got It Easy!
One of the blessings of being in a Lutheran church is hearing stories about the old days. Pastors used to be scary and imposing figures. Not so much today.
One salient memory for cradle Lutherans is the process of confirmation. "Back in my day..." is usually followed by a description of the trial by ordeal they went through when they were confirmed. I think these Lutherans will make those comments to contrast their experience with young confirmands today. Old school confirmands often had a grilling in front of the congregation by the pastor or by the elders. Individual confirmands were asked challenging questions in public events. "You got it easy, kids!" Is the implication. Today's confirmands do not have that pressure.
We DO have individual confessions of faith read by our seven confirmands in Church during the last week of April and the first two weekends in May. I have been impressed by what they have said, how they have said it, and how their essays reflect their personal faith. Thanks to our DCE Stephanie Karolus for helping shape that process with me.
Confirmation is the fulfilling of our Lord's bidding in Matthew 28, where he commanded us to make disciples by baptizing and teaching. Many of our youth were baptized as a babies, and now they have been taught. The fulfillment of his bidding we will celebrate on Pentecost Sunday, May 20th. We are thankful to God and rejoice to confess the faith into which they were baptized.
I pray this is only the beginning of their faith journey. Who can say at adolescence that we know all there is to know about life and faith? All generations have much to learn and much to grow! I pray that these seven confirmands will continue in this journey faithfully! God will give them the power of his Holy Spirit as they cling to his Word, Baptism, and Holy Communion in worship. In a sense, we all have it easy. God loves and forgives us abundantly in Jesus.
Join me in praying for and congratulating: Naomi, Lily, Alan, Jonathan, Elisabeth, Brooke, and Anna.
|
Prayer Thoughts
Appeal to Heaven
Appeal to Heaven was the first flag to fly over George Washington and his troops. On the white flag was an evergreen tree with words above the tree: Appeal to Heaven. It is time to pray for healing of our nation whose foundations were based on God's covenants. The evergreen tree stands as a symbol for the everlasting God, Olam El. "Abraham planted a tamarisk (evergreen) tree... and called on the name of the LORD, the Everlasting God." Genesis 21:33
Even though there is a day set aside for all believers to Appeal to Heavenin unity for our nation, our country needs daily continue prayer. The first Thursday of May has been set aside for thousands of Christians, believers in Jesus Christ, to lift their hands and voices to the LORD our God in supplication for our nation and the government that governs us: be it city, county, state or national praying for all. How wonderful it will be to participate in this event or other events that call us to lift our voices to Olam El, the Everlasting God, in one accord with other believers saying: "Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need." Hebrews 4:16 Our nation needs the daily prayer of individuals, prayer groups and churches.
"Praise the LORD, all you nations; extol Him, all you peoples. For great is His love toward us, and the faithfulnessof the LORD endures forever, Praise the LORD." Psalm 117:1-2 "We will praise you O LORD among the nations; we will sing of Your love, reaching to the heavens; Your faithfulness reaches to the skies. Be exalted our LORD God, above the heavens; let Your Glory beover all the earth."
Psalm 57:9-11
Let us Appeal to Heaven, to Olam El, the Everlasting God for all people in authority:
Pray that "God will again have compassion on our country and will tread our sins underfoot and hurl all our iniquities into the depths of the sea." Micah 7:19
Praythe people in authority will recognize their own inadequacy and pray seeking the plans God has for our nation. Proverbs 3:5-8, Luke 11:9-13
Pray the people in authority will have the courage to resist manipulation, pressure and the fear of man. That they will govern according to the LORD's laws. Proverbs 29:25
Prayfor the people to "submit themselves to God." James 4:7
Pray "God will protect us from trouble and surround us with doings of deliverance." Psalm 32:7
"For what other nation so great as ours have their gods near them the way the LORD ourGod is near us whenever we pray to Him." Deuteronomy 4:7
"Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. That God may open a door for our message so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ." Colossians 4:2-3
Let us be like Habakkuk "I will stand my watch(commitment to pray) and set myself on the rampart, and watch to see what He will say to me. ... O LORD, I have heard the report about You, LORD, I fear Your work. In the course of the years, renew it. In the course of the years, reveal it. In all the chaos, remember to be merciful."
Habakkuk 2:1NKJ, 3:2GWT
|
MIRIAM CIRCLE
Miriam Circle will meet Tuesday, May 8th, at 10:00 in the Church Library. We spend a little time in fellowship over a cup of coffee before we begin our Bible study, which this month will be "Prayer Gives My Life Balance" on page 20 of the Spring Lutheran Woman's Quarterly. We try to be finished by noon. Since Miriam Circle meets on the second Tuesday of the month from September through May, this will be our last meeting until fall. We have a treasure box at each of our meetings in which we put offerings that go to our mission projects. Twice a year (December and May) we divide the amount given so far and send an equal amount to each of our four long time mission projects ... Lutheran World Relief, Lutherans in Jewish Evangelism, Bethesda Lutheran Homes, and Lutheran Indian Ministries. If you don't have a copy of the Spring Quarterly, just bring your Bible. We'll have a copy for you there.
|
Did You Know?
Your LCEF investments help support projects more than just church renovations and new construction Examples include Concordia University System institutions in St. Louis, MO and River Forest, IL. Plus Lutheran High School Associations in Irving, CA and Milwaukee, WI. And don't forget Rostered Church Workers such as pastors and music directors.
This means that your participation in LCEF can do a lot of good across a diverse cross section of God's ministry to Lutherans.
|
Tuesday Tasters
Ladies, let's try another restaurant for our Tuesday Tasters' lunch this month. I think you will really like it.
When: Tuesday May 15, 2018
Time:
11:30am
Where:Pomodoro's Cafe'
Address: 9200 NW 39th Blvd
If this is new to you, it is in the shopping center on the north side of the street, just east of I-75 on NW 39th Avenue
I hope you will enjoy this place. As many of us travel during the summer, this will be the last gathering until September.
Judy
|
THE 2018 NATIONAL PRAYER FOR AMERICA
Our Dear Heavenly Father, while we come to You in complete humility, we also come to You with boldness in the authoritative name of Your One and Only Son, Jesus Christ, who is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. In Jesus' name, fill us now with Your Holy Spirit and lead us as we pray in Jesus' name for America.
Oh God, we are burdened for our nation today. We turn from the sins that we have committed against your Word and your Name. We turn away from our contentious words and ways toward one other that has led us to division and polarization. We turn away from our disrespect and lack of dignity toward each other, and we turn away from our continual devaluation of all human life from the womb until death in this world. We also turn away from and refuse to participate in skepticism, criticism, and cynicism in our nation. We turn away from anything that divides us, and we run toward the gospel of Jesus Christ that is the only thing that has the power to unite us together.
Lord, in this critical hour in our nation, we pray for unity in America. Only You can bring unity, harmony, and oneness in America. As your Word calls us in Ephesians 4:3, "Making every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace", we ask You to empower us to make every effort to live in unity, to call for unity, and to forward unity in America continually.
We pray for the churches in America to unify in Jesus Christ and to pray as one unified spiritual family for America. May Your Church pray for America passionately, perpetually, privately, and publicly.
We pray for God's power to unify families, workplaces, communities, and cities in America. By Your Spirit, lead us to forgiveness, reconciliation, healing, and unity.
We pray for people of all ethnicities and races in America to come together as one, living in peace and unity together. Oh Lord, because each of us is created in Your image, please give us the courage to stand against all racial and ethnic division, denouncing it as evil and sinful, while simultaneously coming together in unity with all persons knowing this is God's will for us.
We pray in unity for the security of our nation. We ask You to preserve the United States of America from the forces of evil that are threatening our lives and our future. God, please guard all persons in public and private settings from anyone or anything that desires to harm us or take our lives. Our future is in Your hands.
Oh God, we stand together upon Your words in Psalm 133:1, "How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in harmony." Through Jesus' name and by the Holy Spirit's power, we pray for all Americans to unify and to live together in unity.
In the mighty and majestic name of Jesus Christ who is the Only Savior and the Only Hope in this world, we pray. Amen.
|
All ages are invited to come to a Family Game Night!
Join us for a fun evening of games, fellowship and food!
Friday May 11th from 5:30-7p in the fellowship hall.
|
Vacation Bible School Decorators Needed
D
o you have a special talent for transforming a space? Did God gift you with artistic talents? Your help is needed to transform First Lutheran into a tropical paradise! If you are interested in creating decorations or brainstorming ideas please contact Stephanie Karolus.
|
|
|
|
