Notes of Joy for the Week of July 14, 2019
Our Mission Statement

We of Joy Lutheran Church foster 
grace-filled relationships with Christ
through worship, fellowship, and service. 
Luke 10:25-37
To love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, strength, and mind is to reflect God’s mercy in responding to one’s neighbor. That mercy found its most profound expression in the “gospel that has come to you”—namely the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. That gospel mercy comes to us again today: at the font, at the altar, and from the pulpit. It is very near to you.
Connections
By Scooter Bentson

I knew it would be emotional. After all, I’d signed up to be the communion assistant for Pastor Martin’s last Sunday. Serving communion is a very moving, personal experience for me. Did you know I say a little prayer for each of you as I offer the wine? As his last worship with us, I assumed Martin would use the liturgy he wrote, Spirit Song, even though we’d used it the week before. The day would be special and the rotation of services could be ignored, couldn’t it?

I arrived to find the liturgy would not be Spirit Song, but the Drewes Liturgy instead. It is my favorite, along with Holden Evening Prayer. My connection to it is as strong as my connection to you at that moment of sharing communion. Besides saying goodbyes, finding this out confirmed I would not be getting through the morning dry-eyed.

Flashback to Tacoma, Washington in the late 50’s. Visiting my grandparents when we’d travel from my birthplace of Ketchikan was always a treat. I got to see cousins who were lucky enough to live near each other. We got to go to Grandma and Grandpa Bentson’s big beautiful church on the campus of Pacific Lutheran University. (PLU, where Martin Eldred and Shelly Clark would meet in the future.) Trinity Lutheran Church is where I was baptized by Pastor Thompson, and he in turn baptized my son Randy. Trinity, where my sister and I were once recognized as Bentsons, though no one from the Bentson family had been in attendance in the years since my grandparent’s passing, simply because we are tall blondes with Danish noses who knew which pew was the “right one.”

Through the years growing up I didn’t recognize that Grandpa Bentson did not take communion. After many conversations, perhaps counsel and home visits, Trinity’s other pastor, Pastor Drewes, convinced my grandpa that you don’t have to BE good enough to take communion, that communion is where you find the grace and forgiveness for those sins you think prevent you from coming to the table.

Flash forward, and Pastor Drewes’ daughter becomes a pastor in her own time. It is she who wrote the liturgy I cherish above others. Yes, it’s a lovely liturgy, though what I cherish is my connection to the people and place that liturgy grew from. Maybe one day I’ll be lucky enough to meet the younger Pastor Drewes and tell her thank you. 
It’s Coming!! It’s Coming!!
Service Sunday at Eagle River Nature Center!! Sunday July 21 st after an abbreviated worship service we will caravan out to the Eagle River Nature Center to help make the trails and viewing areas easier to navigate, stack wood, and perform any tasks that the staff and volunteers need us to do. 

Afterwards we can gather back at Joy for lunch & fellowship. We should be back at Joy by 1 PM.

Please sign up on the bulletin board so we can let the Nature Center know how many to expect. Please see Kathie Adams if you have questions.

OPENINGS STILL AVAILABLE!

Volunteer Opportunity




Family Hospitality Tent
Once again, Aglow Ministry and local churches through the Ministerial Association of Chugiak and Eagle River have the wonderful invitation to partner with Golden Wheel Amusements with a booth in their rides area during the Bear Paw Festival, July 11-14. For the past two summers, 8 local churches participated with Aglow in doing 2 or 3 hour shifts in the Family Hospitality Tent. 

The idea is simple: it is a quiet and clean place for parents to change their babies, a private area for moms to nurse, a place for people to be welcome to rest and visit, or get info about Bear Paw events.  

The people of Joy Lutheran Church are invited to participate.  Sign up through the link  https://signup.com/go/xszmQZC . There are many shifts available. Each shift needs 3 volunteers, so gather your friends and family and sign up for one or more shifts during the Bear Paw Festival. Please wear your Joy Lutheran Church t-shirt if you have one. If not, we have a few more for sale ($20) in the office, just stop by the week of July 8 to pick one up. It really is a lot of fun! 

You will see so many friends and meet new ones. Participating churches and groups will be listed on the booth table framed thank you sign, and you would be welcome to bring by flyers and/or business cards for the table. It's Christian unity among churches, and a well-appreciated outreach to bless our community. Let's be the hands, feet, and heart of Jesus!
Out of the Office
Jan will be out of the office starting Thurs., July 18, 2:00pm, back Tues., July 23. If you have a pastoral emergency during this time, please contact Pastor Bill Ottum at River of Life Lutheran Church, 688-6677. For a building question or other inquiry/emergency, contact Sue Weimer at 696-6812. Otherwise, your calls and emails will be returned on Tuesday! Take care and have a good week!
Weekly Worship Assistant Schedule
Joy of Reading Book Club
The Joy of Reading Book Club meets the 3rd Monday of every month and gets started around 6:30 PM. We share a light dinner and discuss the book of the month with open minds. We have learned a lot!  

  • July – no meeting
  • August 19 – Marcia Hegna is hosting and the book is Pachinko by Min Jin Lee
  • September 16 – Lois Lester hosting and the book is Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens
  • October 21 – Betty Veldhuis is hosting; the book is Born a Crime by Trevor Noah

All are welcome, even if you haven’t read the book. We will enjoy your company!