Beloved, I’ve decided to focus on prayer in the month of June with a sermon series and Bible study. I’ve been marked recently with how important prayer was in the life of the early church. This is on my mind because I believe that in our conversations about what it means to be Christ’s church in this place, after his design, we must be more and most deeply involved in prayer. Looking at just a few texts from the beginning of the Book of Acts shows how important prayer was as the church began to flourish after its birth at Pentecost.
In Acts 1, the description of the disciples immediately following Jesus’ Ascension, as they awaited the coming of the promised Holy Spirit is recorded:
12 Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a sabbath day’s journey away. 13 When they had entered the city, they went to the room upstairs where they were staying, Peter, and John, and James, and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James son of Alphaeus, and Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James. 14 All these were constantly devoting themselves to prayer, together with certain women, including Mary the mother of Jesus, as well as his brothers. (Acts 1:12-14, emphasis mine)
At Pentecost, at the conclusion of Peter’s sermon, the following occurs:
40 And he testified with many other arguments and exhorted them, saying, “Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.” 41 So those who welcomed his message were baptized, and that day about three thousand persons were added. 42 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. (Acts 2:40-42 emphasis mine)
Four chapters later, as the apostles are overwhelmed at the tasks of caring for the nascent church, Luke records their solution, selecting deacons for the work:
3 Therefore, friends, select from among yourselves seven men of good standing, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may appoint to this task, 4 while we, for our part, will devote ourselves to prayer and to serving the word.” (Acts 6:3-4 emphasis still mine)
|
|
As we move out of Covid19 restrictions, keeping in mind all of the study we have done in our consultation with Church Doctors, it continues to be impressed on me the importance of prayer. We dare not venture out in missionary zeal without prayer; we must pray that the Spirit will give us boldness and courage, impetus and direction in any steps we are to undertake.
Jesus said, “I will build my church, and the gates of hell will not prevail against it.” A number of things come to mind with that quote. First, we can count on the fact that Christ will build his church. Second, while the gates of hell will not prevail the failure of the church to do Christ’s bidding can certainly stymie its purpose. Third, whether or not his church goes along with his plans will not divert him from following through on building it. Fourth, of utmost importance to me is that he choose to use us in his plans. I want to be found on Jesus’s side when it comes to building his church.
In preparing our coming June sermon series on prayer, one thing I have learned about prayer is how, so many times in the Old Testament, it began with a recounting of all that God had done prior to the time of the petition about to be made. With a recitation of God’s past faithfulness, the person praying, and those listening (other than God, that is) are bolstered in their faith that, since God has acted in the past in this particular area, it is not unwise nor foolish to ask God to act again in the same way.
The early church prayed constantly that God would be in the labor of building his church; over the next twenty centuries missionaries and church planters have prayed that the work of the Lord might be accomplished through them; I am certain that in 1956, as Gloria Dei was being planted on this corner of White and Rose in San Jose, it was with great prayer and expectation that God would bless the labor undertaken. And God has acted, has stirred his people by his Spirit, Jesus has built his church, down through the ages, throughout the world as well as right here on this corner. With this confidence, we pray that God would once again bless and guide our efforts to bring his name before more and more people, that they may learn to worship him in spirit and in truth. The upshot is this: PRAY, PEOPLE, PRAY!
Power to you!
Pastor Pat
|
|
SMALL GROUPS
Our Small Groups continue to meet 4-times each week, via ZOOM. During June, Small Group Studies will focus on PRAYER.
He will see that you get a ZOOM Invite
MEETING TIMES ARE:
MORNINGS: Sundays 11 am & Mondays 10 am
EVENINGS: Mondays 7 pm & Wednesdays 7 pm
|
|
Our Prayers Are With You |
|
- Kim Markie and the process for cancer therapy
- Eva for restoration of health
- Pastor Perry in Hawaii as he continues to recover from an accident
- Mary Ann as she works with her husband recovering from a stroke and her brother in hospice
- Angela with breast cancer
- Christine with heart issues and facing valve replacement
- The Lord’s Pantry as they recover from the fire
- Myrna with covid.
- Lynn having surgery
- ELC: for continued staffing, for families and children attending, for prayer partners for the prayer pod associated with the ELC.
|
|
Remember our shut ins. Send them a card to let them know you are thinking of them. Addresses can be found in the GDLC directory.
- Ron Nuessle
- Joan Rositano
- Claudette Rezos
- Rosemary Livesay
- Eva Duffy
- Gilda and Julien Carlsen
|
|
|
Duane with shoulder surgery 5/19 felt our prayers in surgery
room and had good outcomes
Bobby is up and moving with PT and doing well
Baby Lane at a month old had a repeat MRI and has a clean bill of health
Dan B is home from hospital and doing well
Tim had good outcomes from procedure
|
|
To submit a prayer request:
Please contact Joyce Boddie,
Gail Castle, or Pastor Pat.
You may also email the church office
to add people to the Prayer List.
We Pray for many people whose names are not published
|
|
Your Benevolence Gifts at Work
WORLD VISION
Contributed by Roseanna Myers
|
|
HISTORY Robert Pierce, a Baptist minister, witnessed how war had destroyed schools, hospitals and churches in China and Korea in the late 1940’s. On one of his evangelistic rallies to China, he met Tena Hoelkeboer. a missionary teacher. Placing an abandoned and battered child in front of him, whom she was unable to provide for, Tena confronted Pierce with the question, "What are you going to do about her?” Robert Pierce gave Tena Hoelkeboer his last five dollars and then promised to send the same amount every month. The year was 1947. Pierce was a man of prayer and knowing more people must be involved, for any broader impact and long term solution Robert Pierce founded WORLD VISION IN 1950.
|
|
WORLD VISION IS A GLOBAL
CHRISTIAN HUMANITARIAN ORGANIZATION
Their mission is to follow Jesus in working with the poor and bring witness to the good news of the kingdom of God. Dedicated to working with children, families and communities worldwide, their goal is to tackle poverty and injustice so that children, families and communities can reach their full potential.
OPPORTUNITIES: Sponsor a child; Provide fresh water, shelter, clothing, food, farm animals to families; education; bibles, medical supplies (occurring in India right now); help stop exploitation of girls and women; help women start a small business There are many more categories.
Don and I have been involved in WORLD VISION since we were married in 1980. Sponsoring children in several countries of the world is so exciting and enables us to communicate with our sponsored children and they can communicate with us which occurs through email and snail mail.
|
|
FINANCIAL ACCOUNTABILITY
2020 88% Programs 7% Fundraising 5% Management
GET INVOLVED
Phone number (1) 888 511-6548
Address 34834 Weyerhayser Way South, Federal Way, WA 98001
|
|
Gloria Dei Early Learning Center is having a
SILENT AUCTION
|
|
Please MARK your CALENDARS
for GDELC's June 3rd SILENT AUCTION
We will have Exciting Items to Bid On
to Help Raise Funds for much needed repairs
on the Preschool Play Yard
Items will be on DISPLAY Sunday June 6 following
Gloria Dei’s 9:30 Service
There will be SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE!!
Should you see something that interests you,
YOU may BID at this time.
After Sunday you may view ALL ITEMS in the
Preschool Courtyard through June 10th
OR on Google docs!! Here you will be able to keep track of the BIDDING! Yours and others and BID more if you want.
|
|
Fall in Love with a particular item? There will be a way to IMMEDIATELY OBTAIN it!
GOT QUESTIONS??
WANT to MAKE a DONATION?
For more details ask Maria or CONTACT Leslie Davis
Phone: 408.483.0681
We are thankful for your support!
|
|
Luke 1:22
When he came out, he could not speak to them. They realized he had seen a vision in the temple , for he kept making signs to them but he could not speak.
|
|
When Zechariah was told by Gabriel that he and his wife, Elizabeth were to have a baby, John the Baptist, he questioned it so he was given a temporary aphasia. June is National Aphasia Awareness Month. If you are into social media, feel free to help spread the word if you are so inclined.
2 million people in the United States have aphasia, but 84.5% of Americans state that they’ve never heard the term aphasia. This fact needs to change immediately to pave the way for better communication experiences for people living with aphasia. Get ready because it’s time for Aphasia Awareness Month.
|
|
Spread the Message
The world has moved online, so we’re meeting the 84.5% in various social networks. Please help us spread a simple message about aphasia.
If you have a little more time, you can also paste the Twitter-ready message into Twitter (or Facebook):
#2million have aphasia and lost all or some ability to use words.
Either option gets the word out there, so encourage your friends and family to keep spreading the message. We need to get the words outside the aphasia community to that 84.5%. Our goal is to have the message reach at least 2 million people.
Furthermore, we’re increasing our newsletter publishing schedule to every Thursday for the month of June, and we’ll be covering local aphasia events and programming.
“Walk to Talk” will be held on
Saturday, June 24th
at Lake Merritt in Oakland, California
|
|
The month of June offers these health topic observances: Cataract Awareness Mo., Fireworks Safety Month (through July 4), Home Safety Month, National Aphasia Awareness Mo., National Scleroderma Awareness Month, National Congenital Cytomegalovirus Awareness Mo., and National Myasthenia Gravis Awareness Month. In addition, June 1-7 is National Rip Current Awareness Week
& June 9-15 is Men’s Health Week.
|
|
Greeting to All~ We now have 7 students attending our aviation program. Some you know– others I will introduce now: Jessica, Douglas and Peter Smay are on board after the long wait for vaccinations and eased state gov't restrictions.
John Garner is back with his valuable experience in the ICBM industry. Dan Weishaar is with us— an employee of NASA Ammes in maintenance ops. Andres Lopes, an aspiring 19 year old having finished up his GED work has come aboard to get his career going. Ian Morcott has gone back to work with Google in their cafeteria– but will come when he can.This is a lively group and we keep the pace moving around the planes to keep the young ones engaged and older students interested and involved.
Last week we examined magnetos. These self generating accessories are unique to aircraft and spark an interest due to the interrelationship of 3 separate magnetic, primary and secondary circuits that employ physical phenomenon basic in all circuitry. The satisfaction comes from the final test "spark" after disassembly, inspection and reassembly of these units.
So many concepts put into action and producing work made FASCINATING.
Two weeks ago Douglas and Peter installed a repaired radio in N2810Q - an airplane used in a flying club. Both kids called the tower for a radio check.
How 'serious' these kids looked, keying the mic to ask Reid-Hillview tower for a radio check makes a teacher smile. Douglas caught on and was instructing Peter. How cool is that?
Douglas and Peter both received their AMT (Aviation Maintenance Technician) log book thanks to church support so these experiences are not lost. In fact they’re required for future FAA review.
Quite frankly, these kids (and adults) will be superior mechanics by the time they reach majority and it is a safe bet planes will be safer in the future too.
As a follow up on Andrew Fragala, our recently certified individual returned from Japan with an investor; it seems the area I teach and work in here in San Jose is to be bought up by Andrew's new employer with Andrew working in the shop.
Suddenly my student is now my landlord! Small world - isn't it? Especially in Aviation.
Best regards,
Robert
|
|
|
|
HYMN FOR JUNE
From the compilation
The One-year Book of Hymns
Edited by Kathryn S. Olson
Jesus Shall Reign
|
|
Isaac Watts once said that his aim was to see “David converted into a Christian.” He meant singing the psalms was fine, but it would be better if they were infused with the Gospel. He felt some psalms were unsuitable for Christian worship because they were written before the Cross of Christ and the completion of God’s redemption and revelation.
The great missionary hymn, "Jesus Shall Reign," is based on Psalm 72. There was no excellent mission effort when Watts wrote these words. Not until sixty years later did William Carey, the father of the modern missionary movement sailed for India. Today, utilizing radio and literature, as well as through the work of faithful missionaries, Christ's Kingdom has "spread from shore to shore," and "people and realms of every tongue dwell on His love with the sweetest song."
|
May the King's rule be refreshing like spring rain on freshly cut grass, like the showers that water the earth. May all the godly flourish during his reign. May there be abundant prosperity until the moon is no more—May He reign from sea to sea and from the Euphrates River to the ends of the earth.
Psalm 72:6-8
|
|
Jesus Shall Reign
Isaac Watts (1674-1748)
Jesus shall reign where’er the sun
Down his successive journeys run;
His kingdom spread from shore to shore,
Till moons shall wax and wane no more.
To him shall endless prayer be made,
And endless praises crown his head;
His name like sweet perfume shall rise
With ev’ry morning sacrifice.
People and realms of ev’ry tongue
Dwell on his love with sweetest song,
And infant voices shall proclaim
Their early blessings on his name.
Blessings abound where’er he reigns;
The prisoner leaps to loose his chains;
The weary find eternal rest,
And all the sons of want are blest.
Let every creature rise and bring
His grateful honors to our King;
Angels descend with songs again,
And earth repeat the loud amen!
|
|
|
© 2017 by Robert K. Brown and Mark R. Norton – All rights reserved
Paraphrased by Music Director, David K. Bakken, Ed.D.
Art: My Child, by David Bowman
|
|
|
May Leadership Team Meeting was held on May 18, 2021
Highlights of the current activities around the Church~ there is lots going on around the Church.
Healthy Churches Thrive— Our Prayer Pods continue to be actively praying.
Solar Project— We have had one of the 2 inspections and are waiting for the final inspection by the SJ Fire Inspector. Once that happens, the panels will be complete and hooked into the PG&E grid.
ELC— The regular School year is winding down. Plans are in the works for Summer School. Pastor Pat continues to visit each week. A Silent Auction fundraiser will be happening soon. An End of the Year activity is planned for Friday, June 11th, with a musical presentation in the Church Sanctuary and a Luncheon following in Luther Hall. Members are welcome to attend. More news to come!
Lord’s Pantry— A fire has damaged the Pantry, and it is shut down until early June for repairs. Although the actual damage from the fire was contained to a small area on the front porch of the structure, the majority of the problems are caused by water damage from the resulting fire suppression activities and damage from lead and asbestos. We will be sending out more information on items of need as the re-opening occurs. Please keep the Pantry and its Clients in your prayers.
|
|
Caring Ministry– Donna and her team continue to serve our community through home visits, and phone calls. This month, 97 individuals were served—8 home visits, and over 80 phone consults Also transports to health care visits as well as non-medical transports. Health Ministry Corner articles are sent out by Constant Contact each week.
Worship Activities— “Live” worship services started on Sunday, May 2nd and have been safely attended. We continue to offer worship online, either by live-streaming the service at 9:30 am Sunday, or later by Facebook or You Tube from the churches website. Our Small Group Studies continue through Zoom. We continue to do monthly “drive through” communion for the time being.
Facility Activities— Lots of things are happening around the Campus site. Work is happening around the ELC play yard to repair the sunscreen and the fence. The Leadership Team is considering adding a security fence around the entire campus. Simpler solutions have been tried, without much success. Bids have been sought and a plan will need to be developed to pay for the expenditure.
GDLC Finances/Budget– Giving is holding steady so far this year. We thank you. Please contact our Treasurer, Barbara McCalment if you have specific questions. As always, members are encouraged to use the “digital” platforms to make their tithes and offerings. If you need help with any of the plans, feel free to contact Dan Rinerson or Ernie Moore, who can help!
|
|
 |
|
|
|
JUNE Birthdays
17 Matthew West
18 Jane Hendricks
19 Bailey Beecher
20 DonMyers
|
|
|
|
Gloria Dei Lutheran Church
MESSENGER
PRINT VERSION
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
