A Healing Place

 

This is what being in the presence of the Lord is all about - finding healing for those things that have damaged or distorted us. The root word for "salvation" in the Greek (think of the word "salve" as a medication to help with healing) has the concept of healing all over it - not only healing from sin and its power over us, but healing from anything that would keep us from fulfilling our potential as God's people working in his kingdom.

 

It is with this hope that we again offer a Service of Healing this coming Sunday.  We are establishing a tradition of offering a service of healing on the 5th Sunday of five Sunday months. The last Healing Service we offered, May 23rd (ok, actually the 4th Sunday that particular month, but it was Pentecost Sunday so we thought it was appropriate!), was very well received.

 

Both the 8:30 and 10:45 services will be traditional, liturgical services - somewhat shortened to allow time at the end of the service for people to come forward to individually share their prayer concerns with me or one of the prayer ministers at the front of the sanctuary. As we read in James 5,

 

13Are any among you suffering? They should pray. Are any cheerful? They should sing songs of praise. 14 Are any among you sick? They should call for the elders of the church and have them pray over them, anointing them with oil in the name of the Lord. 15 The prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise them up; and anyone who has committed sins will be forgiven. 16 Therefore confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, so that you may be healed. The prayer of the righteous is powerful and effective.  James 5:13-16 (NRSV)

 
September is an Important Month!

 

A year ago we took on an important challenge: to work toward significant growth (25% per year!)  in our congregation by renewing our worship services, starting the Alpha program, deepening our connection with the school and its families, and finding new ways to outreach into our community. August marks the end of one year since our Rooted in Faith, Growing in Excellence campaign started. We've been doing lots of prep work, lots of praying, lots of behind the scenes planning, prayer and preparation - and at the end of September we'll look at some of the results of that work - primarily evaluating worship attendance and offerings as indicators of deeper spiritual growth.

How are we doing so far - to be honest, the results are a bit, well, mixed. Some months show growth and improvement, and some do not. What do we do?

I'm asking EVERY MEMBER to make a renewed commitment to attend worship EVERY WEEK - without exception! It is so important that we maintain that relationship with God in worship, hearing his word and sharing in the Lord's Supper, growing in Grace. Bring the WHOLE FAMILY! Bring the Neighbors! Invite your Friends! Invite your Enemies (well, not the really bad ones, but maybe they need it the most!)!!! But most of all, please come and join us each Sunday.

 

Special September Activities

 

Sunday, September 12th: Rally Day and Alpha Kick-Off. This is going to be a great day! Rally Day will feature a potluck (meat provided, sign up to bring a side), games, fun, getting to know one another better, and information on what's coming this year. This begins right after the 2nd service in the Parish Hall.  The Alpha Kick-Off dinner starts at 5, and is a kind of reunion of past participants and an opportunity to involve new participants. This is a chance to invite neighbors and friends to experience this wonderful introduction to the Christian Faith. And there's food!

 

Friday, September 17th, 6 pm, is our annual One Church, One School, One Family Spaghetti dinner.  This is a great opportunity to connect with our WHOLE family of ministry and faith, church, school and preschool. PLEASE COME!!!!!

 

Hints of things to come

 

There are two special possibilities that are not yet finalized, but are real possibilities for our church ministry: One is a person, and one is cranberry colored.

We, through the RIF "Rooted in Faith, Growing in Excellence" program, have put together a plan to fund an additional part-time staff pastor to work with me in outreach and growth for our congregation. Please pray that God's will be done in this situation, but we're VERY EXCITED about it - possibly starting September 1!

 

"Cranberry-colored" - What could that be? Hmmmm... maybe the new Lutheran Hymnal, maybe? Look for the introduction of some of the materials from it yet this fall!!!! The Worship Board and I will work together to make this happen...
So many opportunities to serve and grow - God's blessings as we together grow in grace.
 
Pastor Larry Becker

September Book Club...

 

Date:

Tuesday, September 7 at 7:15 in the AMC

Book:

Little Bee By Chris Cleave

 

A haunting novel about the tenuous friendship that blooms between two disparate strangers - one an illegal Nigerian refugee, the other a recent widow from suburban London.