kabatsusan@gmailcom

A Blessed Easter

From Pastor Lamb:

A blessed Easter season to all our readers! Christ is risen! Alleluia! He who once was dead is raised to new life, a new life completely unknown before this. Easter changed everything.

Easter changed death. Where once death had meant eternal separation from the living, now we know death is a doorway to the eternal presence of our living God and the “company of all the saints.” We now see that death is a process that returns our first container (body) to the dust and fits us with a new one ready for new life.

Easter changed life by confirming that there is nothing that will hold God back from being our partner in life, now and forever. Jesus’ resurrection was God’s stamp of approval on Jesus’ life. In Jesus, God gives us all the model for new life.

So, what is this model of new life? First of all, it’s not a life spent trying to get to heaven or avoid hell. Rather, it’s a life lived in deeply trusting relationship with God and God’s people. It is a life marked by confidence in God’s love and trust in God’s loving way. What is this loving way? It’s the way of living that Jesus had in mind when he said, “If you love me you will keep my commandments.”

So, you might wisely ask, what are his commandments? One of Jesus’ commandments, one that he called “new,” is to love one another like Jesus loved his followers. And he loved them by being with them, among them, and attentive to them as if he were only interested in serving them. Once, he washed the feet of everyone who was in the room with him, even those he knew would soon betray him, abandon him, and deny they ever knew him. He loved them all. And he loved them to the end.

Jesus did this and all his other acts of love in order to create a community that would live like he did. And he knew he couldn’t do it alone. So he leaned on God. As he leaned on God to live God’s loving way in a world greedy for wealth, power, and personal freedom, he encourages and teaches us to lean on (love) one another so that we can find the courage and wisdom to live God’s way of self-giving service in this world. As Jesus leaned on God so that he could live his way of peace in a violent world, he encourages and teaches us to lean on him by leaning on each other so we can live as peacemakers, too.

As we actively love Jesus and live his way by obeying his commandments, and as we take seriously his teaching to stay together and serve together even when others betray, abandon, or deny us, then together we will be a force making his presence more active in this world. And just think how a more active presence of Jesus Christ would change our world. Imagine that.

But, first, it must change my life.

Will you help me change? I will help you. Together we can do this. At least that’s what Jesus said.

May we all see the help we have in God, the one with the will and the power to change everything.

Christ is risen. Wow.

Pastor Lamb

A March Message from Pastor Lamb

From Pastor Lamb

In the season of Lent my mind goes to practice. By practice, I mean the things people do over and over so that they are ready when the need arises to do that which they have been practicing. For instance, when preparing for the Olympic Games, athletes will spend years practicing their sport and participating in other competitions so that when the time comes their bodies, minds, and emotions will be ready to compete at the high level demanded by the Olympics. Another example: I remember Alison and I attending childbirth classes before our oldest daughter, Lindsay, was born. Alison learned how to breathe while birthing her child, I learned how to coach her, and we both learned tricks to help us focus on the task when things got especially painful or exciting. Like athletes we practiced over and over again so to be prepared for the anticipated event. Still another example: while working in the mining industry I would join my fellow workers every week in a “safety talk.” This practice, along with an annual day-long safety meeting, would serve to remind us of different hazardous conditions and how to navigate them safely. Each year we practiced first aid skills and resuscitation techniques. This practice allowed us to develop safe work habits and to be prepared to respond to unusual hazards and accidents.

The church is big and practices. We often call them disciplines, or spiritual disciplines. In Lent the traditional disciplines have been prayer, fasting, and giving. I would like to suggest another: thanksgiving. But I would like us to stretch the practice of thanksgiving beyond Lent into every season of the year, because, I believe, it is a fundamentally important response to life. The life, ministry, teaching, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ reveals to us that the breath and heart beat that we are given by God every moment of every day will continue forever, beyond the breakdown and death of our present bodies. Upon that foundational gift, the rest of our lives are built. Every spark of talent and seed of ambition comes from God. Every word or hand of encouragement and support comes from God. Every hope and joy can be traced to the hand and heart of God. To give thanks for all of this seems right and good.

However, it also seems that we are not, by natural inclination, a thanks-giving people. We often take for granted that we have breath and life, that people should be kind and supportive, and that we have access to the necessities of life. We become so used to having more than enough that we forget to give thanks. When that happens, we can easily slip into feeling that God does not provide, at least not enough to make us happy.

How do we avoid this? By practicing thanksgiving. As we practice looking around and into our lives and taking stock of all the gifts we’ve been given – the big ones, the small ones, the everyday ones, and the once in a lifetime ones – we become better at giving thanks and at being grateful. And a grateful heart is a far more fulfilled and joyful heart than a heart that notices most that which we think we lack. A grateful heart looks at life and others differently, more graciously, more humbly, more wondrously, more hopefully.

What are some practices of thanksgiving? The time-tested ones include:

saying a prayer of thanks before eating meals (or even snacks)
saying prayers of thanks before you go to sleep or when you awake
saying silent thank yous when you experience gifts of support or friendship or opportunity
worshipping regularly, even when you don’t feel like it (maybe especially when you don’t feel like it) so that you can give thanks to God through your presence and participation in the community he gave us to shape our lives
worshipping regularly so that you can experience the meal to which he invites us, the meal sometimes called the Eucharist (the thanksgiving), the meal God provides and Jesus hosts so that we may be forgiven and made whole, and so Jesus can be remembered.

This Lent, I am giving thanks for much, including you.

Your brother in Christ,

Pastor Lamb

HOLY WEEK SCHEDULE

March 25, PALM SUNDAY – Worship at 10 AM starting with the procession with palms as we reflect on the celebration that greeted Jesus as he entered Jerusalem days before his arrest

March 29, MAUNDY THURSDAY – Worship at 7 PM remembering the last supper Jesus ate with his disciples. Bread and wine, readings and prayer around tables in fellowship hall, followed by the stripping of the altar and chancel. (Part 1 of the three-part worship service.)

March 30, GOOD FRIDAY – Worship at 7 PM with readings and candles, silence and song as we remember the suffering and death of Jesus. (Part 2 of the three-part worship service.)

April 1, EASTER – Worship at 10 AM with Alleluias and anthems and amens sprinkled with shouts of “He is risen! He is risen indeed!” (Part 3 of the three-part worship service.)

A Christmas Poem by a St. James Member

A Christmas Poem

The Christmas season is upon us and I want to know

How are you going to handle the extra-heavy load?

Will you let yourself get all worked up to a frazzle?

Or will you just enjoy all the razzle and dazzle

Of the twinkling lights and the Christmas carols too,

Or will you be overwhelmed by all you have to do?

As the days go by, will you be caught saying “Bah, humbug?”

Or will you take the time to give a much needed hug?

Will you look around and maybe not too far,

And see someone else much worse off than you are.

Remember, it’s not the number of gifts under the tree,

And it’s certainly not about Poor Little Ole Me.

It’s about helping your neighbor, a stranger, or a friend

And when Christmas is over, you’ll feel blessed, once again.

Christmas Worship Services

CHRISTMAS EVE WORSHIP SCHEDULE

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 24

10 AM – The 4^th Sunday of Advent –Advent Carols, Preparing the Stable for Jesus, and Holy Communion (40 minutes)

The coffee will be on but no snacks after this service – we’ll save that for the Christmas Eve services this afternoon and evening

4:30 PM – CHRISTMAS EVE CANDLE LIGHT SERVICE followed by Christmas cookies, drinks, and conversation

7 PM – CHRISTMAS EVE CANDLE LIGHT SERVICE followed by Christmas cookies, drinks, and conversation

Pastor Matt Lamb’s Advent Message

From Pastor Lamb – December 2017

I went to the funeral home the other day to pay my respects and offer my condolences to a long-time family friend whose daughter had died. I went during the visitation, that time before the funeral, but I didn’t stay for the funeral because I didn’t know them that well. At least I didn’t know them that well anymore. Years ago we had been much more connected, regularly sharing talk and tasks in our daily lives. But the years and distance diminished the time we spent together and the activities we did together. We didn’t share life anymore; we just remembered when we did share it. Our connection remained but it had loosened a lot. You know what I mean, right?

As I was driving home from the funeral home I got to thinking about people in our congregation, in what we call our church family. How well do we know each other? How many of your fellow followers of Christ would you say you know well? How many do you spend time with either talking or sharing some ministry or other activity? Have you made any effort to get to know anyone better or to make and grow a connection with someone new?

Of course, thinking of connections with my church family led me to think about my connection to God, which made me think of the upcoming seasons of Advent and Christmas.

The four-week season of Advent begins Sunday, December 3. This is the season when we, the Church, think about the coming of Christ into our midst – both for the first time as a baby to grow, live, and die among us, and the second time as a restorer to restore the earth and all creatures to its right relationship with God. This is the season when we anticipate, celebrate and give thanks to God for visiting us in the form of the Son, Jesus Christ. This is the season we celebrate God’s loving desire to connect with as more deeply, so deeply that God has moved heaven and hell to be in all of our lives and at all of our deaths. This is when we get real about the fact that Jesus was God’s way of saying to you and me, “Please, please get to know me. No one – and I mean the broken or whole, bad or god, poor or wealthy, sad or joyful, grieving or comforted, young or old, disrespected or respected, unskilled or skilled, lazy or ambitious – no one will be turned away by me. I want you to see who I am for you and for everybody. Please get to know me.” (Jesus called this process of getting to know, and connecting with, God discipleship.)

How well do you know God? Do you feel well-connected to God? Are you satisfied with how well you know God and how connected you feel? Is it working for you, for your family, and for the world?

During Advent I invite you to give this some thought. Take your time; it’s important. Then choose what, if anything you will do differently in the New Year to get to know God better.

God gave us Jesus. Maybe we can give God some thought.

A blessed Advent and Christmas to you all from Alison and me.

+ Pastor Lamb

October 2017 Newsletter

The Parish Press

OCTOBER 2017

St James Lutheran Church, ELCA

P.O. Box 156 11118 W 3rd St Rudyard, MI 49780

Office 906-478-3045 Church e-mail: office@st.jamesrudyard.org

Like us on Facebook: St. James Lutheran Church Rudyard, Michigan

Church Website: stjameslutheranchurch.me

Pastor: Rev. Matthew Lamb — cell: 717-805-4210

From Pastor Lamb…

IN THE WAKE OF DISASTER

Fires. Earthquakes. Hurricanes. Floods. This summer, the United States and our neighbor Mexico have experienced a relentless onslaught of disasters with the potential of more to come. These events have led to death, injury, and property loss. The lives of hundreds of thousands have been ripped from their routines and left in a heap of destruction.

What do people make of all this? One thing I have heard is that these disasters (including the recent eclipse) are signs that the return of Jesus (the “end time”) is near. Another is that these disasters are God’s punishment of our nation because we have become morally corrupt. I highly doubt either of these explanations. With regard to the first, scripture is clear that we will not know the time of Jesus’ return (see Matthew 24). With regard to the second, I find little evidence in the story of God and God’s people that natural disasters are God’s way of punishing people.

What can followers of Christ to make of all of this? Instead of turning inward out of fear and anxiety that Jesus is coming to judge us or that God is unleashing punishment upon us, scripture directs us to remember that God has not abandoned us, but that God is alive in the midst of these disasters. Indeed, scripture leads us to see these events as reminders that we are to live as people preparing for Jesus’ kingdom to come on earth (as we pray “thy kingdom come on earth”) by living out the teachings and mission of Jesus as he taught and lived the first time he came.

So, fellow followers of Jesus the Christ, what shall we do? It appears that for now the best help we can offer those who are suffering from loss and working to recover some stability in their lives is to send money to organizations that directly help them. Money is needed to pay for hotel rooms or other temporary living quarters. Money is needed to pay for food and medicine. Money is needed to buy building materials to start the rebuilding process. Money is needed to pay for funeral expenses. Money is needed for new school books and supplies. Money is needed everywhere the wind has blown, the earth has shaken, and the water has overflowed; everywhere that homes, hospitals, schools, businesses, and jobs have been blown, washed, or crumbled away.

Lutheran Disaster Response is an organization that is very highly rated for getting the highest percentage of our contributions (usually 100%) directly to people in need.

Rev, Daniel Rift, Director, ELCA World Hunger and Disaster Appeal, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, says this about Lutheran Disaster Response:

As a church, we’re standing by our neighbors who are already affected, and we are ready to assist in additional locations as disaster strikes. Lutheran Disaster Response’s affiliates, companion churches, and international partners are collaborating with community leaders and government officials to respond. Please give now to support this response. Stay connected to the latest events and our response to [these] disasters through our Facebook page.

On Sunday, October 8, we will be holding our annual quilt dedication, potluck, and harvest auction Sunday. All proceeds raised will be sent to Lutheran Disaster Relief. Your help in bringing items for the auction and bidders to buy these items will directly help people suffering from these natural disasters. Please invite a friend to come to worship with you on October 8.

For your response to these disasters out of love – not fear – thank you.

Yours in Christ, Pastor Matt

Prayer List Ruth Griesbach, Gary Salo, MaryAnn Salo, Lisa Basner, Dinah Savoie, Charlie and Ruth Touple, Nancy Nurmi, Amber Chappa McLaren, Alex McCready, Connie Arnett, Marty Nayback, Crystal Reno, Dan Rose, Cole Nelson, Emily Seifferland, Ruth Lamb, Clayton Wilson, the family of Miriam Roe, the people of the regions devastated by earthquakes and hurricanes.

HOME BOUND MEMBERS

MILLIE AHO

DELPHA JOHNSON

SHIRLEY MARKSTROM

ANITA NAYBACK

CHARLIE & RUTH TOUPLE

Have you seen our Face Book page? Go to St. James Lutheran, Rudyard Michigan. Like us, Share us, Comment on our posts!

We have a web page also! http://www.stjameslutheranchurch.me! There’s good reading there! Comment on the articles! Share with your friends!

OCTOBER BIRTHDAYS

10-01 Matt Kangas

10-01 Jake Kangas

10-08 Dale Hauswirth

10-11 Bev Campbell

10-11 Sue Kabat

10-11 Jorgeann Trotter

10-16 Christopher King

10-23 Kurt Hauswirth

OCTOBER ANNIVERSARIES

10-02 Marv & Raya Erfourth

10-05 John & Lisa Lemmerman

10-10 Dick & Bev Campbell

10-11 Darren & Lori Spring

GOD DOESN’T GIVE US WHAT WE CAN HANDLE.

GOD HELPS US HANDLE WHAT WE ARE GIVEN.

Looking Ahead:

October 8: Harvest Sunday, auction of harvest bounty, at pot-luck fellowship/ Blessing of the Quilts, during worship, come and bring your friends

October 9, Monday: WELCA meeting, 6:30 pm, home of Britt Hill, all women are welcome

October 20-21, Friday and Saturday: Pasty Making and Sale. For orders, call Amy Miller, 478-5802

Thanksgiving is Coming on November 23!

At the August meeting of the church council, it was decided to once again host a Thanksgiving dinner at the church for members of St. James and members of the community who would like fellowship that day. 2-3 men and women are being sought to work with Sue Kabat on planning this event. Call or see Sue Kabat, 203-8718. Thanks!

Quilt Blessing, Harvest Auction, Pot-luck

Quilt Blessing and Harvest Auction!! Enjoy a pot-luck lunch provided by the Awesome Women of St. James and bid on a beautiful quilt, delicious home-made goodies, and other great items on Oct. 8 at Fellowship. Funds raised will go to the ELCA Disaster Response for US hurricane victims.

GREAT NEWS!

St. James Pasty Sale will be on October 20 and 21! You can help! Just come to the school at 1:00 PM on Friday and 6:00 AM on Saturday. We will train you. Come to the back kitchen door.

Amy Miller is taking orders for pasties starting now. Her number is 478-5802. The cost is $5.00 per pasty.

Pray for the New Class of Confirmands

God’s Blessings on the new class of St. James Confirmands:

Aimee Spring

Sean Lamb

Chesney Molina

Cara Sawyer

Cierra Molina

Hayden Mills

Morgan Bickel

Asa Frush

SUNDAY SCHOOL at St. James

Sunday, October 1, 2017, Sunday School returns to St James. Each Sunday, children and families will receive communion first, then the children (pre-school through grade 6) will go to the Family Room downstairs for a Christian video, Bible story, and a snack while parents enjoy fellowship upstairs. Sunday School will last about ½ hour. All are welcome!

For All Adults! New Short-Term Study Group

A new 7-week study group is being formed to study the book Making Sense of Scripture, by David Lose. The study will be led by Pastor Lamb and begin Wednesday, October 4, and end Wednesday, November 15. Sessions will last one hour, running from 6:30 – 7:30 PM. We will plan to cover a chapter a week. The chapter titles include: What is the Bible? Is the Bible true? How is the Bible the word of God? Where did the Bible come from? How can I read the Bible with a greater understanding? Is there a “center” to scripture? What kind of authority does the Bible hold?

Do you need to be familiar with the Bible to get something out of reading this book? No. However, even if you are familiar with it, the author thinks (and I agree) you will discover lots of new questions and insights. No matter where you are, no matter how much or how little experience you have, he thinks (and I agree) you’ll find in this book engaging questions addressed in and honest and accessible way.

The Author, Dr. David Lose, is a former professor at Luther seminary, former president of the Lutheran theological seminary at Philadelphia, and currently pastor of Mount Olivet Lutheran Church in Minneapolis. He wrote Making Sense of Scripture in a lively, conversational, back-and-forth format that is very helpful. This is what the author writes about the book:

Do you remember the first time he picked up a book and could put it down? For me it was CS Lewis’s The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. For my kids it was Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. …Can you recall the first time you were so drawn into a story that everything around you seemed to recede into the background and the characters of the book in your hands – and their challenges, opportunities, and dangers – became, at least for a little while, the most important thing to you?

With some books, of course, it’s for more than a little while. Some books don’t only absorb you; they change you, altering the way you think and feel about some particular issue or even about life in general. Have you read a book like that? My guess is that you’ve had encounters with these kinds of books. That you’ve been not just touched, but moved, drawn into the pages of a book so fully that you left your encounter changed. I also guess, though, that the Bible has not been one of those books for you. Go ahead, be honest. I know it’s a little embarrassing to admit. After all, the Bible is supposed to be the book. More importantly, though, many people testify how their lives have been transformed by reading the Bible.

Making Sense of Scripture, I should be clear, is not a book on the Bible, …that attempts to give you the major plot line of the Bible or to cover all the individual books or parts within it. Rather, it is a book about the Bible, explaining enough of the Bible’s history in nature to make it more accessible to you. Even more, Making Sense of Scripture is a book on how to read the Bible in the first place, and I hope and intend that it will give you the confidence to explore the actual content in claims of the Bible on your own or in study with others.

…I have high hopes for this book. Or, to put it more clearly, I have two particularly high hopes for what you will get out of this book:

First, I hope that after reading this book, you will understand enough about the Bible to help you penetrate through the years and cultures that separate us from it. I hope you will be absorbed by the Bible stories in a way that will touch and move you, and maybe even transform the way you look at yourself, the world, And God.

Second, I hope that you will discover that you can bring both your mind and your heart to the enterprise of her reading the Bible. I hope you will feel free to think, wonder, question, and even express doubt as we discuss issues and explore the claims the Bible makes. And I hope and pray that through all the thinking, wondering, questioning, and doubting, you might also find at the capacity to hear God speaking a word to you.

I hope many of you can make the time to further your understanding of God through a greater understanding of the book we call holy.

Pastor Lamb

PS: Books are available on-line through Amazon.com for $10 (kindle version) or $10.53 + shipping (paperback) or from St. James for $10 (paperback). We will have 10 copies available at the church by Tuesday, Sept. 26.

Men’s Coffee Hour

Attention men! There is a time to gather for non-digital conversation and coffee and donuts, maybe some toast, too.

St. James Lutheran is offering a community coffee time for men from 6:30 AM to 8:30 AM in our fellowship hall. We will be hosting this every Tuesday until further notice.

This is a place and time where men of all ages can gather for simple conversation and fellowship. We are hoping to be available for men who work the day shift so that’s why we’re starting at 6:30 AM. Please spread the word! Remember that this is an offering for the whole community and beyond.

Have You Ever Walked in our Pastor’s Shoes?

Have you ever walked in our Pastor’s shoes?

And gone where their feet have trod?

Have you ever thought what they mean to us?

And on Your knees, given thanks to God?

Have you ever told them thank you.

For being there, when times are tough?

For comforting words and fervent prayers

When trials come and the storms of life are rough?

Have you ever thought to say thank you, Pastor,

For preaching God’s Word to help us understand,

So we can share with friends and neighbors

God’s amazing plan?

When you pray, put them at the top of the list

And ask the Lord to surround them with loving care,

To give them strength and walk with them,

To help them with the burdens they must bear.

Have you ever walked in our Pastor’s shoes,

And gone where their feet have trod?

Have you ever thought of what they mean to us,

And on your knees, given thanks to God?

——Author Unknown

St. James Youth Group News

St. James Youth Group will be kicking off the new year with our first gathering on October 1^st at the church immediately following service and fellowship. We will meet downstairs at approximately 11:30 AM for an afternoon of team building and bonding with some fun “minute-to-win-it” style games that were created based on some favorite Old Testament Bible stories.

A few of the games you can look forward to are Noah’s Ark Animal Drop, David & Goliath Ping Pong & Adam & Eve Apple Stacker. We will wrap up the afternoon with a unique version of Daniel in the Lion’s Den tag and a fun team race.

Youth Group is for all youth grades 7^th-12^th. Lunch will also be provided so bring your game face, your appetite and a friend (or 2 or more) and be prepared for a great time!! See you there!

Financial Information for St. James St. James Lutheran Church
Checking Balance – 8/31/17

CHECKING BALANCE 12/31/16			$3,699.37

OFFERING – 1/1 – 8/31/17
	– General	61,360.74
	– Special Offering – Repairs	1,810.00
– Pasty Sale		4,022.27
	– WELCA	2,000.00
	– Misc Income	979.85

	TOTAL DEPOSITS		$70,172.86

TOTAL EXPENSES PAID
	– General Expenses		($69,744.75)
	– New Furnace, Window & Roof Repairs		($1,963.70)

PLUS TRANSFER FROM SAVINGS			$1,963.70
LESS TRANSFER BACK TO SAVINGS			($1,810.00)


CHECKING BALANCE – 8/31/17			$2,317.48

Net cash flow as of August 31, 2017 =		(1,381.89)

Annual Scandinavian Bake Sale and Salad Luncheon

Faith Lutheran Church, on Saturday, October 14, 11:30 AM to 1:30 PM. Tickets $6.00 each. Tickets available at the door.

IN SERVICE SCHEDULE FOR OCTOBER 2017

(IF YOU ARE UNABLE TO SERVE, CALL SOMEONE TO SUBSTITUTE FOR YOU). THANK YOU

Date: 10-01-17

Ushers: Arnie & Carol Kangas

Lector: Britt Hill

Communion Asst: Orv Kabat

Altar Care: Sue Kabat

Cleaning: Trish & Donner Dowd (clean prior to 10-01)

Fellowship: Phil & Caity Woolcocks

Date: 10-08-17 HARVEST AUCTION & BLESSING OF QUILTS

Ushers: Ken & Jan Bickel

Lector: Jason Miller

Communion Asst: Lance Bickel

Altar Care: Sue Nayback

Cleaning: Lemmerman Family (clean prior to 10-08)

Fellowship: Congregation Pot-Luck,

Judy Logan and Helen Kangas,

Kitchen captains

Date: 10-15-17

Ushers: Cindy & Charlie Kamper

Lector: Fayda Mills

Communion Asst: Sue Kabat

Altar Care: Kristin Mills

Cleaning: Orv & Sue Kabat (clean prior to 10-15)

Fellowship: Alison Lamb & Crew

Date: 10-22-17

Ushers: Judy Logan & Helen Kangas

Lector: Sue Nayback

Communion Asst: Jan Bickel

Altar Care: Lisa Lemmerman

Cleaning: Crafters (clean prior to 10-22)

Fellowship: Britt Hill & Cindy Steikar

DATE: 10-29-17

Ushers: Alice Spring & Karen Carlstedt

Lector: Donner Dowd

Communion Asst: Amy Miller

Altar Care: Cindy Kamper

Cleaning: Trotter Family (clean prior to 10-29)

Fellowship: Trish Dowd & Sonja Clegg

In the Wake of Disaster

Lutheran Disaster Response is an organization that is very highly rated for getting the highest percentage of our contributions (usually 100%) directly to people in need.

Rev, Daniel Rift, Director, ELCA World Hunger and Disaster Appeal, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, says this about Lutheran Disaster Response:

For your response to these disasters out of love – not fear – thank you.

Yours in Christ, Pastor Matt

September 2017 Newsletter

Planning Ahead – Ministry Opportunities

• October 1: After Communion, Sunday School, Amy Miller, leader, every Sunday except for school holidays. All children are welcome!
• October 1: After Worship, Youth Group gathering, Kristin Mills, leader
• October 1: 7:00 PM, St. James, “God on the Mountain”,
Gospel Music Concert, benefits suicide awareness, Gary Griesbach, leader
• October 4: 7:00 PM, St. James, book study for adults, “Making Sense of Scripture”, Pastor Matt Lamb, leader, every Wednesday, all adults welcome
• October 4: 6:00 PM, LSSU Cisler Center, “Families and Recovery”, sponsored by Families Against Narcotics, Katie Donovan, speaker, free presentation
• October 8: Harvest Auction, pot-luck, and Blessing of the Quilts, Auction benefits Hurricane Harvey and Hurricane Irma victims through Lutheran Disaster Response
• October 9: 6:30 PM, WELCA Meeting at Hill residence, all women are welcome
• October 16: 5:30 PM, Church Council Meeting

All Are Welcome! No Exceptions! Bring Your Friends!

September 2017 Newsletter

The Parish Press

SEPTEMBER 2017

St James Lutheran Church, ELCA

P.O. Box 156 11118 W 3rd St Rudyard, MI 49780

Office 906-478-3045 Church e-mail: office@st.jamesrudyard.org

Like us on Facebook: St. James Lutheran Church Rudyard, Michigan

Church Website: stjameslutheranchurch.me

Pastor: Rev. Matthew Lamb — cell: 717-805-4210

From Pastor Lamb

Moderation in all things, except…

The first time I heard the phrase “moderation in all things” I was 14 years old and watching the Christmas episode of The Walton’s, a television program of the 1970’s. The phrase was offered by one of the characters as a philosophy for life and, at the time, it struck me as a good way of thinking. It seemed to me a way to make life a little simpler because it framed a way to approach people, experiences, and things. In other words, according to this philosophy, I should not let one thing, person, or experience take an excessively large portion of my time, energy, money, or attention.

For years, this phrase did provide a pretty good baseline for living. (It isn’t found in the Bible, exactly. The closest the Bible comes is in Philippians 4:5.) I was careful of letting anything consume too much of me (with some significant failures!). Of course, this philosophy didn’t always work. As I grew older I could see that there were things that shouldn’t be tried at all and ideas that led to very dark places that should be avoided completely. Did I want to try every substance that I was offered? No. Did I want to say words or take actions that caused pain or hardship at the expense of others? Not as a rule. In addition, I discovered something that could be, should be, pursued beyond moderation. This was a direction that I had heard many times in my life, but it took a long time to grow in my mind to point I could see it. Maybe you’ve heard it, too: If you want to follow me (Jesus), then deny yourself, take up your cross, and follow me. (Mark 8:34). Does that sound extreme to you? It sure did to me (and it still does). Did I want to go to this extreme? I decided I did.

So, there were times that my moderate approach was too much and times when it was too little.

It seems, though, that times have changed. Until recently, I felt I had time to think about the exceptions.

It doesn’t seem that long ago that I didn’t feel like I needed to react quickly to most situations, without taking time to sort things out. Now, given the pace at which news from everywhere comes at me, it seems I feel expected to shoot from the hip and take sides. Unfortunately, I am rarely prepared to do this well. Under this pressure, I try to put new information into categories that are clearly different. Unfortunately, this often means I describe things in extreme terms so that I can quickly say if they are good or bad, or worthy of my reaction. When I do this without adequate time to think, I tend to label the people who hold one position or the other (think liberal, conservative, sexist, neo-nazi, gay, patriot, environmentalist, capitalist, etc.). I label them so that I can more easily sort them out or call them out or stand with them or stand against them. But when I do that, I diminish them. I reduce them to their behaviors or ideas. And it grieves me deeply. It feels wrong. It feels extreme.

We are all faced with a steady onslaught of information and news. I challenge myself and urge you to restrict this flow until it slows down enough that we can think about it and react with the only things that God in Christ were extreme about: extreme patience, extreme kindness, extreme sacrifice, extreme compassion, extreme presence, extreme vulnerability, extreme acceptance – extreme love.

What do you think? I’d love to know,

Your brother in Christ,

Pastor Lamb

Prayer List Ruth Griesbach, Gary Salo, MaryAnn Salo, Lisa Basner, Dinah Savoie, Alan Bjorne, Charlie and Ruth Touple, Richard Savoie, Nancy Nurmi, Amber Chappa McLaren, Alex McCready, Connie Arnett, Mike Ross, Marty Nayback, Crystal Reno, Dan Rose, Cole Nelson, Emily Seifferland, and the family of Heather Hyer.

JAMES LUTHERAN

HOMEBOUND MEMBERS

MILLIE AHO

Evergreen Living Center

Room 408

1140 N. State St.

St. Ignace 49781

DELPHA JOHNSON

510 Ashmun Street Apt.202

Sault Ste. Marie, MI 49783

SHIRLEY MARKSTROM

Cedar Ridge, Room E3

255 S. Airport Rd.

St. Ignace 49781

ANITA NAYBACK

622 W. Victory St.

Apt. 209

Newberry, MI 49868

CHARLIE & RUTH TOUPLE

301 24^th Ave.

Apt. 110

Sault Ste. Marie, MI 49780

Have you seen our Face Book page? Go to St. James Lutheran, Rudyard Michigan. Like us, Share us, Comment on our posts!

We have a web page also! http://www.stjameslutheranchurch.me! There’s good reading there! Comment on the articles! Share with your friends!

September Birthdays

9-03 Raya Erfourth

9-04 Ethan Miller

9-08 Paavo Nurmi

9-14 Julie Hauswirth

9-15 Mark Nelson

9-19 Laura Kangas

9-30 Fayda Mills

September Anniversaries

9-1 Orv & Sue Kabat

9-5 Dennis & Juanita Steikar

9-25 David & Debbie Chick

9-26 Rick & Jan Besteman

Now He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness;

2 Corinthians 9:10

WELCA News

The WELCA Bake Sale and Michigan Basket Raffle, held at Rudyard Summerfest annually, netted $635 for WELCA missions and activities. Debbie Chick was the lucky winner of the Michigan Basket. Thanks to all who participated! We can’t do it without YOU!

Looking Ahead

October 1: God on the Mountain, Suicide Awareness Music Night, Country Gospel , 7:00 PM, St. James

October 8: Harvest Sunday, auction of harvest bounty, at fellowship/ Blessing of the Quilts, during worship

October 20-21, Friday and Saturday: Pasty Making and Sale

ELCA Statement

The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), stands against all forms of hatred and discrimination. The church believes that cultural, ethnic and racial differences should be seen and celebrated as what God intends them to be—blessings rather than means of oppression and discrimination.

The ELCA’s social statement “Freed in Christ: Race, Ethnicity and Culture” states: “Racism—a mix of power, privilege, and prejudice—is sin, a violation of God’s intention for humanity. The resulting racial, ethnic, or cultural barriers deny the truth that all people are God’s creatures and, therefore, persons of dignity. Racism fractures and fragments both church and society.”

The social statement, adopted by the ELCA 1993 Churchwide Assembly, calls on the church to make confession for complicity, name the spiritual crisis at the roots, commit to change and make pledges to public witness, advocacy and action to confront racism.

“We recognize that the kind of violence we [recently] witnessed in Charlottesville, VA is very real and affects all of us,” said ELCA Presiding Bishop Elizabeth A. Eaton. “We need to stand up firmly against racism and anti-Semitism, show up for and advocate with others. Jesus, who makes visible those who are invisible, is already there. We need to show up, and we need to listen in each of our communities.”

The ELCA is a church that belongs to Christ and Christ’s church universal, where there is a place for everyone. The job of Christ’s people today is to celebrate the diversity of God’s creative work and embrace all people in the spirit of love, whatever race or ethnicity, economic status or gender.

Read the full social statement by going to elca.org and typing “Freed in Christ: Race, Ethnicity, and Culture” in the search box.

Men’s Coffee Hour at St. James
Attention men! There is a time to gather for non-digital conversation and coffee and donuts, maybe some toast, too.

St. James Lutheran is offering a community coffee time for men from 6:30 AM to 8:30 AM in our fellowship hall. We will be hosting this every Tuesday until further notice.

Current Church Financial Information

CHECKING BALANCE 12/31/16			$3,699.37

OFFERING – 1/1 – 7/31/17
	– General	54,578.74
	– Special Offering – Repairs	1,810.00
– Pasty Sale		4,022.27
	– WELCA	2,000.00
	– Misc Income	929.85

	TOTAL DEPOSITS		63,340.86

TOTAL EXPENSES PAID
	– General Expenses		-$61,811.68
	– New Furnace, Window & Roof Repairs		-$1,963.70

PLUS TRANSFER FROM SAVINGS			$1,963.70
LESS TRANSFER BACK TO SAVINGS			-$1,810.00


CHECKING BALANCE – 7/31/17			$3,418.55

Net cash flow as of July 31, 2017 = -$280.82

Three Lakes Lay Academy

Fall 2017 Class Offerings

Schedule: Thursdays from September 14 – November 16, 2017

4:00 pm – Exegetical Work – 1^st five weeks

Christianity in the World – 2^nd five weeks

5:30 pm – Shared meal 6:00 pm – Shared Devotions

6:30 pm – New Testament from Romans to Revelation – 10 wks

8:00 pm – Depart

Classes:

Exegetical Work – Develops some of the exegetical tools that are important for the preparation of preaching and teaching.

Rev. Doc. Tom Cook, Interim Pastor, Elk Rapids, MI (Lutheran)

Christianity in the World – Examining the Christian faith foundations among some of the world’s great religious expressions and including some of the variant expressions of Christianity such as Jehovah’s Witness and the Mormon Church.

Rev. David Van Dam – Retired Presbyterian Pastor

Pastor Joe Daiker – Lutheran pastor, Cedarville/Allenville

New Testament from Romans to Revelation – Examining what we learn from the letters, writing, and the apocalyptic literature of the New Testament

Rev. Doc. Kip Murphy – Pastor, Harbor Springs, MI

Pastor David Tielbar – Lutheran pastor, St. Ignace/Brevort

All classes held at:

Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church, 950 Huron St, St. Ignace, MI 49781 (906-643-7870)

Each class is $10 for the semester. Students may be required to purchase books. Scholarships are available. Classes are team taught by Presbyterian and Lutheran teachers.

Please pre-register with David Van Dam, 231-838-9128, davidvandam68@gmail.com or with David Tielbar, 906-643-7870, david.tielbar6@gmail.com before September 8, 2017 to make sure you can get books by the first class! For information also contact either one of the David’s

Web address for further information, www.presbymac.com under “quick links” click on “Three Lakes Lay Academy”.

Thrivent Action Teams are generously funded by Thrivent. Anyone who is a member of Thrivent has an opportunity to apply for a grant twice a year. When approved, you receive a box of information for a successful project, a banner, t-shirts for the group, and a $250 gift card to fund your project.

Cindy Steikar applied on behalf of St. James Quilters and the request was approved. The quilters are making quilts for girls in a foster care facility, fire victims, infants in local hospitals, and people with cancer. (Submitted by Cindy Steikar)

IN SERVICE SCHEDULE FOR SEPTEMBER 2017

(IF YOU ARE UNABLE TO SERVE, CALL SOMEONE TO SUBSTITUTE FOR YOU). THANK YOU

Date 9-03-17

Ushers: Marv Erfourth and Dave Erfourth

Lector: Dale Hauswirth

Communion Asst: Julie Hauswirth

Altar Care: Cindy Kamper

Cleaning: Trotter Family

Fellowship: Ken & Fayda Mills & Kristin Mills

Date: 9-10-17

Ushers: Orv & Sue Kabat

Lector: Judy Hamilton

Communion Asst: Jason Miller

Altar Care: Amy Miller

Cleaning: Dan & Mary Sherlund & Marv & Raya Erfourth

Fellowship: Bev Campbell & Sally Wiles

Date: 9-17-17

Ushers: Dale & Julie Hauswirth

Lector: Amanda Ross

Communion Asst: Britt Hill

Altar Care: Lisa Lemmerman

Cleaning: Ken & Fayda Mills & Dave Erfourth

Fellowship: Jan Besteman & Raya Erfourth

Date: 9-24-17

Ushers: Alice Spring & Karen Carlstedt

Lector: Dave Erfourth

Communion Asst: Jennifer King

Altar Care: Jennifer King

Cleaning: Crafters

Fellowship: Andrea Van Sloten and Robyn Spring