As he walked by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother… And he said to them, “Follow me”… As he went from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John…and he called them.’ St Matthew 4.18 – 21

What must it have been like for Jesus to have been so near that these fishermen could hear his voice? See into his eyes? Look at his face? Extraordinary, apparently, because all four of them immediately left what they were doing and began to follow Jesus.

2000 years later, the call to follow Jesus comes to us daily. That’s what our Baptism means—each day we awake and remember to whom we belong. We make the sign of the Cross in remembrance of our Baptism. In so doing, we affirm that we belong to Christ, for time and eternity. And in this time, this day, this place where we live, this place where we work, Christ calls us to live as his beloved people. He is still as near to us as he was to his original disciples.

ANNUAL MEETING OF THE CONGREGATION is set for this coming Sunday. After worship, we gather for a delicious lunch (not a potluck), and move from fellowship into our celebration of mission and ministry here at Redeemer. Please plan to be here for worship, and then to remain for lunch and our meeting.

INFORMATION AND PLANNING MEETING: The congregation is invited to a very different kind of meeting on Saturday, February 9, from 9am – 12noon (at the latest). Our Natural Church Development ‘Health Team’ wants to share their work with you, and invite you to begin the process of planning specific strategies for deepening our Loving Relationships here at Redeemer. Please set aside time to attend this important meeting, even if you can only come for an hour or so. Well have breakfast here for you! For more details, please read the Health Team article in the Spirit Call newsletter, which comes out next week.

LENT BEGINS ON FEBRUARY 6, ASH WEDNESDAY: Easter falls on the earliest possible date this year, and that pushes Lent up to an early beginning, too. On Ash Wednesday, we will offer two opportunities for worship: 12 noon and 7pm. We’ll have the Imposition of Ashes and Communion at both services as part of this holy day worship. ..…On Tuesday, Feb. 5, we hope you’ll join us at church for an enjoyable Pancake Feed at 6pm, a traditional way to mark Shrove Tuesday (known in New Orleans as Mardi Gras!). Sign up sheet posted for your participation and help.

LENT SOUP SUPPERS AND MIDWEEK VESPERS are in the planning process. There are sign-up sheets posted on the main bulletin board, asking for your help with soup, bread, and desert for our Wednesday suppers at 6pm, followed by our Vespers worship at 7pm.

SPEAKING OF SOUP, it’s Redeemer’s honor to serve lunch for the homeless on Sunday noon, Feb. 10, at Jason Lee United Methodist Church. If you can help from around noon – 2pm, please sign up with Jackie Jacobs and Etta Mae Hitchcock.

‘JESUS AND THE GOSPELS’: My Sunday adult Bible class is viewing a DVD with this title, and we invite you to join us each Sunday morning, 8:50am – 8:45am in the Commons Room. Each 30 minutes DVD segment is followed by discussion. This coming Sunday we finish the gospel of Luke and on Feb. 3 move on to four weeks of examining the gospel of John.

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We Wish You God's Peace and Blessing

Sandy Cooper, Secretary
Redeemer Lutheran Church
503-393-7121
4663 Lancaster Drive. NE
Salem, OR 97305
office@redeemer-lcms.org