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Pastor Joels mid week reminders for January 5, 2010
This entry was posted on 1/5/2010 1:50 PM and is filed under Mid-Week Reminders.
Now when all the
people were baptized, and when Jesus also had been baptized and was
praying, the heaven was opened, and the Holy Spirit descended upon him
in bodily form like a dove.' St Luke 3.21-22
I
assume you pray. Prayer is one of the great hallmarks of a Christian.
We pray to God the Father, we pray to Jesus Christ. But do we ever
pray to the Holy Spirit? Over the years, I've found myself praying
more often to the Spirit. Why not? The same Spirit that came upon
Jesus at his baptism comes also upon us in our baptism. This Spirit
who gives us faith in Christ also empowers us in our life, enlightens
our minds and hearts, encourages us in times of difficulty. Here is a
beautiful prayer to the Spirit:
"O Holy Spirit, enter in, and in our hearts
your work begin,
And make our hearts your dwelling.
Sun of the soul, O Light divine, around and in us brightly shine,
Your strength in us upwelling.
In your radiance life from heaven now is given overflowing.
Gift of gifts beyond all knowing." LBW hymn 459
Interesting that Luke tells us that the Spirit came upon Jesus "in
bodily form like a dove." Perhaps the Spirit takes form in us as we
love, encourage, and strengthen one another as brothers and sisters in
Christ? Why not indeed!
MIDDLE EASTERN POTLUCK SUNDAY:
All are welcome to this fellowship
event after worship this coming Sunday! The food theme is Middle
Eastern, but if you want to bring something else that's OK, too (like
dessert!). No program, but we'll celebrate all those who walked enough
miles this Fall to get us all the way to Bethlehem by Christmas.
NEW
NATURAL CHURCH DEVELOPMENT
TEAM BEING FORMED: If you are interested in
being a part of this team, please speak with Rick Crawford, Pam King,
or me.
We'll be focusing on our new 'minimum factor' as a congregation:
Passionate Spirituality.
FOOD
WAGON /
BARREL: What a joy to see each week's wagon load
of
food donations wheeled to the altar for a Sunday blessing! Your
thankful and generous hearts result in these gifts of food to the poor
through Marion Polk Food Share, our partner agency. Our goal each
week: 50 pounds.
REDEEMER COMMUNITY GARDEN:
With the unanimous approval of our congregation, the Garden Committee
will proceed with developing our new community garden here on our
campus. If interested in helping, please contact Jan Shearer. Next
meeting is Wednesday, Jan. 13, at 3:30pm in the Library.
O.C.D.C. stands
for Oregon Child Development Coalition. Beginning this month, OCDC
will establish a center on our campus in the building formerly used by
Concordia School. They have signed a lease for two years. OCDC
ministers to migrant families, especially the children. We look
forward to partnering with them in reaching the immigrant people of our
community with much needed services.
GUEST
PREACHER ON FEBRUARY 7: Rev.
Ed Brandt will be our special guest on Sunday, February 7. Rev.
Brandt will lead our adult Bible study that morning and also preach
at worship. Rev. Brandt has extensive experience working with
immigrants over the 37
years of his ministry in the Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod. After
graduating from Concordia Seminary, St Louis, in 1973, he spent
three years as a missionary to Venezuela, where he became fluent in
Spanish. He has also served as Director of Latino Ministries in the
Yakima Valley, Washington. Since moving to Dallas, Oregon, many
years ago, he has served as a bi-lingual instructor in Salem public
schools and has also worked with a number of ministry organizations
focusing on Hispanic immigrants.
Rev.
Brandt will help us understand the Latino culture better, enabling us
to serve the large Latino population in NE Salem as we strive to
reach out to our neighbors in Christian love and service.
DATES AND EVENTS TO NOTE ~
Sunday, Jan 10...............11:45, Middle Eastern food potluck after
worship
Sunday, Jan 24...............Annual Meeting and meal after worship
Sunday, Feb 7................Guest preacher and Bible study leader, Rev
Ed Brandt
Wednesday, Feb 17..........Ash Wednesday
**Please
check the monthly calendar and weekly
bulletin for a detailed list of activities.
WORSHIP SCHEDULE FOR JANUARY ~
January 10: Laurie Andreas, LBW Setting Two
January 17: Laurie Andreas, "Now the Feast"
January 24: Maureen Chesley, Service of Word and Sacrament
January 31: Laurie Andreas, LBW Setting Two
+ + +
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