Pastor Joel's Mid-Week Reminders for 2/8/2011
This entry was posted on 2/8/2011 8:22 PM and is filed under Mid-Week Reminders.
'Choose
life, loving the Lord your God.' Deuteronomy 30.19
Choices,
choices. So many of them each day. Some easy and instant,
others
difficult and demanding. Each decision we
make
has a consequence, and we reap what we sow.
But that is a somewhat fatalistic view of life, as if it all
depended
on us. When Moses addressed the people of God for the last
time as
they prepared to enter into the Holy Land and he prepared to
die, he
pointed them across the Jordan River and said "Choose
life." The life
of which he spoke was a life lived fully and freely in the
great love
of God, who had liberated them from slavery in Egypt and
brought them
through every danger to the promised land. Moses pointed
the people to
God.
Before we make any choices in life, God has chosen us.
Chosen us to be
fully alive as we live our days and years in the all
embracing strength
of his love. We love because God first loved us. We live
because God
revealed true life in the person of his Son, Jesus. We
choose because
we are chosen.
DOMESTIC
VIOLENCE
HELP: If you or
someone
you know needs help, please talk with our Faith Community
Health
Minister, Jonet Schutz; or with me. We have materials
provided by the
Mid Valley Women's Crisis Center here in Salem. 'Living Free
from
Violence', 'A Child's Safety Plan', 'Being a Mom through
Crisis',
'Sexual Assault Facts', are among the pamphlets available for
your
asking.
HABITAT FOR HUMANITY: Lorene Bartell
is
our liaison. Please talk with her if you can help at the
build site
this Saturday, Feb. 12, or want to attend the annual dinner
and auction
on Feb. 26.
ALL OFFICER POSITIONS WILL BE VACANT
at the time of our Budget and Election
Congregational Meeting on June 26. A nominating committee is
being
formed to find candidates for these positions: President,
Vice
President (currently vacant), Treasurer, and recording
Secretary
(currently vacant). After many terms of
service, both our Treasurer (Etta Mae Hitchcock) and President
(Paul
Schutz) are moving on to other areas of service. So please
begin to
think and pray for candidates to fill all these offices.
PASTOR JOEL'S
ADULT SUNDAY CLASS: We continue with our ongoing
topic, "Practicing Our Faith", with a discussion of
'Discernment'. Please join us in the Commons Room
for this guided discussion
class based on ancient Christian ways of living out
our faith in the
world. We meet from 8:50 - 9:45am. Coffee and
refreshments are
available.
NEEDED: PEOPLE TO HELP COUNT
OFFERINGS: If you can help count Sunday
offerings right after
worship, please talk with Pat Haneberg.
NEW DIRECTORY BEING
PRODUCED:
Cathe, our office secretary, will be publishing a new
church directory
this month. Please check your current entry, and
if you have any
changes, be sure to contact Cathe with those changes
by February 20.
Thanks!
DATES
AND EVENTS TO NOTE ~
Saturday, Feb.
12........Redeemer
Habitat Build day
Sunday, Feb.
13........Nominating Committee meets
after worship
Saturday, Feb 26.......Habitat
for Humanity
Banquet and Auction (see above)
Sunday, Feb. 27...........Blood Pressure Clinic after
worship
Wednesday,
March 9......Ash Wednesday:
Lent begins
Sunday,
March
13..........Daylight
Savings Time begins
Saturday, March 19........6pm, Redeemer Pie Social
Sunday, April
24............Easter
**Please see the weekly
bulletin and master
calendar for a complete listing of dates and
events.
~ In 2011,
Redeemer
celebrates our 50th
anniversary as a congregation. A special Anniversary
planning
committee is being
formed. If you are interested in participating, please
talk with Fred
Gargiulo or Paul Schutz.
