Pastor Joel's mid-week reminders for 8/9/2011
This entry was posted on 8/9/2011 2:21 PM and is filed under Mid-Week Reminders.
'...my
house
shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples.'
Isaiah 56.7
These
words of God, spoken through the prophet Isaiah, bring to
mind my first
congregation as a young pastor. The church was Holy Trinity
Lutheran,
and it was in the heart of a suburb of London, England,
named Tottenham.
If the name 'Tottenham' rings a bell with you, it's because
Tottenham
has been the site of this past week's riots, looting, and
burning. I
was pastor at Holy Trinity in the years 1973 - 1976, and
recall those
years vividly. We averaged about 50 in worship each Sunday,
but those
50 people represented somewhere close to two dozen different
countries. Tottenham then was, and still is today, a
borough where
hundreds of thousands of immigrant peoples settled, with
heavy
populations from the Caribbean islands, India, Pakistan, and
Africa.
Our church building was located in a neighborhood very close
to the
streets where the past week's unrest took place. And our
home was
located near the neighboring area of Wood Green, towards
which the
unrest has spread.
So news of the rioting quickly grabbed my attention. It's
been 35
years since I left that neighborhood, but my memories of
ministry among
the immigrant peoples there are rich. Truly, Holy Trinity
was a living
example of God's desire that 'my house shall be called a
house of
prayer for all peoples.'
I ask you to join me in prayers for the restoration of peace
in
Tottenham, and for the ongoing ministry of Holy Trinity
Lutheran Church
among the diverse peoples surrounding that little
congregation.
OUTDOOR
WORSHIP AND SUMMERFEST THIS SUNDAY: Each year on
the
2nd Sunday of August, Redeemer hosts a wonderful neighborhood
event
called Summerfest. Again this year, on August 14, we will
meet at 10am
under the trees along Lancaster Drive for our worship, then
prepare for
many visitors to our Summerfest from 12 - 4pm. Please wear
comfortable
clothing, appropriate for the weather; bring your lawn chairs
and
whatever you need to settle in for an enjoyable afternoon of
singing on
our main stage, plus games for the children and booths hosted
by
various organizations.
PASTOR JOEL'S ADULT
SUNDAY CLASS: I'm currently leading a
Bible study that
focuses on the assigned readings from the Bible for each
Sunday. Together we discuss the riches of our new life in
Christ as we grow in our understanding of how we can live in
such a way
that we witness the joy and hope of being Easter Christians.
Join us
in the Commons Room each Sunday from 8:50 - 9:45am. Coffee
and
refreshments are available. (No
class this coming Summerfest Sunday August 14th)
DISASTER PREPAREDNESS WORKSHOP:
Sunday, October 16, right after worship and potluck. Please
let Jonet
Schutz, our Faith Community Health Minister, know if you can
attend
this 90 minute workshop led by Arlene Janssens, former
Deaconness at St
John Lutheran Church. Look for more details in forthcoming
issues of
the Spirit Call newsletter.
