Pastor Joel's mid-week reminders for 11/8/2011
This entry was posted on 11/9/2011 9:57 AM and is filed under Mid-Week Reminders.
'For a
thousand years in your sight are like yesterday when it
is past... So
teach us to count our days that we may gain a wise
heart.' Psalm
90:4, 12
This past Sunday, we celebrated 50 years
of Redeemer
Lutheran Church. It was a wonderful day, with many
visitors and past
members joining us in worship, lunch, and the afternoon
Open House. I
saw lots of people looking intently at the display tables,
which were
divided into the decades of Redeemer's 50 years: the
1960s, '70s,
'80s, '90s, and 2000 - the present. There were plenty of
photos that
drew chuckles as people recognized themselves and fellow
members
looking much younger and different in those past decades
than they do
now.
It's amazing how quickly the months pass into years, and
the years into
decades. We ask, "Where did the years go??" Fifty years
may seem like
a long time, but even to us they seem to fly by. In the
verses above,
the Psalmist reflects on the everlasting God, and how time
means
virtually nothing to him. A thousand years? Like
yesterday. "Before
the mountains were brought forth, or ever you had formed
the earth and
the world, from everlasting to everlasting, you are God."
And yet, this is the same God who loves his creation, and
who entered
into time and history in the person of his Son, Jesus. In
entering our
human time, God reveals his love for us. In Jesus, our
human time is
sanctified and we are lifted up into God's great plan for
the
universe. Even more, we are declared in Christ's life,
death, and
resurrection to be partners with him in that plan to
restore the whole
creation into the fullness of God. As we recognize that
truth, we are
drawn into the great purpose of our lives, brief though
they may be.
That purpose is to live for his glory and share the love
of Jesus with
every one and every part of his good creation.
MANY
THANKS
to Jan
Shearer, Paul
Schutz, and everyone else who helped to organize, publicize,
provide
for and clean up after our 50th anniversary celebration!
We were
truly blessed in every way.
10
MOST WANTED FOODS FOR MARION POLK FOOD SHARE:
Thank you
all so much for continuing to bring food for the growing
numbers of
hungry people in our Salem area!. Please remember to focus
your
purchases on the 10 most basic
foods MPFS asks for: soup...chili...mac
and
cheese...cereal...peanut
butter...tuna...canned fruit...canned
vegetables...pasta sauce...pasta. Bring
your food items to
worship with you and place them in the red wagon by our
worship area.
Also, thanks for your contributions to our own small food
pantry, under
the direction of Kathy Lisle. There is a separate and
clearly labeled
green bin for the same foods for our food pantry. Needed
especially
right now: TUNA.
MIDWEEK ADVENT VESPERS AND SOUP / BREAD SUPPERS:
Beginning Nov 30 and
continuing on Dec. 7
and 14, our popular Midweek
Advent
Vespers will be offered at 7pm,
using the Holden
Evening Prayer liturgy. Preceding our worship, we
gather at 6pm for a Soup
and Bread and Dessert supper.
A Sign Up Sheet has been posted, and we ask for your
help with hosting
these suppers.
DATES
AND
EVENTS TO NOTE ~
Sunday,
Nov 20.........Thanksgiving
Sunday
Sunday,
Nov 27..........First Sunday
in Advent
Wednesdays:
Nov 30, Dec 7 and 14....6pm:
Soup
Suppers...7pm:
Midweek
Advent Vespers
Sunday,
Dec 11..........Worship
with opportunity
for healing prayers
Sunday, Dec
18..........Sunday School
Christmas Program during
worship
Saturday,
Dec 24........Christmas Eve:
12
noon and 7pm worship
Sunday,
Dec. 25.........Christmas
Day: 10am
Festival Worship
Sunday,
Jan. 15.........Annual
Congregational
Meeting with lunch
**Please
see
the weekly bulletin, Spirit Call, and
master
calendar for a complete listing of dates and events.
