News From Our Pastor

Dear People of God,

Just a quick reminder of this Sunday's Congregational Culture workshop, led by Gary Pecuch, synod staff person for Children, Youth, and Family Ministries. Lunch will be served at 11:45 p.m. (hotdogs, brats, slaw, chips, fruit, cookies); the workshop will begin at 12:15 a.m. and run until 3:00 p.m. Nursery Care will be provided and activities for young children will also be available. I hope you can be with us, for however long you can stay – we need your input.

 

In worship this weekend, our Gospel lesson is a follow-up to last week, when Jesus presented a new interpretation of Scripture. This week is the reaction of his listeners to his new interpretation, which is to try to throw Jesus down a hill. Our lesson points to the necessity of wrestling with Scripture to discern what God may be trying to tell us today.

 

No football (that matters) this weekend, NASCAR doesn't officially start until Valentine's Day – as usual, it's a great time to gather to praise God in worship!

 

In Christ's joy and hope,

Gary

Time for Prayer

Dear People of God in this part of the Kingdom,

 

Did you know that during WWII, Winston Churchill had an advisor who organized a group of people who, at a prescribed hour, dropped what they were doing and spent one minute praying for the safety of England, its people, and for peace throughout the world?

 

I encourage and challenge all of us to join many in our nation who are doing the same thing. Every evening at 9:00 p.m. Eastern Time (8 p.m. Central Time, 7:00 p.m. Mountain Time, 6:00 p.m. Pacific Time), stop what you are doing and spend one minute in prayer with God. Pray for peace in our homes, schools, cities, and for everyone throughout the world. Pray for the safety of our troops. Pray for our national leaders and for the leaders of the world.

 

If you are in the habit of retiring for the evening before 9:00 p.m., then carve out another minute in your day to participate in this prayer.

 

I look forward to joining you in prayer each night!

 

Your prayer partner,

Gary

 

No Choir Rehearsal Tonight Due To Snow

Epiphany Worship

January 6 is the final day of the 12-day Christmas season.

It is the day of EPIPHANY.

It is the celebration of God proclaiming to the

non-Jewish world that the Word had become flesh and blood

and moved into the world in the person of Jesus.

 

It is "the season of light",

marked, in part, by the star that the Magi followed.

 

Join us for a brief service of light, song, and prayer

on Wednesday, January 6, 6:45 p.m.

 

Following the 30-minute worship, we will dismantle the trees

 (chrismons and lights are already down);

bring any left-over Christmas cookies to share.

 

 

It is a new year!

Come together in worship as we

praise God for the blessings of last year

and ask the Lord to guide us

through 2010.