Pastor's Points for January 19th service
In the January 2020 issue of Lutheran Witness, on page 5, I found this interesting tidbit from Dr. Gene Edward Veith, who compiles the “World Views” items in each issue. He writes: “Attendance at movies, sporting events and other entertainment venues is way down. Some restaurants have closed their dining rooms and have switched to take-out only. Americans are increasingly just staying home, preferably by themselves.
“This is especially true of young adults. A study has found that Americans between 18 and 24 spend 70 percent more time at home than the general public. Millennials, aged 23-38, are increasingly deciding that going out to socialize is too much bother. You can do that online, thanks to social media. You can also do your shopping online, work online, and access all the movies and TV shows you could ever want on streaming media. The title of an article on the phenomenon in Quartz by Sarah Todd is telling: ‘Modern Hermits: Why Millennials Never Want to Leave Their Apartment Anymore.’
“Staying at home with your family is one thing, but so much of the so-called ‘cocooning’ trend is being home alone, a purposeful withdrawl from other flesh-and-blood human beings. Perhaps the decline in church attendance has less to do with vast forces of secularism—such as disillusionment with the church and loss of belief—and more with the desire to just stay home.” Some interesting things to think about from Dr. Veith as we seek God’s kingdom here in the year 2020! How might this affect the way we do ministry at Concordia in the future?
This Sunday, January 19, the 2nd Sunday after the Epiphany, we begin a new sermon series called “Managing God’s Gifts.” The biblical teaching of “stewardship” is often misunderstood in the life of the Christian and misapplied in the life of the Church. In “Managing God’s Gifts,” we will explore how stewardship embraces all of life. On Sunday, we will ponder the good management of God’s created order, because “the earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof.” (Psalm 24:1) On January 26, we will explore how we can be good stewards (managers) in our relationships with other people, serving them in our vocations and bearing their burdens. (Galatians 6:2) On February 2, we will consider time as God’s gift to be faithfully managed so that we may “be joyful and . . . do good as long as we live.” (Ecclesiastes 3:12). And finally, on February 9, we will explore how God calls us to manage His good gift of money—which belongs to Him, not to us—in order that we may be cheerful givers. (II Corinthians 9:7)
Order in the Order: Featured this weekend is the OFFERING. In response to the Good News that we just heard in the sermon, we joyfully offer our entire lives in thanksgiving for all God has done for us. We symbolize this giving of our whole self to God through our offering.
Stewardship thought for the week: John 1:29 – “The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, ‘Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!’” The ancient Israelites offered a lamb to God at Passover so that death might pass over them and do no harm. Over those many centuries of sacrifice, did they understand that this was actually God’s gift? Did they understand that God would be the true giver of the true Lamb? Truly, we can never out give God, for all that we have is His.
Including this weekend, we have two Sundays left to make an offering for our Lutheran Heritage Foundation project. In January 2020, our congregation, Salem-Farrar, Trinity-Altenburg and Zion-Crosstown each will be gathering funds to support the Lutheran Heritage Foundation (LHF) publication of The Small Catechism into the Ewe (pronounced U-E) language. Ewe is a Niger-Congo language spoken in Togo and southeastern Ghana by approximately 4.5 million people as a first language, and by a million or so more as a second language. The printing cost for this project is $2,500, which will pay for 5,000 copies. The goal is this: in January 2020, each worshipper at Concordia is challenged to make a $5 offering toward this project. If each worshipper from each of these four congregations makes just one $5 gift, literally thousands of Africans will be able to have Luther’s Small Catechism in their heart language. By working together, our congregations in East Perry County can make a huge, eternal impact for God’s Kingdom. Won’t you prayerfully join this important effort?
Immediately after worship on Sunday, January 26, there will be a short meeting of the elders and their usher teams, to review the procedures and expectations for ushers at Concordia. If you are an usher, please plan to be here for the meeting.
Lutherans for Life life quote: January 19 “As the Church, we are created to stand against evil. We are created to speak truth ... and forgiveness. The truth is that abortion ends the life of a human being, and we should be unwavering in our opposition to it. But that is not the end of the story. We have been given the gift of Christ, and the power of Christ can wash our sins away.” Rev. Troy Tysdal, Church of the Lutheran Brethren – A Life Quote from Lutherans For Life • www.lutheransforlife.org
“This is especially true of young adults. A study has found that Americans between 18 and 24 spend 70 percent more time at home than the general public. Millennials, aged 23-38, are increasingly deciding that going out to socialize is too much bother. You can do that online, thanks to social media. You can also do your shopping online, work online, and access all the movies and TV shows you could ever want on streaming media. The title of an article on the phenomenon in Quartz by Sarah Todd is telling: ‘Modern Hermits: Why Millennials Never Want to Leave Their Apartment Anymore.’
“Staying at home with your family is one thing, but so much of the so-called ‘cocooning’ trend is being home alone, a purposeful withdrawl from other flesh-and-blood human beings. Perhaps the decline in church attendance has less to do with vast forces of secularism—such as disillusionment with the church and loss of belief—and more with the desire to just stay home.” Some interesting things to think about from Dr. Veith as we seek God’s kingdom here in the year 2020! How might this affect the way we do ministry at Concordia in the future?
This Sunday, January 19, the 2nd Sunday after the Epiphany, we begin a new sermon series called “Managing God’s Gifts.” The biblical teaching of “stewardship” is often misunderstood in the life of the Christian and misapplied in the life of the Church. In “Managing God’s Gifts,” we will explore how stewardship embraces all of life. On Sunday, we will ponder the good management of God’s created order, because “the earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof.” (Psalm 24:1) On January 26, we will explore how we can be good stewards (managers) in our relationships with other people, serving them in our vocations and bearing their burdens. (Galatians 6:2) On February 2, we will consider time as God’s gift to be faithfully managed so that we may “be joyful and . . . do good as long as we live.” (Ecclesiastes 3:12). And finally, on February 9, we will explore how God calls us to manage His good gift of money—which belongs to Him, not to us—in order that we may be cheerful givers. (II Corinthians 9:7)
Order in the Order: Featured this weekend is the OFFERING. In response to the Good News that we just heard in the sermon, we joyfully offer our entire lives in thanksgiving for all God has done for us. We symbolize this giving of our whole self to God through our offering.
Stewardship thought for the week: John 1:29 – “The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, ‘Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!’” The ancient Israelites offered a lamb to God at Passover so that death might pass over them and do no harm. Over those many centuries of sacrifice, did they understand that this was actually God’s gift? Did they understand that God would be the true giver of the true Lamb? Truly, we can never out give God, for all that we have is His.
Including this weekend, we have two Sundays left to make an offering for our Lutheran Heritage Foundation project. In January 2020, our congregation, Salem-Farrar, Trinity-Altenburg and Zion-Crosstown each will be gathering funds to support the Lutheran Heritage Foundation (LHF) publication of The Small Catechism into the Ewe (pronounced U-E) language. Ewe is a Niger-Congo language spoken in Togo and southeastern Ghana by approximately 4.5 million people as a first language, and by a million or so more as a second language. The printing cost for this project is $2,500, which will pay for 5,000 copies. The goal is this: in January 2020, each worshipper at Concordia is challenged to make a $5 offering toward this project. If each worshipper from each of these four congregations makes just one $5 gift, literally thousands of Africans will be able to have Luther’s Small Catechism in their heart language. By working together, our congregations in East Perry County can make a huge, eternal impact for God’s Kingdom. Won’t you prayerfully join this important effort?
Immediately after worship on Sunday, January 26, there will be a short meeting of the elders and their usher teams, to review the procedures and expectations for ushers at Concordia. If you are an usher, please plan to be here for the meeting.
Lutherans for Life life quote: January 19 “As the Church, we are created to stand against evil. We are created to speak truth ... and forgiveness. The truth is that abortion ends the life of a human being, and we should be unwavering in our opposition to it. But that is not the end of the story. We have been given the gift of Christ, and the power of Christ can wash our sins away.” Rev. Troy Tysdal, Church of the Lutheran Brethren – A Life Quote from Lutherans For Life • www.lutheransforlife.org
