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Sunday, September 1
Greeter: EJ & Erin Gonser Reader: Rachel Delamater Communion Assistant: Heidi C. & Carol J. Counters: Needed Sunday, September 8 Greeter: Walt Dryden Reader: Vic Ball Communion Assistant: Debbie S. & Sharann R. Counters: Needed Sunday, September 15 Greeter: Patty & Keith Grover Reader: Patty Grover Communion Assistant: Heidi C. & Carol J. Counters: Needed Sunday, September 22 Greeter: Tarynn Booker Reader: Sharann Ratka Communion Assistant: Debbie S. & Sharann R. Counters: Needed Sunday, September 29 Greeter: EJ & Erin Gonser Reader: Kathy Delamater Communion Assistant: Heidi C. & Carol J. Counters: Needed I cant believe that its almost fall again and that as I write this kids are getting ready to go back to school. We did our school supply shopping last week and will do the back to school clothes shopping in a few days. It feels like we were just preparing for the school year to end and now its all starting back up. That of course means that activities at church will be starting up again. Sunday school, our 3 choirs, and both Bible studies. September really is one of the most active times of the year. It reminds me of a well loved and oft recited Bile reading from the old testament.
Ecclesiastes 3 There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens: a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build, a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance, a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing, a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away, a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak, a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace. Its a reminder to us that theses seasons of life keep going. Fall will leave only to come back again. It also seems that each cycle of the seasons goes quicker than the last. Perhaps this can serve as a reminder that there is no time like the present to get involved. With things resuming and restarting now is the time to get involved. To participate in bible study, help with Sunday school, be a deacon, reader, communion assistant, participate in youth group, the women's group or LYMA. This is the season to join in. I invite you to consider finding a new way to participate in Church. There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens: make this the season of renewed participation Peace, Jamie Sunday, August 4
Greeter: EJ & Erin Gonser Reader: Rachel Delamater Communion Assistant: Heidi C. & Carol J. Counters: Needed Sunday, August 11 Greeter: Walt Dryden Reader: Vic Ball Communion Assistant: Debbie S. & Sharann R. Counters: Needed Sunday, August 18 Greeter: Patty & Keith Grover Reader: Patty Grover Communion Assistant: Heidi C. & Carol J. Counters: Needed Sunday, August 25 Greeter: Tarynn Booker Reader: Jackie Kuntz Communion Assistant: Debbie S. & Sharann R. Counters: Needed What do you look forward to in the summer? The warm weather? More opportunities to go outside? Do you like to take vacations during the summer months? Do you plan family activities? Do you simply find more time for rest and relaxation? The summer has a reputation as a time of R&R. It begins in many ways with the celebrations that happen on Memorial day, it’s punctuated with the festivities of the 4th of July and it ends with one final celebration of Veterans. I often find myself with the expectation of finding more time to relax during the summer but I never seem to. The reason for that is that a funny thing has happened in the world of the Church which is that it has become a time for the most faith development among our youth. The two main reasons for that are the national youth gathering and Lutheran outdoor ministries (LOM).
Every three years the youth from Lutheran churches across the world gather together, this year it was in New Orleans. Almost 20,000 youth joined together in worship, service, and hanging out just being kids together. In all of that they grew in their relationship with and understanding of God. By all accounts it was an amazing experience that lasted just about a week but will be remembered for a lifetime. Lutheran outdoor ministries is the collection of Camps and retreat centers that are a part of the Lutheran Church. It includes 118 outdoor ministry sites,88 outdoor ministry organizations, 675 full time staff 4,000 summer staff 2,000 year round volunteers 30,000 acres of land 150,000 summer campers 275,000 fall/winter/spring campers and retreat guests. Here in western New York LCLC is our LOM camp and retreat center. It truly is staggering how many youth (and adults) spend a week immersed in camp and living out their faith. Sometimes we may wonder “where are the youth”, we often don't see them engaging in the Church, in worship life the way we grown ups usually do. The reality is that they are with us, they are part of the church, they are growing in their faith. They are simply doing so in a way that we might not notice, that we might not be tuned into. So I always think I’ll find some time to relax but instead I find myself running, joking, praying, playing and worshiping with our youth as they grow in their faith. I think it can be a reminder for all of us that the summer is also a time where we can grow in our faith too. By exploring God’s creation, by having time to rest and listen for the still small voice of God and by being able to truly remember the sabbath and keep it holy. As it says in 1st Thessalonians 16 Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. May the Summer be an opportunity to do just that. Peace, Pastor Jamie The staff at LCLC has gathered together and begun their training to care for and teach the many children who will take part in Summer camp. JJ and Sam are both a part of the staff this year which is a good sign that we are doing our part supporting young leaders in the Church. Both Elma and Lancaster have supported these two along their journey. One part of staff training is building lines of communication between the staff. Helping them to work together as well as possible so that they can do the best Job possible. I think that we can all agree that communication is a fundamental part of the human experience and plays a role in the highs and lows of our lives. How many workplace struggles are a result of challenging communication. You can even see this play out on the sidelines of a football game when Allen and Diggs started arguing on the sidelines this year you could tell that the end was near for Diggs time in Buffalo. Again communication is fundamental to all the things we do with others. With that being said we need to remember that communication is also central to our relationship with God and the living out of our call. Jesus spoke often about prayer and regularly attempted to find time to pray. It was Jesus who taught us how to pray.
Matthew 6: 5-13 “And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. “This, then, is how you should pray:“‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.’ In prayer we can bring our hopes and fears to God. We can seek guidance, or direction. Through our prayer we offer forgiveness and seek forgiveness. It is not a performance, we don’t need to use specific words or phrases, we simply tank to God, and listen with our hearts. It is also something that we develop and grow in, just as any communication in any relationship. I encourage you to pray daily, to grow in your prayer life to find new ways to pray. At both Elma and Lancaster we will be offering a new way to pray and join in the prayers of the Church. We will have magnet boards (the Narthex at Elma, the Memorial lounge at Lancaster)and index cards, simply write a prayer concern or celebration on a card and put it on the board. They will be collected during the passing of the peace and read as one of the prayer petitions. When you hear “Lord in your mercy” and respond with “hear our prayer” you will know that it is your prayer being uplifted with the others. Again grow in your communication with God, pray without ceasing. Peace, Pastor Jamie Sunday, July 7
Greeter: EJ & Erin Gonser Reader: Kathy Delamater Communion Assistant: Heidi C. & Carol J. Counters: Needed Sunday, July 14 Greeter: Walt Dryden Reader: Vic Ball Communion Assistant: Debbie S. & Sharann R. Counters: Needed Sunday, July 21 Greeter: Patty & Keith Grover Reader: Patty Grover Communion Assistant: Heidi C. & Carol J. Counters: Needed Sunday, July 28 Greeter: Tarynn Booker Reader: Sharann Ratka Communion Assistant: Debbie S. & Sharann R. Counters: Needed Sunday, June 2
Greeter: Tarynn Booker Reader: Sharann Ratka Communion Assistant: Debbie S. & Sharann R. Counters: Needed Sunday, June 9 Greeter: EJ & Erin Gonser Reader: Rachel Delamater Communion Assistant: Heidi C. & Carol J. Counters: Needed Sunday, June 16 Greeter: Walt Dryden Reader: Vic Ball Communion Assistant: Debbie S. & Sharann R. Counters: Needed Sunday, June 23 Greeter: Patty & Keith Grover Reader: Patty Grover Communion Assistant: Heidi C. & Carol J. Counters: Needed Sunday, June 30 Greeter: Tarynn Booker Reader: Jackie Kuntz Communion Assistant: Debbie S. & Sharann R. Counters: Needed I’ve really been enjoying our Thursday afternoon Bible Study. We have been going through the book of Isaiah, a book which we read often enough in Church, but often outside of its original context. Isaiah was written over time between about 700-530 BC. There was great conflict going on in the Middle East and the Jewish people were right in the middle of it. The regional superpower kept changing and each new power brought with it new fears for the Kingdom of Judah and the city of Jerusalem in particular. First The Assyrian empire conquered the cities around Jerusalem and laid siege to it. There was fear of conquest and the Assyrians stripped the monetary wealth from the city. Eventually they were delivered from the threat of the Assyrians and they maintained their independence. Roughly 100 years later the superpower was the Babylonians who did succeed in taking over Jerusalem they installed a puppet government and the nation was only nominally independent. About 20 years later that all changed, the people of Jerusalem revolted but their revolt failed. Babylon destroyed Jerusalem, leveled the temple of Solomon, and forcibly relocated tens of thousands of Jewish people. Then in the 530’s the Persians became the new superpower and they helped to rebuild the Temple in Jerusalem and let the Jewish people return home, they were free to go home and worship God as they saw fit. Quite a turbulent time without a doubt and throughout it all the book of Isaiah was being written. Offering warnings, hope, comfort and Guidance about how to live as Gods people during all this fear, uncertainty and upheaval. The Book starts with a warning that the nation had lost it’s way, a warning that losing it way could result in destruction at the hands of ther Assrians, and that the nation needed to return to God.
Isaiah 1 1 The vision of Isaiah son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah. 2 Hear, O heavens, and listen, O earth, for the Lord has spoken: I reared children and brought them up, but they have rebelled against me. 3 The ox knows its owner and the donkey its master’s crib, but Israel does not know; my people do not understand. 4 Woe, sinful nation, people laden with iniquity, offspring who do evil, children who corruptly, who have forsaken the Lord, who have despised the Holy One of Israel, who are utterly estranged! It feels as pertinent now as it did then. The Middle East continues to be a land of turmoil and war. Currently Israel and Palestine are in the midst of a heated conflict and the civilian population of Palestine is suffering and dying. I feel as if Isaiah would have a word or two to share with Israel. A call to return to the LORD to end their iniquity, to not deal corruptly with others. To me Israel seems to be a nation that has lost it’s way and many Palestinian civilians are dying as a result. The conflict is boiling over across the globe and in our nation too. Supporters of Israel are clashing with supporters of Palestine and its ugly all around. This is why I’m drawn to Isaiah, because it was written in a time like this and can be of particular guidance in such times. Listen to the Lord, deal Justly with others, show them mercy, do not conform to the ways of the world returning evil for evil but seek out God’s way. When the Assyrians were approaching King Hezekiah returned the people to worshiping God and they were not destroyed. I pray for such leadership today, not to avoid conquest because today it is Israel who stands as conqueror but rather so they do not lose themselves morally. May God’s Justice prevail may we all return to the LORD Peace, Pastor Jamie Sunday, May 5
Greeter: Tarynn Booker Reader: Sharann Ratka Communion Assistant: Debbie S. & Sharann R. Counters: Needed Sunday, May 12 Greeter: EJ & Erin Gonser Reader: Kathy Delamater Communion Assistant: Heidi C. & Carol J. Counters: Needed Sunday, May 19 Greeter: Walt Dryden Reader: Vic Ball Communion Assistant: Debbie S. & Sharann R. Counters: Needed Sunday, May 26 Greeter: Patty & Keith Grover Reader: Patty Grover Communion Assistant: Heidi C. & Carol J. Counters: Needed |
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August 2024
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