Surprise! Sunday School is STILL a GREAT idea!

 

Dear Fellow Children of God,

 

Most have heard or read the Mark Twain quote, "When I was a boy of fourteen, my father was so ignorant I could hardly stand to have the old man around. But when I got to be twenty-one, I was astonished at how much he had learned in seven years." Surprise! Dad actually knew something after all!!

 

This week, the Sunday after Labor Day, Sunday School starts up again at St. John, and at many  other Christian congregations.  I know that Sunday School seems like an old idea.  Our parents, and perhaps our grandparents attended Sunday School.  Today there are new ways to learn and new technology. But, guess what?  Surprise! Sunday School is STILL a good idea - a GREAT idea!

 

God tells parents, “Fathers [parents], do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.”  (Ephesians 6:4) Our Lord calls parents to teach their children about our Creator and Savior and Comforter.  God calls parents to train their children in the Lord’s teaching.  And guess what, parents. Sometimes children listen better when someone else teaches them, than when parents teach, or even grandparents teach.  What a wonderful thing to have other believers help children in this task of instruction in God’s Word.

 

God calls each of us to “ . . . grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” (2 Peter 3:18)  Sunday School is not just for children, but adults need to grow in knowledge of God’s Word and of our Savior as well.  Classes are available for adults.

 

God saves people from the death and judgment because of our sin through faith in Jesus as our Savior.  And God tells us that He works saving faith through Scripture, through His Word. Consider Paul’s encouragement to Timothy.  “14 But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, 15 and how from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.” (2 Timothy 3:14-15) So, Paul encourages Timothy, and our Lord calls us to “continue” in the truth of God’s Word. Our Heavenly Father works for our eternal welfare when we gain the wisdom of faith through Scripture.  And, in Sunday School . . . adults and children grow in such saving wisdom by studying the Bible.

 

Sunday school may be an old way of doing things, but, Surprise – Sunday School is still             a good idea! Sunday School is a GREAT idea.  And, guess what?  Sunday School starts this weekend at St. John.  Come join the party!

 

A Child of God, Looking Forward to Seeing God’s Children - Young And Old - Growing in Faith Through Studying God’s Word!

Pastor Jonathan

 

P.S.  Sunday School for all ages starts at St. John this Sunday, September 11, at 9:45 a.m.  Again, COME AND JOIN US!  J

 

P.P.S.  LUTHERAN HOUR MINISTRIES WILL SPONSOR A SPECIAL ALASKAN EVENT on Sunday, September 11, at Beautiful Savior Lutheran Church, 8100 Arctic, in Anchorage.  Here is information on the event and speaker. https://photos.app.goo.gl/gHi6rFJnGXdX5THv8

 

·       Morning worship will be held at Beautiful Savior at 10:30 a.m, for those who wish to attend. Rev. Gregory Seltz, former Lutheran Hour Speaker and current Executive Director of the Lutheran Center for Religious Liberty in Washington D.C. will preach

 

·       Dr. Seltz will then present about the challenges of our church in Today’s World

o   1:30 p.m.         “Christian Confidence When World Views Collide”

o   2:45 p.m.         “Set Free to Live Freely”

o   4:15 p.m.         “Two Kingdoms – One Mission”

 

·       5:15 p.m. Dinner will be served.

 

·       6:30 p.m. WA AK District Business Meeting with Elections will be held

 

·       (Gerry Zellar is the LHM representative for St. John.)

 

P. P.P.S.  Work has begun on the pavilion on the property to the east of the St. John Church building. 

            In about 2000, when St. John was involved in planning for our last building project, architect, Dale Porath, included a pavilion in the master plan drawings.  This pavilion remained in the memory of a number of members and leaders at St. John.

When my dad, Robert E. Rockey, died in 2018, he left a will and a legacy for all five of his children.  My dad was a strong Christian who contributed to God’s church in many ways.  One way is that his children have been leaders and contributors in our Lord’s Church – 3 of his children have served as church workers.  His will was substantial, but my dad’s greatest legacy was his 5 children. 

When Kathy and I received money from my dad’s will we tithed (gave 10%) to St. John.  That money is designated to build the pavilion, and hopefully also do some other projects at St. John as well.

 

·       On Wednesday, August 31, the poles and beams were finally ready for this project.  Here are some pictures.  https://photos.app.goo.gl/MmAcJRVGZqg6j9P5A

 

·       On Tuesday, September 6, Ron Svedin, friend, Don Olstad, and Pastor’s Schultz and Rockey helped construct the roof of the pavilion, which will later be lifted by a crane onto the poles.  Here are some pictures.        https://photos.app.goo.gl/8AZDRz8XEvSvLSwV8

 

P.P.P.P.S.  Fishing for silver salmon is slowing down, in our area at least.  but . . . I still continue to fish.  J

·       On Thursday, September 1, I went fishing by myself for the first time this year.  It was a rainy / sunny day.  All the fish I caught were pretty spawned, so I released them.  Here are some pictures.      https://photos.app.goo.gl/gMzgnD9mN3GAY4Ee9

    

 

·       On Friday, September 2, I went fishing with Herman Griese and friends Damon and Carolyn.  The sun was out (surprise!).  We only caught 1 fish, but here is a picture.    https://photos.app.goo.gl/vinKq8CbUCGnPUFKA

 

 

P.P.P.P.P.S.  Here are some other Father Quotes I found.

·       "I cannot think of any need in childhood as strong as the need for a father's protection." -Sigmund Freud

·       "By the time a man realizes that his father was right, he has a son who thinks he's wrong." -Charles Wadsworth

·       "My father used to say that it's never too late to do anything you wanted to do. And he said, 'You never know what you can accomplish until you try.'"--Michael Jordan

·       "I decided in my life that I would do nothing that did not reflect positively on my father's life."--Sidney Poitier

·       "My father gave me the greatest gift anyone could give another person: he believed in me."--Jim Valvano

 

 

*****

 

ABOUT THIS DEVOTION - I retired at the end of August 2019 from serving as senior pastor of St. John Lutheran Church in Palmer, AK.  I was writing a weekly devotion previously entitled, "Thoughts from the Pastor."  When I retired many asked me to continue writing these devotions.  So I have continued writing.  However, with life's changes I now call this weekly devotion "Journeys Through Life as a Child of God."  Since I am no longer senior pastor at St. John, I felt it right to only send this message to those who asked to receive it.  (Though I am now serving again part-time at St. John as assistant to the pastor.)

        So, if you stopped receiving these devotions and wondered why, now you understand.  And, if you are now receiving these devotions and do not wish to receive them, please let me know, and I’ll gladly remove your name from my distribution list.  My e-mail address is jonrock53@mtaonline.net.

        My prayer is that these devotions help each of you in your daily walk with our Lord, Jesus.

 

                                                                        *******

 

Jonathan Rockey

Child of God

Husband, Father, Son, Grandfather

Pastor Emeritus, St. John Lutheran Church

E-Mail: jonrock53@mtaonline.net

cell phone - 907-841-4066

Home phone - 907-746-5131

 

“1 John 3:1 How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!” (1 John 3:1a)