Who is Your Family?

Dear Fellow Children of God,

 

Who is your family?  That may seem a strange question, but it is a question worth considering.

 

You see, Kathy and I have just finished visiting family in FL.  We spent a lot of time with my dad, and we spent a good amount of time with my brothers and my sister and their families.  We worshiped together, ate together, played together (golfing and fishing).  We rejoiced at the baptism of the newest member of our family, Nathan.  After living 5000 miles away from where my birth family lives, it is a joy to get back together and catch up and enjoy God’s blessings together.  I guess that one answer to my question is that Dad, and David, and Martha, and Stephen, and James, and their families are my family, in Florida at least.

 

In addition Kathy’s brother Pat, and his wife Cindy, and their children Lauren and Michael live in Memphis, TN.  We haven’t been there for a while.  So, that is our Memphis family. I also have cousins and other relatives in New England.  That’s our New England family.

 

I admit that while in Florida we missed our children and grandchildren in Alaska.  After all, Kathy and I are blessed to be parents of four children, Josh, Andy, Mary and Tim.  We love them and miss them when we are away.  And, we have six wonderful grand children in Alaska.  Often when they see us they come running to hug us and tell us what is happening in their lives.  What a joy to be the recipient of such un-conditional love.  So, Josh and Erin, Andy and Justine, Mary and Tim, and Jacob, Jackson, Emma, Kendall, Henry, and Annabelle are our family, in Alaska at least.

 

But, while on vacation I confess to missing another family.  I missed my family at St. John.  Some have told us that because so many people have moved to Alaska from other places that your friends and your church become your family.  Think of the time we get to enjoy together.  We spend time receiving the blessings of love and forgiveness from God in worship and Bible Class.  We grow together and enjoy each other’s company.  We laugh and cry together as we share joys and sorrows.  Have you ever thought as your fellow church members as family?  As I sat in worship last Sunday in Gainesville, FL, I realized I longed to be back worshiping at St. John in Palmer.

 

Actually it is God’s plan that His children live as family.  After all, we all share a Heavenly Father through creation.  And, because Jesus left heaven and became a man to save us, we all share Jesus as our brother through God’s saving work.  Hebrews 2 tells us, “10 In bringing many sons to glory, it was fitting that God, for whom and through whom everything exists, should make the author of their salvation perfect through suffering. 11 Both the one who makes men holy and those who are made holy are of the same family. So Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers.”  (Hebrews 2:10-11)  There is a song which says it well, “We are brothers and sisters in Christ.”

 

Who is your family?  At first you may think of parents and siblings and other extended family.  But, God also expects His children to provide love and compassion, correction and direction, encouragement and support.  We love one another as God has loved us.  I pray that your church family is a blessing to you in this way.

 

A Child of God, Missing ALL my family in Alaska,

Pastor Jonathan

 

P.S.  Here are some family pictures https://plus.google.com/photos/114993745799525883148/albums/6071423818853797569?banner=pwa

 

P.P.S.  Kathy and I are home until April or May.  We hope to attend the graduation of St. John member, Hunter Richards, from Concordia Seminary in St. Louis in May.

 

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ABOUT ‘THOUGHTS FROM THE PASTOR’    I am sending these e-mail messages, hopefully weekly, to all St. John members and friends whose e-mails I have.  (I am always adding new names of friends and members – in case you are just receiving this e-mail for the first time.)  However, if you don’t want to receive this e-mail, please let me know, and I’ll gladly leave your name off my list for this message. . . Or, if you know someone who would like to receive one of these e-mails, please send me their e-mail address.

 

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Are you Ready for Jesus?

Dear Fellow Children of God,

 

Many have asked about my moose hunt this year.  Gerry Zellar and I again hunted together where he has hunted for over 30 years, and where I have joined him for the last 22 years.  Every year I use a list to prepare for my hunting trip.  I hope to bring the right clothes, the right food, the right guns and ammunition, knives and game bags.  Some of these items I know to bring because I’ve forgotten them in the past.  But, each year I update my list so I’m prepared for camping in the Alaska fall and prepared for a chance to harvest a moose for my family.

 

I did not harvest a moose this year, but I saw plenty.  The moose I saw would eat in the meadows and eat and drink in the pond where we hunt.  They often came to my call.  I saw cow moose come in pairs and individually to the pond we hunt.  I called a cow and a calf so close that I had to move from where I was calling.  I even saw a cow followed by a young bull.  But his antlers were bigger than a spike or a fork, yet smaller than 50”.  He had only one brow tine per side.  Therefore, this bull was not legal.  So, we camped, we hunted, we ate and did some exploring.  We read and did devotions together.  We cut a new trail and solved the problems of the world.  But, I never even shot my gun because I never saw a legal moose . . . in camp at least.

 

You see, while we were driving to camp together, a little south of Cantwell, I looked to my right and saw a bull moose walking down to a small lake.  This was a big bull.  His antlers extended far beyond both sides of his body.  I put my binoculars on him and couldn’t count the brow tines because there were so many.  As we stopped our vehicle the bull walked down to the lake and drank.  He looked up at us and started walking through the water.  He was actually no further away than other moose I have shot. 

 

But, was the area where we were seeing this moose legal for hunting?  There are areas along the Parks Highway where it has illegal to shoot within a certain distance of the highway.  There are areas where a person is traveling through a park, or through private land, so it is illegal to shoot.  I have always wanted to shoot a trophy moose.  I had my gun and this large bull was in right front of me.  But was this area legal to harvest moose?

 

We got out our regulations and tried to figure out where we were in game management unit 13A. We searched the regulations for the map that would indicate if this area was legal to hunt.  As we did so this large bull moose walked through the lake and then quietly up into the hills.  I knew the regulations for moose camp and was prepared to hunt there.  But I did not know and was not prepared for seeing a moose outside our little corner of the woods.  So, because I was not prepared I missed my opportunity.  Former ADFG biologist and St. John member, Herman Griese, later speculated that this large bull moose might have wandered out of Denali National Park.

 

There are plenty of times in Scripture when God calls us to be prepared or ready.  In 1 Peter 3:15 we are called to “always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.”  The reason for our hope is Jesus.  Are you prepared to share your hope?

 

But, perhaps the most common and urgent plea of our Lord is to be ready when He will come again.  “So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.”  (Matthew 24:44)  It sounds like that moose.  If I had seen this bull in moose camp I would have expected him.  But he came when I didn’t expect it, so I was not prepared.  I could have studied the regulations more.  Better yet, I could have hired a guide whose job it is to know the area and the regulations.  But I didn’t.  If we are unprepared in life, as I was in this instance, what makes us think we will be prepared for Jesus?  That is an important question. 

 

In all honesty, being prepared for Judgment Day is not something we do on our own.  We all fail God and deserve punishment rather than eternal life.  It is Jesus who cleanses us and prepares us for eternity with God.  But, Jesus is not just our guide who points the way and gives information.  Jesus has taken the punishment we deserve for our sin and risen from the dead.  Having a guide would have helped me in my hunt.  When we believe in Jesus God gives eternal life as a gift. 

 

I thought I was ready for moose hunting, but I was not as prepared as I thought.  I did not know the regulations and didn’t hire a guide. Are you ready for when Jesus returns?  “Am I trusting the saving love and forgiveness of my Lord?  Am I following Jesus and serving Him?”  It is Jesus alone whose forgiveness and love prepares us for when He will come again.

 

A Child of God, Thankful that Jesus prepares us, even when we have failed,

Pastor Jonathan

 

 

P.S.  Here are a couple of moose pictures from this year’s hunting trip.  https://plus.google.com/photos/114993745799525883148/albums/6068587623660968449?banner=pwa

 

 

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ABOUT ‘THOUGHTS FROM THE PASTOR’    I am sending these e-mail messages, hopefully weekly, to all St. John members and friends whose e-mails I have.  (I am always adding new names of friends and members – in case you are just receiving this e-mail for the first time.)  However, if you don’t want to receive this e-mail, please let me know, and I’ll gladly leave your name off my list for this message. . . Or, if you know someone who would like to receive one of these e-mails, please send me their e-mail address.

 

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How do We Use our Permanent Funds?

Dear Fellow Children of God,

 

The story is told of a new pastor in a Christian church.  The pastor preached about the evil of drunkenness and one lady, a long time member, slapped him on the back on the way out of church as she said.  “Way to go, Pastor!.  That’s just what we needed to hear!”  Then the next Sunday he spoke on the troubles of drugs and the lady thanked him again.  “Good job, Pastor, keep it up!”  The following week the pastor shared with his congregation about the importance of marriage and family, and the lady seemed ecstatic as she greeted the pastor after worship.  However, during worship the following week the pastor preached on Christian finances and tithing.  On the way out of church on this Sunday the elderly lady frowned and shook her head as she saw the pastor.  “Watch what you preach about, Pastor.  You’re getting personal.”

 

So, even understanding the danger of bringing up the topic of money I will risk asking, “What are you doing with your permanent fund dividend?”  I did notice our Alaska permanent funds were deposited on Thursday.  It was nice to see 2 deposits for $1884.00 in our savings account.   

I will share with you what Kathy and I do.  Perhaps this can help you as you at least think about how to use your Permanent Funds. 

 

Kathy and I try to treat our permanent funds the way we treat all God’s blessings.  God teaches lessons that help us in using managing our resources.  First, according to God’s Word, everything we have really isn’t ours, it is God’s.  Psalm 24:1 says, “The earth is the LORD's, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it.”  The Lord made the world.  He made me.  Everything we might call our own really belongs to God.

 

Long time St. John member June Liebing is now in The Pioneer Home.  June was born in Sitka in 1921.  Her family moved to King Lake in Wasilla (named after her dad, Clyde King) in 1932.  But at this time every year June stood up after worship to speak.  June would say, “God made the earth.  The oil is in the earth.  The oil belongs to God.  My permanent fund is a gift from God.  I encourage you to give to the Lord from this gift from God.”  That sounds like Psalm 24 to me!

 

Someone might ask, “God wants me to live, so how much do I use for God?”  There can be a misunderstanding with this question.  God doesn’t want part of what we have.  Matthew 22:37 says, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.”  God wants us to live for him with all that we are and all that we have.   We serve God as we care for our families.  We love God as we live as faithful citizens.  We even serve God in our rest and leisure time.  Then, God also calls His people to give tithes and offerings from the plenty with which He blesses us.  In the Bible these offerings help support a place of worship and honoring God; these offerings support workers; and they support mission work and help for the needy. 

 

God teaches giving that reflects how we have been blessed (1 Corinthians 16:1), or proportionate offerings.  God also calls for offerings that are from our first fruits and are sacrificial. The proportion most often mentioned in Scripture is the tithe, or 10%.  Actually, in Malachi 3, God calls for tithes and offerings.

 

However, the most important principle God teaches about giving is that giving to the Lord and His work should be done cheerfully.  After all, if God made the world and has richly blessed us, aren’t we filled with thanks?  But, even more, God gave His Son so we might have life rather than death.  In 2 Corinthians 8:9 we are told, “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.”  Jesus became poor so we might have the riches of heaven.  That is why in the next chapter we are told, “God loves a CHEERFUL giver!” It is a joy to give for the work of the Lord who sent His Son for us!

 

With this in mind, Kathy and I tithe off our salaries to St. John.  We give 10% to our home congregation, and then we give other offerings.  For example, we give regularly to Christian ministries like Alaska Mission for Christ, Compassion International, St. John Church work students, and Heartreach Crisis Pregnancy Center.  We also give to Lutheran Hour Ministries, world missions, Victory Bible Camp, Soar Ministries, Salvation Army, and others.  In addition, we sometimes give to USO, VFW, March of Dimes, Special Olympics, local sports teams and others.  We use the gifts God gives to serve Him because of whose we are and who we are.

 

So, when it comes to our Permanent Fund Dividends we do the same thing we do with our salaries.  We donate 10% to our home congregation.  In fact, even though Kathy and I are out of town we already have a check written for $376.80.  How about you?

 

I’m told a person doesn’t want to visit Walmart or Costco on the day that Permanent Fund Dividends are distributed, because these stores are overrun with customers.  That’s quite a response!  How many Alaskans will return to the Lord who gives us all good things?

 

A Child of God, Thankful for the Blessings Generosity of my Lord,

Pastor Jonathan

 

 

P.S.  Next week I’ll share a story about this year’s moose hunting.

 

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ABOUT ‘THOUGHTS FROM THE PASTOR’    I am sending these e-mail messages, hopefully weekly, to all St. John members and friends whose e-mails I have.  (I am always adding new names of friends and members – in case you are just receiving this e-mail for the first time.)  However, if you don’t want to receive this e-mail, please let me know, and I’ll gladly leave your name off my list for this message. . . Or, if you know someone who would like to receive one of these e-mails, please send me their e-mail address.

 

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When Eternal life is Sure we are Strengthened to Love

LWML SUNDAY will be Sunday, October 5.  On this day we will celebrate the ministry our Lord has accomplished through the ladies of our church in The Lutheran Women’s Missionary League.  The quilts will be out for worship on that day.

 

PERMANENT FUNDS Soon Alaskans will receive their permanent fund checks again.  For many years members have been asked to consider at least tithing from their permanent funds toward the work of the Lord at St. John. 

Many of you remember Pioneer Alaskan June Liebing standing up in worship and saying, “God made the earth.  The oil is in the earth.  My permanent fund is a gift from God.  I encourage you to give to the Lord from this gift from God.”  (June is now in the Pioneer Home.)

Please consider returning to the Lord as He has blessed you with this permanent fund.  

 

SPIRITUAL GIFTS CLASS – A new class begins on October 19 during the Sunday School hour. This class on spiritual gifts will last 13 sessions and comes from Stephen Ministry.  One unique feature of this class is that it does not just study about spiritual gifts.  This class helps students learn where and how to put their gifts to use.  Please consider attending.

 

A SUNDAY OF THANKS AND RESPONSE, October 26 – Sunday, October 26 will be “A Sunday of Thanks and Response.” On this day St. John members will consider God’s many blessings in their lives and share their plans to support God’s work in the coming year. 

            After this special worship service there will be a special meal.  This meal of barbeque, beans, slaw, corn bread, and peach cobbler will be served after the late worship service. 

            Plan now to attend worship on this Sunday and enjoy this special meal.

SUNDAY SCHOOL STARTED Sunday September 7.  Plan now for your children or grandchildren to attend Sunday School, or to attend an adult class yourself.

Sunday School opening begins in the sanctuary at 9:45 a.m., after early worship and before late worship.  Classes continue until 10:45 a.m.  The Following classes are offered on Sunday mornings:

·         Wooly Lambs, for children ages 18 months – 3 years.  They meet 10 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.  A parent or adult is asked to attend with the child.

 

·         Preschool – Cindi Payne is teaching this class for those not yet in kindergarten. 

 

·         Sunday School Classes – Ages kindergarten through 5^th grade.  The classes are separated by ages and children study lessons from the Bible.

 

·         Middle School and High School Youth Classes -   Middle School has met in the Fellowship Hall, and high school classes have met in the Youth Building.  Rebecca Kopperud is teaching Middle School Classes and the Wernings are teaching High School Classes.

 

·         Adult Classes -  These classes meet in various locations around the church.  I know it would be a blessing to you and your family if you grew in adult classes while your children were   This Fall the Adult Classes that will be offered include

·         “The Greatest Question Ever”      Linda Griese and Kathy Rockey teach this video based class recommended by Mark Prieksat.  Regular Adult Bible Class attendees, and especially young adults are encouraged to attend.

·         Genesis      Jim Summers teaches this class.

·         There is not a Women’s Bible Class planned at this time.

I pray you and your children growing through worship and Sunday School at St. John at these opportunities on Sunday mornings.

 

 

OTHER OPPORTUNITIES FOR GROWTH AND SERVICE

 

LWML – The Lutheran Women’s Missionary League meets on the second Tuesday of each month at 7:00 p.m.  This group of ladies meets to grow and serve.  They also support worldwide missions through mites and other efforts.  All women in the community are welcome to attend!!

 

PROMISE KEEPERS MEN’S BIBLE STUDY AND PRAYER GROUP begins on Tuesday night, October 21 at 7:30 p.m.  This group is open to all men of the congregation and provides a time of sharing, support, Bible Study and prayer.

            This year we will start by either study the study “Mormons”  These studies come from Lutheran Hour Ministries.

            All men of the congregation are encouraged to join us for this time of growth and support!

 

QUILTING  -  Ladies of St. John have gathered for many decades to quilt and then donate these quilts to the needy, especially through Lutheran World Relief.  These ladies gather in the church Fellowship Hall at 9:30 a.m. each Wednesday morning.  Come and join them.

 

LIFELIGHT BIBLE CLASSES have been held on Wednesday noons for about 21 years.  A group of St. John members and friends meet at noon to study God’s Word and share pot luck lunch.  This year we will start studying the Gospel of Luke.  Class starts on October 22 at noon this year. 

 

CONFIRMATION CLASSES begins again on Wednesday, October 22, for those in grades 6-8 on Wednesdays beginning at 2:45 p.m.  These classes help our young people grow in Christian faith as young men and women of God.  All those in grades 6-8 are invited to attend.

An important meeting of Confirmation Students and parents will be held after late service Sunday, October 19 to prepare for this year’s classes.   Hopefully all confirmation families will be able to attend.

 

SENIOR CHOIR has met for many years on Wednesday evenings.  At this time plans are still being made for choir this year.  Talk to Sara Guhl if you have a desire to sing or help.  You can reach Sara at 250-5995.

 

FRIDAY NIGHT BIBLE CLASS meets at 7:00 in the cry room on Fridays before the first and third Sundays.  This group has met for almost 30 years, and the class is not only a time of studying God’s Word but encouragement and fellowship.  Come and join!

 

WEDNESDAY WORSHIP continues.  These Wednesday worship services focus on the readings and themes of the coming Sunday.  These services are intended to provide an alternative service for those who cannot attend worship on a Sunday, or an extra worship service for those who wish another opportunity for growth and fellowship and worship.  Come and join us at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday evening! 

 

 

WE THOUGHT WE WERE SIGNED UP – NOW WE ARE SIGNED UP!  FRED MEYER OPPORTUNITY – There is a new ‘Community Rewards Program’ at Fred Meyer which allows people to designate matching rewards dollars for their purchases.   Many have a rewards card which gives them cash rebates at the end of each quarter.  For those who sign up, Fred Meyer will now not only give the rewards to the individual customer, but also match those rewards to a non-profit of that customer’s choice.  So, you can sign up, not only to receive rebates when you purchase groceries and other supplies, you can also benefit our congregation with your rewards.  Here is the link to begin the process.

http://www.fredmeyer.com/company_information/FM_Community/Pages/community_rewards.aspx

 

 

 

 

 

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DID YOU KNOW THAT MUCH INFORMATION ABOUT ST. JOHN is available on our church website?  On our web page you can find sermons, newsletters, and these weekly devotions.  The link is:  http://www.stjohnpalmer.org

In fact, IF YOU WANT TO RECEIVE YOUR MONTHLY CHURCH NEWSLETTER BY E-MAIL please e-mail Judy Stahancyk and let her know.  You can call at 745-3338, or e-mail Judy at judy@stjohnpalmer.org. If you receive the newsletter by e-mail it saves printing, postage, and time compiling the newsletter.  Also, you receive the monthly newsletter more quickly!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Faith and Rest in the Lord

Dear Fellow Children of God,

 

This week I’ll be leaving on vacation to go moose hunting.  Yes, a busy fall schedule is upon us.  There are also people and members about whom I am concerned.  I will be praying for them and other concerns on my heart as I wait beside the pond for the moose to appear.  There are some ways in which it is always difficult to leave.

 

However, I also believe what God teaches about the Sabbath.  We actually talked about this in the Church Council meeting this past Sunday night.  Have you read the verses about Sabbath and rest?

·         Exodus 20:8 "Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. 9 Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your manservant or maidservant, nor your animals, nor the alien within your gates.

 

·         Matthew 11:28 "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.

 

·         Mark 6: 31 Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, "Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest." 32 So they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place.

 

God calls us to rest in Him.  We can rest because we believe anything really important is accomplished, not by our work, but by God.  We take a day each week to rest in the Lord because we need the Lord and His people in our lives.  But we also take time to rest because we trust Him.  We trust that even when we don’t work, it is God who accomplishes the good we need in life.  Because rest comes from God, I’m not only going hunting, but I’ll also be spending time reading Scripture, and praying, and spending time talking about God’s Word with others in camp. 

 

There is another way God gives rest.  Has your heart ever been troubled because of worries?  Did you ever have trouble sleeping?  Did you ever groan with regret over something you should not have done or said?  In Jesus God forgives our sins and guilt.  He forgives the things that keep us awake.  That is why Jesus says, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.

 

May you find rest in God’s love, and take time to rest and let the Lord bless you.

 

A Child of God, Taking Time to Rest in the Lord,

Pastor Jonathan

 

 

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ABOUT ‘THOUGHTS FROM THE PASTOR’    I am sending these e-mail messages, hopefully weekly, to all St. John members and friends whose e-mails I have.  (I am always adding new names of friends and members – in case you are just receiving this e-mail for the first time.)  However, if you don’t want to receive this e-mail, please let me know, and I’ll gladly leave your name off my list for this message. . . Or, if you know someone who would like to receive one of these e-mails, please send me their e-mail address.

 

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Lord Help me Love OTHERS . . . the way my dog loves me!

Dear Fellow Children of God,

 

Have you seen the bumper sticker which somewhat sarcastically displays the prayer, “Lord, help me to be the person my dog thinks I am.”? It is interesting how loyal a dog can be and how close people can get to their dogs. 

 

Unfortunately this past week we needed to put our pet yellow lab of 14 ½ years to sleep.  This was not easy.  Susitna, or Sue, has grown with our family.  She would chase a ball till her legs fell off.  She would curl up with a child or our cat.  Sue would nuzzle a person to get some attention and her ear scratched.  She greeted the neighbors with a bark, and a welcome. 

 

And perhaps best of all Sue loved to go fishing.  She would go in a boat on the river and fish for salmon, or run along the bank.  Sue would curl up in the bottom of the canoe to go trout fishing.  She would run to various lakes and spend time on the ice exploring the woods and waiting for a fish to be caught. 

 

I remember the night on Sheep Creek that my son, Josh, and I were fishing and Sue bit the lure as it was cast.  A king salmon also chomped down on my hand with its teeth that night as I took the fish out of the net and released it back in the water.  So, that’s the night ‘I caught a dog and got bit by a fish.’  (Ahem)

 

Perhaps you can tell that Sue and I had a special relationship.  She would listen to me where she wouldn’t listen to others.  She would follow me wherever I went if she could.  That’s why it was difficult to take her to the veterinarian on Tuesday.  But, Sue had gotten to a point where she had trouble standing.  Sometimes she fell and couldn’t get up.  She had multiple other health problems including frequent bleeding.  After visiting the doctor we came to believe that it was the kindest thing to do to stop her suffering.

 

It was not an easy day.  Susitna, Sue, had brought the love of a dog to so much of our family.  I had multiple family members tell me they were praying for me.  When others heard of the events of the day I had many, many, expressions of sympathy.  Others told me they had been led to tears.

 

So, while dogs and other animals are part of God’s good creation, the love He calls for is love for Himself and love for our neighbors.  In Matthew 22:37-39 we are told, 37 Jesus replied: "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'  We love our pets and animals.  Do we love God and do we love other people as well? 

 

I was amazed, not so much at my difficulty, but with the outpouring of sympathy and concern.  If only we showed love and compassion to each other in this way, imagine how much sweeter life would be.  Amazingly, God sent His Son from heaven to earth and has loved us sacrificially.  Maybe the prayer on the bumper sticker should read, “Lord, let me love others the way my dog loves me.”

 

 

 

 

A Child of God, Thankful for the simple love of pet.

Pastor Jonathan

 

P.S. Here are some pictures of Susitna throughout the years. https://plus.google.com/photos/114993745799525883148/albums/6058458981843461601

 

 

 

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ABOUT ‘THOUGHTS FROM THE PASTOR’    I am sending these e-mail messages, hopefully weekly, to all St. John members and friends whose e-mails I have.  (I am always adding new names of friends and members – in case you are just receiving this e-mail for the first time.)  However, if you don’t want to receive this e-mail, please let me know, and I’ll gladly leave your name off my list for this message. . . Or, if you know someone who would like to receive one of these e-mails, please send me their e-mail address.

 

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Church AND Home, Helping Children Grow in Knowledge and Faith in God

Dear Fellow Children of God,

 

A number of people I know have suffered from colds recently.  So, how do you treat a hoarse voice and a sore throat?  If you visit a doctor you may be given a prescription for an antibiotic.  You could go to the store and buy some mouthwash or some throat lozenges.  Or, you could gargle with salt water.  Salt water is not a new idea.  I’ve used this remedy since I was a child.  I think my parents did, and probably generations before them.  But just because gargling with salt water is an old technique does not mean it is not effective.  Sometimes old fashioned ideas continue to be used because they work.

 

This Sunday, the first Sunday after Labor Day, Sunday School starts up again at St. John, and I’m sure at many other congregations as well.  For many Sunday School may seem to be old fashioned, an idea of a different era.  And it is.  But, even though Sunday School may be an old idea it still works. 

 

Children and adults will meet between worship services to attend classes to learn about God and His Word.  Students will have an opportunity to learn that God loves them so much that He sent His Son to sacrifice Himself to forgive us and save us.  Children and adults will consider God’s direction for our lives.  Meeting with other believers for support and encouragement helps us to grow and persevere as children of God.

 

Throughout Scripture God calls parents and believers to help children to grow in knowledge and faith in God.

 

In Deuteronomy 6 God says, “6 These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. 7 Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.”

 

In Proverbs 22 godly parents are told, “6 Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.”

 

In Mark 10 Jesus says, 14 . . . "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.”

 

In Ephesians 6 Christians are instructed, “4 Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.”

 

Sunday School is one way that parents can help their children grow in knowledge about God and His love.  So, I encourage each of you to make sure your children and grandchildren are in Sunday School this week.

 

However, please notice that each of these verses above talks about faith in the home.  It is important that parents don’t just drop their children off at Sunday School, but that children see parents growing in God’s love and using God’s word for strength and guidance in their lives.  It is one thing to take children to Sunday School.  It is another to model what is taught with our own lives. 

So, I hope that all of you are in worship and in Sunday School and Bible class this Sunday. I also pray that you take what you learn home with you.

 

A Child of God, Praying that St. John Children are Growing in God’s love, at church and at home,

Pastor Jonathan

 

 

 

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ABOUT ‘THOUGHTS FROM THE PASTOR’    I am sending these e-mail messages, hopefully weekly, to all St. John members and friends whose e-mails I have.  (I am always adding new names of friends and members – in case you are just receiving this e-mail for the first time.)  However, if you don’t want to receive this e-mail, please let me know, and I’ll gladly leave your name off my list for this message. . . Or, if you know someone who would like to receive one of these e-mails, please send me their e-mail address.

 

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