Musicians Wanted!

Last Sunday, we had a multi-instrumental arrangement of one of the hymns. Since it worked out so well, we're planning on having a multi-instrumental hymn once a month for the next few months, and we would like to have you share your special talents with us! If you play an instrument (any and all instruments are welcome!), please let Pastor Jon know, and he'll get you copies of the planned songs. All the hymns are from With One Voice. The dates lined up so far are February 12th, March 19th, April 16th, May 21st or 28th, and June 11th.

Sermon Text for January 29, 2023 - "New Year, New Direction: Doing Justice, Loving Kindness, and Walking Humbly with God"

 “New Year, New Direction: 

Doing Justice, Loving Kindness, and Walking Humbly with God”

January 29, 2023

 

            Dear brothers and sisters, grace and peace be to you from God our Father, and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, Amen.

            I’d actually like to go back to one of our Readings from last week, and talk about what God says through the Prophet Amos in chapter 3 verse 3: “Do two walk together unless they have agreed to do so?” Where that actually starts is with God. Each one of us are sharing a life and walking together with God. We are all walking with God in different ways, but we are still walking with God. One of the many promises He made to us in Baptism, as we were reminded last week, was that He would always be with us throughout every moment of our lives – and He still is. Also, last week, as Josie and Liana were baptized, and Tish was received as a new member, we together made a commitment to support them as they continued to grow in their faith in God and lives as Christians. It was also a reminder that, even as we made those promises for Josie, Liana, and Tish, we have also made those promises to each other. 

            And you’ve probably noticed that, for the past few weeks, I’ve been talking a lot about our life together as a church family. Well, there’s a reason for that: the beginning of this year is a perfect time for us to be thinking about what direction we want to go as a church family, as we’re still walking together, even after everything that’s happened. There’s been one major thing we’ve been able to rely on for the past few years as we’ve struggled: God has been with us. We’ve been sharing a life with Him, and He has been good to us in many ways. He’s sustained us and provided us with everything we’ve needed to get us to where we are now, because He’s had a wonderful plan for us all along. But now, as we’ve been coming out of almost all the pandemic conditions, it’s time for us to get back on track and refocus on what matters – being together and walking together again. When we gather together every week, we are sharing a life together. We’re also looking forward to even more opportunities for fellowship in this coming year – and, if any of you have any ideas for ways we can get together, feel free to bring them up. By virtue of our being here and continuing to worship together each week, we are committed to walking in the same direction together. While we are walking together, we do not expect ourselves to walk in lock step with each other: we are all at different places in our lives, facing different struggles, having different needs, going through different experiences, and having different attitudes. But just like in any family, want to know that we are part of a group where we are loved, accepted, and supported. 

As we are also reminded in today’s Second Reading from First Corinthians, Jesus’ mission was bringing people to a personal relationship with God, and bringing a change in life as a result of being in that relationship. Ultimately, His ministry was about dying on the cross to be the sacrifice for our sins, showing that how we are saved is not about anything we do, but instead about everything God does. What Jesus did was bring God down to earth – literally. He walked with us so we could be able to walk with Him, and so walk with God, a lot more easily. He also showed us that following Him, and being a Christian, is really very simple. It’s not living by a strict set of outward rules or laws, but simply living by His guidance every day. Walking humbly with God simply means relying on Him for direction, and recognizing we need His help to be who He wants us to be. As we walk about in our everyday activities, Jesus is also still walking with us, guiding us in the direction He wants us to go, and also guiding us to minister to other people as He did. By walking with Jesus every day, we also become more like Him – as today’s First Reading from Micah says, doing justice, loving mercy, and walking humbly with God. 

Justice in this case is actually not a political term, nor does it mean handing back what has been dished out to us, especially hurts or wrongs people do. Especially after what has happened with the aftermath of Tyre Nichols’ arrest and death in Memphis, Tennessee, and the reaction to it, we have to be very careful that we do not confuse the justice system, or what we usually think of justice as being, with what God desires. We certainly do pray for the right and just outcome to this whole case; for any upcoming court trials to be conducted in an equitable manner; a day when all people will be treated kindly and fairly; and for an end to violence. Yet at the same time, we also, especially in our communities, are to continue to support and encourage our local police, as they carry out their often perilous duties in keeping us, our families, and our neighbors safe. While we also might have our personal opinions on this whole event and the people involved, we have to be seeking peace, calm, and unity in our communities for the good and safety of all. Instead, in a spiritual meaning, justice means instead acting towards others as God has acted towards us. Instead of punishing us for our sins, God instead put our punishment on His Son, which means that our punishment has been taken away. Therefore, because God has done this to us, we do not seek to punish or take revenge on anyone who has wronged us, or we think has wronged us. Instead, we act justly, that is, rightly, towards others. God’s justice is not the same as how we think of justice: instead of giving us what we deserve, God has instead given us the opposite – mercy. And mercy is giving someone exactly what they don’t deserve: it is giving kindness despite meanness; help despite hurt; and love despite hatred. So the best way we can give out justice is to be merciful and forgiving, even to those who have done us wrong. And all this comes from walking humbly with God: asking Him each day to help us forgive and show mercy to those who have hurt us in any way, and, instead of asking for Him to avenge us, to have Him help us to act justly, or, correctly, to those who have done us wrong. Even among ourselves, while our relationships will never be perfect, and we will have disagreements from time to time, we hopefully will be able to overcome those through forgiveness, showing mercy to each other, and remembering our commitment to continue to walk together in our church family. 

In the Beatitudes, which we hear in today’s Gospel Reading, Jesus also shows us what a life transformed by a relationship with God, and walking humbly with Him, looks like. We also have our personalities and actions changed into people who comfort those who mourn; show mercy, even to the unmerciful; seek to be pure in heart, especially in how we regard and act towards others; and seek peace among ourselves in our homes, community, and world. While it may not always be popular to do so, and we may even face ridicule, exclusion, or even persecution because we do so, we still continue with doing so because we walk with God, and want to go in His direction. Which means that, as we follow God, we follow where He leads, out into the world He has us walk in.

Each week, one of the main reasons we come to church is to take time out from our busy lives for an hour or so. But we also have to be reminded that that’s not the only reason we’re here. While such things as our worship service and everything else we do on Sunday morning are certainly important, what is of greater importance for us now, as we have emerged from our previous situation, is that we begin to focus on going fully outward again. Although our resources may be limited, there are plenty of other ways we can be reaching out. 

We can say that we walk in here each week so we can walk out to reach out. It’s time for us, as we’ve walked in here to be fed by God’s Word, to take what we learn each week, and walk out of the worship service to feed it to other people. It’s time to take our Christian faith out of our church building and back out into our communities – where it belongs. Our faith isn’t something we’re meant to keep to ourselves – it’s supposed to be something to benefit everyone, and which we, with God’s help, are to bring people to. And it’s also time for us to be focusing on our outreach, how we can meet the needs of those in our community, and our surrounding area. The reason we exist as a church family is for the sake of other people – people who now need us, and what we have to offer, more than ever. And we have a lot more to offer than we may realize. Just as with fellowship ideas, if any of you have any suggestions for ways, even new ways, we can reach out and serve our community, please feel more than free to bring those up as well. Even as we are walking together here in church, it’s time for us to be walking out into our community again, and freely walking as Christians among those we meet. Even though we were encouraged to maintain social distance during the pandemic, it’s time for us to get up close and personal with people and show them how we live as Christians again. Notice also I didn’t limit what I said to any one particular community: even though our church building may be located in Farmersville, many of us live, work, and go to school in many other communities, and there are plenty of ways we can be bringing God’s love and help among those whom we walk every day. God will lead us to ways we can bring justice and mercy to people, and encourage them to walk humbly with Him – if we continue ourselves to walk humbly with Him. So, let us keep on walking together with God, acting rightly and with love and kindness towards all people, and keeping on supporting, encouraging, and showing mercy to each other, as we continue to walk together.

            Now may the peace of God, which passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus our Lord, Amen.

Weekly Word Podcast - Full Worship Service for January 29, 2023 - Fourth Sunday after the Epiphany

 

01/29/2023 Full Worship Service - Fourth Sunday after the Epiphany

Midweek Lenten Suppers and Services in March

 

You are invited to our celebration of Lent! And this year, we are pleased to announce that we will be bringing back the Midweek Lenten Suppers again, after what has seemed like a long time! Each Wednesday during Lent, we will be trying something new from previous years, and gathering for supper at 6:30 P.M., with worship in the sanctuary afterwards at 7:15 P.M.  Our suppers will also be a Carry-In Dinner arrangement; Shannon Latvala will provide a signup sheet each week for anyone who will be able to prepare and bring food. Individual youth families will also be asked to lead the worship service each week; please let Pastor Jon know which week your family would be available.

As Lent is also a time for us to engage in increased acts of charity and service, this year the Offering collected at each Wednesday worship service will go towards the work of CAMP, who are anticipating serving even more people than before, due to recent changes to food stamps policy and increasing need in our community. Also, each of us are asked to bring at least one non-perishable food item to contribute to CAMP. During March, CAMP especially requests donations of spaghetti sauce, granola bars, boxed potatoes, and coffee/hot tea. CAMP is also in greater need of new volunteers to handle added clientele; please call (937) 751-6235 if you are interested in helping.

Our theme for the Midweek Services this year is "Come Away to Jesus," as we are encouraged, especially during this Lenten season, to spend time of rest and recuperation with Jesus in the midst of our busy lives. The schedule for each week is as follows:

Wednesday, February 22 - 

Community Ash Wednesday Service, Farmersville United Methodist Church, 6:30 P.M.

Wednesday, March 1 - Jesus and the Little Children

Matthew 19:13-15

Supper 6:30 P.M.

Worship 7:15 P.M.

Wednesday, March 8 - Woman who touched the Hem of Jesus’ Robe

Mark 5:25-34

Supper 6:30 P.M.

Worship 7:15 P.M.

Wednesday, March 15 - Jesus Resting with His Disciples and Feeding the 5000

Mark 6:30-44

Supper 6:30 P.M.

Worship 7:15 P.M.

Wednesday, March 22 - Mary and Martha

Luke 10:38-42

Supper 6:30 P.M.

Worship 7:15 P.M.

Wednesday, March 29 - Come to Jesus for Rest

Matthew 11:28-30

Supper 6:30 P.M.

Worship 7:15 P.M.

Additionally, our schedule for Holy Week this year will be as follows:

Sunday, April 2 - Palm Sunday

Worship with Procession of Palms and Holy Communion 10:00 A.M.

Thursday, April 6 - Maundy Thursday

Carry-In Dinner 6:30 P.M.

Worship with Holy Communion 7:15 P.M.

Friday, April 7 - Good Friday

Community Good Friday Service, Farmersville United Church of Christ, 7:00 P.M.

Sunday, April 9 - Easter Sunday

Community Easter Sunrise Service, Slifers Presbyterian Church, 6:30 A.M. - Easter Breakfast following

Worship with Holy Communion, St. Andrew Lutheran Church, 10:00 A.M.

A reminder that we practice Open Communion at all services; all baptized Christians are invited to receive the Lord's Supper.

Weekly Word Podcast - Full Worship Service for January 22, 2023

Sermon text for January 22, 2023 - "New Year, New Direction: Being United in Mind and Thought"

 “New Year, New Direction: Being United in Mind and Thought”

January 22, 2023

 

            Dear brothers and sisters, grace and peace be to you from God our Father, and from our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, Amen.

            Twenty eight years ago this year, the rank of Eagle Scout, the highest rank in what is now called Scouts BSA, was conferred upon me. But I mention this not to brag about an accomplishment in my life, just the opposite: it was notan achievement which I earned myself by own talents, hard work, or abilities. Instead, it was something that I was able to accomplish with the help of many different people: my parents and sister, Scout leaders, fellow Scouts, community leaders, and many others who helped me along the way. Indeed, at every Eagle ceremony, our Scoutmaster at the time would emphasize that everyone who has earned the rank of Eagle Scout has done so not on their own: there have always been others who have helped them along the way, whether through encouragement or direct assistance. In fact, if we think about it, none of the things we have accomplished in life or special things we have achieved have been done entirely on our own: they have all been done with the help of other people, to whom we always ought to grateful, and remember the help we received from them.

            Being a Christian, a follower of Jesus, is really no different. As Christians, we believe that, while we have an individual relationship with God, the life we live as believers is ultimately lived in community. God calls us to live in community, that is, united together with other people like us. It’s rather strange that we hear Paul say that he didn’t come to baptize, when that’s exactly what we’re going to be doing today: baptizing Josie and Liana. What Paul is saying is that he didn’t baptize certain people, whom he mentions by name, for the purpose of building up his own personal following or membership. In the same way, we have to remember that whenever we baptize someone, we are not baptizing them as Lutherans, or even exclusively as members of St. Andrew Lutheran Church, but instead as Christians, members of the wider and larger family of God. In other words, what we are about to witness is not a Lutheran Baptism, but a Christian Baptism. Baptism is meant to unify, rather than divide us, by reminding us that we share something in common with all Christians in every denomination and tradition, throughout the world and all time. We also believe that everyone who is baptized in the Name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, according to the command of Jesus, is considered validly baptized, and that such Baptism is all that is required in order to be called a Christian. In fact, it’s even incorrect to say that we baptize anyone: it is God who does the baptizing, we are only the hands by which He accomplishes it. Indeed, Baptism is ultimately all about what God does: He adopts people as His sons and daughters, unites them to the death and resurrection of Jesus, changes and turns their lives around as a result, gives them to the Holy Spirit to help them become more like Him, gives them faith to believe and trust in Him, and promises them eternal life with Him after death. Once again, Baptism is something we all share in common, and that within the baptized family of God there are no special ranks or privileges: all receive the same equal gifts in Baptism by grace alone, by the hands of the same God. Because we are all equal in God’s family, our main expectation, indeed, one could say our only major expectation, is to maintain the peace and unity of our church family, as Paul encourages. This happens not by all of us thinking exactly the same way and practicing our religion the exact same way: we do not seek absolute conformity in mind or behavior. In other words, we do not set outward rules for being part of the church family, and we certainly do not demand that everyone conform to our individual opinion, preference, or standard of how we think a Christian ought to be. Rather, we allow for freedom for individual growth and expression, in such a way that contributes to the richness and well-being of the family of God.

Indeed, one important thing we always have to remember is that you get out of church what you put into it. If you want to see something happen, then you ought to be willing to help make it happen. We encourage each other not just to come, but to be active. There are now many ways to support our church family again. Just as a few examples, our first Youth Night of the year is happening this evening. We will be bringing back the Midweek Lenten Suppers in just a couple of months. We will be going to the Ark Encounter in March. Our Ice Cream Social, booth at the Pretzel Festival, and Fall Dinner will all be coming up this year. And there will be many other opportunities for worship and fellowship which we’ll be bringing back and newly introducing as the year goes on. I’ve even heard a rumor that DAMAC will be coming back to give a concert at our church later on this year – more information about that soon! We are also encouraged to keep praying for each other and others for whom we ask prayer; support and be there for each other at both times of rejoicing and sorrow; and let each other know in times of crisis that we are there for each other. The point is that, if you want to see your church family succeed, you are as equally responsible for contributing to that success as the person sitting next to you is. If you wish to see your church family be a place where you can be loved, accepted, and help others feel the same way, then you are responsible for making that happen for your fellow church family members. If you want to see us active, then we encourage you to support our activities in any way you can. Because just as equally as individuals and as a group, we cannot succeed without support.

            Those of you who were at the wedding last October recall that at one point during the ceremony, Pastor Susan had everyone stand up and promise to support and be there to help Tish, me, and Josie as a couple and a family. In just a few moments, we all will be making a similar sort of promise for Josie and Liana, as we stand to recite the Creed together. By doing so, what we will be saying is that, even as we all share the same belief in God and relationship with Him together, we will all be there to support Josie and Liana as they grow in their own relationship with God and understanding of what that means. The main people voicing that promise on behalf of all of us will be Tish and I, along with Erica and Jenn as Josie’s family and godparents; and Lawrence and Andrea, Liana’s parents, along with Liana’s godparents, Andrea’s brother and sister-in-law Austin and Sami, who are unable to be with us today but are still with us in spirit. However, the promises made will be incumbent upon not just Josie and Liana’s families and godparents, but on all of us. At the end of the Baptismal liturgy, we all together will welcome Josie, Liana, and Tish (Tish being received as a new member of our church family today), as members of the larger family of God, children of the same heavenly Father, and co-workers together in the Kingdom of God. In other words, we are all now sharing together in one privilege, being part of God’s family, and in one purpose, seeking and bringing people into God’s family.

            By being baptized, we do share in one purpose: to follow Jesus to become fishers of people. Just as we all share the same common privileges of an individual relationship with God, we also share the common privilege of being part of the Priesthood of all Believers. Evangelism, that is, telling other people about God and bringing people to faith in Him, does not belong only to pastors, or exclusively to other church leaders: it belongs to each one of us. In Baptism, we are also given the gifts, by the power of the Holy Spirit, to tell and show people who God is, what He is really like, and especially to show His love to everyone. 

As God, speaking through the prophet Amos, says in verse 7, “Surely the Sovereign LORD does nothing without revealing his plan to his servants the prophets.” And God has a plan: He has a plan for each one of us, and He’s been working out that plan for all of us ever since the day we were born. God has revealed everything we need to know to us, and He has told us everything we need to tell other people: that He loves and accepts all people, desires a relationship with them, wants to save them, and promises them eternal life. The same promises which, once again, will be confirmed in Baptism very shortly.

And nowadays, the call to follow Jesus to fish for people is more important than ever. There are many who are lost and adrift, who maybe have been looking for meaning and acceptance in ways, places, or even relationships that are harmful and cause even more problems. And, like Jesus, what we can offer is good news: there is someone who gives true purpose and meaning to life, who can heal from the damage of the past, and who offers a truly wholesome and fulfilling relationship: God. Indeed, if this is you, if you are someone who is looking for answers, a purpose for your life, healing from your past hurts, or you just need to know that someone is there for you, and you believe a relationship with God is what can help you; I, and any one of us, are available to talk with you and pray with you after worship today. Know that whatever is going on in your life right now, you are loved, you are supported, and we are here for you.

            Now may the peace of God, which passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen.

01/22/2023 Full Worship Service - Third Sunday after Epiphany and Servic...

01/15/2023 Full Worship Service - Second Sunday after Epiphany

Weekly Word Podcast - Full Worship Service for January 15, 2023

 

Sermon Text for January 15, 2023 - "New Year, New Direction: Not Lacking in Any Spiritual Gift"

 “New Year, New Direction: Not Lacking in Any Spiritual Gift”

January 15, 2023

 

            Dear brothers and sisters, grace and peace be to you from God our Father, and from our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, Amen.

            It was six years ago to this very day, January 15^th, 2017, that, by the grace of God, you all installed me as Pastor of St. Andrew during the Sunday morning service much like this one. Since then, it has been nothing but a privilege and a pleasure to be able to serve you as your Pastor. If we’re going to be honest, it’s certainly not been an easy trip at times these past six years, as we’ve had to journey through various events and crises no one could have predicted, the most major one being the covid pandemic and everything resulting from it. We’ve also had to struggle with finances and attendance, which have been the result not only of covid but also of the economy, the weather, and other factors well beyond our control, but which have still affected us. And yet, here we are, in the third week of a new year, in a much better position to move forward and upward than we were even a year ago. The reason is because God has put us here, just as He has been guiding us to all along, and just as He promised He would. 

I myself have had various personal struggles behind the scenes these past six years, and have even at times had to take an honest look at what I believe and where what I believe has caused me to be headed, which has led to having to change course on a number of things. Various events that have taken place, both in Southern California before I moved here as well as several here, have forced me to do a bit of course correction, which, coupled with the overall events going on the world the past couple of years, have at times made it a challenge to keep going and move forward. But, with God’s help and power, as well as the support and encouragement of many, that has also been able to happen. My life has changed in a lot of ways I didn’t expect would happen, and I’ve gone through experiences I certainly didn’t think I would have to endure. Yet, again, by God’s grace, I’m here to keep looking forward to what He has planned in this coming year, and do so with hope, especially knowing that I have a tremendous amount of support and confidence from so many. Tish, Josie, and I especially want to thank you all, once again, for everything you have done for us as we’ve begun our new lives together as a family here in Farmersville, and have gotten settled into the Parsonage. Much as many of you helped me first get settled in and feel welcome six years ago, we thank you for making Tish and Josie also get settled in and welcomed into our church family and community. Since formal thank you notes to many of you for your generosity shown to us at the wedding and this past Christmas are still forthcoming, and will be delivered throughout this week, know that we greatly appreciate and treasure everything all of you have done for us in so many kind ways.

Much like Paul in today’s Second Reading, and which I said more than a few times after moving here, and which, with all deepest sincerity I say once again, I always thank God for you. Most of all, as the verse says, I thank God for all of you because of his grace given you in Christ Jesus. We as a church family have definitely been given a lot of grace, not just to be able to endure these past couple of years, but to be able to put in a place where we have tremendous potential not only to move forward but to grow. And because we have stayed the course and stayed faithful to Jesus’ leading us, we really have been enriched in every way. Although there have been a number of times we have also had to go through course correction, these have only served to enrich our trust in God and have drawn us closer to Him. The testimony about Jesus has been confirmed in us: He saved us by His death on the cross and resurrection, saving and setting us apart to be His family, and His hands and feet in the world, carrying on His ministry of showing love and care to all people. Long ago, He called us together as a congregation; He sustained us through crises and struggles of the past, not least of which having our old church building burn to the ground; He brought us through the pandemic; He’s helped us revive our ways of fundraising and fellowship, especially our Ice Cream Social and Fall Dinner; and He will continue to help restore and improve us as this year goes on. He will also inspire us to find new ways to fellowship and have fun together; do more for our youth; raise funds to sustain our congregation’s mission; and reach out to meet the needs of our community, and, as we were able to do prior to covid, draw new people in for one purpose: to come see Jesus.

As we are also promised in our Second Reading, we are not lacking in any spiritual gift. And one of the greatest gifts we’ve been able to exercise as a church family is generosity; we really are a giving church. Over the past few years, we’ve not only given of our finances, but also of our time and abilities to help each other and others in our community. We’ve been blessed with so much to be able to give. Even though the economy and stock market caused our Endowment Fund to decrease to where we were unable to set aside money for donations, this isn’t something that’s going to last forever. We are also blessed with boldness to be able to have a desire to maintain and sustain, which is in itself a spiritual gift: the alternative would be to lose hope, give up, and surrender to what we think is the inevitable. Yet God has given us the ability to want to fight the odds and keep going, and that’s exactly what’s happened. We’re still here because God has caused us to be here. And He’s sustained us for a specific purpose: to help people see and experience Him.

    Dear friends, we need to keep focused. Over the past couple of years, there have been we admittedly lost our focus as we thought more about the details of everything that could go awry, rather than imagining the possibilities of what God could do. And there is a lot God can do – but we have to keep our minds and imaginations open. If we keep our focus on Jesus, and what He can do, we’ll not only keep moving forward, we’ll have a lot to offer again. Today, Jesus invites us to come and see: come and see what He has already done, and what He’s going to do. Once again, He’s helped us bring back a few of the things we previously enjoyed for fellowship and outreach, and will do more this coming year. He reminded us of the promise of eternal life He won for us as we celebrated Herb’s life – and also gave us an opportunity to reach and share what we have to offer with our neighbors and community. He will make our bonds as family and friends stronger than they were before. He’ll help our finances to rebound, and give us more opportunities to share them with those in need. Next week, He will make two children His sisters in the waters of Baptism, and through us, will help them grow in a strong relationship with Him. He will also, through us, bring new friends into our family, some of whom we may have known for a long time, others who will be new to us.

    But the key is to invite. And, as it happens, we have someone who serves as the best example for inviting: Saint Andrew, after whom our church is named. The reason he’s the best example is because what he did was simple. He didn’t have to have a long speech explaining his beliefs or theological system, or to try to pitch some program or other. All he did was just tell his brother, “We have found the Messiah.” In other words, we’ve found what we’ve been looking for all along, and we found it in Jesus. The person who was promised to save His people and save the world, who will cause God’s will to be done and His victory to be accomplished, has finally come. God has also come to show everyone who He really is: someone who makes Himself real and accessible to everyone. He does not just live in a dedicated building, but is everywhere. This is why Jesus encourages His would-be followers to come and see where He is staying: to show them that He is right here among us, on our level, not confined to a temple or worship space, but is here with us. He is with us in our homes, work places, schools, wherever we happen to be. And where He is with us, we also have an opportunity to help people see Him. As Isaiah reminds us in our First Reading, we, in bringing Jesus to people and people to Jesus, are the light to everyone, to bring salvation to the ends of the earth.

The answer to anyone asking, “Where can I find what I’m looking for?” is, right here. Jesus is here with us, and since we are staying right here, He is staying here with us. Today, I, and all of us, especially want to give this invitation to anyone watching or listening to this service. If you’re looking for something, you’ll find it right here. Especially if you’re looking for a church family that will love and accept you for who you are unconditionally; be your friend; journey with you wherever your life takes you; encourage you to grow through fellowship with friends as well as Bible study; support you in both prayer and personal encouragement; both celebrate and mourn with you; who will welcome your talents and abilities; and who will value you as the person you are, you’ll find it right here at St. Andrew Lutheran Church. This is also an invitation we can be giving to everyone we meet, whether in person, on Facebook, wherever, who is look for a supportive and welcoming church family: look no further than us. Not just because of the kind of church family we are, but because if you come to us, you’ll experience Jesus and who He is for you – someone who loves you, cares for you, wants to bless you, and who will give you a family and friends to help you know and feel this is true. Whatever you’re looking for, you’ll find it right here. So come and see, and join us, as we experience more of Jesus this year, and we’d love to share that experience with you.

            Now may the peace of God, which passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus our Lord, Amen.

Sermon Text for January 8, 2023 - "New Year, New Direction: Being a Covenant"

 “New Year, New Direction: Being a Covenant”

January 8, 2023

 

            Dear brothers and sisters, grace and peace be to you from God our Father, and from our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, Amen.

            You know the expression, “time flies when you’re having fun”? Well, I can honestly tell all of you that’s been the case with me. It’s been six years since I first arrived, and, even though there have certainly been a lot of challenges we’ve faced and, with God’s help, have overcome together, it’s really honestly been a fun time, and I’m looking forward, especially now, to all other wonderful things we’re going to experience together as we move forward.

So, since my life has also really gone through a lot of ups and downs in the past few years, I’ve been thinking back to when I first got here, actually, to shortly before I arrived. A lot of other adventures had happened in the couple of years before, which I’ll talk some more about in next week’s sermon. But, at any rate, it was about this time six years ago I started the whole process of unpacking my boxes of belongings which had been sitting in my parents’ garage for two years, to prep for repacking them to load on the UHaul truck to make the trek out here. Strange as it sounds, I really had no idea how much stuff I had until I started going through it, and some things I wondered why I still had them in the first place. But as I sorted through everything, there were some of my possessions, a good number of them, actually, which I had to leave behind in Southern California because I either didn’t have room for them on the truck, or didn’t need them in my life any more. For example, I left behind a lot of my personal books, which ended up going in my mom’s Little Free Library, and ultimately to different homes. There were a few things I still needed to figure out what to do with, which I pretty much ended up throwing in one bigger box, to plan on sorting through once I got here. Okay, I’m kind of ashamed to admit it – a lot of that stuff kind of actually still ended up sitting in the box on the floor in the study at the Parsonage until just before Tish and I got married, when Tish insisted I had to go through the box to make room in the study. But while doing that, I was finally able to let go of some things I’d been hanging on to, which I just didn’t need because they were taking up space. They weren’t even really doing anything useful, and all hanging on to them was doing was keeping me from moving forward with reclaiming the study for its true purpose.

And actually, that process has still been going on for the past few years. I’ve still been working on going through what I own, and trying to figure out what to keep and what to let go of. But not just with my personal items, also with a lot of other things, mainly ideas and opinions, I’ve realized I’ve been carrying around with me for the past few years, that I’ve now come to recognize have only kept me from carrying out my true purpose, even the reason why I’m here. There are a lot of things I’ve had to unpack, figure out what good they really serve, and then let go of them, throwing them away. I’ve had to do that because they were just taking up space in my life, and preventing me from moving to where God really wanted me to be, and, because the clutter they caused was keeping me from having the peace in my life God wanted me to have. In the same way, there have been a lot of things I’ve realized have just been cluttering up my mind and heart, and have been keeping me from having peace in life at times, which I’ve needed to throw out.

One of the biggest of those has been trying to measure myself up to what I’ve thought God has expected of me as a Christian and a pastor. And one thing I’ve finally come to realize, even after everything that’s happened, is it’s all about Jesus. Very often we make being a Christian, being part of the church, or even being a church family, all about what we do; what we have to do to survive; what we think our requirements or expectations are; what rules we have to follow; what we expect each other and others to agree with; or what we assume we have to do to do our best for God. When in reality, nothing could be farther from the truth: it’s not about us and who we think we ought to be, it’s all about Jesus and who He is. On this day when we remember Jesus’ Baptism, we see once again who Jesus is, because God points out exactly who He is: the Son of God, who is the true God Himself. We are also reminded that being a Christian is not mainly about what we promise to do for God: it’s entirely about what God promises to do for us. And once we’re able to look at everything this way again, and believe it, our lives as Christians, even how we see ourselves as a church, become a lot easier. We are also reminded that we too are baptized, and that, in our Baptism, God makes promises to us: the promise that we are saved by Jesus’ death and resurrection; that we are destined for eternal life after death; and that He is always with us to love and care for us at all times. God also wants us to have peace in our hearts and minds, which comes from believing this is true.

             But for us to accept this, and have this peace, there are some major things we have to let go of. And the largest one of this that for too long Jesus has been made out to be someone we have to be afraid of. Whether we realize it or not, there have been certain ideas or images which have been ingrained in us. We’ve also been trained to see Jesus as a sort of stern judge, who tolerates no rule breaking, or He’ll punish everyone who breaks His commandments. We’ve also, because this is how we’ve thought Jesus is, come to believe that our purpose is to impose rules on others and on society, and insist that those rules must be followed or God will wreak divine vengeance on everyone who breaks them. And yet, nothing could be farther from the truth. This is not the Jesus we hear about in today’s Bible readings, nor is it the Jesus who really is. His rule is a different kind of rule, because He does not He does not exercise His power and control through dominance or force, but through gentleness and being helpful. He also has special love and compassion for those who are struggling, doubting or hurting: as God promises through Isaiah, verse 3, “A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out.” Some of you here today may even be feeling broken or burned out because of what you’ve had to hang on to: today God promises to heal you, make you whole again, and re-light the passion and enthusiasm you may have lost. Anything which tries to convince us that Jesus gets angry with us and threatens us with punishment whenever we do something that we think is against what He wants, needs to be thrown in the trash.

            Last week, I had us all take something we’ve been holding on to, which we’ve been struggling with or worried about, and give them up to Jesus by raising our hands to Him and letting go. And, just as I’ve been continuing to go through an unpacking process before I got here and since I arrived, we’re all working on unpacking and getting rid of different things in order to be able to move forward. Here’s another way we can do this: take a pad or pile of paper like this. Whenever you have a thought that God doesn’t like you; God’s punishing you for something you did; God’s making you deal with something without helping you; you need to do better in some area of your life; you haven’t followed any rules or commandments; you aren’t measuring up in certain ways; or you aren’t doing your best for God; write it down on a piece of paper. Then, fold or crumple up the paper, and stick it in a small box. At the end of the day, or at the end of the week, take the contents of that box, and throw them away in the trash. If you prefer, and have a way to do so, you can even burn them. Then, after you’ve done that, take another piece of paper, and write these words in big letters: God loves me. 

Then stick the piece of paper somewhere where you can see it all the time, or carry it with you. Look at those words often, and believe them because they’re true: God loves you. Your true purpose is not to try to impress God, or prove that you’re fulfilling all the requirements necessary for being a good enough Christian: it’s instead to be loved by God. Hear and remember what Peter recognizes in today’s Second Reading: that Jesus does good to you, heals you, and frees you from whatever oppresses you. Most of all, remind yourself of the promise which makes God’s love for you real and concrete: 

I am baptized! When I was baptized, God promised me that He was always going to love me and accept me just as I am. He’s always kept that promise, and nothing, not even anything I do or don’t do, is going to make Him stop loving me just as He promised. And Jesus makes that promise even more real: He’s my friend, companion, guide, leader, protector, champion, source of strength at all times. He’s the same for me, and everyone, just as He’s always been, He will never change. Nothing I do will change it either.

            Having said all that, as we are still at the beginning of this new year, we are also called back to the fact that Jesus has made all these promises to us, and, at the same time, we are the means, the people, by which He makes His promises to everyone real. We are still the hands and feet of Jesus by which He carries out His healing, freeing, and doing good to others. And, again, what is that promise? He loves and wants to help everyone. We can live out this promise to everyone because we believe it ourselves: if we feel loved by God, then we will show love to everyone we come in contact with. This is God’s promise, and this is our true purpose.

            Now may the peace of God, which passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen.

01/08/2023 Full Worship Service - The Baptism of Our Lord

Weekly Word Podcast - Full Worship Service for January 8, 2023

 

Weekly Word Podcast - Full Worship Service for January 1, 2023

 

Sermon Text for January 1, 2023: "New Year, New Direction: Boldness and Confidence"

 “New Year, New Direction: Boldness and Confidence”

January 1, 2023

 

            Dear brothers and sisters, grace and peace be to you from God our Father, and from our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, Amen.

            Happy New Year once again, and may God bless each and every one of you as we celebrate this New Year’s Day by gathering together to worship and praise Him! As many of you know, I was unfortunately unable to fly out to Washington state to visit my son this past week as planned, due to the weather all over the country causing flights to be cancelled left and right. On the other hand, this also meant I was able to be with a few of you and your family members during various sudden crises and events that came up, for which I thank God for the opportunity and privilege for being able to serve you through those times. Even though my plans definitely took a different direction than I had intended, God still led events to fulfill what He knew would be best for everyone at this time. I do hope to be able to reschedule the visit to fly out to see my son sometime soon, but I am also trusting that God will show when that time is. I am, as I hope we all are for this coming year, trusting God’s direction.

            This new year is probably going to take us in different directions we never would have thought of, but which, if we continue to trust God’s leading, will be according to His direction. In some ways, the past year, indeed, the past few years, caused us to be thrown off the direction we thought we were going. The covid pandemic took place in 2020, changing a lot of things; in 2021 we were still dealing with the fear of covid, while at the same time adjusting to certain political and economic changes and realities; and in 2022, many of the realities brought on by covid, war overseas, and economic problems here in this country started either to show themselves as being permanent or began some sort of slow course correction, and we became used to fear, anger, frustration, and sadness. Indeed, as someone pointed out to me recently, it seems like we’ve had a lot of sad news recently. It’s almost as if back in 2020, covid put us, and our world, into darkness, which we had to stumble around in without knowing exactly what direction we were going or where, or if, it would ever end. Much as we hear about in today’s First Reading from Isaiah: we can say that darkness has been covering our earth for the past few years. But God, speaking through Isaiah, gives us some good news, and a promise: the darkness is ending, and light is breaking upon us. God is coming to take charge of everything again. As verse 2 promises us, “See, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples, but the LORD rises upon you and his glory appears over you.” As I mentioned during my last sermon of the year last month, there is light at the end of the dark tunnel we’ve had to travel through. God is causing things to turn around and change for the better. So it’s time for a new direction for us: we’ve been wandering around in fear and anxiety for far too long, and trying to navigate through it by reacting to all the sad news we hear. So now is an opportunity, right at the beginning of this new year, to let God correct our course: to ask, as Mike Bradley, the Service Coordinator for LCMC did during the last Annual Gathering, “What can God do?” And to look forward with hope, joy, and optimism to what He can do. Right now is an opportunity for an attitude adjustment: we can continue to lament about how things were changed by covid, and things continue to seem to decline from how they once were: or, we can recognize that God is presenting us, in this new era, with new possibilities for new ways to reach each other and our community; new activities; new vision; renewed purpose; renewed worship; and the ability to believe in ourselves again, because God believes in us. It is also time for us to believe that nothing is impossible, and God can accomplish anything. After all, today is the day on which we remember God’s greatest accomplishment: sending His Son to be born as a human being, who made God accessible and approachable to us, and who we can come to at any time, anywhere, in any situation. Most of all, because, as Paul reminds us in our Second Reading from Ephesians, Jesus has made God approachable for us, we can have boldness and confidence – but not in ourselves. Instead, our boldness and confidence comes from believing and trusting in God. We ultimately rely not on our own wisdom or abilities, but on God’s direction. So, in this coming year, even though there we will continue to face challenges, we can go through them with boldness and confidence, because we depend on God and God alone. Even if we think we can’t, God can. 

At the same time, we also have to keep recognizing that our church family is made up of individuals: we are each at different ages and stages, live a variety of lives, and are on different paths as we navigate through life. Even so, as Christians, we are still, by God’s leading, headed in the same direction: to Jesus. The shepherds and the Magi didn’t follow the same path to Jesus, but their journeys ultimately brought them to Jesus. Although many of us, and many other people, are on different paths to God, there is still ultimately only one true God – the God who has revealed Himself in Jesus, and only through Jesus can we really know and believe in the one true God. There may be many paths to God, but there is only one way to be saved – by Jesus. This is also why it is important for us, each day, or as often as possible, to take time out to be with God in prayer and Bible-reading, to be able to listen to Him and keep focused on the ultimate direction He is leading us to be with Him. All that being said, it is important for us to respect the fact that, in this coming year, each of us will be on a different path from us, and our journeys will take us in many various directions. We are also to respect each other’s unique individuality, just as we value who we are; for, if we cannot be ourselves, we cannot be who God wants us to be. We are still, in one way or another, though, on this journey called life together, which means we can look out for each other. Some of us may still be wandering around in darkness, which means that still some of us may be able to be the light which helps guide out and on to the right track.

In addition to today being Epiphany Sunday, today is also the celebration of the name of Jesus, the most powerful and glorious name of all. The name of Jesus itself has divine power, and whenever we ask anything to be done in the name of Jesus, we can believe it will be done. The name of Jesus also has the power to dispel any darkness of doubt or anxiety, because Jesus Himself causes to happen what He wants to happen. Jesus has promised to be with us for all time, even to the end of time – He will never leave us alone, nor will He force us to face any upcoming situations on our own. No matter what this year may bring, we can have boldness and confidence to be able to trust Jesus to protect and lead us through everything that happens. Which means:

We can lay ourselves in the hands of Jesus. In fact, this can be our default for everything that comes up: putting ourselves in Jesus’ hands. In fact, I invite and encourage all of you, whenever there is something you need to deal with, to take your hands like this (raise palms up) and lift whatever it is up to Jesus. Also, as you lift your hands, spread your fingers apart, as a way of letting go of whatever it is you are holding on to. As you are comfortable with doing so, I’d like you to try doing this right now: put your hands out in front of you. Now think of something you’ve been having to struggle with this past week, that you’re carrying with you into church today. Now, while praying silently, lift it up to Jesus and ask Him to take it from you. Spread your fingers apart, and say, to yourself, “I’m letting go of it, and I’m giving it to Jesus.” 

While you’re doing that, also think about this: as we begin this new year, there are some things for us to leave behind: all of the worries, stresses, and troubles of this past year can also be laid in the hands of Jesus. Right now is also a good time for us to leave behind fear, skepticism, and frustration, and everything else which has held us back from following God’s lead. We can replace it instead with peace, security, and calm. So I’d invite you to put your hands out in front of you again, and, think of something that’s been making you afraid or frustrated, and lift it up to Jesus, spreading your fingers apart to let go of it, and then adding something else: breathing deeply, to let go of the burdens your body has been carrying from having to fight it. You’ve been dealing with too much for far too long – now it’s time to let go and let Jesus take care of it Himself.

            We will have another opportunity to give up whatever we need to to Jesus: Communion. As we take Communion together in just a few minutes, Jesus will be really and truly present with us, both in spirit and in the bread and wine, which are His body and blood. The power which comes from His body and blood will also strengthen our faith to trust and believe in Him, to give everything we need to into His hands. But Communion isn’t just something we’re doing together: it’s something for you to take personally. It’s a time for you to remember that He died and rose again for you, because He loves you. He wants to help you. As you lift your hands to receive the bread, give up at least one more thing to Jesus to take control of. And be bold and confident, because Jesus is here for you.

            Now may the peace of God, which passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen.

Welcome!

Welcome in the Name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! You're reached the website and blog of St. Andrew Lutheran Church in Farmersville, Ohio. We're happy you've decided to visit us, and we invite you to join us for worship this Sunday at 10:00 A.M. Please check this blog periodically for the church's weekly calendar and announcements of upcoming events. May God bless you today!