Please Join Us!
SUNDAY 30 DECEMBER 2007
Bible Class & Sunday School – 9:00 a.m.
Communion Celebration – 10:00 a.m.
Luncheon Following Worship
Misa en Español – 1:00 p.m.
Who’s job is it to spread the Message about Jesus?
How does the Church of God GROW?
How can I share my Personal Faith?
What do I need to say?
Why should I share my Faith?
Discover the answer to these and other important mission questions on EVANGELISM AWARENESS SUNDAY.
Our Bible Class Leader and Guest Preacher is The Reverend Chaplain Ralph Buchhorn and K-9 Chaplain Georgie of Extra Mile Ministries. These two chaplains have been on the site of some of our nation’s greatest tragedies: Ground Zero, Hurricane Katrina, the Virginia Tech shootings and the Southern California wildfires. They bring Gospel hope and comfort to those broken by the ravages of life.
This event is designed for all MEMBERS of Historic First Lutheran, for all REGULAR VISITORS, for all FORMER MEMBERS, for all MINISTRY FRIENDS and for EVERYONE WHO CARES ABOUT THE MISSION OF THE CHURCH! You are especially encouraged to invite “unchurched” family and friends to attend WITH you!
Come and be inspired! We’ll be watching for YOU!
Celebrate the ringing out of 2007 and the ringing in of 2008 at Historic First Lutheran Church of Pasadena.
Our annual candlelight service will be held Monday evening (12/31) at 7:00 p.m. The service will include The Lord's Supper.
Everyone is invited.
Historic First Lutheran is located at 808 N. Los Robles Avenue in Pasadena, two blocks North of Orange Grove and eight blocks North of COLORADO BOULEVARD.
626.793.1139
historicfirstlutheran.org
What a special time of the year! Heaven opened! Christ was born! Angels sang! Shepherds watched! A star guided! Wise men worshiped!
To celebrate the most important event of the world, we invite you to join with us in worship this Christmas Season! We’ll be watching for you!
Merry Christmas!
Christmas Celebration Schedule
Sunday 23 December 2007.
10:00 a.m. – Communion Celebration.
Monday 24 December 2007.
7:00 p.m. – Christmas Eve Candlelight Service.
Tuesday 25 December 2007.
10:00 a.m. – Service of Lessons and Carols.
Includes The Lord’s Supper.
Sunday 30 December 2007.
10:00 a.m. – Communion Celebration.
Monday 31 December 2007.
7:00 p.m. – New Year’s Eve Celebration.
Includes The Lord’s Supper.
Isaiah 35:1-10
Third Sunday in Advent
16 December 2007
In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, Amen.
“He who has ears let him hear” [Matthew 11:15].
“And O Lord Jesus Christ, we pray for open ears today to hear what You have to say. We pray for open eyes to see what You want to reveal to us. We pray for open hearts to again receive You by the power of Your Spirit. In Your Name, O Jesus, we pray, Amen.”
“He who has ears let him hear.”
Those could potentially be very important words of instruction from Jesus today for you and for me. They are words of Jesus that admit that not everything is easy to believe. That’s actually a very core ingredient of faith itself – believing what we do not see; being certain of what we hope for [Hebrews 11:1].
“He who has ears let him hear.”
Those words are actually very necessary for us as we open the pages of Holy Scripture this morning to the Old Testament prophet, Isaiah. In today’s reading, Isaiah frankly describes a world that is very foreign to anything we have probably seen or experienced.
When I lived in Wyoming, one of the first lessons the locals taught me was that when your car broke down on one of the long deserted stretches of road, look around the horizon and walk to the nearest tree. Not only would the tree provide necessary shade and shelter. In addition, wherever there was a tree growing in Wyoming, there was water. Stuff doesn’t grow in a desert without water.
Isaiah’s world sounds like a fantasy world. The desert and parched land will be glad. The wilderness will rejoice and blossom, bursting into bloom. Water will gush forth in the wilderness and streams in the desert. The burning sand will become a pool. The thirsty ground will become bubbling springs. Grass and reeds and papyrus will grow. Does that sound like any place you’ve ever seen? To be quite honest, that place sounds quite impossible.
But, wait! It’s gets even more fantastic. Not only does nature and creation itself operate in seemingly impossible ways. So do human beings! The feeble hands are strengthened. The knees that give was are steadied. Fearful hearts are comforted. The eyes of the blind are opened. The ears of the deaf are unstopped. The lame leap like deer. Mute tongues shout for joy.
What is going on here? Nature operates in ways contrary to its very nature. People operate in ways that reveal a transformation. What is going on here? Where is this fantastic place? What accounts for all this stuff that quite frankly takes substantial faith to believe?
The answer to all those questions Isaiah does not leave unanswered. In fact, Isaiah puts the answer right in the very middle, the very center, of all these fantastic descriptions. The answer is that “Your God will come ... He will save you.”
It is God that saves and redeems the desert and the wilderness and transforms them to be like nothing we have ever before seen. It is God that saves and redeems broken human beings and transforms them to better reflect His own image, just as He created them. It is God that brings about singing and rejoicing and shouting and joy!
How appropriate it is during this Advent season to hear those fantastic words and to know how true they really are. Remember when Jesus was born in Bethlehem, strange things happened. A star moved across the sky from East to West, slow enough and long enough for men on camels to follow. The Heavens opened and angels appeared singing “Glory to God in the Highest!” A virgin conceived and gave birth to a Son. Those are all aspects of God’s creation, aspects of nature, that responded in extraordinary ways simply because God came among them.
But human beings also responded, didn’t they. Those shepherds left their flocks in the field nearby and hurried off to Bethlehem. Those flocks of sheep were their livelihood. They are what paid the bills and put food the table but they were left behind wandering the hills shepherd-less. The presence of the saving God in their midst made the shepherds do something out of the ordinary, something downright unsafe and unwise. The wise men – often called kings by tradition – traveled many days and many miles following a star, not knowing what it meant or where it was leading. That doesn’t sound very wise to me, but then again when God appears who are humans to question wisdom. And remember King Herod, King of the Jews? He was threatened by the news of the birth of a baby, a baby who, even if he were born to be the king of the Jews, could not possibly cause a real threat to the real king for many years. Human beings joined all creation in responding to the presence of God among them.
How about you? How about me? When we leave this place Sunday after Sunday, do people look at us as if we don’t fit into reality? They should look at us in that way, you know. We have been in the presence of the living, saving God. We have been personally invited into His presence. We have been adopted into His family. We have heard His Word. We have received His Body and His Blood which has become a part of our body and which circulates in our blood. Shouts of joy and gladness, unbelievable blooming and gushing should bubble out of our lives. People around us should be asking, “What got into him?” ; “What got into her?”
Why doesn’t that seem to happen, at least not all the time to all of us? I believe it’s because our eyes and ears and hearts haven’t been open to see God and to see what He is doing. And if we don’t see God and if we don’t see what He is doing, our bodies, our souls, our spirits cannot respond in those extraordinary ways. We get stuck in sin. We get stuck in our infirmities. Instead of joy and gladness we live in pain and despair. Perhaps that’s why Jesus said, “He who has ears let him hear.” Jesus wants us to respond in ways that show that we have seen God and that we’ve seen what He’s doing in our midst and in our world. And, don’t be fooled. God IS working in our midst and in our world, whether or not we see it, hear it, or accept it.
So our Advent prayer this season should be two-fold:
➊ That every time we walk into this place and every time we open the Scriptures in our own homes, our eyes and ears and hearts are unblocked and open to see God and see what God is doing in Jesus Christ in our lives and in the world around us.
➋ That as our eyes and ears and hearts are open and as we involuntarily respond to the presence and power of our living, saving God in our midst and in our world, we ourselves become signs of the Kingdom of God to those watching and waiting and wondering and doubting all around us.
“He who has ears, let him hear.”
In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, Amen.
Pastor Christopher Schaar
Historic First Lutheran Church of Pasadena
ALTAR FLOWERS are given to the glory of God by Gwen Hancock in celebration of her birthday (12/18) and in memory of the birthday of Abe Moore. Flowers are also given to the glory of God by Ann Price in celebration of the birthdays of her sons, Dion (12/5) and Dennis (12/30); grandson, Donovan (12/13); daughter-in-law, Tonya (12/15); and in loving memory of her husband, Wilford Price.
A REMINDER OF LOVE The extra roses on the altar today are from some of the more than 140 rose bushes around First Lutheran’s campus. They are a reminder of God’s love for us and His provision for all our needs.
DID YOU KNOW? There’s probably much about Historic First Lutheran that many of us do not know. So, watch weekly bulletins for “I DIDN’T KNOW,” a weekly historical or interesting tidbit of information about Historic First Lutheran.
I DIDN’T KNOW! Perhaps you didn’t know that the substantial Fontanini Nativity scene on display in the Church Administrative Center was an anonymous gift from long-time members of Historic First Lutheran in 1998.
BLUE PARAMENTS The beautiful blue paraments adorning our altar, lectern and pulpit were lovingly donated in memory of Dr. John A. Greenlee.
LAST MIDWEEK SERVICE This Wednesday at both 12 Noon and 7:00 p.m. These services are identical so you only have to attend one. Please use these services as part of your preparation to celebrate Christmas, the birth of our Savior, Jesus.
FLOWER DATES STILL AVAILABLE The flower chart for 2008 is posted in the Narthex. Please make sure to check it out and sign up for your favorite dates to donate flowers to beautify the altar. Please make sure to remember that flower rates are increasing to $50.00 for two bouquets effective 1/1/2008.
L.W.M.L. MITE GOAL The 2006-2007 Mite Goal of the PSD LWML is $270,000. Mites to date, October 31, 2007, are $252,694.32. We need $17,305.68 by 31 December to reach our Mite Goal for 2007.
DON’T GIVE IT TO UNCLE SAM A kind reminder to maximize your charitable giving and give less to Uncle Sam. All tax deductible gifts to Historic First Lutheran must be received by 31 December 2007.
DO YOU HAVE CHURCH KEYS? If you do, you need to contact the Church Administrative Center and apply to receive new keys. The Board of Trustees has authorized the complete re-keying of the campus to enhance security. This re-keying is scheduled for this Wednesday. If you have a set of keys currently, you will need to be issued new keys.
CREATION BOOKS STILL AVAILABLE! As Christmas nears, please remember that we still have copies of Dr. Paul Maier’s wonderfully beautiful book “Creation” available for purchase at $15.00 each. These colorful books are perfect for a child’s gift or for use as a coffee table book for adults. See Pastor Schaar to purchase a copy.
THANK YOU RECEIVED “In October, I had surgery and I am doing very good. Thank the Lord God that everything came out very good and I thank everyone for all your prayers. Carmen Files’ aunt, Isabel Madrigal.”
PORTALS OF PRAYER AVAILABLE The January-March edition of the daily devotions “Portals of Prayer” are available from the Information Rack in the Narthex.
2008 OFFERING ENVELOPES ARE AVAILABLE! Please make sure to pick up your box of 2008 offering envelopes from the table in the Narthex today. Envelopes have been issued to members and non-members who have been regular in worship and in financially supporting Historic First Lutheran. If you do not find a box of envelopes with your name, but would like to regularly support Historic First Lutheran using an assigned envelope number, please contact the Church Administrative Center at 626.793.1139.
USHERS: TAKE NOTE Next week’s service will involve Usher Team #8 – Gerald Freeny, Rudy Melinat, Michealene Melus and Carol Schlichting.
December 16 – Ezekiel 6
December 17 – Ezekiel 7
December 18 – Ezekiel 8
December 19 – Ezekiel 9
December 20 – Ezekiel 10
December 21 – Ezekiel 11
December 22 – Ezekiel 12
We believe in the healing power of prayer. Therefore we bring the following requests to God’s Throne of Grace:
Sunday 16 December – “Lord when I am dry, You fill me up with Your love and mercy. Thank You!”
Monday 17 December – Celebrate the birthdays of friends by praying for them today: Spencer Gunn (16); Jasmine Perez (16); Gwen Hancock (18); Samantha Coury (21); John Ochetti (21); Andrea & Rev. Marcelo Gómez (21).
Tuesday 18 December – “Lord, there is at least one person in my life who is waiting for me to invite him or her to our Christmas services. Lead me to that person and give me the words to say.”
Wednesday 19 December – Thank God for the knowledge that He is with you always.
Thursday 20 December – Please remember God’s work in East Africa as you pray for peace in Sudan, which is tenuous at best after decades of civil war. Pray for lasting peace and for a government open to Christianity in Sudan.
Friday 21 December – Pray that the Lord would add pastors, deacons and deaconesses to the ranks of those who currently minister in the Japan Lutheran Church. Ask for the Lord’s special blessing on all the members of the theological education committee of the Japan Lutheran Church, especially the work of the program director, Rev. Mamoru Saito.
Saturday 22 December – “Come, Lord Jesus. Continue to prepare my heart to celebrate Your blessed birth in Bethlehem.”
Isaiah 11:1
Second Sunday in Advent
9 December 2007
In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, Amen.
“A Shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse.”
As strange as that text sounds, that simple, short sentence is a prophetic message of the Gospel, a message proclaiming the Good News of the Kingdom of God, a message that was necessary in Isaiah’s day and age as the Assyrian Empire was expanding and Israel was declining, a message that is just as necessary for us living in 21st Century Southern California.
“A Shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse.” When we hear that sentence, we should all be shouting “Glory” and “Hallelujah” and “Amen!”
Think about the events of the last couple years.
A couple major hurricanes blew into town, almost wiping off the face of the map one major U.S. city and completely “ghost-towning” much of the Gulf coast of our country. That’s a stump that needs a shoot.
Just six weeks ago, more than 10 wildfires raged out of control all around us, destroying millions of acres of land and hundreds and hundreds of homes. That’s a stump that needs a shoot.
Hardly a day passes when we don’t get news of another ambush in Iraq, involving the death of yet another service person, knowing that in a few days we will see an image of a flag-draped casket being carried off an airplane. That’s a stump that needs a shoot.
Last Saturday – December 1 – was World AIDS Day. I know we didn’t mention it here last Sunday and, sadly, I am going to guess that omission was not unusual in most churches. That’s a stump that needs a shoot.
Did you ever believe you’d see the day when we’d be celebrating gasoline at $3.25 a gallon? For most of us that price is a bad inconvenience, but we know that gas at that price is making some people make difficult decisions like do I put gas in my car or order that prescription I need to maintain my health or do I put gas in my car or food on my table? That’s a stump that needs a shoot.
How many of us and how many of our neighbors walk around our neighborhoods at night or sit on our front porches? Most of us and most of our neighbors don’t mainly because of fear because we are all acutely aware of the sharp increase in violence in our own neighborhoods. The safety factor has disappeared. That’s a stump that needs a shoot.
“A Shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse.” That Shoot’s name is “Jesus,” that name literally translated as “He Saves.”
Some 2,700 years ago, when Isaiah was writing his prophetic message, Jesus was needed to bring justice to an unjust world, to make the lion lie down with the lamb, to protect the infant as it played near the cobra nest,
to allow the cow to eat alongside the bear.
Today, 2,700 years after Isaiah, Jesus is still needed to bring peace when homes are destroyed and lives disrupted, to bring comfort when loved ones have been lost, to bring wisdom when difficult decisions needs to be made and to bring hope for the day when people don’t have to be afraid to be in their own homes.
Jesus does all that and so much more. Yet sometimes it seems Jesus is the biggest secret in the entire world. In times of crisis or tragedy, it sometimes seems people will turn to everyone and everything else but Jesus, He Whom Isaiah prophecies will be a “banner for all the peoples” and to Whom the “nations will rally.” That doesn’t seem to be happening today and we must ask “Why?”
Could it be – might I suggest – that we – the redeemed people of God – have become the new Pharisees and the new Saducees, that brood of vipers, the ones scolded by John the Baptist for not producing fruit in keeping with repentance [Matthew 3:1-11]. Do we sometimes simply get amused not by a man wearing camel’s hair and standing a the river bank but by the sideshow that we call “church?” Do we really understand and appreciate our needs and the needs of people around us? Do we really believe that Jesus can do everything Isaiah foretold and so much more?
The world needed Isaiah to bring a message of hope.
The world needed John the Baptist to prepare the way of the Lord.
The world needs you. The world needs me. No, they don’t need us, but they need what we have. The world needs Jesus. He is the Shoot that comes from the stump of Jesse. He is the glimmer of hope where otherwise there is just destruction and hopelessness.
This week, be an Isaiah and tell someone about the changed world that Jesus brings about.
This week, be a John the Baptist and prepare someone else for the coming of the Lord Jesus.
In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, Amen.
Pastor Christopher Schaar
Historic First Lutheran Church of Pasadena
December 9 – Lamentations 4
December 10 – Lamentations 5
December 11 – Ezekiel 1
December 12 – Ezekiel 2
December 13 – Ezekiel 3
December 14 – Ezekiel 4
December 15 – Ezekiel 5
ALTAR FLOWERS are given to the glory of God by Phyllis Price and family in loving memory of the December 7th birthday of her father, Phillip Barnett.
A REMINDER OF LOVE The extra roses on the altar today are from some of the more than 140 rose bushes around First Lutheran’s campus. They are a reminder of God’s love for us and His provision for all our needs.
DID YOU KNOW? There’s probably much about Historic First Lutheran that many of us do not know. So, watch weekly bulletins for “I DIDN’T KNOW,” a weekly historical or interesting tidbit of information about Historic First Lutheran.
I DIDN’T KNOW! Perhaps you didn’t know that the Fontanini “Holy Family” on the altar was donated by Pastor Christopher Schaar in loving memory of his grandmother, Charlotte Thorsen.
BLUE PARAMENTS The beautiful blue paraments adorning our altar, lectern and pulpit were lovingly donated in memory of Dr. John A. Greenlee.
HELP IS NEEDED! Men especially are needed to help unload and decorate our Christmas tree this Friday at 11:00 a.m. A pizza lunch will be supplied.
MIDWEEK ADVENT SERVICES Every Wednesday until Christmas at both 12 Noon and 7:00 p.m. These services are identical so you only have to attend one every week. Please use these services as part of your preparation to celebrate Christmas, the birth of our Savior, Jesus.
IMPORTANT VOTERS’ ASSEMBLY MEETING TODAY Our quarterly Voters’ Assembly is today after worship. This meeting always includes the review of our congregational budget for the following year. Please plan to attend!
A SIGN OF THE TIMES Like everything else it seems, the weekly cost of our Altar Flowers is increasing, effective 1 January 2008. Please note that 2 flower arrangements will now be $50.00 per week. This is the first increase in many years.
2008 FLOWER CHART The flower chart for next year is posted in the Narthex. Please make sure to check it out and sign up for your favorite dates to donate flowers to beautify the altar. Please make sure to remember that flower rates are increasing to $50.00 for two bouquets effective 1/1/2008.
L.W.M.L. MITE GOAL The 2006-2007 Mite Goal of the PSD LWML is $270,000. Mites to date, October 31, 2007, are $252,694.32. We need $17,305.68 by 31 December to reach our Mite Goal for 2007.
PARKING LOT UPDATE Due to some problems with a city permit and striping plan, the South Parking Lot still needs to be striped. It is anticipated this will be completed within the next week. We apologize for any inconvenience.
DON’T GIVE IT TO UNCLE SAM A kind reminder to maximize your charitable giving and give less to Uncle Sam. All tax deductible gifts to Historic First Lutheran must be received by 31 December 2007.
NEXT SUNDAY Bring your “Mighty Mite Boxes” filled with coins and bills for missions. You may pick up a “Mite Box” today from the table in the Narthex. Return it next Sunday filled with change.
DO YOU HAVE CHURCH KEYS? If you do, you need to contact the Church Administrative Center and apply to receive new keys. The Board of Trustees has authorized the complete re-keying of the campus to enhance security. If you have a set of keys currently, you will need to be issued new keys.
ADVENT DEVOTIONS AVAILABLE A devotional resource from LAMP – the Lutheran Association of Missionary Pilots – is available from the Information Rack in the Narthex.
PIANO RECITALS THIS TUESDAY Patsy Acheson invites everyone to attend the holiday recitals of her piano students this Tuesday from 7:00-9:00 p.m. in the Sanctuary. Light dessert will be served afterward.
USHERS: TAKE NOTE Next week’s service will involve Usher Team #7 – Nicko Avila, Daniel Hendry, Steven Hendry and James Price.
Sunday 9 December – Thank God for the spiritual feeding you have received today in worship.
Monday 10 December – Celebrate the birthdays of friends by praying for them today: Jamie Murphy
Tuesday 11 December – Please remember the Lord’s work in Macau as you pray for the Holy Spirit to move and transform Macau – a tiny peninsula and two islands near Hong Kong, on the coast of China’s Guangdon province. It is one of the most densely populated areas on earth. Only eight percent of the population professes to be Christian.
Wednesday 12 December – “O Come! O Come, Emmanuel!”
Thursday 13 December – Thank God for family and friends, for life and love.
Friday 14 December – Ask God to lead you to one person today who needs to see your Christian light shine in our dark world.
Saturday 15 December – Pray today for one person you can invite to our upcoming Christmas services.
Matthew 21:10
First Sunday in Advent
2 December 2007
In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, Amen.
Last Friday, I spent the day and the weekend up at my cabin. Friday was a cold day. Like down here it was very windy. It was downright miserable to be outside for any more than a few minutes. About 5:00 p.m., I headed down to Lake Arrowhead Village for the annual tree lighting ceremony. It’s always a pleasant evening. The merchants are all open, some with some pretty good prices. Dickens carolers stroll around. A band on the center stage plays all the familiar Christmas songs. The highlight of the evening is when Santa Claus rides into the village on a fire truck – lights flashing and sirens sounding – and lights the Christmas tree.
That event was advertised for 6:30 p.m., but something happened this year. Santa was literally late. People – some with some very small children – were getting agitated because of the weather. A little after 7:00 p.m., even after two cups of hot chocolate, I was ready to call it quits. I know you never thought you’d hear ME say this, but I was cold. The evening was miserable and Santa was late. I had just made the decision that I couldn’t take any more – and tree lighting or no tree lighting it was time for me to go – when I saw the familiar sight of flashing emergency lights so I stuck it out for another five minutes and saw Santa drive by me and saw the Christmas tree come alive with thousands of lights. In the end, the cold and the waiting was worth it – I had seen what I wanted to see.
The despair and disappointment that I experienced last Friday night could not be that different from the despair and disappointment that was present in this world some 2,000 years ago. Seven hundred years before Christ was born, the prophet Isaiah was carried along by the Holy Spirit to write some wonderful prophecies about the Messiah promised of old. One of those prophecies was read this morning, that prophecy about the coming of the Messiah when the weapons of war would be beat into tools of peace.
After that prophecy – and others like it – was written and proclaimed by Isaiah, people started to wait. They started to constantly watch. They began to pass on that prophecy from one generation to another. “When will Messiah come?” was the question asked by every child to his or her father. “When will Messiah come?” “Soon. Very soon” was always the answer given. “Be patient, my child. The Messiah will come. God will keep His promise. God will be faithful. The Messiah will come.”
I grew disappointed after two hours, especially after waiting 30 minutes longer that I thought I would have to wait. Can you imagine waiting 700 years for something? How about 1,400 years? It’s believed that the Book of Genesis was written about 1,400 years before Christ, the first written prophecy of the coming Messiah, that interaction in the Garden of Eden between God and Adam and Eve, where He promised them a Messiah, a Savior Who would crush the head of the devil.
No small wonder, then, that when Jesus Christ, the long-promised, long-anticipated, long-expected Messiah rode into Jerusalem on that donkey on what we today call “Palm Sunday,” there was much commotion in the city. Some people, filled to overflowing with 700 years of anticipation, shouted out “Hosanna!” The hopes of all the years were met in Him. All their waiting had come to an end. Other people, filled with 700 years of frustration and waiting asked the question, “Who is this?” They had waited so long that they had perhaps even forgotten for whom they were waiting. Their hopes had been built up so many times that they could have figured that Jesus was just one more person claiming to be the Messiah.
“Who is this?” What a sad question that is. It’s sadly a question that is asked a lot today. It’s a question that shows the state of people’s minds. It’s a question that shows the state of our world. “Who is this?”
Let me tell you about 12-year-old Marianette Amper. Exactly one month ago today, on November 2, 2007, the day after All Saints’ Day, Marianette committed suicide. What would drive a 12-year-old to commit suicide? She left behind a note. The resident of Davao City in The Philippines had been driven to despair by abject poverty. Before she committed suicide she wrote to a reality TV show expressing her desire to have a pair of shoes, a dress and a bicycle.
Think about that for a second. How many pairs of shoes do you have? I am not a fanatic about shoes but I probably have 12 pairs of shoes scattered around the bottom of my closet. How about clothes? Are your closets like mine, filled to overflowing with clothes, many of which we don’t even wear? How about a bicycle? I right now have a bicycle hanging from the rafters in my garage. In high school, I think my family must have had 10 bicycles entangled together along the side of the garage.
Do you see what I am getting at? This little girl committed suicide not over a seemingly unsolvable problem like world peace, but over items that we all have in overabundance. Her death was senseless. Useless. But she’s not alone.
Hearing about and reading about her suicide really made me stop and think. How many people are despairing all around us right now, not over problems that can’t be solved, but over issues that are extremely solvable? How many people around us have lost hope? How many people around us have walked away from faith or have never even been brought into faith? If Jesus Christ were today to keep His 2000-year-old promise and come back to this earth today, how many people would ask, “Who is this?”
I have no way to supply a numerical answer to that question, but I can tell there would be way too many people in today’s world joining their voices to the people of Jerusalem long ago, asking “Who is this?” I have no way to supply a numerical answer to that question, but I can tell you that if even one person asks that question when Jesus returns, it’s way too many. I can also tell you that if even one person asks that question we as the faithful followers of Jesus Christ have failed to do what He asked us to do, namely being His witnesses.
Maybe we, too, have grown tired and frustrated and disappointed in waiting. Maybe we figure Jesus’ promise to be all hype, something unreliable. Maybe the belief in Jesus Christ has even among us become an “opiate for the masses,” as predicted by Karl Marx.
This Season of Advent is meant to prepare us once again for the reality of the birth of Jesus Christ. Two thousand years ago, God clothed Himself in human flesh and kept His promise that He would come and save the world. That He did in Bethlehem. That He did on Calvary. Those are both proven facts, testified to on the pages of history.
Jesus has promised to come again into this world of tears, this world of disappointment, this world of despair. Until that time, whether it’s today to tomorrow or 2,000 years from now, He has sent His ambassadors into His world. That’s you and me. We’re the ones charged with maintaining hope, with fighting despair, with answering the question in the world around us, “Who is this?” We have the answer: “This is Jesus, the Savior!”
In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, Amen.
Pastor Christopher Schaar
Historic First Lutheran Church of Pasadena
Announcements
ALTAR FLOWERS are given to the glory of God by Corine Motley in thanksgiving to God for His many blessings and in honor of the birthday of her daughter, Sabrina.
A REMINDER OF LOVE The extra roses on the altar today are from some of the more than 140 rose bushes around First Lutheran’s campus. They are a reminder of God’s love for us and His provision for all our needs.
DID YOU KNOW? There’s probably much about Historic First Lutheran that many of us do not know. So, watch weekly bulletins for “I DIDN’T KNOW,” a weekly historical or interesting tidbit of information about Historic First Lutheran.
I DIDN’T KNOW! Perhaps you didn’t know that “Cathedral Ministries” like ours are often defined by their commitment to the finest: the finest preaching; the finest worship; the finest art; the finest buildings; the finest music. Today’s worship service, involving recording artist Jesus Florido is proof positive again of our commitment to providing the finest worship and music in the City of Pasadena.
BLUE PARAMENTS The beautiful green paraments adorning our altar, lectern and pulpit were lovingly donated in memory of Dr. John A. Greenlee.
WELCOME TO ADVENT! This Wednesday begins our Midweek Advent Services, every Wednesday until Christmas at both 12 Noon and 7:00 p.m. These services are identical so you only have to attend one every week. Please use these services as part of your preparation to celebrate Christmas, the birth of our Savior, Jesus.
IMPORTANT VOTERS’ ASSEMBLY MEETING NEXT SUNDAY Our quarterly Voters’ Assembly is next Sunday after worship. The December meeting always includes the review of our congregational budget for the following year. Advanced packets are available today from the table in the Narthex. Please plan to attend!
MICHAEL SCHOEMAN SPEECH A limited number of copies of Michael Schoeman’s Faith Testimony presented on 11 November are available from the Information Rack in the Narthex.
MANY THANKS! Our parking lot repaving projects are almost complete and the lots look beautiful once again. Paul Nagle spearheaded these projects and spent many days driving in from his home in West Covina, despite the cost of gasoline. Thanks, Paul!
MORE THANKS! Many thanks to Ocilda Files and Lenice Snedden-Coury who pitched in this past week during the vacation of Gina Harding and provided invaluable help to Pastor Schaar in the Church Administrative Center. We all appreciate their help! Pastor couldn’t have survived with a sane mind without their help!
CITRUS SINGERS BUS TRIP Don’t forget that our annual bus trip to the Citrus Singers’ “Christmas Is” concert is this Saturday. The bus will promptly leave the South Parking Lot at 1:00 p.m. so be sure to be here early!
A SIGN OF THE TIMES Like everything else it seems, the weekly cost of our Altar Flowers is increasing, effective 1 January 2008. Please note that 2 flower arrangements will now be $50.00 per week. This is the first increase in many years.
2008 FLOWER CHART The flower chart for next year is posted in the Narthex. Please make sure to check it out and sign up for your favorite dates to donate flowers to beautify the altar. Please make sure to remember that flower rates are increasing to $50.00 for two bouquets effective 1/1/2008.
END OF THE YEAR GIFTS Today is the deadline to submit suggestions for end of the year grants to programs worthy of our church’s outreach. Suggestions will presented at the Voter’s Assembly meeting, Sunday 9 December. Suggestions should be given to Roger Douglas, Teri Higby, Gerald Freeny or Carol Numrich. New suggestions so far include: Wheatridge, Hope Institute for Children in America and Lutheran World Missions for support of missionaries in foreign countries.
ADVENT DEVOTIONS AVAILABLE A devotional resource from LAMP – the Lutheran Association of Missionary Pilots – is available from the Information Rack in the Narthex.
USHERS: TAKE NOTE Next week’s service will involve Usher Team #6 – Rogelio Douglas, Henry Hubert, Yashar Kafi, Marlene Ochetti.
December 2 – Jeremiah 49
December 3 – Jeremiah 50
December 4 – Jeremiah 51
December 5 – Jeremiah 52
December 6 – Lamentations 1
December 7 – Lamentations 2
December 8 – Lamentations 3
Sunday 2 December – Thank God for the gifts and talents He has overwhelmingly bestowed upon Jesus Florido, who participated in our worship today. Thank God that Jesus was willing to share his talents with us. Thank God for the gift of music!
Monday 3 December – Celebrate the birthdays of friends by praying for them today: Dion Price (12/5) and Shirley Sweeney (12/7).
Tuesday 4 December – Pray by name for our shut-in members: Cleora Bryan, Jill Fenske, Gloria Melinat, Charles Newhouse, Clara Newhouse, Arline Pace, Claudia Proctor, Estelle Thaxton and Ethel Watkins.
Wednesday 5 December – Prepare the Royal Highway to greet your coming King by attending one of the midweek Advent services today and joining with friends in prayer and praise!
Thursday 6 December – Ask God to bless our deployed troops with safety as they protect freedoms around the world. Include their families also in your prayers during this time of separation.
Friday 7 December – Pray that the youth who attend our “Good Friday” Youth Outreach would come to know Jesus as their Savior.
Saturday 8 December – Ask God to bless our bus trip to the Citrus Singers with safety and pray that this concert would serve as preparation for the celebration of Christmas!