“Living and Aging Your Way!
]]> Come join us Saturday 4 February from 9:30 - 11:30 for a seminar on“Living and Aging Your Way!
Historic First Lutheran Church of Pasadena is hosting this
FREE Seminar
On creating a successful plan for aging!
This seminar is for you if you want to:
●Stay in control as you age
●Learn how to discuss wishes and concerns with family
●Save time, money and frustration
Guided by experts
Mary Winners, a certified Gerontologist
&
Donna Chaney, CPA,
PFS Financial Planner & Investment Manager
Men & Women of all ages are welcome!
Continental breakfast & snacks provided
Come to learn! Come for fellowship!
Make your reservation today!
Call 626-793-1139
Historic First Lutheran Church of Pasadena
808 N. Los Robles, Pasadena
In her devotion, Jennifer asked two brilliant questions, questions that I couldn’t state any better so I am going to use her questions. “First,” Jennifer asked, “what if there are prophets in my midst that I don’t recognize because they look just like me? And second, if prophets look just like me, what if I have a prophetic word to share, too?”
“A Prophet in Everyday Clothing.”
That sets the scene for what happened that one day in Capernaum [Mark 1:21-28]. Unlike Christian churches today where there are most times a designated pastor who serves as the “prophet” in that place, who stands in the pulpit week after week and, hopefully after much prayer and much study, proclaims God’s Word to the people who are listening, in “synagogue life” what would often happen would be that a visiting “teacher” would be recognized and honored and called upon to share his wisdom. Often that would be just a spur of the moment invitation. A scroll would be taken and handed to the visiting teacher and it was the visiting teacher’s responsibility to share a reflection that made some sense.
That day in Capernaum, when Jesus was recognized as a visiting teacher and when He was handed the scroll, He did more than just make some sense. In fact, Jesus showed Himself to be the fulfillment of that prophecy written long before by Moses about that Prophet Who would be raised up from among His own brothers. That day in Capernaum, in the midst of His teaching, probably due to the fact that Jesus was God Himself and as the very Word of God Himself [John 1:1], He was speaking Himself to the people, suddenly an evil spirit that had possessed a man screeched out: “I know Who You are.” We are later told in Scripture that even the devils believe in God and tremble [James 2:19]. And that day, standing in the very presence of the Almighty Eternal God, that demon trembled and that demon screeched. And Jesus said one single word to that demon and it released its hold on that man. Whoa!
Imagine if that happened on a Sunday morning here at Historic First Lutheran! Your reaction would probably be the same as the reaction of the people in Capernaum that day: “What’s this? We’ve never seen anything like this before!” And it very much impressed them that here is this visiting teacher, Who looked and acted like them in every way, who was “a prophet in everyday clothing,” but about Whom there was obviously something distinctly different. Mark summarizes this event very simply: “News about [Jesus] spread quickly over the whole region of Galilee” [Mark 1:28].
Isn’t that exactly what is supposed to happen? How does the news about Jesus continue to spread today? I suggest to you, at the risk of offending my brothers in the ministry around the world, the best way for the news about Jesus to spread is not through the ministry of pastors. Pastors are very limited. This morning I am preaching to about 80 people. A couple dozen more people might one day read this sermon on the internet. Even my brothers who have much larger churches and even broadcast their worship services and have a much larger online following, even they have a finite number of people that they can reach. On October 30, 2011, the 7 billionth human inhabitant was born on earth [www.bitsofscience.org/world-population-7-billion-people-3915/]. That is equal 87,500,000 Historic First Lutheran Churches of Pasadena (based upon our average Sunday morning attendance of 80 people). And I can tell you there are not 87,500,000 pastors in this world (you see, pastors are limited), but there are 7 billion potential “prophets in everyday clothing” and that includes each and every one of you!
Each of you is here today for some reason and I am going to guess that the great majority of you are not here today because of the ministry of a pastor. I am going to guess that the great majority of you are here today because of a “prophet in everyday clothing.” Maybe your “prophet in everyday clothing” was your parents or your grandparents or an aunt or uncle. Maybe your “prophet in everyday clothing” was a spouse. Maybe your “prophet in everyday clothing” was a friend or a neighbor or a co-worker. Maybe your “prophet in everyday clothing” was a homeless man named Paul who stands day after day at the corner of Lake Avenue and the 210 Freeway wearing his colorful witnessing bracelet and willing to tell you his own personal belief in Jesus, Who’s never failed him yet.
Even more important than that “prophet in everyday clothing” who has somehow spoken the Word of God to you, bringing you to faith in Jesus as Lord and Savior, is the fact that each of you is “prophet in everyday clothing” to many more people than I will ever know. And there is nothing “potential” about that. Each of you is a “prophet in everyday clothing.” Sometimes you give a very clear witness to Jesus Christ. And, sadly, let’s face it, other times things you say or do may push people away from coming to know Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior [see 1 Corinthians 8:1-13]. But make no mistake – each of you – each of us – is a “prophet in everyday clothing,” one from among your own people, one who allows God’s Spirit to regularly invade his or her thoughts [Deuteronomy 18:18], one who allows God’s Spirit to regularly use him or her [Deuteronomy 18:18] to speak and to live God’s Word not in a pulpit or from behind a podium but simply sitting in the midst of people in the ordinary events of life and allowing God’s Holy Spirit to rattle their minds, asking themselves “What is this? A new teaching? And one with God’s own power and authority!”
“Prophets in Everyday Clothing:” God bless your ministry this week!
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
Tuesday 31 January – Thank God for all His blessings during this first month of 2012.
Wednesday 1 February – Ask God’s Holy Spirit to fill your heart with His love for all people.
Thursday 2 February – Pray that God would continue to bless our preparations for our 120th Anniversary.
Friday 3 February – Ask God to bless the “Living and Aging” seminar we are hosting tomorrow.
Saturday 4 February – Read Psalm 139, using those Words of God to prepare your heart for worship tomorrow.
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IMPORTANT NOTE ABOUT ALTAR FLOWERS We sadly announce that our florist is raising the cost of our altar flowers to $70.00 per week (up from $50.00). Please plan accordingly.
DONORS NEEDED The Altar Guild has noticed a number of available Sundays for flower donations, particularly the last two Sundays in February. Sign-up on the Flower Chart in the Narthex today. Thank You!
DID YOU KNOW? Perhaps you didn’t know that the history of Historic First Lutheran actually begins on 7 July 1846, 46 years before the actual founding of this congregation. On that day, William Toler, a Lutheran from Philadelphia, raised the flag of the United States of America over the capital city of Alta California, Monterey. With American possession of California, the principle of religious freedom came to the West Coast!
LAST CALL FOR ANY CHANGES! Year-End Contribution Statements have been mailed. Please check them carefully! All potential errors must be reported to the Church Administrative Center by 1 February 2012. After that date we will be unable to make any changes.
WEAR YOUR FAITH! Have you lost your colorful witnessing bracelet, or given it away, or never received one? Get another from Pastor Schaar! Lets all be wearing one next Sunday!
NEXT SUNDAY! Yashar Kafi, a member of Historic First Lutheran since 2006 and a former Muslim, will share his journey to faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior and the continued inconveniences he experiences because of his conversion to Christianity.
“DOWNTOWN” AVAILABLE Printed copies of Issue #15 of “Downtown,” edited by Pastor Schaar, are available from the Information Rack in the Narthex.
PAINTING HAS STARTED! Interior repainting of the church building has begun in preparation for our 120th Anniversary. This is the first time the church interior has been painted in more than 20 years! Please overlook any residual painting tape as this process continues.
ANNIVERSARY GIFTS Our 2012 budget has added a line item to cover costs associated with our 120th Anniversary. However, costs are anticipated to exceed that budgeted amount. You are encouraged to consider gifts toward this celebration by using your designated envelope clearly marked “Anniversary Gift.” All gifts are tax deductible.
USHERS: TAKE NOTE Next week’s service will involve Usher Team #4 – Doris Barnes, Taina Feher and Paul Nagle.
January 29 – Mark 15
January 30 – Mark 16
January 31 – Luke 1
February 1 – Luke 2
February 2 – Luke 3
February 3 – Luke 4
February 4 – Luke 5
]]>The topic of decisions runs through each of our Scripture readings today.
In our first reading [1 Samuel 3:1-20], young Samuel had some decisions to make. Samuel first had to decide to listen to the voice calling his name in the middle of the night. It might have been easier to just ignore it and act as if he had been in a deep sleep. Then Samuel had to make the decision to follow Eli’s seemingly crazy advice and believe it to be the Lord’s voice calling him. It might have been easier for him to just believe Eli was playing a prank on him. Then Samuel had to make the decision to share with Eli the truthful, but difficult, message that the Lord had given him. It might have been easier to fabricate a much more pleasant message for his beloved, elderly mentor. Young Samuel certainly had some decisions to make.
Our second reading [1 Corinthians 6:12-20], most likely a reading that makes us all a little uncomfortable because of some of the words that are used, is all about decisions, decisions that a follower of Jesus Christ has to make on a daily basis, decisions about lifestyle and the witness – positive or negative – those lifestyle decisions make to others. Paul ends our second reading with the words, “You were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.” There’s certainly a couple decisions to make right there – the decision to accept the fact that we have been redeemed and the decision to respond to that expensive redemption in an honorable way.
And, of course, our Gospel [John 1:43-51] is clearly about decisions. Jesus decided to leave for Galilee. He picked Philip out of the crowd. Philip not only decided to follow Jesus but he started his “fishers of men” ministry right away by running off and recruiting his brother Nathanael. Nathanael had to decide if it was wise to follow a rabbi from Nazareth, a rabbi who also might be their long-expected Messiah.
The topic of decisions certainly runs deeply through each of our Scripture readings today. These are the assigned readings for the Second Sunday after the Epiphany, a date on the church calendar that seems to always fall on this weekend selected by our country to honor the birth of The Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Dr. King was a man who made decisions, decisions some people thought he was crazy to make, decisions that some people encouraged him to let other people make, decisions that made some people uncomfortable, decisions that angered some people, decisions that ultimately led to his untimely death. But Dr. King knew those were his decisions to make, decisions given him by God Himself, decisions that otherwise would have been made by others for him and for many other people and that those decisions, if made for him by others, would ultimately not be to his liking, those decisions, if made for him by others, may have been very counter to what both the Word of God and the United States Constitution say.
Today and every day decisions are required in our lives. That’s no secret. That’s no surprise. Every day we have to decide to get out of bed. Every day we have to decide what to wear and what to eat. Every day we have to decide what we’re going to do. And every day, though we don’t often stop to think about it, we have to decide what we’re going to believe – not in the realm of politics or commercial advertising, but in the realm of our faith.
Nathanael summed it up well: “Nazareth? Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Even with Jesus standing right in front of their very eyes, believing in Jesus and leaving everything to follow Jesus was not an easy decision to make. Nathanael and his fellow disciples had to be touched and moved by the Holy Spirit to make that decision to believe that Jesus was Who He said He was and that following Him was the best decision for them to make.
It’s that same Holy Spirit that enabled young Samuel to make the decisions he made. It’s that same Holy Spirit that enabled Dr. King to make the decisions he made. It’s that same Holy Spirit Who is so necessary in our daily lives – yes, even sometimes to make those unsurprising daily decisions, but especially when it comes to those decisions about Jesus Christ. Left to ourselves, let’s face it, we often make bad decisions, but we are not left to ourselves. No, the Holy Spirit has been given to us and has promised to be with us always [Matthew 28:20].
That Holy Spirit comes to us again today as we hear the Word of God read and proclaimed. That is what is so important about being hearers of the Word. The Word of God is living and active [Hebrews 4:12] and the Holy Spirit comes to us through the Word of God, leading us, guiding us, directing us in our daily walk with Jesus. The Holy Spirit also comes to us again today as we receive the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ in His Supper. When, by faith, that wheat wafer hits our tongue and when that little plastic cup of wine or grape juice hits our lips the Holy Spirit energizes it to be the Body and Blood of Jesus to forgive our sins, to strengthen us in faith and to empower our belief in Jesus Who is the Way and the Truth and the Life [John 14:6], our Way, our Truth, and our Life.
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
IMPORTANT NOTE ABOUT ALTAR FLOWERS We sadly announce that our florist is raising the cost of our altar flowers to $70.00 per week (up from $50.00). Please plan accordingly.
OUR GREEN PARAMENTS The green paraments adorning our altar, lectern and pulpit are gifts in loving memory of Marsenlane Parker, 1918-1996. They are green for the Epiphany season. Green is the color of plant life, abundant in spring and summer. It is used to represent the triumph of life over death. Our particular parament set is called “Fishers of Men.” The altar parament includes three Crosses. The center Cross also includes the symbol of fish and a fishing net, reflecting Jesus’ call to be “fishers of men” [Mark 1:17]. The pulpit parament is almost a mirror image of the center Cross on the altar parament, with fish and a fishing net. However, also notice what appears to be a nimbus around the Cross, a reminder that this is Christ’s Cross that “catches” men and women as His Word is preached and proclaimed. The lectern parament also displays a Cross with a nimbus, but is surrounded by two stalks of wheat. From Jesus’ parables, wheat came to represent believers over against the weeds, or “tares,” which represent unbelievers. Combining Christ’s Cross with the wheat symbolizes that “faith comes by hearing the message” [Romans 10:17] read week after week from the lectern.
DID YOU KNOW? Perhaps you didn’t know that what is today our Church Administrative Center was originally a private residence designed and constructed in 1913 by noted architects Arthur and Alfred Heineman. They came from Chicago to Pasadena in 1894, just one year after the Greene Brothers. Alfred is reported to have once said, “I almost always put something by [Ernest] Batchelder in my houses as a tribute to the man who gave me my only training in design.” Sure enough – our Church Administrative Center has a Batchelder tile fireplace!
NEXT SUNDAY Dr. Larry Stoterau, our Bishop / District President, makes his annual preaching visit on 22 January. A luncheon follows worship.
FOOD COLLECTION TWO WEEKS FROM TODAY! On Sunday 29 January we will collect non-perishable food items for the Ecumenical Council of Pasadena Area Churches. Most needed items include peanut butter & jelly, tuna, soups, cereals (hot & cold), pasta & pasta sauce, rice (bags/boxes), canned vegetables, canned fruit, macaroni & cheese, baby food, beans / chili, canned meats (stews, etc.), crackers, fruit juices, flower/sugar/powdered milk, instant potatoes / stuffing mix, cranberry sauce, pumpkin pie mix, muffin and bread mixes, jello, pudding, cake & cookie mixes and frosting. As we are all richly blessed by God, please plan to richly give out of your bounty.
GOOD NEWS TO REPORT Historic First Lutheran ended its Fiscal Year 2011 with a balance of $3,460.50. That money has been transferred from our General Fund into our Reserve Cash Fund. Thanks to all of you for your very generous support of the mission and ministry of Historic First Lutheran!
PLEASE CHECK NOW! Year-End Contribution Statements have been mailed. Please check them carefully. All potential errors must be reported to the Church Administrative Center by 1 February 2012. After that date we will be unable to make any changes.
HELP IS NEEDED! The first work day of 2012 is coming up on Saturday 28 January, starting at 9:30 a.m. Please plan to help. All supplies will be provided!
USHERS: TAKE NOTE Next week’s service will involve Usher Team #2 – Rogelio Douglas, Craig Daniels and Melvin Muse.
January 16 – Mark 2
January 17 – Mark 3
January 18 – Mark 4
January 19 – Mark 5
January 20 – Mark 6
January 21 – Mark
]]>Monday 16 January – Ask God’s blessings upon those celebrating birthdays this week: Bill Files (18); Nicko Avila (20).
Tuesday 17 January – Pray for those struggling with mental health issues.
Wednesday 18 January – Thank God for His faithfulness!
Thursday 19 January – Thank God for every volunteer who enables the mission of Historic First Lutheran to continue.
Friday 20 January – Pray for peace throughout our world.
Saturday 21 January – Ask God to bless Dr. Larry Stoterau as he prepares to preach for us tomorrow.
Just a few short weeks before Hurricane Wilma ravaged Key West, Hurricane Katrina did its own chaotic work on the city of New Orleans, leaving behind 1300 dead bodies of people. And it was just 8 months earlier than Katrina when unbelievably chaotic pictures littered our television screens on Christmas Day of the Indian Ocean tsunami, triggered by the world’s most powerful earthquake in 40 years, with a loss of life estimated at 230,000 people.
You’ve probably already noticed that I have three times used together in close proximity the words “water” and “chaos.” Our English word “chaos” comes from the same Greek word, meaning “gaping void” or “nothingness.”
It’s that exact word that appears in the second verse of the entire Bible – “In the beginning God created the Heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty” [Genesis 1:1-2]. There was a gaping void. There was a nothingness. There was chaos. Then God hovered over that chaos and began to speak. Order resulted as things, one by one, got separated out of that chaos by the powerful Word of God and began to peacefully define God’s beautiful creation. Chaos changed into creation.
Throughout the Bible, water is often closely related to chaos. Think of the chaos that resulted from Noah’s great flood [Genesis 6-9]. Think of the chaos of the Red Sea after the Children of Israel passed through on dry ground only to look back and see the horsemen and chariots of Egypt being swallowed up by the returning waters [Exodus 14]. You will also remember that event on the Sea of Galilee when a sudden storm came out of nowhere with Jesus soundly sleeping in the stern of the boat while the disciples fought for their lives, finally waking Jesus with those words, “Don’t You care if we drown?” [Mark 4:35-41]. And then there that evening on that same sea when the disciples again found themselves in the midst of a storm – this time without Jesus – when Peter got the chance to walk a few steps toward Jesus on the water [Mark 6:45-51]. Throughout the Bible, water is often closely related to chaos.
That’s also the case in our Gospel today [Mark 1:4-11]. John the Baptist created quite the carnival scene out at the Jordan River. With stringy hair and a camel’s hair loin cloth and shoving globs of wild honey into his mouth, John called people to repent. And people were flocking to see that carnival scene. Then out of that chaotic crowd walked a familiar face – John’s cousin, Jesus, the Messiah, the One Who should have been there at the Jordan baptizing. That sent John into a personal chaos, wondering the meaning of his far-greater cousin coming to him to be baptized. Then things got even more chaotic as John and Jesus walked into the water and the Heavens opened and a dove descended and a voice boomed, “This is My Son, Whom I love. With You I am well pleased.” You can imagine the startled look on John’s face as Jesus’ face probably sported a big grin. You can imagine people fearfully running in every direction. Once again, water often closely related to chaos.
But there is something more in that scene. That something more comes through those words spoken because similar to the beginning of all time, when God hovered over the nothingness void and spoke peace and order into that chaos, so God hovered over the Jordan River that day and spoke peace and order into that chaos.
Chaos results when things are out of order, when things are seemingly out of control. Does that sound like your life? I bet it does because it sounds like my life. It sounds like us because about 60% of our bodies are water. That’s 60% chaos, past the tipping point.
Just recently we heard about some deaths of friends and family members on Christmas Day. Talk about chaos. Just recently we heard about friends and loved ones being diagnosed with cancer. Talk about chaos. There have been jobs lost and no jobs to be found. Talk about chaos. Workplace massacres. Chaos. Emergency hospitalizations and surgeries. Chaos. Lawsuits. Chaos. Broken bones and illnesses. Chaos. Windstorms. Chaos.
But above all that chaos our God continues to hover! Into all that chaos our God continues to speak! Out of all that chaos our God continues to bring order and peace!
How does He do all that? In a very strange way. Through water.
While it often causes chaos, when water is combined with the Word of God, order and peace result. It happened that way at the creation of the world. It happened that way at the baptism of Jesus. It happened that way – and continues to happen that way – in our own baptism. For there, as water was applied to our bodies, the Word of God was spoken: “I baptize you in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” and God’s own voice was heard: “You are My child whom I love. With you I am well pleased.”
St. Paul tells us that our baptism links us to Christ’s death [Romans 6:1-11]. And there on that crazy chaotic hill called Calvary, flowing blood and water marked the death of the Babe of Bethlehem, the One with Whom God was pleased, the One Who could command the wind and the waves to be still, the One Who would said to His disciples – “Why do you have so little faith?” [Matthew 8:26].
A chaotic three days later the women went to the tomb. Their faces were dirty with tears and dust. They were going to anoint Jesus’ body. But just before they got to the tomb, true chaos occurred. A massive earthquake shook the earth, so substantial that the stone was rolled back from the tomb and the Roman soldiers scattered. The women were greeted not with a dead body but with the very Word of God Himself spoken through the attending angels – “He is not here! [Chaos is not the victor!] He is Risen just as He said!” [Matthew 28:6].
“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever” [Hebrews 13:8]. My friends, that is powerful because it means that even today – and on every tomorrow – the all-powerful Creator of the universe continues to hover over our chaos just as He has covered over chaos throughout all time. He continues to speak into our chaos. He continues to creates order and peace out of our chaos for He is not lying in any tomb, but He is alive and He is with us always, unto the very end of the earth [Matthew 28:20].
But even then chaos is not the victor. No, you remember that scene told us by St. John in his Revelation. When John was shown Heaven [Revelation 4], He first saw a throne with someone seated on it. He then saw a beautiful rainbow surrounding the throne. Then he saw 24 white-robed elders wearing crowns of gold. Then he saw a sea of glass, as clear as crystal, not one single ripple in that sea, not one hint of any chaos.
In true Lutheran fashion I ask, “What does this mean?” For you and for me it means that while there is indeed chaos in our lives on a daily basis – sometimes less severe; sometimes more severe – no matter what is happening with us, Jesus is sitting on His Throne and He is looking out at us over that peaceful, serene Crystal Sea. And He continues to speak into the chaos of our world by saying, “Come unto Me, all ye who labor and are burdened [all ye who are in the midst of chaos] and I will give Thee rest” [Matthew 11:28]. He can say those words because in His world, because of His baptism, His death and His Resurrection, there is no chaos. There’s only order. There’s only that peace that passes all human understanding. All that belongs to us as His dearly loved children, brought into His family through the waters of Holy Baptism, simply and solely because of Jesus if we only listen to His Word spoken into our chaos.
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
January 8 – Matthew 22
January 9 – Matthew 23
January 10 – Matthew 24
January 11 – Matthew 25
January 12 – Matthew 26
January 13 – Matthew 27
January 14 – Matthew 28
]]>IMPORTANT NOTE ABOUT ALTAR FLOWERS We sadly announce that our florist is raising the cost of our altar flowers to $70.00 per week (up from $50.00). Please plan accordingly.
DID YOU KNOW? Perhaps you didn’t know that to this very day the official name of our congregation (which we call “Historic First Lutheran”) is “First Evangelical Lutheran St. Paul’s Church of Pasadena.” Not only was that the name selected all the way back in 1892 but that’s how we’re incorporated to this day in the State of California. It’s how all our property and bank accounts are titled. Back in April, 1951, the official church name was abbreviated (as a “doing-business-as”) to “First Lutheran Church of Pasadena.” And in 2001, following the declaration of the Church, the Parish Hall and Koch Hall as “Cultural Heritage Landmarks” in the City of Pasadena, we began using the name “Historic First Lutheran.”
THANK YOU! Pastor Schaar thanks everyone who remembered him at Christmas with thoughts, prayers, cards, gifts and monetary contributions to Historic First Lutheran in his honor!
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. Every penny collected gets mailed to support worldwide missions!
TWO WEEKS FROM TODAY Dr. Larry Stoterau, our Bishop / District President, makes his annual preaching visit on 22 January. A luncheon follows worship.
USHERS: TAKE NOTE Next week’s service will involve Usher Team #1 – Bernadette Hendry, Greg Hendry and Ann Price.
]]>Monday 9 January – Ask God’s blessings upon those celebrating birthdays this week: Harriet Dickens (11); Jeff Potter (14).
Tuesday 10 January – Ask God to continue to bless the ministries of Pastor Gómez and Pastor Schaar.
Wednesday 11 January – Through prayer today, spend time listening to God as He leads and guides you.
Thursday 12 January – Praise God for the awesome beauty of His creation.
Friday 13 January – Thank God for the weekly mission outreach of our “Good Friday” Youth Outreach.
Saturday 14 January – Confess to God your sins. Remember your baptism. Thank God for forgiving your sins and making you His dearly loved child!
In case you haven't seen it, Larry Wilson, editor of the Pasadena Star News, made a very unkind remark in his editorial this morning regarding "The Lutheran Hour" float in the Rose Parade. You may follow the link and read it yourself. It's toward the end of his article where he says the "octopus" of the Occupy movement was as ugly as a "Lutheran Hour" Float.
I encourage each of you to respond to this comment either by email or snail mail. Imagine the outrage if Mr. Wilson had written such a thing about the Rotary or AIDS or Honda float.
http://www.pasadenastarnews.com/wilson/ci_19668185
We MUST make our voices heard!
Pastor Christopher Schaar