Black Friday savings!
Savings galore!
Black Friday savings!
OK, do I have your attention now?
Because obviously this is not about Black Friday savings. This is about savings of an entirely different sort:
1 Thessalonians 4:13-14 But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, about those who have died, so that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have died.
In Christ,
Pastor Seth
Worship with us Sunday mornings at 8:30 and 11. This Sunday, there will be no Sunday School or other Education activities.
Friday, November 25, 2011
Thursday, November 24, 2011
ASLC Devotions - Thanksgiving
Looking for some words to say around your Thanksgiving table today? Looking for some words to pray alone today? Try these:
Almighty God our Father, your generous goodness comes to us new every day. By the work of your Spirit lead us to acknowledge your goodness, give thanks for your benefits, and serve you in willing obedience, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. - the Prayer of the Day from ELW (Evangelical Lutheran Worship)
OR
The eyes of all wait upon you, O Lord, and you give them their food in due season. You open your hand and satisfy the desire of every living creature. Amen. - Martin Luther's Table Prayer
Come by to join the meal today 11-2 at All Saints. Worship Sunday morning 8:30 and 11. No Sunday School or other Education classes this Sunday.
Almighty God our Father, your generous goodness comes to us new every day. By the work of your Spirit lead us to acknowledge your goodness, give thanks for your benefits, and serve you in willing obedience, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. - the Prayer of the Day from ELW (Evangelical Lutheran Worship)
OR
The eyes of all wait upon you, O Lord, and you give them their food in due season. You open your hand and satisfy the desire of every living creature. Amen. - Martin Luther's Table Prayer
Come by to join the meal today 11-2 at All Saints. Worship Sunday morning 8:30 and 11. No Sunday School or other Education classes this Sunday.
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
ASLC Devotions - Wednesday
John 5:24 Very truly, I tell you, anyone who hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life, and does not come under judgement, but has passed from death to life.
I love the finality of the gospel when it's purely and confidently stated. Like - period, end of sentence kind of finality. There's nothing more to say. No ifs, ands, or buts. No fine print, no "some exclusions may apply," no "not applicable in all states." None of that garbage. Just pure straight and to the point.
Jesus said, "Anyone who hears my word and believes him who sent me [that would be God] has eternal life. Not will have eternal life. Not might have eternal life. Not has eternal life until they do something to mess it up. No. Anyone who hears and believes HAS eternal life. Count on it. Put it in the bank. You can put it on the board! Yes! Just a good reminder.
In Christ,
Pastor Seth
Invite your friends and neighbors to worship TONIGHT (Wednesday) at 7 pm, to eat tomorrow from 11-2 and to worship again on Sunday 8:30 and 11.
I love the finality of the gospel when it's purely and confidently stated. Like - period, end of sentence kind of finality. There's nothing more to say. No ifs, ands, or buts. No fine print, no "some exclusions may apply," no "not applicable in all states." None of that garbage. Just pure straight and to the point.
Jesus said, "Anyone who hears my word and believes him who sent me [that would be God] has eternal life. Not will have eternal life. Not might have eternal life. Not has eternal life until they do something to mess it up. No. Anyone who hears and believes HAS eternal life. Count on it. Put it in the bank. You can put it on the board! Yes! Just a good reminder.
In Christ,
Pastor Seth
Invite your friends and neighbors to worship TONIGHT (Wednesday) at 7 pm, to eat tomorrow from 11-2 and to worship again on Sunday 8:30 and 11.
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
ASLC Devotions - Tuesday
Esther 8:17 In every province and in every city, wherever the king’s command and his edict came, there was gladness and joy among the Jews, a festival and a holiday. Furthermore, many of the peoples of the country professed to be Jews, because the fear of the Jews had fallen upon them.
Yesterday's seed has sprouted. Esther had become queen while her identity as a Jew was hidden. Later, some of the king's assistants goaded him into issuing a decree that all Jews should be killed; but Esther was in a position to put a stop to it. Esther revealed her identity and used her influence with the king to save her people. A celebration of life and victory is still celebrated by Jews today in the holiday called Purim: it's a king of Thanksgiving for all those who have helped to preserve life and hope.
In Esther's case, the witness that she was able to bear was so strong that her people were saved. Not only that, many people professed to be Jews because of what she was able to accomplish. The tables were turned. Instead of Jews hiding their identity and pretending to worship other gods, others were pretending to be Jews. God can do amazing things, even in a book where God's name doesn't appear. Even in a life where God's identity and reality seem a little bit less real than it sometimes seems in the Bible, God can do amazing things.
In Christ,
Pastor Seth
Remember to invite your friends to Thanksgiving Eve worship at 7 pm on Wednesday (bring a bag of food pantry groceries), Thanksgiving meal Thursday from 11-2, and Sunday morning worship 8:30 and 11 as we kick off the Advent season.
Yesterday's seed has sprouted. Esther had become queen while her identity as a Jew was hidden. Later, some of the king's assistants goaded him into issuing a decree that all Jews should be killed; but Esther was in a position to put a stop to it. Esther revealed her identity and used her influence with the king to save her people. A celebration of life and victory is still celebrated by Jews today in the holiday called Purim: it's a king of Thanksgiving for all those who have helped to preserve life and hope.
In Esther's case, the witness that she was able to bear was so strong that her people were saved. Not only that, many people professed to be Jews because of what she was able to accomplish. The tables were turned. Instead of Jews hiding their identity and pretending to worship other gods, others were pretending to be Jews. God can do amazing things, even in a book where God's name doesn't appear. Even in a life where God's identity and reality seem a little bit less real than it sometimes seems in the Bible, God can do amazing things.
In Christ,
Pastor Seth
Remember to invite your friends to Thanksgiving Eve worship at 7 pm on Wednesday (bring a bag of food pantry groceries), Thanksgiving meal Thursday from 11-2, and Sunday morning worship 8:30 and 11 as we kick off the Advent season.
Monday, November 21, 2011
ASLC Devotions - Monday
Esther 2:18 Then the king gave a great banquet to all his officials and ministers—‘Esther’s banquet.’ He also granted a holiday to the provinces, and gave gifts with royal liberality.
This comes in the midst of one of the strangest books in the whole Bible: Esther. Read it sometime. Here's a little Esther trivia: Esther is the only book in the Bible where the name of God does not appear. God does not appear as an active participant in the book of Esther in the same way we read in other books. It's the story of a king who didn't want his queen anymore, so he got rid of her and held a kingdom-wide beauty contest to determine the next queen: Esther won. Esther was a Jew. She kept her religion and background a secret and became queen. This put her in position to save her people later - but she won the beauty contest and became queen.
I just am taken by the image of a king who is so excited about his new queen that he throws a party for the entire kingdom. Now of course, only the officials and ministers get to come to the actual Esther's banquet, but a holiday is declared for all the provinces and gifts are given "with royal liberality." That's the phrase. Royal liberality. I don't know the details of what the king gave, but I know I'd like to have been around. When things are thrown around with royal liberality, you want to be in the vicinity. And here's one point where God is found in this literally God-less book: God gives gifts with royal liberality every day. God gives life and hope and daily bread, with royal liberality. And we're here to see it.
In Christ,
Pastor Seth
Remember to invite friends and neighbors to Thanksgiving Eve worship Wednesday at 7, to Thanksgiving dinner Thursday 11-2 and to worship Sunday morning 8:30 and 11.
This comes in the midst of one of the strangest books in the whole Bible: Esther. Read it sometime. Here's a little Esther trivia: Esther is the only book in the Bible where the name of God does not appear. God does not appear as an active participant in the book of Esther in the same way we read in other books. It's the story of a king who didn't want his queen anymore, so he got rid of her and held a kingdom-wide beauty contest to determine the next queen: Esther won. Esther was a Jew. She kept her religion and background a secret and became queen. This put her in position to save her people later - but she won the beauty contest and became queen.
I just am taken by the image of a king who is so excited about his new queen that he throws a party for the entire kingdom. Now of course, only the officials and ministers get to come to the actual Esther's banquet, but a holiday is declared for all the provinces and gifts are given "with royal liberality." That's the phrase. Royal liberality. I don't know the details of what the king gave, but I know I'd like to have been around. When things are thrown around with royal liberality, you want to be in the vicinity. And here's one point where God is found in this literally God-less book: God gives gifts with royal liberality every day. God gives life and hope and daily bread, with royal liberality. And we're here to see it.
In Christ,
Pastor Seth
Remember to invite friends and neighbors to Thanksgiving Eve worship Wednesday at 7, to Thanksgiving dinner Thursday 11-2 and to worship Sunday morning 8:30 and 11.
Thursday, November 10, 2011
ASLC Devotions - Thursday
Revelation 16:7 And I heard the altar respond,
‘Yes, O Lord God, the Almighty,
your judgements are true and just!’
Nobody wants to be judged. We want mercy and forgiveness and graciousness for ourselves. When we make mistakes, we want to be given another chance.
But if you've got to be judged, wouldn't you at least want a fair judge? Wouldn't you want to know that you were being judged by someone who is just and speaks and sees the truth?
That's the vision of Revelation - yes, there might be a time and a way in which God judges. And the judgements of God are true and just. The vision of Revelation is a promise that finally truth and justice will reign: it will no longer be might makes right or those with money and connections get the judgements to go their way. God will judge truthfully and rightly.
I don't know about you, but I'd much prefer that to what I see and read every day now. Come, Lord Jesus!
In Christ,
Pastor Seth
Worship with us this Sunday 8:30 and 11, with Education Hour at 9:45. Remember to invite the community to our Community Thanksgiving Meal on November 24 11-2.
‘Yes, O Lord God, the Almighty,
your judgements are true and just!’
Nobody wants to be judged. We want mercy and forgiveness and graciousness for ourselves. When we make mistakes, we want to be given another chance.
But if you've got to be judged, wouldn't you at least want a fair judge? Wouldn't you want to know that you were being judged by someone who is just and speaks and sees the truth?
That's the vision of Revelation - yes, there might be a time and a way in which God judges. And the judgements of God are true and just. The vision of Revelation is a promise that finally truth and justice will reign: it will no longer be might makes right or those with money and connections get the judgements to go their way. God will judge truthfully and rightly.
I don't know about you, but I'd much prefer that to what I see and read every day now. Come, Lord Jesus!
In Christ,
Pastor Seth
Worship with us this Sunday 8:30 and 11, with Education Hour at 9:45. Remember to invite the community to our Community Thanksgiving Meal on November 24 11-2.
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
ASLC Devotions - Wednesday
Matthew 24:35 Jesus said, "Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away."
Eternity and constancy. I think that's what a lot of us are looking for. Maybe at it's heart that's what a lot of us seek in the urge to religion and thinking about God. We want to know that there's something more permanent than today's newspaper, something more lasting than human commitments and promises. We want to be part of something that will last longer than even our short span of years on this Earth.
Jesus said "My words will not pass away." Even the mountains and the stars shift and move. Science has taught us that the things that look permanent are moving and shifting and growing and dying. Even starts go through life-cycles and will one day die. But the words of Jesus are longer and truer and more constant than all of that. When God says "I love you," that's more permanent than anything you know. And there's comfort there.
In Christ,
Pastor Seth
Worship with us this Sunday 8:30 and 11, with Education Hour at 9:45. Remember to invite the community to our Community Thanksgiving Meal on November 24 11-2.
Eternity and constancy. I think that's what a lot of us are looking for. Maybe at it's heart that's what a lot of us seek in the urge to religion and thinking about God. We want to know that there's something more permanent than today's newspaper, something more lasting than human commitments and promises. We want to be part of something that will last longer than even our short span of years on this Earth.
Jesus said "My words will not pass away." Even the mountains and the stars shift and move. Science has taught us that the things that look permanent are moving and shifting and growing and dying. Even starts go through life-cycles and will one day die. But the words of Jesus are longer and truer and more constant than all of that. When God says "I love you," that's more permanent than anything you know. And there's comfort there.
In Christ,
Pastor Seth
Worship with us this Sunday 8:30 and 11, with Education Hour at 9:45. Remember to invite the community to our Community Thanksgiving Meal on November 24 11-2.
Tuesday, November 8, 2011
ASLC Devotions - Tuesday
Joel 1:14 Sanctify a fast,
call a solemn assembly.
Gather the elders
and all the inhabitants of the land
to the house of the Lord your God,
and cry out to the Lord.
The writer of Ecclesiastes (not originally The Byrds) tells us that there is a time for everything. There are times that are appropriate for celebration and joy, and there are times that are more appropriate for weeping and mourning. There are many different types of prayer, appropriate to different times and situations. We don't always pray because we need something; sometimes we pray in thanksgiving for all the wonderful gifts of God.
Is there time in your prayer life for prayers of repentance? Is there time in your prayer life to confess your failings before God and cry out for mercy? That's what Joel calls the nation to in this passage, and truly, in his entire prophecy. Joel says - now is the time to repent. Now is the time to recognize our sin and cry out to the Lord for mercy. We know that God is merciful and forgiving and gracious - frankly, whether we ask for it or not. But we need to recognize our need, we need to recognize our failings, we need to recognize our dependence on God's mercy. So sometime - it may not be today - but I'd recommend crying out to the Lord for mercy. God won't be changed, but you just might be.
In Christ,
Pastor Seth
Worship with us this Sunday 8:30 and 11, with Education Hour at 9:45. Remember to invite the community to our Community Thanksgiving Meal on November 24 11-2.
call a solemn assembly.
Gather the elders
and all the inhabitants of the land
to the house of the Lord your God,
and cry out to the Lord.
The writer of Ecclesiastes (not originally The Byrds) tells us that there is a time for everything. There are times that are appropriate for celebration and joy, and there are times that are more appropriate for weeping and mourning. There are many different types of prayer, appropriate to different times and situations. We don't always pray because we need something; sometimes we pray in thanksgiving for all the wonderful gifts of God.
Is there time in your prayer life for prayers of repentance? Is there time in your prayer life to confess your failings before God and cry out for mercy? That's what Joel calls the nation to in this passage, and truly, in his entire prophecy. Joel says - now is the time to repent. Now is the time to recognize our sin and cry out to the Lord for mercy. We know that God is merciful and forgiving and gracious - frankly, whether we ask for it or not. But we need to recognize our need, we need to recognize our failings, we need to recognize our dependence on God's mercy. So sometime - it may not be today - but I'd recommend crying out to the Lord for mercy. God won't be changed, but you just might be.
In Christ,
Pastor Seth
Worship with us this Sunday 8:30 and 11, with Education Hour at 9:45. Remember to invite the community to our Community Thanksgiving Meal on November 24 11-2.
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