ASLC Devotions - Vigil of Easter

1 Peter 5:8-11

Discipline yourselves; keep alert. Like a roaring lion your adversary the devil prowls around, looking for someone to devour. Resist him, steadfast in your faith, for you know that your brothers and sistersthroughout the world are undergoing the same kinds of suffering. And after you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, support, strengthen, and establish you. To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen.

Visit http://www.allsaintspalatine.org for a full calendar. As we continue the celebration of the Triduum (the Three Days) you are invited: The Easter Vigil today (which moves us from darkness into the first celebration of new life) begins at 7 pm on Saturday. Easter morning (next Sunday) we will worship at 8:30 and 11 am.

ASLC Devotions - Good Friday

Isaiah 53:4-6

Surely he has borne our infirmities
   and carried our diseases;
yet we accounted him stricken,
   struck down by God, and afflicted. 
But he was wounded for our transgressions,
   crushed for our iniquities;
upon him was the punishment that made us whole,
   and by his bruises we are healed. 
All we like sheep have gone astray;
   we have all turned to our own way,
and the Lord has laid on him
   the iniquity of us all.

Visit http://www.allsaintspalatine.org for a full calendar. As we continue the celebration of the Triduum (the Three Days) you are invited: Good Friday (today) we will hold our Family Worship service at 10 am and a service featuring a choral and orchestral cantata at 7 pm. The Easter Vigil (which moves us from darkness into the first celebration of new life) begins at 7 pm on Saturday. Easter morning (next Sunday) we will worship at 8:30 and 11 am.

ASLC Devotions - Maundy Thursday

Romans 5:1-5

Therefore, since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have obtained accessto this grace in which we stand; and we boast in our hope of sharing the glory of God. And not only that, but we also boast in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us.

Visit http://www.allsaintspalatine.org for a full calendar. As we enter into Holy Week and the celebration of the Triduum (the Three Days) you are invited: Maundy Thursday (this evening) we will begin worship at 6:15. This worship service has a full meal, footwashing, and Holy Communion built within it. Good Friday we will hold our Family Worship service at 10 am and a service featuring a choral and orchestral cantata at 7 pm. The Easter Vigil (which moves us from darkness into the first celebration of new life) begins at 7 pm on Saturday. Easter morning (next Sunday) we will worship at 8:30 and 11 am.

ASLC Devotions - Wednesday

Revelation 2:10 Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.

We continue our walk and journey with Jesus to the cross this week.  We can see the light at the end of the tunnel; but first must come pain and endurance.  I always enjoy watching the Olympics where athletes throughout the world are extremely dedicated and passionate about winning the gold, bronze, or silver medal.  These world athletes are faithful and must experience trials, endurance, and pain to achieve their goal and prize.    

But what does being faithful really mean to Christians today?  The good news is that faith is a gift given to us at our Baptism.  As this seed of faith grows, we need to endure, practice, and engage our faith through word and sacrament so we can confess Jesus and serve our community in his name. Serving others in Jesus name is a great way to remain faithful.   

Yes, there will be some pain, disappointments, and trouble along our Christian journey; but as we remain faithful to our Lord; in the end; we are all promised the GOLD medal which is the CROWN OF LIFE!    

Wayne Kolweier

Visit http://www.allsaintspalatine.org for a full calendar. As we enter into Holy Week and the celebration of the Triduum (the Three Days) you are invited: Maundy Thursday we will begin worship at 6:15. This worship service has a full meal, footwashing, and Holy Communion built within it. Good Friday we will hold our Family Worship service at 10 am and a service featuring a choral and orchestral cantata at 7 pm. The Easter Vigil (which moves us from darkness into the first celebration of new life) begins at 7 pm on Saturday. Easter morning (next Sunday) we will worship at 8:30 and 11 am.

ASLC Devotions - Tuesday

Isaiah 40:31 But those who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.

Being a slightly older employee in a demanding business where guidelines, rules, and procedures change frequently and high productivity is expected is a huge challenge.  In the hallway at my job there is a poster that asks - Can older employees keep up? The answer - You can bet on it.

When I first came to my present job I had an enormous drive to get hired. It took a little while to get up to speed and then I out-produced them all for quite a long time. Only a couple of them were older than me. My bosses all know how competitive I am. But now the rules have changed; what type of files I'm working on have changed and the demand for productivity and quality is monitored like never before. God has given me strength with the gifts of joy, good sense of humor, logical thinking, multitasking and I try to use them wisely-except when I get angry at the process, changes, and things that I have no control over.  It is in these times where I have to stop-take a step back-and trust again in God to push out the anger and regain the energy and wisdom to do the job he needs me to do. Once I do that I'm back in the game. Watch out!

Janet Lowe 

Visit http://www.allsaintspalatine.org for a full calendar. As we enter into Holy Week and the celebration of the Triduum (the Three Days) you are invited: Maundy Thursday we will begin worship at 6:15. This worship service has a full meal, footwashing, and Holy Communion built within it. Good Friday we will hold our Family Worship service at 10 am and a service featuring a choral and orchestral cantata at 7 pm. The Easter Vigil (which moves us from darkness into the first celebration of new life) begins at 7 pm on Saturday. Easter morning (next Sunday) we will worship at 8:30 and 11 am.

ASLC Devotions - Monday

2 Corinthians 12:9 But God said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness.” So, I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.

So – my weaknesses: I sometimes eat too much. I really enjoy french fries and Taco Bell. I’d often rather hit snooze and get a few extra minutes of sleep than get up and go to the gym to work off the previous day’s french fries. I’ve never met a cup of coffee I didn’t like. I could go on and on listing my weaknesses. It’s not that hard a challenge!

But now let me tell you about the power of Christ that dwells in me too. I was baptized. I was washed in the water and claimed. I am loved by God unconditionally. When God looks at me, God doesn’t see me and all my weaknesses. God looks at me and sees Christ.

Now that’s a superpower.

Pastor Seth Moland-Kovash

Visit http://www.allsaintspalatine.org for a full calendar. As we enter into Holy Week and the celebration of the Triduum (the Three Days) you are invited: Maundy Thursday we will begin worship at 6:15. This worship service has a full meal, footwashing, and Holy Communion built within it. Good Friday we will hold our Family Worship service at 10 am and a service featuring a choral and orchestral cantata at 7 pm. The Easter Vigil (which moves us from darkness into the first celebration of new life) begins at 7 pm on Saturday. Easter morning (next Sunday) we will worship at 8:30 and 11 am.

ASLC Devotions - Saturday

John 8:12 Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, ‘I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life.’

Simple, really. Follow Jesus and we will never walk in darkness. It’s the simple directions that always tend to elude us. Coffee is hot—yet I still burn my tongue because I sip it too soon. Stop—yet actually making a complete stop at a stop sign seems really hard for a lot of us. Do not enter—yet is this the door we try to open every time?! Now, it’s different with long directions. Somehow, I seem to feel obligated to read and follow a set of instructions to build a Lego house with my children or learn, finally, how to work my “smart” phone. Maybe Jesus should have said more here. Or maybe we should just learn to pay more attention to easy stuff rather than glossing over it each and every day because it’s not much to see.

Aha!

Light bulb!

Margo Ban

Visit http://www.allsaintspalatine.org for a full calendar and join us this Sunday for Palm Sunday (with Holy Communion) at 8:30 and 11. We'll begin worship in the Gathering Space - or possibly just outside in the parking lot if weather permits. There will be NO Education Hour this Sunday.

ASLC Devotions - Friday

Psalm 23:4 Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I fear no evil; for you are with me; your rod and your staff—they comfort me.

I learned to recite this verse when we said: “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.” And I associated the entire psalm with funerals which I found very depressing. Today, when I put the verse and whole psalm in the context of Lent and Easter, the walk becomes a perfect expression of comfort and love and something to be embraced.

Tom Germuska

Visit http://www.allsaintspalatine.org for a full calendar and join us this Sunday for Palm Sunday (with Holy Communion) at 8:30 and 11. We'll begin worship in the Gathering Space - or possibly just outside in the parking lot if weather permits. There will be NO Education Hour this Sunday.

ASLC Devotions - Thursday

Ephesians 5:8 For once you were darkness, but now in the Lord you are light. Live as children of light.

Have you ever met someone who “lights up a room” when he/she walks in? They seem to draw people to them because of this quality, this incandescence. And, as cliché as it sounds, they can truly make the world a brighter (and I think happier) place to live in. Why does someone seem to “light up a room?” I think it is because of their outlook on life and also in the way they conduct their life.

As Christians, we are called to be the light of Christ. 

“This little light of mine,

  I’m going to let it shine…”

…is part of a Sunday School song.  It is also a maxim adults can live by as well. So simple, yet so all-encompassing. For adults, we can use the “adult” lyrics to a similar contemporary Christian song…

“We are the light of the world,

 We are a city on a hill,

 We are the light of the world,

 And we gotta, we gotta , we gotta let the light shine.”

Whether young or old, letting your light shine is our life’s focus.  Spreading the good news of Jesus’ life, death and resurrection will let the light shine to others.  Showing and sharing the love of Christ with all lets your light shine.

Lori Quinn

Visit http://www.allsaintspalatine.org for a full calendar and join us this Sunday for Palm Sunday (with Holy Communion) at 8:30 and 11. We'll begin worship in the Gathering Space - or possibly just outside in the parking lot if weather permits. There will be NO Education Hour this Sunday.

ASLC Devotions - Wednesday

John13:34 I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another

Sounds easy doesn’t it?  Until someone takes your parking spot, or says something mean on Facebook, or fires a gun into a group of people.  It’s easier said than done.  Practice and training can help us to love like Jesus.

Jesus’ love was selfless and understanding.  It wasn’t about what we could do for him.  It was about how he could bless us.  Jesus knew the inadequacies/short-comings of his followers and he was able to love them anyway.  He has great compassion (an understatement) and expects us to also have compassion and care for others anyway.  Leaving the judgment to God frees us to love. 

Ann Shorb wrote: “Loving one another includes being willing to respectfully confront one another when necessary, to work to find solutions to disagreements, and to forgive those who hurt you. That means giving up your desire to be angry and to get back at the offender. The secret lies in abiding in Christ.”

Start small, realize when you’re about to swear at that person who took your parking spot, stop yourself.  Take a second to talk to God, “oops sorry.”  Practice that, then move on to those folks at work who bug you. 

Adrienne Bolbot

Visit http://www.allsaintspalatine.org for a full calendar and join us Wednesday (tonight) for our final midweek Lenten worship. Dinner is served at 6:15 and worship (Holden Evening Prayer) is at 7 pm. This week's faith-sharer is Ed Garner.

ASLC Devotions - Tuesday

John 13:3-5 Then he [Jesus] poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples' feet and to wipe them with the towel that was tied around him.

I like laundry—I do.  You take something dirty and smelly and make it clean, like new again.   You hang it outside or throw it in a dryer and retrieve it smelling fresh.  You take a lumpy pile and bring order and smoothness to it. (Then you get someone else to put it away.)  There's satisfaction and power in transforming something for the better.

My washing is imperfect, but Jesus cleans through and through.  Aware that “the Father had given all things into his hands,” the powerful Son of God washed his beloved disciples' feet as their servant.  Jesus was sent to make us spiritually clean and acceptable to God.  As the old hymn says,

Jesus paid it all,

All to Him I owe;

Sin had left a crimson stain,

He washed it white as snow.

The next time you wash—your hands, your clothes, your car—think about how Jesus has washed you clean in the water of your baptism.

Linda Foltz

Visit http://www.allsaintspalatine.org for a full calendar and join us Wednesday for midweek Lenten worship. Dinner is served at 6:15 and worship (Holden Evening Prayer) is at 7 pm. This week's faith-sharer is Ed Garner.

ASLC Devotions - Monday

Romans 12:9-10
Let love be genuine; hate what is evil, hold fast to what is good; love one another with mutual affection; outdo one another in showing honor.

Sometimes it’s nice just to be told what to do.  Rules and suggestions usually come in a couple of forms: do’s and don’ts.  I think don’ts can be nice because they give you a lot of freedom.  As long as you don’t such-and-such and you don’t stay out past 10, then have fun!  Freedom is nice sometimes, but some situations are complicated.  Relationships, especially, can be complicated.  So, while don’ts in a relationship can be helpful, I think everyone is glad for family and teachers who teach us what we should do when talking with our neighbors.  Do say “please.”  Do say “thank you.”  Do show love and respect.

Still, it can be hard to put these things into practice all the time.  When I am relating to people who are kind and loving, it’s pretty easy to return that affection.  But, when I have to deal with an impossible, disrespectful, or unkind person – that is when I have to consciously remember the do’s that I have learned from my family, teachers, and the Apostle Paul.  Let love be genuine … hold fast to what is good … outdo one another in showing honor.

John Lofgren

Visit http://www.allsaintspalatine.org for a full calendar and join us Wednesday for midweek Lenten worship. Dinner is served at 6:15 and worship (Holden Evening Prayer) is at 7 pm. This week's faith-sharer is Ed Garner.

ASLC Devotions - Saturday

Hebrews 4:12

For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.

I'll admit to being a bit of a sword freak. I love Mythbusters episodes where the teams examine swords and their capabilities. Heck, just today, I watched a video of a Japanese “modern samurai” performing amazing sword tricks. He split a full pea pod, just resting on top of a bamboo mat, in half, length-wise, severing the individual peas in the pod. He managed to split a small plastic sphere (a little larger than a BB) fired from an air pistol. He even cut an iron bar. It seemed like it had to be camera tricks.

But that demonstration (if real) pales to insignificance compared to God's word. God's word is always alive and active. It divides the wheat from the chaff, the sinner from the saint, sin from those who profess Jesus as Lord. What no blade made by or wielded by humans can do, God's word does. It takes us humans who are so intermingled with sin that it's hard to know where we end and it begins, and it carves away that which keeps us from God. That word is active and alive and working in and through you today.

Thanks be to God.

Doug Kuhlman

Visit http://www.allsaintspalatine.org for a full calendar and join us this Sunday for Lenten Sunday morning worship (with Holy Communion) at 8:30 and 11, with Education Hour at 9:45.

ASLC Devotions - Friday

Psalm 119:105

Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.

As a kid, I spent summers in Wisconsin at my grandparents’ home. There were many kids in the area, and to pass time we would play all sorts of different games- including several versions of the game of tag. My favorite was flashlight tag. We would meet in the park long after dinnertime, after the sun had descended behind the trees. We thought we were very cool, getting to run around after dark without any parental supervision. (It would come to light years later that every word of the game echoed through the park and into my grandparents’ living room- so we weren’t as liberated as we thought!) 

It was fun, hiding in the dark, waiting for whoever was “it” to find us. But, truth be told, I enjoyed being “it” so much more. I liked having the flashlight in my hands- the only source of illumination and guidance in the darkness. I liked having that power and knowledge, and it was a source of strength for me.

And so it is with God’s word. The word of God is a source of illumination in times of personal trial and darkness, guiding our way and helping us to find peace, hope, companionship, and love.

Better than sitting in the darkness behind a tree, waiting for someone to bring the light to us.

Karen Goodlow

Visit http://www.allsaintspalatine.org for a full calendar and join us this Sunday for Lenten Sunday morning worship (with Holy Communion) at 8:30 and 11, with Education Hour at 9:45.

ASLC Devotions - Thursday

2 Timothy 3:14-15

But as for you, continue in what you have learned and firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it, and how from childhood you have known the sacred writings that are able to instruct you for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. 

The church I attended before going to college was one where I was related to almost everyone.  Literally!  There were very few people, at that time, in the congregation that I was not somehow genetically linked to one way or another.  We were truly a family of believers.  Most of my Sunday school teachers, or VBS leaders were great-aunts, or first cousins twice removed.  You get the picture.  From my childhood, my family and family of believers through church, taught me about Jesus.  They taught me about the Bible and the promise that it holds for me.  I often wondered as I grew older, I wondered if having a family of believers that I wasn’t related to would have the same impact.  After all, these were my flesh and blood relatives who had more than just a passing interest in me and my faith walk.

Now after being out of that congregation for some time, I have witnessed first-hand the joy of participating in community of faith that I am not related to.  When the verse from Timothy says, “continue in what you have believed, knowing from whom you learned it,” he doesn’t mean that blood relatives are only to be trusted.  That is the beauty of being in God’s family.  We are all closer than great-aunts, or first cousins twice removed.  We are brothers and sisters!  Every one of us in the body of Christ know that we can “believe firmly” in what has been taught to us through our heavenly family:  Salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.  Praise God!

Kim Kuhlman

Visit http://www.allsaintspalatine.org for a full calendar and join us this Sunday for Lenten Sunday morning worship (with Holy Communion) at 8:30 and 11, with Education Hour at 9:45.

ASLC Devotions - Wednesday

Psalm 1:1-2

Oh, the joys of those who do not follow evil mens' advice, who do not hang around with sinners, scoffing at things of God; but they delight in doing everything God wants them to, and day and night are meditating on his laws and thinking about ways to follow him more closely.

Some of the things mentioned in this Bible passage would not be too difficult for me to do. But how do I do everything God wants me to do?  How do I know what God wants me to do?  I could start by thinking about His laws, the Ten Commandments.  Remember them?  In the Old Testament, Moses was given ten laws on stone tablets - twice! Worshiping God are the first ones.  No false idols. I don't have statues of gods in my house, but do I put other things first - money, clothes, car, etc. before I think of God? 

Keep holy the Sabbath.  Do I make church attendance a priority? Am I involved with activities that the church provides to help other? 

Do I honor the memories of my father and mother? Do I tell lies, innuendos, little fibs? 

Am I careful with my language?  Do I accept people who utter "My God" and then just go on with a story. Do I just ignore people who swear or say inappropriate things about others?

Do I envy others; their abilities, gifts, appearances, possessions?

But maybe more than that, could I try to be open to the leading of the Holy Spirit.  Could I ask God to help me do that?  I have nothing to lose and much to gain.

Kay Weir

Visit http://www.allsaintspalatine.org for a full calendar and join us Wednesday (tonight) for midweek Lenten worship. Dinner is served at 6:15 and worship (Holden Evening Prayer) is at 7 pm. This week's faith-sharer is Kevin Drucker.

ASLC Devotions - Tuesday

John 20:31

But these are written so that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through believing you may have life in his name.

I am extremely unathletic. You would not want me on your team. I regard balls as flying missiles, weapons, in fact, programmed to slam into my face.

Take volleyball, the No. 2 participatory sport in the World. In high school, I thought of volleyball as the No. 1 most dangerous sport as I faced my opposition. And many would not disagree: the fastest spike was timed at 110 miles an hour, faster than the fastball of Cleveland Indian’s Hall of Famer Bob Feller. I knew that opposing team was setting up a spike to come flying right at me, the team pigeon. And, as if pre-ordained, that ball would either land at my feet or I’d duck to avoid being hit.

That’s why I love this verse. See, God is no volleyball spiker, setting us up for a kill. Nope, this verse tells us that God is setting up those shots so we can join his winning team. John documented just enough of Jesus’ miracles to help us believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, bringing us all Eternal Life. 

Jane Oppermann,

with the support of Lea Wagner, former Commissioner of the United States Volleyball Association and member of All Saints.

Visit http://www.allsaintspalatine.org for a full calendar and join us Wednesday for midweek Lenten worship. Dinner is served at 6:15 and worship (Holden Evening Prayer) is at 7 pm. This week's faith-sharer is Kevin Drucker. 

ASLC Devotions - Monday

John 8:31-33

Then Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him, ‘If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.’ They answered him, ‘We are descendants of Abraham and have never been slaves to anyone. What do you mean by saying, “You will be made free”?’

Sometimes we just don’t want to know.  Sometimes we know, but we just don’t want to hear it.  Sometimes we don’t know and we don’t want to hear it either.  Reading this passage makes me think about the movie “A Few Good Men” and Colonel Nathan R. Jessep’s dramatic courtroom confession, masterfully engineered by the young and inexperienced U.S Navy Judge Advocate lawyer, Lt. Junior Grade Daniel Kaffee’s dogged cross examination of the war-hardened colonel.  “You want answers?”, the crusty colonel demands.  “We want the truth”, implores Kaffee, though no one is ready for it.  “YOU CAN’T HANDLE THE TRUTH”, roars the now out-of-control colonel.

The Jews at the Mount of Olives thought they were free; they thought they knew the truth.  After all, they were children of Abraham.  But, they had never really been free nor had they lived - or even known - the truth.  Their lives were chained to sin, dominated by it as surely as if dominated by the sting of a master’s whip, just as ours are today.  Only by accepting Christ into one’s heart, wholly and completely, living like him day after day, minute by wonderful minute, can we escape this bondage, this slavery that is life without Christ.  Freedom is not easy and certainly was never free.  Can you handle the truth? 

Jonathan Gray

Visit http://www.allsaintspalatine.org for a full calendar and join us Wednesday for midweek Lenten worship. Dinner is served at 6:15 and worship (Holden Evening Prayer) is at 7 pm. This week's faith-sharer is Kevin Drucker.

ASLC Devotions - Saturday

Ephesians 4:4-6

There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope of your calling, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all

In this day and age, I must have over 40 PINs, Passwords, and Logons.  I’m sure most of you are the same.  I have a whole notebook I keep on my desk with a list of all of them.  Some of them even demand I change the password every 90 days or so.  Crossed out passwords with another one scribbled in next to it.  So annoying.  So frustrating.

Then I read this passage.  ONE !!  How hard is that to remember?  One body, One Spirit, One Hope, One Lord, One Faith, One Baptism, One God, One Father.  ONE that is above all and through all in all.  God made it very simple to logon to His Promise.  There should be no annoyance or frustration; just take advantage.

My prayer for the Day: “Heavenly Father, please lead us to logon to your promise everyday with our daily behavior so we may glorify your name as you would want.”

George Buerger

Visit http://www.allsaintspalatine.org for a full calendar and join us this weekend for the Fourth Sunday in Lent (remember to "spring ahead" with your clock Saturday night). Worship is at 8:30 and 11 and Education Hour is at 9:45.

ASLC Devotions - Friday

Psalm 27:13-14
I believe that I shall see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living!
Wait for the Lord; be strong and let your heart take courage; yea, wait for the Lord!

Illness or an injury can really shake a person's confidence.  As I write this Lenten devotion I am recovering from knee replacement and find I have the same emotions and feelings as David in Psalm 27.  I too am thankful for the level paths not covered with ice and snow, for the few steps leading into buildings, and for close parking spaces with easy accesses.  I am impatient with my healing and progress with therapy, and want everything to go faster with minimal pain.  My prayers are those of David's for strength, courage, and most of all patience. As David, I want a quick fix and immediate answers to my prayers. I am fearful of slow and negative responses or even possible set-backs. Like David I know God acts in His own time and His own way.  God is my hope, my comfort, and through Him I remain strong.  I will wait for the Lord!

I encourage you to read Psalm 27 (along with 23, 62, 63, 71, and 131) if you ever find yourself in need of God's healing strength, encouragement, and love. Psalm 27 was just what the doctor ordered to aid in my recovery.
Thanks be to God! 

Sandy Drucker

Visit http://www.allsaintspalatine.org for a full calendar and join us this weekend for the Fourth Sunday in Lent (remember to "spring ahead" with your clock Saturday night). Worship is at 8:30 and 11 and Education Hour is at 9:45.

ASLC Devotions - Thursday

James 5:7

Be patient, therefore, beloved, until the coming of the Lord. The farmer waits for the precious crop from the earth, being patient with it until it receives the early and the late rains.

“I want it now!” “You deserve it now!”  How many times have you heard those sentiments uttered?  Our society tends to want things immediately, results instantaneously.  Ads on TV and radio encourage and enflame us with the words, “You deserve (fill in the blank – house, car, clothing, toy, etc.) now. Why wait?”  Technology brings us information ever faster. Ah, but “patience is a virtue” and “good things come to those who wait”; however, it is something not easily achieved in our modern, fast-paced life.

The farmer planting seed, watering, and picking it at maturity understands the importance of patience.  The growth from seed to mature crop doesn’t happen overnight; and, picking an unripe crop only yields bitter, hard fruit. With patience, the succulent, delicious fruit awaits at the end of the growing season.

In spring, I delight in seeing the first shoots emerge in my garden - rebirth. I think it is the same during Lent, waiting for the Resurrection. It is also the same with waiting for the coming of the Lord. We are impatient to be relieved of the trials and tribulations of this world, knowing that the new life yet to come is glorious. With patience, however, we can each say, “I am ready, finally! – to wait.”

Lori Quinn

Visit http://www.allsaintspalatine.org for a full calendar and join us this weekend for the Fourth Sunday in Lent (remember to "spring ahead" with your clock Saturday night). Worship is at 8:30 and 11 and Education Hour is at 9:45.

ASLC Devotions - Wednesday

Psalm 40:2-3
He drew me up from the desolate pit, out of the miry bog,
and set my feet upon a rock, making my steps secure.

He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God. Many will see and fear, and put their trust in the Lord.

I lived for almost 3 years in an emotionally abusive relationship. One of my friends called it torture when I opened up about it. Looking back I don't know how I survived. I get angry at what I put up with and agree that it was torture.  The real struggle (in my eyes) began when the threat of physical abuse came into play. I told him in no uncertain terms if that ever happened he would be out of there and I stuck true to my word when that day arrived. God gave me a rock of strength and courage that day to get through it all safely.

I sang a song of true freedom when the ordeal was over and the joy in me awakened that lay sleep for so long. Even though I had to face raising a child on my own I knew I could trust in God to help me through this journey and he has kept his promise. He is with me always, good times and bad.  Thanks be to God!

Janet Lowe

Visit http://www.allsaintspalatine.org for a full calendar and join us Wednesday (TONIGHT!) for midweek Lenten worship. Dinner is served at 6:15 and worship (Holden Evening Prayer) is at 7 pm. This week's faith-sharer is college freshman Brittany Mata.

ASLC Devotions - Tuesday

1 Corinthians 13:7

It [LOVE] bears all things, believes all things,

   Hopes all things, endures all things.

The entire passage of 1Corinthians 13: 4-7 speaks very powerfully and directly to what LOVE is, to know and feel love.  Yet, at times in my life I have found that the first few verses are so very difficult to live by.  I feel that I am a loving person although I am not always patient with those that I love the deepest and yes, sometimes I do insist on doing things my way and I do hold on to resentments a bit too long. 

All of the things I have spoken of here are not what the bible says LOVE is about.  Then I think, “but wait ….”, it is in verse 7 that tells me that because of the LOVE that God is and has for me and how he wants me to LOVE others as he has loved me, that I know this LOVE that “bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things and endures all things” will continue to stir inside me.  This LOVE will guide me to be that loving person that I want to be and that God desires for all of us to be.  Even in my humanness of being envious, boastful, rude and arrogant, God will never give up on me.  He will always be there to LOVE me and if I am listening, I will feel a little nudge and know to correct my wrong and try to move in a new direction.  Because LOVE endures, LOVE wins!

Ann Lynch

Visit http://www.allsaintspalatine.org for a full calendar and join us Wednesday for midweek Lenten worship. Dinner is served at 6:15 and worship (Holden Evening Prayer) is at 7 pm. This week's faith-sharer is college freshman Brittany Mata.

ASLC Devotions - Monday

Galatians 5:22-24

By contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against such things. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

I don’t know about you, but I enjoy a really great piece of fruit. I tend to spend a lot of time looking over all the types of fruit at the grocers. I look for the types of fruit I like and then check to see if they are almost ripe or starting to go bad before making my choices.

When Paul is taking about the fruit of the Sprit, he is talking about some really great fruit. If I had to pick just one of the examples Paul provided I think I would be hard pressed to decide.

Through Jesus, we are all capable of producing great fruit. We have been given the good seed from Jesus; all we have to do is nurture it, keep harmful things away from it and we will have the fruit of the Sprit. Now that sounds like a really great piece of fruit to me.

Joe Quinn

Visit http://www.allsaintspalatine.org for a full calendar and join us Wednesday for midweek Lenten worship. Dinner is served at 6:15 and worship (Holden Evening Prayer) is at 7 pm. This week's faith-sharer is college freshman Brittany Mata.

ASLC Devotions - Saturday

Mark 14:38
Keep awake and pray that you may not come into the time of trial; the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.

Training and practice are how we grow strong, physically and spiritually. But HOW do we train to keep temptation from overcoming us??????  “Keep awake and pray,” Jesus instructs the disciples. Does “keep awake” mean to be alert, watchful, on guard, or literally not to sleep (I’m out of the game if I can’t sleep)?  And pray?  Once a week, once a day, an hour, a minute???  And pray WHAT? I like specific directions.

I searched World Wide Web for other people’s ideas on the verse.  After page 14 on Google, I can summarize with:  We need to be alert for temptations and pray for God’s help to overcome them.  We need to trust that God will carry us through.  That’s the hard part; we need to practice trusting completely in God.   

You know the old saying: “God won’t give you what He can’t take you through.”

Adrienne Bolbot

Visit http://www.allsaintspalatine.org for a full calendar and join us this weekend for the Third Sunday in Lent. Worship is at 8:30 and 11 and Education Hour is at 9:45.

ASLC Devotions - Friday

Matthew 16:26
What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul?

So is anyone else reminded of Scrooge in Dickens’s A Christmas Carol?  Surely old Ebenezer had gained the whole world - he had money, he had power that made people fear him- Bob Cratchit was afraid to stand up and ask for more coal to warm his cold fingers.  The arc of the story of Scrooge from being a cold, miserly, misanthrope to his redemption to kindness and selflessness seems to ring true with this reading from Matthew.  Ebenezer had gained the whole world at the expense of his soul and he had done so willingly.  Fortunately he also listened to the Spirit in the form of those three ghosts and woke up to hear and follow.

There are many things we can all invest our time and efforts in but the cost can be very high.  The more we focus on attaining them at the expense of watching for the call to stewardship and discipleship, the more we can find ourselves separated from God and God’s creation.  The cost of discipleship is that we are called to listen for the will of God in our lives and then follow.  May we all, like Ebenezer wake up to that message of kindness and selflessness.  Jesus leads, We follow, and for that we gain the Kingdom!

Jeffrey Witt

Visit http://www.allsaintspalatine.org for a full calendar and join us this weekend for the Second Sunday in Lent. Worship is at 8:30 and 11 and Education Hour is at 9:45.