Volume 93, Issue 11 May 29, 2013
“When the Spirit of truth comes..he will glorify me, because he will take what is min and declare it to you. All that the Father has is mine.” John 16:13-15.
I’ve been thinking lately about what it means to be made in the image of God. We often hear that it has something to do with our creativity or our ability to reason, or even our knowledge of good and evil. But I believe it is much more.
We have come to the celebration of Holy Trinity, which we observe on May 26. No one has yet found a clear and true understanding of the Trinity – of how Father, Son, and Holy Spirit can be one God and yet three persons. Our human understanding is limited. As one of the characters in Shakespeare’s play Hamlet observes, “There are more things in heaven and earth than are dreamt of…” In other words, we don’t understand everything. Nor can we.
I believe that the understanding of God as three-in-one or One-in three grew out of the experience of Christians as they knew God’s presence in different ways. It cannot logically be explained, even though we try with various comparisons, not of which work in the long run.
But one way of understanding is to think of the Three as a community that is so totally in tune that each person always knows what the others are doing and thinking. Their purpose and actions are one and the same. So that what the Father does, the Son does, the Spirit does. And on and on.
Is it possible that one of the ways we are intended to be in the image of God is in the way we relate to one another – in community. For a congregation, that can mean a unity, a oneness of purpose. A purpose that all accept and “buy into.” “As you, Father are in me and I am in you, may they also be in us.” John 17:21
Our Transition Team met and after much discussion we agreed that we need to begin focusing on connections with one another. We don’t all know each other. We don’t always realize when someone is missing from our gatherings. Praying for one another, as we have begun to do each week, is one way to do so. The cards we send each week are also helpful.
We discussed ministries we might do together. Among them were lay people taking communion to shut-ins, a goal that is mentioned in several reports from the past. Three training sessions are required and those who participate know they are blessed.
Another is building a youth ministry. And another we tentatively labeled “Handy Folks” who would gather for breakfast and then go out to help our elderly parishioners with repair needs.
We can certainly add more. We welcome your ideas.
We also will do a “core values” survey to get a truer picture of who we are. And we pray that God will lead us to better understand ourselves and to give us a sense of where we are to go.
In Christ’s peace,
t Pastor Moll
Come climb with us at Mount St. John’s!
June 10th thru June 14th
6-8 PM
June 15th 5:30 to 8:30 PM
School is out & it is TIME to chill.
Come join us to climb HIS hill.
We are looking forward to an AWESOME hike.
Whether your name is Mary, JESUS or even Mike.
Shoes, shirts and SMILES required.
Thursday, June 6Messenger deadline, 3:00 pm
Worship & Music Committee, 7:00 pm
Friday, June 7Wedding rehearsal
Saturday, June 8Wedding – Fleming/Granquist
Monday, June 10Finance Committee, 7:00 pm
Monday June 10-
Friday, June 14VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL, Mon-Thurs 6-8:00 pm; Fri 5:30-8:30 pm
Wednesday, June 12Messenger folding, 9:30 am
Church Council Meeting, 7:00 pm
Thursday, June 13Social Ministry Committee, 6:00 pm
Monday, June 17WELCA Picnic, 6:00 pm
Saturday, June 1Synod Bike Ride, 25 or 50 mile bike ride. Leaves Camp Mt.
Luther at 9:00 a.m. (11:00 a.m. from Holy Spirit to do the 25 mile ride)
$25 to ride.
Wednesday, June 5Hospice Flea Market sponsored by Evangelical Community Hospital,
& Thursday, June 6Faith Lutheran Church, Route 45, Lewisburg, Wednesday from
7:00 am – 4:00 pm and Thursday from 7:00 am – Noon
Saturday, June 8Chicken Barb-b-que, Grace Lutheran Church, Northumberland
Platters - $8; halves – $4.50; Music by His Servants; car seat safety check
Friday, June 14-Synod Assembly, Susquehanna University
Saturday, June 15
Friday, June 14“Blast On The Grass” music festival beginning at 6 PM, on the grounds of SusquehannaUniversity in Selinsgrove.Performers include Hannah Bingman, Van Wagner, and Stained Grass Window. The Festival is free, and audience members are invited to bring a lawn chair or blanket for seating. Invite a friend!
ST. JOHN’S MESSENGER (USPS-515-660) is published biweekly, annually, by
St. John’s Lutheran Church, 300 Queen Street, Northumberland, PA 17857.
Periodical postage paid at Northumberland, PA.
POSTMASTER: Send address change to St. John’s Messenger,
300 Queen Street, Northumberland, PA 17857.
ST. JOHN’S MESSENGER May 29, 2013 Volume 93, Issue 11
St. John’s Evangelical
Lutheran Church
570-473-3770
This Sunday at St. John’s
June 2, 2013
8:00 a.m. Worship Service with Communion
9:00 a.m. Adult Sunday School
10:15 a.m. Worship Service with Communion
Noon – Ice Cream Social & 50 Yr. Confirmation Celebration
1:00 p.m. Quiet Communion
Next Sunday at St. John’s
June 9, 2013
8:00 a.m. Worship Service with Communion
9:00 a.m. Adult Sunday School
10:15 a.m. Worship Service with Communion
Church Office Hours Mon-Thurs 8:30 a.m.-3:00 p.m. Fri 8:30 a.m.-Noon
MarthaSue Moll, Pastor
William J. Jacavage, Director of Music