Volume 93, Issue 3 February 6, 2013
Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it. …. The eye cannot say to the hand,"I have no need of you," nor again the head to the feet, "I have no need of you." (I Corinthians 12)
If I were leading worship when this text was read, I would ask the children to play it out by demonstrating that the foot cannot eat, the eye cannot talk, and so on. It is a classic text that shows how much we need each other. As the poet and pastor John Donne once wrote, “no man is an island entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main…”
Or as poet Francis Thompson put it, “All things interconnected are…Thou canst not stir a flower, without troubling of a star.”
We do need each other. We all have different gifts that complement each other and all gifts are needed in the church, which is the body of Christ. God intends that we live in community, supporting, encouraging one another, and sharing ideas of how best to work together. The Church, by definition, is a community, not one person alone.
How we do that is the focus of this year of transition. We had a great small group meeting on Sunday with some important insights expressed. If you receive this by email, you still have time to participate in such a meeting on Wednesday at 7 or Thursday at 2 pm. We will also meet on Sunday, the 10th, following the second service.
How do we get stronger? How do we grow? We usually think of growing in terms of numbers, but what about growing in faith, in spirit, in faithful living?
We get stronger by exercise and we grow in ability by practicing. During Lent, our emphasis will be on “faith habits” and how we can practice them. These habits include prayer, study, worship, support, serving, encouraging and giving. We also have an opportunity to exercise our faith muscles at midweek Lenten services where we will come together for a meal, fellowship, and reflection on how to live “beneath the cross of Jesus.”
We need all of you, every member, for this process to work. We need your participation in worship and discussions. We need your ideas for improvement and the spiritual gifts you received in baptism, gifts that are given for the mission God gives to us to share the good news of God’s love, forgiveness, and new life.
The question we must decide is: How are we at St. John’s going to continue to be part of the body? What is God’s purpose for us to be here in Northumberland? How is God calling us to share in God’s mission? How we answer this will point to our future as a community of God’s faithful people, living as disciples, being a light to this part of God’s world.
May we trust that God’s hand is leading us and God’s love is supporting us.
In Christ's peace…
t Pastor Moll
Thursday, February 7Small Group Meeting, 2:00 p.m.
Worship and Music Committee, 7:00 p.m.
Scout District Meeting; 7:00 p.m.
Saturday, February 9Fellowship Hall reserved 9:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m.
Sunday, February 10Deadline to order daffodils
Small Group Meeting, following late service
Council Member Retreat, 1:30-6:00 p.m.
Monday, February 11Finance Committee, 7:00 p.m.
Wednesday, February 13ASH WEDNESDAY, Service at 7:30 p.m.
Thursday, February 14Social Ministry Committee, 6:00 p.m.
Saturday, February 16Kathryn’s Kloset, 9-11:00 a.m.
Sunday, February 17Fellowship Hall reserved, 12-6:00 p.m.
Monday, February 18WELCA, 7:00 p.m.
Tuesday, February 19Girl Scouts/Fellowship Hall, 6-8:00 p.m.
Wednesday, February 20Lenten Tureen Meal, Fellowship Hall, 6:00 p.m.
Parent/Scout Leader Meeting, 7:00 p.m.
Thursday, February 21Garden Club, Fellowship Hall, 9:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.
Scout Roundtable, 6:00 p.m.
Christian Ed/Evangelism, 7:00 p.m.
Friday, February 8Pork and Sauerkraut Dinner, St. Luke’s LutheranChurch, Sunbury
4:00-6:30 p.m.; $7 adults, $3 children
Thursday, February 14Turkey Dinner, GraceLutheranChurch, Sunbury
4:00-6:30 p.m.; $8 adults, $4 children; age 5 and under eat free
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, PA17857.
ST. JOHN’S MESSENGER February 6, 2013 Volume 93, Issue 3
St. John’s Evangelical
LutheranChurch
570-473-3770
This Sunday at St. John’s
February 10, 2013
8:00 a.m. Worship Service with Communion
9:00 a.m. Sunday School
10:15 a.m. Worship Service with Communion
Small Group Meeting, Library, following late service
1:30 p.m. Council Retreat
Next Sunday at St. John’s
February 17, 2013
8:00 a.m. Worship Service with Communion
9:00 a.m. 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