September 22, 2019

Preacher:
Pastor Eric Waters
Message:
Serve Monthly: meaning
Title:
“Boney fingers”
As the Hoyt Axton song puts it, “Work your fingers to the bone, and what do you get? Boney fingers.” In the beginning, God made us to work, yet work was one of the first things affected by the Fall (Gen 3:17-18). We want to feel significant, like our life and all our labor matters, but we don’t; we feel like work is empty. But work done for others gives us the meaning we look for.
Lessons:
Ecclesiastes 2:18-26 “The vanity of toil. There is nothing better than that a person should eat and drink and find enjoyment in his toil. This is from the hand of God.” God has created us to labor, yet we often labor in vain.
Psalm 127 “Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain.” Work does matter, but not as an end in and of itself. We work to bless and benefit others. That’s when we feel blessed ourselves. We want meaning; we find it in working for the benefit of others.

September 29, 2020

Preacher:
Pastor Mariola Berquist
Message:
Serve: faith & good works
Title:
“Faith works”
The theological argument for faith and works. Protestants in general, and Lutherans in particular, have a hard time understanding the connection between the two. One the one hand, we are saved by faith and don’t need to do anything. On the other, a faith that doesn’t do anything is really no faith at all.
Lessons:
James 2:14-26 “Faith without works is dead. Faith was active along with Abraham’s works, and completed his works.” Works are the fruit which show the health of our spiritual tree. If you want your faith to come alive, step out in service. God tests your faith by challenging you to serve.
Matthew 7:24-27 “Everyone who hears these words of mine and does them is wise.” Jesus expects us to put His words into action. If we don’t, we can’t expect our faith to survive the storm. We build a strong spiritual foundation by “doing what Jesus says.”
Additional Items:
Annual Congregational Meeting at 12pm

October 6, 2019

Preacher:
Pastor Eric Waters
Message:
Serve: be like Jesus
Title:
“Be like Jesus.”
The goal of serving is not to do stuff for Jesus, but to become like Jesus. Again, works are the fruit of faith. When we serve others, we follow in our Lord’s footsteps and become more like Him.
Lessons:
Mark 10: 42-45 “The Son of Man came not to be served, but to serve.” We don’t just want people to obey Jesus (the focus of last week); we want people to become like Jesus! Jesus came to serve. If we want to be like Jesus, we need to serve, too.
Philippians 2:4-11 “Have this mind in you, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who took on the form of a servant.” We need change the way we think about service. It’s not a volunteer thing we need to do for the church; it’s a discipleship thing we have to do for ourselves. This is the #1 catalyst for Movement 2, where most of our people are. Do you want to grow? Then start to serve!
Additional Items:
Church Picnic 2pm – 6:30pm

October 13, 2019

Preacher:
Pastor Eric Waters
Message:
Serve: take ownership
Title:
“Take ownership of the church.”
People want to feel like they belong to the church and are a part of it. When people begin to serve in the church, “the church” starts to become “their church” and people begin to take ownership.
Lessons:
Ephesians 4:1-16 “Walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you were called. Equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain maturity.” God calls each and every Christian to journey of discipleship. God gives each and every person a different gift. We all have a role to play in the church. The pastors’ job is to equip the laity to do the work of ministry in the church. That’s how individual church members, and the church as a whole, get healthy and grow in maturity. StJLC is your church—get involved!

October 20, 2019

Preacher:
Pastor Eric Waters
Message:
Serve: Be a Dorcas!
Title:
“Be a Dorcas.”
Dorcas left a legacy of lives touched and people served. That’s the kind of significance people are looking for!
Lessons:
Acts 9:36-43 Dorcas blessed many people in her church and community through her acts of service. When she died, people blessed her and praised her. Do you want people to bless and praise you when you’re gone? Do you want to leave a legacy? Do you want to live a life that will have mattered? Then step out and serve, putting your faith into action as God has created and commanded you to do.
Additional Items:
Growing in Hope training event

October 27, 2019

Preacher:
Pastor Emeritus, Henry Schulte
Message:
Title:
Lessons:
Additional Items:
Schulte Reformation Sunday, 90th Anniversary Congregational dinner