St. John’s Messenger

Volume 94, Issue 5 March 5, 2014

“Christ has humbled himself and become obedient unto death, even death on a cross.” Philippians 2:8

“What are you giving up for Lent?” asked the confirmands. I hadn’t thought about it—I wasn’t quite ready to think of self-denial and repentance and ashes and the journey to the cross. I was still into the joy and light and glory of Christmas. But it’s time to think of it now. What will be my Lenten discipline? I could give up chocolate, but would it truly be self-denial or a weight-loss gimmick? Would it be Lenten sacrifice or self-help?

Well, then, why a Lenten discipline? Why can’t we just keep on doing as we always do? We come to worship, we pray, we try to be helpful and kind. Isn’t that enough?But how do we measure “enough”? Enough to make ourselves feel good? Enough to earn God’s favor? Is that what it’s all about? Earning God’s favor? Can we ever hope to “earn” God’s favor? No, we cannot. Just ponder for a few moments our human self-centeredness, our weakness when it comes to temptation, our tendency to be critical and to judge one another, our desire to seek revenge… It has been said that repentance means recognizing that on our own we cannot do it ourselves, that we need help.Which is exactly why Jesus came to live among us, to show and teach us how to be as one with God and with each other, learning and living God’s vision and purpose for us. Because of sin and evil in the world, we get lost, go astray, fail to understand and live God’s vision. In love, God calls us to be disciples. Disciple and discipline come from the same original word, which means “learning.” In this life we are learning how to live, caring for each other as God’s people. It would be nice if we could skip right to Easter and its message of victory and glory and forget about the ugliness and purpose of the cross. But God chose the cross, the way of self-sacrifice, and we need to work with God’s ways rather than give in to our own.

The fact is, life is not just skipping from one glorious scene to another, from Christmas to Easter. The view from the mountaintops is wonderful, but life takes place in the valleys, in the down times, in the struggles, the pain that are so much part of life. Even Jesus came down from the mountain to the misery in the valleys below.Christ accepted the discipline of God’s ways, of self-sacrifice and total self-giving. And through his death comes life. God’s ways are life. Our own ways lead only to death, and this is the whole point of Lent and Easter. We come to life through death of self.The message of Lent is that in death there is life. We cannot really understand that, but as we attempt to participate in Lent, we begin to experience it. As we heed Jesus’ words that the one who would be a disciple must follow Jesus’ example of serving, of humility, of self-denial, of forgiveness, we find the life that God alone can give, the abundant life offered to us all. Whatever I do as a Lenten discipline, I will offer it to Christ as a sacrifice in thanksgiving for his giving to us.

May Lent be a blessing and a fruitful time for you.t Pastor Moll

We missed the following members’ March birthdays from the list –

Julie Shearer – March 11Eric Shearer – March 12

Thank you to everyone who attended the Italian Dinner on Sunday, March 2nd. We hope you enjoyed your meal!Our profit from the dinner was $413.00 and will go towards the youth attending the ELCA Youth Gathering. The approximate cost of our trip will be $5000. Our next fundraiser is Blue Mountain Candles and a chicken bar-b-q. Look for more information on these upcoming events.

I want to thank everyone for your cards and well wishes during my recovery from total knee replacement. I’m doing great!

God Bless,Barb Kiger

Eastern Daylight Saving Time Begins

Remember to turn your clock ahead one hour this Saturday night!

Mid-week Lenten Service

7:00 p.m.Wednesday eveningsBeginning March 12

Study will be onThe Lord’s Prayer

Easter Flower orders are being taken now through March 30th. Forms are located in the rear of the sanctuary or can be found in the February 19th issue of the Messenger, or call the Church Office. Please make checks payable to St. John’s Lutheran Church.

CANDLE SALE

Youth members attending the ELCA Youth Gathering Trip are selling Blue Mountain Candles. They are 24 ounces jar candles hand poured right here in Pennsylvania, are double wicked and double scented. Two hundred scents to choose from. Cost is $13 each. They will be delivered in time for Mother’s Day! So treat yourself, your mom, or special someone to a candle! An order form is located at the end of this issue, additional forms are located in the rear of the sanctuary. Money and orders are due by April 13th. Please make checks payable to St. John’s Lutheran Church.

Holding Us TogetherAs evangelist Louie Giglio was winding down a Passion Movement tour in Texas, a molecular biologist came up to introduce himself. Giglio mentioned he was heading home to Atlanta to preach some sermons about the glory of God in the human body.

When the scientist discovered that Giglio still needed a big “hook” for the talks, he began describing laminin, a cell-adhesion molecule that holds the body’s membranes together. The scientist encouraged Giglio to go home and look up laminin on the Internet.

When the image appeared on his screen, Giglio was amazed. The molecule that literally holds people together is in the shape of a cross! Giglio immediately thought of Paul’s words about Jesus in Colossians 1:17 — “in him all things hold together.”

The next time your life seems to be falling apart, look up an image of laminin. Then remember that Jesus holds you together through his victory over death on the cross.

Stop, Look and Listen

Lent, the season of the church year that’s associated with repentance, begins on Ash Wednesday (March 5 this year). While some people deny themselves by giving up something for Lent, others prepare for Easter through special Bible studies or devotions.

Christians observe Lent for these reasons:

• It causes us to STOP. Lent says, “Stop and rest awhile,” as well as “Stop doing wrong.”

• It tells us to LOOK. Look inward for an honest self-examination. Look upward to see the cross of Christ offering healing and love. Look forward to the hope of the Resurrection.

• It tells us to LISTEN. Listen to the words of Christ. Listen to the voice of God. Listen to the winds of the Spirit of God.

Stop, look and listen. These three words aren’t only important for our safety in travel; they’re also helpful for our journey through the 40 days of Lent.

In many places, March is notoriously windy: “In like a lion …!” Though I don’t like the damp chill that’s often part of the transition to spring, I love windy days. Something about the air’s movement — a gentle breeze or ferocious gale blowing through trees, against the house, in my hair — breeds excitement in me, anticipation that something new is astir.

How fitting that in conversation with Nicodemus, Jesus said, “The wind blows where it chooses, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit” (John 3:8, NRSV). Like Nicodemus, we fail to comprehend the Spirit of God. But Jesus reminds us that though we can’t see the Spirit, we feel his love, see his actions of justice and hear his sounds. These include kind words, bold preaching, weeping for another, shared laughter and songs of praise.

Heidi Mann

POINTS TO PONDER

Thursday, March 6 Scout District Committee, 7:00 p.m.Sunday, March 9 Girl Scouts/Fellowship Hall, 12:30-3:30 p.m.

Cub Scouts/Fellowship Hall, 4-7:00 p.m.Monday, March 10 Finance Committee, 7:00 p.m.Wednesday, March 12 Church Council, 7:00 p.m.

Bible Study, 7:00 p.m.Thursday, March 13 Deadline for Messenger, 3:00 p.m.

Social Ministry, 6:00 p.m.Worship & Music, 7:00 p.m.

Saturday, March 15 Kathryn’s Kloset, 9-11:00 a.m.Sunday, March 16 Youth Group, Noon – 2:00 p.m.Monday, March 17 WELCA, 7:00 p.m.Wednesday, March 19 Messenger folding, 9:30 a.m.Thursday, March 20 Christian Education/Evangelism, 7:00 p.m.

Scout Roundtable, 7:00 p.m.

MEMBERS; Fietta Osman; Bud and June Diehl; Caroline Hoffman; Sally Swank; Doug Manning; Frances Rohrbach; Sally Mayer; Jack Snyder; Helen Snyder; Joe Epler; Mike Payne; Shirley Wolfe; Carol Diehl; Nancy Miller; Ruth Ramer.

PRAYER REQUEST: Joy Hoke; Catherine Miller; Jim Gautsch Jr.; The Leitzel family; Collin Stump; Carol Wilson; Dave Hile; Suzanne Hall; Scott Engle; David Siemsen; Sue Krex; Robin Bolig; Ron Hall; Karen Gerst; Joan Rebuck; Terry Moll; Dave Burns; Don Propst; Tina Reichenbach; Daniel Lyons; Beverly Windus; Betty Leitzel; Marlyn Deihl; Irene Olley; Janel Gallo Berdell; Steve and Rose Brungard; Ed and Jane DeGand; Darvin Straub.HOMEBOUND AND SPECIAL PRAYERS: Elaine Kohl; Carolyn Smith; Kate Billman; Carol Hoffman; Polly Hetrick; Betty Yerg; Nancy Hendricks; Jane Galow; Robyn Snyder; Dave Roush; Dave Eisely; Franklin Hoffman; Catherine Broome; Harold Billman; Phyllis Gordon; Sally Diehl; Bill Brungard; Julia Tiedman; Tina Pontius; Jan Albertson; June Seebold; John Kistner; Margaret Rantz; Margaret Bright; Joshua Gordon; Harold Reid; Joyce Shearer; Connie Lahr; Steve Lahr; Zachery Baker; Carol Wilks; Pauline Spigelmeyer; Jodi Graybill; Brittany Graybill. Pray for our militaryLogan Brouse; Colton Brouse; Kale Gallo; Jeremy Hoffman; Wyatt Kohl.

Attendance for February 23, 2014 8:00 a.m. Service – 35 10:15 a.m. Service – 66

Offering needed weekly to meet budget: $3462.00Offering received: $4029.00

Attendance for March 2, 2014 8:00 a.m. Service – 33 10:15 a.m. Service –53

Offering needed weekly to meet budget: $3462.00Offering received: $2631.15

WHAT’S HAPPENING

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 March 5, 2014 Volume 94, Issue 5

St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church 570-473-3770 sjelc300@ptd.net

This Sunday at St. John’sMarch 9, 2014

8:00 a.m. Worship Service with Communion8:45 a.m. Sunday School for Preschool-6th Grade

9:00 a.m. Sunday School 10:15 a.m. Worship Service with Communion

Next Sunday at St. John’sMarch 16, 2014

8:00 a.m. Worship Service with Communion8:45 a.m. Sunday School for Preschool-6th Grade

9:00 a.m. Sunday School 10:15 a.m. Worship Service with Communion

Address Label

PeriodicalsPostage PaidNorthumberland, PA

Church Office Hours Mon-Thurs 8:30 a.m.-3:00 p.m. Fri 8:30 a.m.-NoonMarthaSue Moll, Pastor

William J. Jacavage, Director of Music