12/31/08

Dear Fellow Children of God,

Tonight is New Year’s Eve. So, what are your New Year’s Resolutions?
* Will you exercise more?
* Will you lose weight?
* Will you improve your situation at work?
* Will you work on improving matters at home?
* Will you work more on your faith and worship life?
* Or, do you have other goals you want to work on in the new year?

All of these are worthwhile personal goals. I pray God’s help for you as you work to accomplish these goals. But, I believe Jesus has given us God’s goals for our life that would take care of all our plans.

Jesus was asked a question according to Matthew 22. "Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?" (Matthew 22:36)

Here was Jesus’ answer. 37 Jesus replied: "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it:
'Love your neighbor as yourself.'

God is our Creator, the Source of our life, our Heavenly Father. God is our Savior, who sacrificed Himself in a painful death so that we might have eternal life. This powerful, loving God does not want to be just one part of our life’s plan. He wants us to know that He is our Creator, our Father, our Savior, and for us to live our life around Him and His love for us.

If we do love God with all our heart, soul, and mind, then we actually are doing what is best for ourselves as people created by God. If we do love our neighbors as ourselves, then our lives in this world will be the best they can be in this sinful life.

In other words if I were to sum up my New Year’s Resolutions as . . .
* Love God
* Love my neighbor
. . . I will be living in the way that is best and healthiest for me in this world and eternally as a child of God.

May God bless your New Year, and may His love make this a year you know He has blessed you!

Another Pilgrim in this life of trials,
Pastor Jonathan

P.S. I like St. Paul’s summary of Matthew 22 which he wrote in 2 Corinthians 5:15. And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again. In other words, I will live for Christ because He died for me!
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ABOUT ‘THOUGHTS FROM THE PASTOR’ - I am sending these e-mail messages,
hopefully weekly, to all St. John members and friends whose e-mails I have. (I am always adding new names of friends and members – in case you are just receiving this e-mail for the first time.) However, if you don’t want to receive this e-mail, please let me know, and I’ll gladly leave your name off my list for this message. . . Or, if you know someone who would like to receive one of these e-mails, please send me their e-mail address.

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SUNDAY SCHOOL STARTS AGAIN at St. John this Sunday, January 4. Sunday School Opening starts at 9:30 a.m. Classes start at 9:45 a.m. THIS IS A GREAT YEAR TO BEGIN THE NEW YEAR WELL!!!
* Regular Sunday School classes are held for children ages 3
through High School.
* “Wooly Lambs” Sunday School is held for children ages 18 months
to 3 years. (This class actually starts at 10:00 a.m.)
* Adult Classes are held.
* Mary Jo Lentz will again be leading a Ladies’ Class.
* Al Kastar, Josh Rockey, and Pastor Allen are teaching a
class on 1 Corinthians.
* Pastor Rockey is teaching a class called “An Overview of
Christian Teaching.” This is a review of basic teachings of Scripture that can help long time Christians, or can serve as a New Member Class for those who wish to join St. John.

NEW MEMBER CLASS – If you have been attending St. John and wish to join there are many ways to accomplish joining this Christian congregation.
One of the best ways is to attend a membership class.
Pastor Rockey will be teaching “An Overview of Christian Teaching.”
Even if you have been a Lutheran before, attending this class can be a good refresher! (Tentatively this class will meet in Pastor Rockey’s office, unless it is too large, and then we will move to the Fellowship
Hall.)

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DID YOU KNOW THAT MUCH INFORMATION ABOUT ST. JOHN is available on our church website? The link is: http://www.st-john-lutheran.org
<http://www.st-john-lutheran.org/>
* All these “Thoughts from the Pastor” are found on our web page.
* Past Sermons are found on our web page.
* The new Video Projection system will be installed soon, and part
of that system will allow us to record services. We hope to have files of sermons in audio available on the web page as well.