September 2014

Soaring with Spirit

ST. JOHN LUTHERAN

CHURCH

Serving Christ, Serving Others, Serving You

Pastor’s Paragraph

When I visited Omaha last week, I spent two days with my aunt ( my dad’s younger sister) going through her pictures, information about the family, and other memorabilia. We had a great time talking about all the old family stories, going out to the farm my grandfather and great grandfather had owned and worked, and I learned a lot about life during the Dust Bowl years, the depression, and the happiness and joy through all the hardships they endured.

One of the pictures was of my grandfather, who was known as a kind of “horse-whisperer” in those parts. His two favorite horses were the ones he used most often on the farm. Their names were Bud and Prince, and they weighed over a ton each. My grandfather almost always won the pulling contests at the local county fairs each year with Bud and Prince.

My aunt told me that when Bud in his later years got very sick, my grandfather sent for the vet who examined Bud and told my grandfather that he needed to be put down. As my grandfather walked from the barn, leaving the vet to do it, my aunt told me it was one of the very few times she ever saw a tear in my grandfather’s eyes. He loved those horses and they loved him.

During the pulling contests, my grandfather’s team would usually go last. After the other teams had their chance, with the drivers shouting and lashing their horses, my grandfather would hitch up his team, calmly walk up in

front of Bud and Prince, simply say “come on, boys” and start walking up the course. The “boys” would lean into their harness and start following my grandfather’s voice as they always did. He never hit them or yelled at them, he simply let them know what he wanted and they did their best.

Some people think that God is one who uses the evil and bad events in our lives to punish us for something we’ve done or not done, or to somehow test us to see how strongly we believe. Some Christians talk with us and say things like “you must have done something to make God angry at you” or “God is just testing you” when life brings us struggles. As if God cannot see into our hearts without the need for a “test.” When we hear things like this, it’s difficult to think of God as a loving God but rather see God as manipulative, vindictive, maybe even mean and cruel.

The picture of the Father that Jesus brings us is of a God who loves us unconditionally, no matter what we’ve done or not done, no matter how unlovable we might think ourselves, a God who is willing to walk in front of us when it most feels like we’re burdened by life, and encourage us, confidently leading us through the challenges of life. Christ says in Matthew 11, “Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."

What Christ expresses is a love that is willing to suffer death in order to lead us into everlasting life. There is no place we can go that God’s love and grace is not ahead of us, protecting us, leading us, and seeing us safely through each day.

We finish almost every worship service with the exhortation, “Go in peace. Love and serve the Lord.”

This is not a mere wish, it is a statement of God’s care for us and our confidence in God’s love, guidance, and protection.

Okay, you got me again. The 20th Anniversary of Ordination Celebration was a wonderful Surprise. Coordinated with our Vacation Bible School wrap-up with the children singing their theme song, all the invited guests, the beautiful cake, the collection for World Hunger, and all of you who were at our first Evening Worship made it a memory for a lifetime.

The terrific music by Lynne and Paul Goodridge and the added excitement with the thunderstorm moving in on us made it an evening to remember. This picture shows me as dried out as I got that evening. What a Wet look!!

I want to give a special “thank you” to Pastor Vicki, who never hinted at what was going on and whose presence made it even more special and important.

You are wonderful people and I thank God for you, for your faithfulness, your generous spirit, and especially your warmth which has made my time with you something to cherish. The Lord has done a great work through this congregation for over a century and a half, and I feel very honored to be part of it with all of you. Thank you.

The Silver Bullet trailer made the trip to Beattyville this last month. The good people at the Mid Ky Community Action Partnership were so grateful for all of your donations, and were especially moved by all the school supplies you provided. Working with Modern Lutheran Women to have the school kits and Hygiene kits, you provided over $200 of school supplies for the children. The teachers who helped us unload the trailer were especially moved by all the items they would be able to share with their students. The trailer will be making its next trip in November to carry clothing and Christmas toys “down to the hills.”

Jace Michael Pelle, son of Ashley and Justin Pelle, was baptized on Sunday, August 24th. With great joy we welcome this new member of the Body of Christ. May God richly bless Jace’ new life in Christ.

Amber Kopp and David Fillhardt will be united in holy matrimony on Saturday, September 13th. May the Lord richly bless their new life together.

Young@Heart Seniors luncheon will be hosted by St. John this month on Wednesday, September 3rd at 11:00am. Chef John Walker will be our grillmeister. Contact Peggy Whitford, 441-1617, or Erin Richardson, 441-4236.

St. John Annual Church Picnic will be hosted on Sunday, September 7th, by Chuck and Judy Heilman, 272 Darlington Rd. Church will be providing fried chicken, ice, drinks and paper products. Please bring side dishes, desserts, folding chairs, fishing gear, cornhole games, etc.

Heritage Sunday offers a walk down memory lane as we incorporate a form of worship liturgy used for many years throughout the Lutheran church. The worship service will include special music by our choir and hymns from a previous hymnal as we gratefully acknowledge the debt we owe to those who passed on the faith down the generations.

Second Annual Northern Ky Pantry Walk, a 5K walk event will be held from 9 – 11 am on Saturday, September 27 at Pioneer Park off KY 17. This raises funds for food pantries in Northern Kentucky - United Ministries in Erlanger, St. Paul’s pantry in Newport, Prince of Peace pantry in Bellevue, St. John’s Bread of Life pantry in Melbourne, and Shepherd’s House pantry in Maysville. Walkers of all ages and physical abilities can participate. Donations will be matched by Thrivent “Care Abounds in Communities” funds up to $1,500. For more information, go to http://nkypantrywalk.weebly.com. This is our local participation joining ELCA congregations across the nation in “God’s Work, Our Hands” as nearly 10,000 congregations of this church gather to serve communities in ways that share the love of God with all of God’s people.

Modern Lutheran Women meetings are open to

all women who would like to come and join us.

We meet first Sunday of the month for devotions,

lessons and opportunities to serve, help other

people and have fellowship.

Modern Lutheran Women

Brighten up

someone’s day with a

card.

Gerald Benson Highland Springs Room # 1305 960 Highland Ave Ft. Thomas, KY 41075 Milton Chalk 182 Dogwood Dr. Highland Hts., KY 41076 Ruby Emmelhainz 2335 Darlington Road Melbourne, KY 41059 Joann Huck 2634 Fender Road Melbourne, KY 41059 Charlie Johnson c/o Bill Johnson 5 Bryan Lane Alexandria, KY 41001 Please let the church office know if there are others who need to be added to our list

The Bread of Life Food Pantry will be giving out their monthly food distribution on the second and fourth Mondays of the month between 2pm and 4pm.

Toothpaste and Toothbrushes

Jelly

Stove Top Stuffing

Emmelhainz Scholarship

Bake Sale

Immediately following worship.

Bring your sweet tooth!

September 14, 2014

“And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory as a father’s only son, full of

grace and truth” Jn 1:14

St. John Lutheran Church 5977 Lower Tug Fork Rd. Melbourne, KY 41059 859.635.5013 www.tugforklutheran.com

Join us for these special events:

Young at Heart, Wednesday, September 3rd, 11am

St. John’s Annual Picnic, Sunday, September 7th , 12pm

Bread of Life Food Pantry, Monday, September, 8th and 22th, 2pm-4pm

Council Meeting, Tuesday, September, 9th, 7pm

Modern Lutheran Woman, Sunday, September, 14th ,11:15am

Emmelhainz Scholarship Bake Sale, Sunday, September, 14th, 11:15am

Sneakers, Shorts, Sunset, S’nores & Salvation Worship, Sunday, September, 21st, 7pm

N KY Thrivent Pantry Walk, Saturday, September, 27th , 9am-11am

Quilters every Thursday, 9:00am

AA Meetings, every Friday, 7:00pm