Spirit of Joy! Lutheran Church

Joy-filled. Faith-growing. Life-changing.

Lutheran

Advent 2018

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Fear is all around us.

Will we have enough for this month’s bills?
What should we do about border security, or school shootings?
What if we fall victim to an online scam?
Will my loved ones get sick?

Every time we turn on the tv, radio, or log in to social media we are reminded of all of the people, things, and situations we need to be afraid of. As if human beings aren’t good enough at generating fear and anxiety ourselves – we have even more thrown at us!

Where do we turn in the midst of all this fear?

Join us for worship this Advent as we encounter the words spoken by the angels, by God, and by Jesus:
Fear not

Join us as we encounter the one story that challenges all of our fears and transforms them into hope. 

Sundays, 10:00 am

Starting December 2

Advent Worship Fear Not

 

 

Making Christmas plans?

Join us for Christmas Eve worship on December 24, at 6:30pm. Our Christmas worship is a powerful, family friendly way to experience the story of God’s grace.

Reformation Sunday – What is it, and Why Does it Matter

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Every year on the last Sunday in October, many churches set aside the day as “Reformation Sunday.” If you didn’t grow up with this practice, you may wonder where this tradition comes from, and why some congregations continue to practice it.

So … what is Reformation Sunday, and why should we care?

The History of Reformation Sunday

Our story begins in the 16th century – 1517, to be exact. Bear with us here – what follows is a very simplified explanation of complex theological, political, and economic events that all coincided.

Across Europe, the Roman Catholic Church was engaged in one of the greatest fundraisers in all of history.

If a person – out of contrition for their sins and as a sign of repentance – made a financial gift to help with the building Saint Peter’s Basilica in Rome, then the church would furnish that person with a certificate acknowledging that gift and promising that they or their loved ones would be freed from a portion of the misery expected in the afterlife.

In short, the church at that time taught that even those bound for heaven had to be cleansed of their earthly sins and this cleansing (purging) in the afterlife took place in a place called Purgatory. The certificates offered by the church (called “Indulgences”) promised to lessen this time of cleansing for oneself or others who have already died.

There were some very nuanced explanations of this practice at the time.
And there were other very crass explanations that basically amounted to people paying to be forgiven.

November 1st was an important day for the selling and buying of these indulgences, known as All Saints Day on the church’s calendar.

The day before a German Monk named Martin Luther posted a list of 95 Theses – 95 reasons that he objected to this practice of selling indulgences. Along with other writings by Martin Luther, those 95 Reasons went viral.

Luther insisted that we are not forgiven because of anything we do – including the buying of Indulgences or doing enough good work. Instead, we are forgiven because of who God is. We are loved and forgiven because God is full of grace and mercy.

His teachings and writings got Martin Luther kicked out of the church. But he didn’t go alone. Others agreed with him, and after his death those who agreed with Luther became known as Lutherans and also as Protestants.

Every Protestant church traces their roots back to this moment in history.

Why Does Reformation Sunday Matter?

October 31st, 1517 was a long time ago. Why does it continue to matter and be remembered in our churches today?

1. Reformation Sunday gives us a chance to tell our story – a chance to remember.

We all have a family story – how we got to this point in history. Stories about parents and grandparents, about the things that have shaped our families over the years. Reformation Sunday is a day when we remember and re-tell the family stories of our faith. Stories about men and women who came before us and taught us about the faith. Stories about people who risked everything so that we would be able to gather and worship in the manner that we do.

2. Reformation Sunday reminds us of the most important things.

Throughout the year we preach about many things in church. About how we live our daily lives, the choices we make, the habits of our faith. On Reformation Sunday we are brought back to the most important thing – the thing that compelled Luther and others to risk their lives.

On Reformation Sunday, we return to the core of our faith: God loved us first, and God continues to shower us with grace and mercy.

3. Reformation Sunday challenges us to do better

Through re-telling our story and returning to the core of our faith, Reformation Sunday prods us to do better.

We are called to be more loving and grace-filled, because God was gracious and merciful to us. We are called to repent of the times that we have placed barriers that have kept others from hearing the Good News. We are called to remember that all that we are is a gift from God.

In the church in Wittenberg where Martin Luther preached, there is a wonderful painting. In it Luther stands in the pulpit on the right hand side, and the people stand on the left. In between people and the preacher is Christ on the cross. Reformation Sunday is a reminder that this is the bedrock of our faith – the grace and mercy given to us in Jesus Christ. Keeping the most important thing in the center of the picture is the only hope for for our faith and for this community that we call “church.”

Happy Reformation Sunday!

If you would like to be a part of our Reformation Sunday celebration, join us on October 28 at 10:00 am for worship at Spirit of Joy! Lutheran Church

Tips for Reading the Whole Bible

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The idea of reading the whole Bible is daunting – that’s a lot of pages!

But this summer, that is exactly what we are doing – our whole congregation is reading the whole Bible in 90 days! This can be a life-changing experience as we grow deeper in relationship with God and with one another. In order to help us succeed, here are some tips to reading the whole Bible.

reading the bible, intergenerational, generations together

B90 Tips

  1. Start. No really. Most people fail because they never even try. Pick up you Bible on May 27th and start reading. Just by doing that, you have gotten further than most people ever do!
  2. Pick the right Bible. Study Bibles can be a distraction – causing us to read all the notes, and check all the cross references. Remember the goal: to read the whole Bible, not to read for deep understanding. I prefer a large print Bible with no notes in it.
  3. Read with others. The Bible is not meant to be read alone. Joining a reading group greatly increases your chances of success!
  4. Don’t get stuck on the names. There are so many names! So. Many. Names. Don’t get stuck trying to remember who is related to whom. Most of the names in Genesis show up once and never come back around again. If you try and remember all the names and how everyone is related, you won’t get past Genesis.
  5. Take notes. There will be things that you don’t understand or that you have questions about. Instead of spending a lot of time on that section, write it down. Bring it back up in your reading group, or come back to it with fresh eyes after you have finished you complete Bible read through.

These best practices will give you the best chance of succeeding in our B90 Challenge.

There are also some basic reading tips that are helpful as we get into the practice of reading everyday.

General Reading Tips

  1. Set a time. Set aside a block of time, around the same time every day, as your reading time.
  2. Limit distraction. I know, that can be hard. But it is easier to read if you aren’t interrupted constantly. Turn off the TV, limit conversation, and focus on what you are reading.
  3. Find a spot. Some of us find it helpful to have the same place where we read every day. That won’t be possible when traveling, but while at home it can be good to have a well lit, comfortable spot dedicated to reading.
  4. Take it with you. Carry your Bible with you as you go – whether that’s to work or vacation or camp. You never know where you might find the extra moments to get ahead in your reading.

So Many Questions

How long should I plan on reading?
I tell people to plan on an hour, because we all read at different speeds and some passages of the Bible are harder than others. In reality, it may only take you 30 minutes many days. But if you have blocked off an hour to read, you won’t feel rushed.

What if I get behind?
It happens to all of us. We miss a day. Life gets in the way. A) Get caught up as soon as possible. If you miss one day, it is not a big deal to find an extra 30 minutes to catch up. But each day you get behind it takes longer to catch up. B) Set aside make up time. Maybe you know it is going to be a busy week. And so on Saturday or Sunday you plan on extra reading time that week to catch up. C) Read ahead. Look, nothing says you can only read for 30 minutes each day. If you are a quick reader, getting a day or two ahead gives you a cushion if life gets crazy.

What if I didn’t start on time?
You saw the materials for B90 and thought you couldn’t do it, or maybe you didn’t see them until after we started. No problem! Start now. Download one of our dated schedules and start with today’s reading, and read with us for the rest of the summer.

Bookmark our main B90 page for more resources as we read together this summer!

plugged into the Bible, Bible in 90 Days