Happy Friday, friends! Today's scripture comes to us from 1 Chronicles...

           Then King David went in, sat in the Lord's presence, and said, "Who am I, Lord God, and what is my house that You have brought me this far?"   
(1 Chronicles 17: 16 HCSB)     

David's humility wasn't just a string of pious words. He wasn't pretending to abase himself... while secretly basking in the glow of false modesty. No, he was genuinely baffled that God had chosen him, a small shepherd boy, as a king over Israel -- one whose offspring would impact the course of history! What did he ever do to deserve this, he wondered? 
   
As a Christian, it might be easy to take your status as God's child for granted. You've heard it ever since you came to know Jesus, so the true meaning behind these words might have lost it's initial force. But think: Why would God choose YOU to be His child? Were you born into a line of nobility? Are you gifted with superhuman abilities? Probably not. 
   
God didn't choose you because of your position. In fact, God chose us in spite of it. We were all sinful little creatures wallowing in the mud of our dirty passions ... but God reached down, cleaned us up, and placed crowns on our heads. When we truly dwell on the love our Father has displayed, we will join the baffled king in his cry: "Who am I?"  

               O God, guide my thoughts as I meditate on the depths of Your love. Help me comprehend just how incomprehensible Your grace truly is. Amen.  

+++ This Sunday is our last on our summer worship schedule with worship at 9:00am. This week we will go with Jesus to the house of a Pharisee for a dinner party and listen as Jesus instructs the crowd about table manners. Where will each of us choose to sit when invited to our next social gathering? Come and hear Jesus' suggestions for each of us to consider. If you can't join us in person, hop on to our Facebook page at 9:00am for the weekly "live-stream" or catch worship later on our YouTube channel. However you can, we hope you will join us for worship on Sunday!

+++ The church office will be closed on Monday as we celebrate Labor Day. The office will reopen on Tuesday morning at 9:00am.    

+++ Our Trustees will be meeting on Wednesday afternoon, 9/3 at 4:00pm in the Fireside Room. All members please try to attend as we do the business of the Trustees.

+++ Next Sunday, September 7th we switch back to our fall worship schedule with worship services at 8:30am in the Fireside Room and 10:00am in the Sanctuary. We will also kick off a new year for our KIDZ CLUB program at the 10:00am worship service on that day... as the kids and leaders show us the final installment of our Vacation Bible School program, ON THE ROAD WITH GOD. Navigator Jeff and his trusty pup, Scout will be here as well. Join us as we celebrate our Vacation Bible School program.  

+++ Remember to sign up for a work shift at our Sleep In Heavenly Peace Bed Build on Saturday morning, September 13th! See Shelley to get the link to the sign up process. All sign ups are done online. Shelley can assist you if you need it. We need lots of help that day as we work to make sure no child sleeps on the floor in our community.  

+++ If you have been thinking about joining the congregation, we will be welcoming New Members at each worship service on September 21st. Speak to me to get more information about this exciting time here at Immanuel. 

Make this day a great day and rejoice in the grace of our God!   
​Pastor Jack 

Here are some important words for us from the Acts of the Apostles...

                   Then the jailer brought them out and asked, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" They replied, "Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved."    (Acts 16: 30-31   NLT) 

Chances are, you'll probably never face a situation as dramatic as Paul and Silas did in this passage.
   
But who knows? Maybe you will. Maybe you'll meet someone today who's on the verge of taking their own life. Maybe they'll see something in you that they've never seen --- a joy that reaches deeper than the false smiles they've seen all these years. Maybe they'll strike up a conversation about God, hoping beyond hope that you'll have an answer to save them from the death they've planned for tonight. And maybe you'll never know this person's struggles. Maybe all you'll see is a casual conversation with a seeker --- a small incident you might even forget about in the following weeks. 
   
But the most important question is this: will you know what to say? Has your relationship with Jesus given you the answers you claim to possess, or have you kept God at arms length, finding yourself at a loss for words when confronted by someone who's searching for something beyond superficial?
   
There's only one way to prepare yourself for such an encounter: regularly submerging yourself in the truth of God's Word!

                Father, give me the words to speak to those who need to hear Your message.  I'm willing to be Your vessel of truth and encouragement for others. Amen.    

+++ We gather for worship on Sunday at 9:00am in our beautiful, air-conditioned sanctuary. This week we'll be hearing about a woman bent over by her own sin and I am thinking about how each of us is "bent over by sin" as well. How do we find the strength to stand up fully erect? Only through knowing and following Jesus. Join me as I think this through with you. If you're traveling, look for us on the church's Facebook page at 9:00am for our "live stream" or following worship on the church's YouTube channel. We'll also be singing a few more of our congregation's favorite hymns this week... so bring your singing voice!  

+++ On Tuesday, 8/26 St. Michael's Lutheran Church will be offering another "Grab and Go Dinner" in their parking lot. The FREE drive thru dinner is served beginning at 5:00pm but don't be late... as the summer hamburger meal will be gone quickly! Donations are accepted but not necessary! 

+++ Next Wednesday, 8/27 is the final session of this year's Vacation Bible School program. We've been on the Road with God this month and the kids and adults are having a great time! We hope to have the kids join us for worship on Sunday September 7th for the final session of the program and to show the congregation all that they've learned during the program. This date is also the first day of KIDZ CLUB for the fall season! Mark your calendars friends!

+++ Our Sleep In Heavenly Peace bed build is occurring on Saturday, September 13th.  Have you signed up yet to be a part of the fun?  See Shelley for help as we all are registering online this year.  

 +++ A couple of dates for your calendars...

• Sunday, September 7th we return to our fall worship schedule with worship at 8:30am in the Fireside Room and 10:00am in the Sanctuary. 
• We hope to welcome NEW MEMBERS at both services on Sunday, September 21st. Speak to me to get in on becoming a member of this great   congregation!  

Make this day a great day and look for ways to share the Good News of Jesus with those around you!   
​Pastor Jack 

So...how do you like 90 degrees and humid??? I am not that much of a fan of it! But I will persevere because in a couple of months the white stuff will be dropping and I will be complaining about that, as well! Here are some words for us from Psalm 105...

           "For God remembered God's sacred promise to his servant Abraham."                                               (Psalm 105:42   NLT)

This psalm serves as a memorial for the good things God has done for Israel. It's a kind of "greatest hits" compilation of God's miraculous deeds. Beginning with the covenant with Abraham, it moves on to God's work in Joseph's life, Israel's period of Egyptian slavery, and their ultimate deliverance at the Red Sea.
   
As you can probably tell by now, the Bible isn't content to simply tell these great stories once: it repeats them over and over again, adding new blessings whenever they occur. In a sense, God's Word is a song, and the miracles God has performed for God's people form the lyrics of it's chorus. Even though this song is firmly rooted in the past, its purpose always lies in the future. By reminding themselves of God's miracles throughout history, the writers of scripture anticipated the next step in God's amazing plan of salvation.  
   
When you look back on your own life, what blessings do you see? Look beyond the superficial, focusing instead on the tiny events and choices that culminated in the walk with God you currently enjoy. And then, once you've chronicled the past, look to the blank canvas that is the future and ask yourself, "What might God do next?"  

                    Sometimes, Lord, the things I see strengthen my faith in the things I don't. May I always see shadows of my amazing future with You scattered across my past.  Amen. 

+++ We gather for worship on Sunday at 9:00am and this week we'll have an old fashioned, Summer Hymn Sing! We've tabulated the top hymn choices for this week after last week's voting and we are ready to go. Try to hold back the tears now friends, but even though I will be here on Sunday... there will be no sermon! So, if you have friends who just can't stand it when the pastor goes on and on... this is the week to invite them to worship! We will "live-stream" on the church's Facebook page at 9:00am and then "upload" the completed worship service to our YouTube channel when worship is completed. Bring your singing voice and plan to join us for a fun worship time!

+++ Our Vacation Bible School continues on Wednesday nights. We had a great second session this Wednesday and next week is Session 3. It's not too late to think about joining us on Wednesday night at 6:00pm. Speak to Lorlie to get involved!

+++ Last weekend's Mini Golf Tournament for Missions was a great time and success as we raised over $2,200 for disaster relief work! Thanks to all who golfed, sponsored holes, and joined us for this wonderful day!

+++ If you are a team or ministry leader don't forget that newsletter articles for the September/October edition of the church newsletter are due in the office by August 20th. Please try to get all articles in by this deadline to help us keep our publishing date! Thanks!

+++The September/October edition of the Upper Room is now available on the table in the Narthex.

Make this day a great day and always look to the amazing future that God has in store for you!   
​Pastor Jack  

This morning it sounds like the air quality is improving while the temperature prepares for another climb! And as much as I am tempted to complain, I keep remembering that I usually complain pretty good when winter hits... so maybe God only can endure my weather complaints for about 6 months of the year! Here are some words about the wonders of creation for us to consider...

            "Yet he has not left himself without testimony."    (Acts 14:17   NIV)

This marvelous universe is so familiar to us that we often take it for granted. How often do we notice the gravity that keeps us glued to the earth? The oxygen that fills our lungs? The steady stream of light that enters our eyes and finds its way to the supercomputer that is our brain?    
   
Scientists are gradually discovering just how fine-tuned this physical reality is for sustaining life. Existence as we know it balances on a knife's edge of just-right natural laws and conditions. If only one of them was altered by the tiniest sliver of the smallest fraction imaginable (physicists estimate that one of these conditions is finely tuned to an order of one part in 10 to the 120th power), life would become impossible and reality would collapse into unstructured chaos. Such extreme levels of design led one atheist to say, "A commonsense interpretation of the facts suggests that a super-intellect has monkeyed with physics."
   
God built this reality as a well-oiled machine, and the more we discover the innumerable gears that keep it running, the more gratitude we ought to show to the Creator. Meditating on this amazing but fragile world is one way to grow our faith in the one who made and sustains it all.  

            Thank You, God, for giving us a small glimpse of Your infinite power in the form of Your creation. I want to study this amazing testimony You've left for us. Amen. 

+++ Tomorrow is our Mini Golf for Missions Tournament at Fairmount Glen! Registration starts at 8:30am and we begin with a Shotgun start at 9:00am! Hopefully your team is ready and has been practicing! And if not, don't worry.... we have plenty of mulligans for sale to help you out! After the tournament we will gather in the Fellowship Hall for a delicious brunch and the awarding of prizes. We can't wait to see you tomorrow morning as we celebrate this 16th edition of this annual event to raise money to support disaster recovery and other church mission projects.  

+++ We worship on Sunday morning at 9:00am and this week we will hear from Paul's letter to the Philippians and I am thinking about "How to Handle Criticism and Complaints". Most of us are used to these challenges but hearing once again about how God calls us to deal with them will be a great reminder. We will also be asking you to let us know your 3 favorite hymns as we prepare for a good, old fashioned Summer Hymn Sing service on August 17th! If you can't be in the Sanctuary with us, look for us in our "live-stream" on the church's Facebook page at 9:00am and then on our YouTube channel after the live worship service is completed.   

+++ I will be offering worship at the Camillus Ridge Terrace at 11:00am on Wednesday morning if you'd like to join me.

+++ Our summer Vacation Bible School started on Wednesday night and the kids (and adults) had a great time! Our guide Jeff and his trusty dog, Scout are leading the adventure as we enjoy a ROAD TRIP: ON THE GO WITH GOD. It's not too late to get involved. Speak to Lorlie on Sunday to find out about next week's installment of our travel itinerary!  

+++ Team leaders... don't forget the upcoming deadline for the September/October edition of our church newsletter. All articles need to be in the office by August 20th to help us meet our publishing schedule! Thanks! 

Make this day a great day and pause to marvel at the beauty of God's creation!   
​Pastor Jack

As we start another new month, today's reading takes us to the Gospel of Mark...

                        "They laid the sick in the marketplaces and begged Jesus that they might touch just the tassel of his robe. And everyone who touched it was made well." (Mark 6: 56 HCSB)

"If I can only hold out... God permitting... I will eventually be seen." These are the frantic words pilot Bob Gauchie scrawled in his personal journal, nearly seven weeks after making an emergency landing on a remote frozen lake in Canada. The conditions were atrocious --- high winds, circling wolves, and temperatures that hovered in the seventies (on the WRONG side of zero) were all conspiring to make sure this poor man didn't make it through the night. But he did make it. And when he was finally found, the pilot who picked him up remarked that he looked like "he was waiting on a bus." 
   
How did Gauchie preserve his sanity? Simple: by holding on each day to the one thread of hope he could see --- he was still alive.
   
That's the kind of hope today's verse describes. A crowd of desperate, hurting people with no earthly hope were now in sight of  the very embodiment of hope: Jesus. So what did they do? They hung on, knowing that if they could just touch the fringe of His clothing, then their long-awaited healing would finally arrive.
   
Are you clinging to Jesus with that same kind of desperation?  

              Savior, help me value You more than life itself. You're my only hope in this cold and barren world. Amen. 

+++ When we gather for worship this coming Sunday we'll be hearing from Philippians and the Gospel of Matthew. My message is entitled, "Becoming a Lifelong Student." I know for kids this sounds horrible... but as an adult I have come to realize that when you stop learning you start dying. Hopefully you never want to stop learning, as well. We will also celebrate the Sacrament of Holy Communion this Sunday when we worship at 9:00am. If you are away, look for our "live-stream" on the church's Facebook page at 9:00am and we will, of course, upload the completed worship service to our YouTube channel.   

+++ Our Trustees meet on Wednesday, August 6th at 4:00pm in the Fireside Room.

+++ Vacation Bible School starts on that same night at 6:00pm! We will gather for dinner and fellowship, fun and learning each Wednesday night in August. We hope to see all the young folks and their friends at Vacation Bible School! Click here for information and to register.

+++ Our Mini Golf for Missions Tournament is next Saturday, August 9th at the Fairmount Glen Golf Course on North Onondaga Rd. We start with Registration at 8:30am and a ShotGun Start at 9:00am. And then we'll come back to church for a delicious brunch and prizes. I hope you are registered and have been playing a few practice rounds! You can also click here for information and a registration form.

+++ Our September/October newsletter deadline is August 20. Please have all submissions to the church office no later than that date.

Make this day a great day and hold fast to Jesus each and every day!   
​Pastor Jack