Friday, October 24, 2025

After a restful week away I am glad to be back and looking forward to seeing you all in worship on Sunday! Today my reading takes me to the book of the Prophet Jeremiah...
 
                  "The word of the Lord came to me: "Go and proclaim in the hearing of Jerusalem: This is what the Lord says: 'I remember the devotion of your youth. How as a bride you loved me and followed me through the wilderness, through a land not sown.'"   (Jeremiah 2: 1-12 NIV)
 
Do you remember the last time you attended a wedding? As the bride and groom stand before the friends and family to recite their vows, it's almost as if they forget that anyone else is in the room with them as they fix their gaze on one another. They are that much in love with one another.
   
Sadly, many married couples don't maintain that level of love and devotion. In time, they fall out of love and the relationship becomes joyless and sterile.
   
That's also what happened to the people of Jerusalem.
   
In today's scripture verses, the Lord remembered how His people had loved Him and how they were so willing to follow Him anywhere. But now, the people's passion for their God was no more. Now, they weren't willing to follow Him with their whole hearts.
   
Might I suggest that you take a good look at your relationship with the Lord today? Do you love Him the way you did when you began your journey of faith? Or has the fire begun to wane? If it's the latter, it may be time to renew your commitment to Him today.  
 
          Lord God, help me renew my passionate love for You today. Amen. 
 
+++ It's Craft Show weekend! Plan to stop by on Friday between 4:00-8:00pm or Saturday between 9:00am- 3:00pm to check out all the beautiful items for sale! Proceeds from these Craft Shows allow Immanuel to continue to do much needed mission work here in our community. And bring a friend or neighbor to show them where you attend worship and all the friendly people here at Immanuel!   

+++ Sunday worship is at 8:30am and 10:00am and this week we will meet a Pharisee and a Tax collector who both go to the temple to pray. Whose prayer is the most effective? Well, Jesus will fill us in on Sunday. My message is entitled, "A Crowd of Sinners" and I am thinking about where each of us fit into the question. We will be offering the worship service live on the church's Facebook page and then uploading the completed worship to our YouTube channel when worship is over! We can't wait to see you in worship on Sunday!

+++ You will find the new November/December edition of The Upper Room magazine on the table on the Narthex.

+++ On Tuesday, 10/28 St. Michael's Lutheran Church will be offering another Grab and Go dinner beginning at 5:00pm in their parking lot. This month's offering is a Roast Pork Dinner. Make sure you are there early as the dinners are quite popular!

+++ Next Sunday, November 2nd is our annual celebration of All Saints Day. We will be naming the "saints" of our church and family and friends of our congregation who have passed recently. You are invited to bring a candle from home to join those on our altar as you remember the folks who have been "saints" in your life!   

+++ Our Election Day TURKEY DINNER is being planned for Tuesday, November 4th! Please sign up on Sunday to help and look for your advance sale tickets being sold on Sunday after each worship service.  

+++ Our annual CHARGE CONFERENCE is being held on Saturday, November 8th at 1:00pm at St. Paul's UMC at 2200 Valley Drive in Syracuse. All Administrative Council members should be in attendance as we transact the disciplinary business of the church at this important meeting. The meeting is open for other congregation members to attend, as well. 
 
Make this day a great day and don't forget to work on your relationship with Jesus today!   
​Pastor Jack