Friday, October 25, 2024

Greetings, Friends!

As we move closer to the end of this month of October, my reading takes me into Luke's Gospel account where Jesus offers us this very wise advice...

              "Forgive, and you will be forgiven."   (Luke 6:37  NIV)

I think that forgiveness can be the most challenging... yet powerful tool we have in our spiritual tool belts. And being quick to forgive is like turbo-charging that tool! Over time, we usually "get over it," completely forget, or just manage to get an offense off our chests in one way or another. We can then say that we have forgiven the "past" wrong -- but by then the forgiveness is long overdue. I think we must learn to forgive in the present moment.
   
Being quick to forgive requires that we forgive as soon as the opportunity to get offended presents itself -- or that we don't embrace the offenses in the first place. Don't reach for it, but deal with it before it can roost in your mind and build a wall of offense. The best way to keep the hurts from planting themselves like stubborn weeds in your soul is to be quick to forgive. That's why a speedy forgiveness is the ultimate power tool to clear a path to the fullness of God's grace and mercy.  
   
So when someone is rude on the phone, or people speak negatively about you or the nice things you do go unnoticed, join me in praying:
 
                          May I be quick to forgive, O Lord. Amen. 

+++ The great Fall Craft Show begins today at 4:00pm! You'll find some beautiful items for your holiday shopping needs and you can shop from 4:00-8:00pm today and from 9:00am - 3:00pm tomorrow! Come check out the many beautiful treasures you will find!

+++ On Sunday we worship at 8:30am and 10:00am as we celebrate the 24th Sunday after Pentecost! Only a few more "after Pentecost" Sundays left before we start a new church lectionary year on the First Sunday of Advent! This week we find Jesus encountering a blind man named Bartimaeus and wait until you hear his message! Bartimaeus offers each of us a prayer that I think will help us cover all our bases! Come and think this through with me! If you can't be in the Sanctuary in person.... check out our Facebook page for the weekly "live-stream" at 10:00am (or the recorded version after 11:00am) or our YouTube channel for the recorded worship after it is completed. You never have to miss a week of worship through the wonders of technology!

+++ Following either worship service on Sunday, you can purchase pre-sale tickets for our upcoming Election Day Turkey Dinner! Our signup list is filling up nicely (THANK YOU ALL) and I'm looking forward to continuing this long-running church tradition on November 5th!

+++ On Tuesday, 10/29 St. Michael's Lutheran Church on West Genesee Street will be offering another "Grab and Go" Dinner. Serving starts at 5:00pm and ends when the meals run out a short time later. And, our own Sam Paventi, is a key part of this ministry effort! Thanks, Sam!

+++ Also on 10/29 our annual Charge Conference will be held at 7:00pm in our Sanctuary. We'll welcome our District Superintendent, Rev. Sherri Rood and sisters and brothers from 8 other churches in our area to this time of doing the Administrative business of our churches. Administrative Council members please plan to attend this important meeting! 

+++ Next Sunday two important events occur during worship.... we celebrate All Saints Day when we remember the saints of Immanuel whom God has called home during this past year. You can also bring a candle from home to add to our altar as we celebrate the lives of those each of us would call "saints". We will also be starting our fall Stewardship campaign called "Treasures" during worship next Sunday. Jesus said, "Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." During November, we will look at what we want to be investing our life in and what we actually are investing in. I think for many the answers might just be quite different. We hope you'll try to join us each week for these important thoughts!  

Make this day a great day, plan to visit the Craft Show and always remember to pray with me, May I be quick to forgive, O Lord. Amen.     
​Pastor Jack