October 14th, 2024
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Fall Family Fest HAS BEEN MOVED TO Sunday, October 20th, 3 pm till 5pm. Inflatables, food, pumpkin carving, games, and more for the whole family.
Lagers with Lord is Monday, October 14th, at 6 pm at Buckshot’s! All are welcome for a time of faithful conversation.
Voices of Praise, Wednesday, October 16th, 7 pm! Like to sing? Want to sing praises to God? Want to sing with others? Hate to sing in front of an audience? This is the group for you! Come join us on Wednesday nights at 7 pm for the sole purpose of using our voices to give praise to God with others. This is a fellowship group that gathers to sing together with no expectation that we will sing during worship or in front of an audience. The only requirement is a love of singing and a love of God! All ages are welcome!
Crew on Wednesday, October 16th, 3:30 pm till 5 pm for all 3rd-6th graders!
Crew snacks needed! We invite individuals and families to sign-up to provide snacks for 50-60 youth for Crew! Feel free to team up with others! You do not need to serve the snacks, just provide them! You can provide whatever you want. Items should be here by 3 pm on the day of Crew. Sign-up in the Narthex or call the office. Questions? Talk to PB.
MISSION MADNESS 2024: October 6-November 10th: The annual tradition continues as we raise money for our Mission Partners and PB does embarrassing or weird things. Just designate your offering to either Mission Madness or to a specific mission partner like Luther Park or WestCAP as an example. As a twist this year, if a certain number of Time & Talent sheets get turned in, since part of our Mission is using our gifts for God’s glory, that will also fulfill some Mission Madness goals.
Here are the goals:
$500 PB has to wear a Star Trek shirt (reminder: PB doesn’t like Star Trek). 25 Time & Talent sheets
$1,000 PB eats a serving size of Mayonnaise. 50 Time & Talent sheets
$1,500 PB gets attacked with silly string by kids in the congregation. 75 time & Talent Sheets
$2,000 PB wears a full Packers outfit at the November Synod Gathering. 100 Time & Talent Sheets
$2,500 PB gets hit in the face with a pie by the Bishop Martin Halom on November 17th.
UPDATE:
DOLLARS RAISED: $200
TIME AND TALENT SHEETS TURNED IN: 36
Men’s Band Worship Sunday, November 3rd, 9 am.
Potato Pancake Feed, Sunday, November 3rd, 10 am till 11:30 am. Potato Pancakes, Kielbasa Sausage, Apple Sauce, Bars, Beverage. This year we are featuring TWO kinds of Potato Pancakes, our traditional Scandanvian style and now German style. Free-will offering taken to benefit Trinity Missions.
MUSINGS FROM PASTOR BRAD
Since, then, we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast to our confession. 15For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who in every respect has been tested as we are, yet without sin. 16Let us therefore approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. Hebrews 4:14-16
When I was younger, I had it through my head that I couldn’t show weakness. I don’t know if it was because I rarely saw it in my Dad, who I never saw cry until the last month of his life. I don’t know if it was the images I took in from advertising and media that portrayed strong men never cried, never showed doubt, never showed anything other than physical pain and that pain was only because they got shot or hit or attacked but just took it on the chin with stoicism. You “sucked it up” and moved on. You never displayed doubt about anything, concern about anything, or sadness about really anything. Weakness was not to be shown to anyone for any reason for that weakness could be exploited, or made fun of, or would make you “less than.”
I think that thought still is very prevalent today and I know is still with me today. I remember the first time I teared up in a funeral I was leading. I felt so ashamed that I let that emotion out. Felt like I had somehow failed in my calling, to be “strong” for the family. It wasn’t till later that in talking with that family that they appreciated that show of emotion. It was a connection to them. After all, I barely cried at my Dad’s funeral as I was now the “man of the house” and I took it as a challenge to not cry while I preached my Mom’s funeral sermon to show everyone just how strong I was. That I could handle it all.
What an idiot I was, and frankly, I sometimes still am. Weakness is not showing emotion. Strength is the ability to be what the world says is weak and keep going. Being honest in our emotions, whether it be sadness or anger or doubt. After all, as it says in our scripture reading from above, Jesus sympathizes with our weaknesses because Christ knows all those emotions. He cried. He was angry. He asked God to take this cup from him. Jesus knows all the things we have felt because he felt them. And so we know that we have a Savior who is right there with us, who understands and knows the hardships of our lives, the emotions we feel, the things that make us feel weak and small. We don’t have to be afraid of them. Rather, we can face them with boldness for we don’t face them alone.
Don’t hide from those things that the world says make you weak. Don’t be afraid of sadness or grief or anger or doubt or any of those things. Those things don’t make you weak. Faith is still trusting in the one who knows those things and still going, still trying, still fighting, even when it is hardest. Jesus knows all of the things you are going through for he has experienced all of them. He has cried over friends. He has felt betrayed and abandoned. He has felt physical and emotional pain. He has felt like God has abandoned him. Christ has felt it all. He knows our weaknesses, our hurts, our everything. And that is why he is there. That is why Jesus invites you to place your burdens on him. That is why he promises to be with you always. And that is why we can be bold, for we are showered by his grace in our time of need and know that no matter what, we are never, ever alone and that in him, we have strength. Always.
May God be with you today and always.