Category Archives: Pastor’s Ponderings

Devotion and Readings March 21

Posted by mllccarmine in Pastor's Ponderings

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Bible Readings and Devotion for March 21, 2020

You are encouraged to read these passages from this page or from your personal Bible. After the readings is a devotion based on one or more of the readings.

Matthew 22:1-14

1 Once more Jesus spoke to them in parables, saying: 2 “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding banquet for his son. 3 He sent his slaves to call those who had been invited to the wedding banquet, but they would not come. 4 Again he sent other slaves, saying, ‘Tell those who have been invited: Look, I have prepared my dinner, my oxen and my fat calves have been slaughtered, and everything is ready; come to the wedding banquet.’ 5 But they made light of it and went away, one to his farm, another to his business, 6 while the rest seized his slaves, mistreated them, and killed them. 7 The king was enraged. He sent his troops, destroyed those murderers, and burned their city. 8 Then he said to his slaves, ‘The wedding is ready, but those invited were not worthy. 9 Go therefore into the main streets, and invite everyone you find to the wedding banquet.’ 10 Those slaves went out into the streets and gathered all whom they found, both good and bad; so the wedding hall was filled with guests.

11 “But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing a wedding robe, 12 and he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding robe?’ And he was speechless. 13 Then the king said to the attendants, ‘Bind him hand and foot, and throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ 14 For many are called, but few are chosen.”

 

1 Corinthians 3:16-23

16 Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you? 17 If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy that person. For God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple.

18 Do not deceive yourselves. If you think that you are wise in this age, you should become fools so that you may become wise.

19 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, “He catches the wise in their craftiness,” 20 and again, “The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are futile.”

21 So let no one boast about human leaders. For all things are yours, 22 whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or the present or the future—all belong to you, 23 and you belong to Christ, and Christ belongs to God.

 

Psalm 50

1 The mighty one, God the Lord, speaks and summons the earth from the rising of the sun to its setting.

2 Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God shines forth.

3 Our God comes and does not keep silence, before him is a devouring fire, and a mighty tempest all around him.

4 He calls to the heavens above and to the earth, that he may judge his people:

5 “Gather to me my faithful ones, who made a covenant with me by sacrifice!”

6 The heavens declare his righteousness, for God himself is judge.

7 “Hear, O my people, and I will speak, O Israel, I will testify against you. I am God, your God.

8 Not for your sacrifices do I rebuke you; your burnt offerings are continually before me.

9 I will not accept a bull from your house, or goats from your folds.

10 For every wild animal of the forest is mine, the cattle on a thousand hills.

11 I know all the birds of the air, and all that moves in the field is mine.

12 “If I were hungry, I would not tell you, for the world and all that is in it is mine.

13 Do I eat the flesh of bulls, or drink the blood of goats?

14 Offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving, and pay your vows to the Most High.

15 Call on me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify me.”

16 But to the wicked God says: “What right have you to recite my statutes, or take my covenant on your lips?

17 For you hate discipline, and you cast my words behind you.

18 You make friends with a thief when you see one, and you keep company with adulterers.

19 “You give your mouth free rein for evil, and your tongue frames deceit.

20 You sit and speak against your kin; you slander your own mother’s child.

21 These things you have done and I have been silent; you thought that I was one just like yourself. But now I rebuke you, and lay the charge before you.

22 “Mark this, then, you who forget God, or I will tear you apart, and there will be no one to deliver. 23 Those who bring thanksgiving as their sacrifice honor me; to those who go the right way I will show the salvation of God.”

 

Psalm 51

1 Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions.

2 Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.

3 For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me.

4 Against you, you alone, have I sinned, and done what is evil in your sight, so that you are justified in your sentence and blameless when you pass judgment.

5 Indeed, I was born guilty, a sinner when my mother conceived me.

6 You desire truth in the inward being; therefore teach me wisdom in my secret heart.

7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

8 Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones that you have crushed rejoice.

9 Hide your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities.

10 Create in me a clean heart, O God, and put a new and right spirit within me.

11 Do not cast me away from your presence, and do not take your holy spirit from me.

12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and sustain in me a willing spirit.

13 Then I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will return to you.

14 Deliver me from bloodshed, O God, O God of my salvation, and my tongue will sing aloud of your deliverance.

15 O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise.

16 For you have no delight in sacrifice; if I were to give a burnt offering, you would not be pleased.

17 The sacrifice acceptable to God is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.

18 Do good to Zion in your good pleasure; rebuild the walls of Jerusalem, 19 then you will delight in right sacrifices, in burnt offerings and whole burnt offerings; then bulls will be offered on your altar.

 

Jeremiah 47

1 The word of the Lord that came to the prophet Jeremiah concerning the Philistines, before Pharaoh attacked Gaza: 2 Thus says the Lord: See, waters are rising out of the north and shall become an overflowing torrent; they shall overflow the land and all that fills it, the city and those who live in it. People shall cry out, and all the inhabitants of the land shall wail.

3 At the noise of the stamping of the hoofs of his stallions, at the clatter of his chariots, at the rumbling of their wheels, parents do not turn back for children, so feeble are their hands,

4 because of the day that is coming to destroy all the Philistines, to cut off from Tyre and Sidon every helper that remains. For the Lord is destroying the Philistines, the remnant of the coastland of Caphtor.

5 Baldness has come upon Gaza, Ashkelon is silenced. O remnant of their power! How long will you gash yourselves? 6 Ah, sword of the Lord! How long until you are quiet? Put yourself into your scabbard, rest and be still! 7 How can it be quiet, when the Lord has given it an order? Against Ashkelon and against the seashore—there he has appointed it.

 

 

Devotion for March 21, 2020

By Pastor David Tinker

I have watched the notes of many on social media (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc.) during our time away from normal activity.  Several have noted that they are doing various things around their homes.  As we are in the beginning days of Spring and we are in the midst of Lent, this seems to be a renewal of the Spring Cleaning tradition.

Maybe some of us are working on cleaning out our garage.  These become a catch-all for things which we may or may not have any need to keep.  When doing this we find some of the strangest things.  We have to ask ourselves, “How did this get here?” or “Why are we keeping that?”  We find torn paint tarps, odd boxes, mysterious objects, spilled potting soil, and mud tracked in by cars or kids.  If we get some time to work on this, we can see progress, and there is a sense of accomplishment.  This same situation could apply to a closet, the dining room table, or any odd spot where we store anything and everything.

Cleaning out the garage is a bit like our spiritual practice of Lent.  Lent always includes the Confession of Sin.  Many have discomfort with the task of confession of sin, but it is for our benefit.  Lent is a great time for this task.  Lent has always been a time of cleansing and rebirth for Christians.  It is similar to the Jewish Festival of Passover, which takes place during this same time of year. The Jews have a cleansing ritual to prepare for this Holy Day.  One of the things they do is to toss out all yeast in the home.  It is a way of making a clean break with the past year.  This is a fresh start, a time to make all things new.

One of our readings today is Psalm 51.  In this psalm we come before the Lord with a powerful request.  It is one which helps us submit ourselves to God for him to work in our lives.  Verse 11 of our psalm is familiar to most of us, “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.”  It is a prayer for cleansing and rebirth.  We are asking God to recreate us from our spiritual core.  From this deep center of our lives we can be changed from the inside out.  With this psalm we are asking God to do some serious Spring Cleaning in our lives.

We cleanse our hearts the way we often clean our homes and garages.  We do this by making a more conspicuous mess at first.  We may have to talk a lot with God about these struggles.  Many benefit from talking with another person, such as their pastor or a trusted Christian friend.  Some of these things we bring out for spiritual cleaning can be pretty messy.  In all this we proceed knowing that the Grace and forgiveness of God are central to all we do.

First, we have to get all that stuff out in the open, and then spread it around just to see all that is there.  We will need to ask ourselves, “How did this get here?” or “Why are we keeping that?”  As we look at our lives, we can see that there are some sinful junk items that we know we do not need anymore.  As we reflect, we note that some things we must give to God in confession and prayer.  The practice of Confession of sin and of prayer can help us get rid of the spiritual and moral junk in our lives.  Often this needs to be done before we do anything else.

At our Holy Communion liturgy, we begin with a confession of sin.  It is an opportunity to come before God alongside our fellow Christians to recognize our sinfulness.  More importantly, it is an opportunity to be reassured of God’s love, forgiveness, and merciful grace.

Here is what we say, and what the pastor says to assure us:

We say together:  “Most merciful God, we confess that we are captive to sin and cannot free ourselves. We have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done and by what we have left undone.  We have not loved you with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves.  For the sake of your Son, Jesus Christ, have mercy on us.  Forgive us, renew us, and lead us, so that we may delight in your will and walk in your ways, to the glory of your holy name.  Amen.”

The pastor reminds us:  “God, who is rich in mercy, loved us even when we were dead in sin, and made us alive together with Christ.  By grace you have been saved.  In the name of + Jesus Christ, your sins are forgiven.  Almighty God strengthen you with power through the Holy Spirit, that Christ may live in your hearts through faith.”

On confession of sin, and the assurance of forgiveness of sin, connects us to the great actions of God in Jesus Christ.  Our spiritual connection with the suffering, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ is central to our lives as Christians.  Our connection with these is provided as God’s way of Spring Cleaning of our lives.  By his word of grace, we are made clean.  May our prayerful connection and reflections today be a reminder to receive the support which God alone provides to clean out our spiritual garage.

 

Prayer

Loving God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, you are gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love.  By your power, enable us to turn from our sin and learn to love as you command.  We pray this in the name of your Holy and Blessed Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen

Devotion and Readings March 20

Posted by mllccarmine in Pastor's Ponderings

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Bible Readings and Devotion for March 20, 2020

You are encouraged to read these passages from this page or from your personal Bible.  After the readings is a devotion based on one or more of the readings.

Matthew 21:28-32                

28 “What do you think? A man had two sons; he went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work in the vineyard today.’ 29 He answered, ‘I will not’; but later he changed his mind and went. 30 The father went to the second and said the same; and he answered, ‘I go, sir’; but he did not go. 31 Which of the two did the will of his father?” They said, “The first.” Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are going into the kingdom of God ahead of you. 32 For John came to you in the way of righteousness and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes believed him; and even after you saw it, you did not change your minds and believe him.

 

1 Corinthians 3:1-15            

1 And so, brothers and sisters, I could not speak to you as spiritual people, but rather as people of the flesh, as infants in Christ. 2 I fed you with milk, not solid food, for you were not ready for solid food. Even now you are still not ready, 3 for you are still of the flesh. For as long as there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not of the flesh, and behaving according to human inclinations? 4 For when one says, “I belong to Paul,” and another, “I belong to Apollos,” are you not merely human?

5 What then is Apollos? What is Paul? Servants through whom you came to believe, as the Lord assigned to each. 6 I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. 7 So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth. 8 The one who plants and the one who waters have a common purpose, and each will receive wages according to the labor of each. 9 For we are God’s servants, working together; you are God’s field, God’s building.

10 According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and someone else is building on it. Each builder must choose with care how to build on it. 11 For no one can lay any foundation other than the one that has been laid; that foundation is Jesus Christ. 12 Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw— 13 the work of each builder will become visible, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each has done. 14 If what has been built on the foundation survives, the builder will receive a reward. 15 If the work is burned up, the builder will suffer loss; the builder will be saved, but only as through fire.

 

 

 

Psalm 47

1 Clap your hands, all you peoples; shout to God with loud songs of joy.

2 For the Lord, the Most High, is awesome, a great king over all the earth.

3 He subdued peoples under us, and nations under our feet.

4 He chose our heritage for us, the pride of Jacob whom he loves.

5 God has gone up with a shout, the Lord with the sound of a trumpet.

6 Sing praises to God, sing praises; sing praises to our King, sing praises.

7 For God is the king of all the earth; sing praises with a psalm.

8 God is king over the nations; God sits on his holy throne.

9 The princes of the peoples gather as the people of the God of Abraham. For the shields of the earth belong to God; he is highly exalted.

 

Psalm 48

1 Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised in the city of our God.

His holy mountain, 2 beautiful in elevation, is the joy of all the earth,

Mount Zion, in the far north, the city of the great King.

3 Within its citadels God has shown himself a sure defense.

4 Then the kings assembled, they came on together.

5 As soon as they saw it, they were astounded; they were in panic, they took to flight;

6 trembling took hold of them there, pains as of a woman in labor,

7 as when an east wind shatters the ships of Tarshish.

8 As we have heard, so have we seen in the city of the Lord of hosts, in the city of our God, which God establishes forever.

9 We ponder your steadfast love, O God, in the midst of your temple.

10 Your name, O God, like your praise, reaches to the ends of the earth. Your right hand is filled with victory.

11 Let Mount Zion be glad, let the towns of Judah rejoice because of your judgments.

12 Walk about Zion, go all around it, count its towers, 13 consider well its ramparts; go through its citadels, that you may tell the next generation

14 that this is God, our God forever and ever. He will be our guide forever.

 

Psalm 49

1 Hear this, all you peoples; give ear, all inhabitants of the world,

2 both low and high, rich and poor together.

3 My mouth shall speak wisdom; the meditation of my heart shall be understanding.

4 I will incline my ear to a proverb; I will solve my riddle to the music of the harp.

5 Why should I fear in times of trouble, when the iniquity of my persecutors surrounds me,

6 those who trust in their wealth and boast of the abundance of their riches?

7 Truly, no ransom avails for one’s life, there is no price one can give to God for it.

8 For the ransom of life is costly, and can never suffice,

9 that one should live on forever and never see the grave.

10 When we look at the wise, they die; fool and dolt perish together and leave their wealth to others.

11 Their graves are their homes forever, their dwelling places to all generations, though they named lands their own.

12 Mortals cannot abide in their pomp; they are like the animals that perish.

13 Such is the fate of the foolhardy, the end of those who are pleased with their lot.

14 Like sheep they are appointed for Sheol; Death shall be their shepherd; straight to the grave they descend, and their form shall waste away; Sheol shall be their home.

15 But God will ransom my soul from the power of Sheol, for he will receive me.

16 Do not be afraid when some become rich, when the wealth of their houses increases.

17 For when they die they will carry nothing away; their wealth will not go down after them.

18 Though in their lifetime they count themselves happy—for you are praised when you do well for yourself—

19 they will go to the company of their ancestors, who will never again see the light.

20 Mortals cannot abide in their pomp; they are like the animals that perish.

 

Jeremiah 46

1 The word of the Lord that came to the prophet Jeremiah concerning the nations.

2 Concerning Egypt, about the army of Pharaoh Neco, king of Egypt, which was by the river Euphrates at Carchemish and which King Nebuchadrezzar of Babylon defeated in the fourth year of King Jehoiakim son of Josiah of Judah:

3 Prepare buckler and shield, and advance for battle! 4 Harness the horses; mount the steeds! Take your stations with your helmets, whet your lances, put on your coats of mail! 5 Why do I see them terrified? They have fallen back; their warriors are beaten down, and have fled in haste. They do not look back—terror is all around! says the Lord.

6 The swift cannot flee away, nor can the warrior escape; in the north by the river Euphrates they have stumbled and fallen. 7 Who is this, rising like the Nile, like rivers whose waters surge?

8 Egypt rises like the Nile, like rivers whose waters surge. It said, Let me rise, let me cover the earth, let me destroy cities and their inhabitants. 9 Advance, O horses, and dash madly, O chariots! Let the warriors go forth: Ethiopia and Put who carry the shield, the Ludim, who draw the bow. 10 That day is the day of the Lord God of hosts, a day of retribution, to gain vindication from his foes. The sword shall devour and be sated, and drink its fill of their blood. For the Lord God of hosts holds a sacrifice in the land of the north by the river Euphrates.

11 Go up to Gilead, and take balm, O virgin daughter Egypt! In vain you have used many medicines; there is no healing for you.

12 The nations have heard of your shame, and the earth is full of your cry; for warrior has stumbled against warrior; both have fallen together. Babylonia Will Strike Egypt

13 The word that the Lord spoke to the prophet Jeremiah about the coming of King Nebuchadrezzar of Babylon to attack the land of Egypt: 14 Declare in Egypt, and proclaim in Migdol; proclaim in Memphis and Tahpanhes; Say, “Take your stations and be ready, for the sword shall devour those around you.”

15 Why has Apis fled? Why did your bull not stand? —because the Lord thrust him down. 16 Your multitude stumbled and fell, and one said to another, “Come, let us go back to our own people and to the land of our birth, because of the destroying sword.”

17 Give Pharaoh, king of Egypt, the name “Braggart who missed his chance.”  18 As I live, says the King, whose name is the Lord of hosts, one is coming like Tabor among the mountains, and like Carmel by the sea.  19 Pack your bags for exile, sheltered daughter Egypt! For Memphis shall become a waste, a ruin, without inhabitant. 20 A beautiful heifer is Egypt—a gadfly from the north lights upon her. 21 Even her mercenaries in her midst are like fatted calves; they too have turned and fled together, they did not stand; for the day of their calamity has come upon them, the time of their punishment. 22 She makes a sound like a snake gliding away; for her enemies march in force, and come against her with axes, like those who fell trees. 23 They shall cut down her forest, says the Lord, though it is impenetrable, because they are more numerous than locusts; they are without number. 24 Daughter Egypt shall be put to shame; she shall be handed over to a people from the north.

25 The Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, said: See, I am bringing punishment upon Amon of Thebes, and Pharaoh, and Egypt and her gods and her kings, upon Pharaoh and those who trust in him. 26 I will hand them over to those who seek their life, to King Nebuchadrezzar of Babylon and his officers. Afterward Egypt shall be inhabited as in the days of old, says the Lord.

27 But as for you, have no fear, my servant Jacob, and do not be dismayed, O Israel; for I am going to save you from far away, and your offspring from the land of their captivity. Jacob shall return and have quiet and ease, and no one shall make him afraid.

28 As for you, have no fear, my servant Jacob, says the Lord, for I am with you. I will make an end of all the nations among which I have banished you, but I will not make an end of you!  I will chastise you in just measure, and I will by no means leave you unpunished.

 

 

Devotion for March 20, 2020

By Pastor David Tinker

 

We have been given many instructions in these days regarding how to stay healthy, how not to spread illness, and related matters.  At first, some of us told ourselves that we would follow these instructions.  Some of us did, and some of us didn’t. Other of us refused the advice, but now have started following it.

 

This is similar to the parable Jesus tells us in Matthew 21:28-32.  In this parable, one son affirms that he will follow his father’s instructions, but he ignores the instructions.  The other son rejects the instruction, but later follows his father’s will.  For us in our faith, we often struggle with one or the other of these results.  Sometimes we tell the Lord we will do his will, but then ignore it.  Other times we openly disregard his will yet are led by the Spirit to end up doing the right thing.

 

We are called to love one another and to love our neighbor as ourselves.  These callings of God are much more than a call to have warm feelings about one another.  Rather, we are called to action and care which builds up the life of others.  As we work through how to love our neighbors and one another in the time of the COVID19 pandemic, we are given nudges by the Spirit to take action which builds up life for our church and our community.  Our church councils’ decisions at Waldeck and Carmine to suspend worship is founded in love for our fellow believers and for our neighbors.  When we reduce the spread of dangerous disease, we are helping each other have life, and to have it abundantly.

 

One of the foundational pieces for keeping one another healthy is to wash our hands.  This is a good idea every day or every year for all people.  It is suggested that we use soap and warm water, and that we wash our hands for about 20 seconds.  Instead of setting up a stop watch or cell phone timer, many have suggested that a person sing a short song which lasts 20 seconds.  The song, “Happy Birthday to You,” lasts about 20 seconds, and most people know this.

 

In a conversation with a member of one of our churches this week I heard about two things for our faith when we do this.  One, is to remember our baptism when we wash, as Martin Luther reminds us.  Another suggestion from our conversation is to find another song than “Happy Birthday to You” for hand washing.  Two songs come to mind, but there are many others.

 

One is the song, “Jesus Paid it All”. Here is a YouTube link for that song with lyrics:  Click Link

 

 

The other song I thought of is one which is known by young and old alike.  “Jesus Loves Me” is about 20 seconds long.  I think I timed my singing at about 22 seconds, but 2 extra seconds of hand washing will not harm any of us.

 

Singing a song of faith, remembering one’s baptism, celebrating God’s love, and helping to love one’s neighbor all in one action.  We may not want to do it at first, but, with God’s help, we can do it in the end.  All this is for love of neighbor, and for the glory and love of the Lord.

 

Prayer

Loving God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, we give you thanks for your abundant mercy.  You call us to love our neighbor as ourselves, but we often fail to do so.  By your Spirit help us to return to you, and help us to live out our love for our neighbors in both word and deed.  Grant us peace in these days, and lead us to abundant life in you.  We pray this in the holy name of Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen

Devotion and Readings March 19

Posted by mllccarmine in Announcements, Pastor's Ponderings and tagged with , ,

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Daily Devotion and Scripture

During this time when our worship life is disrupted we will be publishing various devotions, prayers, readings, etc. for our use.  All are welcome to read and share these.

COVID19 Update Announcement – Click Link

 

Here are the suggested Daily Bible Readings for March 19

Matthew 21:23-27

23 When he entered the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came to him as he was teaching, and said, “By what authority are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority?” 24 Jesus said to them, “I will also ask you one question; if you tell me the answer, then I will also tell you by what authority I do these things. 25 Did the baptism of John come from heaven, or was it of human origin?” And they argued with one another, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will say to us, ‘Why then did you not believe him?’ 26 But if we say, ‘Of human origin,’ we are afraid of the crowd; for all regard John as a prophet.” 27 So they answered Jesus, “We do not know.” And he said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.

NRSV

1 Corinthians 2:12-16

12 Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit that is from God, so that we may understand the gifts bestowed on us by God. 13 And we speak of these things in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual things to those who are spiritual.
14 Those who are unspiritual do not receive the gifts of God’s Spirit, for they are foolishness to them, and they are unable to understand them because they are spiritually discerned. 15 Those who are spiritual discern all things, and they are themselves subject to no one else’s scrutiny.
16 “For who has known the mind of the Lord
so as to instruct him?”
But we have the mind of Christ.

NRSV

Psalms 45 & 46

Psalm 45

1 My heart overflows with a goodly theme;
I address my verses to the king;
my tongue is like the pen of a ready scribe.
2 You are the most handsome of men;
grace is poured upon your lips;
therefore God has blessed you forever.
3 Gird your sword on your thigh, O mighty one,
in your glory and majesty.
4 In your majesty ride on victoriously
for the cause of truth and to defend the right;
let your right hand teach you dread deeds.
5 Your arrows are sharp
in the heart of the king’s enemies;
the peoples fall under you.
6 Your throne, O God, endures forever and ever.
Your royal scepter is a scepter of equity;
7 you love righteousness and hate wickedness.
Therefore God, your God, has anointed you
with the oil of gladness beyond your companions;
8 your robes are all fragrant with myrrh and aloes and cassia.
From ivory palaces stringed instruments make you glad;
9 daughters of kings are among your ladies of honor;
at your right hand stands the queen in gold of Ophir.
10 Hear, O daughter, consider and incline your ear;
forget your people and your father’s house,
11 and the king will desire your beauty.
Since he is your lord, bow to him;
12 the people of Tyre will seek your favor with gifts,
the richest of the people 13 with all kinds of wealth.
The princess is decked in her chamber with gold-woven robes;
14 in many-colored robes she is led to the king;
behind her the virgins, her companions, follow.
15 With joy and gladness they are led along
as they enter the palace of the king.
16 In the place of ancestors you, O king, shall have sons;
you will make them princes in all the earth.
17 I will cause your name to be celebrated in all generations;
therefore the peoples will praise you forever and ever.

NRSV

Psalm 46

1 God is our refuge and strength,
a very present help in trouble.
2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change,
though the mountains shake in the heart of the sea;
3 though its waters roar and foam,
though the mountains tremble with its tumult.

4 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
the holy habitation of the Most High.
5 God is in the midst of the city; it shall not be moved;
God will help it when the morning dawns.
6 The nations are in an uproar, the kingdoms totter;
he utters his voice, the earth melts.
7 The Lord of hosts is with us;
the God of Jacob is our refuge.

8 Come, behold the works of the Lord;
see what desolations he has brought on the earth.
9 He makes wars cease to the end of the earth;
he breaks the bow, and shatters the spear;
he burns the shields with fire.
10 “Be still, and know that I am God!
I am exalted among the nations,
I am exalted in the earth.”
11 The Lord of hosts is with us;
the God of Jacob is our refuge.

NRSV

 

Jeremiah 45

1 The word that the prophet Jeremiah spoke to Baruch son of Neriah, when he wrote these words in a scroll at the dictation of Jeremiah, in the fourth year of King Jehoiakim son of Josiah of Judah: 2 Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, to you, O Baruch: 3 You said, “Woe is me! The Lord has added sorrow to my pain; I am weary with my groaning, and I find no rest.” 4 Thus you shall say to him, “Thus says the Lord: I am going to break down what I have built, and pluck up what I have planted—that is, the whole land. 5 And you, do you seek great things for yourself? Do not seek them; for I am going to bring disaster upon all flesh, says the Lord; but I will give you your life as a prize of war in every place to which you may go.”

NRSV

 

Devotion

By Pastor David J. Tinker,

Pastor of Martin Luther Lutheran Church of Carmine, TX and Waldeck Evangelical Lutheran Church of Carmine

Right now we are in a challenging and difficult time. Nearly everything which we do has been disrupted by our common fight against the spread of the virus noted at COVID19.  Our common activities, such as school, church, work, meals out, doctor visits, funerals, weddings, recreation, and more, have been cancelled, changed, and disrupted.

Psalm 46, verses 1-3 reminds us of the truth of God which we have experienced and lived, and which God offers to all who would believe in Jesus Christ.  The Psalmist writes, “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.  Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change, though the mountains shake in the heart of the sea; though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble with its tumult.”

To better understand this psalm, let us look to two contexts for this psalm.  We look first to the Old Testament Context.  The Old Testament Context of Psalm 46 is that of the people of Israel, around 1000 to 750 BC.  This is the time of the Kings and of Jerusalem being the center of religious and political life for the people.  The Israelites struggled against three enemies:  foreign powers, the power of the sea, and their struggle with the temptation to worship false idols.  Each of these brought chaos, division and loss to the people.

To care for them, God gave them this psalm as a source of encouragement in the midst of their fears and enemies.  His love and care, and the people’s worship and thanksgiving, were central to his presence in that place.  The Lord’s love for his people would not falter or sway.  When all else was falling apart and changing, God’s merciful goodness and grace were always present for the people.

As followers of Jesus we are reminded that Jesus, God the Son, has given himself for the world for the forgiveness of our sin.  Through his being raised from the dead, Jesus leads us beyond death to a new life founded on his goodness and love.  That love of God is offered to us in our context today.  We also face our own struggles.  Life has its ups and downs. We have all these new struggles with COVID19.  Into this we are reminded of a truth which is greater than our present struggles.  We have a hope which is more powerful than all the changes and challenges of our time.  We have the truth which was already there for us 3000 years ago.  We have what the psalmist tells us:  “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.  Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change, though the mountains shake in the heart of the sea; though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble with its tumult.”

This also reminds us of a wonderfully assuring passage in Hebrews, chapter 13, verse 8, where the author states:  “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.”  We know that despite all the changes and challenges of life that our Lord Jesus Christ will always love us and be with us.  He has been there all along, and will be with us now and forever.

We are reminded in 1 Peter 5:7 that Jesus is there for us in the midst of all the challenges of life.  Peter tells us, “Cast all your anxiety on him, because he cares for you.”  We can cast all of our struggles and changes on him, and he will carry our burden.  We can cast all our broken and troubled lives on him, because he gave himself for us on the cross.  Because he has given all for us, because we can cast all of our changes and challenges on him, we can live with sure and certain hope.

Looking beyond our current struggles with COVID19, it seems more than some of us can bear.  Into this struggle our God gives us a sure and certain vision for the future.  We read in Revelation chapter 21 the following:

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. 2 And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying,

“See, the home of God is among mortals. He will dwell with them; they will be his peoples, and God himself will be with them; 4 he will wipe every tear from their eyes.

Death will be no more; mourning and crying and pain will be no more, for the first things have passed away.”

 

Prayer:

Almighty God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, we praise you for your steadfast love for us.  During this time of health crisis help us to trust in you.  Guide us in our work together to reduce the spread of this disease.  Give strength and courage to emergency services personnel and medical workers.  Help us to see the greater future we have in you.  We pray this in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord.

 

COVID 19 Carona Virus Update

Posted by mllccarmine in Announcements, ELCA, Men's Ministry, Pastor's Ponderings, Synod, Women, Women's Ministry, Youth and tagged with , , , , , , , ,

MLLC Church Sketch drawing copy

Important Notice about COVID 19

The Church Council of MLLC has made the decision to suspend worship services and other church activities from now (March 18, 2020) through at least April 3, 2020.  This is due to the significant, worldwide health crisis of the COVID 19 Pandemic.  The council did not take this decision lightly, as this is a new and dramatic step for the congregation.  They consulted with area congregations, our Gulf Coast Synod, as well as government health officials.  We will send out updates as these become available.

Please read the notice here:  Click Link

The Daily Bible Readings through April 3 are here:  Click Link

The church staff and leadership are still here for you in these trying times.  We will have devotional items and other items available through this web site.

First Holy Communion 2020

Posted by mllccarmine in Pastor's Ponderings, Youth and tagged with , , , , , , ,

CommunionBreadWine

 

Update – March 26

This class has been postponed until a new date can be determined.  This is due to the suspension of activities due to the COVID19 pandemic situation.  Contact the church office or see this page for future updates.

 

 

 

 

First Holy Communion Class begins this month

By Pastor David Tinker

pastordjt@industryinet.com       979-278-3388

 

The First Holy Communion class will be offered March 22 and 29, and April 5on Sunday mornings, starting at about 11:15 a.m. in the Mission & Ministry Building.

 

First Holy Communion at MLLC is most often offered to elementary age students, in 5th grade and younger.  Our goal is to make sure youth who are part of MLLC have begun communing by the end of 5th grade.  The 5th grade tradition does not prevent younger students from attending the class and receiving Holy Communion.  Each year for the past several years we have had youth in younger grades participating in the class.  It is likely that most of the youth participating in the class will be younger.

 

Students are encouraged to bring a Bible for use in class, as well as paper/pen for any notes they might want to write.  If students don’t have access to a Bible we have one for their use.  Note that each student will be presented with a Bible on First Communion Thursday – April 9/Maundy Thursday – for his or her personal study and for use in Sunday School, Confirmation and Worship.  Parents/Grandparents/Guardians are welcome and encouraged to be present at this class time.  We will meet in the Mission & Ministry Building, but will also move to other places in the building for parts of the lessons.

First Communion Group 2017

The class will include instruction, discussion, videos, mini-field trips in the church building, etc.

Due to the late date of Resurrection Sunday/Easter Sunday this year (April 12), there should be little or no problem with Spring Break from school for the students.

 

Also, one of the classes will include bread baking by the students.  This bread will be used at their First Communion service.

First Holy Communion Prep 1

Here is the schedule:

Sundays, March 22 and 29, April 5

11:15 a.m. – about 12:30 p.m.

If one or more of these dates is/are not workable for your family, I am very glad to work out make up lessons for your student.  That way he or she will not miss out of the learning and special service this year.

 

If you are unsure if your child is ready to participate in this class, please read through this article which was published on our church web site a few years ago.

Thursday, April 9        7:30 p.m.             Maundy Thursday Service, First Holy Communion Day

Presentation of Bible to students during worship – Church gives to Parent/Grandparent, then the parent/grandparent presents Bible to student. We will go over this before that Thursday, so all are ready.

Students please arrive by 7:00 p.m. to make sure all our plans are in order for what we will be doing at worship.  Also, families may wish to take photos before worship, for this is the best time to do this.  The altar area will be bare of all decorations, candles, banners, etc. after worship due to the “Stripping of the Altar” during the service.

 

I look forward to exploring this wonderful sacrament with your child.  This is a very exciting time of growth for these young people and for their families.  If you have any questions or special needs, please feel free to contact me. See email and phone number above.

Preparing for the 12 Days of Christmas

Posted by mllccarmine in Announcements, Pastor's Ponderings and tagged with , , ,

Nativity Sacred Art NatShepherdMurillo

 

by Pastor David Tinker
Martin Luther Lutheran Church
Carmine, Texas

When are the 12 Days of Christmas?

The 12 Days of Christmas are the days of the Christmas Season. These are the days between the Nativity of our Lord (December 25) and the Epiphany of our Lord (January 6). There are 2 traditions of counting these 12 Days of Christmas. One tradition is that the 12 Days of Christmas start on Christmas Day, and conclude on “Twelfth Night”, which is January 5. The second tradition is that the 12 Days of Christmas begin on December 26, and run through January 6. “Twelfth Night” would then be January 6. Despite the promotions and activity of our culture, the Christian “Christmas Season” begins on Christmas Day, rather than during the time leading up to Christmas.

Celebrating the 12 Days of Christmas

Here are some ways to mark the 12 Days of Christmas in your home and daily life.
— Daily read something in the Bible about the birth and youth of Jesus. Look especially in Matthew chapters 1-2, and Luke chapter 2.
— For fun with your family sing the popular song, “The Twelve Days of Christmas” — “on the first day of Christmas my true love gave to me..” Maybe do only the total number of days which have passed. Only on January 5 or 6, depending on how you count these days, would you sing all twelve verses. Another option would be to play a recording of someone singing this popular song.
— Tell others about the 12 Days of Christmas, such as in conversation, letters, e-mail, or on social media sites such as Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, etc.
— Use 12 candles to count off the days during a meal or at devotions. One more candle is lit each day until all are lit on January 5th or 6th.
— Keep your Christmas tree up until at least January 6.
— Send your Christmas cards during this time, and possibly note the 12 Days of Christmas in your letter to family and friends.
— Attend worship at Martin Luther Lutheran Church in Carmine on the two weekends which always occur in the 12 Days of Christmas. These will be on December 28 & 29 and January 4 & 5 for this season (2019-2020). Some folks pull back from worship during this time and miss out on a joyful time of the year at church.
— Schedule Christmas Parties during this time. You will be less stressed and it will give your friends another chance to get together for joyful fellowship.

Special Days during the 12 Days of Christmas

*December 26 – The Feast of St. Stephen, Deacon and Martyr. Read about his ministry in Acts chapters 6 and 7
*December 27 – The Feast of St. John, Apostle and Evangelist. Read one of the books connected to his ministry, such as the Gospel of John, the three letters of John, and Revelation.
*December 28 – Remembrance of the Holy Innocents of Bethlehem, Martyrs. Read about these victims of tyranny in Matthew chapter 2, especially verses 16-18.
*December 31 – New Year’s Eve – a chance to reflect on God’s grace for you during this past year.
*January 1 – The Name of Jesus. On this day we remember Jesus’ 8th day. Read about this in Luke 2:21. This is when his name was announced in a public way.
*The Epiphany of our Lord – January 6
‘The People who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who lived in a land of deep darkness — on them light has shined.’ — Isaiah 9:2

The Epiphany of our Lord is mostly known as the celebration of the arrival of the Magi for their visit to bring their gifts of Jesus. It is much more. When we celebrate the Epiphany we are celebrating the spreading of the Good News of Jesus Christ. The Epiphany reminds us about the growing glory of God in the Son of God/Son of Man, Jesus Christ. Epiphany is the manifestation, or showing, of Jesus to the world. The Magi were non-Jewish foreigners who came to worship Jesus, and are thus representatives of those who would eventually benefit from the birth, ministry, death and resurrection of Jesus. This visit, from Matthew chapter 2, foreshadows the mission which Jesus grants to his followers. In the Great Commission in Matthew 28:16-20, our Lord commands us to make disciples of all nations, not just of the Jews.

Celebrating the Epiphany of our Lord

— Attend worship on the weekend of January 4 & 5, 2020, a either the Saturday, 6:00 p.m. or the Sunday, 10:00 a.m. as we celebrate the Epiphany of our Lord at Martin Luther Lutheran Church in Carmine.
— Read the story of the Magi in Matthew, which is told throughout chapter 2.
— Pray for Christian missionaries as they spread the Gospel to the ends of the earth.
— Pray for the Church around the world.
— Host an Epiphany Party.
— Give generously to people in need. Remember, as Jesus said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” (Acts 20:35)
— Sing “We Three Kings” and/or “The First Noel”
— Attend worship on all or most every weekend in the season after the Epiphany.

Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh

The gifts of the Magi to Jesus point us to who Jesus really is:

*The Magi offer Gold, a possession of kings.
*The Magi offer Frankincense, used in ritual and prayer to indicate the presence of God
*The Magi offer myrrh, an oil used at the time of death as well as for anointing priests.

By their gifts, the wise men reveal the identity of this child:

*the king before whom nations will bow down
*the anointed high priest of God
*and the suffering servant who will die for the ones he has come to serve

Worship on Harvest Festival Weekend

Posted by mllccarmine in Announcements, Pastor's Ponderings and tagged with , , , , , , ,

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Harvest Festival and Homecoming Weekend Worship

The Harvest Festival and Homecoming is this weekend, October 20.  We actually have 4 worship opportunities for you.  We encourage you to plan to gather with God’s people for worship.  You are especially invited to attend one of the alternative time services in the event that your volunteering for the Harvest Festival and Homecoming would conflict with your participation in the 9:30 a.m. service.  Planning ahead is a good thing.

 

Here are times and locations of the four services:

Saturday at 6:00 p.m. at MLLC

Sunday at ~7:00/7:15 a.m. at the Carmine Hall – lower level by kitchen

Sunday at 8:00 a.m. at Waldeck Evangelical Lutheran Church – our partner church,

The Waldeck Church is located at 6915 Waldeck Church Lane, about 6.5 miles south of Ledbetter at the intersection of FM 2145 and FM 1291

Sunday at 9:30 a.m. at the Carmine Hall – upper level – featuring Polka style worship songs

All of these services listed above will offer Holy Communion.

 

Note that there will be no 10:00 a.m. service at the church this Sunday (October 20).  We will resume our normal schedule on the weekend of October 26-27.

 

 

Here is the schedule for other part of the 2019 Harvest Festival and Homecoming:

All of these events are at the Carmine Hall

11 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. – Chicken Dinner – tickets are $10/each – some are still available – call office at 979-278-3388 or at the door on Sunday

 

11 a.m. and following – children’s activities

Around 12 noon – Live and Silent Auctions

 

We look forward to seeing you at worship and at the festival this weekend.

 

The Other Wise Man Story

Posted by mllccarmine in Pastor's Ponderings and tagged with , , , , , , ,

Visit of Magi Icon

Celebrating the Epiphany of our Lord

On Sunday, January 6, 2019, we celebrated the Epiphany of our Lord at worship.  As part of this, Pastor David Tinker shared this abridged version of the famous story, The Other Wise Man, by Henry Van Dyke.

There are numerous editions of the entire story available through book stores and online retailers.  Here is a link to one such version on Amazon.com.  Since there are many versions, you can see other options on that web site.

Here is the abridge version as shared at worship.  Thanks to Pastor Mark Gibbs of St. Michael Lutheran Church, Ottawa Lake, Michigan, for doing the abridgement of this classic tale.

 

The Other Wise Man

“The Other Wise Man” by Henry van Dyke is a powerful story for the Epiphany.  It was first published in 1895.  Today I present an abridged version.

In the days when Augustus Caesar was master of many kings and Herod reigned in Jerusalem, there lived among the mountains of Persia a certain man named Artaban, one of the Magi. Artaban, like his friends Caspar, Melchoir, and Balthasar, had observed the star and consulted the ancient prophecies regarding the coming child king. He sold all his belongings to purchase gifts for the child-King; a sapphire, a ruby, and a pearl. Then he set out on a ten-day journey, to meet his friends, so together they might search for the King.

Time was short. If Artaban arrived too late, his friends would leave without him. Yet, he made good time and on the tenth day his goal was within his grasp.  Only three more hours of hard riding and he would make his rendezvous with his friends. But suddenly, he saw something before him and he reined his horse to a stop. Artaban dismounted.  The dim starlight revealed the form of a man lying across the road. His humble dress and the outline of his haggard face showed that he was probably a Hebrew.  The chill of death was in his lean hand. Artaban turned away with a thought of pity. But as he turned, a long, faint, ghostly sigh came from the man’s lips. The bony fingers gripped the hem of the Magian’s robe and held him fast.

Artaban’s heart leapt to his throat, not with fear, but with a speechless resentment at the importunity of this blind delay.  If he lingered but for an hour his companions would think he had given up the journey. But if he went on now, the man would surely die…

Artaban turned back to the sick man. He stayed there and ministered to the man, for Magians are physician as well.

At last the man’s strength returned; he sat up and looked about him. “Who art thou?” he said, “and why hast thou sought me here to bring back my life?”

“I am Artaban the Magian, and I am going to Jerusalem in search of one who is to be born king of the Jews.”

The Jew raised his trembling hand solemnly to heaven.  “I have nothing to give thee in return – only this: that I can tell thee where the Messiah must be sought.  For our prophets said that he should be born not in Jerusalem, but in Bethlehem of Judah.  May the Lord bring thee in safety to that place, because thou hast had pity upon the sick.”

Artaban pushed on, but alas, he arrived too late. His friends had left without him, leaving him only a note beneath a brick, saying he should purchase provisions and follow them across the desert.  And so he did. He sold his sapphire to purchase the caravan of camels to carry him across the sea of sand that lay before him. After many days, he arrived in the little village of Bethlehem.

The streets of the village seemed to be deserted.  From the open door of a cottage he heard the sound of a woman’s voice singing softly. He entered and found a young mother hushing her baby to rest.  She told him of the strangers from the Far East who had appeared in the village three days ago, and how they said that a star had guided them to the place where Joseph of Nazareth was lodging with his wife and her newborn child.  “But the travelers disappeared again,” she continued, “as suddenly as they had come. The man of Nazareth took the child and his mother, and fled away that same night secretly to Egypt.”

The young mother laid the baby in its cradle, and rose to minister to the wants of the strange guest that fate had brought into her house.  But suddenly there came a noise of a wild confusion in the streets of the village and a desperate cry: “The soldiers!  The soldiers of Herod! They are killing our children!”  The young mother’s face grew white with terror.  She clasped her child to her bosom.  Artaban went quickly and stood in the doorway of the house. The soldiers came hurrying down the street with bloody hands and dripping swords. At the sight of the stranger in his imposing dress they hesitated with surprise. The captain of the band approached the threshold to thrust him aside. But Artaban did not stir. He said in a low voice, “I am all alone in this place, and I am waiting to give this jewel to the prudent captain who will leave me in peace.”

He showed the ruby, glistening in the hollow of his hand like a drop of blood.  The captain was amazed at the splendor of the gem. The pupils of his eyes expanded with desire. He stretched out his hand and took the ruby.  “March on!” he cried to his men.

Artaban reentered the cottage. He turned his face to the east and prayed, “God of truth, forgive my sin! I have said the thing that is not, to save the life of a child. And two of my gifts are gone.”

But the voice of the woman, weeping for joy in the shadow behind him, said very gently, “Because thou hast saved the life of my little one, may the Lord always bless thee.”

And so Artaban pushed on. Down into Egypt he traveled in search of the King. Still his search was to no avail as the King was nowhere to be found. While in Egypt he took counsel with a Hebrew rabbi.  The venerable man read aloud from the sacred scrolls the pathetic words which foretold the sufferings of the promised Messiah. “And remember, my son,” he said, “the King who thou seekest is not to be found among the rich and powerful. Those who seek him will do well to look among the poor and the lowly, the sorrowful and the oppressed.”

Three and thirty years Artaban searched for the King. Worn and weary and ready to die he had come for the last time to Jerusalem.  It was the season of the Passover and the city was thronged with strangers. There had been a confusion of tongues in the narrow streets for many days.  But on this day a singular agitation was visible in the multitude. The clatter of sandals flowed unceasingly along the street that led to the Damascus gate.

Artaban inquired of a group of people nearby the cause of the tumult. “We are going,” they answered, “to the place called Golgotha, outside the city walls, where there is to be an execution.  Two famous robbers are to be crucified, and with them another, called Jesus of Nazareth, who has done many wonderful works among the people, so that they love him greatly.”

Artaban’s heart beat unsteadily with the excitement of old age. He said to himself, “It may be that I shall at last find the King, and in the hands of his enemies no less, and shall come in time to offer my pearl for his ransom before he dies.”  So the old man followed the multitude toward the Damascus gate of the city.

Just then, a troop of soldiers came down the street, dragging a young girl. Suddenly she broke from the hands of her tormentors, and threw herself at Artaban’s feet. “Have pity on me,” she cried, “and save me. My father is dead, and I am seized for his debts to be sold as a slave.”

Artaban trembled. It was the old conflict in his soul, which had come to him in the palm-grove of Persia and in the cottage at Bethlehem.  Twice the gift which he had consecrated to the worship of God had been drawn to the service of humanity. He took the pearl from his bosom and laid it in the hand of the slave-girl.  “This is thy ransom, daughter!  It is the last of my treasures which I kept for the King.”

While he spoke, the darkness of the sky deepened, and tremors ran through the earth. The walls of the houses rocked to and fro. Stones were loose and crashed into the street. The soldiers fled in terror, but Artaban and the girl whom he had ransomed crouched helpless beneath the wall of the Praetorium.  A heavy tile, shaken from the roof, fell and struck the old man on the temple. He lay breathless and pale, with his gray head resting on the girl’s shoulder, and blood trickling from the wound.

Then the old man’s lips began to move and the girl heard him say, “Not so, my Lord! For when saw I thee hungry and fed thee? Or thirsty, and gave thee drink? When saw thee a stranger, and took thee in? Or naked and clothed thee? Three and thirty years have I looked for thee, but I have never seen thy face, nor ministered to thee, my King.”

He ceased and there came a sound akin to a sweet voice. The maid heard it, very faint and far away. And it seemed as though she understood the words, “Verily I say unto thee, inasmuch as thou has done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, thou hast done it unto me.”

A calm radiance of wonder and joy lighted the pale face of Artaban.  A long breath of relief exhaled gently from his lips.  His journey was ended.  His treasures were accepted. The Other Wise Man had found the King.

 

 

Hurricane Harvey – Special Announcement

Posted by mllccarmine in Announcements, Pastor's Ponderings and tagged with , , , , ,

Hurricane Harvey

A Letter from Pastor David Tinker

Dear Members and Friends of Martin Luther Lutheran Church of Carmine,

As most of you have heard, there is a hurricane hitting Texas this weekend.  The northern part of the storm is already bringing rain to the Carmine area.  After consideration of the safety of all, Blake Dooley (Council President) and I have decided to cancel the worship services, Sunday School and all activities this weekend (August 26 & 27, 2017).  There were already some activities, such as the Blood Drive, which had been cancelled or postponed due to the storm.  Although we will not be receiving the worst part of Hurricane Harvey, we will be getting a significant amount of rain, likely at least 10-20 inches.  As there are many low water crossings of roads in the area, including Luther Lane, just down the block from MLLC, we felt it was the right thing to do.

Our Shared Ministry Partner Church – Waldeck Lutheran Church – has also cancelled their weekend worship and activities.

Please share this information with others in your life, especially people who are less likely to use the internet or social media.

As you are able, please do these things throughout these days of this difficult storm:

  1. Please tell others, as noted above.
  2. Pray for those who are helping the victims of the storm, and for those victims.
  3. Pay attention to those who are more vulnerable in the community, especially the elderly or sick, as well as families with small children.  See if they need any assistance.
  4. Be ready to serve and help others in the community who are in need.
  5. As you are able, know that the church will receive financial donations to help with hurricane relief.  We will work with our synod to make sure these funds are brought to our partner agencies which will help the victims.  We will publicize other opportunities for helping with hurricane relief as we learn of them.
  6. Take time to pray and read God’s Word this weekend.  At the end of this email I have included our Prayer of the Day and Readings for this weekend.
  7. Plan on gathering for worship this next weekend – September 3.  This will be our Labor Day Weekend worship (in the Fellowship Hall) and picnic.  We will have the Rally Day events on this Sunday as well – blessing of Sunday School teachers, Sunday School Awards, Rally Day Party, etc.
  8. Please remember to make up your missed offerings from this weekend.  You can bring them with you when you are at worship again in the coming weeks, mail them in to the church office, or use our church web site to make your offering to God by credit care, debit card, or bank account.  Remember, all the usual expenses continue even when we have these rare cancellations.  Our online giving link is:   https://mllccarmine.com/online-giving/

Feel free to contact me with any questions.   We look forward to seeing you at worship on September 3 and beyond.

Yours, in Christ’s Service,

Pastor David Tinker

___________________________________

Pastor David J. Tinker

Pastor of Martin Luther Lutheran Church

and Waldeck Lutheran Church
Martin Luther Lutheran Church

211 Luther Ln

P O Box 362

Carmine, TX 78932-0362

979-278-3388 – office in Carmine

979-278-3387 – fax in Carmine

979-278-3380 – Martin Luther Lutheran School

pastordjt@industryinet.com

http://mllccarmine.com

 

Waldeck Lutheran Church

6915 Waldeck Church Ln

Ledbetter, TX 78946

979-249-3802 – office in Waldeck

 

Readings and prayer of the day

for weekend of August 26-27, 2017

 

PRAYER OF THE DAY

O God, with all your faithful followers of every age, we praise you, the rock of our life. Be our strong foundation and form us into the body of your Son, that we may gladly minister to all the world, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.  Amen.

 

First Reading: Isaiah 51:1-6

Just as God had called Abraham and Sarah and given them many descendants, so now God offers comfort to Zion. God’s deliverance will come soon and will never end.

 

 

1Listen to me, you that pursue righteousness,

you that seek the Lord.

Look to the rock from which you were hewn,

and to the quarry from which you were dug.

2Look to Abraham your father

and to Sarah who bore you;

for he was but one when I called him,

but I blessed him and made him many.

3For the Lord will comfort Zion;

he will comfort all her waste places,

and will make her wilderness like Eden,

her desert like the garden of the Lord;

joy and gladness will be found in her,

thanksgiving and the voice of song.
4Listen to me, my people,

and give heed to me, my nation;

for a teaching will go out from me,

and my justice for a light to the peoples.

5I will bring near my deliverance swiftly,

my salvation has gone out

and my arms will rule the peoples;

the coastlands wait for me,

and for my arm they hope.

6Lift up your eyes to the heavens,

and look at the earth beneath;

for the heavens will vanish like smoke,

the earth will wear out like a garment,

and those who live on it will die like gnats;

but my salvation will be forever,

and my deliverance will never be ended.

 

Psalm: Psalm 138

1I will give thanks to you, O Lord, with | my whole heart;

before the gods I will | sing your praise.

2I will bow down toward your holy temple and praise your name, because of your steadfast | love and faithfulness;

for you have glorified your name and your word a- | bove all things.
 3When I called, you | answered me;

you increased my | strength within me.

4All the rulers of the earth will praise | you, O Lord,

when they have heard the words | of your mouth. R

5They will sing of the ways | of the Lord,

that great is the glory | of the Lord.

6The Lord is high, yet cares | for the lowly,

perceiving the haughty | from afar.

7Though I walk in the midst of trouble, you | keep me safe;

you stretch forth your hand against the fury of my enemies; your right | hand shall save me.

8You will make good your pur- | pose for me;

O Lord, your steadfast love endures forever; do not abandon the works | of your hands. Amen

 

Second Reading: Romans 12:1-8

In response to God’s merciful activity, we are to worship by living holistic, God-pleasing lives. Our values and viewpoints are not molded by this age, but are transformed by the Spirit’s renewing work. God’s grace empowers different forms of service among Christians, but all forms of ministry function to build up the body of Christ.

 

1I appeal to you therefore, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. 2Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God—what is good and acceptable and perfect.
  3For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of yourself more highly than you ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. 4For as in one body we have many members, and not all the members have the same function, 5so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually we are members one of another. 6We have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us: prophecy, in proportion to faith; 7ministry, in ministering; the teacher, in teaching; 8the exhorter, in exhortation; the giver, in generosity; the leader, in diligence; the compassionate, in cheerfulness.

 

Gospel: Matthew 16:13-20

At a climactic point in Jesus’ ministry, God reveals to Peter that Jesus is “the Messiah, the Son of the living God,” and Jesus responds with the promise of a church that will overcome the very gates of Hades.

 

13Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” 14And they said, “Some say John the Baptist, but others Elijah, and still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” 15He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” 16Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” 17And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father in heaven. 18And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it. 19I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” 20Then he sternly ordered the disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah.

Pondering Mother’s Day 2016

Posted by Pastor David Tinker in Pastor's Ponderings, Women and tagged with , , , , ,

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We have Mixed Feelings at Mother’s Day

Mother’s Day is a day which brings with it a variety of feelings.  Some celebrate motherhood, mothers, children and so much more on this day.  Others avoid any mention of it.  Others recognize it as important, but don’t always know what to do with it.  Our mixed feelings can range from great delight to significant grief.  All of these are real, and all of these are normal and acceptable.  Our relationship with parents, family and parenting are not all that simple.

This is not the first time someone has pondered this reality.  Here is a blog post by MLLC member Jennifer Clark Tinker regarding her mixed feelings about Mother’s Day. Click this link.

At MLLC we know that both Mother’s Day and Father’s Day are special day, yet these are difficult for some people.  There are many and various reasons for these difficult feelings.  Here are a few significant examples:

*Loss of a child, or children, through death of any circumstance, such as infant death, murder, accident, disease, abortion, stillbirth, miscarriage, etc.

*Death of a parent at any age.

*Desire for children, but circumstances prevent conceiving a child, such as singleness, divorce, widowhood, relationship difficulties, financial hardship, infertility struggles, etc.

*Struggles with one’s relationship with God and/or others.

*Broken relationship with a parent, a spouse, a sibling or a child.

*Abandonment by a parent.

 

Mother’s Day and Father’s Day are special for many, yet difficult for many others.  This Mother’s Day we will recognize Mother’s Day in a few ways.  One is with a reception for all after worship this Sunday, May 8.  Worship is at 9:00 a.m. this Sunday, the reception will be at 10:00 a.m. Come for the fellowship and food.  We will also remember in prayer mothers and women of all ages.  Part of our prayers at worship will also remember those who have struggles and mixed feelings about this day.  Here are examples of the prayers being prepared for this day:

“On this Mother’s Day we pray for those who struggle with grief related to motherhood. Comfort those who mourn for deceased loved ones or who are estranged from either mother or child. Give strength to women who have lost a child or whose circumstances have prevented motherhood. Help us as a community of faith to care for one another in our grief.   Lord, in your mercy, Hear our prayer.
We give thanks for all mothers, grandmothers, along with all faithful girls and women in this congregation. Help them to love, serve and lead in ways which are honoring to you. Lord, in your mercy, Hear our prayer.“

 

Some congregations around the country have a banquet around the time of Mother’s Day.  One congregation I served as pastor years ago did this well.  They understood the various feelings people have around Mother’s Day.  What they had was a banquet called, “Daughters of All Ages”.  This event was for all women and girls, no matter what their relationship or parenthood circumstances were.  All the women and girls present at that event are the daughters of somebody.  Most importantly, by the Grace of God, they are daughters of God.  While this event didn’t solve all the struggles of each woman, the event opened the door for healing and support.

Mother’s Day is not a bad thing, but it is not always easy for each person.  We have good reason to be thankful for Mothers on Mother’s Day.  We also have good reason to love one another and to love God at this time of year.  Part of our love for God, one another, and our neighbors, is in how we show sensitivity to those who don’t always have good feelings regarding Mother’s Day.

No matter what your feelings are about Mother’s Day, and Father’s Day, know that what matters most is what Jesus Christ has first done for us.  Because of his abundant mercy, forgiveness, and gift of life-giving hope, we have our most important identity in Christ.  The photo at the bottom of this article is of men and women, boys and girls, all gathered around the cross.  This reminds us that all people are loved by God, and are called to follow the way of Jesus, no matter what they have struggled with in this life.  By the stirring of the Holy Spirit and the power of God’s Word, Jesus draws all people to himself.  Through Christ Jesus we have healing, hope and restoration for this life and in eternity with our Lord.  Through this goodness of God we get to follow the Lord and to share his goodness with others.

 

This is an edited and updated version of an article which was on the http://mllccarmine.com website in May 2014.

 

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