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Our Senior Pastor welcomes you to our weekly Friday Blessings update! In This IssueThe Life You've Always Wanted Sermon Series E.L.C.A. Churchwide Assembly Decisions Reception for Pastor Harold Skillrud
Preaching Dave Bruner is preaching at all worship services this weekend.
Traditional Services are held in the Sanctuary. All other services are in the Parish Life Center.
Join us for worship at St. John's! For More Information St. John's Website |
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THIS WEEKEND AT ST. JOHN'S
This weekend's Gospel from Mark 7,
depicts Jesus as challenging traditional ways in which religious
people determine what is pure or impure. For Jesus, the observance
of religious pr
This past week, the national
media has focused on the results from the E.L.C.A.
Churchwide Assembly in
As for the Social Statement and
resolutions, I encourage you to read them in their entirety. And as
you read them, there are a few things to keep in mind. For
example . . .
1.
The Social Statement on Human Sexuality deals with a broad
spectrum of issues, not just homosexual-related ones. It deals with
divorce, families and children, sexuality as a gift from God, as
well as the aberrations of healthy sexuality such as pornography,
"sex for
sale," sexual misconduct, sexual abuse and
promiscuity, etc. It is a far-reaching social statement which
affects all of us, our relationships, and our
families. 2.
The enacting resolutions for clergy, who happen to
be homosexual, are not mandates. They simply allow the
possibility of a congregation calling a gay/lesbian pastor, if
that is their wish. That decision of calling a
pastor is left to the congregation, as it has always been.
The enacting resolution simply provides the structure so that
the congregation is not in conflict with
the church. 3. There is nothing in the social statement that "re-defines" marriage. Marriage is still a committed relationship between a man and a woman. The enacting resolutions simply reinforce the value of having long-term, committed relationships whether they be between heterosexuals or homosexuals.
There are some who may have questions
about the implications of the decisions at the Churchwide Assembly,
as they struggle with the meaning of these actions. For this
reason, the pastors of St. John's are providing a series
of Adult Forums, beginning on September 13, at PRAYER: O God our strength, without you we are weak and wayward creatures. Protect us from the dangers that attack us from without and cleanse us from the evil that arises from within, that we may be preserved through your Son, Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.
As a reminder, we hope you will join other members of the congregation in celebrating 55 years of ministry for Pastor Harold Skillrud this Sunday from 9:00-10:00 AM and 11:15 AM-Noon (on the Balcony).
Alive in Christ, The Reverend
Knight Wells
REFLECTION THOUGHT: "Given the way we are prone to describe 'following Jesus,' it's a wonder anyone wants to do it at all." (John Ortberg, The Life You've Always Wanted, p. 43)
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