Celebrating Three Months in Existence
Of Worshiping an Everlasting God!!!
and
“Expressing our Faith in Love to All”
Greetings in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!
1) A Total of 48 attended worship this past Sunday. We had 5 visitors. As I said in my last Reflections, before I lay claim to someone becoming a participant of Lord of Love, I give them a second opportunity to express their desire to be a participant. I have done that and we can add three more to our number of participants, bringing our total to 71. What a joy and a responsibility. It says to me that the ministry is needed and is important due to Lord of Love being a SAWC, a Synodically Approved Worshiping Community of the ELCA. The Northern Illinois Synod, gave us approval with the understanding that a ‘mission need’ in this ‘community’ needed to be made ‘apparent’. The permission for this SAWC, Lord of Love, was granted in the Spirit of Gamaliel as recorded in the 5th chapter of Acts; if this undertaking is of human origin it will fail but if it is of God it will be successful. Thus, everyday, as recorded in 1Pe 3:15, we need to always be prepared to make a defense to any one who calls upon us to give an account for the hope that is in us. And give that hope with gentleness and reverence! We have marked three months as a SWAC. My license in Word and Sacrament, and in Pastoral Ministry, is to be reviewed after 6 months. We are half way there. As I have said so many times before, Lord of Love is not about me, nor about you, it is about all of us, it is bigger than you or I. Praise be to God.
A Visit from Dr. Myron Fodge
2) I need your help; I know you’ve heard that before! Some of the key people [that is people who have keys] have already heard this: On the 14th of March, the day of the time change, at 8:45am, 15 minutes earlier so that we will be ready to start at 9am. Dr. Myron Fogde, will be our guest for Adult Education. Dr. Fogde will be speaking on: The life and times of HENRY MELCHIOR MUHLENBERG, (1711-1787), , an immigrant from Germany and considered the founder of the Lutheran Church in America. I’m asking as many as possible be there to meet him. If you can, RSVP, so that I’ll know how hard I need to work to get more people there. He describes himself, “A farm boy from Northwest Iowa, I graduated from Graettinger High School, St. Olaf College, Luther Theological Seminary and the University of Chicago. My PhD concentration was in religion on the American frontier (Muhlenberg fits into this). My research and publication has been on Montana and Western Illinois/Eastern Iowa frontiers. I taught religion at Carthage College and for 35 years at Augustana College,Rock Island. I have enjoyed retirement for eleven years.”
Please come out and welcome Dr. Fogde. Thanks to Dr. Thomas Hanson, who was instrumental in Dr. Fogde coming to us.
3) Third Sunday of Lent: Luke 13:1-9 In this third Sunday in Lent, as we prepare ourselves and as we journey toward the resurrection of Easter, we learn about ‘trouble’. Often we judge others (usually not ourselves) by how much trouble they have in their life. Although this sometimes may be accurate it is not always the case. In this lesson Christ affirms that the way a person dies is not a reflection on how they have lived. He tells a parable of a fig tree that got into trouble, because it was apparently good for nothing, not even worth its salt (as my Dad use to say). “Cut it down”, get rid of it, was the understandable cry made by the owner. Like the tree, sometimes our lack of action and sometimes our actions get us into trouble. But like the tree, we have some one like the gardener who said, give it another chance, let it alone, don’t bother it, and let me work with it for another year. In the midst of our trouble even when we have caused the trouble, Christ offers us His saving grace, His peace that surpasses all understanding, His mercy that lasts, not only for a year but from everlasting to everlasting. Maybe that is why he promised in John 15:5 “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in me, and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.”
4) Leila Anwar: International Women’s Day. Liela will read one of her many wonderful poems this Sunday in honor of International Women’s Day, which is Monday, March 8th. It is a “documentary” poem about the woman who was executed by the Taliban in 2002-3. The poem was published in Juliens Journal last year for this anniversary, and was published by the Freeport Arts Center in their anthology “Women’s Stories” the year before. It is said to be a ‘somber’ poem, and Leila confesses, it was written in the midst of tears. I believe this is so appropriate for ‘Lent’ as we look at the basics of serving the Lord in grace and justice. All are invited to come and hear a portion of Leila’s journey.
5)LESSONS: ‘Lutheran Education Sunday School on Non-Sundays’
The Youth are meeting every second and fourth Thursday at 6p.m., at the Midwest Medical Center. All young people and everyone who is interested in working with the youth are invited to attend. The next meeting is this Thursday, March 10. Any questions or suggestions concerning our Youth Group contact: Jane Holland, the Youth Leader or Shauna Hastings, Judy Cormack, Lori Murphy, or Jill Nack
6) Opportunities for Fellowship:
March 5th, World Day of Prayer: 12noon at the United Methodist Church
March 6th, Chamber of Commerce: Trade Show, 10a.m.-3 P.M at the Convention Center. According to Judy Dixon, attendance has been in the hundreds the past few years, so it would be very good for LOL to be represented with several members in attendance. Contact Judy if you can be there to help man the booth, or help setup Fri. from to 5:30 – 7:30, there will be a Business After Hours for everyone to attend. It is a very good way for us to network!!! Thanks so much, Judy
March 20th, The TSCS Dinner and Auction. Dinner tickets are $12 for an excellent buffet style chicken dinner with all the “fixins” Silent auction starts at 5 p.m., Dinner 6 p.m., Live auction 7 p.m. People can come to the auction for free if they don’t want dinner. We would consider it a blessing for item donations — crafts, artwork, antiques, nice used furniture, gift items, gift baskets, gift certificates, piano lessons…
The school can arrange pick-up for larger items. They are asking for a list of items.
They need to be at the school by March 15th. Anyone can contact Lori Murphy or the school. TSCS 815-777-3800.
Way of the Cross Service: Wednesday, March 31, 7pm at St. Peter Lutheran Church 3200 Asbury, Dubuque, Iowa 52001. Gather first in the Sanctuary to share readings and songs. Then by groups be led through eight stations of the Cross which will be portrayed in various locations throughout the church building. Responsive readings will be shared at each station. (Maybe we will have a caravan to go over?) Look for additional info later..
6) “The Living Last Supper” Come out and see our first annual recreation of Leonardo da Vinci’s Last Supper painting. Dynamic acting, realistic costumes, and special music will make this a memorable event. Time: 7:00PM Thursday, April 1st Location: Galena Middle School Auditorium. The Worship Committee: President Milan Blaho, Gloria Blaho, Judy Dixon, Shauna Hastings, Jane Holland and Mary Hill.
7) Check out our website: www.lord-of-love-galena.org. We are also on Facebook, Lord-of-Love-Lutheran-Church-Galena.
8) We are now meeting at the Ramada, 11383 W US HWY 20, Galena, IL. 61036. Adult Christian Education will be at 9am and Worship at 10am.
Lord of Love is a Synodically Approved Worshiping Community(SAWC) of the Northern Illinois Synod(NIS), of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America(ELCA). Lord of Love is a church for all believers in Christ. We worship on Sundays at 10 am. You will always be welcomed.
Prayer of the Day
Eternal God, your kingdom has broken into our troubled world through the life, death, and resurrection of your Son. Help us to hear your word and obey it, and bring your saving love to fruition in our lives, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
