January 2023
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Redivivus
“Redivivus” is a word I first heard in seminary. It means “come
back to life.” As we work through the church year, we might have
thought we were done with John the Baptist after Advent. We also
might have thought the same about Isaiah. As we progress through
the Gospel of Matthew, we discover that we’re not done with
either one of them. John the Baptizer lives up to his name in
Mt. 3.13-17. Jesus has lined up to be baptized by John who is
incredulous and deferential. “I need to be baptized by you, and
do you come to me?” The answer is “yes.”
Even Jesus needed to be baptized to “fulfill all
righteousness.” One way to read that response is to say that the
incarnation is not complete until Jesus enters fully into the
condition of humanity, namely, a sinner joining us in death and
promising a resurrection.
Isaiah also is “redivivus” in Mt. 4.12-23. As with the people of
God in Isaiah 7 who were led by the ungodly and incompetent King
Ahaz, the recruits for the “kingdom of heaven” in the New
Testament have their own darkness and suffering. Jesus
proclaimed, “Let anyone with ears, listen.” (Mt 11.15)
Everyone—then and now—lives under the conditions of darkness and
the shadow of death. The Gospel word is that such lives were
illuminated (then and now) by a great light, namely Jesus
himself. If there were any further doubts about the importance
of his incarnation, Jesus concluded his reapplication of Isaiah
by saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.”
January is a good time for all of us to affirm “redivivus.”
Light is coming as the year progresses, but that is natural
light and not the light of Christ. Luther reminded both his
fellow scholars and his parishioners that the whole life of a
Christian is one of “repentance.” (95 Theses, #1.) As Jesus was
bold to proclaim, when faith appears through the Holy Spirit’s
guidance, good works flow forth. In brief, this is “redivivus.” The Reverend Philip Nesvig  |
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PRESIDENT'S REPORT....by
Janine Douglass
Statement of Mission First
Lutheran Church of West Seattle
(Part IV of V)
“In our community we:
Serve by funding and
participating in programs for the poor, powerless and voiceless,
and by defending them against injustice and abuse.”
This passage from our Statement of Mission refers to how
we are to care for our neighbor.
We do this through service projects within our church,
such as the December collections for Mary’s Place and Compass
Housing Alliance, and through community activities, such as the
Saint Nicholas Faire to support the West Seattle Food Bank.
Many thanks to Scott and
Valerie Schorn, for their time and dedication to organize the
Saint Nicholas Faire. Thanks
are due to Ben Dobbeck and the Extended Ministry Committee for
making monthly deliveries to the West Seattle Food Bank, Mary’s
Place and Compass Housing Alliance. As a congregation, we are
encouraged to do these good works, supporting those who need
help, as a way of thanking God for our many blessings. Thank you
to everyone who contributed non-perishable food, clothing and
gift cards to the donation box located in room C over the course
of this past year.
The Call Committee met with a second permanent Pastor
candidate on November 28th, via Zoom, for a formal interview.
On December 5th, the
candidate met with the council for another, less formal, meeting
via Zoom. As of this
writing we are contacting the references for the second
candidate. A future
committee meeting will decide whether to advance this candidate
or not.
The church council meeting in January will include
finalizing the budget for 2023.
Thank you to those who turned in your pledge cards by
the December deadline, which helps the church council to plan
the income for the upcoming year.
We plan on bringing the
final budget to the congregation at our Annual Meeting on
January 29, 2023. Please
attend this in-person meeting immediately following the 10:30am
liturgy.
Blessings to you and yours during the twelve days of
Christmas, December 25th to January 5th, as we celebrate the
promise of salvation revealed in Christ’s birth.  |
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STEWARDSHIP
Serving the Lord
A tenth of the produce of the land, whether grain or fruit, is
the Lord’s, and is holy.
Leviticus 27:30
Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the
Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.
Matthew 5:17
Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites!
You give a tenth of your spices—mint, dill and cumin. But you
have neglected the more important matters of the law—justice,
mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter,
without neglecting the former.
Matthew 23:23
We are not only to be care takers; we are to be like the
disciples who distributed the loaves and fishes. We are to pass
on and out what we have been given. Each of us knows our gifts.
We have been called to serve the Lord. We know there are many
ways of being a good steward in our church; by giving of our
time in so many ways; using our talents to help in our ministry;
and to give our gifts to help others in need; to spread the word
of Jesus in our worship and to the unchurched; and, to use our
money wisely for the necessities of our staff and maintaining
our beautiful place of worship dedicated to the Glory of God.
If a church chooses to support a charitable organization,
they are just doing what the Bible recommends.
He has filled the hungry with good things; and the rich has sent
empty away.
Luke 1:53
It is a sin to despise one’s neighbor, but blessed is the one
who is kind to the needy.
Proverbs 14:21
Last month we supported the West Seattle Food Bank once again
with the Saint Nicholas Faire online auction. We are thankful to
have the support given to the efforts of the people in the
congregation who put their time and talents into this successful
program. Since 1981
the West Seattle Food Bank has been in operation. On June 1,
2007 both the West Seattle Helpline and West Seattle Food Bank
moved into new offices custom built for their operations on the
corner of 35th and Morgan Street. On March 1, 2020 they merged
into the stronger organization of the West Seattle Food Bank.
Cristian Clemente, Church Council |
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ANNOUNCEMENTS:
FOOD BANK COLLECTION
suggested donation for January is pasta, noodles and sauces, but
any non-perishable foods or grocery store gift cards are
acceptable. These
much needed donated items of food are delivered weekly to the
West Seattle Food Bank.
ANNUAL REPORT
for 2022:
Staff, officer and committee reports are due.
If you have not already sent your report in to the office
please do so as soon as possible.
The Annual Meeting is Sunday, January 29th, at 12:00 pm.
2023 FLOWER CHART
is up and available for your sign up, on the board in the Parish
House hallway. If you have favorite dates that you like to give
Altar Flowers, now’s the time to sign up.
OFFERING ENVELOPES
for 2023 can be
found on the office window counter.
Please pick yours up when at church on Sunday mornings. OUR THANKS for the Christmas donations this year. We were able to deliver, one $20 Starbucks card to Compass Housing Alliance, and $150 to the West Seattle Food Bank.
2023 Saint
Nicholas Faire
& Auction Report
Total donation of
$11,500 to the
West Seattle Food Bank!
Thanks again to all who worked
hard to help this happen.
And a special thank you to Scott and Valerie Schorn! |
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The Epiphany
of Our Lord
Friday, January 6, 2023
Only Matthew's Gospel includes this event.
Remember the coming of the magi to worship and bring
gifts to the Christ child, recorded in Matthew 2:1-12.
First
Sunday After the Epiphany
The Feast of the Baptism of Our Lord
will be celebrated on
Sunday, January 8, 2023.
Join us this day for Holy Eucharist
at 10:30 am.
Recognition of Altar Guild
Investiture of Caroline & Konstantin Ritter
In Matthew 3:15 Jesus tells John to baptize him in order "to
fulfill all righteousness."
Luther teaches:
Baptism was instituted by God primarily for Christ's sake and
then afterwards also for the sake of all men.
For first he must sanctify baptism through his own body
and thereby take away the sin, in order that afterwards those
who believe him may have the forgiveness of sins
(Luther's
Works
51:318).
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Remember in prayer before God those whom He has made your
brothers and sisters through baptism.
Tim Allen and Family,
Nancy Lawson,
Mariann Petersen, Janice Lundbeck, Robert Schorn, Kim Lim,
Melanie Johnson, Holly Petersen, Leah and Melissa Baker, Felicia
Wells, Eileen & Dave Nestoss, Kyra Stromberg, Peter Morrison,
The Rev. Douglas & Paula
Lindsay,
The Rev. Howard Fosser, The
Rev. Kari Reiten,
Yuriko Nishimura,
Karen Granger, Nick Karlson, Angel Lynne, the
Ceaicovschi Family in Moldova, Richard Patishnock, Paul
Sponheim, David Ruberg, Judy
Berkenpas, Nicole Coile, J.J. Chang.
Pray for the shut-ins that the light of Christ may give them
joy: C.J.
Christian, Joan Olson, Bob & Mona Ayer, Gregg & Jeannine Lingle,
Robert Schorn, Crystal Tudor, Nora Vanhala, Lou Landino.
Pray for our bishops Elizabeth Eaton & Shelley Bryan Wee, our
presiding minister Horacio
Castillo, our choirmaster Dean Hard and our cantor Andrew King,
that they may be strengthened in faith, love and the holy office
to which they have been called.
Pray that God would give us hearts which find joy in service and
in celebration of stewardship.
Pray that God would work within you to become a good
steward of your time, your talents and finances.
Pray to strengthen the stewardship of our congregation in
these same ways.
Pray for the hungry, ignored, abused, and homeless this New
Year. Pray for the
mercy of God for these people, and for all in Christ's church to
see and help those who are in distress.
Pray for our country, for unbelievers, the addicted, the
sexually abused and harassed, the homeless, the hungry and the
unemployed. Pray that God will bless you through the lives of the saints: Saint Peter, Saint Paul, and Martin Luther King, Jr., martyr, 1968. |
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A Treasury of Prayers All-powerful and unseen God, the coming of
your light into our world has made the darkness vanish.
Teach us to proclaim the birth of your Son Jesus Christ,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for
ever and ever.
Amen.
[For All the Saints, III: 154, altered] |