Plan now to attend this exciting event. Bible study leaders are Rev. Art Scherer and Rev. Tom Zehnder. Exciting workshops addressing outreach, evangelism, sharing the Good News will be offered. An outstanding children’s program will be available. Andrew Kassouf will be leading the teen program. A special feature – Ken Medema, a world renown Christian song writer will present on Saturday evening. He will sing the songs of God’s love in our lives as he shares his story of God at work in him.

It has been a while since the last “official’ SED article, so in the interest of keeping things going on the blog, I will share a personal story.

Before Easter I was working at one of my volunteer jobs.  One of the people there asked what kind of services we would be having at my church.  He said he had a home church (Episcopalian), but he liked to visit other denominations to see what they had to say.  I told him about the Sunrise service, and the special music at the regular service, and the opportunity for a pancake breakfast in between.  He was interested and asked if he could bring a friend.  Naturally I agreed.

After the services and the breakfast (He is Risen!… ) the friend (Pentecostal) said that there was something that had been bothering her for years.  It seems that her denomination baptises by immersion and she had an experience in her youth that made her very afraid of being under water… so she was never baptized.  I told her “You are in luck, we sprinkle!”.  It took a couple of weeks to arrange (her schedule, not ours), but she was baptised.

This was not a conversion, she was already a committed Christian.  There was no critical event. This was not about church (Denominational) growth, she is still a Pentecostal.  This was simply about obedience.  The doors to service that God opens are not alwys the ones we expect, but they are the ones He wants us to walk through with Him.

The Coalition of Lutherans in Black Ministry: March 13-15 at Berea Lutheran Church ( 2999 Belair Road in Baltimore MD).

That’s the rallying cry we want to share with congregations in Black ministry. We are living in a world that may be more open to listen to a message of security and hope that only WE, the body of Christ, can proclaim! Is your congregation excited and ready to engage that challenge? The Coalition of Lutherans in Black Ministry wants to see it happen. The Coalition is a gathering of God’s people of all ages, genders and cultures who have a heart for Black ministry—who want to see the LC-MS Ablaze with saved souls of every color!

A short promotional video is now available on YouTube. The video is intended to be used to promote interest in the next Tending the Flame conference in August. Check it out and please share the link in your congregation.

Administrator’s Note:

An easy way to share this, or any other post from this blog would be to click on the “share this post” icon below. Follow the instructions and you could email the link to anyone. When I tested the feature I found that it is (hopefully) temporarily broken. I have contacted the provider behind the button and hopefully it will be fixed in a couple of days (if not in a week I will look for a replacement service). When it is fixed I will change this message to read use the button

27 Jan 09 Update: OK, it is working again.  Use the button.  There are still a few issues that only effect me but the people behind the button are working on them.  For all of you it works as before.

28 Jan 09 Update: Even more OK- now all functionality of the “share this Post” button is working great!

So use the button.

Jerry

At the end of August, Jordan Lutheran Mission held their first public event selling water at the Lazy Daze Art Festival in Cary, North Carolina. They set up a display in the shuttle bus line and watched as more than 20,000 people came by the booth to enter the festival. Mission Developer Mike Merker writes: “As the sun beamed down on the crowds one person in our group started to offer sunscreen to the crowd. It was a beautiful act of service. Hours later people turning to their cars thanked us for our kindness expressing how that one act had changed their day.” This mission outreach team continues to reach in the community with activities and words that reflect the love that has been given to us through Jesus Christ. Pastor Merker requests prayers for the families and individuals making the bold step in faith to join the launch team for Jordan Lutheran and that God would raise up a full time worship leader to join our staff. Let us join him in these prayers. If you wish to send him a word of encouragement, his email address is: pastor@jordanchurchnc.org

COME TO THE MISSION FAIR, SEPTEMBER 28

Immediately following the 10:00 a.m. service

Tables and booths will be set up along the sidewalk and lawn areas near the main doorways to the church.

Participants are slated to include:

Lutheran Social Services
Lutheran World Missions
New Hope Housing
CAIN Lutheran Church Extension Fund
Carpenter’s Shelter
United Community Ministries
Assist Crisis Pregnancy Center
Bethany’s Small Groups
and more…

Light refreshments will be served.

“‘to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”
Luke 1: 17

These are the angel of the Lord’s words to Zechariah in describing the life purpose of John the Baptist. As I pray this verse, it seems to me that it also describes our lives – Ablazed! God calls us to make ready His people, those who know him and those who are missing out from knowing him so that all people will be prepared and will receive His precious gift of salvation.

Your Ablaze! gifts are helping to ignite a global experience in sharing the Gospel. Already, incredible stories are coming our way are the mighty things God continues to do in and through His people. Thank you for sharing your stories. Thank you for being part of the new missionary movement..