“For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.”
(Romans 8:13-14 ESV)
Dear Friends,
Greetings in the name of Jesus!
Someone told me that Mormons criticize Christians for thinking they have a license to sin because all they have to do is believe in Jesus. It doesn’t seem like the verse above would support such a view. Christians forgiven in Jesus’ name have the Holy Spirit leading them.
The evidence of the Holy Spirit at work in us is:
- A realization of our desperate need for God’s mercy
- Faith in Christ for the forgiveness of sins
- His leading us in our daily life
If repentance and faith are real, then it will show in our earthly life, especially in our attitude and behavior towards other people. As the Apostle John put it, “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. … Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. … We love because he first loved us.” (1 John 4:7, 11, 19 ESV)
If not, then we are still living “according to the flesh,” and we are fooling ourselves. Without faith and the Spirit, there can be no forgiveness and no spiritual life. We are not really children of God.
This should be a little scary for us as it means that we need to stay close to God’s Word and His Spirit so that Christian faith and love do not die. Let us run to God’s gifts of Word, Church, Sacraments, and Spirit that faith might live strongly and be seen by others showing them that we are people living by the Spirit.
The Lord be with you.
Sunday (July 16) here at Prince of Peace…
10:00 am Holy Communion
Sermon: “God’s Miracle-Grow” based on Isaiah 55:10-11
We will also be praying for God’s blessings upon our VBS staff.
PoP News …
Vacation Bible School weekend: The weekend of July 21-23 will be a family ministry weekend.
- Friday evening will be a family fun night complete with free ice cream and large inflatable for children. This will be an opportunity for young families in our neighbourhood to visit us and to enroll in our Saturday program.
- Saturday will be our all-day educational and fun day under the theme, “Mighty Fortress: In Jesus, the Victory is Won!”
- Sunday will feature an outdoor service and BBQ afterwards enabling our members to interact with our guests.
Contact Linda to preregister your children, grandchildren, or neighbourhood kids (905-332-7671 or popburl@bellnet.ca) or register online at http://poplc.ca/vbs/.
VBS Volunteer Meeting will be held on Monday July 17 at 7:00pm at the church. All VBS volunteers are asked to attend.
Church Cleaning: As part of cost saving measures at Prince of Peace, the Trustees are looking for volunteers from our Church family to provide light cleaning services to the sanctuary and washrooms during our cleaner, quieter summer season. If you are willing to be part of the cleaning rotation, please add your name and contact information to the signup sheet in the foyer.
A Note from Rev. Tom Korcok: My son, Mark, just got a job with Jazz airline as a pilot and will be working out of Pearson airport. He is looking for an apartment/room in the GTA area but housing is so tight and expensive that he is having a difficult time of it. Is there anyone in your congregation that might have a room or apartment to rent out? Because of his schedule he won’t be around all the time. Great kid (25 yrs), non-smoker, goes to church. It would be great to connect him to a congregation in the area. Any leads would be great.
If you know of any possibilities, let me know and I will help put you in touch with Pastor Korcok.
Young Adult Camping Retreat (Aug 4-7): All young adults (anybody aged 18-35) are invited to attend the annual East District Lutheran Young Adult (EDLYA) camping trip! Let all your worries melt away beneath the balmy southern Ontario sun ☀⛅☀ as you participate in a three-day long camping EXTRAVAGANZA! 😜👌 Roast marshmallows over the open fire 🔥🔥, sleep beneath the starry sky 🌟, and spend time with your fellow Lutherans 🙋⛪🙏👌😂 at our upcoming retreat at Springwater Conservation Area. The retreat will take place civic holiday weekend from 👉👉 August 4 to 7, 👈👈👀👀 so mark it ✒ 📅 on your calendar now! Tell 👏 everyone 👏 you 👏 know! 📢 📢 Register online NOW at www.edlya.ca. (Sorry for all the emojis) 😅 😓
Be part of a national church event (Oct 13-16): Kitchener is honoured to host the national Lutheran Church-Canada convention. Delegates from across Canada will gather at the Crowne Plaza Hotel to worship, conduct church business, and study God’s Word. You can be part of the action as a volunteer and maybe even see some old friends from other parts of Canada. Speak to Pastor or go to www.serveLCC.ca to see all the opportunities. Sign-up!
Online News …
Issues, Etc. is a radio talk show hosted by LCMS Pastor Todd Wilken and produced by Lutheran Public Radio in Collinsville, IL. This week’s teachings include: Raising Children in an Age of Relativism, Martin Luther’s Sacristy Prayer, The Parable of the Weeds, Achnan’s Sin, Elijah, Ezekiel, Mary Magdalene and more. You can listen to what you want when you want at www.issuesetc.org and on the Lutheran Public Radio mobile app.
Because It’s There: Here’s a thoughtful article on science. It suggests that the Church is the only place where theoretical science still exists. Click here to read.
Reformation 500 News …
Reformation Concerts (Sep 9, 23, Oct 14): Reformation Concerts will be held in the Kitchener Circuit on Sept. 9 at Redeemer, Waterloo; Sept. 23 at Bethel, Kitchener; and the main concert with orchestra, etc., on Oct. 14 (at the time of the Convention) at Grace, Kitchener. Stay tuned for more details.
Reformation Display for our Public Libraries: There are resources available to put together a display of placards/banners describing the history of the Reformation. I know at least one person interested in this project but it works better if there is a team. Please let me or one of the elders know if this interests you.
In your prayers, please remember:
- Those undergoing chemotherapy
- Safety for children during their summer vacation
- This year’s Vacation Bible School which is less than two weeks away. Please pray for our preparations, for interested children and families to attend, for the faithful communication of God’s love in Christ, and for God’s Word to bear fruit.
The Lord be with you.
Yours in Christ Jesus,
Pastor Kevin Walrath
