Dear Friends,
Greetings in Jesus’ name.
The real challenge to the church does not come from enemies outside, but from weakness and failures inside. One of the main mistakes by congregations is to focus on symptoms rather than the spiritual cause.
In our physical bodies, food and balanced nutrition build health and help fight illness and diseases. Scurvy caused death because of lack of nutritious food. Drugs do not solve health problems caused by failure to eat a balanced diet that include vitamins and minerals. Nutrients work in many ways to build and guard health and to provide strength for our bodies.
May I suggest that spiritual vitamin deficiencies cause spiritual health problems. Weak faith, greed, envy, over-indulgences, and other spiritual illnesses are caused by lack of God’s food through Bible study and worship. Vitamin deficiencies in many churches include:
- Vitamin A – Attitude. Self- centred attitudes and a win/loose stance do not help us.
- Vitamin B – Bible study. Congregations and individual Christians are strongest when they are familiar and focused on God’s Word. A vitamin deficiency is evident when people assert, “I don’t know what the Bible says, but I think …”
- Vitamin C – Commitment. Sit, listen & leave is one way I’ve heard described the Christianity of many in North America. It is no wonder many younger Canadians see no need to bother with the church. To them it appears that Christianity doesn’t really make a difference to the people who belong.
- Vitamin D – Discipling. Jesus called people to follow Him. Believers were disciples of Jesus who listened to Him and who wanted to know how to put His Words to practice in their lives.
- Vitamin E – Edifying. To edify means to build up. Christians should be all about building one another up rather than tearing one another down. That means that not only should the pastor have an encouraging word for a person, but fellow members ought to be capable of and feel responsible to encourage a fellow Christian.
- Vitamin F – Faith. Here I am not talking about saving faith in the redeeming work of Jesus upon the cross. Every Christian by definition believes their sins are forgiven because of Christ. But after the assurance of going to heaven, then what? What about Jesus’ assertion that even faith the size of a mustard seed can move a mountain? Believing God can do anything is wonderfully uplifting to your life and to your church.
The sermons and Bible studies of Free & Joyous Response focus on spiritual causes, not symptoms. Parish renewal begins with personal renewal. Let our prayer be, “Lord, revive our church – beginning with me!” Fill out and return your F&JR commitment card.
Coming Up this Sunday at Prince of Peace …
10:30 Holy Communion
Sermon “Think About the Prize”, based on Philippians 3:4b-14
LWML Sunday
Coming Soon …
This Sunday, we continue the sermon series on Paul’s letter to the Philippians entitled, “How You Think is How You Feel”:
September 28: Think about Others
October 5: Think about the Prize
Thanksgiving: Think about Good Things
NEWS BULLETIN: Seniors Lunch is postponed. While scheduled for Monday, October 6, neither I or Dave Schutz will be available to set up for the event. We shall reschedule Greg and Lois Munz sharing their first-hand experience in Nicaragua. Their stories and pictures should be very interesting and we certainly want to hear them in the future.
No Tuesday Bible Study: There will be no Tuesday Bible study this week (October 7) as I will be out of town.
One-day Conference: Militant Secularism: Its Cause, Cost & Cure: You are invited to attend this one day conference on a topic of profound relevance to the church’s ministry in the modern world. It starts at 9:30am, Thursday, October 16 at Concordia Lutheran Theological Seminary, St. Catharines. Featuring two speakers from the Lutheran Church and two representing the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA), the open conference is a prelude to a regular meeting of the ecumenical dialogue between ACNA, the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod, and Lutheran Church–Canada. There is no charge for admission, though a free will offering will be taken to cover the cost of lunch. Please pre-register by contacting the seminary by email (concordia@brocku.ca) or phone (905-688-2362).
Coming in October! …
Free and Joyous Response:
Raising stewards of Christ, celebrating God’s gifts, and
the joy of giving and serving Him!
Free and Joyous Response – Again??? Well, yeah, but different!
- The Sundays are organized around the theme, “God’s Supply – Our Trust.” Hudson Taylor spent 51 years in China as missionary during the 1800s. Being an early missionary to China, Taylor worked under the most challenging of circumstances. Yet he was able to believe and say, “God’s work done in God’s way will never lack God’s supply.” That is true still – for your home, for your local congregation here at Prince of Peace, and for our entire synod. It is an encouraging message!
- The Bible Studies will be under the theme, “Matters of Heart.” For your convenience, the same study for the week will be offered 3 times:
- Sunday @ 9:00am – The Adult Bible Class
- Tuesday @ 9:30am – The Tuesday Bible Study
- Tuesday @ 7:00pm – Available during the four weeks of F&JR
- It will culminate with a Consecration Sunday & Luncheon on November 9. The luncheon will feature sausage and sauerkraut dinner.
Let’s do this together!
Online …
City on a Hill: It has occurred to me that we are all different. Why didn’t God make us the same? Differences make it difficult for us to understand one another, sometimes to get along with one another – even within the church. It makes me think of a song by Carol’s favourite Christian group Casting Crowns. I thought I’d share it with you. To hear and see the lyrics to “City on a Hill” click here.
Do you like to sing hymns? – during the week? – or even just to listen to hymns? Check out this YouTube channel entitled “One LSB Hymn a Week” based on the Lutheran Service Book. Here is a sample, How Firm a Foundation (LSB 728). To listen click here .
In your prayers, please remember:
- Those undergoing medical tests and treatment
- Those in hospital
- Christians suffering persecution in various parts of the world
- Those who struggle with mental illness
- For everyone affected by the conflict in Ukraine: The Synod of Evangelical Lutheran Churches of Ukraine (SELCU) remains determined to stay united during this conflict despite the fact that five of the thirteen SELCU congregations are in Crimea, now across an international border. Read more in the Canadian Lutheran – Here.
The Lord be with you.
Yours in Christ Jesus,
Pastor Kevin Walrath
Prince of Peace Lutheran Church
1299 Brant St.
Burlington, ON
905-332-7671
If you no longer wish to receive this email, simply reply or click here and type “Please Unsubscribe.”
