January 2020 Newsletter

Grace, mercy, and peace are yoursthrough Christ Jesus our Lord in the year 

of our Lord 2020!Dear Family of God,

2019 is over, past, gone! I'm sure there are many things in this past year that you want to forget. And I'm sure there are things you will want to remember. Sorrow and blessing, pain and joy often go together in this world. The good news is that in 2019's sorrows and blessings Jesus was with you! In 2020, a new decade, there will be sorrows and blessings, they are inescapable and guess what? Jesus will be with you! Hear St. Paul to young pastor Timothy: 2 Timothy 2 (ESV)

A Good Soldier of Christ Jesus

2 You then, my child, be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus, 2 and what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also. 3   Share in suffering as   a good soldier of Christ Jesus.  4 No soldier gets entangled in civilian pursuits, since his aim is to please the one who enlisted him. 5 An athlete is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules. 6  It is the hard-working farmer who ought to have the first share of the crops. 7 Think over what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding in everything.

8  Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, the offspring of David, as preached in my gospel, 9 for which I am suffering, bound with chains as a criminal. But the word of God is not bound! 10 Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory. 11 The saying is trustworthy, for:

If we have died with him, we will also live with him;12  if we endure, we will also reign with him;if we deny him, he also will deny us;13 if we are faithless, he remains faithful-for he cannot deny himself.

I've bolded and underlined a few parts of this text. First, St. Paul is telling young pastor Timothy that he will have his share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. That is true for all of us. As we struggle it is a reminder of Jesus struggle. It is a part of his struggle. Our suffering is connected and that means that we are not alone in the struggle!

I want to save the middle-underlined part for last so let's look at "faithless and faithful." In 2020 there may come struggles that make you question and doubt. This world is a hard place to live. The good news is that Jesus is faithful to us, no matter what! Doubt is not denying. Doubts amid suffering and struggle are sin nature things that we Christians are never rid of this side of heaven.

St. Paul again says in Romans 7:18-25 (ESV) 18  For I know that nothing good dwells  in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. 19 For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. 20 Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me.21 So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand. 22  For I delight in the law of God,  in my inner being, 23 but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. 24  Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? 25 Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin.

Thanks be to God that Jesus is faithful! To us, for us, in us, and through us Jesus remains faithful. In 2020 in Joys and sorrows Jesus will be with you!

Now for the middle-underlined, "the word of God is not bound!" How true it is, Jesus is with us in and through that living and active unbound Word of God. In fact, He is that unbound Word among us! It's what we celebrated a few days ago. The Word - Jesus, became flesh and made His dwelling among us. That's the Christmas story! The Word/Jesus among you, with you, for you!

In 2020, at the start of a new decade I want to encourage you to be in the Word. I'm encouraging you to read the Bible cover to cover. Let me give you a few suggestions on how. There are a few novel type books out there that can help in you reading the Bible. While these are not the Bible, they take accounts of the Bible and put them in story form. "The Story" is one and "The Book of God" is another. They are not a substitute for reading the Bible itself.

Here's what I'm going to do. I've made an account with biblegateway.com, which is free. I'm going to use their audio Bible "ESV by Max McLean and I'm going to listen to Genesis and Job in the month of January. I'll follow along as it

is read in my own Bible and make notes as we go. I'm also going to sneak in a Psalm every day, so I hope to get through the Psalms twice this year.  

If you want help just give me a call or chat with me. Now here is the key as you read, look, listen and search for Jesus. In John 5:39 Jesus says, "You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me..." In 2020 look for Jesus in the Word for that is where He is found. In that unbound Word is where he has bound Himself in for you in sorrows and joys!

May God bless you in 2020!

In His Service,

Pastor Lingsch            

UPCOMING EVENTS

Habitat for Humanity Build

January 4thinformation to follow

Adult Information ClassBegins January 5th9:30 amSanctuary

Jonathan Birner's Anniversary ReceptionJanuary 11thFellowship Hall

Rev. Roy Peterson SeminarJanuary 25thFellowship Hall

Your Legacy: Family, Church and Charity LuncheonJanuary 26th12:00 pmFellowship Hall

Crime Prevention Task Force SeminarFebruary 1st10:00 amFellowship Hall

La Sera D'Oro Dinner and an Evening of GoldFebruary 7th 6:00 pmFellowship Hall

WEEKLY EVENTS

Youth NewsKami Jo Mogelvang

January 4th: Habitat For Humanity. Meet at Grace at 7:30 am to carpool to the location. We will volunteer from 8:00 am to 12:00 pm.

January 5th: church game night in Fellowship Hall, 5:00 pm-7:00 pm. Snacks will be provided. Bring your friends for a fun evening for all ages! Hosted by Lori Lingsch & Kami Jo

January 19th: Youth Night at Grace from 5:00 pm-7:00 pm for all middle

Women's Bible StudyThursday's at 10:00 amOffice workroom Wednesday Afternoon/EveningPrograms 3:45 pm Cherubs Choir4:00 pm Kids Club4:15 pm Choristers5:15 pm Dinner6:00 pm Confirmation Class6:30 pm Evening Worship7:00 pm Grace Chorale

Handbell Choir6:00 pm Thursdays

and high school youth.

January 25-26th: Rock the Universe at Universal Studios. This is    for all youth who have preregistered. 

An Adult Information Class will be organized on Sunday, January 5th at 9:15 am in the front pews of the church. The class will meet on succeeding Sundays, 9:15-10:15 am and we will discuss the teachings of the Bible and the Lutheran Church. These classes can lead to membership in our church, but there is no obligation. And members are invited to review. Pastor Kudart will be the instructor. 

Do you need someone to talk to? To walk with you through a difficult time? Deaconess Linda Nobili will be available for Spiritual counseling again beginning Oct 15th. Please feel free to contact her anytime at (248) 892-7405 or by email at dcslinda1492@gmail.com.

Did You Know We Have a Facebook Page?Please 'Like' us on Facebook!  Grace of Naples Lutheran Church and Preschool.  

 

New Church Directory Coming Soon!If you are unsure if the office has your new address (northern or in Naples), email or telephone, please call or email the office.  

Did you know that you don't have to be a member to be included in our directory?  If you worship with us during the winter, and want other worshipers to be able to contact you, we are happy to add you to our directory.  Just let the office know.    

Amazon SmileDo you make purchases from Amazon?  Here is an easy way to earn money for our church and preschool without spending any extra money.  Instead of going to Amazon, search for Amazon Smiles.  This page will allow you to put in an organization that will then get a small portion of the money of the things you purchase. Under organizations, search for Grace Lutheran Church, Naples, FL.  Each time you purchase using Amazon Smiles, a small percentage will be donated to Grace.  Amazon Smiles will also remember that you want Grace as a beneficiary.  It won't cost you anything extra but our church benefits with a check from Amazon.  Any questions, call the church office.