Dearest Brothers and Sisters of Hope Lutheran Church.
First of all, a huge and heartfelt thank you to all of you for the end-of-year gifts to me and the staff. We are all deeply touched by your generosity and support-really, thank you! We are so grateful!
Here’s something fun to do over these next days as we finish out January. I realize we aren’t out of the woods with regard to the pandemic yet, but there is light at the end of the tunnel and hope on the horizon as the vaccine is more widely distributed. In the meantime, here’s a Gratitude Scavenger Hunt that might help to lift your spirits in the days ahead.
- Find something that makes you happy.
- Find something to give someone else a smile.
- Find something you love to smell.
- Find something you enjoy looking at.
- Find something in your favorite color.
- Find something for which you are thankful in nature.
- Find something you can use to make a gift for someone else.
- Find something useful for you.
You could do this daily or weekly-up to you. My final suggestion is this-after each thing, please consider a moment to pause and breathe and give thanks to God for the thing you found that fills your heart with gratitude. God is the author and giver of all these things and so much more-take time to thank God – gratitude is really good for the soul and can bring a smile to your face.
Be blessed this week, dear Hope family-and share those blessings with others as together we are led by the Spirit to serve God and share Christ’s love with all. My thoughts are with you and my prayers are for you! Love, Pr. Jen Schaefer+
3rd Sunday after Epiphany January 23-24, 2021
PRAYER OF THE DAY Let us pray. Almighty God, by grace alone you call us and accept us in your service. Strengthen us by your Spirit, and make us worthy of your call, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.
READING Mark 1:14-20 Before Jesus calls his first disciples, he proclaims a message that becomes known as “the gospel” or good news from God. God is ready to rule our lives. Those who realize this will respond with repentance and faith. A reading from Mark. 14Now after John was arrested, Jesus came to Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God, 15and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news.” 16As Jesus passed along the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the sea—for they were fishermen. 17And Jesus said to them, “Follow me and I will make you fish for people.” 18And immediately they left their nets and followed him. 19As he went a little farther, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John, who were in their boat mending the nets. 20Immediately he called them; and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men, and followed him. The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.
HOMILY: “Jesus said to them, ‘Follow me and I will make you fish for people.’ And immediately they left their nets and followed him.” That’s all we get in today’s Gospel to describe how Jesus called his first disciples and how they responded. That’s it. In just seven verses our Gospel writer says four fishermen drop everything and follow Jesus on the basis of his two-word command: Follow me. ~~~~Mark, our Gospel writer, is known for his terse, staccato style. In his telling of the Good News, he shows us a Jesus on the move, Jesus who does everything immediately. (The word “immediately” occurs twice in today’s little story. It occurs about 27 times in the whole Gospel.) Mark gives us just the details we need, and the result is a fast-paced, streamlined account of who Jesus is, what Jesus does, and how people respond. So, it’s no wonder that today we hear Jesus give a command, and these four fishermen respond immediately.
~~~For some of us, the lack of details is frustrating. We want to know: What were they thinking? What motivated the fishermen? How could they really drop everything to follow?
~~~~For others, the lack of details is inviting—our imaginations fill in the gaps. Perhaps Simon was bored that day. The nets had been coming up empty, the wind was too strong to go out far from shore, so why not just leave the nets and follow this man who seemed to need him for something? Perhaps James never really felt like he was cut out for fishing. It was the family business, so of course, he was doing what was expected of him, but really, maybe it was time he stood up for himself and told his father he wanted to try something new, put down the nets, and do his own thing for a change. And Andrew, perhaps he saw something in Jesus’s face when he spoke that intrigued him. Maybe.
~~~We just don’t know=and the Gospel writer doesn’t think it matters what they were thinking or feeling. What matters is that Jesus said, “Follow me,” and that’s what they did. We may wish there were more to it than that. We may wish we knew what it was about them that made them so willing to take risks, so free to respond, so able to walk away from the familiar, from the security of the predictable to go off into an unknown future with a man they hardly knew. But we don’t know.
~~~And because Mark doesn’t tell us, we have to entertain the possibility that Mark is saying that this really is the way Jesus gets followed: without all the facts, without really knowing what Jesus is up to or where exactly he’s going, or why he wants us to follow him. Jesus says, “Follow me,” and that’s enough. Jesus says, “Follow me,” and we do. ~~~Or we don’t. Whether we think that Jesus is calling us to undertake even just one task, become more like him in one small way, give up one familiar habit to do something he wants us to do, let alone if following Jesus might mean making large sacrifices, large changes, life-altering plans, it’s hard for us to conceive of the possibility of following on the basis of a simple command. We are not uncomplicated fishermen, we say, as if any human life is uncomplicated. We are responsible people, we say. We must make our decisions carefully, we say, weigh our options. Our decisions take research; our values need clarification. We can’t just rush into things. We can’t afford to change the directions of our lives merely on the basis of a very vague proposal, let alone just because Jesus tells us to. Really, it would be easier to follow Jesus if we had a different job, a different spouse, if we were single, if we didn’t have children, if we had different friends, a different income.
~~~~Discerning the call to follow can be tricky because part of what we try to figure out is when Jesus is calling us to come away from the specifics of our lives in order to follow, and when Jesus is calling us because of the specifics of our lives, that is, because we have the job we have, because we are who we are. Jesus told those fishermen, “I will make you fish for people.” He didn’t say, “I really need accountants, but you’ll have to do.” It may be that he’s saying to you, “I really need you to follow me in your job.” “I really need you to follow me in your marriage.” “I really need you to conform your family life to a way that allows you to follow me.” “I really need you to follow me when you’re with your friends.” “I really need you to use your talents to help in my kingdom, to help in my church, to help in my world.” ~~~Today’s story is a little unnerving, a little unsettling. Mark seems to be saying that whether we follow by making big changes or small, following means giving things up, just like that. Mark seems to be saying this is how one follows Jesus: without all the details, without taking time to consider all the options, without having much of a road map, beyond putting one foot in front of the other and seeing where Jesus takes you. Following without having all our questions answered. Can we do it?
~~~Today’s gospel is about a decisive moment in the lives of four fishermen, when Jesus called them to follow and they said yes. But even after they said yes, they had to keep listening. Jesus kept calling them to the next thing, the next way for them to follow. Same with us: we are called again and again to follow, to put aside what’s occupying us, and be about Jesus’ business instead. A call to radical love, forgiving love, bold and decisive love for ALL people.
~~~ Since it’s Jesus who calls us to follow—whether it’s to go halfway around the world or to do one thing for Jesus today right where we live, trust this: Jesus won’t lead us astray or abandon us. God has given the Church, including this particular church, the gift of the Scriptures, the story of Jesus and the Christian community, to form us and guide us. God has given us the sacraments of Baptism and Holy Communion and God’s promise to be with us, washing us clean in the forgiving waters of Baptism and nourishing us for God’s service in the bread and wine that become Jesus’ very Body and Blood that we share together. God has given us the promise to be with us even when just two or three are gathered together in the name of Jesus Christ. All these things make our willingness to follow not just about risk, but about promise as well.
~~~When Jesus called those first four fishermen, they didn’t make demands and they didn’t ask for guarantees, they just left their nets and followed. But later in the gospel, when maybe they were rethinking their decision, Jesus gives them a promise. What happens is this: Simon Peter said to Jesus, “Look, we have left everything and followed you.” Jesus responds, “Truly I tell you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields, for my sake and for the sake of the good news, who will not receive a hundredfold now in this age—houses, brothers and sisters, mothers and children, and fields, with persecutions—and in the age to come eternal life” (Mark 10:28-30). Today Jesus says to each of us, “Follow me.” What’s your response? Amen.
PRAYERS OF INTERCESSION Guided by Christ made known to the nations, let us offer our prayers for the church, the world, and all people in need. A brief silence.
For the church throughout the world, for pastors and teachers, for deacons and deaconesses, and for musicians and servers, that all proclaim the good news of God’s reconciling love, let us pray. Have mercy, O God.
For skies and seas, for birds and fish, for favorable weather and clean water, and for the well-being of creation, that God raise up advocates and scientists to guide our care for all the earth, let us pray. Have mercy, O God.
For those who provide leadership in our cities and around the world, for nonprofit and nongovernmental organizations, for planning commissions and homeless advocates, that God inspire all people in the just use of wealth, let us pray. Have mercy, O God.
For those who are sick, distressed, or grieving; for the outcast and all who await relief ( especially), that in the midst of suffering, God’s peace and mercy surround them, let us pray. Have mercy, O God.
For our congregation and community, for families big and small, and for the organizations that meet here during the week, that God’s steadfast love serve as a model for all relationships, let us pray. Have mercy, O God.
In thanksgiving for our ancestors in the faith whose lives serve as an example of gospel living, that they point us to salvation through Christ, let us pray. Have mercy, O God.
Merciful God, hear the prayers of your people, spoken or silent, for the sake of the one who dwells among us, your Son, Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen.
OUR FATHER…
BLESSING Almighty God, the Father, + the Son, and the Holy Spirit be with us now and always. Amen.
DISMISSAL We go in peace with grateful hearts for all God has done for us as together we are led by the Spirit to serve God and share Christ’s love with all! Thanks be to God!!!.
HOPE HAPPENINGS We welcome all who worship with us today. Please complete one of the visitor cards at our guest table. If you would like to make Hope your church home, please speak to Pastor Jen. Everyone is welcome at Hope Lutheran Church.
Next Week’s Readings: Jonah 3:1-5, 10; 1 Corinthians 7:29-31; Mark 1:14-20
The January thru March Word in Season Devotionals are available on the narthex table.
LAY SERVANTS
Altar Guild: Gail Zahs & Delores Hall
Usher: Pr. Cheryll & Karl Kaukis
Counters: Pr. Cheryll & Karl Kaukis
PRAYER LIST Please call the church office or email Pr. Jen with any prayer requests you may have so they may be shared with the congregation.
Please continue to hold in prayer:
Beth Bercaw for protection and strength
Doris Puerner for healing and strength
Ian for healing and God’s peace
Marirose for healing and strength
Ron Ogden for healing
Joann Ogden, Ron’s mother for healing
Helen for healing
George Whalen for healing
Kristin, Ron and Carolyn Rasmussen’s daughter, for healing after surgery
Jean Holcomb for healing
Florence, Lou Szepi’s mom, for God’s comforting presence
Bob Kostrowsky for healing
Dawn Seibert for healing
Carol for healing, hope, and God’s will.
Laura Everill, daughter of Phyllis and Tom Agness, residing in a healthcare facility
Walter Crowley, husband of Kathryn and father of Ginger Toomire recovering from pneumonia
Joyce, sister in law of Elaine Dougan, recovering from brain cancer surgery
John Greene, Millie’s husband, for strength and healing
Cheryl Burke who is in need of healing
Larry and Barbara Brady, as they focus on healing
Pr. Pat for healing
Susan for healing
Jason for healing
NEW AT HOPE
LUTHERANISM 101!! A new class is beginning on Monday, Feb 1 from 11-12noon. If you have never studied Luther’s Small Catechism, or have questions about why we do what we do as Lutherans in our worship and faith, this class is for YOU! Please join Pr. Jen as we explore the five principle parts of the Catechism-Baptism, Holy Communion, The Lord’s Prayer, the Creed, and the Ten Commandments as well as worship and liturgy and more so together we can grow in our understanding of our Christian faith and our Lutheran expression of that faith.
COUNCIL MEMBERS ELECTION will take place on the weekend of January 23-24, 2021. The following were nominated for council positions. Roberta Balint (2nd year of 3 year term), Lorraine Maass, Candy Ogden, and Donna Turner. Elections will take place after worship on the weekend of January 23-24, 2021.
MONDAY BIBLE STUDY on God sightings every Monday at 10:00 AM in the Fellowship Hall.
WOMEN OF HOPE –Please contact the nominating committee (Marlene Outerbridge, Cindy Beicht or Fran Kostrowsky) if you would like to be considered for an officer position for the upcoming term. Next meeting January 17, 2021.
WORSHIP OPPORTUNITY AT HOPE!! Wednesdays at 10:00 AM there will be worship in the parking lot for all those who wish to join us for prayer, a brief homily and study of Scripture and sharing in the Eucharist.
HYMN REQUESTS If there are any particular hymns that you would like to hear at worship, please submit the names to Pastor Jen at hopeluthern1@comcast.net. If our licensing agreement permits, look forward to hearing them soon.
HOPES AND DREAMS FOR HOPE – If you have a suggestion for a Hope or Dream for Hope Lutheran Church, Pastor Jen and your council would love to hear it. Please feel free to place any Hope or Dream in the mailbox in the hallway leading to the Fellowship Hall. All requests will be kept confidential and you will receive a timely response.
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