ELC High School Ministry Kick-Off Gathering
Sunday, September 8th 11:30 a.m. (during the Community Celebration)
– There will be tables set aside for High School Youth and interested adults, where we can share our meal and talk about our hopes for this new year.
– Bring your ideas: What inspires you? What gifts do you have to share? What topics would you like to discuss? What fun things would you like to do? What role can you play in making it happen?
“In the beginning” This week at ELC
We begin a new Sunday School year at the very beginning of the Bible as we consider God’s good creation and our place of honor within it. God speaks and the world comes to be, and without that breath we are nothing.
Traditional worship begins at 8:30 a.m. as we welcome the ELC Senior choir’s return.
Parents and children are invited to the Sunday School Open House at 9:30 a.m. Find out what’s new and meet your friends and neighbors.
Contemporary Worship will gather in the big tent at 10:30 a.m. where you’ll be encouraged to sing, pray, discuss, and create around the table with friends and family.
Community Festival meal will begin serving at 11:30 a.m. — while we enjoy music, fellowship and children’s activities.
September 8, 2013
Genesis 1:1-2:4a
Key Verse: “So God created humankind in his image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.” Genesis 1:27
Time: before 2500 BCE
Background: This account of creation is a poetic story that informs us about God’s relationship with creation. God is a gifted artist, who pours heart and soul into all that God creates. Like an artist, God is intimately attached to creation, especially to humankind. Humans were created in the image of God, so each human born reflects the beautiful nature of God back to the world.
Whether or not the story is to be literally interpreted is up to you. We can, however, take from the story that God has fingerprints on everything that we can see, feel, hear, taste, and even conceive or dream. Nothing in God’s creation is accidental.
Community: What is your community doing to nurture and care for creation? This includes the planet: growing fields, lakes, rivers, seas, and skies. It includes animals, sea creatures, birds, and insects. It also includes all people. Research one thing this week that your community is doing to nurture creation, and become involved.
At Home: What is one change you can make this week to take better care of yourself. Is it for your emotional, physical, or spiritual health?
Read This Week:
Sunday, Sep 8, Creation, Genesis 1:1-2:4a
Monday, Sep 9, A Second Account of Creation, Genesis 2:4b-25
Tuesday, Sep 10, The First Sin, Genesis 3:1-13
Wednesday, Sep 11, Punishment, Genesis 3:14-24
Thursday, Sep 12, Cain Murders Abel, Genesis 4:1-16
Friday, Sep 13, Beginnings of Civilization, Genesis 4:1-26
Saturday, Sep 14, A Son Promised to Abraham and Sarah, Genesis 18:1-15
Next Week: Sunday, Sep 15, Binding of Isaac, Genesis 21:1-3; 22:1-14
To Stand Firm — This week at ELC
Last week my family and I attended a ‘renaissance fair’ and saw young men dressed in full armor battle for the crowd in the jousting arena. While that armor is impressive in a way, it is a far cry from the real armor that Ephesians describes. For while the physical armor of the ancient warrior might be an impressive sight, it is sadly over-matched on today’s battlefield. Our ‘spiritual armor’ of truth, righteousness, proclamation of peace, faith, salvation, and God’s word are ultimately more lasting and more powerful.
Worship this week: Saturday 5:00 p.m. in the chapel
Sunday 8:30 a.m. Traditional Worship
10:00 a.m. Contemporary Worship
Armor of God
September 1, 2013
Ephesians 6:10-20
Key Verse: “Put on the whole armor of God, so that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.” Ephesians 6:11
Time: about 62 A.D.
Background: Paul used imagery of weapons and war to describe the battles that rage on the earth between good and evil. He encouraged the community of faith to adorn themselves with weapons of spirit: truth, righteousness, proclamation of peace, faith, salvation, and God’s word. With these, the “spiritual forces of evil” (6:12) could be fought. Paul recognized that the battles that mattered were not physical battles between people, but spiritual battles that could only be fought and won by the power of God.
Community: What spiritual battles are being lost in your community? How might you make a difference to those in your community so that those battles can be turned? Who will you rally? What spiritual weapons will you use?
At Home: How does battle imagery inform your understanding of good and evil? What other images might help move you to action against such evils as poverty, abuse, hunger, or injustice?
Read This Week:
Monday: Temptation of Christ, Luke 4:5-8
Tuesday: Example of Paul, Philippians 3:1-16
Wednesday: Imitating Christ, Philippians 3:17-4:1
Thursday: Exhortation, Philippians 4:2-9
Friday: Philippian Gift, Philippians 4:10-20
Saturday: Conclusion, Philippians 4:21-23
Next Week: Creation, Genesis 1:1-2:4a
One Lord, one faith, one baptism This week at ELC
Rather than focus on the differences and disagreements, Paul calls upon the church to remember what holds us together and build one another up in love.
Worship this week: Saturday 5:00 p.m. in the Chapel
Sunday 8:30 a.m. – Traditional Worship
10:00 a.m. – Contemporary Worship
We look forward to having Pastor Brent Christianson of Lutheran Campus Center at the University of Wisconsin- Madison. The campus ministry is our benevolence partner for the month of August.
Unity of the Church
August 25, 2013
Ephesians 4:1-16
Key Verses: “There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope of your calling, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all.” Ephesians 4:4-6
Time: about 62 A.D.
Background: Continuing Paul’s theme of working to unify, rather than divide the church, this letter called all Christians to be united under “one Lord, one faith, one baptism.” (4:5) He exalted the various gifts of those in the community of faith, emphasizing the benefits of all the gifts. He also called the community to hold one another accountable, and to grow in faith and maturity.
Community: Where do your community’s differences cause division? How does Christ’s saving work affect how your community works together?
At Home: Often, when other people bother us, it’s an indication that there is something unsettled within ourselves. See if you can identify this week what is stirring inside of you when you find yourself bothered by another’s differences. What might you do to change your perspective?
Read This Week:
Monday: Christ’s Ascension, Luke 24:49-53
Tuesday: Prayer, Philippians 1:1-11
Wednesday: Paul’s Circumstances, Philippians 1:12-30
Thursday: Christ’s Example, Philippians 2:1-11
Friday: Duties of Christians, Philippians 2:12-18
Saturday: Timothy and Epaphroditus, Philippians 2:19-30
Next Week: Armor of God, Ephesians 6:10-20
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