A word from Pastor Marlin Otte


Good News of Great Joy For All The People

"And the angel said to them, ‘Don’t be afraid! I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord.’" Luke 2:10,11 

 

 

In Advent we celebrate Christ the King of all nations. The King who will come once again, this time to judge all people, the living and the dead.

At Christmas, we celebrate the greatest gift of all time: the birth of Jesus the Christ as Savior and Lord of all people. It is interesting that Christmas is almost observed the world around, even in countries where Christianity is a distinct minority. It truly has an universal appeal.

Jesus, his disciples and each generation following shared "the good news of great joy for all people" with everyone they encountered. Those believers told the next generation, which told the next generation, which told the next generation until it finally got to the generation that told you and me. A favorite saying in missions is that "Christianity is always one generation away from being extinct". If our generation fails to pass it on, it may be lost.

 At ORL we have many special worship events to which you can invite friends and tell of your Christmas joy. Despite the commercialization, even the secular world joins us in lifting up the name of Christ and at least alluding to the real meaning of Christmas (you can’t spell Christmas without Christ). Because of this, those who do not have a church home are much more inclined to visit and accept your invitations at Christmas. This Advent/Christmas/Epiphany we are offering several ways for you to celebrate the "good news of great joy for all the people" and to make sure the next generation knows Jesus as their Savior.

 In Advent we celebrate Christ the King of all nations. The King who will come once again, this time to judge all people, the living and the dead.

At Christmas, we celebrate the greatest gift of all time: the birth of Jesus the Christ as Savior and Lord of all people. It is interesting that Christmas is almost observed the world around, even in countries where Christianity is a distinct minority. It truly has an universal appeal.

Jesus, his disciples and each generation following shared "the good news of great joy for all people" with everyone they encountered. Those believers told the next generation, which told the next generation, which told the next generation until it finally got to the generation that told you and me. A favorite saying in missions is that "Christianity is always one generation away from being extinct". If our generation fails to pass it on, it may be lost.

 At ORL we have many special worship events to which you can invite friends and tell of your Christmas joy. Despite the commercialization, even the secular world joins us in lifting up the name of Christ and at least alluding to the real meaning of Christmas (you can’t spell Christmas without Christ). Because of this, those who do not have a church home are much more inclined to visit and accept your invitations at Christmas. This Advent/Christmas/Epiphany we are offering several ways for you to celebrate the "good news of great joy for all the people" and to make sure the next generation knows Jesus as their Savior.

 

 

 

  1. On Dec. 20th we will have our "Friendship Sunday". The theme we have chosen is " Magnify the Lord & Rejoice". It is taken from the gospel for that day: Luke 1: 39-55, sometimes referred to as Mary’s "Magnificat". We will have special music, liturgy & sharing along with refreshments between the services. For all of our Advent/Christmas/Epiphany worship services we greatly encourage you to invite friends, neighbors or relatives to worship with us. The Mid-Week Advent Services on Dec. 2, 9 & 16 have a theme of "In Thy Dark Streets Shineth" and include simple worship an dramatic readings. Christmas Eve, Dec. 24th has the Children’s Program at 6:30 pm and the "Service of Angles" 11 pm candlelight communion service. The Christmas Day "The Nativity of Our Lord" carol service at 10:30 am also has Holy Communion and each family receives a white Christmas rose. A rose in winter symbolizes the miracle of God made human on Christmas.
  2.  On January 6 we celebrate "Gentile Christmas" or "The Epiphany of Our Lord". It celebrates the visit of the Wise Men and the fact that Jesus came for all people. The wise men were the first non-Jews to worship Jesus as Lord. 
  3. On January 17, 2010 we will once again celebrate Global Missions Sunday. This is an opportunity to celebrate the worldwide ministry that you carry on through the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. "God’s work ~ Our Hands". Hugh, Paulette & I saw first hand that global sharing of Christ in Africa. 
  4. In January we also observe The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. It is always observed between Jan 18, "The Confession of St. Peter" and Jan. 25, "The Conversion of St. Paul". This year we will celebrate our Christian Unity on Jan. 24th by once again having a Joint Eucharist with 1st United Methodist. At the church wide assembly in August the ELCA gave final approval for full pulpit and altar fellowship with the United Methodist Church. Last year (when there was interim sharing) the service was held at ORL with Pastor Long preaching. This year I will preach at 1st UMC.

 

 Jane and I send Christ’s Christmas joy & good news from our family to yours - "to YOU is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah , the Lord"! May we now faithfully share it with all the people in our world and celebrate Christmas by sharing Christ with others.

Take Care & Share,

Pastor Otte

 

 

 

 

We Have Been to the Mountain Top! by Tom Logan

Jocelyn and I returned Monday, November 9th, after 9 weeks in Malawi, a country where two-thirds of the population make 41 cents a day or less.

Marion Medical Mission’s purpose is to share the love of Christ. We do this by working in a horizontal relationship with our southeastern Africa partners in Malawi, Tanzania and Zambia to provide the extreme poor with a sustainable source of safe drinking water.

Our 2009 goal was to build 2,000 wells that could provide 400,000 of the extreme poor in Africa (240,000 children) with a sustainable source of safe drinking water. The Shallow Well can only be effectively built at the end of the dry season just before the rains come when the ground water is at its lowest point of the year. This gives us a little more than 2 months each year to build these wells. Construction on the first well did not start until the first week of September.

MMM’s 2009 mission trip to Africa was the most remarkable ever. It was intense, tough, difficult, dangerous and fulfilling. There were 35 American volunteers divided up into two teams. Each team arrived in Malawi on a Sunday and had an all-day training on Monday.  As well as reviewing the emergency and evacuation procedures, they were assigned 4-wheel drive pickup trucks, cell phones, GPS units, cameras, printers, pipe wrenches, hack saws, ratchet straps, bungee cords, etc. Each team was on the ground in Africa for three weeks working hand-in-hand with African Shallow Well Coordinators, Field Officers, Installation Supervisors and the village communities building Shallow Wells to provide the extreme poor with a sustainable source of safe drinking water. The prayers of many were felt and answered; they kept us safe. There were many close calls yet no serious accidents (a miracle in itself).

This is a world of mountains and valleys. We must go through the valleys to get to the mountains–and then the mountains must be climbed–and it isn’t easy. Looking up from the bottom, the mountains seem too high—and we forget it’s just a matter taking one step at a time; then another and another. And before we know it God has placed us on the mountain top and 2,066 Shallow Wells have been built and 2006 pumps installed; all in 9 weeks!

Uchindami Kwa Chiuta–Glory be to God. 2066 wells built in 9 weeks!!

MMM started in 1985–we’ve been around for 24 remarkable years. We are small but powerful because of God’s blessings.  We’ve been involved in the extraordinary; in the miraculous, not just once, but time and time again.

2010 will be the 25th Anniversary of Marion Medical Mission and the 20th Anniversary of the Shallow Well Program. We will have a Reunion/Celebration in Marion on July 17th concluding with worship together on Sunday morning July 18th. Mark your calendars now!! Join us in Marion on July 17.

We ask your help as we plan this event–let us know as soon as you can that you will attend–like today! Call or email Hanna Hjord at 618 997-5365 hanna.hjord@gmail.com

Jocelyn and I returned Monday, November 9th, after 9 weeks in Malawi, a country where two-thirds of the population make 41 cents a day or less.
Marion Medical Mission’s purpose is to share the love of Christ. We do this by working in a horizontal relationship with our southeastern Africa partners in Malawi, Tanzania and Zambia to provide the extreme poor with a sustainable source of safe drinking water.
Our 2009 goal was to build 2,000 wells that could provide 400,000 of the extreme poor in Africa (240,000 children) with a sustainable source of safe drinking water. The Shallow Well can only be effectively built at the end of the dry season just before the rains come when the ground water is at its lowest point of the year. This gives us a little more than 2 months each year to build these wells. Construction on the first well did not start until the first week of September.
MMM’s 2009 mission trip to Africa was the most remarkable ever. It was intense, tough, difficult, dangerous and fulfilling. There were 35 American volunteers divided up into two teams. Each team arrived in Malawi on a Sunday and had an all-day training on Monday.  As well as reviewing the emergency and evacuation procedures, they were assigned 4-wheel drive pickup trucks, cell phones, GPS units, cameras, printers, pipe wrenches, hack saws, ratchet straps, bungee cords, etc. Each team was on the ground in Africa for three weeks working hand-in-hand with African Shallow Well Coordinators, Field Officers, Installation Supervisors and the village communities building Shallow Wells to provide the extreme poor with a sustainable source of safe drinking water. The prayers of many were felt and answered; they kept us safe. There were many close calls yet no serious accidents (a miracle in itself).
This is a world of mountains and valleys. We must go through the valleys to get to the mountains–and then the mountains must be climbed–and it isn’t easy. Looking up from the bottom, the mountains seem too high—and we forget it’s just a matter taking one step at a time; then another and another. And before we know it God has placed us on the mountain top and 2,066 Shallow Wells have been built and 2006 pumps installed; all in 9 weeks!
Uchindami Kwa Chiuta–Glory be to God. 2066 wells built in 9 weeks!!
MMM started in 1985–we’ve been around for 24 remarkable years. We are small but powerful because of God’s blessings.  We’ve been involved in the extraordinary; in the miraculous, not just once, but time and time again.
2010 will be the 25th Anniversary of Marion Medical Mission and the 20th Anniversary of the Shallow Well Program. We will have a Reunion/Celebration in Marion on July 17th concluding with worship together on Sunday morning July 18th. Mark your calendars now!! Join us in Marion on July 17.
We ask your help as we plan this event–let us know as soon as you can that you will attend–like today! Call or email Hanna Hjord at 618 997

Upcoming Events:

Sunday, September 5, 2010
8:00 am Worship
9:15 am Sunday School
10:30 am Worship
12:00 pm Connections
Monday, September 6, 2010
Church Office Closed
Labor Day
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
Soup Kitchen
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
Soup Kitchen
4:00 pm Confirmation
6:00 pm Fellowship Meal
6:30 pm Pause and Praise Worship Service
7:30 pm Adult Choir Practice
Thursday, September 9, 2010
Soup Kitchen
Friday, September 10, 2010
Soup Kitchen
8:00 am T.O.P.S.
Saturday, September 11, 2010
All-Church Yard Sale
8:00 am Lutheran Men in Mission
Sunday, September 12, 2010
Rally Day
8:00 am Worship
9:15 am Sunday School
10:30 am Worship
6:00 pm Inquiry Class

Lectionary Texts:

September 5, 2010 Ordinary 23:
First Reading: Deuteronomy 30:15-20
Psalm: Psalm 1
Second Reading: Philemon 1-21
Gospel Reading: Luke 14:25-33
September 5, 2010 Ordinary 23 Semicontinuous:
First Reading: Jeremiah 18:1-11
Psalm: Psalm 139:1-6, 13-18
September 12, 2010 Ordinary 24:
First Reading: Exodus 32:7-14
Psalm: Psalm 51:1-10
Second Reading: 1 Timothy 1:12-17
Gospel Reading: Luke 15:1-10
September 12, 2010 Ordinary 24 Semicontinuous:
First Reading: Jeremiah 4:11-12, 22-28
Psalm: Psalm 14

RCL (C) 1992 The Consultation on Common Texts used by permission


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