Greetings children of God.

Acts 8:26-31 – Then an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Get up and go toward the south to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” (This is a wilderness road.) So, he got up and went. Now there was an Ethiopian eunuch, a court official of the Candace, the queen of the Ethiopians, in charge of her entire treasury. He had come to Jerusalem to worship and was returning home; seated in his chariot, he was reading the prophet Isaiah. Then the Spirit said to Philip, “Go over to this chariot and join it.” So, Philip ran up to it and heard him reading the prophet Isaiah. He asked, “Do you understand what you are reading?” He replied, “How can I, unless someone guides me?” And he invited Philip to get in and sit beside him. 

I love this scripture for a few reasons. One is Philip’s obedience; he was told by an angel of the Lord to go, and he went. He was told by the Spirit to go, and he went. The first time Philip was told to go, it was down a wilderness road where there was nothing. Yet, when Philip is on the road, he encounters the Ethiopian eunuch. The second time Philip was told to go, he ran up to the Ethiopian eunuch’s chariot and asked the eunuch if he understood what he was reading, which led the eunuch to invite Philip into the chariot. Both instances were filled with the unknown. The first being down a wilderness road where there was nothing, where most would not expect anything fruitful to come or be found, yet it did. God knew this, which is why God’s angel prompted Philip to go. The next was Philip not only approaching the eunuch’s chariot but engaging the eunuch in conversation. In either instance, something could’ve gone wrong. Travelling alone, Philip could’ve been attacked on the wilderness road by wild animals or by bandits. And the eunuch could’ve feared Philip may have tried to attack him and responded to protect himself.

How obedient are you when you feel God prompting you to do something or to talk with someone? How often do you reason why you shouldn’t do something because when you look at the situation, you don’t believe anything good can come from it? How often do you talk yourself out of talking with someone because you don’t think anything good can come from it? You’re not alone. There are many out there who do this. I know I’ve done it. But not doing what God prompts us to do, not talking to someone God prompts us to talk to is basically a lack of faith and trust in God. Moving forward, when you feel the Spirit prompting you to go somewhere or to talk with someone, I encourage you to be bold and obedient like Philip. There’s no telling whose life may be changed in a positive way if you do.

Angi is holding a painting fundraiser on May 9 for Victoria, our former custodian, to help with her finances as she had to retire due to a medical condition. There’s a sign-up sheet in the coatroom.

We have a home bound member in Fremont that would like to come to worship on Sunday mornings but are not able to drive. If you would be willing to help and provide transportation, please let me know.

If you have a child that will be graduating this year, please let Pastor Tim know.

God’s blessings,

Pastor Tim

Greetings children of God,

“Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light”
(Matthew 11:28-30)

These words from Jesus have long been a source of comfort and assurance. These are the words that I memorized as a Sunday School student. These are the words that I am privileged to pronounce when a stole is placed upon the shoulders of a brand-new pastor in the Service of Ordination. I was most recently blessed to speak these words when Pastor Melanie Forrey was ordained on January 6, 2024, at Zoar Lutheran Church in Perrysburg. These are also the words that were spoken, when a new red stole was placed on my own shoulders almost 28 years ago by Bishop James Rave. I can still hear the echo of his strong, deep voice, “Come to me all you that are weary…”.

In these verses from St. Matthew, Jesus promises to give rest to those who are weary and burdened. And that word, weary, is a word that strikes me. Jesus doesn’t use the word tired, but the word weary. And there is a difference between being tired and being weary. When you’re tired a good night’s sleep brings needed refreshment and relief. When you’re weary, it takes more than a good night’s rest, it takes the rest that only Jesus can give, which is a rest for the soul. “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls” (Matthew 11:29). So may you find rest in the one who calls you to come to receive the love and the rest that only Jesus can provide.

Let us pray, “Blessed Jesus, we are weary, and we are burdened, Carrying so many worries and cares. And then you bid us to come to you. To learn from you. To love like you. Lead us to be gentle with ourselves and others. Help us to be humble in heart. That in you, always and ever in you, we may truly find rest for our souls. This we pray in the name of Jesus. Crucified and Risen for the world”. Amen ~ Bishop Daniel Beaudoin

NWOS 2024: The Year of Rest

As we prepare for the new year, we invite you into 2024: The Year of Rest. Time and time again God calls us into rest through scripture. We read stories of Jesus retreating into the hills, journeys being paused, and creation being celebrated with rest. So what does it mean for God’s people to engage in rest? Throughout 2024 we will explore this question, not just through sleep or vacation time, but through little moments each day that nourish and renew us. Instead of our traditional daily Bible reading guide we invite you to engage in daily rest practices, using the seven types of active rest. By grounding these practices in a weekly Bible verse, we pray this guide will help you discover moments of rest and peace.

Learn more about the7 Types of Active Rest (Video)

Learn more about the7 Types of Active Rest (Article)

Our grounding verses for January are brought to us by Shea McGrew, treasurer of the Synod Council. Here’s what he had to say when asked how he rests:

January 2024 Rest Calendar

I wish I had developed good habits for getting rest and renewing myself many years ago, but it didn’t happen. My career was consuming, involving extensive travel and many late nights and early mornings. When I was home, there was the press of family activities, church involvements, and a job that required me to be on top of things and available. Today, while I have multiple jobs (two, both part-time) and some volunteer commitments, there is more time and no good excuse for not having habits for rest and renewal. I have a hard time slowing down, but two things force me into that mode: 1) prayer time and 2) exercise. Prayer time is essential, and mine is in the evening. God, I suspect, doesn’t want me to enter into that time rushed and distracted, so I try to calm down and pray slowly and purposefully, and then just try to be silent for a while and open myself to what God might want to put on my mind or heart. Exercise (usually running), while not rest in the normal sense, actually produces a slow-down in me. When finished, I have worked out some physical anxiety and I am more alert for the rest of the day. This is all about habits and discipline, I know, and those two things renew me in a way nothing else does. ~ Shea McGrew