Sweet the Moments, Rich in Blessing The Christian … · “In Remembrance of Me” I Corinthians...
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Sweet the Moments, Rich in Blessing In his Lenten hymn by this title, Walter Shirley invites us to times of contemplation at the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. In stanza two (Ambassador Hymnal #68) we are reminded, “Truly blessed is this station, low before His cross to lie, while we see divine com- passion beaming in His gracious eye.” The author Shirley, a Protestant friend of Wesley and Whitefield, saw the devotional value of “loving contemplation”, certainly a worthy spiritual exer- cise during the Lenten Season. It was in Jerusalem some years ago that Barbara and I walked the Via Dolorosa, the way of sorrow, as millions of Christian pilgrims have done over the centuries. The fourteen Stations of the Cross mark the pathway, and although we were with a tour group that had to “keep moving”, the experience of walking where Jesus car- ried His cross was very meaningful. Churches throughout the world have sought to reenact that experience by including the Sta- tions of the Cross in their sanctuaries. One of the local opportuni- ties to experience this is at the chapel at what is now Bastyr Uni- versity in Kenmore. This beautiful building, now a popular venue for concerts because of its excellent acoustics, still has the Stations of the Cross for “loving contemplation” in its interior space. With its choir seating, I often am focused on one of the Stations of the Cross on the opposite wall as I listen to the concert, often with great sacred music. Of course, we don’t have to be in such a setting to lovingly con- template what Jesus did for us on the cross. We can meditate on the Scriptures that convey the suffering of our Lord on our behalf. We can be drawn into contemplation by moving music by gifted musicians that leads us to the cross. We may also be inspired by the visual arts as Jesus is portrayed as the suffering Servant before our eyes in painting and sculpture. The means God uses may be varied, but the intended focus is to bring us to “see divine compas- sion beaming in His gracious eye.” For although we will see both divine justice and divine mercy fully demonstrated on the cross, God’s purpose is always to draw us in and not to drive us away. That is why this time beneath the cross, though at times painful, ultimately fits Walter Shirley’s description, “Sweet the moments, rich in blessing, which before the cross we spend, life and health and peace possessing, from the sinner’s dying Friend.” Contemplating with you, The Christian Connection Our Redeemer Lutheran Church 11611 NE 140th St. Kirkland, WA 98034 425.821.2424 www.orlckirkland.org Volume XXIV, Issue 3 March 2018 The purpose of Our Redeemer Lutheran Church is to worship God in a Bible-based, Christ- centered ministry, evangelizing, discipling, nurturing and equipping people for the spiritual well- being of every life. ORLCKIRKLAND Vote to Call Mission Letter Sermon Themes Lenten Schedule Easter Chimers Volunteer Schedule Birthdays Church Chat Thank you Ameeta! Inside this issue: Handbell Choir Would you like to join us Easter Sunday? Festival Sunday ringing celebrating Christ's resurrection! Rehearse 8:45 A.M. April 1. Ring in 9:30 worship. Thank you, Barbara Moland, Director
Transcript of Sweet the Moments, Rich in Blessing The Christian … · “In Remembrance of Me” I Corinthians...
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Sweet the Moments, Rich in Blessing
In his Lenten hymn by this title, Walter Shirley invites us to times of contemplation at the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. In stanza two (Ambassador Hymnal #68) we are reminded, “Truly blessed is this station, low before His cross to lie, while we see divine com-passion beaming in His gracious eye.” The author Shirley, a Protestant friend of Wesley and Whitefield, saw the devotional value of “loving contemplation”, certainly a worthy spiritual exer-cise during the Lenten Season.
It was in Jerusalem some years ago that Barbara and I walked the Via Dolorosa, the way of sorrow, as millions of Christian pilgrims have done over the centuries. The fourteen Stations of the Cross mark the pathway, and although we were with a tour group that had to “keep moving”, the experience of walking where Jesus car-ried His cross was very meaningful. Churches throughout the world have sought to reenact that experience by including the Sta-tions of the Cross in their sanctuaries. One of the local opportuni-ties to experience this is at the chapel at what is now Bastyr Uni-versity in Kenmore. This beautiful building, now a popular venue for concerts because of its excellent acoustics, still has the Stations of the Cross for “loving contemplation” in its interior space. With its choir seating, I often am focused on one of the Stations of the Cross on the opposite wall as I listen to the concert, often with great sacred music.
Of course, we don’t have to be in such a setting to lovingly con-template what Jesus did for us on the cross. We can meditate on the Scriptures that convey the suffering of our Lord on our behalf. We can be drawn into contemplation by moving music by gifted musicians that leads us to the cross. We may also be inspired by the visual arts as Jesus is portrayed as the suffering Servant before our eyes in painting and sculpture. The means God uses may be varied, but the intended focus is to bring us to “see divine compas-sion beaming in His gracious eye.” For although we will see both divine justice and divine mercy fully demonstrated on the cross, God’s purpose is always to draw us in and not to drive us away. That is why this time beneath the cross, though at times painful, ultimately fits Walter Shirley’s description, “Sweet the moments, rich in blessing, which before the cross we spend, life and health and peace possessing, from the sinner’s dying Friend.”
Contemplating with you,
Th
e C
hri
sti
an
Co
nn
ec
tio
n
Our Redeemer Lutheran Church
11611 NE 140th St. Kirkland, WA
98034
425.821.2424
www.orlckirkland.org
V o l u m e X X I V , I s s u e 3
M a r c h 2 0 1 8
The purpose of Our
Redeemer Lutheran
Church is to worship God
in a Bible-based, Christ-
centered ministry,
evangelizing, discipling,
nurturing and equipping
people for the spiritual
well- being of every life.
ORLCKIRKLAND
Vote to Call Mission Letter Sermon Themes Lenten Schedule Easter Chimers Volunteer Schedule Birthdays Church Chat Thank you Ameeta!
I n s i d e t h i s i s s u e :
Handbell Choir
Would you like to join us Easter Sunday? Festival
Sunday ringing celebrating Christ's resurrection!
Rehearse 8:45 A.M. April 1.
Ring in 9:30 worship.
Thank you,
Barbara Moland, Director
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Unanimous Vote to Call
ORLC’s congregational business meeting
on February 18 voted unanimously to send a pastoral call to
Nicholas Schultz to serve as pastor of Our Redeemer Luther-
an Church. The congregation met on February 25 to approve
the specifics.
Please pray for God’s leading and provision at this important
time.
Questions/suggestions may be addressed to the call commit-
tee: Betty Halvorson - Joe Bottem – Pastor Bob Rieth
News from our Missionaries in Mexico
February 2018
Dear praying friends,
For a number of you this winter saw record
cold temperatures. We set records for cold
temperatures here in Mexico as well. It got all
the way down to 38 degrees . . . . in the
house :) The actual temperature was about
10 degrees outside. So when people here
received the generous gift of a quilt made with
love by Quilters in AFLC churches in the USA you can be very certain that it was
HUGELY appreciated. Thank you for continuing to pray for the broken families and
broken lives of people in our church. And thank you to all of you who have been
able to support us with your gifts. They have been much appreciated.
In Jesus love,
Todd and Barb Schierkolk
Jerez, Zacatecas, Mexico
Choir Cantata
Palm Sunday – March 25
9:30 Worship Service
“Hallelujah! What a Savior!”
A combined choir from ORLC and The Door will present “Hallelujah! What a Savior!” to lead us in wor-ship on Palm Sunday March 25th at our 9:30 AM Worship Service. This cantata of beautiful and inspiring music and Scripture readings will be a great way to begin our Holy Week worship. Plan to come to worship our Savior with your
Hallelujahs!
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Sermon Themes
March 2018
9:30 AM Sundays
“Come, let us worship and bow down,
let us kneel before the Lord our God, our maker.”
Sunday, March 4
Worship Service with Holy Communion
“The Temple of His Body”
John 2:13-22
Celebrating God’s Presence
Sunday, March 11
Fourth Sunday in Lent
“Look to the Cross”
John 3:14-21
Coming to the Light of Christ
Sunday, March 18
Fifth Sunday in Lent
“The Fruit of Sacrifice”
John 12:20-33
Bearing Much Fruit
Sunday, March 25
Palm Sunday
Gloria Deo Choir Cantata
“Your King Is Coming”
John 12:12-15
Rejoicing in King Jesus
Welcome to worship and to times of refreshing in the
presence of our God.
Your presence, your heart, your voice will be a blessing to
others even as they are a blessing to you.
Come, let us worship!
Lenten Services 2018
Wednesdays
6:00pm Soup and Bread
7:00 pm Lenten Service
March 7
The Compassionate Word
“Behold Your Son...Behold Your Mother” John 19:26-27
March 14
The Suffering Word
“I Thirst” John 19:28
March 21
The Dying Word
“Father, Into Your Hands” Luke 23:46
March 29 Holy Thursday
Holy Communion
The Remembering Word
“In Remembrance of Me” I Corinthians 11:23-26
March 30 Good Friday
Tenebrae Service
The Fulfilled Word
“It Is Finished” John 19:30
April 1 Easter Sunday
The Vindicated Word
“He Is Risen” Matthew 28:6
Plan to come each week to hear Jesus’ words for you as
He speaks to our hearts from the Cross. “Sweet the mo-
ments, rich in blessing, which before the cross we
spend.” -Walter Shirley
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Volunteer Schedule
Please mark your calendars and if there are any conflicts with your schedule,
please find someone to fill your spot and let Kristine Dootson know of the sub-
stitution. If you are unable to find someone to switch with you, substitute vol-
unteers are Betty Halvorson @425-821-6477 and Kristine Dootson @425-753-
2020.
Date Nursery Sunday
School
Lay Read-
er
Flowers Coffee
3/4 Nancy Ostlund Kristine
Dootson
Duane Leach Open WMF
3/11 Pam Jussel Diana Daum Barbara
Moland
Open Open
3/18 Diana Daum Helen Long Pam Jussel Open Open
3/25 Ryan Douthit Barbara
Moland
Cheri
Sorenson
Open Open
March Birthdays
Piper Slonecker Mar. 21
Robert Paige Mar. 21
Ida Miller Mar. 22
Phyllis Swaffield Mar. 23
Bernie Kowalewski Mar.23
Martina Klecka Mar. 23
Naomi Moland Mar. 25
Michael David Hartlein Mar.29
Julie Marovich Mar. 31
Amber Kemmerling Mar. 31
March Birthdays
George Hartlein Mar. 3
Marty Crowther Mar. 4
Diana Daum Mar. 7
Kristine Dootson Mar. 7
Terry Luck Mar. 9
Sheila Bathurst Mar. 10
Bret Walden Mar. 14
Darlene Sterling Mar. 15
Nichole Clark Mar. 20
Griffin Watson Mar. 20
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Special heartfelt THANK YOU to Ameeta Chainani for producing/editing The Christian
Connection these past seven years. Ameeta has done this while working fulltime at Boeing, going to graduate school and volunteering with search and rescue operations. In addition, she has been in the application process for a new career op-
portunity and now will be moving from our com-munity to pursue her new job.
ORLC has been blessed to have the Chainani family in our midst these last twenty years.
Ameeta’s adult children have now also relocated to other parts of the country. God bless you and
make you a blessing wherever you go!
Missionaries Matthew and Ednay Abel
10:00 am Saturday Brunch
March 10, 2018
Matthew (Mafu) and Ednay will be with us for a missions brunch update on Satur-day, March 10, at 10:00 AM in the Chap-el. This wonderful young couple, grand-children of pioneer missionaries John
and Ruby Abel, will share about their op-portunities to serve Christ on the Brazili-
an mission field.
A free will offering will be received to
support their ministry.
Church Chat!
So happy to have Nancy Ostlund back after a long illness.
Residents at local adult family homes really enjoyed receiving the Valentine’s Cards prepared by ORLC
children on February 11th.
Sue Rosebrook’s granddaughters’ lives are JOY-full!
Joely has decided to attend Central Washington Uni-versity this fall.
Piper is in her sixth school play, this time, “Great Expectations”.
Jillian will be in her very first play in March.
Nancy Gould is recovering from a broken foot.
Set your clock ahead for worship in March 11th- we don’t want to miss you!
If you have a submission for church chat, please send it to [email protected]
Two Hearts Concert
Doug and Seiko Werts
Saturday, March 17
2:30 PM
Our Redeemer Lutheran Church
Seiko and Doug welcome you to share in a selection of their
compositions and also American and Japanese
traditional music. Admission is free – light refreshments will
follow.
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The Christian Connection is edited and published for ORLC . It is also available on our website
www.orlckirkland.org . If you do not want to receive it in your inbox, please let us know by emailing orlckirk-
K e e p i n g i n t o u c h w i t h t h e O R L C f a m i l y !
Our Redeemer Lutheran Church
11611 NE 140th St. Kirkland, WA 98034
Our Redeemer Easter Chimers
Children, kindergarten and up, are invited to join Our Redeemer Chimers on Easter Sunday, April 1st 9:15 am.
Rehearse Saturday, March 31, 5:00-6:00 PM.
For questions, call the ORLC office @ 425-821-2424 or Barbara Moland @ 425-821-3434
