Redeemer - St. John's Lutheran Church

"Gracious God, keep us working and praying for the day when your justice will roll down like waters, and your righteousness like an ever-flowing stream. Replenish our strength and stir up our hope as we look for signs of your coming reign. And fill us with the peace that passes understanding—the deep peace of Jesus Christ our Savior, in whose holy name we pray. Amen." ("A Prayer of Lament," ACS, p. 61)

We will celebrate All Saints on Saturday, November 4, 2023 at 5PM with a potluck to follow.

Today is Reformation Sunday! Let us pray: "Gracious God, we pray for your holy catholic church. Fill it with all truth and peace. Where it is corrupt, purify it; where it is in error, direct it; where in anything it is amiss, reform it; where it is right, strengthen it; where it is in need, provide for it; where it is divided, reunite it; for the sake of your Son, Jesus Christ, our Savior, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen" (ELW, p. 73).

A prayer for peace among the nations
"Gracious God, grant peace among nations. Cleanse from our own hearts the seeds of strife: greed and envy, harsh misunderstandings and ill will, fear and desire for revenge. Make us quick to welcome ventures in cooperation among the peoples of the world, so that there may be woven the fabric of a common good too strong to be torn by the evil hands of war. In the time of opportunity, make us be diligent; and in the time of peril, let not our courage fail; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen." (ELW, p. 76)

We join Pope Francis and the Church in the Holy Land in a day of prayer and fasting for peace in the region. Jesus, Prince of Peace, pray for us.

In a letter to Bishop Dr. Sani Ibrahim-Azar of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land, Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton offers the support, prayers and advocacy efforts of the ELCA saying, “I pledge our accompaniment and support to you as the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land and its ministries provide ‘critical and timely assistance [psychological and otherwise] to those affected by this war.’”
Read Bishop Eaton’s letter: https://bit.ly/ELCA_ELCJHL
Read Bishop Dr. Azar’s statement: https://bit.ly/3POV53Y

Come, ye thankful people, come; raise the song of harvest home. All be safely gathered in ere the winter storms begin. God, our maker, doth provide for our wants to be supplied. Come to God’s own temple, come, raise the song of harvest home. (ELW 693)

Amen!

Today we celebrate Holy Cross Day! "Lift high the cross, the love of Christ proclaim till all the world adore his sacred name. (ELW, 660)"

A Pastoral Message from Bishop Egensteiner:

“Good morning, dear ones,

For me, there were many reminders of the 22nd anniversary of September 11, 2001. For some, it is one of those days that is frozen in our memories, which is to say we relive it on an annual basis, remembering where we were when we heard the news, how we felt, what we did, what we saw. And our minds play out the following hours and days as the impact of those acts of terrorism unfolded.

As a lifelong New Yorker, I was so proud of the way the residents of this city and the surrounding area stepped up in a rare spirit of unity to help. I am especially proud of the way First Responders, chaplains, medical personnel, and others mobilized in a spirit of determination and care, putting aside personal needs for the greater good of our community. Some days, especially in the deep divisions with which we live in our country today, those days seem like so long ago. But that same Spirit is just under the surface of the struggles we now face. As people of faith, I pray we tap into that Spirit, God’s Spirit, that enables us to look beyond our differences to the beauty of our identity as God’s people, to see the face of Jesus in one another and, once again, to see more clearly that which unites us instead of that which divides us. In truth, this is what we work for in our Church every day.

I pray for the renewal and newness of our world, our country, and our Church — for the fulfillment of God’s promise: I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old ones shall dream dreams and your young ones shall see visions. In those days, I will pour out my Spirit (Joel 2).

I hope you know I am grateful for each one of you, and the work God has entrusted into our hands together.

Peace in Christ,
+ Bishop Paul Egensteiner"

"Lord, make us instruments of your peace. 🙏 Where there is hatred, let us sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is discord, union; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; where there is sadness, joy. Grant that we may not so much seek to be consoled as to console; to be understood as to understand; to be loved as to love. For it is in giving that we receive; it is in pardoning that we are pardoned; and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life. Amen. (ELW, p. 87)"

Former student of Redeemer St. John's Nursery School, Giada Aloise, now a Girl Scout with Troop 2231 gave back to her community. She has completed her Silver Award project which is the highest award a Girl Scout Cadette can earn. She removed rust and painted 158 feet of Redeemer St. John's wrough iron fence for our parish.

"O God, source of all goodness: We give you thanks for the gift of reason and the opportunity for education. Bless our schools, that they may be places of learning and safety where teachers challenge the minds and nurture the hearts of students. Grant that teachers and students may work together in mutual respect and find joy in the challenges of academic life; through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen." (ELW, p. 78)

On Memorial Day, we remember, honor and give thanks for those in the armed forces who have given their lives for the sake of peace, justice and freedom. Almighty God, you are our strength and our shield. We give you thanks for the members of our armed forces past and present, and especially for those who have died while serving. May their sacrifices serve the cause of peace, and may our nation be ever grateful for their service. With your wisdom and strength guide our military’s leaders and give to all people a desire for justice and peace. We pray in the name of Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen. ("Resources for Memorial Day," Sundays and Seasons)

Jesus describes the Holy Spirit as living water, quenching the thirst of all who come to him and filling the hearts of believers until they overflow.

Today we celebrate the Ascension of Our Lord. On Ascension Day, the 40th day after Easter, we celebrate Christ's ascension into heaven (or cosmos, as Martin Luther believed) after he was resurrected. Ascension Day doesn't mean that Jesus is no longer with us, rather that "in the mystery of the resurrection, humanity is brought alive to God" (from "Keeping Time: The Church's Years").

Today we commemorate Julian of Norwich, renewer of the church, who died on this date around 1416. When she was about 30, Julian (or Juliana) reported visions that she later compiled into a book, Sixteen Revelations of Divine Love. Her visions revealed that the meaning of religious experience is love, provided by Christ, who is love, for the purpose of love.

Let us pray. "In you, [God], we have our preservation and our bliss. In you, Christ, we have our restoring and our saving. You are our mother, brother, and savior. In you, our Lord the Holy Spirit, is marvelous and plenteous grace. You are our clothing; for love you wrap us and embrace us. You are our maker, our lover, our keeper. Teach us to believe that by your grace all shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of things shall be well" ("A Prayer of Julian of Norwich," ELW, p. 87).

👇

11 Days in the "Footsteps of Jesus"- Journey to the Holy Land - April 09 - 19, 2024 from New York, NY (JFK) - With Metropolitan New York Synod of the ELCA led by Bishop Paul Egensteiner and Pastor Khader Khalilia
It will be an amazing experience!

Scroll down at the link to get to the brochure.

11 Days in the Pre-tour extension to Egypt April 06 - 10, 2024Package price: $990.00 per person Day 1: Saturday Departure from USA Depart for your overnight flight to Egypt. Meals will be served on board. Day 2: Sunday Arrival Hotel Transfer Arrive in Cairo Airport me

St. Mark

St. Mark the Evangelist (1st c.) was born to Jewish parents living in Libya in North Africa, later settling in Cana of Galilee not far from Jerusalem. Mark became one of the 70 disciples of Jesus and the author of the Gospel that bears his name. According to tradition, St. Peter the Apostle was married to a relative of St. Mark's father, and after Mark's father died, Peter looked after him like his own son. Being a close disciple of St. Peter, the first Bishop of Rome, Mark's Gospel is addressed to Gentile converts to the Christian faith living in Rome. Most of what we know about his life and missionary activity is recorded in the New Testament. He traveled to Egypt and founded the Church there, and was martyred c. 68 A.D. by being dragged through the streets of Alexandria until his body was torn to pieces. His feast day is April 25.

Happy Easter! Christ is risen!

When the sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, so that they might go and anoint him. And very early on the first day of the week, when the sun had risen, they went to the tomb. They had been saying to one another, “Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance to the tomb?” When they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had already been rolled back. As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man, dressed in a white robe, sitting on the right side; and they were alarmed. But he said to them, “Do not be alarmed; you are looking for Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has been raised; he is not here. Look, there is the place they laid him. But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see him, just as he told you.” So they went out and fled from the tomb, for terror and amazement had seized them; and they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid. (Mark 16:1-8)

Maundy Thursday, April 6th- Foot washing and Holy Communion at 7 pm
· Good Friday, April 7th- Stations of the Cross at 7 pm
· Easter Sunday, April 9th - Breakfast at 9:15 am, Service at 10:30 am with special music. There will be an Easter piñata immediately after service. All children are invited!

"For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life. Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him” (John 3:16-17).

Join us for Ash Wednesday service on February 22nd at 7:00 p.m.

Today is Epiphany! 🌟 Let us pray:
O God, on this day you revealed your Son to the nations by the leading of a star. Lead us now by faith to know your presence in our lives, and bring us at last to the full vision of your glory, through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen (ELW, p. 21).

Today is the twelfth and final day of Christmas.

https://elca.org/News-and-Events/8180?fbclid=IwAR0mSXK-LUQKgYmZRbxWBiiXS7FXIkFyNSVh9VCwygQ0PipvuP24CUSTH4E&mibextid=Zxz2cZ

ELCA presiding bishop issues message on death of Pope Benedict XVI The ELCA is one of the largest Christian denominations in the United States, with more than 3.8 million members. "God's work. Our hands."

Happy New Year!! 🎆🎇 Receive and share this New Year's blessing!
God the Creator who delights in you, Jesus the Savior who is born for you, and the life-giving spirit who shines on you, bless you and keep you in hope and peace. 💛