HOLY CROSS LUTHERAN CHURCH NEWSLETTER November Issue 2015
All Saints Services Sunday, November 1, 2015 8:30 & 11:00 a.m.
Holy Communion Services Sunday, November 1 & 15, 2015 8:30 & 11:00 a.m.
Advent Praise Service Sunday, November 29, 2015 11:00 a.m.
By God’s Grace, we will be a caring, vibrant, diverse community of blessed believers, lovingly reaching out with the message of Jesus Christ. Vision Statement 2010
by Rev. Roland Syens, Pastor
THE HALLOWEEN THAT CHANGED THE WORLD ~ Thoughts on the Reformation It was on Halloween, October 31, 1517 when an Augustinian monk named Martin Luther posted on the castle church of Wittenburg, Germany his 95 theses. These were 95 reasons why paying indulgences (paying to have your sins forgiven) were wrong. This was the start of the Protestant Reformation which would change the world. The Christian World at that time was divided between Roman Catholicism in the west and Eastern Orthodoxy in the east. The Western World which, at that time, was most of Europe was held and controlled by the Roman Catholic Church. At that time the language of the church was Latin and the Bible was not allowed to be translated into any language except Latin and only the Clergy could have or read the Bible. All worship services were in Latin and there were no hymns. The church had become corrupt in many different areas and people were left in the dark, a reformation was needed. God brought change at just the right time through His servant Martin Luther. Luther saw that the church was moving away from the truth of God’s Word. God’s Word tells us that we cannot earn, work for, or pay for our salvation as this is a free gift from God. Ephesians 2:8-9 “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast.” Salvation is a free gift from God as well as faith. So our believing in Jesus is because God has opened our heart and eyes to believe in His free gift. Luther also wanted everyone to have a Bible that was in their own language so that they could read God’s Word for themselves. So he translated the New Testament into German in 1522 and then the Old Testament in 1534 so that everyone in the land could read the Bible. He also brought hymn singing into the church and translated the worship services into German so that everyone could understand. He stopped the sending of money to Rome to pay for sins. He also stopped the praying to Saints, for in 1 Timothy 2:5 Paul tells us there is only one mediator between God and men and that is Christ Jesus. That is why we do not pray to Mary and the Saints for we do not need them to speak on our behalf or mediate for us, for in Christ we can pray directly to God. What a blessing and freedom! The motto of the Reformation was “Solo Scriptura, Solo Gratia, and Solo Fide.” Solo is Latin for only. Solo Scriptura means only Scripture: We here at Holy Cross and Lutheran Church Canada believe that the Bible is the inspired Word of God and that it alone is the source and norm for all what we believe and what we practice. Lutherans are not anti-reason or antitradition or anti-experience. We simply use the Bible to judge the truth of things. Not all Lutherans or other protestants take this position but we do. We believe the Bible is God’s perfect Word in its original languages of Hebrew and Greek and therefore it becomes our guide and lens through which we live our lives. Solo Gratia means only Grace: At the centre of what we believe is that assurance that salvation is based on the unearned free gift of God’s grace. What is so amazing about grace is that though we are sinful and don’t deserve it, He pours it upon us because of His great love for us. John 3:16. Solo Fide means only Faith: God’s gift of grace is received through faith in what Jesus has done for us. Then once we receive this grace and faith, being made right with God, there is an outflowing of good things as we respond to this love and grace and peace with God. This outflowing does not have the power to make us right with God but is a result from God making us right with Himself through Christ. There are many other areas in our lives that have been changed because of this Reformation but the most important is knowing that the great separation between us and God, because of our sin, has been paid for through the person and work of Jesus Christ. Now we are new creations not because of what we have done but because of what Christ has done. That was all brought back into focus on the Halloween that changed the world in 1517! As we move into November here at Holy Cross we once again think about how God has reached into our lives and saved us and how His Holy Spirit empowers us to respond in love. Over 100 are involved in our small group Bible Studies and many of you are are involved in Adult Bible Class and other areas where God feeds and fills you as He reaches into your life. This empowers and equips us to share that love of Christ with others. On Saturday, November 21 we will have a special seminar here with Pastor Greg Finke where he will help us to think of creative ways of taking that love and reaching out to all those in our sphere of influence. I encourage you to come and learn and be equipped as we continue with our theme of “Reaching in – Reaching out”. With love, laughter, thanksgiving and joy from Jesus and me.. pastor roland
Sunday,
November
Wanted: OUTER milk bags
8th !
Emma Sommer in our Grade 6 Sunday School is involved in the WE Team project at Wellesley School to make sleeping mats for refugees. These mats provide some cushioning, warmth and dryness while people are displaced and living outdoors or in camps. It's a great project for the kids to not only learn about caring for others but also recycling too. Please leave bags in container by Henri’s office on October 25 & November 1 and Emma will take them to school. (They should be washed out and hung to dry, so if you have time to do that, they can be ready to go). Thanks for your help gathering!
during Bible Class at 9:45 a.m.
Sign Up in the Narthex
Come Christmas Caroling! Sunday, December 6 Caroling teams will visit our shut-in’s departing from the Church at 1:00 p.m.
Caroling sign up sheets are in the parlour
Carolers of all ages are welcome
TREASURER'S SUMMARY Unified budget actual results for the nine month period ending September 30, 2015
Unified budget actual results for 9 month period ending September 30, 2015 $600,000.00 $500,000.00 $400,000.00
GIFTS RECEIVED
$
533,100.69
$300,000.00 $200,000.00
FUNDS USED FOR GOD'S WORK
510,710.92
$100,000.00 $-
Excess (shortfall) of Gifts over Funds Used
$
22,389.77
Board of Stewardship
GIFTS RECEIVED
FUNDS USED FOR GOD'S WORK
Excess (shortfall) of Gifts over Funds Used
WEEKLY
At a glance
SUNDAY MORNING Worship Service Worship Service
8:30 a.m. 11:00 a.m.
Adult Bible Study Young Adult Bible Study Youth Bible Study Children’s Sunday School
9:45 a.m. 9:45 a.m. 9:45 a.m. 9:45 a.m.
Friday, November 27, 2015
Saturday, November 28, 2015
WOMEN’S RENEWAL WEEKEND
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MONDAY Griefshare Seminar
6:30 p.m.
WEDNESDAY LWMLC Quilts 9:00 a.m. Junior & Senior Confirmation 6:00 p.m.
THURSDAY Beginnings Program Prayer Group Stephen Ministry (not Nov 12) Praise Singers Cantata Choir Church Choir
9:30 a.m. 9:30 a.m. 1:30 p.m. 7:00 p.m. 8:00 p.m. 9:00 p.m.
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Friday April 22 to Saturday, April 23, 2016
SSAATTUUBible RRDDAAYY at the Guelph Conference Centre
at the Guelph Bible Conference Centre
More information and Registration Sign Up are located at the Welcome Centre
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FRIDAY Youth Activities (not Nov 20) 7:00 p.m. at the Guelph Bible Conference Centre
How to Contact Us! Church Office
519-742-5812
VoiceMail Extensions/Email Pastor Astley – Ext. 223
[email protected] Pastor Syens – Ext. 224
[email protected] Henrietta Schafer – Ext. 226
[email protected] Krysti Beckett – Ext. 227
[email protected] Jennifer Massicotte – Ext. 228 Richard Roth – Ext. 229 Janet Cumby – Ext. 222
[email protected] Debbie Pritchard – Ext. 221
[email protected] Group Name: Holy Cross Evangelical Lutheran Church–Kitchener
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