Elim Extra for September 20, 2023
Pastor’s Reflection
Slow Healing: Open Hearts
Pastor’s Reflection
Slow Healing: Open Hearts
Pastor’s Reflection
Slow Healing: Open Minds
This Sunday we will encounter another healing story of Jesus, and explore the healing power of keeping an open mind, allowing for patience and time to bring about healing and hope for the future. My inspiration for this preaching series has been the Slow Medicine movement, and I love the old-fashioned way of healing that makes room for “Dr. Quiet.” Certainly Dr. Jesus made time to listen and care for those who faced an uncertain future due to their illness or the illness of a family member.
Ascension Lutheran Church did a great job of organizing God’s Work Our Hands Sunday, and with Elim’s help provided 164 blessing bags for the homeless! (Along with 50 school supply backpacks and 22 teacher gift bags, and several hand-tied quilts for highway patrol to distribute to those in accidents.) Our churches’ generosity puts “flesh” on what we are thinking about in worship this month….the power of “being open” and having open hands, minds, and hearts.
Love, Pastor Chelsea
Baby Shower for Pastor Chelsea – Sept. 24,2023 after worship Pet Blessings – October 1, 2023 @ 1:00
Installation of Pastor Chelsea – October 7, 2023, 11:30 @ Elim Lutheran Church (Saturday)
Pastor’s Reflection: God’s Work Our Hands Sunday
Our window is fixed, praise be to God, and thanks to Peggy for arranging the repair!
Please join me in welcoming Pr. Debra Jimenez to Elim’s pulpit on Sunday, as our congregations “swap” and I preach at Ascension Lutheran Church. Thank you for signing up to assist in our joint service projects for God’s Work Our Hands Sunday and for donating items for the blessing bags! It is a special collaboration that bears witness to our unity as a Lutheran community.
The premise behind starting a day of service for the whole Evangelical Lutheran Church in America ten years ago was to demonstrate how we are freed in Christ to serve and love our neighbor; to remind ourselves and show the world that every act of service in our daily life flows from confidence in God’s grace. Thus we are not serving out of a sense of obligation, of owing God or others acts of goodness in order to be accepted. Rather we give out of a sense of abundance, loving others as we have already been loved.
Feeling blessed to do God’s work with you,
Pr. Chelsea
Prayer needs: Please pray for Matt, Sheri, and Mary. God in your mercy, hear our prayer.
Community needs: Elim has a member in S. Ogden who would appreciate a ride to church on Sundays. Please contact Pr. Rick or Bonnie.
Upcoming Events:
Church Clean Up – Sept. 16th sign-up sheet in Hallway
Constitution Update Committee – Sept. 17, 2023 @ 9:00 am
Church council Meeting – Sept. 17, 2023 after worship
Mary’s Circle Ladies group – Sept 26 @ noon, place T.B.A.
October 1 – Pet Blessings @ 1:00
(bring your furry family members to church to receive a blessing)
October 7, 2023 – Installation of Pastor Chelsea Page (to Elim Lutheran Church @ 11:30 on Saturday)
October 29 – Reformation Sunday (wear Red)
Pastor’s Reflection
Slow Healing: Be Open
I’m excited to come back on Sunday! A huge thanks to the many individuals who have been serving and keeping ministry going at Elim during my absence. I am truly grateful to have been able to have this time at home with my family.
Since I have been in recovery mode following the birth of my daughter, I have been reflecting on healing and how long it takes. Truly it doesn’t happen overnight. But I believe our lives are always caught up in a gentle current of healing that comes from God. On Sunday we will learn a fun Aramaic word that means “be open.” How important is openness for our collective healing?
Worship during the next month at Elim will be based on my favorite healing stories in the gospels, reflecting wisdom from the “slow medicine” movement (based on Italy’s “slow food” movement) which advocates for a medical system that allows doctors to spend more time with patients, and people to take more time for their own healing. You have blessed me with this time during my maternity leave. Thank you.
I am also excited to welcome Ascension’s pastor Rev. Debra Jimenez into the pulpit on September 10th, as our churches swap pulpits for God’s Work Our Hands Sunday. Thank you for welcoming her for this collaboration with our local ELCA siblings. But first, I can’t wait to see you THIS Sunday!
hugs, Pastor Chelsea
Church Council Meeting – July 23
Pioneer Days July 24, 2023 – Office will be closed.
Volunteers needed for Family Promise
Sat. Aug 5 – Sun. Aug 13
Please contact Gloria Wurst
Grand Opening
Community Resource Center of My Hometown Ogden
August 19, 2023 10 am to 1pm
373 15th Street Ogden, Utah 84404
Free Event – food, entertainment, games, tours, ribbon cutting.
URL for video of live-streamed service. https://video-den4-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t58.24163-2/10000000_1142142746206108_2052641016061316739_n.mp4?_nc_cat=100&vs=5540fc562f7c898&_nc_vs=HBksFQAYJEdJQ1dtQUNjbjZ2VXhRNEVBSU5PdS1VZ2Nud2NibU5lQUFBRhUAAsgBABUAGCRHSUNXbUFEUF9XdW5xR01BQUhpSW9YYnF1VVpsYm1OZUFBQUYVAgLIAQBLA4gScHJvZ3Jlc3NpdmVfcmVjaXBlATEgbWVhc3VyZV9vcmlnaW5hbF9yZXNvbHV0aW9uX3NzaW0AKGNvbXB1dGVfc3NpbV9vbmx5X2F0X29yaWdpbmFsX3Jlc29sdXRpb24AFQAlABwAACbw%2BbjM%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%3D%3D&ccb=1-3&_nc_sid=a6057a&efg=eyJ2ZW5jb2RlX3RhZyI6InZpZGVvX2Rvd25sb2FkIn0%3D&_nc_ohc=qrYpfWfbkhQAX_X6y2S&_nc_ht=video-den4-1.xx&oh=0dfc417e772f5f50f5e96c58f0734acb&oe=60481955&_nc_rid=78b6d05c2c454c8&dl=1