Elim Extra for Sunday September 8, 2024
Pastor’s Reflection
On Sunday, I will have a clipboard with a list of Elim’s voting members as well as active participants. One of my jobs as an outgoing pastor is to work with the church council to remove inactive members from our voting roll. Our constitution, which was revised this year by Council and will be brought to the congregation for approval, outlines this process. But why do we bother with it?
The church is a place that belongs to everyone – we all belong at Elim, and Elim belongs to all of us. But from a practical point of view, the *responsibility* for managing the church belongs *only* to the voting members (not the pastor…did you catch that?…nor the denomination!). Those who feel called to help lead Elim, whether as Council members or just voting members, take on the responsibility of membership. How do they do this? By officially joining the church and staying active in it, which is defined as participating and giving at least once a year. Of course, others are welcome to participate and give as well!
Unlike in some other faiths, in the Lutheran church, church membership has zero eternal significance – it is no way a requirement for salvation. But that doesn’t mean it has no spiritual significance. When people join our church, as some will on September 22nd, they affirm their baptism, repeating the promises made during baptism to follow Jesus. Any baptized person can do this, not just members. When you affirm your baptism in corporate worship with the congregation, you are reminding yourself – voting member or not – that God has given you a community of support to help you live out your desire to follow Jesus more closely. What a spiritual blessing!
Speaking of blessings, thank you so much for your generous response to our second collection for the Restoration Fund! We raised almost $500 on the first try! We will repeat this on Sunday, for those who did not have a chance last week, and then continue monthly until our Restoration Fund is back up to a sustainable level to maintain our building.
This Sunday is God’s Work Our Hands, an annual activity in the Lutheran church. We will be doing our service project during worship so that all can participate in the pews. We still need the following items donated; please let Peggy know what you can bring:
Gloves, Small Notepads, Soap – wrapped, Comb/Brush, Elastic Hair Ties, and Feminine Products.
Thank you for blessing our neighbors who are experiencing homelessness with these “manna” survival supplies!
with love, Pr. Chelsea
Upcoming Events to Note: – September 8th – God’s Work Our Hands Sunday – Making manna bags – September 14th – My Hometown Ogden service project, Goodbye Open House in Salt Lake City, 9-12 – September 15th – Pr. Chelsea preaching, Council meets – September 22nd – Potluck luncheon celebrating Membership Sunday (Affirmation of Baptism) and Farewell for Pr. Chelsea – September 29th – The Lesser Feast of St. Michael and All Angels, Blessing of the Animals, Blessing of Release for Pr. Chelsea
Special People’s Church service – September 15, 2:30 to 4:00 PM – Pastor Chelsea will deliver a repeat of Elim’s morning sermon, with Spanish interpretation by Pastor Angel. Elim members are invited to consider attending church later in the day to experience worship with our siblings in Christ. Pastor Chelsea will serve communion in the sacristy at the conclusion of the afternoon service.