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THIRD EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH
Rhinebeck, New York
GOD
IS CALLING YOU
"Listen,
God is calling. Offering forgiveness comfort and joy."
This opening line to one of our newer hymns could well be the
theme for this upcoming September and the start of all the
parish programs. God is calling you to Sunday worship, to daily
repentance and forgiveness, to support of the Christian
education and youth programs, to the social ministry efforts,
to the men's breakfast study and fellowship, to the committee
work of our congregations and parish, to stewardship,
evangelism and property and to the woman's work of the parish.
God is calling us to the work of our synod and the national
church.
The
text from Romans chapter twelve calls us to prophecy, minister,
teach and give. To be a prophet means that we are to tell and
foretell. The members of the church are all equipped to tell
and foretell. You can proclaim that Jesus is the Lord of your
life, that God forgives sin. You can model the godly life. All
who live under God's rule and authority and in a state of grace
and forgiveness are equipped to be prophet. The gift of faith
equips you for ministry, to forgive the sinner and pick up and
support those burdened by the consequences of sin.
You
are called to teach. You teach by the example of a godly life.
You know the scripture both from your reading and from hearing
the word read and proclaimed in worship. Be confident that you
can speak with authority about life, death and the world to
come. Be bold and willing to share your walk with the Almighty
in your conversations with others.
You
are equipped to give. Practice your stewardship of thought,
word, deed, time, ability and wealth. Stewardship is love in
action. Your giving enriches you. Your practice of charity is
really Christian body building. You become stronger and
stronger as you continue the practice of charity. Your
spiritual muscle becomes weak when you shirk the discipline of
charity. You grow in thanksgiving by giving. You grow in
humility by giving. You grow in mercy and trust as you grow in
the joy of giving.
All
in the parish from the youngest to the oldest is called. Listen
God is calling.
God
Bless
Pastor
Ness
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