THIS WEEK: Sunday, the 8th –

9:30-10:30 AM – ADULT SUNDAY SCHOOL in the Sacks` living room – studying together Psalm 19

9:30-10:30 AM – MULTIGENERATIONAL SUNDAY SCHOOL in cafeteria, Zebleys will be teaching on the theme of Lent.

11:00 AM – WORSHIP

FELLOWSHIP TIME: after the service

STEERING COMMITTEE: after fellowship time.

Sunday, March 8th – 9:30 AM Adult and Multigenerational Sunday School. During the 11 AM worship, Pastor Teresa will preach from Psalm 19 bringing a sermon titled “Glory!” After the worship service will be a robust fellowship time. All are welcome! In the Upper Room following fellowship time will be a Steering Committee meeting.

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CHRISTIAN EDUCATION CORNER (we value your prayers & involvement in this vital ministry)  Any questions, please contact Pastor Teresa at wtucrev@gmail.com, or Julie Rogers for HS; Amy Harbaugh and Steve Bennett for Upper ES and Lower MS, grades 4-7; and Carrie Bennett for Lower ES, grades K-3.

Little Kids: all are welcome to go with Emin and learn about “the real neighbor”

ES – Tentative swim and devotions dates – March 18th (PACT) 5:00pm, April 8th (PACT) 5:00pm, May 13th (PACT) 5:00pm, June 3rd 5:00 pm

MS/HS – 3/15th will be Praise Music Sunday. All youth are encouraged to send suggestions for music to Julie Rogers.

Next MULTIGENERATIONAL and ADULT Sunday Schools – Sunday, March 8th and 22nd, 9:30-10:30am

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Upcoming Preaching Ministry and Community Time

March 15th       Pastor Teresa preaching

March 21st       Makoto Fujimura – Saturday film showing of “Golden Sea” and  interview at ICU Dialogue House, International House 2F, 6:30-8:30pm – Chance to see Tom Hastings as well!

March 22nd     Multigenerational and Adult Sunday School, Makoto Fujimura preaching http://www.makotofujimura.com/, Communion will be served.

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MULTIGENERATIONAL SUNDAY SCHOOL!! ADULT SUNDAY SCHOOL!!

We have Multigenerational Sunday School from 9:30 in the cafeteria the second and fourth Sundays of the month. Who is welcome? All ages. We will be creating, discussing, playing games, acting out bible stories and more. At the same time, the Sacks host the Adult Sunday School, also at 9:30 am in their living room. The method used is the, “Swedish Bible study method,” interacting with the texts for the service through our own life experiences. Their home is right across the Lutheran Campus from our sanctuary. Best coffee in town = ) Come and enjoy! (At times Adult Sunday School is held in the Upper Room, on the 2nd floor above the Sanctuary.) All are welcome. Need more information, contact wtucrev@gmail.com any time = ) Sunday School schedule: 3/8, 3/22, 4/12, 4/26, 5/10, 5/24, 6/14 and 6/28.

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Thomas John Hastings through Pickwick Publications, an imprint of Wipf and Stock Publishers, has recently released a book (2/2015): Seeing All Things Whole: The Scientific Mysticism and Art of Kagawa Toyohiko (1888–1960). ISBN 13: 978-1-4982-0407-1 Retail: $31 Pastor Teresa has access to an excerpt if you would like it sent to you.

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AFARI, American Friends of ARI (Asian Rural Institute), is an organization of friends, former volunteers, expats who came to know ARI through T.U.C. and mission co-workers who have deeply respected the mission and people of ARI since its founding in 1973. Each year since 2004, AFARI has sought gifts of frequent flier miles (mostly on Delta/NWA and United, but also from other airlines that carry passengers from parts of Asia, the Pacific Islands and Central/South America to Tokyo.) If you or a family member have enough miles for a one-way or round-rip flight that could be used to bring a participant from Kathmandu, Myanmar or Manila (for example), please be in touch with pamhasegawa@gmail.com at your earliest convenience. The Hasegawa family, T.U.C members from 1985-89, enjoy a lifelong bond with A.R.I. For the last 10 years their family has given at least one ticket a year to support the travel of a participant whose organization did not have the funds for air fare. AFARI members in North America agree, “It has been a joy for us to contribute to the mission of ARI in this way and we would invite you to join us, if you can, in making your own contribution of FF miles.”  

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WTUC Announcements:

*Questions or concerns? Feel free to email wtucrev@gmail.com anytime.

*Please enjoy and refer our website https://wtuc.net/ and FB page (West Tokyo Union Church) to others. Please make any suggestions for additions to the Pastor Teresa and/or Steering Committee.

*If you’d like to be added to the WTUC church email list, please contact Gene Witt ewitt@asij.ac.jp

*If interested in joining the WTUC Prayer Chain, let Pastor Teresa or Prayer Chain Coordinator, Kayo Ozawa, know of your interest. Please submit prayers to wtucrev@gmail.com or Kayo Ozawa.

*Sign up for snacks for fellowship time with Ann or on the list on the white board for next year. We appreciate your contributions to our community life!

*Each week we will be setting up the chairs for worship and preparing the sanctuary, anyone around at 10:30am is invited to be involved in the fun = ) Each week we will also return our sanctuary to it`s classroom style after the fellowship time.

*Interested in baptism or membership, please contact Pastor Teresa.

*Interested in a paid position setting up and/or taking down the chairs of our sanctuary? Contact Pastor Teresa at wtucrev@gmail.com

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Scripture for the sermon – Psalm 19 The Message (MSG) A David Psalm

19 1-2 God’s glory is on tour in the skies,

God-craft on exhibit across the horizon.

Madame Day holds classes every morning,

Professor Night lectures each evening.

3-4 Their words aren’t heard,

their voices aren’t recorded,

But their silence fills the earth:

unspoken truth is spoken everywhere.

4-5 God makes a huge dome for the sun—a superdome!

The morning sun’s a new husband leaping from his honeymoon bed,

The daybreaking sun an athlete racing to the tape.

6 That’s how God’s Word vaults across the skies

from sunrise to sunset,

Melting ice, scorching deserts,

warming hearts to faith.

7-9 The revelation of God is whole

and pulls our lives together.

The signposts of God are clear

and point out the right road.

The life-maps of God are right,

showing the way to joy.

The directions of God are plain

and easy on the eyes.

God’s reputation is twenty-four-carat gold, with a lifetime guarantee.

The decisions of God are accurate down to the nth degree.

10 God’s Word is better than a diamond,

better than a diamond set between emeralds.

You’ll like it better than strawberries in spring,

better than red, ripe strawberries.

11-14 There’s more: God’s Word warns us of danger

and directs us to hidden treasure.

Otherwise how will we find our way?

Or know when we play the fool?

Clean the slate, God, so we can start the day fresh!

Keep me from stupid sins, from thinking I can take over your work;

Then I can start this day sun-washed, scrubbed clean of the grime of sin.

These are the words in my mouth; these are what I chew on and pray.

Accept them when I place them on the morning altar,

O God, my Altar-Rock,

God, Priest-of-My-Altar.